The Poverty Blog

May 17, Poverty in China: Inequalities, Migrant Workers & Education

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:46:35 -0400

The government has been fighting poverty in China for decades but inequalities are on the rise alongside the issues of migrant workers & access to education

Jan 10, Top Online Documentaries & Films about Poverty and Politics

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 03:42:21 -0500

Best online documentaries & independent documentary films about politics, refugees, poverty, disasters, global warming and the challenges our society faces

Dec 27, Education in China - Why Poverty

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:32:32 -0500

This week another documentary, this time on poverty and education in China. It's entitled "China's Ant People" and examines the growing contradictions within the Chinese economy: the obsession with diplomas and yet the ever fewer jobs for graduates, the scams that result of this and how people make do with the situation. Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Dec 27, Child Labor in South Africa, Sex Trafficking & Discrimination

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 11:59:32 -0500

Child labor in South Africa is fueled by unemployment & discrimination that affects the black population. Extreme poverty causes extreme ways to survive

Dec 17, Park Avenue - Money, Power & The American Dream

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:18:27 -0500

Continuing on the series of documentaries entitled "Why Poverty", here's the one on inequalities and the causes of poverty in the US : "Park Avenue - Money, Power & The American Dream". Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Here below is a link to the causes of poverty in the United States:

Dec 17, Child Labor in India - Causes & Consequences

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:09:31 -0500

The causes & effects of child labor in India are intimately tied with extreme poverty and the failure to achieve universal education and develop schools

Dec 4, An Animated History of Poverty - Why Poverty

Tue, 4 Dec 2012 06:29:41 -0500

These days, there's been a whole series of documentaries broadcasted around the world on major TV networks called "Why Poverty". Today, let's look at the documentary named "An Animated History of Poverty", available on YouTube in 4 parts: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Nov 25, Rich vs Poor: Promoting Mutual Understanding

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 03:11:00 -0500

I live in a big colony, and the building has 30 floors. There's a beautiful sea view from my house, 15th floor. But between my building and the highway

Nov 13, Child Labor in China, Factories & Child Trafficking

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:57:47 -0500

Child labor in China was largely tackled by decades of economic development, but new challenges arise with the issues of child trafficking and factories

Nov 2, Africa's Rise: The Numbers and Statistics

Fri, 2 Nov 2012 07:42:24 -0400

Improved conditions of life, ever growing communications networks, multiplication of trade exchanges and new infrastructure projects. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of the big and small African revolutions in the making that mark the rise of a continent. Rise in projects These projects (some of which are currently being built) include: - Gas and oil production sites in Angola (Kizomba), Egypt (East Ras Qattara), Mozambique (Mamba Sud), Algeria (Rhourde Yacoub) and Ghana (Jubilee oil field); - New airports are being built – or expanded – in Guinea, Senegal, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Tunisia and Ethiopia; - High speed railways are about to connect African towns for the first time in South Africa, Morocco and other normal railways are connecting different countries such as Niger & Burkina, Kenya & Uganda as well as Tanzania & Burundi; - A growing number of mines and dams for electricity in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. All this definitely has the smell (or perfume) of the early rise of Africa and is quite exciting. But how are the social statistics performing against these big projects? Are they improving as well? The demographic challenge Africa is still the youngest continent in the world, with a population that is on average 20 years old, against 37 in the US and 40 in Europe. This represents most of all a huge challenge when it comes to educating so many people for most countries. Behind these statistics though, you can see that certain countries in particular are skewing the data for Africa: Uganda, Niger, Mali, Chad and Burundi for instance have populations who are on average 15-17 years old. Blame this on conflicts and diseases… Public health & the middle class In other good news, child mortality rates have decreased by 30% in 20 years, although there is still 1 in 8 children who dies before the age of 5 (against 1 in 143 in developed countries). People also live almost 20 years longer than they used to in the 1950s, but the average life expectancy at birth is still 20 years less than that in the developed world: only 54 years old. Finally, even though it seems that there’s been a huge growth in the middle class in Africa (200% growth), in fact if you don’t count the people who live just above the poverty line with $2-4 a day, then the growth has been very limited. Worse, if you compare it to the percentage of the overall population (which has increased), then there has been no growth of the middle class at all in the past 30 years. This is just to say – once more – that you should always look behind the numbers and statistics to really understand what’s going on. Even if, overall there’s no doubt that Africa is on a good path to development. Fingers crossed. If you want to find out more about issues surrounding Africa's rise, click on the following link to our page on “Africa Facts”.

