In recent blog posts, I have been reflecting on our work at Opportunity International Canada (OIC) through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The first and foundational SDG is “No Poverty”.
Today, October 17, 2022, is recognized as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, and the theme for this year is “Dignity For All in Practice”.
This is also clearly captured in the vision of OIC, which is a world in which all people have the opportunity to achieve a life free from poverty, with dignity and purpose.
Poverty is an assault on human dignity, and the daily reality for those trapped in extreme poverty is heartbreaking.
Next month marks my fourth year as CEO at OIC, and what continues to attract me most to this work is OIC’s commitment to the dignity of the clients we hope to serve.
The dignity of the client is core to our values and drives our operational approach in the field. Often well-meaning attempts to reduce poverty only make things worse, lacking sustainability and creating dependence while further eroding dignity. We strive to do better.
The desire to provide for our family is universal, including daily needs such as food, clothing and housing, as well as building towards a brighter future through education. Dignity is at the heart of this desire.
I have seen poverty up close and in person in places like Haiti, Ghana, India and Honduras — and it can be overwhelming and depressing. I have also met clients in those places and each encounter leaves me deeply inspired.
A woman I met in Haiti had been in the Pathway to a Better Life program for about six months. Before entering the program, her family was on the brink of starvation, without housing, and in poor health. She proudly invited me into her home and showed me that she had learned how to sign her name. Later that week we visited the market where she was building a livelihood — buying and re-selling items such as bulk grains and oils. I watched as she engaged customers with a broad smile. To think that a mere six months earlier she was marginalized on the fringe of her community with no hope for a better future. That smile told a very different story.
It’s a story repeated in the journey of millions of clients. Often all that was lacking was the opportunity for a sustainable livelihood — a reliable income to provide for current and future needs. This changes everything, breaking the stranglehold of intergenerational cycles of poverty.
This is the focus of Opportunity International Canada. Working with local Implementing Partners that share the same commitment to client dignity, we provide the opportunity of micro-loans, training, and support to help clients acquire a sustainable livelihood. Clients have the entrepreneurial drive to take it from there, making the most of each opportunity.
And with each client, there are on average four to five other immediate family members that are directly helped out of poverty. Many more receive indirect benefits, as a microenterprise that buys goods and services from other small businesses. As they grow, they create jobs in their community, each job benefiting another family. And, when a child goes to school, it opens a world of opportunity.
Intergenerational extreme poverty can end in one generation. Imagine the joy of a parent who went from extreme poverty to seeing their children graduate from university. It’s not a dream — it’s a very practical expression of dignity in the fight against poverty.
The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges the question, “Who is my neighbour?”. In this global village, those trapped in extreme poverty are our neighbours. Investing in their dignity through the opportunity of a sustainable livelihood is one way to be a good neighbour.
Ending poverty, particularly extreme poverty, is very much within reach and could be the defining accomplishment of this generation — and it would also be a beautiful expression of our own dignity.
Dan Murray, CEO