Fair warning: Bare with me, this is a little long, but well worth the read for Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty. I am just one small voice, but you have many ears to hear me with. Combined effort is the only thing that will make a difference. Please click the links. Learn something new today. Definitely watch the video near the end. Skip a couple of lattes each month. Help me make a difference.
Poverty exists in every corner of the world to one degree or another. I could have chosen to discuss poverty right here in America, but frankly, the US does not experience the type of devastating poverty that is seen in other parts of the world. I could also discuss any number of countries in Africa, but I feel these countries already get plenty of press and I’m sure many others will cover it. I wanted to concentrate on Southeast Asia.
(This photo is from Borins Blog. He is a Cambodian blogger, I have him on my feed reader. Cambodia is a beautiful country, with a huge poverty issue.)
I need to give a bit of history for this region, in order for you to fully understand the position it is in today.
You may have heard about Cambodia in connection with the Vietnam War or maybe as “boat people†during the late ‘70’s or early ‘80’s. You may have even heard of the genocide that occurred during Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge Regime from April 17, 1975 – January 7, 1979, where 25% of Cambodia’s population was executed, starved to death and/or died from being overworked.
Cambodia (Kampuchea) Genocide - Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge Regime, Just one of many mass graves.
Did you know that the world, especially the US, turned a blind eye to the genocide of Cambodia because of the Vietnam War failure? We turned our backs on these people, because we were ashamed of our own weaknesses! You may know a little bit about Cambodia and the other poor countries of Southeast Asia, but chances are you don’t know as much as you should.
Severe poverty of Thailand
I don’t know about you, but the school system I grew up with did not educate us correctly when it came to the Vietnam War (Find a short history lesson here – or watch the incredible documentary Vietnam: A Television History by PBS, which can be found in most libraries or purchased here. When I watched this, I was astonished to learn the true history behind the war), let along educate us on what occurred, not only in Vietnam, after the war, but the neighboring countries of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia as well. To get a brief history lesson on Pol Pot’s Regime, please visit here. To find out more about the poverty in Laos please visit here. You can find out more information from my earlier post, concerning Cambodia & Vietnam.
Village in Laos
What shocks me is that while the Khmer Rouge tortured and killed its own people, I was aged 5 through 9. This happened in my life time! In our life time! This is recent history! I can wrap my head around something like this more than I can World War II. What I CANNOT wrap my head around is why we, the US and our Allies, invested so much time and effort into rebuilding Europe and Japan after WWII, but barely ever lifted (if at all) a finger in Southeast Asia after the Vietnam debacle. The poverty is still a huge issue in this region to this day. Why I was not educated on this while it was happening and even through my junior high, high school and college years, is inexcusable! Why did I have to dig to find this out on my own or witness it first hand during my six weeks in Thailand. Read here for Darin’s first hand account of the poverty in Thailand. I saw many of the same things. It’s heartbreaking, but he is correct in saying that these are some of the most generous, happy, joyful people I have ever meet as well. The poverty I saw in Thailand was incomprehensible. I can not put it into words as well has Darin has.
Border city in Thailand
Former US National Security Adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, on China and the Khmer Rouge, 1979: “I encouraged the Chinese to support Pol Pot. Pol Pot was an abomination. We could never support him, but China could.†According to Brzezinski, the USA “winked, semi-publicly†at Chinese and Thai aid to the Khmer Rouge. From Yale University Cambodian Genocide Program.
SE Asia is rich in natural resources, but after decades of war, internal conflict and government corruption, it is one of the world’s poorest regions. Many of the millions of poor in SE Asia depend on agriculture as their livelihood. Millions of unexploded landmines laced throughout the countryside can make it impossible, if not deadly, to survive under already harsh circumstances to include recurring monsoonal flooding and drought. Besides the farmers, the country’s poorest people are fisherman, landless people, mine victims and rural or internally displaced youth. Tribal peoples and the women are among the most disadvantaged.
Child of Cambodia
Why are they so poor? Mainly a lack of education and skills training coupled with inadequate employment opportunities and low capabilities. Poor health care and lack of infrastructure lead to deeper poverty. HIV/AIDS has also been devastating as young women migrate to larger towns and become sex slaves in their own or neighboring countries (human trafficking). I saw Thai prostitutes that couldn’t be older than 12 or 13. I’ve heard sometimes their families sold them into it to support the rest of the family or to buy drugs like opium that the slaves dealers get them hooked on.
This photo is from another Cambodian Blogger Vuthasurf. From this post. He is on my feed reader too.
