How is poverty a challenge?

Answer 1

Poverty is profoundly limiting for those who live in it. Since money is a necessity for meeting one's physical, material, and many social and emotional needs, people who are economically deprived experience extreme stress on every level of existence.

Examples of poverty-related problems:

--Children who live in poverty often live in poor neighborhoods and attend under-funded public schools.

--Students who grow up in poverty face significant barriers to attaining post-secondary (post-high school) education and professional training: application and tuition costs, limits on work availability, and insufficient time to study are a few factors.

--People in poverty are at high risk for homelessness and chronic hunger.

--People in poor neighborhoods face substantial difficulties in finding well-paying, meaningful jobs due to lack of sufficient skills and/or education, geographic distance from employers, lack of reliable transportation, lack of affordable childcare, and many other factors.

--Poverty severely limits access to health care, psychological services, and necessary prescription medication. There is a substantial correlation between homelessness and mental illness.

--The poor are politically marginalized and ignored. Cuts in government spending usually start at the bottom, with services meant to provide basic necessities, training, and support to help poor people obtain gainful employment.