Population Council Research that makes a difference

Justin Rockefeller, Population Council Trustee

For young people like me in a connected, flat world, "the future" is not an abstract concept to be dealt with by our children's children; rather, it is our immediate concern. I proudly support the Population Council because it efficiently improves the lives of young people around the world.

The Council’s research includes programs that will help youth and families deal with the consequences of HIV and AIDS. The Poverty, Gender, and Youth program helps girls stay in school, empowers them to make decisions about marriage and pregnancy, and enables them to develop life skills. The Council develops new contraceptives and makes sure they are affordable, safe, and available to both men and women.

I co-founded GenerationEngage, a nonpartisan NGO that empowers young adults (especially those who have not attended a four-year university) with access and resources to become active citizens and engaged participants in their communities. I have come to know the NGO field quite well, and choose to support the Population Council for the following reasons, among others:

1. Population challenges—not just the number of people but the quality of their lives—lie at the heart of many of the world's great challenges, such as poverty alleviation, climate change, and demand for energy;
2. Through effective collaboration with local and national governments, civil society organizations, NGOs, and communities, the Council's first-rate staff has made a tangible, positive impact on people's lives;
3. The Council educates key decisionmakers about effective policies and programs, then works to help implement those programs; and
4. The Population Council, I have come to see, is very well run. It excels at maximizing the value of every donation.

Please explore the Council's innovative work that benefits all of us, then join me in investing in our collective future.