World Poverty

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   pamijposted 10 years ago

   I am finding it hard to fathom that in 2013 we still have underdeveloped countries, where people starve from lack of food, must drink from contaminated water sources and live in substandard shelter. My question is why does this occur when billions have been poured into these countries? What is happening to the monetary contributions that has been donated over the years? How do we begin to make changes in Uganda, Congo, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Yemen? Are there any solutions that will give these 3rd world citizens hope for a brighter future?

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Sadly, there are virtually none.  While the children's children's children of today's residents may see a better life, there is little hope for those living today.
      
      For you do not improve their life by throwing money at them.  You educate them, you provide wells and factories.  You teach them freedom and hope they will remove their current governments. 
      
      But we're too stupid to do that; we just throw money and it never helps.

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      EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Uganda is a theocracy in which the leaders of the country pour monies into religions rather than food and hospitals. Nothing is allowed to be aired through the media without government intervention, and at least 75% of it must be of a religious nature, usually propaganda.
      
      People starve to death there, but they need Jesus first and foremost, all other priorities rescinded.

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         pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Brain dead I totaly agree, but what about other countries that we can help??? Braindead we must continue to pray and fast for countries like Uganda, perhaps we can't change things as they are, but GOD will and can change bureaucractic policies. However we aid the ones we can and pray for the remainder.

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            EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Using religion to combat the very same religion is pointless and futile. Getting rid of it and using the monies for food and hospitals is a much better solution.

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               pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               I stand on prayer and the latter.

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         pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Ecephaloidead I only call you brain dead because of your user name Encephaloidead=Cephal=brain=dead. Why would you choose this user name?

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            EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Try staying focused on the thread content and not me, thanks.

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               pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               thats what i thought i was doing....

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      Goodpalposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      If Poverty were only an income issue it would have been non-existent by now because trillions of dollars have been dumped in charities since 1950s. Poverty is not just a "lack of money" issue, nor is "giving" the answer; it is a state of multiple deprivations - of food and nutrition, health, education, sanitation, employment etc. It is basically a "development" issue - more precisely, a human development issue. Incidentally, I just wrote a hub that became 'editor's choice' - "Poverty is Multidimensional, So should be Development"
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Poverty-is-Mult … evelopment
      
      Following the philosophy of Nobel Laureate, Amartya Sen, the permanent solution lies in building "capabilities" of people. His "capability approach" to development provided the theoretical foundation for the annual "human development reports" of the UNDP that started in 1990. These reports have been promoting a "holistic" approach to "development" that is "people-centric" in place of the current concept of "development" which only means economic growth. Many developing countries are now actively following this human  development approach which is all inclusive.
      
      The major flaw in today's world development has been the concept of "development" - Is it just the 'economic growth' measured in GDP terms? In this model people are just inputs to the economic machine - some lose, some win. Thus, poverty will always remain as inequality which is accepted as a necessary evil ! Look at the US - why should 15% people live under poverty when there is abundance of everything and despite an elaborate welfare system? In reality, the charities and welfare programs only keep the poor where they are: in poverty!!
      
      The ideal anti-poverty measure is "people centered" development as prescribed by the human development approach of the UNDP. Economic growth will still be an important part of it but only as a means; people and expansion of their "choices and freedom" become the prime goal of development. This approach considers 'all' people, not just the rich and powerful and the poor are not marginalized to sidelines as a "necessary evil." The poor are no longer seen as 'patients' diagnosed with the disease of 'poverty' but as 'agents' of change in their own lives. This model applies equally to the rich and poor countries because it does not try to ghetto people behind some 'expert designed' poverty line.
      
      Another 'editor's choice' hub: Why Development should Focus on People, Not Economy
      http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Development … evelopment
      
      Thanks for raising such a noble topic of poverty which is otherwise lost in glamour chasing media. I am glad to find that there are people who care for the weak and poor section of the humanity.

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   Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years ago

   yeah, stop having sex….
   maybe some birth control.
   maybe getting a clue.

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      Silverspeederposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      +1

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3. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   Kathryn are you stating that ceasing procreation will abolish poverty? If so, "what is the solution for the millions already living in poverty?" Do we just distribute birth control pills and condoms to the poor and give them a pamphlet saying, "Get a clue"...? Is that your solution Mrs. Hill?

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      Silverspeederposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Responsible procreation can only be achieved through education.
      
