10.5 million children under 5 will die this year—why aren't more people talking about this?

Sad isn't it?

I think part of the problem is most people are numb to statistics (until they become one.) You hear statistics all the time, but unless it effects you or a loved one directly, too many people simply ignore them and move on with their lives.

My church participates in a number of mission programs. Every year people return from these and say how much it's changed their lives. I don't think people realize how good many of us in the United States actually have it. We are too busy "comparing ourselves to the jones" to concern ourselves with making a difference elsewhere in the world.

So how do we change this? While it's not practical that everyone in the world gets to see this first hand, the best solution is to continue to attempt to educate everyone by exposing them to this information. I like that we are utilizing new media formats, like the Internet, and Yahoo to bring new light to this and other world issues. People are so quick to change a channel on the television, they need to see it in other areas as well.

Excellent question. And thanks for all you have done personally on this issue.

God Bless.

Do they know the consequences for the children. Yes. Why don't more people talk about the ignorance of this question and some of the answers that were given. The current war has nothing to do with this problem and in order to solve it would probrably involve starting and engaging in another war with the warlords and tyrants of Africa and other developing countries. America and Americans are the main ones talking about this and individuals need to be a little less critical and demeaning to the common person living their life here in this country. Not everyone has money falling out their pockets. Contrary to popular belief; we can't solve ALL the world's problems by ourselves ALL the time. It is taxing on our society. If you take a stroll through history--just because you help everyone in the world doesn't make them like you. Most of the time it makes them even envy and despise you. The more you give, the more they want, the more they despise you for not giving more. Basically, more is not enough. It will never be enough. This creates a dangerous cycle. Keep having those kids though and keep sending that money. 10.5 will still turn into 20.5.

I think that the main reason people do not talk about this problem is that most people live their lives in the little picture. What I mean by that is for the most part our society as a whole is more focused on what happens to me, rather than what happens to other people, the big picture. I also wanted to ask, does this 10.5 million figure include all the babies across our globe that are aborted, I know it does not, why not? That is preventable, I guess my question to you is, why don't people talk about that figure? Because that total far out ways the 10.5 million over the next 5 years, especially in China. In our country alone, the USA, there will be over 1 million

abortions performed. But this issue is far more polarized then children dying from Health related issues, hence the reason people do not want to discuss it. We talk about a women's right to have an abortion, but for crying out loud, what about the baby who is being killed by it's Mother? What about the rights of the baby, it has no rights until it is born, per the supreme court circa 1972. That is wrong and most people realize this, so like the deaths of millions of children who die because of health issues, and the ones who are aborted, most people just get so into their own lives and making money and being "successful", that they internalize these issues and refuse to talk about them. We have become a world of

Pansies and fake human beings, our children die and we turn away to look at the gold and silver. Thanks for reading to the end!!

The latter two can easily cost up to $3000 together. And that's for ONE child. There are apparently 10.5 million kids out there. That's $31.5 TRILLION dollars. Now if our deaf, dumb and blind president would get his head out a war video game or he's doing up in that old white house, we might actually have had a fighting chance at achieving this goal. Nope. Gotta send more kids to Iraq to fight an unimportant, misguided war. Apparently coffins cost less than medicine or shelter. We will see what will happen in a year and a half when Obama or Clinton gets into office. Obama has already expressed concern on the subject in the short time he has been an Illinois senator. Imagine what he could do as president. The same joy you have with your children is the same joy that every other person has Africa, Asia whereever...its the same. You were privileged enough to be born in a better place...other people not out of choice but it was predestined are in such a poor state and we who are better should step up and speak out for the voice less. If the other person is not doing anything...a little goes a looooong way so we can start baby step at a time and we can save lifes and before you know it...it wont be 10.5 any more because some one gave a dollar, some one gave drugs or some one gave food. Show people what is really going on and explain to them the situations that these people are in...Care, Have a heart...lives will be saved!

Talk is cheap. The solution to the problem isn't. When individuals fail to educate and take care of themselves these problems will perpetuate and last for eternity. No amount of talk or money will solve this. People actually have to help themselves. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. Get it. It is harsh reality. Why do they have more kids. Because they want to. Do they know the consequences for the children. Yes. Why don't more people talk about the ignorance of this question and some of the answers that were given. The current war has nothing to do with this problem and in order to solve it would probrably involve starting and engaging in another war with the warlords and tyrants of Africa and other developing countries. America and Americans are the main ones talking about this and individuals need to be a little less critical and demeaning to the common person living their life here in this country. Not everyone has money falling out their pockets. Contrary to popular belief; we can't solve ALL the world's problems by ourselves ALL the time. It is taxing on our society. If you take a stroll through history--just because you help everyone in the world doesn't make them like you. Most of the time it makes them even envy and despise you. The more you give, the more they want, the more they despise you for not giving more. Basically, more is not enough. It will never be enough. This creates a dangerous cycle. Keep having those kids though and keep sending that money. 10.5 will still turn into 20.5.

It's very easy to get wrapped up in our day to day lives-work, bills, kids, school, spouses... in the hassle, a lot gets lost. Unfortunately, the state of things outside our immediate circle is often part of that.

10.5 million is an astonishing number. We often have trouble thinking in terms of a hundred thousand deaths, let alone a million and more. The fact that those are children under 5, well... it's incredibly painful to even begin to contemplate it. Any parent will tell you how hard it is to watch one child suffer, so the thought of so many is unspeakable. And it's often easier to put unpleasantness from our minds than it is to really look at and attempt to change it.

