The struggles of disadvantage don’t come in neat boxes—so our response shouldn’t, either

People facing severe disadvantage are potential to be developed not problems to be solved. Politicians, policy-makers and governments too often look at a person’s situation and come up with their own strategies to fix it. Too rarely do we listen—really listen—to their stories, lives, and experiences and form policy based on a true understanding of the complexity of disadvantage and the assets that people have to overcome it.

And too rarely…