In this article, I was astounded by the differences in CCT programs across the globe, and their effects on families. It seems that in Brazil, it is almost impossible to survive as a family in poverty without farming and recieving the aid of CCT. Yet, it makes sense as to why the program is no longer functioning in NYC. During the most recent economic downturn, a program which hands out cash to struggling families looks as though it would be the first to go. It seems citizens in general get very nervous when it comes to giving subsidiaries to those in poverty/ extreme poverty. I thought it was also interesting to note that most countries didn’t find CCT’s particularly helpful, except when paired with very strong social programs. This means that the cash handouts for families must be accompanied by programs that would assist the families in everyday affairs such as dentistry, etc.
I wish it were easier to push more CCT programs across the globe, but for now, it seems to be functioning as an emergency boat for those in countries where it’s incredibly difficult to float along. With that being said, I think it’s still obvious that we need a similar program for NYC families.
Social Policy and CCT’s Reading
1 comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Programs like the CCT seem like they belong in a perfect world. A world where people only need a little bit of help during a time of unfortunate circumstances so that they can get back on their feet. However, in places like NYC where we are far from a perfect world, it is understandable why a program like this would have been the first to go. Since farming is not a viable option for most people in NYC to sustain themselves, and many of the needy people suffer from physical or mental health related problems which bar them from obtaining jobs which pay a living wage, programs like this are seem to only be scratching the surface of an attempt to eliminate homelessness and poverty on the streets.