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Reader Question: Are There Permanent Solutions to Poverty?

Nancy Fitzpatrick: What projects sponsored by the “first” world hold the most promise for helping people permanently lift out of poverty – or at least out of extreme poverty?

Microfinance programs–in which people are given small loans (usually under $100) to start businesses–have lifted thousands of families out of poverty. People in the developing world are just as entrepreneurial as those in the developed world; they just don’t have access to the money they need to get started and make their ideas reality. It’s inspiring how relatively quickly a family can move out of extreme poverty once they’ve launched a home-based business like a poultry farm or snack kiosk.

– Laura Sheahen, CRS regional information officer

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Tags: microfinance, Question

This entry was posted on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at 10:30 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. We alleviate suffering and provide assistance to people in need in over 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.

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