Costa Rica is a country in Central America, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, neighboring Panama and Nicaragua. It has a population of around 5,174,564 people, out of all the other Central American countries, many regard Costa Rica’s government as the most stable and democratic and has a beautiful landscape and scenery. It has also been home to quite deadly and common diseases with terrifying effects and symptoms.
These diseases seriously disrupt people’s everyday lives and are dangerous if left untreated. Each one of these viruses is preventable and has treatments that ensure lives are saved, but because the country struggles with poverty, many of its people are unable to safely access medical care and treatment. Here is information about three diseases impacting Costa Rica and the efforts that are addressing them.
1. Hantavirus
Hantavirus is a group of zoonotic viruses that rodents carry and transmit to humans through direct contact with infected rodents or their bodily fluids. Areas at high risk of disease are barns, storage rooms, rustic cabins and poorly ventilated rural buildings due to high rodent activity.
The illness can be quite severe and deadly to people, but it varies depending on the specific type of hantavirus, which includes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). It also depends on the geographical location and climate. Now, Costa Rica has not seen a large hantavirus outbreak, unlike their South American neighbors, but the threat is still there and people must be careful. Hantavirus transmits through contact with infected rodents or their droppings.
In humans, the symptoms may vary depending on the type of hantavirus; for example, HCPS causes rapid coughing, shortness of breath, accumulation of fluid in the lungs and shock. Meanwhile, for HFRS, the symptoms are low blood pressure, bleeding disorders and kidney failure.
Diagnosing the illness can be tricky due to it sharing common symptoms with other illnesses like influenza and COVID-19, meaning that extra attention is necessary when symptoms do arise and people must seek medical care as soon as possible. As of now, there are no current specific vaccines available for the disease, but medical care at its early stages can improve the outcomes. To prevent the disease, reducing contact with rodents is a good start. Some effective measures include keeping homes and workplaces clean, sealing any openings that allow rodents to enter buildings, storing food securely and dampening contaminated areas before cleaning,
2. Dengue
Dengue is a viral infection that transmits through mosquito bites, which transfers the virus to a person’s bloodstream. It is common in tropical and subtropical areas where the buzzing critters inhabit. Costa Rica has a history of dengue cases, with it reporting more than 27,000 cases by October 2024 and a decline in cases in 2025 with only 1,802 reported. This reduction in cases is likely due to the increase in vector-control throughout the country. In 2026, dengue remains a common disease, even if it’s on a lower scale than the previous surge, people must still be cautious and aware of this illness.
Symptoms may include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea and vomiting, swollen glands and rashes. However, in the case a person gets infected with dengue a second time, the illness becomes more severe with symptoms of severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums or nose, fatigue and restlessness, blood in vomit or stool, extreme thirst, pale and cold skin and feelings of weakness. People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.
There is a single vaccine available, QDenga, which is only recommended for people aged 6–16 years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), several more vaccines are in the development stage, with a few under evaluation for this disease. It is also highly important to avoid bites from mosquitoes in general with the use of mosquito nets at night, along with mosquito repellent and wearing protective clothing. If a person gets dengue, they must rest, drink plenty of liquids, take paracetamol for the pain, but avoid anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen and aspirin and be aware if they have any severe symptoms and see a doctor if that’s the case.
3. Chikungunya
Chikungunya is yet another mosquito-related viral disease, particularly the Aedes mosquito. The disease results from the chikungunya virus and passes through mosquito bites into the blood vessels. The name comes from the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, meaning “that which bends up,” which describes the severe joint pain those infected with the disease experience.
Its symptoms are sudden fever, muscle pain, severe joint pain, joint swelling, rashes, headache and fatigue. These symptoms can often be mistaken for other illnesses due to overlapping; for example, Zika and dengue have similar symptoms, and as a result, misdiagnosis becomes a large possibility, especially if the joint pain aspect is missing, as it could leave the infection undetected, thus leading to worse conditions.
Not all is hopeless, as blood samples collected in the first week of the illness can easily help detect chikungunya. Treatment includes the use of antipyretics and optimal analgesics for the fever and joint pains, as well as rest and drinking plenty of liquids. As of now, there are two chikungunya vaccines available in several countries, but not yet worldwide. WHO and external expert advisors are currently reviewing the research and progress of more chikungunya vaccines.
The Effects of Poverty on Healthcare Access & NGO Aid
There still remains the issue of poverty as it effects how much access the people of Costa Rica have to all these healthcare options. According to recent statistics, around 24–25% households are below the poverty line, with a large portion of the population struggling to get access to basic necessities, such as healthcare. As a result, many in rural areas are not able to easily receive these treatments against the diseases impacting Costa Rica, leaving them incredibly vulnerable to potential dangers.
A number of organizations and NGOs are trying to help these households. A specific NGO, called Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF), aims to help Costa Rican citizens in these issues. From its founding in 1997, the organization focuses on developing creative and economical solutions for the country’s major challenges. With volunteers from all over the world and donors, it set out to achieve a positive impact in Costa Rica. A few of its achievements include providing urgent medical care and general well-being checks for more than 500 patients in 2025 and supporting more than 800 children and adolescents in the CRHF’s learning centers the same year.
