Episode #25

(25 September 2010)

On 10/10/10, people across the globe will celebrate climate solutions and send world leaders a clear message: “We’re getting to work—what about you?”  On the Saturday episode of “Poverty No More” we take a closer look at man-made climate change.  Have a listen and be sure to join us on 10-10-10 at Bottle Tree Park for a climate carnival.

RESOURCES

• 350.org
• “How Melting Glaciers Alter Earth’s Surface, Spur Quakes, Volcanoes” (WSJ, 9 June 2006)
• “A Climate Change – Earthquake Connection?”
• “The Price of Wheat”
• “Russian Drought Wipes Out Grain on 27% of Planting Area; Farm Losses Mount”
• “Syria drought triggers rural exodus” (video)
• “800,000 Refugees in Syria Drought”
• “350 Science” – what does “parts per million” mean and why 350?

Episodes #21 and #22

(11-12 September 2010)

Regular listeners of this series know that 10 years ago, world governments signed on to a plan to halve extreme poverty by 2015 and eliminate it altogether by 2025. They set out eight Millennium Development Goals. The first seven goals focus on actions that need to be taken in poverty-stricken areas – ending hunger, universal access to education, improved sanitation, clean water and more. Goal #8, though – a call for a Global Partnership for Development – is different. This goal focuses on actions that need to be taken by rich countries. This week on Poverty No More, we take a look at two such actions that could make a world of difference for low-income communities – canceling old debts and providing more and better aid.

RESOURCES

Overview

• About MDG #8 – The Targets and Background
• More and Better Aid (GCAP)
• Debt Cancellation (GCAP)
• “Foreign Aid for Development Assistance”

The ONE – USA website has several pages with useful resources on these topics, including:

• SMART Aid Success Stories
• Development Assistance
• Aid Effectiveness
• Debt Cancellation

Tell world leaders that you care:  Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty!

• Register your own Stand Up event
• Stand Up at “ONE with Chivas” on Friday 17 September at Clarke Quay
• Stand Up at Social Creatives’ community arts launch event
• Watch the 2010 Stand Up video

Episodes #19 and #20

(4-5 September 2010)

This week on “Poverty No More”, we focus on two key elements of the Millennium Development Goals: fighting hunger and promoting universal education. In Episode 19, we examine hunger in the local community . . . as well as organisations that are working with people and families in need. In Episode 20, we look at the links between education and development. We also share ways in which you can make a difference.

EPISODE #19 RESOURCES

Organisations Focused on Local Hunger:

• Catholic Welfare Services – Food Relief Programme
• Food from the Heart
• Jamiyah – Food Ration Programme
• YWCA – Meals on Wheels for Children and Elderly

If you know someone who needs assistance, refer them to a local charity or call the Comcare Hotline at 1-800-222-0000.

Volunteer Opportunity: Collect unsold bread from bakeries and deliver it to welfare centres and families in need. ContactFood from the Heart.

And on Saturday 16 October, please join ONE (SINGAPORE) for our third “Every ONE Can” charity warehouse sale at FoodXervices and go shopping for a cause!  Buy food at wholesale prices and below. You can shop for your family and friends, but first, please buy a food basket for our neighbors in need. Proceeds will be distributed by the Evercare Welfare Centre.

EPISODE #20 RESOURCES

Overview

• About International Literacy Day (8 September)
• Bloggers Unite for International Literacy Day
• About MDG #2 – The Targets and Background

Organisations Making a Difference

• Global Campaign for Education
• 1-Goal Campaign
• National Library Board – “KidsRead”
• SRL (Society for Reading and Literacy)
• Highpoint Community Services
• Care Corner Teck Ghee Youth Centre
• MCYC Community Services
• The Riverkids Project sends volunteers to teach in Cambodia.

Research for Episode 20 was contributed by ShuQi Liu.

Episodes #17 and #18

(28-29 August 2010)

Singapore tops the the world child health charts. But no matter where a child is born, she should face the same odds as a Singaporean baby. 99.8 percent of Singaporean babies smile and blow out the candles on their fifth birthday. Not so in many other countries. Similarly, Singaporean women receive excellent health care while pregnant and when in labour. Elsewhere, a woman dies in child birth every minute. No woman should die while giving birth. This week on Poverty No More, we take a closer look at MDGs #4 and #5, Child and Maternal Health.

