My Challenge – Live below the Poverty Line

I am taking on the challenge of Living below the poverty line for 5 days (24th Sep to 28 Sep), where I will live under $2.25 a day.

Live Below the Line is challenging individuals and communities to see how much change you can make out of $2.25. By living off just $2.25 per day for food for 5 days, I will be bringing to life the direct experiences of the 1.4 billion people currently living in extreme poverty and helping to make real change.

I would like your support to collect $500 (my target) which will go towards the Global Poverty Project. This is one of the numerous projects that I am supporting. Please click on this link to donate, read about the project and you could also register to do what I am doing https://www.livebelowtheline.com/me/seemasingh . I took up this challenge at the last minute but I am quite positive that I will be able to collect $500 with all your support.
Will be sending an update on the project every now and then.
Thanks for reading so far and thank you in advance for your support.

Seema

A relook at the tourism related frameworks

Flood intensity and related costs have been growing year by year but unfortunately people are not able to take action against the continuous environmental degradation .. it is very clear that we need to subside our unemployment rates but not at the cost of deforestation which has led to increased runoff along the nadi river catchment areas leading to loss of crop land, water and nutrient retention, increasing erosion leading to higher sedimentation rates causing more damage when the water levels increase in case of flash floods  .. in the desperate desire for economic stability we are destroying our natural capital by building hotels and infrastructure which are not sustainable in the long run .. our natural environment is the basis for our tourism industry .. we are at  a stage where we can rectify the damages done and then move ahead with caution .. if we dont, then there is a possibility of no return .. .. we dont want that to happen!!! .. Nature Fiji (online) reports that we are surrounded by sea and ocean, and our marine biodiversity is very rich and diverse, we share nearly all our marine biodiversity with our neighbours, in most cases, with tropical islands. Our terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems are not only biodiversity rich but also contain a very large number of endemic species, over 946 are currently known. Our endemic populations are important for the richness of our natural environment ..

We need to change the ways we do things .. we have to aim for sustainability considering the environment, the people, and the economy .. we have to change attitudes of people and the government as well .. What we need is an overarching sustainability framework that protects our environment from the greedy investors who are cashing in from our weak governance mechanisms/ frameworks. Lack of waste disposal guidelines would contaminate our waterways endangering the ecosystems that we Fijians are dependent on .. our neighbours are not so economically developed as us, therefore the result of our weak frameworks would impact their livelihoods as well .. we need an integrated framework that looks at our problems in a more holistic way (development, waste management, infrastructure, jobs etc). We also need to strengthen our educational frameworks which would make our young people more environmental conscious. This has to be done now! or else we would also be a nation who would just be listing endangered or extinct species on a website and the list would continue as time passes ..

We, the humble islanders!!

it will be great to see once again that people affected will be able to recover from the flood waters and in a few weeks time, maybe, get back into their daily lives as before .. they will trip again, fall and stand up ..and this cycle will repeat .. how come the decision makers are not able to see their persevering nature .. or they are able to see but have other vested interests which takes priority .. only we-the common people can change the systems .. if we continue to let them mess us around, they will take full advantage of that!! we do not want anyone messing around with our families, do we? we do not want anyone messing around with our resources, do we? we do not want anyone messing around with our feelings, do we? so why allow them over and over again and persevere? the fact is that we humans have screwed up the natural surroundings so much that it is taking its revenge now!! but we can put a stop to it or at least minimise the impact that these disasters have on us by making some informed decisions .. Christchurch was also a victim of poor decision making .. i see other places joining this circle in a few years down the line .. But, our islands are most vulnerable .. where will we go if our islands are not there (submerged, acidic, deforested, etc)? they are very precious .. u only realise its worth when u no longer have them .. dont let overseas developers screw your land .. they have done enough damage to the world and now they are after our pristine environment .. why do u think they came to our country .. because they know they can get away with anything with the financial power that they have .. and our glorious government allows it .. how typical!!

Put your foot down and say no to unplanned developments!!

am hearing ‘scary’, ‘wth’, ‘i cant believe the extent of destruction’, ‘sorry for the loss’, ‘sorry to see distress and devastation’ etc etc etc .. what next? what will we do about this loss, distress, devastation? stand up and get your voices heard .. write to those in power .. let them know of your opinions, stand against improper use of resources, stand against improper developments. Get together, join hands .. call meetings .. work together, work out an emergency plan within your own communities.. take precaution now!! natural disasters do not take into account how rich u are, how much assets you have, how well off you are, if you are a farmer or a shop owner etc .. when it destructs it destructs!! currently, everyone who has left their house is a temporary evacuee? do we want to spend the rest of our lives evacuating to safer places when disaster strikes? what if those safer places become no longer safe? then!! what will we do? was it this way 20 years ago? what things have contributed to the situation we are in today? Think about it .. are these changes worth the chaotic/ stressful/ unsteady lives we have at the moment? When will we put our foot down and say ‘stop it’?

our islands are special and unique!!