SE Asia was once a vibrant cultural epicenter and can be again. In their larger cities the younger population is learning technology, such as Borin and Vuthasurf mentioned above. This is great, but rural development is key to lasting stability. Good health care and education, especially for girls, will empower them to heal from the past.
As you watch our own historical election this fall, please try to keep in mind that Yes!, we do have problems in this country, but comparatively most of ours are embarrassing when set side by side with others. I cringe when I hear someone complain they were juked on their $300k home loan, when they really could only afford a $150k home and now want someone to bail them out of a foreclosure and save their credit rating. At least they are not living in a ramshackle lean-to, waking early in the morning to scrounge through the garbage dump out their back door to find something to eat or wear or hopefully, something of value to sell.
Cambodian Home
(Image from Cambodia Children’s Fund Website, another good one to visit.)
The massive amounts of money that is wasted in this country every day is grotesque! From the exorbitant salaries of CEOs, to the fortunes squandered on political campaigns, to the seemingly small excesses in every house that when added up, amounts to a lot.
I have been on top and I have been on what most would consider rock bottom. Such is the life of small business owners, just trying to make enough scratch to live the “American Dreamâ€. But, because of the experiences I have endured, I am a stronger person with my eyes wide open. I strongly feel the need to live a simpler life, to cut my consumption and consumerism, to make a difference in my insignificant little life. I know what I can do is small in the big picture, but with each one of us doing small things, they add up to big things. I can no longer be happy with all the toys and niceties of the “American dreamâ€, when I know damn well there are others far less fortunate than I. I am blessed to just to be lucky enough to be born in the US and have all of the opportunities I have been given.
Mountain Jungles in Laos
(See New York Times article that accompanies this photo – Amazing!)
Links to other resources and information
The Girl Effect
I love this video! (if it does not show, click on link above) It is only words on a screen, but words could not be more powerful!
Facts about World Poverty:
Anup Shah, Poverty Facts and Stats, GlobalIssues.org, Last updated: Wednesday, September 03, 2008
How you can help TODAY!
Donate to The Global Fund
Change.org
My profile
Create your own profile, chose the organizations you want to affiliate yourself with. Make a difference.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:22 am
An impassioned plea and argument for action. Well done, my bloggy friend.
We are over-blessed here in the US; poverty here in our nation looks wealthy when compared to some of the direst places in the world.
I’m going to retweet you right now!
October 15th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I’m speechless. Thank you for sharing, it was perfectly done. Wow. I’ll be on your blog all day.
October 15th, 2008 at 10:50 am
This is awesome, Sandra, and you’re right, we all need a wake-up call! If every American would make an effort to make a small difference, a big difference would happen.
I think part of the problem is that it is all so overwhelming to most people. When you hear about just donating $5 a month to help ONE CHILD, it just doesn’t seem possible that only $5 could make a difference, but it REALLY does.
I donate every month to an organization whose main mission is to offer hope and the potential for a life that transcends disease, poverty, and despair to people who suffer from poverty and other problems. I don’t donate a lot, but apparently my “little bit†helps a lot when it is combined with “a little bit†from a lot of people. Here are some of the things they do:
• They provide aid in 165 counties worldwide (including, by the way, 102 projects currently underway in Southeast Asia alone (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar)
• Since 1985 they have provided more than a BILLION dollars in total assistance worldwide, including over $260 million in cash donations
• They’ve contributed nearly 60,000 tons of food, 78,000 tons of clothing and 11,000 tons of medical supplies to homeless and needy individuals and families
• They have distributed over 7 million hygiene, newborn and school kits
• They have quickly and efficiently responded to more than 185 natural disasters including hurricanes Rita, Katrina and Ike, the earthquakes in Peru, Indonesia, the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the California wildfires, just to name a few
My point in identifying the significance of this aid is that this organization does all of this from contributions from ordinary people like me and you. SOMEHOW my measly contribution (and a whole bunch more) makes all this happen! It’s awesome!
So, whoever is reading this blog, just know that we as individuals CAN—and DO–make a difference! So, make a difference and contribute!
– Brent
October 15th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
SO true and I really appreciate this post today. We, as humans, need to look inward and act OUTWARD. If we all could quit worrying about getting all the time and, instead, giving and doing our part. It’s inspiring to think what we could accomplish.
Thank you for this reminder!
October 15th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
I am at a loss for words of what to say about this post. Obviously you and I are the same age, and I am so disappointed in my educators for not bringing issues like this to the surface when they were (and are still) occurring at a time when we may have had a stronger voice than now. But it’s people like you, who are educated, and who take it upon themselves to educate others who truly make a difference. I am donating to The Global Fund, thanks to you Sandra. Just know that you HAVE made a difference and I love you for that!