Though it has had one of the most rapidly growing economies in recent years, Mongolia has also seen its economic growth decreasing. The country’s economic growth rate was at a high of 17.5 percent in 2011 but had declined to 11.7 percent by 2013. The inclusivity of Mongolia’s economic progress has also been an issue recently with 35.5 percent of rural populations in poverty, compared to 23.2 percent of urban populations. Despite these negative statistics, there are projects in place to address not only Mongolia’s economic pitfalls but also other areas of development. Here are five development projects in Mongolia.
The Export Development Project
The Export Development project was launched by the Mongolia Ministry of Finance and the World Bank. Its main aims are to help enterprises strengthen their capabilities in exporting and to increase access to export markets. James Anderson, the World Bank Country Manager for Mongolia, has hopes that the project will boost the country’s employment, productivity and overall entrepreneurship.
Another aim of the project is to address the issue of Mongolia’s lack of inclusivity in its economy by supporting inclusive economic growth. The International Development Association will aid in accomplishing this aim by funding the project with $20 million. Launched in early 2017, the project will be implemented by the Mongolian government in the next four and a half years.
The English Education and Community Development Project
The Peace Corps orchestrated the English Education and Community Development project with the goal of building English language skills among students in Mongolia. The project serves all 21 districts in Mongolia and will train English teachers to teach English as a useful resource for the further education of Mongolian students.
The Peace Corps offers different ways to teach the students, including individual teaching and co-teaching with Mongolian teachers. Volunteers also assist in creating and hosting teaching seminars and helping with camps and clubs along with their Mongolian colleagues.
The Nature Conservancy’s Sustainable Development Project
The Nature Conservancy works not only with the Mongolian government but also with local communities. Its goal is to design a blueprint for sustainable development in Mongolia. The Conservancy has worked in multiple areas such as the Eastern Steppe and the Gobi region.
In the Eastern Steppe, the Conservancy works to protect and maintain the important grasslands that are essential for herding communities and for uncommon wildlife to thrive. One of their main goals is to push development away from the wildlife areas that are precious to Mongolia.
These efforts are echoed in their work in the Gobi region where they try to provide help in making decisions about where development should occur. Their overall aim is to support a more sustainable country.
Community-Based Health Project
The Community-Based Health Project, also created by the Peace Corps, aims to promote better health in Mongolia through ways such as improving health education. They operate in 15 districts, both rural and urban. The volunteers work with teachers to educate students about healthy life skills.
In addition to promoting healthy skills, this project also aims to promote the prevention of diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. Though they may work a lot with younger students, this project includes both children and adults in their education and promotion of health.
Community Youth in Development
Building off of their work of educating kids about health, the Peace Corps also works to empower youth. Their Community Youth in Development project strives to meet their goal of empowerment among youth by building up their personal, social and educational skills. One of the project’s aims is to provide youth with more life opportunities through the building of these skills.
In order to meet these goals, the volunteers facilitate life skills clubs, some which are specialized to better help dorm students and disabled kids. To further build off of these skills, the Peace Corps organizes summer camps and service learning to better develop life skills among the youth in Mongolia.
Though the country faces a myriad of obstacles when dealing with its economy, health and opportunities for its youth, there are a multitude of development projects in Mongolia aimed at improving these areas. The programs have a wide array of focuses, including Mongolia’s economy, the health of its people and empowering the country’s youth. These projects demonstrate the willingness of people, both within and outside of the country, to help in Mongolia’s development.
– Haley Rogers
Photo: Flickr
The Path to Improving and Strengthening Credit Access in Albania
Credit helps to improve financial status so that a person can buy homes, get credit cards, and build trust between financial institutions and the consumer. Despite the many benefits to having access to credit, Albania still seems to have a low credit market.
Credit access in Albania is low due mostly in part to a supply-demand mismatch. This means that the creditors in Albania don’t have the products that the people are interested in. As a result of this mismatch, the supplier tends to change their product or becomes forced to go out of business.
Part of the reason why the country’s credit access is in a supply-demand mismatch is because some parts of the country have easy access to credit and a reliable supplier, while poorer parts of Albania do not.
