Displaying items by tag: poverty

Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has revealed that two years ago 19 million people in the UK, nearly one in three, were living on less than the Minimum Income Standard (MIS). The problem is that household costs are rising, while incomes have stagnated. The Government has already said it is taking action to raise incomes, after Theresa May identified those ‘just about managing’. The MIS is based on what members of the public think is a reasonable income to live on. A single person renting a flat outside London is said to need to earn at least £17,300 a year to reach the MIS, and for a working couple with two children, living in social housing, each of the individuals need to earn £18,900 a year. The figures include six million children - 45% of all children in Britain. There are also 1.8 million pensioners, 14.6% of the age group. The figures are up from 15 million, or 25% of the population, six years previously. The report warns that many families which are just about managing are in danger of falling into poverty. That is despite record levels of employment.

Mexico is regularly mentioned in the news these days, but the stories rarely say much about the Mexican people. The daily realities for many in Mexico are dire. 60% of the people live in poverty. Police corruption empowers organised crime. 35,000 people have died in drug-related violence since 2006. 800,000 children either live on the streets or are homeless, and 11 million children are child labourers. Kidnappings in Mexico are among the most frequent in the world. These desperate situations lead many on a life-threatening quest for refuge, freedom, and opportunity. However, praise God: increasing numbers of Mexicans are putting their trust and hope in Jesus Christ! Many are realising that only He can transform this nation and bring eternal peace to its people. Together let's watch and pray for mission agencies working amongst the vulnerable, for the members of the police force who have not succumbed to corruption and for the families who have lost loved ones to drugs and violence.