What do you think?
Rate this book
I Believe in ZERO: Learning from the World's Children
First-hand, human stories of hope, resilience, determination, and a call to see the world's children as our own, by the President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF
In I Believe in ZERO , President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Caryl M. Stern draws on her travels around the world, offering memorable stories that present powerful and sometimes counter-intuitive lessons about life. I Believe in ZERO reflects her―and UNICEF's―mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths of children under the age of five from 19,000 each day to zero.
Each of the stories in I Believe in ZERO focuses on a particular locale―Bangladesh, Mozambique, earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the Brazilian Amazon―and weaves together fascinating material on the country and its history, an account of the humanitarian crises at issue, and depictions of the people she meets on the ground. Stern tells of mothers coming together to affect change, of local communities with valuable perspectives of their own, and of children who continue to sustain their dreams and hopes even in the most dire of situations. Throughout, Stern traces her emerging global consciousness―and describes how these stories can positively impact our own children.
In this incredibly moving book, Stern hopes to open hearts and minds and leave readers with the belief that no child anywhere should lack basic human support―and that every child and mother can be an inspiration.
In I Believe in ZERO , President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF Caryl M. Stern draws on her travels around the world, offering memorable stories that present powerful and sometimes counter-intuitive lessons about life. I Believe in ZERO reflects her―and UNICEF's―mission to reduce the number of preventable deaths of children under the age of five from 19,000 each day to zero.
Each of the stories in I Believe in ZERO focuses on a particular locale―Bangladesh, Mozambique, earthquake-ravaged Haiti, the Brazilian Amazon―and weaves together fascinating material on the country and its history, an account of the humanitarian crises at issue, and depictions of the people she meets on the ground. Stern tells of mothers coming together to affect change, of local communities with valuable perspectives of their own, and of children who continue to sustain their dreams and hopes even in the most dire of situations. Throughout, Stern traces her emerging global consciousness―and describes how these stories can positively impact our own children.
In this incredibly moving book, Stern hopes to open hearts and minds and leave readers with the belief that no child anywhere should lack basic human support―and that every child and mother can be an inspiration.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
3 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 4, 2017
This was a good book. It wasn't quite what I expected, but I liked it. I expected more of an explanation about how to get to zero poverty, zero hunger, and zero disease, but it was more like a travelogue and Caryl Stern's path to UNICEF and her work and experience since then all around the world. There is heartache and suffering, but many people trying to do good. It really is a book "to tell their stories and to get others to listen (p. xv)."
She talks about traveling to Mozambique, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Brazil, Haiti, Peru, Bangladesh, and Kenya. She talks about the health challenges and poverty that many people in these areas face, and particularly the children. She talks about being touched by women, mothers in these countries. She feels a connection to them. They have similar hopes and desires for their children, but live in much more dire situations than most of us are familiar with. She talks about children who have to grow up too fast to make a living and take care of their families. She talks about the importance of education.
I thought it was interesting how important she felt it was to take her children on these trips so that they could see for themselves what it was like in other places in the world, learn to appreciate what they had, and have a desire to help. I agree that these experiences can be lifechanging, but sometimes I wonder how much they help those receiving the aid? It was cute to hear about how the children interacted. They weren’t as different as they might have thought at first glance.
I’m grateful for the reminder to be aware, be involved, do something to help others. I think that’s the moral of the story.
And here are a few of my favorite quotes:
"Regardless of where I have traveled, to a major city in an industrialized country or a small remote village in a developing nation, I have found three things to be true. First, where I see children, there will be some sort of ball.... Second, my lap is not my personal property.... Third, and most important, parents everywhere want the same things for their children. We want them to be healthy. To be safe. To feel loved. To have an education. To dream big dreams and have a fighting chance to realize those dreams (p. 1)."
"The power of education is a basic tenet of my professional life, but summarized in a quote that goes roughly like this: 'If we solve all the problems of the world but fail to solve the problems of education, our children will destroy what we bequeath them. But, if we solve only the problems of education, our children will solve the problems of the world.'.... Education is the only tool in our arsenal that can truly interrupt the cycle of poverty (p. 7)."
