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your say: make poverty history

We asked all you budding writers to tell us your thoughts about Make Poverty History. We’ve had a great response and are proud to present your work online.

To make it easier to follow, we’ve grouped together your ideas under headings. Just click the names to get the full stories.

Nelson Mandela speaking during the launch of Make Poverty History
Photo: Mark Davey/Oxfam
"Setting this year as the year to end poverty... allowed a clear focus on the injustice of the poverty."
Vicky Eacott

"MPH is turning helplessness on it's head."
Rachel Holloway

"Millions around the world watched Live8, but did it just illustrate the gap between rich and poor?"
Ruth Webb

"2005 was THE year to do something."
Rachel Parker

Enjoying live performances at the G8 rally. Edinburgh, July 2nd 2005
Photo: Kieran Battles/Oxfam
"Before this, no young adult would admit to caring about the third world, let alone doing volunteer work."
Katherine Ellicott

"It would be difficult to find anyone who has not been greatly affected by this campaign."
Kathryn Senoir

"The Make Poverty History campaign has presented people from all walks of life with a common banner."
Giorgio Mariani

"Seasoned campaigners must have been astonished to see nearly a quarter of a million people in Edinburgh."
Edmund Woodfield

"A lot of voices calling together for more efforts to change the world."
Nelson Tchamo

Siging the Make Poverty History petition at Glastonbury 2005. Glastonbury
Photo: Toby Adamson/Oxfam
"I feel it is my duty to help banish poverty from our world."
Miranda Rhymer

"We are the generation who will have to see this through to the end."
Lucy Williams

"The solutions seem so obvious."
Kerris Kent

"There's only one way to start a revolution and that's to believe in it."
Gareth Jones

"From Generation Why, to Generation How, to Generation Done."
Fayruz Abdullhadi

"We can create a new cycle."
Susan Robinson

Baaba Maal wearing a white band backstage at the Live8 concert.
Photo: Toby Adamson/Oxfam
"A reminder of your potential to be great."
Liz Dodd

"Charity awareness is becoming more popular and even 'cool'."
Laura Ellison

"They just call them fashion bands!"
Yasmine A Dayem, from Egypt

"The MPH white band says, 'I don't want to live in a world where people die pointlessly, when it can be stopped'."
Hilary Aked

"With every wristband sold we are a step closer to changing the world."
Hannah Kiran

Oxfam supporters join the march around Edinburgh at the G8 rally. July 2nd 2005
Photo: Kieran Battles/Oxfam
"Although 2005 is coming to an end, we can't let that spark die out."
Claire Jones

"Inaction is not an option."
Carl Jobson

"Make Poverty History will be accomplished through both tiny steps and gigantic leaps."
Hollie McNish

"Where is MPH now? It should be in every newspaper, on every television, on every coffee table."
Brian Elliot

"Help people in poverty who live near you."
Diana Plaza, from Colombia

The 'Big Heads' of G8 leaders George Bush and Tony Blair at the G8 rally. Edinburgh, July 2nd 2005
Photo: Kieran Battles/Oxfam
"The governments of this world cannot sweep it under the carpet anymore."
Richard Mooney

"Aid without reform will lead to greater dependency."
Bernise Ang

"The solutions lie in breaking the cycle and to do that Africa needs help from rich countries."
Sarah Boyland

"We need to invest more money in AIDS treatment."
Duncan Mtuwa Kintu from Uganda

Make Poverty History banner at Trade Jutice Vigil, 2005
Photo: Kate Raeworth/Oxfam
"The fact is the aims of the coalition were ideals, which many knew were never going to be achieved this year."
Max Hogg

"If we haven't managed to 'make poverty history' in our own country, what are our chances elsewhere?"
Helen Jones

"In an ideal world we would all have a chance in life because everyone would have helped to make a difference."
Emma Smith

"We can make poverty history, but not in a year."
Claire Holland

"It is realistic. This is not the impossibly naïve idealism of youth."
Sahir Hamid
your say
Related articles and opinions from our Write for Generation Why team.
Charlotte Stemmer What next for the Make Poverty History campaign?
Charlotte Stemmer
02 December 2005
your say
What do you think about what you've just read? Have your say.

Make Poverty History
Make Poverty History Campaign
Oxfam and others came together in 2005 for Make Poverty History.
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