In 2015, United Nations member states adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global effort to end poverty, protect the planet and promote peace and prosperity by 2030. Mexico, a country of about 128 million in North America, has seen progress in reducing poverty through federal policies, but key challenges remain. Poverty in Mexico has been on the decline in recent years. As of 2025, the number of Mexicans living below the $2.15 per day poverty threshold fell from 3.9 million, or 3%, in 2018 to 2.5 million, or 2%.
Despite this progress, structural and institutional inequality still threatens Mexico’s ability to meet the SDGs. This article will review Mexico’s evaluation based on the United Nations SDG objectives for the country.
Progress on Poverty
Poverty reduction has been significant nationwide. Over the past five years, the poverty headcount ratio at $2.15 per day has decreased from 5.06 in 2020 to 1.82 in 2025. In the same time frame, poverty rates after taxes and transfers have been reduced from 16.6% to 15%.
In the 2024 Voluntary National Review (VNR), Mexico emphasized the role of policy in these reductions. For example, from 2018 to 2024 minimum wage increased by 110% and the unemployment rate reduced to 2.6%. The main financiers for these poverty in Mexico reduction programs have been the federal government and foreign investors. Social spending increased by 38%, and by 2023, foreign direct investment increased by 27%.
Although inequality has been improving nationally, regional disparities persist. The 2024 VNR report states that between 2018 and 2022, the contrast between the richest and poorest decile earning ratios has declined from 22 times to 15 times.
Despite these improvements, inequality persists in rural regions of Mexico. As of 2025, 88% of the rural population lives below the $2.15 poverty threshold. This percentage has remained stagnant since 2018.
What’s Driving Change?
The Mexican government has been deliberate about addressing social injustices and structural inequality by means of redistribution programs. For example, from 2018 to 2022, 10 million additional Mexicans became food secure.
Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per capita growth (annual %) increased from 0.5% in 2018 to 1.9% in 2024, with a volatile period in between, ranging from a minimum of -10.6% in 2020 and a maximum 7.7% in 2021.
In spite of efforts, issues in health care, social protection, gender inequality and structural informality persist. In the VNR report, the Mexican government claimed it had aimed to address some of these issues by focusing on SDGs which were interdependent on each other, such as how addressing SDG 1 (no poverty) invariably affects SGD 10 (reduced inequalities) as well.
Is Mexico on Track for 2030?
The United Nations uses the SDG index rank, SDG index score and spillover score to quantify a nation’s progress towards achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to measure a nation’s ability to help other nations develop their own SDGs. Currently, Mexico ranks 72nd in the SDG index rank. Additionally, it has an index score of 70.80 and a spillover score of 90.23, ranking it at 85 out of the 167 UN member states that qualify for the index. These rankings demonstrate that, despite the progress on poverty in Mexico and inequality that has been made, there is room for improvement with regard to other SDGs.
In 2024, Mexico announced its policy initiative through the Plan Nacional de Desarrollo (PND). PND aims at stating the objectives and priorities of the government for the 2025 to 2030 period. PND contains four main areas of focus and three cross-cutting issues to direct public policy. Among the main areas of focus is “moral economy and work,” which states the priority of increasing minimum wages, expanding formal jobs and promoting social security. Among the cross-cutting issues, sometimes referred to as the transverse axis, the “substantive equality and women’s rights” objective aims at improving health policies and eliminating structural violence for women through reforms and the SEMUJERES agency.
The PND initiatives are part of the Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional (MORENA) attempt to consolidate the second stage of the transformation. The transformation is in reference to the general project of the party titled La Cuarta Transformacion, a political project which aims at transforming the political, economic and social structures of Mexico.
The Future of Mexico
The experience of Mexico shows that poverty reduction is possible, but sustaining it requires deeper structural reform. Issues related to health care, social protection, gender inequality, structural informality and regional inequality persist in the country. However, with the help of the PND strategic framework and policy initiatives, Mexico could be on track to achieve a majority of its SDGs by 2030.
– Arturo Gonzalez
Arturo is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
Food Systems in Northern Ireland Are Growing Stronger
1. Brexit
In January 2020, the United Kingdom withdrew its membership from the European Union. The U.K. signed the Brexit referendum four years prior, in 2016. Brexit has caused a variety of financial effects, some positive and some negative. It has also enabled the U.K. to create more tailored legislation targeting the roots of food insecurity across the country.
