If necessity truly is the mother of invention, then never before has the world labored so hard. Indeed, our world faces many challenges, and nurtures many needs, but none so basic as those ventured every day in developing countries. Innovators the world over have taken this challenge to heart and have created practical inventions that both fight poverty and have the ability to change our perception of the possible.
1. Watt-r
Basic access to clean water shouldn’t be the challenge it has become. In truth, 663 million people do not have this access. Watt-r is the solar-powered water delivery cart, that while it is still in development, would be able to carry a dozen 20-liter containers of water at a time.
What does that mean for someone in a developing nation? It means that inventions that fight poverty also save time and lives. Instead of 25 women or children walking to get clean water, one person operates the machine, which while idle, can charge items like phones, lamps and tools.
2. SALt Lamp
For those living in poverty in developing countries, finding renewable energy is a key to survival. The SALt Lamp requires simply two tablespoons of salt and one glass of water for an entire night of light. As it can also run on seawater, it is a nearly limitless energy source.
Currently, production of the SALt Lamp is aimed at nonprofit organizations for its possibilities in developing countries, where electricity is not always a guarantee.
3. The Aspara Cardboard Drone
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No…it’s life-saving medical supplies falling from the sky. The Aspara cardboard drone has GPS and two wing-flap motors, and it can deliver two pounds of life-saving materials without needing to be retrieved.
The industrial paper airplane can accurately deliver supplies to even the most remote of places. With refinement, it is hoped that the flyer can be scaled to carry up to 22 pounds of cargo, with new prototypes aimed at humanitarian groups.
4. MetaFridge
Inventions that fight poverty do so by meeting needs where the needs exist. The MetaFridge keeps vaccines safe during long power outages, which in developing countries, can plague an already ravaged land. With more than 40 units tested in Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia, the MetaFridge keeps temperatures stabilized for vaccines.
Researchers have explored this idea even further and are now working on a portable cooler for vaccinators to reach kids in the remotest of places.
5. LifeStraw
Imagine all the contaminants that thrive in an unclean water source. Now imagine 99 percent of these contaminants being defused by the simplest of devices — a straw. Sometimes inventions that fight poverty do so in ways that seem too simple to be able to work.
The LifeStraw is a device that filters water through narrow fibers that trap unwanted contaminants. In places around the world where expensive filtration systems are not readily available, the LifeStraw can live up to its name.
6. Hans Free Electric Bike
Piloted in India in 2016, the Hans Free Electric Bike provides so many ‘no’s’ that are easy to say ‘yes’ to — no utility bill, no waiting for the elements to cooperate and no pollution.
The hybrid bicycle runs on a flywheel, which then turns a generator, which finally charges a battery. Power is literally put in a person’s hands — or rather, their legs. How effective is this? One hour of pedaling on this bike provides 24 hours of electricity.
7. Paperfuge
What can $.20 buy nowadays? How about an on-the-spot diagnosis. The Paperfuge centrifuge costs $.20 to make and can diagnose diseases like malaria and HIV within minutes.
That’s life-saving power without the aid of electricity. The toy-like device holds bloods samples on a disc, while someone pulls on strings to spin the disc at fast speeds, separating blood from plasma in mere minutes. Cheap, lightweight and effective, the Paperfuge is one of the inventions that fight poverty in a way that benefits all.
8. Tarjimly
Facebook’s translation bot, Tarjimly, provides a new face for altruism. Used in real time on Facebook Messenger, Tarjimly connects refugees with volunteer translators.
This potentially life-saving capability could provide a needed voice for those whose voice has been taken from them. Whether doctors or aid workers, a need is only a translation away.
9. Petit-Pli
Around the world, children often outgrow their clothes too quickly, and in developing countries this usually means wearing clothes that simply do not fit. Petit-Pli is a clothing line that grows with a child for up to seven sizes.
The waterproof, lightweight material reduces waste and saves families money. With Petit-Pli, parents of those without much will have less to worry about.
10. Vodafone
In the rural Lake Zone of Tanzania, inventions that fight poverty sometimes come in the form of programs like Vodafone, an ambulance taxi program that uses the mobile money system M-PESA.
Vetted taxi drivers respond to hotline calls from pregnant women in health emergencies. Where there are few ambulances available, lives are saved.
