To many living in rich and affluent countries, poverty is something found only in poor and developing countries – people living in huts in places in Africa or in the favelas of Brazil.

Or, if they happen to be in some of the big cities, they may come across that symbol of poverty that usually “greets” them in store doorways or alcoves, the vagrants (though these may not always actually be poor).

However, the reality is different. Although poverty does exist in so many countries, it is also found, in varying levels and different forms, in rich countries, including in Europe.

Malta is no exception for, even though it may not be classified as rich, it has an extensive social benefit network. Indeed, without the welfare system, the problem would have been worse. Many often tend to take the number of people living in poverty or who are at the risk of poverty with a pinch of salt, bringing up stereotyped arguments for doing so.

One is that, of those claiming they are at risk of poverty, some clearly are not or that they would be out of the risk altogether if they are instructed how to spend the money they get from the welfare system, or if they get a job.

The argument goes that, in quite a number of cases, many are beyond redemption, preferring to live the life they know, or want to live.

Taking an extreme example, the Dublin vagrant some believed to be of Maltese descent, may be classified in this category.

But, again, the reality is somewhat different, for in fact there are people who can very well be helped or be put on a new course in their life.

In a green paper published a few days ago, the government said it would work to take 22,000 out of the risk of poverty by the end next year.

By the government’s own standard, it is an ambitious target, a point that may indicate the seriousness with which it wishes to tackle the problem.

For this alone, it deserves credit, though it is becoming somewhat nauseating for the government to keep hitting out at what the previous administration left undone or not done well enough.

The present government would have to answer for its own set of shortcomings at the end of the legislature.

It is very well mistaken if it thinks everything will be plain sailing. It generally is not, as its work in the first 10 months has shown. According to official information, there are more than 120 million people in the EU who are at the risk of poverty or social exclusion.

The plan is to take out at least 20 million out of this risk by 2020.

Over 24 per cent of all the EU population are at the risk of poverty or social exclusion; close to nine per cent live in severe material deprivation; 10 per cent live in households where no one has a job.

Malta has 23 per cent of the population at the risk of poverty and the government said it would be allocating €10 million to help ease the problem.

Direct improvement in income transfers through the welfare system will make a difference but what will count most in the long run is a programme aimed at putting on the right course those who are willing and able to improve their condition.