3 END POVERTY IN ALL ITS FORMS EVERYWHERE
The first Sustainable Development Goal calls for an end to poverty in all its forms by the year 2030.
Achieving this goal means seeing a reduction in the number of people living on less than $1.25 US per day. The more people earn, the more they can spend on their basic needs. One of the ways the UN hopes to do this is by implementing social protection systems at the national level to support the poor and vulnerable. That is no easy task, especially given that not everyone experiences poverty the same way.
Learning Objectives:
- Learners will understand the concepts of relative and absolute poverty, while critically reflecting on their underlying cultural assumptions and practices.
- Learners will become aware of the local, national and international distribution of poverty and wealth, as well as a collection of poverty reduction strategies.
- Learners will be able to collaborate with others to empower individuals and communities to affect change, raise awareness and encourage dialogue and solutions regarding poverty.
- Learners will be able to evaluate, participate and propose solutions to systemic problems related to poverty.
Essential Questions:
Media (Identification of Value/Biases):
Read select Letters to the Editor from a local newspaper. Identify statements of: selective observation, illogical reasoning, overgeneralization.
How does the media present poverty? Locally? Nationally? Internationally?
Consumerism
Do our consumer habits impact the lives of others? If yes, how?
Environment
How do environmental concerns like climate change impact poverty?
Poverty, wealth and power
How does access to power and wealth relate to poverty?
Indigenous peoples
In what ways do Indigenous people experience poverty uniquely?
Oppression and genocide
How is poverty a form of oppression?
Health and biotechnology
What are the impacts of poverty on a person’s health?
Gender politics
How does gender impact a person’s experience with poverty?
Social justice and human rights
What can we do to support people in poverty? Locally? Nationally? Internationally?
Peace and conflict
Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. father joseph wrensinski
What can be done to resolve poverty at different system levels?
Overview of The Goal
October 17 commemorates the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (aka World Day for Overcoming Poverty), which began 30 years ago when Father Joseph Wresinski issued a call to action: stand in solidarity, work to end inequality and respect the courage of those living in poverty.
Some define poverty in absolute terms, such as living on less than $2 a day. Some define it in relative terms, like struggling to earn more than your cost of living, which can change based on where you live. Some focus on individuals living in poverty, while others prioritize whole populations. Whatever your definition, it’s clear that without addressing poverty we will fail to achieve the other 16 goals. The good news is that poverty is on the decline. Because of massive efforts to increase aid and implement more humane policies, nearly 1.1 billion people have moved out of poverty since 1990, decreasing from 35 percent of the world’s population to about 10 percent. That’s HUGE, but there is still work to do.
You may have students in your class who are currently living in poverty themselves, you may have students who will never experience poverty and you may have a mix of both. We believe that all students can make a positive impact, but it is important for you to understand who is in your class and determine for yourself the most appropriate resources, activities and actions for you and your students.
Learning Activities
Activity: Ten Chairs of Inequality (Article: Polly Kellogg)
http://blogs.ubc.ca/ssed317/files/2018/11/Ten-Chairs-of-Inequality.pdf
Activity: 13 Lessons about Poverty
Document examples of poverty in your community to create a poster. You might use descriptions, wage distribution, and/or photos.
The following link will take you to “13 Lessons about Poverty” which includes video, discussion questions, and research options. https://www.vistacampus.gov/thirteen-lessons-about-poverty
Activity: Connect the Goals
There is a reason this is the first goal. Poverty touches all the other goals, either as a cause or an effect (or both). But what do these connections look like? Use Participate’s SDG cards to illustrate how poverty connects to other goals, then reflect on how poverty impacts and is impacted by the other goals. https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:4af7d7ba-385c-4bbe-b0a0-f302853d9aee
In this activity, an instructor would print the cards and match the students to the goals they’re working 
to achieve.
• Rank the goals in order of importance in your community.
• Create your own cards for people in your community who are working toward the goals.
• Create a “dream team” of students for an issue your community is facing.
• Combine with the project planning deck to generate project ideas for your class.
Activity: Walk in Someone Else’s Virtual Shoes
Role playing games can build empathy by challenging us to think about how we would survive and make choices in circumstances different than our own. Check out one of the games below, then reflect on what it was like to take a walk in someone else’s shoes.
Ayiti: Cost of Life: From the perspective of a Haitian family, decide how to spend limited money, choosing between education, health, work and food.
Spent: On a limited budget, navigate poverty and homelessness, choosing between needs and wants.
Mission: Experience homelessness through the eyes of real people who have lived it.
Videos
Ted Talks on Poverty
https://www.ted.com/playlists/67/the_quest_to_end_poverty
Stories and videos about communities (mostly young people) coming together to help each other thrive.
Stories of Change: Stop Poverty
Documentary about life on $1 a day.
PBS Frontline documentary.
Social Media
Check out these organizations on social media and choose a couple to follow.
United Nations Development Programme.
Assessment and Reflection
Reflection Journal
Quote: “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” Aristotle
Quote: “Only the sufferers of injustice can realize its intensity.” Unknown
Quote: “The things you take for granted someone else is praying for.” Marlan Rico Lee
- Describe the learning activities (articles, videos, etc.) and your experience – What did you do/hear/see?
- Interpret and evaluate the events from your perspective – What do I think about it now? How does it relate to other things that I know?
- Explain your experience; reveal your new insights, connections with other learning, your hypotheses, and your conclusions.
- Reflect on how this information will be useful to you – What questions do I have? Have I changed how I think about the situation? Where do I go from here?
- What did you particularly value and why?
- Is there anything you would do in the next unit? What have you learned? What will you do with these lessons?
Renewable Assignment Options
Go to DoSomething.org to select an issue you or your students want to take action on and generate ideas based on options you choose. For example, select “poverty” as your cause with a few hours as your time frame, and it will generate ideas like building kits of basic supplies to donate to a homeless shelter.
Help support a local effort to reduce poverty: foodbanks, school food programs, homeless shelters, local charities or the United Way. Find out what’s happening in your community and get on board!
Join the Stop Poverty campaign: Sign the pledge or organize an event.
Print off posters and post around your school or community (or even social media) to raise awareness.
Reach out to elected officials to support policies that provide basic services to all people. What existing policies should be changed? What new policies should be enacted?
Invent something that will improve the lives of people living in poverty. Don’t make assumptions. Base your design on input from or collaboration with people living in poverty.
Check out IDEO’s Financial Health solutions for inspiration.
Invest in an international entrepreneur through a microloan. Check out organizations like Kiva (make sure to do your research to make sure you are supporting a cause you believe in). Build off of your awareness campaign to fundraise, then decide how best to invest your money.
