Apartheid in South Africa ended in 1994 with their first democratic election; however, racial inequality still persists especially in terms of safety today. With this dramatic transition of government, there has also been a shift in police and military forces.
Under this transition, the government disbanded the South African Defense force as a direct result of paramilitary activity in the 1990s. This shift left white-ex officers without a job, as the new government hired all new black officers.
South Africa’s Private Security Forces Keep Communities Safe
With the government anxious to speed up the transition, the new police forces were not adequately trained and violent crime rose. The public lost trust in the judicial system as numerous counts of police brutality in cities such as Durbin and Rustenburg rarely resulted in any legal action. In fact, approximately only 1 out of 100 cases of police brutality filed against officers result in a criminal conviction.
The level of violence peaked last year — official statistics reported 45 murders per day, which is four times the average for African nations, as well as the international average. The most violence occurs within the Western Cape province and between April 2011 and March 2012, Victims of Crime Survey reported:
- 15, 609 murders
- 64,514 sexual offenses
- 101,203 aggravated robberies
- 57 percent of the people surveyed reported that they feared burglary/robbery the most
These various aspects of transition within the region contributed to South Africa’s street violence levels and, consequently, its need for a solution.
What is the Government Doing?
South Africa’s Ministry of Community Safety and the Western Cape government acknowledges that there are major drug problems, weekly shootings/killings, and increasing gang activity. However, the government argues that the police and military bodies are significantly understaffed and undertrained to be able to combat these growing security concerns.
Private security companies have stepped in to help fill this void. There are approximately 400,000 private security guards and 9,000 private security firms. The private security industry has become larger than the police and military combined.
The most significant reason for concern is that there is such a high percentage of violent and contact crime, of which only one-third is actually reported to the South African Police Unit (SAPS). Rising crime statistics and the lack of action by the South African government has also fueled the growth of the private security sector.
Violence and Poverty in South Africa
In South Africa, poverty and violence seem to be proportionate. Around 80 percent of all crime in South Africa occurs in poor, underdeveloped communities. Essentially, crime has been commodified. Safety as a luxury means that safety only benefits those who have the wealth the purchase it.
For the majority of South Africans, that simply is not feasible, as one-third of the population is unemployed and impoverished, Therefore, most South Africans are unable to pay for security services.
Private Security Industry
Companies like SecuPro, ProteaCoin, and CSS Tactical have employed “Last Boyscout” strategies, which means that security is a primary concern for everyone in the communities in which they operate, regardless of whether or not citizens in the communities are financially able to pay for their security services. Private security firms advocate a more proactive strategy: to deter crime before it happens rather than catching crime during or after it has occurred.
The use of tactical vehicles and strategic placement of trained security officers equipped with semi-automatic weapons are a method used in high-risk neighborhoods to deter criminal activity. Private security guards are armed response guards who work directly within the communities, report to local police and are responsible for far more than simple security system installations. More often than not, it is private security guards who are the first respondents on the scene.
Different Kinds of Officers
South African private security officers have similar powers to police in terms of stop and search, and the power to stop and report suspicious activity. When there is an absence of police or private security guards, citizens have stepped in to keep their communities safe as well.
Neighborhood watch groups are also prominent, as citizens have become fed up with their government’s inaction. Many people who cannot afford security services have become dependent on private security and neighborhood watch groups alike.
ProteaCoin hires ex-police and military officers and employs approximately 17,000 people. The private security industry is a multimillion industry, dealing in both residential and commercial security. ProteaCoin deals in small-scale crime, protecting local business.
South Africa’s petroleum and mining industries are also extremely lucrative and constantly subjected to burglary/robbery. The role of private security companies does differ distinctly from police, providing aid and support for the police.
Critics of Private Security
In the absence of police presence, private security companies are often the only forces on the streets. This begs the question, what happens when private security companies take matters into their own hands?
Critics argue primarily that the private security industry threatens national security. In their eyes, a dangerous situation arises when the private security industry outstrips both the police and army and is outside the reach of governmental regulation.
