A Term Paper On Poverty

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What is Poverty?
Poverty is somewhat difficult to define in universal terms and is often impossible to put together figures or amounts to it. Poverty is a relative term because it can either illustrate the condition of an individual or a family, or it can describe an entire community or society. (H. Swanepoel and F. de Beer, 2011).
Family Functioning
Whether children live with parents, single parents or neither parent it can have an impact on what care the family can provide for the child. Single parenting may increase the risk for poor behaviour and educational effects especially for young people because single parents are more likely to live in poverty. (C. Ward, 2015) The role of an absent father or present father also plays a role in …show more content…

C Potgieter, 1998). Rural poverty is characterised by overcrowded living conditions with poor infrastructure. People in rural areas are dependent on earnings from parents because usually the grandparents take care of the grandchildren. These people suffer nutritional disorders, illiteracy is high and children may go without education. The urban poor live in shacks that provide insufficient shelter. These people are exposed to crime and violence. Health and education is available but not near as appropriate as it should be. The youth and disabled suffer the most among the urban …show more content…

There are very limited healthcare facilities and resources made available to these people. Due to the fact there is need for love and attention people establish high- risk behaviour such as drug and alcohol abuse and sexual promiscuity. These are ways for people to cope but inevitably isn’t ineffective (M. C Potgieter, 1998).
Unemployment
Another factor that could contribute to poverty is unemployment. The Development Bank of South Africa believed that around 2,5 million unemployed people in South Africa in 1991 and that figure had increased substantially since 1980 (M.C Potgieter, 1998). The people who reside in rural areas usually move to bigger cities where they can seek jobs that have to experience ordeals such as crime and violence (M.C Potgieter, 1998). An ultimately because there is a lack of employment the crime rate increases.
Education
Children who are malnourished and weak have a disadvantage at school. They could have lacked the necessary brain development at an early age (H. Swanepoel and F.D. Beer, 2011). Education is seen as one of the most successful and influential measures that can be used against HIV/AIDS. As the saying is suggested that knowledge certainly is power which can be used as a preventative tool. With a better education individuals learn to improve their health and nutrition, it also helps with the possibility of getting a job with a higer salary ((H. Swanepoel and F.D. Beer,

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