This is the first article in a series of responses to the latest Urban Exchange report entitled Poverty in Sight. The responses come from several respondents who are all experts on poverty. We invite you to continue to read and respond to these articles as we carry on the conversation on this important topic.
Emma (we have changed Emma’s name for confidentiality reasons) considers herself to have been affected by poverty at one time in her life. She is on disability and tells Urban Exchange that “a lot of times it’s check to check”. She has lived in various areas of Winnipeg and throughout the years she has accessed a variety of social programming offered in these areas.
To Emma “not enough money [and] low income is poverty. And all the rest of it would come from not having enough money and having a low income.” She goes on to say that a lack of income is at the root of many of the other ways that people identify poverty; inability to care for one’s family, hopelessness, isolation all stem from not having enough money. Throughout our conversation about poverty in Winnipeg Emma also brings up the need for food as relating closely to poverty. She says that “sometimes you do things that you don’t really want to do because you’re poor; I’ve panhandled in the past for food.” She explains that poverty forces people to make decisions to do things that they would never normally do – it’s a limiting of options due to a lack of income.
Emma agrees that poverty in Winnipeg is a serious issue and theorizes that people who don’t identify it as serious in their particular neighbourhood are just not seeing the poverty in their neighbourhood. She disagrees with the notion that poverty leads to crime, “I wouldn’t go steal a car. I don’t think that crime should be associated with poverty. Cause that’s a step further, that’s a whole different area.“
While Emma agrees with the statement that people in Winnipeg have access to opportunities for work, education and recreation, she goes on to say that she believes that the most significant thing that leads to poverty in Winnipeg is a lack of education. And does not see addictions as a cause of poverty, “I don’t agree with addiction [as a cause of poverty] because if you can afford to feed your addiction you’re not in poverty.” She sees education as the most important factor in poverty reduction and education in this instance means more to Emma than just a formal education with a degree at the end, she explains that people need to learn about life skills to manage their household, and employable skills as well – two skill sets that have helped her rise out of a situation of poverty.
Emma has learned about growing food and food storage which has helped her make food last longer, and she has gained valuable experience in food service through a local agency. Food to her has been key in freeing herself from poverty. She now buys food first and spends money on other things second. By eating better she has brought down her blood sugar level and feels that she can move through life better. This is why it is important to Emma that people who are living in poverty have access to small community gardens, “give people better food and when you eat better you can think better and sleep better and everything better” so this would affect people’s living situation, and their sense of themselves and how they feel about themselves.
Thank-you Emma for responding to this report in such a thoughtful and informative way.
What do you think of Emma’s comments? Have some comments of your own? Let us know.
Leave a Reply