While often overwhelming, debilitating, humiliating and dangerous...extreme poverty is NOT insurmountable.
The great Ophelia Dahl, daughter of author Roald Dahl, co-founder of Partners in Health and modern-day warrior in the fight to end global poverty and "serve as an antidote to despair," is defined in this December issue of The New Yorker as a Searcher. In the world of development, a Searcher is one who is just on the lookout for favorable opportunities to solve problems—any problem, no matter how big or small.
Here at Unite, we too are Searchers. We make long-term commitments and understand that in order to reach our very specific and targeted goals we may often be pulled this way and that by favorable opportunities to solve problems, big and small, which cannot be ignored.
For example, education. In order to empower a child to succeed, one must ensure far more than a seat at a high-quality school... Instead, in order to thrive EVERY CHILD needs a safe, clean place in which to live; clean water, proper sanitation and nutritious meals; a safe way to get around, to transport; at least one trustworthy adult to supervise and advocate; peer support; opportunities to explore their talents and interests outside of school; and medical care -- preventative and acute. And, by paying close attention, we often uncover other needs and challenges that we may or may not be prepared for. So, with our Tanzanian partners, we search for ways navigate these often unexpected potholes and pitfalls, detours and demands, road blocks and ransoms... these problems... and we FIND our way.
As we pause to celebrate this holiday season and prepare for the new year, I invite US ALL to take a moment to meditate on the Sustainable Development Goals (listed below) that were designed by the United Nations to stimulate aggressive problem-solving action around the world.
The burden of responsibility belongs to each and every one of us. Daunting? Perhaps. However, with it comes a unparalleled opportunity to -- as Searchers who are just on the lookout for favorable opportunities to solve problems, big and small -- help transform the human experience and ensure very survival of our precious Planet. Now THAT is something to celebrate.
"We are determined to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions,
and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality
and in a healthy environment."
-The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality exist in our world, none of us can truly rest. ~Nelson Mandela
The Sustainable Development Goals
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Sources:
- https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld
- https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/12/18/ophelia-dahls-national-health-service
- The White Man's Burden, by William Easterly