Today's Kindness #193: October 17, 2022
🌎Fight Poverty🌎 (T-7 Days)
T-7 days until our 200th "Today's Kindness"! For today's activity, here is a kindness word search! Also, check out today's thank you to a great organization on our FB or IG!
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is on October 17 and we want to observe it by considering the ways we can help. Poverty is a real crisis that affects millions of people around the world. This is a day to acknowledge the suffering of people who have to deal with the consequences of poverty - hunger, violence, and homelessness. It is also a day to participate in the global campaign to end poverty.
On October 17, 1987, more than 100,000 people came together in Paris, France, to honor those who were suffering in the shackles of poverty. The gathering was at the location where the Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948.
On that day, people had also come together for the unveiling of a commemorative stone by Father Joseph Wresinski, a humanitarian. The commemorative stone declared that poverty was a violation of human rights and it was everyone's duty to come together to work against it.
In December 1992, the United Nations adopted a resolution to observe a day when poverty would be in focus. In honor of the gathering and unveiling in Paris in 1987, the United Nations selected October 17 as the date to observe International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
This day was set aside to encourage all countries to work actively to remove poverty by taking steps toward sustainable development. It was also an opportunity to allow the poverty-stricken to be heard.
The UN recognized that the poor are the experts of their own situations and know what they need. This day is meant to be an opportunity to work with people living in poverty to identify long-term solutions to their immediate problems.
Poverty can be eradicated. It is not an impossible task, and including poor people in the conversation is the first step. That, combined with the promotion of growth and employment opportunities, addressing gender inequalities, and improving public facilities, will help to eradicate poverty from the world.
Join the online campaign
Use the hashtag #EndPoverty to add your voice to the worldwide campaign and amplify the voices of the poor who are trying to make their needs heard.
Organize an event
Reach out to homeless shelters and people in your community to organize an event where people living in poverty can explain what they need. Invite your community leaders to this event and work with them on a plan to help the poor in your area.
Volunteer with an organization working with less privileged people
Lend your time to an organization or a soup kitchen working with the less privileged so you can give back to your community on this day.
"Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life."
~ Nelson Mandela