Approximately half the world’s population still lives on the equivalent of about $2 a day, and when global shocks occur — whether a pandemic or climate disaster — it’s marginalized communities that face the greatest challenges in rebuilding their homes and livelihoods.
In northern Uganda, for example, traditional subsistence farming is the main source of food and income for many households, but extreme weather, such as prolonged droughts or floods, is putting families at risk of food insecurity. Poor infrastructure also makes it difficult for farmers to reach markets during the rainy season and sell what little extra they are able to grow. The region — which is home to 1.5 million refugees and asylum-seekers and is in some parts still recovering from the prolonged conflict with militant rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army — has some of the highest poverty levels in the country, said Winnie Auma, chief program officer at Village Enterprise, a nonprofit that fosters entrepreneurship and innovation in rural Africa.
People often lack the capital or knowledge to start their own business, Auma said, adding that through its poverty graduation program, Village Enterprise aims to equip the most marginalized individuals in the region with the tools and resources to seize opportunities and lift themselves out of extreme poverty. However, this requires a range of approaches. “Providing capital or just cash is a quick fix, but it does not solve [the issue] … ending extreme poverty requires long-term and sustainable impact,” Auma said.
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