It would be nearly impossible to adequately cover the topic of poverty alleviation in one small blog post. At Different.org, we take the reduction of poverty seriously – so much so that it is at the core of our mandate. However, we also understand that it is a complex, multifaceted issue which will not be solved overnight. There are many opinions as to what an effective solution may include. We don’t pretend to have all the answers but we have attempted to work with organisations who are making good strides in helping people escape the cycle of poverty.
Poverty is generally understood as a deficiency in an individual’s socio-economic capabilities. This could include factors such as income, access to basic services, access to assets, information, social networks or social capital. In our approach, we wanted to employ a broad definition of poverty, allowing for engagement with the reality of poverty on multiple levels and providing for a combination of suitable strategies to deal with it.
Depending on the metric used, poverty in South Africa affects nearly a third of its population. Changing the landscape of poverty in our country requires more than just emergency relief – it also requires sustainable systemic change. With this in mind, we consider the following criteria when choosing projects to support:
- We consider economic interventions to expand opportunities for employment and self-employment. An example of this would be our support of MES, which provides emergency relief for the homeless within the inner city of Johannesburg while providing them with soft skills training to make them employable in the future.
- Provision of quality education, skills, and health care especially to poor communities. Although Different.org also focuses specifically on education and healthcare, these categories often overlap due to the manifestations of poverty in these areas. An example of such a project would be the Cotlands Early Childhood Development centre in the Eastern Cape.
- Reduction of vulnerability of the poor. In some cases, emergency relief is required for people to survive or better equip them to deal with their poverty-stricken circumstances. Although these measures tend to be temporary, combined with empowerment, they can provide a more sustainable solution. An example of this is Different.org’s partnership with Impact Africa and The Grace Factory. Impact Africa Baby Rescue facilitates talks in schools and clinics in townships in the north of Johannesburg, educating learners and clinic visitors on key issues around abortion, pregnancy and child care. Impact Africa Baby Rescue also distributes “baby packs”, containing baby care essentials, to mothers who have just given birth in government hospitals. The “baby packs” are made up and provided by The Grace Factory, which is also one of Different.org’s partner organisations.
As our understanding of poverty continues to grow at Different.org, we will strive to choose projects which maximise impact in their given areas. As the projects are implemented, we will provide project supporters with comprehensive feedback – ensuring that they see the impact they are making in alleviating poverty in South Africa.
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