Getting Poorer

There are moments when ideas, concepts, or stark reality hits me like a ton of bricks. I guess this could also be referred to as the proverbial light bulb or the "aha" moments that bring clarity to life. But when it is bad news, I think it feels more like a ton of bricks.

We've launched our economic security initiative and the goal is to reduce the incidence of asset poverty amongst women and girls. Asset poverty is a pretty technical, and ugly, term -- but it refers to household's inability to access wealth resources that sufficiently provide for basic needs over three months. Its a good term to describe how so many Mainer's live -- not quite in poverty, but ultimately vulnerable to loss of income because they don't have the assets, or wealth, that leads to increased economic security, or provides a buffer in times of hard ship. Households lacking sufficient assets are forced to live paycheck to paycheck and face economic hardship when changes in income occur.

Part of the driving force is behind the initiative is that, according to the most recent census, poverty in Maine is actually increasing. This is astonishing because it is decreasing almost every where else in the country. But not in Maine.

So here's the other bad news. Most families hold the majority of their assets in their homes. So while the the housing market crashes down around us, there are two dynamics at play. Many folks are losing their assets when they lose there homes. For the rest of us, when we lose the value in our homes, we are actually getting poorer.

This is bad news for a state that is already seeing increases in poverty.

Comments

[Ayesha Lakhani]

Poverty has a woman's face. Global prosperity and peace will only be achieved once the entire world's people are empowered to order their own lives and provide for themselves and their families. Societies where women are more equal stand a much greater chance of achieving the Millennium Goals by 2015. Every single Goal is directly related to women's rights, and societies were women are not afforded equal rights as men can never achieve development in a sustainable manner.
I think its high time we all individually or collectively Stand Up and Take some action
Regarding this.

This will help all you people on this blog to do something along with the United Nations in your locality.
Check this
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=47234928