--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poverty smothers our dreams even before…" description: "\"“Poverty smothers our dreams even before we have finished dreaming them.”\" — Rafik Schami" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg" --- # Poverty smothers our dreams even before we have finished… ![“Poverty smothers our dreams even before we have finished dreaming them.” quote by Rafik Schami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg) > ““Poverty smothers our dreams even before we have finished dreaming them.”” Rafik Schami ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poverty crushes aspirations before they can fully develop, stifling hope and potential. **In simple terms:** Poverty kills dreams early. Key Takeaway Address poverty to nurture potential. Themes poverty dreams hope social inequality Mood somber hopeful Type social philosophical When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community programs - education access - microfinance - mentorship Key Concepts economic disparity psychology of hope social justice Questions to Reflect On - What interventions can empower those in poverty? - How can societies protect emerging aspirations? A Different Perspective Solutions require systemic change and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreaming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreaming/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [“There is a sort of mental treason That smothers dreams outside of reason”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-corbett/there-is-a-sort-of-mental-treason-that-smothers-dreams-outside-of/) Mike Corbett > [“I had a dream that my boyfriend went back to his ex…I woke up and giggled because you don’t pick up a rock after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starley-ard/i-had-a-dream-that-my-boyfriend-went-back-to-his-ex-i-woke-up-and/) [Starley Ard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starley-ard/) > [I don't dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I'm dreaming for living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-don-t-dream-at-night-i-dream-at-day-i-dream-all-day-i-m-dreaming/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Be bold in your caring, and be bold in your dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-w-bush/be-bold-in-your-caring-and-be-bold-in-your-dreaming/) [George H. W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-w-bush/) > [“I had a dream about you last night... you kept meowing at people and licking yourself it was not unlike you normally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-mckay/i-had-a-dream-about-you-last-night-you-kept-meowing-at-people-and/) [Nicole McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-mckay/) > [Dreaming by the river, I dedicated my imagination to water, to clear, green water, the water that makes the meadows green.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/dreaming-by-the-river-i-dedicated-my-imagination-to-water-to-clear/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [“Dreams are part of our human survival kit, part of what has kept us going, and evolving on this planet. Across history most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-moss/dreams-are-part-of-our-human-survival-kit-part-of-what-has-kept-us/) [Robert Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-moss/) > [I went to sleep dreaming of Malawi, and all the things made possible when your dreams are powered by your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kamkwamba/i-went-to-sleep-dreaming-of-malawi-and-all-the-things-made-possible/) [William Kamkwamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kamkwamba/) > [Courageous dreaming allows you to create from the source, the quantum soup of the universe where everything exists in a latent or potential state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-villoldo/courageous-dreaming-allows-you-to-create-from-the-source-the-quantum/) [Alberto Villoldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-villoldo/) > [The important part of dreaming is what you do when you wake up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dal-lamagna/the-important-part-of-dreaming-is-what-you-do-when-you-wake-up/) Dal LaMagna > [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“I had a dream about you last night. I was writing a ‘Sex for dummies-Christians That Secretly What to be Porn Stars- 1st edition.’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-hudson/i-had-a-dream-about-you-last-night-i-was-writing-a-sex-for-dummies/) [Crystal Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-hudson/) > [Dreaming of a tomorrow, which tomorrow, will be as distant then as 'tis today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lope-de-vega/dreaming-of-a-tomorrow-which-tomorrow-will-be-as-distant-then-as-tis/) [Lope de Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lope-de-vega/) > [If a job isn't worth dreaming about, it isn't worth having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-gregory/if-a-job-isn-t-worth-dreaming-about-it-isn-t-worth-having/) Deborah Gregory > [When I am creating art, I have absolutely no social responsibility. It's like dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/when-i-am-creating-art-i-have-absolutely-no-social-responsibility-it/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) ## More by Rafik Schami > [“What horrifying torture this poor man must have endured. Out of a wise man they have made a miserable bundle of flesh and bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/what-horrifying-torture-this-poor-man-must-have-endured-out-of-a-wise/) Rafik Schami > [“I ran out of the apartment in a rage. Mahmud followed me, and we walked home, not speaking. Shortly before we reached the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/i-ran-out-of-the-apartment-in-a-rage-mahmud-followed-me-and-we-walked/) Rafik Schami > [“why do our enemies shape us more than our friends?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/why-do-our-enemies-shape-us-more-than-our-friends/) Rafik Schami Explore all 4 Rafik Schami quotes ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. 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Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Poverty smothers our dreams even before we have finished dreaming them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rafik Schami" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before-we-have-finished-dreaming-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before-we-have-finished-dreaming-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/rafik-schami-59729_dream_poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before_3213285.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poverty smothers our dreams even before we have finished dreaming them.” — Rafik Schami", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rafik Schami", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafik-schami/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Poverty smothers our dreams even before...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before-we-have-finished-dreaming-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/poverty-smothers-our-dreams-even-before-we-have-finished-dreaming-them/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```