In this article, we will discuss the top 5 Ways to Reduce Poverty in Africa.
Africa as a continent has faced some of the most complex international issues. Africa has seen everything from poverty to famine, killing diseases like HIV/AIDS and Malaria, conflicts, and civil wars.
Since 2000, there has been a decline in poverty rates in Africa. However, poverty remains a significant issue despite this progress in the continent. According to The World Bank, 85% of Africans live on less than $5.50 daily.
5 Ways to Reduce Poverty in Africa
Here are the top 5 ways to reduce poverty in Africa by 2030:
1. Access to Healthcare
For Africa to see a poverty reduction, the continent must improve access to healthcare. That means increasing the number of healthcare facilities and skilled professionals in these facilities.
A healthy person is productive, which means that if Africa is to reduce poverty, it must be able to make healthcare accessible to its people.
2. Access to Quality Education
Almost 60% of Africa’s population is under 25, making Africa the world’s youngest continent. This fact makes education a valuable tool in reducing poverty.
The lack of good quality education pushes Africa’s youth into unemployment. Not only does this increasing poverty, but it also perpetuates it, pushing Africans further into poverty.
If poverty is reduced, then access to quality education must be made available to all Africans.
3. Water & Sanitation
Water is life; without it, life as we know it would not exist.
Africa has seen a decline in poverty thanks to initiatives toward improving access to water and sanitation. However, there are still many Africans that lack these fundamental human rights.
If Africa wants to maintain the reduction of poverty rates it has been experiencing over the past 15 years, then access to water and sanitation must be made available to all.
4. Economic Security
A large part of the population is employed in the informal sector in Africa. That is a problem because it makes Africa’s economy unstable, not to mention less productive. Unemployment rates are already high at 25%, and increasing this number will only increase African poverty.
If Africa is to reduce poverty, more opportunities must be available for its citizens to work in the formal sector.
5. Child Participation
Africa has the youngest population in the world. If this young population, with 65% of its people under 25 years, is to stand on their feet and lead Africa into a better future, they must be given opportunities that help them become self-sufficient.
That is where access to education comes into play again because it will reduce poverty and create a generation to improve Africa.
In Conclusion
If these five ways are made accessible to Africans, then there is no doubt in my mind that all, within a decade or two, will feel the reduction of poverty. The article is based on Plan International’s report, five ways to end poverty worldwide.
