Poverty to Prosperity

We received two responses last week to our invitation to share your story about the personal characteristics needed to help people break out of poverty. I enjoyed their responses so much that I thought I would share them with you.

“My situation does not meet the criteria of poverty that you are dealing with. It does have some similarities. I am the second of 10 children. We had a home (with one bathroom) and never were concerned about food. However, my father worked in a factory and my mother was a homemaker. My father had a second job on weekends. 

My siblings and I contributed to the family income by starting to work early in life. I delivered newspapers starting around eight or nine years of age and contributed the money earned to the family. I did get to keep tips. I had multiple jobs in high school and college and worked in summers in medical school. I paid for all my college and medical school costs. My parents could not afford this expense. Obviously my children and grandchildren have benefited from all my hard work. So to answer your question, these are the qualities that are necessary to break out of poverty:

• Some innate intellectual ability 
• Parents who believe education is essential. My parents insisted on this.
• A quality educational system. I was lucky to go to Catholic schools my whole life. The nuns taught me discipline and gave me the basic education to succeed. I got hit with a few chalkboard erasers and received a number of knuckle bruises but never resented this minor physical abuse.
• The value of hard work. I saw this in my parents and learned this from an early age
• Motivation and perseverance. There will always be obstacles to overcome.
• A feeling of belonging whether it’s a general community or a local organization such as a religious one or a social one, sports, or any other group that involves individuals working together for a common purpose.

I think International Samaritan provides a lot of these qualities.”

A continent away, another young man persevered through poverty. 

“I am the youngest of 10 children, and my journey began in Nazareth (Adama), in a neighborhood known as Chat Tera or Kebele 07. This area was often stigmatized for its low educational achievement and harsh living conditions. Many residents relied on selling khat, local liquors, and charcoal for their livelihoods, while others turned to prostitution or fell into alcohol abuse, which frequently led to theft, group fights, and other destructive behaviors. Educational opportunities were scarce, and it was uncommon for anyone to study beyond the eighth grade.

My early childhood was stable, but everything changed when my stepfather, a merchant, passed away. A legal battle over property plunged my family into extreme poverty when I was in third grade. At just ten years old, my siblings and I began working to support ourselves and our mother. I sold lottery tickets, newspapers, magazines, and vegetables while attending school on a half-day shift. These small but determined efforts helped me cover my educational expenses and ultimately excel in my studies. Through hard work and perseverance, I achieved high scores on the national exams and earned admission to Haramaya University, where I completed my degree.

One incident that stands out vividly to me is when a classmate came to my neighborhood and mentioned that he knew me from the university. No one he talked to believed that someone from our area could attend a university. This moment served as a poignant reminder of how far I had come—not just financially, but in breaking the stereotypes and low expectations that had surrounded my community.

The quality that I believe was most instrumental in my journey is determination. Poverty can be a heavy chain, but it is not unbreakable. My resolve to rise above my circumstances, coupled with my unwavering belief in education as a transformative force, carried me through the darkest times.

Today, I reflect on this journey with gratitude and humility, knowing that my story represents not just personal success, but also the potential for individuals, especially our Samaritan Scholars, to uplift entire families and communities.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story.”

Wow! What beautiful stories from these two men! Interestingly, they both spoke to the same two qualities for breaking out of poverty:

• Hard work/determination/resilience
• Belief in the power of education and the opportunity to pursue it

As we dig in to start the new year, I’m so profoundly grateful to be able to work with and for 1,000 young people who have this foundation—and the opportunity to pursue their education because of you.

What’s still missing? Please consider sharing your story (info@intsam.org) or the story of someone in your family who made the leap from poverty to prosperity in your family tree. Are there other qualities or characteristics that will help others do the same? I’ll be writing on this topic again next week and would love to hear your thoughts.

International Samaritan is a Christ-centered organization built on Catholic Social Teaching. Our mission is to walk hand-in-hand with people who live and work in the garbage dumps of developing nations to help them break out of poverty.

We provide holistic scholarships for students from kindergarten through college, and we’re currently supporting nearly 1,000 scholars in Central America, the Caribbean, and East Africa.

Would your church or school group like to partner and travel with us? Learn about our Learn, Serve, Grow program.

Empower our scholars to change their lives. Become a monthly supporter.

Mike Tenbusch, President

Mike joined International Samaritan in 2018 after two decades of leading social change in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. He’s a University of Michigan Law grad and author of The Jonathan Effect: Helping Kids and Schools Win the Battle Against Poverty. He and his wife, Maritza, have three children who keep them young.