How can we win the fight Against Poverty?

Most people don’t know how to take effective action when it comes to extreme poverty and hunger; they see it as a problem that is just too big for them to solve. Andrew Youn is the story teller in todays ted talk and is going to explain how we can end poverty by using three powerful levers. Andrew has been living in East Africa for about ten years now and within those ten years he detected the problem and came up with a solution. One of the major problems was of course not having any food; children need food in order to survive, function, and grow. However, there is lack of money and it causes the less fortunate severe problems, Andrew stated, “Amongst the extreme poor 1 in 3 children are permanently stunted from a lifetime of not eating enough. When that’s combined with poor health care 1 in 10 children die before they reach the age of 5 and only 1 quarter of children finish high school because they lack the fees” (Youn). In order for them to climb out of poverty they must work with what they already have. Majority of the poor are farmers and farmers are the number one source of income also making them the top leverage that can help overcome poverty. In the ted talk Andrew stated, “When more farmers become productive more than half the world’s poor earn more money and climb out of poverty” (Youn). Once the farmers become productive they can earn money, overcome poverty, and help feed their community.

The second powerful leverage on the list is Humanity, humanity is “already knowing the tools to end poverty” (Youn). The three effective tools to end poverty are Hybrid seed, Fertilizer, and Planting practice; they are also known as the three basic factors of farming. For those who have access or can find access to these tools can now start grown food and providing for their family and community. However, there is a downfall to this particular lever there are people who can’t get the tools they need and there are people who can’t physically do the work. Most people who can’t physically work are the elderly people, being that this may be many of the poor’s problem they would have to rely on their family to help provide and/or delivery. Andrew quoted “Wherever the world’s companies governments and nonprofits setup delivery networks for life improving goods we eliminate poverty” (Youn). Delivery is the last powerful leverage that Andrew figured will help end world poverty. Andrew has his own organization called “One Acre Fund” and he supplies farmers with tools they need to help them earn money. As they earn money they start to pay back the organization while still being able to keep some of the money to invest in their farming business. In the ted talk Andrew stated, “We need more visionary philanthropies and global leaders who would take problems in human development and lead humanity to wipe them off the face of the planet” (Youn). This ted talk has proven that it is a way to overcome and fight against poverty.