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What Are the Key Benefits of Poverty Reduction Projects in Developing Communities?

Poverty reduction projects provide hope and opportunity for individuals and families trapped in difficult circumstances. By focusing on areas like education, health and job training, these initiatives aim to break the cycle of poverty and build a foundation for lasting change. Organizations like GFA World are leading efforts to bring tangible transformation to communities, especially those often overlooked.

One of the most powerful agents of poverty reduction projects is improved access to education. Education is not just about learning facts—it provides individuals with the tools they need to make better decisions, find meaningful work and improve their overall quality of life. Our Child Sponsorship Program is an excellent example of how education can empower people. By providing essential help according to the needs of the particular community like school supplies, tuition assistance and nutritious food, this program allows children to attend school and thrive academically.

Education also has far-reaching benefits for health. Studies show that educated women tend to have fewer children and at later stages in life, leading to healthier pregnancies and lower maternal and infant mortality rates.[1] Countries like Bangladesh and Kenya have demonstrated how even small increases in education can reduce stunting and malnutrition in children.[2] Educated parents are better equipped to make decisions about nutrition and healthcare, which directly benefits their families’ well-being.[3]

Serving as the hands and feet of Christ, we seek to reduce poverty also address essential health and economic needs. Access to clean water, hygiene training and vocational programs ensures that families have the tools to live healthier, more secure lives. For example, vocational training helps adults learn marketable skills such as sewing or farming, enabling them to earn stable incomes. These skills not only improve their financial circumstances but also contribute to the economic growth of their communities.

Beyond practical aid, these initiatives demonstrate the love of Christ through the selfless actions of our missionaries. By serving the needs of others with compassion and generosity, our workers embody the message of hope and restoration central to the Christian faith. These acts of love remind individuals and families that they are valued and cherished, offering both material help and spiritual encouragement.

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What Is the Role of Education in Poverty Reduction in Today’s World?

The role of education in poverty reduction is undeniable, acting as a powerful equalizer that can transform lives and uplift entire communities. UNESCO estimates that equipping all students in low-income countries with basic reading skills could lift 171 million people out of extreme poverty, while universal secondary education could halve global poverty rates.[1] Education not only imparts academic knowledge but also fosters social, emotional and cognitive skills critical for success.[2]

For millions living in poverty, however, accessing education remains a significant challenge. Families often must choose between basic survival and sending their children to school, as fees, uniforms and supplies are beyond their financial reach. Tragically, many children are forced to work alongside their parents to support the household, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.[3]

Organizations like GFA World are addressing these barriers through initiatives like our Child Sponsorship Program, which provides children with tuition assistance, school supplies and nutritious meals. These resources ease financial burdens and open opportunities for children to attend school. In 2021, the program celebrated a milestone: approximately 2,200 students graduated from high school, now equipped for brighter futures.[4]

One such success story involves Divena, a young girl whose early life was marred by abandonment and neglect. After her mother deserted them, Divena and her brother were often left alone for weeks while their father worked as a truck driver. A GFA World social worker discovered Divena playing in the mud outside her tarp-covered home and felt compelled to help. With her intervention, both Divena and her brother were enrolled in our sponsorship program.

This support changed their lives. Through the program, they received daily meals, adult supervision, school supplies and free tuition. Today, Divena dreams of a brighter future. Reflecting on her journey, she said, “It was very difficult for me and my brother to live without [our mother.] We starved many days, and our father also could not look after us. Whenever I saw the children going to school, I felt very sad. However, today [GFA’s sponsorship program] has become a blessing to me and my brother.”

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What Is the Connection Between Education and Poverty Reduction?

Education and poverty reduction are deeply interconnected, and education is often described as a powerful equalizer, providing individuals with the tools to move from mere survival to thriving. UNESCO highlights its transformative potential, noting that equipping all students in low-income countries with basic reading skills could lift 171 million people out of extreme poverty. Moreover, universal completion of secondary education could more than halve global poverty rates. Beyond academic knowledge, quality education fosters critical social, emotional, cognitive and communication skills that enable children to achieve higher incomes and lead successful lives.[1]

For families living in poverty, the barriers to education remain daunting. Limited financial resources force families to prioritize basic survival over school fees, uniforms and supplies. Many children must work alongside their parents to help make ends meet, leaving education out of reach and continuing the cycle of poverty. This intersection between poverty and lack of education creates challenges that are difficult to overcome.

