Born Into Poverty : Blog Action Day 2008

Great slideshow and excellent post Maya! This is so important, I cannot stress enough how devastating and worldwide this problem is. Thank you for getting the word out, and being generous enough to donate!

Kimberlee

Kimberlees last blog post..Poverty in America

Powerful Presentation. Today was a wake up call for me too.

Stacey / Create a Balances last blog post..Take Action! Help Children Impacted by Poverty

Hi Maya. Beautiful presentation. Imagination is powerful. Thank you for doing your part by offering to make donations on behalf of your commenters. Every little bit helps!

Davinas last blog post..Blog Action: Pass The Change, Be The Change

Nice and valuable use of my pictures.
Please support a good cause and if you haven’t yet done so, go here and become a changemaker by helping us develop our work even further with children at risk in Brazil.

Thanks so much!
Gregory

Thank you for this post, Maya. i admire your honesty!

I am proud to say that we’ve been donating annually to several charities, including poverty-related charities, for the past nine years, since my oldest daughter was born.

But you are much younger than me, aren’t you? So you’re good. Plus it’s wonderful that you are starting now!

Vered – MomGrinds last blog post..What If You Could Never Be Rich, But Poverty Didn’t Exist Anymore?

Kimberlee,
Thank you. Your post today was wonderful. Thank you for that.

Stacey,
Yes, I thought a lot about how I had imagined I would actually make a real difference in a child’s life …. but I really have not done that. Yes, I have donated to charities and such but that has not given me he satisfaction of making a real difference. It shook me up to think I had lost touch with something I had felt so strongly about.

Davina,
I put a lot of heart into the presentation and yes, I did it for my sake … to take the time to feel and think. I am glad you liked the presentation! And now that you know where I live I cannot wait to host you

Gregory,
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.For everything you do and for using your art to bring attention to a great cause.
Have you seen the movie Salaam Bombay?

Vered,
It is wonderful that you have been donating anually!
My husband emailed me from his work to tell me that I am wrong about this post when he saw it. He was talking about the charities we have donated to over the years. I agreed with him and then disagreed. This is what I told him –
Yes, we have donated to charities over the years but not to charities that work directly with children. My dream also was to do something more first hand but I have not done that over the years. I really really want to do something to directly affect children in poverty and I want to make that a part of my life …. THAT was what I had imagined I would do. And yes, I have decided to commit to donating annually to charities that are close to my heart.

Maya, this was a wake up call for me too. And, I admire your honesty. I see this as the power of “Blog Action Day” – that it brings to the forefront the idea that we can take action – even if we haven’t been. What you witnessed as a child, must leave you with horrific memories – of the suffering that can (and does) occur. And in sharing this here, I too, have a greater understanding of a world I don’t know. And I want to help too. Thank you, Maya, for this powerful post.

Lances last blog post..Poverty Close to Home – Blog Action Day 2008

Great post Maya. This is very moving. Appreciate your efforts in getting the word out to your readers and motivating them. Keep up the great work and keep inspiring people. Small actions DO make a difference!

My humble bit for Blog Action Day was doing a presentation at BarCamp Delhi and getting other bloggers here to join the event. Also, contributed a micro-loan to Kiva.

Arun

Aruns last blog post..simplyarun: Create awareness through presentations – Blog Action Day http://is.gd/47ml #bad08 #slideshare

I just wanted to say that it’s never too late to start reaching out to those in need.

Since you grew up in India I thought you’d like to know about http://www.giveindia.org , a NGO that lets donors from anywhere in the world make a secure online donation to a cause of their own choice. Donors receive a feedback report in a few months so they learn about the person they helped.

GiveIndia is a very transparent and credible organisation run by professionals. We also have our own blog at http://blog.giveindia.org

Hope you’ll visit!

Amitas last blog post..It’s still Blog Action Day……

I agree that it is very important! Thanks for making a donation on my behalf. I plan to donate to http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca, to the Green Party of Canada, and to the Food Bank.

Annies last blog post..The Empathy Deficit (Blog Action Day)

Hi Maya,

Good to see an Indian writing about Poverty. I really appreciate your thoughts and efforts to help others.

I would suggest you to outsource some of your work to fellow Indians who are capable of doing it and help them achieve their dreams.

Hope you start doing something. All the best wishes from my end.

