In recent years, the link between migration and political agendas has intensified across the European Union (EU). However, humanitarian organizations and public institutions are increasingly defending ethical refugee policy in Europe. While several political parties frame migration as a security threat or economic burden, a growing coalition of NGOs, civil society actors and EU bodies are working to ensure that refugee protection and global development remain grounded in human rights and solidarity. Their efforts challenge the politicization of asylum and reinforce Europe’s longstanding commitment to ethical international cooperation.
NGOs Defending Asylum Rights
Organizations like Sea-Watch have taken a frontline role in rescuing migrants at sea and advocating for their rights. Based in Germany, Sea-Watch conducts search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean and has consistently opposed efforts to criminalize such missions. The organization has also filed legal actions and partnered with legal advocacy groups to challenge EU migration policies undermining asylum rights. Its operations saved more than 1,400 people in 2023 alone, underlining the continuing need for humanitarian intervention at sea. Sea-Watch’s operations exemplify how ethical refugee policy in Europe is practiced on the ground.
Another prominent group, Caritas Europa, represents a wide network of Catholic charities and operates in 46 European countries. Caritas advocates for fair and well-funded asylum systems and recently launched campaigns urging the EU to safeguard refugee services amid budget reallocations. In its 2024 statement, Caritas emphasized the need for migration policies that are “humane, sustainable and based on solidarity.” The organization also directly serves, offering shelter, education and mental health support to asylum seekers across Europe.
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) also plays a key advocacy role at the institutional level. The organization releases policy papers and legal analyses to influence EU asylum directives and budget allocations. ECRE’s 2023–25 Strategic Plan openly criticizes EU externalization policies, which aim to outsource asylum responsibilities. It argues that these efforts are attempts to evade legal obligations under EU and international law. This position is reaffirmed in its 2024 Annual Report, which urges full compliance with the new Asylum Pact while firmly rejecting externalization schemes.
Parliamentary Oversight and Ethical Review
Beyond civil society, EU institutions have played a growing role in reviewing the ethical use of aid in migration deals. In late 2023, the European Ombudsman opened an inquiry into the European Commission’s agreement with Tunisia, which allocated more than $1 billion to limit departures from North Africa. The investigation was launched in response to concerns raised by rights groups about the treatment of sub-Saharan migrants under this deal.
Human Rights Watch and Médecins Sans Frontières reported widespread abuse at Tunisia’s southern borders, including forced expulsions and denial of humanitarian assistance. The Ombudsman called for greater transparency in how development funds are used. It emphasized that EU values must be upheld even in external partnerships. The European Parliament has also debated the appropriateness of tying foreign aid to migration control. Several Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called for preserving aid’s primary purpose: supporting health, education and poverty reduction in developing nations.
This debate intensified after reports from organizations like Statewatch and ECRE raised alarms about the growing share of development funding being diverted toward border control efforts. Although no formal resolution has been adopted recently, parliamentary discussions have increasingly highlighted the need for aid transparency, ethical oversight and alignment with the EU’s human rights obligations. Such institutional pushback reflects the importance of maintaining ethical refugee policy in Europe amid rising populism.
National Models for Ethical Refugee Policy
Some EU member states have adopted policy approaches that maintain a humanitarian lens on refugee issues. These country-specific efforts highlight how ethical refugee policy in Europe can be implemented at the national level despite broader EU political tensions. Portugal, for example, significantly increased its resettlement quota under the EU Resettlement Program, welcoming more than 1,000 refugees in 2019 alone.
Unlike other member states, Portugal has not made refugee intake conditional on repatriation agreements or aid cuts. The government has invested in long-term integration, offering language training, job placement services and access to public education for all registered asylum seekers. Sweden and Finland have also introduced digital literacy and mental health support into their refugee resettlement programs, recognizing the importance of holistic approaches to integration.
In Sweden, asylum seekers are granted early access to psychological services and school enrollment even while awaiting case decisions, a model praised by the UNHCR for reducing long-term dependency.
Restoring the Purpose of Development Aid
Critics of the politicization of aid argue that diverting funds from poverty alleviation to border enforcement undermines long-term global development goals. According to the Statewatch NGO, as of 2025, 14% of the EU’s NDICI-Global Europe budget (worth more than $80 billion) is allocated to migration and border management, well above the initial 10% target. This shift risks deprioritizing sectors like health care, climate resilience and education, foundational to reducing poverty.
In contrast, organizations like Oxfam and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have advocated for aid that addresses the root causes of displacement, such as conflict and inequality. In its 2024 position paper, IRC recommended rechanneling funds toward early warning systems, peace-building initiatives and local economic development programs.
