Poverty is a dire condition for any individual, with far-reaching consequences recognised across cultures over centuries. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) sought refuge from it, warning about its consequences, stating, "Poverty almost leads to disbelief." Ancient philosophers offered varied perspectives: Socrates viewed it as "a state of meanness, viciousness and discontent", while Aristotle described it as "the parent of revolution and crimes". Despite humanity's progress, poverty persists, with over a billion people still living in destitution today.

The UN defines poverty as severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, clean drinking water, sanitation, healthcare, shelter, education and information. Poverty rates are critical indicators of deprivation within an economy and reflect the success or failure of government policies.

Powerful interests influence how poverty is expressed, whether it becomes a national priority and which mitigation policies are adopted. Experts, policymakers and political elites indeed categorise, stigmatise and neutralise the poor through analyses that obscure the political nature of social and economic inequality (O'Connor, 2001:12). Moreover, how financial and economic managers present poverty to political decision-makers certainly matters more than the problem itself.

Laderchi et al (2003) classify poverty into four key segments: Monetary Poverty – defined by income levels or material consumption. Capability Poverty – when individuals fail to achieve their potential due to a lack of resources or opportunities. Social Exclusion Poverty – when individuals or groups face barriers to entry in society. Participatory Poverty – engaging the poor in understanding poverty........

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