Questions Raised

While this a topic that has lead to many positive improvements on a global scale, but it is also important to acknowledge the negative issues that it has introduced in order to find a solution and become more progressive. This topic has raised many questions, some of which include the following:

·      Can you really provide effective aid without harm?

·      Does taking a community’s well being into your own hands helpful or does it create unwelcome changes and unintentional quandaries?

·      How can we ensure that we accomplish our goals without pushing our own ideals upon the community?

·      Are our foreign aid efforts in vain?

Although there is much in the way to discourage what positive efforts have been made in the name of poverty, humanitarian aid has made quite an impact. The United Nations reported that over the past decade, 350 million people have moved out of extreme poverty. Many of the people that have removed themselves from poverty are still very poor, but the fact still remains that there are some improvements, which says a lot for existing nonprofit organizations and humanitarian aid. This shows that there is hope for the future. Even though poverty reduction is a long and strenuous journey, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Contrastingly, until we educate ourselves on effective ways of providing foreign aid we will not be successful. While it is vital to become more familiar with what methods are effective, it is equally important to become more aware of methods that are not effective so that we may avoid them as best we can. As opposed to only looking at short-term effects of aid, we must project possible outcomes and potential solutions to any issues that may arise.

Potential Risks of Aid

What you or people of your native country may want isn’t necessarily what people in other countries want. To further demonstrate this concept I ask that you consider a common scenario in foreign aid. If an organization that is creating an educational institution that provides housing, food, and educational materials, which at first thought seems as if it could produce only positive results, can actually be quite detrimental if gone about in the wrong manner. If the organization failed to realize the cultural repercussions of this, they run the risk of putting the citizens of the community in a rather uncomfortable situation. There is a possibility that the other inhabitants of the community might oust those who are given the opportunity to attend the institution consequently, creating animosity. There is a possibility that they will not be able to find or create jobs, sell products, or contribute in anyway within their community, essentially defeating the purpose and leaving them in different but equally poor circumstances in comparison to their situation prior to intervention.

             To further illustrate the gravity of this situation, these changes can unfortunately result in unforeseen have negative effects in developing countries. Often times these adjustments result in the country going even deeper into poverty because they are expected to be able to keep up with competing countries and thriving economies. When they cannot do so, they are forced to become even more dependent up on the developed nations in order to keep their heads above water, so to speak. Poverty stricken countries are then forced to spend less, reduce consumption, remove/decrease regulations, and decrease the value of labor; which puts workers in the same position they were in to begin with.

Economic Inequality

Why hasn't the issue of poverty been solved yet? It has been in existence since the beginning of time! What's the deal, right?

There are inequalities in the economy due to the fact that individuals in the third world are forced to work for lower wages than those in the developed world. For example, if we look at the wages earned by a shoe maker in the United States and someone doing the same exact job in the slums of the Middle East, the pay ratio could be something like $10:$1. Workers in the developing world are being undersold which keeps them at or below the poverty line. This act is being further supported because we continue to run the economy as a market of buyers, so we prefer to pay the cheaper price for the same product. In doing so, we are furthering the third world’s dependency upon us and essentially, maintaining poverty. 

Kindness

Humanitarianism in its most general form is kindness. This virtue has become a commodity within the world. Our primary focus is to get ahead, increase our personal revenue and build a "better life" for ourselves. In doing so, it seems that we have lost sight of the importance of charitable behavior.

In my opinion, the value of kindness and a friendly disposition are highly underestimated these days. A simple smile goes a long way. What I found particularly interesting is that our society does not do much to promote kindness. In fact, we live in a society where it is the norm to not even acknowledge others. I find that I am always surprised when someone who walks past me happens to flash me a smile, says hi, or even acknowledge my presence.

How is it that we can walk through a facility, with hundreds of people, literally bump into one another and not so much as even look them in the eye? We are in essence, all alone together. Maybe if we stop dehumanizing people and acknowledge them we would create a more peaceful and pleasant existence, which could lead to an increase in kindness and promote humanitarianism from a basic elementary level!

You ARE Living THE Life!

