Poverty has been a problem that seems to always be present
in this world. There always seems like there is a need to fix it, but the
majority of attempts has failed. In order to try and help this class of people
to leave their impoverished state and enter into a developing, and one day
hopefully developed, class, something new has to be tried.
In the past
many people will try and provide different forms of aid to these people. While
I don’t want to discount the good that this can do for these people, it may not
be the best option if we want to see future success rising from these
societies. A problem with only providing aid is that it teaches the people
nothing. It allows a certain form of dependency that they can have on those who
have provided it to them. They had to do nothing to receive it and will not
know how to work to receive things later. Further more, just giving aid in
countries around the world can disrupt forms of economic development that could
have already been occurring within those countries. While you can local
businesses starting and beginning the economic flow within a certain area, to
have foreign aid come in and provide free aid rather than allowing the local
businesses to work and start economic development.
While
providing money and other aid does help and is needed in some places, a more
beneficial form of aid could be education for the people. Training in economic
skills could allow businesses within those countries to learn how to function
better and begin to thrive inside of their own local communities. Simple
education for kids will allow them to have more knowledge and a wider range of
skills in order that they could enter the work force and begin a greater source
of production and allow the economy to begin to thrive.
Because of
my love for music, I want to show a way in which we, as musicians, can help.
Helping the poor doesn’t always have to be foreign. Right in your area where
you live there are people in need of help. Get involved. There are
organizations you can get in touch with and be a part of to help kids and
adults that are homeless. These people need to learn how to work in society so
that they can leave their state of poverty. An example of this can be seen in
the popular band Switchfoot. The guys in Switchfoot are from San Diego,
California. While looking for a way to get involved and help, they found an
small, local organization in San Diego called Stand Up For Kids. This
organization takes homeless kids off the streets and into their homes. They
take care of them and provide a safe place for them to stay and receive
nourishment. The aid doesn’t stop there though, the people then help the kids
by teaching them about what it means to get a job and work. They provide them
with skills and the necessary training to be able to enter the work force and
not just stay poor and depend on the homes they have been brought into. The
people working for Stand Up For Kids will be with the kids every step of the
way and will help them get a job and get them a steady income that they can
live off of and create a life for themselves rather than having to live on the
streets. Switchfoot has gotten involved with this organization. As musicians,
you can write music to bring hope, but that won’t do a lot as far as helping
people having a better life. The guys instead directly help with kids in the
area and are a part of the process of helping the kids to have a better life by
showing them how to live and work. Additionally, the guys have an event called
the Switchfoot Bro-Am where they provide a free concert, surf competition, and
games among other things where they raise money for this organization as well
as providing a day where the kids can come and just have a good time. It’s not
all about just giving money, but rather getting involved in their lives and
helping them to have a better life than they would’ve ever had.
