More than 1.1 billion people live in poverty worldwide. Learn
what poverty really means, why it persists, and five proven strategies to break the cycle—plus
real stories of change.
Words by Norma Hilton
Reading time 5 minutes
Claudia, 24, has been participating in Plan’s programs since she was a young child.
When you hear the word poverty, what comes to mind? Starving children? Tattered clothing? In
reality, poverty looks different everywhere, from Canada to Sudan.
For some families, poverty means making heartbreaking choices. When drought strikes, a farming family
may pull their daughter from school and arrange for her marriage, hoping she’ll be cared for and
there’s one less mouth to feed. That decision can set a girl on a path where she never returns to
school and instead becomes a caregiver for her new family.
Poverty limits access to food, water, shelter, and health care. In the worst cases, this lack of
access traps families in poverty for generations.
5 proven strategies to reduce poverty
1. Invest in education
Education is one of the most powerful solutions to poverty. When girls go to school, they gain skills
that lead to better health, higher future incomes, and stronger communities.
CRaida, 13, and her friend Hilda wash their hands at school in Tanzania.
2. Improve access to health care
When illness strikes, caregivers may lose their income and children miss school, reinforcing poverty.
Strong health systems that help people access comprehensive care and stay healthy can help prevent
this.
Plan builds clinics, trains health workers, and supports maternal and newborn health. In 2025, Plan
Canada reached 13.6 million people with essential health care and information – critical steps
toward resilience.
3. Ensure clean water and sanitation
Clean water reduces disease. But for families who don’t have access to clean water in their homes or
communities, having to fetch water often means missed school for children and lost income
opportunities for women. Girls especially risk harm in walking long distances for water.
Plan helps communities rehabilitate water points and build latrines and provides training on how to
maintain these systems long-term. Clean water isn’t just a basic need – it’s a foundation for
education and opportunity.
4. Build economic security
Economic empowerment helps families withstand shocks and invest in their children’s future.
5. Prepare for a Changing Climate
When communities adapt to a changing climate, that resilience creates economic opportunity and
environmental sustainability that protects their livelihoods.
Caroline and other COSME tree-nursing participants in Kenya.
How Practical Solutions Help Reduce Poverty
Reducing poverty starts with strengthening the essentials communities rely on every day, access to education, health care, clean water and sanitation, opportunities to earn an income and support to adapt to a changing climate. When these foundations are in place, girls are able to stay in school alongside their peers, families can better manage setbacks and communities are more equipped to plan for the future.
By supporting Plan International Canada, you help reinforce these poverty‑reducing solutions in communities facing the greatest barriers. Your contribution, whether giving, learning or sharing, helps expand access to services and opportunities that make daily life safer and more stable. Small steps like these support long‑term progress.