"As Rosa recounted still more details about her life, I didn't detect anger or suffering in her eyes so much as a deep soulfulness, an understanding of the tenuousness of life, an acceptance of its hardships (p. 19)."
"Back in New York, I returned to my normal life. Yet things had changed for me (p. 24)."
"I never saw Rosa again, never heard what happened to her and her daughter. Yet I remain grateful for the privilege of meeting her. I see life differently, appreciating that many things I had previously taken for granted are not necessities, but luxuries (p. 26)."
"I am committed to using any tools and whatever power I might possess to fight for justice and compassion, and to keep on fighting even when exhaustion sets in. Thanks to my family legacy, I know that When I choose to be the person who makes a difference--when I care, when I act, when I give--my life is at its richest (p. 30)."
"The violence had all happened so quickly and yet seemed to last forever. There was sheer panic and frenzy--people screaming and crying and fleeing in every direction.... I noted an unfortunate difference between the men and the women in the camp. The men walked around listlessly in their long white gowns and head scarves, appearing to lack anything to do. They were utterly devastated and emasculated. By contrast, the women were busy everywhere we went (p. 46)."
"I continue to feel ashamed when thanked by grateful recipients of aid--ashamed that they have been left to suffer in the first place, and that I am in some small way complicit (p. 50)."
"The republic of Sudan is home to more internally displaced people than any other country in the world (p. 57)."
"Parenthood really is a great equalizer...the opportunity to talk with another mother is reassuring (p. 65)."
"‘Why don’t we do a family trip of us moms with our kids (p. 92)?’”
“Kids are great. While the moms sat and made polite chitchat, slowing getting to know one another, the kids bonded… They made up a game where they jumped off a wall by one side of the pool into the water (p. 101).”
“‘The kids we met along the river looked like some of the friends we have at home, but their day-today lives are so different (p. 116).’”
“‘Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart (Anne Frank, p. 123).’”
“Americans wanted so badly to help, and many went the extra mile, reaching deep into their wallets and pocketbooks in an outpouring of heartfelt support for the people of Haiti (p. 128).”
“I pulled up at the warehouse to find more than a hundred volunteers from UPS already present on this freezing cold January morning, all wearing the company’s iconic brown shirts and applauding me for the work the U.S. Fund was doing on behalf of Haiti’s children. I was so moved at their compassion and devotion (p. 132).”
“What I remember most from these trips [to Haiti] aren’t the scenes of devastation, as searing as they were, but the hope and belief in the future shown by the Haitian people. I was seasoned enough to know that children are children wherever you go, jumping on your lap, playing, laughing (p. 134).”
“We flew over Port-au-Prince and you could immediately see the devastation. This entire city of approximately 2.3 million people was flattened—not just a few blocks here or there, but the entire city. Passengers on the plane wept. The pilot got on the loudspeaker and offered a message: ‘To those going home, our prayers are with you, and to those who are coming to help, our heartfelt thanks (p. 136).’”
“For a few brief moments, I didn’t feel like I was in an earthquake zone. Playing with these girls, I could have been anywhere (p. 142).”
“Many of these children still had living parents, but with their houses and livelihoods destroyed, the parents couldn’t provide for their children, and so these girls had become economic orphans (p. 142).”
“‘I squeezed my eyes closed and asked G-d to help me…. And you know what? G-d heard me.’ ‘How do you know that?’ I asked, my voice cracking a little. She smiled, ‘Well, because I’m still alive (p. 143).’”
“Nothing else demonstrated to me the progress Haiti had made in a relatively short time more than the reopened schools we visited (p. 148).”
“We all have our breaking points, and some people will give up sooner than others. Yet where precisely we break might surprise us. It doesn’t compare with the complete devastation in Haiti, but when my dad died and I was eight months pregnant, people asked how I handled it. What else was I supposed to do? I couldn’t change reality. I had no choice. Likewise, what choice did people in Haiti have? They could either give up or persevere. The majority had persevered (p. 150).”
“The poorest of the poor aren’t simply passive recipients of aid. Rather, they have important perspectives about how to better their lives on their own (p. 160).”