You wake up in your warm comfortable bed, go to the kitchen that is stocked full of food and enjoy a breakfast that takes all of three minutes to acquire, prepare and consume. You then pick out an outfit from your diversely filled closet which allows you to stay cool in the heat and warm in the cold. You then hop into your car and get frustrated when the 15 minute drive turns into a 20 minute drive on the way to class. You sit in the safe, secure classroom and grunt and groan about being stuck in there for two whole hours. While you sit there in the classroom with other students discussing horrific global issues occurring in the world, you are distracted by facebook on your phone where you discuss dinner plans with your friends. After class you hop back into your car and sing along to songs about trials and triumphs as if you have some sense of experiencing true hardship and the fight for survival. When you get home you feed your pet with more food than children in poverty receive all day. You proceed to change into a new, clean outfit to exercise in. Once you arrive at the gym you resentfully get on the treadmill where you briskly walk for 20 minutes, which is a fraction of what others must walk barefoot just to find fresh water or food for their parched and starving young. After hopping off and feeling well accomplished you wander over to the free weights and casually complain about bills to a workout buddy while failing to realize that these bills exist because you have the luxury of living in a home, driving rather than walking, and the recent technology of cell phones and entertainment devices. After breaking a slight sweat you hop back in your car, go home and take a shower, dousing yourself with clean water that runs over your body and right down the drain. Water that people in other countries don't have and often parish because they are forced to quench their thirst with unclean and contaminated water. After getting out of the shower you dry off, warm up, and put on a clean new outfit again. You then hop back into your car, avoiding the nuisance of walking, and arrive at a restaurant where you comfortably sit down with friends. You demand a cheeseburger and a cold refreshing beverage. The server goes to the kitchen, has your food prepared for you and then serves it to you; while accommodating any other requests that you may have. You enjoy a few laughs in good company and return home with a full belly. After retiring to bed you lay comfortably with no concern about the weather or surviving the night. You have no worries about how you might survive tomorrow as you drift into a peaceful sleep in the safety of your home.

We have so many blessings that go unnoticed throughout the day. These are luxuries that we take for granted and fail to realize that others around the world only dream about. Appreciate your blessings even if they're small because you just might have something that others would die for, literally.

Corruption

One of the most prominent reasons as to why more people do not contribute to humanitarian organizations is corruption. Many ready and willing individuals are discouraged from donating because there has been so much commotion about money that was intended to support those in need, and instead goes into the pockets of the already wealthy. It is a shameful fact, but it is reality.

It saddens me to think about the potential donations that could have done so much good. There have been many times that I see a commercial asking, sometimes begging for donations and I disregard it. I do this because it has become so easy to assume that the money will not go to poor, starving child on the tv, but into the pockets of those running the business. Unfortunately it is difficult to differentiate those who have intentions of truly supporting those in need, and those who are attempting to make a quick buck for themselves; so it seems that everyone ends up suffering as a result.

It seems ironic that the movement for humanitarian aid has come so far in doing such good only to be hindered by negativity. It is as though we can't escape it. Even in a instance where people have pure and positive intentions, it is still influenced and hampered by bad. What can we do to reverse these negative connotations that are now tied to such a great cause? How can we promote giving in a safe and effective manner? How can we right the wrongs?

Coorilation between Poverty & War

What came first, Poverty or War? It's kind of like the chicken or the egg quote. The roots of war lie in poverty. Inequalities in regard to politics, economics and societal issues are all factors of poverty and contribute to the rise of dissent which can lead to war. Ironically, while poverty may cause conflicts that lead to war, it also has the potential to create more poverty.War can send a community into disarray. People are taken out of their communities and forced to fight while large amounts of money are spent to support and sustain the war. For example, the cost of the war between the United States and Iraq and Afghanistan was estimated to be 3.7 trillion and rising as of June 2011.

Think about what that money could do for our country and its' people! For starving people, homeless people, struggling families, the educational system, health care, finding a cure for cancer... the list goes on and on! Is it possible that peace is more valuable than we had previously thought it to be?

Necessity vs. Luxury

After learning about how many people actually live with so little and below the line of poverty, it makes me think about my own lifestyle. Living in a country where it is safe to assume that the majority of the people we come into contact with on a daily basis are regularly getting a fair share of the food that they need and are going home to adequate shelter. Not only are our needs being met but they are often times exceeded.

