INITIALS: SP

SURNAME: NGWENYA

STUDENT NUMBER: 33710082

MODULE CODE: SOCY 211

ASSESMENT: CLASS ACTIVITY 3

Research has stated that a large number of South Africans are living below the poverty line and struggling to live day by day. What are the benefits of poverty for the individual and the community?

If there is poverty in the community dirty work gets done and people work for low wages or go for low wage employment. Domestic work gets done as people are desperate for money for living at what they can afford with the money. Professional and business get created, such as tuck shops, payday loans, and taverns. Poverty helps with the recycling of goods and incompetent professionals this also helps with having the clean environment that leads to a healthy community and its people. As the poor normally get caught in criminal activities it helps reduce the number of thugs in the community.

Poor people are more likely to have several kinds of family problems, including divorce and family conflicts. Poor people are more likely to have several health problems as they do not have equal health care access as the rich ones. Children growing up in poverty are less likely to graduate high school or go to college and they are ought to commit street crime as they need to provide for their families and for themselves too. Poor people are more likely to be homeless than the rich people and are also more likely to live in dilapidated housing and not able to buy their own homes. Poor families spend half of their income to rent and they turn to live in poor neighbourhoods that lack job opportunities, good schools and other modern life basics.