Gospel for Asia

What are some solutions to poverty? The solution to poverty requires addressing its fundamental causes rather than merely treating its surface manifestations. Generational poverty breaks when people receive an education that, combined with values, establishes dignity and a sense of purpose. At GFA World, we recognize that knowledge and moral development, when combined, can lead to profound change. Through our work, we create lasting changes that impact people at every level of society. Self-sufficiency requires families to receive actual tools that help them break their poverty cycle. The resources provided by GFA World include things like sewing machines, vocational training and livestock. Kanal, a father in Asia, experienced this firsthand. [3] After receiving a piglet from GFA World, he launched a small business rearing and selling pigs, which generated enough profits to pay for his children’s education and enable him to assist other families in his community. Practical tools, comb...

The signs of the spirit of poverty manifest through the profound effects they have on various aspects of life, including education, health, interpersonal relationships and self-image. The first step toward meaningful change requires identifying these signs. The definition of poverty is typically a person surviving on $3.00 per day, and this harsh reality affects 838 million people worldwide. [1] But the reach of poverty extends beyond monetary limitations into multiple life domains. Children from the poorest households face higher risks of undernutrition and premature death during early childhood, and they often lack essential education opportunities. Poverty creates a situation where families experience hunger, homelessness and hopelessness. People trapped in poverty’s cycle experience such hopelessness about their situation that it produces ongoing despair. Despair can manifest as resignation or the belief that life will never improve, regardless of how hard one tries. Thus, poverty...

Breaking the spirit of poverty is about providing support along with resources that have a lasting impact to help families escape their poverty permanently. Through GFA World, impoverished families in Africa and Asia receive support, empowerment and dignity, enabling them to become self-sufficient. The path from poverty to independence remains challenging, yet with proper assistance, it is achievable. The spirit of poverty needs solutions that surpass basic, temporary relief programs. Long-term solutions must address fundamental issues to enable people to achieve independence through their efforts. GFA World implements programs that allow families to become self-sustaining. These are some effective methods, which you can contribute to through GFA World: [1] Our vocational training programs teach practical skills, such as welding and tailoring. A $75 donation to GFA World helps enable someone to develop skills that lead to stable employment and improved family well-being, as well as ex...

The spirit of poverty prevents families from escaping a life of misery. The lack of material possessions combined with a profound sense of hopelessness and helplessness is a defining characteristic of poverty. Through our practical programs, GFA World works to help free impoverished families in Africa and Asia from the spirit of poverty by restoring their hope for a better life. A person suffers from poverty physically, mentally and spiritually. People often experience an inability to escape their situation when they feel trapped, without any prospects of liberation. The right kind of support enables families to break free from the grip of poverty. Through child sponsorship, medical assistance, income generating gifts, vocational programs and other support systems, GFA World helps families overcome their financial difficulties. [1] Signs of spirit of poverty reveal themselves through three significant symptoms: despair, fear and anxiety. The lack of basic needs, such as food, health c...

The Borgen Project lists several hidden impacts of extreme poverty: “Almost 3 billion people with no access to toilets, and almost 1 billion lacking clean drinking water. “The poorest 20 percent of the world’s children twice as likely as the richest 20 percent to be stunted by poor nutrition and to die before their fifth birthday. “2.7 million newborns worldwide die within their first month of life. “161 million children do not attend primary school.” 1 It is noteworthy that since 1990, nearly 1.1 billion people have lifted themselves out of extreme poverty. 2 How was this done? What were the solutions to extreme poverty for these 1.1 billion people? The World Bank credits “child survival to primary school enrollment, the improvements to people’s lives have advanced with a momentum that few could have imagined when the World Bank was founded more than 70 years ago.” Even with those incredible statistics, it still leaves 1 in 10 of the world’s population below the poverty line. GFA Wor...

There are many solutions to the poverty cycle; however, through our extensive work in South Asia, we have learned that you can provide significant change through these 5 strategies. Solutions to the Poverty Cycle: 5 Strategies Invest in Educational Programs When children and adults are literate and taught how to think, it is easier to break the cycle of poverty. When you invest in literacy programs, your investment is multiplied because parents teach their children, and those children will someday teach their children, too. Women who learn to read and learn basic math increase their chances of escaping poverty exponentially. Invest in Income-generating Training and Gifts Training someone in an income-generating skill is a huge boost to someone in poverty. For example, when a woman is taught how to sew and given a sewing machine, she obtains tailoring skills that will generate income for her family. Or when a family is gifted chickens or goats, they now have eggs and milk to sell at the...

