Reclaiming the Village: Life-Long Learning

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Teaching versus Charity

As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” (Maimonides). Anyone who takes a poverty 101 class will realize the two different types of poverty: circumstantial/crisis-related poverty and chronic poverty. The former poverty is the condition caused by a sudden change in living either due to a natural disaster, job loss, medical health problems or something of the like. The latter is usually of the condition that one is born into or acquires throughout the generations because that family never either had the opportunity or capacity to gain upward mobility in class economics.

It’s a shock to live in a country where 25% of American children skip one meal of the day. However, the immediate needs as well as the chronic needs are just as important to be fixed in this day. Sometimes giving a meal for several times is all that it takes. But when that reception turns into dependence, you can begin to hurt that individual more than help them – not only his ability to be economically independent, but his pride, self-dignity and duty to himself and others to be part of larger society.

Robert D. Lupton’s book Toxic Charity better explains the idea of charity as toxic and sometimes more harmful than helpful, but Lupton also offers solutions for defeating such means. Education is always a means to help break the poverty cycle. But education without sponsorship and guidance only proves to make another gap between those who can pay for that education and those who cannot.

Support on All Fronts

Everyone needs a sponsor – someone who can monetarily support them in advancing their careers and educational prospects and someone who can monetarily support the individual if needed. Everyone also needs a mentor or guide – someone who can lead the individual on the right path and offer advice and wisdom for the steps ahead.

We need more public and private partnerships to provide training to individuals. Just look at what the state of Missouri and the federal government are providing through the MO Manufacturing Wins program. The program is federally funded and teaches eligible and willing students the manufacturing skills they need to excel in the industry. Plus, many of those who graduate from the programs with certificates receive higher paid jobs than their peers.

Education & Training

Investment and training are two fundamental points to economic development, and it only doesn’t have to happen abroad. In his incendiary Ted Talk video, presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani explained how more foreign companies must take a risk on countries like Afghanistan providing investment and training to workers who desire and need it. Why can’t the same be said about the U.S.? Why can’t we pay more up front to invest in others so it pays more down the line?

Workforce development programs like Connections to Success’ Personal Professional Development class offers similar programs. It pays itself and more rather than costs.

It’s time to teach more individuals and invest more in their training and education than to continue dragging them in the mire of poverty and dependency on institutions to provide for them. That means more investment in apprenticeships, educational scholarships and training programs designed to channel and equip individuals towards their desired careers.

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