The Economist ran a short little article exalting the influence of the United Nations Children’s Fund’s book, “Facts for Life.” First printed in 1989, the United Nations has printed and distributed more than 15 million copies of the book in 215 different languages.
The book is about 170 pages and crammed with basic health information targeted at people in developing countries. As The Economist puts it,
Of course the book is no substitute for the medicines and basic equipment so desperately needed in many countries. But for the world’s poorest, who have so few other ways of finding things out, the book’s tips can be life-saving.
Each year nearly 11m children die from easily preventable causes before reaching their fifth birthdays. Ignorance is often the cause.
By dispelling common and often life threatening myths (such as the belief that drinking liquids makes diarrhea worse), “Facts for Life” has made an excellent but cheap contribution to improving the lives of those in developing countries.
As The Economist concludes, “Not all aid can be delivered this way. But perhaps more of it should be.”
Source:
Knowledge is power. The Economist, March 30, 2002, pp.40-1.