Schistosomiasis in Angola continues to pose a major threat to public health- especially for school-aged children in rural, water-reliant communities. Caused by parasitic worms that infect humans through contact with contaminated freshwater, schistosomiasis can lead to fatigue, anemia and developmental delays. With more than 90% of districts at risk, Angola faces one of the highest burdens of this neglected tropical disease (NTD) in sub-Saharan Africa.
To combat this issue, Angola’s Ministry of Health, backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as The MENTOR Initiative, has implemented an innovative, school-based response. These campaigns provide mass deworming treatments using praziquantel, reinforce hygiene education and promote access to clean water and sanitation. This integrative model not only lowers infection rates but also improves school attendance and overall child development.
Understanding the Disease Burden
“Children are especially vulnerable as they play in the water and often don’t understand the risks,” a local health worker based in the Huila, Huambo and Zaire provinces told The Borgen Project in an interview. “We saw many children with swollen bellies and constant fatigue. Now, after regular deworming and hygiene education, those symptoms are much less common.”
Schistosomiasis in Angola has long plagued rural Angola, where many communities depend on rivers and lakes for everyday activities such as bathing, washing and even drinking. According to WHO, chronic schistosomiasis can lead to liver and kidney damage, cognitive delays and an increased risk of school absenteeism. Recent mapping by The MENTOR Initiative reveals a troubling overlap between schistosomiasis and other parasitic infections like soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). This dual burden is particularly pronounced in Angola’s south-central provinces, where more than 70% of school-aged children are at risk.
School-Based Campaigns: A Scalable Solution
Angola’s Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, has responded with mass deworming campaigns centered around schools. “We coordinate with teachers and school staff,” the health worker explained. “They help us organize the children and explain the treatment to them in simple terms.” Parents are also engaged through community meetings, which help build trust and transparency around the medication process. These campaigns utilize praziquantel, the WHO-recommended drug for schistosomiasis treatment. In addition to being safe and affordable, praziquantel is effective with a single dose and is ideally suited for distribution in school settings.
According to a six‑year impact assessment of Angola’s school‑based deworming program, schistosomiasis monitoring covered nearly 600 schools between 2015 and 2021, revealing persistent transmission in multiple provinces. As a result, soil-transmitted helminth-endemic regions received deworming treatments, hygiene supplies and health education. These combined efforts have led to improved child health outcomes and increased school participation. Studies show that deworming enhances children’s physical well-being and “It’s not just about treating the disease, it’s about giving these kids a better chance at life”, the local source tells The Borgen Project.
Hygiene Education and Infrastructure
The success of deworming programs in Angola depends on an integrated approach. Medication alone cannot stop the cycle of reinfection, especially in rural areas where poor sanitation and limited access to clean water drive continued transmission. To address this, school-based campaigns include hygiene education that teaches students proper handwashing, safe defecation and how to avoid contaminated water. Schools also act as community hubs, spreading these practices to families. Some schools receive additional support through partnerships with NGOs and government agencies, gaining improved facilities like latrines, handwashing stations and water filtration systems.
WHO highlights that combining water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) measures with deworming efforts can reduce transmission by more than 75%. This underscores the importance of holistic strategies for lasting impact.
Data-Driven Targeting
Disease mapping has played a critical role in Angola’s national response to schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). In collaboration with Angola’s Ministry of Health, the MENTOR Initiative conducted large-scale parasitological surveys across all 18 provinces. These surveys, involving more than 1.6 million school-aged children, used stool and urine sampling along with geospatial tools to determine prevalence rates and identify high-risk transmission zones.
The mapping results allowed for the strategic targeting of mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns, ensuring that treatment was concentrated in areas with the highest disease burden. By using prevalence thresholds recommended by WHO, Angola was able to tailor the frequency and intensity of treatment to the needs of each province. In addition to guiding the delivery of preventive chemotherapy, the data also support long-term monitoring, policy decision-making and evaluation of program impact.
Challenges and Local Resilience
Despite efforts, schistosomiasis in Angola continues to face several operational and infrastructural challenges. Limited access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities in many rural areas contributes to persistent reinfection rates. Even with periodic MDA, the lack of improved WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) infrastructure undermines sustained disease control.