Saravanan.

Saravanans last blog post..Financial Tips

You have highlighted the plight of children living in poverty wonderfully, Maya. It is never too late to help and I hope you will find the motivation you need to take action from all who have responsed to your presentation.

Nancys last blog post..Blogactionday2008 – Born into poverty

Your slideshow is really powerful, Maya.

I have become hardened to the children here. The poor children are like a backdrop to this city, sitting at corners with their hands stretched out or juggling at stoplights for drivers’ loose change.

Thanks for reminding me that it’s not their choice to do this; we don’t ask to be born needy or for negative things to happen to us.

This action day was a tremendous call to action for me. Thanks for sharing your truth.

Still Life in Buenos Airess last blog post..Blog Action Day: Cartoneros in Buenos Aires

Hi Lance,

Thank you so much for watching the slideshow. It was a great journey – making this.

Hi Arun,
Thank you for your contribution towards alleviating poverty. I noticed you are an artist. I love what I have seen of your work so far !

Saravanan,
Thank you for your comment. And thank you for your wishes. I particularly want to help children in poverty and I will start to do something here real soon. Thank you for your ideas!

Hi Nancy,
I am very motivated now. I am grateful to everyone and you for taking the time to comment here.

Hi Still Life,
You seem to be having the same experience that I had in India. It is very confusing to say the least and it seems natural that we get hardened. That was the point of my post. I had imagined I would do so much more for poor children. But I just donate to food banks and some charities … nothing like I had imagined. I am trying to figure out what I can do to help poor children and make a real difference.
Thank you so much for sharing!

Maya: You’re a pro at creating slide shows. The one you show here for blog action day is very powerful. I sponsor a child in Guatemala through CCF, I send money to Save Darfur, and I contribute with raffles that are held here in Panama for organizations that help children in need.

Marelisas last blog post..Eradicating Poverty Through Human Ingenuity – Blog Action Day 2008

Hi Mare,

Wow, looks like you have close to the ideal solution to gladden my heart. I think I will sponsor a child too. My parents and sisters do that in India – but for them it is easy to find a child close by that they can help. but I guess I have to go through an organization …but knowing we are making a tangible difference in one child’s life is probably very satisfying.

Growing up I saw a lot of corruption along with poverty – that is what makes me wary of just giving money to charities. I know not all of them “lose” the money but I saw lot of money being misused in India.

Great job! That was a very powerful slideshow. I’m really glad you’ve decided to be more active. I try doing my part everyday by going on sites like freerice.com, searchkindly.org and the links on http://www.jigsaw-of-smiles.8m.com/ and donating money whenever I can. I am definitely planning on doing more when I get a regular job.

[...] @ thinkmaya.com – Born Into Poverty : Blog Action Day 2008 [...]

Very powerful and very moving…..
I grew up in India too and like you, I am wary about giving money to charities, but your high-impact slideshow has been a wake up call and I’m going to find some way of contributing towards the welfare of a child….
Love your blog Maya, You are doing excellent work….

Neeta

Neetas last blog post..A big moment of Gratitude

Thanks for the inspiring post.

I have to sit and figure out how I can help. (Seriously doing this now)

Hi Leena,

Thank you for coming by and thank you foe the link.

Hi Neeta,

I am glad I met you! Isn’t it strange how our childhood experiences modify our life behaviors? I really hope we all make a difference in the long run!

Hi banji,

Thank you for coming by! And thank you so much for trying to do your part!

Wonderful thoughts. I, too, wasn’t born into poverty in the Philippines but I have seen a lot of it.

Poverty of material goods, certainly, but what is more disheartening is poverty of the spirit.

Pink Inks last blog post..A Long-Distance Family

[...] a couple of minutes to see some slideshows accompanying some of my posts such as this one  for BlogActionDay and this one on the “thinkmaya Framework” for Happiness and [...]

How you think when the economic crisis will end? I wish to make statistics of independent opinions!

Important solely life. Everything else have a sense in it

[...] Born Into Poverty : Blog Action Day 2008 | think maya No, I was not born into poverty. How incredibly lucky. Blogactionday2008 – Born into poverty View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. http://www.thinkmaya.com/2008/10/15/born-into-poverty-blog-action-day-2008/ – 76k – Cached – Similar pages – [...]