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Genetic Innovations Lifting African Farmers Out of Poverty

Genetic InnovationsAlmost 430 million people in Africa face extreme poverty. This is nearly a third of Africa’s population. The World Bank reported that the majority of these people rely on agriculture, making the link between poverty and agriculture inextricable. Although agriculture can be a prosperous sector, African farmers often lack the resources and genetic innovations that have afforded farmers around the world such a surge in their production.

This is exemplified by sub-Saharan Africa’s fertilizer use being seven times lower than the global average. Another challenge farmers face is the increasing frequency of drought. Drought inhibits agricultural production and exacerbates food insecurity, displacement and poverty. However, genetic innovation provides a solution to these problems.

Providing African farmers with livestock and crops that are genetically optimized to thrive in these conditions has been incredibly effective. These are some of the genetic innovations lifting African farmers out of poverty.

Drought-Resistant Rice in Guinea

Although rice is farmed within Guinea, the country still imports around $230 million worth of the commodity each year. The low output of rice in Guinea can be partly attributed to harsh growing conditions in the region. The rice species that have adapted to these conditions are naturally low-yielding.

A genetically superior type of rice called New Rice for Africa (NERICA) has been created to help Africa overcome this problem. By breeding high-yielding Asian rice variants with the lower-yielding but adaptive African variant, NERICA was born as the first rice variant to produce a high yield in Africa’s climate. Even in the absence of fertilizer, these variants generate 50% more yield than other rice varieties.

Not only is NERICA higher-yielding, but it also contains more protein than other varieties in Guinea, which supports the nutritional needs of a country where malnutrition is rife. At least 20,000 farmers in Guinea have benefited from NERICA rice since its adoption in the country.

Resilient Sheep and Goats in Kenya

Livestock are a life-changing asset for farmers in Kenya. For small-scale farmers, the death of just one animal can put their livelihoods at risk. Heat stress, disease and parasites are some of the main threats to livestock. Through selective cross-breeding, sheep and goats that can withstand higher temperatures and are more resistant to disease and parasites have been produced.

In Kenya, genetically advantageous Galla goats and Red Maasai sheep have been added to existing herds. Not only are these breeds more resilient, but they also increase household income by supplying more milk and selling for a higher price than their equivalent local breeds. These genetically advantageous breeds have reduced food insecurity by around 90% in Kenya.

High-Yielding Beans in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s lowest-income countries. Four million farmers in Ethiopia rely on beans as a source of both food and income. However, limited access to expensive farming resources combined with frequent droughts limits the yield of smaller-scale farmers. Beans are a staple in the region and enhancing their yield can increase food security and provide a route out of poverty for small-scale farmers.

Therefore, genetically superior beans that grow faster and withstand drought have been produced through selective breeding. These varieties have more than tripled the average bean yield per hectare in Ethiopia. Since their rollout, the adoption of these beans has increased the household income for 2.5 million families in Ethiopia.

A Sustainable Route Out of Poverty

Genetic innovations like these are life-changing for small-scale farmers in Africa. Since crops and livestock produce offspring with similarly advantageous genes, the initiatives have a sustained impact and provide a long-term solution to Africa’s poverty crisis. Greater investment into agricultural research and wider-scale implementation of these innovations will be crucial for ending poverty in Africa.

– Catrin Jones

Catrin is based in Cardiff, Wales and focuses on Technology and Solutions and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Cacao Pods: Repurposed to Alleviate Poverty in Africa

Cacao Pods: Repurposed to Alleviate Poverty in AfricaThe cocoa industry holds the promise of becoming a source of clean energy, enhancing agricultural output and lessening poverty among farmers. According to the World Resource Institute, approximately 75% of the cacao pod is discarded during cultivation, harvesting and consumption of cocoa beans, as the beans, used for making chocolate and cocoa butter, are the most valuable parts. This practice leads to soil degradation and contributes to deforestation, diminishing the availability of fertile land for farming. Research from Wageningen University shows that smallholder cocoa farmers in Ivory Coast and Ghana earn about $1 per person a day, insufficient to meet basic needs.

Sustainable Utilization of Cacao Pods

Collecting and repurposing the husk, pulp and shell of cacao pods results in several uses. For instance, the pulp can be processed into a nutritious and delicious beverage, creating new market opportunities within the chocolate industry. Additionally, cocoa bean shells can be transformed into cocoa flour, a healthy, gluten-free alternative to traditional flour. These innovative uses of cacao pod byproducts provides farmers with additional products to sell beyond chocolate, as well as, enhance their profits, diversify their produce and also enjoy environmental benefits. Cocoa bean shells can be used as fertilizer and mulch, helping to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture, thus improving soil health. Moreover, enhanced soil quality supports increased production and helps farmers achieve larger yields, contributing to poverty alleviation among cocoa farmers.

