The Girl Effect Video!Get Inspired! (including a poem i wrote)

http://www.girleffect.org/

WE CAN HELP HER (AND OTHER GIRLS LIKE HER) BECOME

ALL THAT THEY WANT TO BE!

GIVE THAT A CHANCE TO BELIEVE, TO HAVE DREAMS AND
TO LEAD DIGNIFIED LIVES!

A Poem in Their Honour and Support!

The Girl Effect

Put it in motion
stir it for action
cause an equation
that will shake the foundations
of all preconceptions, all dogmas, traditions
and will release from prison these beautiful hidden treasures!

Each girl is precious, each one is a star
light the flame in her life
give her freedom at once!
She'll sparkle and shine
She'll be glorious, a fruitful vine!

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SET HER FREE

Free from all the unwanted
marriage, labour, abuse
Free to make her own choices
to depend on herself
Free to control her destiny too
free to embrace life that is good!
free to plan, to save, to grow and develop
to explore her talents to the full
Free to dream, to aspire
to play and to learn
Free to be a happy child,
free to become a dignified woman
able to give birth and survive
take care of her child
free to laugh and to love...
to be a citizen ...
a mother a wife.

Press the button, stir the wheel
you have the tools, she needs to succeed
you can give her a chance,
she'll take it, you'll see
you can lend her a hand
she won't disappoint u,
believe me!

A child, a girl, a woman, a human at last
will you light the flame of her future?
will you give her a chance?
then, as if by some magic
you'll see multiplied
this equation growing bigger
including many lives

she began as a girl,
who received education
then she found a job better
and provided for her old parents
she planned her family and brought to life
children that she cared for
and sent to school at last

and here the magic is unfolding
one life put in place
changes so many around it,
and the poverty cycle is
broken alas!
oh, invest in this girl!
bring the magic to life!
change the course of history,
bring Justice the victory!

INVEST IN A GIRL!
SET THE MAGIC OF THE GIRL EFFECT IN MOTION!

Addis wanted a CHANCE to CHOOSE how to live! She wanted to KNOW!Now She is POWERFUL!..so is her son!

Shumi is POWERFUL!She is COURAGEOUS!She was given a chance..then..

the Girl Effect began!

Sanchita took a small loan...which changed her life and the life of her family...

it doesn't take much to start the Girl Effect!Support it!!!

An investment in one girl's future...will reap a rich harvest!!!

THE GIRL EFFECT!

THE FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS!

WE CAN MOLD IT TODAY!

WE HAVE THE TOOLS,

THE KNOWLEDGE

THE RESOURCES...

THE QUESTION IS

DO WE HAVE THE COURAGE?

THE WILL?

THE PASSION...?

TO TAKE A STAND

TO BREAK THE SILENCE

TO MAKE A STEP

TO PLANT THE SEEDS...

AND REAP THE HARVEST!!!

(the poem is in the honour & support of the Girl Effect movement and all girls and women around the world)!
p.s. i will include a ppt with recitation of the poem soon! upcoming!

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World Food Programme!Make a Difference!!!TODAY!

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THE GIRL EFFECT!GIVE HER A HAND!SHE WILL DO THE REST!

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Link your site to ours

Link your site to ours

Shared via AddThis

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THE COMPASSION REVOLUTION!JOIN IT NOW!

BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT BE PART OF THE CHANGE BE THE AGENT THAT STIRS THE WORLD TOWARDS A BETTER PLACE BE THE GOLDEN RULE ITSELF!

BE FREE FROM HATRED JEALOUSY GREED

BE FREE TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE DESPITE DIFFERENCES

BE PASSION

BE KINDNESS

BE MERCY AND LOVE

BE TO SOMEONE AROUND YOU THE HOPE THAT WILL LAST

BE THE SUNSHINE AND THE SPRING

IN A PERSON'S BROKEN HEART

BE THE BANDAGE AND THE HEALING

BE THE POWER TO REVIVE

HAVE COMPASSION

HAVE DESIRE

TO FOLLOW THE DREAM THAT IS HIGHER

HIGHER THAN ME HIGHER THAN YOU

THE DREAM THAT SPEAKS OF UNITY AND TRUTH

HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP

HAVE THE HEART TO ACT WITH LOVE

HAVE THE FAITH TO PERSEVERE

THROUGH TRIALS OBSTACLES PROBLEMS

HAVE A FRIEND TO SHARE

BE A FRIEND TO SOMEONE WITH CARES

ACT NOW DON'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW

LEND A HAND NOW DON'T SAY YOU CAN'T FOLLOW

OVERCOME YOUR PASSIVITY

OVERCOME YOUR IGNORANCE

OVERCOME YOUR SELFISHNESS

AND BECOME A MEMBER THE COMPASSION MINISTRY!!!

REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE

YOU ARE/WILL BE RICH!

SO, SEARCH NO MORE FOR TREASURES AND WEALTH -

YOUR WEALTH IS IN THE HEART, SHARE IT AND YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY IN FACT!

THE MORE YOU GIVE THE MORE YOU RECEIVE, AND THIS GOLDEN TREASURE NEVER GETS EXTINCT.

AIM HIGH. BECOME A MILLIONAIRE!

BECOME A GOLDENRULAIRE! :)

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CHARTER FOR COMPASSION-NOVEMBER 12TH!

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION TRAILER from TED Prize on Vimeo.

There is an urgent need for a new focus on compassion.

Bringing together voices from all cultures and religions, the Charter seeks to remind the world we already share the core principles of compassion.

On November 12, thousands of people across the globe will listen together.

Participate and engage with the Charter now at charterforcompassion.org

Director: Gilly Barnes
Music: Fredo Viola
Additional Footage: Peter Roger

LET US ALL JOIN HANDS TO BRING A JUST, A GOOD, A COMPASSIONATE WORLD TO OURSELVES AND TO OUR CHILDREN!

BE PART OF THE CHANGE
BE PART OF THE REVOLUTION FOR COMPASSION!

BE A COMPASSIONATE CITIZEN, ONE READY TO TREAT ALL OTHERS, AS YOU YOURSELF WISH TO BE TREATED!

I JOINED! WILL YOU?

please share any interesting ideas about events that can be held during the celebrations, ways to raise awareness among the people about the importance of becoming compassionate towards one another and making a positive change in our world!

not separated by small differences but united by common core principles we share, not separated but UNITED WE STAND, and when we are united, nothing, absolutely nothing can defeat us...!

humanity's main characteristic will be compassion, our greatest achievement - fair and equal treatment of all people, our biggest victory - the one over selfish and greedy existence, our most valued principle of existence THE GOLDEN RULE!

WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. I HAVE A DREAM AND I BELIEVE IN IT, DO YOU? IF YOU SHARE IN THE DREAM, COME AND JOIN! :)

IT ALL DEPENDS ON US!

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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH BEGINS TODAY!

Here there are nice posters and other materials concerning breast cancer-self-examinations,signs etc. check them out! There is an education pamphlet - front

and back!

Are you taking part in a breast cancer walk or another event this month? please let me know.

Choose an organization and donate, e.g. for research, become an advocate for the cause, or check these 20 proactive ways to fight and prevent Breast Cancer, find out some fast facts about breast cancer here or on this site, or on this fact sheet.

This site http://www.breastcancer.org/ as well as http://ww5.komen.org/ provide comprehensive information on symptoms & diagnosis, treatment & side effects, as well as information on how to lower the risk of breast cancer and other useful info. There are also articles about some of the Myths that exist about BC risk.

TIME magazine's special report on Breast Cancer!!!!!Good stuff~!

Here's a video about Breast Cancer that is quite helpful and also some Stories of Hope of survivors. There are other videos here. There is also a video on which Eva Vertes talks at TED about cancer.

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Disarm from your passivity and Arm with passion in action! (The International Day of Peace-September 21st)

Dear fellow citizens, respected politicians, dignified statesmen, all people of the earth,

I plead with YOU:

Cast off your shadow of vanity

tear apart those imbecile lies

cut off the chains of arrogant misery

forget about your selfish self/plot!



Let gentle winds and pure waters

cover you with new sensations

Let children's laughter and human's touch

permeate within your twisted vapors.



Oil spilled and blackened the water

Diamonds glittered and caused massive slaughter

Gold, Silver, Jade and Gems,

oh, Nature's wonders revealing

the ugly face of humanity

in total disgrace!



And power balance, games unfold

nuclear warheads and missiles,

they are all part of the plot

cruel dictators, ambitious politicians

merciless and greedy multinational corporations...



will anyone "surrender" their greedy wishes?

And favor the excluded, the poor, the needy?

will anyone stand up and speak out the truth?

will Any powerful person dare make a move?

and once, once and for all end this theatre brutal, absurd?



will anyone raise the banner of peace?

without just being all self-righteous, full of pretense!?



it's not too late for a total make-over

our world still has a chance to survive

our destruction total

Nature is weeping for the oppressed

their bodies, their bruises, their hunger and grieves

they'll flood the earth, Nature will revenge!



the tides are changing...


So, dismantle the weapons, forget ancient ways

let 21st century be remembered as the age of the The Change

a grand and magnificent, an all-encompassing sublime phase

of human's highest moral standing and unselfish acts/deeds


change your weapons of destruction

to such that yield mass Construction (development)

create a Force of children-

empowered by knowledge and wisdom!



take oil, take diamonds,

take all that you like

turn it in Precious investments

in real human lives



Recycle your weapons

Recycle your ways

Recycle your governance

Lead your people with humility and grace!


No, don't wait for the government or for someone else


YOU are the change!


the citizen, the fighter, the voice of the oppressed,

Raise the banner and with peaceful voices, actions and faith

Speak Justice, Speak PEACE! in this torn land


in this confused and twisted world

there is a truth that lies in you:


Raise the white flag! Let PEACE be the fruit!



DISARM from your passivity, your neglect, your diconcern

and ARM with the truth, passion (in action), and a heart of love full!

p.s. in some tribes in Nigeria the raising of a white flag signifies PEACE

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE...

I WISH FOR A DAY TO COME, WHEN WORDS LIKE WAR, VICTIMS, WEAPONS, PAIN...

WILL BE ONLY PART OF HISTORY, NOT AN EVERYDAY REALITY!

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Water your cracked soul! (Volunteering Part II)

The cracked earth beneath my soul
Cries out in need of my support
Invest in me! Water me! Plant seeds in me!
And I’ll grow crops
Don’t let me wither and be gone…
It cries through me, when I see pain
When I see suffering it calls my name
It says I have a mission here…

Yet I am bothered by its cry
Why can’t it be happy with what I have now?
Why does it scratch me every now and then
As if trying to press me to go another way?
Why can’t it be quiet and leave me alone
Undisturbed and self-absorbed, why can’t I be so?
It says it’s not about me…that I am a part of a whole…

The squealing, shrilling voice beneath,
Comes out through every hole, indeed
Through the cracks it travels straight to me

And says – you ARE a part of HUMANITY

Yet, I don’t see what all this means,
After all, around me I see only this:
Crashed/destroyed lives vs. wealthy chaps
Forgotten lives vs. remembered/glamorous lives
People who need vs. such who have much
Displaced vs. those with A mile-long p(a)lace
…
Isn’t it nature’s order to attempt to balance this mess (the scales)?
Is this a fair and just verdict? I don’t really ask this!

I go on my way, without a concern
For the problems of others,
After all, am I not immune?
Yet, that little voice rising to speak
Is up for some campaigning and debating with me
It shows me my blessings and gives me some time
Until I start feeling a growing emptiness right in the core
I have everything that one really needs
And yet, I feel somewhat Incomplete
…
Then I start to listen, to hear this voice
And slowly to realize one truth that beats the odds:

I AM A PART OF A WHOLE,
AND I HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE:
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCALES
DON’T LEAN ON ONE SIDE,
WITH NO REGARD FOR THE REST!

So I water the earth, I start planting seeds
And see how in time
It yields rich harvest
Now it’s all different, what I hear in me
It’s a chorus of voices that make my soul leap
A joyous song, a re-MIX of
The transformed lives of those I have reached!

Arise, oh, Human, arise and shine! Let lives be touched by your HumanE role!

You are a crucial part of HUMANITY! Play your role! Be HumanE!

p.s. the photo is from Hannah's facebook profile

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Activate/Press your humanE button! (Volunteering Part I)

I'll change the world

One child/life at a time

I'll raise the banner

DO IT NOW!

We live to love

And love to live

Yet, unconcerned we stroll the streets

Window-shopping, mesmerized by things

We go to work and pay the bills

Raise kids in bulk and go on trips

We say we live, yet only breathe

We have enslaved the truth and exist

Under the tyranny of a world flooded by a material feast.

Oh, how is it that we don't see:

The least, the least is to help those in need!

Then one ordinary day...we realize our priorities are messed up, we're incomplete,

unsatisfied, unfit...we've simply forgotten what determines our "breed".

I press my button to release

The humanE spirit that lies beneath

To free the ME that wants to live

By making time to love the unreached.

Instead of luxury and empty wealth

of empty words, empty promises and perishing things

I'll indulge myselg in a life-long drill

To learn how to enRich one life at a time,

Not mechanically - drop a coin,

But investing time and effort to care and transform

Not by counting what I'll get

But by giving all that I have

Then, I believe that I'll be complete!

I'll leave the chair, comfort, bed,

I'll merge into the world where magic is made

I'll be the magician, I'll see/be the change!

***

Make time to love and none to hate

Make time to see and some to hear

Make time to help, give more than you think you can spare

Make time to count your blessings many

Make time to smile and be happy

Yet don't forget

Make time for others, make THEM happy!

Make time to make a difference big

One life at a TIME, one-person-focused-reach!

***

To love is simple, yet so grand

To live is simple, yet so profound

Don't ponder over simple truths

Just live the moments and love the world

Don't get discouraged from the system

Corrupt officials, scandals, people

See there, beyond the rising sun

it's your day, dear, grab it and run!

Press your humanE button. Make time to LOVE. Be a magician.

p.s. i'll make time for you my friend,thanks for inspiring me!

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~~Global Warming~~G20~~etc...

disabilities and discrepancies

in the main system...will it crash?

dislocation and displacement

of people and places...will it all melt?

derangement and deficiency

in the economies and people...will it all collapse?

degradation and distortion

in every corner and in every 'fact'...will it cause a domino effect?

who serves whom?

who gives and who gets?

beneficiaries and benefactors

companies and organizations

structures, institutions, posts and roles

all pre-assigned, all secured and bought

preconceived notions and post-conflict left-over explosions
rulers inept to rule, defenders obscure in their missions and goals

following assignments blindly,

copying information no one really regarding

in a chaotic, nervous vacuum that will burst

people spin and spin until they are all... flushed...

'friendship' is a political slang

to mean 'mutual' selfish exploitation and achieving one's quest

'harmony' is an illusionary state

which is to lure the already deceived into a net

'peaceful rise', peaceful fall, what rises eventually falls

climb the snowy peaks you liars, while they still have snow!!!

'melting pot' becomes a truth

with every living creature under the doom

of involuntarily becoming a participant in this soup

but who dares complain to the great cooks?

prideful, arrogant, obnoxious -

people without values, unable to make right choices!

the climate is warming...it is a theory

are people warming?...not towards each other

are countries warming?...not to become blends, they aren't

these processes lead us into the infernal fire

of our own sins and selfish desires...

consumption, money, and the things we rave
will keep the fire burning till it all ends.

the power to stop? - switch off the plug?

the power to stop? - pick yourself up!

don't trust in those whom you see on the TV upclose

don't follow the crowd when it drags your values like a rag

don't put up with the abuse of all that is sacred and good!

Stand up to put down the fire

Stand up to bring to close the chaos

Stand up to what you believe

and be courageous when 'accidentally' the system presses...
on you with the button delete...

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WORLD WATER DAY - THE RIGHT TO QUENCH ONE'S THIRST WITH SAFE DRINKING WATER!

when you have to count your drops of water to survive

you are thirsty - physically

when you cannot voice your need to the authorities

you are thirsty - for freedom

when you are denied the access of safe drinking water

you are thirsty - for your rights

when you are left to die of preventable water-borne diseases

you are thirsty - for justice

when your story remains untold and unheard

you are thirsty - for someone to stand up and plead for your cause and for the cause of the other 1.1 billion people without access to safe drinking water!!!

where shall thou seeketh justice?

indeed many a path leadeth to the truth...where shall i begin?

thou shall seeketh responsibility in the 'wells (oil)' of the rich?
in the lavish lifestyles of corrupted officials?
in the judicial courts serving the ruling clicks?

in the 'dirty hands' of puppet politicians?

or in those who toil for the prosperity of all these?

shall thou sayeth thouest 'cup' is half fulleth or half empty after all?

consider this as a call:

who shall we put as a witness to test what is said?

if they agree to drink from the sewage, (rather than from a bottle)

if they consent with washing in the drainage, (rather than in a proper sink )

if they don't object walking 5 miles to obtain water, (instead of having it delivered)

if it's alright to swallow bits of dirt etc. with the fluid, (instead of minerals, which will nourish)

if it all agrees with you 'most honored',

then sure as the day is, no one shall complain,

but propose a statement to be released, pronto, today:

Let all who are thirsty come drink from the well,

that these 'brothers' of ours so freely will lend

but if for some reason, you all become sick,

or if Fortune has it, that you are deceased,

then a note from a different kind

will surely be posted to say this:

They died believing that they were right,

not quenching the thirsty of the billion in need.

They died disregarding the welfare of all -

defending till the end - their own right and wrong

yet I doubt my fellows,

that any shall dare

to grab a cup and fill it with filth and swear:

that it is safe to draw and to quench

your physical thirst with a 'fresh' filthy sip!

So, for Your story to be heard I say

for Your voice to gain power I proclaim

for Your life to be un-forgotten I state:

THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT!

THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT AND EVERY GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING AT LEAST 20 LITRES OF SAFE WATER PER DAY TO EACH PERSON. THESE 20L OF WATER MUST BE FREE FOR THE POOR, ACCESSIBLE AND SECURE!!!

“Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity.” — Kofi Annan, prior United Nations Secretary-General

p.s. the photos are from various sites and initiatives for saving water etc.
I made a presentation on the water crisis and its negative impact on the development of impoverished societies, as well as the importance of achieving MDG7, Target3 - "Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation"
for the overall achievement of the MDGs and the sustainable development of all societies. If anyone is interested, please contact me for more info.

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Dealers disguised like Leaders

Leaders are dealers of souls and of lives
Mugabe, Kibaki, they are all in the pack
wolves dressed like sheep
they roam in this world
robbing the welfare of the destitute
disguised and shameless they trade all
for their own prosperity and as they see fit (well)

The church is an accomplice, a terrorist too
with pastors in Armani, driving Benz among their flock
they are the false prophets, the 'good shepherds',
rotten and defiled
conforming with every vice with sinful desire and lust
instead of healing they corrupt
instead of giving they rob

Who is to intercede for the victims of this wrong?
Who is to stand up for the helpless and abused?
Who is to proclaim justice and punish those in charge?

for the sheep have been silenced, muted and crushed
or they are simply lured by small bits of hope and crumbs
they yield to the beatings, they bow to the whips
or shout out their grievances but all is lost in the empty fields...

it's not their agenda, nor it is their choice
it's a life pre-ordained, it's a struggle to survive

is the harvest insufficient?
that some would have abundance while others have none?
or is it the avarice of the 'leaders'?
that brings forth unspoken pain and misfortune to the ill?

Let the heavens judge and the earth obey,
as it's written it shall come to stay
but this remains true:
there is no change, if no one who cares
does anything to prevent
the injustice and untruth
that so awfully prevails!

So, as a word in conclusion
i would dare say
that my humble prayer is
for true leaders to be made
amolded and shaped
not so as conspiring evil and gain,
but as humble servants willing to give and to reign
with just and honest hand their people
for the better today!

"There arose a dispute among the twelve, which of them was reputed to be the greatest. But Jesus said to them, The leaders of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. On the contrary, let him who is greatest among you become as the least, and him who is chief become as the servant." Luke22:24-26

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In flames for FREEDOM

In flames and on fire, they are 'burning with desire'
denied the choice to live as they wish

they expose/dispose their flesh

They can kill the body and destroy it

yet the spirit remains unbroken and holy

so, we see in the distance - fire -

man's first really important discovery

this time burning to leave a trace in the barren land

of what would be remnants of freedom, people extinct.

Weapons of the weak

they seek freedom and peace
they seek 'liberation' for their souls and flesh

yet the government declares it has already bestowed

a full liberation-redemption to the slaves

the only difference is it's just an economic fact

lacking spiritual dimension and freedom to breathe

they all forget that freedom can't be bought

at the price of a few celebrations or new clothes

or food and drink for that matter indeed,

for life is more than all these, they should consider this (the truth)!

but how would they know?
who bow but before the golden calf

and worship his tangible 'holiness'

wishing he grants them 'eternal' (above)10% growth?

so, the fires burn, the flesh in flames

yet what really counts is the sacrifice they make

their spirit willing, their flesh weak,

but the spirit conquers EVERYTHING!!!

thus, Hush!, all you voices

stinging with lies

why should anyone believe you?

when you're all actors in a big venomous farce

let your drama continue,
let the curtains remain pulled

because sooner or later

your fakeness will be utterly exposed

they don't fear the ones who kill the flesh

only the One who can destroy the spirit!

as for you, I advice, you should consider this too!

In memory of all the Buddhist monks, in China and elsewhere, who have sacrificed their lives to express their discontent with the oppression of their governing regimes!

http://www.worldsfamousphotos.com/burning-monk-the-self-immolation-1963.html (photo from the site)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7916544.stm

p.s. Special remark to Dessi, a good friend of mine, with whom I have the honour of discussing relevant issues. Thank you!

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An International Essay Contest: “Can Character and Communities Survive in an Age of Globalization?” - an essay for a contest

it's a pity I didn't have time to work on this essay! I think it's a rather interesting topic and it's worth writing about...and the prizes are not bad at all. haha. anyways, next time I will know in advance and prepare better. so far so good :) hope you enjoy. comments are welcome. i will try to polish it later! :)

Ivana Koleva

“The principal dilemma provoked by globalization is inequality” [1] This sentence is derived from the book “Getting Globalization Right: The Dilemmas of Inequality”, in which the authors state that the question that still remains unsolved around the issue of globalization is not whether it should be supported or refuted but how to get it right, “in the sense of making its benefits more available and making them more equitable between countries and within countries” [2] by making a set of policies aimed at solving the existing problems. During the 2007 United Nations Ministerial Conference on ‘Making Globalization Work for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)’[3], held in Istanbul (Turkey), the participants agreed that the central question and challenge remains how to maximize the gain while minimizing the pain in LDCs . All the parties who were there emphasized that “the current phase of globalization will be judged by whether it is able to transform itself into a vehicle of eradicating poverty, marginalization and inequality, and for promoting sustainable development.” The voices of the people who took part in this conference proclaimed that “This is the imperative of our time. Putting LDCs in the driver’s seat will be a prerequisite for this”[4] .

So, what is the optimal way of achieving this goal? How to make globalization work for the poor as well as the rich? Can it serve as a driving force for the development of all mankind or just a handful of corporations and powerful people? What did globalization bring with it and what are the prospects for its future? Did it undermine character and community or enhance their strength and role?
The answers to these questions can give us a glimpse of the work accomplished and that still unfinished in the process of globalization and will help us assess its influence on communities and character.


After the Cold War, there was a period marked with exhilaration over the victory of democracy and consequently liberal markets and free trade. The ‘Washington consensus’, promoting the liberalization of markets and opening of free trade, despite its positive effects though, eventually proved rather unsuccessful in various countries, often increasing tremendously the inequality gap between the poor and the rich, thus making the rich richer and the poor poorer. These have been referred to as the winners and the losers of globalization. When the prescribed medicine proved to be short of panacea capabilities, the world reconsidered its views on development and its true definition. Through this process of reassessment and redefining, the development concept evolved and transformed from simply meaning economic growth measured in GDP (in the 50’s-60’s), to a more comprehensive definition, acknowledging that development should be essentially used to mean human development and therefore it should encompass areas like health, life longevity, education access etc. This was a revolutionary transformation which led to many subsequent improvements and progress.
In 1987, the concept of sustainable development was put forward officially for the first time in the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, called “Our Common Future” [5]. It was used to mean "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Nevertheless, it was not until the mid-90’s and especially in the new millennium, that people have started to really understand, appreciate and pursue sustainable development, as a comprehensive, effective and necessary development approach. Before this, multinational corporations (MNCs) benefited largely from the unequal distribution of wealth, served political interests, used ‘sweat shops’ to pursue higher profits and were considered the biggest beneficiaries of the process of globalization. Many people blamed both, governments for their inability to control the MNCs and the corporations themselves, for impoverishing the already destitute people and becoming rich through sacrificing the development of these people.
In these rather uncertain, transitional times, a new phenomenon arose. Of course, it has existed in many forms since the early mission trips across the globe started, but its extent and functions had never been as broad and as distinguished as they have been since the 90’s. This phenomenon is known as ‘community service’ and ‘community-based development’. Despite the various programs the UN and its agencies had launched throughout the years, it was increasingly apparent that the gap between the rich and the poor in many countries is broadening rather than shrinking and it was becoming more difficult to reach the really poor and needy and provide them with the necessary services. Not only this, but, since most ‘third world’ countries were (and some continue to be) under a semi-authoritarian, authoritarian regime and lacked transparency, suffered from chronic corruption and regularly misused the funds they received, therefore, the provision of help was undermined and often, the most destitute never saw the humanitarian aid sent through big agencies.

I first became acquainted with the term ‘community service’ when I arrived in the USA. It was the year 2001 and I was sponsored by Rotary International with a full-year ambassadorial scholarship. The spring of 2002 a bunch of ladies from my college and I went off to Macon, Georgia to participate in a one week spree of constructing 12 houses for a poor neighborhood, with another 300 students from around the US. The experience taught me what it means to belong to a community and to serve a community. The entire community was involved in its own reconstruction (renovation) and everyone was a part of everyone else’s life, committing their time and efforts to assure each other’s wellbeing and better future. This is the principle by which Habitat for Humanity, the organization in holding the event, operates, and it has contributed to the building of thousands of affordable houses around the globe, but even more importantly, it has built communities, which are now better equipped to face the challenges of life. The spirit of belonging to a community truly inspires people to put more efforts, to perform better; it also gives them a sense of belonging and dignity. In the bible Jesus said, ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ [6] and through community service and community building, one can truly learn to love, appreciate and cooperate with his/her neighbor. This is, one of the foundations for sustainable development.

More and more non-profit organizations started working on the ground, establishing grass-root organizations which possessed the knowledge of the specific needs and desires of the given communities and therefore were quite successful in delivering just the right services to the most needy. The bottom-up development approach transformed the landscape of development. In this new landscape, the most important engines of development became the citizens and members of the community, as parts of a whole, not separate parts. They were not to remain passive recipients of aid anymore, but they were to be empowered to realize their full potential and escape the vicious cycle of poverty.

In the beginning of this process of transformation, private enterprises did not play a significant role and were rather isolated, only participating in the development process through seldom charity events and donations. This was largely due to their own wrong perception that no profit could be generated through helping the poorest, and as companies, their goal is to generate as much profit as they can, whilst the role of the government is to provide for the poor. Another obstacle for the active involvement of corporations in the development process was the suspicion with which they were looked upon by skeptics, who believed that nothing good can come out of engaging the ‘profit-generating machines’ in non-profit generating activities. Corporations were often associated with immoral and unethical behavior, mostly comparable with the Karl Marx’s description of capitalism and the monopolists who exploited the working class. Such stories were not rare, especially the evidence of wide-spread use of child labor and ‘sweat shops’ established in various developing countries. At the same time, the belief that many corporations used neocolonial style techniques to strip the raw- material rich countries from their resources and not really bring any development to them, was pervasive [7]. Nevertheless, this was soon to change. First of all, the concept of sustainable development gained ground and prompted many companies to reconsider their activities and especially the impact they have on the environment and on human development. The UN Global Compact Initiative, the world’s largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative, was established. The companies participating in this initiative, have to adhere to the ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption [8] . These principles have served to assure the important role that private enterprises have come to play in the process of development and globalization. The principle of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also became popular and is increasingly becoming imperative for companies to adopt as part of their core programs. People demand transparency and accountability from companies and it is increasingly becoming a common knowledge that the role of private enterprises and businesses, in general, in achieving the common goals of humankind for development is crucial. CSR does not simply imply charity events and donations, but a transformation of the core values of private enterprises, working together with all other international and local actors to establish a society based on the principle of sustainable development.
A development that brought all actors on the international stage together is the so-called ‘international community’ phenomenon. This concept has gained much interest and attention in the last decade and it is increasingly believed that an international community is arising, which shares common goals and ideas, and which, united, can achieve much progress and development.
In the year 2000, during the Millennium Summit, the UN General Assembly adopted the “Millennium Declaration”, focusing on the essential principles of sustainable development that all countries should adhere to. Following the adoption of the declaration, the international community, including governments, government-based organizations, non-government organizations etc. actors, all agreed upon eight common development goals, later known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have to be achieved by the year 2015 [9]. These common goals have urges and stimulated the entire international community to unite efforts in the fight against poverty, inequality, and towards justice, peace, and sustainable development. Goal number 8 recognizes the significant role that the economy and especially free markets, play in enhancing the development of the least developed countries. Some of its targets include more cooperation with the private sector in bringing new technologies to the poor and increasing their opportunities for more fair access to markets.
Since the adoption of the MDGs by the international community, a multitude of different efforts, varying in scope and success, have been launched to assure the achievement of the goals. One of the key features of these efforts has been the active participation of the local communities and their empowerment. Despite the definite need of the state to create and implement pro-poor development policies, like poverty reduction plans etc., the need for bottom-up development approach has become more and more widely accepted. It is exactly there that a new kind of economic activity has spread and has born many fruits. Microfinance. In the past, private enterprises, banks, etc. considered microfinancing, especially microfinancing targeted towards the poorest, a waste of time and resources, since it was believed that these people cannot benefit from it, cannot generate profit, and cannot operate efficiently. Therefore, often times, companies and other donors preferred to send aid, rather than to invest in equipping the poor communities with entrepreneurship skills. Nevertheless, this time has passed and “to date, a successful microfinance industry has been built that is effective in reaching millions of poor people, in providing them with financial services, and in reducing their poverty”[10]. Even though “like many other development tools [microfinance] has insufficiently penetrated the poorer strata of society”[11] , in recent years more and more emphasis is put on the improvement of the services of microfinance institutions (MFIs) to ensure their successful outreach to the most underprivileged communities and people. MFIs have been instrumental in empowering entire communities, especially women, previously denied the right to perform economic activity. The importance of entrepreneurship has been widely acknowledged as a rather optimal choice for development. One of the recent examples of a leader in great favor of promoting empowerment of the communities through entrepreneurship is the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, who has put forward an ambitious plan to transform its country into an entrepreneurship society.

What is, after all, the link between globalization, community and character? In recent years, globalization, defined as the rising global civic community, involved in the building of a better future for all, fighting for the eradication of extreme poverty and striving to bring equality and justice to all communities, has been instrumental in empowering local communities and bringing the benefits of the process to the poorest. The catch phrase “Think globally, act locally” is not simply a phrase anymore, it is reality. It is the way forward, the right development approach which builds active and socially responsible citizens, aware of the problems of their communities and involved in solving these problems! Therefore, globalization has the potential to bring up a new generation of global citizens, who think both globally and locally, as well, as contribute to the development of even the most impoverished communities.

The pursuit of human development, and not just blind economic growth has become the core goal of the international community. It is true that globalization has contributed greatly toward the increased levels of inequality present in the world now, but globalization is also the key to solving this problem, and delivering a better future to all.
The key to the success in the fight against poverty is for communities, enterprises, governments, NGOs etc. members of the international community to unite efforts and meet the challenges and opportunities together. United, their unique contributions of funding, technical skills, know-how or strategy are able to bring about tangible, positive and lasting change in the world.

Can character and communities survive in an age of globalization then? Yes. Even more so than before, because communities have started to arise, to unite, to be empowered and to seek their own well-being, while globalization has the potential to equip them with the necessary tools to reach their goals faster, more efficiently. People’s mind-sets have started to transform as well, and from being self-centered and seeking their own good alone, they have began to realize the great joy and harmony that exist in sharing responsibilities and benefits. Now, this is a major shift in character! Globalization has lured us with prospects for quick success and development, but here and now, we have the chance to experience a different aspect of its multi-faceted nature. Globalization has stirred the passion and desire in communities and individuals to unite and act together, to fight and achieve together, to become confident and responsible citizens, whose aim is to make their backyard, neighborhood, village, town, country and ultimately the world a better, more just and more equal place! All that is needed is enough will and faith in the power that arises when people are willing to put aside their differences and focus their strengths, talents, and resources on achieving their common goals!
[1] Tulchin S. Joseph, Gary Bland ed., Getting Globalization Right – the Dilemmas of Inequality, (Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder London), 2005, p.2

[2] Ibid, 2

[3] The United Nations Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries, ‘Making Globalization Work for the LDCs’, Turkey, 2007

[4] Ibid, 5

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Common_Future

[6] Bible, NIV, Rom.13:9

[7] Moon Jeremy, The Contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility to Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development, 15, 206-306 (2007) (accessed through Wiley InterScience, www.interscience.wiley.com)

[8] http://www.unglobalcompact.org/AboutTheGC/index.html

[9] http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

[10] Daley-Harris Sam ed., Pathways out of Poverty, Kumarian Press, Inc, 2002, p.4

[11] Ibid, 5


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