“I lost my brother due to paralysis when I was in 5th grade.” These are the words of Sachin Negi, a twenty-year-old college student in India. Currently, 385 million children live in extreme poverty and 25,000 of them die each day due to an illness similar to the one contracted by Negi’s brother. Although Negi was born in a middle-class family, he grew up seeing impoverished people wandering the streets or the sidewalks lining his house. He caught a glimpse of his brother’s pain in the difficulties of these people. They were begging, roaming the streets and scavenging for food. He could not bear it. That is why he started the Saroja Foundation.
The Saroja Foundation
Sachin Negi spoke with The Borgen Project in early February 2020. Negi established a nonprofit organization named the Saroja Foundation, titled in the honor of his mother. She was a hard-working housewife who guided Negi in every phase of his life. While many acknowledge that poverty cannot be eradicated completely with a single action, the organization aims to take steps to diminish it bit by bit. Specifically, the foundation visits underdeveloped neighborhoods to distribute textbooks to young children who cannot afford to go to school, helping them recognize their potential.
Though its main objective is to empower the poor with education, the organization also plans to use funds to develop programs at local colleges and other schools in Delhi. It hopes to raise awareness of extreme poverty in the community and beyond. According to the board members, combatting poverty starts with changing the mindset of others and identifying poverty as a crucial issue.
What is at the Crux of Poverty?
“The problem is that the poor and the rich do not help each other. Then, what ends up happening is that the poor stay poor, and the rich stay rich. That is it. Everyone says that they want to help, but they want to show it more than actually do it,” said Sachin Negi
Another reason for poverty and hunger is unemployment, according to Negi. When people are born poor and lack access to education, their background is not competitive enough for jobs. Consequently, they can only operate small businesses such as tea stalls or food corners. Circumstances like these are why 10% of the world’s population still lives on less than $1.90 a day in 2020.
Founding the Foundation
Throughout the process of establishing the new foundation in a society where such initiatives are rarely supported, Negi is grateful to receive immense support from his family. Negi’s father noted in the interview, “our youngest son passed away at the tender age of 6 months because of weakness. That, coupled with the death of his other 17-year-old brother, has shaken Negi and developed his passion to help the poverty-stricken. In addition to studying from books, he is always trying to give out books to those people who do not have them.”
Furthermore, his best friend, 19-year-old Chetna Rana, serves as the Social Media Manager of the foundation. “She has done more for me than anyone has. She stood by me when my brothers died and helped me set up this foundation when I had almost no one by my side. Chetna was always there to spread the knowledge of our foundation in our respective colleges,” said Negi.
Poverty Through a Different Pair of Eyes
Rana’s approach to the poverty crisis is slightly different. Though she has no specific family background that inspires her to create the foundation, Rana visited several indigent communities to deliver soap during college. She provided sanitation to thousands of children and adults. In her interview with The Borgen Project, she identified that the primary issue rests in the education system.
“Everyone focuses on bookish knowledge and memorization. There is so much of an emphasis on numbers that practical knowledge is never implemented in the curriculum. Usually, the person who reads the book the most scores the highest in the class,” said Chetna Rana.
Due to this, students entering the workforce in developing nations are often not cognizant of the impact their actions have on the surrounding environment. As for the poor, there are limited opportunities to obtain such “bookish knowledge” and, thus, a successful career. Talents, such as singing, dancing and digital marketing, are often discouraged, obliging children as young as 4-5 year-olds to work in factories to get one meal a day.
Funding the Future
To help young people realize their passions, the foundation also plans on hosting and organizing several career education programs. However, as a recently-formed organization, the Saroja Foundation is experiencing difficulty in securing funds. All founders are still students, and it costs around 10,000 to 12,000 rupees just to propose to register with the Indian government. Funds are so limited that even creating an official website is not possible. “Many people have the mentality that advocating against poverty is a waste of time. There is only one question on everyone’s minds: “Where is our money going?”
As Negi progresses in his degree in computer science, he hopes that the foundation will receive more donations. The Saroja Foundation intends on creating software that could raise awareness about poverty. It also distributes books to underdeveloped schools and collects old shoes for cobblers who can then repair them for reuse. Negi’s dream is to collaborate with Food Panda, a company that processes online food orders from customers and sends them to partner restaurants for delivery.
