Mainstream Poor: 6th Segment of Poverty
The mainstream poor are families that have been able to rise above the poverty line. They can afford middle class comforts such as air conditioning, computers, garbage collection services, sturdy homes, and good education for their kids. Several generations live together in the same home. Their individual incomes are below the poverty level, but they pool resources to have everything they need. Students visit new families each year in apartments in middle-class neighborhoods. Their neighborhoods have more retail stores, storefront cafes, and access to many goods and services that the slums do not have.
The mainstream poor represents the end of the chain of urban migration. It is the goal of the process. Starting in tribal villages, moving closer to the city with each generation, arrival at this stage means they have successfully escaped from the cycle of poverty.
The mainstream poor represents the end of the chain of urban migration. It is the goal of the process. Starting in tribal villages, moving closer to the city with each generation, arrival at this stage means they have successfully escaped from the cycle of poverty.
Field Visits - Summers of 2015, 2016, and 2017
In 2015, 2016, and 2017 students visited different mainstream poor families in various neighborhoods around Chennai. They also had the opportunity to visit a local school.
