We live in a country where we do not need to worry about what we eat.

We live in a country
where people are not dying in the streets. But is every nation like this? Is every state as
wonderful as ours? Here in Spain, we are tolerant. We can all have our opinion on any
matter. We can have whatever sexual preferences we want, without anyone judging us. We
can vote to elect our rulers. Because we are good and civilized.
In Europe, we are well-mannered. We do not solve our problems with violence. Almost no
one steals from others. Nobody hits others on the street. We give up our seats to our elders.
Because we are good and civilized. All of us have a house to live in. The minority who does
not can go to shelter houses. We have a school to study in. A supermarket where we can
buy all the food we want. Cars, trains, and planes to go where we like. Because we know
how the economy works. Because we are good and civilized. Right?
Why are we this way? Are we different from the others? Are we special? Did God want us
Europeans to be good and civilized and the rest of the planet not?
Of course not. We are this way because we are not hungry. Because we do not have to get
up every day and wonder where we will find today's food. Because we are not poor.
Because we do not have to steal from our neighbours to be able to eat breakfast. Because
we do not have to kill anyone so that our parents and future children can survive.
It would be a problem if these disgraceful events happened in our country. But nothing
happens. Here we will never go hungry. That is something that happens in other places, in
other countries. Like Sudan, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan. Right?
Until 2011, Syria was not as prosperous as our country, but millions of people lived in
comfortable and peaceful houses. In Syria, every child wakes up in the morning with a kiss
from their parents. It was like Spain, like England. Then, a civil war broke out. As of today,
13.4 million people according with the UNHCR, have lost everything. Their houses, family,
and friends. And of these, 6.7 million have had to leave their country. The vast majority
suffer from hunger and poverty in refugee camps in Lebanon and Turkey. Have they done
anything to deserve it?
It was Thursday, February 24. People in Kyiv made plans for the weekend. Some would go
to the cinema. Others would spend the weekend in the beautiful places around the city.
Some would stay at home, playing Wii, network chatting with their friends, or throwing
parties with the family. So, that day, thousands of Russian soldiers, and tanks crossed the
eastern border of their country. Today, most of them have lost everything. Many children
have lost their parents. Their women, their husbands. Their homes. More than 8 million
Ukrainians, according to UNHCR, have had to leave their homes and are trying to survive
across Europe. 17 million need urgent humanitarian aid. Have they done anything to
deserve it? No. Of course not.
Those 13.4 million Syrians. Those 17.6 million Urcanians. They have stopped being good
and civilized. They have stopped smiling and cheering. They had been left with no choice.
Does this cheer you? It could be you being in this situation, it could be me, it could be
anyone!
Poverty should decrease, and statistics should go down as time passes. But it does not. It
increases. All the speeches governments and citizens had delivered. Saying we were going
to change. Saying that poverty was going to disappear from our planet. Has the majority
done anything to prevent it? No. Has poverty changed? No. Individuals talk, talk and talk.
But nothing happens. Nothing shifts. Why do think is this? Is it our problem? Obviously yes.
Over the years, people always directed to Europe when saying countries with no poverty.
Now, there is none. Poverty in Spain is rising, poverty in England, and poverty in Germany.
According to RTVE, 27.8% of the country is poor, starving, or in economic issues. Did you
think Spain was the only country not involved? The “perfect” one? No!
Most of the people in our economic and social place, do not need to worry about this.
People in school do not care. Because our parents are not in that percentage. But can we do
something to change? Yes, I am sure. And are we involved? Yes. So much oh Spain, Spain
is our nation, but no one does something.do something for Spain! Save her! If we work
together, we can. We can lead the country to less poverty and less hunger. Wouldn’t it be
great?
What percentage of people across the world do you think are poor? 5%? 10%? 1%? 10%.
10% of the population is poor, in every sense. You might think it is not so much. But ten per
cent is 736 million people that live with less than 2 euros each day. Ten percent of Spain’s
population that live below the disgraces of poverty. Ten percent of the population that are not
happy in their day a day.
We must think about this when seeing those thousands of people trying to enter our country
looking for a better life. We must help people and try to make them feel comfortable, not
worried, and unhappy. I remember the day I met a Ukranian family. They were finding a
house to stay in for a couple of months until they could find an agency to help Ukranians or a
job. They told us they had lost everything. Not just their belongings but everything. Their
house, friends, and family. It was so sad to hear them say that. Imagine being a child of
approximately six years and having to leave your country because of a war.
Poor children in Africa that suffer from starvation, malnutrition, poverty, and all the
disgraceful events together. I just cannot imagine how their life must be. How they can be so
obedient and, amusing. And here, we complain about everything. Disgraceful. Incredibly sad
too.
Let's see if we can change that 10%. Let’s see if we can take away a digit. To go to 0%. I
know we are not perfect. I know that we cannot just snap our fingers and that poverty, and
hunger disappear. But each one of us can help. Each one of us can supply aid, by giving
them food, anything can make a poor child happy. As Nelson Mandela said: “As long as
poverty, injustice, and gross inequality exit in our world, none of us can truly rest.” Let's
make that true. Let's make poverty and hunger disappear.