International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

STORIES OF HOPE FROM AROUND THE WORLD

“The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to October 17, 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honor the victims of extreme poverty, violence, and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected. These convictions are inscribed in a commemorative stone unveiled on this day. Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and social origins have gathered every year on October 17th to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the poor.” (United Nations)

In honor of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, here are a few stories from the Global HOPE worldwide Network sharing about some of the programs that they are running in each of their countries to help do the work of promoting dialogue and understanding between people living in poverty and their communities.

HOPE worldwide Nepal

Teaching at the School That Educated Him – Bikash’s Story

Material poverty can be an insurmountable obstacle to education in many parts of the world. Bikash grew up in Nepal in severe poverty. His parents could not afford to send him to school. They heard about the HOPE worldwide Asha Vidhyashram school in Kathmandu and enrolled him.

Bikash turned out to be very bright and hardworking. When he completed the fifth grade, HOPE worldwide Nepal helped him get a scholarship to a very good secondary school where he graduated with all A’s. Bikash then went on to university. Wanting to give back to the school that gave him an opportunity, Bikash has now returned and is currently employed as a math teacher at the HOPE worldwide School.

HOPE worldwide Malaysia

Education is one of HOPE worldwide Malaysia’s main areas of focus. Their objective is to nurture and raise children from low-income families and marginalized communities to become changemakers, live up to their potential, and ultimately lead their families to break the poverty cycle.

HOPE worldwide Malaysia’s Education Programs include the MY Reading Program, Therapeutic Art Education Program, Advanced Speech Class, Mental Healthcare Education Program, and STEAM Robotics Education Program that instill language, literature, arts, character building, emotional well-being, science, and technology to prepare and empower our children and youths for their future.

HOPE worldwide Lebanon

“The staggering magnitude of the crisis must be a wake-up call. Urgent action is needed…!” Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative declares. With inflation reaching 154% in 2022, the purchasing power of the Lebanese has been in continuous decrease, preventing many workers across the country from providing the basic needs for their families. Worsened by the recent crisis in Ukraine, life in Lebanon has taken a drastic change, making the food inflation one of the highest in the world and the highest in the MENA region, leaving 46% of Lebanese households hungry and in desperate need of basic necessities of life such as medication, sanitation, and others.

Since 2019, HOPE worldwide Lebanon has been committed to responding to the continuous crisis. They have been providing food parcels, water filters, medication, clothing, and stationery, targeting the elderly, orphans, single parents, and individuals with special needs.

HOPE worldwide Ukraine

HOPE worldwide Ukraine’s "Helping Hand for Ukraine" program works to improve the psycho-social state of children, along with their families, who are dealing with trauma from the current crisis. With the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the risks of humanitarian catastrophe are increasing. People lack basic necessities — water, food, clothing and shelter, and access to health care. In addition, the psychological state of many Ukrainians has worsened. All this constantly brings them closer to the poverty line.

The specific methodology being used by HOPE worldwide Ukraine allows fast and high-quality assistance for children and adults with trauma and teaches them self-regulation and self-help, relaxation, and healing techniques. It also helps to increase their resilience and stress resistance, reduce anxiety and prevent PTSD and other complications in the future. HOPE worldwide Ukraine is working to ensure that people's traumatic experiences do not prevent them from leading fulfilling lives.

HOPE worldwide Kenya

HOPE worldwide Kenya works with youth, children, and key populations to improve their quality of life through inclusive health programming in underserved and vulnerable communities in Kenya.

HOPE worldwide Kenya’s community programs take into account the holistic needs of the community and include ongoing programs in Health and HIV-Related Services, Community Health and Related Structures, Improved Livelihood, and Youth and Child Sponsorship. There is a focus on poverty eradication through vocational and entrepreneurial skills training to enable youth, child caregivers, and key populations to start businesses and/or get jobs and link them to internships and micro-finance opportunities.

They also provide educational support to keep vulnerable youth in school. HIV and TB prevention and treatment services are provided using structural, behavioral, and biomedical evidence-based interventions that ensure access and utilization of comprehensive health services. The community is trained in income-generation activities in partnership with local and international organizations. Their programs are integrated to create synergy and emphasize a community-driven support model.

HOPE worldwide Zimbabwe

HOPE worldwide Zimbabwe’s Women Economic Empowerment Program is an important initiative that aims to support vulnerable women throughout the country economically. In Zimbabwe, women make enormous contributions to the economy. Sadly, they remain disproportionately affected by discrimination and poverty. Many suffer from gender-based violence, hence helping them run income-generating projects will set a direct path towards poverty eradication and gender equality.

The above pictures represent the different programs HOPE worldwide Zimbabwe are running that include sewing, cooking & baking, nutrition gardens, crocheting, knitting, tree planting, and the raising of chickens. These skills help the women to be self-sustainable, allow them to afford a balanced diet for their families, send their children to school, and extend a helping hand to other materially vulnerable members of their community.

HOPE worldwide United States

Through its partnership with Gleaners Food Bank, HOPE worldwide Indianapolis can provide access to a wide range of healthy food options. Most of these items are free to help encourage healthy eating habits. At each Community Drive-Thru Food Pantry that HOPE worldwide Indianapolis operates, volunteers provide fresh produce options such as apples, carrots, onions, potatoes, etc. to ensure their clients have access to nutritious food.

HOPE worldwide Bolivia

During their ten years of service, HOPE worldwide Bolivia has continued to note that educational opportunities remain the most desperate need within Bolivia, and the challenge of accessing these limited opportunities and educational resources has greatly increased due to the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Children and adolescents are unable to obtain minimum proficiency levels in reading for various reasons. This is because schools often lack the adequate educational materials, making learning difficult for many students.

HOPE worldwide Bolivia's “B-OLIVIA” Mobile Library Program in La Paz and El Alto provides ongoing and free access to high-quality books, audiovisual material, and educational resources to children from at-risk communities: public schools, education centers, orphanages, and families. HOPE worldwide Bolivia also implements reading plans for school-age children, supporting educators and professionals involved with vulnerable populations. Educators have noted and are documenting the positive impact that reading has on their students. There is increased participation in reading classes and creative activities, as well as an improvement in comprehension skills.

HOPE worldwide Mozambique

HOPE worldwide Mozambique is committed to eradicating poverty through groups of savings and loans programs. These groups of 15 to 25 members use the loans to save and borrow over a nine-month cycle. Loans are repaid with interest. At the end of the cycle, group members receive the amount saved plus interest. This has helped to create and support 117 groups with 2,340 total beneficiaries. With the amount saved, the beneficiaries attend to their basic needs, such as improving their homes, children's education, and food. Over time the beneficiaries become more stable financially and are able to improve their lives and self-esteem.