Pope Urges Australia to Aid Aborigines
Pope Benedict XVI has called on Australians to address the social divisions that have left hundreds of thousands of Aborigines living in dire poverty. Benedict also urged Aboriginal elders to lead their communities away from drug abuse, crime and alcoholism. The Washington Post, 8th October 2006

Caroline tackles poverty cycle
At an age when most young people are ensuring their financial security and starting families, Caroline Wootton, 25, is going to cycle 24,000km around South America to raise awareness of global poverty. The Sunday Tasmanian, 7th October 2006

Namibia : Government on track in halving poverty
Namibia might achieve one of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - that of reducing poverty by half before 2015. While admitting that there is further scope to improve the poverty scenario in the country, Director General of the National Planning Commission, Helmut Angula, expressed the hope that the UN goal of reducing poverty in Namibia would be achieved even before the anticipated timeframe. allAfrica.com, 6th October 2006

Can aid bring an end to poverty?
The debate about the effectiveness of development aid has been rekindled by a new book, the ironically-titled White Man's Burden by New York University Economics professor William Easterly. He argues that "The West" has arrogated to itself the role of saviour of "The Rest", when people in developing countries often know better for themselves how to improve their lot. BBC News, 4th October 2006

Afghanistan five years later: poverty, violence, misery
Dashtak , Afghanistan - The village of Dashtak sits on a bumpy, washed-out spectre of a road, an hour's drive off the main highway between Kabul and Afghanistan 's lawless southeast. It has 16 new wells financed by an aid agency. But the village men who gather around a visiting journalist offer a litany of complaints: no paved roads, no running water, no electricity, and the closest health clinic is two hours away by donkey. The Seattle Times, 7th October 2006

Path to prosperity
"Throughout the world and importantly in the developing world, there is a growing recognition that the path to prosperity must be built on a solid foundation of good governance. 'Without governance, all other reforms will have limited impact'. Those are not my words. That was the conclusion from last year's Commission on Africa . And it is the view I have heard on sidewalks and in taxi cabs, in the marble halls of ministries, and in run down shacks of shanty towns. For us in the development community, good governance is not an end in itself. It is a foundation of the path out of poverty. It leads to faster and stronger growth, ensures that every development dollar is used to fight hunger, poverty and disease."
Paul Wolfowitz, President, The World Bank

Make Poverty History ( Australia )
The 'Make Poverty History' Campaign is an international campaign that has as its centrepiece the achievement of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Australian Make Poverty History site contains a range of resources about poverty and ideas for action. Join forces with people all over the world on October 15 and 16 to set the first ever Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to STAND UP . against poverty! Show world leaders that we want them to take a stand against poverty.

www.makepovertyhistory.org.au/events.html

Storyline Australia - Nurse Maggie
This documentary looks at the extraordinary life of Australian nurse and 'Order of Australia Medal' recipient, Maggie Sister and the work she undertakes with India 's most reviled and outcaste people. The film delves into Maggie's past, examines what motivates her, and what drives her to do this confronting work. The film also follows Maggie as she visits some of the most inaccessible and marginalised areas in India . This film tells the story of a complex woman struggling to find her own sense of identity and self worth in the only way she knows how; through looking after other people who, like her, are battling to overcome massive social and emotional obstacles.

SBS Television, Thursday 12th August 2006, 8:30 pm

REFLECTION:
"Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom." Nelson Mandela

For more reflections, PowerPoint presentations and other resources on poverty check out some of Caritas
Australia's education resources

PLEASE NOTE: LINKS TO EXTERNAL WEBSITES ARE NOT NECESSARILY ENDORSED BY CARITAS AUSTRALIA.