Head over Heels for "The End of Poverty"

I am taking an International Development program through UBC and I am in love with it. It's amazing how when you start taking courses in something you are head over heels for it doesn't feel like school.

My latest course is Dimensions of Development. And in our readings today, we had to read this keynote speech by Jeffrey Sachs to the Carnagie Council. I read a bit of his book awhile ago, but this was a great reminder of what he's done.

In re-reading this, I realized a few things.

• a. I'm SO EXCITED to see someone with (what they feel is) a solution! I've done a lot of reading in these courses and it can be grey skies full of dreary uncertainty and not a lot of answers. But, here is someone who at least is trying to have a concrete solution. And it's a simple one. 
• b. I'm more passionate than ever about agriculture being my main cause and a personal mission of mine to encourage and enhance food security projects around the world. It's about teaching farmers there to grow their own food. Giving them tools, resources and knowledge to do so. I am excited to participate in that in some way over the coming years.  
• c. I am sad that so few people know the state of poverty around the world and/or if we do, that we don't spend more time on plans to eradicate it and encourage the betterment of individual lives. (In my last paper I read that 55% of Canadians have no idea what our foreign aid dollars are spent on, where it goes, or who spends it even. We are altogether ignorant as a population because of the lack of this in mainstream media and our own choices to watch other programs instead of educating ourselves).
• d. I was surprised by his response to microfinance as I considered this such an important tool for the poorest of the poor, but I feel like his response is credible and I love it when something shifts my perspective like that did.
• e. that I am head over heels for International Development and am grateful for the chance to take some formal schooling in it
• f. that I need more friends to talk to about this with (haha) any takers? 
• g. that there is still hope. There's always hope.

"I believe our country has a great choice in front of it, but first it has to understand the choice."

Please, let's educate ourselves and help to eradicate extreme and unnecessary suffering in doing so.

Here's the link to the article. If you have a break today, take some time to read this. It's a short read, it is hopeful and it provides a solution to an enormous problem (which is rare) >>