blog action day 2008: poverty

Last year the subject was 'the environment'. This time blog action day is about 'poverty'. All bloggers are asked to blog about that subject to create awareness, to help, to do what they can. The main purpose is to create a discussion.

Thanks to my blogging friend Michelle (in Calabria!) from Bleeding Espresso, I found out in time to participate.

It is interesting that today morning my son (5) woke up and told me that he wants to donate books and toys to poor children that have lost their parents. He said: "Mummy, do you remember, in China, you gave this nice blanket and I gave my clothes to these poor children who lost their parents?" (it was after this terrible earth quake).

So before kindergarten he was searching through his books.
I had told him that in Germany, we do not have this urgent need like it was the case in China. But he insisted.

The only charity project that came to my mind was the 'Martini Markt' in our community that will take place on November 11 and 12 in the parish hall. Already now you can deliver your books and toys and other goods that will be sold on these days. The revenue goes to social projects and people in need. (Stuttgart Gänsheide, evgl. Gemeindehaus, Martini Markt, 11. + 12. November, 10h00 -22h00)

Another serious project seems Plan. I supported it before. But instead of a donation you could also support a 'god child' for 25 Euro per month. You can even indicate your personal wish for a country. I am thinking of China or Thailand, as I have lived happy days in both countries and would like to give back. They are actually running a special campaign to support girls worldwide.

And I want to mention my blogging friend Maryam, who is not only a successful blogger at My Marrakesh, but also a human rights and democracy specialist. She posted recently the sad story about Vestine in Rwanda and how you could help her and four other genocide survivors set up micro-businesses so they can support themselves with dignity into the future.

Also, I read an article about how we could (slowly) change the world by shopping the right way. E.g. bananas in a fair trade shop might be more expensive then in the supermarket but at the end a banana farmer is getting slightly more money for his organic bananas and therefore he can afford to pay higher salaries to his banana pickers, he can send his kids to school (no child work) and he is able to life in a cottage with a paved floor. (Of course this is causing higher CO2 emmission than eating local apples. But then the South remains poor).

Thank you for your attention.