5 ways to fight poverty

People not having enough money to live on or enough food to eat is the sort of issue we should care about every day of the year. But the annual Anti-Poverty Week (October 16-22) is a helpful reminder about the struggles to survive experienced by so, so, so many around the world. Indeed, more than one million in Australian alone are affected by “poverty and severe hardship”, according to the organisers of Anti-Poverty Week.

But where could we even begin to start fighting against the terrible impact of poverty? Here are just five suggestions…

1. Cup at a time

   Perhaps it sounds a bit rich but drinking coffee CAN make a difference to the quality of someone else’s life. Actor and philanthropist Hugh Jackman is behind a coffee company called Laughing Man which, like other brewed bean businesses, aims to develop and nurture the people at the source. Next time you go for a flat white or espresso, consider how your choice might impact a coffee farmer, their family and community.
   READ MORE

2.  Consume or Contribute

   When you don’t have much, you also don’t have many options. The more we get, the more options we seem to have. But according to the longstanding wisdom in the book of Romans, there’s only two choices when it comes to what we do with what we’ve got: consume or contribute. Both things are good at the right time; it’s just a matter of timing and proportion. As you consider how to have a go at poverty, have a go at your own levels of consumption – or contributing to the needs of others.
   READ MORE

3. Things Jesus knew about poverty

   READ MORE

4. Australian aid, pray

   READ MORE

5. Money is a monster

   Many in Australia do not battle with poverty.
   READ MORE