Meet the Team: Abbie Amico

Name: Abbie Amico
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Role: Political Affairs Intern

How did you get interested in global issues?
I became interested in global issues when I began visiting and living in developing countries such as El Salvador and the Philippines. While in both places I met extraordinary women and men who I realized deserved more respect and access to change than they were receiving in their current context. My family in the Philippines is a group of people who I keep close to my heart, and I chose to work at an organization like The Borgen Project to honor them.

What do you do when you’re not fighting global poverty?
When I’m not fighting global poverty you can often find me curled up with a book at one of St. Louis’ wonderful coffee shops, running around campus with my roommates and friends, or camped out in Campus Ministry helping with projects. I am currently a junior at Saint Louis University studying theology and legal studies, both of which challenge me intellectually and continue to change the way I view the world.

What have you learned/found interesting about The Borgen Project?
What I have found interesting about The Borgen Project is the passion and deep sense of solidarity that emanates from it’s volunteers and workers. Because most are not being paid, it is clear that those who work for The Borgen Project are here because of the mission that Clint Borgen spent such a long time developing. When people care about the work they do it is done better, and everything done at The Borgen Project is done 100 percent.

- Jack Todd

Positive Impacts of Study Abroad

Studying abroad is at an all-time high, not only is it the latest coveted experience for employers, but studies have shown that studying abroad can have a substantial impact on one’s mind and creativity.

The role of learning a language pays off, according to the Huffington Post. Learning languages benefits the individual personally and professionally, as it increases one’s access to people, places, markets and ideas. Language formally benefits the environment through the ability to share environmental practices. Knowledge of an other language also contributes to communication in the business and economic sector. Language also contributes to political relations among governments and is indispensable in being assimilated into a new culture.

Learning a language can help an individual achieve his or her dreams in a variety of ways. Exploring a new language allows one to cultivate a more intimate experience when traveling, increases one’s accessibility to foreign recipes, art, literature and landscapes, and can give vitality to new relationships.

To the delight of many students, scholars and societies, it has been recorded that learning a language influences the brain. A recent Swedish MRI study reveals that acquisition of a language increases the size of the brain, specifically in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.

Recent studies have also conclude that bilingualism improves the brain’s ability to multitask, delays the onset of Alzheimer’s and prompts creativity. Language learning assists in other intellectual areas, specifically math and music. Each language provides insight into a different society or worldview.

The benefits of studying abroad surpass the benefits of just learning a language, although this is a key aspect of the international experience. According to the Institute of International Education, “international students in the United States and study abroad by American students are at all-time high.” The number of U.S. students studying abroad has more than doubled over the past 15 years.

The IIE claims that international education is one of the most important components of contemporary society. “International education is crucial to building relationships between people and communities in the United States and around the world. It is through these relationships that together we can solve global challenges like climate change, the spread of pandemic disease, and combating violent extremism,” said Evan M. Ryan, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs. “We also need to expand access to international education for students from more diverse backgrounds.”

Studying abroad changes neurons and challenges one’s worldview in a way that may have not been previously acknowledged. Opportunities such as the Fulbright Scholarship, Critical Language Scholarship, Gilman Award and numerous others are notorious for their prestigious international education programs. The focus on international education is steadily growing, for earlier this year, the IIE launched Generation Study Abroad. This campaign aims to double the number of students who study abroad by the end of the decade, while increasing diversity and accessibility to international education.

- Neti Gupta

Sources: The Chronicle, The Diane Rehm Show, Huffington Post 1, The Guardian, Institution of International Education, Huffington Post 2
Photo: Honors Advising Blog

Large Strides Away from Poverty in Nepal

In the past, Nepal has been regarded as one of the poorest countries in the world. Poverty in Nepal is caused by poor infrastructure, health, education and economy. The country is also susceptible to natural disasters due to its location. However, thanks to the people who have been dedicated to improving conditions in Nepal, there is good news: extreme poverty have been reduced by 50 percent in the last 20 years.

How did this happen? Innovative developments are being introduced to the country, and Nepal is already benefiting from them.  The newborn mortality rate has already dropped 34 percent since a disinfectant gel to rub on the umbilical cord—rather than the traditional usage of oil, ash and even animal droppings—was presented to Nepalese mothers.