Animal Feed and Soil Health Improvement

Repurposing cacao pods not only helps reduce soil degradation, providing farmers with more reusable land for crop planting but also serves as a cost-effective animal feed source. This dual benefit enhances agricultural productivity and contributes to reducing poverty among cocoa farmers by lowering animal husbandry expenses.

Cacao Pods for Clean Energy Production

A study identified cacao pod husks as a viable source for electricity generation in Uganda. Methods such as direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, anaerobic digestion and hydrothermal carbonization can convert these husks into energy. Utilizing cacao pods for power could significantly benefit rural areas in Uganda by providing electrification. This shift has the potential to reduce deforestation, mitigate climate change and preserve biodiversity, transforming the socio-economic landscape of these communities.

Innovative Projects for Cacao Pod Waste Repurposing

The Circular Economy Cocoa: From Bean to Bar Project and the Cote d’Ivoire Biomass Electricity Production initiative are pioneering new methods to repurpose cacao pod waste for more sustainable production. The Cote d’Ivoire initiative focuses on a power plant that uses cacao pod waste to generate clean energy, as outlined by the Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN). Meanwhile, the Circular Economy Cocoa program in Helvetas Vietnam aims to transform Vietnam’s cocoa production into a renewable sector. This transformation involves recycling cocoa waste as an energy source, eliminating harmful chemicals in manufacturing, reducing the intensity of resource production and introducing eco-friendly packaging solutions.

Looking Forward

Embracing innovative approaches to repurpose cacao pod waste marks a promising step toward sustainable agriculture and energy production, offering cocoa farmers in regions like Ivory Coast, Ghana and Uganda a brighter future. These initiatives not only aim to elevate farmers’ livelihoods but also set a precedent for environmental stewardship in the cocoa industry, steering toward a more sustainable and prosperous path for all involved.

– Erika David

Erika is based in Union, NJ, USA and focuses on World News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Tackling Child Labor in Africa

Child Labor in AfricaChild labor in Africa is more prominent than in any other region, with more than 70 million child laborers. Millions of children are robbed of their right to education and protection, perpetuating cycles of poverty, inequality and social exclusion that they carry with them throughout their lives. So, tackling child labor is a priority for many organizations, like Fairtrade and World Vision.

Child Labor

Child labor is defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as “work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity and that is harmful to physical and mental development.” Many millions of children are involved in child labor. A staggering 79 million children aged 5 to 17 engaged in hazardous work as of 2020. The predominant sphere of such exploitation is agriculture, accounting for a staggering 85%. In this sector, children are subjected to hazardous conditions as they engage in tasks ranging from herding livestock to subsistence and commercial farming, jeopardizing their well-being and safety.

Causes

Many factors cause child labor, ones that are intertwined and reinforce one another. However, poverty is the most significant cause of child labor. It pushes families to rely on children for income to fulfill their basic needs like food, shelter and health care. So, for the survival of the family, children are sent to work instead of school to contribute to household income. Similarly, aspects such as job loss or the loss of primary income, as well as parental illness, can increase pressure on children to work and contribute financially to help support the family.

Limited access to education is also an important consideration. Inadequate facilities and poor quality of schooling lead to the perception of education being unnecessary to both parents and children. This perception can force children into labor at a young age. Without access to education, children have fewer opportunities to advance their futures – thus continuing this cycle of poverty.

Further, cultural and social norms significantly contribute to perpetuating child labor. In some communities, some beliefs work contributes to children’s “character-building and skill development.” Cultural norms and practices of child labor are so entrenched that parents and children do not perceive the adverse effects on children’s well-being and rights.

Fairtrade’s Help

Fairtrade understands the importance of effectively addressing child labor issues by considering several key factors. These include improving family incomes and enhancing access to quality education. Additionally, it combats discrimination and exploitation, promoting awareness of child rights, implementing legal interventions and fostering social changes within communities.

By improving income for farmers through Fairtrade Minimum Prices and Premium, Fairtrade is confronting poverty as a primary factor of child labor. These initiatives play a crucial role, as producers can reinvest in their communities with their financial exploits. This reinvestment includes constructing schools, enabling children to pursue higher education and protecting children from the detrimental impact of child labor.

