April 29, 2009
Unite for Hunger and Hope Today!
I'm really enjoying being part of Bloggers Unite. Today is the day they have designated as Bloggers Unite Day for Hunger and Hope.
I know I'm usually raising awareness about child abuse and advocating for sexual violence survivors. So, why do I think this is a good fit for me and my blog?
Well, I agree with this:
"Poverty is the worst form of violence."~ Gandhi
I also agree with this:
"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, ... The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty." ~ Mother Teresa
Also, I consider malnutrition and poverty a global abuse of our planet's children. Poverty and hunger affect our planet's children in a profound way. Estimates vary, but an alarming estimate from Unicef says that 25,000 children die every day -- that's a child dying every 3.5 seconds! --from poverty, hunger and easily-preventable diseases.
Like Nelson Mandela, I believe that poverty is not natural. It is man-made. The good news is that we can also end poverty by man-made means. I know it seems like such an overwhelmingly vast problem. What can you and I do about it?
Well, one charity that I like a lot is Heifer International. For almost 60 years, Heifer has been helping people all over the world obtain sustainable sources of food and income. Heifer helps build sustainable communities and puts impoverished people on the road to self-reliance by teaching animal management and environmentally sound agriculture techniques.
So where do you and I come in? Well, for the past three years at Christmas/holiday time, my family has been giving the gift of Heifer animals in honor of our friends and family and our son's school teachers. These folks love "receiving" this kind of gift and many of them have started this tradition for their own friends and family.
For as little as $20 you can send a flock of chicks who will grow into hens who can each lay up to 200 protein-rich eggs a year. For $120, you can give the gift of a goat. A good dairy goat can provide up to a ton of milk in a year! Okay, so let's say you don't eat meat, eggs or milk and you don't want to encourage that. Well, for only $30, you can help a family learn how to keep bees. You can help a struggling family earn income from the sale of honey, beeswax and pollen. Since bees pollinate fruit and vegetable crops, a beehive can be a boost to an entire village.
"The one message that we are trying to promote all the time, that poverty in the world is an artificial creation. It doesn't belong to human civilization, and we can change that..." ~ Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2006)
One of the things that gift-givers like about Heifer International is that they provide a hand-up, rather than just a hand-out. I like that, too. I'm glad to be a supporter of Heifer and I'm glad that Bloggers Unite is highlighting their efforts as we unite for Hunger and Hope.
"True compassion is more than throwing a coin to a beggar. It demands of our humanity that if we live in a society that produces beggars, we are morally commanded to restructure that society." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
I know I'm usually raising awareness about child abuse and advocating for sexual violence survivors. So, why do I think this is a good fit for me and my blog?
Well, I agree with this:
"Poverty is the worst form of violence."~ Gandhi
I also agree with this:
"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, ... The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty." ~ Mother Teresa
Also, I consider malnutrition and poverty a global abuse of our planet's children. Poverty and hunger affect our planet's children in a profound way. Estimates vary, but an alarming estimate from Unicef says that 25,000 children die every day -- that's a child dying every 3.5 seconds! --from poverty, hunger and easily-preventable diseases.
Like Nelson Mandela, I believe that poverty is not natural. It is man-made. The good news is that we can also end poverty by man-made means. I know it seems like such an overwhelmingly vast problem. What can you and I do about it?
Well, one charity that I like a lot is Heifer International. For almost 60 years, Heifer has been helping people all over the world obtain sustainable sources of food and income. Heifer helps build sustainable communities and puts impoverished people on the road to self-reliance by teaching animal management and environmentally sound agriculture techniques.
So where do you and I come in? Well, for the past three years at Christmas/holiday time, my family has been giving the gift of Heifer animals in honor of our friends and family and our son's school teachers. These folks love "receiving" this kind of gift and many of them have started this tradition for their own friends and family.
