Why Aid Matters (to me)

Me and my mum at my University Graduation.

I have had the great fortune of being born in a great country, with free education, affordable healthcare and a myriad of other goods and services that enrich my life.  My mother on the other hand was not quite so fortunate. Her experiences growing up in Peru have instilled in me the importance of working towards a more equitable global community. RESULTS shares my passion for ending global poverty and together we hope to ensure that the Government that it will deliver a life saving aid budget on the 14th of May.

My mother grew up in the bustling slums of Lima, Peru. She grew up in a family of ten, with two of her siblings passing away at a very young age. To support his family, my grandfather worked 3 jobs for 20 hours  each day, six days a week. Despite his hard work, in the formative years of my mother’s life she lived in a shack, with no running water, electricity or protection from the elements. This meant that she nearly became a child mortality statistic herself when she contracted bronchitis and TB.

My mother has lived through serious illness, natural disasters, terrorism and poverty. As I was born in Australia,  these are things I will never have to contemplate. The good news is that aid has helped to halve child mortality rates. However, 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty..

As global citizens, we have a responsibility to those who are not so fortunate. With a commitment from Government, politicians and the broader community we do have the power to end poverty. The RESULTS'  "100 Days of Action" campaign inspired me to tweet key politicians, write letters to my local member and talk to my friends and colleagues about the importance of the upcoming aid budget. I couldn't believe how easy it was to raise people's awareness of such an important issue.

by RESULTS office intern Fiona Holdsworth