As a ONE member, you can never be sure what you’ll be doing in the name of fighting extreme poverty—it can have some funny twists... One day you might be calling your government to stop proposed budget cuts and the next you might be working with Bill Gates in Paris to promote action on vaccines. Okay, it doesn’t happen that often, but for a few of our French members today, that was their experience.

We met up this very bracing Monday morning at the Trocadero in Paris. ONE members were there to support Bill Gates in the first of a series of artwork unveilings taking place over the next few days in Europe, and to get the message out. They also attempted to hold back the photographers fighting for the best spot (note to self: brush up on karate skills and never wear ballet flats to such events).

Bill Gates used the unveiling to stress the need to finally put an end to polio. For many of us, it might come as a surprise that this disease still exists—in fact, since 1988 this vaccine, which only costs 13 cents, has been provided to billions of children, and the number of cases is down more than 99 percent. But as with smallpox, the key is to eradicate this disease completely so that it can’t keep coming back. Only 13 cents to save a life... It gives me some perspective. I don’t think anyone can argue with that as a good investment.

Tonight is different again—an event with French politicians to persuade them their investments are worth it.

More to come...