News > October 18, 2007

By Caitlin Brooks | Contributing writer

“We are asking not for charity, but for justice. We are millions of voices standing in solidarity to say, no more excuses – end poverty now,” reads the Stand Against Poverty Pledge, an optional component of International Stand Up Against Poverty Day. As sophomore Monica Petrescu concluded the pledge, 35 of her peers stood unified as a literal and symbolic symbol of opposition to poverty at the conclusion of this year’s annual Poverty Banquet, sponsored by Amnesty International.

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Lucky students eat their three-course meal at the poverty banquet Oct. 16, while others look on with envy from the floor. (Kevin Navikas/Old Gold & Black)

Students arrived on the fourth floor of Benson University Center and received green tickets at the door of Room 409. On the backs of 10 tickets was scrawled the number one; on another set, the number two. The remaining tickets were not numbered.

“Flip your tickets over,” said senior Will Rothwell, president of Amnesty.

“Those of you with a number one, you are lucky. You represent the upper echelon of the world’s population.”

The 10 lucky attendees rose and seated themselves at two elegantly arrayed tables with fresh salads awaiting them and two more courses to come.

“Those of you with twos, you are also lucky. You will be fed rice and beans, a nutritious diet that will sustain you, but that lacks luxury. You can remain where you are seated in your chairs.”

“The rest of you with no number, you represent the poorest people in the world, the bottom billion,” Rothwell continued. “You will receive plain rice, a meal which will neither fill, nor sustain you. You will have to eat your rice while on the floor.”

After dinner, two awareness videos were shown including a presentation by Hans Rosling on common misconceptions about the third world and poverty. Rosling is a professor of International Health at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Director of Gapminder Foundation, an organization that converts international statistics into moving, interactive and enjoyable graphics.

The aim of Gapminder and Rosling is to promote a fact-based world view through increased use and understanding of freely accessible public statistics, according to the Web site.

The presentation demonstrated that there is hope for poverty relief over time. Long term solutions and immediate aid are equally necessary.

“Our goal (for this banquet) is to raise awareness of poverty,” Rothwell said.

“We want to give a sense of what it is like to live in a world where disparity exists. We want people to get the uncomfortable feeling.”

“This message is most relevant to the people who come to Wake,” said senior Amnesty member Lawrence Ngo.

“We have the resources, the time, the money, and the education to go to these countries (where poverty exists) and make a difference.”

The message was well received. “I don’t know a lot about poverty really,” said sophomore Jackie Phillips before the start of the banquet. “I mean, I know it exists, but I don’t know the locations, the degree to which it exists, what policies countries are using to prevent it. I want to know how I can help.”

On her way out, Phillips said, “The actual reality of socioeconomic disparity was really poignant at the banquet. It makes me conscious of how much I eat and waste and raised my awareness of other people’s situations.”

She had sat on the floor as part of the bottom billion for the banquet.

Senior Claire Wiggins expressed similar sentiments at the start of the event.

“I feel like I can contribute (to poverty relief) now, but I need to be informed so that I can act. You can’t be involved if you are ignorant.”

Amnesty International collected donations after the banquet to be donated to poverty relief.

The funds raised will go toward The Hunger Project and Bridges to Community. The Hunger Project is a global, strategic organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger, according to their Web site. They specialize in promoting women in business.

Bridges to Hope, based in New York, works on projects in Nicaragua, the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere, to alleviate poverty through hands-on projects.

Sophomore Katie Breidenback has worked with the program for six years.

During a passionate speech about her volunteer work in Nicaragua, Breidenback said, “A house restores dignity and pride to the people … their ultimate hunger.”

Simple construction projects are a aid in the fight against poverty and hunger.

What can be done to alleviate poverty? “Get up and do something! Don’t just sit around and think about it,” Rothwell said.

“Education is key. Before you act, get a grasp of the situation,” Ngo said.