The poverty of some is one of these conditions that affect and concern us all. Which is why most international agencies, IGOs, NGOs and indeed governments focus much of their efforts, directly or indirectly, on poverty alleviation and on its positive counterpart, sustainable development.

A number of tools exist to alleviate poverty. Their efficiency varies but all share the same characteristic of being practical and results-oriented.

<B>Employable skills training:</B> The curricula of successful endeavours always address demand, so that trainees get employment or better still create their own niche. More sophisticated skills such as accountancy, computer/TV/mobile phone repairs, surveying and draftsmanship, pottery, specialized agriculture require longer training. Many countries have set-up specialised agencies to do the above in a planned and rational way: such is for example our IVTB, which has shown its worth and the more recent HRDC, which is still to show results.

<B>Micro-credit and small enterprise creation: </B>examples abound on how a small micro-credit loan can help a poor person or family get out of poverty. Take but one typical example from Asia: a small family business of making bamboo baskets and fans is started; with a loan of the equivalent of US $ 300, a small shop in front of the house is set up to display and sell the products - and it works, poverty recedes, lives change!

The importance of SMEs and of cooperative banking in developing countries is hard to overstate. Many operate in the informal economy and thus go unnoticed, but remain crucial actors in development, in job-creation and hence in poverty alleviation. SMEs account for over half of global employment and make up an estimated 90% of all businesses. Our own DBM and SMIDO/ SEHDA may have, at best, given mixed results, but these are, if well run, crucial institutions in development.

<B>Gaining financial independence: </B>our example is the ?Singapore way?, where emphasis is always on gaining or regaining financial independence together with preventive measures for future genration. They take the ?many helping hands approach?, with funds coming from the private, corporate sector, the public and of course government for poverty alleviation projects.

Side by side with skills development, training for job creation and entrepreneurship, is the promotion of investment , as well as social measures. Coupled with strong defence of citizenship and immigration, to prevent gains being wiped out by floods of immigrants from outside. An approach which (as we know) has given results, given the overall and individual prosperity which all Singaporeans enjoy today.

<B>Empowerment</B>: a poor person is a vulnerable person, one whose life is generally dictated by others and by circumstances; one living daily from hand to mouth, always hungry, often sick, on the lookout for handouts which when they come are crumbs. Human dignity is violated.

Empowerment is the taking charge of self, becoming proactive, recovering one?s dignity as a full citizen and generally fighting to improve one?s quality of life. How does empowerment happen? While it has to come from within, often ?a little help from my friends? goes a long, long way to start the process of renewal. The micro-credit example given above, coupled with some know-how and a little space to manoeuvre, is all that is required. The answer thus lies in increased SELF-HELP for SELF-SUFFICIENCY, achieved through Empowerment Funds and Programmes, amongst others.

Ours (i.e. the Mauritius Empowerment launched in 2006) may in the years to come establish itself as one of the models for poverty alleviation. Recent studies have shown that building a partnership with the most disadvantaged, which takes into account their efforts and aspirations, is the only possible way to combat poverty. It is, of course, too early to forecast success, but it?s worth noting that a sine qua non for the success of such ventures is this aspect of people participation (at all stages of the process) and the existence of strong and continued governmental commitment and support.

<B>UBSP:</B> The number of people living in urban slums in Africa and elsewhere could double by 2020. One out of every two people in southern Africa is ill because of a poor diet; seven out of every 10 people in Malawi live in poverty. (What of here and our Karo Kalyptis of today?). Amongst the recognized best practices is the Urban Basic Services for the Poor (UBSP), a strategy developed in India for the involvement of the urban poor, especially women, in improving their communities and situations within their families towards overall neighbourhood and ultimately city improvement One ideal behind this strategy is the notion of solidarity among people of the same community, the ?helping hands approach?, in which Churches and NGOs have played key roles.

The Mauritian decision, these last few years, to devote the biggest chunk of the budget to education and training was both courageous and well placed. Equally important is the size of a country?s budgetary effort dedicated to poverty alleviation, where we have been much less inspired, these two areas being, in the long run, intimately connected. In both cases, however, money spent must be backed by care for people and a dedicated search for quality and sustainable results.

<B>Dr Michael ATCHIA</B>