I get further drawn into the ways of the blogging world. First, it was tagging and now Blog Action Day 2008. It was only today, I realised that something like this exists and there seems to be widespread response to this. At last count the BAD site had about 12k sites participating.
Without debating on the merits of such collective action, I attempt to contribute my mite to a cause - to mitigate poverty.This is an effort to lift "The Last, the least and the Lowest" from their deplorable existence to a more human level.
We equate poverty with a lack of basic necessities for the very existence of a person or a group of people. The state of deprivation is so acute that survival itself becomes a huge uphill task everyday. Typically, poverty evokes images of people who are hungry, naked, suffering from malnutrition, homeless and having no skills, jobs or vocations.
Logically, mitigation of poverty implies that groups of people blessed with a surplus would share a part of that with the deprived group and thus ease their burden. It pre-supposes a flow of some resource to the deprived group and their lack is removed.
At this point let me pause and think - What do we mean by eradicating poverty?
Based on our general and typical response, we would dip into our pockets and share a little money. A few would go through their wardrobes and dispose of old clothes, books, toys. Many others would take on the task of feeding the hungry. There could be symbolism in the form of fasting - so that you can empathise with the deprived hungry group. Established banners may carry out programmes to provide elementary housing and so on. There are a million ways to share what we have with our less fortunate brethren.
Each of these responses are worthy of applause and may their tribe increase - but - is this the solution? Will this eradicate poverty or even reduce it appreciably?
Poverty, if it has to be mitigated, has to be attacked relentlessly from all sides. This is a war in which the entire society has to participate.
A combination of short term relief measures are very essential but on the longer term, poverty needs to be tackled at a very different level.
We will have to
- Start with inculcation of self-confidence in these people,
- Ensure their inclusion in the education or skiling / re-skilling process,
- With these skills, facilitate absorption in a trade, profession or vocation,
- Encourage expansion of economic activity such that the deprived class has an
opportunity to generate a steady income for subsistence.
Only then will people move above poverty levels and sustain themselves without perpetual dependance on hand-outs.
These are transformations of an epic nature. It requires immense courage, confidence and extreme patience and undying support of a society eager to change. Progress will be slow but it is definitely possible to eradicate poverty in a generation or two.
Logically, mitigation of poverty implies that groups of people blessed with a surplus would share a part of that with the deprived group and thus ease their burden. It pre-supposes a flow of some resource to the deprived group and their lack is removed.
At this point let me pause and think - What do we mean by eradicating poverty?
Based on our general and typical response, we would dip into our pockets and share a little money. A few would go through their wardrobes and dispose of old clothes, books, toys. Many others would take on the task of feeding the hungry. There could be symbolism in the form of fasting - so that you can empathise with the deprived hungry group. Established banners may carry out programmes to provide elementary housing and so on. There are a million ways to share what we have with our less fortunate brethren.
Each of these responses are worthy of applause and may their tribe increase - but - is this the solution? Will this eradicate poverty or even reduce it appreciably?
Poverty, if it has to be mitigated, has to be attacked relentlessly from all sides. This is a war in which the entire society has to participate.
A combination of short term relief measures are very essential but on the longer term, poverty needs to be tackled at a very different level.
We will have to
- Start with inculcation of self-confidence in these people,
- Ensure their inclusion in the education or skiling / re-skilling process,
- With these skills, facilitate absorption in a trade, profession or vocation,
- Encourage expansion of economic activity such that the deprived class has an
opportunity to generate a steady income for subsistence.
Only then will people move above poverty levels and sustain themselves without perpetual dependance on hand-outs.
These are transformations of an epic nature. It requires immense courage, confidence and extreme patience and undying support of a society eager to change. Progress will be slow but it is definitely possible to eradicate poverty in a generation or two.
