Anti-Poverty Day
ACDA Member Organizations Collaborate for a Meaningful Commemoration of Anti-Poverty Day
The Millennium Development Goals is what UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon refer to as the “blueprint to help the most vulnerable and most poorest people, to lift them out of poverty.” In most parts of the world, governments and civil society groups will celebrate Anti-Poverty Day on October 10, 2010. This day coincides with the 10th Birthday of the MDG. The United Nations’ “Millennium Declaration” pledged to “ensure that globalization becomes a positive force for all the world’s people,” especially the most marginalized in developing countries. It wasn’t a promise of rich nations to poor ones; it was a pact, a partnership, in which each side would meet obligations to its own citizens and to one another (Bono, September 10,2010).
To our President, the MDGs are a reflection of humanity’s aspirations—to break the chains of ignorance, poverty and injustice. To faith-based groups like us, the MDGs echo our commitment to the poor and powerless among us—a reminder that to God, the poor is not forgotten (Psalm 9: 18).
On October 15, 2010, ACDA members will commemorate Anti-Poverty Day as our contribution to the Micah Challenge Anti-Poverty campaign. A community event dubbed as Kaisa sa Pag-asa is a solidarity event with the partner community of two of our member organizations, Food for the Hungry and World Vision Development Foundation in Sitios Gulayan and Piliapil in Catmon, Malabon. These two communities were razed by fire in August affecting 1,000 families. Many of the victims still live in makeshift houses until now. It is in this context of seeming gloom and desolation that we are bringing God’s message of hope. In an afternoon of arts, songs and community dancing, we will sit down and listen to them as they share their thoughts, feelings, and sentiments as well as their hopes and dreams. We would like to encourage them by showing to them that we, ourselves, are a community. We share our presence, time and talents as a community.
On behalf of the Anti-Poverty Planning Committee of ACDA, we would like to give you the opportunity to participate in this meaningful celebration of Hope. You can help by:
- Sending workshop volunteer facilitators;
- Volunteer in the food preparation;
- Be part of the documentation team, e.g. photos and video;
- Provide transportation for volunteers and materials;
- Provide volunteers for the peace and order committee;
- Donate cash to cover costs of food, transportation and materials. We have a budget of Php 25,000 for the event; and
- Donate used tarpaulin. The people in the community will find good use for these as temporary roofing or walls for their makeshift houses.
Join us in this celebration of hope.
We enjoin everyone to PRAY for the event. The Lord has already blessed us with Onesimo and Servants who are preparing the program, Food for the Hungry and World Vision for taking the lead in preparing their community partners and for securing the venue for the event; ISACC and Ina-inakay who volunteered to prepare food and; REACH for tapping their member, Kuya Fred Liongoren to help conceptualize the program and the artwork; and LILOK for volunteering to recruit facilitators.
Should you have more queries or if you wish to participate, call us at 911-7526 or text at 0922-8126797.