Oct 27, Famine in North Korea: Causes & Cures of Poverty

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 14:57:11 -0400

Find out about the causes and consequences of the famine in North Korea on the population and how poverty can be alleviated in this isolated country.

Oct 4, Poverty, crime and discrimination

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 09:57:59 -0400

This article is a conversation between Mike, who disagrees with the association of poverty and crime, and Poverties.org. Mike - from the US - argues that

Sep 23, Child Mortality in Africa is Declining

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 09:42:20 -0400

At the beginning of the 1960s, one in two children died before the age of 5 in Africa. Today, it's "only" 1 in 8 that dies before turning 5. But the good news must be put into perspective. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the part of the world plagued by the highest child mortality rates: over 120 children in 1000 die before reaching the age of 5 (against 7 in 1000 in developed countries). However, a joint report from UNICEF, the WHO (World Health Organization) and the World Bank highlights how the situation has significantly improved. High child mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa has been drastically reduced in the past 20 years - except in Somalia, Zimbabwe and Cameroon. Better yet, four countries (Madagascar, Liberia, Malawi and Eritrea) are about to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). This program, set by the UN in 2000, has set a whole range of targets to wipe out poverty in the world by 2015. No need to say, it hasn't been a success... except in these 4 countries! A key target in this plan consists in slashing child mortality by two thirds (over 60%). As we're now 3 years away from the deadline, it became obvious that we're not going to make it. But the overall downward trend in child mortality is very encouraging. How did that happen? Improved hygiene and access to healthcare: - Better access to drinking water (no more water-related nasty diseases) - Better conditions for childbirth and preparation for delivery - Vaccines against measles - Treatments preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child Another life-saving factor: the systematic distribution of mosquito nets soaked in mosquito repellent, which have protected young children from malaria. For decades, the disease was indeed the first cause of child death in Africa. According to the WHO, the number of households equipped with these mosquito nets climbed from 3% in 2000 up to 50% in 2011. In Kenya, Rwanda and Senegal, the child mortality rate has fallen by a steady 10% per year since these nets were introduced. Malaria has now become the 3rd biggest cause of death in children under 5, after diarrhoea and lung diseases. In short, mosquito nets have saved the lives of 730,000 children in 10 years. How much is this piece of “cloth”? About six dollars (or four euros), all financed by African states and international aid. This proves that investing in child health is money well spent, declared the WHO. It’s a sign we must accelerate the investment in the years to come. To read more about diseases in Africa, follow the link below:

Sep 14, Poverty in Latin America - A Quest for Social Justice

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 17:17:58 -0400

Poverty in Latin America has got worse with globalization. Inequalities have increased everywhere and caused social programs to flourish as a response

Aug 29, Family Poverty - The Hidden Disaster

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 16:52:10 -0400

Understanding family poverty can give you the keys to better understand child poverty, the challenges women face every day and how governments can help

Aug 24, The US National Poverty Level: Reading Between the Lines

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:30:59 -0400

The US national poverty level is measured by an outdated poverty line that fails to see how the American society and poverty have evolved since the 1950s

Aug 9, Women in Poverty – The Key to Ending Poverty ?

