Blogging for Poverty Eradication
Blog Action Day was yesterday in Australia, 15 October 2008. This Day is a yearly nonprofit event encouraging bloggers across the world to unite and post about the same issue on the same day. This year the focus is on poverty.
I am very passionate about this subject and have decided to post my thoughts even though it is a little late for this part of the world (as unfortunately I have been out with the flu). However, it is still late evening on 15 October in the US, Canada, Latin and South America – thank goodness for different time zones!
In thinking about my post, I began to reflect on what poverty actually means? How do you define it? What are the measures? I have previously posted some questions and shocking facts about poverty on Soul Economy but decided to dig a little deeper and find answers to these questions.
The World Bank defines poverty as:
“Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.”
Poverty is commonly measured based on income or consumption. The World Bank measures extreme economic poverty as living on less than $1.25 per day. New poverty estimates released in August 2008 show that approximately 1.4 billion people in the developing world (1 in 4) are living on less than $1.25 a day. And while there are efforts in place to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger with the Millennium Development Goals, rising fuel and food prices will mean more effort will need to be undertaken to achieve results.
At home here in Australia we are considered the lucky country in many ways, however there are extremes. We have a major gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians on matters such as health, housing and education. In fact, Indigenous Australians live nearly 20 years less than other Australians. We have many homeless on our streets. The ABS reported 105,000 homeless people in Australia on Census night in 2006. This is likely to increase with the current pressure on the housing and rental markets.
So in reflecting on the topic of poverty today, I would like to think about ways in which we can help to eradicate poverty. How can we make a difference? What steps can we take? Here are some of my thoughts:
1. Take action by signing the pledge and writing to the Treasurer to Close the Gap between the life expectancy of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians – visit www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/indigenous-health/take-action/
2. Volunteer – if you wish to use your professional skills check out www.goodcompany.com.au/
3. Buy a copy of the “Big Issue” and generate income for the homeless and long-term unemployed to help them to get back on their feet
4. Make a microfinance loan to entrepreneurs in the developing world – check out www.kiva.org/
5. Support a relevant charity – consider a Charity Gift Vouchers through www.karmacurrency.com.au/
6. Buy fairtrade – this ensures that the producer is paid a fair wage for their goods as well as a fairtrade premium that goes back into community to address important matters such as health, housing and education. Check out the inspiring and passionate soulful entrepreneurs featured on Soul Economy when you next wish to purchase a gift, clothing, homewares, corporate promotional products, hampers, tea, coffee, sleepwear, bags, accessories, shoes, kids clothes, toys, games and puzzles, jewellery and more – there is some really cool and funky stuff!
7. Help take fairtrade mainstream – buy your daily “fix” of coffee/tea/chocolate from a cafe or shop that supports fairtrade or encourage the cafe from where you buy your coffee/tea to stock fairtrade, ask your local supermarket to stock fairtrade products, encourage your work colleagues to switch to fair trade products such as tea, coffee and chocolate and become a fairtrade workplace.
8. Share what you have learnt with family and friends and encourage support and action!
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