Looking Ahead
These three diseases impacting Costa Rica correlate with the constraints of poverty and a difficult economic situation, which can prevent people from accessing vital medical treatments. Fortunately, NGOS like CRHF are making a difference, helping even those with lower incomes access medical care.
– Michalitsa Kontogianni
Michalitsa is based in Washington, DC, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash
3 Diseases Impacting Costa Rica: Ways To Prevent & Treat Them
These diseases seriously disrupt people’s everyday lives and are dangerous if left untreated. Each one of these viruses is preventable and has treatments that ensure lives are saved, but because the country struggles with poverty, many of its people are unable to safely access medical care and treatment. Here is information about three diseases impacting Costa Rica and the efforts that are addressing them.
1. Hantavirus
Hantavirus is a group of zoonotic viruses that rodents carry and transmit to humans through direct contact with infected rodents or their bodily fluids. Areas at high risk of disease are barns, storage rooms, rustic cabins and poorly ventilated rural buildings due to high rodent activity.
The illness can be quite severe and deadly to people, but it varies depending on the specific type of hantavirus, which includes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). It also depends on the geographical location and climate. Now, Costa Rica has not seen a large hantavirus outbreak, unlike their South American neighbors, but the threat is still there and people must be careful. Hantavirus transmits through contact with infected rodents or their droppings.
In humans, the symptoms may vary depending on the type of hantavirus; for example, HCPS causes rapid coughing, shortness of breath, accumulation of fluid in the lungs and shock. Meanwhile, for HFRS, the symptoms are low blood pressure, bleeding disorders and kidney failure.
Diagnosing the illness can be tricky due to it sharing common symptoms with other illnesses like influenza and COVID-19, meaning that extra attention is necessary when symptoms do arise and people must seek medical care as soon as possible. As of now, there are no current specific vaccines available for the disease, but medical care at its early stages can improve the outcomes. To prevent the disease, reducing contact with rodents is a good start. Some effective measures include keeping homes and workplaces clean, sealing any openings that allow rodents to enter buildings, storing food securely and dampening contaminated areas before cleaning,
2. Dengue
Dengue is a viral infection that transmits through mosquito bites, which transfers the virus to a person’s bloodstream. It is common in tropical and subtropical areas where the buzzing critters inhabit. Costa Rica has a history of dengue cases, with it reporting more than 27,000 cases by October 2024 and a decline in cases in 2025 with only 1,802 reported. This reduction in cases is likely due to the increase in vector-control throughout the country. In 2026, dengue remains a common disease, even if it’s on a lower scale than the previous surge, people must still be cautious and aware of this illness.
Symptoms may include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea and vomiting, swollen glands and rashes. However, in the case a person gets infected with dengue a second time, the illness becomes more severe with symptoms of severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums or nose, fatigue and restlessness, blood in vomit or stool, extreme thirst, pale and cold skin and feelings of weakness. People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.
There is a single vaccine available, QDenga, which is only recommended for people aged 6–16 years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), several more vaccines are in the development stage, with a few under evaluation for this disease. It is also highly important to avoid bites from mosquitoes in general with the use of mosquito nets at night, along with mosquito repellent and wearing protective clothing. If a person gets dengue, they must rest, drink plenty of liquids, take paracetamol for the pain, but avoid anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen and aspirin and be aware if they have any severe symptoms and see a doctor if that’s the case.
3. Chikungunya
Chikungunya is yet another mosquito-related viral disease, particularly the Aedes mosquito. The disease results from the chikungunya virus and passes through mosquito bites into the blood vessels. The name comes from the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, meaning “that which bends up,” which describes the severe joint pain those infected with the disease experience.
Its symptoms are sudden fever, muscle pain, severe joint pain, joint swelling, rashes, headache and fatigue. These symptoms can often be mistaken for other illnesses due to overlapping; for example, Zika and dengue have similar symptoms, and as a result, misdiagnosis becomes a large possibility, especially if the joint pain aspect is missing, as it could leave the infection undetected, thus leading to worse conditions.
Not all is hopeless, as blood samples collected in the first week of the illness can easily help detect chikungunya. Treatment includes the use of antipyretics and optimal analgesics for the fever and joint pains, as well as rest and drinking plenty of liquids. As of now, there are two chikungunya vaccines available in several countries, but not yet worldwide. WHO and external expert advisors are currently reviewing the research and progress of more chikungunya vaccines.
The Effects of Poverty on Healthcare Access & NGO Aid
There still remains the issue of poverty as it effects how much access the people of Costa Rica have to all these healthcare options. According to recent statistics, around 24–25% households are below the poverty line, with a large portion of the population struggling to get access to basic necessities, such as healthcare. As a result, many in rural areas are not able to easily receive these treatments against the diseases impacting Costa Rica, leaving them incredibly vulnerable to potential dangers.
