Solving hunger starts with global poverty.

Hunger is the most severe manifestation of poverty. Millions go hungry or are malnourished because they simply cannot afford to buy enough food, nutritious foods or farming supplies to grow sufficient food themselves.

“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.” — Nelson Mandela

How are problems of poverty & world hunger related?

Poverty, food prices and hunger are inextricably linked. Poverty causes hunger. Hundreds of millions of people living in developing countries survive on $1.90 a day or less.

Not every person living in poverty faces chronic hunger, but almost all people facing chronic hunger are also living in poverty. This is why the UN’s first Sustainable Development Goal is to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere” to address discrepancies between access to food and other resources.

Rural communities bear much of the burden.

Rural households are the most heavily burdened by the consequences of global poverty and hunger. In addition to causing hunger, poverty limits a rural community’s ability to invest in its own development. 

Often, rural girls living in poverty will be kept out of school to save money. This contributes to disparities in education between rural and urban girls. 

Studies have shown that lack of general education leads to higher adolescent birth rates; births that in turn over-burden an already economically strained community, perpetuating cycles of gender inequality, global poverty and hunger.

How can we solve world hunger & poverty?

We believe in a holistic approach to hunger, which means addressing its root causes – including global poverty. In our Program Countries, we build the capacity of women and men to move beyond poverty.

Communities learn the skills, methods, knowledge and leadership needed to take self-reliant actions, so they can meet their own basic needs, improve their communities and build better futures for themselves and their children.

WHAT WE DO

• Boost women’s economic impact. At our epicenters across Africa, thousands of women food farmers are increasing their incomes through training and credit, and strengthening their clout in the marketplace.
• Help implement Microfinance Programs. The ultimate objective of our Microfinance Program is to gain government recognition and operate as a licensed saving and credit cooperative (SACCO) or Rural Bank. Owned entirely by community members, the Rural Bank then provides the entire epicenter community with sustainable access to savings and loan facilities.
• Introduce income-generating activities. Trained partners implement income-generating activities, from sewing projects in Mexico to cow-fattening projects in Bangladesh, often joining together in self-help groups. Thousands of our partners also participate in workshops throughout Africa to learn new and innovative methods of increasing household income.
• Facilitate self-reliant food banks. In Africa, our goal is to empower people to create, stock and manage their own food banks at the community level, which helps stabilize day-to-day food prices in local markets during times of crisis.
• Provide agricultural support. Through agricultural training and increased access to farming inputs, small farmers in communities are able to increase their crop yields, enabling them to grow enough food to feed their families, diversify their crop yields and even sell surpluses at market.

What do global poverty statistics look like?

How many people in the world live in poverty?

Approximately 700 million people live on less than $1.90 a day. (UN)

What is the global poverty rate?

The global poverty rate indicates that 9.2% of the population experiences extreme poverty. (UN)

How many children live in poverty?

A significant portion of those affected by global poverty are children under 18 years old. (UNICEF)

Which areas of the world are most impoverished?

Poverty areas in the world such as sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia are home to a large percentage of those living in extreme poverty. That’s why THP works with communities in these regions.

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