“The only thing more special than this landscape, I thought, was the fact that James had noticed it (p. 168).”
“The decision to abandon traditional practices for Western ones had to be organic, coming from the inside out (p. 184).”
“We must spread and share with open hearts, mindful not merely of our own rightness, but of the complex web of traditions that make every cultural group unique and worth knowing. In helping others, let’s stop trying to make them like us. Rather, let’s empower them to break through their own challengs themselves, in their own ways (p. 185).”
“‘Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul (Dave Pelzer, p. 187).’”
“‘Because I was asked by a friend if I would help, you know, that’s all (p. 190).’”
“I left Bangladesh with a fundamental question: At what age is a child a child, not an adult? Where and by what criteria does society draw the line? Where should I as a parent draw the line (p. 205)?”
“In Bangladesh, the eight- and nine-year-olds I had met in many ways were adults. They were responsible for tackling grown-up decisions on the job, and they faced adult pressures to show up for work on time, day after day, and perform. They bore the adult pressure of knowing that the welfare of their family depended on them (p. 206).”
“If I would not allow my own child to work alone in a dark tunnel on his way to a basement workplace, how can I justify sitting back as another child does it?.... We have a responsibility to ensure that as many children as possible are not robbed of their childhood—of a time to imagine, dream, play, become educated (p. 207).”
“In recent weeks, I had become frustrated that the majority of Americans seemed to be ignoring the huge loss of life…. ‘I’m asking myself where is everybody and how loud do I have to yell and from what moutaintop? The overwhelming problem is that the American public is not seeing and feeling the urgency of this crisis (p. 218).’”
“‘How is it that I’m so lucky as to be able to play a small role in actually saving children’s lives (p. 222)?’”
“I couldn’t believe the amount of aid we had brought—boxes upon boxes, some marked with a list of their contents, others only numbered, but all bearing the UNICEF name on their side (p. 225).”
“We were now connected in some way—two women who had happened to stumble upon one another. She knew no more about me than I knew about her. Certainly she couldn’t have known I was there as part of a relief effort (p. 232).”
"The woman needed everything, yet all I had to give her was an apple (p. 235).”
“Mostly, I have written to engage others in the cause. As history has shown, social change requires the involvement of a critical mass of people who see the possibilities and then long for and demand that they be realized. Change requires commitment in our hearts and minds, as well as in our hands and pocketbooks. I hope to someday see everyone in my country on their feet, standing up for the rights of all children…. Change will come only as we pursue a multitude of approaches. If you’re a writer, write about it. If you’re a sculptor, create a sculpture. If you’re a parent, teach your children about children’s issues. If you have money to donate, donate. Every little bit helps…. Read, educate yourself, use technology. Do not wait for someone else to stand up for the children of the world—be that person yourself (p. 236).”
She talks about traveling to Mozambique, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Brazil, Haiti, Peru, Bangladesh, and Kenya. She talks about the health challenges and poverty that many people in these areas face, and particularly the children. She talks about being touched by women, mothers in these countries. She feels a connection to them. They have similar hopes and desires for their children, but live in much more dire situations than most of us are familiar with. She talks about children who have to grow up too fast to make a living and take care of their families. She talks about the importance of education.
I thought it was interesting how important she felt it was to take her children on these trips so that they could see for themselves what it was like in other places in the world, learn to appreciate what they had, and have a desire to help. I agree that these experiences can be lifechanging, but sometimes I wonder how much they help those receiving the aid? It was cute to hear about how the children interacted. They weren’t as different as they might have thought at first glance.
I’m grateful for the reminder to be aware, be involved, do something to help others. I think that’s the moral of the story.
And here are a few of my favorite quotes:
"Regardless of where I have traveled, to a major city in an industrialized country or a small remote village in a developing nation, I have found three things to be true. First, where I see children, there will be some sort of ball.... Second, my lap is not my personal property.... Third, and most important, parents everywhere want the same things for their children. We want them to be healthy. To be safe. To feel loved. To have an education. To dream big dreams and have a fighting chance to realize those dreams (p. 1)."
