This week we recognise World Food Day and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
This week we recognise World Food Day and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
What bothers me is the fact that in our societies some people see these days as an opportunity to show off their self-righteous efforts to give to the poor.
It has been 14 years since the Millennium Development Goals were introduced by the United Nations, and endorsed by the South African government, to amongst other things half poverty rates, halt the spread of HIV and Aids and provide universal primary education by 2015.
In this 14 year stretch we have seen Grahamstown give birth to various projects to fight hunger and poverty, but we have also seen young people affected by unemployment. Anyone who has grappled with some sort of lack in their lives should know how it feels to wait for your next meal or to be told that you just don't have the money to purchase an item.
That title that banks give you when you don’t have money – 'poor', that uniform that shops dress you in when you can’t purchase a quality product – 'poor'. That look that people give you when you lay your hands open begging for food – 'poor'.
Communities need leaders who are able to travail to great depths-for the well being of their people. Food parcels, soup kitchens are only medications that ease the pain of poverty. We need to educate people to garden for themselves, to use their hands and skills to provide food.
We need to see opportunities everywhere, the grandeur of any community should be measured by its ability to have leaders in any form or structure that are able to pave the way to accessing basic needs such as food.
I look forward to the day where we actually celebrate the eradication of poverty in its true sense.
