The odd bedfellows Blair, Brown and Bob (Geldof) want to see an end to developing world debt. Here's a few facts about the subject (sorry it's cut and paste):

~Original debt of the world’s 52 poorest and most indebted countries: $375 billion
~Amount of debt that the G7/8 promised to write off: $100 billion
~Amount of debt actually written off so far: $46 billion
~Proportion of the debts of the 52 poorest/most indebted countries written off: 12%
~Amount of money the 52 poorest/most indebted countries still have to spend on debt repayments: over £30 million every day
~Cost to UK of cancelling our ‘share’ of the outstanding multilateral debt owed by the 42 HIPCs: £3 per person per year over 10 years

(Source: 'Jubilee Debt Campaign).

From a quick glance you could conclude that it will cost each of us £30 over 10 years to wipe out this debt.

I just wondered how much we would be willing to sacrifice in our own lives to help the lives of those in other countries.

How much would you give up?

Unless we all change as human beings things for the poor will never get better, all we care about is me,me,me, and not someone else in another country. Things have and must change, but us humans who are living in rich tows and citys won't give up what we have. would you give up your car and use the bus for the rest of your life?? would you be willing to only buy what you need to live?? no nights out, no new pair of jeans?? If we go to war we spend millions on the war machine, but we sit back and watch children starve on tv?? why?? because of greed. I have a direct debit with 4 charities of which i give £5 a month and have done for over 10 years, £20 amonth might not be alot, its important to me to try to help. our world is controlled by greed, hate, and power.

Yeh.......well spoken........yet we all communicate by this wonderful internet........how many of us would give up this????

Originally posted by rothschild
Yeh.......well spoken........yet we all communicate by this wonderful internet........how many of us would give up this???? Well put rothschild its so easy from the comfort of our own homes to be carried away by famous rock stars who can go home to there million pound homes and forget us who donate £50 that we don't really have to start with all because Bob Boomtown Rats Geldolf says its good for us to do so.

I'm on limited income, so unable to give up anything to help the world's poor.

Fully support debt relief cancellation though. Blair, Brown, Geldoff, et al, are on the right tracks with this idea. Make Poverty History! :thumbsup:

Having a carefully budgeted income doesn't leave much for giving away but I have friends and family who give on my behalf. At Christmas and on birthdays, they donate the money they would have spent to charity. I also asked them to do this when my son was born.
At a local level, giving time rather than money is more effective (IMO). Rather than giving a donation to Age Concern, volunteer to sit with the elderly, listen to them and make them laugh if only for an hour a week.
I think most people inherently want to help but feel that they won't make a difference.
As for making poverty history, that is a big ask. Only by oppressing others do the rich become rich. I can't really see the super rich giving up any of power and wealth for the benefit of others. Cancelling world debt would be a start though.

I like to think I'm a charitable sort of person in terms of money AND time. I used to give more money but now I'm less affluent I tend to give more time.

And here, for me, is the crunch. And I'll be painfully honest.

I'm actually giving up now what I can and am willing to give to support my fellow man.

I don't know most of the 6 billion people in the world from Adam, and I owe them no ill will. However, 'the system' that has, apparently, put them in penury is what has given me my lifestyle. BUT, it's also ensured that many of the world's population are alive today - the increase in population in many of the World's developing countries is due to medical science developed in the Developed world and deployed there. Our ongoing aid prevents or at leasts limits the effects of starvation.

What we do see if large amounts of money going in to these countries and emerging in 'prestige' projects such as space programmes, nuclear weapons, palaces, environment threatening dams, etc. Oh, and large scale back handers for the governments. The issue that we need to be concerned about is the effect of this debt on the majority of people in these countries - their lifestyles are pretty well subsistence anyway, so the deployment of small amounts of time, money and expertise at the 'sharp end' in order to deliver projects that benefit the people directly is where I believe the money shuld be spent.

What WOULD be cool would be a 'clearing house' where organisations with 'field agents' could post details of projects and communities needing assistance, and then people who want to help could enter in to a long term agreement with these communities. For example, a village needing water and irrigation might 'advertise' for assistance via a charity working in teh field and then develop links with companies, organistions and individuals in the West that want to help directly.

Again, small IS beutiful!

I want to see change, but I'm afraid that I'm selfish enough to want to minimise the effect on me. I'm also generous enough to want to see that change stick. As someone said ages ago 'Wearing badges is not enough', and neither is relying on 'big' leaders. Things like the Internet offer a coordination and communication medium unherd of 25 years ago. It's time for us to use it to it's best advantage, rather than as a means of viewing pornography or shopping!

Joe