World Vision’s Help

World Vision is tackling child labor through education. By teaching children their rights, the organization is empowering them with knowledge and skills to advocate for their rights and protect themselves from exploitation. It uses initiatives like vocational, life skills and entrepreneur training to improve opportunities for their future.

Community mobilization is also a key approach to World Vision tackling child labor, as it helps break down the cultural and social norms that cause child labor to persevere. World Vision trains people, like parents and faith leaders, in the community to bring about positive change and address damaging cultural and social norms.

Further, World Vision supports children and families through donations. It allows the organization to improve food security and incomes for families. Additionally, children do not need to resort to working to generate revenue for the family. Furthermore, World Vision also advocates and lobbies for national policies so children’s rights are prioritized.

The issue of child labor in Africa remains a significant challenge, with millions of children deprived of their rights. Rooted in poverty, social norms and limited access to education, child labor perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. However, organizations like Fairtrade and World Vision are at the forefront of efforts to tackle child labor in Africa and address these root causes.

– Isabella Green
Photo: Flickr

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A Music Tour Reducing Poverty in Africa

Poverty in AfricaRwanda is a small landlocked country in East Africa that has remarkably reduced extreme poverty from 40% to 16% since 2000. However, as a young country with 45% of the population under the age of 18, childhood poverty remains a significant challenge. To recognize the efforts of those working to alleviate poverty in Africa, the “Move Afrika: Rwanda” concert was held at Kigali’s BK arena on December 6, 2023.

Poverty in Rwanda

Despite significant efforts and successes in reducing poverty in Rwanda, the challenges for children and their families remain substantial. Of 1,000 children born in Rwanda, 50 do not survive to 5 years old. Moreover, 75% of these deaths come in the first months of life. While chronic malnutrition has declined, poor water quality and access to hygiene facilities still leave children suffering from stunting and low birth weight. This challenge is compounded by the fact that only 64% of households have their own latrine and 5% have hand-washing facilities with soap and water.

In terms of education, 13% of children are enrolled in early education, with a large disparity weighted against children living in rural areas compared to urban ones–a common trend when analyzing child poverty rates globally. Despite these challenges, poverty reduction efforts in Rwanda merit celebrating and supporting further. Hence, the American creative communications company pgLang, in partnership with Grammy Award winner Kendrick Lamar, the Rwanda Development Board and Global Citizen, imagined an original music event for the region.

Move Afrika: Rwanda

“Move Afrika: Rwanda” supports an advocacy campaign that urged world leaders to make bold pledges on significant issues, aiming to reduce poverty in Africa. The campaign focused on key areas such as increasing resources for health campaigns that particularly benefit women and young girls, addressing food scarcity within the continent and providing greater access to economic opportunities. During the event, local communities were supported with training to support the concert. This included stage management and security skills training. Furthermore, Rwandan culture was front and center, with traditional Agaseke peace baskets a focal point on the stage. These were crafted by 20 artisans from the Nyamirambo Women’s Centre.

In celebrating those people fighting to reduce poverty in Rwanda, the works of nonprofits and civil society workers who came together in nationwide community service to plant more than 1,000 trees on Mount Rebero were recognized. In attendance also were 30 health care workers who were allowed to highlight their work in health equity and access. Move Afrika has also made a lasting pledge to continue to support local entrepreneurs and help them access longer-term job opportunities in the future. By giving internationally recognizable performers such as Kendrick Lamar a platform, Move Afrika is exposing countries like Rwanda to fighting poverty with international support.

The Future of Move Afrika?

“The Move Afrika: Rwanda” music tour was a success. So much so that it will be repeated next year; this time, it will be held in Ghana. Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo said, “Global Citizen is known for leveraging live music events to engage youth while creating social and economic impact. Today, we celebrate this milestone for Ghana.”

“We look forward to future announcements on this growing cohort of Move Afrika destinations,” he added. With Move Afrika at the beginning of its journey to reduce poverty in Africa, there is no telling where this innovative and engaging project will end up.

– Thomas Field
Photo: Flickr

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The Leila Janah Foundation

The Leila Janah Foundation Leila Janah, an American businesswoman, activist and explorer, died on Jan. 24, 2020, from epithelioid sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Leila Janah founded and led two companies, her first company, Sama, is a nonprofit aiming to offer digital jobs that provide a living wage to thousands in Africa and India. Sama’s mission centers on providing employment instead of aid, reflecting Janah’s belief in work as a sustainable way to eradicate global poverty. Following Janah’s passing, the Leila Janah Foundation continues its legacy by developing life-changing entrepreneurship programs across East Africa.

