How Can We Address the Causes of Poverty in Africa?
The causes of poverty in Africa cannot be solved overnight. Many of them are complex issues that governments need to work out. For example, there are ongoing crises in the Central African Republic, Nigeria and South Sudan that raise the number of refugees the UN is concerned about to 18 million, and people in such conflict-filled regions are more likely to experience poverty.[1] That is not something GFA World can easily put a stop to, but in some major ways, we can and do address many of the problems of poverty.
Pastor Kagan, a GFA national missionary, serves in a community in Asia that is plagued year-round by mosquito-borne malaria. The telltale fevers are especially common at the height of summer and right after the rainy season. The villagers who can afford it travel to the nearest private hospital, but about 75 percent of the community cannot afford such care. They have to go to a local medical center, but the free treatments there often do little to treat their sickness. Some people just endure the illness and try to treat the pain with remedies from the surrounding jungle. The disease sometimes takes weeks or even a month to fully run its course, and deaths are not uncommon. Recently, a lady in Pastor Kagan’s church died of malaria, leaving behind a husband and four daughters.
One factor that greatly reduces the incidence of malaria is mosquito nets. The nets protect from many insects and even snakes that may enter people’s houses. Supplying the nets is an easy and cost-effective solution for communities with limited medical care access.[2]
Pastor Kagan prayed that the church would be able to distribute nets, and they soon received the good news that the funds were there. The pastor immediately went to work, finding out who in the community needed the nets most. After compiling a list, the church purchased the nets and distributed them to about 100 families. One of the recipients, Hywel, a father of two, would have never been able to afford a net without saving for three or four months, but thanks to the GFA pastor, he and his family could be protected from the insects and the diseases they carry.[3]
Mosquito nets prevent disease, which greatly impacts people in Africa. Disease is just one aspect of poverty; there are many other things that contribute. GFA World is also working with kids through our sponsorship program to help educate them, which is one of the best ways to break poverty’s cycle. These ministries, along with several others, are working to help end poverty in Africa. Consider joining our efforts by donating to GFA World, and please keep praying for the continuing work.
Learn more about poverty in Africa[1] Anele, Uzonna. “Top 10 Infuriating Facts about Poverty in Africa.” Talk Africana. https://talkafricana.com/top-10-infuriating-facts-about-poverty-in-africa. October 2, 2018.
[2] “Fighting Malaria, One Net at a Time.” GFA World. https://www.gfa.org/news/articles/fighting-malaria-one-net-at-a-time-wfr22-08. August 2022.
[3] Ibid.