A Whole Meaning Of Poverty And How To Overcome It

Poverty is one of the greatest problems ranging Nigerian and African at large. Poverty is generally associated with the conditions, which people live. It is related term, a condition that can only be defined by comparing circumstances of one group of people or an entire economic with another.

Poverty has always been with us and undoubtedly always will be. Poverty is a complex concept as it relates much to how one feels about one’s situation as to what are actually has in terms of materials resources. Since colonial days, efforts have been made towards treating or eliminating poverty. Each era has held a different belief and takes a different approach to solving the problem but yet the problems are still outstanding.

Various ways of conceptualizing poverty has been proposed  based on a variety  of criteria in addition to income (Note: income is not the only criteria used in defining what poverty is) for example, the resources available in the community, the culture of the people and individual characteristics are also important. A whole community can be labeled pocket of poverty because of their limited opportunity for employment, education and other necessities of life. In such a community, it is not just low income that is considered but also high cost of food, prices lack of access to public services. As a result of this, the poor are mired in despair and resignation. The way of life is characterized by fatalism, violence and unstable family structure. Their hopelessness and lassitude prevent them from expending the energy to climb out of poverty. These attitudes are taught to their children who come to see poverty as an unchanging fact of life.