There are still millions of people suffering extreme poverty and demeaning living conditions (around 736 million). The inhumane situation of living in some developing countries meant that one in 10 people live on less than $1.90 a day. Essentials of sanitization, electricity and food are no better as millions of people in those countries are denied prover access to any by means of global poverty and hunger. An additional $265 billion per year in additional resources is still needed to end this situation on the scale of the globe. Yet, this noble crucial goal is being contested with other political agenda and priorities for the US such as budgets set for Defence, Interest Payment on Debt and Contract with Lockheed Martin for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program. The effect of global huger and poverty on children is immense. When it comes to the reality of this global issue, no one can be satisfied or claim to have done enough given the shocking numbers of new-borns dying under age of 1 year and statistics on others suffering poor health, nutrition and even HIV.
The story of The Borgen Project began with the president; Clint Burgen working as a youth volunteer in refugee camps during the Kosovo war and genocide in 1999. That is when he saw the need for an organization that could bring extreme poverty to the political attention of the United States. After graduating from Washington State University and an internship at the United Nations, Borgen began building the organization in 2003. Naturally, he recognised the needed funding for such a cause, and so he took a job living on a fishing vessel in Alaska. The humble beginning of the project developed from a man with a laptop and a budget from his Alaskan salary to a nationwide campaign with volunteers working in 911 US cities.
SOLVING POVERTY HELPS YOU AND ME
It is evident that solving root problems of hatred, envy and extreme behaviours has a great role to play in maintaining a level of proper education, safety and protection from fraudulent parties that seduce some people by money to take part in terrorism or even to be self motivated by blaming other races or countries thinking they abounded them or even caused them what they suffered directly or indirectly. Ending or reducing poverty increases awareness and access to tools and care necessary for healthy sex life, pregnancy and maternity guidance and regulation. Also, providing education and concepts of healthy upbringing of children rather than more children seems to be rightly accompanied by safety and healthy financial situation for the family. For example, some families in the most undeveloped rural parts seem to have old fashioned thinking of more children equals better reputation and more power. Also, By setting new policies, new projects come to light and to function these, man power and various professional skills will be employed to realise them on the ground.
The project uses various strategies to ending global poverty such as advocacy, mobilisation, education and issuing messuage to communities. Advocacy focuses on securing support for key anti-poverty legislation through meetings with US congress officials or other active policy makers/ essential parties. Mobilisation, on the other hand is meant to support efforts to make poverty a political priority by mobilising people around the globe. Education is another strategy to achieve the project goals by teaching residents of various countries necessary advocacy skills that help them communicating with their MPs for example. Finally, by issuing a message through online and offline presence, communities increase their awareness of the issue or improvements done so far.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The Borgen Project needs people to be active and stand by the cause for example by calling and emailing their government officials in support of poverty-reduction bills. It is part of advocacy the project uses to get the goals on poverty reduction done on global scale. The project fights for three bills that could have an enormous impact on global poverty; the Electrify Africa Act, the Reach Every Mother and Child Act, and the Food for Peace Reform Act. The Electrify Africa Act aims to provide sub-Saharan Africa with access to affordable and reliable energy through a multi-year plan. The Reach Every Mother and Child Act would allow the United States to establish an interagency group dedicated to ending maternal and child deaths in developing countries, including overseeing funding for maternal and child health and nutrition. The Food for Peace Reform Act seeks to overhaul existing US programs to provide emergency food relief around the world.
If you are a US citizen or are residing in the US, show your support for poverty-reduction bills by emailing your Congressional leaders through our Action Center - https://borgenproject.org/action-center/
If you are a UK citizen or are residing in the UK, show your support for the legislation we are advocating for by emailing your MP.
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