Poverty makes everyone a loser;UNI Apro Youth in Payatas

Publié: 9 Septembre 2008
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 We were a small group of UNI Apro Youth activists that was assigned the task to visit three families living in Payatas area. Originally, we were to visit nearer to the site of the Payatas Rubbish Dump but it rained the whole of last night and continued unabated making most alleys into rivers and flooding has occurred in this area making it impossible to visit at this time. Safety was also an issue as landslide and falling debris from the houses due to the strong winds is a concern.



The first family has 5 children. As their father has abandoned them, their single mother sold off as many things as possible to raise funds to feed the children. If they are lucky, they can eat daily on rice and salt. On certain days they get a bit of discarded vegetables. The wall that decorated their home, reflect that the children are good students but poverty means that they cannot go to school any more. The mother borrowed some money to try to sell vegetables but the profit is low and interest is high. (Picture 1-3)



The second family lived a bit further away. As we walk to the vicinity of their home, it was raining - pouring! The walk way was streams of water! When we reach the home, the rains keeps on falling - I looked up and noticed that the "home" was made from discarded wood and the roof was only partly covered with discarded plastic sheet that was unable to keep out the rain. The earth floor was also muddy as it started to flood. The single mother of two children waived us in. What they had was a very old mattress, two or three pots and not much food. Meanwhile, the rain keeps pouring, washing our silent tears. Today this family is happy because they will come to the UNI Apro function and they will have food. The little boy asked for shoes because he wants to go to school. Shoes he shall have. (Picture 4-6)



The third family lived near the hall, being a recipient of the UNI PLC Youth feeding programme, he has been ill for three weeks. As the parents were too poor to afford the fare to the hospital and for medication, they kept him at home. He had continues diarrhea which causes him to lose sight, we were told that he has stopped taking food and water – he wishes us to visit him. We agreed to follow the volunteer to the alleys bringing with us food. When we arrived at the house, the neighbor told us that the child become gravely ill and the family had just rushed him to the hospital. The neighbor and the volunteer worried that the child will not make it. We left the food – maybe they will come back. I said a prayer.



As I walked back in the muddied path, pouring rain and a very heavy heart, I know that poverty is not a theory but to witness poverty for these people that lived in such situation – its very serious – it’s a matter of life and death - they may not survive it – in fact many die everyday. A statistic? Living in poverty is not a crime but I know that a person that does not try to eradicate poverty is a murderer.