ROME – Talk of an “impending population bomb,” the Vatican’s representative to the United Nations said on Wednesday, has led to sometimes “draconian” policies, which ignore the complex nature of population growth. Filipino Archbishop Bernardito Auza, speaking to the UN’s Commission on Population and Development, said “differing regional and even country specific situations” need to Read more
Since 2011, Wellington-based Kiwi Community Assistance (KCA) has responded to local hunger by rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste. Last year KCA rescued in excess of 107,000kg of food from across New Zealand – a figure that is set to increase thanks to partnerships with three Countdown stores in the Tawa, Porirua and Read more
A former convent in Grey Lynn, now in use as a boarding house for the poor, is on the market. The going price is over $5 million. This week the owner was served with notices from Auckland Council advising he is in breach of numerous serious health and safety regulations. Owner Rentyn Turner bought it Read more
The geographical distance between the richest country in the Western Hemisphere and the poorest is only about 700 miles. But the economic distance between the United States and Haiti is astronomical. Poverty certainly exists in the U.S., but the percentage and severity of poverty in Haiti is far worse. According to the U.N.’s World Food Read more
Black Power and Mongrel Mob members met in Wellington recently to discuss strategies towards making their communities safer and healthier. Mongrel Mob member Harry Tam has held eight similar hui across the island. Tam, a former policy analyst, had been involved with the Mongrel Mob since his teens. He worked alongside four other social workers Read more
Kiwis struggling to feed their families are set to get a further helping hand from one of New Zealand’s largest supermarket chains. Countdown is setting aside $100,000 of its profits to create a contestable fund that will be available to food rescue operations. Currently the supermarket chain donates food that is still fit for consumption Read more
A friend who divides her time between New Zealand and the European country of her birth, says New Zealand is the most caring country in the world. “People look out for each other,” she says. “If someone falls in the street, people run to help them.” Her opinion may be fashioned by her own compassionate Read more
Facebook and similar communications’ technologies could be used to alleviate poverty, encourage the culture of encounter and bring a message of hope, especially to the most disadvantaged. This week’s meeting at the Vatican between Pope Francis and Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of social networking giant Facebook, looked at ways to achieve this. The meeting Read more
A dental initiative has allowed 850 low-income people to get free dental care this week. The Smile New Zealand programme set up by the Dental Association and the Southern Cross Health Trust gives basic dental care for community card holders needing urgent attention. Project manager Deepa Hughes said professional dental care was out of the Read more
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) recently allocated $4.5 million in private funds to the Coffee Lands Program. It was a first for us — invest to specialize in a single value chain. We chose to start the process of specialization with coffee. Why coffee? Because it turns out that a thriving coffee sector is good development Read more