Inventions that fight poverty do so through the power of innovation, but this particular kind of innovation is fueled by a desire to help — the only real requirement for progress.
– Daniel Staesser
Photo: Flickr
Girls’ Education in Ecuador Shows Many Signs of Progress
Several aid organizations are working to improve the access that girls have to educational opportunities in Ecuador. According to UNICEF, girls’ education in Ecuador is affected by social factors, and providing girls with access to education that is equal to boys has been an issue for some time.
Statistics Illustrate the Gaps in Girls’ Education in Ecuador
According to UNICEF, approximately 97.4 percent of children in Ecuador attended school in 2013. However, there are still improvements to be made. The organization noted that there still are more than 230,000 children between the ages of five and 17 that are not receiving any kind of education
Social factors make it difficult for some children, especially girls and women, to gain equal access to education. When girls are given away to men by their families as part of an agreement, it is difficult for women to access the educational opportunities that they otherwise would, as their role becomes that of wife and mother.
On this subject, UNICEF has noted, “The Social Observatory of Ecuador has found that for previous years 718 girls do not attend school and are working without remuneration. This condition is possible when the family gives the girl as part of an agreement to ensure that they have food, lodging or for some kind of transaction.”
Organizations Making a Difference
Plan International Ecuador is working to support women as they achieve their professional and educational goals and the issues surrounding girls’ education in Ecuador. Plan International Ecuador started a letter campaign to raise awareness of the issues girls face and the problems that unequal access to education cause for them. More than 1,300 girls wrote letters to explain their struggles, and made paintings to raise awareness about the change needs to take place in the social and educational systems there. Awareness of the issue is an important factor in improving girls’ education in Ecuador.
Some organizations, such as the Manna Project, have taken a more holistic approach to the issue, providing a wide range of services to increase opportunities for women and girls. These include English lessons for both children and adults, job skills training and professional development, among others.
The European Commission has taken the approach of improving the system for both boys and girls. Improving education as a whole and not focusing only on girls’ access to education will broaden the educational opportunities that girls will have available to them. The European Commission has defined its goal as reducing child labor in Ecuador and, instead, giving these children a chance to participate in school. One objective listed on the European Commission’s website is “to prevent 5,000 children from engaging in labor activities and take 2,800 children out of the work environment.”
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in 2015 99.3 percent of children in Ecuador were attending school, a sign of progress. However, aid organizations are still looking for ways to improve the child labor statistics. Although the percentage may appear small, in 2015 approximately 75,689 children were working.
The U.S.-based Ecuador Children’s Hope Organization has been raising money to improve the education system in Ecuador overall as well. The aid organization raises money to support other organizations and educational systems in Ecuador, taking the approach of improving the system as a whole as other organizations specifically focus on the social factors that influence equal opportunity in Ecuador. With the work of organizations like this, girls’ education in Ecuador has seen great improvements and continues to progress.
– Gabriella Evans
Photo: Flickr
SheaMoisture’s Philanthropic Efforts in Africa
As brands in the U.S. continue to see the importance of fair trade and ethically-conscious practices in business, many have also developed philanthropic initiatives. SheaMoisture’s philanthropic efforts in Africa have helped thousands of economically disadvantaged women and children gain resources to educational and entrepreneurial resources.
The hair and skin care brand was established under Sundial Brands, which was founded by Richelieu Dennis in 1991. Since then, SheaMoisture acquired an estimated $300 million in revenue before it was sold to Unilever in 2017.
SheaMoisture’s Philanthropic Efforts in Africa
Nations that have benefitted from SheaMoisture’s philanthropic efforts in Africa include Ghana and Liberia. In these two countries, women face cultural oppression in the areas of education and entrepreneurship.
In a report published by the U.N., it was stated that women in Ghana are more vulnerable to poverty than men due to gender discrimination and increasingly difficult access to productive resources. This has also led to women facing greater challenges with obtaining a post-primary education.
Women in Liberia face economic challenges due to a poor governance structure and low private sector capacity that has resulted in a weak business environment within the nation. Furthermore, Liberia’s labor force lacks many skilled and literate people, which has resulted in lingering business corruption.
Over the years, SheaMoisture’s philanthropic efforts in Africa have included initiatives such as Community Commerce, the Girls Entrepreneurship and Technology (GET) Program and the Sofi Tucker Foundation.
