Essay on 4 Steps to Ending Extreme Poverty

Poverty is one of the challenges in most countries. It is a state where an individual or an organization does not have financial resources and other essential resources for a minimum living standard. In this Ted Talk essay on “4 Steps to Ending Extreme Poverty” by Shameran Abed, the author focuses on raising awareness of this problem. While the video’s main point agrees with helping neighbors by using the four steps in poverty eradication, its information is essential because people can apply it to teach others because of the message about women’s poverty.

4 Steps to Solve an Issue of Poverty

The main point of the video “4 Steps to Ending Extreme Poverty” by Shameran Abed is that there are ultra-poor people, and others can improve their lives through charitable support. Being ultra-poor includes living below $2 and lacking land (Abed 00:00:41-00:00:46). About $1 cannot meet a family’s needs daily. However, for poverty reduction programs to succeed and besides supporting the families materially, people should instill hope and self-worth in needy individuals. According to Abed, the four steps of ending extreme poverty include meeting the people’s basic needs, moving them to a decent livelihood, training them to save and budget, and investing the wealth (00:02:41-00:03:04). The four elements are essential to ensure that the family stabilizes. Moreover, the family can sustain itself while looking for additional resources. Therefore, the video’s main idea is that compassionate people can help ultra-poor individuals by providing material support and instilling hope in them.

Helping Neighbors

People can help ultra-poor neighbors who lose hope and self-worth. Many low-income families cannot afford food and other essential goods. Sometimes, they would sleep angry. However, when people notice the suffering neighbor, they should intervene and feed the family. In this case, people can give the family some assets, such as a cow, grains, and engaged experts to train the family on generating income from a cow that can be donated. Eventually, when a cow gave birth, the family can sell the milk to the local dairies and neighbors, save the money, and invest it to buy more cows to produce surplus milk. Therefore, the video is the illustration that people may help their neighbors to acquire wealth by donating a single cow.

Raising Awareness of Poverty

Raising awareness of poverty is important to society because it helps the poor to change their perception. The understanding of others and one’s self weakness can build confidence (Yeager-Walrath par. 1). The awareness helps those living in extreme poverty to believe in themselves and trust that they can get out of poverty. Thus, the video’s information is crucial because it highlights the graduation approach that can support the poor and help them to increase their hope, enhance self-worth, and restore their dignity and purpose.

Educating People in Poverty

The video’s information can be applied for educating people that helping the poor and supporting them can change their lives. For example, training people to save, budget, and invest the little money they have can create wealth and eliminate poverty. Budgeting allows individuals to continually track their financial positions (McQuerrey par. 4). As a result, they can save the surplus they have. Hence, they will be able to pull themselves from extreme poverty.

Women in Poverty

Women are most likely to be affected by extreme poverty than men. In most societies, women lag behind men concerning access to resources necessary for survival and self-determination (Chant 21). Women’s poverty is often linked to unequal gender relations within and beyond their homes. Moreover, some unequal factors between males and females make women fail to acquire wealth. According to Saigaran and Karupiah, gendered roles cause time poverty for women (261). Gender inequality is a contributing factor to poverty, and it is promoted by designating gendered responsibilities in families. While men are required to work and feed the family, women are supposed to address their household needs. Nevertheless, when men neglect their families, women suffer because they cannot work and earn money. Therefore, women are more impoverished because of gender inequality in societies.

Summing Up

In conclusion, the main objective of the video was to highlight the four steps for ending extreme poverty. People can use the video for ideas when they help ultra-poor neighbors. The talk is vital in raising awareness of poverty. The information can also be used to sensitize the poor on how to eradicate poverty. Moreover, women are most likely to be affected by poverty. Thus, the video highlights the four steps required to help people to stabilize their lives out of poverty.

Works Cited

Abed, Shameran. “4 Steps to Ending Extreme Poverty.” Ted Talk, 2020, www.ted.com/talks/shameran_abed_4_steps_to_ending_extreme_poverty.

Chant, Sylvia H. Gender, Generation and Poverty: Exploring the Feminization of Poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Edward Elgar, 2014.

McQuerrey, Lisa. “Why Is It Important for a Business to Budget?” Chron, 12 Mar. 2019, smallbusiness.chron.com/important-business-budget-385.html.

Saigaran, NithiyaGuna, and Premalatha Karupiah. “The Nexus of Time Poverty and Well-being of Women From Poor Households: A Malaysian Indian Case Scenario.” Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, vol. 16, no. 4, 2020, pp. 260-272. University Kebangsaan Malaysia, doi: 10.17576/geo-2020-1604-19.

Yeager-Walrath, Samantha. “The Importance of Awareness.” Hand, 8 Mar. 2017, www.handinhandqc.org/post/2017/03/08/the-importance-of-awareness.