Poverty (Prose) . Poem by Abdullah alHemaidy

'Under extreme poverty food becomes an item. And yet you don't know what it is like to see people die from extreme hunger. You don't know what it feels to see your mother or your child die out of hunger. You don't even know what it is like not to be able to even breastfeed your baby because there is nothing in the breast. You haven't even seen a mother try hard to squeeze some liquid from her breast to keep her baby alive. Do you know how old that baby is? Just born. And what is everybody talking about? Politics, economics etc, etc. Women and children are dying as we speak. What are we doing about it to make a difference? We have to make a difference for the sake of humankind Please! ' Gertrude Tembo, Zambia.

'Every single human on this earth can be a part of the problem or the solution. Don؟t give someone a fish show them how to fish. How about some infrastructure assistance, like clean water and building some bridges and roads. People in co-operation with each other. It's the year 2002! I'm sure the insects in my backyard are better organized and advanced than the human race at present.' Tracy, Australia.

Now, it's my turn. I do not know Gertrude nor Tracy. I am thankful to them. Last night, I logged on the Internet searching for a mail reader program. Poverty and hunger were out of my mind. While the downloading was going on, I wanted to have a free quick look to those bars and popups. I was attracted by an icon with a so skinny child's picture. From there the old pain comes again. I spent two hours searching more about poverty and hanger around the world. Then, I have decided to do few things to help, even little, to minimize this problem. One of these things is this simple webpage.
I am aware of this matter very well. My major is economics. But, I have get shocked by the gap (between real producers and real consumers- because those in between them TAKE by constraints in the name of 'gain' or 'marketing' or whatever NOT a small share of profit without a real labour except that income transferred by them) . I haven't get shocked by the data. For example, I knew,20 years ago, that 2% of all the population take more than 90% of national income. That's means less than 10% of national income goes to 98% of the people in that African country.

I take market's mechanism into consideration. In fact, the lion share of income goes to factors of production (labour, capital, land and natural resources) via a relative competitive market. I am also aware of indirect factors of production (time and risk) . So, most of the income is distributed by the relative market to the five factors. The rest of income is a small percent or it should be. I would say 1%-10%. That's social gab. It may goes higher in up normal conditions such as a war or a natural disaster. This gap should be covered and made up by charity.

The problem is a parasitical 'factor' that takes income that's NOT belong to it. Therefore, it must not have it via the market by the law. What is a parasitical 'factor'? Any factor except: labour, capital, land and natural resources, risk, time, luck, and heritage. This issue needs more explanations and details that may take many pages. In short, I believe that poor people are poor, because, first: some rich people take the rights and income which belong to those poor people (even if it is a charity!) . Second, both some rich and some normal (not poor nor rich) do not give charity.

Right now, many babies, children, women, and men are facing death and dangerous problems as a result of poverty, hunger, and lack of basic health care and inexpensive medicines. Do we know that by $1, one of us pay, he/she saves a human being not to die? By just $1 you pay, you save 3-7 babies not to live blind all their life. When a person pay $1 a month for a year, he/she save 12 persons not to day or about 60 babies not to live blind all their life.

'Each day in the developing world, more than 30,000 children die from mostly preventable and treatable causes such as diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, measles or malaria. These diseases are far more deadly to children who are stunted or underweight. In fact, more than 2 million children each year have severe visual problems due to lack of vitamin A'

We must ensure that our help goes where it is supposed to be, for those who really need it. One must ensure that aid is delivered to the right people. So, it is our duty to find out a trusted system or a trusted fund. I really do not like to name or list any fund or system. It is your job to find out. Please, keep in mind that your little help in term of money or otherwise makes a big deal to minimize the problem of poverty and hunger. Please, please! do not think that you may not help, because you are not rich.

Comparing to those who do not have food, money, clothes, home, and medicine, we are for sure so rich. Please, take few seconds and imagine yourself in their case, how lucky you will be when you have an aid. I am sure when I help on this issue, several poor people get a help. I am glad and proud to do such action. I just encourage my dear reader to be a part of the relief.