The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also warned that conditioning aid on migration cooperation could erode donor credibility and weaken global solidarity. In a 2025 advisory, the DAC urged donor countries to recommit to aid effectiveness principles that prioritize need over negotiation.
Maintaining a Humanitarian Vision
As debates around refugees and European politics continue, the work of NGOs, oversight institutions and reform-minded governments illustrates a counter-current to the politicization of aid. Their efforts demonstrate that development funds can remain focused on poverty alleviation, rather than becoming bargaining chips in migration negotiations.
Challenges persist, including rising anti-immigrant sentiment and electoral pressures. Nonetheless, defenders of ethical refugee policy in Europe continue to offer a roadmap for preserving the integrity of refugee protection and sustainable development. In doing so, they reinforce the principle that support for displaced people should not be dictated by political cycles, but by shared commitments to human dignity and international solidarity.
Continued advocacy, public education and cross-border collaboration will ensure that European policies align with the continent’s humanitarian values.
– Ray Bechara
Ray is based in Glasgow, Scotland and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Pexels
Spanish Foreign Aid Grows Amid European Budget Cuts
Spanish Foreign Aid: Then and Now
Spain established its ODA fund in 1976. As a leading donor, reaching the United Nations’ (U.N.) target for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2015 was the expectation. To reach this goal, affluent countries must allocate 0.7% of their gross national income (GNI) to foreign aid spending, though few have done so. However, an economic crisis spanning from 2008 to 2011 saw cuts to ODA spending, with the contribution falling from 0.46% of GNI in 2010 to 0.12% in 2015. Besides a 2016 spike to 0.43%, Spain has since experienced slow and steady growth, currently contributing 0.24% of its GNI. As of 2024, Spain ranks as the 12th largest DAC donor out of 32 in terms of net financial contribution.
While Spanish foreign aid is far from meeting the 0.7% target, the country has voiced intentions to continue increasing ODA funding with specific policy initiatives outlined in the 2024-2027 Spanish Cooperation Master Plan for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity. The Master Plan addresses the need for cross-cultural dialogue to ensure contextually appropriate efforts, with primary focuses including water and sanitation, health accessibility and food security.
Triangular Partnership
An avid promoter of multilateral cooperation, Spain’s plan advocates for Triangular Partnership. This involves an actor looking for support to address a development issue, an experienced partner to lend knowledge and an institution providing financial support. The concept offers that countries facing poverty have important stories to tell and no country is too rich to learn from them. Additionally, in 2023, Spain passed the Law on Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Global Solidarity, legally binding SDG commitments, including budgeting 0.7% of the national GNI toward foreign aid. Approved across all political bodies in the Congress of Deputies, it implements a statute improving conditions for aid workers and outlines the need for reform in the AECID, subsidy legislation and financial cooperation.
International Conference on Financing for Development
Besides monetary contributions, Spanish foreign aid takes an active role in international collaboration. A recent example is its hosting of the 2025 Financing for Development Conference in Seville. The fourth of its kind since 2002, the Financing for Development conference addresses the relationship between the movement of finances and societal priorities, ensuring fiscal policy coordination. The primary focus was on the importance of multilateral financial cooperation to reach the SDGs. Actionable areas outlined in the official document include international development cooperation and development effectiveness international financial architecture and systemic issues.
Moving Forward
In essence, Spanish foreign aid bodies are reaffirming their commitment to reaching the 0.7% GNI contributions to ODA efforts despite foreign aid budget cuts trending across Europe. Official reports include acknowledgements of the legally binding nature of previous and ongoing agreements and specifically promote the importance of multilateral cooperation for reaching these goals across all DAC countries.
– Emily Galán
Photo: Flickr
USAID Programs in Côte d’Ivoire
Health Initiatives in Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire has many health issues. Malaria and maternal mortality are specific challenges to the country’s health security. USAID programs in Côte d’Ivoire are focusing on its health security by tackling these and other problems such as HIV/AIDS and child health. USAID training and education initiatives have rapidly increased the learning and adaptation of medical practices, even while the country spends just 3.13% of its GDP on health care. This has led to a more resilient and adept health care system which is seeing better performance every year.
Two Food for Progress USAID programs began that increase food security for the country by processing crops locally instead of exporting raw crops to be processed. This incentivizes more regional trade and partnerships that unify the economic activities of the regions.
Promoting Peace & Education Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire is still healing its wounds from the Second Ivorian Civil War that began with post-election conflict and ended in 2011, which resulted in a UN/French/Ouattara victory (Ouattara being the current illegitimate president’s opposition leader). The U.S. Secretary has recently provided more than $45 million “to help Côte d’Ivoire and its neighbors prevent conflict and promote stability in the face of regional threats.” The U.S. has recently been successful in laxing tensions in the Coastal West Africa region and has provided nearly $300 million in assistance to accomplish such.
