My New Project - A Musical Revolution

I am currently enrolled in SM323 CORE at the School of management. As part of this course I am working on a new product project and am part of an 8-person team that is working on a guitar-learning device called The Guitar Guru… The Guitar Guru x100 Pro is a revolutionary visual guitar-learning accessory that makes learning a song as simple as playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band. Check out the product at and give us your feedback, we would sincerely appreciate it! -

Visit our Website: http://www.GetGuitarGuru.com

Blog: http://blog.GetGuitarGuru.com

Fan us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GetGuitarGuru

Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/GetGuitarGuru

Congratulations & Feedback

Congratulations on setting a new Stand Up Guinness World Record for 2007. Over 40 million people worldwide broke the previous record that we had set ourselves in 2006.

On the heels of this massive global success MPH-Emirates and GCAP would like to get some feedback from you, so do take a few minutes to fill out this survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=x9LvAoHzEyOTGkunjx5x1A_3d_3d

We appreciate your help and continued support.
-

Anish Kattukaran for The MPH-Emirates Team

Give Money & Make Money, at the same time...Really?

Andres Kello and TheRecordBreakingDomain.com is partnering up with FightHunger.org to end child hunger. TheRecordBreakingDomain.com is an outside-the-box project started by the young entrepreneur Andres Kello that leverages the power of the internet to bring people together to break a unique world record, create the most watched Ad in history, and help charities around the globe. TheRecordBreakingDomain has committed to give one million dollars to Fight Hunger to help feed hungry children if the goal is reached.

So check out this crazy new concept at TheRecordBreakingDomain.com. Who knows you might feed thousands of children and walk away a millionaire at the same time. Sounds like a good deal, eh?

http://people.bu.edu/anishk/Kattukaran-Webproject/Index.html

The Year So Far

GCAP in the United Arab Emirates, Make Poverty History-Emirates, celebrated its biggest year yet. During the year the number of member organizations in the coalition grew. Support for the campaign grew incredibly with over 30 thousand supporters across the country.

The campaign hosted a number of awareness campaigns throughout the country, along with periodical national radio shows to keep the campaign in the spotlight. These radio shows with prominent DJs featured campaign representatives Mr. Jaser Faruq (Event Coordinator) and Mr. Anish Kattukaran (National Coordinator) on topics like HIV/AIDS, human rights, extreme poverty & hunger etc.

The campaign continued to make constant updates to its website and media portal. A dedicated Internet team, directed by Ms Sana Syed, was set up and immediately introduced a monthly e-Newsletter and a weekly ‘Action Alert’. 2006 also saw the launch of the MPH-Emirates Blog. The campaigns’ website www.makepovertyhistory.ae also picked up two ‘Best Website’ awards: Gold at the Pan Arab Awards and Silver at the UAE Web Awards

As part of the campaign’s ‘Outreach Program,’ we teamed up with a number of established events through the country. Campaign volunteers would then use these events to spread awareness about the campaign and its demands. ‘Fusion 2006’ was one such event, attended by thousands. 30 campaign volunteers were present to talk to attendees throughout the event’s 3-day duration. The campaign jointly celebrated ‘World Children’s Day’ as well as part of the program at an event with about a thousand children in The Gardens in Dubai.

The national coalition’s key Mobilization date was 15^th & 16^th October: White Band Day 4 (marking the end of the Month of Mobilization) and the campaign adopted the ‘Stand Up Against Poverty’ theme. MPH-Emirates coordinated an unprecedented 20 simultaneous events to mark the occasion.Over 20,000 UAE residents from over 90 nationalities came out in full force to support the eradication of poverty. National press coverage was at its highest with the campaign and the Stand Up events appearing in every one of the national newspapers, radio stations and even some of the TV stations.

The campaign closed the year on a high note, signing one of the three biggest Media & Advertising firms, Saatchi & Saatchi, to design its advertising/awareness campaign. This will be launched through 2007 along with the number of events and programs that have already been planned. We look forwards to your continued support.