GFA World has taken significant strides to break this cycle through targeted educational initiatives. Their Child Sponsorship Program provides vital support such as tuition assistance, school supplies and tutoring, ensuring children can attend school without placing additional financial strain on their families. In 2021, this program celebrated a milestone as approximately 2,200 students graduated from high school, now prepared for brighter futures.[2]

One graduate, Kaila, a spirited teenager, reflects this change. Through GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program, she received vital education and supplies after an earthquake destroyed her village. Today, she’s not only excelling in school but also easing her family’s burdens in their Himalayan town, where poverty once dimmed her future. Her progress brings hope and stability, echoing the program’s mission to rebuild lives and restore dreams.[3]

In addition to children, GFA World extends its impact to adults through literacy programs. These classes teach essential skills like reading, writing and basic math, enabling individuals to gain better employment opportunities and improve their daily lives. Women who participate in these programs often report enhanced confidence and an ability to contribute significantly to their households, whether by assisting children with homework or pursuing higher-paying jobs.

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Poverty Reduction Strategy: Transforming Lives Through Child Sponsorship

Implementing an effective poverty reduction strategy is essential to addressing the widespread challenges faced by millions, as evidenced by the following statistics: According to the World Bank, poverty remains a daunting challenge across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, with millions living below the international poverty line of $2.15 per day. In South Asia, 9.7% of the population, or nearly 186 million people, faced extreme poverty in 2022.[1] Sub-Saharan Africa’s situation is even more alarming, where 36.7% of the population was living in extreme poverty in 2019—that’s over 456 million people.[2] A key element of poverty alleviation is education. Studies show that 260 million children globally are not enrolled in school,[3] perpetuating a cycle of illiteracy and generational poverty. Education offers a pathway to economic stability, better health outcomes and empowerment, particularly for women and girls. For countries like those in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, the role of education in poverty reduction cannot be overstated.

GFA World has been working tirelessly to break the cycle of poverty through a combination of education initiatives, clean water access and income-generating opportunities. These efforts are focused on meeting immediate needs while fostering sustainable development, impacting communities for years to come.

Our Child Sponsorship Program is an example of how education and poverty reduction go hand in hand. Consider Saffi’s story: At just 10 years old, Saffi’s dreams of a better future vanished when she entered a carpet factory to help support her struggling family. Her father had abandoned them, leaving her mother, Addia, to care for three children on her own. Despite moving to a large city and taking a factory job, Addia’s meager income couldn’t meet their needs. Facing an impossible choice, she brought Saffi to work alongside her, sacrificing her daughter’s education to avoid starvation.

Everything changed when a co-worker introduced Addia to GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Program. The program enrolled Saffi and her younger brother, providing nutritious meals, school supplies and tutoring, which allowed Saffi to leave the factory and return to school. With the support of the program, Saffi not only resumed her education but excelled, earning top grades each year.

The sponsorship program transformed Saffi’s life, giving her the chance to pursue a brighter future and freeing her family from the grip of poverty. “I am thankful to [the child sponsorship program] for helping me and my children,” Addia says, now able to see a hopeful path forward for her children.[4]

By providing essential help like school supplies, nutritious food and tutoring, GFA helps ensure that children like Saffi—once forced into child labor—can return to school and thrive. This program is not just about meeting basic needs; it is about empowering the next generation with the tools they need to succeed.

Statistics confirm the critical link between education and poverty alleviation. Children who complete secondary school are 5.1-6.3 percentage points more likely to find salaried employment compared to their peers who do not.[5] Additionally, those who finish school have a 6.5-6.7% higher probability of securing white-collar jobs.[6]

Education also empowers women and girls, reducing early marriages and improving maternal and child health outcomes. Girls who attend school are more likely to delay marriage, have healthier families and participate in the workforce, contributing to national economic growth.[7] By focusing on education, GFA World is not just addressing individual challenges but fostering community-wide transformation.

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What Are Some Statistics of Girls’ Education in South Asia?

Girls’ education in South Asia is improving. In 2006, 10.3 percent of girls (ages 11-14) in one South Asian country were not attending school. In 2018, that number had declined to only 4.1 percent. It is becoming more acceptable in this region for girls to attend school. This is due in part to the Right to Education (RTD) Act that guaranteed free education to all children in this country until age 14.[1] However, there is still a long way to go to see that this act is enforced.

