A major issue we face today is ignorance.

Many of us seem to be oblivious of

the fact that there exists a world outside of ours; giving credence to the well-known
saying Ignorance is bliss. We are unaware of peoples concerns in other parts of the
world quite simply because they dont impact us directly. Prevalence of poverty is one
such issue that we ignore. Indeed, some of us are aware of global poverty but we seem to
lack a commitment or motive to help tackle it. Its easy to ignore the issue when one isnt
part of it. Such complacency adds to our acceptance that people around the world dont
require any assistance to fight poverty. Our busy lifestyles make it difficult for us to
devote quality time in finding sustainable approaches to mitigating poverty; our hectic
lifestyles demonstrate a lack of concern for issues that dont impact us.
In 2016, I was fortunate to receive an opportunity to travel to Ghana, Africa
through a non-profit organization known as Project Wisdom. We were 13 students
selected for a 2 week trip to learn about cultural, economic and social issues of
Ghanaians. Our travel was coordinated by entrepreneurs and NGOs in Ghana and our
objective was to immerse ourselves in the Ghanaian culture to learn and observe how we
can partner with locals. We carried medical supplies and athletic equipment donated by
Duke University and local communities at home and delivered them to various schools
and communities in Ghana. We taught kids in rural schools and exchanged ideas through
engaging lectures and spent quality time with communities in remote villages and got to
know each other on a one-to-one basis all the while building strong relationships with the
Ghanaians. Living amongst them allowed us to witness their pastoral lifestyles and
simple choices; they do not struggle with the materialistic temptations but rather live in
conditions we consider less than desirable. The experience was very humbling and the
simple lifestyles of Ghanaians left a great impact on us. Upon returning we shared our
experiences and highlights of issues facing communities in Ghana through various
community events in Wake Forest. We held a large pep rally at our school where we
presented our interpretation of the choices local Ghanaians make on a daily basis through
videos and talks. This was our way to connect our communities, friends and students with
people in Ghana. We made a difference by making our communities in North Carolina
more aware of global issues. We raised money from the pep rally for various needy
organizations. The fundraising lasted for a week and we raised over $7000. The money
was donated to organizations involved in eradicating similar problems around the world
such as One Love, Fred Hollows Foundation, and Challenging Heights. We were pleased
with our success over a short amount of time. Imagine the impact we can have if more
people continue to engage in such activities for a longer period of time.
There will always be some ignorance but we can all play a role in minimizing the
impact. There are many organizations that are engaged in eradicating global poverty and
sharing information to educate society. We can do our fair share to add to their efforts and
make a difference by sharing information on a global level. Organizations and individuals
engaged in similar activities pursue a noble cause and sacrifice much of their time and
energy to influence society. Lowering the level of ignorance by sharing knowledge with
people at a community level will allow us to develop together as a whole. Global poverty
is a daunting issue and will undoubtedly require time to solve. But if we share our
experiences from our travels to communities dealing with poverty, disease, education,
etc., we all will be more aware and educated about the need and ways to help others.