For as little as $20 you can send a flock of chicks who will grow into hens who can each lay up to 200 protein-rich eggs a year. For $120, you can give the gift of a goat. A good dairy goat can provide up to a ton of milk in a year! Okay, so let's say you don't eat meat, eggs or milk and you don't want to encourage that. Well, for only $30, you can help a family learn how to keep bees. You can help a struggling family earn income from the sale of honey, beeswax and pollen. Since bees pollinate fruit and vegetable crops, a beehive can be a boost to an entire village.
"The one message that we are trying to promote all the time, that poverty in the world is an artificial creation. It doesn't belong to human civilization, and we can change that..." ~ Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2006)
One of the things that gift-givers like about Heifer International is that they provide a hand-up, rather than just a hand-out. I like that, too. I'm glad to be a supporter of Heifer and I'm glad that Bloggers Unite is highlighting their efforts as we unite for Hunger and Hope.
"True compassion is more than throwing a coin to a beggar. It demands of our humanity that if we live in a society that produces beggars, we are morally commanded to restructure that society." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Labels: advocacy, awareness, Bloggers Unite, child abuse, philanthropy
Comments:
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i agree with you completely about poverty and how it is man-made and global child abuse. i think it's great that you point this out and show us things we can do to help. and i like the "teach a man to fish" idea. thank you~
# posted by 
: April 29, 2009 2:42 PM
: April 29, 2009 2:42 PM
You're welcome, Mountainmama. Thanks for checking it out.
Peter: Thanks for visiting my blog and for participating in this event today yourself.
Peter: Thanks for visiting my blog and for participating in this event today yourself.
I agree poverty is man made and countries like mine and the states need to take a hard look at what we are doing to help those less fortunate then us.
P.S. thanks for stopping by my blog. I have been taking a wee bit of a break and are only coming back to blogs slowly with just one or two here and there
take care
P.S. thanks for stopping by my blog. I have been taking a wee bit of a break and are only coming back to blogs slowly with just one or two here and there
take care
Great write up,you wrote so well in a short time with such quotes and data.I am left wondering at ur talent.Its only me who didnt complete.BTW,isupport ur cause in this blog.We somehow need to win over our past.Wishing u god speed in the process.
# posted by : April 30, 2009 1:22 AM
: April 30, 2009 1:22 AM
S'onnie: Thanks for coming by. So nice to "see" you. Welcome back to the blogosphere.
100%: Thanks for checking out my post and my blog. I appreciate the supportive words.
100%: Thanks for checking out my post and my blog. I appreciate the supportive words.
I remember doing the Heifer animals program in high school. We did it as a class. It was a rewarding experience.
What a wonderful post, poverty is man-made and with that we need to help and do something about it. take care..Mary
Erin: I've seen lots of references to young people being involved. Very cool!
Mary: So nice to "see" you. I'm glad you came by.
JBR: Thanks!
Mary: So nice to "see" you. I'm glad you came by.
JBR: Thanks!
I've been at the site some times. I guess I have better join.
The sad is that these heads of chiefs, all of them, don't care.
They really don't care about starvation.
Seriously.
They don't care about people. They don't care.
I think that if there is not a REAL CHANGE, a new order things will be the same for a long time.
No!
I will not stop fighting.
But I don't expect change.
The sad is that these heads of chiefs, all of them, don't care.
They really don't care about starvation.
Seriously.
They don't care about people. They don't care.
I think that if there is not a REAL CHANGE, a new order things will be the same for a long time.
No!
I will not stop fighting.
But I don't expect change.
Hunger and HOPE.
HOPE?
I wish they hadn't use this word. Hope put things to far, almost unachievable.
It seems we are looking for charity.
HUNGER AN RIGHTS...
Something like this.
HOPE?
I wish they hadn't use this word. Hope put things to far, almost unachievable.
It seems we are looking for charity.
HUNGER AN RIGHTS...
Something like this.
I can understand your feelings, Ana. I guess I see it as similar to the state of mental health in the US: I don't expect much to change on a nation-wide level, but there are changes individuals can achieve. With Heifer, they are changing the lives of individuals and families. Maybe all we can expect are small steps, but they do eventually add up.
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