A number of organizations and NGOs are trying to help these households. A specific NGO, called Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF), aims to help Costa Rican citizens in these issues. From its founding in 1997, the organization focuses on developing creative and economical solutions for the country’s major challenges. With volunteers from all over the world and donors, it set out to achieve a positive impact in Costa Rica. A few of its achievements include providing urgent medical care and general well-being checks for more than 500 patients in 2025 and supporting more than 800 children and adolescents in the CRHF’s learning centers the same year.
Looking Ahead
These three diseases impacting Costa Rica correlate with the constraints of poverty and a difficult economic situation, which can prevent people from accessing vital medical treatments. Fortunately, NGOS like CRHF are making a difference, helping even those with lower incomes access medical care.
– Michalitsa Kontogianni
Photo: Unsplash
Continuing Access To Higher Education in Ecuador
In Ecuador, these barriers are heightened due to persistent systemic and regional disparities leading to gaps in university completion rates. Government policies and scholarship programs established in recent years aim to supply more resources for improving access to higher education nationwide. Here is more information about higher education in Ecuador.
Challenges for Higher Education in Ecuador
Many students face financial and geographic barriers to earning their degrees. Research on public higher education access in Ecuador found that students from ethnic minorities including Indigenous students, students from the Pacific Coast region and students with disabilities were less likely to access the country’s top public universities.
The study also found that students from schools with stronger learning conditions had a greater likelihood of being admitted to certain schools. These findings demonstrate how inequalities can impact educational opportunities well before the student begins the admissions process.
Affordability remains a major contributor to these challenges as well. Many students rely on financial assistance and scholarship support in order to pursue higher education. Oftentimes, financial assistance can determine whether a student attends university at all.
Government Efforts
Contrary to global trends, the Ecuadorian government increased public investment in higher education during the 2010s, becoming the country with the second largest increase in investment in higher education worldwide.
These investments expanded access to public universities, created Ecuador’s Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT) programs, and increased scholarship opportunities. Additionally, there were significant expansions in the number of scholarships available through SENESCYT while reducing interest rates on student loans from 12% to 4.6%.
Between 2012 and 2017, Ecuador invested approximately $8 billion in higher education reforms. It implemented five major higher education reforms, including free undergraduate public education, scholarship programs and the creation of four new public universities.
Policymakers have implemented higher education reforms in hopes to expand educational opportunities and align universities with Ecuador’s social and economic challenges.
The reforms have focused on increasing support for all students going through the admissions process to establish stronger pathways for a future of continuous economic growth and success.
International Organizations Support
International organizations play an important role in expanding higher educational opportunities in Ecuador in several ways.
In 2016, the World Bank approved a $90.5 million loan to support public technical and technological education programs throughout the country. The initiative aimed to increase student participation, while strengthening institutional management in Ecuador’s higher education system. According to the World Bank, the project was expected to benefit more than 38,000 Ecuadorian students in its attempt to improve access to programs designed in collaboration with local employers.
By expanding technical and technological training opportunities, students were more equipped with skills that align with the labor market to enhance longer term economic opportunity.
Continuous Progress in Ecuador
While challenges remain, recent trends suggest that higher education in Ecuador continues to move in a positive direction. Recent reforms and investments have expanded access to higher education and created new opportunities for students throughout Ecuador.
Educators and policymakers are continuing to address disparities affecting marginalized communities in hopes to create more inclusive higher education systems. Affirmative action initiatives along with student loan and scholarship programs run by Ecuador’s Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT) have been crucial.
Higher education can provide students with specialized skills that create opportunity for employment and increase earnings over time. As Ecuador continues to strengthen access to educational equity, higher education remains an important tool for promoting economic mobility and reducing poverty for generations.
– India Hairston
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Being Poor in China: Persistent Inequality and Progress
Poverty Down but Inequality Still Persists
Between 1981 and 2004, China lifted more than 600 million people out of poverty through rapid economic growth, urbanization and increased participation in global trade and investment.
Despite these achievements, many rural communities did not benefit equally from China’s economic growth. Government resource allocation and development opportunities often favored other areas, and many rural residents relied on farming and self-sufficiency when they faced economic hardship. Being poor in China often meant facing unequal access to education, health care and infrastructure despite China’s broader economic success.
Rural communities received lower educational investment than urban areas, which contributed to higher dropout rates and lower high school enrollment. Girls from rural and migrant backgrounds often faced lower parental expectations and received fewer educational resources, further limiting their chances for advancement. These disparities highlighted the need for targeted government intervention.
China’s Targeted Poverty Alleviation Program
In response to these challenges, China launched its Targeted Poverty Alleviation (TPA) program in 2013 to reduce poverty in some of the country’s poorest communities. The initiative included several programs, such as the Educational Poverty Alleviation Program, the Medical Poverty Alleviation Program and the Poverty Relocation Program. These efforts targeted the specific needs of impoverished households by improving access to education, health care and economic opportunities.
Researchers report that TPA narrowed the rural-urban income gap, improved health outcomes for low-income households and supported infrastructure development in poorer regions. The program funded projects such as road construction, land improvement and the relocation of residents from remote areas with limited economic opportunities to regions with better access to jobs and public services. As these efforts expanded across targeted regions, China eliminated extreme poverty by 2020, meaning no citizens lived on less than $3 per day under the international poverty line.