The program is also constrained by logistical difficulties such as inconsistent medicine supply chains and a shortage of trained personnel for implementation and monitoring. Regardless, integration of the deworming program into the existing school-based health system has helped optimize outreach and reduce costs. Capacity-building initiatives for local staff, as well as coordination with multiple stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and international partners, have strengthened the program’s delivery and laid the foundation for more sustainable control efforts.
A Model Grounded in Elimination, Not Just Control
Angola’s approach mirrors a growing call in public health to shift from reactive control toward proactive elimination of schistosomiasis. As emphasized in Frontiers in Public Health, long-term success requires more than drug distribution; it depends on a systems-thinking model that integrates treatment with behavioral change, hygiene, snail control and environmental improvements.
By using schools as delivery platforms, Angola addresses multiple layers of disease transmission- medical, educational and ecological. This multifaceted approach offers a replicable blueprint for other countries. “The key is to involve the community and combine treatment with education and clean water,” the local health worker explained. “It’s not enough to give medicine- you have to change the environment and the habits. Angola’s model is working here and I believe it can help others, too.”
Health, Education and Hope
The integrated approach to fighting schistosomiasis in Angola demonstrates how local solutions, when grounded in data, education and community engagement, can spark meaningful change. With continued investment in health systems and infrastructure, the country is not just treating a disease but empowering a generation of children to learn, grow and thrive.
– Vasara Mikulevicius
Vasara is based in West Bloomfield, MI, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
Gender Wage Gap in Mauritius: Technology and Market Growth
In the private sector, the gap is even wider as women earn around 30% less per hour as compared to men. This disparity pushes well-educated women into a poverty cycle or economic insecurity. It primarily affects women who work in growth industries who receive a fraction of what similarly qualified men earn.
The gender wage gap in Mauritius is not merely a statistical issue. It is a reflection of deep-rooted systemic inequalities. However, by embracing inclusive business models and digital solutions, the country has the tools to make equal pay more than just a goal.
Sectoral Divide and Underrepresentation
According to the World Bank Blogs, the rate of labor force participation of women is 57%, while men account for 88%. Although women comprise the majority of students in tertiary educational institutions, their participation in the labor force is significantly lower than men. This gap in participation increases women’s poverty risk as unpaid domestic duties significantly reduce earning opportunities. This also indicates that the educational achievements of young women do not guarantee employment opportunities or equal pay. Thus, women are overqualified yet underpaid.
Even though tech-driven industries are growing at a rapid rate, women hold only 10-15% of ICT roles. This is because women are concentrated in lower-paying fields such as health, education, hospitality and administrative roles. Hence, there is a low representation of women in ICT and manufacturing. This is mainly because women tend to lean towards jobs in lower-paying fields. Employers often underpay women in ICT roles compared to their male counterparts, even when they work in the same fields.
Societal Norms Attributed To Working Women
Social norms and cultural values are factors that also contribute to widening the gender pay gap. However, they tend to go unnoticed. Society often assigns traditional roles to Mauritian women as the providers of children and takes care of the elderly. Many still view women as the primary caretakers of the family who are also responsible for a plethora of domestic activities. Working women have to manage these household duties on top of working a full-time job.
According to the AfroBarometer 2017, more than seven in 10 Mauritians report that they prefer that the role of women in the family consists of being responsible for the home and child care. Moreover, working women devote three times more of their day than working men to domestic chores and child care. This is because men are considered breadwinners and their main role is to bring a consistent flow of income into the household. Therefore, working women have reduced earnings time as they contribute a large share of their time to household duties. This, in turn, leads to a higher risk of poverty for women.
Solutions and Innovations
The gender wage gap in Mauritius reflects systemic inequality. However, various promising solutions suggest a future of equal pay. For instance, initiatives such as PwC’s EQUAL-SALARY certification encourage companies to review their salary structures and publicly pledge to uphold equal pay for equal work.
Mauritius updated its Workers’ Rights Act in 2019 to include flexible hours and compressed workweeks, along with mandatory paid paternity leave. The government designed these policy shifts to ease gender imbalances and support women in staying active in their careers. Thus, efforts to reduce the gender wage gap in Mauritius are gaining momentum through policy reforms.
Furthermore, organizations and institutions are launching new workshops, roundtables and scholarship programs to encourage women to be more involved in the ICT sector as mentorship plays a key role in building skills and confidence.