The new Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact with the Côte d’Ivoire, valued at $536.7 million, has two major parts:
In the education sector, Côte d’Ivoire has successfully brought its primary school enrollment to 102% of the gross population considered of age to be going to primary school. This figure is up from 55% in 1970. The U.S. embassy in Abidjan also offers educational programs for the nation to advance their studies in the U.S. or abroad, including Fulbright Fellowships, Mandela-Washington Fellowship and EducationUSA.
Political Transition & Inclusion in Côte d’Ivoire
The U.S. is strengthening democracy and governance in Côte d’Ivoire through institution building. Politically, there is a major emphasis on greater inclusion of women and youth as these historically marginalized groups will be playing a larger role as the country further develops. Protecting and promoting their rights concurrently increases the country’s political stability and security.
USAID programs in Côte d’Ivoire were actively enabling the $14.2 million Political Transition and Inclusion program, whose goal is to support “national and local government efforts to be more inclusive of citizens’ democratic ambitions, and responsive to their needs and concerns.” This program specifically identified the disconnect between the government and citizens being the most significant challenge the country faces. No current data or documents could be found about the program’s current performance. Beyond this and other USAID initiatives, many more projects exist that incentivize community resilience, modernizing the justice system, and free and fair elections.
Final Thoughts
Côte d’Ivoire has made significant developmental progress, specifically within health care and domestic stability. Whether USAID programs in Côte d’Ivoire make a lasting impact will be seen in the 2025 October elections and future equity and economic metrics.
– Aedan Bingham
Photo: Flickr
Chagas Disease in Bolivia: A Public Health Crisis in Rural Areas
When it comes to public health, Bolivia faces a unique and often overlooked challenge: Chagas disease. Caused by a parasite transmitted by blood-sucking insects, this tropical disease has quietly affected hundreds of thousands, particularly in impoverished, rural communities. Bolivia has one of the highest rates of Chagas infection in the world, making it both a public health burden and a social justice issue. This article explores the reality of Chagas disease in Bolivia and the ongoing efforts to fight it.
Chagas Disease in Bolivia
Chagas disease in Bolivia, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, continues to pose a serious public health challenge across Latin America and Bolivia remains one of the most affected countries. The disease is widespread across Bolivia, with seven out of the country’s nine departments considered endemic, regardless of altitude. Although major international health efforts, especially those targeting insect vectors and the safety of blood transfusions, have led to a significant decline in infection rates over the past two decades, the burden is still considerable.
By 2005, Bolivia reported around 620,000 cases of infection, down from more than a million in the mid-1980s. Before large-scale control efforts began in 2000, infection rates in Bolivia were alarmingly high, with 90% of adults infected. In 2025, approximately 80% of Bolivian territory is considered endemic. Despite progress, health authorities still diagnose more than 10,000 new cases each year.
The Knowledge of Citizens
People living in rural parts of Bolivia are much more familiar with the insect that spreads Chagas disease. In many rural communities, more than 80% of people could easily recognize the vinchuca, a blood-sucking bug responsible for spreading the parasite. In contrast, only about half of the residents in cities like La Paz and around two-thirds in Santa Cruz were able to identify it correctly. Many rural communities know when it’s most active—often during hot and dry weather—and describe how it enters homes from nearby forests or hides near animal shelters. Locals also talk about its nighttime activity and blood-feeding habits. Interestingly, some communities have noticed a decline in the number of vinchucas in recent years, though the threat is still very real.
Fighting the Illness
Since 2015, Médecins Sans Frontières has been working with Bolivia’s Ministry of Health to improve care for Chagas disease, especially in remote rural areas. One of its most innovative efforts is eMOCHA, a mobile system that allows people to report sightings of triatomine bugs (vinchucas) via free SMS messages. The system uses GPS technology to send technicians directly to affected homes for fumigation and follow-up. Previously, this process could take up to a month—now it happens within days. The pilot project in Narciso Campero Province has shown promising results and may be expanded nationwide or adapted for tracking other diseases.
MSF has also provided training to rural health centers, donated medical supplies like electrocardiography devices and rapid tests and helped treat hundreds of Chagas patients in areas like Monteagudo. Its model suggests that it’s possible to deliver diagnosis and treatment at the primary care level—even in Bolivia’s most remote communities. MSF is now working on a comprehensive manual, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, to help scale the program to other endemic regions.
Looking Ahead
While often overlooked, Chagas disease remains a daily reality for many Bolivians—especially those in rural areas. With the impact of community knowledge, international support and smart technology, progress is underway. However, the road to full disease control remains long and sustained investment is essential.
