Beth Mason is back home in Berwick after taking part in a World Vision campaign in Canberra last weekend. 49462 By Kelly Yates
BERWICK’S Beth Mason is back on home soil after travelling to the ation’s capital campaigning for what she says will make the world a better place.
The 18-year-old went to Canberra with World Vision to spread the message that 8.8 million children under the age of five in developing countries die every year from preventable causes.
Ms Mason and 44 other young activists from around Australia asked the MPs to commit to spending 70 cents of every $100 of gross national income on overseas aid in a bid to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health.
“A lot of people are cynical about whether or not anything ever changes for the world’s poorest,” Ms Mason said.
“The reality is that it can cost as little as 12 cents for a re-hydration tablet to prevent diarrhoea, one of the largest killers for children under five.
“Simple and affordable solutions exist. For example, mosquito nets are a cheap way to prevent malaria, and access to clean water and sanitation can prevent a lot of deaths from water-borne diseases.
“We don’t need a miracle cure – we already have the solutions.”
Ms Mason arrived in Canberra last Saturday and spent the weekend in workshops before hitting the streets to campaign.
The group then headed to Parliament House for a series of meetings with MPs as well as some stunts on Parliament lawn.
“We held a fifth birthday party with balloons and games for all the kids that didn’t get to celebrate their fifth birthday,” Ms Mason said.
“We heard from people like World Vision CEO Tim Costello. Each put their perspective on how Australia could help end extreme poverty,” she said.
Ms Mason said she felt very passionate about overseas aid.
“It’s frustrating because we have the ability to change it,” she said.
“It’s a simple step that Australia needs to take.”
Ms Mason met with local MPs Anthony Byrne and Jason Wood to discuss the issue of child and maternal health in the developing world, saying Australia needed to commit 0.7 per cent in aid to see the Millennium Development Goals met.
She is encouraging others to attend the La Trobe Make Poverty History electoral forum on Friday 9 July at St Margaret’s School in Berwick from 6pm to 7.30pm.
The event provides an opportunity for the community to discuss issues surrounding Australia’s foreign aid commitment.