Another one bites the dust .. many of us believe in fate .. so see how glorious our fates will be .. !!! atm its Tuvalu and Kiribati .. our small islands will be next to follow .. whether volcanic or coral .. we will also get a brunt of the climate chaos .. at least we have an island to give to the people of Kiribati .. who will give us shelter – 900 000 of us in Fiji? NZ, AUST, USA, who will? Put your thinking caps on immediately .. think about the attitudes of the economically rich nations when they will be asked to take us into their countries? Most carbon emissions are caused by the economically rich nations .. we get hit hard in the face .. we take their s**t .. will they take us when our culture and livelihood is endangered by the rising waters, deforestation etc which they are mostly responsible for ..? What will happen to our identity and geneologies? it beats me to think that we let other people control, our governance structures, our resources and our minds ..

Beyond Borders

I was watching the movie ‘Beyond Borders’ last night when I sunk into deep thought and saddening depression. Beyond Borders is an epic tale of the turbulent romance between two star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of the world’s most dangerous hot spots – mostly due to wars or starvation or lack of water etc. However, despite the story revolving around to people in love, I saw many other things that I thought was more important than the love story.

I could see the despair amongst the people who wanted to help people that lacked food, water, shelter in different parts of the world but were so constrained by difficulties caused by the weak national governance systems, corruption and warfare. Most women suffering in these regions in today’s world are victims of the man-oriented warfare. The men are the ones mostly with guns, knives and who lay down landmines; therefore unarmed women and children are the ones that have to run in times of attack and become legless or die before their natural death, suffer from lack of basic needs because the warfare has destroyed their homes and belongings.

There were three things common in all the three national examples (Ethiopia, Cambodia, Chechnya) shown in the movie:

-       lack of food and water

-       lack of women empowerment

-       inequality

These weaknesses are in no particular order because they all are so closely inter-related and one could be the effect of another. We need to empower women to bring about equality in these vulnerable unstable societies. It is so disheartening to see the effects of war on their lives – I understand that the result of starvation could force people to do nasty things but such situations gives power to the ones that have the guns to threaten and kill at a drop of a hat. They do not think twice before pulling the trigger – who has given them this right? Food and water are a basic necessity and no one needs to be without it. We have big time FOOD SECURITY issues here but we are wasting time following beurocratic processes to fulfill the needs of these affected people.

Equality is an unknown word in such societies. Many communities in the world do not still let women go to school and stop them from giving them equal rights. Such attitudes do not empower communities in any way they make communities weak. The beauty about a woman is that she is a born manager – she bears her kids, feeds them, collects firewood, cooks, ensures safety for her family and also takes care of her husband and the family’s demands (extended). I admire the perseverance of these vulnerable women and children. Not having education weakens women because they are not able to find paid work, look after their children when men are away fighting, not able to educate their future generations about what is good and bad, they are left on their own with no option but to die of starvation. Unfortunately in today’s capitalist world we have to earn money to afford basic necessities and also be gain respect in a community. Gone are the days of barter and sharing, only because of individualistic attitudes .. therefore becoming educated becomes a necessity ..

How self-centred are these male dominated societies that use women and children as a cover so that they can have their agendas addressed? What do they fear by educating women – that they will not be able to enslave women anymore as their sex toys or they will not be able to come home to a cooked meal or will they not be able to abuse women when they are feeling frustrated? What is it? Why cant people see the power of educating women and giving equality in its real sense? It has become common for countries to sign international declarations of equality, human rights and so on but when it comes to practicing them, they fail!!

I do understand that people will not think about education etc when they cant even afford their basic needs and feel secure .. but we have to better their situation .. I am not sure how!!

This is what I hated most .. the movie also showed that more economically developed nations which could afford to give money always had hidden agendas when donating money to the vulnerable nations .. they only invested when they saw a return on it.. Grow Up!! Why have you developed a world into being selfish, greedy, individualistic and opportunistic? Why are you giving aid (they call it aid) to these nations as if you are doing a favour .. Remember you have screwed up every part of the world in the past that u could and stolen wealth, land and sea. Now, its time to give back!! Unfortunately you are dominators of financial wealth at the moment .. I ask you to show some moral wealth. Its no good to say that ‘my ancestors stole, and not me’!!  Then who will pay back to the civilisations that your ancestors have taken from? We cannot bring back your ancestors from the dead. Why should these vulnerable communities suffer because your ancestors screwed up? It brings tears to my eyes ..

However, now it’s not about who stole and who benefitted!! Its about being humane and helping people out when they are in need .. who knows one day your country may be devastated by a natural or man made disaster and then what will u do?? Would you want to be ignored? Would you not want someone to come to your rescue and at least give you a decent meal!! I believe in ‘karma’ what u have done to others will come back to you .. if you help, that help will come back to you when u are in need!! It is true .. this is the rule of nature!! Nature does not discriminate, only humans do!!