Poverty is a type of prison in the developing world—a cycle that entraps. The door to the outside? Opportunity.
Dr. Meredith Long understands poverty well as our Senior Director for International Programs. His experience includes 14 years of living in and developing communities in Kenya and Bangladesh, and over ten years of working with churches around the issue of AIDS.
Now he works with our staff as they confront poverty in some of the most desperate, underserved places on Earth. It’s a mission of hope, executed strategically.
In this interview, he exposes some of the root causes of poverty and how we can respond.
Interview with community development expert, Dr. Meredith Long:
What are some of the root causes of poverty?
"Last week (November, 2009), there were riots in Bangladesh. In this global downturn, one of the garment factories recently let workers go without paying them. At local levels there are moneylenders who operate at a high rate of interest hoping to eventually take the land of people who borrow from them.
"Poverty is often rooted in injustice. 'A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away,' says Proverbs 13:23. And that injustice can be expressed in different ways. (continue reading)
Respond to the needs of the poor:
World Concern’s case study report from a large care and support project for orphans and vulnerable children was presented at the APHA Conference on Nov. 1, 2011, in Washington, DC.
Here is the link to the powerpoint presentation.