Individual Albanian people’s credit access seems threatened by the lack of borrower awareness and protections, as well as a lack of a functioning credit registry. Without these two things, a person is left vulnerable to financial debt and burden that can last years.
Credit awareness is important because it poses as a financial risk for those who cannot afford it. If one is not careful, they can end up with massive debt. Debt hinders the chances of acquring a house, car, or financing any other prosperous items.
According to the World Bank, while individual access may be threatened, cooperate business account for 74 percent of all credit in Albania and small businesses account for majority of the economic population. Though credit access usually reflects the economic stability of a country, Albania relies heavily on cooperations.
For cooperate companies, credit access is important because credit helps businesses receive the funding they need to succeed financially. According to Cardhub in 2015, the average business needs 12-18 months to improve its business credit score.
By improving credit access in Albania, financial status is sure to improve as a result. Albanian credit access can further smart banking and loaning so that the country can decrease their economic expenses.
– Seriah Sargenton
Photo: Flickr
McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program in Jeopardy
In Tanzania, Africa, many children struggle just to get a meal. Tanzania has suffered from reoccurring droughts throughout the region that make farming difficult and food scarce. However, since 2002, the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program has provided school meals of rice and beans for more than 100,000 students a day throughout the country.
With the proper amount of food, the students have more energy and are able to focus on their schoolwork. School attendance rates have increased since the program was installed. The Food for Education program isn’t limited to Tanzania; it has also reached hundreds of thousands of students in Guatemala, Bolivia and Nicaragua. Overall, the program has reached 40 million students in 24 countries.
The McGovern-Dole Food for Education program does more than just provide school lunches. It also plants school gardens, teaches farming techniques, and involves parents in cooking and donating food in order to allow local communities to take responsibility for school meals.
Due to the severe droughts in Tanzania, prices for basic groceries have increased significantly. The droughts have also put a large strain on livestock because of the lack of water and pastures. Maize prices rose by 25 percent in a 12-month period beginning in 2016.
The McGovern-Dole Food for Education program doesn’t limit itself to improving the wellbeing of schoolchildren. It helps families of all stages by offering nutrition programs for pregnant and nursing women, infants and preschoolers. These programs are run by nonprofits and the United Nations World Food Program.
The U.S. budget proposal for the next year has zeroed out the funding for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program. The meals these students need to thrive in school are now at risk of disappearing, although according to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Congress seems to be leaning toward a rejection of the administration’s proposal.
– Chloe Turner
Photo: Flickr
Humanitarian Aid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Rich in natural resources and dense rainforests, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a vibrant and beautiful country located in central Africa. The country struggles with many socioeconomic problems that severely impact the majority of the population. High infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, lack of clean water sources and limited access to education contribute to high levels of poverty. According to the United Nations Development Programme, approximately 77 percent of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, meaning that close to 64 million individuals live below the poverty line. Millions are in need and three key organizations have met some of those needs by providing humanitarian aid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Solidarités International
Solidarités International began its work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2000. Its mission is to lower the prevalence of cholera in the country. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a nation in which cholera is endemic. The conflict between armed militia and the central government has contributed to the high rates of the disease due to lack of clean drinking water for individuals displaced by the violence. Solidarités International developed an epidemic warning system by partnering with communities and local authorities. It also rehabilitates and disinfects water sources to prevent more outbreaks of cholera. The organization has established a home chlorination program that uses chlorinated solutions produced by local Congolese, helping to empower and lift individuals out of poverty. Solidarités International has provided humanitarian aid in the Democratic Republic of Congo by assisting close to one million individuals.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee began working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1996. It provides a wide variety of services and support to individuals primarily in Eastern Congo, including emergency assistance. The IRC is also committed to training health and government workers, assisting with rehabilitation and providing essential medical services. It has trained thousands of teachers, giving nearly 500,000 Congolese children access to basic education. Violence against women and girls is widespread throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the IRC provides not only counseling and medical services to survivors of sexual assault, but also legal assistance. The organization’s humanitarian aid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo assisted 2.3 million people in 2015, and its goal is to reach 8.4 million by 2020.