This puts the public at the public at the mercy of security companies and security guards, who could potentially be unprofessional because they do not need to meet government regulatory standards. The lack of professionalism can also be a deterrent for business investment, which is already declining year-by-year due to operating in high-risk regions.
Solution to South Africa’s Street Violence
In order to keep private security companies accountable in the neighborhoods in which they operate, a possible solution could be to have the private security firms owned by South African citizens.
There have also been new proposals by the South African state government to regulate the growing private security industry. However, unless the South African government is able to address the underlying causes of unemployment, crime, and poverty, violence will continue to persist.
– Kimberly Keysa
Photo: Flickr
How Saudi Arabia Plans to Tackle Unemployment
Unemployment in Saudi Arabia reached a record high 12.9 percent in the first fiscal quarter of 2018. To alleviate this number and the ever-present wealth gap, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced various social and economic reforms he hopes will mark a turning point in Saudi Arabian growth.
How Saudi Arabia Plans to Tackle Unemployment
Consistently one of the world’s top oil producers, Saudi Arabia hopes to lessen its dependence on the financially unstable resource to create a more diverse economy and to generate more jobs for its citizens.
The Saudi government will, however, continue to rely on oil for the foreseeable future in order to generate the capital that will allow them to invest in non-oil industry, ultimately alleviating the country’s reliance on oil.
Moving Away from Oil
Saudi Arabia has already shown a significant shift toward non-oil markets, specifically in the form of entertainment. The ban on movie theaters was recently lifted, and AMC Theaters proposed a plan to construct 40 theatres across 15 Saudi Arabian cities within the next five years, and a total of 100 theatres by 2030.
By introducing leisure-centric businesses, the Saudi government hopes to encourage spending by wealthy citizens while simultaneously providing jobs for the country’s impoverished citizens.
Incentivize Employment of Citizens
A major component affecting unemployment in Saudi Arabia is the number of foreign workers employed by private companies. Non-nationals account for 80 percent of the workforce, as they are typically migrants from neighboring countries willing to work for less than asked by Saudi Arabian citizens.
The Saudi Arabian government has announced in a series of reform plans, including the ambitious Vision 2030, that the country will invest in education for its people to prepare them to participate in the workforce. Additionally, the kingdom proposed strict nationalization quotas in the private sectors, meaning businesses will be required to hire a much higher rate of citizen workers.
By the end of the next decade, Saudi Arabia hopes that by investing in private enterprises and encouraging those enterprises to prioritize hiring Saudi nationals, they may increase the GDP generated by small businesses from 20 percent to 35 percent while simultaneously lowering the unemployment rate to 7 percent.
Social Reform
Beyond the humanitarian benefits that come from Saudi Arabia granting women many previously-withheld privileges, this key piece of social reform has the potential to bolster the economy by creating a new demographic of workers and consumers.
With nearly half the population of Saudi Arabia being female, introducing women to the workforce will allow for supplemental income in lower-class homes and help to fill the demand once nationalization quotas for small businesses are implemented.
The Saudi government expects social and economic reform to work cyclically, meaning that as previously marginalized people are introduced to the workforce, these members of society will help to grow the economy. This will then, in turn, create new businesses in need of more workers.
Looking Forward
Although Saudi Arabia is making very notable progress in terms of economic and social growth, it may take time for its efforts to translate to noticeable change. Many foreign and domestic investors remain wary of investing in Saudi Arabia, which are sentiments to be expected when a country announces major renovation.
However, once changes begin to take place and progress starts to show, investors may see the country as a place of economic potential. If the plans put forth in Vision 2030 come to fruition, unemployment in Saudi Arabia may dramatically decrease, and the country may find itself in a place of great economic development.
– Rob Lee
Photo: Flickr
Potential Solution to South Africa’s Street Violence
Apartheid in South Africa ended in 1994 with their first democratic election; however, racial inequality still persists especially in terms of safety today. With this dramatic transition of government, there has also been a shift in police and military forces.
Under this transition, the government disbanded the South African Defense force as a direct result of paramilitary activity in the 1990s. This shift left white-ex officers without a job, as the new government hired all new black officers.
