Christmastime is here, and with it, the world shifts toward thoughts of gift, the joy of the season, and happiness. The sharing and caring, the demonstrations of love—these are what characterize Christmas and the jolly old man in red himself. For most people, the joy of the season is giving gifts that light up the faces of their loved ones and friends. Maybe it’s time to think outside your circle and consider what a very small gift could do for others?

COVID-19, lockdowns, wars, disasters, poverty—the world is full of suffering and sorrow. Hope is dying, and more and more people are struggling to find joy and peace in their lives. This Christmas season, you can be the light of hope that many people have given up on finding.

Be Generous, Be the Light of Hope 

You don’t need to be an army general, a famous politician, or a celebrity in order to inspire people—in fact, people don’t need to know who you are at all. You don’t have to be rich to make a difference. What you can do is your best.

Go to Old Age Homes to Celebrate Christmas 

One easy and fun option to be generous this Christmas season is with your time. Visit nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to spend time with the residents. You may bring simple gifts like socks if you wish; they’re easy to afford and can make a big difference in the comfort of the people who live there.

If you don’t have a few dollars to spare, your time alone is your generosity. Listen to these folks, some of whom have no family that comes to visit. They have amazing stories to tell, and they rarely get to tell them. Sit down and have a warm conversation this holiday season.

Give Gifts to Orphans in Orphanages 

Children who live in orphanages do not get to celebrate Christmas the way that most kids do. They might have a community Christmas where everyone receives a bar of candy, but there’s something special about getting a gift that’s given just to you.

Children in orphanages might appreciate books or small toys. You don’t have to break the bank, and these young ones can experience the joy of receiving a present wrapped just for them. Consider fun options like games that you can show them how to play so that they can spend some time with folks on Christmas!

Give Gifts to Special Children 

Not all children experience Christmas the same way. For some with processing disorders and other challenges, the season full of lights, glitter, and admittedly sometimes blaring music can cause stress, fear, and discomfort. This is not how Christmas should feel!

Consider offering different gifts to these children, even if they may be a bit more challenging to buy for. Excellent options include weighted blankets, noise-cancelling earbuds, or engaging puzzle toys that they can solve with their hands. If you’re not sure what to get, a donation to a worthwhile charity can make that decision in your place based on what they know the child likes!

Visit a Slum Area and Spread Joy 

Due to economic opportunity and other factors, many people who struggle to afford the traditional trappings of Christmas live in the same area. Consider spending time visiting a slum area and spreading joy to the families there. Many of them have likely given up on Christmas entirely, or they may be feeling inadequate that they can’t provide the Christmas they’d like.

Simple tasks like handing out canned goods or clothes can go a long way toward making these families’ Christmas bright. Consider providing necessities, and if you have some resources left over, throw in a treat or two. You will bring light and hope to dozens of people this way.

Donate to CFTW for Education or Health Welfare 

Charities play a big part in the Christmas season, and CFTW is no exception. We strive to give children and families around the world access to the education and healthcare resources that they need to thrive.

Many folks have never learned to read or write, and if they fall ill, medical care is too far away or too expensive. For these families, CFTW relies on the power of donations to fund the care and treatment that they deserve. CFTW builds schools and mobile health units to improve access worldwide.

Donate to build a better world. Your small contribution could forever change the life of a child or family, and there is no greater generosity than being someone’s light of hope in a dark time.

Introduction

Africa has generally been known as a continent where poverty is common and subsisting on a low income is the norm. However, the impoverished communities of this beautiful continent are growing, and by 2030, it is anticipated that as many as 90% of the world’s total poor population will be located in this area.

The data can be difficult to decipher at first, and it may even appear on the surface to indicate that poverty in the African region is on a decline from 54% in 1990 to 41% in 2015. However, due to the population growth that occurred at the same time, the total number of people who are living in extreme poverty has actually increased substantially, from 278 million to 413 million in the same time period.

Some countries are making strides toward ending poverty, with Ethiopia and Kenya the closest and Ghana close behind. However, Zambia and Mali have struggled to achieve the same international assistance seen by some other countries.

Why No Improvement?

The reasons why poverty continues to dominate talk in Africa are many, and not all are easy to solve. In total, 27 of the 28 poorest countries in the world are in Sub-Saharan Africa, with poverty rates over 30%. But poverty is not just a measure of financial wellness or the ability to acquire income; rather, it is a holistic examination of quality of life that considers hunger, shelter, access to healthcare, education access (both in terms of distance and society), being able to read or have a job, losing children to curable illnesses, and even the attitude of living one day at a time.

The most common factors by which poverty is measured are:

• Availability of shelter

• Access to clean food and water

• Ability to use healthcare services

• Government corruption

• Poor infrastructure

• Consumption of natural resources

However, in addition to these external criteria, individuals must also be assessed for emotional and spiritual poverty. These can have just as important an impact on the world—an emotionally and spiritually fatigued individual may not have the aspiration to continue their education, and the world has lost a valuable mind who may have made breakthroughs and contributions to others.

Why Address Poverty?

Our humanity often moves us to commiserate about the state of poverty in Africa, but sympathy alone is not the only reason to address poverty around the world. Because the insecure lifestyle generated by inadequate provisional needs makes people vulnerable, a number of issues can arise that have a global impact.

Imagine, for example, the change that would occur to unrest in the region if more people had access to food, healthcare, and job opportunities. Inept leadership may be replaced with highly educated individuals who are suited to lead wisely, and a country with strong leadership can become an integral player on the international stage. Similarly, countries that do not have inadequate healthcare help to keep global travel robust and safe despite outbreaks of dangerous diseases like Ebola and COVID-19.

US vs. THEM

African countries continue to fall behind in their goals to eradicate poverty. In September 2015, nations around the world joined in the Sustainable Development Goals agreement that was intended to eradicate poverty; however, many African countries are not on track to meet their promised poverty levels. 

Part of the reason for falling short is due to a lack of international funding. Communities already stricken by poverty cannot just pull themselves up by their bootstraps; they need international aid from NGOs and other charitable organizations. If you have the financial means, you too can help pull people out of poverty by donating to these worthwhile causes.

Organizations like CFTW make it their mission to rehabilitate poverty stricken communities and heal the whole person—not just by providing financial means. Instead, CFTW and other charities work with underprivileged communities to educate them both academically and spiritually so that they can move on as fully realized individuals.

You can help CFTW and other charitable organizations by donating as you are financially able. Your contributions, even in the amount of a few dollars, go a long way in communities where a single dollar is more than some people earn for an entire day’s work. You can also contribute your time via volunteer hours at the in-person or online organizations that you are most passionate about. We have a global responsibility to help our fellow humans in need, especially when they are unable to help themselves.