Justice Rising
Justice Rising has one mission — to bring peace to communities affected by war. While the organization is fairly new, its work has had profound impacts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Justice Rising currently has a few schools throughout the country. One school, La Lampe, is located in a former refugee camp for internally displaced persons. The school was recently studied by the Congolese government and was said to be the “first truly successful school in the region.”
Justice Rising has also introduced what it calls “The Storytelling Movement” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2014, the organization’s psychologist came to the country and trained a team of individuals to address trauma. Narrative Exposure Therapy training or “The Storytelling Movement” can help survivors give a voice to some of their most painful experiences. According to research studies, when individuals are able to tell their stories, the psychological impact of trauma may decrease.
These three organizations have provided necessary humanitarian aid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and their work has impacted millions of individuals in need. However, the country is still in need of further support, as millions are still living in poverty.
— Sarah Jane Fraser
Photo: Flickr
Humanitarian Aid to Mongolia During a Weather Crisis
For the past few years, Mongolia has experienced a detrimental cycle of harsh weather conditions that has been termed “dzud.” Winters are defined by temperatures at -40 degrees Celsius or below, and spring shortages of food and water lead to intense loss of livestock. To top matters off, droughts in the summer make everything from vegetation to livestock to families suffer.
Herders predict the loss of their livestock and quickly attempt to sell what they have in the market for profit. They do this in order to save up money for another expected rough winter. However, when many herders try to do the same thing at the same time, the market value of each animal decreases and farmers end up without enough money to survive.
USAID documents that on January 20, 2016, the government of Mongolia officially declared dzud conditions and announced that the country was in need of immediate assistance. Humanitarian aid to Mongolia was vital.
Fortunately, the response was rapid. With help from the Mongolian government, and the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) assessed the situation and determined which groups were most vulnerable.
The plan wasn’t designed to put a long-term solution into play that would save Mongolia’s economy, but rather provide the necessary tools and resources to prevent death among thousands during the brutal winter. Basically, CERF provided humanitarian aid to Mongolia in the form of multi-purpose cash assistance for people at risk that allowed them to purchase essentials. In total, the U.N. provided $2.4 million to Mongolia through CERF. These funds bought basic but necessary food items, reproductive health kits for women and food and care for livestock. As a result, approximately 19,076 people received assistance necessary to beat starvation and death.
Without this form of humanitarian aid to Mongolia, thousands could have died or lost loved ones. Aside from saving lives, CERF strengthened the ties between Mongolia and international agencies, both aid and governmental. When countries are in need of assistance, this example in Mongolia shows that the international community is capable of responding rapidly and effectively.
— Caysi Simpson
Photo: Flickr
Rising Tide: Five Development Projects in Djibouti
Djibouti is a small country nestled next to landlocked Ethiopia on the Horn of Africa. It lies on the western bank of the strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Despite its advantageous position, Djibouti is a poor nation: 41 percent of the population is poor; 23 percent live in extreme poverty. Unemployment reaches as high as 39 percent. These dour figures, however, may be on the verge of changing. The government, in conjunction with international partners, has embarked on a bold program of economic revitalization. Here is a sample of five development programs in Djibouti which could bolster its economy.
Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway
Financed by a Chinese bank and staffed by Chinese nationals, this 466 mile long, $3.4 billion transportation corridor has cut down travel times between Djibouti’s Red Sea port and the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, from three days by highway to a mere 12 hours. When first opened in late 2016, the electric trains only carried freight. It has since been opened to passenger traffic as well.
Ethiopia-Djibouti Water Pipeline
This 63-mile long pipeline runs from the Ethiopian town of Hadagalla into the interior of Djibouti, where it is expected to supply safe drinking water to 700,000 residents of Ali-Sabieh, Dikhil, Arta and Djibouti City itself. The Chinese firm CGC Overseas Construction Co. Ltd. laid the pipe itself with approximately $329 million in funding from the Chinese Import-Export Bank.