Thu, 9 Aug 2012 04:36:41 -0400

The feminization of poverty – i.e. the growing number of women in poverty – is a huge issue that includes millions of missing women & violence against them

Jul 18, Poverty in Pakistan – Population Pressure & Inequalities

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:56:53 -0400

Poverty in Pakistan has been greatly reduced in recent years, but fast-growing population raises new concerns: child labor, inequalities and unemployment

Jul 7, Support my documentary on Slavery in Brazil

Sat, 7 Jul 2012 07:27:57 -0400

Hi,

This is it, Poverties.org's first documentary project : Slavery in Brazil.
And we need your help! You can donate from $5 to $50 and more, and really, every little helps.

If everyone gives $5, this film can become a reality.

Why is it so important? The problem of modern-day slavery in Brazil is actually expanding ! Each year that's 25,000 new slaves added to an unknown total.

When you consider the history of African slavery in the country, it's a shame this problem reappears, now that the country's economy is growing like never before.

Find out more about the the documentary on the crowdfunding platform www.indiegogo.com (see link below)!

Jun 27, Rural Poverty in Cambodia – Life After the Khmer Rouge

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:56:22 -0400

Following the end of the communist Khmer Rouge regime and its massacres, the country is now slowly recovering and fighting extreme poverty in Cambodia

Jun 22, Microfinance & Poverty in Bangladesh (Interview)

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 08:38:52 -0400

I've found this interview of Dr Muhammad Yunus (the inventor of micro-finance) recently on www.microfinance.com and I thought it'd be a good idea to share it, as a complement of the article on poverty in Bangladesh.

Here's an excerpt of the interview:

"MF FOCUS: Microfinance is an established and recognised instrument to fight poverty today. Many people are confident and hope that poverty can be eliminated through it. Isn’t it too simple just to rely on microfinance?

Dr. Yunus: You don’t have to. Nobody is forcing you to do that. If somebody wants to do Microcredit, fine. I wouldn’t say this is something everybody should have. Nobody says it is the only solution. Human beings are very multi-dimensional. Microfinance is one of the many, many things.

MF FOCUS: Social business is an additional way. Do you identify enough potential for social business to make a real difference, globally?

Dr. Yunus: Yes of course. Definitely it is a global and not a local issue. There are two kinds of businesses: One is business to make money, the other business is to change the world. This one is with the intention of changing the world and not to have any personal gain from that. It is all dedicated to make a difference. It is addressing a social issue, to resolve it. You can do that.

MF FOCUS: What are the factors that make social businesses successful?

Dr. Yunus: A good business plan, good ideas and use the creativity in the most creative way.

MF FOCUS: Microfinance as well as Social businesses have to be highly efficient. How is it possible to maintain or re-introduce the social mission back into microfinance?

Dr. Yunus : Whenever something gets popular, actually catches attention, there are people who take advantage of that and misuse it. It happens in everything. When Big brands are popular, it gets imitated by fake ones. Same thing happens with microcredit. People name it microcredit but in fact it is not microcredit. It is something completely different. People have to be made aware of what is microcredit and why it is important to stick to the real microcredit and not the one which has a different motivation. But while you are looking at the microcredit itself, even good people may have wrong ideas, which makes them shift away from the whole idea, the mission. We have to be very careful and remind ourselves, what is our mission. That is why we have meetings (Sa-dhan conference) like this, to rediscover your mission and then re-adjust your work to the mission."

You can find the full interview here:
http://www.microfinancefocus.com/news/2009/07/31/recalling-dr-yunuss-pioneering-role-in-microfinance/

Otherwise click on the link below to read more about poverty in Bangladesh and the impact of micro-finance in the country.

Jun 21, Poverty in Bangladesh – Innovations Against Exploitation

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 05:22:33 -0400

Fighting an entire social system to tackle poverty in Bangladesh proves harder than thought. But innovations from within the country may change the game

Jun 18, Perception of poverty in the Philippines

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 08:06:01 -0400

Why look at the rich’s perception of poverty? The rich are actually one of the keys to solving poverty in the Philippines and in many other countries. More often than not, they shape government’s policy, how the country develops and how it deals with poverty.

