From Africa to America poverty is pervasive

According to the World Bank there are over a billion people around the globe living on $1 a day. The world's total population is more than 6 billion.

Poverty cuts through rich countries and poor countries, between the rural and urban life. This is an epidemic with far reaching consequences. Inspite of globalization, the gap between the rich and poor is increasing and more needs to be done to lift the poor out of poverty.

According to this research, nearly 35 million poor persons were living in the United States in 2002. This is a staggering figure and it shows poverty exists not only in poor countries like Africa but also in America which is the world's richest nation that contributes millions to help the poor in other countries.

The World Bank says poverty has many faces. Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.

So poverty means different thing to different communities. In order to alleviate poverty, it is important to find out what works to reduce poverty for a certain group of people like farimg communities and help them to do well for themselves. Financial help, education and designing sustainable projects for individual communities who can take ownership of such projects and work towards improving their own livelihoods may be the best way to beat poverty.