What Are Some Solutions to Poverty?

The question, “What are some solutions to poverty?” has quite a few answers. They include:
  1. Education    : The gift of basic education—literacy and numeracy—can be the key that opens countless doors, turning potential into possibility.
  2. Clean Water: A nearby source of clean water can save lives, cutting down on diseases and freeing up hours each day for women and children, hours that could be spent in classrooms or at work.
  3. Basic Healthcare: The harsh reality is that health costs push nearly 100 million people into poverty annually.
  4. Childhood Nutrition: Proper nutrition in early years shapes not just bodies but minds, setting children on a path to become educated, productive members of society.[1]
GFA World has ministry in Africa and Asia that provide each of the above. Our Child Sponsorship Program offers opportunities for education and provides nutritious meals to children.[2] We build Jesus Wells that create fresh water sources and gift BioSand water filters that purify existing ones.[3] GFA World hosts medical camps where qualified doctors and nurses diagnose illnesses, treat injuries, give out medicine, advise parents and assist those who need further treatment, all at no cost.[4]

GFA World also utilizes another, possibly surprising, solution to ending extreme poverty: the gift of farm animals. It may seem unusual, but it is extremely effective. Animals can provide a source of desperately needed food through the meat and, depending on the animal, eggs or milk. Families can also sell those products for extra income. And the amazing thing about animals is that they grow and reproduce, allowing families to sell the offspring or their meat for even more income. Then, with a surplus of funds, the families can begin considering things that were out of reach before: healthcare or medicine for the sick and schooling for the young. They can even improve their houses, making life more tolerable and even enjoyable. When their basic needs are met, they are able to focus their time and attention on more rewarding pursuits. Instead of an endless cycle of poverty, they can enter a more hopeful cycle of prosperity. And, maybe for the first time, life can move beyond just surving day to day.[5]


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