The U.K. Department for Environment, Food & Rural affairs released a statement in July 2025 detailing plans for new food systems legislation to combat hunger and malnourishment specifically affecting children and rural populations. This food strategy aims to create a “good food cycle” by uplifting British farmers, improving agrifood trade relations with the European Union and combat biodiversity loss to allow for more balanced diets. After separating from the EU, the U.K. has shifted its focus to reprioritize food systems at a nationwide level that support its citizens financially and physically.
2. Increased Community Involvement
The Food, Farming & Countryside Commission (FFCC) has directed its attention to amplifying the voices of community members and local farmers in order to strengthen food systems in Northern Ireland. The FFCC has been operating as an independent commission since 2017. In the last two years, it has succeeded in bridging communication between the U.K.’s citizens and government through initiatives such as The Food Conversation and reports including “The False Economy of Big Food” and “Paying the Price.” The action items the FFCC is currently prioritizing include:
3. Technological Innovation
Improving technologies in the agriculture and supply chain sectors have a high potential to continue improving the efficacy of food systems in Northern Ireland and globally. One example of a recent promising innovation for Northern Irish food security is the Food Co-Centre Conceptual Framework which Oxford University researchers developed at their Environmental Change Institute. The Institute launched this framework in 2025 and aims to deliver “environmental, economic and social stability by 2050” through tracking all stages of food production and distribution in Northern Ireland and optimizing the process by metrics of sustainability and affordability.
Dr. Alice Gilmour is the lead author of the study responsible for designing the Food Co-Centre Conceptual Framework. When asked about what the framework will help to accomplish, she stated:
“This framework will help policymakers and food systems stakeholders avoid a siloed approach as it provides the wider context of the entire food system. It brings together insights from industry, NGOs, government, and academia to guide smarter, more sustainable decisions.” This new technology is capable of identifying gaps in the food systems of Northern Ireland and the U.K. more broadly and problem-solving outside of the often “siloed” thinking of regulatory bodies. With this information, the Food Co-Centre Conceptual Framework will suggest more informed and optimally beneficial solutions for governmental, industry and research approaches to how the U.K. grows and distributes its food.
Looking Ahead
Food insecurity and malnutrition rates in Northern Ireland have improved by 14% for children and 19% for adult populations in the past decade. These positive margins come as a direct result of increased community involvement, implementation of new technologies and reformed socioeconomic policies that better reflect the U.K.’s specific interests. Initiatives like the ones highlighted in this article project to minimize and hope to eradicate food insecurity and strengthen food systems in Northern Ireland and across the U.K. within the next two decades.
– Natalie Naylor
Photo: Unsplash
Cargo Containers as Affordable Housing for Nigerians
Second, beyond the material shortage itself, many existing homes are deemed structurally inadequate. A significant number of homes are built in unsafe conditions, such as on weak stilts over water or lack access to basic services like proper sanitation and electricity. In response to these challenges, an innovative solution has begun to gain attention: “cargotecture.” Derived from the original word architecture, this emerging approach involves repurposing cargo containers as affordable housing units.
The Advantages of Container Homes
One key reason shipping containers have become increasingly important as land-based structures is their durability. Companies such as Karmod Nigeria, which operates in more than 25 states, note that these structures are engineered for long-term use. Built primarily from steel, they offer strong structural integrity and present a practical option for affordable housing in low-income communities.
Steel is highly durable and resistant to harsh environmental conditions, reducing the need for frequent repairs and lowering long-term maintenance costs. This makes container-based housing a cost-effective solution in different climates and seasons. Beyond everyday environmental conditions, steel containers also perform well under extreme stresses, including earthquakes.
Originally built to endure long journeys across rough oceans, these containers are designed for strength and resilience. Their robust structure makes them a reliable option in areas with recorded seismic activity, such as Nigeria, which has experienced earthquakes as high as magnitude 4.9. Another material advantage lies in cargo container flooring. Since the base structure is already reinforced, it requires little additional support.
Floors can be finished quickly with lightweight, cost-effective materials such as bamboo, timber and polyvinyl chloride tiles, which are often cheaper than hardwood used in traditional homes. This helps reduce overall construction costs, making housing more accessible and practical for low-income communities. Fire resistance is another notable benefit of cargo containers.
In a country like Nigeria, where temperatures remain consistently high, the risk of fire can increase. A 1977 U.S. Coast Guard study found that fires in containers caused minimal structural damage and were unlikely to spread to nearby units. This shows that steel shipping containers are largely non-combustible, offering a safer and more reliable housing option for people who might otherwise live in low-cost areas with higher fire risks.