“Though I love the service. The issue lies in the fact that if a customer cancels an order after its processing, the food may have already been prepared. Because it is not given to the customer, it just goes into the trash. I want to develop a system to give this unconsumed food to those who cannot afford it,” said Negi.
Anyone Can Make an Impact
The Saroja Foundation would love to interact with other nonprofit organizations both regionally in India and internationally to engage more people toward the cause. Efforts will not be ceasing anytime soon. Interested organizations, as well as individuals, may visit Saroja Foundation’s webpage here. The organization is also active on Instagram and Twitter @sarojafoundation18. As Negi expresses, “The internal happiness I receive as a result of running this foundation cannot be underscored enough. It is the reason why I am here today.”
– Gaytri Vasal
Photo: Flickr
5 Organizations Investing in Girls’ STEM Education in Developing Nations
These numbers indicate a failure of educational systems to retain girls in STEM. This results in a deficiency of women in STEM jobs, which is especially alarming because these STEM careers drive innovation, inclusive growth and sustainable development. To address this challenge and improve the participation and achievement of girls in STEM, several organizations are amplifying girls’ STEM education in developing nations.
5 Organizations Investing in Girls’ STEM Education in Developing Nations
With technological change accelerating, a continued failure to develop girls’ STEM education will diminish the potential of half the global population. However, by investing in girls’ STEM education in developing nations, these five organizations are driving innovation and women’s economic participation. These goals are highly cost-effective and thoughtful investments; closing the gender gap in digital fluency will open work opportunities for women, contribute to national economic growth and help achieve larger gender parity.
– Kayleigh Rubin
Photo: Wikimedia
The State of Homelessness in Sweden
Defining Homelessness
Because numerous factors can cause homelessness, every country has a different definition of homelessness. In Sweden, a person is homeless if they are in:
This certainly is a broad definition to determine if someone is homeless. However, even with this broad definition, counting the exact number of homeless people in Sweden is a challenge. In Sweden’s 2011 survey, for example, there were 34,000 homeless people. Around 4,500 people were classed as being in an acute situation, which means that they were on the streets or in homeless shelters. However, some homeless organizations estimate that the total number could be higher. Stockholms Stadsmission, a Swedish homeless charity, pointed out that the data only presented 370 E.U. migrants. The organization claims that the survey’s estimate of these E.U. migrants is too low.
Causes of Homelessness
People fall into homelessness in Sweden for multiple reasons such as breaking up with a significant other, escaping domestic abuse or suffering from mental illness. However, the lack of affordable housing seems to be one of the main causes of homelessness in Sweden. The housing prices in Sweden, especially in Stockholm, have increased homelessness significantly. Sweden’s steadily growing population, which reached 10,183,175 people in 2018, is definitely affecting the ever-rising housing price. While an industry expert suggests that Sweden is building more homes to meet the rising demand for housing, these housings are often not affordable due to the cost of materials, land and labor.
The ones who are most affected by this rising housing prices are the marginalized and vulnerable members of society. Furthermore, Sweden’s welfare system is attracting an increasing number of immigrants into the country, which puts a strain on the system. While many migrants to Sweden are financially stable, there are groups of migrants who are not as fortunate. There are marginalized groups of E.U. migrants who fall into homelessness in Sweden.
Amnesty International’s 2018 report on the Romani population in Sweden found that there is a sizable population of Romani and other E.U migrants who are suffering from homelessness in Sweden. Romani, in particular, are marginalized more than other races in the entirety of Europe. In Sweden, the report suggests that many Romani people suffer from prejudice and lack of access to basic amenities such as water, shelter and healthcare. Lacking heated shelter, for example, is dangerous for the homeless since night temperature in Sweden usually falls below freezing. One homeless man described in an interview for the report that he had to wander around the streets to keep himself from freezing to death after being kicked out of a bus station at 2 am.
Measures Being Taken to Help
Some people aim to alleviate homelessness in Sweden. The Swedish government, for its part, is taking measures to alleviate the current issue. Stockholms Stadmission, for example, opened the first food bank in Stockholm. Human rights activists in Sweden are also calling for multiple reforms to alleviate the homelessness in Sweden. Since the highest cost of land, workers and materials to build new housing is negatively affecting the lives of the homeless in Sweden, human rights activists are calling for rental, tax and land reforms. Swedish politicians are responding to this call. Recently, the Swedish government introduced measures to encourage housing turnovers and subsidies to encourage the construction of more affordable housing.
