Today is Blog Action Day 2008 and the topic to bring awareness to is poverty. I’m not going to ask anyone to give money to any causes or to pledge on any lists, but to just be more aware of your own surroundings, and also to realize that small changes make a really big difference whether you realize it or not.
Here are some truths (via Global Issues)
- The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.
- Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
- Number of children in the world: 2.2 billion
Number in poverty: 1 billion (every second child) - 51 percent of the world’s 100 hundred wealthiest bodies are corporations.
When I was 10 years old I moved to the Philippines, a third world country. I was completely horrified at the fact that all the things I had seen on TV (emaciated children, shanty towns, dirty drinking/bathing water) was an actual reality. In my time living there, and still when I visit once a year, I have seen things that most people can’t even fathom and things I can’t even bare to bring words to. I know most of you are intelligent enough to understand that there are a lot of underprivileged people out there, but this is REAL. Poverty is not something left to little girls in Africa, it’s everywhere and not slowing down, and actually exists right here, in America. I remember reading a couple years ago that the poverty line for a family of five was $20,000 a year. Let that sink in for a second.
There are many ways you can help people in need, and help the environment, and you don’t have to donate tons of money or a bunch of your time. I won’t list the ways here, but take a couple minutes to explore around the internet on crafty ideas on how you can help.
And on a parting note: Humans are not the only ones suffering, animals feel pain too.