AUDIO PODCASTS

Episode 17 : MDG #4 – Child Mortality
Episode 18 : MDG #5 – Maternal Health

RESOURCES

Overview

• About MDG#4 – Child Health – The Targets and Background
• About MDG#5 – Maternal Health – The Targets and Background

Articles and Media Releases

• “Study finds big decrease in global child mortality” (Reuters, 24 May 2010)
• “Unexpected decline in newborn mortality drives child deaths below 8 million” (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 24 May 2010)
• “Singapore: Lowest Child Mortality” (The Straits Times, 24 May 2010)
• GCAP: “African Union Must Accelerate Progress on Maternal and Child Mortality”
• Make Poverty History Canada: “G8 Maternal Child Health Initiative a Dismal Failure“
• Learn more about the story of Siti Nurjanah Binti Erna

Organisations Making a Difference

• UNICEF
• Micah Challenge is a global movement of Christians holding governments to account for their promise to halve extreme poverty by 2015. Micah Challenge is organising an international day of action on 10.10.
• Take the Pledge at The Life You Can Save
• White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood

Movies and Videos

• The Essentials in Three Minutes
• Improve Maternal Health (Make Poverty History Australia; duration: 3 min)
• Discrimination Kills: Maternal Mortality and Human Rights (United Nations; duration: 6′42″)
• A Walk to Beautiful is an award-winning documentary that tells the stories of five Ethiopian women who suffer from devastating childbirth injuries and embark on a journey to reclaim their lost dignity. trailer | movie

Research for Episode 17 was contributed by ShuQi Liu.

Episodes #13 and #14

(14-15 August 2010)

This week on “Poverty No More”, we turn our attention to homelessness. We may not see it every day, but there are families living amongst us who do not have a home to go to at night. Some sleep on void decks or at the beach, others bounce from one friend or relative’s place to another. There’s no single reason why someone loses their home. It could be because of a lost job, family issues or even a pregnancy. Join us as we share the stories of several homeless people as well as information about agencies that can assist.

AUDIO

Episode 13 : Homelessness – Part 1

Episode 14 : Homelessness – Part 2

RESOURCES

There are currently two homeless shelters in Singapore –  New Hope Community Services and Lakeside Family Centre.  A third shelter should open soon.

Where to call in an emergency?

• Comcare Hotline 1–800-222-0000
• Family Service Centre Hotline 1–800–838–0100

More Resources – Organisations that can help

• Family Service Centres
• Community Development Councils (CDCs)
• Salvation Army

Stories referred to in the programme

• “Two young children, but no money and no home” – page 1 (Partners in Caring, The Salvation Army, January 2010)
• “Two young children, but no money and no home” – page 2 (Partners in Caring, The Salvation Army, January 2010)
• “Home, Sweet Home,” (Contact South East, Southeast CDC, January 2010)

Media Coverage

There have been a number of articles in the mainstream and online media about homelessness.  Here are just a few:

• “More requests to help homeless families: MCYS” (TODAY, 13 May 2010)
• “Government takes Al Jazeera to task for misreporting on homelessness cases” (Channel News Asia, 27 April 2010)
• “TOC’s response to remarks by MCYS minister” (The Online Citizen, 29 April 2010)
• “MCYS prepared to step in ‘assertively’ to protect basic needs of homeless children” (938LIVE, 2 Mar 2010)
• “People of the Tents” (The Online Citizen, 13 Jan 2010)

Episodes #11 and #12

(7 -8 August 2010)

This week on “Poverty No More”, we take a look at MDG #7 – Ensuring Environmental Sustainability – from two angles.

First, we look at links between climate change, hunger . . . and eating meat. Cows and pigs are one of the biggest contributors to global warming, more so even than cars. Modern meat production meanwhile is also an inefficient use of fuel, grain and water . . . which could exacerbate food crises. So, what can you do? Go vegetarian . . . or at least reduce your consumption of meat.

In our second episode this week, we ask you to imagine life without toilets. Unfortunately, 2.5 billion people don’t need to imagine this – it’s their daily reality.

AUDIO

Episode 11 : Climate Change, Hunger and Meat Consumption

Episode 12 : MDG #7 – Life without a Toilet

RESOURCES – Vegetarianism, Hunger & the Environment

The Guardian has run a series of articles on the subject, including:

• “Ten Ways Vegetarianism Can Help Save the Planet”
• “UN Says Eat Less Meat to Save the Environment”
• “Paul McCartney Backs ‘Meat Free Monday’ to Cut Carbon Emissions”
• “Can Vegetarians Save the World: A small town in Belgium has gone meat-free one day a week”
• “Day of the Lentil Burghers: Ghent goes veggie to lose weight and save planet”

More about the UN Report linking meat consumption to man-made climate change:

• UN News Centre: “Rearing Cattle Produces More Greenhouse Gases Than Driving Cars”
• ABC News: “Global Warming Culprits . . . Cows and Cars”
• The Independent: “Go Veggie to Fight Global Warming, says expert”

About the “Meat Free Mondays” Campaign:

• Meat Free Mondays (website)
• “Why Meat Free Mondays?” (video and text)
• “Goodlilfe’s Meat Free Mondays”

And if you’d like to meet more about vegetarianism or just meet and mingle with some vegetarians, check out theVegetarian Society (Singapore), Singapore Vegetarian Meetup Group, Veggie Singles and the magazine VegVibe.  The Vegetarian Society also has a list of 500+ vegetarian restaurants in Singapore.

RESOURCES – Sanitation and Toilets

The best resource in town is a locally-grown international non-profit group — the World Toilet Organisation.  The WTO’s site has more info as well about World Toilet Day and The Big Squat.