Ways to End Global Poverty
By Robyn Cook
October 17 is observed around the globe as the International Day of Poverty Eradication. In observance of this day we are bringing you this article on efforts that can be done to alleviate poverty. Poverty does not discriminate; it affects people around the world. uReach is committed to making a difference in the lives of those affected by this.
In This Article:
1. What is Poverty?
2. Ending Poverty
3. Sustainable Development Goals
4. Education
5. Clean Water
6. Health
7. Ending the Stigma
8. Give Technology
9. How Can You Help?
1. What is Poverty?
There are two distinct types of poverty. Absolute vs. relative poverty.
1. Relative Poverty is not having enough money to meet basic needs or having access to resources; healthcare, food, sanitation, etc. to live at a comfortable standard of living.
It is often talked about as “living below the poverty line”. This is when a household income is 50-60% below the median income of a state or country.
Another distinction made is primary vs. secondary poverty.
Primary poverty is the same as relative poverty. Where even when money is wisely spent and budgeted it is still not enough to meet all needs.
Secondary poverty is when a household living in relative poverty, the money is misspent/mismanaged and leaves a family unable to meet the basic needs.
2. Absolute poverty is living on less than US$1.90 a day. This is the agreed upon number for measuring absolute poverty around the world. The United Nations definition is:
“a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services.”
2. Ending Poverty
One goal has been to end poverty by 2030.
The goal was to have no more than 3% of the world’s population living in poverty by the year 2030.
To attain the end much action is needed. We need policies and laws that allow everyone fair access to basic sanitation, food resources, and jobs.
On December 22, 1992, resolution 47/196 was adopted by the United Nations. This resolution can trace its beginning to October 17, 1987, when thousands gathered in Trocadéro, Paris where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed to honor victims of violence, hunger, and extreme poverty.
They gathered to declare that poverty was a violation of human rights, and that further action was needed. The resolution was adopted, and October 17th became International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
There is no single answer to this problem. Poverty is complex. There are so many factors at play that put people in poverty and keep them there.
It is manmade and therefore it can be eradicated. But it takes active participation.
The answer lies within individuals and within governments. It takes both parties working together to end poverty. There are a few key principles that will help in this goal, which I outline throughout this article.
3. Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations have 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These goals together are what is needed to end poverty and make countries stable. These goals are intertwined. They are interconnected.
You cannot strive to do better in one area but neglect the others.
A few of the 17 are quality education, clean water and sanitation, good health and wellbeing, decent work, and economic growth.
As you continue reading, you will see how the areas I have outlined fall under the goals of the UN.
4. Education
When children living in poverty receive education, they have access to more opportunities. They have access to jobs that require reading skills.
One of the biggest obstacles to better paying jobs for those in absolute poverty is reading skills.
As not being able to read or understand numbers disqualifies so many from jobs.
Education is being educated in all things.
It’s educating families on farming techniques they can use to grow a personal garden. Which will aid in eliminating food insecurity.
It’s being educated on hygiene practices, family planning, immunizations and many other things.
5. Clean Water
When you think of poverty, what do you think of? Hunger, the lack of food? More likely than not, yes. But did you know that water and poverty are linked?
If you can improve access to clean safe water, you can lift someone out of poverty. The leading cause of death for children under 5 in developing countries is diarrhoeal disease.
Worldwide 98 million people die every year from this disease.
“Water and Sanitation is one of the primary drivers of public health. I often refer to it as “Health 101”, which means that once we can secure access to clean water and to adequate sanitation facilities for all people, irrespective of the difference in their living conditions, a huge battle against all kinds of diseases will be won.”
Dr. LEE Jong-Wook, Director-General, World Health Organization.
In most of Nicaragua, clean water is a scarce natural resource.
Although water from rivers and streams can be purified, it is an expensive process for the struggling Nicaraguan families.
We seek to make potable water easily accessible to these families and communities.
Drilling sustainable, clean, deep water wells provides this necessity in life for those in need.
This is the tip of the spear to generating life and a thriving community of men, women and children.
6. HEALTH
uReach has started 3 new sustainable agricultural projects in a partnership with Convoy of Hope in Nicaragua!
Two of the projects are at local small rural public schools where the kids learn how to farm, what to grow, how to set up gardens using minimal water, and irrigation practices.
We hope that setting these up in public places that other local families can come and learn how to implement the same techniques and practices to grow their own food.
This will better their nutrition practices and provide opportunities to sell their surplus vegetables for a profit.
These same practices could be implemented in other impoverished areas around the world. Families would learn to grow their own food, they could sell the surplus, and would not have to worry about the extreme costs of water.
Eating healthy contributes to overall good health.
In Zambia More than 16 million people are at risk of malaria. It is estimated that in 2015, there were over 5 million malaria cases.
