Why Systems Fail to help the Poor

There is no simple answer to this problem because the issue isn't just black and white, but rather a multifaceted problem that needs to be examined from many different angles. One factor here is the idea of downward pressure. With many countries being run by corrupt dictators, the oppressed are pushed to the bottom of the ladder, without adequete access to resources necessary to rise above their circumstances and challenge the current structure of the system. One can spend years theorizing answers to this issue, but I don't think it can be truly understood until a person travels to a place where the marginalized really are on the fringes of society. This summer I will travel to Mali, Africa for two weeks, integrating into the lives of families who are living in the midst of political corruption and extreme poverty. After bearing witness to such a culture, maybe I will be more ready to take a stab at this deep seeded issue.