South Africa’s Private Security Forces Keep Communities Safe
With the government anxious to speed up the transition, the new police forces were not adequately trained and violent crime rose. The public lost trust in the judicial system as numerous counts of police brutality in cities such as Durbin and Rustenburg rarely resulted in any legal action. In fact, approximately only 1 out of 100 cases of police brutality filed against officers result in a criminal conviction.
The level of violence peaked last year — official statistics reported 45 murders per day, which is four times the average for African nations, as well as the international average. The most violence occurs within the Western Cape province and between April 2011 and March 2012, Victims of Crime Survey reported:
These various aspects of transition within the region contributed to South Africa’s street violence levels and, consequently, its need for a solution.
What is the Government Doing?
South Africa’s Ministry of Community Safety and the Western Cape government acknowledges that there are major drug problems, weekly shootings/killings, and increasing gang activity. However, the government argues that the police and military bodies are significantly understaffed and undertrained to be able to combat these growing security concerns.
Private security companies have stepped in to help fill this void. There are approximately 400,000 private security guards and 9,000 private security firms. The private security industry has become larger than the police and military combined.
The most significant reason for concern is that there is such a high percentage of violent and contact crime, of which only one-third is actually reported to the South African Police Unit (SAPS). Rising crime statistics and the lack of action by the South African government has also fueled the growth of the private security sector.
Violence and Poverty in South Africa
In South Africa, poverty and violence seem to be proportionate. Around 80 percent of all crime in South Africa occurs in poor, underdeveloped communities. Essentially, crime has been commodified. Safety as a luxury means that safety only benefits those who have the wealth the purchase it.
For the majority of South Africans, that simply is not feasible, as one-third of the population is unemployed and impoverished, Therefore, most South Africans are unable to pay for security services.
Private Security Industry
Companies like SecuPro, ProteaCoin, and CSS Tactical have employed “Last Boyscout” strategies, which means that security is a primary concern for everyone in the communities in which they operate, regardless of whether or not citizens in the communities are financially able to pay for their security services. Private security firms advocate a more proactive strategy: to deter crime before it happens rather than catching crime during or after it has occurred.
The use of tactical vehicles and strategic placement of trained security officers equipped with semi-automatic weapons are a method used in high-risk neighborhoods to deter criminal activity. Private security guards are armed response guards who work directly within the communities, report to local police and are responsible for far more than simple security system installations. More often than not, it is private security guards who are the first respondents on the scene.
Different Kinds of Officers
South African private security officers have similar powers to police in terms of stop and search, and the power to stop and report suspicious activity. When there is an absence of police or private security guards, citizens have stepped in to keep their communities safe as well.
Neighborhood watch groups are also prominent, as citizens have become fed up with their government’s inaction. Many people who cannot afford security services have become dependent on private security and neighborhood watch groups alike.
ProteaCoin hires ex-police and military officers and employs approximately 17,000 people. The private security industry is a multimillion industry, dealing in both residential and commercial security. ProteaCoin deals in small-scale crime, protecting local business.
South Africa’s petroleum and mining industries are also extremely lucrative and constantly subjected to burglary/robbery. The role of private security companies does differ distinctly from police, providing aid and support for the police.
Critics of Private Security
In the absence of police presence, private security companies are often the only forces on the streets. This begs the question, what happens when private security companies take matters into their own hands?
Critics argue primarily that the private security industry threatens national security. In their eyes, a dangerous situation arises when the private security industry outstrips both the police and army and is outside the reach of governmental regulation.
This puts the public at the public at the mercy of security companies and security guards, who could potentially be unprofessional because they do not need to meet government regulatory standards. The lack of professionalism can also be a deterrent for business investment, which is already declining year-by-year due to operating in high-risk regions.
Solution to South Africa’s Street Violence
In order to keep private security companies accountable in the neighborhoods in which they operate, a possible solution could be to have the private security firms owned by South African citizens.
There have also been new proposals by the South African state government to regulate the growing private security industry. However, unless the South African government is able to address the underlying causes of unemployment, crime, and poverty, violence will continue to persist.