Looking Ahead
With such initiatives in place and actions across policy, business and education, Mauritius is getting closer to bridging the gender wage gap. By investing in digital literacy, promoting equal pay policies and encouraging women’s involvement in high-growth industries, Mauritius has the opportunity for a future of equal pay. Tackling the gender wage gap in Mauritius could unlock significant economic and social benefits. It is not just an equity issue, it is a poverty‑reduction strategy.
– Anagha Rajithkumar
Photo: Flickr
Agricultural Exports in Egypt Reaches Highest Level in Years
Agricultural Expansion in Egypt
Agricultural export in Egypt has reached an all-time high of 6.24 million tonnes as of July 2025, an increase of 575,000 tonnes from last year. These exports include crops grown in Egypt as well as those imported from neighboring or distant countries. Notable increases have been recorded in potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, grapes and various fruits. Among them, citrus fruits saw the largest growth, with 1.9 million tonnes exported.
In addition to Egypt’s homegrown produce, agricultural goods are now arriving from new trade partners such as South Africa, Uzbekistan, the Philippines and others. These new import-export relationships allow Egypt to access products that cannot be locally produced, potentially benefiting its citizens and expanding market variety.
What Does This Mean for Egypt?
Approximately 96% of Egypt is covered by desert, making access to arable farmland extremely difficult. This geographic challenge limits opportunities for widespread farming and often delays access to fresh produce. However, the recent increase in agricultural exports in Egypt contributes to the economy by allowing everyone fresh and healthy produce, meats and other grown foods, regardless of social class. Additionally, this growth in the agricultural sector is creating more job opportunities for individuals living below the poverty line.
According to the World Food Program (WFP), manual labor, including farming, employed 20% of Egypt’s population in 2020. While this data is from 2020, the recent surge in agricultural exports suggests a promising future for the sector, potentially accelerating economic growth and improving livelihoods. With many Egyptians engaged in various forms of manual labor, the expansion of farming plays a crucial role in producing high-quality goods and sustaining income opportunities for a significant portion of the population.
How This Impacts the Country
Agriculture has played a vital role in Egypt since ancient times. As the sector continues to increase, it contributes directly to economic growth. A stronger economy, in turn, creates more opportunities for citizens, supports healthier living and fosters a mutually beneficial relationship between the government and its people.
As Alaa Farouk, Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, continues to implement policies that support agricultural exports in Egypt, the country will be well-positioned to thrive economically and socially in the years ahead.
– Erin Lee
Photo: Pixabay
Fighting Rural Poverty in Latin America
However, Latin America has continued progressing, lowering poverty rates to pre-pandemic levels, at 25%. Meanwhile, rural poverty continues to be a serious problem, with the inequality between rural and urban areas driving much of the issue 60% of Latin American poverty remains rural. For instance, while access to sanitation and clean water increased across Latin America, progress continued to lag in rural areas.
Much of the recent progress in fighting rural poverty in Latin America can be attributed to specific programs in Mexico and Brazil, two of Latin America’s biggest countries. Focused government programs like Bolsa Familia and PROSPERA have helped lift thousands of families out of rural poverty. While rural poverty in this region continues to be a major issue, with the rural impoverished being especially vulnerable to recent spikes in poverty, the government’s focus on rural poverty can result in millions being lifted out of poverty.
History and Nature of Poverty in Latin America
Rural poverty is a persistent challenge across the world. According to the World Bank, most of the 700 million who live in extreme poverty are from rural areas. However, Latin America was the outlier to this global trend before its success in combating poverty. In 2001, the International Monetary Fund found that most Latin American poverty was entrenched in urban areas.
This unique urban poverty profile did not prevent the region from significantly reducing poverty. Latin America and the Caribbean saw total poverty decline from about 50% in the early 2000s to roughly 30% by around 2012. By 2019, the poverty rate had fallen to approximately 28% before stagnating and slightly rising during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Pandemic: Back From the Peak
However, the pandemic began to reverse much of this progress. In addition to the global effect on public health, the pandemic deeply affected people with low incomes in Latin America. According to economist Ebru Topcu, Latin America is the region most affected by the pandemic. The crisis followed years of slow economic growth and limited improvements in social indicators, exacerbating the region’s vulnerabilities.
As a result, it triggered severe economic contractions with widespread social and economic consequences. These challenges fueled significant social unrest in several countries, particularly in late 2019. With limited access to vaccines and hospital beds, Latin America has suffered greatly from both the pandemic’s health toll and its worst economic recession in the last two centuries.
