Does GFA World Know How to Break the Cycle of Poverty?
Yes! The answer to how to break the cycle of poverty might not be as complicated as one might expect. While the impact of the poverty cycle has often been ingrained for generations, the antidote may not take as long to administer. The cycle-breaker may be as simple as a pair of goats or a literacy class.
Poverty is present in all sections of the world, but it is especially concentrated in Africa and South Asia. Most of the 30 poorest countries in the world are in Africa, with Burundi, Republic of South Sudan and Central African Republic topping the list.[1] South Asia also struggles with extreme poverty that is exasperated by a lack of clean water, medical care and sanitation facilities.
One of the most effective solutions to how to break the cycle of poverty is animals, which grow and reproduce. When you gift a pair of animals to a family in need, they have a source of income that wasn’t present before. For example, if you gift chickens, the family suddenly has eggs to eat or sell and chickens to continue breeding. Cows, goats, pigs and chickens are income-producing animals. Gifting these items to a family in extreme poverty sparks a lasting change for people stuck in the poverty cycle.
“God’s love must be demonstrated in more ways than just through words,” says Bishop Danny Punnose of GFA World. “It must be seen, felt and experienced! Providing these life-changing gifts to these precious people who are in great need is an opportunity for us to love them practically and see their lives lifted out of their hopeless state.”
Neha, a widow, received a gift of chickens from GFA’s women missionaries called Sisters of Compassion. This simple gift opened the door for her to a better future. Rather than struggling to provide for her four children, she felt the relief of having another source of income. “I am so thankful to you for giving [me] this pair of chickens,” she said. “I believe they will be a great help in raising some amount of money and will help with my children’s schooling. I will take care of them safely so that they will produce many chickens.”[2]
Donating a farm animal to a family in extreme poverty is a surprising but very effective solution to the cycle of poverty. Will you join us?
What is the cycle of poverty? Learn more about what GFA is doing to be a cycle-breaker!
[1] “The Poorest Countries in the World.” World Atlas. Accessed September 9, 2021.https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-poorest-countries-in-the-world.html.
[2] Holt, Palmer. “A Surprising Antidote to World Poverty: Farm Animals. GFA Special Report. November 2021. https://www.gfa.org/special-report/solutions-poverty-farm-animals.