Anti Poverty Week - what are the lessons

Last week was Anti Poverty Week - a week designed to make people reflect on and think about the scale of poverty and how we can address it. As noted in my last article, we've essentially halved the number of people living in poverty (defined as US$3.20 a day) over the past 20 years. We still have 2 billion living in poverty, but 2 billion more are not living in the desperate situation that poverty creates.

I did read the other day that if you take the wealth of the eight richest people on the planet and combine it, you get ￡350 billion - if you take the wealth of the poorest 3.5 billion you get . . . the same number. Yes - eight people own as much wealth as half the world's population (New Scientist "The inequality delusion: Why we've got the wealth gap all wrong" 27/3/18). So if we are going to address poverty, why don't we simply tap these eight and be done!

That would be a simple solution with a great outcome. And there are those megarich (such as the Gates) who are true leaders and are using their wealth in an amazing way. But that takes away the responsibility of the rest of us to demonstrate our own personal contribution and ability to change the future for others. Because it is in the giving that we are truly blessed.

And a simple solution that has sustainability and scale at the forefront is the Opportunity International small loan. A small loan to a family otherwise excluded from the financial markets due to caste, level of poverty, level of literacy, geographic remoteness or gender of the head of the family - and giving them the opportunity to create a livelihood with dignity and purpose - a small loan that can change the situation and future for generations.

So, let's not just leave it to the wealthiest eight!