In the run up to
December 25th. it’s impossible to forget that poverty stalks the
world. The bombardment is in full swing. Incomprehensible figures hit our TVs
and every page we raise on the net reminds us: Half the world’s people live on
less than $2.50 a day[i]
and the leading causes of death of the (up to) 25,000 under-five children who
die daily are pneumonia, diarrhoea and other by-products of malnutrition – all
100% preventable.
We see the need of the
poor and some of us react positively. We bung some money into an envelope or
transfer by machine, but actually it's quite a minefield out there. Unless
quality research is done the money we donate could be going to a bunch of
shysters or, just as bad, to groups who make matters worse despite their good
intentions.
Because tackling
poverty on the ground is tough work. Experience shows that a worthwhile project
has to have at least two of the attributes of Ownership, Capacity and
Sustainability.[ii]
Finding organisations and people who do qualify, who ensure charity drives get
to the impoverished, is the key to donating successfully and being able to say,
‘I helped.’
There are many
worthwhile charities to contribute to (see a list at the end), but for me
there’s another, even more powerful option.
Look
at where you live. Charity begins at home, whether you find yourself in the
wealthy West where the new minimum wage is set to become $12 per hour, or in 1st
/ 3rd world cross-over countries like South Africa where (in parts)
60% have no work.
Check out your local
grassroots organisations, give directly or perhaps contribute to the salary of
the staff. What if, in lieu of volunteering at one of these places you decided
to donate the portion of income you’d otherwise lose when being there, the value
of your time, and in that way contributed to employing a passionate individual
with a total focus on helping? Wouldn’t it be great to say, ‘Sally? Great kid,
she works for me two hours a month at the shelter clinic!’
Seek out those 24/7 institutions which you can drive to or phone and
follow. A mission/interdenominational outfit[iii],
the orphanage or the old people’s temporary night shelter, the abused woman’s
dormitory behind that church where you were shocked at what you saw and ran. Food
stations, self-help groups or a community newsletter that enlightens and offers
life giving advice. This is real, effective giving because not only do those in
need receive but the system that created these poverty problems in the first
place begins to be resolved.
Of course we personally and individually didn’t cause poverty. There was no poverty in Europe before the great land
grab, and no one starved in Africa before Europe began to scramble for it.[iv]
Colonialism
and its follow-up financial imprisonment mechanisms, underpinned by having the
military backed US dollar as the world’s reserve currency (enforced by the
mighty banks), and white collar corruption[v]
are the major causes of modern day poverty. Fighting the corporate elitist
system for change is the long term charitable act.
Again,
there are ways.
In South Africa 100,000 current and ex-miners are seeking permission to
pursue a class action lawsuit against 32 gold mining companies.[vi]
[vii]
Support them. If all along the miners, farm and industry
workers had had a fair deal South Africa wouldn’t be desperately poor, and it
wouldn’t have the crime and anger levels it experiences today. There also
wouldn’t be a few Brits, Swiss and others swimming in Africa’s pilfered gold -
it’s been going on since the 1850s. The court challenge underway doesn’t go
near far enough.[viii]
Recently Miners Shot Down, the story of the Marikana Massacre, won an
Emmy. Watch the movie, support the campaign.
And of course, wherever you are, there is something. Some South Sumatra
folk need support[ix]
to stop jungle destruction, Argentinians need support against Monsanto[x]. Corporate USA made (and makes) billions out
of the Iraqi war; the UN says $500 million is urgently required[xi]
– do you support the incessant war mongering? Whatever you do, join in the
voice to tell Wall Street to go to hell.
Christmas has always been for the better off only; the used and no
longer fashionable from our homes has gone to the disadvantaged within
throw-distance. We have to go bigger now, we have to wrestle the giant.
This Christmas let’s do something different. Let’s give to those that
need it in the way that they need it. This Christmas, let’s make a start at
changing the world.
Global Giving
Options:
Bioethics Prof Peter Singer, an Australian who has put his life in to
building lives, has a basic list of global organisations deserving of your aid: SEVA Foundation,
Schistosomiasis Control Initiative
(SCI), Project Healthy Children, Possible Health
(in Nepal only at the moment but pioneering a "durable healthcare"
model), Population Services International, Oxfam, Living
Goods, Iodine Global Network, Innovations for Poverty Action, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Give Directly, Fred Hollows Foundation and Development Media International and
Against Malaria Foundation all get a mention.
[i] http://www.povertyprogram.com/statistics.php
[ii] ‘Aid and other dirty business’ by Giles Bolton
[v] ‘More money has left Africa illegally than the continent has
received in the past 50 years … in the past 30 years, (the de Klerk era I call
it) South Africa has lost nearly $100-billion to tax avoidance schemes.’ … http://mg.co.za/article/2015-11-25-help-us-bust-tax-dodgers
.
[vi] http://www.voanews.com/content/south-african-miners-seek-class-action-suit-against-gold-mines/3004064.html
[vii] http://business-humanrights.org/en/gold-miner-silicosis-litigation-re-so-africa
[ix] www.channelnewsasia.com/news/.../2173634.html
[xi] http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/jun/04/united-nations-497m-aid-prevent-catastrophe-millions-iraqis