Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Tiffany Mamakeesic

This case study presents the personal account of Tiffany Mamakeesic, who describes the lived experience of poverty, including its impact on childhood development, mental health, and the challenges of securing safe housing and meaningful employment.

• Tiffany Mamakeesic defines poverty as the inability to meet daily needs and a restrictive force that prevents personal growth and happiness because the individual is preoccupied with basic survival, such as food and shelter. She describes the emotional burden of poverty as a weight that pushes a person down.
• The experience of poverty and a difficult childhood—marked by parents with alcoholism—contributed to Tiffany's development of anxiety and depression. These mental health challenges led her to drop out of school in grade 10, though she later earned her GED, and contributed to struggles with drug addiction involving alcohol, marijuana, and crack cocaine.
• Tiffany has faced significant barriers to housing and employment. She has lived at the Salvation Army for five years because she cannot find decent housing that meets her safety requirements, specifically needing a thick door, a good lock, and her own bathroom to manage her anxiety. While she volunteers as a Saturday Volunteer Supervisor at Winnipeg Harvest, her anxiety and depression hinder her ability to return to school or seek employment solely for a paycheck.

APA

Producer),, T. M. R. (. E. M. (. (2011). Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Tiffany Mamakeesic. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-tiffany-mamakeesic

Chicago

Producer),, Tiffany Mamakeesic,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical. Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Tiffany Mamakeesic. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-tiffany-mamakeesic.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Producer), |first1=Tiffany Mamakeesic,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical |title=Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Tiffany Mamakeesic |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=15 February 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-tiffany-mamakeesic |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{producer2011peg, author = {Producer),, Tiffany Mamakeesic,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical}, title = {{Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Tiffany Mamakeesic}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-tiffany-mamakeesic}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }