U students had the opportunity to try living in poverty this weekend.
As part of this year’s Winter Volunteer Retreat with the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center, dozens of students were able to gain a better perspective as they participated in a poverty simulation activity.
Students were divided into several small groups and assigned various roles to help them experience the challenges that impoverished families and individuals often struggle with as a result of their circumstances. During the role-play, participants faced obstacles such as finding employment, paying rent and utilities and dealing with lack of transportation or health care.
The simulation was directed by Afton January, an agency support coordinator for the Community Action Partnership of Utah. According to the organization, an estimated 240,000 Utahns live in poverty. The group hopes to show that poverty takes on many different forms.
“The purpose of the poverty simulation is to help participants gain a greater understanding of what the day-to-day life of living in poverty is like,” January said. “We hope that what they will take from this activity is more perspective and empathy for the reality of what it’s like to be poor.”
The students who participated in the poverty simulation came from a variety of different economic backgrounds. While few students had personally experienced impoverished or low-income living, many participants wanted to gain an appreciation for others who lived in less fortunate financial circumstances.
“The activity showed me a side of society that otherwise wouldn’t apply to me,” said Francisco Samaniega, a junior in comparative literary and cultural studies.
During the simulation, Samaniega took on the persona of “Eunice,” an 85-year-old who lives alone without the necessary health care to provide for her medications.
Though the activity was a simulation, many students were serious about staying true to their character. Joel Lehi Organista, an undeclared sophomore, received the role of a seven-year-old child who was home alone while his grandparents were at work. Organista said the activity “was a cool opportunity to build empathy for those in poverty.”
The activity was just a part of the lineup for this year’s Winter Volunteer Retreat. The two-day event included a schedule of speakers, workshops and activities attended by dozens of students. The weekend retreat was planned to take place in Provo Canyon, but unusual weather conditions forced the Bennion Center to move the event to the Union.
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