Homelessness in Sweden is a complicated issue. The rising demand and price of housing are putting pressure on Sweden’s steadily increasing population. While Sweden’s broad definition of a person’s homelessness might broaden the number of people who can receive assistance, the task of counting the exact number of homeless people in Sweden is still challenging. Many EU migrants, the Romani people in particular, still face the danger that homelessness in Sweden brings. The Swedish government and charity organizations are taking measures to address this issue both on the local and governmental levels. While a long road still lies ahead for the homeless of Sweden, many hope that a better life is coming for them.
– YongJin Yi
Photo: Flickr
Surf Tourism and Poverty
Surf Tourism and Poverty
With popularity comes overcrowding, and beaches can only hold so many surfers without creating unsafe conditions. As a result, many first-world surfers are opting to spend the extra money to travel where population density is lower. Yet, behind these exotic destinations, locals are losing their homes and living in poverty.
Countries like Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea and El Salvador are particularly experiencing the negative effects of surf tourism. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way. Through collaboration between governments, surf businesses, travelers and residents, surf tourism and poverty can be dealt with responsibly and bring much-needed economic stimulus to impoverished surf meccas.
Radical Changes
Nicaragua, one of Central America’s most impoverished countries, is an up and coming surfing destination. The nation sits between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, giving surfers an abundance of waves to choose from. However, social injustice and extreme poverty threatens Nicaragua’s budding surf tourism industry. In the past two years, a student-led uprising has been protesting against Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s regime. Since then, the nation’s economy contracted by 10 percent, and foreign direct investment has fallen by 50 percent. Compared to 2017, the country’s tourism earnings have dropped 45 percent in 2020. Before the political turmoil, Nicaragua was predicted to become the next Costa Rica, but now the country is struggling to keep its head above water.
Hope lies in local Nicaraguan businesses persevering through the tough economic times. Local surfer Germán Sánchez opened a guest house in his hometown of Asseradores to cater to backpackers and surfers looking to score at a world-class beach break. The Boom Hostel is one of the few Nicaraguan-owned bed-and-breakfasts and is becoming a prime pit stop for travelers to surf, eat and lodge. This hostel provides access to amazing waves while supporting the local economy and community.
Surfing Sustainably
In Papua New Guinea, the Surfing Association of Papua New Guinea (SAPNG) has created the first-ever national surf management plan. One of the main goals of SAPNG’s plan is to “further social and economic development at the grassroots level” through the associated surf clubs of the SAPNG.
The Vanimo Surf Lodge is one of the affiliated village clubs responsible for upholding the plan’s tenets. Vanimo charges visitors 20 kinas ($8.50 USD) per day to surf the village’s reefs and beach breaks. The funds go to local landowners and stakeholders in the community. According to SAPNG, indigenous groups own the beaches and reefs and are responsible for maintaining them. The Vanimo Surf Lodge has been successful in raising funds for the community. With help from local leaders and Walu-International, it raised $17,000 to deliver working toilets to the village’s 1,500 residents. Unfortunately, land disputes, local reluctance and national corruption have prevented the public restrooms from being completed.
Waves of Empowerment
California State Governor Gavin Newsom recently visited El Salvador to market surfing tourism as a way to boost the developing nation’s economy. Newsom and other industry leaders met with president-elect Nayib Bukele to discuss El Salvador’s potential for becoming a beach vacation hub, similar to California.
The U.S federal government has invested into El Salvador’s infrastructure through the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The MCC contributed $3 million last year to a $10.8 million project to develop a coastal area of the El Zonte region. California hopes to continue this trend of foreign aid by encouraging surf tourism development in the country.
After Newsom’s visit, President Nayib Bukele announced an initiative called “Surf City” to invest in beaches to attract more foreign interest to El Salvador. California’s tourism arm, Visit California, is considering working with El Salvador to help the country generate its economy with more tourist dollars. El Salvador is a wave-rich country ready to begin managing surf tourism and poverty. California’s guidance could help change the country’s reputation of a violent and poverty-stricken nation to a world-class surfing experience.