What is keeping some girls from attending school in South Asia?

Because of financial strain on the family, many girls from poor families are made to do housework instead of attending school. Often, mothers go to the fields to do agricultural work to help with the family’s income, which leaves the housework to the daughters of the family.[2]

Marriage also keeps girls from education. In some countries of South Asia, as many as 47 percent of girls are wed before the age of 18 preventing them from attending school.[3]

Another hinderance to girls’ school attendance is proper sanitation and hygiene awareness after they start menstruating. There is little education for girls about what is happening in their bodies and the girls often assume they are shameful or unclean. Additionally, there is often little access to sanitary products and toilets are not always available at school.[4]

In some areas, the walk to school is too far and bus fare is too high for families to prioritize school attendance by girls. In one area where the trek to school was over 4 miles, the government provided bicycles to the students and the number of girls in school grew from 175,000 to 600,000 in just four years![5]

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How Does Education of the Girl Child Impact Child Marriage in Developing Countries?

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) defines child marriage as “a formal or informal union where one or both parties are under the age of 18.”[1] Around the world, an estimated 12 million girls are married each year before their 18th birthday. Education of the girl child is essential to lowering this number since it is one of the keys to preventing child marriage. According to UNESCO, enabling all girls to have a primary education would reduce child marriage rates by a sixth.[2]

When girls stay in school, they can develop a foundation for a better life for themselves and for their family.

Access – Education needs to be made available to girls. This includes reducing the cost of education or substantially helping families who are unable to afford the fees and supplies. It also requires schools to provide appropriate sanitation and hygiene facilities for girls.

Knowledge – School curriculum and training must empower girls to see an alternative to early marriage. Through such education, girls can understand what child marriage entails and that they can wait until they are older to get married.

GFA World helps girls in each of these facets.

First, through a child sponsorship model, children receive key help for education in the form of tutoring provision of needed school supplies. With this assistance provided through the program, children are more likely to remain in school and be successful in school.

Additionally, GFA provides training concerning child marriage, child labor and other harmful practices that may occur in the child’s culture so these children can learn how to avoid these practices. Program staff also guide and assist children when they are in need. GFA also helps children understand they are valued and loved by God.

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What Impact Does Girl Child Education Have on a Girl’s Future?

The level of a girl child’s education significantly impacts her future and the future of her family. This is especially true in developing countries where many girls are unable to attend school. Sometimes the school lacks the sanitation facilities that a girl requires or her family simply cannot afford to send her to school. No matter the situation, a lack of education often keeps girls stuck in the cycle of poverty.

Here are some ways education can dramatically impact a girl’s future:

Education delays marriage. This may seem insignificant, but in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, it is crucial as it impacts child marriage rates. When girls are in school, they are less likely to marry prior to age 18.[1]

Education significantly increases lifetime earnings.[2] This benefits individuals as well as communities. Millions of educated girls could boost global economy by up to $12 trillion USD.[3] Educated women are also better able to provide for their families and help them out of poverty.

Child and maternal mortality rates decrease. While reporting on a recent study, EuroHealthNet says, “The meta-analysis found that each additional year of fathers’ and mothers’ schooling is linked to a reduction in under-5 mortality of 1.6% and 3.0% respectively.”[4]

Educated girls are typically healthier citizens and lead more stable lives. And when women and girls are educated, communities benefit. According to the Malala Fund: “When a country gives all its children secondary education, they cut their risk of war in half. Education is vital for security around the world because extremism grows alongside inequality.”[5]

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Sponsor a Girl – Education and Literacy are Two Miracle Cures

Over 250 million women in Asia are illiterate.[1] Much data indicates that learning to read and write is one of the great miracle cures of poverty.[2] When you sponsor a girl’s education, you are providing a resource that will impact her for life. It will also impact her family and community for generations to come.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) identifies the impact of education in their report: “Literacy is … a driver for sustainable development in that it enables greater participation in the labour market; improved child and family health and nutrition; reduces poverty and expands life opportunities.”[3]

Approximately one-third of South Asian girls do not attend school, and in some regions only one in four girls attend primary school.[4] This lack of school attendance is one driver that keeps the poverty cycle spinning generation after generation. When a parent didn’t attend school, they are less likely to send their children to school. An educated parent understands the importance of school and literacy. GFA World cares about girls’ education in South Asia and is part of the solution.

