Hari, a south Asian farm laborer, painted with words and poetic eloquence the grim life and death cycle around him, stated Awake Nov. 22 1995: “ Between the mortar and the pestle”, he said, "the chilies couldn’t last. We poor are like chilies each year; we are ground down and soon there will be nothing left’’. A few days later, Hari was dead – another victim of crushing poverty.
Poverty is like slavery. Most people would like to think so. The very word conjures up horrific pictures of hunger, exploitation and lacking. The terrible nature, or the extreme of it is abject poverty; while relative poverty is a moderate or fairly high degree, especially compared to abject poverty.
The state of existing with such minimal ends; too small to buy one's basic needs, could be traced to quite a number of factors. War could be very devastating: it brings almost everything to a halt. That means work is brought to a standstill; trade is disrupted, and inflation is guaranteed. In situations like these, one could have very little money for their needs, and in most cases, go without many things.
Death of either parent could cause a drastic drop in family income, as well as in one's standard of living. Most people, especially children, have been exploited, abused and violently attacked due to this living situation. Others have been forced to drop out of school and work in very hazardous and dangerous workplaces. In addition, many are dying a slow death from handling poisons and toxic wastes.
While some are naturally physically disabled, others are impoverished due to other factors. While it is difficult for someone who is physically fit to secure a decent job and be well paid, it’s almost impossible for the physically disabled to secure one in my local government. Granted, everyone preaches that they should not be discriminated against; but in reality, employers see them as inefficient. Even if they find a job, they will be grossly underpaid.
While others argue that illiteracy is a contributing factor to poverty, I strongly believe that it’s not illiteracy, but ignorance. If illiteracy were to be one of the causes of poverty, professors and scholars in different fields of study would be the richest. When someone is aware of what it will take them to make money and be comfortable, the person will pursue it.
The health state of so many determines their standard of living. While so many are bedridden and can no longer work, or even have access to welfare services; so many others spend their little hard earned money on drugs. To manage some illnesses can be quite expensive, such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes. The dependants of the sick person, as well as their beneficiaries, will all suffer a drastic drop in their standard of living. In extreme cases, their dependants will be looked upon to provide funds for the rescue of the life of the ill person.
A few people do not like to work; simply put, they are lazy. They do as little as possible: they are satisfied with the food they can fetch themselves and if not; they can’t do otherwise. The society is a highly competitive one: survival of the fit; elimination of the unfit.
Greedy and oppressive legislation by the government is one of the major contributing factors to poverty. They devise legislation that will only suit their selfish desires at the expense of the masses. They want to emance more wealth at all costs. The government embezzles public treasuries, and fails to disburse the resources allocated to the people. Some of those at the corridors of power sabotage the government. In fact, there is a mess of the polity all at the expense of the helpless masses.
All these and many more would account for many feeling frustrated and worthless, seeing little or no prospect of escaping their wretched lives. Child prostitution thrives in an environment of misery and poverty. In order to get something to eat, many may take to stealing and on many occasions sell their body. Next, children become professional prostitutes. Street children resort to prostitution because they see it as their only means of survival. For their male counterparts, those who can’t stand poverty, turn to thuggery (tout) and robbery as the next option. So many deviant and criminal acts are perpetrated just to improve ones standard of living. Some commit suicide when they can no longer cope with the hardship any more. Most untimely deaths are due to poor health care services and poor standard of living.
“Where poverty exists, there is not true freedom”, said Mandela, who wore a white strip of cloth around his wrist. “The world is hungry for action not words. I am proud to wear the symbol of this global cause to action”. These are the words of one of the world’s great leaders.
"Poorer people get HIV and become poorer. Dealing with poverty will help us deal with HIV/Aids and dealing with HIV/Aids will also help us to deal with the problem of poverty".
Christopher Chabu Kangale, from Christian Aid's partner, Copperbelt Health Education Project, Kitwe, Zambia.
Others have made their own speeches in this vein. Just talking about making poverty history is not enough. The leaders and the led all need to work hand in hand to truly make poverty history. This won’t be achieved if it is left to just a group of people.
First a look at what the leaders should do. There should be carefully thought out, conscious and well-articulated economic policies. These policies should not just be lip services, but polices formulated with accurate data. They should not be fictitious or lies but truths, which will be implemented to the fullest. Some leaders formulate polices that are not attainable. They make endless promises so as to make the people feel they have great visions. On the contrary, simple realizable goals that will help improve the standard of living of the people should be formulated and fully implemented.
