Chilled Leo mentioned recently in one of her comments/posts how hard it must be for rough sleepers at this time with the weather being so cold , and today on the news I was shocked to hear that the average life expectancy for a rough sleeper is 47. I also heard a figure of 43 mentioned ( not sure if that's for men or women)
How sad is that?
The governments cap on housing benefit will not help families, but instead may put an enormous strain on those already struggling financially who need support.. not punishment.
Just thought I'd mention that I looked up life expectancy in the Congo and found that for men it's 53 and for women 56
In Somalia for men it's 48 and for women 52.
My choice of selection was purely because we know them as countries that have experience long term, serious civil conflicts.
Yet... they're outliving rough sleepers right here in the 'wealthy and democratic west'
Back to the UK... the bedrock of any community is family.. and families are not always blood related.. but the concept of great family is one of care , nurturing, guidance, support, encouragement belief, and a strong desire to aid its members in reaching thier full potential... love.
If the 'success' of any country could be measured by the number of rough sleepers, or, people living in poverty.. I fear we are not doing as well as we may hope, or like .. 'our' focus is on economic health and well being, and not perhaps unfortunately.. what really matters... people
Superb post, so well said – here, here!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Grogan.. quite sad really
ReplyDeleteOK am stumped by the statistics.....so an average person living rough on the streets of London is actually doing far worse than a man in the congo.
ReplyDeleteThere's something to be said for politics and the change of hands in power one individual may be elcted and the countgry flourishes, another comes into power and we start to suffer the wrath of poverty. You know am not quite sure if the government is trying to contain crime or increase it. Because as far as am concerned people may take the view of I shall do anything necessary to feed, cloth and provide a roof for my family to rfest their heads!!!
the difficult times are becoming DIFFICULT!!!
Yes.. it would seem so...worse than a man in the Congo!!
ReplyDeleteThe difficult times are indeed becoming difficult (capital D) I believe and hope a shift is occuring and will occur to the betterment of the people.
Okay I never lived through the 'war/s' but I understand they were very difficult times, and for some time after that.. but what 'the people' lacked in material wealth/goods.. they made up for with 'something else... that 'something else' interests me... having said that 'man' cannot live on fresh air alone.. and i'm not sure the levels of inequality that existed then .. are even remotely comparable with what were seeing now..