This impact was even more severe in rural areas, where poverty remains persistent due to limited access to more readily available resources in urban centers. Despite these challenges, the region gradually began to recover. By 2022, the poverty rate fell below 30%; by 2024, it had dropped to 25%.
Two Models: Brazil and Mexico
Hugo Nopo, senior economist for the Poverty and Equity Practice Group at the World Bank, explains that much of this progress was due to specific policies pursued in Brazil and Mexico. In Brazil, the Bolsa Familia program qualifies low-income families for direct transfers on the condition that they keep their children in school and bring them in for health checks.
The program supports 13 million low-income families, directly improving their living conditions, as most of the funds go toward essentials like food and clothing. Beneficiary Dinalva Pereira de Moura shared, “[the program] has been a marvelous thing for me and my family. My children know that when we receive the money, they will have more to eat and that makes them happier. And they don’t skip school, because they know that the money depends on their going.”
Mexico’s PROSPERA program is modeled similarly to the Bolsa Familia program and previous Mexican policies, which started in 1997. PROSPERA reached more than six million families across Mexico by conditioning transfers on basic benchmarks like school attendance and doctor check-ins. The National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy rated the program as one of the most effective at combating poverty.
Looking Forward
There continues to be progress in fighting rural poverty in Latin America. While Mexico and Brazil lead the way by incentivizing effective educational and medical practices, much remains to be done. Nopo explains that while there is reason for hope, fighting rural poverty in Latin America will require more action.
– Joseph Laughon
Photo: Flickr
The Fight Against HIV in Suriname
The Prevalence of HIV
The prevalence of HIV is pretty high, estimating for almost 8,000 people per year, most of them being adults. Men are at a higher risk of this disease. In Suriname, the lack of up-to-date and detailed data on HIV prevalence continues to hinder effective policymaking. To address this, international support helped strengthen national statistics offices across the region, improving data collection and reporting.
However, economic challenges such as currency devaluation and inflation have led to major cuts in health spending, resulting in frequent shortages of antiretroviral treatment. Experts emphasize the need for renewed advocacy and updated investment cases to ensure the sustainability of HIV services.
Key Groups in the Fight Against HIV in Suriname
In Suriname, NGOs play a central role in HIV prevention among sex workers and men who have sex with men. Their outreach includes individual counseling, group education sessions, condom and lubricant distribution, and referrals to health services. For sex workers in gold mining areas, prevention efforts are integrated with malaria programs. These initiatives have shown clear success.
HIV prevalence among sex workers in Paramaribo dropped significantly, from 24.1% in 2005 to 5.8% in 2012. Most sex workers now demonstrate strong awareness of HIV prevention (96.5%), high rates of testing (82.7%), and frequent condom use (90%), according to the UNAIDS report. Still, challenges remain, particularly with consistent and correct condom use. The prevalence among sex workers remains higher than in the general population, highlighting the need for ongoing targeted interventions.
The Link Between Poverty and HIV in Suriname
The fight against HIV in Suriname cannot be separated from the country’s broader social and economic challenges. More than 17% of the population lives in poverty, while 1.1% survives in extreme poverty. Poverty is especially pronounced among households with children and in the center of the country, living much below the average poverty line. These economic hardships could directly affect the national HIV struggles. Limited household resources often mean reduced access to health care, HIV testing, and consistent treatment. What is more, women—despite outperforming men in education—remain underrepresented in the workplaces, leaving them economically vulnerable and at greater risk of health inequities.
Fighting the Disease
Suriname has made significant progress in the fight against HIV, with support from the Global Fund and local civil society organizations. Today, 83% of diagnosed individuals are receiving antiretroviral treatment, and 90% of them have achieved viral suppression — a major step toward the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets.
As international donor funding gradually phases out, Suriname faces the critical challenge of sustaining these achievements domestically. The country’s Sustainability Action Plan for 2021–2024 makes strategies to maintain HIV prevention and treatment services, expand local funding and continue prioritizing key populations. With sustained commitment and focused action, the fight against HIV in Suriname can continue to yield progress and bring the country closer to ending the epidemic.
– Julia Skowrońska
Photo: Flickr
3 Innovative Ways NGOs Reduce Water Scarcity in Rural Africa
This reduces the economic stability of families across the continent and contributes to poverty rates. Additionally, it creates a dependence on contaminated water, which leads to increased rates of cholera and dysentery internationally. The rural community in Africa is suffering under the threat of scarce water supply. However, various organizations are getting creative in reducing water scarcity in rural Africa. They dream that one day, clean water will be the standard.
