Poverty

Poverty often results in begging which becomes a vicious circle and has an effect on self-confidence. Read below about the effects of extreme poverty on the ability to live a normal life.

1. Poverty leads to short term survival mode

When struggling to survive, we focus almost completely on the immediate and the need to find food. When you are hungry, you cannot really plan for a better future. That thinking becomes normalized, and there is very little potential to escape from such a life without help.

2. Struggling is normalized

For the really destitute there seems to be no hope and no way to escape from the situation they find themselves in. Struggling becomes the normal way of life, and even becomes the comfort zone. Success is so far away that it is given no thought, or even dream.

3. Vision is replaced with coping

Where there is no vision, there cannot be personal growth. Life becomes hopeless while the only hope there is, is to find something to eat.

4. Novelty is threatening

The struggle trying to cope becomes so familiar that any novelty seems to threaten existence.

5. Celebrate crumbs

The highlight of the day is finding food. It feels like a win. The ambition is to just please get something to eat. Such crumbs are celebrated.

6. Imagination is killed

Dreams do not provide food. To avoid the hurt of disappointment, any dreaming or imagination is fought off.

7. Risk avoidance

As the life of poverty is normalized without dreams, no risk is taken on a chance to possibly improve one’s life condition.

8. Poverty becomes identity

As time passes poverty is no longer a condition, but an identity.
“I am poor and I can do nothing about it.”
Even when an opportunity arises, the poor do not recognize it.