Poverty Reduction Strategy

What Is the Role of Education in Poverty Reduction?

Poverty reduction strategy
Education and Poverty Reduction
Role of education in poverty reduction
Poverty reduction projects

A person looking for ways to fight extreme poverty will find many charities and countless poverty reduction projects that they can donate to or volunteer with. GFA World is just one organization working to end global poverty. Since our founding in 1979, we have been committed to serving the “least of these” in Asia and more recently Africa, often in areas where no one else is serving, allowing people to experience help, hope and the love of God for the first time. There are four main ways that we support national workers in their efforts to end poverty:

  1. Sponsoring national missionaries – These humble servants minister to people’s physical and spiritual needs in developing nations.
  2. Sponsoring children – our Child Sponsorship Program provides a way for children in impoverished communities to receive an education, medical checkups and more.
  3. Developing communities – Many families around the world lack basic necessities, so we meet these needs by providing things like clean water and income-producing farm animals, sewing machines and vocational training.
  4. Providing disaster relief and compassionate care – GFA-missionaries work closely with those effected by natural disasters and those who are rejected by society, like widows and leprosy patients.[1]

Each of these projects plays a major role in uprooting extreme poverty, community by community. It is difficult but not impossible. It requires determination and positive foundational values. E.F. Schumacher wrote in his book Small Is Beautiful that the primary purpose of education is the transmission of values.[2] Concepts like honesty, diligence, respect, compassion and valuing human life provides a foundation that can change lives, from individual families to the entire world. This is why education is such a big part of GFA World’s ministry.

One example of how this can play out is Ashima’s story. Because of a problematic home life and a lack of guidance—education was seen as inconvenient—she often skipped school and wasted the educational opportunities she had. Her instructor would scold and punish instead of redirecting and teaching the values that Ashima needed to see how important education was. But through GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program, Ashima received guidance and care, helping her develop positive character traits and values that allowed her to excel in her studies and life beyond school. Now, she wants to become a doctor so she can help the poor in the same way that she was helped.[3]

As GFA World works through the poverty reduction strategy of education, as well as national missionary sponsorship, community development and disaster relief, please consider helping us. It doesn’t take much to change a life and reveal God’s love.

Learn more about Poverty Reduction Strategy

[1] “About Us: Who We Are.” GFA World. Accessed November 8, 2024. https://www.gfa.org/about.
[2] Psarris, Emily. “Fighting global poverty with ideas.” GFA World Special Report. October 14, 2020. https://www.gfa.org/special-report/solutions-extreme-poverty-line-poor-impoverished.
[3] Ibid.