Make a difference, read this blog.

Extreme poverty is the most severe state of poverty, where people cannot meet basic needs for survival, such as food, water, clothing, shelter, sanitation, education and health care.

The UN (as part of their “Millennium Development Goals”) has committed each of its 192 member states to giving 0.7% of GDP for overseas development aid, which only 5 countries have actually reached (Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands).
This is a renewal of a commitment made in 1970 by the UN General Assembly.

Ireland has failed to achieve its own deadline of 2007 and has set another deadline for itself for 2012. The UK is about par with Ireland (about 0.5% GDP, 2006 figures) and the US has reduced its aid (to just under 0.2%, 2006 figures)!

The aims of the commitment are to provide a flow of aid such that instead of just responding to disasters (essential work) and providing aid at insufficient levels to eradicate extreme poverty, that enough aid is available to get poverty stricken countries off the starter blocks and into a state of sustainable growth. This is a long-term commitment, not something that can be sorted out overnight, or in a month or a year.

What that means is that for every £10,000 that you earn, a yearly donation of £70 would mean that you are contributing more to overseas development aid than your own government. And what charities really need, even more than sporadic donations (which are also appreciated) is for you to sign up with them and provide a guaranteed source of funds.

So if you want to do something this Christmas to make a difference,
and it really will make a difference,
sign up to an international charity,
and stay with them.

And if you want to make an even bigger difference, email the address below and tell your own government that you’re contributing more to the eradication of poverty than they are!


Irish Department of Foreign Affairs
www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx

Douglas Alexander MP,
Department for International Development
enquiry@dfid.gov.uk



Thanks everyone for reading :-)

Happy Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!