Poverty impacts society in numerous ways, and it often takes outside intervention to break into the cycle that develops. If that help never arrives, the cycle of poverty will continue generation after generation. How does poverty affect society? Here are three ways: Education Education and poverty perpetuate one another. Those in poverty can’t afford education and those who aren’t educated don’t have a way out of poverty. It becomes a vicious cycle. On average, people who have an education make more money. In fact, a person’s income increases 10 percent for every year of primary education he or she completes. Those who complete secondary school are twice as likely to escape poverty. 1 Education, especially literacy, is a valuable asset to a community and culture. Health When a family lives in poverty, they often don’t have access to medical treatment and nutritious food. This means that treatable diseases and illnesses can cause lasting harm or death. For example, when clean drinking ...

Reducing extreme poverty is a massive challenge, but the strategies and solutions to poverty are equally promising. Today, $1.90 of daily income is the official marker of extreme poverty and around 736 million people are in this group, many of them children. 1 The people in this category often lack adequate housing, hygiene, medical treatment and education. So, what are the solutions to poverty? Let’s study the impact that positive values and education have on poverty in a society. First, positive values create a chain reaction that can change a culture. Consider the following example: Luis has positive values. Perhaps they were taught to him by a parent, or he learned them from a source outside his family, perhaps from his church. His children are benefiting from his ethical foundation, and he encourages them to attend school and continue learning. His employer sees Luis’ values and ethics—his integrity, intelligence, and energy. While his coworkers sometimes display negative ideolog...

There is a difference of opinion when it comes to how many people lack access to clean water. According to the World Health Organization, 785 million people worldwide lack access to a basic drinking-water source. Because of this startling statistic, every year 297,000 children die from water-related issues. These deaths are preventable with safe water and sanitation. Lack of hygiene and sanitation is also creating issues in the goal of clean water. Open defecation causes water to be contaminated. Around the world, at least 2 billion people have a water source that has been contaminated with feces. It is also important to note how long people walk to get to water. The World Health Organization estimates that 90% of the world’s population utilized at least a basic service. This means that an improved drinking water source is available within a round trip of 30 minutes. Oftentimes, women and girls are responsible for walking to retrieve water. When they are required to walk miles for w...

The WHO and UNICEF list ten water stressed countries, those with the worst drinking water. 1 They include: Mexico - Bottled water is the primary source of drinking water in Mexico. Congo - The rural areas of Congo suffer the most from water stress. Only 21% of people have access to water in their local community. Pakistan - There is a large gap in resources and hygiene between the rich and poor. Bhutan - Only 1/3 of managed drinking water is clean. Ghana - Sanitation services are very limited in Ghana. Nepal - Open defecation is a major issue in Nepal, creating contaminated water sources. Cambodia - Delivered water is essential to many communities. Nigeria - Fifteen percent of the people still drink from unimproved water sources. Ethiopia -  There are wide differences between rural and urban water resources. Uganda - Almost 40% of people travel more than 30 minutes for water. Click here , to read more about this article. Click here , to read more blogs in Gospel for Asia.Org

When considering, “what is water stress,” there are many definitions proposed by organizations and researchers. The CEO Water Mandate defines water stress as the “ability, or lack thereof, to meet human and ecological demand for fresh water.” 1 The European Environment Agency says: “Water stress occurs when the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use.” 2 Water stress can occur anywhere in the world—both in developing countries and developed countries, rural areas and urban areas. Wherever there are people without access to clean water, there is water stress. GFA World is committed to micro-solutions to curing water stress. In needy communities in Asia and soon, Africa, GFA is digging wells and providing BioSand water filters for communities. The water wells are dug deep enough to provide clean water year-round, even in seasons of drought, and are maintained by local pastors and churches in the community. Each well ha...