Fog Nets: Harvesting Water From the Air
Fog Nets are essentially, multilayered nets that harvest moisture from the air where fog is present but water is not. Popular especially in mountain ranges, it provides a consistent flow of clean water for nearby inhabitants. While the nets alone cannot sustain a population, they contribute significantly.
These fog nets provide 1,000 liters of water daily to arid sections of Africa. Originating in the Atacama Desert in Chile, this fabric creates a sustainable and clean alternative to disease-infested waters. This creative technology is reducing water scarcity in rural Africa every day and several NGOs hope to install it as a long-term solution for citizens across Africa.
Water ATMs: Creating Access To Clean Water
The concept of a Water-ATM is being tested across two African villages. Essentially, these ATMs are access points at which surrounding villages can purchase verified clean water through a metered system. It would simultaneously reduce the distance necessary to attain water and ensure its cleanliness.
Vendors seem extremely eager to enter the business, charging customers through a metered system that would remain affordable. These machines are accessible by pre-paid cards, allowing individuals to pour the water into their basins and transport it a few kilometers back to their homes, instead of taking hours. This solution is slowly helping to reduce water scarcity in rural Africa. However, with the necessary financial support, it has the potential to save lives and transform communities across rural Africa.
Play-Powered Water Access
In 2009, two companies, NOV Mono and Water For All, began working to reduce water scarcity in rural Africa by launching an initiative in Johannesburg, South Africa. Together, they introduced the “Fun Pump,” a water system that combines a solar-powered electric pump with a merry-go-round structure for children to play on.
Not only is this structure bringing clean water to these rural communities, but it’s also bringing joy. Modern play structures like these are few and far between, so kids are enthused to play on them, powering the water initiative for the surrounding villages.
Looking Forward
It’s no secret that water scarcity is a growing problem in Africa. People spend hours every day trekking to bring contaminated water to their homes. However, initiatives like the fun pump, water ATM and fog nets create clean, accessible and sustainable water sources across rural Africa.
– Caroline May
Photo: Flickr
Morocco’s Noor Solar Project: Redefining Renewable Growth
A Solar Vision for Change
Launched in stages beginning in 2016, the Noor solar project has rapidly grown into the world’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) facility, with a generation capacity of more than 580 megawatts. The complex currently provides electricity to more than 1.1 million Moroccans and offsets approximately 690,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually, which equates to removing more than 145,000 constantly running vehicles from the road.
The project was born out of a critical energy need. In 2019, Morocco depended on imports for more than 97% of its energy demand, with the government strategically turning to the locally available, renewable source to secure its energy security. This national strategy for Moroccan energy has big aims, hoping to raise renewable energy to 52% of capacity by 2030, the World Bank reports. Noor, the crown jewel of this strategy, is delivering on that promise.
Clean Energy with Storage Capacity
The technology developed in the Noor solar project also represents a leap forward for renewable sources and alternative energy usage. Unlike traditional solar panels, the Noor plant uses curved mirrors to concentrate sunlight and heat a fluid, either synthetic oil or molten salt. This allows storing energy captured from the sun up to eight hours after sunset, something not possible with regular solar technology. This capacity to deliver electricity after dark is vital for matching peak demand, and it sets CSP apart from most other renewable systems.
Noor I, II, and III use a mix of trough and tower-based CSP designs, and each component of the project contributes significantly to Morocco’s grid. Noor I alone produces 370 GWh per year, while Noor II and III add another 1,100 GWh combined, according to King’s College London. This amount of energy is enough to power all of Marrakesh, a city of more than a million people, highlighting the local impact the energy generated by the project has made.
From Local Jobs to Global Impact
Development of the Noor solar project additionally supported local development, creating thousands of jobs during the construction process, and although long-term employment at the site is limited, secondary benefits have been longstanding. New roads and water infrastructure have allowed surrounding villages to become better linked to public services, with local farmers additionally receiving sustainable agriculture training from the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN).
Crucially, the project has attracted $1.6 billion in concessional financing from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Union. This blend of public-private support signals what is possible when long-term environmental goals align with innovative development in the renewable energy sector.
