Chris Jordan
Hi there!
I’m Chris and I’ve been working in the Campaigns team in ActionAid for the last two and a half years.
A campaign is a planned set of activities which try to achieve something. Our campaigns focus on getting governments, including the UK government, to change the way they act to help the world’s poorer people.
My job is really varied – from organising massive campaigns like Make Poverty History, to designing post cards which people send to the Prime Minister. For our latest campaign I even get to dress up as a giant banana from time to time!
One of the most important things I do is to explain to people why ActionAid runs campaigns and the difference they make to the lives of poor people in developing countries. I love getting people more involved in all the amazing work that we do.
In my spare time I play lacrosse (all the time) and I like going mountain biking and walking. I also love travelling. Earlier this year I was lucky enough to go to India with ActionAid, and in October I’m going on holiday to the Philippines.
Questions and Answers (October 26, 2007)
Q: [from Andrew] IS it worth it and do they get much out of it?
A: I definitely think that campaigning to end global poverty is worth it!
Over the last few years, ActionAid has helped to bring about massive changes – which directly benefit poor people living in developing countries.
For example, we’ve been part of a big campaign to get rich countries to cancel the debts that poor countries owe them. Letters, postcards and emails from normal people had a huge impact with governments around the world – and so far they have cancelled a whopping £25 billion of debts that poor countries have been paying back.
This has meant that in countries like Tanzania, the government now have enough money to make primary school education free for everyone.
Q: [from Liz] What changes have you seen in the government?
A: Over the last few years there have been lots of small changes – and a few big ones – which have happened because of our campaigning.
Some of the ones we’re most proud about are:
-Getting the government to increase the amount it gives to poor countries by billions of pounds
-Getting governments to give much more money to buy lifesaving AIDS drugs for people in developing countries, who can’t afford to buy them
-Getting the government to make new laws to make companies play fair when they’re doing business in developing countries.
Q: [from Ahmed] Why did you dress as a banana?
A: It’s all part of our new campaign called Who Pays.
We’re trying to get supermarkets to stop treating workers in poor countries badly. I’m dressed as a banana to help show that when supermarkets cut their prices in this country (for example the price of bananas), it’s not the supermarkets who suffer. It’s often the people who work getting the food to our country. Their wages might go down or they might have to work longer hours for no extra money.
We don’t think this is fair! Dressing up in silly costumes is a great way to grab people’s attentions and get them involved in the campaign.
Q: [from Lewis] What did you do with ActionAid in India?
A: I spent two weeks in India with people who had been raising money for ActionAid. They’d all been sponsored to compete a six day trek through the Himalayas.
I was lucky enough to accompany all the ActionAid supporters and let them know about how the money they raised was being spent. I was also able to see some of the projects that ActionAid supports in India, which was so inspiring. I can’t wait to go back!