      There is simply no reason why someone, whether living in poverty or not, should have 7,8,9 or 15 children.
      
      There are 7.2 billion people on the planet by 2024 there will be 8 billion, how many of the 800 million increase will be living in poverty?
      
      The biggest population growth per year is in Africa (2.46%) where poverty is rife.
      
      A program of education including birth control, agricultural education and political empowerment wouldn't go amiss when considering the mess created by the current system of irresponsibility.

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         wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         "There is simply no reason why someone, whether living in poverty or not, should have 7,8,9 or 15 children."
         
         Thus speaks someone outside the culture.  There are many very good reasons for having large families:
         Most children will die before ever reproducing.
         Children can help farm or herd animals.  They can even garner jobs in town.
         Children can support parents in their old age.
         Children of the proper sex can sometimes be "sold" via a dowry.
         Birth control is non-existent and people WILL have sex.
         God said to have lots of kids.
         
         Reasons for large families abound, you just don't want to see them because you come from a different culture or way of life.  And, of course, don't want a dozen kids yourself - that always makes it easier to demand that no one else can either.
         
         Experience kind of shows that if we could end the severe poverty, birth rates will fall.  In that order, not the other way around.  China was an exception, but is now seeing their grandiose plans fail as the huge number of boys are growing up and "importing" wives.

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            Silverspeederposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Actually population growth has declined a little, by your reckoning that means poverty has as well then!
            
            Why will most children die before reproducing? Would it be because there isn't enough food to feed their 15 children?
            
            Its common sense really, where do we stop and with attitudes against stopping how long will it be before there are 10 billion on the planet and 5 billion starving?

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               wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Poverty probably HAS decreased slightly in third world nations.  The billions and billions poured in have to have done something.
               
               Starvation and/or disease.  Violence, kidnapped for the slave trade.  But you already know this.
               
               I see it, you see it.  But the people struggling to survive, needing children to help support the family, wanting sex because there is no other entertainment; these people don't care about the numbers, who else is starving, or how many people the planet can support.  So they have more kids.

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                  Silverspeederposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  The new figures from the World Bank therefore confirm concerns that poverty has not been reduced by as much as was hoped, although it certainly has dropped since 1981.
                  
                  However, it appears that much of the poverty reduction in the last couple of decades almost exclusively comes from China:
                  •China’s poverty rate fell from 85% to 15.9%, or by over 600 million people
                  •China accounts for nearly all the world’s reduction in poverty
                  •Excluding China, poverty fell only by around 10%
                  
                  
                  I wonder if it was partly a result of their population control policies?

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                     wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     Doubtful.  While there was a slowing of the population increase it was mostly in girls; girls which are not being brought to the country as wives.  Very short term; probably a reduction.  Long term; very little effect.
                     
                     More likely the reduction in poverty in China is due to industrialization.  While we decry the working conditions there, it IS producing value, and more value than picking rice by hand does.  The GDP per capita has risen as a result of some modernization, reducing poverty.

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4. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   Ummm! How long will it take to see a decline in the poverty rate if humanity just stopped procreating?? Will we see a marginal change tomorrow, next week or perhaps twenty years from now? So if I go to all third world countries and participated in a mass sterilization campaign people all over the globe will be granted clean drinking water without lead, amoebic and bacillary contaminants????? Wow! No more starvation??? No more health fairs outside to rid third world citizens of their dignity and pride??? Climate controlled classrooms with desks, tables, chairs, learning centers and computers will be provided to every child on the planet??? Show me....." Lets jump on this campaign of mass sterilization now(mouth dripping with sarcasm). This is insanity, let's take care of the people that's already here, educated them and show them strategies to become self sufficient.....

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      Silverspeederposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      There is no sarcasm In your post, there is scaremongering and misunderstanding.
      
      Firstly humanity doesn't have to stop procreating, it does however have to take responsibility for bringing children into the world to just die. If you don't know how you will feed your children you are bringing them into the world to die.
      
      Secondly forced sterilisation is not the answer, personal responsibility may be, this would come with education.
      