Hala Coussa;
Administration

Sana Syed;
eCommunications Director

Make your Christmas Wish Change the World

Our good friends at Flip Media (the guys who helped us put together our awesome website) have created really great Christmas 'wishing' website.

For every wish that you make on that website they will donate a sum of money to the Medecins Sans Frontieres and we all know what great work they do to alleviate suffering.

So head over to www.flipcorp.com/wish and make your wish count towards making poverty history. (and make sure you tell as many people as possible)

Im sure it will give you a lot of plus points on Santa's list.

--

Anish Kattukaran,

National Coordinator

How the world can conquer AIDS

By Kofi A. Annan

In the 25 years since the first case was reported, AIDS has changed the world. It has killed 25 million people and infected 40 million more. It has become the world's leading cause of death among both women and men ages 15 to 59. It has inflicted the single greatest reversal in the history of human development. In other words, it has become the greatest challenge of our generation.
(AFP/Getty Images)

For far too long, the world was in denial. But over the past 10 years, attitudes have changed. The world has started to take the fight against AIDS as seriously as it deserves.
Financial resources are being committed as never before, people have access to anti-retroviral treatment as never before, and several countries are managing to fight the spread as never before. Now, as the number of infections continues unabated, we need to mobilize political will as never before.

The creation of UNAIDS a decade ago, bringing together the strengths and resources of many different parts of the United Nations family, was a milestone in transforming the way the world responds to AIDS. And five years ago, all U.N. member states reached a new milestone by adopting the Declaration of Commitment — containing specific, far-reaching and time-bound targets for fighting the epidemic.

My priority
That same year, as I made HIV/AIDS a priority in my work as secretary-general, I called for the creation of a "war chest" of an additional $7 billion to $10 billion a year. Today, I am deeply proud to be patron of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which has channeled almost $3 billion to programs across the globe. Recently, we have seen significant additional funding from bilateral donors, national treasuries, civil society and other sources. But much more is needed; by 2010, total needs for a comprehensive AIDS response will exceed $20 billion a year.

Because the response has started to gain real momentum, the stakes are higher now than ever. We cannot risk letting the advances that have been achieved unravel; we must not jeopardize the heroic efforts of so many. The challenge now is to deliver on all the promises that governments have made. Leaders must hold themselves accountable — and be held accountable by all of us.

Accountability — the theme of World AIDS Day on Friday — requires every president and prime minister, every parliamentarian and politician, to decide and declare that "AIDS stops with me." It requires them to strengthen protection for all vulnerable groups — whether people living with HIV, young people, sex workers, injecting drug users, or men who have sex with men. It requires them to work hand in hand with civil society groups, who are so crucial to the struggle. It requires them to work for real, positive change that will transform relations between women and men at all levels of society.

What is required of us
But accountability applies not only to those who hold positions of power. It also applies to all of us. It requires business leaders to work for HIV prevention in the workplace and in the wider community, and to care for affected workers and their families. It requires health workers, community leaders and faith-based groups to listen and care, without passing judgment. It requires fathers, husbands, sons and brothers to support and affirm the rights of women. It requires teachers to nurture the dreams and aspirations of girls. It requires men to help ensure that other men assume their responsibility — and understand that real manhood means protecting others from risk. It requires every one of us to help bring AIDS out of the shadows, and spread the message that silence is death.

I will soon be stepping down as secretary-general of the United Nations. But as long as I have strength, I will keep spreading that message. That is why World AIDS Day will always be special to me.

On this World AIDS Day, let us vow to keep the promise — not only this day, or this year, or next year — but every day, until the epidemic is conquered.

[Kofi A. Annan is secretary-general of the United Nations.]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I came across this article the other day and thought everyone might find it interesting, especially ahead of World Aids Day. Happy Campaigning

--AK

(text courtesy of USA Today - See original article here)

Bono Meets Japanese Prime Minister

Wednesday, Bono met with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, asking him to continue Japan's efforts to help the developing world.

