Combating Poverty & Microloans: An International Math Project
A Global Math Project That Connects Ratios, Percents, and Real Life
Combating Poverty & Microloans is an international math project where students assess microloan applicants, calculate repayment schedules, compare fair trade prices, and explore global data through meaningful mathematical reasoning.
This international math project helps students see that ratios, proportions, and percents are not just textbook skills. They can be used to understand global poverty, evaluate fair trade, and analyze real lending decisions.
Suggested Grade Level: 6–9 (Pre-Algebra skills)
Best for: Ratios, Proportions, Percents, Basic Operations, Financial Literacy
How This Combating Poverty Microloans International Math Project Works
Students move through a sequence of meaningful tasks that build both math skills and global awareness. Instead of solving disconnected practice problems, they use mathematics to understand how poverty, fair trade, and microlending affect real people around the world.
The project includes skill-building assignments and a culminating task where students evaluate real microloan applicants, calculate payments, and decide which applicant they would support.
What Students Do
- Use authentic statistics to imagine what the world would look like if it were a village of 100 people
- Compare fair trade and non-fair trade products using percent increase
- Evaluate four microloan applicants from around the world
- Calculate repayment schedules and monthly payments
- Research real applicants and defend which person they would choose to support
Skills Students Practice
- Ratios, proportions, and percent applications
- Comparing costs and evaluating tradeoffs
- Calculating payments and repayment schedules
- Interpreting global and financial data
- Supporting conclusions with mathematical evidence
Why This International Math Project Works
Math becomes more memorable when students can connect it to real human stories. This project does more than practice proportions and percents. It invites students to think globally, wrestle with real choices, and see how math can help people make better decisions.
It also creates strong crossover opportunities with economics, social studies, finance, and global studies, making it a natural fit for interdisciplinary learning.
When to Use This Project
- During a proportions, ratios, and percents unit
- As a real-world financial literacy or economics crossover lesson
- For global awareness or service-minded classroom projects
- As an end-of-unit performance task
- Anytime you want students to see math as a tool for understanding the world
More Real-World Math Projects
Teachers searching for creative math activities often want something that moves beyond worksheets while still reinforcing meaningful learning. Global projects like this one help students apply math to authentic situations and develop stronger mathematical reasoning.
Looking for more real-world math experiences? Browse our full collection of 21st Century Math Projects designed to make students think, collaborate, and apply math like it matters.