– Julia Skowrońska
Photo: Flickr
The Years-Long Struggle of Cancer Patients in Gaza
Patients seeking treatment in the West Bank or East Jerusalem have been vulnerable to the continuous shutting of both crossings as well as arbitrary travel permit approvals. A weak health care system coupled with strict travel guidelines has made life impossible for cancer patients in Gaza far before the current conflict.
Incidence of Cancer in the Gaza Strip
Cancer is a widespread disease among Gazan civilians. Between 2014 and 2018, 8,326 cases were recorded. The most common types were breast cancer (18%), colon cancer (10.7%), lung cancer (11.4%), leukemia (9.1%), lymphoma (7.9%), prostate cancer (7.7%), bladder cancer (6.3%), brain cancer (5.3%), stomach cancer (3.2%), pancreatic cancer (2.5%) and kidney cancer (2.2%).
Women accounted for 10% more cases than men. For women, the most common type was breast cancer; for men, it was colon cancer. Among the 620 child cases reported, Leukemia was the most prevalent.
Health Care Access Restrictions
Many patients with various illnesses are referred outside Gaza to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Jordan for specialized treatment. In 2019, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) statewide reported that the number of medical cases referred for specialized treatment was 26,855 cases, with 6,352 children. Gaza City recorded the highest referral rate, accounting for 46% of all cases across the Strip. However, exiting Gaza, even for medical care, is extremely difficult.
Due to the 18-year blockade, civilians must apply for a permit to cross through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) checkpoint far north of the Strip. Israel completely dictates the approval of the permits and the decisions are arbitrary, with some licenses approved after being rejected and others delayed or even dismissed without proper explanation. The delays can be life-threatening, especially for urgent cases; 8.8% of patients succumbed to their illness six months after they applied for their permit. Israel has also been inconsistent throughout the years; in 2012, the acceptance rate was 94%; in 2017, it dropped to 54%; from 2019 to 2021, it reached 65%, regardless of the urgency of the medical case.
The approval of the permits could depend on gender, age and condition; men aged 40 and below and patients with urological conditions have the lowest approval rates, respectively 47% and 44%. Children are the most vulnerable as they require a legal guardian to accompany them, which requires extra approval. From 2019 to 2021, 54% of parents who applied for a permit did not receive the approval in time for their child’s hospital appointment and neither parent didn’t accompany 32% of children. This is due to the rejection of the parent’s permit and the non-application of the parent to be a companion.
Post-War Circumstances
Before the ongoing crisis, the health care system in Gaza was already lacking proper supplies for cancer patients, hence the need for referral. The constant bombing, lack of fuel, medical supply shortages, insufficient staff and the targeting of hospitals and health care workers have shot the struggle of cancer patients in Gaza to unfathomable heights. The Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital was the only hospital in the strip specializing in oncology. However, it was forced to close within the first month of the Israeli attacks on Gaza; 12 cancer patients died within 10 days of its closure.
By May 2025, 94% of Gaza’s hospitals were damaged or destroyed, leaving only 19 operating for more than two million people. Seven of them only offer basic emergency care. Northern Gaza struggles the most as the civilians residing there have practically no access to health care. Leaving the strip is more impossible than ever. On top of the rejection of referral permits, Gazan citizens have to pay the Egyptian travel agency (Hala) $2,500 for a child and $5,000 for an adult to cross the Rafah border leading to Egypt, which is equivalent to more than fourfold the average Gazan’s yearly income.
The situation worsened after the border closed on March 2, blocking life-saving medicine, food shipments and fuel from entering the Strip for over four months. With a surge in critically wounded patients and the total collapse of the health system, hospital occupancy has soared beyond 200%. Meanwhile, 2,000 cancer patients in Gaza are being overlooked, as their conditions are deemed non-urgent.
Conclusion
Cancer patients in Gaza have suffered from more than their illness. Due to the 18-year-long siege on the Strip, many have lost their lives before accessing proper care. The current war has only accentuated their struggle as the collapsing health care system, influx of casualties and incessant bombings and evacuation orders on hospitals have deprived them of life-saving medical attention.
– Yasmine Belabed
Photo: Pixabay
How Global Programs Are Using Sports To Fight Poverty
Afghanistan: Skateistan Turns Skate Parks Into Schools
In a country where 1.4 million girls remain banned from school, Skateistan offers an alternative route back into learning. Its Back-to-School and Skate & Create classes reached 7,405 children in 2023, 58% of whom are girls.
Private, girls-only sessions sidestep cultural barriers and the organization’s female coaches provide rare role models. Beyond boards and ramps, students receive tutoring, hot meals and vocational workshops. One hundred twenty young women graduated from a tailoring course that supplies equipment to earn an income at home.