      Thirdly how long do you think it would take to put into action a plan of education for all the world poverty stricken children? 1,2,3 or 10yrs? 11 million children die a year because of living in poverty.
      So my question would be do we feed the children or educate the adults, I believe the best option would be to educate the adults
      
      No quick knee jerk reaction of give money to poor countries and poverty stricken families will work, we have been doing that for years, £trillions have been pumped into Africa yet there are still children and adults dying every day. A long term strategy is what's required to make sure it doesn't continue to happen or even worsen over the next 50 0r 100 years or even better never again.

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         Goodpalposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         For both population and poverty, the long terms solution is same: People and Social development. The ICPD of 1994 in Cairo and other mile stone international conferences of early 1990s have brought about a paradigm shift in how the problems of population and poverty should be viewed.
         
         Poverty is no longer considered an income issue alone, nor can it be adequately described in economic terms only. Likewise, population growth is no longer a fertility control issue alone - it is women literacy and empowerment issue alongside comprehensive reproductive healthcare facilities.
         
         What is needed is a 'people centered' development that considers many things other than pure economic growth. This hub might be useful: Why Poverty? Let's Talk Development
         http://goodpal.hubpages.com/hub/Human-D … ly-a-Means

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5. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   Poverty rate dropped indeed bravo.... According to Unicef only 22,000 people die a day now instead of~(who knows) wow! No need for concern though, because that's only going to be 54,000 by this time next week and 208,000 in a month. In year's time we will only have lost 2,496,000

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Your point?  That people are dying in the third world?  But we already know that.

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6. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   Silverspeeder~~ (no scare tactics and misunderstanding here)most definately educate the adults in academics and agricultural, while offering some assistance until they can provide for themselves at which time we begin to ween them.~~I am much surely in agreement with you there is no quick fix to this problem that originated a little, after the dawn of time.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Awareness. Is it so hard to step away from the eggs if you have no money to raise a child? Or to bring them into poverty conditions? Or a miserable life, full of suffering?  This applies to first, second and third worlds across the board. The people who are living in unsuitable situations need to spread the awareness of not marrying until there are is a decent ways of surviving and earning a living, of working as a community to make the place better, of finding leaders willing to lead and get done what needs to get done... berfore more procreating. But as wildernness says, I have never been to a third world.  Environment is very influential in determining consciousness and awareness. Until human nature is altered I guess there really is no solution.

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         pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         I think the mass majority of us would agree not to produce until you can support, however neonates are already here and they are maturing rapidly. We should focus on educating and bringing awareness, so the next generation don't fall victim to the disease which I call poverty.
         Imagine being in a place, where all you see is hopelessness....Class is sometimes held outside or inside on dirt floors, while kids sit on nothing, but Earth. No toys or dolls just mud cakes for toys and occassional insects. Huts for housing where snakes and rats sometimes wander in injuring the occupants. Babies dying while latched onto their mommy's breast due to lack of nutrition for the mother. People dying of curable and preventable diseases such as polio, malaria and even leprosy in some parts of India. Women being raped while going to the potty due to no indoor plumbing. human and animal deffacation leaking into gardens and area water supplies. This is a reality of life in the 3rd world.

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            Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Have the men no compassion?

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               pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Sister honestly I don't know.....

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7. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   China is like a poster for the world, Millennium Development Goals is within reach over 500 million people have been lifted out of poverty. Sad to say over 100 million people still live below the poverty line in China(please grasp the statistics) and this is in China alone. The world needs reformation, with China having the second largest number of poor in the world, only being outranked by India......I need not paint a picture of Calcutta, for you to grasp the cruel effects of poverty. Yes China has done an awesome job, however lots more needs to be done. Perhaps some of China's strategies can be used in countries that does not have such a large population.
   
   I must ask is China's growth sustainable????? Can we assume that it is with a GDP of 7.8%?? Would you argue that China have a lot of challenges to overcome to completely propel them out of their position of being the poorest in the world? However if we look back at the statistics 500 million have overcame poverty in China, so it is doable that the over one million can be bought over the poverty line in due time.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      ... one strategy that is working there, is limiting the amount of children a family can have to two. But how come during our golden age, the amount of children in a family was not an issue at all?
      
      What makes for a truly percolating economy, Pamij? Think about it! Ours has been (was) a better poster for the world. Why do you site polluted, communist China???
      Why did I put *was* in parenthesis?
      We are loosing our percolating economy due to over-taxation and over regulation. Thats why.
      
      Mankind is naturally industrious and survival savvy. Let the natural tendencies flourish in liberty.  Personal Independence will result.
      Get rid of all that stands in the way of liberty.
      
