Skip to main content

Give everyone a fair share














I am a life member of FairShare International, established by my friend Pam in Adelaide, South Australia. FairShare International (FSI) is a diverse, global community where everyone, individuals and families and businesses, take everyday action to distribute the world's resources (money, water, energy, minerals, etc) more equitably. The aim is to: (1) decrease the gap between rich and poor; (2) use the earth's resources more effectively; (3) create more ethical connections with others; and (4) conserve the natural environment and threatened species.

The motto is simply - 5.10.5.10 (five, ten, five, ten). What does this mean? It's an easy formula to help members achieve the 4 aims of FairShare International:

- 5 ( redistribute your own personal wealth by donating at least 5% of your income to a cause)

- 10 (reduce your use of water, energy and minerals by at least 10%)

- 5 (contribute at least 5% of your time to assist a local or international community)

-10 (take significant democratic action at least 10 times a year to correct global injustices)

The last one can be done by writing letters to politicians, the media, or corporations to take a stand for a cause, environmental, health, welfare, etc that you are passionate about.

By living 5.10.5.10 each day, friends of FairShare commit to giving directly, at their own discretion and according to their own individual passions. How do I do this? Here's my example:

I donate at least 5% of my annual income to causes, local and international (and this is not difficult to do because there are so many charities that require financial assistance). These include groups associated with fair trade, the wilderness, and improving healthcare in the developing world through sanitation, clean water, and aid to treat malaria, TB, HIV/AIDs etc. The idea is not just to donate to a charity but to consciously make a difference in the lives of disenfranchised or disadvantaged people and communities anywhere on earth with the aim of reducing the gap between rich and poor. I also include giving away at least 5% of my "stuff" - through recycling goods, clothes, etc.

I reduce at least 10% of my consumption by spending less on items I don't need; by reusing items of clothing; by repairing goods instead of unconsciously throwing them out; reducing water and electricity consumption and so on.

I also contribute at least 5% of my time to the community - for example, I am often a guest lecture at my local university, and I contribute to the community markets each week. For others it might include giving time at the local sporting competition for kids.

Lastly, I contribute at least 10 democratic actions a year. Much of this is done while I am on international assignments in developing countries - such as speaking with government officials or advocating for democracy in countries emerging from crisis and conflict. I also do this locally by writing letters to politicians for improvements to community projects, as well as to international politicians to take action against child labor, human trafficking, and a range of human rights issues.
In summary, the message is simply:

5: reject greed
10: tread lightly
5: connect with community
10: build democracy


For more information on FairShare International, see http://www.fairshareinternational.org/



 

 

MARTINA NICOLLS

MartinaNicollsWebsite

 

Martinasblogs

Publications

Facebook

Paris Website

Animal Website

Flower Website

SUBSCRIBE TO MARTINA NICOLLS FOR NEWS AND UPDATES 


MARTINA NICOLLS  is an international human rights-based consultant in education, healing and wellbeing, peace and stabilization, foreign aid audits and evaluations, and the author  of: The Paris Residences of James Joyce  (2020), Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Flaws in the Glass, a self-portrait by Patrick White: book review

The manuscript, Flaws in the Glass (1981), is Patrick Victor Martindale White’s autobiography. White, born in 1912 in England, migrated to Sydney, Australia, when he was six months old. For three years, at the age of 20, he studied French and German literature at King’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. Throughout his life, he published 12 novels. In 1957 he won the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award for Voss, published in 1956. In 1961, Riders in the Chariot became a best-seller, winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award. In 1973, he was the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Eye of the Storm, despite many critics describing his works as ‘un-Australian’ and himself as ‘Australia’s most unreadable novelist.’ In 1979, The Twyborn Affair was short-listed for the Booker Prize, but he withdrew it from the competition to give younger writers the opportunity to win the award. His autobiography, Flaws in the Glass...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...
1 comment
Read more