Letter to Friends around the World (No. 111)
At this time of the year, the Letter to Friends around the World (No. 111) traditionally echoes the various celebrations that have indeed taken place in the context of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. While the news from around the world is not uplifting, with the sounds and suffering stemming from wars and natural disasters, you will also find in this Letter testimonies of resilience.
In times of growing uncertainty, such as the one we seem to be experiencing, it seems important to think about the future. This not only confronts us with the challenges that lie ahead but also allows us to hope. Hence, you will find here some echoes of the follow-up work from the various sessions of the International Committee on October 17 during its biennial meeting in Dakar.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) dedicated its annual report on the multidimensional poverty index, published on October 17, to “Poverty amid conflict.” It revealed that, in the analyzed countries, 40% of people living in poverty, according to the UNDP’s multidimensional definition, reside in war or conflict zones, where peace is either absent or temporary and fragile.
Several of the correspondents who contacted the Forum on Overcoming Extreme Poverty this year have shared with us this terrible reality. Among them, Ferdinand Mamoudou, from Mokolo in northern Cameroon, delivered a testimony filled with strength and courage, in his support for orphans and internally displaced children fleeing conflict zones. First, regarding the tragic situation among neighbors:
“Every day, [their] numbers increase […]. Attacks by non-state armed groups have been going on for over 10 years in our department. In the street, we no longer know who is who.”
He then insisted that this would not stop him:
“But there is this target [of action] that is close to my heart. I’m going to keep fighting to contact as many structures and individuals [as] possible.”
You will find other testimonies in this Letter.
Throughout this Letter, we have demonstrations of exemplary ability to face up to fear and adversity, sometimes tinged with optimism and always marked by a willingness to persevere. We see a trust in one another and in the future, even if it means adjusting to changes and new situations. We see deep empathy, but also a test of strength over the long term. We see profound commitments to social justice and access to fundamental human rights. Correspondents stand up to extreme poverty alongside those who experience it and are committed to building a world without extreme poverty, despite all the difficulties encountered.
Martin Kalisa,
International Leadership Team