Sunday, March 21, 2010
Blog 6
I forgot to do this one
Blog 5: Exploring a Community Paper
Poverty: A Rising Epidemic in Developing Countries
Poverty is a universal concern that seems to have no true solution. Although many people are aware of the poverty that surrounds them everyday, I feel as though they are not educated enough to actually want to make a difference. If more people were taught about the impact that poverty has on the lives of so many in developing countries, they would feel an urge to give aid. As the daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, I have had the opportunity to visit places where poverty is very real. My mother “witnessed poverty first-hand” which has in turn given me the incentive to be a part of the non-profit organizations in the Philippines (Obias-Sanchez). I have gone to orphanages and helped in medical missions, which has in turn brought me to the realization that there are so many people who are in desperate need of basic goods, like food and shelter. I think that by spreading the awareness that I have about the Philippines onto others, that they too will want to reach out to help those who are less fortunate. Also, just knowing the basic facts about how many people suffer from poverty everyday is something that would initiate a person’s involvement in the end to world poverty. The main question that I, as well as others who are concerned with the matter, is, to what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?
When I think back on my experiences in the Philippines, starting from when I was about three years old, I always remember the massive amounts of children running up to my grandparents’ moving car, begging for money in exchange for the flowers that they picked from the ground. The image is something that I have never been able to erase because I know that there are different stories behind each of those children. For most of the children on the street, they have no parents. As for the others, they were sent out by their parents to do odd jobs in hopes of making any money. The concept of sending out your own child to chase after a car in traffic is something that can only be explained by pure desperation. So many families in developing countries have this feeling because they have the misfortune of being born into poverty. Poverty is not something that is easy to get out of when you are born in a country that is nowhere near as opportunity-filled as the United States.
The idea of poverty is immediately related the idea of a solution in my mind. The question I, as well as millions of others face is what is this solution? When I think about helping other countries, I think about non-profit organizations. The reason this comes to mind is because non-profit organizations are made for the common good. They are put together not to benefit themselves, but exclusively for the benefit of others. After thinking about this concept I wondered, what do non-profit organizations really do? So I did my research and found out the following information. In developing countries, they are usually known as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “Non-governmental organizations constitute the third major channel, after bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, through which development assistance is provided to the Third World” (Kozlowski 12) These organizations play a critical role in reducing poverty, since governments cannot do the job on their own. Some examples of successful NGOs are in Brazil, Africa, and Haiti (Gibbs 21). Whereas governments must focus on the general needs of all the citizens that live inside within their country, non-profits are able to focus on specific missions, which serves the poor and less advantaged. The immediate organizations that come to mind are World Vision and Feed the Child, but there are many others. For instance, The “Red Cross societies, refugee relief bodies, and the International Planned-Parenthood Federation and its affiliated members organizations account for a ‘group’ of specialized NGOs; followed by the specialist organizations concerned with leprosy, the blind, and other particular professional interests, like adult literacy, agricultural development and vocational training” (Kozlowski 16).
The concept of non-profit organizations leads me to ask myself, what type of person would it take to give without receiving any material possession in return? Most likely, faith has to do with their decisions. Faith-based organizations provide a critical role in poverty reduction around the developing world. Christian as well as Muslim and Jewish institutions make it a priority to assist those who are most in need because it is part of their message of conviction. People are willing to assist the poor through donations and volunteer work at churches and synagogues because of their trust for such institutions. When speaking with my uncle, a former priest in training, I asked what his incentive was in becoming a priest as well as what he thought about the Christian community’s strong message of helping others. He replied, “The main message of Christianity is that all things are done with the thought in mind ‘do onto others as you would want to be done onto you’. As long as you follow this message, life will be lived selflessly, and the act of giving will in turn be a reward within itself.” (Sanchez) On the other side of the spectrum, I spoke with my cousin who is a practicing Muslim and asked him about the message of his religion. He stated, “Many religions have one thing in common, helping others. Sometimes we are so easily judged because we are different but in the end, we’re all here for the same reason.” (Huynh)
In America, as the richest country in the world, we contribute significantly to resolving world poverty issues, but as a nation we could do much more. An example of our contribution to another country in need is the recent foreign assistance to Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Other countries have also donated significantly to Haiti’s rebuilding process. Most importantly though, the most successful long term development assistance will help the country of Haiti strengthen its own institutions so that the country will become self-sufficient in times of need in the future. When the topic of Haiti was brought up in one of my classes just last week, the professor was quick to judge the students who said that they had given clothes or food to people in Haiti. She had assumed that no one in our class knew anything about Haiti until the earthquake hit; this was not something that I agreed with. Even if this was the case, I believe that any form of a donation to those in need is better than none at all. Although many people are called to assist charitable organizations after natural disasters, there are many individuals and organizations that provide such assistance on a daily basis, regardless of the extreme need after a disaster.
