Blog Action Day: How social media can bring about change.

Today is Blog Action Day, an event aimed at starting a worldwide discussion of poverty. As I write this, more than 11,000 sites have already taken part, bringing the message to an audience of in excess of 12 million people. (And the day is young!)

Here in Alabama, poverty is never a distant problem. Our state has made great strides in equality, though the gap between our richest and poorest residents remains the second largest in the nation. But even here in the Southeast, it can be easy to overlook the daily hardship on our rural neighbors.

Meanwhile, more than 1 billion people worldwide are living in extreme poverty, and recent spikes in food prices are driving an estimated 100 million more people toward malnourishment and starvation.

So what can we do, other than sit around blogging about it?

On the local level, you can help support groups that help improve life for the needy among us. If you live around Birmingham, we’d love to have you join our Facebook volunteer group for The Table, a wonderful nonprofit that feeds the homeless and hungry.

We've also been deeply involved in this year's Live United fund-raising campaign for United Way of Central Alabama, which offers countless vital services to our area's most at-risk residents.

On a global level, consider lending $25 or so to an ambitious third-world entrepreneur through Kiva.org. The site lets you make small, interest-free loans that can help recipients expand small businesses or buy supplies to launch a new shop. (Pictured at right is   Adzoto Gadzo of Togo, one of 14 Kiva borrowers my wife and I have lended to since starting an account in our daughter's name at Christmas. We've had a 100% repayment rate.)

To celebrate Blog Action Day, I’ve created a new Kiva Team called Social Media For Change. If you’re reading this, then you qualify for membership, so join the team today and invite your friends. Together, we can raise thousands of dollars and help create a ripple effect that brings hundreds of people out of poverty.

RELATED: Check out Advergirl's fantastic writeup for Blog Action Day (and I'm not just saying that because I make a cameo).

Comments

[KivaB4B Team]

HI all.
KivaB4B is contributing $10,000 to support Blog Action Day. KivaB4B is a new partnership between Kiva and Advanta Bank that lets you double the loans you make through Kiva, up to $200/month. It's a very cool program. Check it out at KivaB4B.org. There's also a very unique affiliate program they offer to blogs and other sites. There's a description on the blog, http://b4bcommunity.org/2008/08/the-kiva-affiliate-program-hel.html

KivaB4B Team

[kouji haiku]

i love kiva. :) am currently unable to make a donation though, so i put up its banner on my blog, as well as that of freerice (rice donation via gameplay) and goodsearch (donation per search).

saw this post via the front page of blog action day. it's great that you're participating. :)

[Alex]

Great post, I myself wrote one at: http://www.guruofsales.com/general/427/fight-poverty-its-blog-action-day-today and the action has not stopped. Would you share your thoughts by a comment there as well?

[ChabrellIgaN]

Zdraste! Vot takoi vot u vas horoshiy sait. Spasibki.