The Results of the Targeted Poverty Alleviation Program
To direct resources toward the communities most in need, the Chinese government identified 823 national poor counties as key targets under TPA. For many families, being poor in China often meant living in one of these central or western counties, many of which were located in mountainous and remote regions with limited infrastructure and economic opportunities. The government concentrated financial support and poverty-reduction initiatives in these areas.
Researchers report that these efforts produced significant results. By the end of 2020, China had eliminated rural extreme poverty. The government removed 832 counties from the national “poverty county” list and declared that it had eradicated extreme poverty nationwide.
Targeted poverty regions also experienced strong economic growth during the TPA period. GDP in these areas increased by approximately 72%, outpacing the national average. Social development improved gradually before accelerating in the later years of the program. Environmental outcomes proved less consistent. Although vegetation cover increased by 2,959 km² and NDVI indicators showed slight improvement, overall ecosystem quality did not consistently improve during the same period.
China’s Targeted Poverty Alleviation program stands as one of the largest poverty reduction efforts in recent history, playing a role in rapid social and economic development. The program delivered major gains in income, infrastructure and relocation efforts designed to improve living conditions in remote communities.
Looking Ahead
Although China officially eliminated extreme poverty, challenges related to unequal development remain. In many cases, the experience of being poor in China has shifted rather than disappeared, and disparities in education, healthcare, and economic opportunity still affect certain rural communities.
Overall, China’s experience demonstrates how targeted government intervention can improve living conditions and expand economic opportunities. As policymakers continue to address regional disparities, the long-term success of these efforts will depend on ensuring that future growth reaches communities across the country.
– Alexandra Pedroza
Photo: Unsplash
Being Poor in Singapore
As a country, Singapore developed significantly, with older portions of the city being transformed. Older Malay kampong houses are beginning to disappear with buildings from the Housing and Development Board (known as HDBs) replacing them instead.
Singapore’s population is multicultural and diverse. With Hindu temples nestled amongst Chinatown, the nation prides itself on religious toleration and multiculturalism.
While Singapore seems ideal and almost-perfect, poverty does still exist. Around 3% of Singapore’s population live in absolute poverty, meaning that their household income is less than the pre-determined level (“minimum income standard” in Singapore is $1,680). Being poor in Singapore makes it difficult for them to gain basic necessities, like food, water, shelter and more.
Affordability in Singapore
While International Citizens Insurance ranks Singapore as one of the most expensive countries to live in, there are affordable options in Singapore. HDBs, mentioned earlier, are Singapore’s public housing, and around 80% of the population live in these buildings. Hawker centers earn Michelin stars in Singapore for their renowned dishes, but people also know them for being very affordable.
Minorities Affected in Singapore
Minorities that are most affected include low-wage workers (who make up “60% of Singaporeans living in poverty”), unemployed and underemployed people, elderly (especially older women). However, one should note that these numbers do not include migrant workers. Although poverty may not be completely visible, there are certain minorities that struggle more than others, including rough sleepers and migrant workers.
Rough sleepers in Singapore are “individuals who sleep in public spaces” (excluding whether they have housing or not). CNA states that not all who are homeless sleep rough. Despite half of rough sleepers (around 47%) having a home, 20% of rough sleepers have financial struggles while 29% have trouble “securing or maintaining housing.”
Moreover, Singapore’s migrant workers often get low-wages yet have “labor-intensive jobs.” Despite their work to develop the country, they do not receive the same access to healthcare. Workers often have their “healthcare declined” or managed by their employers. According to one study, people in Singapore may believe that migrant workers “threaten the country’s culture and heritage.”
The same study stated that only a small majority of the public support the idea of giving maternity leave to migrant women. And only a small number of people supported providing equal wages to women migrant workers working the same job as women nationals.
Rising Cost of Living in Singapore
Households are becoming less prepared for the future and financial resilience is decreasing due to increasing costs of living in Singapore. The monthly cost of living in Singapore is around $2,560, and the numbers can increase if an individual is married or has kids (because of including other necessary payments like insurance). Since 2000, the cost of HDB resale apartments have also increased by 168.6%.
Solutions in Singapore
The experience of minorities combined with rising living costs proves to be a challenge, but the country has taken measures to alleviate the issue of being poor in Singapore. For instance, the Ministry of Social and Family Development will provide $450,000 to help organizations combat homelessness; applications for this fund (called Partnerships to Tackle Homelessness or PATH) opened on April 1st, 2026 to help organizations find “trial solutions that address the underlying causes of rough sleeping.”
Furthermore, HealthServe, a nonprofit for migrant workers, was finally able to secure the now-mandatory Primary Care Plan (a plan that “aims to provide eligible workers with accessible and affordable healthcare”) after years of advocacy. The Primary Care Plan took effect on April 1st 2022 and more than 490,000 migrant workers are enrolled in this plan. While language, employer support and mental health support are obstacles yet to overcome, Singapore has made progress in these areas.