In most developing countries, they have built very effective systems and institutions that discriminate against the poor and help protect their own wealth with policies that provide no protection for workers, bottom-low wages and no means to redistribute the wealth produced in the country (e.g. social safety nets & social assistance).

New rich, old ideas about poverty in the Philippines

The Philippines enjoy a somewhat diverse upper class and upper-middle class that has emerged thanks to many reforms that included redistribution of land, the end of many monopolies and cartels as well as the opening up of the economy to world trade and investment.

Still, this diverse class has pretty coherent views of the poor, which are the commonplaces of many elites around the world. They blame the corrupt government, the traditional (feudal) society and even the lack of redistribution of resources. On the upside, it does mean that in theory they side with the poor and share a sense of responsibility for their issues. However, they tend to rely on charity and donations to solve the problem.

What are they doing wrong?

If donations are useful in the long-run and can have a great impact when tied to a concrete long-term project, the best way to tackle poverty in the Philippines remains changing the system and making it fairer to the poor. This would bring real change, as opposed to small fixes with limited impact.

Another issue is that the Philippine elite considers that it’s the government’s role to end poverty – which isn’t absurd at all – but at the same time they constantly complain about the incompetence and corruption of the government. So, what should they do?

The middle and upper classes are the closest to political power, they’re the best able to influence it and hold the government accountable for its policies. Building proper social safety nets funded by slightly higher taxes (e.g. on untaxed or poorly taxed businesses) is an option that works in many countries and doesn’t necessarily mean a future debt crisis when well-handled.

Socially-conscious rich

Yet, the rich in the Philippines are beginning to understand the importance of changing the system and current institutions. This awareness of the importance to reduce poverty is spurred by a sense of belonging to the same society, no matter the religious, class or ethnic background. Better, the Philippine nation has united despite many efforts by colonizers and dictators to divide the nation.

The rich remain in the best position to put pressure on the government in order to work on achieving economic growth and social policies supporting the poor.

Follow the link below for more about poverty in the Philippines

Dec 19, History of Cuba - A Story of Independence ?

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:57:48 -0500

Understand the history of Cuba and the country's place in the 21st century; from the independence to its confinement in the 1990s, after the fall of the USSR

Sep 28, New USAID Policy on the Food Crisis

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:27:17 -0400

Hi, I found this interesting interview on the new US policy regarding international aid. USAID seemed inclined to reply more responsibly and in a sustainable way to the issue of famine by - at last - helping local farmers in Africa develop their business. Rather than trying to save at all costs American jobs related to the food aid business mentioned in the "famine in africa" page (http://www.poverties.org/famine-in-africa.html). If maybe they manage to progressively shift the production of food (and food aid) to a local base in Africa, it should least hurt US interests. It would give a few years for US companies to readjust their business model and find new clients or partnerships.

Sep 20, Food Crisis and Organic Food

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 19:23:41 -0400

Even while the nutritious and sanitary qualities of organic food aren't that superior at all to those of conventional food, consumers' attraction for something

Sep 13, Refugees From the Food Crisis in Africa

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:46:02 -0400

The drought in the Horn of Africa is threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, particularly in Somalia where the civil war is still ongoing.

Sep 5, Obama, debt and poverty in the United States

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 16:39:25 -0400

Here are 2 submissions in one. One republican vs. one democrat (my own educated guess :)). I received both submissions almost at the same time... on the

Sep 1, Africa Facts #9: hunger in Africa is man-made

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 18:10:36 -0400

According to the UN, in 2005 there were 850 million people suffering from hunger and 25% of them were in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this region 1/3 of the

Sep 1, Circumcision, AIDS and poverty in Africa

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 12:00:10 -0400

Ten years ago no one would believe it. Five years ago experts were dubious. Then three years ago they'd say it's interesting but impossible to put into