Ultimately it is the government’s duties to assist those most in need, unfortunately many developing countries don’t have the resources or power to do so. “The extent of premature death and ill health in the developing world is staggering. In 2000 almost 11 million children died before their fifth birthday, and estimated 140 million children under five are underweight, 3 million died from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis claimed another 2 million lives, and 515,000 women died during pregnancy or child birth in 1995, almost all of them in the developing world” (Wagstaff ix). For these reasons, developed nations step in to attempt to fill in the void that developing nations cannot fulfill. One example of numerous countries coming to the assistance of development needs is the Millennium Development Goals, which was agreed to by 180 governments (Wagstaff ix). The purpose of these projects is to attempt to eradicate poverty around the world. The projects are often implemented through the auspices of international organizations such as the United Nations.
After much research and mental involvement about poverty and its affects on the lives of so many millions of people, I have come to conclusion that the debate about how many people are actually suffering is important, but more emphasis should be put on what we can do to help. It is crucial to take a stand in the rise against poverty, regardless of what ethnicity of religion you may come from. It is a force that can unite the world in hopes of a cure. To some, poverty is considered a crime in which all individuals are responsible, including the victim (George 5). If we are held responsible, more should be done in efforts to end this epidemic. It is our duty to make a change no matter how insignificant it may be.
Intro to Paper 2
Poverty is a universal concern that seems to have no true solution. Although many people are aware of the poverty that surrounds them everyday, I feel as though they are not educated enough to actually want to make a difference. If more people were taught about the impact that poverty has on the lives of so many in developing countries, they would feel an urge to give aid. As the daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, I have had the opportunity to visit places where poverty is very real. My mother “witnessed poverty first-hand” which has in turn given me the incentive to be a part of the non-profit organizations in the Philippines (Obias-Sanchez). I have gone to orphanages and helped in medical missions, which has in turn brought me to the realization that there are so many people who are in desperate need of basic goods, like food and shelter. I think that by spreading the awareness that I have about the Philippines onto others, that they too will want to reach out to help those who are less fortunate. Also, just knowing the basic facts about how many people suffer from poverty everyday is something that would initiate a person’s involvement in the end to world poverty. The main question that I, as well as others who are concerned with the matter, is, to what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?
Interview questions
Exploring a Community Interview questions
Interviewer: Karina Sanchez
Interviewee: Irene Sanchez
Topic: Poverty in Developing Countries
Question: To what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?
1. Have you experienced or witnessed poverty first hand? Where? What was the experience like?
Yes. I did not experience it but I saw it with people that surrounded me everyday growing up in the Philippines. For example, I saw newborns die due to the fact that the mother could not afford basic medical care for the child. The experience was frustrating and I felt helpless because I was so young and could not understand.
2. Do you feel as though poverty is a major issue in today’s society? Why?
Yes, I do. With today’s technology, I think that people are becoming more isolated and selfish.
3. Have you contributed to any cause related to poverty?
Yes. My family and I support an orphanage in the Philippines and spread awareness to family and friends who are not as involved.
4. How do you think our nation can aid the poverty of other countries in a way that is more helpful?
I think that if more non-profit organizations focused on helping educate and teaching developed skills to the poor then poverty would not be as much of a concern.
5. Is poverty a concern that you feel you can relate to directly?
Yes, it is relatable because I was exposed to extreme poverty at a very young age up until I moved to the United States.
