Global Poverty Project

Kia Ora GPP supporters! Welcome to the first of our monthly GPPNZ newsletters!

Things are all go here at the new GPP National Office in Wellington.

NZ Director Will Watterson has just finished 6 weeks touring around the South Island, having delivered the 1.4 Billion Reasons presentation 33 times to over 2450 people. He’s now gearing up for a 9-week leg around the North Island, bringing even more people the good news of how we can be a part of the movement to end extreme poverty. Will has been blogging the whole way, so can check out his video posts .

If you live in the North Island, check out the tour schedule to see when Will is in your region. You can also book him for a presentation .

We’re also gearing up for the NZ launch of the Live Below the Line campaign; a fundraiser that challenges New Zealanders to live below the extreme poverty line for five days – that is the equivalent of living off NZ $2.25 a day. Live Below the Line aims to raise money for organisations working to fight extreme poverty overseas and raise awareness here in Aotearoa. While we’re working on getting the website finished, make sure you register your interest here .

There’s a reoccurring theme that emerges when looking into sustainable, real-world ideas for improving the lives of those in poverty: those who are impoverished know what they need best. It doesn’t sound life-changing, but sometimes the obvious needs to be stated.

Anil Gupta’s TEDtalk makes this integral point: that the “developing world’s unsung inventors”, and their ideas, are hidden beneath poverty. Anil created the honeybee network for “grassroots inventors” who are poor in economic resource, but rich in innovation. This is design forged through immediate, real-world necessity. It is practical, and proven to work sustainably and alleviate poverty. One of the inventions highlighted is the pedal-powered washing machine, an invention now used in developed countries, that was originally invented by Remya Jose, a young girl from Kerala. Human capital and ideas as a resource are the essential resource in poverty alleviation. For more info, check out these links: • A short article on Remya Jose • A quick youtube video on Remya Jose and her invention • An example of developing world’s ”rich” use of the technology

FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT May 7 - 22 Get loud and proud this Fair Trade Fortnight (7 - 22 May) and show off your swap to fair trade and Fairtrade Certified™ products. For more on how to show off your swap for your chance to win some great prizes as well as more info on what and where you can make the swap to fair trade and the life-changing difference it makes for millions around the world, visit www.fairtradefortnight.com

DR JAMES HANSEN - CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT May 12 - 20 One of the world’s leading climate scientists, Dr James Hansen, is visiting New Zealand in May and will be holding a series of public talks around the country on “Climate Change: a scientific, moral and legal issue”. To see when this inspiring speaker is in a town near you, check out Oxfam’s website here.

GPP 'SHOW OFF YOUR SWAP' SCAVENGER HUNT May 14 (World Fair Trade Day) Join the Global Poverty Project team as they get together with other organisations in celebrating World Fair Trade Day, by participating in the great ‘Show Off Your Swap’ Scavenger Hunt. Adventure around the city to complete Fairtrade product themed challenges to be in to win great prizes and learn more about Fairtrade. The grand prize is a year’s supply of ‘All Good’ Bananas from CommonSense Organics. RSVP here and click on ‘Scavenger Hunt’. The cost is $5 per person, or $20 for a team (pay on the day)

WORLD VISION 40-HOUR FAMINE May 27-29 This year World Vision are asking New Zealand to ‘GO HARD OUT FOR THE HUNGRY’ and help raise $3.15 million to feed thousands of children and families around the world. To find out more or participate in the famine, check out the 40-hour Famine website here.

REGENERATION YOUTH JAMS May 21-22nd (Puke Ariki, New Plymouth), May 27 - 29 (Te Kauri Lodge, Waikato), June 3 - 4 (Auckland Zoo) ReGeneration (a close partner of GPP) run Youth Jams which are designed to bring young leaders from each of NZ’s regions together so that they can share information, connections and collaborate on projects that create positive change in the world. Participants take away new skills, contacts and a better understanding of complex local and global issues. Check the ReGen website to see for more info on when the next one in your area is happening!

“One of the things that excites me most about the Global Poverty Project is that our presentation 1.4 Billion Reasons really does work! It’s given me so much pleasure to see the lights go on for so many kiwis as I have clearly yet powerfully presented the facts about Extreme Poverty, and what we can do in our everyday lives to tackle this thing.

One example of a ‘new recruit’ in the movement to eradicate poverty that really sticks in my mind is a young lady from Queen Charlotte College, who after attending one of my workshops on global poverty, went away and recruited 100 of her schoolmates to do the World Vision 40-hour Famine.. a quarter of her school! The can-do attitude of everyday Kiwis blows me away. This truly is the generation that can, and must, end extreme poverty. If you want to see your friends and family light up in the same way, I suggest you get in touch with us and book a presentation ! We’re coming soon to a town near you .”

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