"What word would you use to describe being poor?", the group leader asked of us ... "broke", one replies ... "homeless, hunger, unfair, survival ... ", as other answered.That's the question we tried to answer by experience at the Crossroad's Life X-perience. The Crossroads Life X-perience is an event offered at Crossroad's global village - a themed, immersive environment where people can experience global need, such as poverty, first hand. The Crossroads Foundation is a Hong Kong based non-profit organisation which serves as an intersection between those in need and those who can help.
Our group participated in an activity called the "Paper Bag Game". In the 2.5 hour activity, we tried to earn enough to survive by making paper bags out of newspaper and home made glue. Our group must earn enough to pay for rent, food, sanitation, medical needs and, if we are fortunate, education. Those that cannot make it end up in the hands of a loan shark. This is the situation that families living in the Indian slums faced every day.
During the activity, we struggled to meet ends needs. As a "family" we worked hard to make enough money for food and shelter. Things we now take for granted, such as sanitation and health, were considered "luxury". If we could not obtain health care and sanitation, our family members became "sick" and became unproductive. In addition to the poor conditions, our family members had to make "sacrifices", such as selling items, selling services (e.g., massages), selling souls (as a wife to the loan shark). Our family's lives were at the mercy of the shop keeper because s/he was the one in power.We learned that poverty was about survival, it's about working together, it's about sacrificing. It's a vicious cycle, and it's the dream of all those in poverty to get out of this vicious cycle.
After the activity, we were served the "buffet of the poor". We ate rice, an Indian dish made out of lentils, and an African dish that literally meant "food to push through the week (until payroll)". We ate with the tool for the poor - our hands, and drank out of the cups of the poor - a plastic bag.
After lunch, we had a chance to give back to Crossroads by volunteering at their facilities. A group of us helped renovate the living quarters for Crossroad volunteers.For more about Crossroads Foundation, check out www.crossroads.org.hk
