hip, and more powerful in terms of economic and political strength, begin to make recommendations of what action is needed to combat the social problem.
             One of the major social problems that exists in society today is poverty. It has been a social problem for a long period of time and as one sociologist said,
             "Poverty is still the greatest insult to human dignity. Poverty is the scar on the face of humanity" (Brundtland. 1988) cited by (Kane & Kirby. 2003. p.42)
             The word poverty suggests an undesirable state. It implies that those in it need to be helped and their situation changed (Haralambos & Holborn. 1998). Poverty therefore is a social problem. However it is only after defining and measuring poverty can the most important question, what are the solutions to poverty? be asked.
             The first point to make in respect of the definition of poverty is that it is a relative concept. By the standards of less affluent societies, the poor in Britain would be judged to be well off (Butterworth & Weir. 1975). Also some people who would not consider themselves to be poor here may be regarded as just that in the United States where the standard of living is higher. Sociologists have often disputed whether poverty should be measured in absolute or relative terms. An absolute definition of poverty tries to measure the problem in respect of resources required for basic human needs to maintain health and physical efficiency (Haralambos & Holborn. 1998). Oppenheim & Harker (1996) suggest that,
             "Absolute poverty assumes that it is possible to define a min
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