Bono's remarks after the meeting:

"I found Prime Minister Abe to be a very warm man, very interested in these issues. I was surprised that he gave me twice the time allocated to the meeting to talk about AIDS and extreme poverty."

"We are coming up to World AIDS Day on Friday. This is a great chance to talk about the fact that the Global Fund was given birth to here in Japan at the Okinawa G8 Summit in 2000. I told Prime Minister Abe this is one of the greatest ideas of the 21st century. There are now over half a million people alive in the poorest countries because of this idea. A Japanese idea."

"On tour, we've met a lot of young people looking for meaning in a meaningless world. They think it's mad that 8,000 people are dying a day of AIDS, a preventable, treatable disease, that 5,000 people are dying a day, mainly children, of a mosquito bite from malaria. In Japan they have a word for their reply to this madness, it's 'hottokenai'."

"Under the previous Prime Minister, Mr Koizumi, Japan promised to double aid to Africa. Prime Minister Abe said he would do everything he can to keep this promise, despite the real economic difficulties he faces. We talked about the G8 meeting in Japan in 2008 and how this is an opportunity to show the rest of the world what Japan stands for."

[Text courtesy of GCAP-USA; The ONE Campaign]

Can We?

With all the talk of us being the first generation with the actual capacity to eradicate extreme poverty from the face of our planet... what ive been wanting to find out is whether the bulk of us truly believes it is possible...?

Or do we believe that fighting such a mighty battle is an waste of time...?

It is also possible that some of us genuinely don't care, i mean its not like we all dont have our own problems, right...?

Maybe we believe that we have worked hard to achieve what we have so far, and that people who are poor should do the same...?

It costs too much...?

Not my country's problem...?

Perhaps some of us have grown up oblivious to the extreme sufferings of others and just dont know what it is to suffer from 'extreme poverty'...?

Or maybe some of us believe that we should follow the example of those that have become complacent with extreme poverty and now accept it as something that is and always will be...?

Tons of possiblities...but what do you believe? and more importantly why?

--

AK

Tackling Poverty with Education

Fact: Poverty around the world is restricting the potential of a whole generation of children & youth.
Fact: The lack of education, in turn, contributes more towards extreme poverty.
Fact: For the first time ever, an end to extreme poverty worldwide, is possible
Fact: This task lies on our shoulders and we must all take responsibility for contributing to this goal: governments, organisations, businesses and individuals alike, because if we don't ask for it, then nothing will be done.

‘Save the Children’ is one of the thousands of organizations that share these thoughts. 'Save the Children' is a leading independent organization creating real and lasting change for children in need around the world. It is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, comprising 27 national Save the Children organizations working in more than 100 countries.
'Save the Children' strives to ensure the well-being of impoverished children all around the world.

Education plays a key part of this work. Education saves lives by teaching children: how to protect themselves from danger; about good nutrition; disease prevention; improves their chances of making a successfull living; and through this helps them escape extreme poverty. Schools, in many cases, also provide a safe zone for children affected by armed conflict.

So it is not so much about charity but about delivering justice. Poverty is a vicious cycle which education has the capacity to break. If you feed a child suffering from the many attrocities of extreme poverty, he/she will live for a day. Educate that child and he or she will build their own way out of poverty, will contribute towards the community and the overall uplifting of that society.

Poverty restricts access to the very education that would eraddicate it. For millions of children living in poor communities, the costs of school fees and school uniforms is far too high, especially when their more basic necessities like food and water can barely be met.

Yet education is vital to lift the wellbeing of poor communities, 'Save the Children' provides support from: drop in centres where working children can access education, to building schools and training teachers in rural communities with no school facilities. It runs early childhood education classes in some of the most difficult environments children live in: for example, in the Dauladtia brothel community in Bangladesh. The children start to learn through play as well as receiving nutritional supplements that help keep them healthy.