      Ignorance, limitation, negativity, hopelessness, depression, moral depravity, and unwillingness to see the light of day all stand in the way of economic expansion, growth and life.

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8. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   I am not speaking of your first world country Mrs. Hill, the wealth of the west is legendary. I am speaking of a country that has been ranked as the second poorest in the world and have pulled over 500 million people out of poverty( that is remarkable)
   
   Do I view China as having governmental issues? Of course I do, however my only concerns is to wake people up so that they can address the issues of poverty in 3rd world countries, so that every soul on the planet can have a good quality of life. A good food supply, decent educational facilities, clothing and housing above substandard conditions and honestly sometimes I feel as though I am advocating a cause that is difficult to win.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Ignorance, limitation, negativity, hopelessness, depression, moral depravity, and unwillingness to see the light of day, all stand in the way of economic expansion, growth and life...
      anywhere.
      
      Have you ever been to India?
      India has it problems, but I would rather be there than China any day.

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         pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         No I have not, but I have interviewed people from impoverished countries.

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            Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Are the people in Democratic India happier than the people in Communist China?
            Money is not the end-all of misery.

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            pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Ignorance is gained by limiting our potential, hopelessness and negativity is usually accomplished by environmental factors where light is willingly smothered and leaves valleys of despair with plants malnourished, withered and gray. Oh  if one dare to dream and begin to execute things deemed impossible.... What would be the possibilities?

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               Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Yes. I would encourage what you are encouraging. Of course. *You* through Peace Corps or *you and other compassionate fellows*… but not our government. What were/are you actually advocating?

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I do have to wonder at the perspective here - are those 500 million Chinese living a life that people in the US would consider to be "out of poverty"?  Or are they merely better off than they were?
      
      When we consider that over 1 billion people have no access to clean water, well, that means that we have to provide the infrastructure of three United States with wells, piping and sanitation.  That's not something that can be done overnight, in a year or in a decade.  And I don't think China did it in just a handful of years.

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9. 76

   pamijposted 10 years ago

   Just bringing mass awareness to poverty and human suffrage nothing more.. My only concern is to bring awareness to poverty and hopefully help alleviate the grim disease I call poverty.

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      oh! well, thats well and good. Thank you. I really don't know how MASS it is here on HP.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0NFxXjxacc

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      wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I highly doubt that there is a single computer user on the planet that does not know that there is extreme poverty and suffering in parts of the world.
      
      We don't need more awareness; we need answers and action.  Suggestions that just might trickle up to the PTB, where something might be done.

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10. 76

    pamijposted 10 years ago

    You will be surprised; and yes we do need answers and actions. However my assignment is to bring continual awareness globally.

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       wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       If I may ask - who gave that assignment?

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          Zelkiiroposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          Der Fuhrer, mein freund.

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             Silverspeederposted 10 years agoin reply to this

             Just £2 a month could help an African dictator to stay in power
             
             Save the children UK.

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    pamijposted 10 years ago

    Yeshua Ha'mashiach GOD himself Mr. Wilderness.

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       wildernessposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Then I would have to say that either God is giving out make-work assignments or isn't keeping track of people very well.
       
       Or possibly that you were mistaken - that the post-it-note was from a practical joker instead of God.

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    Kathryn L Hillposted 10 years ago

    Someone thinks "continual global awareness" can be accomplished through these HP forums? How many even read them?

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13. 76

    pamijposted 10 years ago

    If it only reaches two people that's two more than previously reached. My goal is that once you have been enlighten by the world's impoverished conditions, you will go out and make changes. Start by making improvements in your providence, country, state, community and etc.....

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       bBereanposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Caught up in our busy lives, it is all too easy to lose sight of the need and the good we can do, (much with little cost or effort, even).  Thank you for the reminder.
       
       Just read your Hubs.  Very nice, and welcome to HubPages.

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          pamijposted 10 years agoin reply to this

          thank-you

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    pamijposted 10 years ago

    All I can say when GOD gives you an assignment, he aids you in the task. Just knowing GOD uses me to touch lives and to aid his people is all the confirmation that I need. I need no approval from flesh and blood, just knowing I am making the world a better place to live, allows me to sleep at night.

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    pamijposted 10 years ago

    Again, I thank all of you for your verbal contributions to my hub.

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