Facing Environmental Trade-Offs
Despite its success, the Noor project does raise concerns, with the plant consuming a significant amount of water in the very dry and already water-scarce arid region. However, dry-cooling systems and air-based mirror cleaning are helping to lower usage, attempting to ensure the plant would remain functional in water shortages. Environmental studies have also flagged habitat loss and disruptions to native ecosystems, underscoring the importance of integrated sustainability planning in large-scale infrastructure.
Still, for many, the trade-offs are worth it. Noor represents more than just a solar farm, it is a pivot toward energy independence and a vision for exporting clean energy beyond Africa. As Morocco eyes future CSP developments in Midelt, Boujdour and Laayoune, the Noor Complex offers a promising path forward.
Looking Ahead
As global energy demand continues to rise, especially across Africa, Noor is proving that utility-scale renewables are viable. With a stable policy environment, strategic public-private investment and cutting-edge technology, Morocco is highlighting how developing nations can leap forward economically with sustainable practices.
– Thomas Finighan
Photo: Flickr
China’s Taobao Villages are Fighting Poverty through E-Commerce
The Rise of Taobao Villages
The first Taobao Village can be traced back to Dongfeng village in Shaji, located in Jiangsu province. With a small population of about 50,000 people, it was the first rural village to take up e-commerce on a large scale. In 2010, while researching e-commerce and the villages, Alibaba’s team was surprised to see strong e-commerce activity in the town, which emerged organically through local grassroots initiative, according to Harvard University Asia Center.
It all started with one entrepreneur, a Shaji native, who opened the first online Taobao shop in 2006, first reselling mobile phone accessories and then expanding into the furniture business. Inspired by his success, other villages opened their own e-commerce stores, expanding the network as the Taobao Villages came to life.
Seeing how e-commerce slowly allowed locals to build their businesses, Alibaba created the Taobao platform, which provided opportunities for small and newer firms to sell products and services online. Taking no cuts from online transactions and demanding no fees from the opening of online stores, the platform diffused across the country, having a transformative effect in rural China.
Taobao Villages formed in three main stages:
Transforming Rural Economies
With reduced entry barriers, e-commerce is an accessible means of work and income for residents with minimal capital. This has led to more inclusive economic growth in rural areas of the country, especially Western and Central China, as financial conditions improved through the creation of more jobs and the general development of the economy.
The abundance of technology platforms and collaboration among villagers is changing the lives of millions of Chinese citizens. World Bank studies show that household incomes in Taobao Villages are close to three times the average rural household income, according to Alizila. Higher income leads to higher consumption, exacerbating the need for more service and goods providers, leading to a better job market and reduced income inequality.
The Result
Often perceived as a phenomenon of high-income countries, China’s e-commerce development has shown that high levels of development are not required for a successful transition from physical to digital commerce. With a worldwide commerce transaction value that exceeds that of France, Japan, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom combined, China proves its commitment to development and the fight against poverty.
Taobao Villages became part of a grander national strategy to fight poverty, with the State Council Office on Poverty Alleviation releasing guidelines on the expansion of e-commerce in rural areas as an essential step in November 2016. In 2021, China achieved the United Nations’ 2030 poverty reduction goals in the Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the past forty years, it has lifted more than 800 million people out of extreme poverty.
Conclusion
While more research on the topic is necessary to clarify the relationship between the dominance of e-commerce in villages and welfare improvement, many cases show that people in Taobao Villages lead better lives. Lowering the required skill threshold, digital technologies can allow less-skilled and less-educated individuals to participate in e-commerce and achieve higher living standards.
For e-commerce to help alleviate poverty, the government should develop infrastructure and offer logistical support, creating a conducive environment for change. Subsidies and workshops are additional ways in which the government can contribute to the development of e-commerce platforms and combat poverty.
– Rafaela Paquet
Photo: Flickr
Schistosomiasis in Angola: A Local Strategy With Global Impact
To combat this issue, Angola’s Ministry of Health, backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as The MENTOR Initiative, has implemented an innovative, school-based response. These campaigns provide mass deworming treatments using praziquantel, reinforce hygiene education and promote access to clean water and sanitation. This integrative model not only lowers infection rates but also improves school attendance and overall child development.
Understanding the Disease Burden
“Children are especially vulnerable as they play in the water and often don’t understand the risks,” a local health worker based in the Huila, Huambo and Zaire provinces told The Borgen Project in an interview. “We saw many children with swollen bellies and constant fatigue. Now, after regular deworming and hygiene education, those symptoms are much less common.”
