What is poverty, and what does it mean to be poor? Ever gone to bed without food? Have you ever felt bad wasting that food that you just could not finish? So what really does it mean to be poor? I happen to live in the most popular country in the world, United States of America, but it is sad to know that people, citizens, not illegal immigrants or legal immigrants still live in abject poverty. I remember after I graduated from high school in Nigeria, I wanted to come to the US because I heard so much about the US; the land flowing with milk and honey, God's OWN NATION *(Another topic for another day). A nation where 22% of the nation's wealth is in the hands of 1%. While the rest live in poverty, and children live in homeless shelters.
Coming from Africa, Nigeria to be precise, I remember seeing all the wonderful pictures of America. I actually thought money grew on trees and where one could get a job just like that. I arrived the US about 8 years ago, and I remember being young and looking for a job. I never had to look for a job in my entire life. Well coming to the US I knew that it wasn't going to be a bed of roses, I knew I had to work, and get off my parents tail. Luckily for me, my whole family came along, so I wasn't lonely. To go straight to the point, I love living in the US trust me it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me, but I wonder if the media ever shows the amount of poverty in the US like they do for African countries. Seen those ads on mid-day/late night tv, when that old guy comes out asking for your $1 a day donation to feed the homeless and orphans in other nations? The media shows that third world countries live in abject poverty. They forget to show the upper-class families, the middle-class families, the average families, the getting-by families and the By the Grace of God families. All the media shows is that third world nations are POOR and they need help. NO.... Not every nation in the world is so poor that they have to live in homeless shelters, or cant afford too feed their families. Don't get me wrong, there are poor families in third world nations, so poor that they cant afford a place to sleep. My point is that just as the media shows how these countries are suffering, I think that they should be honest in letting the world know that THE US ALSO HAS THE POOR ALSO. My first shock when I first came to the US was seeing a homeless man beg on the streets. YES I WAS TAKEN ABACK. I never knew that there were beggars in the US, in DC for that matter. I remember my uncle tell me yes we have so many beggars and poor people in the US. And I wonder why I never saw the other side of the great United States Of America on TV. The great United states have families who live below the minimum wage, with children living in poverty and some who can't afford to eat 3 square meals a day. That a child comes to school hungry and feeds on the school's provided lunch.
Luckily, in the US, there are government assistance that helps people meet up to their need (SNAP, TANF, SECTION 8 HOUSING), but do all these government assistance help all the way?
Honestly, I cannot answer that, because I cannot say I understand what it feels like living in poverty.
Do you know that the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour? Some people even live below the federal minimum of $7.25. If you calculate how much that is in a month, working 40 hours a week, minus taxes, that will not be enough to pay rent (depending on the area where you live).
Some of you might be wondering why I am all on this poverty issue. I guess I never get to appreciate the life I have, until I live in someone else's shoe . Last semester, I had to live on less than $50 a week on food. (I think it was $30 or $40, cant remember). Anyhow, it was the toughest time for me. I had to live on a budget, and not eat any outside food. So imagine a family of 4 living on $40 a week on food? Eating healthy is expensive and also eating junk food is also expensive. That is why we are a nation of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
I just finished watching a video 30 days- Minimum wage by Morgan Spurlock and his Fiancee Alex, who tried living on minimum wage for 30 days. Watching this video made me realize that poverty hits home hard. Seeing the effects of living below minimum wage was HARD. I don't know how they did it. Mr. Spurlock even had to take an extra job to make ends meet. The funny thing was that it was a family of 2. Imagine if they had kids. With kids, it would have been HELL. Don't get me wrong, having children is a thing of joy, but the question is when is ready to be ready for kids? According to the short film by Morgan child care costs $10,000 a year. That is just for child care alone. This is minus diapers, baby food, clothing, health care, entertainment etc.
In summary, I think the Government has to do something about the living condition of its citizens here at home. It is just like a mother who abandons her children and focuses on other people's children. I also think that the rest of the world is blind to the matters that occurs here in the US, because the US is seen as the BIG BROTHER of the world. Always jumping in when there is some form of trouble going on.
Finally, like I asked in my introduction, what is poverty? And what do you understand to be living in poverty? If you had to live below the poverty line or you make ends meet, do you still think that you have enough? Or you want more. Do you take note of your environment and see those who live in poverty?Poverty leads to violence and crime, it also leads to divorce, and other health issues. POVERTY, IS ONE THING I PRAY NOT TO EVER HAPPEN TO ME OR MY GENERATION. But who knows tomorrow? Those who are poor did they ask to be born in poverty?
THINK ABOUT THAT.
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