For example, when I was moving into my current apartment I found myself in the midst of boxes and bags full of things. I suddenly realized just how many miscellaneous and seemingly useless things that I had acquired over the years. It made me think of one of those episodes of hoarders where they have a ridiculous amount of things. I can say with confidence, that the majority of Americans can probably relate to this. If they were to make a pile of all their belongings that didn't serve any purpose other than visual appeal, we would all be astounded.

I want to emphasize the fact that all of these artifacts are just "things." They don't really serve a purpose. They don't provide shelter, nutrition, or serve to meet any of our basic needs. After coming to this realization it was then that I noticed how much our society emphasizes and puts a value on luxury or unnecessary novelty items. When you think about how many stores that sell these items it makes you realize just how fortunate we are to be in a position to be able to acquire these possessions.

For instance, we purchase multiple decorative plates and bowls for the sole purpose of displaying them in our homes. Meanwhile, these people in poverty cannot even afford a regular plate, much less the food that is to be put on the plate. When you look at it from this perspective, it really makes you realize how lucky you are to be in a position where you have these luxury items. Often times, in our country, we find ourselves feeling discouraged because we don't have the most expensive car or the most lavish home when in comparison to those in poverty, it would be a feat in itself just to have a home... any home.

Wealth Disparity & Potential to Contribute

Since every blog has at least one great rant... here it is!

Something that has always been a concern of mine is the welfare of others. Whether it's someone I know, someone from around the world, or even an animal, their well-being is important to me. Now, I understand that there are limitations to what you can do for others but I find myself questioning why people in positions of power and wealth do not step up to do more. Recently there has been a lot of talk and tension about the wealth disparity in America. Between the Occupy Movement, disgruntled workers, and major progress in humanitarian advocacy it seems that the general public is beginning to catch on to these issues and injustices.

After learning about all of these issues regarding poverty and the 1% living so well off while the 99% lives on so much less, not to mention those living below the line of poverty; it has become quite apparent that one of the main problems preventing us from finding a solution is the lack of awareness. You cannot fix a problem until you know that it exists. And not only that, but you also have to understand the extent to which the problem exists. I strongly believe that if people could see the degrees of poverty that individuals are forced to endure on a daily basis, they would be more motivated to provide assistance.

While advocacy and awareness are all very important, in all honesty, I strongly believe that a great deal of the problems in poverty could be alleviated if those living well beyond their means chipped in. If a millionaire donated just 1% of their income that would be $10,000. Just to put that in perspective, you all have heard those commercials that say you can feed a child in poverty for 10 cents a day. Think about the difference that could make. I'm no math major but if you took that $10,000 and you used it to feed children at the 10 cent rate, you could feed 100,000 kids.

Crazy right? But it definitely puts things in perspective. 

Causes of Poverty

There are three main and inarguable causes of poverty. The first being scarcity of basic needs. Poverty has been present from the beginning of time. There has always been someone who had less than the majority and was struggling to survive. Much of the scarcity lies in developing countries where there is a lack of a secure infrastructure can support the development of a populations needs. In these poverty stricken countries it is difficult to find clean water, shelter, food or health care. Not only is it difficult to find these necessities, it is often times unavailable and the natives are forced to endure the effects and drawbacks of an underdeveloped country without any assistance or hope for the future. Often times these effects include starvation, high rates of disease and death, overpopulation due to the lack of access of birth control, power struggles such as discrimination, rape, violence, etc.

            The second cause of poverty is barriers to opportunity. Individuals living in poverty do not have the same opportunities as those living in the developed world. They cannot simply walk to a business, fill out an employment application and expect to get hired and begin making money in a few weeks’ time. Not only are employment options scarce, they are often times non-existent. In addition to being unable to find a means through which to earn monetary funds, there is also the issue of literacy. For most cases, you must be fairly literate in order to effectively maintain employment. Often times, there is a small majority of people who are lucky enough to attend an educational institution however the effectiveness of these institutions cannot provide one with the education necessary to compete for a mainstream job in the developed world. Not only is there a lack of opportunity that leads to poverty, it is as if these people living in the third world are actually set up to be born and remain in poverty because of these issues.

