Dealing with issues of poverty has long been a challenge of good intentions vs bad methodology. There have been people with very genuine and loving hearts that have wanted to help, and their efforts have in many ways been more hurtful than helpful. There is obviously a great need in the world, and there are circumstances, both natural and man-made that call for direct and immediate aid - or providing for someone's basic needs in the moment. The challenge then becomes, as that need is taken care of and things move further and further away from the situation that requires aid, dependency is created.There are different kinds of dependency, not all of which are bad. For example, as Christians we believe that dependency on God is an absolute necessity. Dependency on others in the form of community, where different people contribute different skills or provide different services is very healthy. Being dependent on self in certain ways is healthy. The challenge arises when we begin to eliminate a sense of contribution and participation within the community, and replace that with a dependency on what is coming from the community. Bad habits form when we continually receive something without making any effort for it, creating complacency and an expectation of entitlement.Even though God expects us to be entirely dependent on Him, I believe He also expects us to put forth effort, not simply saying, "God will provide", and then doing absolutely nothing. We at eduKenya believe our mission goes beyond giving a handout of education or food; rather, we are providing an opportunity. That is why we require parents to contribute a very small portion of the cost of their child's education, why we train and empower local staff and why investments are made in and owned by the community to sustain the work.As we can see by looking at the history of poverty in the United States, Europe, South America, Asia and Africa, simply throwing money at issues is not an answer. Looking at easy and quick fix solutions almost always exacerbates the problem in the long run. Societies seem to work at a higher efficiency when everyone has an opportunity and everyone is contributing. We cannot make decisions for people and we cannot live their lives for them, but we can give them an opportunity. Many people that we encounter in Mathare have never been given an opportunity. My father often talks about how many doctors, scientists, teachers, engineers, lawyers, etc. there are “hidden” in Mathare that are never given the opportunity to reach their potential. Drawing out that potential requires us to think about creating opportunities for people to work toward a goal, not simply giving them a handout. Many of the children we work with at eduKenya are extremely bright. For many of them, this opportunity for education is the only opportunity they get. It is amazing to see children at such a young age seize the opportunity and run with it. There is a sense of ownership that is given when we have to work for something. When we have to invest ourselves, it creates a healthy sense of pride and dignity. We often overlook the psychological impact of poverty and the way our responses to that poverty impact the psyche of an individual or community. By simply giving something that isn't controlled or “earned” in any way by an individual or community, the psychological issues surrounding poverty are never addressed. The psychological challenges that surround poverty begin to be impacted when the opportunity is provided to work toward and “own” something. As I think about my own life, I realize that I have been blessed with many opportunities, and have no doubt wasted a number of them. I have had and continue to have incredibly supportive parents. From the time I was a baby, and as I entered each new phase of my life, my parents had to constantly give me opportunities to grow and be independent. My growth was dependent on my parents giving me those opportunities. Often they would walk with me as I moved from one phase of life to the next, but eventually they would let go and I would be able to do things on my own. It was important for my psychological growth that I could do things on my own - I felt a sense of pride from that. By the time I became an adult (and I am continually figuring out what that means), I had the opportunity to make my own decisions, impacting the direction of my life. Everyone needs that opportunity - it is empowering. So often, poverty strips people of that ability. There can be a sinking feeling of being stuck. Yet, the smallest of opportunities can make a world of difference.So, an opportunity or a handout? Perhaps it starts with aid, but it must always lead to effort and ownership in the form of an opportunity. That is what will bring transformation to individuals and communities, and will help those of us involved in addressing poverty avoid developing a savior complex. That is what we are working towards at eduKenya, as we work together as a community to bring about transformation.