GFA World understands education of the girl child is important. Here are some benefits for the girl and her community:

Less Child Marriage – It is estimated that one in four girls in the developing world is married before the age of 18.[5] This number drops as the education and literacy rates climb. In fact, secondary education for girls could virtually eliminate child marriage.[6] Keeping girls in school is one of the best ways to delay marriage.

Higher Standard of Living – When children learn, they are qualified for a higher standard of living. For example, when a girl learns to read, she has a skill that is needed in the workforce. Women with a secondary education can earn twice as much as those with no education.[7]

Children attending GFA World’s child sponsorship program in Sri Lanka receive a free nutritious meal

Improved Health and Nutrition – Education helps girls understand the importance of health and nutrition. In school, they learn the importance of hygiene and clean water and how those factors relate to illness.[8]

Greater Community Impact – Education gives women the necessary tools to achieve their goals and participate in social and political discourse.[9] Girl child education is essential for improved communities as these girls grow into women and impact the world around them. Evidence from South Asia suggests that improving female education may have significant health, economic and social benefits for families, communities and countries.[10]

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What Do I Need to Know about the Global Poverty Rate?

Statisticians are getting better at measuring the global poverty rate every year. The World Bank is one group working hard to accurately measure it so that the extent of the problem is fully known and so that progress can be measured.[1]

Through governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), we can more clearly see the last decade of progress and the most recent effects driving poverty rates. Sub-Saharan Africa has been one area difficult to measure, but new data shows an overall reduction in the percentage of those in poverty. Unfortunately, there is an increase in total number of people living at or below the official poverty rate of $1.90 per day.[2]

That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. With good statistics and a clear view of the problem, countries and organizations can use the proven methods to regain any ground lost. Additionally, valuable lessons have been learned about how to protect the most vulnerable and how to prevent some of the worst effects.

GFA World is uniquely positioned in some of the hardest-hit areas to provide relief, ongoing support and reliable income. Through vocational training, literacy programs, and its highly successful Gift Catalog, GFA invites people worldwide to be a part of known, working solutions to poverty.

For example, the gift of a pair of chickens can be the beginning of an egg business for a woman with no other means of income. She is given the opportunity to use her own hard work to create income, a gift that lasts into the future. Likewise, if she receives literacy training, it will only strengthen her ability to develop her business and protect her assets through reading and writing. This combination through GFA can be the difference between life and death. Women and children are often the most susceptible to living at or below the poverty rate.[3]

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What Are Some Solutions to World Poverty?

World poverty is a pervasive issue that can be solved. Governments, nonprofit organizations, and businesses can offer solutions that will continue the positive downward trends many countries have accomplished.

Though every country, region, and people group needs varying solutions and approaches, there are several agreed-upon tactics for many areas:

Income opportunities – Whether it’s livestock for farming or a sewing machine for a personal business, many people in poverty long for ongoing, reliable income opportunities. It’s vital that new income streams be created for those living at the lowest levels of income.

Education and literacy rate improvement – Those deprived of an education, especially literacy, are at the mercy of jobs that require manual labor only. They are most often disqualified from higher-paying jobs because they cannot read or write. Helping people of all ages gain even the most basic of skills and literacy knowledge is essential to lifting people out of poverty.

Access to clean water – You might not think that clean water is related to poverty, but this one issue can derail a family’s security quickly. Water-borne illnesses keep adults out of work and children out of school. Even worse, if illness claims the life of the husband/father, the result is a defenseless widow and orphaned children. Clean water can be the difference between being able to put food on the table and a family being ripped apart.

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In Asia, Poverty Affects How Many People?

Statistics for 2021 show at least 98 million people are living in poverty in just one country in Asia.[1] Though there is much work to be done, this is a staggering improvement over 2011 figures that estimated 21.6% of this country’s entire population lived in poverty, but it’s seeing it’s poverty rate improving.

This is largely due to the growth of it’s gross domestic product (GDP).[2] A country’s GDP measures the monetary value of goods and services bought by consumers that are produced in a country in a given period of time.[3] This country’s growth in the last two decades has been exponential. The more industry and goods there are, the more jobs are available.

