Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty
Posted: October 15th, 2008 | Author: Adrienne | Filed under: Events, India | Tags: blog action day, poverty | 1 Comment »This year’s blog action day topic is POVERTY. Since I am living in a developing country, I thought I’d participate. Here are some facts comparing the US (where I’m from) and India (where I am currently). All figures are 2007 Worldbank unless otherwise noted.
| Parameter | US | India |
| Population | 302 million | 1,123 million |
| Gross National Income per capita (adjusted for purchasing power) | $45,850 | $2,740 |
| Time required to start a business | 6 days | 33 days (in 2005 it was 71 days) |
| Internet users per 100 people | 72.9 | 17.8 |
| Phones per 100 people (fixed and mobile) | 139 | 24 |
| HIV/ AIDS prevalance (% of population ages 15-49) | 0.6% | 0.3% |
| high tech exports (% of manufactured exports) | 30% (2006 figure) | 5% (2005 figure) |
| Worker’s remittances | $3 billion | $27 billion |
While I find these figures interesting, I also find it interesting how accustomed I’ve become to poor conditions. I’ve spent only a few days in different “slums” and seen the backside of many communities from a train. I don’t really notice the trash on the streets or the pollution/ dirt on buildings like I did when I first arrived. I was in a “slum area” today (it was really like a lower class neighborhood), and I found myself saying how nice the houses were. I don’t think they had running water or anything, but they looked new and well-kept. I am wondering, am I becoming blind to poverty because I’ve been exposed to it quite a bit lately? Or am I learning to look past the blemishes and see the good parts of these lives? I’m just not sure.
hi, Do something for help the hungry people from Africa and India,
I added this blog about them:
on http://tinyurl.com/6p6lb8