Water stress is to the “ability, or lack thereof, to meet human and ecological demand for fresh water.” 1 It’s been almost 30 years since the United Nations started observing World Water Day with the goal of providing worldwide access to clean water. Even though we’ve seen significant improvement, water stressed countries remain a problem in many areas around the world. Developed countries are not exempt from clean water struggles either. In fact, more than 2 million Americans lack access to indoor plumbing and running water. Another 30 million live in communities that do not have access to safe drinking water. 2 How many people lack access to clean water? Several developed cities are among the BBC list of those that are likely to run out of drinking water—Cape Town, Sao Paulo, Bangalore, Beijing, Cairo, Jakarta, Moscow, Istanbul, Mexico City, London, Tokyo, and Miami. “Cape Town is in the unenviable situation of being the first major city in the modern era to face the threat of runn...

Questions are an important way to learn about a subject. Here are some water scarcity FAQs and their answers. What does water scarcity mean? Water scarcity is when there is less freshwater than necessary to meet the needs of the people. It is a global issue, impacting much of the world. However, it often impacts impoverished people the hardest. What are the main causes of it? While there is a myriad of reasons for water scarcity, we think the three reasons contribute to much of the issue. First, population growth contributes significantly to the problem. As populations grow, more water is needed. More water is needed to grow food for more people. More water is needed for the larger population to drink, cook and live. In addition, water infrastructure needs to be able to transport more water to the growing population. Second, polluted water contributes to the cause. This pollution comes from pesticides and fertilizers, waste from industry, oil pollution, human waste, trash dumping and o...

Studying water scarcity solutions is essential to understanding the issue and discovering the best way to help. Through research at GFA World, we have determined that BioSand water filters and fresh-water wells are the best solutions to water scarcity. These two options help individual families and entire communities access clean, healthy water. BioSand water filters use sand and concrete to filter water. They remove pathogens, impurities and suspended solids and make water safe for drinking and cooking. The filters also remove bacteria and viruses. The process for installing and maintaining the filter is easy, and the filters use no electricity. You can gift a family in need with a BioSand water filter for $30. One filter can change the lives of an entire family! GFA World also digs Jesus Wells for communities that need access to clean water. The wells are dug 200 meters deep, which ensures that water is accessible year round. The wells are durable and last approximately 20 years! L...

A water scarcity definition is a shortage of freshwater to adequately fulfill the needs of the people. Water scarcity is also called water stress or water crisis. It is possible that half of the world’s population will be living without adequate water supply by 2025. In fact, this essential issue already impacts every continent. Water stress can be seasonal for many around the world. For example, water becomes difficult to find during droughts or certain seasons. For others, water scarcity is a continual struggle. Clean water is simply unavailable to them, and they resort to drinking contaminated water. Water scarcity can be the result of natural causes or human causes. In fact, as a growing population uses more water, we are seeing a depletion of freshwater resources and adequate infrastructure. This is not sustainable. As the population grows, we need to advance our efforts and try to catch up. People need clean water to survive. When people resort to drinking unsafe or contaminated ...

Water scarcity is defined as a lack of freshwater to meet the needs of the population. Many estimate that by 2025 half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas. Combatting water scarcity has been a high priority of many organizations and ministries. In fact, the World Health Organization has also made clean water a priority. Over a decade ago, the UN General Assembly clearly recognized the need: “Everyone has the right to sufficient, continuous, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use.” 1 There are numerous causes of fresh-water shortage. Here is a sampling: Pollution in water More people and the resulting development has caused changes in water ecosystems. As populations grow, demand grows with it. For example, more water is needed for agriculture and industrial needs. Domestic needs also rise as more people are drinking water, preparing food, watering their yards and using water in their homes. As population...

The Bible contains a lot of guidance on how to help and feed the poor with compassion. Here are some instances in the Bible where we’re called to feed the poor: “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?”  – James 2:15-16 “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor”  – Proverbs 22:9 “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ru...

In many Asian cultures, widows and orphans are shunned in society. Sometimes, even their closest relatives ignore their circumstances. Children are often left in the slums or dumps to fend for themselves among the rubble. The Bible says that God sees them. They are not forgotten. Here is a sampling of Bible verses about helping the poor and orphans: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart”  – Zechariah 7:8-10 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world”  – James 1:27 “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute”  – Psalm 82:3 “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation” – Psalm 68:5 Th...

