Root Causes of Poverty
Welcome to the Engineers Without Borders presentation:
Poverty Quiz
1. What is food aid?
a) Food sent for emergency relief after a disaster.
b) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster.
c) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster and throughout the year to try to provide hunger relief.
Poverty Quiz
1. What is food aid?
a) Food sent for emergency relief after a disaster.
b) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster.
c) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster and throughout the year to try to provide hunger relief.
Poverty Quiz
2. How many people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names?
a) 1 billionb) 100 millionc) 10 milliond) 1 million
Poverty Quiz
2. How many people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names?
a) 1 billionb) 100 millionc) 10 milliond) 1 million
Poverty Quiz
3. How many people die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation?
a) 1.3 billionb) 50 thousandc) 1.8 million d) 10 million
Poverty Quiz
3. How many people die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation?
a) 1.3 billionb) 50 thousandc) 1.8 million d) 10 million
Poverty Quiz
4. Did economic growth increase or decrease in 1980-2000, compared to the previous 20 years in Africa?
a) Increaseb) Decrease
Poverty Quiz
4. Did economic growth increase or decrease in 1980-2000, compared to the previous 20 years in Africa?
a) Increaseb) Decrease
Poverty Quiz
5. How many children in sub-Saharan Africa were orphaned from AIDS by 2005?a) 2 millionb) 100 thousandc) 1 billiond) 15 million
Poverty Quiz
5. How many children in sub-Saharan Africa were orphaned from AIDS by 2005?a) 2 millionb) 100 thousandc) 1 billiond) 15 million
Poverty Quiz
6. How do you contract Malaria?a) Its contagious between peopleb) Bacteria in the waterc) Spidersd) Mosquitoes
Poverty Quiz
6. How do you contract Malaria?a) Its contagious between peopleb) Bacteria in the waterc) Spidersd) Mosquitoes
Poverty Quiz
Tie Breaker Question:
Fill in the blank:In the world ___% of all malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
Poverty Quiz
Tie Breaker Question:
Fill in the blank:
In the world 90% of all malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
Poverty is not about weakness. For the people who go hungry each day poverty is an absence of
opportunity.
Time is Money
How long did it take you to brush your teeth this morning?
To eat breakfast?
To get to school?
Poverty is a Complex Cycle
Poverty
Geography
Politics
Economics
Social
What are some factors?
Geography
What are some examples of how geography can cause poverty?
• Drought• Unstable Water
Source• Infertile Soil• Limited
resources• Natural disasters
Politics
What are some examples of how politics can cause poverty?
• Warfare• Government
Instability• Corruption
Economics
What are some examples of how economics can cause poverty?
• Debt Servicing• Global Market
Tariffs• Non Subsidies• Trade Barriers
Social
What are some examples of social factors that can cause poverty?
• Education• Health Care• Infrastructure
•An effect of poverty is something that will go away if the underlying problems were addressed.
•A cause of poverty is the underlying reason why some experience the effects.
Effect vs. Cause
Examples of Effects in Poverty
•Hunger•Poor Health•Poor working conditions•Illiterate
Example
Sally drops out of high school
EffectUltimate Causes Causes
Wants to work
To make money?
Finds it more interesting than
school?
Her family is poor?
Was never educated on the value of
school?
Activity
Technology & Development
How could building a well affect your root causes map?
What did you learn
•The problem doesn’t have a quick fix•People in developing countries face
many challenges.
How do we solve complex problems?
• Identify the root causes.•Take a multidisciplinary approach.•Take small steps and be patient
(there’s no quick fix)•Be willing to adapt along the way
Success Story: Fair TradeThe Objective:Improve the quality of life for third world farmers.
The Problem: Third world farmers often get taken advantage of for cheap labor and unfair working conditions. They often don’t have access to loans or appropriate technology.
Success Story: Fair Trade
When you buy 1lb of coffee the farmer gets:
$0.50
When you buy 1lb of Fair Trade Certified coffee the farmer gets: $1.26
That is 252%
increase!!!
Fair Trade Certified
What You Can DO! Be a global citizen
Learn how YOUR actions affect other people around the world!
Take actions that make a positive difference! Buy Fair Trade
Inspire others