– Kimberly Keysa
Photo: Flickr
Martial Arts in Brazil: A Success Tool for Children
Brazil’s strength lies in its globalization: soccer and its telenovelas, for instance, are instantly recognizable to the international gaze as part of the country’s cultural brand. The same can be said for martial arts. The practice of martial arts in Brazil has existed since the 16th century, but the nation didn’t globally influence the field until the 20th century. Today, martial arts is a tangible and widely known element to Brazil’s landscape that is steadily being used to empower the upcoming generation.
Martial Arts
Martial arts is not just a combat sport; it is a codified system that permits the individual to learn more about oneself internally and externally. Many, if not all, forms of martial arts strive to improve the body, mind and spirit in equal precedence. Its cultural eminence and exploration of one’s limits make martial arts an excellent teaching enhancement for children in Brazil.
This is doubly true for those born in favelas – Brazilian slums where youth options are often limited to criminality, drug trafficking and sex trade. Families are increasingly enrolling their children in martial arts classes to keep them off the violent and poverty-ridden streets. The safe and controlled practicum of martial arts provides a fresh approach to life; children that would have otherwise continued to churn the cycle of poverty are able to build trust, strength and companionship while training with others.
Fight for Peace
Located in Complexo da Maré, a dangerous complex of favelas in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, is the organization Fight for Peace. The organization’s mission is upheld by their Five Pillars methodology. The First Pillar is to teach boxing and martial arts to local youth in order to boost self-esteem, discipline and respectful camaraderie. The other Four Pillars are education, employability, support services and youth leadership. These include opportunities such as vocational courses, home visits, education for those with learning difficulties and individual mentoring.
Children are encouraged to maintain an education and thereby continue their martial arts training until at least the age of schooling. By employing a multi-disciplinary approach that starts with martial arts in Brazil, Fight for Peace emboldens young individuals in disadvantaged communities to realize and pursue their potential.
Jose Aldo Fight School
Another valuable resource in Maré is the Jose Aldo Fight School, founded by UFC Featherweight Champion, Jose Aldo. As someone who came from an impoverished background with limited opportunities, Aldo has turned his success into a platform that paves the way for others.
So far, Aldo’s school has trained 534 students between the ages of 6 and 22 in judo, jiu-jitsu and boxing. The school aims to provide a strong and supportive community where children won’t feel that their only option out of hardship is to resort to crime.
Empowering the Youth
“Here, we replace a gun for a kimono,” says Marcelo Negrão, a jiu-jitsu teacher at Jose Aldo Fight School. Martial arts in Brazil have enabled its impoverished youth to harness the formative power of sport and use that confidence to create new paths for themselves.
Going forward, this medium of empowerment will hopefully continue to gain traction within the nation and as a global practice.
– Yumi Wilson
Photo: Huffington Post
3 Organizations Reduce Poverty in Bangladesh
In the last decade, numerous methods, groups and programs have attempted to reduce poverty in Bangladesh. With help from its government, as well as other governments, the nation has managed to reduce its poverty levels by over half in the last decade and is working towards reducing it even further. The country has implemented several successful development innovations. On top of it all, the country is also providing asylum to almost one million Rohingya people.
3 Organizations Reduce Poverty in Bangladesh
What has been done to get Bangladesh to this point? These are three organizations and their efforts that helped reduce poverty in Bangladesh:
Daily Improvement
Organizations and charities recognized that investing in the people of Bangladesh was the best way to reduce poverty. World Bank group president, Jim Yong Kim, gave a speech in 2017 praising the efforts made by Bangladesh. One of his most important points was that between 2003 and 2013, women’s employment jumped from seven million to seventeen million.
Bangladesh aims to become a middle-income country by 2021 and to eradicate most, if not all, poverty by 2030. With the help and compassion from several organizations and the government, there has been great progress to reduce poverty in Bangladesh. Many other countries could follow suit and learn from Bangladesh’s poverty reduction efforts.
– Miranda Garbaciak
Photo: Flickr
What is USAID?
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is often brought up when people talk about spending bills for foreign aid and in policy reports analyzing the government foreign assistance programs. They do not explain what USAID actually is, what its purpose is, who is in charge of it, or what are its responsibilities as an organization.
