Ending Poverty

Dinakar Talluri

Mrs.Reed

American Lit 3rd hour

3 June 2017

Ending World Poverty

I believe in helping out societies and communities in third world countries that do not have the same opportunities than you have in order to end poverty. I think it is very important to put yourself out there physically or electronically to do whatever you can to help those less fortunate than you. According to Malaka Gharib, “Cowboys stadium takes up more electricity than he entire country of Liberia”(2). Gharib also mentions the fact that “Less than one perfect of US budget goes into fighting extreme poverty”(2). The stats are shocking to me. Now I would like to share a personal experience that I encountered. Last summer I traveled to Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, and this was probably one of the most life changing experiences of my life. This is a third world country that has gone through a lot in the past couple of decades. From a Tsunami in 2004 to a civil war that lasted over 30 years. The country has experienced it all, and so have the girls at this orphanage that have had the unfortunate luck of having to experience these traumatic events first hand. Some of these children had also gone through serious domestic issues: such as abuse. All these experiences can really take a toll on a mind of a young and innocent child. That is where my friends and I were able to help. Along with several doctors at University of Michigan, I went with about 25 other kids ranging from 6th grade all the way to college graduates. Even though there was a range of ages, every single person came with a huge heart and desire to help those in need. We traveled over 8,000 miles to be able to visit these beautiful girls. We all did what we could to help these girls and make sure they lived in a very safe environment. We contributed in a range of jobs that included: regular checkups on the girls, working at the nearby diabetes clinic to help local doctors, clean out the trash in the orphanage, improving infrastructure, and simply playing with the orphans to be able to keep them smiling throughout the day.

The mark it left on my life was indescribable.  It leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment, knowing you have done something amazing. Interacting with the girls was something that can never replaced. Even though there was a language barrier, that did not stop the relationships. I was able to create bonds with many of the girls that can never be broken. The bonds make you realize that they are just like us. It makes you feel awful to think they have had to go through some traumatic experiences unimaginable in the United States. It makes you feel how lucky you are. How spoiled you are living in this country. It also explains the fact you do not need 80 percent of the things you have in your household. Even without all this, they still live their life to the fullest and never fail to have a smile on their face every time of day. All of us U.S kids who traveled left there knowing we had made a mark, and left the orphanage better than it had looked before. Left the girls with some memories that they can think about everytime they go to bed. As a whole, it explains that all over the world there are places like Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Being able to take time out of your summer to spend couple of days anywhere, even in our own community can really bring life to those who have been less fortunate. It can really make their day or even a year.

Going to Sri Lanka has taught me a lot about the world in general. It has made me realize things that I have never before. It makes me think that there is more we can do so much a community, and I believe it is important for every single person to make a to reach out in order to make a difference. All it took was to see the smile on the little girls faces to be able to realize how beneficial reaching out on the community is for the less fortunate. I want to be able to research and do more to help not only this orphanage but many more all around the world. I stand for helping out societies in need to end poverty in third world countries.

Go to Grace Girls Home to show your support! Donations are always welcome!!

Works Cited

Gharib, By: Malaka. “25 Most Shocking Global Poverty Facts.” ONE. N.p., 18 Apr. 2017. Web. 06 June 2017

“Grace Care Center Home Page.” Grace Girls’ Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2017.

Schrader, Robert. “What Third World Travel Has Taught Me.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 08 June 2017.

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