Poverty Simulation...

A large majority of Post World War II generation of Americans don't know what poverty means and how it feels to live poor. Most people here in the US are used to living well, driving a car, eating out 2-3 times a week. Until recently there was a perception that money in America will never become scarce. But the past few years economic downturn and the resultant recession has brought to focus that America can also become poor and there is a need for people to be aware of what poverty is.

So where do we start educating American people about poverty? In college campuses of course and Collin College is conducting a Poverty Simulation event next week during which groups of participants will live through four 15-minute week's of simulated poverty and experience what it means to navigate through economic adversity.

According to the website of The Poverty Simulation: "The Poverty Simulation is a simulation experience developed by the Missouri Association for Community Action. During the simulation, participants pretend to be members of a low-income community attempting to survive four 15-minute weeks of poverty. The simulation relies on role playing techniques and extensive props to help particpants understand the day to day challenges faced by families living in poverty."

I wish I could attend this program but my class schedule conflicts with this and hence I can't attend this event. I am pretty sure this would be a great event for Americans to participate and learn about how to live minimally... if not in poverty. After all American Poverty is still affluent compared with poverty in Africa, China, or even India.