Though major achievements have been made in malaria control, the disease remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, with one in five children under age five infected with malaria parasites.
The communities see a significant malaria season each year from November through mid-January.
Each year, dozens of students return to school with Malaria and need lifesaving treatments.
It costs only about $5 to cure Malaria.
You can give to support this life-saving medical intervention.
7. Ending the Stigma
The stigma surrounding poverty needs to be addressed.
There is an appallingly large number of people who think those impoverished are in that situation because they do not work hard enough.
They fail to see the external factors that often lead people to being impoverished.
Everyone already has fully formed opinions which plays into the stigmatization.
They do not see the wage inequality of those in rural Baja California Mexico.
Where they make $4 working in the fields for 12-hours, and though they work every day, still do not make enough to support their family.
When we meet the women we build houses for they have been so disregarded in their lives that when they get their own place, it gives them new hope for the future.
The stigma in America about the poor is that they are lazy and irresponsible. This is especially seen regarding families who receive welfare.
Everyone has an opinion on how the poor should spend their money and see the need to control how it is spent.
The wealthy see it as their job to determine how the poor spend their money because they believe the poor are unable to make the right decisions in that regard.
Because the poor are unable to make these decisions is the justification the wealthy use for their response of controlling the lower class.
This stigma actually goes back a few hundred years to the English Poor Laws of the 1800s in England. Look up the history, because its only when we understand history that we are able to do better.
8. Give Technology
Technology has become such an astounding tool for communication and connection. Children who learn computer skills, will have the chance to break the cycle of poverty that has passed through the family.
uReach has sent Dell computers, and android tablets to Zambia Africa, and B.C., Mexico.
Teaching computer skills gives access to a whole new level of jobs.
It not only helps individuals but the country. It allows the country to be a part of the global market in ways they could not otherwise.
Same is true for those in rural cities. Students are being taught computer science in Zambia.
In Baja, Mexico we are working on our first computer lab, using donated Mac desktops.
Having access to computers and internet also helps in education in these rural places.
Not enough kids have access to education.
Having access to technology would allow for students to be able to keep their education.
It would allow for those who can’t physically go to school to be a part of an online school.
9. How can you help?
It doesn’t take much to help.
As cliché as it sounds, every little bit helps!
In your own city find a food pantry or homeless shelter to donate to. Donate food, clothes, and your time.
As we see in today’s political climate, exercising our civic duties in voting, is another way to help.
It starts on the local level. What is your city doing for the impoverished? What kind of policies need to be implemented or changed?
Then it goes up from there to the state and national levels. What is your congress elected officials doing to end poverty? What kinds of laws are they passing?
Voting on these policies and measures is important.
Get involved with a local organization. They often have community projects that you can be a part of.
If you want to be a part of change through uReach read on for ways you can do so.
Donate: We are committed to making a difference in the eradication of poverty here at uReach. When you donate to us you can guarantee your funds go to helping those in need. Follow this link to give.
See what StudentReach will
use your donation for here!
Volunteer: You can sign up to come on a uReach expedition. You can make a difference. In the midst of overwhelming poverty, the rich cultures and resilient people will amaze you. The potential in every child is as unlimited as the rain forest that stretches without end. After this trip, you will never see the world the same way again.
Contact us: Reach out to us today for more information. We are easy to get in touch with. You can call us, text us, DM us on social media, or use the contact form at the top of our page.
What do we do?
Here at uReach we work with those living in absolute poverty.
We focus on Baja California Mexico, Zambia, Africa, and Nicaragua.
We take groups of people on week long trips to help build houses for women coming out of abuse/trafficking, for single moms, and for special needs families.
In Mexico the community we built for single moms, Hope Village, helps break the cycle of poverty.
While living at the village they are taught parenting techniques, how to get a job, how to cook, take care of a home and their children, and about finances.
When they graduate from the program, they are able to provide for themselves and their children.
After having saved enough to buy a piece of property, a house is built for them.
We take steps to ensure that these families will not be thrust into poverty by ensuring they have a stable income and are able to afford taking care of the home.
Taking a trip with StudentReach is way more than just traveling – it’s you being a hero to someone who desperately needs help.
We work with people living in absolute poverty.
What can you do to help? More than you think. You can be a hero.
Come on a trip with us today!
DONATIONS IN THE PAST HAVE HELPED:
Why you should donate to StudentReach:
We are not a for-profit middleman or third-party donation site – we are the actual non-profit.
We will use the proceeds to change peoples lives!
We work in:
- United States
- Baja, Mexico
- Zambia, Africa
- Nicaragua, Central America
What we do:
- Housing
- Water Projects
- Education
- We mentor at-risk youth
- We work with schools to prevent exploitation, human trafficking and suicide
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