Giving Money To The Poor

Question 1

Ways to help the poor

Answer 1

1. Short-term aid (immediate help that focuses on short-term survival)
2. Long-term aid (help over a longer period of time that has a more lasting effect).
   Many Christians and Buddhists try to help provide both types of aid, by supporting charities and campaigns that help those living in poverty.

Question 2

Short-term aid definition

Answer 2

. Help given to communities in a time of disaster or crisis.
. Help given directly to the poor to relieve their immediate needs.
. Also called emergency aid.

Question 3

Short-term aid examples

Answer 3

. Providing supplies of food and water after an earthquake.

. Giving money directly to homeless people on the streets.

Question 4

Short-term aid pros

Answer 4

. Important for survival in the short term

. Displays compassion and kindness

Question 5

Short-term aid cons

Answer 5

. Does not tackle the underlying causes of poverty

. Can make people reliant on whoever is giving out the aid

Question 6

Long-term aid definition

Answer 6

. Help given to the communities over a longer period of time, which has a more lasting effect.

Question 7

Long-term aid examples

Answer 7

. Providing education to help people to find better-paid work.
. Providing farmers with tools to improve their efficiency.

Question 8

Long-term aid pros

Answer 8

. Helps people to become more self-reliant.

. Helps to solve the root causes of poverty.

Question 9

Long-term aid cons

Answer 9

. May take time to have an effect.

. Does not help with short-term survival.

Question 10

Christian views on helping the poor

Answer 10

. Believe they have been given a responsibility by God to look after the world and the poor.
. Jesus’ teachings means they have a duty to show compassion and to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’.
. Many Christians try to balance providing immediate help to those in poverty (short-term aid) with helping people to use their own gifts and talents to get themselves out of poverty (long-term aid).
. Donate to charities such as CAFOD

Question 11

Buddhist views on helping the poor

Answer 11

. Generosity and compassion are important values for Buddhists.
. The Buddha taught that Buddhists should give freely, without expecting anything in return.
. For many Buddhists it is also important to give what will be of genuine help. This means some Buddhists might prefer not to give money directly to the homeless people, as they cannot be sure how the money will be spent. They may prefer to give to a homeless charity instead.
. Donate to charities such as the Karuna Trust.

Question 12

Other ways they might help include:

Answer 12

• Buying Fairtrade products. These have been made by workers who are paid fairly and work in good conditions.
• Supporting soup kitchens, food banks, and charities that provide help for those in poverty or assist them in finding work.
• Supporting campaigns that promote greater equality and a just society, such as the Living Wage campaign.