"The power of education is a basic tenet of my professional life, but summarized in a quote that goes roughly like this: 'If we solve all the problems of the world but fail to solve the problems of education, our children will destroy what we bequeath them. But, if we solve only the problems of education, our children will solve the problems of the world.'.... Education is the only tool in our arsenal that can truly interrupt the cycle of poverty (p. 7)."
"As Rosa recounted still more details about her life, I didn't detect anger or suffering in her eyes so much as a deep soulfulness, an understanding of the tenuousness of life, an acceptance of its hardships (p. 19)."
"Back in New York, I returned to my normal life. Yet things had changed for me (p. 24)."
"I never saw Rosa again, never heard what happened to her and her daughter. Yet I remain grateful for the privilege of meeting her. I see life differently, appreciating that many things I had previously taken for granted are not necessities, but luxuries (p. 26)."
"I am committed to using any tools and whatever power I might possess to fight for justice and compassion, and to keep on fighting even when exhaustion sets in. Thanks to my family legacy, I know that When I choose to be the person who makes a difference--when I care, when I act, when I give--my life is at its richest (p. 30)."
"The violence had all happened so quickly and yet seemed to last forever. There was sheer panic and frenzy--people screaming and crying and fleeing in every direction.... I noted an unfortunate difference between the men and the women in the camp. The men walked around listlessly in their long white gowns and head scarves, appearing to lack anything to do. They were utterly devastated and emasculated. By contrast, the women were busy everywhere we went (p. 46)."
"I continue to feel ashamed when thanked by grateful recipients of aid--ashamed that they have been left to suffer in the first place, and that I am in some small way complicit (p. 50)."
"The republic of Sudan is home to more internally displaced people than any other country in the world (p. 57)."
"Parenthood really is a great equalizer...the opportunity to talk with another mother is reassuring (p. 65)."
"‘Why don’t we do a family trip of us moms with our kids (p. 92)?’”
“Kids are great. While the moms sat and made polite chitchat, slowing getting to know one another, the kids bonded… They made up a game where they jumped off a wall by one side of the pool into the water (p. 101).”
“‘The kids we met along the river looked like some of the friends we have at home, but their day-today lives are so different (p. 116).’”
“‘Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart (Anne Frank, p. 123).’”
“Americans wanted so badly to help, and many went the extra mile, reaching deep into their wallets and pocketbooks in an outpouring of heartfelt support for the people of Haiti (p. 128).”
“I pulled up at the warehouse to find more than a hundred volunteers from UPS already present on this freezing cold January morning, all wearing the company’s iconic brown shirts and applauding me for the work the U.S. Fund was doing on behalf of Haiti’s children. I was so moved at their compassion and devotion (p. 132).”
“What I remember most from these trips [to Haiti] aren’t the scenes of devastation, as searing as they were, but the hope and belief in the future shown by the Haitian people. I was seasoned enough to know that children are children wherever you go, jumping on your lap, playing, laughing (p. 134).”
“We flew over Port-au-Prince and you could immediately see the devastation. This entire city of approximately 2.3 million people was flattened—not just a few blocks here or there, but the entire city. Passengers on the plane wept. The pilot got on the loudspeaker and offered a message: ‘To those going home, our prayers are with you, and to those who are coming to help, our heartfelt thanks (p. 136).’”
“For a few brief moments, I didn’t feel like I was in an earthquake zone. Playing with these girls, I could have been anywhere (p. 142).”
“Many of these children still had living parents, but with their houses and livelihoods destroyed, the parents couldn’t provide for their children, and so these girls had become economic orphans (p. 142).”
“‘I squeezed my eyes closed and asked G-d to help me…. And you know what? G-d heard me.’ ‘How do you know that?’ I asked, my voice cracking a little. She smiled, ‘Well, because I’m still alive (p. 143).’”
“Nothing else demonstrated to me the progress Haiti had made in a relatively short time more than the reopened schools we visited (p. 148).”