By blending sports, arts and accelerated schooling, Skateistan protects at-risk youth from labor and early marriage while nurturing the literacy and confidence needed to re-enter the formal system.
Brazil: Fight for Peace Takes a Smart Swing at Youth Unemployment
Brazil’s “youth bulge” is a double-edged sword: in 2021, 26.8% of 18-to 24-year-olds were unemployed. In Rio’s Complexo da Maré favela, Fight for Peace transforms boxing’s tough-gym stereotype into a five-pillar program focused on sports, education, employability, mentoring and youth leadership.
The charity’s latest impact report shows 1,326 young people enrolled in employability or education projects in 2023, while 1,144 accessed services at its London academy alone, evidence of a model now being replicated worldwide.
Vocational courses, from web design to reception skills, link directly to job placements, while micro-grants totaling more than $50,000 funded youth-led safety and enterprise projects in east London and Kingston, Jamaica. By pairing ringside discipline with formal training, Fight for Peace addresses the dual challenges of violence and joblessness that keep many Brazilian adolescents trapped in poverty.
Ethiopia: Girls Gotta Run Races Against Child Marriage
Early marriage still affects 40% of Ethiopian girls before age 18, undermining their education and future earnings. Girls Gotta Run counters this trajectory with distance-running scholarships, including school fees, daily coaching, life-skills clubs and mothers’ savings groups.
The logic is simple: keeping girls in class reduces the likelihood of marriage by 6% for every additional year of secondary education. Meanwhile, entrepreneurship workshops and seed capital help mothers grow family income, cutting the economic incentive to marry daughters early.
By integrating sports, finance and reproductive health education, the nonprofit builds a supportive ecosystem where adolescent girls can literally and figuratively outrun the pressures that curtail their futures.
Nigeria: Chess in Slums Africa Makes a Smart Move Against Exclusion
Nigeria’s youth face formidable odds: 7.2% unemployment rate among 15- to 24-year-olds and 62% of the population under 25. In Lagos’s Makoko settlement, Chess in Slums Africa trades footballs for boards and pieces to deliver cognitive training, scholarships and even healthcare. Since 2018, the project has secured lifelong scholarships for more than 200 children from informal settlements.
In 2023, it partnered with Health Insured Nigeria to provide free screenings and insurance enrollment for 400 families, underscoring how a sports setting can broker services beyond recreation.
Conclusion
Sports alone won’t solve poverty, but these stories show what’s possible when used with purpose. From skateparks to running tracks, well-designed programs are turning play into progress, connecting young people to schools, jobs and health care. The scale of the challenge is huge, but every scholarship won, job landed or early marriage prevented is a small victory against inequality, one push, punch, stride or move at a time.
– James Harwood
Photo: Flickr
Orphans in the DRC
Civil War
The DRC’s involvement in war is what has caused hardships for its civilians, especially women and children. The conflict has orphaned children and left many women widowed. Additionally, there has been an increase in violence and rape toward women and children during this period of war, which has lasted for more than 30 years. Around 7,000 people have lost their lives since January 2025. Women and children often face the greatest risks in situations like this.
Orphans in Congo
There are a variety of reasons why children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo become orphans. One main reason is that bad actors use rape as a strategy of war. As a result, many women become pregnant and abandon their babies on the streets due to embarrassment and social judgment. The country lacks organizations that protect orphans and communities often reject these children, leaving them with nowhere to go. Another reason for orphans in the DRC is poverty. When families are incapable of providing for their children, they resort to child abandonment.
Exploitation in the DRC
Due to their vulnerability, orphans are often exploited in various ways. In the DRC, adults take advantage of these children. Some law enforcement personnel have used them to disrupt political protests. Others exploit them as cheap, manual labor, often providing little or no pay. Some have also forced these children into sex and drug trafficking. The Congolese army has also used orphans as child soldiers. At one point, children made up as much as 40% of the army. They are often denied food, water and medical care. Recruits are trained to fight and carry out unlawful acts against civilians, exposing them to severe trauma and violence at a young age.
IWOF’s Mission
The IWOF began with one email in 2013. This email was from a friend and it detailed the story of 35 orphans in the DR of Congo, who were hidden from rebel soldiers in a wooded area. IWOF initially paid for school fees and uniforms. As the organization built a stronger relationship with the Grace Orphanage, it expanded its support. Since then, IWOF has constructed housing for 46 orphans, established a farm with animals and crops and built a learning center. The organization sends 97% of its raised funds directly to the Grace Orphanage in the DRC. The IWOF team also regularly visits and inspects the facilities.
