Testimonies | Overcoming Extreme Poverty

Upload a testimony

Every attitude, every gesture has to fight poverty and exclusion. There are many ways to act, regardless of our skills and availability. These messages, these testimonials reflect. Feel free to contribute.

Testimonies are published under the responsibility of the author. They are subject to validation: these will be published only if they comply, in form and substance the spirit of this day as defined in the International Charter for October 17.

by country:

by key words:

Testimonies

Ireland

Testimony from Ireland

I would like to bear witness to my sister Ana.Her youngest one was still a baby when her partner diedand she raised five children on her own.

During many years she struggled against poverty and drug addiction and life was tough on her.

I and my partner stayed with her for a while. We were homeless and, in our own ways,we were helping each other the best we could.

What kept her going was her children.She loves them and they were source of strength for her.Because they stayed with her, she never stopped fighting.

With the support of a local group,she got off heroin and went on methadone.

It was a first step but an important one.Getting out of drugs is very hard as the dealers are always there harassing you.

Date: 09/09/2011

Auteur: Jane

Ireland

Testimony from Ireland

People suffering from mental illness,sometimes end up living on the streetswhere they are on their ownwith no communities, friends, uncles or aunties to back them up.

Others, like me, have their own place but also live on their own.A good number of us have known persistent poverty since birth.

One of the biggest problems we face is cooking and having a proper diet.

None of us benefited from the Celtic Tiger when money was there to improve the services.

With the budget cuts, our conditions are worsening.There are very few hospitals around.

The Government says that the community is there to help but what can the community do without the means to build proper infrastructures?

Date: 09/09/2011

Auteur: Brendon

Ireland

Testimony from Ireland

At the age of 4, I was in care under the responsibility of the HSE and at the age of 12, I was homeless and smoking cannabis.

As a mother, I have also known homelessness and, you know, you deteriorate from that!

I had to put my children into voluntary care.Thanks to the support of a group that I joined,

I worked on myself and got out of drugs. It is an achievement, I am proud of it!

My partner and I live for the future!

We would like our children to come back. We never know for sure when we can see them. Sometimes our access visits are cancelled.We get excuse after excuse after excuse… and that hurts!

The new minister for children, Frances Fitzgerald, is a woman. Maybe she will get up and fight for us!

Date: 09/09/2011

Auteur: Laura

Ireland

Testimony from Ireland

My biggest dream is to have two children,

my own house and no worries about bills.

I would like to wake up ‘normal’ and not be on methadone.

I don’t want people to bully me around any more,

telling me: ‘When I am ready, you are ready!’

If they were nice to me, I would be nice with them!

Date: 09/09/2011

Auteur: Jackie

Syndicate content

Discussion Forums

Proposition theme for October 17 2019

70 commentaires

May 2019 - The consultation is now finished. We have received 74 contributions from 34 countries, which have enriched the two proposals below. The contributions were presented to the United Nations...