Blog 6
Make-up Blogs (:
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Blog 6
I forgot to do this one
Blog 5: Exploring a Community Paper
Poverty: A Rising Epidemic in Developing Countries
Poverty is a universal concern that seems to have no true solution. Although many people are aware of the poverty that surrounds them everyday, I feel as though they are not educated enough to actually want to make a difference. If more people were taught about the impact that poverty has on the lives of so many in developing countries, they would feel an urge to give aid. As the daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, I have had the opportunity to visit places where poverty is very real. My mother “witnessed poverty first-hand” which has in turn given me the incentive to be a part of the non-profit organizations in the Philippines (Obias-Sanchez). I have gone to orphanages and helped in medical missions, which has in turn brought me to the realization that there are so many people who are in desperate need of basic goods, like food and shelter. I think that by spreading the awareness that I have about the Philippines onto others, that they too will want to reach out to help those who are less fortunate. Also, just knowing the basic facts about how many people suffer from poverty everyday is something that would initiate a person’s involvement in the end to world poverty. The main question that I, as well as others who are concerned with the matter, is, to what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?
When I think back on my experiences in the Philippines, starting from when I was about three years old, I always remember the massive amounts of children running up to my grandparents’ moving car, begging for money in exchange for the flowers that they picked from the ground. The image is something that I have never been able to erase because I know that there are different stories behind each of those children. For most of the children on the street, they have no parents. As for the others, they were sent out by their parents to do odd jobs in hopes of making any money. The concept of sending out your own child to chase after a car in traffic is something that can only be explained by pure desperation. So many families in developing countries have this feeling because they have the misfortune of being born into poverty. Poverty is not something that is easy to get out of when you are born in a country that is nowhere near as opportunity-filled as the United States.
The idea of poverty is immediately related the idea of a solution in my mind. The question I, as well as millions of others face is what is this solution? When I think about helping other countries, I think about non-profit organizations. The reason this comes to mind is because non-profit organizations are made for the common good. They are put together not to benefit themselves, but exclusively for the benefit of others. After thinking about this concept I wondered, what do non-profit organizations really do? So I did my research and found out the following information. In developing countries, they are usually known as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “Non-governmental organizations constitute the third major channel, after bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, through which development assistance is provided to the Third World” (Kozlowski 12) These organizations play a critical role in reducing poverty, since governments cannot do the job on their own. Some examples of successful NGOs are in Brazil, Africa, and Haiti (Gibbs 21). Whereas governments must focus on the general needs of all the citizens that live inside within their country, non-profits are able to focus on specific missions, which serves the poor and less advantaged. The immediate organizations that come to mind are World Vision and Feed the Child, but there are many others. For instance, The “Red Cross societies, refugee relief bodies, and the International Planned-Parenthood Federation and its affiliated members organizations account for a ‘group’ of specialized NGOs; followed by the specialist organizations concerned with leprosy, the blind, and other particular professional interests, like adult literacy, agricultural development and vocational training” (Kozlowski 16).
The concept of non-profit organizations leads me to ask myself, what type of person would it take to give without receiving any material possession in return? Most likely, faith has to do with their decisions. Faith-based organizations provide a critical role in poverty reduction around the developing world. Christian as well as Muslim and Jewish institutions make it a priority to assist those who are most in need because it is part of their message of conviction. People are willing to assist the poor through donations and volunteer work at churches and synagogues because of their trust for such institutions. When speaking with my uncle, a former priest in training, I asked what his incentive was in becoming a priest as well as what he thought about the Christian community’s strong message of helping others. He replied, “The main message of Christianity is that all things are done with the thought in mind ‘do onto others as you would want to be done onto you’. As long as you follow this message, life will be lived selflessly, and the act of giving will in turn be a reward within itself.” (Sanchez) On the other side of the spectrum, I spoke with my cousin who is a practicing Muslim and asked him about the message of his religion. He stated, “Many religions have one thing in common, helping others. Sometimes we are so easily judged because we are different but in the end, we’re all here for the same reason.” (Huynh)
In America, as the richest country in the world, we contribute significantly to resolving world poverty issues, but as a nation we could do much more. An example of our contribution to another country in need is the recent foreign assistance to Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Other countries have also donated significantly to Haiti’s rebuilding process. Most importantly though, the most successful long term development assistance will help the country of Haiti strengthen its own institutions so that the country will become self-sufficient in times of need in the future. When the topic of Haiti was brought up in one of my classes just last week, the professor was quick to judge the students who said that they had given clothes or food to people in Haiti. She had assumed that no one in our class knew anything about Haiti until the earthquake hit; this was not something that I agreed with. Even if this was the case, I believe that any form of a donation to those in need is better than none at all. Although many people are called to assist charitable organizations after natural disasters, there are many individuals and organizations that provide such assistance on a daily basis, regardless of the extreme need after a disaster.