The Road Ahead
There are challenges in management and implementation for surf tourism. Many impoverished communities are abused by outsiders coming in to exploit their natural resources. Fortunately, surf tourism has the chance to be different. The fact that surfing can attract tourist dollars to better local economies is a great benefit for impoverished nations. Surf industry leaders building trust with local residents are laying the groundwork for a socially responsible model of surf tourism. Surfing and the business that follows it can give at-risk communities a stronger sense of identity and empowerment.
– Henry Schrandt
Photo: Pixabay
Democracy in Ghana: An Evolution of Freedom and Stability
Country Profile: Then and Now
When Jerry Rawlings won the 1992 election with the National Democratic Congress, it the beginning of a road to change in Ghana. A referendum pushing for a new constitution passed in April of 1992 that allowed for the reintroduction of a multiparty system. The first democratic elections were representative of the future development the country would undergo in the coming years. Previously, the nation underwent a series of military-led coups that ultimately undermined efforts to create a unified nation after independence. Ghana struggled, as most countries have, after the throws of colonial rule and the quick, jarring shift from little independence to that in full.
Under Jerry Rawlings and his Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), Ghana created “a structural adjustments economic reform” in 1983 that carried them into a new democratic regime and greatly affected the economic development of the country. Empirical data concerning factors such as GDP, life expectancy and primary school enrollment rates can give valuable opportunities for analysis of the upward trajectory that Ghana experienced after 1992.
In 2018, Ghana’s GDP was $65.56 billion while, in 1992, it was almost 10 times lower at $6.4 billion. Life expectancy has risen from 57.4 years to more than 63. The infant mortality rate, a common indicator of development and the degree of public service provisions in developing countries, has dropped drastically from 75.6 percent to 35 percent. Furthermore, primary school enrollment has undergone a 24 percent increase.
Influence of Democracy
When Jerry Rawlings ended his two terms as president in 2000, the handover of government to John Kufuor was peaceful and without incident. In the 2008 election between former Foreign Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and former Vice-President John Atta-Mills, the Electoral Commission did as they had done for previous elections and invited foreign observers to oversee the production of the election. Again, the transition was smooth and transparent.
Advancements in democracy in Ghana are due, in part, to the fact that it puts politicians in a position to appeal to the needs of their constituents. The 1992 election is a prime example of this. The PNDC became popular with rural Ghanaians because of its role in the allocation of government funds to development projects in rural areas that were headed by local District Assemblies. The rural sector represents a large majority of Ghanaians, a majority that previous administrations had long since neglected.
The representation of all Ghanaians strikes at the core of the importance of providing democratic practices to transfer power to those who have traditionally and historically had none. Political incentives for leaders to invest in the needs of their people allow for the decentralization of economic power so citizens can keep their governmental institutions accountable.
Enhancing the Lives of Ghana’s Citizens
Democracy in Ghana has provided more than a baseline of free and fair elections. The day to day aspects of people’s lives change when they are accurately represented in their leadership. According to a transformation index set by a project by Bertelsmann Stiftung, which aims to understand the transition from authoritarianism to democracy in various countries, Ghana stands at 32 in a list of 129.
Indicators are measured on a scale from 1-10 and demonstrate the degree to which the country has made advancements in their transformation to inclusive institutions. Political participation and the stability of their democratic institutions are 8.5. International cooperation comes in at 8.3 while political and social integration is 7.8. These measurements provide evidence that democracy in Ghana has extended beyond promises on paper to protect civil liberties and the wellbeing of its citizens.
Perhaps the most important change that has come out of Ghana’s transition to democracy is the shift in reality for the millions of citizens who depend on their governmental institutions to provide inclusion and transparency. The implications of democracy run through their daily lives, specifically through increased attention by their leaders to the protection of human rights, civil liberties and the provision of public services. Democracy in Ghana has granted opportunities for representation and participation. Ghana’s economic, societal and political future beam with promise as the nation continues to make its way as an example of democratic rule in a developing country.
