Bridging our Understanding of Poverty
What is one of the relationships between investments and poverty? There is a connection between the two. Choosing financial investments that promote sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, affordable house, education, improving the lives of women, especially, and minorities, and other goals impacts the state of our world and the human race. Investing in ways in which many in poverty can be lifted out of their current situations should be a goal when choosing good financial investments. To do this we need to have a better understanding of poverty, which is worldwide.
One method of helping us to understand poverty is looked at from the perspective of resources. What resources do individuals or groups of individuals need in order to move from poverty to a better way of living?
These resources are the following:
1. Financial-the obvious but not necessarily the most important.
2. Emotional-being able to control emotional responses to situations.
3. Mental-mental abilities and acquired skills for living
4. Spiritual-believing in divine purpose and guidance
5. Physical-health and mobility
6. Support Systems-family, friends, backup resources
7. Relationships/Role Models-access to persons who act appropriate
8. Knowledge of Hidden Rules-unspoken habits/rules of a group
9. Coping Strategies-ability to move from the personal to the issue. To move from the concrete to the abstract.
One excellent publication dealing with poverty is the book, Bridges out of Poverty, by Ruby K. Payne, Philip E. DeVol, and Terie Dreussi Smith.
The more we know about what resources are needed to assist others out of poverty, the more we can focus investing in organizations and situations which expressly support those living in poverty.
Ann Kasparek, smr