Have you ever heard of “poverty tourism” or “slum tours”? Slum tourism is a type of tour in which people from wealthy countries visit impoverished areas through a tour operator. Tour companies might offer packages to Cape Town, South Africa, or to Mumbai, India, to visit communities like the one pictured in the movie Slumdog Millionaire. A tour guide also might take […]
In the past several years, the number of people moving away from their home countries has risen. War, violence, political instability and poverty are pushing people to search for better places. But the terminology can be confusing. What’s the definition of a refugee? How is that different from an internally displaced person, a stateless person or an asylum seeker? Keep […]
Brenya is 18 years old, but he is only in the equivalent of the sixth grade. The reason for his educational delay is one of the greatest issues that impoverished children in Ghana face — the lack of child protection, which tragically leads to child exploitation. When Brenya was younger, his mother left his father, taking Brenya’s seven siblings with […]
Extreme poverty is a heartbreaking thing to behold. It’s especially crushing when you see how it affects an innocent and vulnerable child. When you see children suffering, the natural reaction is to ask, “How can I help kids in need?” It’s a noble question, and one where you’re likely to find a lot of different answers. You might be tempted […]
El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America. Located between Guatemala and Honduras, it possesses 21,041 square kilometers (about the size of Massachusetts) and is tropical, with an average temperature of 30° to 35°C (80°to 95°F). The land is mostly mountains covered with tropical rainforest, with its highest peak being El Pital at 8,957 feet. San Salvador, the capital city, […]
Have you ever wondered the role technology could play in poverty reduction? If so, read on! Compassion International is in a war to help children escape from poverty. With more than 2 million children in our programs, we are certainly putting up a fight. But, with 385 million children still in extreme poverty, we need to fight smarter. Enter Microsoft. […]
This year, Compassion joins other humanitarian and child-focused organizations around the world to celebrate a landmark: the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A convention might sound a little boring, but this historic meeting laid out the human rights that apply to all children. It recognized children as having inherent value in the social, economic, […]
Cognitive dissonance is a theory in social psychology for how we experience dissonance, or inconsistency, and respond to it. A simple definition of cognitive dissonance theory states that individuals experience feelings of discomfort when encountering two or more conflicting beliefs, behaviors or attitudes. We find ways to reduce dissonance through behavioral or attitude changes. One example of cognitive dissonance theory is […]
Every day around the world, thousands of people wake up early, get dressed and head to a day of work at the local landfill. They want to be there first when the trucks arrive to dump fresh garbage on the mountain of trash. These scrappers search for plastic and metal — anything recyclable they can sell or somehow reuse. While […]
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be poor in Asia? Asia is a wildly diverse place. From bustling modern cities to remote island paradises, daily life varies greatly. But economic status drives much of one’s everyday experiences, regardless of where you live. While Asia has made monumental strides in poverty reduction, deep pockets still exist. According to […]
