This is a collaborative effort with my teammate Jess
Being in Africa you cannot help but notice poverty. Poverty is everywhere you go, around every corner is someone in need. While here in Africa we have noticed the need for business opportunities and how there is already a stirring of awareness. Between the lack of a self-sustaining system, education, financing, opportunity and training, poverty continues to be the root cause of poverty. In order to create a self-sustaining system you first need to improve education, job opportunities and financing.
Education is a fundamental component of child development. Although there are many schools, often the cost of school is what causes a child to be unable to go. Education needs to be priority because you are forming the minds of the future. Yes, while many children have the opportunity to go to school not every child can afford a quality education. We have witnessed children unable to complete their education, causing them to lag behind their peers and restrict their job opportunities. In order for families to provide their children with an education, jobs need to be created.
Job creation doesn’t start with highly educated big business plans, it starts with small localized businesses. If more families were able to start and sustain a small business then all children would have a better education and higher paying jobs will come in the near future. It is crucial to encourage and empower locals to develop their own businesses. This could look like opening a sewing business, a store or having a small farm. The opportunities are endless and can change a community rapidly. If a few families can afford to send their children to school then all of a sudden more jobs are created because schools need to be built and teachers need to be hired. Starting small will create the base for bigger business to develop naturally.
Financing these small businesses is a wonderful opportunity to create a non dependant society. The dependence third world countries have on AID groups is debilitating and slowing the growth and development for its citizens. Families are unable to start a business because they cannot come up with the money for the initial product or the supplies needed. Banks will not loan to impoverished people because they do not meet their requirements. Without financial aid these small businesses will be unable to expand. The best way to provide financing is micro-loans through independent organizations. Providing the loans in tiers is more affordable and can slowly increase their credit.
I have watched micro-loans successfully change peoples circumstances through my uncle. When a group of women come to Phakamani they work with well educated locals who teach about basic money management and how to create a successful business plan. These women work alongside each other and the Phakamani employees to develop and sell a brand. Through a tier loan system these women can now provide for their families: it opens the doorway for more banking opportunities. This type of system can be implemented anywhere to reduce poverty.
There are so many brilliant and hard working people who are unable to reach their potential because they do not have the opportunity. Jess’ mom always tells him that opportunity is the most powerful thing in your life, it is also the most irretrievable. Opportunity needs to present itself in third world countries or poverty will continue to overrun the world. It is within our power to provide people with opportunity to proliferate and realize their full potential.
