Situational poverty is a period wherein a person falls below the poverty like because of an adverse event - Photo Credit: Flickr
Situational poverty is a period wherein an individual falls below the poverty line because of a sudden event. Situational poverty can be caused by a range of factors, such as: a divorce, death of the family head, illness, a natural disaster or loss of job. These are uncontrollable and often unpredictable events that can escalate until the person finds themselves without material possessions or an income source.
Situational poverty can be caused by a turn in the national economy or decisions specific to the household experiencing poverty - Photo Credit: Wikipedia
This information can be found on a previous post, which discusses the general types of poverty. Focusing only in situational poverty, it essentially has two types:
People experiencing situational poverty usually have better tools to cope and overcome their setback than those who live in generational poverty - Photo Credit: Flickr
Despite their precarious situation, people experiencing situational poverty are usually able to escape it. They often come from a well-off background and had access to education, as well as knowledge on the social codes of the middle classes, which are useful tools in both coping and overcoming poverty. They generally have a safety net or support system comprised of friends or community members who help them get back on their feet.
Finally, situational poverty is frequently addressed by the government in the form of temporary aids, help in job placement and other benefits to allow people to bounce back instead of falling through the cracks. This encourages growth and prevents the creation of a poverty trap and thus of generational poverty.