Widows and Orphans Fund
IWOF not only supports orphans, but also supports widows. More than 5 million people have died in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been ongoing for more than 30 years. As a result, many women have lost their husbands, leaving them widowed. These widows live without a stable source of income and often turn to prostitution. The majority of these widows also have no education. There are roughly 120 widows staying at Grace Orphanage. IWOF opened a reading center in 2018 to provide them and their children with reading and writing help, meals, school supplies, toys and games, socialization and health information.
IWOF’s Accomplishments
Over the last 10 years, IWOF has:
Looking Ahead
IWOF plans to expand further in the coming years. Its goal is to provide housing for up to 60 orphans in the DRC and for the orphanage to become self-sufficient. The organization plans to build another house to accommodate more children. It also aims to grow its reading and business program to include microloans and mentorship for widows, helping them successfully run their own businesses. Supplying vegetables and chickens is also part of IWOF’s future plans. The organization hopes to rely less on donations and move toward long-term self-sufficiency.
– Ella Burke
Photo: Flickr
#67Strong4Kids: Jennifer Garner Takes Strides of Hope
Garner has been working as a Save the Children artist ambassador for more than a decade. On Sunday, June 22, she was joined in Santa Monica, California, by Peloton instructor Becs Gentry and hundreds of supporters who took strides of hope to raise awareness and funds for children suffering from malnutrition. This was the final stretch of the run, sponsored by Brooks Running. The attendance was to support the charity’s efforts to provide ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to children in danger of going hungry globally.
“I’m feeling emotional and just really grateful — grateful to people for seeing what I was doing and either joining in or cheering me on,” says Garner. “It just feels like a nice intention to be out there.”
Child Malnutrition
Around the world, one in five deaths among children aged below 5 is associated with severe acute malnutrition. This condition can cause permanent damage to children’s physical and cognitive development and make them more susceptible to illness.
Garner says, “With climate disruptions, conflict and inequality, more children than ever are suffering from the effects of severe malnutrition, a condition that is preventable and treatable. Our 67 runs may be behind us, but the race for kids’ futures is ongoing. Together, we can help. For only $67, a child can receive a six-week course of RUTF and along with it, a chance at a healthier future. Thank you for partnering with Save the Children by joining with Becs Gentry and me. You are part of the solution!”
As of June 22, the #67Strong4Kids campaign has raised $500,000 to support severely malnourished kids globally.
Garner’s Advocacy Efforts
Garner has advocated on Capitol Hill and brought Save the Children’s early childhood education programs to her state of West Virginia. She traveled to Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington to meet with lawmakers, press and philanthropists to raise awareness for the foundation.
Conclusion
Jennifer Garner shared that her decision to run every day “was a small promise that I could keep to myself every day, but would be meaningful for me.” She has set a groundbreaking example by taking strides of hope, where each stride counts.
Her drive to take initiative and accept the #67Strong4Kids challenge has inspired countless runners and fans. Through all of its participants, Save the Children has acquired some of the resources needed to support malnourished children globally.
– Abirame Shanthakumar
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
USAID in Ghana: Cuts Could Undermine Progress
USAID in Ghana
Until recently, USAID contributed about $150 million per year to Ghana. The organization funded efforts in maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS and malaria treatment, education accountability and climate-smart agriculture programs through Feed the Future and other initiatives. Other key programs, such as the Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES), have been suspended, putting the quality of education and support systems for thousands of students at risk.
The Resilience in Northern Ghana (RING II) Systems Strengthening Activity, a $21.9 million initiative being implemented (2022 to 2027), is one of the most severely impacted programs. This initiative aimed to improve nutrition, strengthen economic resilience and improve local governance systems in northern Ghana. It collaborated with 17 district assemblies to enhance health, education and social protection services delivery. Undoubtedly, the USAID has been a critical partner to Ghana for many years, enhancing the livelihoods of millions of Ghanaians with these funds.
Widespread Effects Across Sectors
In Ghana’s fisheries sector, USAID-backed plans for the first Marine Protected Area were abruptly canceled. The cancellation imperiled local economies dependent on small pelagic fish like sardines, anchovies and mackerel, which make up about 60% of local fish landings and serve as a primary protein source for millions.
In agriculture, programs that provided seed, training, climate-smart methods and agribusiness support to rural farmers have stopped, jeopardizing food security in regions already suffering from poverty and climate shocks.
Governance initiatives such as the Performance Accountability Activity (PAA) have also been paused, weakening transparency and citizen participation at the district level. While Ghana’s “Ghana Beyond Aid” agenda gains momentum, the sudden withdrawal of U.S. support highlights the difficulty of fulfilling development goals in fragile systems dependent on international partnership.
