Today is Blog Action Day: 10 Ways To Fight Poverty

Poverty is an underlying variable that touches the safety of every country on the earth. It represents a direct an imminent threat to the security of human beings around the globe and represents a complex and challenging issue to tackle. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (or MDG's) include halving the world population who live under $1 per day by 2015. Do you think it's possible? Can one do something about this scourge? What if it was possible to reduce it? What if it was possible to eradicate it? What if you could do something about it? What if I tell you that there are thousands of people who are working on this goal, waiting for a way to bring together the power of good into actions that will improve the lives of people around the globe? They just want you to do something. Here are some suggestions of the many I could give you.

For a palliative approach:

1. Promote the work towards fulfilling MDG's by joining organizations like The Interface Foundation, or Millenium Promise: These are some of the organizations that are passionate about getting to that elusive finish line of ending poverty.
   
2. Donate to organizations that go to the poorest and most devastated places in the world like the World Food Program, International Federation of the Red Cross, and Stop Hunger Now among others: This applies mainly at the occurrence of crises overseas (genocide in Darfur, Tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Earthquake in Peru) In my personal research I have seen how the WFP and the IFRC are usually the first international relief organizations that arrive to the scene when great humanitarian causes take place. These organizations are efficient in delivering aid and partnering with others where needed around the world.
   
3. Help in your local food bank, or homeless shelter: Hey, there's poverty also in your neighborhood, open your eyes to reality and you will find it.
4. Ask in your social circles for opportunities to help someone in need: It's time to use your network for something other than self-interest. Your community or religious leaders, school teachers, neighbor, co-worker, even your parents and siblings might know of a good opportunity to make a positive impact. Have the courage to ask and then do the deed.
   
5. Make sure that what you are giving is of value and will meet the need: Whether it is time, goods, or knowledge, add value to the one receiving the aid, otherwise you might not solving a problem or meeting a need, but actually making the situation more difficult. If Paulina's house in the Phillipines just got flooded by a monsoon, she might not need a shipment of can openers of which I had too many in my store. Be willing to excercise some sacrifice in order to help others (i.e. in my church we fast once a month and give the equivalent of the meals not eaten to the poor and the needy).
   

For more long-term solutions:

1. When delivering aid, do not focus solely on poverty, but have a higher goal to reach: It is good to identify the porblem, but that is only the beginning. Instead of simply acknowledging (or for instance, assuming) that this person or group is flat out starving, try to think of them as individuals with the potential to survive and strive for a better standard of living. Then your mind will start picturing ideas about how to help optimally that person or group. I usually adopt"Self Reliance" as a target when delivering help. Sometimes we are so passionate about the problem that it is hard to focus on the solutions. By applying the Self-Reliance paradigm we will be wiser in our giving and think more efficient ways to help the poor instead of just funneling money.
   
2. Help entrepreneurs overseas: By joining Microfinance initiatives like Kiva, (of which I am part of a lending team), Microplace, or Trickle Up you will be helping the engine of local economies around the globe. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the type of business you lend to or support. In my particular case, I choose to support the enterprises that I think will make the greatest impact in the community.
   
3. Sponsor local Microfranchising ventures around the globe: This is an emerging initiative that is having success around the world with many local entrepreneurs. for more info visit David Stoker's Microfranchising Blog or the Center for Economic Self-Reliance's Microfranchising Website
   
4. Support Fair Trade Initiatives: Around the world there are many whose efforts in producing good quality products are hampered for a lack of markets in which to trade them. Fair Trade initiatives help those local producers grow and help the local economies of their communities, as well as their countries.
5. Offer your will, time, and expertise in your field of experience to someone who can use it to survive (Yeah, it's the' teach a man how to fish thing'): This is the most important tip of the day. Be willing to give of yourself to help someone in need. Sometimes we feel so average (or below-average for instance) that we think that we have nothing to offer to anybody. But believe that there is something you know, that your neighbor does not, and believe that such knowledge can make a positive difference. Even if helping others turns harder than we thought when we give ourselves to a good cause our life adopts a new meaning, it has a better flavor, a better feel to it.
   

It's time we all do something. Don't have much money? That's OK, since many times money is not the solution, but dedicating one's time, talents, influences, networks, and heart to a noble cause. Now let's do some good!