Getting On The Map

Recently, I was in need of a map of a certain country SMF would be working in later this year. Our efforts would be in providing a very basic health care response in a community that has had little to no response - extremely remote and virtually inaccessible. Needless to say, this community wasn't on that map. Nor any one of the 20 or so maps I downloaded trying to locate this small community. I wasn't surprised at all, this is the norm when working in third world countries with little infrastructure such as a system of roadways.

It got me to thinking, what percentage of the worlds marginalized aren't 'on the map' so to speak? It is an estimated 60% of the world lives at or below the poverty line (WikiAnswers, 2009) Then there is the question as to how to define poverty. Poverty is the shortage of common things such as food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water, all of which determine our quality of life. It may also include the lack of access to opportunities such as education and employment which aid the escape from poverty and/or allow one to enjoy the respect of fellow citizens. (Wikipedia, 2009) Scholars frown on pulling data from any public source such as WikiAnswers or Wikipedia however, even if a portion of these results are true, it is still astonishing.

So the impetus is to shed light on the impoverished and get them 'on the map'. We who have a voice must be the voice they lack.

Brian Crowe
Executive Director, Special Missions Foundation