Corruption has eaten up the conscience of some of our leaders greatly, and the led as well. It is more like a culture now. Everyone does what he wants without being checked. Contracts are inflated; some abandoned; public treasuries looted; and vandalization of public utilities is commited, amongst other things. If we decide to digress to the different shapes corruption takes in my country, we will go home and come back to still meet it being discussed.
Nigeria ranks 4th in the measurement of the most corrupt nations in the world - this says it all. But if this is highly checked, it then means that bribery will be reduced, resources disbursed, and public funds will be efficiently and effectively utilized for the betterment of all. Health they say is wealth. We cannot be talking about making poverty history without mentioning health. The government should improve health care services that will embrace free medical care and health awareness amongst other things.
With health awareness, the people will be sensitized on things to do to avoid some illnesses (e.g.) HIV/Aids, which would drain their pockets. They will be exposed to different family planning techniques in order to help them bear only the number of children they can cater for: ‘‘Average life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa is now 47 years. Without poverty (HIV/Aids) it would be 62 years.'’
Statistics from UNAIDS, 2002.
Imagine what the fate of hundreds of thousand of children who roam the streets without a home or even a name, hopeless you would say, is. But hope could be restored to them, and to so many others in similar conditions who have been ravaged and torn apart by poverty. Welfare programmers should be introduced in order to cater for their needs, educate them, feed them, re-orientate them and make them self reliant. With this, most of them are sure to escape from poverty.
Most importantly, the government should detract from receiving international loans and grants with cruel conditionality. Most countries of the world take undue advantage of the less privileged ones. Some conditionality includes retrenchment of workers and privatization of public utilities. This does nothing but make the people poorer and continually dependent. The government should look for more effective ways of harnessing the labour of the people, as well as resources in order to make the people and the country independent as well.
The people on their own have a role to play. Looking at all ethnicity, egocentrism and religious intolerance has done to the country as a whole, no one in his right senses would be thinking of encouraging it. All these have led to politics of bitterness, rioting and general civil unrest. All these do nothing but impound and afflict poverty on people. This is because when things like these happen, business is brought to a halt, property is burnt, and people are killed- most of the times they are breadwinners; many are disabled and displaced. This will only make the problem of poverty worse. More importantly, people should have a balanced view of their religions and not be fanatic about it. Every one should see his/her neighbors as his/her brother or sister.
While efforts are being made by the government and people to free themselves from the bondage of poverty, some have come to see it as a way of life. Some have accepted poverty and now see it to be a normal thing in their lineage. They see it as God's will that they remain poor: they see it to be nature, and that nothing can be done about it. These people need to be reoriented. They need to be convinced that poverty is not meant for anyone, and so they should not claim it. If poverty is to become history, it has to start from the minds of the people. When one is positive in his thinking, he tries to make things around him positive.
‘Ideas they say are the fastest selling business’. People who do not have capital to start business, and are unemployed could resort to selling ideas. They have to be innovative, creative and resourceful; with these faculties, one is sure not to be a slave to poverty.
Everyone is expected to have a skill - at least one that can guarantee some of the basic human needs. For those who do not have any skills, they are expected to acquire one or two to ensure that one is empowered.
With these few tips on what the leaders should do, as well as the led, one is sure poverty will be history if carried out religiously.
‘‘Let us Make Poverty History’’.
"What is most impressive about the [trade justice] demonstration is that it shows how many people care deeply about world poverty. This is extremely important and very encouraging for us all."
Andrew Robathan MP for Blaby, speaking on the day of the Mass Lobby for Trade Justice, June 2002.
‘‘History will surely judge us if we do not respond with all the energy and resources that we can bring to bear in the fight against HIV/Aids (poverty)’’. Nelson Mandela at the 15th International Conference on HIV/Aids in Bangkok, July 2004.
‘‘Today, let us renew our commitment to work together to new ways of reaching out with compassion to the millions of men, women and children who are the tragic victims of the physical and social devastation caused by poverty (HIV/Aids)’’. Sonia Gandhi of India at the 15th International Conference on HIV/Aids in Bangkok, July 2004.
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