The text below will go through the history of USAID, its importance to the United States government, and the organization’s responsibilities in the fiscal year 2019.
History of USAID
In the fall of 1961, U.S. Congress passed the Foreign Assitance Act. This act formally separated military and non-military aid since before this point political and military spending was not differentiated from development spending. The bill also mandated for the creation of an agency that will be responsible for managing the new category of economic and development aid. President John F. Kennedy, shortly after the passing of the bill, created USAID by executive order.
The creation of USAID unified several existing programs and operations, including the Food for Peace Program, loans from the Development Loan Fund and the economic assistance from International Cooperation Agency. By unifying these operations, USAID provided a new focus on aiding other countries.
Who is in charge of USAID and what is USAID responsible for?
USAID largely follows the policy directions of the President, State Department and the National Security Council. It can be stated with the certainty that it is not a completely interdependent agency. USAID is not responsible for military aid whose responsibility falls primarily to the Department of Defense. Instead, USAID is concerned with humanitarian and development aid.
Since its formation, USAID’s scope of humanitarian aid expanded. USAID’s assistance now includes global health, gender equality, water and sanitation, education and many other categories. It also works in several regions all over the world including Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
A good example of what USAID does as an organization is the program called Promoting Gender Equality in National Priority Programs Project (PROMOTE) in Afghanistan. This program aims to increase female participation in the total workforce by offering women internships to build up their resume and network.
It will also help the economic development of Afghanistan by creating a larger workforce. According to an evaluation made by USAID in 2017, 237 women got a job in the first year of the program’s implementation. Also, 98 percent of the women who were helped into internships by USAID reported that they were working in a women-friendly workplace.
What is USAID planning on doing in 2019?
USAID and the State Department will receive $39 billion from the president’s budget. USAID is responsible for managing $16 billion of this amount that is just below half of all the money allocated to foreign aid. USAID hopes to accomplish several objectives in the fiscal year 2019 including providing leadership in response to national disasters and human crises, improving global health by stopping the spreading of diseases and improving transparency of the organization’s activities and its spendings.
To summarize, what is USAID? USAID is an organization that is the primary executor of foreign aid spending of the United States. It oversees billions of dollars every year with the goal of helping developing nations economically, socially and politically. USAID does this through the creation of government programs to help those who need it most.
– Drew Garbe
Photo: Flickr
Top 10 Facts About Living Conditions in Nicaragua
Nicaragua faces mounting violence and instability as citizens go out to the streets to protest the corrupt rule of President Daniel Ortega. During times of chaos, it is important to understand what conditions for citizens have been like in previous years. The following 10 facts about living conditions in Nicaragua presented in the text below both describe the unsettling state of affairs in the country and provide evidence of hope for a brighter future.
Top 10 Facts About Living Conditions in Nicaragua
These top 10 facts about living conditions in Nicaragua provide a mixed account of the status of the country. Nicaragua is developing and it cannot be, in any case, characterized as a stable country. Recent progress, however, indicates that the country could have the potential to develop and attain stability. Late violent outbursts linked to government corruption thwart such hopes for progress and the current priority for the Nicaraguan people should be finding peace and justice through dark times. It is important to remember the progress that Nicaragua has made, and can continue to make after such peace is settled.
– Julia Bloechl
Photo: Flickr
Medical Tourism in India
India is, surprisingly to some people, known today for cost-effective and high-quality medical treatments, and the country achieves this by using the latest technologies and skilled doctors. This has turned India into a hub for medical tourism, with many foreign patients traveling to the country for treatment. Several countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria and the United States are all utilizing medical services in India.
The Growth of Medical Tourism in India
Medical tourism in India is estimated at $3 billion and continues to grow rapidly. In fact, it is projected to grow to $8 billion by 2020. This leads to job creation in both the public and private sectors in the country and promotes development and poverty alleviation in India. This thriving industry has the support of government agencies as well as the private sector. Besides medical services, there are many auxiliary service providers who also participate, including public and private transport operators, hotel and guest house owners.
