Half of the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day. The vicious poverty cycle is a phenomenon that continues to plague billions of people.

What is the poverty cycle?

The cycle of poverty is a concept used by economic scientists. It simply means poverty begets poverty. Moreover, it shows that poor people are trapped in an eternal state of poverty unless an external intervention is used to finally put an end to it.

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Here’s how the poverty cycle works: Take a child born out of an impoverished family. That child is undernourished and the parents have no means to nurture him or send him to school. In turn, the child becomes illiterate and incapable of finding jobs that will get him out of his situation. His parents will die from preventable diseases. Once the child becomes an adult, he looks for a wife who is just on the same level of poverty as him. He and his wife bear children, who are doomed to suffer the same fate.

There are a lot of factors and causes of poverty. Some of the most prevalent include apathy, ignorance, dishonesty, and dependency. Each contributes to the vicious cycle, leaving more people deeper and deeper down the line.

How can we break the cycle?

Breaking the cycle of poverty is easier said than done. However, it is not impossible. There are ways of putting an end to it. We only need to act now.

Education

Education is key to ending extreme poverty. It provides people the opportunities they need to get out of the cycle. It gives them the chance to have a better life. When they are properly educated, they develop higher hopes and bigger dreams. Moreover, education teaches and trains them to become knowledgeable, experienced and skilled.

Provision of skills

The youth who are physically capable of working can be taught skills to become self-sufficient. From farm work to other agricultural practices, they can have the means to fend for themselves and for their families. Training can also be accorded with common livelihood practices useful in their locations. This way, the skills they learn become valuable to them. Moreover, it does not require them to leave for faraway places they may otherwise not afford.

Health programs

There are a lot of health programs that can help end the poverty cycle. When these programs are implemented in schools or anchored towards feeding the children, parents will be more driven to continue nurturing them. More kids will also be physically capable of going to school and older ones to start working again.

Income redistribution

The government of developing nations should properly allocate for better community programs. From building better bridges to roads and rural areas, poorer communities will have a better chance of transporting their goods. Moreover, it will motivate them more to continue with their livelihood when the government is supporting them.

We can all do our part in ending this vicious cycle. Whether it’s to join existing organizations, volunteer in projects or start our own, we can do something about it.