Poverty Reduction

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 Social Studies | Strand 3.0 People and Relationships | Sub-Strand 3.3 Poverty Reduction (6 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Explain the causes of poverty in Africa.
• Describe the effects of poverty on individuals and communities.
• Discuss measures taken by African governments to reduce poverty.
• Appreciate the role of individuals and communities in poverty reduction.

Summary

Poverty means lacking the resources needed for an acceptable standard of living, including food, shelter, clean water, health care and education. It is measured both in absolute terms, against a fixed minimum, and in relative terms, against what is normal in a particular society. Its causes in Africa are layered, running from historical and structural factors down to individual circumstances, and treating any single cause as the whole explanation produces poor policy. Governments have pursued a range of measures with mixed results, and communities and individuals also play a genuine part.