Closing Remarks
Ultimately, container homes have evolved from export transport units into lightweight, quickly assembled housing solutions for Nigerians who may not have the means to buy fully furnished luxury homes. Known for their durability, these pre-built structures offer a practical response to the country’s housing crisis. Their growing appeal is also reflected in the expanding global market.
Reports show the container homes market generated $44.76 billion in 2017 and was projected to reach $73.07 billion by 2025, highlighting the real potential of cargo containers as affordable housing.
– Sophia Lupo
Photo: Flickr
Renewable Energy in Grenada
Yet, the Spice Island is planning an ambitious new course. According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Grenada has pledged a 40% reduction in its 2010 emissions by 2030, with the ultimate goal of using 100% renewable energy in its transport and electricity sectors. Additionally, new renewable energy initiatives can combat energy poverty by allowing families to own solar panels and generate their own electricity off the national grid. This would lower household costs, keep money in the Grenadian economy, and improve the quality of life for many impoverished Grenadians.
Challenges
Issues riddle Grenada’s path forward. Grenada’s electrical grid currently relies on diesel generators, for which cooling alone accounts for one-third of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, poverty remains high, with 25% of Grenadians living below the poverty line. Additionally, while there has been progress to expand the renewable energy sectors, a vast majority of Grenada’s renewable energy output comes from small-scale projects rather than large-scale government investment.
Progress on the Ground
Despite these obstacles, renewable energy in Grenada has continued to expand. In November 2024, Grenada launched a tender for a major solar project at Maurice Bichop International Airport, and while a company has not won the tender, the project continues to develop, with officials choosing the sites for the solar panels. The winning developer will secure a 25-year power purchase agreement with the state utility, Grenlec, and planners expect the project to meet 40% of Grenada’s energy grid needs.
Grenlec has also announced that the construction of a new substation and upgraded grid infrastructure is underway on the island. Improving the efficiency of the grid and lessening overall waste. This project will also create a resilient microgrid at the airport, allowing for reliable power during prolonged grid outages.
International support also provides optimism for the Island’s future development. In December 2024, the United Kingdom pledged 10 million British pounds to support geothermal energy development in Grenada, aiming to reduce its former colonies’ reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels. Additional United Nations programs like the Building Effective Resilience for Human Security in the Caribbean Countries and the Harnessing Blue Economy Finance for SIDS Recovery and Sustainable Development initiatives work to develop the renewable energy grids of the region and help the impoverished in Grenada.
Tourism
Tourism remains both Grenada’s largest industry and a major contributor to overall emissions, but the sector is beginning to adopt new, climate-friendly policies. A pilot project at the True Blue Bay Resort has demonstrated that replacing conventional air-conditioning units with R290 units, which are both propane-fueled and very efficient, achieved an energy consumption reduction of around 26%. For a nation with a large number of hotels, in which cooling can account for a majority of its energy demand, improvements in cooling efficiency can reduce annual electricity consumption by hundreds of thousands of ECD.
Impacts on Poverty
The transition to renewable energy in Grenada carries large implications for poverty reduction, as about 25% of the population lives below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate stood at 11.1% in 2023.
Currently, high electricity costs burden low-income households, forcing many to spend large portions of their income on energy. Lowering these costs through renewable sources would free up household income for food, education, healthcare and many other expenses. To combat this, Grenada plans to launch its “Solar for All” Program, which will expand access to rooftop solar and accelerate nationwide adoption of solar energy, particularly for vulnerable households.
Renewable energy also creates local jobs. The country cannot outsource the installation, maintenance and management of renewable energy sources, and will create many jobs for the country’s unemployed. Unlike fossil fuel imports, which send money overseas, investments in renewable energy will keep capital within the local economy.
The expansion of renewable energy in Grenada has the potential to transform the Grenadian economy and open doors for Grenada’s impoverished.
– Luca Napolitano
Photo: Unsplash
Poverty Reduction in China and Beyond
Domestic Poverty Reduction Success in China
China’s poverty reduction is generally regarded as the largest in human history. According to the World Bank, the country lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty over several decades, largely driven by economic growth and structural reforms. From 1978 to 2020, China reduced its rural poverty rate from 97.5% to nearly zero, successfully declaring the eradication of extreme nationwide rural poverty.
This success had several key strategies:
By 2020, China had completed a major national campaign to lift tens of millions out of poverty within only five years.
Meeting the UN 2030 Target Early
The U.N.’s first Sustainable Development Goal aims to end extreme poverty globally by 2030. China reached this benchmark around 2020, making it the first country to do so at such a scale.
