Pay it Forward
I have now had my two Covid-19 vaccinations. I say “my” as if I am entitled to them when, really, it is the good fortune of being born in a certain country and having all the privileges that wealth brings.
We have all been greatly disturbed by the horrendous scenes in India. Children, mums and dads dying in car parks, no oxygen, a queue of bodies for cremation and an ever-spiralling death toll. It is much easier to have a workable plan in this pandemic when sufficient resources are available: expert staff, facilities, equipment and, underpinning everything, money. It is much harder to predict how things will play out in many lower income countries and those with huge densely populated regions which may not have these advantages.
Mass vaccination has started in many countries
Rich countries are continuing to corner the market in vaccines. However, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and other countries are sending aid to India, most likely in the form of oxygen and ventilators. This is very much welcome.
Our recent blog, “Vaccine Apartheid” highlighted the ‘them and us’ situation with regards the pandemic. Some individuals and countries will be able to cope better and recover faster than others because of privilege. That is not a criticism of the ‘haves’ nor the ‘have nots’, simply a statement of fact. The question is, can those of us who are safer, less impacted and already closer to planning a return to ‘normal’, help those who are not.
I repeat a quote from our previous blog:
“I need to be blunt: the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure - and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries.
— Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization
Irish Methodist World Development & Relief (WDR) has already tried to point people towards educating themselves about this great injustice. At government level, WDR has asked readers to lobby their representatives to demand fairness in the distribution of vaccines. But is there something we can all do at our own level that will make a difference? Something that we have control over, and which brings tangible results for those in the maelstrom of Covid-19?
Irish Methodist World Development & Relief offers one way through its PAY IT FORWARD campaign.
The term, ‘Pay it forward’ means that, when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person. Hopefully, initiating a snowball of goodwill. Another way of looking at it would be “because I have been blessed, I will bless others”.
Mass vaccination has started in many countries
I have received two free vaccinations. Apparently, that cost my government about £25 (or €30). I am going to pass that on to WDR partners who are continuing to fight covid amongst marginalised communities in some of the poorest countries.
So, if you have had a vaccine, please join us at WDR, pay it forward and support partners across the world as they provide food, sanitising kits, covid education etc as well as continuing with their main focuses. They are under immense pressure.
In this way, we are saying “Thanks” for our privilege and acknowledging that we are part of a bigger global family, with all its members being of equal value. Who knows, perhaps we will start that snowball of goodwill.
If you would like to donate by cheque, please send your donation to
World Development & Relief, Edgehill House, Belfast, BT9 5BY.
Please include a note to say your donation is to the ‘Pay it Forward’ campaign.
Cheques should be made payable to Methodist World Development & Relief Fund.