Looking Ahead
Singapore isn’t a perfect country, and there are still minorities who struggle with being poor in Singapore. However, with the help of local NGOs and government intervention, these problems are slowly being alleviated, and these small steps will ultimately lead to a better environment for everyone.
– Sahana Sundar
Photo: Pixabay
What Leaders Are Doing To Address Extreme Poverty in Curaçao
Extreme Poverty in Curaçao Despite Growth?
While Curaçao’s economy has recovered from its COVID-era recession, with inflation peaking at 7.4% in 2022 according to its Centrale Bank, the country’s most recent GINI index of 46% reports extreme income inequality. With its booming tourist, hospitality and financial sectors dominating approximately 75% of GDP, Curaçao has seen lower unemployment rates since the COVID years due to job growth solely within its low-skilled and informal sectors.
This places Curaçao’s economy in a precarious state with more than 30.4% of households below the monetary poverty line in 2023, a 5% increase from 2011. Furthermore, a recent publication by its Central Bureau of Statistics is similarly disturbing, reporting 37.7% of the country—more than a third of all households—are vulnerable to multidimensional poverty. Thus, top leadership has recently started to meet these challenges as external events continue to have negative effects on fuel and food prices.
Response From Top Leadership
Top ministers within Curaçao’s national government have not ignored its status as an increasingly impoverished Caribbean country. In 2021, Charetti America-Francisca became the first woman to serve as the President of the Parliament of Curaçao, and has recently championed efforts to combat poverty in Curaçao through her new role as the Minister of Social Development, Labor and Welfare (SOAW). Emphasizing the government’s commitment to “working on a new approach focused on targeted and active intervention, aimed at creating lasting change rather than temporary relief,” Minister America-Fransisca stressed “the two most important pillars for combating poverty are education and work” during a parliamentary question hour.
In April, she heavily advocated for creating “an interministerial task force together with NGOs, so that the problem can be addressed in an integrated, more effective and more efficient manner.” America-Fransisca recognized varying forms of poverty citing relative, social, cultural and temporary poverty, all of which represent structural barriers apart from just financial instability that can inhibit upward mobility.
Furthermore, her recent investigation into poor working conditions in the island’s large retail industry has only furthered her experience with fighting poverty in Curaçao. In May, following reports of retail workers alleging that they are required to stand continuously for eight or more hours, she “instructed the labor inspectorate to carry out inspections and further investigations into the alleged practices.”
Looking Ahead
Curaçao is a testament to poverty’s existence as a multidimensional problem. Despite promising economic stability from its booming service industries, important voices like Minister America-Fransisca have cited the shortcomings of solely using financial measurables to understand Curaçao’s more structural issues: “A person can have an income and still be poor, can work and still be unable to make ends meet. Although we do see that the economy is partly recovering and unemployment is declining, poverty remains high.”
– Thaddaeus R. Rios
Photo: Unsplash
A Spotlight on Migration to Yemen Amongst Civil War
The Dangers That Migrants Face
The Houthi movement’s seizure of Yemen’s capital Sana’a in 2014 resulted in ongoing political instability. A Saudi-led coalition became militarily involved with the aim of restoring control, following the weakening of the current government, leading to a civil war.
The political climate remains unclear in 2026, with control in Yemen still being divided amongst different groups. This means that migration to Yemen involves arriving in a nation that lacks a singular body of power providing rules and policies. Not only are migrants subject to natural threats, including a lack of shelter, food and water, along with environmental disasters, but they are also now often exposed to exploitation. Without a stable government smugglers can drive the narrative of helping migrants to safety while instead driving them into serious danger. For instance, these individuals become at risk of being victims of trafficking or exploitation, with hundreds of migrant deaths and disappearances being recorded along this route. Yet programs aimed at relieving migrants of these humanitarian conditions remain underfunded.
The Impact on Vulnerable Groups
The reality is that many migrants arriving from outside Yemen come from vulnerable groups, including unaccompanied minors and children who are younger than five years old. In addition to this, migration to Yemen by Yemeni migrant returnees include individuals from these vulnerable groups, as well as elderly individuals and pregnant women. These migrant children are included in the 2.2 million undernourished children in 2026.
Despite this crisis remaining one of the most threatening in the world, Yemen’s 2025 response plan was only funded by 25%, making it impossible to provide the necessary humanitarian aid. This also means that key food, shelter and health services are increasingly difficult to maintain, furthering the threats posed to vulnerable groups.
The Plan Going Forward
International support is thus crucial. Organizations such as UNICEF are providing children with basic nutritional and healthcare support, with donations being invaluable to the aid provided. In 2025, UNICEF progressed its WASH programme, helping individuals gain access to clean water through more than 50 water supply projects, as well as funding health care facilities which helped 4.6 million women and children tackle malnourishment and illness. UNICEF also supported more than 100,000 children by improving educational facilities and implementing vaccinations, given to more than 15 million children in the wake of disease amongst migration to Yemen.
