Poverty
Hardly any participants in the demo of #IBinArmutsaffected
Participant in front of the Federal Chancellery in Belin. Those affected by poverty report on their experiences and problems via #IBinPoverty. photo
© Paul Zinken/dpa
Poor people may be under even more pressure these days due to rising costs. They describe their situation on the Internet and receive a lot of feedback. On the street, however, the influx is low.
Social organizations have acknowledged the #IBinArmutsaffected movement as important. Only 200 people took part in a demonstration that was advertised nationwide on Saturday afternoon in Berlin, according to the police. At a rally in front of the Federal Chancellery, men and women showed signs reading: “We need healthy food. Abolish poverty” and “Emergency aid for the poor”.
Since May, people have been describing their lives with very little money and their difficulties because of rising prices on the Internet under the hashtag #I am poor. The declared goal is to overcome the shame associated with poverty.
Social associations appreciate initiative
The managing director of the joint general association, Ulrich Schneider, told the German press agency: “We have never had people show their faces in this way.” From Schneider’s point of view, this has changed the mood of society. “As I see it, the comments stopped first, based on the motto: If you still have something to eat, you’re not poor,” said Schneider. “This complete negation of poverty, this ignorance, I don’t see that at the moment.” He added: “The fact that this trivializing of poverty has stopped gives me courage.”
The German Caritas Association also considers the movement important. “It is very important that people who are themselves affected by poverty actively participate in the political debate,” said association representative Birgit Fix of the dpa. “It creates a different sensitivity to this issue. It’s also good for democracy, because we know that people in poverty generally do very little political work.”
The impetus for the movement was a post by a single mother from the Rhineland on Twitter in May of this year. The hashtag #I am poor was used thousands of times afterwards. The “OneWorryLess” foundation supports the movement with public relations.