Child poverty: We can prevent needless deaths

Recently, many Americans were rightly upset when they learned hundreds of children were separated from their parents at our southern border.

Yet, a silent tragedy of much greater proportions happens daily in our world.

According to the United Nations, 25,000 children under age 5 die every day. About 18,000 of them die daily from fully preventable causes.

They die from inadequate prenatal health care, lack of medicine and unsanitary birth conditions.

If they survive their first year of life, they die from diarrhea or dysentary caused by contaminated drinking water and lack of nutritious food.

If Americans focused on this problem, we could solve it. We are very compassionate, just not very aware.

There is some good news. The Gates Foundation of Seattle has done more to eradicate global extreme poverty and save the lives of children than any other single organization.

World Vision, based in Federal Way, also does tremendous good for children in developing countries.

Please consider supporting these and others who are working to lower the number of children who needlessly die every day.