On October 17, the World Day to Eradicate Poverty will be observed globally. Heusden-Zolder is also drawing attention to this issue. The municipality's Poverty Platform is organizing an awareness campaign at MijnMarkt to break down prejudices and make way for understanding and solidarity.
People living in poverty too often face prejudice, such as the idea that they are not trying hard enough or are solely responsible for their situation. However, the reality is more complex and can be caused by factors like job loss, unexpected expenses, health problems, or insufficient social support.
Wendy Boelaers, Welfare Specialist, emphasizes: “Poverty is not a choice and can be much closer than we sometimes think. Behind every situation is a different story. That's why it's so important that we don't judge too quickly, but listen and try to understand. With our campaign, we want to give people an accessible way to reflect on this.”
On Wednesday, October 14, the Poverty Platform is organizing an awareness campaign during MijnMarkt. Between 2 PM and 4 PM, staff will engage with visitors about the reality of poverty and the prejudices people face.
On October 17 itself, the theme will be made visible at the town hall, the Social House, and the House of the Child. A white sheet with a knot will be hung that day, an international symbol representing the difficulty of escaping poverty and showing solidarity with those living in poverty.
Alderman for Social Cohesion Steven Goris states: “Combating poverty also begins with how we look at each other. By letting go of prejudices and not reducing people to their financial situation, we are already taking an important step. As a local government, we want to help build a Heusden-Zolder where everyone counts and no one is left on the sidelines.”
No one chooses poverty, but together we can help to overcome it.