History of the Foundation

Founded in 2008, Sama operates on the design model by Leila Janah. A nonprofit organization that employs people from low-income backgrounds in Kenya and Uganda, Sama focuses on providing artificial intelligence (AI) training to enhance living standards. In an interview with Glamour in 2017, Janah stated, “It struck me as a crime that so much human talent goes to waste in developing countries.” She believed that simply providing more opportunities would prove hugely beneficial. By 2018, Sama had employed 50,000 people. Subsequently, the annual Give Work Challenge was launched.

In an interview with Marie Forleo in 2018, Janah stated, “The best way to ensure that that person has a meal is to increase his or her family income so that he or she can buy his own food from the local market,” arguing how this model was much more sustainable than other models of charity and provided a much more long-term solution to global poverty. In 2019, Janah split the company and the nonprofit entity focused on growing the Give Work Challenge. After Janah’s passing in 2020, the nonprofit entity was renamed the Leila Janah Foundation to honor Janah’s legacy, and since then the nonprofit has expanded and helped an ever-increasing number of people.

The Give Work Challenge

The Leila Janah Foundation runs the Give Work Challenge, a business plan competition for low-income entrepreneurs in Kenya and Uganda. This Challenge runs throughout the year in different editions, and focuses on supporting existing businesses looking to grow and new businesses needing support to launch.

Furthermore, a new competition was launched in 2022 for past winners whose businesses demonstrate the potential for expansion and have shown incredible growth. Each Give Work challenge consists of a three-round competition, where the entrepreneurs submit their business plans and information to Sama volunteers. Entrepreneurs who make it to the final round pitch their plans and ideas live to a regional judge panel.

In preparation for this pitch, the team works with a professional mentor who aims to improve their business models and create a foundation for long-term success. The Leila Janah Foundation supports these entrepreneurs through professional mentorship, community support, as well as by providing grants.

Program Director Liliosa Mbirimi states, “Through the Give Work Challenge grant and mentorship, each of our winners will have a larger impact on their communities that will ripple out and positively impact many more individuals.”

Give Work Challenge: Recent Winners

In August of 2023, the Leila Janah Foundation announced the existing business edition winners of its annual Give Work Challenge. It announced four companies, two from Kenya and two from Uganda to receive one year of mentorship from an expert mentor who will help them work on their business plan and introduce the next phase of growth. Additionally, each team won a grant of $6,000 to continue to grow their business.

Among the four recent winners is Mvuvi Enterprises. This Kenyan-based business founded by Christine Bonareri and Arnold Adero produces high-quality processed fish for human consumption. Mvuvi Enterprises additionally uses innovative and sustainable technologies that convert the waste from the fish into useful products including fertilizer, animal feed and energy. Concerning receiving the grant, Arnold Adero states, “Winning the fund fills us with immense gratitude and excitement, as it fuels our commitment to creating a lasting impact and driving positive change in the fisheries and aquaculture community.”

Another 2023 winner, Mawejje Creations, founded by Dimma Mawejje aims to solve the issue of banana biomass and landfill fashion waste. The business uses plant-based substances and textile waste to revolutionize the fashion industry, minimizing the impact of fast fashion and increasing the effectiveness of the ethical fashion supply chain. 

The Impact

Since its inception in 2018, the Give Work Challenge has awarded $138,000, funding 33 teams and creating 245 jobs. This initiative provides grants and mentorship to winners, significantly impacting their communities by enhancing lives beyond the immediate beneficiaries. Tassilo Festetics, co-founder of the Give Work Challenge states, “If each one of them creates a company that basically will employ maybe two, three, five, fifteen people that will obviously increase the number of jobs and people that will be able to live dignified lives,” explaining the ripple effect that the challenge has and the large number of people it can benefit.

Liliosa Mbirimi, Program Director at the Leila Janah Foundation stated, “We are proud to continue the mission of our namesake, Leila Janah, to alleviate global poverty by giving work, not handouts.” The Give Work Challenge extends beyond merely assisting individuals; it also enhances the societal and community benefits these businesses aim to deliver.

– Arabella Wood-Collins

Arabella is based in Newcastle, UK

Photo: Unsplash

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Empowering the Underserved With Technology: AI for Africa’s Poor

AI for Africa's PoorArtificial Intelligence (AI) takes the spotlight, transforming industries worldwide in technological upheaval. For Africa, where nearly 7% may live under $2.15 a day by 2030, the promise of an AI-driven economy with ethical foundations holds tremendous potential. Africa, led by Mauritius, Egypt and South Africa, embraces AI with distinct strengths. Egypt thrives on young tech talent, South Africa excels in infrastructure for online education and Mauritius emphasizes governance.