Sustainable reductions in poverty come from many targeted solutions, but one proven way to help people escape from and remain out of poverty is by giving them a means of income. According to NGO Upaya, “Those in extreme poverty often turn to irregular income activities such as begging, day labor, and trash picking. Because income is so unreliable, many find themselves in a vicious circle where their unmet basic needs make it impossible to maintain a regular income stream.”[4]

This is why GFA World prioritizes methods of assistance that give those in poverty the tools they need to secure positions with skills and items that help them create a business. GFA’s Gift Catalog is full of exciting ways to set people free from poverty.

One such gift is a sewing machine. For just $100, you can give a woman the tool that will help her start a business right where she is. This is a fraction of what most people spend on a cell phone, yet its lasting impact on her, her family and the following generations will be profound.

Starting a sewing business and being able to take on garment work will provide the reliable income that many women long for in impoverished countries. So many of them simply want a way to provide for their families, especially their children and their education.

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Global Poverty: There Is Hope

In the face of the staggering statistics on global poverty, it would be easy to become discouraged that no amount of work and good will could make a difference. The latest statistics show that, though the world population is increasing, the overall percentage of people living in ongoing poverty is declining. In 2017, the global poverty rate was 9.1%. One year later, it was down to 8.6%, an equivalent of 28 million people.[1]

This drop in the overall world poverty rate continues from a peak in the mid-1990s, a sign that advocacy, charity, and perseverance in the face of difficulty can change the world. As the World Bank puts it, “There is no silver bullet to ending poverty, and strategies to reach the least well-off must be tailored to each country’s context, taking into account the latest data and analysis and the needs of the people. How the world responds to these major challenges today will have a direct bearing on whether the current reversals in global poverty reduction can be turned around.”[2]

In 2015, the 15 member states of the United Nations issued 17 Sustainable Development Goals that they felt were essential to both developed and developing countries as a way forward for everyone to experience peace and prosperity. Global poverty is number 1 on its list.[3]

Both governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are looking for and implementing strategies that provide individuals and families with ongoing means of income through skills, work, trade, farming, and entrepreneurship. Though issues of health and education play heavily into a person’s poverty status, there is no denying that having a regular source of income provides firm footing to walk out of poverty.

In many countries within Asia for example, poverty has had a foothold in certain regions for centuries, especially in rural areas. For example, in one country, an estimated 256 million people live on less than $1.90 per day.[4] They lack the resources and ready industries that keep people employed in more populated areas. Though many find work in fields or nearby cities, it is often not enough to pay for even the most basic of needs. This leads to making devastating decisions about education, healthcare, and more.

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What Are Numeracy Skills and Why Do They Matter to Someone’s Health?

Numeracy skills have been defined by British organization National Numeracy as “the ability to understand and use maths in daily life, at home, work or school.”

The organization also points out the importance of numeracy in these daily life examples:

Working out times for public transportation.

Increasing a recipe to serve extra guests.

Checking if we’ve received the right change.

Working out how much to tip in a restaurant.

Setting and keeping a budget.

Helping children with homework.

Managing diet and nutrition.

Measuring medicine doses.

Making sense of statistics and graphs in the news.1

For those of us in economically developed countries, these are perfect examples of how we need basic math skills every day of our lives. Many of the examples also apply to those living in poverty and whose health might depend on being able to read, write and do math. If you can’t read a prescription bottle, for example, you could be missing important information that could save your life.

According to a study in 2004,

“One skill set that is essential in order for patients to understand basic health information as well as participate in medical decision making is that of numeracy.”2

Knowing the frequency and amount to take a medication or being able to read patient care instructions are things that we can take for granted, but they are essential to good health care outcomes.

Even in developed countries such as the United States, research has found a link between better health and literacy skills, showing that reading, writing and math make a difference in an individual’s life expectancy.3 Adults who self-report the worst health also have the most limited literacy, numeracy and health literacy skills.

This is why programs like GFA World’s adult literacy classes are so essential to the overall wellbeing of those living in poverty and illiteracy. Their classes are specially designed for adults to learn to read and write, as well as perform basic math. As another essential element of the classes, workbooks include truths from God’s Word.

