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through force; this has been tried and has failed catastrophically in Iraq, as we see and hear every day, but,surely, we can at least try and educate, and denying the leaders the arms and weapons they always seem to have the money for, would be a start.

In countries hit by flood and drought, there is such a lot we can do, from donating cash, to be used by genuine aid agencies on the front line of these areas to ensure that it will go where it's needed, to supplying water purification units, wells and bore holes, along with the training and maintenance tools needed to guarantee continuing supplies of clean drinking water and water for growing crops; to providing tools, agricultural equipment and even the very seeds needed to plant reliable crops. Too many of those living in these areas try to scratch the simplest of livings from very unforgiving terrain; here in the West we have the technology, the expertise and the wherewithal to make a difference and to empower them to help themselves.

We need to bear in mind that, if we could achieve all that I have set out here, we still have to counsel the needy; they are fearful and suspicious and will remain so for a long time. After all, they have been able to trust and rely on no-one but themselves for all their lives. The effort that would be needed would mean hard work, heartache, soul searching, physical labour, the nightmare of the administrative and logistical requirements, and lots and lots of money. The money does exist; we always respond magnificently when natural disaster hits our fellow man, and the governments of the world have more than enough to spare after all, they can always find the money needed to start and maintain wars. There is an army of willing, kindly and compassionate people ready, at a moment's notice, to go into stricken areas and just do what they can to help. They ask for no reward, they do it because they want to. If we could tackle all these concerns and problems with fortitude, empathy, resilience and, of course, cash, we could alleviate the predicted shortage of food that looms on the horizon, and the world would be the wonderful place it should be with food and clean drinking water for all. After all, we all need these simple basics of life and we are all equally entitled to them.

Learn more about this author, Kathy Penney.
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