U.N. officials have applauded China’s progress, noting that it demonstrates the ‘No Poverty’ goal is achievable, even in a country with a population exceeding 1 billion.
Because China accounted for a large population of the world’s poor population in earlier decades, its success crucially accelerated global poverty reduction overall.
China’s Contribution to Global Poverty Reduction
Beyond its domestic achievements, China has increasingly contributed to global poverty reduction. Through trade, investment and infrastructure development, China has supported growth in many developing economies.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a notably successful example of China’s global poverty reduction. The BRI is a massive global infrastructure development strategy led by China aiming to connect other regions to China to enhance regional trade and economic integration. Research shows that Chinese-funded projects have helped reduce global poverty by creating jobs, improving connectivity and lowering trade costs. A 2023 study found that the BRI investments are associated with measurable declines in poverty levels in participating countries, especially lower income regions.
Similarly, cross-country analysis reveals that countries that are a part of the BRI tend to experience long-term reductions in poverty, largely due to infrastructure improvements and increased economic activity.
In locations such as Africa, Chinese investment in transport and energy has supported broader economic growth by improving access to markets and enabling industrial growth. While the impact varies depending on local conditions, evidence suggests that China’s growing role in global development has become a principal contributor to poverty reduction in many developing economies.
Other initiatives, such as infrastructure investment in South-South cooperation, have helped improve industrial capacity and employment opportunities in partner countries. China has also provided financial assistance and debt relief measures for developing nations during times of crisis.
Regions That Have Benefited Most
Sub-Saharan Africa has remained home to a large share of the world’s poor, and China has become a significant development partner in the region. According to the World Economic Forum, “China has become sub-Saharan Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner.”
Countries in Southeast Asia have benefited from increased trade and manufacturing investment linked to China’s economic expansion.
Chinese investments in Latin America’s natural resources have expanded its economic opportunities and strengthened trade ties across the region.
Lessons for Other Countries
China’s experience offers important lessons for global poverty reduction to countries striving to meet the U.N.’s goals:
China’s success in eliminating extreme poverty ahead of the UN’s 2030 target proves a landmark achievement. By combining strong economic growth with targeted policies, it has transformed the lives of millions and reshaped global poverty trends.
– Leah Denning
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in Mexico and SDG Progress
Despite this progress, structural and institutional inequality still threatens Mexico’s ability to meet the SDGs. This article will review Mexico’s evaluation based on the United Nations SDG objectives for the country.
Progress on Poverty
Poverty reduction has been significant nationwide. Over the past five years, the poverty headcount ratio at $2.15 per day has decreased from 5.06 in 2020 to 1.82 in 2025. In the same time frame, poverty rates after taxes and transfers have been reduced from 16.6% to 15%.
In the 2024 Voluntary National Review (VNR), Mexico emphasized the role of policy in these reductions. For example, from 2018 to 2024 minimum wage increased by 110% and the unemployment rate reduced to 2.6%. The main financiers for these poverty in Mexico reduction programs have been the federal government and foreign investors. Social spending increased by 38%, and by 2023, foreign direct investment increased by 27%.
Although inequality has been improving nationally, regional disparities persist. The 2024 VNR report states that between 2018 and 2022, the contrast between the richest and poorest decile earning ratios has declined from 22 times to 15 times.
Despite these improvements, inequality persists in rural regions of Mexico. As of 2025, 88% of the rural population lives below the $2.15 poverty threshold. This percentage has remained stagnant since 2018.
What’s Driving Change?
The Mexican government has been deliberate about addressing social injustices and structural inequality by means of redistribution programs. For example, from 2018 to 2022, 10 million additional Mexicans became food secure.
Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per capita growth (annual %) increased from 0.5% in 2018 to 1.9% in 2024, with a volatile period in between, ranging from a minimum of -10.6% in 2020 and a maximum 7.7% in 2021.
In spite of efforts, issues in health care, social protection, gender inequality and structural informality persist. In the VNR report, the Mexican government claimed it had aimed to address some of these issues by focusing on SDGs which were interdependent on each other, such as how addressing SDG 1 (no poverty) invariably affects SGD 10 (reduced inequalities) as well.
Is Mexico on Track for 2030?
The United Nations uses the SDG index rank, SDG index score and spillover score to quantify a nation’s progress towards achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to measure a nation’s ability to help other nations develop their own SDGs. Currently, Mexico ranks 72nd in the SDG index rank. Additionally, it has an index score of 70.80 and a spillover score of 90.23, ranking it at 85 out of the 167 UN member states that qualify for the index. These rankings demonstrate that, despite the progress on poverty in Mexico and inequality that has been made, there is room for improvement with regard to other SDGs.
In 2024, Mexico announced its policy initiative through the Plan Nacional de Desarrollo (PND). PND aims at stating the objectives and priorities of the government for the 2025 to 2030 period. PND contains four main areas of focus and three cross-cutting issues to direct public policy. Among the main areas of focus is “moral economy and work,” which states the priority of increasing minimum wages, expanding formal jobs and promoting social security. Among the cross-cutting issues, sometimes referred to as the transverse axis, the “substantive equality and women’s rights” objective aims at improving health policies and eliminating structural violence for women through reforms and the SEMUJERES agency.
The PND initiatives are part of the Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional (MORENA) attempt to consolidate the second stage of the transformation. The transformation is in reference to the general project of the party titled La Cuarta Transformacion, a political project which aims at transforming the political, economic and social structures of Mexico.
The Future of Mexico
The experience of Mexico shows that poverty reduction is possible, but sustaining it requires deeper structural reform. Issues related to health care, social protection, gender inequality, structural informality and regional inequality persist in the country. However, with the help of the PND strategic framework and policy initiatives, Mexico could be on track to achieve a majority of its SDGs by 2030.
– Arturo Gonzalez
Photo: Flickr
How High Living Costs in Bonaire Strain Working Families
Housing Costs Leave Little Room To Breathe
Housing has become one of the most obvious ways in which high living costs in Bonaire have affected daily life. A Dutch government advisory report from 2023 stated that the high cost of living on the island is partially due to the lack of substantial housing and that these costs particularly impact low-income people. The same report stated that Bonaire had 565 public-sector housing units available and around 1,000 families on the waiting list.
This leaves many lower-income residents dependent on an expensive private rental market or living in crowded multigenerational households. For working families, this can mean paying too much for rent while also giving up privacy, stability and peace of mind.
Food and Transport Turn Essentials Into Financial Stress
High living costs in Bonaire do not end with rent. The government’s advisory committee also found that almost all the food and drinks consumed in Bonaire are imported from other places, mainly the Netherlands, keeping their prices very high. Statistics Netherlands reported that the prices of goods in Bonaire were 36% higher in 2024 than in 2010, while food and non-alcoholic beverage prices were 51% higher than over a decade ago.
Transportation also adds another layer of pressure. The same government report stated that there is no public transportation on the island, meaning residents across income levels are often forced to rely on private options. For low-income families, this leads to consequences such as having to pay back costly loans, depending on rides from others and having fewer opportunities to work, receive education and run daily errands.
Work Does Not Always Protect Families From the Poverty Trap
High living costs in Bonaire are especially problematic, as many residents are employed in sectors that offer modest wages. CBS reported in late 2024 that average wages in Bonaire were lower than in neighboring islands such as Sint Eustatius and Saba during the 2011–2022 period. A large number of jobs in Bonaire pay close to or at the statutory minimum wage, especially in tourism-related, retail, construction and manufacturing industries.
Beginning in July 2024, the statutory minimum wage on these three Dutch Caribbean islands was $1,751 per month. Even with this increase, families facing high rents, transport costs and rising grocery bills find that full-time work leaves little money left for savings. Consumer goods and services in Bonaire were also 5.3% more expensive in the second quarter of 2025 compared with 2024, indicating that price pressure has not been fully resolved.
Dutch Measures and Local Housing Efforts Offer Some Relief
The responses that could help alleviate these severe pressures are still in development, but there are signs of improvement. CBS reported that minimum wages and social benefits in the Dutch Caribbean have been systematically increased at a rate exceeding inflation to help low-income families keep up with the rising cost of living. Housing is another area where officials are making progress, with the Executive Council of Bonaire and Hugo de Jonge, Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning, signing the housing deal for Bonaire in 2023.
The housing deal aims to deliver 2,124 affordable homes by 2030. About $11.7 million has been allocated for the first tranche (installment), which will fund the construction of the first 600 homes, including infrastructure, beginning in 2025. The 2023 advisory report also pointed out rental subsidy measures in Bonaire that have already reduced rent costs for some families.
These efforts will not solve the problem overnight. However, they show that Dutch and locally based institutions are under pressure to respond with more than just temporary promises.
Conclusion
High living costs in Bonaire are not an issue that will disappear quickly, especially on an island where factors such as imported goods, limited housing and car dependence shape everyday life. Still, recent wage increases, subsidy efforts and affordable housing plans suggest that relief is possible if these measures continue and expand. For working families on Bonaire, real progress depends on whether policy changes can make ordinary necessities feel manageable again rather than out of reach.
– Ashirah Newton
Photo: Flickr
Vocational Education Training Centers in Guatemala
General Educational Barriers in Guatemala
According to WorldData.Info, Guatemala has ranked 162nd out of 193 countries in the global education ranking. Only about half of students complete elementary school, and one-third finish secondary school. The issue of providing education to Guatemalan citizens stems from poverty across the country. Guatemala’s 36-year Civil War between 1960-1996 displaced hundreds of thousands of Indigenous people, which still negatively impacts their standard of living today. About 47.3% of Guatemalans live with a budget of around 64 quetzales, which in U.S. dollars, translates to about $8.30 a day.
As a result, many families in Guatemala are unable to afford sending their children to school. There is also a significant resource gap in classrooms; they are oftentimes overcrowded, or they lack teachers with the proper training necessary for instruction. These political and economic obstacles bleed into vocational schools, which prevent students from getting a good education.
Vocational Education Training Centers in Guatemala
Guatemalan technical institutions offer students high-demand skills learned in a wide range of subjects in culinary and pastry arts, agriculture, carpentry and computer science. The Ministry of Education stated many of them lacked proper equipment. Some schools, such as Junkabel and William Cornelius Training Center have excellent facilities. But the vast majority lack the budget, staff and infrastructure needed to run them.
Luckily, there have been several efforts aimed at improving the quality of education at Guatemalan trade schools. Foreign aid organizations, like the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), fundraised $20.6 million for Education toward the Guatemala Threshold Program, $4.2 million of which went to technical education alone. Also, the CEPA Foundation, a nonprofit organization, has partnered with another nonprofit, Fundación Corazones Libres, in order to provide vocational education to young children in Vuelta Grande. These funds are used to create new vocational high schools with modernized computers that increase accessibility.
Another nonprofit, Infinite Chance, has funded enough money to buy welding and industrial sewing machines necessary for instruction. Besides nonprofits, affluent vocational institutions in Guatemala like INTECAP have offered vocational certifications and training to secondary students to help them gain specialized skills.
The Future of Vocational Education Centers in Guatemala
Although there is much left to be done to improve vocational education training centers in Guatemala, such as updating curricula to fit the rapidly advancing job market, many charities and nonprofits have organized initiatives to help repair the education system. For instance, the Swisscontact Project teamed up with the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare in Guatemala in 2023 to provide students with technical courses relevant to the IT and food sectors.
The primary goals of these projects is to reduce the need for migration in the Guatemalan workforce. Guatemala wants to decrease the levels of unemployment among Guatemalan youth by providing sufficient Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to students who wish to pursue a career in the skilled trades.
More than 90% of Guatemala’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from industry, service and agriculture jobs. By promoting vocational education centers in Guatemala, future generations can hope to earn a living through these technical careers and boost their domestic economy.
– Stacie Hueter
Photo: Unsplash
Protecting Nutrition Security in Rwanda amid USAID crisis
In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 55 million people face severe food shortages, and more than 13 million children could suffer severe malnutrition. Across the region, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger are the most affected by the cancellation of nutrition programs, with malnutrition levels inching towards critical and mortality rates among children skyrocketing. Rwanda also faces similar challenges due to the cuts in USAID; however, they are positioned better than neighbouring countries. Proactive planning, policy implementation, health services and nutrition programs underlay the long-term efforts towards nutrition security in Rwanda, enabling them to withstand the shocking blow of aid cuts.
The Long-Term Plan to Establish Nutrition Security in Rwanda
Rwanda’s government has taken a proactive, autonomous approach to direct foreign aid into investing and developing its own aid programs. This ensured the maximum and most efficient use of the foreign aid provided, and Rwanda used this to build a long-term nutrition security plan that cushioned the country during the aid cuts.
Rwanda’s National Food and Nutrition Policy served as a basis for the strategic plan from 2013 to 2018, including a framework for fortified foods for mothers and children, school milk programs, and community awareness campaigns, including the following programs, which have delivered results amid the aid crisis.
Shisha Kibondo
This program saw the local production of a range of nutrient-dense fortified blended food (FBF) products under the brand Shisha Kibondo. These supplements are freely distributed among children younger than 2 years. Pregnant mothers also receive a locally produced maize-corn flour blend with a vitamin/mineral premix. The FBP distribution has contributed to the reduction in child stunting from 33% in 2020 to 27% in 2025, and an overall increase in food security among Rwanda’s households, enabling more than 80% of them to get three meals a day. This data has been uninterrupted by disruptions due to the global pandemic or the aid cuts.
