Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for Medium, Aisha Babangida explains how investing in the poor could benefit everyone and help vulnerable people become self-sustaining.

· Why is this an important part of global development? How can philanthropists invest in the poor?

· Here's more on addressing extreme poverty.

Helping to improve conditions for those who live in poor and impoverished countries is a noble pursuit, but also brings with it it’s own set of nuances. However, it can also create lasting benefits beyond simply bettering their situation. When looking for reasons to invest in the poor and impoverished, it is critical to look beyond the superficial. Here are two clear reasons why we should invest in the poor.

  1. Help Make Them Less Susceptible - By investing in the poorer countries, healthy nations can begin to prevent, and eventually stop the migration of impoverished people into gangs and terrorist organizations. The alternative is violence and death, a threat to global security. Undoubted, investing in these people is a smarter choice for the long term outlook of these countries.
  2. Help Make Them Self-Sustaining - People in poor countries, and even low-income neighborhoods, will gradually shift away from situations where they need assistance just to survive. By promoting a self-sustaining attitude, the burden of assistance can eventually be lessened. When an investment is made in the poor and impoverished, they can move towards becoming self-sustaining.

These are two of the benefits of investing in the poor. While assisting the less fortunate can make the giver feel better, it also helps those who receive. There are many ways to help the poor. Those that do the most good are those that reduce their susceptibility and improve their self-sustainability.

Read the full article about investing in the poor by Aisha Babangida at Medium.