Schistosomiasis in Angola has long plagued rural Angola, where many communities depend on rivers and lakes for everyday activities such as bathing, washing and even drinking. According to WHO, chronic schistosomiasis can lead to liver and kidney damage, cognitive delays and an increased risk of school absenteeism. Recent mapping by The MENTOR Initiative reveals a troubling overlap between schistosomiasis and other parasitic infections like soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). This dual burden is particularly pronounced in Angola’s south-central provinces, where more than 70% of school-aged children are at risk.
School-Based Campaigns: A Scalable Solution
Angola’s Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, has responded with mass deworming campaigns centered around schools. “We coordinate with teachers and school staff,” the health worker explained. “They help us organize the children and explain the treatment to them in simple terms.” Parents are also engaged through community meetings, which help build trust and transparency around the medication process. These campaigns utilize praziquantel, the WHO-recommended drug for schistosomiasis treatment. In addition to being safe and affordable, praziquantel is effective with a single dose and is ideally suited for distribution in school settings.
According to a six‑year impact assessment of Angola’s school‑based deworming program, schistosomiasis monitoring covered nearly 600 schools between 2015 and 2021, revealing persistent transmission in multiple provinces. As a result, soil-transmitted helminth-endemic regions received deworming treatments, hygiene supplies and health education. These combined efforts have led to improved child health outcomes and increased school participation. Studies show that deworming enhances children’s physical well-being and “It’s not just about treating the disease, it’s about giving these kids a better chance at life”, the local source tells The Borgen Project.
Hygiene Education and Infrastructure
The success of deworming programs in Angola depends on an integrated approach. Medication alone cannot stop the cycle of reinfection, especially in rural areas where poor sanitation and limited access to clean water drive continued transmission. To address this, school-based campaigns include hygiene education that teaches students proper handwashing, safe defecation and how to avoid contaminated water. Schools also act as community hubs, spreading these practices to families. Some schools receive additional support through partnerships with NGOs and government agencies, gaining improved facilities like latrines, handwashing stations and water filtration systems.
WHO highlights that combining water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) measures with deworming efforts can reduce transmission by more than 75%. This underscores the importance of holistic strategies for lasting impact.
Data-Driven Targeting
Disease mapping has played a critical role in Angola’s national response to schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). In collaboration with Angola’s Ministry of Health, the MENTOR Initiative conducted large-scale parasitological surveys across all 18 provinces. These surveys, involving more than 1.6 million school-aged children, used stool and urine sampling along with geospatial tools to determine prevalence rates and identify high-risk transmission zones.
The mapping results allowed for the strategic targeting of mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns, ensuring that treatment was concentrated in areas with the highest disease burden. By using prevalence thresholds recommended by WHO, Angola was able to tailor the frequency and intensity of treatment to the needs of each province. In addition to guiding the delivery of preventive chemotherapy, the data also support long-term monitoring, policy decision-making and evaluation of program impact.
Challenges and Local Resilience
Despite efforts, schistosomiasis in Angola continues to face several operational and infrastructural challenges. Limited access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities in many rural areas contributes to persistent reinfection rates. Even with periodic MDA, the lack of improved WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) infrastructure undermines sustained disease control.
The program is also constrained by logistical difficulties such as inconsistent medicine supply chains and a shortage of trained personnel for implementation and monitoring. Regardless, integration of the deworming program into the existing school-based health system has helped optimize outreach and reduce costs. Capacity-building initiatives for local staff, as well as coordination with multiple stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education and international partners, have strengthened the program’s delivery and laid the foundation for more sustainable control efforts.
A Model Grounded in Elimination, Not Just Control
Angola’s approach mirrors a growing call in public health to shift from reactive control toward proactive elimination of schistosomiasis. As emphasized in Frontiers in Public Health, long-term success requires more than drug distribution; it depends on a systems-thinking model that integrates treatment with behavioral change, hygiene, snail control and environmental improvements.
By using schools as delivery platforms, Angola addresses multiple layers of disease transmission- medical, educational and ecological. This multifaceted approach offers a replicable blueprint for other countries. “The key is to involve the community and combine treatment with education and clean water,” the local health worker explained. “It’s not enough to give medicine- you have to change the environment and the habits. Angola’s model is working here and I believe it can help others, too.”
