'Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice'--Nelson Mandela

I believe that poverty can be conquered. The recent drought and famine that has washed out East Africa is something everyone should take notice of. We are people who are very, very fortunate to go to such a prestigious school and have food and water on the table every evening. But the people of Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti are struggling to get little sips of water. Now, no rainfall has caused this problem, but it most because because of almost 20 years of fighting and a lack of national governments. Out of 12 million people, 750,000 are in danger of death. Half of those who have died are children. Don't you think this crisis deserves to be fought for?

'Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice' said Nelson Mandela. How true is that? The famine in East Africa is worth fighting for because children are left to die. All human beings have the right to live. Babies that were born on the way to or in refugee camps die because parents had abandoned them. No mother or father would ever do that, but in this case, there was no food, water, or shelter for the mother or the child. Some parents also have paid for 'guides' that will take them to refugee camps in places like Kenya. But those 'guides' are smuggler cartels, people who exploit the hungry, poor, and needy and leave them to suffer even more. The parents try hard to do whatever they can for their children, but they suffer the loss anyway.

Another reason why this crisis is worth fighting for is because it was and avoidable tragedy in places like Kenya. This dry spell was predicted, it could have been avoided. The only problem was that the government had failed to plan so the people were left to suffer their consequences. The government food handouts were insufficient due to the fact that bad roads and infrastructure weren't able to transport the crops. The food rotted away while people die hungry. I believe that the government could have intervened prior to the crisis but the situation became worse because they didn't do anything, especially when they knew the drought was coming.

Knowing that the people in East Africa suffer this much makes me feel sorrow and guilt. I feel ashamed that we have so much to eat while they have the drastic opposite, nothing. I feel pain when I see the pictures of newborn children who are merely skin and bones, their tired and suffering mothers trying their best to care for them. And that is one of the main reasons Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan. Allah (God) wants us to remember and feel what its like living without food and water, what its like for the people who really do fast, almost everyday of their lives. Reading the many articles, I felt compelled to do something, something that would help these people in need.