ATLANTA (November 5, 2008) - The leader of one of the world's premier humanitarian organizations, Dr. Helene Gayle, today congratulated U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and called on him and other world leaders to "remember the poorest of the poor." Dr. Gayle, president and CEO of CARE, issued the following statement:
"I am deeply honored to congratulate President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden. As they start the tough job of stabilizing the economy and strengthening America's relationships abroad, I trust that they will remember the poorest of the poor – those who live on less than $2 a day. Our engagement with them often makes the difference between life and death.
"From the conflicts in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the worsening violence throughout Afghanistan; from the drought in Ethiopia to the devastating floods in Haiti, women and children bear the brunt of these tragedies. They need our help to survive and to ultimately break the cycle that mires them in poverty generation after generation.
"Around the world, people cling to the possibility that they, too, can be a part of the hope that President-elect Barack Obama speaks of; that they, too, can achieve the dignity and stability everyone wants for herself or himself and for future generations. But as many in our country have recognized – and as the President-elect has said – helping people in poor countries is not only good for them; it's an excellent investment in our own future. People who have hope and opportunity are more likely to contribute to the world of peace and stability that we all desire.
"As CARE has done for decades, we look forward to being in partnership with the new administration and the new Congress to advance solutions to overcome the crises in health, food, water and economic stagnation that contribute to dire poverty around the globe. Together, we can move toward implementing the processes that we know work to empower communities to make lasting change."
CARE, a non-partisan and non-sectarian organization, works in more than 70 countries around the world to end poverty with an emphasis on empowering women and girls to uplift their communities.