Community Commerce
SheaMoisture established a special line of products under their Community Commerce initiative, where 10 percent of sales support women in Ghana, among other nations. This venture has been a success because it has brought economic opportunities to women threatened by poverty and educational disadvantages.
Over time, Community Commerce has invested an estimated $2.1 million in its programs, which have brought needed resources to an estimated 14,500 Ghanaian women. The company, in turn, has been able to meet its product demand, with an estimated 420,000 kilos of shea butter having been produced by women who are beneficiaries of Community Commerce.
The GET Program for Students
Another initiative SheaMoisture has established is the GET Program, which was established in partnership with SMART Liberia. The program provides women between the ages of 18 to 35 the opportunities to start their own businesses by giving them resources like training and business investments.
In its inaugural year in 2016, the program selected 50 young women in Liberia to participate, several of whom have gone on to start and manage their own businesses.
The Sofi Tucker Foundation
Another philanthropic initiative established by the company is the Sofi Tucker Foundation, which was named after the woman who inspired the SheaMoisture brand.
The organization has awarded other non-profits with grants up to $25,000 to continue philanthropy work. One organization that has benefitted from these efforts is Todee Mission School in Liberia, which provides quality educational resources to children from first grade to ninth grade from 140 villages in rural Liberia.
As of now, thousands of people initially threatened by poverty have been able to establish stronger financial and educational platforms for their futures. This is due to SheaMoisture’s philanthropic efforts in Africa and the ongoing efforts brands have made over the years to combat poverty in nations with fragile economies.
– Lois Charm
Photo: Flickr
What’s Hindering Girls’ Education in Tanzania?
Why Costs Lower Attendance
Research finds that raising a Tanzanian student education level by just one year has the possibility of increasing household income by up to 30 percent. This statistic involves boys and girls alike. School is expensive and Tanzania does not have many to choose from. Often, the families must pick one child (if they have the ability to pick any) to fully educate. Being a patriarchal society, girls in Tanzania are much less educated than boys.
Secondary school enrollment rate in Tanzania is as low as 31 percent. The percentage for girls in Tanzania is even lower. An estimated 5.1 million children aged 7 to 17 do not attend school. Only 52 percent of the children in Tanzania are enrolled in secondary school and even fewer complete it.
One of the greatest obstacles to girls’ education in Tanzania is the physical transportation to and from school. On average, a child will have to walk anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours in each direction to attend school.
The Obstacle of Child Marriage
Another obstacle to girls’ education in Tanzania is child marriage. Two out of five girls in Tanzania are married before they turn 18. This inevitably leads to young pregnancies and thus the necessity to drop out of school. World Bank Data reports that less than one-third of all girls in Tanzania graduate. It is considered taboo for girls in Tanzania to return to their schooling after becoming pregnant or having a child. This belief only enforces the gender gap when it comes to education.
Further, many children are not allowed to continue their schooling after failing their compulsory primary school leaving exam. Children in Tanzania are not allowed to retake this exam, thus, failing it completely ends their schooling as they have no way to advance.
Improving Girls’ Education in Tanzania
Education has been on the Tanzanian governments’ agenda since independence in 1961 and has been working into the national budget every year since. In 2015, the Tanzanian government abolished school fees and additional costs, a necessary and progressive step in increasing enrollment rates and improving education. However, financial barriers still exist including transportation and additional educational costs and supplies. This keeps the gender gap very much visible.
The best approach to fixing the gap in girls’ education in Tanzania is by changing the patriarchal mindset. This can be difficult and take time so it must start sooner rather than later. In addition, more schools are needed. The lack of schools in rural Tanzania limits access to secondary school.
Tanzania is experiencing rapid population growth rates. The country must either slow its population growth rates or increase its economic growth rates. The government credits the high fertility rate and rapid population growth to child marriages and low educational status of girls in Tanzania.
Education is one of the best resources to lift families out of poverty and increase a country’s overall economic growth. Quality education for all genders will benefit Tanzania as a whole and should be a goal of every citizen and government employee.
– Haley Hine
Photo: Google
Moringa Plant Reduces Food Insecurity in Niger
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds efforts to reduce food insecurity in Niger, a landlocked country located in the Sahel region, an area prone to droughts. Frequent climatic shocks like droughts and floods make agriculture an inconsistent commodity. The vitamin-packed moringa tree could be a method of overcoming the inconsistent agricultural patterns and resulting food insecurity in Niger.