Renewable Energy
Several international firms have begun developing renewable energy plants in Djibouti. The Swiss-based firm Green Enesys is building a 300MW solar plant in the city of Grand Bara. Following its lead, Canadian corporation SkyPower reached a deal with the government of Djibouti to build a 200MW solar plant at a cost of $440 million. Solar is not the only game in town, either. Shanghai Electric is working on a 60MW wind farm as well.
Refined Petroleum Product Pipeline
In contrast to the renewable energy investments in Djibouti, a 342-mile long pipeline will form yet another link between Djibouti and Ethiopia. Scheduled for completion in 2018, the pipeline will connect the central Ethiopian city of Awash to ports in Djibouti and is expected to move 240,000 barrels of petroleum products per day. This pipeline, along with another planned to deliver liquefied natural gas, could help establish Djibouti as a major shipping hub for export goods from the African interior.
Djibouti City Multipurpose Port
Perhaps the centerpiece of the government’s plan for economic growth and most important of these five development projects in Djibouti, the multipurpose port under construction in Djibouti City may allow the country on the shore of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait to develop into a major transshipment hub for its region. In large part financed by China, this modern port facility will ultimately cost $590 million and facilitate both the import of goods from around the world and the export of petroleum and natural gas products from Ethiopia.
While the ultimate effect of these five development projects in Djibouti remains to be seen, particularly in terms of new jobs and opportunities for the unemployed or impoverished, early economic indicators are favorable. In 2016, Djibouti’s economy grew by 6.5 percent; projections for 2017-2019 run as high as seven percent growth. This new growth, driven by foreign investment in major capital projects, may yet improve the lives of many in Djibouti.
— Joel Dishman
Photo: Flickr
The Future of Infrastructure in Honduras Looks Bright
The El Cajón Dam and Rio Lindo/Yojoa system established Honduras’ hydroelectric potential with a total energy output of 577 megawatts (MW). One MW hour can power about 650 residential homes. El Cajón produces 292 MW, enough energy to power 189,000 residential homes.
The El Cajón hydroelectric dam, also referred to as a hydroelectric plant, is located on the Humuya River in central Honduras. The dam’s primary function is electric energy production, but it further controls flood waters and ensures regular irrigation throughout the year.
El Cajón embodies physical infrastructure in Honduras, but the country has also taken action to improve laws related to renewable energy and power supply. Honduras approved its new Law of Electrical Industry in 2014. This law replaces the previous Electricity Subsector Framework Law and outlines the legal framework for the electricity sector.
The Law of Electrical Industry establishes:
A PPA is an agreement between a renewable energy provider and a consumer in order to reduce the total energy bill. The provider arranges the design, permitting, financing and installation of a system on the consumer’s property at little cost. Although the consumer does not own the system, PPAs make renewable energy affordable.
The percentage of Hondurans with access to electricity has significantly increased over the past 24 years, jumping from 55 percent to 88 percent of its nine million residents. Although electricity has become more accessible, nearly 60 percent of the population remains below the poverty threshold.
Infrastructure in Honduras has taken a step forward in its self-sufficient energy production, but the demand for electricity has surpassed initial projections. PPAs may further the country’s progress by offering affordable energy to the 5.57 million Hondurans living in poverty.
– Carolyn Gibson
Photo: Flickr
Ongoing Reform with Five Development Projects in Chad
Development projects in Chad range from economics to livestock, but all focus on the country’s stabilization in a war-torn region. Chad borders the Central African Republic, which has undergone a series of military coups and remains a volatile region with escalating attacks on civilians. Chad has worked to bolster itself against the effects of its neighbor’s instability. The following five development projects in Chad emphasize the country’s consistent objective of reform.
Chad and Cameroon Development Project
Exxon Mobil’s project includes oilfields in southern Chad and a pipeline to transport oil to a marine terminal in Cameroon. This project’s contributions include:
The Chad and Cameroon Development project is ongoing.
Education Sector Reform Project Phase-2 Additional Financing
The Education Sector Reform Project aims to improve teaching and learning conditions in designated primary and upper secondary schools, while also facilitating evidence-based decision-making. Additional financing will fund:
The project’s revised closing date is scheduled for October 31, 2020.
