Root Causes of Poverty Engineers Without Borders Welcome to the Engineers Without Borders presentation:

Root Causes of Poverty

Welcome to the Engineers Without Borders presentation:

Poverty Quiz

1. What is food aid?

a) Food sent for emergency relief after a disaster.

b) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster.

c) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster and throughout the year to try to provide hunger relief.

Poverty Quiz

1. What is food aid?

a) Food sent for emergency relief after a disaster.

b) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster.

c) Food and money sent for emergency relief after a disaster and throughout the year to try to provide hunger relief.

Poverty Quiz

2. How many people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names?

a) 1 billionb) 100 millionc) 10 milliond) 1 million

Poverty Quiz

2. How many people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names?

a) 1 billionb) 100 millionc) 10 milliond) 1 million

Poverty Quiz

3. How many people die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation?

a) 1.3 billionb) 50 thousandc) 1.8 million d) 10 million

Poverty Quiz

3. How many people die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation?

a) 1.3 billionb) 50 thousandc) 1.8 million d) 10 million

Poverty Quiz

4. Did economic growth increase or decrease in 1980-2000, compared to the previous 20 years in Africa?

a) Increaseb) Decrease

Poverty Quiz

4. Did economic growth increase or decrease in 1980-2000, compared to the previous 20 years in Africa?

a) Increaseb) Decrease

Poverty Quiz

5. How many children in sub-Saharan Africa were orphaned from AIDS by 2005?a) 2 millionb) 100 thousandc) 1 billiond) 15 million

Poverty Quiz

5. How many children in sub-Saharan Africa were orphaned from AIDS by 2005?a) 2 millionb) 100 thousandc) 1 billiond) 15 million

Poverty Quiz

6. How do you contract Malaria?a) Its contagious between peopleb) Bacteria in the waterc) Spidersd) Mosquitoes

Poverty Quiz

6. How do you contract Malaria?a) Its contagious between peopleb) Bacteria in the waterc) Spidersd) Mosquitoes

Poverty Quiz

Tie Breaker Question:

Fill in the blank:In the world ___% of all malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty Quiz

Tie Breaker Question:

Fill in the blank:

In the world 90% of all malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty is not about weakness. For the people who go hungry each day poverty is an absence of

opportunity.

Time is Money

How long did it take you to brush your teeth this morning?

To eat breakfast?

To get to school?

Poverty is a Complex Cycle

Poverty

Geography

Politics

Economics

Social

What are some factors?

Geography

What are some examples of how geography can cause poverty?

• Drought• Unstable Water

Source• Infertile Soil• Limited

resources• Natural disasters

Politics

What are some examples of how politics can cause poverty?

• Warfare• Government

Instability• Corruption

Economics

What are some examples of how economics can cause poverty?

• Debt Servicing• Global Market

Tariffs• Non Subsidies• Trade Barriers

Social

What are some examples of social factors that can cause poverty?

• Education• Health Care• Infrastructure

•An effect of poverty is something that will go away if the underlying problems were addressed.

•A cause of poverty is the underlying reason why some experience the effects.

Effect vs. Cause

Examples of Effects in Poverty

•Hunger•Poor Health•Poor working conditions•Illiterate

Example

Sally drops out of high school

EffectUltimate Causes Causes

Wants to work

To make money?

Finds it more interesting than

school?

Her family is poor?

Was never educated on the value of

school?

Activity

Technology & Development

How could building a well affect your root causes map?

What did you learn

•The problem doesn’t have a quick fix•People in developing countries face

many challenges.

How do we solve complex problems?

• Identify the root causes.•Take a multidisciplinary approach.•Take small steps and be patient

(there’s no quick fix)•Be willing to adapt along the way

Success Story: Fair TradeThe Objective:Improve the quality of life for third world farmers.

The Problem: Third world farmers often get taken advantage of for cheap labor and unfair working conditions. They often don’t have access to loans or appropriate technology.

Success Story: Fair Trade

When you buy 1lb of coffee the farmer gets:

$0.50

When you buy 1lb of Fair Trade Certified coffee the farmer gets: $1.26

That is 252%

increase!!!

Fair Trade Certified

What You Can DO! Be a global citizen

Learn how YOUR actions affect other people around the world!

Take actions that make a positive difference! Buy Fair Trade

Inspire others