Advantages of the Indian Medical Care System
India offers high-quality medical facilities and skilled medical personnel for a much lower cost in some of the more developed countries, thus attracting patients, that can as well be considered medical tourists. For example, treatment costs in India are around a tenth of the price in the United States.
With thousands of experienced doctors and nurses, India also offers a high quality of care. Another advantage of medical tourism in India is a lack of a language barrier. For English-speaking patients, India is a convenient destination for medical care, as English is the official language in this country. To aid those who are not proficient in English, some hospitals have hired translators fluent in languages of Eastern Europe and Africa.
The Government Role in Medical Tourism Growth
Almost 500,000 medical tourists came to India for treatment in 2017 and India holds 18 percent of the global medical tourism market. The government of India has removed visa restrictions for this type of tourism to further spur growth. In fact, e-tourist visas are now being offered for such treatment, including for short-term ailments. By speeding up the visa process and creating designated immigration facilities, the government is attempting to encourage the growth of this industry by attracting tourists from all over the world. The number of medical tourism visas in India has risen by 45 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year.
Alternative Medicine
While India is known for cardio therapy, transplants and orthopedics, alternative medicine and wellness procedures such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Acupuncture are also gaining popularity in the West, which draws patients to India, where there are experts in these fields as well.
The government is focusing on endorsing its wellness industry by setting up new facilities. It has set up the Ministry of AYUSH to promote research and education in this industry. The government has also invested in publicity and organization of events and seminars to promote this industry and attract private investment.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry has launched a global summit to promote health care services export from India. The state tourism department of Maharashtra has launched a portal to make information about medical care more accessible. By consulting various stakeholders and government agencies, the county is attempting to create a feedback system to further assist patients.
Medical tourism in India is one of the ways in which the country has a chance to promote growth and development, while successfully leveraging its resources and facilities. The rise in the number of doctors, facilities and access to technology further enables India to be a viable destination for patients worldwide.
– Isha Kakar
Photo: Flickr
The Paradox of Water Crisis in Mexico
Mexico City is facing a water crisis, with one in five citizens lacking access to reliable tap water. Many people only receive water once a week from a truck they must pay to deliver the water to the designated area and even then they have to wait in line for hours, sometimes overnight, out of fear the truck will run out of the water.
The poorest areas are not serviced by these expensive trucks and individuals must walk long distances to get water for their families. Mexico City’s water crisis is worsening as temperatures increase, droughts get longer and more frequent, aquifer water levels continue to drop and a lack of funds prevents solutions from being implemented.
However, while many people in the city lack clean water, the city also has a problem with floodings. This represents the paradox of water crisis in Mexico.
Water Sources in the City
A significant portion of the city’s water comes from underground aquifers. Water-impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt prevent water from filtering through the ground to the depleted aquifers. Mexico City continues to draw water from this finite resource while increased development inhibits rainwater from replenishing the water level, raising concerns about the future availability of water.
Because local water sources are insufficient to supply Mexico City’s large population of 21 million, about 40 percent of water is brought into the city from remote locations. There are over 8,000 miles of pipes designed to transport this water. Forty percent of the water that needs to be supplied is lost as a result of leaking pipes or theft. Even with these supplementary water sources, Mexico City struggles to consistently supply all its citizens with tap water. This problem is exacerbated by a lack of infrastructure designed at capturing rainwater and recycling waste water.
The Paradox of Water Crisis in Mexico
The paradox of Mexico City’s water crisis is that the same population facing a water shortage is also plagued with periodic flooding. Situated 1.5 miles above the sea level, the city was originally settled by the Aztecs in the 14th century on an island in the middle of a system of lakes. As the population grew, some of these lakes were filled, and eventually, the Aztecs were conquered by the Spanish and any remaining lakes were drained.
In addition, as the aquifers are depleted to supply the city with water, the ground compresses and the city sinks up to nine inches a year in some regions. This combination makes Mexico City prone to flooding during summer storms.
Solutions to the Problem
In order to address this problem, multiple projects have been proposed. Parks have been designed in key areas to allow rainwater to seep into the ground and replenish the aquifer while minimizing flood risk. Other efforts focus on reducing the impact of development and improving wastewater management to increase local water availability. For example, some roadways built on top of what used to be river beds have been altered to incorporate linear parks aimed at treating runoff.
