The World Outside My World

Source: unicef.ie

By: Vivian Salamanca  

I Believe in Zero

Caryl. M. Stern

254 pages

McMillan Publishers

“If she could give birth with so little and fight so hard to ensure that her child is free from AIDS, then there had to be more I could do to help. I wanted to travel to other new places that would challenge me and shift my perspective.” 

    With a fresh outlook, Caryl M. Stern described her determination after encountering Rosa, a new mother who was infected with the AIDS virus, but was forced to go through lengths to prevent her newborn to be cursed with the same fate. This excerpt from the novel appropriately provides light into the process of coming to terms with the reality of the cruel world we live in and the hope one finds when joining the good fight.

Source: unicefusa.org

Stern was raised, as some would describe, as privileged growing up in Westchester, NY. Not knowing true hardships, her world came to a screeching halt after she quickly took over a position she had little background in within UNICEF. This position quickly opened her eyes to the brutal realities of the world outside, but also the possibilities where one can relate. Throughout her novel, she carefully uses a healthy balance of empathy and inspiration to describe real stories she embarked on, helping the reader relate to this injustice within real families. This particular injustice is just that—an injustice due to a lack of attention. The issue of disease and poverty in these malnourished countries can be prevented with proper attention, if attention is brought to it, and Stern does just that. 

Source: unicef.ie

These powerful messages convicted with a fight for justice and freedom are laced within stories of hope and passion. Stern beautifully provides the light in this deep, troubled tunnel. Among the convicting stories, Stern also challenges the public to step out of the comfort zone, much like she did many years ago, and react to this global tragedy. This public challenge can be countered with a simple donation or intentional action. Take your pick and respond to the world challenges we live in.

Poverty Has a Face

"I have a picture in my mind that stays with me wherever I go,” writes author Caryl M. Stern in her first sentence of the second chapter of her novel.

 Stern follows with a story about her mother and her uncle as Jewish children, being sent to the United States on a ship to escape the horrors of the Nazi regime in Austria. Her deep faith is something Stern draws from to inspire her throughout her novel, and after I read this scene in the book I felt connect to her for the first time even though I don’t share her religion. She tells a story that pains your soul a little bit, seeing these children all alone having to leave everything behind because of the evil racism that destroyed everyone they loved.

All the had was each other, yet they create this image of freedom as they sail away. It’s a freedom you find even yourself wanting to fight for as you read where Stern drives her motivations from.

Caryl M. Stern gives a speech at the first annual UNICEF Women of Compassion Luncheon on February 11,  2011 at a private residence in Los Angeles, California 

Caryl M. Stern is not only an author, but the current President and CEO of the U.S. fund for UNICEF as well as a wife and mother of three sons. She graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art and spent 27 years serving in nonprofit and education work. 

The subject of her book, I Believe in Zero, is a book about putting passion into reality. Every chapter tells individual stories, which, together, give a human face to the reality that world hunger, poverty and disease exist. This book beautifully compels the reader to see his or her role in ending these global issues. It encourages the reader by describing the actions that have been and will continue to decrease the number of people affected by these global issues.

I believe Stern’s eloquently combines the use of ethos, pathos, and logos in her writing to cover a topic that is widely known but often overlooked. She gives a human face to global issues, allowing the reader to connect with the people who are experiencing hunger, poverty or disease. Her personal stories compel people to take actions. Moreover, she describes activities that organizations such as UNICEF have allowed her to be a part of to end these global issues. She gives logical steps people can take in response to this book, and she also has ethical and logical proof that specific actions are being accomplished. The only weakness I discovered through her writing was a religious bias she described that usually motivated everything she did. I think she sometimes crossed the line of respect for all other religions or lack of religion that, universally, people fall fall under.

Overall Stern has excellent writing techniques and personal experience to draw from that motivate readers to take up their role in international aid. She connects with the business leaders, mothers, college and even high school students. Her stories show a broad range of activities she and others have been involved in, and they come from a normal person who developed a passion to change the world.

Team UNICEF student volunteers pose for a photo at third annual Campus Initiative Summit in New York City, New York in October 2011.

I would strongly encourage others to read this book, because you won’t put it down and you won’t be ignorant of the reality of life for people all over the world.

What will you do to believe in Zero?