Groups hope to spur more interest in international humanitarian aid

Nine international humanitarian organizations kicked off a campaign in Des Moines today to try and spur Americans to do more about global poverty. Ruth Fuller is the spokesperson for the “Better Safer World” campaign. Fuller says the groups got together after the 9-11 attacks to see if they could address some of the issues at the root of the problem. She says they got together and said there are things we can do with the resources available. She says the goals is to help Americans make a better, safer world. Fuller says the group wants to spur action at several levels. She says they want to do that by enabling folks to get together to address the issue of global poverty, and to urge the government to increase foreign assistance. Fuller says the U.S. lags in this area. She says our government currently gives one-tenth of one percent of our G-N-P to humanitarian assistance. She says the puts us 20th out of the 21 developing countries. Fuller says they chose Iowa to start the campaign because it’s in the heartland of the country. She believes Americans will respond if they’re given a chance. She says she thinks people in America think there’s nothing they can do about starving children, but she says if we all get together, there is something we can do. fuller says Iowans can sign a petition calling on the presidential candidates to outline their plans for fighting global poverty. She says you can volunteer to help a local shelter or food kitchen, or join a humanitarian organization. For more information on their effort, surf to:www.bettersaferworld.org.