Executive Director of Save the Children in New Zealand, John Bowis, said, "While we call on all organisations and individuals to help in the battle to end poverty – it is essential that governments, play their part in particular, as a large donor, and lift aid contributions."

Save the Children is a member of the GCAP (Make Poverty History) coalition, and like thousands of other organizations, have joined forces to strive to eradicate extreme poverty together.

Daamini Shrivastav,

Rohit Hariharan,

& AK.

Sunny Side Up

John Mayer concert: Check
Lots of 'catch up' sleep: Check
Weekend off: Check
Thank You Notes: Check
Uploaded Pictures: Check
Media Releases & Interviews: Check
Formal Report to GCAP & UN-Millennium Campaign: Check
Tabulated Figures: Check
Collect Event Data: Check

What an incredibly crazy 10 days it has been, Stand Up is just about done. And the immensity of what we just did is slowly starting to sink in. Never in my wildest dreams did i imagine it would turn out the way it did.

I remember talking to Jaser (my good friend and colleague) days before 'Stand Up', when things were as hectic as ever and telling him that i hoped we would have atleast 5 thousand people a part of this amazing initiative. Look what happened...

So what exactly happened?
20 THOUSAND people 'stood up' against poverty in the Emirates alone. An incredible figure, by any stretch of your imagination, especially when you think about how tiny this country is. (second only to Syria in the region in terms of participation)

But here is the big number, the final number, the global number:

23, 542, 614

The largest single coordinated movement of people in the history of the Guiness World Record.

That is how many of us there were! In just twenty four hours a breathtaking 23 and half million people in more than 100 countries around the world set a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to "STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY".

And if that doesnt qualify as making a very 'global sttement' nothing will. We broke a record, sure. We did a great job of it, definitely. But that wasn't what we were trying to achieve (ofcorse it was a part of it but you see where im going with this...)

What impact did we have...time will soon tell. But our message was extremely clear: ' The World is watching and growing impatient'

Remember though that the fight against poverty is not a sprint but a marathon. And as incredible as 'Stand Up' was, it will take more of the same to see our demands achieved on a global scale. I guess it is a really good sign that we, as a movement, are only growing in numbers and not loosing any momentum.

Together we will put those people & governments, with the capacity to do so, in a position that they cannot dismiss and will have to take action, so that the world will come to a point where we will no longer be 'Waiting, Waiting on the World to Change'

--

AK,

National Coordinator

Lives encapsulated in a song

"These kids trapped in a struggle and
No where to head at night,
Head full of trouble is all that their getting,
and nobody knows the suffering they go through,
and you wouldn't believe them if they told you"

- Joel Turner, These kids.

Sometimes you come across songs or artists that really reach out to you. Sometimes in the form of love songs, break up songs, happy songs or maybe even sad songs. I have songs I listen to constantly because they encapture, in their soulful lyrics; my mood, my thoughts and my emotions. I've got a wide variety of music genres that I listen to, so while I was going through my I-tunes I came across a song I had heard so many times, but never paid enough attention to. It's words were a blur and it never really "reached out to me". However, I decided that today I would 'listen' to the song rather than just 'hear'it.

Suprise; it didn't reach out to me. No sir. It didn't reach out to me, rather, it grabbed me, enthralled me and held me stunned. This song, by Joel Turner captures the lives of millions of children around the world. It provides a real picture of the millions of lost souls roaming the street at night, resorting to crime, death, drugs, violence in a bid to survive. Trapped in a struggle, not knowing if they will live to see light the next day, not knowing where their next meal comes from. They are alone, cold, broken emotionally, physically and perhaps even spiritually. And though the song doesn't nessecairly speak of the children in Africa or Asia, it provides an outlook that we rarely find in commercial hits, and songs making it to the number one place on the billboard charts.

I thought maybe you'd like to know that sometimes paying attention and listening to ONE voice, listening- not hearing- their words could really suprise you, shock you and maybe even stun you. Sometimes it's a good suprise and other times it's an eye opener. In my case, I'm glad I chose to listen, it came to me as a reminder of why I chose to be part of MakePovertyHistory. For me, it was an eye opener, a reminder that we still have a long way to go, but we'll make it.

