What can teens do to to help make poverty history?

Answer 1

The most important thing to do is educate yourself. Currently, the UN has an initiative to eradicate poverty by 2015, called the Millennium Development Goals. The UN Cyber Schoolbus has a great primer on them: http://www.un.org/Pubs/CyberSchoolBus/mdgs/index.html

That site also has information about how to get involved. The best thing you can do is share information with your friends and schoolmates, and start to remove the stigma around foreign aid, and inspire people to take in active interest in the world around them.

You can start a club on your campus, give it a name like "Students for Global Awareness" and create factsheets or give presentations at your school or even go to an elementary school with information for even younger kids. Start a school-wide campaign to collect spare change...The Coinstar machines in your local grocery store have a button to donate the change directly to the United Nations Children's Fund, or UNICEF.

You can also participate in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and instead of collecting candy on Halloween, ask for change. You can encourage younger siblings, friends, and other families to do the same. To order your own Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes, go here: http://www.unicefusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=duLRI8O0H&b=131717

Other great sites:
http://www.takingitglobal.org
http://www.youthlink.org
http://www.worldyouthalliance.org

Most importantly, if you'd like to dedicate your life to this sort of stuff, study hard, go to college, and major in Economics, International Affairs, or Political Science. The best way to end poverty is to be an educated citizen, and let our government know what we expect of them. If they fail to act, we must be there to change things from the inside!

Answer 2

That is the question of a lifetime. I seriously come to wonder if it can be done. There's a lot of ignorance out there and it has a domino effect on society. I believe the best way is to focus on getting a good education which would lead to a good paying job.
Praying for a heart of compasion from those much fortunate to help those in need. Prayer, prayer, prayer.
A messed up teen would give birth to a messed up child and have a messed up family, and transform into a messed up community and a messed up society in the end. But as true as that sounds, it doesn't have to be this way. Many teens drop out of school because of presure from family, being the only person in the fam. to graduate or whatever. The root of poverty starts at a young age. As parents need to focus on raising their kids with fundamental values would help reduce poverty in my opinion.

Answer 3

In the UK teens often babysit on Friday nights and go out with friends on Saturdays. Teens can volunteer to give exhausted young mothers (married or not) a 'break' once a week. Join Big Brother and Big Sister. Join Mentoring programs to be mentored (and not fall into poverty) and to be a mentor for someone else at the same time. Drink water instead instead of sodas and ask the mom you babysit for if you can donate your savings to her birthcontrol or vitamin budget. This is an excellent question! (Start a business and give the unemployed jobs!--lawn mowing; house cleaning; window cleaning, dog sitting, etc!) You're too young to work but not too young to start a business or hire others! [I have twelve other ideas!] Teens CAN stop poverty.

Answer 4

Become the best person you can. You can't help the world if you are a mess yourself. Stay away from drugs. Don't drink to get drunk. Think of others not just yourself. Then find an organization that has a proven track record of helping people and donate what time and money you are able to. We won't make poverty history, but we can keeping doing what we can to help as many as we can.

Answer 5

Well, we can get off our lazy butts and contribute to charities. We can donate money or clothing, or even food to homeless shelters. We, as a new generation can make a difference. We'll need to look around and notice that America isn't perfect either, there's homeless, starving, illiterate people all over the place who need our help. We can do something. You can also start by taking some of that cash you saved up for a shirt, or a videogame, or some makeup and instead, you can donate it to a local charity.

Answer 6

First you have to understand that poverty will never be history and to think otherwise then makes the pursuit null and void.
Promoting capitailsm is the surest way to give people the OPPORTUNITY to become what they want to become.
Welfare is one of the single most destructive forms agaisnt humanity.
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE IS GOOD
But that is different then state sponsored welfare.

Answer 7

Stay in School. Finish College and get a good job. Be responsible with your families and provide for them so the Government don't have to. Have safe Sex, so there are not a bunch of illegitimate children or abandon. This also reduces the cost of research for HIV.

Answer 8

Instead of spending all the money to buy things for yourself... probably do something to help the needy or help the poor or donate willingly. That's a start. And one more thing... be educated for your benefit.

Answer 9

don't be wasteful and selfish, help in donations of food, clothes and any other items that can help. volunteer time with organizations which help poor people or be positive and start up a teen organization which help the poor.

Answer 10

Poverty isn't just a bad thing - it keeps society socially balanced. Just like rich bastards.