“We all have our breaking points, and some people will give up sooner than others. Yet where precisely we break might surprise us. It doesn’t compare with the complete devastation in Haiti, but when my dad died and I was eight months pregnant, people asked how I handled it. What else was I supposed to do? I couldn’t change reality. I had no choice. Likewise, what choice did people in Haiti have? They could either give up or persevere. The majority had persevered (p. 150).”
“The poorest of the poor aren’t simply passive recipients of aid. Rather, they have important perspectives about how to better their lives on their own (p. 160).”
“The only thing more special than this landscape, I thought, was the fact that James had noticed it (p. 168).”
“The decision to abandon traditional practices for Western ones had to be organic, coming from the inside out (p. 184).”
“We must spread and share with open hearts, mindful not merely of our own rightness, but of the complex web of traditions that make every cultural group unique and worth knowing. In helping others, let’s stop trying to make them like us. Rather, let’s empower them to break through their own challengs themselves, in their own ways (p. 185).”
“‘Childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul (Dave Pelzer, p. 187).’”
“‘Because I was asked by a friend if I would help, you know, that’s all (p. 190).’”
“I left Bangladesh with a fundamental question: At what age is a child a child, not an adult? Where and by what criteria does society draw the line? Where should I as a parent draw the line (p. 205)?”
“In Bangladesh, the eight- and nine-year-olds I had met in many ways were adults. They were responsible for tackling grown-up decisions on the job, and they faced adult pressures to show up for work on time, day after day, and perform. They bore the adult pressure of knowing that the welfare of their family depended on them (p. 206).”
“If I would not allow my own child to work alone in a dark tunnel on his way to a basement workplace, how can I justify sitting back as another child does it?.... We have a responsibility to ensure that as many children as possible are not robbed of their childhood—of a time to imagine, dream, play, become educated (p. 207).”
“In recent weeks, I had become frustrated that the majority of Americans seemed to be ignoring the huge loss of life…. ‘I’m asking myself where is everybody and how loud do I have to yell and from what moutaintop? The overwhelming problem is that the American public is not seeing and feeling the urgency of this crisis (p. 218).’”
“‘How is it that I’m so lucky as to be able to play a small role in actually saving children’s lives (p. 222)?’”
“I couldn’t believe the amount of aid we had brought—boxes upon boxes, some marked with a list of their contents, others only numbered, but all bearing the UNICEF name on their side (p. 225).”
“We were now connected in some way—two women who had happened to stumble upon one another. She knew no more about me than I knew about her. Certainly she couldn’t have known I was there as part of a relief effort (p. 232).”
"The woman needed everything, yet all I had to give her was an apple (p. 235).”
“Mostly, I have written to engage others in the cause. As history has shown, social change requires the involvement of a critical mass of people who see the possibilities and then long for and demand that they be realized. Change requires commitment in our hearts and minds, as well as in our hands and pocketbooks. I hope to someday see everyone in my country on their feet, standing up for the rights of all children…. Change will come only as we pursue a multitude of approaches. If you’re a writer, write about it. If you’re a sculptor, create a sculpture. If you’re a parent, teach your children about children’s issues. If you have money to donate, donate. Every little bit helps…. Read, educate yourself, use technology. Do not wait for someone else to stand up for the children of the world—be that person yourself (p. 236).”
April 22, 2015
I Believe in ZERO (written by Caryl Stern, CEO of the US Fund for UNICEF) touches upon UNICEF's goals to reduce preventable deaths of children (from birth to 5 years old) to zero. They recently numbered 26,000 per day and have been reduced to 17,000 per day through the efforts of UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and many others. But so much more work needs to be completed.
ZERO is a multifaceted story including he story of Caryl herself and how she came to become CEO of the US Fund and the effect it has had on her family. The book relates many of the first-hand experience needed to tell the stories she tells. The learning experiences she has experienced ranging from:
1. the importance of teaching our children about the realities of what is happening throughout the world,
2. the importance of respecting local traditions and cultures,
3. the powerful impact that modern medicine can have in combating preventable diseases (such as neonatal tetanus and AIDS/HIV),
4. the logistics of transporting aid to ultimate recipients (in crises such as natural disasters - Haitian earthquake - and sustained drought - African Horn) especially in preventing diversion from those most in need of aid,
5. the abuses of child labor in countries such as Bangladesh, to the
6. utter madness of Darfur.
