10,151 The Communication Initiative, The Drum Beat Network, Why Poverty?

The Drum Beat Network
From: Warren Feek – Executive Director – The Communication Initiative
Re: Why Poverty? –  http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/

Greetings

Well – they really should not let me play with the technology! The important Drum Beat (excerpts below) on Why Poverty? – http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/category/sites/global/why-poverty – was published by me over the weekend with some bad links! My apologies. Please see the essence of The Drum Beat repeated below.

Please do engage in this global process that poses such an important, overall question and presents such thought provoking documentaries – for example «Stealing Africa» – http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/stealing-africa-how-much-profit-fair – that have their own vital questions to commence dialogue and debate – e.g. HOW MUCH PROFIT IS FAIR?

Some ideas on ways to engage follow along with intros to each film and the «starter» questions. Apologies again for the link errors – Warren

EXCERPTS FROM THE DRUM BEAT 626 – WHY POVERTY?
http://www.comminit.com/global/content/drum-beat-626-why-poverty

Why Poverty? on The CI
http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/category/sites/global/why-poverty

The Why Poverty site
http://www.comminit.com/clickthru/8d34e40b562556c214fb5ec013d17f19?node=

Questions are good! Public and private conversation, debate and critical analysis are vital for broad, effective, sustainable change including on Development issues. Making substantive progress to alleviate Poverty is essential in and of itself and because of the way it underpins and complicates all development issues.

The «Why Poverty?» series of documentary films from Steps International and Southern Africahttp://www.comminit.com/clickthru/8d34e40b562556c214fb5ec013d17f19?node= have their global launch this week in 70plus countries (some got a headstart!). These documentaries provide an opportunity and a stimulus for the local, national and international development community and public to engage in a critical re-think of how we understand and address poverty. That conversation will greatly benefit from your personal involvement and the engagement of the public(s) with whom you engage.

Details of the films follow. Here are some suggested ways in which you can make a significant contribution:

1. Please find out when these films will be shown in your country. They should commence this week. This link will provide some information – but as they say please check local listings!

http://www.comminit.com/clickthru/8d34e40b562556c214fb5ec013d17f19?node=en/whentowatch

2. If the films are not being shown where you and your community/province/country/region can view them then please contact some of your television broadcasters and ask why? If they are interested in broadcasting they can find appropriate contacts here

http://www.comminit.com/clickthru/8d34e40b562556c214fb5ec013d17f19?node=en/contact

3. Please share information about these films with your public, professional and social networks (see info on the films below). Use the social network links at the top of each summary as one means of quickly sharing – eg click on twitter icon at top of this film outline link

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/welcome-world-it-better-be-born-poor-or-die-poor

4. In the course of your own ongoing strategies and programmes please put some time aside to focus on these films.

5. Personally engage in the global dialogue and debate through the Twitter and Facebook processes – see right margin at this link – http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/ plus encourage your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, etc to also engage with their views and opinions.

6. If there is a particular film that is relevant to your priorities alert relevant policy makers and ask to show them that film and discuss it with them.

With many thanks – Warren

1. Solar Mamas

…a film about the heroic efforts of one woman as she overcomes significant difficulties to become a solar engineer. The film follows Rafea, the second wife of a Bedouin, who wants a better life for herself and her children…question: ARE WOMEN BETTER AT GETTING OUT OF POVERTY THAN MEN?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/solar-mamas-are-women-better-getting-out-poverty-men

2. Stealing Africa

Zambia has the third largest copper reserves in the world, but 60% of the population live on less than $1 a day and 80% are unemployed. Based on original research into public documents, the film tells the story of global trade where money and natural resources only flow one way…question: HOW MUCH PROFIT IS FAIR?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/stealing-africa-how-much-profit-fair

3. Give Us the Money

…critically examines the role and contribution of major global celebrities that have high profiles for their work related to global poverty … questions: IS CELEBRITY POLITICS THE RIGHT WAY OF COMBATNG GLOBAL POVERTY? SHOULD INTERNATIONAL CELEBRITIES BE THE SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THE POOR?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/give-us-money

4. Land Rush

…in 2008 the world’s food system began to fall apart. Threatened with hunger, rich countries started buying up and leasing fertile tracks of the developing world. With 60% of all arable land in Africa…question: HOW DO YOU FEED THE WORLD’S POOR?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/land-rush-how-do-you-feed-world?

5. Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream

In New York, 740 Park Ave is home to some of the wealthiest Americans. 10 minutes to the north, over the Harlem River, is the other Park Avenue in South Bronx, where more than half the population needs food stamps and children are 20 times more likely to be killed…question: HOW MUCH INEQUALITY IS TOO MUCH?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/park-avenue-money-power-and-american-dream

6. Education, Education

The new economics of China has challenged many traditions, including the benefits of entering a university. While it is characterised as opening doors, particularly for the rural population base to enter an urban world, it is also reordering the thinking about the value of education…question: IS EDUCATION STILL A ROUTE OUT OF POVERTY?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/education-education

7. Welcome to the World

…every year 130 million babies are born, but their chances in life depend on the lottery of where, how and to whom they are born. The film assesses the prospects of new arrivals in Cambodia, Sierra Leone and the USA…question: IS IT BETTER TO BE BORN POOR OR DIE POOR?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/welcome-world-it-better-be-born-poor-or-die-poor

8. Poor Us: An Animated History

…begins in the Neolithic Age and takes the viewer through the changing world of poverty…question: IS POVERTY INEVITABLE?

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/content/poor-us-animated-history

9. Short films on subjects as diverse as Waste, Bags, Love, Barrels, Coal and Poop

Scroll down at the following link to review many of the short films and access the trailers. Titles include: Wilbur goes Poor; Colours in the Dust; The Crisis and the Sunglasses; Poop on Poverty; and, Afghan Girl…question: THESE FILMS RAISE LOADS OF REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS – YOUR ANSWERS TO WHICH COULD HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR YOUR STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMMES

http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/

Please engage on these important questions

Action is of course essential. But there are also times when critical reflection is required. Why do the development issues that we are each addressing exist? Do our strategies and programmes reflect our answers to that question? What are the vitally important perspectives, ideas, views and opinions of the people directly experiencing these issues – in this case poverty? Do we incorporate those perspectives into our work?

As Why Poverty? – http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty – is a global initiative, an experience and stimulus that we can commonly share, we wish to encourage and support The CI network to take some time to contribute at local, national and international (please use the social networks links at http://www.comminit.com/whypoverty/ to reflect on the QUESTIONS above, engaging in dialogue and debate on those questions and taking the steps outlined at the beginning of this Drum Beat.

Thank you

Warren

Warren Feek
Executive Director
The Communication Initiative

http://www.comminit.com
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