Local and Multilateral Allies Step In
John Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana, has ordered urgent action. He has prompted the government to uncap the National Health Insurance Levy, raising GH¢4.2 billion ($300 million) to fill the USAID funding gap in health services. Some local and multilateral organizations have also stepped in to mitigate the impact. The African Development Bank (AfDB) and SEND Ghana have emerged as critical lifelines during this transition, leveraging financial power and policy advocacy.
In late 2023, the African Development Fund, the concessional arm of the AfDB, approved a $102.6 million budget support grant to Ghana’s Ministry of Finance. The funding stabilized public finances and supported critical health, agriculture and infrastructure sectors. Beyond emergency support, AfDB maintains an active project portfolio worth more than $800 million, financing 23 programs nationwide. By 2025, AfDB had committed to deepening investment in Ghana’s transport systems, private sector innovation and cybersecurity infrastructure, signaling a long-term vision beyond stopgap relief.
Meanwhile, SEND Ghana, a local nonprofit focusing on health equity and budget advocacy, has pressured Parliament to make pro-poor spending a national priority. SEND Ghana calls for the transparent use of revenue from the National Health Insurance Levy. It is pushing for those funds to plug gaps in maternal health, school feeding and public education left behind by USAID’s departure. By issuing regular policy briefs and engaging directly with lawmakers, SEND ensures the country’s most vulnerable citizens don’t fall through the cracks during this funding transition.
SEND Ghana applauded the government for uncapping the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) and allocating about $8.8 million to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) in the 2025 budget. The organization described it as a significant step toward sustainable health care financing. It also viewed it as progress toward transparent, inclusive and accountable governance.
Final Remarks
An analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) noted that halting foreign aid weakens U.S. geopolitical influence and undercuts global security efforts. Foreign assistance isn’t charity, it’s strategic infrastructure.
– Dela Michel
Photo: Unsplash
Devin Hibbard Dismantles the Poverty Cycle With Entrepreneurship
The Power of Belief
When Devin Hibbard was 19, she traveled to Nepal on a medical relief trip with her parents. There, she witnessed her father save a woman’s life after childbirth. However, just days later, the woman passed away. That moment challenged Hibbard’s worldview.
She began to question everything, feeling the weight of how deeply unfair life can be and lost much of the belief she once held. Since then, Hibbard says she has worked hard to rebuild that belief. “And through working with women living in unspeakable poverty,” she shares, “I’ve learned a lot about the power of belief.”
One Necklace Turned Into One Mission
Later, Hibbard traveled to Uganda and met a woman named Millie, who made jewelry from discarded paper. During the civil war, Millie headed to the slums and did whatever she could to survive. Hibbard bought a necklace from Millie and before leaving Uganda, she and her mother purchased necklaces from each of the 100 women living in the mud homes of the slum.
Once she returned to the U.S., Hibbard hosted an event where she sold the beads. The event was so successful that it inspired her to return to Uganda and launch BeadforLife in 2004, a nonprofit organization that helps women dismantle the poverty cycle through entrepreneurship.
Providing the Tools To Succeed
To provide people in developing countries with the tools to become successful entrepreneurs, Devin Hibbard founded Street Business School. While BeadforLife helped women earn income through jewelry-making, Hibbard realized a more structured approach to business education was needed.
Street Business School (SBS) offers programs in valuable skills to people of all ages, genders and countries. Today, it partners with organizations in 37 countries. It has empowered more than 92,000 individuals, helping to break the cycle of poverty through sustainable change.
Hibbard’s vision for Millie and her beads in Uganda blossomed into a nonprofit that is transforming the lives of thousands, helping them dismantle the poverty cycle. It’s important to recognize that overcoming poverty often requires more than just financial support. It involves providing essential resources and knowledge that empower individuals to achieve long-lasting success.
Knowledge is very powerful, but so is the act of believing, both in oneself and others. By instilling this belief, people can create opportunities that lead to profound change. Together, society can achieve far more than we ever imagined.
Conclusion
Hibbard’s work is a powerful reminder that dismantling the poverty cycle isn’t about charity but unlocking potential. Through entrepreneurship, education and unwavering belief in human capability, she’s helping thousands rewrite their futures. Her impact proves that with the right tools and mindset, lasting change is not only possible, it’s inevitable.
– Knia Parks
Photo: Flickr
Ways Ethical Refugee Policy in Europe Is Resisting Politicization
NGOs Defending Asylum Rights
Organizations like Sea-Watch have taken a frontline role in rescuing migrants at sea and advocating for their rights. Based in Germany, Sea-Watch conducts search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean and has consistently opposed efforts to criminalize such missions. The organization has also filed legal actions and partnered with legal advocacy groups to challenge EU migration policies undermining asylum rights. Its operations saved more than 1,400 people in 2023 alone, underlining the continuing need for humanitarian intervention at sea. Sea-Watch’s operations exemplify how ethical refugee policy in Europe is practiced on the ground.
