One of World Goodwill’s abiding purposes is the mobilisation of goodwill in the world. As part of this remit, we seek to inform our contacts of the many worthwhile initiatives around the world being pursued by individuals and groups on behalf of the Common Good. These initiatives and programmes are incredibly diverse, covering all the many challenges – political, social, ecological etc. – that face us in this current testing time for the planet. The groups who undertake them are often described as non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, or social enterprises. The thread which unites them is the energy of goodwill, which motivates their persistent efforts to create a better world for all.
Our newsletter readers will already be familiar with the “Goodwill News Briefs” and the “Transition Activities” sections which we use to highlight this type of work in the newsletter. As a further development of this, Goodwill in Action (lucis.typepad.com/goodwill-in-action) is a blog which seeks to aggregate information from the Internet, highlighting examples of goodwill in many different situations. Below is a small selection of entries from the blog:
“Vietnam to help Chad improve food security (http://bit.ly/9Iy4pB)*. A positive example of "South-South" cooperation, facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, demonstrating that development and mutual aid is becoming the responsibility of all nations.”
“‘Honesty and hypocrisy in facing terrorism.’ (http://bit.ly/eQ9wrz)* The unredeemed, unrecognised aspects of the personality of an individual or a people constitute a barrier to the soul. Goodwill helps to foster an atmosphere of clarity, courage and honest self-evaluation in which this psychological blind spot can be recognised and vanquished. In the article, Ziad Asali and Hussein Abish shine a light on attitudes to Christians within the Arab world, and make constructive suggestions for change.”
“Health Care and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (http://nyti.ms/c3YTl4)*. Tsepo Kotelo’s story shows the critical need for something not usually on the global to-do list for Third World health:motorcycle maintenance.
Lesotho has some of the world’s highest rates of AIDS and tuberculosis, and much of Kotelo’s time is spent counseling and testing people for these diseases, giving talks about AIDS prevention, and helping people stick to their treatment plans and deal with side effects. He also checks the water supply, helps villagers improve sanitation, weighs and immunizes babies, examines pregnant women and treats basic diseases.
Until 2008 Kotelo could visit only three villages a week, because he had to reach them on foot, walking for miles and miles. But in February of that year, Kotelo got a motorcycle – the best vehicle for reaching rural villages in Africa, most of which are nowhere near a real road. Just as crucial, he was given the tools to keep the bike on the road:he received a helmet and protective clothing, he was taught to ride and trained to start each day with a quick check of the bike. His motorcycle is also tuned up monthly by a technician who comes to him. Now, instead of spending his days walking to his job, he can do his job.”
