A poor Indian girl gets help by tech and the warmhearted

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Tuesday marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration by UN General Assembly. October 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

This year’s theme is to “Answer the Call of October 17 to end poverty: A path toward peaceful and inclusive societies.”

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty /UN Photo

The Call to Action recognizes the knowledge and courage of families living in poverty throughout the world, the importance of reaching out to the poorest and building an alliance with citizens from all backgrounds to end poverty.

It was the sight of a poor Indian girl Divya that moved millionaire Australian businessman Dick Smith to send his people all the way to India to help her.

Chris Bray, the person who helps Divya entrusted by Australian businessman Dick Smith / CGTN Photo

Smith assigned the job of tracking Divya and her family to a couple from Sydney Chris and Jess Bray. They were given her picture which Smith had clicked from his iPhone while on a train in India.

Smith marked the GPS location and with these two clues the Brays landed in India to find Divya in three days.

They not just had to find Divya but also had to open a bank account so that Smith could regularly transfer money into this account.

The task was accomplished successfully and today Divya and her family are in a better condition financially.

But not many are as lucky as her. Millions live below the poverty line in India. For them managing a meal a day is sometimes impossible.

The latest global hunger index report shows India has slipped down three positions to 100th from 97th. Out of the 119 countries which were surveyed India is much below its neighbors and it is cause of concern.

Biraj Patnaik, a food right activist / CGTN Photo

Biraj Patnaik, a food right activist explains that while countries like China have done well by providing sanitation, primary health care and sanitation to their people but India’s so far only had a food based strategy which has not worked as nutrition has multiple dimensions.

According to experts, there is no alternative to tackle this problem but investing in public goods. But India’s model of growth at all costs is not working. Patnaik adds, "Growth at all costs which means greater subsidy to industry at the cost of public investment which is the Indian model just does not work."

If India has to meet the millennium development goals it has to change its strategy where they will have to invest in creating jobs and providing nutritious food to the women and children. It has to be an overall investment.

In the fight against poverty, the present government’s Swachh Bharat Program or sanitation program is a welcome step, but its implementation is the key.

Under-nutrition is one of the key indicators of poverty. By slipping to the 100th position in the global hunger index, India will have to revisit the social welfare policies to deal with this serious problem.