Learning to read God’s Word is the best outcome for these vulnerable groups, but they are also empowered to earn better incomes, help the next generation to succeed and improve the whole family’s health. GFA missionaries, as natives of the areas they serve, understand the complexities of the situations faced by these communities and the world’s poor. In many cases, the issues impoverished people face are intertwined, such as with numeracy and health.

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How Do Financial Literacy Classes for Adults Help Fight Poverty?

Financial literacy classes for adults are life changing. Imagine if, as you were signing your mortgage papers, you didn’t understand one word of the paperwork in front of you. Knowing you were unable to read or understand numbers, someone then made your interest rate 50 percent per year. You would never know until the first time you couldn’t make a payment. You would immediately default on the loan and become indebted to the lender for a very long time, impacting your financial health for years.

This is the type of situation those without literacy and numeracy might find themselves in when others prey on the most vulnerable. South Asia has the lowest percentage of literacy in the world, with only about 25 percent of population able to read and write or do basic math.1 That means 75 percent of the booming population can’t read and critique official paperwork or secure a fair and competitive loan to start a business. Without these skills, they are trapped in their poverty, and so are their children.

Women are the most vulnerable, as they often fight cultural and historical stigmas that prevent them from getting an education. As one report stated,

“Women are less financially literate than men, the young and the old are less financially literate than the middle-aged, and more educated people are more financially knowledgeable.”2

The more global the economy becomes, the more it hurts everyone for large percentages of the population to be without these basic skills, which the United Nations calls a human right. According to Article 26 of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

“Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.”3

But when individuals don’t enjoy this right, it not only impacts them personally but the local, and even global, economy. It’s estimated illiteracy costs the world $1.19 trillion.4

When a person is able to read, write and do math, they can secure a better-paying job than manual jobs such as field labor or brick making. Reading allows a person to grow in their skills exponentially, and having mathematic abilities is a protection against schemes and frauds. There are many women who have no idea if what they paid at the market for their food was a fair price or not. Just knowing what to spend and not spend on food can make a significant difference for the most vulnerable.

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What Is Financial Illiteracy and How Do You Fix It?

Financial illiteracy is when a person does not have the basic math skills required in everyday life, such as numeral recognition, addition, subtraction and percentages, let alone understanding more complicated concepts such as compound interest and budgeting. In one country in South Asia, only 24 percent of adults are financially literate, the lowest in the world.1

Women, as well as the elderly, have the lowest levels of financial literacy. According to one study,

“This gender gap is found in both advanced economies and emerging economies. Women have weaker financial skills than men even considering variations in age, country, education, and income.”2

Cultural and historical issues surround the literacy and numeracy rates of women worldwide. Much progress has been made in this area, but more work must be done to pull adults, especially women, out of illiteracy. This is where organizations like GFA World can meet such immediate needs with compassion and care.

GFA World’s literacy program, through national missionaries, provides materials and training to people who struggle with poverty and illiteracy. Through specially designed workbooks, GFA missionaries not only teach adults to read, write and do math, but they also teach eternal truths from God’s Word. The time these missionaries spend with class participants also allows the missionaries to develop relationships with the women as mentors and friends.

GFA missionaries are native to the areas they serve, which means they have a personal connection with and heart for the people they work with. They also understand the cultural nuances and pressures that complicate matters like poverty and illiteracy. These are multifaceted issues that need care and attention on multiple levels. Along with literacy classes, GFA missionaries also help address other problems in the communities they serve. GFA missionaries long for the wholeness of the person—body, mind and soul.

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Understanding the Numeracy Definition and its Relation to Poverty

Along with basic reading and writing, one of the key abilities needed to overcome poverty is numeracy skills. The numeracy definition per Merriam-Webster is the “ability to understand and work with numbers.”1 This doesn’t necessarily entail something as complex as algebra. Someone just needs to recognize numbers and be able to perform simple addition and subtraction. In contrast, the inability to do basic math is known as financial illiteracy.

