Persistent Poverty in Africa:

Why and How Christian

Ivy Leaguers Can Help

Chris Barrett
September 27, 2012
Cornell Chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
 Persistent ultra-poverty

Rapid, large-scale poverty reduction is possible …

as demonstrated by a generation of rapidly falling
global poverty rates, especially in East Asia.

But no real
progress in
sub-Saharan
Africa in the
last 25 years.

Source: World Bank, PovCalNet

 Persistent ultra-poverty

The big challenge is the persistence of

concentrated ultra-poverty … in Africa,
where it has almost doubled in a generation.

Africa is now
home to 65%
of the world’s
ultra-poor,
up from 12%.

Source: World Bank, PovCalNet

 Becoming ultra-poor
Many Are Born Poor and Stay Poor
But Why Do Others Become Poor,
Replacing Those Who Escape Poverty?

1) Health Shocks (malaria, HIV/AIDS, etc.)

2) Conflict/war
3) Natural Disasters (drought, flood)
4) Unemployment

The public and private safety nets we take for

granted rarely exist in SSA
 Staying ultra-poor

Once Poor,
Why Do People Remain Poor?

- Poor early childhood health/nutrition

- Limited education
- Lack access to finance to invest in livestock,
land, improved technologies
- Underdeveloped markets
- Social exclusion (race, gender, ethnicity, etc.)

… all keep the poor from making enough to

invest in growing richer … ‘poverty traps’
 “May the odds be ever
in your favor”

Who has a real shot at escaping poverty?

Under-five mortality rate = 18%
Elem. school completion rate = 48%
14-16 yr old HIV/AIDS positive = 8%
Face regular violent conflict = ~20%
… Only 20-30% have a good shot at an African
middle class life under current education, health
and security situation
.. And most face a much higher likelihood of dying a
preventable, poverty-related death (cholera,
typhoid, measles, childbirth …)
 Changing the odds

How Do Some Climb/Stay Out of Poverty?

- Maintain good health: avoid illness/injury
- Education
- Some cash to invest: savings, loans, gifts,
remittances … it takes $ to make $
- Reasonable, reliable access to markets
- Peace
… Not much different from the US!
All are scalable … we can change the odds?
 Why should we care?

Reasons:

Humanitarian/ethical
- Golden rule/Gospels

Economic
- Future markets/suppliers

Security/geo-political
- Prospective source of insecurity

Environmental
- Conservation of forests, wildlife

Health
- Controlling pandemics
 How does the world help?

Net aid given by governments:

~7.5 ¢ per day per person (overstated due to “tying”)

Private gifts (foundations, companies and individuals):

~ 6 ¢ per day per person

Develop new technologies, better institutions, smarter

policies through businesses, governments, NGOs:
- health care (incl. lower pricing by drug companies)
- improved information/communications technologies
- agricultural, water, energy, transport and other
technologies (universities/research institutes)
- policy research (universities/think tanks)
- (good) job creation by businesses
 What can you do?

1) Recognize, be grateful for and make good use of

the opportunities you have here in the US! Young
Africans only dream of your opportunities.
2) Be informed and speak up to our political leaders
3) Sponsor a child, buy alternative gifts this
Christmas season, etc.

Luke 12:48: “To whom much has been given, much is

expected.”

Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of

thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
“Most of the people in the world are poor, so if we knew the
economics of being poor we would know much of the economics that
really matters. Most of the world’s poor people earn their living
from agriculture, so if we knew the economics of agriculture we
would know much of the economics of being poor.”
- Theodore W. Schultz
Opening sentences of 1979 Nobel Prize in Economics lecture

Africa is the world’s most agrarian/rural continent.

You CALS majors have uncommon capacity to help!
If you had been
born to a poor
woman in rural
Africa, what
would you want
others to do for
you? WWJD?
Thanks for your interest!