Breaking the poverty cycle
Thu 06 December 2007
Renee Anderson, Journalism major
A Sunshine Coast resident is helping to ease the poverty cycle in undeveloped countries by supporting her extended family in Ghana and tutoring refugees in English programs.
Training consultant and volunteer tutor for migrants Carol Benn has experienced at the forefront the issue of poverty in undeveloped countries such as the African nation Ghana.
“My husband comes from a third world country and I know what conditions are like for people living in poverty around the world. When they leave their own country it’s not because they hate their country, it’s because they need to survive by getting out of the poverty cycle,” Mrs Benn said.
Ghana has over 20 million people that struggle with poverty and remain heavily dependent on international financial assistance.
“Ghana is geographically similar to the Sunshine Coast,” Mrs Benn said. “I found it pleasant climatically."
“Economically, it is really depressed as there is a large population (same as whole of Australia) in a much smaller area trying to survive on subsistence farming and a little industry.”
The support she has given her extended family in Ghana means they now have a house, clean water and facilities to start their own business of selling eggs.
Recently her help has extended to tutoring a Tibetan refugee, Tsewang Dhondup, six days a week in English to help him gain permanent residency.
The tutoring activities involve a strong focus on upholding Tsewang’s cultural ties as well as teaching him the Australian way of life.
“He has told me his experiences regarding his escape from Tibet which is under Chinese control; I got him to write his story so that he could develop better English writing skills, it’s an interesting story for me and an interesting exercise for him.”
Tsewang arrived on the Sunshine Coast two years ago on a temporary business (long stay) standard business sponsorship visa and has since been working as a cook at the Spirit of Tibet in Mooloolaba.
By coming to Australia it has meant he can help support his family in Eastern Tibet.
“Tsewang told me earlier this year that he wanted to help his family by sending money home to build a two storey home, the bottom storey would be used as a restaurant and shop,” Mrs Benn said.
The common homes in his village are made from mud and grass, with grass on the roof so the animals can graze.
“Through his help, Tsewang’s family has made a building from blocks (like besser bricks); it stands out like the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the village,” Mrs Benn said.
The cultural insight and personal satisfaction from tutoring migrants in Australia is rewarding, Mrs Benn said. She urges others to be more understanding of the benefits that migration can bring to regions like the Sunshine Coast.
“I enjoy seeing the improvement in self-esteem that people like Tsewang get from being able to do more in this community and in his own community in Tibet. For a shy man, Tsewang has been able to achieve more for his community by being outside it than by living in it.”
Image(s) designed by Tsewang Dhondup