Global Poverty

By: Paarth S.

 

 

As you walk into the house, you set your backpack down after an exhausting and tiring day at school. You open the cabinet and grab a bag of chips, as well as a beverage from the fridge. Nothing’s better than being able to relax after a long day at school. Unfortunately, school and food isn’t a reality for many people.

Most Americans don’t realize this, but 85% of people in the world make only $30 per day. Additionally, poverty-stricken people spend 60 to 80% of their money on food, which makes purchasing anything besides food nearly impossible. Statistically, three million children die from lack of proper food and water each year.

Most underprivileged people in the world have little to no education, limited electricity, and are starving. In fact, 70% of people in extreme poverty who are over the age of 15 have little to no education. Electricity is also a major problem for developing countries. Liberia, a country in West Africa, uses less energy than the Cowboys Stadium - a football stadium in the United States. The entire continent of Africa uses only three percent of the world’s electricity. In fact, 1.3 billion people - who account for 22% of the world’s population - lack electricity, as well as water and proper education.

            Poverty undeniably takes a major toll on people’s health. "Poverty is a negative, independent factor that influences lifelong health," says Dr. James Duffee. Poverty is something that can cause major stress, and Duffee explains that major childhood stress leads to illnesses such as diabetes, or cardiac disease. The health of adults is affected by poverty as well. Poverty forces people to work increasingly stressful jobs for extended periods of time. Working a long or stressful job can cause mental illnesses such as depression, which can lead to suicide. These illnesses may not be able to get properly treated, as people living in poverty usually lack access to proper medical attention. This makes treatment for any kind of disease or illness impractical.

Global poverty is a prevalent problem. The lives of many people are changed drastically because of poverty, which affects their health conditions, living conditions, and education. Children who aren’t able to receive a proper education are denied a healthy, prosperous future. So, if you wish that school doesn’t exist or say that school is useless, think again, because more than 1.3 billion people are willing to take your place.