Poverty: A curse of modern times

Vrinda
Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya
India

The literal meaning of poverty is being poor or not having anything in abundance. It is a curse of modern times. In general terms, poverty means a lack of money, amenities and a proper lifestyle. This effectively means that, due to a shortage of resources, one is unable to meet even the daily requirements of life. It is a pity to see people living in slums; to see eight to 10 members of a family sharing a single room where they cook, eat and sleep, thereby resulting in unhygienic conditions, which lead to ill health and a lowering of resistance to diseases.

People who live in poverty do not know the meaning of 'new clothes' as they live on hand-outs and hand-me-downs. One way poverty can be alleviated is by education. That is, by increasing the rate of literacy so that a person can qualify for a job and raise their standard of living, is an effective way to get rid of poverty. Education also means being aware of one's rights and the fast pace at which the world is moving, which leads to motivation to do better for oneself. I think another form of poverty, which is often not apparent but is equally dangerous, is 'mental poverty'. Mental poverty or mental bankruptcy means the lack of goals, ideals, discipline and moral values which leads to distorted thinking resulting in hooliganism, racial discrimination and, above all, terrorism, which makes people fight one another. The consequences of this are destruction, terror and loss of life. This can only be eradicated by giving the youth of today proper guidance in schools and homes and keeping them constructively occupied by engaging them in socially productive and useful work. Thus, as global citizens we ought to take steps to globally eradicate the menace of poverty.

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