Mulligan (2010: xii) states that “poverty remains disproportionately a black problem in south Africa”. She says that the black population has a higher level of poverty than other racial groups. Women are mostly affected by poverty in South Africa. Poorer black women do not receive the same educational or employment opportunities …show more content…
Some women were fortunate because they received money from their husbands who were working on mines and towns. This shows that most family’s income is limited. The legacy of poverty on black women of the country today is that the poorest of the poor are still living under harsh or trying conditions. Women predominate in rural areas which usually the poorest live in. in the rural and urban environment, women have to be a caregiver and feed their households and this makes employment opportunities difficult.
Paradigms for poverty alleviation
Ackelman and Andersson (2008) states that there are two models that are used for poverty alleviation which are the provider model and the support model.
1. Provider model
In this model the government of the place provides basic needs for his people who are in need, e.g. food and shelter. The important role of authorities is to provide basic needs and nonmonetary assistance to residents in each and every country. This shows an example of the government in South Africa giving the poor monthly social security schemes such as old age pensions and child support funds. Some people do not support this model because they think that people are becoming too depended on governments and do not make something out of their …show more content…
Such women are most likely to be unmarried or deserted by their husbands.
3. Children
These are the poorest population in the world. Because of the low family income, children at other families are expected to find work and take care of their families. This makes a positive contribution to the family income level.
4. The elderly
These people do not work and depend on their pension funds but it is not enough for them to support their family. Some of them receive their pension funds and others do not and this makes life very difficult for them. They cannot contribute to the society because they have nothing to contribute.
5. Minorities
These are a number of poverty stricken families. These people experience social and political barriers to employment, education and other means of improving their quality of life. When they do not find employment, they cannot achieve a healthy lifestyle for themselves.
6. The disabled
They meet social and physical barriers to employment, education and other means by which they can improve their quality of life and exclude them from mainstream society and forced to live in poverty (Manis,