Sustainable projects like these are increasingly common as the future of water availability becomes a greater concern. However, to truly address Mexico City’s water crisis the government will have to significantly invest in new infrastructure aimed at collecting rainwater and recycling waste water. Relying on a depleted aquifer and water imported from remote sources is not a long-term solution and locals will continue to suffer the paradox of water crisis in Mexico, the situation in which they lack access to reliable water sources while also being at risk of debilitating floods.
– Georgia Orenstein
Photo: Flickr
Anganwadi Workers in India
Anganwadi is a child and health care system in India, initiated by the government to promote nutrition, education and health care to its citizens, particularly in rural areas. Anganwadi workers in India are the first point of contact between organized health care and the poor people in rural India. The responsibilities of these workers include caring for the health and well being of nursing women, children and socioeconomically deprived groups.
The Anganwadi Workers
There are over one million Anganwadi centers in India with 2 million workers, benefiting over 70 million people. Each worker is responsible for the well-being of around 1,000 people in villages across India. The workers are from the community they operate in and thus have an intimate understanding of the issues surrounding patients. They are able to gain the trust of the patients and are thus able to provide for their needs.
This workforce includes mostly women and is regarded as an acceptable and effective means of employment for women in rural areas. Nursing women and children are comfortable being treated by these workers and find it easier to seek help. The workers participate in rudimentary training and skills to care for the people in their village.
The workers are often the only source of help for villagers and thus allow more people to gain access to health care. Rural India suffers from issues such as overpopulation, lack of sanitation and illiteracy, and these workers are able to ease the overburdened health care system of the country.
Benefits for the Children
Anganwadi centers also serve as free-of-cost preschool centers for children in the area. These centers also organize immunization programs for children and provide information on how to attain adequate nutrition. The mission of the organization is to remove malnutrition in India by 2022. The successes of polio and leprosy eradication programs in the country owe a great deal to the efforts of the Anganwadi workers.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development provides different types of training for workers, including classroom training. Some workers receive up to 3 months of training. Workers are also provided with refresher training from time to time. This ensures that workers have some understanding of health care and social development of children and are able to provide assistance to families.
Educational and Environmental Role
There has been a recent focus on sanitation measures that include providing drinking water, promoting personal hygiene practices and establishing practices of environmental sanitation. This provides people with tools to care for themselves and their environment. Workers provide advice on preventing open defecation, unhygienic food preparation and unsanitary living.
Anganwadi centers also organize workshops to empower adolescent girls through education, skill development and personal hygiene. By promoting literacy and nutrition, the centers are providing resources to young girls to develop themselves personally and professionally. This is also a means to reduce child marriages by providing skills to be economically and socially empowered.
Workers also utilize technology such as smartphones to create a database of residents of the village and schedule home visits for those who are immobile. Technology is also used to track activities, attendance and growth. This is also a good way to track progress and keep workers accountable.
Despite their helpful service, Anganwadi workers in India are severely underpaid. The government of India has provided greater incentives and salary to these workers so they are able to provide for themselves adequately.
Anganwadi workers in India provide the systematically oppressed with access to health care, education and sanitation facilities. This allows for an improvement in the quality of life of Indians and provides many women with employment opportunities. Continuous work of this organization will benefit the country in its goal of eradicating poverty.
– Isha Kakar
Photo: Flickr
Top 10 Facts About Poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Poverty in the Democratic Republic of The Congo (DRC) can be interpreted as a combination of spillover conflict from neighboring African nations, as well as an embedded culture of governmental corruption. In the text below, the top 10 facts about poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will address the underlying causes, as well as how DRC has been able to improve impoverished conditions in recent years.
Top 10 Facts About Poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
These top 10 facts about poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo provide an understanding of not only how poverty developed in the country and the effects poverty has had on the people, but also working solutions to address this issue. The Democratic Republic of the Congo can also provide an example of success for other post-conflict societies in improving poverty rates.
– Kimberly Keysa
Photo: Flickr