New
New
Year 11
Edexcel B

Bottom-up strategies to reduce global inequalities

I can describe the advantages and disadvantages of bottom-up strategies used to reduce global inequalities.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel B

Bottom-up strategies to reduce global inequalities

I can describe the advantages and disadvantages of bottom-up strategies used to reduce global inequalities.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Top-down and bottom-up strategies to reduce global inequalities differ in scale, aims, funding and technology.
  2. Aid takes different forms, from NGO-supported, small-scale projects to larger IGO donations and bilateral aid.
  3. NGOs can help communities to develop and maintain essential infrastructure, using intermediate technology.
  4. In Nepal, Practical Action’s gravity ropeway has improved the lives of people in a remote, rural community.

Keywords

  • Non-governmental organisation - NGOs work to achieve social or political aims that are not controlled by a government, e.g. Practical Action

  • Intermediate technology - technology suited to the needs, skills, knowledge and wealth of local people in the environment in which they live

Common misconception

Aid is something given in the event of an emergency.

It is not always provided in the event of an emergency. Aid may be given to support the sustainable development of a community, e.g improving health or educational services in an area, to benefit local people in the longer term.


To help you plan your year 11 geography lesson on: Bottom-up strategies to reduce global inequalities, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The topic of intermediate technology provides the opportunity to consider human agency in developing countries as well as the concept of sustainable development.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Which continent has the highest number of low-income countries?

Asia
South America
Europe
Correct answer: Africa

Q2.
Which is a common indicator of development?

Number of volcanoes
Correct answer: Life expectancy
Population size
Rainfall level

Q3.
What does ‘global inequality’ mean?

Everyone in the world has the same income
Some countries are warmer than others
Correct answer: People around the world live in very different conditions
All countries use the same currency

Q4.
Which of the following contributes to inequality between countries?

Correct answer: Access to education
Length of coastline
Size of population
Language spoken

Q5.
Which country is most likely to have a high GDP per capita?

Correct answer: Germany
Chad
Nepal
Haiti

Q6.
Why might people in some countries have lower life expectancy?

More mountains
Correct answer: Less access to healthcare
Colder weather
Fewer rivers

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Match the keyword to the definition.

Correct Answer:Non-government organisation,Not run by the government

Not run by the government

Correct Answer:Intermediate technology,Simple tools suited to local needs

Simple tools suited to local needs

Correct Answer:Top-down strategy,Decisions made by authorities

Decisions made by authorities

Correct Answer:Bottom-up strategy,Locals help plan and run projects

Locals help plan and run projects

Correct Answer:Bilateral aid,One country gives aid to another

One country gives aid to another

Q2.
Which of these is an example of a bottom-up strategy?

A government building a major motorway
The UN funding a national hospital scheme
Correct answer: An NGO helping villagers build a clean water system
A country signing a trade deal with another

Q3.
What is one effect of Practical Action’s gravity ropeway in Nepal?

More jobs in large factories
Correct answer: Faster transport of goods to market
Improved internet access
More students moving to cities

Q4.
Which statement best reflects the full role of aid?

Aid is only used after disasters like earthquakes or floods
Aid always involves giving money directly to governments
Correct answer: Aid can support both emergency relief and long-term development
Aid is mainly about sending food and blankets in crises