During His time here on earth, Jesus spoke much about money and caring for the poor. He gave us many Bible passages about poverty. Here is a sampling: In Isaiah 61, the prophet spoke these words, and seven centuries later, Jesus opened the scroll and applied the message to Himself. He would be the one to provide salvation to the poor. It is His gift that provides salvation for our souls. “And he [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor’”  – Luke 4:16-19 This next passage is in the context of ...

Throughout the Bible, we are called to take up the case of the poor and be an advocate for the oppressed. We are to act on behalf of the poor with the understanding that we are serving to further God’s work in the world. Here are some Bible verses about poverty, along with commentary on how we are to respond to God’s Word. God loves the poor and is their advocate God’s Word has many Bible passages about poverty that present Him as a supporter of the poor and needy. An advocate is one who speaks up for and supports the rights of another. That’s what God does for the poor. He is their advocate. “For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever” - Psalm 9:17-18 “I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy” - Psalm 140:12 “For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthl...

Modern slavery persists in various forms around the world, with millions of adults and children trapped in forced labor. This article sheds light on the prevalence of this global crisis, focusing on the disproportionate impact on women and girls and the alarming numbers in the Asia-Pacific region. By examining specific cases and recurring patterns of forced labor and slavery, we aim to highlight the urgency of addressing this grave violation of human rights. Forced Labor and Modern Slavery: A Global Challenge According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), over 40 million people worldwide are currently living in some form of slavery. This shocking statistic reveals the extent of human suffering and exploitation that persists in our modern society. Among these victims, Asia and the Pacific region account for 25 million individuals, illustrating the gravity of the problem in this part of the world. Furthermore, forced sexual exploitation affects a staggering 73 percent of all v...

Poverty and modern-day slavery continue to afflict millions of people worldwide, posing significant challenges to human rights, social justice, and ending poverty injustice. This article examines the persistent issues of extreme poverty and child labor, shedding light on the current state of affairs and the need for concerted efforts to bring about lasting change. The Persistence of Poverty In recent decades, there have been notable strides in reducing extreme poverty, but the rate of decline has slowed. According to the World Bank, between 1990 and 2015, there was a 35-percentage point decline in extreme poverty. However, the South Asia region saw only an 8 percent decrease in individuals living on less than $3.20 a day, with over 80 percent still below the $5.50 threshold. Furthermore, access to electricity and adequate sanitation remains a pressing issue for many households. [1] World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim emphasized the need for increased investment, particularly in bui...

Wealth inequality and poverty are pressing global issues that require urgent attention to uphold human rights and promote social justice. This article delves into the challenges posed by addressing wealth disparities, the persistence of extreme poverty, and the need for fair employment and rights at work. By exploring these issues, we can strive for a more equitable and just society for all. Wealth Inequality and Global Poverty According to recent data, the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few is staggering. A report by Credit Suisse revealed that the top 1 percent of the world’s richest individuals control 50 percent of global wealth, while the top 10 percent control 88 percent. [1] This alarming inequality poses significant challenges to social justice and economic stability. Despite progress in some regions, extreme poverty remains unacceptably high worldwide. The World Bank’s “Poverty Puzzle” report introduced additional poverty thresholds, such as $3.20 and $5.50 per day...

In 2019, the United States took a significant step by blocking Chinese-made baby pajamas from entering Costco warehouses. Contrary to trade tensions, this action was driven by concerns of forced labor and human rights violations. [1] It highlighted the urgent need to address such issues, combating poverty and inequality, and promote social justice on a global scale. Allegations of Forced Labor: Halting Imports and Exposing Exploitation Customs officials seized the opportunity to halt importation of goods from five countries, shedding light on disturbing practices. One Malaysian manufacturer faced accusations of staffing factories with migrants from Bangladesh, Nepal, and other countries, subjecting them to exorbitant recruitment fees. Charcoal from Brazil, diamonds from Zimbabwe, and gold from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were also among the imports stopped, further unveiling the prevalence of exploitation. [2] In a shocking turn of events, the assessor of Arizona’s larges...