09-Income Opportunities

Every face has a story, every person - amazing potential, every life - immeasurable value! And yet for over one billion people living in extreme poverty, the stories go unheard, the potential unrealized, the value unseen. The vast majority of the worlds poor are not destitute because of some crime they have committed, some bad choices they have made, or even bad luck. They did not choose to drop out of society, run from responsibility, or turn away from hard work. Most of the worlds poor find themselves trapped in poverty because of their status of birth. They continue in poverty because of neglect, indifference, or exploitation. They are poor because of prejudice, racism, intolerance, corruption and greed. They are victims of war, natural disasters, economic collapse, or environmental devastation. When everything is gone and survival is threatened, despair turns to desperation. People enslave themselves and their children in exchange for food and the bare essentials. With no resources, capital, collateral or status, they miss opportunities, education, personal growth, or advancement. When their children are not able to attend school, the heritage of poverty is passed on from parents to children and the cycle is repeated one more time. This is where development agencies, like ADRA Canada, can make a positive difference. Part of the world-wide ADRA network, ADRA Canada is working hard to help bring an end to extreme poverty, through integrated programs of International Development. Working with some of the poorest of our world, we bring opportunity and hope through interventions that break the cycle of poverty and give people the boost that they need to find the first rung on the ladder to successful self-sufficiency! Adult Education classes, conducted in poor villages, teach literacy, simple business math and accounting skills, and good principles of running a successful small business. Then, to help get them started, ADRA provides small low-interest loans so that they can purchase the tools, inventory, stock or supplies that they need to get started. They may raise livestock such as chickens, goats, sheep or cows, or they may do bee-keeping, food processing, vegetable farming, or fish farming. Some learn skills such as carpentry, hair-dressing, sewing and tailoring, TV repair, computers and office management. These income opportunity programs have an amazing success rate! The uncollateralized loans are often paid back sooner than scheduled, and people, once trapped in the despair of absolute poverty, are now depositing weekly savings in their local bank! They are now able to provide better nutrition for their family. Now, they are able to send their children to school! Women like Carmen and Moe Moe are able to break free from the poverty trap into which they were born and are able to provide new opportunities for their children to have better lives. Ending extreme poverty, in our generation, will take the participation of us all.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Income generation
• Skills Training
• ADRA
• CIDA
• Small Loans