Poverty

Some interesting food for thought-

1) At least 80% of all humanity lives on less than 10$ a day.
2) The poorest 40% of the worlds population accounts for 5% of the worlds income. The richest 20% accounts for three-quarters of the worlds income
3) Every second child is born in poverty

Consider the global priorities in spending in 1998

Global Priority	$U.S. Billions
Cosmetics in the United States	8
Ice cream in Europe	11
Perfumes in Europe and the United States	12
Pet foods in Europe and the United States	17
Business entertainment in Japan	35
Cigarettes in Europe	50
Alcoholic drinks in Europe	105
Narcotics drugs in the world	400
Military spending in the world	780

And compare that to what was estimated as additional costs to achieve universal access to basic social services in all developing countries:

Global Priority	$U.S. Billions
Basic education for all	6
Water and sanitation for all	9
Reproductive health for all women	12
Basic health and nutrition	13

^Source

Now I can be almost certain that after reading this article you will feel pitiful to say the least. But after perhaps a minute or maybe even less, you will forget about the statistics above and move on with your life. The reason for this is simple- We have gotten used to seeing poverty around us. We have learnt to accept the fact that there are people out there who are dying from malnutrition and other life threatening dieseases.

We have bigger priorities in life. We cannot spend all our hard earnings to feed others. That is impossible. 

I will not ask you to donate. I will not ask you to do community service. Who am I to ask you to do anything? Instead, i will share with you a story.

There is lady out there, somewhere in this world. This lady has spent the last 15 years of her life helping others everyday, distributing medicine that is paid for by generous donors. She even spends her own money to buy expensive injections and pills that the distribution clinic does not provide. She once told me that there was this young mother that came to her, asking for her help. She said that if her son did not receive a certain injection for his ailment, he would die. The injection costed a couple of thousand dollars. She bought it for this stranger, and he lived. This is one of the many amazing things she has done for others. She does not get paid for what she does. And obviously she isint the only person in this world. There are others who dedicate their lives in service.

So the basic takeaway for me from this story is this- I know that there are millions of people out there in need of help. I do know that I also have bigger priorities in life, so there is nothing I can do in my power to help them, other than donating loose change to students at the mall with tin cans and stickers. But, if in the future I make a difference to just one person in the smallest of ways, it will make me a happy person. 

Signing off,

Just another Singaporean