Poverty
Poverty- Why care?
More than 1.5 million people a year die from poverty, and almost half of them are under 5. That's almost as much people dying as Ischaemic heart disease, the largest cause of death globally. What is the worst about this, however, is how avoidable it is in the first place. 10% of the worlds population live on $1.90 a day, almost half the population living on less than $5.50 a day. A small donation, even just two dollars, could double someone's daily income and provide starving children with food.
About Poverty
What is Poverty?
Poverty is the state of being unable to adequately provide oneself or those that one is responsible for with what they need. Whether you are in poverty or not depends on whether your income is above or below the poverty line. The poverty line is a calculation for how much money one should be earning a year to adequately provide themselves with what they need. The poverty line depends on the country you are in and personal factors such as age.
Poverty in Australia
In Australia, 13.2% of people live in poverty. More than one in six children live in poverty, making poverty sadly common. Whilst the poverty line in Australia like with any other country depends on the situation, in general, Australian poverty is defined as a single adult living on less that $426.30 a week, or a couple with two kids at $895.22 a week.
What is Poverty like?
Poverty is awful, and affects so many. For many, poverty means food insecurity- not knowing if you'll have a meal for dinner or what tomorrow's food will look like. For a child, this might mean they can't afford to bring lunch to school. It definitely means no school camps, or the latest toys going around. This can lead to other issues such as social and can cause even mental health problems such as depression. It means having to pick between the most basic needs- for example, whether to replace shoes with holes in them or dinner tomorrow.
What people are more likely to be in Poverty?
Unfortunately, due to issues such as racism, sexism, ableism, and trans/homophobia, some people may find it harder to get a job than others. This is through no fault of their own, rather the fact that some people are unfairly prejudiced against those who aren't labelled as 'normal'. This may lead to more poverty in these groups than the general population.
How can you help?
There are many ways you could help those in poverty. Many people donate money to the poor either through donations or buying products from brands such as Thankyou. Those who don't have as much money or wish to help out more directly may enjoy doing volunteer work such as helping out at homeless shelters. In fact, helping the poor doesn't have to include any of these things- it could just be a smile at homeless people on a walk or buying from small local businesses.
