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Can You Save a Child’s Life with $100?
About 2 hours south of Metro Manila, Philippines, is a small rural community. I had the privilege of visiting with a few families in the area, and listening to their stories. Lori (above) lives a humble life. The shed-like buildings behind her are her home (to the left), shared with 5 children. Directly behind is her [...]
Continue reading...2 Realities They Don’t Teach You At School
12. November 2009
Remember the Huxtables? They were a fictional affluent African-American family who starred in The Cosby Show. The sitcom debuted in 1984 – the decade of “Greed is good”. Although it has been described as revolutionary (black, American AND rich) – I didn’t really get that bit. I thought all Americans lived in lavish mansions and had astonishing [...]
Continue reading...What Does a Child of Conflict Think of the West?
21. October 2009
This drawing comes from an art therapy session with child refugees. US: “No we can’t say that” EU: “It’s ok this is not my problem” The concept of Somebody Else’s Problem (let’s call it SEP) runs right through society and all issues in the world. Peter Shirley in his book “The Life You Can Save” looks at this. [...]
Continue reading...Sick of People Who Want to Save the World?
14. September 2009
A recent reader survey mentioned that U2 is one of the most overrated bands, with pundits believing a U2 concert is more of a political rally than a music extravaganza. Fair call – especially when you’re paying serious money to hear music. However at least someone is using their celebrity status to draw attention to issues [...]
Continue reading...Can People in Rich Countries Really Be Poor?
24. August 2009
The word poverty seems almost meaningless. On a global scale we use the figure US$1.25 income per day to indicate someone in extreme poverty, or US$2 income per day to indicate someone in “run-of-the-mill” poverty (source). You might ask “US$1.25 in Zambia can buy me a whole lot more than in the US”. It probably can – [...]
Continue reading...Why Should I Care About Poor People in Other Countries?
23. August 2009
Helping poor people in developing countries seems abstract and remote. A few comments you might hear: “Charity begins at home” “Let’s deal with the poor here in our own country first” “Not our fault” “Somebody else’s problem” Are these comments fair? The world is not what it was. Every day we consume products and information that came from another country. [...]
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28. February 2010
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