Further to this, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) sets out to help displaced migrants across Yemen, facilitating safety and urgent care through their Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) programme. The VHR programme sets out to minimize the unsafe conditions caused by migration to Yemen, assisting more than 6,500 migrants with their departures and onward journeys. However, despite these efforts a lack of funding acts as a barrier to relieving migrants of hardships.
Looking Ahead
Sustained international support is also necessary for the UN’s mission to support this ongoing humanitarian crisis. Without more funding or international assistance, migrants will continue to suffer at the hands of this humanitarian emergency.
– Beatrice Toye
Photo: Flickr
Diseases Impacting Bolivia and the Work To Mitigate Cases
The Main Outbreak of Focus
Currently, International Health Organizations are focusing on one main Chikungunya outbreak. In recent months, the virus has popped up in the cities of Santa Cruz, the eastern side of Bolivia, and Cochabamba, a central region. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne and transmissible illness that causes fever and severe joint pain. Symptoms typically begin 3-7 days after an infected mosquito bites. The virus currently has no specific treatment, however, death due to the virus is rare.
The CDC currently has Bolivia’s Chikungunya outbreak listed in the Level 2 Category titled “Practice Enhanced Cautions.” Its main advice for prevention of obtaining the virus is actions necessary to avoid mosquito bites. These actions include using insect repellent, wearing long sleeved clothing and residing in places that have screens on windows and doors. Homeless individuals across the country become more vulnerable to contracting the virus as their access to housing with screens on windows and doors is more limited. Additionally, the CDC recommends the virus-like particle vaccine Vimkunya for travelers visiting chikungunya outbreak areas. Chikungunya certainly stands out as the primary focus for health officials out of the couple of diseases impacting Bolivia currently.
Global Dengue
The CDC lists two other diseases, global dengue and global measles, in the Level 1 Category titled “Practice Usual Precautions.”
Global dengue, like Chikungunya, spreads through infected mosquitoes and is a year round risk to many parts of the world. The virus usually takes up to 2 weeks to develop and causes fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. The CDC placed Bolivia in Level 1 for global dengue due to a couple reasons that include higher reported numbers of dengue than usual in the country, a higher than expected number of dengue cases among U.S. travelers returning from Bolivia and an outbreak that health officials recently mitigated. In order to prevent contracting this virus, health officials recommend avoiding mosquito bites by wearing long sleeved clothing and applying insect repellent. Global dengue popped up significantly in Bolivia in 2024 with close to 60,000 cases appearing in 2024 alone.
PAHO’s Efforts
The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) worked with Bolivian authorities to improve the quality of clinical care within the country so that doctors increased their ability to detect the virus early. This assistance from the organization became part of a multi-country program to mitigate the number of cases of dengue that popped up in countries such as Bolivia, Paraguay, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. The program started wrapping up its work in mid-2025 and the five countries involved jointly saw a 70% average reduction in new cases compared to the previous 5 years.
Global Measles
Global measles is a respiratory illness that is highly contagious. It spreads through coughing and sneezing and typical warning signs and symptoms of the illness include a red bumpy rash, a high fever and red watery eyes. The CDC recommends receiving the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine as the primary way to avoid contracting the virus. Additionally, the CDC advises the vaccination in particular to those who are traveling internationally.
The CDC placed Bolivia in Level 1 for global measles due to both the recent rise in cases in many countries across South America and a recent outbreak that happened in Bolivia itself. The measles outbreak in Bolivia started in April of 2025 eventually leading to a national emergency declaration with health officials reporting around 600 cases across the country.
Bolivia’s Vaccination Efforts
In response, Bolivia ramped up their vaccination efforts and were able to administer 1 million doses to children mostly aged 1 to 20 years old. Coverage for the vaccine expanded in response to this outbreak as 5 to 20-year-olds received the vaccine when previously coverage focused on 1 to 4-year-olds. Unfortunately, coverage for both first and second doses of the vaccine still is below the 95% threshold that helps ensure prevention of outbreaks. Doctors and helpers assisting with vaccination efforts focused on rural indigenous areas in particular as both distance and poverty posed a challenge. Local brigades went door to door while coordinating with local community leaders in order to ensure that the vaccines reach those in the communities who needed it.
The National Vaccination Registry helped assist in efforts as well by helping identify children that had incomplete vaccination schedules. Additionally, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Government of Canada worked to help Bolivia with outbreak control and quick response in order to mitigate the spread of this and other diseases.
Looking Ahead
Ultimately, diseases impacting Bolivia such as Chikungunya, Measles and Dengue have all had surges in numbers in recent years. The outbreaks brought concern to health officials and the key is the continuous work to limit the resumption of breakouts of these diseases. The work up to this point by organizations such as the Pan-American Health Organization contributed massively to a large reduction in cases and it is a positive sign of what is to come in the future.
– Drew Allen
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
How Yikodeen Is Building Safety Footwear in Nigeria
From Fashion Shoes to Industrial Footwear
Atunde did not begin with industrial boots. According to How We Made It in Africa, he studied computer science, trained in Italy, visited factories in China and later worked manually in a Nigerian shoe factory to understand local production. He saw differences in quality, process and scale, then used those lessons to build a company that could compete with imported footwear.