            The third cause of poverty is debt. Due to international inequality, developing countries are forced to repay their debts to richer countries, which can essentially push them even deeper into poverty. Not only are they expected to pay back their loans as well as any other debts they may have, they are also expected to maintain all other conditionalities that these developed countries have employed. For example, many times these conditionalities include Liberalization of trade; or in other words, it calls for fewer governmental regulations and restrictions in the economy. While this seems like it could be a good idea to encourage more economic traffic; which would lead to an increased money flow, it actually has many potential risks and more often than not, results in adverse effects.

What Is Poverty?

Poverty is a big problem that can be found pretty much anywhere in the world and it has been going on since the beginning of time. There is no single or fully effective solution to it and it seems as if it is just about impossible to resolve. Recent efforts in international aid have made an impact, but there is still a lot left to be accomplished. Poverty is such a significant problem because it encompasses so much; such as hunger, shelter, lack of health care, disease, clean water, etc. Although much has been done in the way of making an effort to send aid and alleviate some of the problems, the fact that over 1 billion people in the world are currently living in poverty still remains.

In layman’s terms, poverty can be defined as the lack of basic human needs, such as clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter, because of the inability to afford them. The World Bank defines poverty as the “pronounced deprivation in well-being, and comprises many dimensions. It includes low incomes and the inability to acquire the basic goods and services necessary for survival with dignity. Poverty also encompasses low levels of health and education, poor access to clean water and sanitation, inadequate physical security, lack of voice, and insufficient capacity and opportunity to better one’s life.”

            The way in which we go about measuring poverty is by the poverty line. The poverty line is the level of income necessary to achieve the basic standard of living that is provided be each individual country. In 2008 the World Bank came out with the figure of $1.25 to represent the poverty line. These measurements are kept in perspective by indicators. Some of these indicators include income shares, poverty gaps at national, rural, and urban poverty lines, as well as poverty headcount ratios.

Effectiveness of Aid

There has been much debate about the best way to provide aid to those in developing countries. Through much research, it has come to my attention that there are many willing and able individuals that are attempting to make a positive difference in the world but the effectiveness of our aid is questionable. 

There has been a great deal of evidence that supports the fact that the way in which we provide our foreign aid is ineffective and sometimes even harmful in the long run. Our current efforts result in short-term assistance with long-term damages. 

One possible solution for providing lasting support for these developing countries that are so desperately in need of assistance can be summed up by this metaphor, “Don’t give a man a fish, teach him how to fish.” In order to ensure a permanent improvement, those living in the developing communities must be trained and educated so that they may continue to propel their society into a better standard of living.

Number of Hungry People in the World

Good Intentions With No Results

We all have good intentions when it comes to this topic. I'm sure you have seen the commercials many times before. The poor children shuffling through garbage hoping to find something edible. The teenage sibling who cares for his younger brothers and sisters because their parents are deceased. The babies with the bloated bellies from malnourishment. We have all seen the commercials, heard the ads soliciting donations and always think..."Maybe later." It seems that those commercials do not fully impact our perceptions of reality. I am certainly touched by the stories but not always motivated enough to take action. This is the sad truth for the majority of people viewing these ads.

When you really think about it, these organizations are showing us clips of people struggling to stay alive, and often times end up losing the battle. How is it that we can sit on our sofas, watch such a terrible thing, and continue to munch on our snacks and wait for the next television show to return? What is so wrong with us that we can be told that people are dying without so much as even blinking twice?

I cannot say that I am not guilty of it as well. Is there something psychologically wrong with our society that allows us to sit by while others succumb to their own demise? Do we just not care? Do we shrug it off as the cycle of life? What is it? Because when I really think about it, it's terrible. If I put myself in their shoes and think about how hundreds of thousands of people watch the suffering on t.v. and rather than send $50 which could cover living costs for a month, go spend twice that on clothes when their closets are already full, it baffles me.

Need: The Reason for Humanitarianism

Humanitarianism. 

It can be defined as the ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy that is to be universally extended to all human beings. It begins with a common human experience, need. We experience this at the time we are born. We are dependent upon someone else for food, shelter, and nurture; which places us in a position that allows us to feel empathically toward others when they experience need. We can understand another's thoughts, feelings and behaviors by making a connection to what we have experienced in the past. Humanitarianism touches the conscience of every living person. It is why we feel sad for those who are suffering, why it hurts to see others in pain, and why it is troubling to see others experiencing unimaginable hardships.