Poverty And Hunger: A Common And Serious Issue

Introduction:

When walking through the streets, you may have come across homeless people sitting on the ground, wearing ragged clothes and holding a plastic cup with less than $2 inside. Your first action is probably to steer away from them. Don't feel ashamed - that's a common reaction. Or maybe you would put a few cents inside the cup. Then you would continue walking and get on with your day. But what about that homeless person? Did they get to eat lunch? Or shower? Or escape from that extreme weather outside? That's the thing; we don't think about that. But should we? And if so, what should we do about it...?

What Is The Meaning Of Poverty?

Poverty is a state or situation in which someone or a group of people lack the basic resources they need to survive and live a healthy life. This includes the lack of food, water, shelter, medicine, and other basic needs. Although homelessness and poverty are strongly tied together, not all people suffering from poverty are homeless. Still, food and water are absolute needs for every human being, and quite a lot of people don't have them. According to a report by the UN, over 1 billion people globally live in acute poverty, with more than half being children! People all over the world, from South America to Asia, all suffer from this growing problem. 39.6 million people in North America alone suffer from poverty, according to the Peterson Foundation.

What Causes People To Live In Poverty?

Poverty is a complex issue, with more than one specific reason why it occurs. For starters, low-paying jobs are a huge factor when it comes to poverty. In some cases, Individuals might not even have a job. You need enough money to put a roof over your head, put food on the table, and live an average life. It can be even harder for some people who may have a family, where they have to do triple the work to keep their family safe and comfortable. Another reason, a bit different from the earlier one, is war and conflict. When countries go to war, their civilians suffer much more than their government. Their homes may get destroyed, causing them to live in poor or no living conditions. Major wars may also alter trading posts and reduce supply, causing a shortage of necessities, which can put many people through a tough time. According to the United Nations, 455 million people in the world suffering from poverty live in war/conflict settings.

One of the most common reasons these days are food insecurity and unaffordable housing. Usually, when you think of poverty, homelessness and hunger comes to mind. Without access to food, our bodies aren't healthy and don't have enough energy. This can cause some people to fall behind in life, and even lose their jobs. According to Human Rights Careers, in 2023, over 2.3 billion people faced severe or moderate food insecurity. People also may not have enough money to afford food, which can be even worse. They're not getting the nutrients their bodies need, which is dangerous and unhealthy. Housing costs have also skyrocketed these past couple of years. The World Economic Forum warns that by 2030, up to 3 billion people will lack housing, which could lead to extreme cases of poverty. Or in other cases, when so much of their income goes towards housing, people lack everyday necessities, like food, insurance, and of course, money.

How Can We All Help?

It may seem like we need a truckload of money, a meeting with the prime minister, and a whole room of assistants, but we all can do our part in reducing and hopefully removing poverty! Although it may seem simple, donating school supplies, clothes, books, food, and other basic requirements makes an impact! When you donate simple needs like food, clothes, and school supplies, families can eat healthy meals, children can learn, and people without homes can stay warm. Another way to help is by volunteering at shelters, food banks, or soup kitchens. You would be able to talk to and help out people who may need a meal or housing. Extra volunteers at stations like these can help speed up positive impacts. According to Food Banks Canada, In March 2024, there were over 2 million food bank visits all across Canada. That's more than the number of people living in Fiji! The easiest way to help is to spread awareness, like many other issues. Talk to your neighbors, friends, family, enemies, anyone! It's so important that this crisis is acknowledged and viewed.

Anaya's Opinion

I think that this article explains poverty and hunger very clearly and makes the issue feel real and urgent. It’s easy to forget about people who don’t have enough food or a safe place to live when we walk by them daily, but this writing reminds us that they face many struggles we might never see. I was surprised by the facts about how many people suffer from poverty around the world and how things like war and high housing costs make the problem worse. It shows that poverty isn’t caused by just one thing but by many factors working together.

I believe everyone can help, even in small ways like donating food or volunteering at shelters. Raising awareness is also important because more people need to understand this problem, so we can work together to solve it. Reading this makes me want to do more to help people in need and make a difference in my community.

Article Written By: Sam Adapa

Opinion Written by: Anaya Charniya

Date: 5/28/2025

Sources: https://www.un.org/en

Sources: https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/root-causes-of-poverty/