This just in from the United Nations:

"Child mortality rate tumbles to record low."

Have you heard better news in that last month? Year?

Apparently, thanks to promoting exclusive breastfeeding** and campaigns against malaria and measles, the number of deaths of young children has dropped to below 10 million a year for the first time since such record-keeping began in 1960.

This means that outreach and education and fundraising actually add up. This means that big, messy, multi-layered problems that seem unwinnable aren't. This means, in a nutshell, that hope is not unreasonable.

If you feel a little giddy about this, and your VISA number is handy, follow me here to give a little something to UNICEF.

**Correction thanks to Cynthia, a careful reader. [Thanks Cynthia.]