catalyst for justice… yeah, maybe baby

‘From the 01/07/07 for one week, 500 of Australia’s most dynamic young people who have been especially selected and trained, will travel on the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY ZEROSEVEN Road Trip. Buses will depart from Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the ACT with most Road Trips heading to Sydney.

On route the Ambassadors will spread the Make Poverty History message and inspire those they meet to take action to end extreme poverty. We are calling on our government to take action to increase aid to 0.7% of budget by 2015.’

(click on the video and watch it full screen on the YouTube page for the best effect)

Description:
This video is an attempt at exploring the self-consumed and materialistic attitudes of those of us living in rich countries such as Australia and the effect that these attitudes have on the perpetual cycle of inequality and gross injustice for those living in absolute poverty – those who do not even have the resources to sustain basic needs like food and medical treatment.

We cannot be indifferent to injustice any longer. Eradicating poverty may seem like an immense task, but we believe that it is our responsibility as a generation to stand up and speak for those that cannot speak for themselves (quote, unquote).

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The video was an optional part of the application process - a chance to show ‘a little more action [by] demonstrating [our] artistic and creative abilities, or lack thereof’ – made by Adora and I. Below is the rest of my application form (frantically filled in at the eleventh hour, hence the brevity for Section 3), and I am glad to say that I am now a ZEROSEVEN ambassador! (150 Victorians selected out of 700 applications; what can I say? I feel lucky). SYDNEY HERE I COME, woo!!!

Section 2: who are you? (300 words or less)

Making Poverty History can be anyone’s call. We’re not looking for one type to board our buses… but people from all walks of life. Tell us about who you are – and tell it straight. We want to you to capture your character on paper, you could tell us about: Your major passions and interests; How friends and family would describe you; What your values and beliefs are, and what motivates you to help others; What you are studying or where are you working? What is your ultimate dream in life?

Even though ’social justice’ has become a fashionable thing as of late (with Bono and other celebrities at the forefront, doing charitable work, inter alia), I would like to think that I am not merely following a fad that may be as fleeting as fashion. However, I believe that the emphasis on achieving equity (in the media due to campaigns like Make Poverty History) has made me much more aware of the huge boulder dividing the rich and the poor. As a Christian, I have come to discover that Jesus taught so much on helping the poor and sharing our wealth, something we seldom tend to do. I think that love for people is what motivates me to help others, because if love isn’t my driving motivation I would be somewhat indifferent to their problems and become resentful if my giving of care is not appreciated or reciprocated.

‘Nice’ is such a bland, vanilla-flavoured word (I mean, what does it mean?) and I try to disassociate myself from it, but friends would most probably describe me as such. I would also like to think that I’m kind, loving, passionate, caring and all the goodfunny things in the world, but who knows? On the safe side, I might just settle for the description ‘amicable’.

I’m a first-year Arts student intending to major in Development Studies, which explores the social, economic and environmental changes in developing societies. My first year subject ‘Famine in the Modern World’ threw in my face overwhelming facts and statistics about the gross inequality in our world; so you could say that it reinforced my desire to help change that, in whatever way I can.

I suppose my ultimate dream is life is simply to make a difference in someone’s life, because in the end, don’t we all just want to change the world?

Section 3: become an ambassador:
(300 words or less)

You’ll come on the Road Trip as who you are but you’ll return with a whole new outlook on the world – and on yourself. You will make history! Tell us why you should be selected, you could tell us about: When you have previously taken action or stood up for a cause; what your vision is for the future; your previous leadership positions; achievements and team activities, or why you think ending poverty and injustice is so important.

I may not be well-versed on the politics, history and facts of global poverty and the like, but I believe that if I am selected to be a Make Poverty History ZEROSEVEN ambassador, it would give me an opportunity to learn more about what is necessary to achieve global equity and how we can be equipped to do so.

My vision for the future is a more equitable world where the earth’s resources are distributed fairly, where poverty does not exist, and where human rights are universally respected.

I believe that ending poverty and injustice is so important because all humans were created equal, but the sad case is that the way we live does not reflect that – the rich hoards all the wealth and resources while the rest of the world goes hungry or dies from preventable diseases.