CORSO: Attacking Man-Made Injustice

A Poverty Handbook for New Zealanders

For the last two decades, we have been bombarded by seminars, discussions, public meetings and United Nations Special Sessions on world poverty, population housing and employment crises. Conferences, as we all know, are no answer to problems needing drastic action. The World Food Conference in Rome, 1974, to take one example, was distinguished more by empty platitudes than by plans for action. New Zealanders have become disillusioned about the worth of overseas aid (how much does a United Nations administrator earn anyway?). Official and unofficial aid programmes flourish, but the gap between the rich and the poor continues to increase.

Well, you can go and have another beer, and forget about the problem altogether, or you can start to wonder why no-one seems to be looking at the real causes of poverty. After some hard thinking, you might decide environmental, population, food, employment, housing and health problems are not unrelated accidents in a basically sound world system. You might conclude that these crises are related, and that they have their roots in the poverty of the masses and the affluence and power of the few. Then the reluctance of official aid and development agencies to tackle the real causes of poverty becomes clear. A restructuring of world financial and trading relationships (say) to meeting these crises could only take place in the face of strong opposition by the rich and powerful.

"The failure of world society to provide a safe and happy life for all is not caused by any prevent lack of physical resources..... but by economic and social maldistribution."

(U.S. International Symposium, Cocoyoc, 1974)

At this stage, it seems that all we can do is go and have a beer after all. What can one concerned individual hope to do in the face of wealthy governments, powerful trading blocs, and financial institutions, shipping and trading cartels, big business?

One individual can do little, but an organisation can do much. CORSO sent $650.000 overseas last year to fund community development projects to provide people with the resources they need to complete their own projects, (nobody knows better than a villager what his village needs). CORSO has been in the field since 1947, and is beginning to see that past 'solutions' have done little to liberate people from the real causes of world poverty. CORSO through the five points noted below, is making a concerted attempt to close the gap between the rich and the poor, by attacking the manmade injustices that lie at the root of world poverty.

1.	Millions starve because a few greedy people own almost all the land and keep the poor in poverty.
2.	Millions starve because greedy people arrange laws and support corrupt systems to cheat the poor. CORSO gives help directly to the poor and by-passes officials. In this way aid does not help the rich to become richer. CORSO aid helps with the formation of credit unions so people can avoid the moneylenders who often charge well over 100% interest.
3.	Millions starve because rich countries and large international companies control the prices poor countries can get for their goods, such as coffee, cocoa, tea and sugar. CORSO lends its support to the international campaign against those who exploit poor countries in this way. CORSO researches and produces information to show how we often keep our high standard of living at the expense of the poor.
4.	Millions starve because we help a little on the one hand and take back much more with the other. CORSO has changed its constitution to allow thousands of individual New Zealanders to become members of CORSO. They have formed 'Living Village' groups in communities throughout the country to learn how we exploit the poor and to help communities in other countries by supporting projects which attack the real causes of poverty. These groups direct the policy of CORSO. You can join.
5.	Millions starve because the money we do give is often used in the wrong ways - for religious evangelism, for political reasons, for unfair trade advantages. CORSO gives without religious or political favour. That meant helping the victims of war in all parts of Vietnam. It means we don't promote 'our way of life', or our various forms of Christianity in return for any help to sell their goods throughout New Zealand in CORSO's Third World' Shops because the trade balance with poor countries is almost always in our favour.

CORSO has a great deal of information on the work being done in New Zealand and overseas to liberate people from the injustices of poverty. Contact the Wellington Regional Organiser, P.O. Box 27-017, or telephone 844-560 for further details.

CORSO is holding its Annual House-to-House Appeal this Saturday, 17 June, and collecters are needed throughout Wellington to knock on doors for a couple of hours on the morning of the Appeal. If you want to work in an organisation that's fighting poverty overseas contact the person in charge of your district (see box) If you can't help on the day, give generously when the collector wakes you up on Saturday morning. Remember, CORSO's not giving your money away as handouts, but making the financial resources available for poor people overseas to set up their own community projects that will lead to self-reliance and a better life. Give others the chance.

Wellington North -	Newlands. Johnsonville, Khandallah, Ngaio.
District Co-ordinator -	David Edgar, 14 Raumati Tce, Khandallah. (Ph: 796-636)
Wellington South -	Brooklyn, Newtown. Berhampore, Island Bay.
District Co-ordinator -	Trish Mahoney, 14 Sutherland Tee, Melrose. (Ph: 896-768)
Wellington East -	Melrose, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Strathmore.
District Co-ordinator -	Phil Griffiths, 92 Monro Street, Seatoun. (Ph: 881-906)
Wellington West -	Wadestown, Northland, Karori, Makara, Kelburn, Thorndon, Kaiwharawhara.
District Co-ordinator -	Gavin James, 12 Terawhiti Tce, Karori. (Ph: 766-134)
Wellington Central -	City Central, Tasman, Mount Victoria, Roseneath, Hataitai.
District Co-ordinator -	Jane Burton, 9A Macfarlane Road, Mount Victoria. (Ph: 848-199)