With the financial crisis of the last year wreaking havoc on families everywhere, there is no doubt that charities in general will suffer from the weakened economy. And many people, understandably, will say, “how can we help others right now if we cannot even help ourselves”? While this is true, there are still many people who have not been affected by the financial crunch and there are others who are making do with what they have and are donating despite their circumstances as a way to show gratitude for what they do have.

And while many of the organizations whose objective is to aid poverty stricken countries, will exist regardless of the financial crisis, it must be remembered that they have weathered other difficult times. Things will get better again but in the meantime, progress continues. Moreover, the reality of this whole situation is that the financial crisis of 2008-09 will clearly affect the Millennium Development Goals.

Reports are already surfacing indicating that certain countries or areas no longer feel they have a chance to meet the 2015 deadline. The problems are not solely that donation promises are not forthcoming but rather many other negative issues have impacted or will impact the successful completion of the goals.

• In times of tight economies, prices typically rise thereby creating hardships for those already disadvantaged. So, while steps are being take to teach self-reliance, increased prices are making it difficult to buy supplies.
• Corruption and bad governments will only worsen during poor economic times, thus thwarting the efforts of those trying to help and diverting the resources away from those who need them.
• Gas prices remain unstable due to the volatility of trading, thereby making it difficult for the poor.
• Banks in certain countries are not able to hold the cash necessary to make foreign exchanges. This is turn affects the country's small business people as their economic growth becomes stunted.

Contrarily, aside from the negatives, there is still hope and there are still wonderful things happening. For example:

• From the UNICEF News Note page “Starting in June 2009, for every SUNNAN solar powered lamp sold in IKEA stores worldwide, one lamp will be given to UNICEF to light up the life of a child... The first shipments are destined for Pakistan, helping children in camps for people who had to flee their homes”.
• In May 2009, the President of the Republic for South Africa signed into law the Child Justice Bill.
• Save the Children's “Kangaroo Mother Care” is helping to save premature babies in Malawi by binding the child to the mother's chest as a type of personal incubator.
• US President announces six year initiative to help improve maternal health and fight AIDS, tropical diseases and other illnesses.
• Pakistan will plant seventy million tree saplings in 2009 to meet the the Millennium Development Goals on environmental sustainability where they must increase the forest cover to six per cent by 2015.