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Priorities of the People: Hardship in the Federated States of Micronesia

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What is Hardship?

Understanding hardship and poverty requires looking beyond income levels, although these are a key measure of poverty. For many people, particularly those who are unemployed, hardship also means having poor access to services and opportunities, or of being unable to realize their own potential and aspirations. This is made worse by modernization and external influences on attitudes and aspirations, which are slowly breaking down the traditional social structure that once ensured resources were shared with those in need.

The assessment team consulted key community leaders and community residents about their perceptions and understanding poverty and hardship. Most people said poverty meant “having nothing.” Hardship was commonly defined as having difficulty accessing basic services and earning money. Poverty was seen to be more permanent condition and more severe, while hardship was seen as temporary. Although a number of those consulted stated that poverty exists in the FSM, particularly in Pohnpei and Chuuk, most said hardship is the more applicable word to describe the situation because even the poor generally have access to food.

Some of the local words used to define poverty were: mwenene (Chuukese), gofgow (Yapese), and sapai (Pohnpeian), roughly translated as being landless and without food, house and money. The local words used to define hardship were weires (Chuukese), magagawon or momaw (Yapese), and apwal (Pohnpeian), roughly translated as living in a very difficult situation, without education, jobless, being dependent on relatives for food, money, and shelter, and supporting too many dependents in the household.

When asked if hardship has gotten better or worse over the past 5 years, people in Yap and Pohnpei said their situation had worsened. They cited the increasing need for cash for basic services and goods as well as declining income due to lack of jobs or markets in which to sell their produce. Drug and alcohol abuse, particularly among the youth, was another alarming trend mentioned. Weakening traditions and adoption of individualist or a “Western” lifestyle (particularly in Chuuk and Yap), overcrowding of households (particularly in Yap and Pohnpei), and increasing incidence of stealing (Yap) were said to be contributing to the worsening trend.

In Chuuk, however, the people consulted said their situation had improved in some ways and worsened in others over the last 5 years. They cited improvements in basic services, particularly access to education (primary and secondary), and more church programs in the communities, highlighting the role of churches in the delivery of basic services in the state.

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