Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative
Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) is a group of people who study about how poverty affects people and how we can measure it.
Imagine you go to a school and you see many students who don't have nice clothes, shoes or food to eat. These students are said to be 'poor'. But what does that exactly mean? People can be poor in many different ways. Some might not have enough food to eat, or no proper place to live. Some might not have access to good education or healthcare. So, poverty is not just about having less money, but it is about not having enough to live a decent life.
So, how do we measure poverty? OPHI has come up with a unique way of measuring poverty which is called the 'Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index' (MDPI)'. It looks at 10 different things that people need to live a decent life, such as access to clean water, electricity, good education and healthcare, etc.
For example, let's say you have two friends, John and Peter. John has a good house to live in, goes to school and has enough food to eat. Peter, on the other hand, lives in a slum, doesn't go to school and doesn't have enough food to eat. Who is more poverty-stricken? According to MDPI, Peter is more poverty-stricken because he lacks the basic necessities to live a decent life.
OPHI measures poverty in many countries around the world and helps governments to know who is poor and how they can help them. This helps to improve the lives of people who have been struggling.
Imagine you go to a school and you see many students who don't have nice clothes, shoes or food to eat. These students are said to be 'poor'. But what does that exactly mean? People can be poor in many different ways. Some might not have enough food to eat, or no proper place to live. Some might not have access to good education or healthcare. So, poverty is not just about having less money, but it is about not having enough to live a decent life.
So, how do we measure poverty? OPHI has come up with a unique way of measuring poverty which is called the 'Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index' (MDPI)'. It looks at 10 different things that people need to live a decent life, such as access to clean water, electricity, good education and healthcare, etc.
For example, let's say you have two friends, John and Peter. John has a good house to live in, goes to school and has enough food to eat. Peter, on the other hand, lives in a slum, doesn't go to school and doesn't have enough food to eat. Who is more poverty-stricken? According to MDPI, Peter is more poverty-stricken because he lacks the basic necessities to live a decent life.
OPHI measures poverty in many countries around the world and helps governments to know who is poor and how they can help them. This helps to improve the lives of people who have been struggling.