Poverty: Causes

Leon is saving money to buy a bike, and now he’s got a brilliant business idea! He is going to buy lemons and sugar, and just add water from the tap to make lemonade! Then he will sell the lemonade to his neighbours on a hot summer day! With some of the money he'll make from the sale of lemonade, he will buy more ingredients to bake cookies and cupcakes at home, and sell them too. Soon Leon will have enough money to buy a new bike!

If you already have some resources and money to start with, it’s much easier to make more money. But not everyone has equal access to resources and money. Some people barely have enough to survive, and their opportunities to change their situation are often limited. They live in poverty. Poverty can affect individual people or families, as well as whole countries and regions.

Some areas of the world are affected by poverty much more than others. This might be due to geographical factors, such as climate and soil that are not suitable for farming, limited access to water, or lack of resources. Historical and political factors also play a big role in causing poverty. For example, some areas were colonies for many years. Many of them were affected by slave trade and exploitation of resources.

Even though former colonies gained independence, for many of them the struggle is not over. They might have debts to repay, and their economic and political situation is often unstable. Some politicians and leaders might be focused on personal gain rather than improving the life of people. The leaders might be rich, but many other people, however, might not be able to afford food, school, or medical help. Violence and war can also cause poverty.

Those who become victims of military conflicts are often forced to leave their homes and jobs. Without education, medical care, and help from their governments or other institutions, people can get stuck in poverty. But poverty occurs even in places, where there is peace, a stable economy, and everyone has equal access to education. Some individuals or families still have a hard time making a living. This can be for different reasons.

Sometimes there it might be difficult to find a job. Sometimes, the cause is discrimination - it might be harder for people of certain gender or ethnic background to find a job, or receive equal pay. In some cases, it can be due to illness or disability. Accidents, debts, or unfortunate decisions might also push people into poverty. People who don’t have enough money to buy food or see a doctor might become malnourished and ill.

This makes it more difficult or even impossible to study, work, and make a living. And the less money and support one has, the more difficult it is to get out of poverty. There are many reasons why people live in poverty, and these can differ depending on where one lives. By understanding the causes, perhaps we can find successful solutions and eliminate poverty.