Description
The first lesson I learned from the poverty simulation is that those who have not experienced poverty may not adequately understand the situation. Some people think poverty only entails having deficient financial resources while it involves hunger, poor quality health, and poor education. The second lesson I learned is that poor people cannot be solely blamed for their situation. Many factors influence their unfortunate situation, the biggest of them being government actions. The government ought to create an enabling environment for these people to thrive if poverty is eradicated. The third lesson I learned is that each of us has a responsibility to eradicate poverty in our country. This is through little actions, such as empowering people with very little when we have a surplus. Influencing democratic processes such as elections is also crucial in ensuring the right government is in power.
Feelings
Poverty is degrading because it erodes a person’s dignity when they have to beg for things. I am angered by the inaction in eradicating poverty on the part of the government. I think those in power have a far greater ability to help poor people and raise their living standards, yet they do so little. I feel deep pity for people living in poverty as they have to sleep hungry. They also have to endure the cold due to lack of shelter and have their dreams shattered due to the ability to afford quality education.
Evaluation
The pain that poor people have to endure is the outstanding aspect of poor lives. Withstanding sleeping on a hungry stomach or the cold of the night on the roadside is incredible. The hurt of being considered dangerous by people when you are around them, as they feel their property is insecure, is degrading. Being misunderstood by people because they feel you are not working hard enough, yet you are doing your best, with minimal resources, must hurt. I learned that I did not adequately understand poverty before the simulation.
Analysis
Poverty influences patient choices whenever they have illnesses, as they dread the thought of visiting hospitals and being to pay for services. Paucity also means that some patients die from curable conditions as they cannot afford cheap medicines (Kwon et al., 2019). The choice is usually between purchasing medicines or buying food to prolong their life and survive hunger (Orentlicher, 2018). Well-equipped hospitals are also absent in the neighborhoods of poor people, and this means they have to travel far in search of healthcare.
Conclusion
In conclusion, poverty is far more serious than depicted in the media, which carelessly documents the numbers of poor people. Poor people cannot be blamed for their position in life and deserve as much respect as people able to cater to their needs. The government has done very little to improve the situation of poor people in the country. Actions focused on improving the lives of poor people should not solely revolve around offering them handouts but empowering them. Empowerment should entail giving these people jobs and opportunities that enable them to make an honest living.
Action Plan
I will carefully listen to the stories of poor people whenever they need my help because they need mental support in addition to financial aid. My broadened understanding of poverty means I will advocate for the rights of poor people by engaging in popular initiatives focused on bettering their lives. This is because the social work profession was initially built on advocacy. I will ensure I am updated on various government initiatives meant for the benefit of poor people. This will guarantee that I can guide them to their benefactors, who can improve their lives with ease.
References
Kwon, I., Shin, O., Park, S., & Kwon, G. (2019). Multi-morbid health profiles and specialty healthcare service use: A moderating role of poverty. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(11). Web.
Orentlicher, D. (2018). Healthcare, health, and income. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 46(3), 567–572. Web.