Health, Education and Hope
The integrated approach to fighting schistosomiasis in Angola demonstrates how local solutions, when grounded in data, education and community engagement, can spark meaningful change. With continued investment in health systems and infrastructure, the country is not just treating a disease but empowering a generation of children to learn, grow and thrive.
– Vasara Mikulevicius
Photo: Flickr
Elderly Poverty in Chad
Despite its size and important resources like oil, Chad remains one of the most impoverished countries in the world. Poverty stretches to every corner of the country. However, one of the most susceptible victims, older people, are often ignored. Here are some facts about what elderly poverty in Chad looks like and how foreign aid can help minimize it.
Facts About Elderly Poverty in Chad
Conclusion
Elderly poverty in Chad remains a critical but often overlooked issue. Limited health care, food insecurity and poor sanitation leave older adults especially vulnerable. While humanitarian aid provides some relief, lasting change requires targeted support and stronger systems to protect Chad’s older population.
– Zoe Alatsas
Photo: Pickpik
Disability and Poverty in Burkina Faso
Disability in Burkina Faso is more than a personal health challenge; it is a profound development issue. In one of the world’s most impoverished nations, having a disability often means being locked out of education, employment and health care. When systems aren’t built for inclusion, the result is predictable: poverty deepens, inequality widens and national progress stalls.
Systemic Poverty and Exclusion
According to the Tigoung Nonma, a cooperative of disabled artisans, approximately 10% of Burkina Faso’s population lives with a disability. Yet most of them are invisible in public life. Due to structural barriers and social stigma, access to jobs, education and even buildings remains limited.
Not only that, but for families already surviving on less than $2 a day, caring for a disabled member without social safety nets often means sacrificing their own basic needs. Medical devices like wheelchairs or hearing aids are expensive and hard to use and accessible public infrastructure is scarce. Children with disabilities are more likely to drop out of school and adults face major hurdles in finding stable work.
Health System Gaps: Underserved and Underfunded
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Burkina Faso allocates just 6.3% of its GDP to health. This is far below the global average and far short of the need. Rural health centers are often unequipped to serve patients with specialized needs, especially those requiring physical therapy, long-term care or rehabilitation services.
Most of Burkina Faso’s more than 3,000 health facilities are inaccessible to people with mobility impairments. Similarly, a 2024 survey across French-speaking sub‑Saharan Africa revealed that Burkina Faso has only 26 physiotherapists, a staggering shortage for a needy population. For those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, the situation is even more dire. Most go undiagnosed, untreated and entirely unsupported, falling through the cracks of an already strained health care system.
Social Stigma and Discrimination
Beyond physical barriers, people with disabilities in Burkina Faso face deep social stigma. Misconceptions linking disability to witchcraft or divine punishment are still prevalent in rural areas, leading to neglect, abandonment and violence.
In employment and education, discrimination persists. Many children with disabilities are kept at home, denied enrollment in schools or bullied by peers. Adults are often excluded from the labor market entirely or relegated to informal work without legal protections.
A Vicious Cycle
Disability increases the likelihood of poverty and poverty increases the likelihood of disability. Malnutrition, unsafe childbirth, poor sanitation and lack of access to vaccinations contribute to preventable impairments in children. Meanwhile, poverty-stricken families often lack the knowledge or means to seek early intervention.
This cycle is especially damaging for women and girls, who face a double burden of gender and disability-based discrimination. They are less likely to attend school or access health care and more vulnerable to abuse.
Toward Inclusive Development
Thankfully, efforts are growing to integrate disability rights into national development plans. Burkina Faso ratified the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2009 and has committed to more inclusive policies. However, Implementation remains slow.
Nonprofits like Light for the World and Humanity & Inclusion lead some of the most impactful initiatives. These organizations have progressed in supplying assistive devices and pushing for disability-inclusive budgets. Their work shows that inclusion isn’t just possible, it’s essential for sustainable development.
Conclusion
Disability and poverty in Burkina Faso are closely linked, forming a loop of exclusion that threatens the country’s development goals. The challenge is not disability but the failure to provide accessible infrastructure, inclusive policies and equal opportunities.
Addressing this issue requires more than charity; it demands systemic change, political will and international solidarity. Only then can Burkina Faso unlock the full potential of all its citizens, regardless of ability.
– De’Marlo Gray
Photo: Flickr