Consequences of poverty
Extreme poverty has far-reaching effects on every area of life of the people affected.
Basic needs
Poor people often lack water, food, shelter and adequate healthcare.
Limited educational opportunities
Poverty makes access to education harder, leading to lower levels of education and poor job prospects.
Health problems
Poverty is linked to a higher risk of disease, inadequate healthcare and a shorter life expectancy.
Social exclusion
Poverty can cause social exclusion, as poor people are often shut out of participation in society.
Economic instability
Societies with high levels of poverty can experience economic instability and social unrest.
Poverty in East Africa
Six of the ten poorest countries in the world are in East Africa. Over 70% of people there live on less than US$2.15 a day.
What we do about it
We hand over unconditional cash transfers to families living in extreme poverty so that they can solve their most urgent problems themselves and build their own income.