I've been thinking a lot recently, which happens to be super weird since I'm not exactly the that kind of a person *rolling eyes*. Lately, I've been wondering if abject poverty is here to stay? I mean, is there a foreseeable end to poverty? There are millions of charities around the world, NGO's and otherwise, some are responsible for refugee's e.g UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency), some are responsible for children in poor countries eg Save the children and World vision and so much more. Yet, every year 15 million children die from malnutrition. About 24000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes, and according to my maths (calculating...)...well lets just assume that adds up to one child per second. This figure is astonishing. For someone like me, this mathematical figure make no difference whatsoever,until you apply it to real life, so lets try another strategy. Imagine that each time you blink a child dies, not from heart disease or cancer or malaria, but from lack of food! (OMG!!! you say...). Now, if a child dies every second just from poverty alone then it'll be fair to say that these charities are doing nothing since we aren't seeing the benefits of the change they claim to be making. This may be correct, it may also be completely incorrect. Why is it that after this much charities, millions of children still suffer needlessly from malnutrition? Why is majority of the 50 poorest nations home to Africa? How much will be enough to eradicate poverty? Can and will poverty ever be eradicated? These questions scare me more than i care to admit. Not just because I'm African, but because every second, a mother sits helplessly watching her child die from something that is so preventable....from a cause that is completely alien to the rest of the world.
Nigeria turned 43 in October, 43 isn't enough time for a country to be rich, mighty and powerful, however, will we be making the same excuses in 100 years? Well, i shall be there to witness it all (hahahahahaha, no way mehn!!! i'll be in my grave, shaking my head in wonder and amazement.)
I was walking down the street a few days ago and some woman stops me and goes "give me money to buy lunch", I thought to myself, what arrogance! That attitude wouldn't even get you a mentos! You're not hungry sweetheart, if you were you wouldn't be asking for lunch in that manner, you'd be on your knees begging for it. (For the record, i gave her nothing).
The answer to all my questions(and yours i bet) fell on me a few moments ago!
Of course poverty will never end, but abject poverty will. The kind of poverty that makes you miserable, brings you to your knees and makes you curse the day you were born, the kind of poverty that humiliates you and takes away your self worth, yes...that will end. It has to!!! With people like you and I, who have nothing, but are willing to make a difference with the little we've got, with honest non-profit organisations that are willing to give 80% of the proceeds generated to its intended cause and with rich people like Bill Gates who intend to will their 58 billion dollars lap of luxury to charity! Who says abject poverty will not be history? I dare you to, or forever keep your silence!
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