“We must all work together to advance the rights of those living in extreme poverty and ensure that their voices are heard and their dignity respected”.

Magdalena Sepulveda
Carmona, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.

By standing up and speaking out, be it in a local community meeting or at the United Nations, each and every member of ATD Fourth World takes a stand alongside the poorest people. This stand takes courage.

Father Joseph, founder of ATD Fourth World, said about the first friends of ATD, “These personalities (…) probably initially thought they were getting involved in some ordinary program. Actually, they soon found that they were risking their credibility. Not only were they defending an indefensible population, but also, through their initiatives, they were offending existing charitable organizations (…) They were concerned about the outcome of risking their credibility in this way in the eyes of their own people”.

In this Newsletter we will hear about the advocacy initiative of the ATD Education for All recommendations. The Education for All team has met over 1,000 education stakeholders – parents, teachers, local street government leaders – and facilitated discussion between these stakeholders. Members of ATD have also met a representative of the Ilala District Education Officer who accepted the recommendations to add to their work.

The Dimensions of Poverty research was officially launched. We hear from Mr Kasian, member of the National Research Committee, who are leading the project. And finally, Pelagie, new friend of the Movement, shares her thoughts on discovering ATD. Every person in this Newsletter is ready to defend the rights of people living in extreme poverty, to speak out against injustice, to take risks in front of their own friends and community. To make a stand for social change. Through each initiative they are building our movement.

Hamisi Mpana
ATD Permanent Volunteer

Read the full newsletter!