Would I be correct if I guessed that most of these 10.5 million children are in developing countries? Distance plays a big part in a lot of people's apathy-when you don't actually see the starving child's eyes or witness a child sick and in pain, it's a lot easier to ignore them. There's also the 'drop in the bucket' thinking: since most of us can't afford to give large amounts, we worry that our five and ten and twenty dollar contributions aren't enough to address a nearly overwhelming problem. Corruptions in various organizations have made many suspicious of charitable giving, as well.

I think people also want a say in where their money is going. A common refrain is, "Why should we help people in _______ when there are poor and hungry children in America?" It's natural to want to see results close to home, and perhaps some of the charities could either show what they're doing domestically or consider doing a little more.

There's no easy solution to this problem. Conversation is a start, but there's a lot more to be done. Organizations need to win back the trust of the public by being more transparent about their behind-the-scenes workings, people need to understand that even the small donations help, and there needs to be more discussion and input about where relief is going.

People endlessly discuss this issue. People have always discussed this issue. The problem is that no one is talking about the reason there are so many hungry children. That reason, unfortunately, is that there are too many children.

Take Ethiopia for example. Everyone remembers the 1984-1985 famine. At that time, the population of Ethiopia was roughly 40 million. By the 1994 census, the population was 50 million. Today, the population is estimated 70 million.

We shouldn't be focusing on how to feed an ever growing global population. We need to start talking about stabalizing population growth. Remember, even though 10.5 children die every year, the population is growing far faster than it ever has.

Many people are afraid to discuss this issue. The reason for that is racism. People are so afraid of being labeled racists that they won't discuss the fact that the highest population growth exists in the poorest countries, and, as a consequence, that's where the highest infant mortality rates occur.

I've always thought it was sad that things like "brangelina" will make a front cover... "5 cows died from drinking poised water" but no one ever will see 10.5 million children die each year from preventable causes on a front cover of a news paper or the main story in your local new broadcast. I think that the reason people don't talk about these issues is because they choose ignore it, because its not directly effecting them. I pretty sure more than half of population in the Unites States or anywhere else has some sort of idea about the poverty levels in 3rd world countries...in the starving children or families that have no clean drinking water. A human can live without food but cannot live without water. There is so many things...even the smallest thing like providing people will clean drinking water could make the biggest difference. Its a start. People don't talk abou this maybe to avoid the feeling of guilt that they could do something but turn the other cheek. In this capitalistic country (U.S) we cherish the wealth an individual posses. Its about the "survival of the fittest". Most don't stop to think about others and sincerly take sometime off to help someone less fortunate. There is no excuse for why this many children (not just children...people in general also) die everyday by the millions and nobody does anything about it. If we have the money for all those weapons...for beauty pageants and outer space missions...we have money to spare to save millions of lives..not only by giving them food, but by bulding shleter, schools...a clean sewer system, clean drinking water...all the basic needs a human being need in order to survive.

The current war has nothing to do with this problem and in order to solve it would probrably involve starting and engaging in another war with the warlords and tyrants of Africa and other developing countries. America and Americans are the main ones talking about this and individuals need to be a little less critical and demeaning to the common person living their life here in this country. Not everyone has money falling out their pockets. Contrary to popular belief; we can't solve ALL the world's problems by ourselves ALL the time. It is taxing on our society. If you take a stroll through history--just because you help everyone in the world doesn't make them like you. Most of the time it makes them even envy and despise you. The more you give, the more they want, the more they despise you for not giving more. Basically, more is not enough. It will never be enough. This creates a dangerous cycle. Keep having those kids though and keep sending that money. 10.5 will still turn into 20.5.

Every species in the earth is toward to extinction, except the human species. Human population is continuing grow and grow. We cut tree to build houses, to make cities. Consequently animals are pushing to the edges of nowhere in the earth. Where the animals can live? Certainly they are going to disappear in the earth. Human occupy lands to which other animals belong. We often hear scientific reports that in the next 5 or 10 years there are 100 animal species going to extinction. We need to save animals such that ............... Anyway reports like this kind are frequently heard.

So 10.5 million children under 5 will die this year is really not enough. Even ten times more won't be many. At least we need to care about those who is living currently first. Thereafter, we care those who is going to be born or to grow up. Before these two, how about the animals are living on earth now? More human beings, the more nasty things we will do to destroy the nature environments.

So we do not talk about that 10.5 million children under 5 will die this year is because it is not enough. It should be more. And the more , the better.

Think of this. what if half of the human population die at this moment? The effect will be: slow down the globe warming, less ocean pollution will happen, less animal species will extinct............. Too many good things will happen if half of human population die right now!!!!!!!!

It's because today's generation is a lot more fast paced and gradually losing interest in charitable work. Sad as it sounds, these days people are more into getting the perfect job, the perfect date, the perfect home. I agree that the amount of charity work has increased but half of it is all hype.

Angelina Jolie adopting kids...what good does it do if she makes one kid a millionaire and let another million die? Totally useless, I wonder how she is allowed by the UN.

Oh and not to mention, our whole world is run by about a 100 people at the top who bend our minds and we have no choice ut to believe them. Why on earth are we putting billions into NASA and other space programs when all that money could be used to save these children? No one ever speaks up for that.

I agree that spending money on defense is justified to an extent, but common, SPACE? It's just a total waste trying to find out if an animal has pooped on Mars. Or creating a million dollar confusion about renaming Pluto.

As long as we give more interest to all these useless stuff, there won't be any talk of the 10.5 million children who die every year. We should collectively work and not depend on others to help others. If we do our own little charity, people will talk, because it will sound unusual that a low income earner went ahead and donated money to support a child in Africa.