In a conversation with Karishma Muthukumar, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) leader and session panelist at the 2023 United Nations (U.N.) AI for Good Global Summit, The Borgen Project, explores insights and opportunities for leveraging AI to uplift Africa’s impoverished, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As the continent progresses, AI emerges as a beacon for positive change.

Employability of AI for Africa’s Poor

Despite the expansion in technology and infrastructure access, the scarcity of resources due to COVID-19 has outpaced growth in various regions of Africa. A stark reality persists as less than 20% of the continent has implemented a comprehensive strategy to address electricity shortages, with approximately 600 million people needing more basic access to electricity as of 2022. Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG-7) by 2030, which aims to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy, remains a formidable challenge.

The pivotal question no longer revolves solely around how artificial intelligence (AI) will affect people but how millions of individuals will harness AI for their benefit. As rightly indicated by Muthukumar, the disparities in technological advancements pose significant challenges. The effects of AI are poised to unfold differently in developing versus developed countries and the requisite investments and regulations these countries need are also likely to be different.

A critical determinant in this evolving landscape is pertinent data and infrastructure availability. Wealthier nations leverage their extensive datasets to develop sophisticated AI models and proposals. However, gaining access to reliable data in Africa is not trivial, creating a barrier for technological advancements to reach those who need them the most. Nevertheless, instances of innovation, such as Kenya’s M-Pesa, which has revolutionized the payment world through mobile data, serve as a reminder of the transformative possibilities that lie ahead.

Technological Challenges for AI Advancement in Africa

It is crucial to overcome technological challenges to make AI impactful for people experiencing poverty. Research stresses distinguishing short-term and long-term values in AI adoption. An important strategy involves customizing technology from developed nations for local use, facilitating the creation of solutions that resonate with the specific needs of diverse communities.

Another strategy involves decentralizing AI products to meet local needs. This not only has the potential to uplift incomes but can also stimulate economic growth. However, implementing such strategies is challenging, particularly in regions with trust issues, as easy code modification is possible in those cases. Society plays a vital role in monitoring new systems and highlighting abuses to ensure technology reaches those in need efficiently.

Cost Management and Innovation Take Center Stage in Health Care

With the automation of medical procedures, artificial intelligence can help health professionals do more and reach more people with limited resources. Currently, less than 30% of the applications deploy artificial intelligence in health care. AI has the potential to improve outcomes and decrease treatment costs, thus making diagnosis accessible to a larger group of the population.

Several African countries have adopted artificial intelligence today to automate radiology tasks, enabling more frequent tests to rule out the severity of diseases, thus actively assisting in medical diagnostics. The Artificial Intelligence for Good Global Summit extensively explored empathy-based artificial intelligence as a promising future to complement patient care. Muthukumar emphasized how artificial intelligence can empathize with patients, particularly in critical situations like wait times. This can lead to medical innovations and a significant enhancement in the meaningful connection between caregivers and those needing care.

Nurturing Hope for the Future of AI for Africa’s Poor

Successful adoption of AI for Africa’s poor hinges on strong foundations in data, infrastructure and governance. The potential transformative applications in Africa may not necessarily replace humans but rather create new opportunities for them.

In the quest for cost containment and improved infrastructure, African nations must carefully balance adopting foreign AI solutions with promoting local innovations and regulations. This approach promises to uplift underserved communities, especially in vital sectors like health care and employment.

Crucially, this strategy resonates with the region’s commitment to implementing secure and practical solutions, contributing to a digital transformation that narrows the digital divide toward achieving the SDG goals.

– Sudha Krishnaswami
Photo: Flickr

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Digitizing Salary Payment: Impacts of WHO’s Digital Health

Digitizing Salary PaymentThe World Health Organization (WHO) is actively working to enhance the conditions and motivation of African frontline health workers. Through digital innovation, the African health sector benefits from implementing financial technologies such as digitizing salary payment. It facilitates direct cashless income transfer to workers. They created bank accounts and digital bookkeeping collaborating with other Better Than Cash Alliance members, a partnership comprising 80 United Nations (U.N.) members.