– Jessica Ball
Photo: Flickr
Cleaning Up Air Pollution in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a country that is largely dependent upon its production of oil. However, this oil and urban activities in Saudi Arabian cities are responsible for air pollution in Saudi Arabia. Air pollution impacts everyone, but it often hurts the poor the most since they tend to not have access to proper medical care when air pollution makes them sick. According to estimates, about 20 percent of people in Saudi Arabia live in poverty. Saudi Arabia should be able to improve the living conditions of both its impoverished and impoverished people by reducing its air pollution. Saudi Arabia has put forth a policy to improve air quality nationwide and has worked in one of its polluted cities in an attempt to improve air quality.
Ambient Air Standard
The type of air pollution that Saudi Arabia deals with is ambient air pollution. Ambient air pollution includes multiple types of pollutants, many of which are harmful. In 2012, Saudi Arabia put the Ambient Air Standard into place. The purpose of this standard is to reduce the number of harmful pollutants that contribute to air pollution in Saudi Arabia. The standard provides a basis for the maintenance and restoration of ambient air within Saudi Arabia. This action that the government of Saudi Arabia put into place should be beneficial to the people of the country because it will provide cleaner air due to the fact that it will restrict the amount of emissions companies emit.
Cleaning Up Dammam City
Regardless of how bad the air pollution in a country is, cities tend to always be hot spots for air pollution. The Saudi Arabian City of Dammam is one such city where air pollution is a severe problem. Urban activities such as running cars cause pollution in Dammam. Recognizing this, governmental authorities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia developed plans to reduce the air pollution that these urban activities created. For example, the General Department of Traffic used periodic vehicle inspection stations in order to improve the mileage emissions that the cars created. The General Agency of Roads made plans to pave new roads, fix existing ones and construct tunnels and bridges to improve the flow of traffic.
These changes had positive effects on reducing air pollution in Saudi Arabia. There was a decline in volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and particulate matter among other forms of air pollution. For example, carbon monoxide in industrial areas fell from above 16 parts per matter to almost two parts per matter. Volatile organic compounds in industrial areas fell from almost 0.8 parts per matter in 2010 to slightly above 0.2 in 2015. The data that the Journal of Taibah University provided shows that governmental officials’ action in Dammam has been working.
Air pollution in Saudi Arabia continues to be a problem for its people. However, the Saudi Arabian government has made some improvements to the quality of air, especially for the people living in Dammam.
– Jacob E. Lee
Photo: Flickr
Flipping the Switch on Solar Energy in Tanzania
Bringing Solar Energy to Tanzania
SunSweet Solar
Connecting rural areas to the power grid is an expensive process. However, solar energy has the ability to cut these high costs in the long-term. SunSweet allows customers to purchase energy via mobile phones, expanding energy access to schools and hospitals. Families who live in rural areas can also connect to power easily for a mere 15 cents per day. As of 2016, the technology has been implemented throughout six villages and provides energy to about 25,000 people.
One system, the Eco-Friendly Village Solar system, can meet the energy demands of a village 24 hours a day. This system is durable, where it can roughly last 20 years before needing to be replaced. Additionally, there are systems in place to help communities avoid electrical blackouts. This is especially meant for villages that are not connected to the national electrical grid (off-grid).
Impact on Medical Dispensary
With the collaboration of the Kilombero District Council, SunSweet has designed a solar photovoltaic system that has the capacity to satisfy the energy demand of an entire medical dispensary. Further, the system will provide energy each day for more than 25 years.
Called the RuDEK (Rural Dispensary Energy Kit), this kit has the ability to store energy for emergency dispensaries in less than three hours. First installed in 2016, the system stores additional energy for rainy seasons and cloudy days. By supporting dispensaries, more people will receive high-quality health services. Some of the direct benefits include women giving birth with more than candlelight, vaccination and medication storage in a refrigerator, and doctors having clear visuals of ailments.
Educational Benefits of Solar Energy in Tanzania
SunSweet’s first major contract was installing a solar power plant at the Benignis Girls Secondary School. The system aimed to support 236 lights, dozens of computers and fans in a majority of the classrooms. Though this was logistically challenging, SunSweet was successful in the project. With the installation of the solar power plant, students’ testing performance increased from 81 to 94 percent.
Looking Forward to a Bright Future
Two years after the company’s inception, SunSweet Solar was nominated for the prestigious Anzisha Prize, an award for young entrepreneurs in Africa. The exposure given to the company has attracted many opportunities that will support energy development throughout Africa. Further, support from Denmark, Brazil and Sweden will launch the company to take on greater projects.
