Did you know about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Are you doing your part to transform the world by 2030? The “No Poverty” sustainable development goal is my “giant” goal. What is your own goal? It may be just a little effort on your part, but that little effort can have a giant impact on the life of other people around you.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity (UNDP.org). The SDGs are an initiative of United Nations. They are also officially known as “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The SDGs are a set of seventeen Global Goals contained in paragraph 54, United Nations Resolution A/RES/70/1, which was adopted by countries on September 25th 2015.
The following are the 17 goals to transform our world – the Sustainable Development Goals:
- No Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Good Health and Well-Being
- Quality Education
- Gender Equality
- Clean Water and Sanitation
- Affordable and Clean Energy
- Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Industry Innovation and Infrastructure
- Reduced Inequalities
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life Below Water
- Life on Land
- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
- Partnership for the Goals
For each of these goals, there are specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. These goals can only be achieved if everyone gets involved and do their part. Everyone means everyone! Myself, You, the government, the private sector, the academia and the civil society.
THE “NO POVERTY” SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL IS MY “GIANT” GOAL. WHAT IS YOUR OWN GOAL?
During my undergraduate degree program, I learned about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the eight international development goals for 2015. The No 1 MDG then was to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. When I heard about the SDGs for 2030, and that the 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, I knew I have to be part of it and do my part to achieve the goals.
The Goal 1 of the SDGs is No Poverty. This is the goal to end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030. This one goal is my “Giant Goal”.
My Giant Goal is to End Poverty, especially in Africa!
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
According to United Nations (2016):
“The overwhelming majority of people living on less than $1.90 a day live in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa and they account for about 70 per cent of the global total of extremely poor people”.
The United Nations (2016) also cites Nigeria as one of the lower middle income countries that are home to about half of the global poor. This also includes China, India and Indonesia.
Many countries in African are blessed with natural resources that can potentially transform their economies and the lives of their citizens. These resources are continuously being discovered in many African countries. The question becomes, why are so many people still living in extreme poverty in Africa?
Stiglitz (2012) stated that:
Resource-rich countries often do not pursue sustainable growth strategies. They fail to recognize that if they do not reinvest their resource wealth into productive investments above ground, they are actually becoming poorer.
The reinvestment of resources is not only a poverty related issues with the government or the policy makers, it is also an issue with individual consumers. True wealth is not in the size of the income, but in the size of the income… Share on XIn other words, our ability to reinvest our resources to reproduce more resources creates wealth.
PUTTING MY GIANT GOAL TO ACTION
The fact is there are many dimensions to poverty, and its effects come in different dimensions too. The goal to end poverty requires collaborative effort of the different stakeholders in the society – the policy makers, the private sector, the academia, the young and old. From unemployment, to low income, social exclusion, diseases, lack of knowledge and lack of awareness of impact of poverty and other financial issues; each of these represent an area we can focus on and promote.
This collaborative effort can help us achieve growth, build wealth and end poverty. With enabling environment created by the policy makers, we can create jobs, stimulate pro-poor growth, and be able to end poverty and sustain it.
“True prosperity begins when we are able to grow and sustain the growth”. Share on XI am Dr. Charity Ezenwa-Onuaku, an educator, a social entrepreneur and the founder of WealthyGen. The No Poverty Sustainable Development Goal is my “giant” goal. I have chosen to do my part of ending poverty through the following ways:
- Increase awareness of the goal #1 and the impact of poverty.
- Teach financial education to improve financial knowledge and skills.
- Raise awareness of financial issues and improve financial inclusion
- Inspire through the stories of “African Giants” who found success even when the odds are stacked against them; and share the strategies and skills they displayed to overcome the challenges they faced.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
The “No Poverty” sustainable development goal is my “giant” goal. What is your own goal? You can join my movement to end poverty in Africa. There are so many we can do as individuals, and so many we can do collaboratively.
Have you heard of the “The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World”?
According to United Nations, “every human on earth – even the most indifferent, laziest person among us – is part of the solution” to save the world. The Lazy person’s guide to saving the world is a compilation of the few of the many things you can do to make an impact.
To learn about how you can help to end poverty in Africa, send me an email at info@wealthygen.org You can also join the movement on social media. Post about goal #1 – No Poverty, or your favorite of the 17 goals using #MyGiantGoal.
You can also contribute to a sustainable future through these actions you can take in your everyday life. Visit:
The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World
To learn more about the sustainable development goals visit:
www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
Feel free to share and post your comments below.
Remember, it is possible to end poverty through financial education.
