Poverty in Cartagena

Finally, I could research about poverty in Cartagena. While I was researching I found a website called "Cartagena, Como Vamos." It talks about different things in Cartagena. In 2005, it was said that Cartagena's population was 1.030.149 people. From this, the 49% was considered as poor people. As the people living in Cartagena said, the topics that most attention need in Cartagena are education, health, and jobs for people. Nicolas Curi, is planning a Project "una Cartagena mas social y equitativa." This means a more social Cartagena with equalness. It consists in a place that offers better conditions for its people.

In the summer of 2005 a survey was done. This was done to see the perception of the economic situation. 1000 people above 18 years old participated in the survey. Following the results, the 29% of the people in Cartagena said that their economic situation in 2005 was better than in 2004; the 46% said that their economic situation compared to 2004 was the same. On the other side, the 25% said that their economic situation compared to 2004 worsened. The arguments these people discussed were: the cost of the food, the cost of the public services, lack of jobs, and lost of job. Some people don't eat the 3 meals a day because of lack of money, but definitely, others don't eat it because they don't want to or because of eating disorders. One of the primary causes of poverty is lack of basic needs. So a family, to be able to live, they need a budget. For many families, this budget is not enough in order to be able to live. The basic needs are: a proper house, a living with basic services, being able to eat, being able to go to school, and feeling good with your economic situation. In Cartagena, many families have a lack of these things. The one who less people has is the basic services one, most of the people don't have it.

Finally, after all the surveys done it was viewed that Cartagena's poverty increased from 2002 to 2004. The lack of basic services is what affects most poverty in Cartagena. Cartagena needs so much help in order to overpass this situation. It needs the help of its people, government and politicians. Cartagena is not the only city in which this is happening. Poverty is affecting worldwide!

I think that getting out of poverty is not easy. There is so much poverty in the cities that getting out of this big problem isn't as easy as it looks. Not even if all the wealthy people help others this problem is going to end, what we really need is a miracle. I feel so sad when I am in my car and I pass by a poor family. They look so sad in the floor, all dirty, and hungry. There are some kids that stand up in the streets asking for money, but if they get used to receive money from others they are going to be no one in life, so that’s why many people don't give them money. Also, some kids, as they get money they go and buy drugs, so that is why sometimes it is better to buy them food instead of giving them the money. I wish I could someday grow up and change the world, but I know this is just a dream.