What Is Poverty Reduction?

Answering “what is poverty reduction?” has become more complicated over the years. What most people used to consider sufficient—passing out food, clothes and money—does not make long-term improvements. Now, the goal is sustainable programs that address multiple facets of poverty.[1] GFA World has found that an especially effective program for poverty reduction is distributing farm animals.

Taden’s story illustrates how this is true. His father died when Taden was a little boy, sending his family into a financial crisis. He and his mother had to work the land they owned, leaving him no opportunity for education; the family’s survival depended on his labor. When Taden grew up, he got married and had two children. He still worked in the fields around the village, with very little to show for his back-breaking efforts. He was doing everything he could, but even working multiple jobs would not let him gain ground on his family’s poverty. Taden had to make the difficult decision to deprive his children of education to keep them alive. The family traveled to a neighboring country to work in the sugarcane fields for half of the year, a primitive arrangement with no toilet let alone a school. Taden’s children had a bleak future ahead of them.

Then, a GFA pastor met Taden and heard about the family’s struggles and needs. The pastor shared about the One who gives hope and new life. The truth reached their hearts, and the family began to trust God to provide, finding peace and hope. And God did provide. At a GFA gift distribution, Taden’s family received a cow. The cow was a lifeline. As it grew, it was able to produce about a gallon of milk a day. The family could sell ghee, a type of butter, and the profit from this lifted them from the harsh conditions of poverty. Taden’s children were then able to attend school, opening more doors for their futures and allowing them to further escape poverty through education. The cow even had a calf, doubling the family’s prospects and lifting the financial burdens they had carried for years.[2]


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