BuaNews (Tshwane)
Gabi Khumalo
17 October 2007
Pretoria — Hundreds of school children showed their commitment to fighting poverty on World Poverty Eradication Day by assembling at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Wednesday.
The Stand Up Against Poverty campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) saw over 1000 learners gathering to "demand government keeps its promises."
South Africa is a signatory to the eight MDGs which include reducing extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education for all, equality between men and women, reducing child mortality at birth or before turning five years and improving maternal health.
Last year 23.5 million people set a new Guinness World Record by supporting the worldwide campaign. Various events around the world were held again this year between 9pm on 16 October and 9pm on 17 October in an attempt to break the record.
The campaign is a joint initiative of the United Nations Millennium Campaign and supported by the 2015 End Poverty Millennium Campaign and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
The learners said they wanted to ask government to cut the number of people dying of AIDS, keep a clean environment and urge rich countries to form partnerships to achieve the millennium goals.
"We urge the leaders of poorer countries to make it your first responsibility to save the lives of your poorest citizens.
"We ask that you to tackle inequality, be accountable to your people, govern fairly and justly, fight corruption and fulfill human rights," said the learners.
Director of the United Nations Information Centre, Margaret Novicki told BuaNews that South Africans needed to be involved in the worlds' issues, particularly the youth, and not leave everything up to the government.
"We want to see people becoming ambassadors. Africa is far from achieving it target to halve poverty by 2015 and we need the developed world to assist with debt relief, more and better aid, trade justice and gender equality," said Ms Novicki.
She said the schools which had gathered at the Union Buildings had been joined by millions of pupils around the country in support of the campaign. The Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor urged other schools to participate.
"The minister was very supportive and the office of the Presidency encouraged this initiative by allowing us to gather outside the Union Buildings," said Ms Novicki.
A 19-year-old Nosipho Ruka urged the youth to live their own lives and stay away from drugs and alcohol as they have an impact on poverty.
She said sometimes the youth sought comfort in drugs especially if they had impoverished backgrounds.
"They tend to seek comfort by using drugs and alcohol to numb themselves, not realising that they are making the situation worse. They could end up stealing from their parents in order to buy more drugs and become school drop outs," said Ms Ruka.
The campaign coincides with World Food Day on 16 October designed to increase awareness, understanding and informed year-around action to alleviate hunger.
To mark World Food Day, the World Food Programme initiated the "Spread a Smile" fundraiser, whereby people can SMS the word "smile" to 38727 to donate R10 to help feed a child.
On Tuesday, the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya opened the three-day National Development Agency (NDA) Poverty Eradication Conference.
The conference, held in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme and the South African Human Rights Commission is being held under the theme: "Attacking poverty from the grassroots".
The NDA forms part of Minister Skweyiya's portfolio, the other entities reporting to the Minister being the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
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they should stand up maybe the government will provide more jobs