Military spending in the world___________________ 780 Billion
Narcotics drugs in the world____________________ 400 Billion
Alcoholic drinks in Europe _____________________ 105 Billion
Cigarettes in Europe__________________________ 50 Billion
Business entertainment in Japan _________________ 35 Billion
Pet foods in Europe and the United States ___________17 Billion
Basic health and nutrition for everyone in the world_____13 Billion
Perfumes in Europe and the United States ___________ 12 Billion
Reproductive health for all women in the world ________ 12 Billion
Ice cream in Europe_____________________________ 11 Billion
Water and sanitation for everyone in the world _________ 9 Billion
Cosmetics in the United States _____________________ 8 Billion
Basic education for everyone in the world _____________ 6 Billion
According to UNICEF, 30,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.That is about 210,000 children each week, or just under 11 million children under five years of age, each year.
A few hundred millionaires now own as much wealth as the world’s poorest 2.5 billion people
The richest 50 million people in Europe and North America have the same income as 2.7 billion poor people. “The slice of the cake taken by 1% is the same size as that handed to the poorest 57%.”
Half the world — nearly three billion people — live on less than two dollars a day.
The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the poorest 48 nations (i.e. a quarter of the world’s countries) is less than the wealth of the world’s three richest people combined.
Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.
The poorer the country, the more likely it is that debt repayments are being extracted directly from people who neither contracted the loans nor received any of the money.
20% of the population in the developed nations, consume 86% of the world’s goods.
The top fifth of the world’s people in the richest countries enjoy 82% of the expanding export trade and 68% of foreign direct investment — the bottom fifth, barely more than 1%.
Who is it down to make a difference?
Is it likely the U.S or UK is going to cut its defence budget so that 11 million under 5 year olds don't die every year from painful starvation?
Everyday we can make choices, smart choices that will change things for those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Think about the things you buy, sometimes its worth paying the extra for a quality item, but where we're just paying for the name - surely the extra money paid would be better giving an African family agricultural goods to feed themselves.
After so many scandals and cases of charitable funds going astray, I don't trust anybody or any organisation when it comes to money. It's a sad state of affairs when Shaheed funds are being used for political advancement when the families who gave lives for our faith are left with nothing but pictures and no usable income.
Our own mothers are in widow colonies around Delhi, doing demeaning jobs for people who laugh at their loss everyday, and we still do nothing.
Nothing drastic is needed, we don't need to sell up everything we have and give it all to charity .. just next time you go to India, or any other third world country take some time to visit Shaheed's families, find free charitable hospitals, schools and try and give whatever you can. if you cant give financially, just you taking an afternoon out playing with the children could mean more to them than we could ever imagine.
Some quotes from the unofficial Pingalwara Site:
Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile." -Albert Einstein
There’s enough on this planet for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed — Mahatma Gandhi
When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.— Dom Helda Camara
There is a loftier ambition than merely to stand high in the world. It is to stoop down and lift mankind a little higher-Henry Van Dyke
1 comment:
Thanks for posting this. This quote you included explains it all:
There’s enough on this planet for everyone’s needs but not for everyone’s greed — Mahatma Gandhi
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