Iron Beans
Iron deficiency is prevalent among Rwandans. Notably, 19% of pregnant women and 37% of the children under the age of 5 suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. To specifically combat these numbers, the Rwanda Agriculture Board and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture, in partnership with HarvestPlus, introduced iron-fortified bean varieties to Rwandan farmers and provided them with training for suitable agricultural practices. They also worked with the private sector to scale up production and delivery of the iron beans. The ministries of Education and Agriculture have encouraged adding these iron beans to school feeding programs. These iron beans quickly reduce iron deficiency and anaemia among consumers, and enhance their cognitive and physical capabilities.
Feeding Programs
Among multiple school feeding programs, the National Early Childhood Development Programme funded the “One Cup of Milk per Child” program, ensuring pre-primary and primary students receive milk servings two times a week across 19 districts in Rwanda. The overall aim of the program was to improve the nutritional status of students and to encourage them to pursue their education. These feeding programs helped reduce dropout rates among the children, with dropout rates declining by half since 2021 and encouraged students who previously left school to return and pursue their education.
Nutrition and Hygiene Awareness Programs
Community Health Workers (CHW) are responsible for providing health care services within the community. CHWs also implement nutritional interventions, train and educate parents and caregivers in proper nutrition and hygiene practises, and regularly monitor and support households at risk. The CHW network helps contribute to the decline in stunting among children and the reduction of mortality rates among children and pregnant women. While families benefit from CHWs’ guidance, they are sometimes unable to implement the required recommendations and may need additional resources and support to protect their families from nutrition-related tragedies.
By investing in nutrition security in Rwanda, the government was able to maintain core services and protect its citizens, while its neighbours bore the brunt of aid cuts. As the effects of aid cuts continue to ripple across the region, Rwanda’s model of self-sufficiency offers a blueprint for cultivating permanent systems instead of fostering reliance and dependency.
– Nishtha Mahendra Kumar
Photo: Flickr
Bangladesh’s Textile Industry: Expanding Economic Opportunities
The Engine Behind Bangladesh’s Economic Rise
Bangladesh’s garment industry didn’t just grow over time—it essentially became the backbone of the country’s economy. After gaining independence in 1971, Bangladesh was one of the poorest countries in the world, with very limited industrial capacity. Over the years, the ready-made garment (RMG) sector stepped in to fill that gap, replacing traditional exports like jute and turning into the country’s main driver of growth. Today, the industry employs around 4.5 million people and plays a central role in both economic stability and job creation.
Since taking off in the 1980s, the sector has expanded rapidly through export-led growth and strong integration into global supply chains. This model has helped Bangladesh maintain steady economic progress while creating opportunities for millions of people, particularly those from low-income backgrounds. At the same time, as global markets shift and Bangladesh prepares to move beyond its least-developed country status, there are growing questions about how sustainable this growth model will be in the long run.
Women, Work and the Cost of Opportunity
One of the most visible impacts of Bangladesh’s garment industry is on women. For many, factory work offers a first chance to earn an income, especially for those from rural and low-income backgrounds. This has contributed to greater financial independence and more say in family decisions, while also helping delay early marriage. At the same time, these opportunities have also reshaped education choices. While more girls are encouraged to go to school, some leave earlier to work and support their families, showing how economic opportunity can come with trade-offs.
However, working conditions remain challenging, with long hours and relatively low wages still common. The Rana Plaza collapse exposed serious safety issues and led to reforms, but concerns continue. At the same time, the industry’s environmental impact—especially water pollution from textile production—remains significant. Much of this production is driven by global brands such as Primark and H&M, linking local conditions to a wider global system.
The Future of Bangladesh’s Textile Industry
Bangladesh’s textile industry has clearly driven strong economic growth, but this success also comes with risks. One of the biggest challenges is the country’s heavy reliance on a single sector. As highlighted in recent analysis, an economy built so strongly around garments remains vulnerable to global shifts in demand and competition.
Looking ahead, Bangladesh’s upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status could be a major turning point. While it reflects economic progress, it also means the country may lose key trade advantages such as duty-free access to major markets, potentially affecting its competitiveness in the global apparel industry . At the same time, new global regulations—such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism—could place additional pressure on exporters to meet stricter environmental standards.
These changes suggest that the current growth model may not be enough in the long term. To stay competitive, Bangladesh will likely need to move beyond low-cost production and focus more on innovation, technology and diversification. Strengthening productivity and expanding into higher-value sectors could be key to sustaining growth in the years ahead.