WHO has launched this initiative in 24 African countries, digitizing salary payment for more than two million health workers. Spearheaded by WHO’s Department of Digital Health, these payments ensure African frontline health workers’ steady and timely incomes. These innovations foster a cashless society and empower women to access and participate independently in the financial system, aligning with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Cashless Payment Facilitation

Cash payments for incomes have been deemed “Unwieldy” and represent the challenges in Africa. For instance, the physical handling of cash poses security risks for workers. There is a higher likelihood of salary discrepancies if manual counting methods are not rigorous. However, digital innovation is revolutionizing the African health sector by implementing mobile money systems. These systems have significantly accelerated the pace of payments to workers, offering numerous benefits. Previously, managers bore the burden of physically storing cash at payment sites and distributing funds to disbursement sites for employees to collect their salaries. This process often involved considerable time and effort for workers. With mobile money systems, workers can receive their payments in as little as 30 minutes after completing their work, streamlining the payment process and enhancing efficiency across the board.

Between 2014 and 2021, the global proportion of adults engaging in digital payments rose by 35%, reaching 57% in Sub-Saharan Africa. This surge has played a pivotal role in advancing financial inclusion in the region. The president of the World Bank Group underscores the importance of robust policies to facilitate access to formal accounts and financial services, particularly in the wake of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Digital Accounting

Digital innovation revolutionizes the African health sector by emphasizing digital payments, streamlining business operations and reducing cumbersome paperwork. Organizations, often managing payrolls with hundreds of employees, can now improve efficiency in payment verification and meticulous bookkeeping. Instead of manual calculations and record-keeping, systems automatically log transactions and swiftly generate precise accounting documents. However, achieving this efficiency requires comprehensive reform of the financial system as a whole within the nation. This entails innovating processes to automate manual tasks, integrating employee information seamlessly, verifying hours worked and implementing effective dispute-resolution mechanisms for payment-related issues.

Motivation Boost for Workers

Various programs have witnessed detrimental impacts on health services due to cash payments. For instance, in Côte d’Ivoire in 2019, delayed cash disbursements resulted in employee attrition and the postponement of a polio immunization project. Additionally, researchers identified disruptions in immunization patterns among recipients attributed to a lack of incentives for frontline health workers, including door-to-door vaccinators and campaign organizers.

According to the WHO, delayed and incomplete payments adversely affect the morale and satisfaction of frontline workers, leading to decreased motivation and challenges in retaining health campaign workers. However, digital innovation is transforming the African health sector. Through the World Health Organization’s Mobile Money digital payment system for health campaign workers, 99% of workers engaged in the polio immunization campaign in Mali and Ghana were paid on time, resulting in improved retention rates and successful program delivery across multiple districts.

Furthermore, the gender wage gap has narrowed as women gain greater autonomy and privacy over their financial affairs through advancements in digital finance. This progress promotes financial empowerment for women and fosters greater economic independence. Furthermore, digital innovation significantly enhances health care in Africa by improving the effectiveness and retention of health workers. These advancements yield notable results in critical health initiatives, such as immunization programs, ultimately contributing to improved health care outcomes across the continent.

– Tevin Mundo
Photo: Unsplash

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Improving Africa’s Infrastructure: Top 5 Projects

Africa's InfrastructureThe continent of Africa is widely believed to be the cradle of civilization. Every historic country within its boundaries has cultural riches and natural resources. Even the untrained eye can find beauty in Africa’s scenery. That same untrained eye would recognize this beautiful and historic continent also lacks access to many of its inner countries. Lack of access makes it difficult for these countries to trade and grow with the outward countries and the rest of the world. Despite this, Africa is growing, though at times, an arduous process. The past few years have been full of positive change with the completion or expansion of new projects in the region. Here are the top five projects improving Africa’s infrastructure.

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Ethiopia)

Under its original name, Project X, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam began construction in April 2011. Its construction immediately brought jobs into the region and, upon completion, would create a bridge allowing safe passage over the Blue Nile River. The project would be instrumental in improving Africa’s infrastructure by distributing water to Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The dam would also handle significant floods in the area and help irrigation by watering 500,000 hectares of land (1 million acres).

Lekki Deep Water Port (Nigeria)

This aquatic marvel was started in 2003 to allow for more efficient trading and storage for the West African region. The Lekki Deep Water Port construction was granted non-recourse project financing, meaning the loan is paid back with profits from the finished project. With a capacity to hold 15,000 containers and handle 2.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually, the port has been critical in improving Africa’s infrastructure. The port has increased import and export turnaround times and reduced the delays of supplies and materials to the region.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery (Nigeria)

In addition to the country’s water port is the Dangote Petroleum Oil Refinery. Nigeria is the second biggest oil-rich country in Africa, but the country is reliant on imported petroleum products. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery broke ground in July 2017 with the expectations of meeting 100% of Nigeria’s gasoline needs and doubling the country’s refining capacity. With a capacity to produce 650,000 barrels of oil daily, the refinery is undoubtedly Africa’s most significant.

