The Issue of Hidden Poverty

When someone is struggling financially in Eastern countries, what are the signs? Their housing will be insufficient (either too small for the size of the family or falling apart), their clothes may be worn or in a bad condition, and they may not be in good state health-wise.

What about in Canada? How can you tell if someone is struggling financially here?

You can’t.

In Canada, we are blessed with government aid, and many additional free services, and while that provides many benefits, such as lighter expenses on individual families, it also makes poverty harder to spot. This means that the average Muslim will not know whether their Muslim brother or sister is suffering from poverty. This presents the issue of Hidden Poverty.

As an organization dedicated to assisting Canadian Muslims experiencing financial difficulty, we are contacted daily by people who are victims of hidden poverty. We know the numbers. We know their situations. We have seen their faces. Despite government aid programs set in place, there are Canadian Muslims who are suffering from poverty and we are here to help them.

It is assumed that if a person is on any sort of government aid, they are getting a lot of money and they are purposely taking advantage of the system—but that is not always the case. Did you know that a family on welfare will only receive between $1400-$1900 in government assistance for all household expenses? That is barely enough to cover rent, let alone food and other necessities.

Hidden poverty is a real issue, and we here at National Zakat Foundation aim to eradicate it.

Written by: Areej H.