Conclusion
In many ways, the story of Bangladesh’s textile industry is not just about growth—it’s about people. It’s about millions of lives shaped by the chance to earn, to move, to imagine something beyond survival. For many women in particular, the industry has opened doors that did not exist before.
But behind this progress is a more complicated reality. The same system that creates opportunity also carries pressure on workers, on communities and on the environment. As Bangladesh moves forward, the question is no longer whether the industry can grow, but what kind of growth it chooses to pursue.
If that growth is shaped with greater care—for people, for working conditions and for the environment—then the textile sector can remain not just an economic success, but a more balanced and human one.
– Elif Oktar
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Poverty Reduction in Cuba
Since 1959, Cuba’s socialist program has addressed poverty by prioritizing food rations, healthcare, literacy and housing for all of its citizens. Despite hardships due to frequent natural disasters, a resource-poor environment and forced isolation from the world market; the Cuban people have remained both steadfast in their principles and adaptable in moments of crisis. As Cuba recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and fights against the United States’ oil blockade, unity and creativity are of the utmost importance when reducing poverty.
Healthcare
Cuba’s planned, state-controlled economy allows for much of the national budget to fund universal healthcare, education and food rations. During the Batista regime of the 1950s, nearly half of the country’s physicians were located in Havana. The centralization of healthcare in cities created severe disparities between quality of care for rural and urban citizens. At that time, Cuba had a single rural hospital, and the rural infant mortality rate was 100 deaths per 1,000 births.
In 1960, the government formed the Rural Medical Service, placing recent graduated physician volunteers in rural areas, and by 1970, there were 53 rural hospitals in Cuba. Through the Family Doctor and Nurse Program, every Cuban has had access to one of more than 13,000 teams of neighborhood doctors and nurses since 1999. These local doctors ensure that the Cuban Health System regularly engages with all of the country’s citizens.
It also gives the government access to aggregated community diagnoses that lead to greater analysis of risk factors and the nation’s most pressing needs. This has led to a reduction of the infant mortality rate from 38.7 per 1,000 live births in 1970 to 4.0 per 1,000 live births in 2018, and has strengthened women’s health services through the establishment and expansion of the National Maternal-Child Health Program. Furthermore, Cuba’s commitment to universal healthcare and public health exceeds its own borders. Since the end of 2018, approximately 400,000 Cuban health professionals have worked in more than 150 countries.
Food and Housing
Although to varying amounts, food rations have been a staple of poverty reduction in Cuba. Recently, limited access to foreign currency for imported food, natural disasters such as Hurricane Melissa and fuel shortages have led to increased food security issues for the island. As the government-issued food baskets are almost entirely imported, Cuba has partnered with the World Food Programme (WFP) for assistance in reducing imports and increasing food self-sufficiency.
This partnership seeks to improve assistance in maintaining food access amid natural disasters, and to strengthen nutrition systems for vulnerable groups, such as expanding school lunches for children. In 2025, 1,540,107 Cubans benefitted from the World Food Programme’s aid—particularly through food assistance and disaster relief from Hurricane Melissa.
Cuba’s 2019 Constitution reiterates these goals. It defines healthcare, education, food security and shelter as human rights, and upholds the state’s goal to achieve food security and housing for all of its citizens. The Cuban government plans to increase shelter construction programs and food rations to accomplish this. By deeming these basic necessities as natural rights, the Cuban government seeks to create both a baseline of security and a healthy, well-educated workforce.
Future Strategies
Due to the recent oil blockade, Cuba has turned to solar power. In 2025, Cuba, with financial help from China, installed around 1,000 megawatts of solar generation. As of February 2026, the Cuban government announced it would waive personal taxes for up to eight years for business people investing in renewable energy. Even local taxi drivers have installed solar panels on the roofs of their vehicles in response to the scarcity of oil. While the oil blockade presently harms Cubans, they are already preparing for an alternative future.
Leader Miguel Díaz-Canel has begun preparations for poverty reduction in Cuba amid increased sanctions and economic instability. Alongside investments in renewable energy, Díaz-Canel has prioritized a decentralization of authority—giving more power to local municipalities and state-owned enterprises—with the goal of expanding local production and reducing reliance on imports. Above all, Díaz-Canel cites “cooperation and collaboration…based on principles of solidarity, integration and complementarity,” as the core principles necessary for Cuban prosperity.
– Josh Megson
Photo: Wikimedia Commons