Is economic growth enough to reduce poverty? How does poverty affect children? Did COVID change poverty rates? Poverty is a problem all over the world but because all countries are in different stages of socioeconomic development, it looks different from country to country. This essay will explore and compare the effects of poverty on children, how poverty hinders economic growth, and the impact of COVID on poverty rates in Tanzania and the United States. Poverty rates in Tanzania are close to 26.4 percent while they are only 12.1 percent in the United States (Habarileo and Vox). Poverty is more than two times as prevalent in Tanzania than the United States because of the cycle of child poverty, stunted economic growth, and the lack of resources in the face of COVID.
Poverty in a community has a major impact on the general population, especially on children. Tanzanian children have limited education as “less than one-third of Tanzanian children currently enroll in lower secondary school” (Habarileo). This impacts their future opportunities as well as the nation’s future prospects. Additionally, poor parents often unintentionally pass their poverty on to the next generation so then “both economic and social mobility remain low in Tanzania” (Habarileo). Contrary, in the United States, child poverty rates from the past three years are prospected to be halved from 13.7 percent to 5.9 percent (Vox). Despite this positive trend, child poverty is still very prevalent in the United States; however, contrary to Tanzania, there are many resources available to families below the poverty line in America.
Naturally, poverty changes the economic status of a country, but it can also hinder economic growth. Tanzania’s poverty reduction is hard to maintain because of their fast-growing population. However, Tanzania is taking action to reduce poverty, and “the country is showing signs of structural transformation” (Habarileo). People are moving away from life in agriculture and are instead moving toward industry occupations in urban areas. This is an economic development that will help industrialize the cities of Tanzania, therefore opening more jobs, which could be filled by the many living below the poverty line. Similarly, the United States has experienced the same industrial changes and is further developed. However, because of the advanced infrastructure of the United States, there are more opportunities available for Americans living in poverty than Tanzanians. These resources include “stimulus checks, enhanced unemployment insurance payments and eligibility, and refundable child tax credits” (Voa News).
COVID has been a global issue for the past year and a half but the affect of COVID varies depending on the way countries reacted and how government leaders handled it. Further, COVID hit those in poverty harder than others. In Tanzania, after their first cases, they “began working with the CDC to train health professionals” (Borgen) in tracing and managing COVID. Tanzania is less advanced than the United States, therefore they sought help from them. In the United States, because of the resources available, the response to COVID was different and therefore had a different effect on poverty rates. “The United States made tremendous progress lifting its citizens out of poverty with an expansion of public assistance programs” (Voa News). However, these resources are limited and “millions face the grim possibility of a return to impoverishment” (Voa News).
One cannot simply hand out stimulus checks and provide temporary accommodations for people living in poverty. While economic growth is very important in reducing and eliminating poverty, it is imperitive to address the root of the poverty. Perhaps giving access to education and integrating different socioeconomic statuses would improve the child poverty rate. Additionally, it would be advantageous to ease the financial side of poverty not only by giving out money, but by creating permanent job opportunities for those in poverty. Being aware of what one has and the needs of others can open opportunities to share your resources. (Word Count: 642)
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