Poverty...

Poverty will not be eradicated if almost every hand is open to receive and closed to give. It cannot be reduced if beggars become choosers, or if begging becomes a profession, and if folks that aren't charity worthy keep cooking up stories to blackmail emotions and to collect alms, because there'll be giver fatigue, and genuine beggars are going to be denied.

Poverty cannot be curbed if each household has only one or maximum two income-earners, and everyone sits like some derelict vehicle waiting to be fixed by these people. The odds are, they'll be excessively burdened, or may even die before their death, and the entire household is going to go back to square one.

Poverty cannot be history if unwillingness to do work is translated as inability or lack of opportunity, and if folks can leave their faulty valuables to be wasted in utter neglect than to make an effort in salvaging them. Eventually, meagre resources that could've been used on other needs will be used in getting replacements, and the cycle continues.

Poverty will continue to be a menace for as long as folks can be deeply in debt but still find it okay to be ostentatious. Like me acting so competitive about material possessions, and always on social media showing how furnished I'm with the latest and best things. But forgetting I still live in my shack in Wellingara - still owing the 'Mburo Pompitere' I took from Momodou the shopkeeper for breakfast.