One of the most alarming findings: 1/4th of the children living in Afghanistan and Sierra Leon will die before the age of five.

The data suggests that the world should feel a great amount of anxiety to fix this problem. What if all of the red dots pictured on the map above could be changed to green? It would prevent about 3 billion neonatal deaths every year.

The Problem of Poverty

The global problem of poverty is one of such scale and consequence that it deserves the world’s attention and thought.

In our world today, almost half of the population (more than three billion people) live on less than $2.50 a day. (see Global Issues) According to marketing author Seth Godin, that’s enough for rent on the average American apartment for about 45 min.

According to the UNICEF organization, 25,000 children die each day as a result of poverty. (see Global Issues) Putting this into perspective, imagine 62 Boeing 747’s, full of children, crashing every single day. The number of deaths is the same.

These are just two of the many examples of the devastating consequences of world poverty; many more could be cited.

On a more fundamental level, however, it is important to understand exactly what poverty is and what its causes are.

What Poverty is

Poverty could be defined as a lack of opportunity. Some have defined it as a sense of loss. Some say poverty occurs when your basic needs are not met. All of these definitions can enhance our understanding of the term poverty, but perhaps the most telling definition is that poverty is a state of mind or lifestyle. For the billions of people who live under the restrictions and afflictions of poverty, it is just that – a lifestyle of want and captivity, and a mindset of uncertainty and inability.

What Causes Poverty

Just as there are many definitions of poverty, so also there are many causes. These causes include a lack of education, absence of the rule of law, lack of distribution, no infrastructure, no respect for property rights, and so forth. Poverty can also be caused by a people’s state of mind – if they have been raised in poverty and lived with it their entire lives, then changing the mindset to one that can rise above poverty can be difficult.

In subsequent articles, these causes will be analyzed with a perspective on how microfranchising and the power of sustainable business can not only change attitudes, but change circumstances.

Please join in on the conversation! Your experiences, opinions, and input are greatly appreciated. Many voices working together can make a significant change to the world.