Poverty: A Well Rounded Overview

This week, I decided to explore the Web for superlative resources in the area of poverty. I came across some very useful websites that I have provided in my linkroll that cover most bases of global poverty analysis. The first arena that I explored was the health aspect of poverty. The well-known World Health Organization's website is up to date on health-related breaking news, publications, statistics, and programs in poverty-stricken countries. The website is well organized, easy to navigate, and full of interesting images. I also stumbled across a section of Time Magazine completely dedicated to providing footage and information on AIDS in Africa. It provides remarkable stories on the struggles of AIDS and heartbreaking photographs that truly translate the crisis that AIDS is causing. While the website lacks interactivity, it is inspirational, very user friendly, and useful in information. Next, I decided to search for resources on development in countries struggling with poverty. The Center for Global Development provides a blog section in its website that a group of colleagues put together to share ideas on how to alleviate global poverty through development ideas and strategies. While the group blog lacks some visual details, it is well organized, straight-forward, and interactive. A similar blog that I came across was the Ideas for Development blog, which is composed by seven professionals in the field discussing and debating the future of development. It is open to students, teachers, and anyone who is willing to constructively participate to formulate new and interesting ideas. The blog is formatted exceptionally, with newest posts most visibly and interesting visuals. Similarly, the Overseas Development Institute Blog is comprised of posts by experts in the field of development, writing and working to promote it in hopes to reduce poverty. It is regularly updated, somewhat interactive, lacks any stimulating visuals, but highly recommended for its content. The last blog that I came across in the field of development was a section in the website for the World Development Movement. In my opinion, this is the most interesting of the group blogs for development because it provides sub-blogs by people promoting development in different countries around the world. They document their experiences while posing suggestions for developmental changes in their regions. It is the most personal and provides a different outlook on development because it is not written by someone who has studied a poverty-stricken country, but someone who is living it. All of the sub-blogs are very interactive, and provide images as well as videos. After finding useful blogs on development, I went to a source I knew would be helpful, the United Nations section on Economic and Social Development. It is useful because it provides links to related issues, updated news, UN publications, and trustworthy statistics. While it lacks any interactivity or capturing images, it is always a legitimate source for general information on poverty worldwide. Finally, I included three sources that I turn to regularly for updates. The first is the World Bank's website on poverty. It provides general information and different analyses on the causes and possible solutions to poverty. With clear organization and useful images, it also gives an overview on how the World Bank is helping to alleviate poverty world wide. CARE's website is one that I like to visit it is useful to follow up on an organization dedicated to ridding the world of poverty. The website has powerful images like the one to the right that is used to promote their slogan "I Am Powerful", as well as a wonderful color scheme that is very inviting. While visually pleasing, the website's content is helpful in showing breaking news as well as programs CARE organizes around the world. Lastly, I turned to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As one of the first international NGOs, the ICRC is still a major source of information and aid to those struggling worldwide. It is easy to navigate and highlights ICRC programs, provides updated breaking news, sources in international humanitarian law, and wonderful photos from around the world. The web proved to be more useful than expected in organizations' websites that provide general information on poverty as well as blogs that stimulate discussion over causes and solutions.