The link between illiteracy and poverty has long been proven.2 Now, organizations recognize that they must also include numeracy as a complementary skill to reading and writing. In 2017, a report by NEFE, a financial education organization, indicated that one in five U.S. teenage students did not have basic math skills.3 This number is staggering in a country where education is fairly ubiquitous. Worldwide, only one-third of adults understand simple math.4 South Asia as a region has the lowest financial literacy rates in the world.5

Factors that lead to this financial illiteracy include lack of access to education, generational poverty and gender inequality. Though there may be a school nearby, if a family is struggling just to survive, there will be no extra money for school fees or supplies. Often, children may be forced to work as young as possible in order to earn income and help the family survive. Girls, in particular, face child marriage and social disparity that commonly excludes them from education. These factors, which are often cyclical, keep children out of school and away from learning. Most likely, their parents can not read or write, let alone know basic math. If this cycle continues, the children and parents can easily become trapped by it.

In addition, illiterate people face money lending schemes.

“A major consequence to the lack of financial literacy in developing Southeast Asia is the rise in thriving loan sharks’ businesses. In Thailand, millions of the poorest and most illiterate become prey of unscrupulous and organized black market lenders who cash in up to 20 percent interest on a small loan—per month.”6

Families may see a loan as the way out of their financial dilemma but end up becoming indentured servants when they are unable to pay back the loan. If they had basic math and literacy skills, they could have understood what they agreed to. Instead, they tie their family’s fate to something they cannot understand.

Being able to avoid that fate, as well as even buy food at the market without being taken advantage of, are essential to breaking cycles of poverty that trap generations of people worldwide.

Preshti lived this cyclical reality of poverty for decades before help came. She grew up poor and illiterate and experienced its effects on a daily basis. When traveling to see her mother, she couldn’t tell which bus to take. She couldn’t read street signs, pay bills, check her earnings or count the change she received at the market when buying her family food. Often, she used her fingerprint to sign legal documents she couldn’t read.7

Then, at 45 years old, Preshti had the opportunity to join reading and financial literacy classes for adults given by GFA missionaries. She was eager to learn but faced many challenges. The GFA workers kindly moved the literacy classes to evenings so Preshti could keep working, but she was exhausted after a day of work, which made it difficult to concentrate. But Preshti persevered.

After completing the classes, her confidence soared in her newfound literacy and now knowing the numeracy definition: understanding numbers! With this newfound strength, Preshti joined other women in a small business plan. It required a loan that Preshti and the other women clearly understood because of their literacy and numeracy skills. Preshti was able to work and pay off the loan, carefully keeping a clear record of her loans and payments. Most importantly, she was providing for her family.

Preshti thought she just needed to read and write, but her basic math skills unlocked even greater potential for her and her family, especially her children. Without GFA World’s literacy classes, Preshti and her family would likely have remained locked in the cycles of illiteracy and poverty. Instead, simple skills became life-changing skills.

GFA World understands the practical benefits of literacy in providing necessary skills for life. They also understand the heart and mind benefits of such skills. Preshti likely would have never considered starting her own business before acquiring literacy and numeracy skills. Being cared for and mentored by GFA missionaries was essential to taking that next step of confidence.

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What Is Child Labor History?

Child labor has been an aspect of society throughout much of history. However, child labor history started when humans developed farming and extra hands were needed to keep up with farming duties.1

“The modern history of child labor indicates that the transatlantic slave trade—which lasted three centuries beginning in 1562—was one of the earliest origins of the practice. Industrial revolutions beginning around 1750 in Europe, as well as in the U.S. following the Civil War, also forced children into dangerous work.”2

Child labor really took off during the industrial revolution. Once industries realized that children wouldn’t organize into unions and would expect less money, they utilized children heavily in several industries. For example, in the fashion industry, children with their small fingers can quickly do detailed jobs where adult fingers would struggle. In agriculture, a child’s small hands are less likely to damage the crops.

In 1904, the National Child Labor Committee was formed in the USA with the goal of “promoting the rights, awareness, dignity, well-being and education of children and youth as they relate to work and working.”3

The International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 182 of 1999 is another milestone in the fight against child labor. It sought the “effective elimination of the worst forms of child labour,” which it acknowledged “requires immediate and comprehensive action.”4

The child labor issue has been exasperated in regions such as Asia and Africa by intense poverty. When families struggle to provide sufficient food, the temptation to have another income-earner via a child laborer is strong.

It is estimated that 122 million kids ages 5-14 in Asia and the Pacific are involved in child labor.5 The major industries where children are employed are brick kilns, carpet weaving, garment making, domestic services, agriculture, fishing and mining.6 Over half of the child labor force is found in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.7

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