Another prominent group, Caritas Europa, represents a wide network of Catholic charities and operates in 46 European countries. Caritas advocates for fair and well-funded asylum systems and recently launched campaigns urging the EU to safeguard refugee services amid budget reallocations. In its 2024 statement, Caritas emphasized the need for migration policies that are “humane, sustainable and based on solidarity.” The organization also directly serves, offering shelter, education and mental health support to asylum seekers across Europe.
The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) also plays a key advocacy role at the institutional level. The organization releases policy papers and legal analyses to influence EU asylum directives and budget allocations. ECRE’s 2023–25 Strategic Plan openly criticizes EU externalization policies, which aim to outsource asylum responsibilities. It argues that these efforts are attempts to evade legal obligations under EU and international law. This position is reaffirmed in its 2024 Annual Report, which urges full compliance with the new Asylum Pact while firmly rejecting externalization schemes.
Parliamentary Oversight and Ethical Review
Beyond civil society, EU institutions have played a growing role in reviewing the ethical use of aid in migration deals. In late 2023, the European Ombudsman opened an inquiry into the European Commission’s agreement with Tunisia, which allocated more than $1 billion to limit departures from North Africa. The investigation was launched in response to concerns raised by rights groups about the treatment of sub-Saharan migrants under this deal.
Human Rights Watch and Médecins Sans Frontières reported widespread abuse at Tunisia’s southern borders, including forced expulsions and denial of humanitarian assistance. The Ombudsman called for greater transparency in how development funds are used. It emphasized that EU values must be upheld even in external partnerships. The European Parliament has also debated the appropriateness of tying foreign aid to migration control. Several Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called for preserving aid’s primary purpose: supporting health, education and poverty reduction in developing nations.
This debate intensified after reports from organizations like Statewatch and ECRE raised alarms about the growing share of development funding being diverted toward border control efforts. Although no formal resolution has been adopted recently, parliamentary discussions have increasingly highlighted the need for aid transparency, ethical oversight and alignment with the EU’s human rights obligations. Such institutional pushback reflects the importance of maintaining ethical refugee policy in Europe amid rising populism.
National Models for Ethical Refugee Policy
Some EU member states have adopted policy approaches that maintain a humanitarian lens on refugee issues. These country-specific efforts highlight how ethical refugee policy in Europe can be implemented at the national level despite broader EU political tensions. Portugal, for example, significantly increased its resettlement quota under the EU Resettlement Program, welcoming more than 1,000 refugees in 2019 alone.
Unlike other member states, Portugal has not made refugee intake conditional on repatriation agreements or aid cuts. The government has invested in long-term integration, offering language training, job placement services and access to public education for all registered asylum seekers. Sweden and Finland have also introduced digital literacy and mental health support into their refugee resettlement programs, recognizing the importance of holistic approaches to integration.
In Sweden, asylum seekers are granted early access to psychological services and school enrollment even while awaiting case decisions, a model praised by the UNHCR for reducing long-term dependency.
Restoring the Purpose of Development Aid
Critics of the politicization of aid argue that diverting funds from poverty alleviation to border enforcement undermines long-term global development goals. According to the Statewatch NGO, as of 2025, 14% of the EU’s NDICI-Global Europe budget (worth more than $80 billion) is allocated to migration and border management, well above the initial 10% target. This shift risks deprioritizing sectors like health care, climate resilience and education, foundational to reducing poverty.
In contrast, organizations like Oxfam and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have advocated for aid that addresses the root causes of displacement, such as conflict and inequality. In its 2024 position paper, IRC recommended rechanneling funds toward early warning systems, peace-building initiatives and local economic development programs.
The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also warned that conditioning aid on migration cooperation could erode donor credibility and weaken global solidarity. In a 2025 advisory, the DAC urged donor countries to recommit to aid effectiveness principles that prioritize need over negotiation.
Maintaining a Humanitarian Vision
As debates around refugees and European politics continue, the work of NGOs, oversight institutions and reform-minded governments illustrates a counter-current to the politicization of aid. Their efforts demonstrate that development funds can remain focused on poverty alleviation, rather than becoming bargaining chips in migration negotiations.
Challenges persist, including rising anti-immigrant sentiment and electoral pressures. Nonetheless, defenders of ethical refugee policy in Europe continue to offer a roadmap for preserving the integrity of refugee protection and sustainable development. In doing so, they reinforce the principle that support for displaced people should not be dictated by political cycles, but by shared commitments to human dignity and international solidarity.
Continued advocacy, public education and cross-border collaboration will ensure that European policies align with the continent’s humanitarian values.
– Ray Bechara
Photo: Pexels