One in five people living in developing countries lives on less than a $1 a day, according to the Web site One.org.

In the face of global atrocities, particularly those in Africa such as the lack of clean water, lack of education, corrupt local governments, the expanding AIDS epidemic, the high amount of orphaned children and huge national debt, the One Campaign is a collection of normal people with celebrity backing who want to end global poverty.

The main goal of the One Campaign is the collection of signatures to petition the U.S. government to give one percent of its budget strictly for aid to developing countries.

Ellen Walsh, junior in public service and administration in agriculture, is the president of the ISU chapter of the One Campaign. Created in 2004, the chapter has the goal of educating students about the issues and to get the word out that ONE is a nonprofit organization.

“The goal is to not get your money, but get your voices,” Walsh said.

The power of the One Campaign, Walsh said, is that it can influence legislation.

“ONE has a stronger voice with legislative action, so they can use us, and we can use them,” Walsh said. “And we as the younger generation have a voice [in politics], which is pretty powerful.”

John Baldwin, junior in biochemistry, is a member oI the ISU chapter of the One Campaign. He felt compelled to join after seeing the effects of poverty first-hand in India.

“We as America can be doing so much better for the world,” Baldwin said.

Baldwin represents the “normal person” approach of the One Campaign – it isn’t just politicians making decisions.

Baldwin said his main goals to help the campaign are to get people to sign up online at One.org, to explain what the campaign is all about and to tell people about the One Campaign wristband which shows support for the cause.

“Just getting people to know what [ONE] is and getting people behind it is key,” Baldwin said.

The chapter plans on holding a black and white formal at 7 p.m. February 16 in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union.

The function is dedicated to getting the word about the One Campaign; more details are pending.