THE KILLER

People all throughout the world suffer gravely from poverty's global reach. No matter their origin, it deprives everyone of the necessities, harms communities, and ruins dreams. Early age marriage results from poverty.

Masello had firsthand knowledge of poverty in Lesotho; as a young child, she had experienced the agony of hunger and deprivation brought on by an empty stomach. Her family's dilapidated home's thatch roof provided little protection from the inclement weather, and she had no access to healthcare. Masello yearned for more as she saw her mother toil day and night to put food on the table.

Despite her difficult circumstances, Masello devoted herself to her education. She believed it was the only way out of poverty's grasp, and worked hard in school despite tattered uniforms and empty lunch pails. Her classmates with privilege ridiculed her, but Masello brushed them off as she excelled in her studies. Clinging to hope, she pursued her education with determination.

A university scholarship presented itself after graduation, which was a significant development. Finally, an opportunity to achieve her goals and better her family! But soon after, disaster struck. Her father was given a chronic sickness diagnosis, but he couldn't afford therapy. Masello had to give up her education to care for her frail parents as medical expenses drove the family deeper into poverty.

No relief was provided by her admission into the workforce. Jobs with excessive qualifications but low pay become common. She put through strenuous, unpleasant hours that barely kept them alive. Every month brought the anxiety of trying to make ends meet with inadequate salaries or the humiliation of pleading for help from family members. Her father's condition progressively worsened as doctor visits were continuously postponed.

The vicious cycle continued, with each defeat making poverty's bonds even more constricted. When the pandemic started, Masello's entire world fell apart. Her job vanished overnight as companies closed. The family were homeless when the bank quickly foreclosed on their house. Hospitals were overcrowded and couldn't accommodate the poor. Masello, who could not afford her father's medical care or even a respectable funeral, watched in helplessness as he passed away from his disease.

Numerous people fell into trouble as a result of the epidemic of poverty that raged throughout her nation. Now competing for scraps were neighbors who had previously shared what little they had. The sense of cohesion in Lesotho was replaced by despair.

Masello is still struggling under the grip of poverty today. She spends a large portion of her little savings on the rent for the one-room hut she now calls home. Job applications are ignored when there are no ties in authority. When she is fortunate enough to have any, she sells produce at the market while foraging for odd jobs. She usually gets by on just one modest meal per day.

Masello fights through unrelenting adversity while holding fast to her beliefs. But poverty does not determine a person's value. She still has empathy and compassion as her devoted allies.

She continues to imagine the promising future that education can bring. But putting food on the table and maintaining a roof over one's head are urgent demands. For the time being, those requirements are nonetheless entangled in a daily struggle with poverty. Any assistance she would get was greatly appreciated as help to pay for her past-due rent, unpaid water bills, or other essentials. It was enough to free her from the bonds of poverty and allowed her to take the first step toward stability.

The impact of Masello's tale goes well beyond her hometown. Around the world, almost 700 million people are caught in the web of poverty. We might not be able to overcome this evil on our own. However, offering a helpful hand to even one person at a time might improve their spirits. It merely needs mankind as a whole. United we can win against this giant killer.