SEVEN GREAT IDEAS

On January 29, 2011, One! International Poverty Relief will be celebrating it's 10th year anniversary.  We have a big Gala planned for the evening. We are very excited about the evening and celebrating the successes of the last 10 years. There will be 500 people at the Gala to honour the past 10 years of "Making a Difference" in the lives of children and their families in Mumbai, India.

This celebration would not be happening if it were not for the great idea that Tania Spilchen had in the summer of 2000.

Tania personifies the following article written by Lou Tice of The Pacific Institute. 

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              There is nothing in the world more powerful than a good idea.
               For over 30 years, I have been traveling all over the world,
               teaching people how to break through self doubt, get rid of
               unfulfilling lifestyles and achieve success.  Here are seven
               ideas that can turn you into a super-achiever, if you will
               only use them.

First, becoming your best self is a choice you make.

Second, change happens through action and the understanding

that we create our future.

Third, dwell on your strengths, use them constantly, and watch them grow.

Fourth, embracing fear is not a one-time event, but it gets easier

the more you do it.

Fifth, procrastination does not exist. 

What exists is a passive choice to do nothing.

Sixth, believe in the importance of your ideas, and your ability

to bring them into reality.

And, seventh, refuse to give up.  Persist in the face of all opposition,

every setback, and be totally, 100% committed

to bringing about the end-result you desire.



              

              
              Commitment is an incredible, potent force that will bring to you
              all sorts of resources you may have never realized were there.
              Ideas like these turn lives around.  I can't tell you how many times
              I've seen it happen to people who thought their lives were hopeless.
              Why not get rid of the thoughts that are keeping you down and
              choose thoughts to become your best self?  The most powerful
              words in the world are,
 

"I have a great idea!"

 

 

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Tania had a great idea, and on January 29, 2011 we will get together - all 500 of us - to celebrate Tania's idea, the commitment of hundreds of people all over the world who believed and still believe in her idea, and the hundreds of children and families whose lives have been turned around by Tania taking the necessary actions to bring her idea into reality.

Why Do The Children of Mumbai Need Our Help

                       

                                 Every apple is a part of the orchard.    
                                                   Holly Schoenecker.


People often ask why a democratic country with a thriving economy needs help to provide education and health for its children.

On Saturday October 2, 2010 the Toronto Star newspaper devoted its entire edition to India.

The UN Development Program Gender Inequality Index has been released.

The following snippets of information have been taken from these two sources, and hopefully will give some understanding of the issues for the poor in India.

        "India[the world's largest democracy], an emerging economy, and  geopolitical giant, might overtake China economically within two decades."

        "Whatever is true of India, the exact opposite is almost always also true......Efficiency and chaos.  Secularism and sectarianism.  Wealth and poverty.  Hope and despondency.  Gandhian non-violence and murderous frenzy. Humanity and cruelty.  Exploitation and generosity.  Piety and prostitution. Dedicated indigenous NGO's and corrupt politics.
That's India."

        "[India].....has the world's largest number of poor.  About 600 million survive on less than $2 per day.  About 65 million live in slums.  About 1.75 million children die before reaching their first birthday.  Nearly 45% of children are malnourished.  About 160 million kids are not in school. "

These figures are probably low as there is a large population that is not counted in any population records.  For example, less than 5% of our children and families have any identification and thus are not counted.

India has the largest number of poor.
        "1/3 of all people in the world living without basic necessities is an Indian national."

The population of India is 1.19 billion.
This is two times the population of the United States.(645 million)
This is 20 times the Canadian population. 

India is rated #122 out of 138 countries on health issues.

India is rated #119 out of 169 countries overall in Human Development.

India is in the top 10 countries in income growth.

70% of Hindi girls marry under the age of 18.

Mumbai, India has real estate values in the top five of world cities.
Even though many residents live on less than $2 per day, some food staples are similar to those in North America.

        In 2005, 2 million, 300 thousand children aged 1 to 5 years of age died.
>60% died from: pneumonia, prematurity, low birth weight, diarrhoeal diseases, neonatal infections, birth asphyxia, and birth trauma.
Each of these major causes of death could be prevented/and/or/treated.

        Many girl babies are aborted, and/or receive less health services as there is still a high social preference for boys.

       "India is saddled with the highest burden of tuberculosis - with nearly 2 million new cases recorded in 2009." 
[above three paragraphs from The Times of India, Mumbai, Saturday, November 13, 2010]




There are other facts and information that could be shared, but I hope you have a better idea of some of the issues facing "our families" at One! International.