Mtehamanji has since spoken with the Tanzania private sector foundation, the Tanzania investment center, the Tanzanian rural electrification agency, and many others to implement sustainable energy. With an official FuturaSun partnership, an Italian company, and a contract for a future partnership with Trine, a Swedish company, the future of SunSweet Solar looks as bright as ever.
– Janice Athill
Photo: Flickr
The Saroja Foundation Is Fighting Poverty in India
“I lost my brother due to paralysis when I was in 5th grade.” These are the words of Sachin Negi, a twenty-year-old college student in India. Currently, 385 million children live in extreme poverty and 25,000 of them die each day due to an illness similar to the one contracted by Negi’s brother. Although Negi was born in a middle-class family, he grew up seeing impoverished people wandering the streets or the sidewalks lining his house. He caught a glimpse of his brother’s pain in the difficulties of these people. They were begging, roaming the streets and scavenging for food. He could not bear it. That is why he started the Saroja Foundation.
The Saroja Foundation
Sachin Negi spoke with The Borgen Project in early February 2020. Negi established a nonprofit organization named the Saroja Foundation, titled in the honor of his mother. She was a hard-working housewife who guided Negi in every phase of his life. While many acknowledge that poverty cannot be eradicated completely with a single action, the organization aims to take steps to diminish it bit by bit. Specifically, the foundation visits underdeveloped neighborhoods to distribute textbooks to young children who cannot afford to go to school, helping them recognize their potential.
Though its main objective is to empower the poor with education, the organization also plans to use funds to develop programs at local colleges and other schools in Delhi. It hopes to raise awareness of extreme poverty in the community and beyond. According to the board members, combatting poverty starts with changing the mindset of others and identifying poverty as a crucial issue.
What is at the Crux of Poverty?
“The problem is that the poor and the rich do not help each other. Then, what ends up happening is that the poor stay poor, and the rich stay rich. That is it. Everyone says that they want to help, but they want to show it more than actually do it,” said Sachin Negi
Another reason for poverty and hunger is unemployment, according to Negi. When people are born poor and lack access to education, their background is not competitive enough for jobs. Consequently, they can only operate small businesses such as tea stalls or food corners. Circumstances like these are why 10% of the world’s population still lives on less than $1.90 a day in 2020.
Founding the Foundation
Throughout the process of establishing the new foundation in a society where such initiatives are rarely supported, Negi is grateful to receive immense support from his family. Negi’s father noted in the interview, “our youngest son passed away at the tender age of 6 months because of weakness. That, coupled with the death of his other 17-year-old brother, has shaken Negi and developed his passion to help the poverty-stricken. In addition to studying from books, he is always trying to give out books to those people who do not have them.”
Furthermore, his best friend, 19-year-old Chetna Rana, serves as the Social Media Manager of the foundation. “She has done more for me than anyone has. She stood by me when my brothers died and helped me set up this foundation when I had almost no one by my side. Chetna was always there to spread the knowledge of our foundation in our respective colleges,” said Negi.
Poverty Through a Different Pair of Eyes
Rana’s approach to the poverty crisis is slightly different. Though she has no specific family background that inspires her to create the foundation, Rana visited several indigent communities to deliver soap during college. She provided sanitation to thousands of children and adults. In her interview with The Borgen Project, she identified that the primary issue rests in the education system.
“Everyone focuses on bookish knowledge and memorization. There is so much of an emphasis on numbers that practical knowledge is never implemented in the curriculum. Usually, the person who reads the book the most scores the highest in the class,” said Chetna Rana.
Due to this, students entering the workforce in developing nations are often not cognizant of the impact their actions have on the surrounding environment. As for the poor, there are limited opportunities to obtain such “bookish knowledge” and, thus, a successful career. Talents, such as singing, dancing and digital marketing, are often discouraged, obliging children as young as 4-5 year-olds to work in factories to get one meal a day.
Funding the Future
To help young people realize their passions, the foundation also plans on hosting and organizing several career education programs. However, as a recently-formed organization, the Saroja Foundation is experiencing difficulty in securing funds. All founders are still students, and it costs around 10,000 to 12,000 rupees just to propose to register with the Indian government. Funds are so limited that even creating an official website is not possible. “Many people have the mentality that advocating against poverty is a waste of time. There is only one question on everyone’s minds: “Where is our money going?”
