Who Owns Poverty? The Book by a Paraguayan Social Entrepreneur That is Being Used in US Universities

In the fight against global poverty, humans have long relied on governments, NGOs, and charities to come up with solutions. But what if the answer to ending poverty lies in a completely different approach? This is the central question that Paraguayan social entrepreneur Martin Burt, PhD asks in his book "Who Owns Poverty?".

Martin's book challenges the traditional approach to poverty elimination, which focuses on alleviating the effects of poverty rather than addressing the root causes. Instead, he proposes a data-driven methodology that puts poor families in charge of defining and diagnosing their own multidimensional poverty. By doing so, they become the owners of the problem and the solution.

This approach has already been implemented in fifty-two countries across five continents, and its impact has been significant. By giving poor families agency over their own lives and destinies, they become empowered to take ownership of their circumstances and work towards a brighter future.

Martin's approach is based on the idea that poverty is not just a lack of material resources but a multidimensional issue that requires a multidimensional solution. By involving poor families in the process of defining their own poverty, the approach ensures that their unique needs and challenges are taken into account. This leads to more effective and sustainable solutions that are tailored to the specific needs of each community.

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