Yikodeen started in 2016 with fashion shoes. The company’s first major turning point came when it secured an order for 10,000 pairs of shoes for the police. At the time, Yikodeen was producing only a few hundred pairs each month, so the company needed machines and workers quickly. Instead of importing new equipment, Atunde bought and refurbished machines from old Nigerian footwear factories. The order pushed the company to grow from about 15 workers to about 50 and helped it move into government and security-sector supply.
Why the Safety-Boot Pivot Mattered
The police contract pointed Yikodeen toward a more deliberate market: safety footwear in Nigeria. In 2018, the company began developing safety boots, but certification requirements and the COVID-19 pandemic slowed progress. A key breakthrough came when Saipem, an Italian oil-services company operating in Nigeria, tested Yikodeen’s safety boots and began placing orders in 2022. That helped prove that a Nigerian manufacturer could meet strict safety and procurement standards.
That strategy fit a market where local content rules and workplace safety needs can create openings for domestic manufacturers. AVCA reported that Yikodeen is one of the indigenous manufacturers licensed by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board to supply the oil and gas industry. These credentials matter because industrial clients need products that meet safety requirements, while local-content policies can encourage companies to buy from qualified Nigerian suppliers.
Investment, Scale and Jobs
Growth brought outside capital. In 2025, Aruwa Capital Management invested $1.5 million in Yikodeen. How We Made It in Africa reported that the investment was expected to increase annual capacity roughly tenfold, helping the company meet larger corporate orders. Yikodeen also said the investment would support capacity expansion, local production and product development.
For workers, the expansion matters because it can create practical pathways into skilled production. The Guardian Nigeria reported that the upgrade was expected to create about 200 new jobs and bring more than 20 product varieties to the Nigerian safety-footwear market. These jobs and skills can help families facing poverty by offering income, training and a connection to formal industrial supply chains.
Why This Matters for Poverty Reduction
Yikodeen’s story matters because poverty in Nigeria is not only about income. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that many Nigerians experience overlapping deprivations in sanitation, food security, health care, housing quality, education and employment. For people in poverty, daily life can mean unstable work, long commutes, difficulty paying for basic needs and limited access to secure formal jobs. Manufacturing can help address part of this challenge when it creates reliable work, builds skills and strengthens local supply chains.
Safety footwear in Nigeria also has a worker-protection dimension. In sectors such as construction, oil and gas, power and manufacturing, reliable protective boots can reduce the risks workers face on the job. When these boots are made locally, the benefits can spread beyond the buyers: factories need machine operators, quality-control staff, warehouse workers, sales teams and suppliers. That makes Yikodeen a useful example of how local manufacturing can support both worker safety and economic opportunity.
A Practical Lesson for Local Industry
Yikodeen grew by repairing what Nigeria already had, meeting strict standards and reinvesting in production. Its use of refurbished machinery shows that industrial capacity can sometimes be rebuilt by recovering old assets and pairing them with new skills. Its work with demanding clients also shows that local firms can move into higher-value markets when they meet certification and quality requirements.
The company’s story does not mean local manufacturing is easy. Atunde has pointed to workforce management as one of the hardest parts of scaling, especially when lower-wage workers also need basic support such as meals and nearby accommodation. Still, Yikodeen shows how safety footwear in Nigeria can become part of a wider development pathway: protecting workers, creating jobs and proving that local firms can supply industries that once relied heavily on imports.
– Josephine Dokpesi
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Disability and Poverty in Vanuatu: 5 Initiatives To Combat the Crisis
Disability and poverty in Vanuatu have widened the economic gap; without access to the proper education or special needs to navigate the world, poverty rates continue to rise. Organizations and government initiatives are emerging to bridge the gap between the disabled and the rest of society.
Economic Background of Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a lower- to middle-income island country that has experienced declining economic growth in recent years—5.8% economic growth in 2023, 1% growth in 2024 and 1.5% growth in 2025. Statistics show a low school attendance rate with only 52% attending junior secondary school and 26% showing up for senior secondary school. Child labor is a frequent problem in the country as well, as a large portion of kids between the ages of 5 and 17 have been exploited for it. The poverty rate in Vanuatu is roughly 19.50%, which is the equivalent of $3 USD. The multi-dimensional poverty rate is at a stark 27.31%.
The types of disabilities the people experience are often more along the lines of learning disabilities, issues with reading and writing, and mathematical calculations. Children often drop out of school as a result of not having glasses to see properly. Here are five initiatives that are addressing disability and poverty in Vanuatu.
1. Vanuatu Skills Partnership (VSP)
The Vanuatu Skills Partnership (VSP) is an initiative that helps students with disabilities gain access to programs that cater to their specific needs, while providing targeted support for each career path. The Partnership works closely with the Ministry of Education to develop programs such as disability specific education programs and new skills policies, giving providers the ability to qualify individuals for training programs. The program also offers sign language training to better assist the deaf community. The program offers a renewed chance for people in the disabled community to live meaningful lives and contribute to the economy and society. Individuals with disabilities who were prevented from success in the past are finding renewed opportunities in tourism, farming, food distribution, construction and business investments.
