Spaceship Earth is a world view term expressing concern over the use of limited resources available on Earth and encouraging everyone on it to act as a harmonious crew working toward the greater good. Spaceship Earth is a Registered Charity, Number: 1164631 The Overview Effect Spaceship Earth is linked to another term called the overview effect, which is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit or from the lunar surface. It refers to the experience of seeing first-hand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void", shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. From space, national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide people become less important, and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative. Yaws What is Yaws? Yaws is caused by a germ. The disease is spread from person to person especially among children who play together. In 2012, WHO recommended the use of oral azithromycin in the treatment of yaws. If left untreated, Yaws causes horrific facial disfiguration later in life. Why Eradication Eradicating an infectious disease is a permanent solution. Once it is eradicated it can’t come back. Disease control, elimination and eradication should go hand in hand with socio-economic development such as building schools and hospitals, providing access to potable drinking water and improving sanitation. The world saw the eradication of Smallpox in the 1980s. We will soon see the eradication of poliomyelitis and dracunculiasis (Guinea worm). Yaws is targeted for eradication by WHO NTD (neglected tropical diseases) roadmap. The decision was encouraged by the findings that a single dose of oral azithromycin was curative. We have the potential to eradicate yaws with very little money. Why should poor children continue to suffer from this disease? There are many benefits of disease eradication that go beyond preventing illness and death : Children don’t miss school due to illness and get a better education and thus better jobs, benefiting the economy and increasing government revenues which go back into education and healthcare. Parents don’t have to take time off work to look after sick children and can provide more money for their families to buy food and other life essentials. Government resources are not spent on treating those who have the disease or vaccinating against a disease that no longer exists. (Due to smallpox being eradicated we no longer need to vaccinate against it). Eradicating diseases brings economic benefits, for example, the $9 billion spent on Polio eradication since the 1980’s has already returned almost $30 billion to the economy. Yaws eradication is a lot easier and cheaper to eradicate with the WHO estimating it to cost $400 million. Money and resources can be relocated to the eradication and prevention of other diseases. By eradicating Yaws, it will free millions of dollars each year to be allocated to a new charitable cause.