As Negi progresses in his degree in computer science, he hopes that the foundation will receive more donations. The Saroja Foundation intends on creating software that could raise awareness about poverty. It also distributes books to underdeveloped schools and collects old shoes for cobblers who can then repair them for reuse. Negi’s dream is to collaborate with Food Panda, a company that processes online food orders from customers and sends them to partner restaurants for delivery.
“Though I love the service. The issue lies in the fact that if a customer cancels an order after its processing, the food may have already been prepared. Because it is not given to the customer, it just goes into the trash. I want to develop a system to give this unconsumed food to those who cannot afford it,” said Negi.
Anyone Can Make an Impact
The Saroja Foundation would love to interact with other nonprofit organizations both regionally in India and internationally to engage more people toward the cause. Efforts will not be ceasing anytime soon. Interested organizations, as well as individuals, may visit Saroja Foundation’s webpage here. The organization is also active on Instagram and Twitter @sarojafoundation18. As Negi expresses, “The internal happiness I receive as a result of running this foundation cannot be underscored enough. It is the reason why I am here today.”
– Gaytri Vasal
Photo: Flickr
The Current State of Homelessness in Japan
History of Homelessness in Japan
There are many causes of homelessness in Japan. While more recently, many have become homeless due to failed loan payments or corporate restructuring, in the 1990s, significant changes in the economy led to a rise in homelessness.
After the conclusion of the Second World War, there was a demand for informal day-laborers. Under this system, men would come to day-labor neighborhoods in the early morning. There, job brokers from construction companies would then hire them as manual laborers for a day.
As Japan’s economy matured and diversified, this custom fell out of favor, leaving many without work. Furthermore, the Japanese economy’s shift to the service industry, an influx of young foreign workers and the advancing age of these early laborers all served to push these men to homelessness.
Homelessness and Japanese Culture
Homelessness in Japan divides into visible and invisible. Both groups, however, are less visible to outsiders compared to the homeless in other counties. Part of this low visibility seems to be rooted in the Japanese culture’s emphasis on politeness. Based on Confucian values, there is a significant focus on loyalty, justice, shame, refined manners, modesty and honor.
For the homeless people of Japan, these cultural emphases often make them feel ashamed of themselves. Visitors to Japan, for example, often observe that the homeless of Japan rarely ask for money from pedestrians. In addition, the Japanese culture’s emphasis on politeness also means the homeless try to stay out of everyone’s way. Oftentimes, the homeless will set up their shelters along remote locations such as riverbanks. If the homeless have shelter in crowded areas like subway stations, they will remove themselves during peak hours. However, there are homeless populations in Japan even less visible than this.
Internet Café Refugees
Many nonprofit and advocacy organizations in Japan claim that the Japanese government’s count of the homeless population is under-researched. These organizations claim the government’s figure doesn’t account for the Japanese homeless who live in fast-food restaurants and internet cafés. The term “internet café refugees” refers to a group of homeless who spend their nights at internet cafés because they do not have a stable residence.
The metropolitan government survey in 2018 revealed there were an estimated 15,000 people who stayed at these cafés every day during the week. Approximately 4,000 of these people were homeless. In addition, 3,000 of these people did not have stable jobs. For these irregular workers, there are internet cafés that offer amenities such as private booths, showers and laundry services. A Japanese worker named Fumiya said it costs him about $750 a month to live in an Internet café.
Alleviation of Homelessness
There are many organizations in Japan that are actively trying to alleviate the current state of homelessness in the country. Tsukuroi Tokyo Fund, for example, aims to provide housing, employment and a place of belonging to the homeless of Japan.
Tsukuroi House, a shelter run by Tsukuroi Tokyo Fund, turns abandoned, vacant homes and rooms into shelters for the homeless. Tsuyoshi Inaba, the director of the organization, claimed about 40 to 50 people used these housing facilities in 2017. He further claimed that these formerly homeless people were able to start living on their own afterward.
The organization also established “Shio no Michi,” a café run by the organization. The café hires numerous homeless people, with or without mental or physical ailments, to work the shop.