Emergency Fiscal Stabilization Development Policy Operation Project
The Chadian government must address financial crises regarding the 2017 budget in the aftermath of terrorist threats, oil price collapse, security costs and humanitarian conflicts. This reform program emphasizes:
The project will conclude on December 31, 2017.
Emergency Food and Livestock Crisis Response Project
The Emergency Food and Livestock Crisis Project focuses on increasing food availability and livestock production for those affected by the conflict in the Central African Republic. This project provides:
The project’s closing date has been extended from December 31, 2017 to September 30, 2019.
Statistical Development Project
The Statistical Development Project increases the national statistics institute’s ability to collect and process data with improved quality and efficiency. This project is comprised of three components:
The project closes on March 31, 2022.
Multiple development projects in Chad have had their closing dates extended, exemplifying Chad’s commitment to ongoing reform. These and other projects can ensure long-term stability and improvements in quality of life for all Chadians.
– Carolyn Gibson
Photo: Flickr
Improving Credit Access in Mexico
Mexico is an example of a country that has a lot to gain by increasing credit access among its citizens. Credit access in Mexico has a lot of ground to make up compared to its Latin American neighbors, but it has launched a comprehensive plan to increase credit access to its citizens.
Mexico has been working to improve its economy by increasing credit access to its citizens. A 2016 report by the National Banking and Securities Commission found that Mexico is trailing behind much of Latin America when it comes to credit access, especially among small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The World Bank reported that Mexico’s domestic private-sector credit as a percentage of GDP was 31.1 percent as of July 2016. By comparison, that figure is 109.4 percent in Chile and 69.1 percent in Brazil. Mexico’s banking industry understands the importance of increasing credit access in Mexico and has set the goal of increasing the country’s private-sector credit percentage to 40 percent by 2018.
In order to achieve the goal of increased credit access, Mexico has launched a National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS). The World Bank estimates that this strategy can lead to an additional 29 million Mexican citizens gaining access to a bank account and other financial services. This has the potential to stimulate Mexico’s economy and increase its quality of life.
Mexico’s NFIS seeks to engage private banking, social welfare, public education, telecommunications and other industries in order to provide financial services to the 56 percent of citizens that currently do not have a bank account.
One of the important pillars of this plan is to increase education about financial services and how to use them. This will start with making sure that the subject is taught to children and youth as a part of Mexico’s public school curriculum.
The NFIS also seeks to use new technologies in order to make financial services more readily available. This will include increasing the ways that people can use mobile phones to access financial services and make digital payments.
While credit access in Mexico lags behind much of Latin America, the Mexican government understands that it needs to make improvements in this area. Through the country’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, Mexico shows that it understands the importance of credit access in helping its citizens, as well as its national economy, thrive.
– Aaron Childree
Photo: Flickr
Education Flourishes as Infrastructure in Bolivia Improves
Although it is often taken for granted, solid infrastructure makes a large difference, particularly for education. When the needs of the students are met, it can make a world of difference in terms of the quality of education.
Miriam Chipana, a student at Jaime Escalante School located in La Paz, was quoted as saying “it is the best school in the area since we have our own field, a computer room, better bathrooms; everything is bigger and with more light.” Another citizen, Odón Willy Barriento, a father and former student of the Luis Espinal School, agreed with this sentiment, saying “It is a momentous change; 30 years ago, we sat in abode chairs and brought wooden planks to use as writing desks. The new infrastructure encourages students to move forward.”
The improvements to infrastructure in Bolivia have come a long way in improving the quality of education in the country. There have been seven schools with more than 6,000 students in urban areas of La Paz benefiting from infrastructural improvements. Freddy Mamani, the principal at Luis Espinal School, reaffirmed this by saying “enrollment has risen, as has attendance in each class, so we are operating at full capacity.”
Despite the positive outlook for education, infrastructure in Bolivia can still be improved. There have been several steps taken to further improve infrastructure, such as the investment of $3.5 billion in infrastructure in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in 2016. This move was part of President Evo Morales’ drive to make the country’s exports more competitive. With this investment, improvements are planned for highways, airports, railways, housing and telecommunications.