Siemens Mobility High-Speed Rail Lines (Egypt)

Egypt and Siemens are working on a project to lay 2,500km (1400 miles) of high-speed tracks through 60 cities in the coming years. The project began in September 2021 and is scheduled to conclude in 2027. The trains will significantly improve Africa’s infrastructure by linking cities and trade routes along the Red and Mediterranean Seas. This project is full of promises and will contribute substantially to the region’s growth.

Google Equiano High-Speed Internet

Google and its reach knows no ends and the Equiano High-Speed Internet project is just another example. This 12,000km subsea internet cable was dropped in April 2022 and operational by December 2022. The cable runs from Lisbon, Portugal, down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town, South Africa. The cable provides high-speed internet access and a digital connection to the outside world for many African countries.

This cable passes through several countries, vastly improving Africa’s infrastructure and creating substantial job markets in each area. Namibia is projected to add 21,000 jobs and South Africa is looking to add around 180,000 jobs, all thanks to Google Equiano. Additionally, Nigeria will see the greatest influx in job opportunities as the country is projected to add 1.6 million jobs. Fittingly, the high-speed cable was named after Nigerian-born writer and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano.

Looking Forward

Africa is preparing for and entering into the next incarnation of its development. Projects like those mentioned above are scattered across the continent and help assist with the transitions and new additions to the region. These projects help connect Africa to its neighbors near and far.

– Ryan Johnson
Photo: Pixabay

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Mercy Ships’ Campaign To Grow Africa’s Health Care System

Mercy ShipsThe campaign against poverty remains a battle of conviction for specific organizations. Such organizations are governed by faith and a subsequent determination to help those in need, irrespective of the cost. One such organization is Mercy Ships.

Mercy Ships’ Overview

Mercy Ships is a faith-based international development charity that sends hospital ships to some of the poorest countries in the world, delivering essential, accessible health care to people in desperate need. Following the principles of Jesus Christ, Mercy Ships serves as a movement to provide hope and healing to individuals suffering from disability, disfigurement and disease.

Maintaining its Christian values wherever its volunteers go, the initiative’s volunteers are driven by a desire to provide surgical treatment and improved health care to nations susceptible to conditions including HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria with limited means of combating such ailments. This is particularly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, where most countries the nonprofit partnered with reside.

Partnering With Host Countries

Mercy Ships estimates that in low-income and lower-middle-income countries, nine out of 10 people have no access to basic surgical care. For example, more than 69% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa live on less than £2 ($2.5) daily. Health care in these countries either doesn’t exist or is unaffordable to most of the population. To overcome this, the organization has established partnerships with each country it has lent its support to, addressing the needs of each nation.

Impact on Host Nations

During a 10-month stay in Guinea from 2018 to 2019, the faith-based program delivered 2,442 life-changing surgeries onboard its hospital ship, treated more than 7,937 patients at a land-based dental clinic and trained and mentored 1,254 local health care professionals. In Madagascar, the charity’s efforts from 2015 to 2016 contributed to 1,682 surgeries and 29,043 dental procedures. It also trained and mentored 1,546 health professionals.

Their flagship vessel, the Africa Mercy, the largest hospital ship in the world, was docked in Senegal in 2019. More than 400 volunteers were located on board to provide necessary treatment for conditions encompassing dental and eye problems, cleft lips and palates, tumors, club feet, childbirth injuries, burns and more. During the ship’s stay in the port of Dakar, the organization provided 1,407 surgeries aboard and treated more than 5,000 dental patients in its land-based facilities.

Katie’s Story

‘‘All the members on the ship are completely volunteers, from the ship captain to the deck hands, to the surgeons and catering staff. I worked as a scrub nurse, handing the surgical instruments to the surgeon and ensuring the procedures were sterile and safe. I worked 50 hours a week on average,’’ stated Katie Fletcher, a nurse employed by the National Health Service in England.

Fletcher discovered Mercy Ships and its cause when she was 18 years old and before she started training to become a nurse at a music festival. Sharing the organization’s Christian values, she soon felt compelled to apply her training and knowledge towards Mercy Ships and its life-changing work in 2023 during a two-week volunteer placement.

Her campaign began with a fundraiser, where she successfully raised £3,000 (nearly $4,000). She achieved this through a combination of quiz nights, raffles, a sponsored walk around the Gower Peninsular in South Wales and campaigning on behalf of the charity through avenues such as BBC Radio and newspapers. More than half of the funds went towards the charity. More than half of these funds were invested in medication and other logistics to perform the surgeries, contributing to the campaign’s overall success.

