Issue 1
77
POVERTY How Should a Country With Higher Poverty Level Lower Their Poverty Rates?
POVERTY – What are the effects? “Poverty is the worst form of violence” – Mahatma Gandhi
Poverty is a social problem. It is a form of violence. Poverty refers to the men women and children that do not have access to clean, safe water. They do not have the opportunity to a decent education. They do not get a roof over their head or a bed to sleep in. They get the sidewalk or an alley. If they are lucky, maybe they get a box or a park bench. Poverty stricken people don’t get to eat everyday or even every other day. They are typically very malnourished and many people die from malnourishment every day. People also die from the many diseases they obtain from being in the streets. They don’t have a strong enough immune system to fight off the infections. Poverty is caused by having a lack of an education. If you do not have an education, you don’t have many skills to get a job that pays well. You need a well paying job in order to maintain a healthy life. Many people live on less than a dollar a day. Without an education, you will have more of an issue finding a place that even wants to hire you. If your education level is low, you will be at the lower end of the pay chain. You will be making minimum wage, if you live in a country that has a minimum wage chain. You will be making minimum wage, if you live in a country that has a minimum wage.
DID YOU KNOW:
More than 800 million people go to bed hungry each night...300 million of the 800 million people are children. Of these 300 million children, only eight percent of the people are victims of famine or other emergency situations. Over 90 percent are suffering long-term malnourishment. Every 3.6 seconds another person dies from starvation and the majority of which are children under the age of 5 years old. More than 40 percent of the world's populations do not have basic sanitation, and more than one billion people still use unsafe sources to obtain drinking water. Four out of every ten people in the world don't have access even to a simple latrine. Five million people, mostly children, die each year from water-borne diseases because of the lack of access to clean, safe water. Every year six million children die from malnutrition before their fifth birthday
The Hard Truth About Poverty Around the World. Did you know? : If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of the world.
Poverty is an issue that is not only close to home, but is a worldwide issue. People are suffering everyday from not having enough to eat, not having the healthcare that is needed, not having the access to the basic needs that are needed. There are measures that can be taken to help the world poverty rate, such as donations, and abroad adoption of children less fortunate.
Could There Be Any Help For Poverty In The Poorest Country In The World?
Country Information LOCATION: Southern Africa CAPITAL CITY: Harare POPULATION: 11,350,111 SIZE: Slightly larger than Montana LAUGUAGES: English, Shona, Sindebele CHILD MORTALITY RATE: 1 in 8 children die
(highest in the world) LIFE EXPECTANCY: 44 years RELIGIONS: Part Christian 50%, Christian 25%, Indigenous Beliefs 24%, Muslim/other 1% ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER: Only 40% in rural areas, All population 82%
History
LITERACY RATE: 90.7% DOCTOR TO PATIENT RATIO: 1 doctor to 12,000 and falling
Zimbabwe became a nation on April 18, 1980. From their beginning there were very dark times such as the Gukurahundi massacre due to conflict between tribes. Over 20,000 people died and it lasted for years until the formation of a new government program. Once the dark times were over, pretty much through the 1980s to 1995 there was a time of prosperity for Zimbabwe people. There was economic growth and harvest time was magnificent. Zimbabwe became known as the bread basket of Africa. Then things took a sad turn for the people of Zimbabwe when the government sanctioned white owned commercial farms. Between 2000 and 2009 it was common to see Zim dollars lying out on the streets because the value of it was almost worthless. The economy just entered into a free fall with their money losing value daily. Prices in shops were slashed up to 70% and what followed was starvation and hunger.
POPULATION $2/DAY: 83%
LIVING
ON
LESS
THAN
Did You Know? Nearly two thirds of the population relies on farming for a household income. Majority of Zimbabwe’s poor which is 88%, lives in rural areas is. Levels of unemployment estimated to be over 80%. Millions have survived on handouts from international donors.
Is There Any Solution For The Poverty That Has Taken Over For Years?
Current Situation Zimbabwe poverty is continuing to rise since the year 2000. The switch from Zimbabwe dollars to international currencies in the economy is only a catalyst to the rising poverty level. The government has not helped in food distribution which has caused a significant number of people to die from hunger. That’s not including people that are dying from diseases from the lack of clean water and those who die fighting for resources. Many of the citizens in Zimbabwe are fleeing to neighboring countries like South Africa, Botswana, and Malawi. The world’s recession has worsened Zimbabwe’s poverty even more in 2008 and 2009.
One Person’s Struggle in Zimbabwe A man that goes by the name of Chakaipa has had more than enough problems from living in Zimbabwe. He is a member of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Chakaipa says, “I have never seen my people in such a desperate situation.” Farmers are killing their livestock and food will not grow in the fields. He is determined for change and believes that the Prime Minister, Robert Mugabe, needs to be overthrown. He has suffered because of it. Chakaipa has been arrested, tortured, and threatened. It is unsafe for him to stay in his own village and has to hide, but his brother, also an MDC supporter, unfortunately died. He wants the world to see what the government has done.
Solutions The goal is to remove ZANU PF from power and replace them with people elected by the people in the response to their needs. Non-violence can only help with this solution because war and fighting can only make the situation worse. Zimbabwe people can no longer bring on any more of a struggle than what they are already going through. The government being changed is basically the only way Zimbabwe can achieve economic development and most importantly peace.
How does poverty really hit home? Current Situation: The American people want us to continue to be the wealthiest country but we need to wake up and smell the growing numbers with poverty in America. In “2009 saw the largest single year increase in the U.S. poverty rate since the government began calculating poverty figures back in 1959,” (businessinsider.com). This is continuing but there is nothing that is being done. “As of June, the number of Americans on food stamps had a set new all-time record for 19 consecutive months,” (businessinsider.com) More and more American’s are becoming apart of food stamps and other welfare benefits because of the lack of money they receive and now they aren’t able to take care of their children or even themselves.
CASE STUDY There is a little girl named Elizabeth Raines. She is 7 years old and she is being sponsored by the Save the Children USA. o
One in five children lives in poverty in the United States. We can improve their lives and break the cycle of poverty by ensuring children have the resources they need.
What Should the Government be doing? In a recent update on usaspending.gov the government is spending $93.0 billion on the Department of Defense. We should as a government spend much less on the spending of defense and more on the building houses for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. There are more places where a lot of the money needs to go instead of $6.4 billion going to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The government has enough money to take away on different departments and focus on the people in their own backyards.
We need to come together and end poverty. Raise the education levels. Increase access to clean, safe water. Volunteer your time and talents and skills. Get the media like news teams, radio shows, magazines, and newspapers involved in fighting to end poverty.
For more information go to: http://www.endpoverty2015.org/ http://www.theendofpoverty.com/poverty_persists_1.html http://www.howtoendpoverty.org/ http://johnandtimothy.tripod.com/id14.html http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/resources/fastfacts_e.htm http://www.earth.columbia.edu/pages/endofpoverty/oda http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0322/p09s01-coop.html