I was fairly selfish yesterday…. My mother sent me to the doctor to receive my meningococcal injection, as I missed the injection day at school. I, being a self confessed needle hater…well didn't I moan… 'I don't need it, I'm not going to go, this isn't fair…'



Once I got home that night, with a sore arm, I looked back at those comments with shame. Most nights before logging on to The Blender, I check out Reuters Alertnet, to read about the things that aren't usually captured in my six o'clock commercial news. I've had a long time passion and motivation to inform my peers, friends and community about the forgotten war and conflict, which is still present in Sudan.



For those of you who don't know, let me provide some background…. Sudan is one of the largest countries in Africa, and the country has been at war for the past fifty years. Throughout the past fifty years, these have been broken down in to three main conflicts. A civil war between the north and south that lasted for twenty-one years which ended in 2005, an extreme humanitarian crises throughout Western Darfur which has seen two hundred thousand die, and two point five million become displaced by fighting since 2003, and continual confrontation in eastern Sudan which has strong presence of insurgents whom are set to challenge the government for a bid of the share of the country's power and natural resources. Sudan has a population of 35.5 million, a life expectancy at birth of 57 years, an adult literacy rate of 59 percent. Sudan's under five mortality rate per 1,000 lives births stands at 91, and the country has 6 million internally displaced persons. (Taken from the United Nations Human Development Report, 2005).



So why did I feel selfish?? When logging on to Reuters, I read the following article; Meningitis epidemic confirmed in southern Sudan-WHO. The article talks of an epidemic having broken out in south Sudan, with sixteen deaths among two hundred and thirty suspected cases since September.



When I told a friend about this, she said its only sixteen deaths, haylz? And I'm sure that's a view shared by many… my response is that it is a death of daughter, a son, a grandchild, a cousin, a niece a nephew. We see the statistics, but do we think of that persons story, their potential, right to life or effect on their loved ones.



231 cases. 16 deaths. With the potential to spread. On top of the countries continuing conflict is what I find alarming. The outbreak is in Greater Yei Country, and the World Health Organisation is conducting an investigation and they hope to create a vaccination programme targeting three hundred thousand. But is this enough? And I know this happens in many countries all around the world but what can we do to help?



When asking that question, I think the main answer is we can advocate. We can learn about the injustices in Sudan, we can request our democratically elected politicians to be global citizens and do something about it!



In Australian media, we hear a lot about waiting lists, nurse shortages, and in general how our health system is failing citizens. I do agree, that something needs to be done… but with fixing the system I also believe we need to be grateful for what we've got. Reading the article the night after receiving my injection certainly reminded me despite the pain, the inconvenience and the certainty that I will faint… that I am in a country and a position to advocate for those who don't have a voice… and that despite the inefficiencies in my countries systems, at least there is a system there…

I woke up early and turned on talkback radio as I've always taken an interest into the concerns communicated by fellow citizens in my community over the air. I've also had the odd appearance on air, to sometimes defend the exaggerated opinions in concerns to how bad the young people of today are.



And today was going to be one of those days especially after the third caller. This lady based her call on a conversation she had with her next door neighbour, but had called the radio to say and I quote 'young people today don't accept anyone in our community, and they are a racist generation.'



This angered me… for many reasons, but the main reason was being present at the Make Poverty History Concert last Friday night, and the activities in Victoria over the weekend. Sooooo this is how I felt throughout the night… I was more excited than the guy with the wings on the Red Bull ad, and it is debatable that I was more excited than Lord Mayor John So, but never the less I had my stir shirt, my make poverty history banner around my waste and I was ready to rock!



In general at the concert we had fourteen thousand young people, which to me sent a clear message that we can be the generation that makes poverty history!! A team of young people put the concert itself together, and the impact it had was immense.



Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision Australia spoke at the concert about the failure of his generation to eradicate absolute poverty and how the challenge ahead lied in the hands of my generation, which was strongly represented in the audience. When Tim spoke, I believe he had every single persons attention, as it was the most silent the concert was throughout the night. His speech focused around how it is time to hand the reigns over to our generation and give us a go, later in the night hearing and seeing Hugh Evans and Dan Adams, was an example for me personally that we can be the generation that eradicates absolute poverty if we all stand together like we did on Friday night!



* head banging * hayley singing : Keeeeep on ROCKING IN THE FREE WORLDDDDDDD



Ok, maybe I will stick to my day job…. But BONO was there, and performed with Eddy Vedder, and The Edge. And yes, all that is reading this most likely already knows of this… But can I say how amazing it was to see the man himself. You see him on the ads, you hear about his advocacy in the news, and I personally start to take a man like that's word as gospel. At the concert he provided the same message as we see on the TV… and to hear it come from 'horses mouth as such,' continued to reaffirm that we CAN do it!



A quote from the man himself, which somes it up:

"When poverty kills 30,000 children a day.Solving Poverty Isn't a chartity issue anymore its a justice issue. It's not a great cause it's an Emergency!"-Bono on ABC lateline

So the musical highlights for me:



Always been a fan of Evermore, and they were terrific live! All my dance moves came out during the John Butler Trio's Funky Tonight, I want to have the moves like Sarah Blasko, and have never heard of Lior but think I may be a fan!



But it was more than just the A grade music…. I am still amazed that we were all there for one reason. Sometimes back in your own small communities, but still passionate that we need to Make Poverty History, you can become a little bit disillusioned, that no one cares, or you are fighting or making a stand alone! I now have my photos, my memories, and my experiences to remind me that it's a movement that wants to Make Poverty History, and as a generation we can do it!



If we can continue the work we do, and the strong presence at things such as the MPH concert we can further prove that young people do care about others. We already have record number of young people volunteering in their communities imagine the impact if it is US who make poverty history!



Soooo the concerts over… Did you miss it? I believe there is a dvd coming out in the Herald Sun on December 9.. so check out…. And with the concert over, what can you do??



Become a stirrer, and learn how to stir here



Log on and become a part of the Make Poverty History Movement here

hey all

apologies for not posting of late...

i have been posting on my own personal blog

http://www.misshayleys.blogspot.com

so head there!

xxhaylz

I've been watching from a far - the going ons of the Tasmanian Election..... Election day in that fine state is today, so this is just some rantings that I thought I would release.

One of the ongoing youth policies from the Green's for the past three elections has been giving 16 year olds the right to vote.... Their right would be non compulsory but once they register - it would be compulsory. (www.tas.greens.org.au)

The Greens justification for this is:

“If you are old enough to get behind the wheel of a car, you should be old enough to vote,” Mr McKim, Youth Spokesperson said.

I remember reading not so long ago that younger people in Australia are more than likely to vote Green... So it makes me wonder whether this is just a ploy for extra votes???

One thing I do like in the Greens policy - is funding to go in to a government mentoring service for young people - so youth can apply to be mentored by professional Tasmanians.... That is what we need to see more of in the world, youth need to learn! and when you want to start a business the best person to talk to is a business man/woman... someone who has done it!

I've watched this election and disagreed with alot... When asking Tasmanians I know about what they think about it all the most common response is 'who cares' - 'doesn't affect me'

Welllll it does! In Australia we need to erase the attitude of politics is boring, pointless, pathetic, etc.. At the 2001 federal election there was an absentee rate of just less than 5%, why is this so?

Its debatable but I believe it is the greatest way to challenge what is going on in the world... To speak out.. not walk around with your eyes shut, or with the belief that I am too busy, can't be bothered, in challenging the world.. We look back in to history the Suffragettes, union power, the list goes on people power is what brought on change... why is it so underestimated now? Has activism became a thing of the past????

Nelson Mandella said in relation to poverty last year " We can be that great generation " I think this is true in more general terms... we can be the generation that can make great changes, social, environmental, and economical, it can happen, but do we need to ask...

.... whats stopping us????