Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty in our nation
posted by Kerry-Anne
It goes without saying that poverty is a large and ongoing problem right across Africa. A government report released recently indicated that poverty was on the decline in South Africa - this is good news, for sure, but it's quite telling when you examine exactly what is meant by "poverty", and when you realise just how many people in our nation are still living in these circumstances.The percentage of households living below the poverty line decreased from 53% in 1995 to 48% in 2005. The poverty line is set at R322 per person per month. That's the cost of a restaurant meal for two here in South Africa. Read that again. Almost HALF of the people in our country have to cover ALL their living expenses out of LESS than the amount we spend on a single dinner. Sobering, isn't it?
(For our overseas readers, R322 is roughly equivalent to $34, £19 or €25.)
So, what can we do? Well, for starters, how about taking the money you would have spent on a meal at a restaurant and donating it to Breadline Africa instead? They are involved in a number of projects across the continent, including converting old shipping containers into much-needed classrooms and soup kitchens.
To have an impact on an ongoing basis, support job creation initiatives like The Big Issue and Men on the Side of the Road, give to a local homeless shelter, buy beadwork and paintings from roadside traders, and provide casual employment where you can. If you live overseas, but would like to help beat poverty in Africa, set up a debit order to donate money to an organisation like Breadline Africa each month. If you have any other suggestions, please leave a comment and tell us about them.
Today's photo is of Kayamandi, a poor community on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. Overseas visitors are often shocked to find out what being poor means here - while in the USA it might mean living in a small run-down apartment or a trailer park, here it means living in a corrugated iron shack the size of a bathroom, or sleeping on a flattened cardboard box underneath a bridge.
12 Comments:
Brilliant post Kerry.
For interest sake, Kerry-Anne wasn't dreaming when she said that the photo is of a real settlement. The technique used to make it look like a miniature is called Tilt-shift Photograpy, which is really just a very sneaky way of manipulating a photograph. :)
I know nothing about tilt shift photography I just enjoy my visits to CT Daily Photo. Today I am in tears. I am going to have a look at Breadline Africa, anything that helps people in the townships must be good. I will never forget my first view of the township on our way out of the airport.
Thank you for your diverse daily photos. Love from the UK.
Our friends drove us by this community and explained to us the history relating to it.
It's a very difficult subject to comment on but one that should and is kept in our thoughts.
We do have The Big Issue sold in our local town and do buy it from time to time...this post has reminded me we should buy it more often and I will make a point of doing so and also will buy it when we are back in Cape Town..
Good post. How about finding out who releases a report that says "poverty is on the decline". Maybe organise a firing squad.
The poverty for so many, too many people and the townships in SA was really heartbreaking, seeing it on the news and reading about it is really so very far from seeing it like this. It's so difficult t grasp that there are parts of the population living under such devastating circumstances. It makes me mad and sad, it's difficult to know what to do about it but send money through help organisations and so forth...
pity all the money spent on the travelgate had not been donated to Breadline Africa!! That could sure have helped a lot of very very poor people
I never make myself popular by saying things like this, but the absolute worst thing you can do to these people is give money to charities. I've done lots of work for charities, and any charity that doesn't exclusively support employment or self-employment as a way of getting out of poverty is really just a waste of money.
What the government needs to do desperately is to deregulate your business and reduce taxes. This will boost business and encourage employment.
Giving charities money is no practical alternative to giving them a job.
(Great photos, by the way! :o)
In fact, I've been inspired.
Kerry I just stumbled upon your blog this was a great post. I support a non profit organization in JHB maybe you would like to see the work they do
www.ekukhanyeni.org
Well, poverty never takes a holiday in Africa. Thanks very much for sharing!
Hi,
I think today's world is very advance in business department,Every person want to running his business and have make a profit.Every body know the the capital must for every business,without capital there is no concept of any types of business.
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