Poverty- Where do we draw the line?

October 15th, 2008

Today is Blog Action Day 2008 and the blogging world has united to take on poverty. Click here for a compilation of Heartbreaking statistics on poverty. As a mother of two kids under 5, seeing the statistics of the +10 million children under age five that are dying each year due to poverty is incomprehensible.

Here are three comments I’d like to add to the global discussion of Poverty;

1. The number of people existing on $10 or even $1 per day are always shocking. Equally shocking is the number of people living beyond their means (especially in North America) that can’t seem to get by on $1,000+ per week.

2. In the context of the ongoing financial crisis, many people are feeling poor or poorer lately that don’t meet the standard definition. Sadly, with job cuts and bank closures rates running neck and neck, many who were previously living comfortably face a dismal financial future.

3. Poverty exists in your own backyard. Even here in the Netherlands, the government sets targets for the financial independence of women and recently announced great news that more than 40% women are financially independent. Where did they draw the line? 10.030 euros!

I was determined to participate in this discussion, yet feel extremely guilty, as I rush through this post to jet off in a few hours to a Holiday in Crete…How do you reconcile your own role in the poverty gap? Do you know people that thrive while living below the line? What if we could all learn to not only survive but thrive with less?