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Reflections Reading: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Published October 18, 2021
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October 17 has been designated by the United Nations as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Poverty is not only an economic issue. It includes a lack of both income and the basic abilities to live in dignity. Poverty can be brought on by many factors, including dangerous work conditions, unsafe housing, lack of nutritious food, unequal access to opportunities & justice, lack of political power, and limited access to health care.

During a state banquet during the Golden Jubilee visit to Madagascar, Mawlana Hazar Imam said:

“Our duty is to try to free people from poverty. And to me, poverty means being without shelter, without protection, without access to healthcare, education, or credit, and without hope of ever controlling one’s own destiny. This means condemning one’s children and grandchildren to unacceptable living conditions. 

A voluntarist and innovative strategy is needed in order to break this chain of despair and total imprisonment. That is why I, as Imam of the Ismailis, considered it my duty to meet the challenges now facing these communities. I chose to involve myself in development projects in every field by means of a group of private agencies known as the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a multi-sector network whose purpose is to fight poverty and work for the benefit of all, irrespective of faith or origin.” 
Rather than devising singular and specific ad hoc projects, AKDN agencies apply multiple inputs to ameliorate a community's condition, addressing many factors simultaneously. Having an extra meal a day would provide some comfort to those in difficult circumstances, but this alone would not assure a brighter future in the absence of basic medical care, housing, income opportunities or quality education. Thus, an integrated and comprehensive approach to development best addresses the Islamic ethic of compassion towards the less fortunate, the fundamental objective of AKDN interventions. 
 
This is why the AKDN sees the eradication of poverty and improvement in quality of life not simply as a matter of income generation. As Mawlana Hazar Imam explains:
 
“To the Imamat the meaning of ‘quality of life’ extends to the entire ethical and social context in which people live, and not only to their material well-being measured over generation after generation. Consequently, the Imamat’s is a holistic vision of development, as is prescribed by the faith of Islam.  It is about investing in people, in their pluralism, in their intellectual pursuit, and search for new and useful knowledge, just as much as in material resources. But it is also about investing with a social conscience inspired by the ethics of Islam.  It is work that benefits all, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality or background” (Athi River, Kenya, December 2003).
As we commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, let us reflect on how each of us can use our resources, education and privilege to contribute towards a life free of poverty and with equality of opportunity for all members of the Jamat, for all Canadians, and for humanity at large.
 
With content from Nazim Karim, Providing the Spark of Hope.

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