Katie envisages Mercy Ships and its local apprenticeships onboard the ship will make health tourism more sustainable by teaching the locals safe surgery techniques despite frequently traveling to new destinations after a certain period.

– Thomas Perry
Photo: Flickr

Combating a 3,000-Year-Old Enemy: Yellow Fever in Africa

Yellow Fever in AfricaAfrica faces a 3,000-year-old threat. This same threat caused death and destruction in Mayan civilizations in the 1600s, ravaged New Orleans in the 1800s and later claimed more lives among soldiers during the Spanish-American War than combat did. Despite its long history, the 21st century has brought a renewed fight against the long-held enemy of Africa—yellow fever.

Angola, a southwestern African country, experienced an urban outbreak of yellow fever in 2016. In urban outbreaks, where disease spreads from human to human, yellow fever is exceptionally deadly. In the Angola outbreak, yellow fever spread to nearby countries and caused a pressing need for millions of yellow fever vaccine doses. All available vaccines were quickly distributed, making the need to plan for future outbreaks clear.

In response, the World Health Organization, in partnership with Gavi and UNICEF, created the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) Strategy in 2017. The EYE Strategy outlines a plan to combat yellow fever through 2026, targeting 40 countries, including 27 in Africa, at the highest risk for yellow fever. The primary objectives of the EYE Strategy are to protect at-risk people, prevent international spread and quickly quell outbreaks. Many successful efforts have been made in the fight against yellow fever in Africa.

Protecting At-Risk People

The primary way to protect people at risk for yellow fever is through vaccination. The yellow fever vaccine is safe, low-cost and grants lifelong immunity. Each dose costs slightly more than $1. The EYE Strategy recommends mass vaccination efforts in high-risk countries. Additionally, the strategy recommends that high-risk African countries include the yellow fever vaccine in their regular childhood vaccination schedules. There is consensus that population herd immunity for yellow fever is between 60% and 80% and therefore, the EYE Strategy aims to have at least 70% of the high-risk population vaccinated.

There have been many efforts to protect at-risk people from yellow fever in Africa. Between 2017 and 2022, more than 220 million individuals in Africa received the yellow fever vaccine, with more than 50 million of those vaccinations administered through campaigns. Nigeria conducted a preventative campaign and vaccinated more than 31 million people. The Republic of the Congo vaccinated 3.6 million people in a campaign in response to an outbreak.

Preventing International Spread

The EYE Strategy outlines ways to prevent the international spread of yellow fever. One strategy is prioritizing vaccination for workers in high-risk industries like oil, mining, construction and forestry. Another way to stop international spread is to require yellow fever vaccination for people traveling to and from high-risk countries. The EYE Strategy also recommends readiness plans with steps for agencies to take during an outbreak. Such plans can ensure authorities are prepared to start reactive mass vaccination campaigns quickly.

African countries have made strides to prevent the international spread of yellow fever. Many African countries with a high risk of transmission have vaccination requirements for travelers. Angola, for instance, mandates proof of yellow fever vaccination for travelers aged 9 months and older. Many countries have also developed outbreak readiness plans to prevent international spread. In 2021, Nigeria published a detailed report of its outbreak responses from 2017 to 2019 and its strategies to improve readiness. This report provides a playbook for other African countries to improve their outbreak responses.

Quelling Outbreaks

The EYE Strategy provides several ways for countries to contain outbreaks. Rapid detection of yellow fever cases is one important strategy. Building and maintaining surveillance networks is critical so agencies can identify yellow fever cases immediately. Well-stocked laboratories are also vital to confirm yellow fever cases. An additional strategy to stop outbreaks is stockpiling vaccines. Authorities can deploy stockpiled yellow fever vaccines during outbreaks and help contain disease spread.

Efforts to thwart yellow fever in Africa have improved outbreak responses. The EYE Strategy’s Laboratory Technical Working Group approved a new yellow fever test kit to speed up detection in 2021. In 2022, laboratories in Uganda, Niger, Chad and Ghana improved their abilities to detect yellow fever through training. The EYE Strategy’s Incident Management Support Team provided education on optimizing surveillance and outbreak responses in 10 African countries in 2022.

EYE Strategy Midpoint

The EYE Strategy reached the midpoint of its timeline in 2022. So far, its efforts have resulted in major successes in fighting yellow fever in Africa, including hundreds of millions of vaccinations and improved outbreak readiness.

Despite these successes, more than 10 African countries reported cases of yellow fever in 2022. The work continues to improve yellow fever in Africa.

– Kelly Carroll
Photo: Flickr