Ultimately it is the government’s duties to assist those most in need, unfortunately many developing countries don’t have the resources or power to do so. “The extent of premature death and ill health in the developing world is staggering. In 2000 almost 11 million children died before their fifth birthday, and estimated 140 million children under five are underweight, 3 million died from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis claimed another 2 million lives, and 515,000 women died during pregnancy or child birth in 1995, almost all of them in the developing world” (Wagstaff ix). For these reasons, developed nations step in to attempt to fill in the void that developing nations cannot fulfill. One example of numerous countries coming to the assistance of development needs is the Millennium Development Goals, which was agreed to by 180 governments (Wagstaff ix). The purpose of these projects is to attempt to eradicate poverty around the world. The projects are often implemented through the auspices of international organizations such as the United Nations.
After much research and mental involvement about poverty and its affects on the lives of so many millions of people, I have come to conclusion that the debate about how many people are actually suffering is important, but more emphasis should be put on what we can do to help. It is crucial to take a stand in the rise against poverty, regardless of what ethnicity of religion you may come from. It is a force that can unite the world in hopes of a cure. To some, poverty is considered a crime in which all individuals are responsible, including the victim (George 5). If we are held responsible, more should be done in efforts to end this epidemic. It is our duty to make a change no matter how insignificant it may be.
Intro to Paper 2
Poverty is a universal concern that seems to have no true solution. Although many people are aware of the poverty that surrounds them everyday, I feel as though they are not educated enough to actually want to make a difference. If more people were taught about the impact that poverty has on the lives of so many in developing countries, they would feel an urge to give aid. As the daughter of an immigrant from the Philippines, I have had the opportunity to visit places where poverty is very real. My mother “witnessed poverty first-hand” which has in turn given me the incentive to be a part of the non-profit organizations in the Philippines (Obias-Sanchez). I have gone to orphanages and helped in medical missions, which has in turn brought me to the realization that there are so many people who are in desperate need of basic goods, like food and shelter. I think that by spreading the awareness that I have about the Philippines onto others, that they too will want to reach out to help those who are less fortunate. Also, just knowing the basic facts about how many people suffer from poverty everyday is something that would initiate a person’s involvement in the end to world poverty. The main question that I, as well as others who are concerned with the matter, is, to what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?
Interview questions
Exploring a Community Interview questions
Interviewer: Karina Sanchez
Interviewee: Irene Sanchez
Topic: Poverty in Developing Countries
Question: To what extent are people suffering due to poverty in developing countries?
1. Have you experienced or witnessed poverty first hand? Where? What was the experience like?
Yes. I did not experience it but I saw it with people that surrounded me everyday growing up in the Philippines. For example, I saw newborns die due to the fact that the mother could not afford basic medical care for the child. The experience was frustrating and I felt helpless because I was so young and could not understand.
2. Do you feel as though poverty is a major issue in today’s society? Why?
Yes, I do. With today’s technology, I think that people are becoming more isolated and selfish.
3. Have you contributed to any cause related to poverty?
Yes. My family and I support an orphanage in the Philippines and spread awareness to family and friends who are not as involved.
4. How do you think our nation can aid the poverty of other countries in a way that is more helpful?
I think that if more non-profit organizations focused on helping educate and teaching developed skills to the poor then poverty would not be as much of a concern.
5. Is poverty a concern that you feel you can relate to directly?
Yes, it is relatable because I was exposed to extreme poverty at a very young age up until I moved to the United States.
