Poverty.
Learnhub is all about learning. Not everyone has this opportunity for an education. So we at Learnhub would like to take some time, on behalf of Blog Action Day, to talk about poverty and how we can learn to solve it.
This issue reaches all areas of our culture, society and daily
lives. Take a look at the different ways society teaches us what
poverty is and how we can make a difference.
The Etymology of Poverty
The words "poverty" and "poor" came from Latin pauper = "poor". Its root word, pario, means "giving birth to not much" and referred to unproductive farmland or livestock.Issues of poverty we need to work on
- Active citizenship. So many of us take elections and voting for granted.
- Agriculture. Food to sustain our families and for exporting.
- Aid effectiveness. Is the money we donate getting to the people who need it?
- Climate change. So many people depend on Mother Nature for a safe home and enough food.
- Disease. AIDs, malaria and other diseases are rampant in many countries. Somebody is infected with the HIV virus every eight seconds.
- Education. The systemic root cause for a lot of today's problems.
- Emergency Response. Are we prepared to help those affected by earthquakes, floods or tsunamis?
- Indigenous and minority rights. In many countries, women and other minorities still don't get the same advantages we do.
- Natural Resources. How do we keep our earth available for our disposal?
- Peace and security. Civil war and conflict, particularly in Darfur, has become a scary issue which needs the dire attention of our governments.
- Private sector. Helping economies around the world help to make our globe more unified.
- Trade. Imports and exports are crucial to the flow of a country's economy.
- Youth outreach. The children of today can be the future leaders of tomorrow.
Excellent Organizations
These organizations are large, trustworthy and aim to make a difference.
Oxfam is one of the best organizations
in the search for ending poverty - Chris Martin of the band
Coldplay is a great advocate for this group.
Make Poverty
History is responsible for the white bracelet bands which so
many people wear - a symbol and request for change.
Free the
Children is a Canadian children's charity started by Craig
Kielberger, who was only 12 years old at the time. Their goal is to
free children from war and poverty - and for more advantaged
children to help them out. Featured Oprah, the organization's "Me
to We Day" is their famous approach to creating change and
leadership.
UNICEF The United Nations' Children's Fund works
for children's rights, their survival, development and protection.
On Halloween, many kids wear UNICEF boxes
around their neck where coin change is dropped in them, in order to
help donate for the cause.
Books to Read
Famous economist John Galbraith wrote The Nature of Mass Poverty in 1979, reflecting on his experiences as an ambassador to India and the poverty he saw there. The Bottom Billion by Paul Collier discusses the poorest of the poor in our world. Jeffrey Sachs' The End of Poverty is a fairly new book with a foreword by U2 frontman Bono.
What we can do?
The cycle
of poverty is a vicious one. You have an infinite amount of ways to
help people - whether it is right in your own town or halfway
across the world in another continent.
World Vision allows
you to donate gifts to people in Third World countries in a really
cool format called the
Gift Catalog. You can buy a goat, a chicken, 5 ducks, or even a
water well. You can sponsor a child or simply donate money to
established organizations.
Push your government. Write letters, hold peaceful protests and
demonstrations. Join a club or organization dedicated to
eradicating poverty and encouraging world peace. Start a petition.
Vote for parties and politicians who take this issue seriously and
want change.
Volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen for homeless
individuals in your own town. Your time and effort is one of the
greatest gifts you can give to a person. Donate food.
Commit a
percentage of your income each month to helping others and giving
to the poor and needy. Hold charity benefits and fundraisers at
schools, companies or just with people you know.
Take a mission trip to disadvantaged countries to see how they live
and to help them first-hand. Teach your children. Teach your
friends. Educate others. Knowledge is one of the most important
things you could ever give a person.
But you say, "But I'm only one person."
When I was a young kid, I went on a trip to Indonesia. One night, I was walking with my father. There was an old man on the street who was missing his legs. My father gave him some change - some rupiahs, nothing big. I nudged my dad and whispered to him to give him a little bit more. So we gave him more - maybe about 2 Canadian dollars. It was nothing to us - but for the old man, he had the most amazed look on his face. He looked at us in incredible astonishment - disbelief. To think someone would be so grateful for some coins we wouldn't even blink an eye for - that really did something to me. So when people tell me, "I'm only one person - I can't make a difference", how do I respond?
That's all you need.
Image Credits
Campusi
ACG
Bayesianinvestor
Moosil
World Vision
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