WE’VE ALL discussed it at a book club or over
dinner with friends. We’ve all reflected about it
after reading about world hunger. We’ve all
wondered:
How can we end poverty?
How can we end suffering of the impoverished at
home and abroad?
Is it a topic that’s too big to think
about?
Not at all.
By exercising our voting and our buying power,
we can affect big change.
The next time a federal election happens ask
your candidates how they are going to change
policy to ensure that aid going to developing
countries is not spent on running bureaucracies,
but feeds the impoverished and empowers land
ownership.
Demand this of your elected representative
every time they knock on your door, until you get
a firm answer.
Better yet, why wait until an election — ask
them now.
If every country pushed harder to ensure that
foreign aid was spent on microcredit and literacy,
we would see big change.
Poverty is the root of war.
As citizens, we do not have to wait for
government. There are things we can do right now
in the comfort of our homes.
Kiva, founded by Jessica Jackley, is the
world’s first peer-to-peer, online, microlending
website ( http://www.kiva.org/).
The site enables people around the world to make
small loans, as little as $25, to entrepreneurs in
developing countries.
In the three years since Kiva was featured on
Oprah, the founders have raised $25 million from
people in over 120 countries.
I checked it out. You can choose an
entrepreneur to support and see their repayment
record on the website. It’s one of the most
empowering tools for every day citizens to reach
out to our global community.
There is also a group called The Girl Effect
that shows if you empower a girl in a developing
country, she will reinvest 90 per cent of her
income back into her family. Men reinvest just 30
to 40 per cent. Enabling young girls to be
literate and economically self-sufficient is the
only way to end war, poverty and disease.
This week some incredible Canadian heroes, who
are making change by shining light on developing
nations, will be in Halifax. Stephanie Nolen, an
author of books on Africa, Afghanistan and
developing nations, will be receiving an honorary
doctorate from the University of King’s College.
Capt. Trevor Greene will also receive an honorary
doctorate from King’s and presenting at the
Victims 2 Victors event on May 14th at the World
Trade and Convention Centre.
Nelofer Pazira, an Afghan-Canadian and Gemini
Award-winning documentary filmmaker will be
presenting with Capt. Greene. Ms. Pazira has
returned many times to her native Afghanistan and
her documentaries provide a true perspective on
the issues facing women and families there.
Combine this knowledge with information from
the web that connects you with these counties and
changing the course of history is possible.
Barb Stegemann is an author and motivational
speaker living in Bedford.
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