I Believe in Zero: Learning from the World's Children - Paperback

by Caryl M. Stern (Author)

First-hand, human stories of hope, resilience, determination, and family: a call to see the world's children as our own, by the President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF

In I Believe in ZERO, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Caryl M. Stern draws on her travels around the world, offering memorable stories that present powerful and sometimes counter-intuitive lessons about life. I Believe in ZERO reflects her--and UNICEF's--mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths of children under the age of five from 19,000 each day to zero.

Each of the stories in I Believe in ZERO focuses on a particular locale--Bangladesh, Mozambique, earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the Brazilian Amazon--and weaves together fascinating material on the country and its history, an account of the humanitarian crises at issue, and depictions of the people she meets on the ground. Stern tells of mothers coming together to affect change, of local communities with valuable perspectives of their own, and of children who continue to sustain their dreams and hopes even in the most dire of situations. Throughout, Stern traces her emerging global consciousness--and describes how these stories can positively impact our own children.

In this incredibly moving book, Stern hopes to open hearts and minds and leave readers with the belief that no child anywhere should lack basic human support--and that every child and mother can be an inspiration.

Author Biography

CARYL M. STERN has spent more than thirty years in the non-profit sector as a child advocate and civil rights activist. Since May 2007, she's served as President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, leading the day-to-day work of the organization's National Office and five Regional Offices. Prior to this and other roles at the U.S. Fund, Stern served as the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Associate National Director for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). She lives with her family in New York.