I learned A Global Lesson As A Dog Walker With A $10 Gig
Tis the season to be jolly but for many people in different parts of the world, it is far from happy. There is so much vast inequity in the world and many people are barely living and surviving. For the past few months, after I retired from my regular work, I took on the role of a dog walker, thanks to a dog walking app. One of my regular gigs paid me $10 for 15 minutes of dog walking. Making this amount of money would not break me, but this is not the case for millions of people who live on less than $10 a day.
According to data by the Pew Research center, 71% of the global population of 6.2 billion lived on $10 or less per day in 2011. According to data from the United Nations, the pandemic has caused extreme poverty to take place mostly in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 58 million people are living below the international poverty line.
Not too long ago, I communicated with a young man living in Uganda who was in a prayer group seeking financial help for his family members. He mentioned that the government lockdown prevented him from seeking help at churches and other places. I was sad for him and many other people in his situation.
The solution to global poverty is complex because we are divided by governments, physical geography, and political situations. I have learned that some governments, such as Venezuela, are also hostile to foreign aid, which makes it all the more difficult to help those who genuinely need this.
For people who are able financially, I believe it is a time for us all to be more globally compassionate. We can do this in different ways. We can either donate to regular international charities, or we can consciously choose to buy hand-crafted items from sellers living in countries with extreme poverty.
As the pandemic winds down and more people are taking trips to various exotic locations like Bali or Africa, we, as travelers can try to make a difference to locals by purchasing the local products and tipping more generously. A few years ago, when we vacationed at a Mexican resort, I learned that many workers worked long hours and had only 1 day off work to spend time with family. I made sure that our tips were provided at all levels, from bar staff to hotel maid to serving staff. Our tips directly benefit the local economy as well.
Although we are separated by distance, time, and geography, my mind is never far from the economic insecurities in different parts of the world.
How we can help now?
Is giving cash the key to helping people out of poverty? There is an organization founded by 4 grad students in economics who felt that a small amount of money given to recipients could make a big difference in their lives. GiveDirectly allows donors to give cash to recipients who can use it for their own needs. Subsequent studies done have demonstrated that people receiving the cash have made a positive change in their lives, allowing some people to use the aid for farming, or help in providing better nutrition for their families. Readers can learn how some of the recipients have used the cash here.
As travelers, when we visit developing countries, our tourist dollars help boost the revenue of the local economy and create thousands of jobs. We can also develop a sense of cultural awareness and a deeper understanding of how other people live. It’s a rough world out there, especially when billions of people live on less than $10 a day.
Hope you enjoyed this article. If you have a chance, check out my true UFO story that may surprise you here. I have a Christmas story here.
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Til next time. Keep on smiling:)