Moving Forward
The current state of homelessness in Japan is characterized by the low-visibility of the homeless. While efforts by organizations like Tsukuroi Tokyo Fund are having a significant impact, more needs to be done to bring this issue into the spotlight. Moving forward, the Japanese government and other humanitarian organizations need to prioritize finding solutions to the economic and financial issues that cause homelessness in the nation.
– YongJin Yi
Photo: Flickr
Dunkin’ Donuts Fights Global Poverty
Dunkin’ Donuts Fights Global Poverty with Fair Trade Espresso
Dunkin’ Donuts was the first national coffee company to offer fair trade certified espresso beverages in 2004. This supports the economic and environmental well being of coffee-farming communities around the world. Fair trade certification ensures that coffee farmers are paid livable wages in an industry that often exploits its workers. Many coffee farmers face extreme poverty, job insecurity, unregulated working conditions and labor rights abuses, just to name some hardships.
Dunkin’ Donuts is combating global poverty by choosing to use fair trade espresso beans, which is making a difference in the lives of many families around the world. Andrés Bermeo Calderon, a father, husband and member of a Fair Trade Certified™ coffee cooperative in Chirinos, Peru spoke about how being a fair trade member has changed his life. “For me, the most important part of being a cooperative member is that now I can provide a better life for my family,” he said. He spoke of the hardships he faced before being a member. “Before, our sales were really bad and we had no control over the price. Sometimes we received only enough for the day to buy food and nothing else. Now, we have a better economy and we are able to ask for loans,” he said.
Making Sustainable Changes
Dunkin’ Donuts made the complete switch from polystyrene foam cups to a double-walled paper cup alternative in 2019. While this might seem like a small change, this switch is expected to eliminate “approximately one billion foam cups annually from the waste stream.”
Polystyrene is not only a known hazardous substance and pollutant that can potentially contaminate food or drink contained in it but it also poses an extreme threat to poverty-stricken communities around the world due to the harmful chemicals it produces as it breaks down in landfills. According to the EPA, styrene—what’s left when foam cups break down—leaches from landfills into drinking water. It also creates a huge problem with pollution in the oceans.
It can cause liver, kidney or circulatory system problems. This threatens those living in extreme poverty disproportionately because they are most likely to live near landfills and factories that produce polystyrene cups. Dunkin’ Donuts’ decision to eliminate these foam cups will greatly reduce styrene contamination in impoverished nations. This is just another way Dunkin’ Donuts fights global poverty.
Proving to be more than just a widely successful coffee company with a great cup of coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts is fighting global poverty by making ethical and sustainable changes concerning its products. International companies have the ability to make decisions that have far-reaching impacts. Dunkin’ Donuts is showing that it is using that power for positive change that will have a lasting impact.
– Hannah White
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
9 Facts About the Informal Economy in Latin America
The informal economy is a fluid area of work that people may drift in and out of. Certain companies may live in both the formal and informal job sector as well. The International Labor Organization (ILO) distinguishes between the informal sector and informal employment, stating that the former is an “enterprise-based concept and is defined by the characteristics of the enterprise in which workers are engaged” while the latter occurs on a case-by-case basis regarding the employee’s relationship to the enterprise. For example, some companies operate within the formal sector but hire certain employees “informally.” In other words, one can define the informal economy as “firms and workers that stand outside a country’s tax and regulatory systems.”
It is important to note that the informal economy is not synonymous with the black market or the underground economy. Additionally, the informal market is not necessarily illegal. However, many countries do not mandate the social benefits and protections included in the formal economy. Informal work can include a variety of jobs including street vendors, subsistence farmers, seasonal workers, industrial workers and others. Given this characterization, below are nine facts about the informal economy in Latin America.
9 Facts About the Informal Economy in Latin America
Informal work remains an ambiguous topic requiring more research. Nonetheless, it is important to keep in mind that the informal economy is not inherently bad. While many struggle because of their informal work, they often cannot afford the costs of transitioning to the formal sector. For instance, one may deem small businesses that have under 10 workers as informal, and therefore, they would not have to pay social benefits, thus saving them money. In other words, in some circumstances, informal workers may require additional support, but would not necessarily benefit from transitioning into the formal sector.
– Scott Boyce
Photo: Wikimedia Commons