The sole way to eradicate poverty is for those who are affected by it to become self-sustainable. There are a variety of ways through which we can achieve this, but loans have been proven to work in many cases.

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        People facing urban poverty desperately need money to pay for the myriad of services and assets necessary to survive within an urban environment. This can include child care, specialized medical assistance and fees that are not covered by the national healthcare plan, materials needed for training and education, or help with transportation. Those who are living in poverty are almost never deemed as reliable candidates for receiving loans, yet “helping the urban poor to improve their living conditions and human capital can support a city’s productivity and economic growth” (Baharoglu and Kessides, 2002, p. 133).

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        Bank loans normally use credit score to define good candidates for loans, and for those who are not earning a steady income, this usually means being denied this opportunity. Additionally, the widespread stigma surrounding poverty poses another barrier to being accepted. Contrary to this, we believe that character, skills or willingness to obtain skills, external support, past history of loan repayment, work ethic, and referrals are all effective methods that can identify strong candidates for loans. By using these kinds of evaluations instead of evaluating only financial stability, loans can be given to people who truly need them; to those who possess traits that, with support, can make them into self-sustaining individuals.

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        Kiva is a global non-profit organization based in San Francisco, that utilizes these techniques successfully. Their aim to help those living in poverty sustain themselves by employing microfinance to support business owners and entrepreneurs across the world. Direct loans are approved through social underwriting, in which either a friend, family member, or Kiva approved trustee vouch for the borrower's trustworthiness. This may seem unreliable at first glance, but Kiva has an approximate repayment rate of 97%, and although there are unavoidable risks, the rate is unbelievably high, providing an extremely crucial service for those who would not normally be able to access it. The funds are renewable, and the money from the lender(s) can go to others, be donated to the company for use in its operations, or be withdrawn once it has been paid back. Kiva provides an exceptional example of a company that aids business owners and entrepreneurs, but individuals who need to get back on their feet after having been unemployed, ill, or other having faced adversities would benefit immensely from an opportunity like this, as well.

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        Another way that allows people to sustain themselves after the challenges mentioned above, is through resources such as low-income housing or temporary modular housing. Not only do these provide shelter for homeless people, or those living on a low income, within a short amount of time, but they can also help eradicate street homelessness by creating a supportive environment for individuals until they are able to find more permanent living quarters. Projects like modular housing also surround residents with a community that already is self-sustaining, diverse, and welcoming, positively reinforcing the notion of becoming financially stable enough to live more independently, and providing external support and a feeling of belonging. According to the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, keeping busy by working on building self-esteem, skills and social networking while living in affordable housing can keep previously homeless people off the streets (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, 2003). When we look at the vetting processes used to choose potential residents for the modular housing, non-monetary aspects of a person's life are similarly considered. Things like age, location, responsibility, and willingness and potential to become a self-sustaining person are valued more than monetary aspects, and modular housing is extremely effective and successful. Viewing those living in urban poverty in a multidimensional and non-monetary way allows for a more in-depth understanding of how we can empower them.