Poverty Statistics Highlight Urgent Need for Action

Grim new statistics on poverty in America were released by the United States Census Bureau yesterday. One in seven Americans, representing 44 million people, lived in poverty in 2009. The poverty rate rose to 14.3%, up from 13.2% in 2006. Even more distressing was the finding that children have been particularly hard hit with one in five individuals under 18 living below the poverty line, which is defined as $10,380 for a single adult and $22,050 for a family of four. For the working age population, representing people aged 18 to 65, the poverty rate rose from 11.7 to 12.9 percent, the highest level since the 1960s. Additionally, the number of Americans without health insurance also rose, going from 46 million in 2008 to 51 million in 2009.

While poverty rates rose across all races and ethnic groups, minorities fared significantly worse. For blacks, the number in poverty increased from 24.7 to 25.8 percent, while for Hispanics, the number increased from 23.2 to 25.3 percent. For white Americans, those in poverty rose from 8.6 percent to 9.4 percent

These depressing new findings serve to underscore the dramatic need for microfinance in America. More than ever, Americans are in desperate need of a solution, or solutions, to this challenging problem. Microlending and microcredit are proven methods and valuable tools in combating poverty. Giving the poor the ability to start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs is a way to empower people and allow them to lift themselves out of poverty through their own hard work and resolve. Grameen America’s mission is to help create a world free of poverty. That may seem a daunting task, especially given the bleak numbers released by the Census Bureau, but with commitment and determination it is achievable within our lifetimes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/17/us/17poverty.html?pagewanted=1&src=un&feedurl=http://json8.nytimes.com/pages/national/index.jsonp

Women We Love: Wangari Maathai

Who She Is: Wangari Maathai is the first African woman and the first environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Committee lauded her for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace.” Maathai is the founder of the Green Belt Movement, an environmentalist, democracy promoter and women’s rights activist. She is the first woman in central or eastern Africa to hold a Ph.D. and the first female head of a university department in Kenya. She was elected to parliament with a stunning 98% of the vote in December 2002 and was subsequently appointed by the president to the position of Assistant Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife in Kenya's ninth parliament.

Why We Love Her: In 1977, Maathai started the Green Belt Movement as a grassroots tree planting program aimed at addressing the problems of deforestation, soil erosion, and water shortages. The Green Belt Movement has become one of the world’s most prominent women’s civil society organizations. Based in Kenya, it advocates for human rights, good governance and peaceful democratic change through the protection and preservation of the environment. Its stated mission is to empower communities worldwide to protect the environment and to promote good governance and cultures of peace. In protecting the environment, the women of the Green Belt Movement are becoming powerful champions for sustainable management of scarce resources such as water, equitable economic development, good political governance, and, ultimately, peace.

Today, more than 40 million trees have been planted across Africa. As a result, soil erosion has been reduced in critical watersheds, thousands of acres of biodiversity-rich indigenous forest have been restored and protected, and hundreds of thousands of women and their families are standing up for their rights and those of their communities and are living healthier, more productive lives. Over the next decade, the Green Belt Movement has set a goal of planting one billion trees worldwide. The hope exists that every individual can take part in protecting the environment and creating a healthy natural world that is at the heart of a more equitable and peaceful society.

Wangari Maathai has been recognized internationally for her work in support of democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. She has addressed the UN on several occasions and spoke on behalf of women at special sessions of the General Assembly for the five-year review of the earth summit. Additionally, she was listed on the United Nation Environment Programme's Global 500 Hall of Fame and named one of the 100 heroines of the world.

“It's the little things citizens do. That's what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.”

“I placed my faith in the rural women of Kenya from the very beginning, and they have been key to the success of the Green Belt Movement. Through this very hands-on method of growing and planting trees, women have seen that they have real choices about whether they are going to sustain and restore the environment or destroy it. In the process of education that takes place when someone joins the Green Belt Movement, women have become aware that planting trees or fighting to save forests from being chopped down is part of a larger mission to create a society that respects democracy, decency, adherence to the rule of law, human rights, and the rights of women. Women also take on leadership roles, running nurseries, working with foresters, planning and implementing community-based projects for water harvesting and food security. All of these experiences contribute to their developing more confidence in themselves and more power over the direction of their lives.”

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

What does a world without poverty mean to you?

Grameen America wants to know!

We asked this question to the Twitter world this week and are already getting great responses. The person with the best response by next Thursday will win two tickets to an upcoming Lilith Fair concert on the East Coast.

Grameen America’s Vision is to create a world without poverty. Let us know what reaching this goal would mean to you! Tweet us at twitter.com/grameenamerica and remember to include #grameenamerica in your response.

Are you part of the solution?

During the holiday season, we hear reports about Black Friday, monthly economic indicators, and consumer spending. We analyze the competitiveness of Fortune 500 companies, whether Asia is buying US goods, which products are hot this holiday season. During the holiday season, we hear reports about Black Friday, monthly economic indicators, and consumer spending. We analyze the competitiveness of Fortune 500 companies, whether Asia is buying US goods, which products are hot this holiday season.

All while the poorest among us are working on even tougher issues and facing even thornier dilemmas.

"Should I give up on my business and apply for welfare?"
"What can I sell right now so I can get through next week?"
"How can I occupy my daughter so she forgets about getting a present?"

The poorest among us face heartbreaking problems this holiday season. Imagine if just surviving through next week were a more pressing issue than analyzing the success of Black Friday. Consider that going on government assistance, a first in your neighborhood, would be a bigger worry than switching from EU as a sales market to refocus on Asia. Deciding whether to buy your mother a mini laptop or a more comfortable larger model is an easy problem compared with figuring out how to assure your child that she is loved, even though she will not receive a Christmas present.

Let's put our problems in perspective this holiday season. Help our neighbors who have tougher choices to make.

Join us in alleviating poverty through microfinance. $1,500 can help a borrower to start a new business and begin solving those problems for their family.
Be part of the solution.

The Poorer You Are, The More Things Cost

An article from the Washington Post sheds some light on a day in the life of D.C.’s low-income population. The original article has a section about pay-day lenders and why poor people are willing to pay up to 800% APR interest when they have no other alternative.

Essentially, you "have to be rich to be poor."