Global Day of Action Against Poverty, Oct. 15, 2006

Day of Action was an eye-opening event to say the least. Through the facts and figures, the magnitude of issues such as extreme poverty and global HIV/AIDS is overwhelming, and, therefore, doubts in our ability to make any sort of significant difference as an individual or as a small group easily creep in our minds. Despite of reservations, some of us felt that the least we could do is educate ourselves on these issues. Some of us are still in school and others have jobs and families, but we refused to disregard the situation as too big to confront.

As you review facts and figures below, a strange sense of despair may set in as you’ll learn that millions of our brothers and sisters around the world are going hungry and struggling just to survive. But I encourage you to keep reading, and if you look deeper, you may also catch the glimpse of enormous effort of millions who seek to improve the lives of the most marginalized individuals in society.

The issue of poverty is widespread. Even in this land of plenty, more than one in 10 citizens live below the poverty line. In our own neighborhoods in Houston one in three children goes hungry each day, and Houston is second only to Detroit in the number of hungry children. While helping to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the Kid’s Meal Project, it was heart-breaking to learn that the lunches we were putting together may be the only meal of the day for many children. Kid’s Meal Project provides 300 lunches for at-risk and special needs children of age 2 – 6 Monday through Friday between 9:45am and 12:30pm. To volunteer, please contact Maushmi@bethecause.org

Day of Action power point presentation:day-of-action.ppt
Fact sheet:aids-and-extreme-poverty-fact-sheet.doc

Other info.:

Make a Difference:
§ Poverty Simulation: What is it like to be out on the streets? Facts and figures can help us comprehend poverty and homelessness, but the experience of being poor or being without a place to live is more than an economic condition. Poverty simulation not only offers insight into what life might be like for a limited-resources family, but an opportunity to literally walk “in the shoes” of a person or family living on public assistance to gain a clearer understanding of the realities and choices faced by those with limited resources. For more information, visit: www.missionwaco.com If there is enough interest, we may be able to conduct a poverty simulation here in Houston. Email Maushmi at maushmi@bethecause.org if you are interested.

§ Partnership Walk 2006 will host their walk on Sunday, October 29 at the University of Houston. Over 8,000 participants are expected to walk on the university campus to demonstrate their support for ending global poverty. For further information, please visit the Partnership Walk website at www.partner shipwalk.org
Resources:
§ THE ROUGH GUIDE TO A BETTER WORLD AND HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE: http://www.roughguide-betterworld.com/
§ The Singer Solution to World Poverty. http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/singermag.html
§ The end of poverty: economic possibilities for our time by Sachs, Jeffrey.
§ PovertyFighters.com — an online click-to-give website that directs money to microcredit charities around the world.
Quotes:

• We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty. –Mother Teresa
• Your pain is my pain, My wealth is your wealth, Your salvation is my salvation. –African Expression of “Ubuntu.”
• As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness. –Henry David Thoreau
• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. –Margaret Mead

Share with us your ideas and inspiration to make a difference in our community, in our global community.