What is poverty? Poverty comes from the Latin word "Pauper" which means poor. Poverty can be defined as a human condition characterized by endless lack of resources, capabilities, choices, security, and power necessary for the enjoyment of living standards. This simple word also can change the way you think. It may test your character and challenge your principles and your beliefs to God.

I ponder on the word "poverty" with questions popping in my mind. Why do some people suffer from poor living conditions as result of poverty? Is there any way out of poverty and have an abundant life on Earth? This all maybe just simple questions to you but for me it is a big issue facing us. We can see plenty people suffering because of poverty. It is a fact painful to admit yet we need to acknowledge it. Because of poverty you can't go to the hospital when you are ill. Worse thing is you can't even buy a simple medicine to heal your pain that maybe become the cause of your death. Yes, poverty can kill life.

In our life we encounter endless problems which we may survive or we may fail. Yet, no matter how hard we try to fight poverty, it still continues to surface. It is a dilemma so difficult to answer much more find a long-term solution nowadays. Because of poverty you can't go to school which I experience and that was the worst part of my life because I really want to pursue my college. But since we do not have enough money, I need to stop even if it is against my will. Poverty pushed some parents to give up their children to relatives who can better provide their needs. It is the most painful thing to a mother nevertheless she needs to do it. She knows that she can't give a brighter future to her child. Just what happen to us, my two younger sisters were adopted by my aunt because my parents can't provide for their needs. It really hurts me and most especially my mother for she won't see her child grow up. It really broke my heart whenever I see and meet my two sisters. They treat and know me as their cousin but not knowing we are sisters. I can't tell them that I'm your older sister because it's forbidden. If I do so then my aunt will get mad at me. I do tell them maybe they will say that I'm just lying. Some of my relatives look down on us and treat us bad because we are poor. They don't believe what we say. They don't even care whether their words hurt us. When I was a kid my mom can't look after us. She had to work to help my father to support our needs. Imagine a child that grows without the attention of a mother. We all know that every child needs her mother very much especially during infancy period. Poverty also pushes Muslim women into fixed marriages. In our Muslim culture some of the youth are set up to have fixed marriage. It is because their parents can't support their needs so they decided to look for a husband for their daughter and get dowry in return. It is a fact that really unfair to us but we must have to admit.

Numerous programs are implemented in any country that seeks to minimize if not eradicate poverty yet it continues to linger. Philippines is one of those countries stricken by poverty. I was born and growing up in the Philippines. The worst thing that poverty gave me is when I stopped my studies. I really want to pursue and finish college but because my family doesn't have enough money, I need to stop going to school against my will. There are plenty of ways to go about poverty especially with the saying "If there's a will there's a way". This quote means that you're lacking in financial resources isn't enough reason to quit believing in yourself and in dreams. You will do your best to pass up poverty. I live in democratic country where there are lots of public hospitals where you can go to assist you when you are sick. There are some government institutions where you can buy cheaper medicines and gives help to the poor people.

For me as a youth, education plays a big part to overcome poverty. That's why I'm so thankful and lucky to be part of MCI Program. MCI give me many opportunities such as letting me study Nursing and teaching me values which I really treasure for the rest of my life. They give me hope that lights my way in the path of a brighter future. MCI benefactors and supporters are persons I consider as part of my family. They are modern-day angels who mold me to become a productive individual by educating me so that I could share my knowledge to my fellowmen and reach my ambitions. I deeply believe that if we are all educated then we can have a good job to support our needs and provide the needs of our family too. You can apply what you've learn to live comfortably in this world. By your learning, you can do everything that can help to minimize poverty. I just hope that there are more programs like MCI implemented in the near future to get rid of illiteracy. By helping one another, we can fight poverty. Being educated is the best weapon to fight against poverty with the help of God.

Written by:

ANIDAH MACADATO
University of Mindanao
Freshman, Bachelor of Science in Nursing