People Overcoming Poverty in South Asia Nations

The largest continent, Asia also presents some of the greatest needs, with millions of people living in extreme poverty.1 Though the region has experienced economic success, it also has some of the highest rates for hunger and poverty.2 But there is good news: There are people overcoming poverty in south Asia nations. Through the help of organizations such as GFA World, there are success stories, and lives are being transformed. Here are a few examples.

Preshti struggled with everyday tasks and easily became confused when she visited her mother in a neighboring village of south Asia.3

She couldn’t read the signs. Growing up in an impoverished family, Preshti was unable to attend school as a child. Instead, she took care of her younger siblings while her parents worked. Education seemed out of her reach.

After Preshti married, she realized the importance of literacy. She struggled to read street signs, pay bills, board the correct bus, check her earnings and count the change she received at the market.

Preshti’s situation seemed hopeless until she participated in a GFA World literacy class. There, she learned to read and write, and her confidence soared. With her newfound skills, Preshti joined other women in a local small business plan, through which she began earning money. Thanks to her new literacy skills, Preshti was able to provide for her family.

Elsewhere in South Asia, Venita’s future appeared bleak.4

The young daughter of a poor, alcoholic daily wage laborer, Venita seemed destined to gain little education and repeat her family’s cycle of poverty. Venita’s father barely earned enough for the family’s survival, much less enough for proper school supplies. Without proper support or study materials, Venita struggled in school.

Then, at the age of 8, Venita enrolled in GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program and her life’s trajectory changed. With careful guidance from GFA staff, Venita soon caught up in her studies. She also learned discipline, manners and morals and participated in extracurricular activities. With the help of the program, Venita not only completed 12th grade but she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree. Now, Venita tutors children—helping them acquire the tools to achieve a brighter future—and helps her family financially. Destined for greater things, Venita was empowered through GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program to rise above the poverty of her childhood.


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