Poverty
Poverty takes many forms. There is absolute poverty in those areas where for reasons of geography or conflict or both there are few or no natural resources and the people attempt to survive on almost nothing. Then there is victim poverty. There are West African countries with extraordinary natural resources of diamonds, oil and minerals whose people are amongst the poorest in the world. All of these people need our help. We need to get through the chaos and corruption and get the help to those who need it.

Chaos
Chaos is easy to engineer - just do nothing. And in some parts of the world what is done is even worse than nothing. Again it is those at the very edge of survival who suffer. Of course chaos can also be very convenient for governments who cling to power through corruption and the exploitation of poverty itself.

Corruption
Does the rice bought with donors' generosity ever get to those who need it? Or does it go from aid lorry to local lorry to local market? Corruption like poverty itself takes many forms and can permeate all political structures. It may be strategic, local or indeed charity based but the end result is always the same -- the victims of poverty are exploited and donors are frustrated in their aims.

Natural disaster
We cannot stop the monsoon, hold back the tsunami or halt the earthquake but when disaster strikes it is the poorest and the most disadvantaged who suffer most. The effects of disaster are compounded by endemic poverty, corruption and chaos, by systems which seem unable to grasp the need to help to rebuild homes away from danger.

 

Indifference
We know there is donor fatigue and cynicism. We know there is complacency and at times nations themselves can appear quite content making huge donations of their taxpayers' money without ensuring that it reaches the people who really need it. But the need is absolute and we want the aid to get there, directly to those who need it - a very simple message.

 

If you care we can do something about it......