Other strides are being made by implementing different programs for the Nepalese people, like a nutrition program called “Suaahara” that educates families on proper farming and hygiene. Another program prioritizes improving the literacy rate of children. If the population of Nepal becomes 10 percent more literate, this can boost their economy by 0.3 percent.

Important changes are being made in Nepal’s legal system and government, too.  Organ selling has only recently become illegal and efforts are being made to help and protect a large number of human trafficking victims. According to USAID, 15,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked out of the country per year, while 7,500 are trafficked domestically for sexual exploitation.

One of these efforts is the Combating Trafficking in Persons Project, carried out in Nepal to prevent, protect and provide justice for human trafficking victims. Now that the victims are a focus, traffickers are beginning to face legal consequences.

Nepal is also still working on becoming a democracy after having been a monarchy for so many years. This means that citizens of Nepal will get the chance to vote for the first time in 16 years.  At this rate, the country is expected to be rid of extreme poverty by 2030. What was once a country full of people living on one dollar a day is now a country with a bright future.

– Melissa Binns

Sources: U.S. Department of State,  USAID 1,  USAID 2

Photo: Flickr

Meet the Team: Erik Nelson

Name: Erik Nelson
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Role: Writing Intern

How did you get interested in global issues?
Around sophomore year of college, I started to get interested in Sociology. This opened my eyes. It allowed me to see the world in a whole new way. Unfortunately, it also allowed me to see a lot of the ugly things about the world. Seeing that made me question why everyone was acting like nothing was wrong; how can you sleep when the house is burning down? From then on, I’ve been dedicated to thinking of ways to help out humanity.

What do you do when you’re not fighting global poverty?
I attend Emory University in Atlanta. I am taking a full class load with a focus on Sociology.

I enjoy playing and watching soccer. It is a fascinating sport with a lot going on and it requires a good amount of thinking. I like that; it is very challenging mentally and physically. FC Bayern Munich is my favorite team; I have followed Schweinsteiger for some time. I also enjoy playing video games. I have the same competitive spirit with video games as I do with soccer, so it makes them just as fun (just maybe less physically demanding).

I also enjoy watching TV shows and movies. If you watch the right shows, they can be very mentally engaging.

What have you learned/found interesting about The Borgen Project?
That the founder, after 10 years of working, finally received a paycheck for working. Clint Borgen’s dedication is so impressive and inspiring. I wish most people who found a business or organization had the drive that he does.

- Jack Todd

World Concern Makes an Impact

World Concern is a nonprofit organization devoted to transforming the lives of deeply impoverished people. Founded by pharmacist Jim McCoy and Doctor Wilbert Saunders in 1955, the organization was intended to provide resources to hospitals and clinics overseas.

In 1976, the functions of World Concern shifted dramatically when they realized that sending medicines and medical supplies was not enough to aid countries affected by a variety of crisis. They began sending passionate volunteers and expert to work on the ground with people living in the targeted community.

In addition to long-term support, they offer emergency relief support to countries that have experienced earth quakes and tsunamis among other situations. Their most recent contribution to relief was after the devastating earthquake.

World Concern is revolutionary because they work in some of the world’s most diseased and dangerous places. Some of these locations include Darfur, Myanmar, Somalia, Ethiopia and Rwanda. In some of the countries World Concern works, literacy rates are as low as 25 percent. A committed staff of approximately 900 people work on behalf of World Concern’s mission to aid poor communities.

In addition, 90 percent of the donations World Concern receives go to their programs abroad. They are transparent with their fiscal information to ensure that money is being maximized where it is most effective. Fundraising takes up only 5.2 percent of all expenses and promotions. 4.7 percent goes to management and general administrative duties.

World Concern is devoted to providing clean water to communities. Clean water is pertinent to maintaining the health of the people living in the community. They bring in wells and latrines to facilitate better hygiene and access to clean water.

Another service they provide is bettering children’s access to education. Many children in these poor communities have to walk for miles and the classes are usually held is sub standard conditions either outside or in very informal settings.

In poor communities of developing countries the way that most people earn a living is through farming. These forms of subsistence living are vulnerable to food insecurity; reliance on environmental conditions and floods and drought greatly affect the income stability.

World Concern is devoted to the long-term solutions to working out solutions in some of the world’s poorest communities. They foster a sense of hope through providing access to education and clean water.

- Maxine Gordon

Sources: CRISTA Ministries, World Concern
Photo: World Concern