poverty

Millions of people around the world endure extreme poverty. In many developing countries, people are forced to live on the streets or in makeshift settlements. Beggars—the lame, the blind, mothers holding infants—are part of the everyday landscape. At busy intersections, children weave between cars, offering small items for sale in the hope of earning a few coins.

Such poverty is hard to reconcile with the wealth humanity now possesses. As one magazine observed, humanity has never had more resources, medical knowledge, or technological capability to confront poverty. Many have certainly benefited from this progress. In major cities across developing nations, new cars crowd the streets, shopping malls overflow with the latest gadgets, and eager buyers fill the stores. In Brazil, two shopping centres once stayed open through the night before Christmas, complete with samba dancers to draw in customers. Nearly half a million people attended!

Yet vast numbers still see none of this prosperity. The gulf between those who have much and those who have almost nothing has convinced many that tackling poverty must be a global priority. One publication argued that the fight against poverty should dominate the world’s agenda and highlighted proposals for a new international plan to support the poorest nations, especially in Africa. But even these ambitious efforts face deep challenges. Funds intended for the vulnerable often fail to reach them, lost to corruption, inefficiency, or governmental red tape.