2. Vanuatu Disability Promotion & Advocacy Association (VDPA)
Established in 1999, this organization serves as the primary advocacy group for the disabled community. Despite the United Nations’ ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Vanuatu still struggles to implement effective programs. With the VDPA, advocacy has continued to grow over the years since this ratification. It has been able to provide capacity building that strengthens disability organizations across the country, and the organization partners with the VSP to create collaborative approaches to disability programs. It also spreads awareness to change attitudes and remove barriers already in place.
3. Vanuatu Society for People With Disability (VSPD)
The Vanuatu Society for People with Disability (VSPD) offers access programs so that people with disabilities have easier access to their rights, specific services and opportunities to be able to contribute and support their society. The VSPD also supports advocating for community-based inclusive development, which also supports both boys and girls within the community, and also bridges gender gaps in the country’s disability problem. With the nation’s National Gender Equality Policy (NGEP), the VSPD focuses on contributing to the end of violence and discrimination against women and girls. The VSPD has a strong partnership with NGOs and government agencies, including Save the Children, Oxfam, CARE and World Vision, to assist with implementing their vision and breaking down the barriers for the disabled community.
4. VSPD and VDPA Partnership – Strategic Plans for 2024–2029
In 2025, the VSPD and VAPD partnered to develop a strategic set of plans for the years 2024 to 2029 to strengthen and further their disability advocacy programs. The plans are set to fully implement the National Disability-Inclusive Development Policy, which aims to fully remove the barriers for the disabled, and the Inclusive Education Policy, to align with the United Nations CRPD.
5. Provincial Disability Officers and Committees
The Ministry of Justice and Community Services partnered with the VSP to put disability officers and committees in highly populated parts of Vanuatu. The officers work with committees to ensure these programs are properly implemented and that the proper resources are available to create success for the national mission.
Looking Ahead
These initiatives have taken steps to alleviate disability and poverty in Vanuatu, advancing its target to addressing their poverty issues and human rights advancement.
– Benjamin Elland
Photo: Unsplash
Stitch by Stitch: Afghan Women Fight Poverty with Zardozi
Cherma Dozi, a well known and traditional Afghan embroidery style, celebrates underappreciated culture in the Middle East. It stands as one of many Zardozi patterns that showcases regional culture and beauty. Taking advantage of this common hobby is Zardozi, which is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that takes its name directly from the Afghan embroidery it promotes. It teaches women and girls in Afghanistan to create traditional stitching, protecting their economic opportunities under an oppressive government. This organization seeks to help women and girls find viable employment, participate in local markets and amplify their voices in the government.
Protecting Women
Zardozi embroidery utilizes basic fabrics that often fill Afghan homes and in local markets. Located in community spaces, Zardozi runs an embroidery business program, teaching women to sell their creations for profit. By learning how to sew this embroidery upon dresses, shirts and traditional attire, the program helps the girls to become proficient in sewing, embroidery and business skills. Nearly 1,000 Afghan women participate in the program. They currently operate four main centers in the cities of Kabul, Mazar, Jalalabad and Herat. These women also earn grants of $100 to get started. Notably, Zardozi formulates connections with local merchants and stores to purchase their goods.
Zardozi invites all women to participate, from advanced to beginners, all women, no matter their age. Nearly 2.2 million Afghan girls receive no formal schooling, emphasizing the importance of these programs. Serving as a vital alternative to typical school, these women learn, bond and grow as empowered leaders. By partnering with local markets, these women gain economic footing under an oppressive government. They develop a larger societal presence, stable connections and continued business growth even after graduating out of the program.
Preserving Culture
Historians believe Zardozi originated in Persia, and it remains a popular Middle Eastern embroidery technique. Throughout generations, women pass down familial techniques, formulating unique designs based on regional location and cultural lineage. More than 500 years old, Zardozi derives its name from two Persian words: “zar,” meaning gold, and “dozi,” meaning embroidery. It has appeared throughout history on traditional, royal attire for Asian countries. Using stones, beads and metallic thread, Zardozi creates stacked designs with layers of details and heavy material. Designs leap from the outfit, often favoring bright colors to symbolize luck and creativity.
Utilizing this ancient technique as a business foundation, Zardozi preserves key Afghan culture in the process. According to the University of London, traditional Afghan embroidery faces the risk of dying out due to a lack of interest from younger generations, volatile markets and competition from machine made products. Zardozi empowers these women to commercialize their products, protecting this vital craftsmanship from extinction.
Helping Afghanistan
Zardozi’s program transforms a traditional hobby into a powerful monetary asset, tackling systemic poverty in an innovative way. The program equips Afghan women with the market tactics, accounting basics and business skills to develop a sustainable livelihood.
As families pass down unique forms of Zardozi stitching from generation to generation, they teach young girls these sustainable practices allow them to support themselves while keeping their heritage alive. With Zardozi, women learn key skills and receive essential monetary support to combat local poverty, moving them one step closer to true economic gain, stability and a brighter future for all in Afghanistan.
– Maya Tung
Photo: Pixabay