The closing paragraph convey the message best - "Read, educate yourself, use technology. Do not wait for someone else to stand up for the children of the world - be that person yourself. Find an image in you own mind that allows you to comprehend just how many children lack what's needed for a healthy, safe childhood. And then, share your awareness with everyone. Let us not stop until we can stand proudly and say that no child is dying from preventable causes; no child has been denied an education; no child has been forced into labor, prostitution, or armed service; and no children has been forgotten by those of us old enough to know better. I believe this is possible. I believe in zero."
ZERO is a multifaceted story including he story of Caryl herself and how she came to become CEO of the US Fund and the effect it has had on her family. The book relates many of the first-hand experience needed to tell the stories she tells. The learning experiences she has experienced ranging from:
1. the importance of teaching our children about the realities of what is happening throughout the world,
2. the importance of respecting local traditions and cultures,
3. the powerful impact that modern medicine can have in combating preventable diseases (such as neonatal tetanus and AIDS/HIV),
4. the logistics of transporting aid to ultimate recipients (in crises such as natural disasters - Haitian earthquake - and sustained drought - African Horn) especially in preventing diversion from those most in need of aid,
5. the abuses of child labor in countries such as Bangladesh, to the
6. utter madness of Darfur.
The closing paragraph convey the message best - "Read, educate yourself, use technology. Do not wait for someone else to stand up for the children of the world - be that person yourself. Find an image in you own mind that allows you to comprehend just how many children lack what's needed for a healthy, safe childhood. And then, share your awareness with everyone. Let us not stop until we can stand proudly and say that no child is dying from preventable causes; no child has been denied an education; no child has been forced into labor, prostitution, or armed service; and no children has been forgotten by those of us old enough to know better. I believe this is possible. I believe in zero."
June 27, 2017
I liked this book. She often interrupts the story with numbers and stats which was distracting but overall I understood the purpose of her book. The plight of children is so many places is heartbreaking, the book made me think and want to act, so I think mission accomplished.
September 28, 2017
This is a great introduction to the work of UNICEF and the USFund. The author writes from her experiences as a CEO and a mother and she has divided the book into digestible stories over a span of 6 years. If you're needing some inspiration or motivation this is a great weekender.
Read
December 18, 2019This was an excellent book! Better than I expected. As someone who is involved in Humanitarian efforts, I think Caryl Stern captured the essence of the spirit of what it means to focus on service above self and the importance of getting involved to make a difference.
May 9, 2019
Heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. Stern does a great job of really capturing the countries she visits in poignant snapshots of individual stories.
Read
November 17, 2014"I believe in Zero" is a campaign that UNICEF began. This book, written by US Fund for UNICEF CEO Caryl Stern is about the challenge of -Zero Hunger, Zero Poverty and Zero Disease in the world's children
This is a book that makes you think. For me, I was reminded what a difference it can make in your life just by virtue of where you are born. For many in the world, life is a constant struggle for survival. And children are those who are most affected. I thought Caryl highlighted the issues that children face well and even though it is so tragic in many ways, it is also life affirming.
This is a book that makes you think. For me, I was reminded what a difference it can make in your life just by virtue of where you are born. For many in the world, life is a constant struggle for survival. And children are those who are most affected. I thought Caryl highlighted the issues that children face well and even though it is so tragic in many ways, it is also life affirming.
September 15, 2014
A mostly-poignant recounting of some of Caryl Stern's early travels with UNICEF, I Believe in Zero is a great read for those interested in UNICEF and philanthropy in general. Her point of view as not only a top executive, but also as a mother, provided a touching and (for lack of a better term) human account that serves more striking than just facts and figures.
September 11, 2016
Loved it! I am an UNICEF employee and after reading this book I am more committed with the cause.
I have really enjoyed how Caryl explains us the final impact of UNICEF actions to benefit children.
I have really enjoyed how Caryl explains us the final impact of UNICEF actions to benefit children.
March 19, 2014
Came away motivated to donate to Unicef, which I think was the point.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews