Sunday, March 04, 2007
Dollar a day
The whole "living on less than a dollar a day" idea has captured people's imaginations for years, and NGOs have used it to try to make reality hit home for people. You know things are tough when a dollar a day seems like a pretty good deal. Last night I was talking with a neighbour. Her husband makes the equivalent of just over $3 US per MONTH. This is his pension - after 25 years of work with the same company. Some well-wishers pay for their rent, but that $3 has to cover water, electricity, medical bills, transport, and food for the month. They weren't one of the lucky ones to get a farm, and she has a small garden in the backyard. She was telling me about the dramatic price increases in everyday items, and seriously contemplating the possibility of starving to death. I sat beside her as she wept. This wasn't a lady I was watching on t.v. I couldn't change the channel and switch to a comedy. This was a neighbour and a friend - considering a future which includes starving to death. Of course I went home and brought over some food and money. But my friend still had that far-away, "is there hope?" look on her face. Poverty is a harsh reality. We all know it exists.
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2 comments:
Please excuse my ignorance. $3 US per month doesn't seem like enough to live. But at the same time, are goods and services valued at the same amount over there as they are here? What is the cost of living? Lori and I were talking about this the other day and I'm curious to know how people live on $3/month.
Dear Steve, Nice to see your name! Of course, many goods and services are "cheaper" here than in Canada, but compared to people's salaries, they are obviously a lot more expensive. The short answer is that it is impossible to live off of $3/month. Our combined Zimbabwean salary (which all officers in our territory make) is about $3/week, and we don't know how people (with KIDS!) are surviving. You try to grow whatever you can in your garden (or farm, if you have one), sell anything you can, and then beg any relatives you have for help. Oh, and you pray - A LOT.
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