Then there is the Bolivia Urban Infrastructure Project, whose development objective is to improve access to basic services to the urban poor in Bolivia. The project aims to do this through targeted infrastructure investments and the provision of technical assistance to municipalities in the planning, expansion and sustainability of urban service delivery. With these improvements planned for infrastructure in Bolivia, the future is brighter than ever.
– Drew Fox
Photo: Flickr
Five Development Projects in Mongolia
Though it has had one of the most rapidly growing economies in recent years, Mongolia has also seen its economic growth decreasing. The country’s economic growth rate was at a high of 17.5 percent in 2011 but had declined to 11.7 percent by 2013. The inclusivity of Mongolia’s economic progress has also been an issue recently with 35.5 percent of rural populations in poverty, compared to 23.2 percent of urban populations. Despite these negative statistics, there are projects in place to address not only Mongolia’s economic pitfalls but also other areas of development. Here are five development projects in Mongolia.
The Export Development Project
The Export Development project was launched by the Mongolia Ministry of Finance and the World Bank. Its main aims are to help enterprises strengthen their capabilities in exporting and to increase access to export markets. James Anderson, the World Bank Country Manager for Mongolia, has hopes that the project will boost the country’s employment, productivity and overall entrepreneurship.
Another aim of the project is to address the issue of Mongolia’s lack of inclusivity in its economy by supporting inclusive economic growth. The International Development Association will aid in accomplishing this aim by funding the project with $20 million. Launched in early 2017, the project will be implemented by the Mongolian government in the next four and a half years.
The English Education and Community Development Project
The Peace Corps orchestrated the English Education and Community Development project with the goal of building English language skills among students in Mongolia. The project serves all 21 districts in Mongolia and will train English teachers to teach English as a useful resource for the further education of Mongolian students.
The Peace Corps offers different ways to teach the students, including individual teaching and co-teaching with Mongolian teachers. Volunteers also assist in creating and hosting teaching seminars and helping with camps and clubs along with their Mongolian colleagues.
The Nature Conservancy’s Sustainable Development Project
The Nature Conservancy works not only with the Mongolian government but also with local communities. Its goal is to design a blueprint for sustainable development in Mongolia. The Conservancy has worked in multiple areas such as the Eastern Steppe and the Gobi region.
In the Eastern Steppe, the Conservancy works to protect and maintain the important grasslands that are essential for herding communities and for uncommon wildlife to thrive. One of their main goals is to push development away from the wildlife areas that are precious to Mongolia.
These efforts are echoed in their work in the Gobi region where they try to provide help in making decisions about where development should occur. Their overall aim is to support a more sustainable country.
Community-Based Health Project
The Community-Based Health Project, also created by the Peace Corps, aims to promote better health in Mongolia through ways such as improving health education. They operate in 15 districts, both rural and urban. The volunteers work with teachers to educate students about healthy life skills.
In addition to promoting healthy skills, this project also aims to promote the prevention of diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. Though they may work a lot with younger students, this project includes both children and adults in their education and promotion of health.
Community Youth in Development
Building off of their work of educating kids about health, the Peace Corps also works to empower youth. Their Community Youth in Development project strives to meet their goal of empowerment among youth by building up their personal, social and educational skills. One of the project’s aims is to provide youth with more life opportunities through the building of these skills.
In order to meet these goals, the volunteers facilitate life skills clubs, some which are specialized to better help dorm students and disabled kids. To further build off of these skills, the Peace Corps organizes summer camps and service learning to better develop life skills among the youth in Mongolia.
Though the country faces a myriad of obstacles when dealing with its economy, health and opportunities for its youth, there are a multitude of development projects in Mongolia aimed at improving these areas. The programs have a wide array of focuses, including Mongolia’s economy, the health of its people and empowering the country’s youth. These projects demonstrate the willingness of people, both within and outside of the country, to help in Mongolia’s development.
– Haley Rogers
Photo: Flickr