Why society needs to uplift the poor?

We often forget that we are living in one world. A world in which the poor are fellow human beings, just like us. People that we hold responsibility to. People that we need to care for. But there is a common misconception that uplifting the poor is only about selfless giving, providing little benefits for society. In reality, this is contrary to the case. Poverty alleviation not just promotes social justice, but also provides economic, social and health improvements for the nation.

Cloth donation drive in Gurgaon 

India is known for being the world’s biggest democracy. Yet it faces vast unequal differences in the distribution of power, control and autonomy, which are fundamental principles of democracy in the first place. How is it just that India is known as one of the world’s richest nations and yet 42% of Indians live below the poverty line? We cannot just turn a blind eye to the suffering of the poor. It is the duty of those that have access to resources and education, to make a difference when they can. This does not mean dragging down the wealth of the rich, but uplifting the poor. This involves providing the poor with economic, educational and political tools that encourage autonomy and active participation in society.

Many that live in poverty could have been doctors, innovators and investors creating a difference for the nation. But because poverty limits access and control over basic necessities like food, education and health services, few have a chance at becoming productive members of society. If those in poverty were provided with the opportunity to utilize their full potential, their contribution to the economy would be immense. We need to recognize that the fortune lies at the bottom of the pyramid.

Research indicates more equal nations are less likely to suffer from social and health-related problems. This is worrisome for countries like India, where income inequality has doubled in recent years. Being desperate and hopeless, poor people are more likely to engage in risky behaviors like robberies, prostitution or drug dealings as a means of coping. Others turn to religious extremism and fascism for refuge. Although this burdens society as a whole, the poor and vulnerable are again more likely to be victims of crimes.

The health of nations has also been affected with higher rates of divorce, depression and domestic violence linked with countries that have higher income inequality. This is because when there is hierarchy, individuals are constantly competing for status, which increases stress and worsens health outcomes. The poor being more prone to illnesses also threatens nations as a whole. Diseases like Bird Flu spread fast, particularly in populous countries like India. With the safety and well being of the nation at large, it is more than essential to “Love thy neighbor as thy self”. 

All in all, it is vital that we all take action against poverty - “the greatest cause of suffering on Earth” (The World Health Organization).

For Love,

Shama K

Child Poverty: A major concern

The human life is a combination of happiness and sorrows. It is impossible to know when we might face a big difficulties and emotional troubles in life. We all have to go through a bad phase at some time in our life which leads to stress in our lives.

Child Poverty has been an ongoing issue throughout the world for decades. The children in society today living in poverty is increasing daily. The majority of these children are from single-parent homes where sometimes parents are not working or have become disabled and therefore cannot work.   Children who are raised in foster care and leave as adults do not have strong relationship ties most of the time and are at an increased risk for experiencing poverty, early parenthood and homelessness . The reason for most of the poverty in the India is due to low family incomes.   

Poverty is a disease.   A disease that clogs our government system as it is something there is no cure for, at least not yet.   Poverty is declining, but the reasons for families still living in poverty continue to grow.   When there are no jobs or no opportunities, or losing one's job due to illness or debilitating injury, a family can find themselves in the lap of poverty without realizing how they got into the situation.

What is poverty?   Poverty can be explained to be lacking the resources to meet the basic needs for healthy living. By not having insufficient income to provide food, shelter and clothing needed to preserve health for oneself or one's family.   What is meant by income here, besides the wage of a job, are food stamps, school lunches and public housing?   Poverty is visible to most of us when we see a homeless person on the street asking for money or food. Or on television when we see the poor countries and the plight of the children among the communities where there is a shortage of food.

Poverty has many faces; it changes from place and place and can be described in many ways.   Poverty is not having freedom and leaves one feeling powerless. People want to escape poverty and most cannot.

We've seen poverty and healthcare become a problem dating back the great depression, World War I and World War II. Also the problem of child poverty is a huge concern in other ends of the world. In this paper I will talk to you about child poverty at a glance fallowed by poverty levels in different places

We all have an idea of what poverty is, but too many it's just a topic that is put off that is not strongly talked about. According to UNICEF they have defined Child Poverty as “environment that is damaging to their mental, physical, emotional and spiritual development." They touch on the facts. Kids who don't start off with a nutritious meal or partake in hazardous work already affect a child's state of mind. UNICEF best describes the variables. "Living in an environment that provides little stimulation or emotional support to children, on the other hand can remove many of the positive effects of growing up in a materially rich household." Children are supposed to shape the future. A parent who gives their child the idea they can become whatever they wish as long as they truly apply themselves is great words of encouragement, but there's always the what if’s of the world. It starts off by social class. Today everything is covered by media whether we look at it or not. Media outlets all over the world cover some form of poverty, but not much on kids. Who's to blame? Is there anyone to blame? How we define poverty can be different based on government standards of living. Some people think that you choose to live below the standard level and "choose" poverty based on being lazy, and only relying on welfare or just being weak and there are also who are less fortunate. Child poverty is looked from the perspective that it has to have a beginning, but what is the beginning? Whereas the rising cost of healthcare in today’s economy is in desperate need of reform. The cost of healthcare has affected the number of people able to receive medical care. Individuals are suffering more than ever because of the inability to receive medical attention when it’s needed.

The rising cost of healthcare is going to continue to rise year after year. This is making it harder and harder on working class to receive medical care. It is even harder on the unemployed. There are many aspects that play a role in improving our health system, but the three major factors are preventive care, accessibility and health care reform. Studies show that preventive medicine can decrease cost and have a better treatment outcome. Better access presumably improves health outcomes. Each community should have some form of health clinic that patients can go for care. Health care reform is greatly needed in India in order to be up to standard with the other countries that are leading the world in health care and life expectancy. With mandatory health insurance all citizens will be able to have access to a doctor without an excuse before a minor problem becomes a major or long term expense.

Health is related deeply to life-style. Ideal health will however, always remains a mirage, because everything in our life is subject to change. Health may be described as a potentiality—the ability of an individual or a social group to modify himself or itself continually, in the face of changing conditions of life not only, in order to function better in the present but also to prepare for the future.

Signing off

Vibhor Verma.