I'll leave you with a question and this question is adressed to world leaders and to you, the readers;

Will you choose to listen too and do something, or will you just let the words roll right off you and ignore the voices that sound?

Think about it. You may actually find yourself craving the wake up call.

---------

Nadia Rashed;
Campaign Reporter

'Stand Up' World Wide Pictures

20,003 Stand Up in the UAE

20, 003

That, folks, is how many people stood up at the 21 STAND UP events hosted on the 15- 16th of October in the United Arab Emirates. You will not believe how proud that number makes me and the rest of the team. To everyone who made this happen for us, to everyone who stood up, to everyone who wants changes to happen and happen now, I have a feeling this will really be an eye opener for those in a position to make that change happen. That number encapsulates the attitude, the feeling and emotions of so many people that even if the world leaders wanted to ignore it, they couldn’t. And for that, pat yourselves on the back. SLOWLY, but surely we can and must erradicate poverty in our lifetimes.
--

Nadia Rashed

Campaign Reporter

LIVE8 One Year On

‘In 2005 we made great strides in the fight against poverty and I’m proud of every one that joined the campaigns around the world to make poverty history. Because you came together and acted as one, world leaders made promises that have the potential to help millions escape the prison of poverty. That is a great achievement. But now we face the difficult task of making our governments turn their promises into the actions that will save millions of lives.
We can be the great generation that makes poverty history. But to make poverty history we must now make promises happen one by one. Don’t give up now - let your politicians know you are watching every step they take.’

-Nelson Mandela

‘Live 8 was, and remains a brilliant moment but what is more important is the brilliant movement of which it was a part. This gives the poorest of the poor real political muscle for the first time.It is this movement of church people and trade unionists, soccer moms and student activists, that will carry the spirit of Live 8 on. It is this movement, not rock stars, that will make it untenable in the future to break promises to the most vulnerable people on this planet.That was always why we put on the concerts.’

-Bono

Remind the G8 about the promises they made to us. Do this here.
–

Anish Kattukaran

National Coordinator

Welcome to MPH

Welcome to the blog. First and foremost I’d like to thank everyone who is taking a look at this blog right now; because you’re one of those people that care enough to see changes made to our world; because you are one of those people that believes that the world doesnt need just charity but that it needs justice. The world needs more people like you.
The world today has become very unpredictable. But nothing we can’t get through or at least try to get through. Everyday somewhere in the world a child might be getting an education, having a meal to eat, clean water to drink and all of this because YOU chose to ‘Stand Up’ and make poverty history. Kudos to you!

You might be staring at this reading the ramble of words on the screen wondering what the point of this blog is. MakePovertyHistory, the blog, will try to give you an insight into the opinions and thoughts that result in the driving force behind the guys and gals that make up this team.

Entries on this blog would cover personnal experiences, links to related articles, videos that we found interesting, news articles we think you should read and alot of other stuff. Some entries might be about success stories we’ve heard about, read about or been a part off (and we all know how sometimes we just need a little boost to show us that the work we are doing is not going to waste) Some might even be about controversial matters (you know how everyone has an opinion on those!), some might be about what they did to help, some may tell you about what more you could do and some might even be written by you. (So if you have something that you think would be interesting to read, in context, then send it across. We would love to hear from you)

However it is important to note that the material and content from this blog does not necessarily represent the views of Make Poverty History-Emirates, its member organizations and/or GCAP but rather are the personnal stories of a team we hope you will be a part of. The campaign and its member organizations can not be held responsible for the content that appears on this page.
I’m absolutely ecstatic to have you here with us because from now you are ‘US’. You are the driving force behind MakePovertyHistory and together we could become the generation that goes down in history as the ones that eradicated poverty.

I hope you enjoy the blog and all the writers. Welcome to the campaign.
Regards,
–

Nadia Rashed

Campaign Reporter