Chapter 1: The Reality of Poverty in Angola

Poverty represents a condition of extreme hardship that results in suffering from inadequate food supply, ultimately leading to significant health issues. These challenges adversely affect education and the potential for professional development, which could otherwise provide individuals with better income opportunities to escape the cycle of poverty.

The topic of poverty has garnered significant attention in recent years, yet the goal of eradicating it remains elusive. Many people, especially in Angola, struggle to meet their basic needs, such as food, education, employment, clean water, and sanitation. Despite the conclusion of the civil war, the living conditions for a large portion of the Angolan population remain dire.

In 2004, shortly after the civil conflict ended, the Angolan government initiated its Poverty Combat Strategy aimed at addressing this pressing issue. At that time, approximately 68% of Angolans were living in poverty, with 26% classified as experiencing extreme poverty, subsisting on less than $0.75 per day. The strategy identified several root causes of poverty in Angola, including:

• Armed conflict
• Demographic pressures
• Damage and degradation of social and economic infrastructure
• Inefficiencies in education, health, and social services
• Significant decline in the availability of essential goods
• Weak institutional frameworks
• Devaluation of human capital
• Ineffective macroeconomic policies

These contributing factors affect individuals in varied ways, leading to the identification of the most vulnerable social groups in Angola, which include:

• Small-scale farmers and agricultural workers
• Individuals with no literacy skills
• Unemployed individuals
• Homeless individuals and street children
• Demobilized military personnel
• People displaced by war
• Single-parent households
• Individuals with physical disabilities

Government statistics indicate that these groups are most severely impacted by extreme poverty.

For over two decades, the Angolan government has implemented various strategies to combat poverty, including initiatives aimed at:

• Eradicating poverty
• Ending hunger
• Achieving gender equality
• Reducing inequality
• Promoting healthy living
• Ensuring access to water and sanitation
• Providing quality education

The objectives of these strategies are to:

• Decrease extreme poverty levels in both rural and urban settings while improving living standards through social assistance, whether in cash or kind.
• Increase the average monthly income per individual.
• Gradually register social action beneficiaries in a vulnerability database (Unique Cadastre).
• Foster local development through enhanced decentralization and municipal engagement.
• Aid in the successful reintegration of former military personnel.
• Expand access to essential services for the population.
• Promote local economic growth to mitigate rural youth migration to urban areas.
• Ensure that individuals with special needs receive access to appropriate services, technical aids, and support for their daily activities and educational pursuits.
• Establish a decentralized operational model that brings services closer to the community, especially vulnerable groups.
• Involve citizens and community members in all stages of project planning and implementation.

Regrettably, it appears that these poverty alleviation initiatives have primarily benefited those in the Angolan political elite and their allies, rather than addressing the genuine needs of the public. The extent of extreme poverty currently faced in the country is alarming.

Chapter 2: Strategies for Change