Nutritional Benefits of Moringa
The mystical miracle plant, moringa, is known as “the tree of life.” Officially known as Moringa oleifera, the plant is native to northern India and has been around for hundreds of years. The grassy and earthy taste of the plant is reminiscent of spinach but with a slightly more bitter taste.
The numerous health benefits of moringa prove the plant to be a natural superfood. The plant has many vitamins and minerals, including iron and calcium. Iron assists the body in mitigating anemia, and calcium helps with bone mineralization. Moringa also lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, which is essential to heart health. Additionally, the plant has a high protein content. The protein in the plant contains all nine essential amino acids that are usually only found in animal products.
Malnutrition occurs because of the agricultural inconsistencies that lead to food insecurity in Niger. Animal protein is usually considered a necessity in addressing malnutrition, but moringa has the nine essential amino acids in addition to containing 30 percent protein, making the plant a good substitute for animal products. Additionally, the moringa tree grows exceptionally fast in dry, semi-arid environments where other plants cannot typically grow, making it well-suited to the Nigerien climate.
Promoting Moringa to Address Food Insecurity in Niger
The National Cooperative Business Association Cooperative League of the United States of America (NCBA CLUSA) implemented the Moringa Value Chain (Moringa VC) project, which promotes the use of the moringa plant to combat food insecurity in Niger, in addition to Mozambique and Senegal.
The Moringa VC project began in 2009 and was funded by USAID. In 2012, the project was renewed under the title Moringa Intensification Project to Help Respond to and Mitigate the Drought Disaster in Niger, which assisted in strengthening the moringa plant’s role in contributing to economic growth and alleviating food insecurity.
The NCBA CLUSA’s approach to the implementation of the moringa plant included many effective steps. The development included information and awareness of the Moringa VC project, the restoration of current cooperative groups, routine data collection of focus indicators, training in production techniques and feasibility studies. These steps were implemented and carried out by many different actors in the region, including Peace Corps volunteers, agricultural officers and non-governmental organization staff.
In USAID’s Responding Early and Building Resilience in the Sahel, Nancy Lindborg said, “We know we can’t stop droughts from happening, but we can and do commit ourselves to early action when we have early warning signs, with a focus on highly targeted programs that build resilience even as we meet urgent needs.”
Women’s involvement in the growing and production of the plant has been an essential goal of the Moringa VC project. Expanding the production of moringa included women’s participation in the marketing, processing and consumption of the plant in Niger. Amy Coughenour, NCBA CLUSA’s Vice President for International Development, said that “focusing on women as a key element in this process ensures food security for the whole family.”
The NCBA CLUSA’s decentralized, inclusive and collaborative Moringa VC project is an active step in mitigating food insecurity in Niger caused by inconsistent agricultural patterns in the Sahel region.
– Andrea Quade
Photo: Google
From Watt-r to Vodafone: Top 10 Inventions That Fight Poverty
If necessity truly is the mother of invention, then never before has the world labored so hard. Indeed, our world faces many challenges, and nurtures many needs, but none so basic as those ventured every day in developing countries. Innovators the world over have taken this challenge to heart and have created practical inventions that both fight poverty and have the ability to change our perception of the possible.
1. Watt-r
Basic access to clean water shouldn’t be the challenge it has become. In truth, 663 million people do not have this access. Watt-r is the solar-powered water delivery cart, that while it is still in development, would be able to carry a dozen 20-liter containers of water at a time.
What does that mean for someone in a developing nation? It means that inventions that fight poverty also save time and lives. Instead of 25 women or children walking to get clean water, one person operates the machine, which while idle, can charge items like phones, lamps and tools.
2. SALt Lamp
For those living in poverty in developing countries, finding renewable energy is a key to survival. The SALt Lamp requires simply two tablespoons of salt and one glass of water for an entire night of light. As it can also run on seawater, it is a nearly limitless energy source.
Currently, production of the SALt Lamp is aimed at nonprofit organizations for its possibilities in developing countries, where electricity is not always a guarantee.
3. The Aspara Cardboard Drone
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No…it’s life-saving medical supplies falling from the sky. The Aspara cardboard drone has GPS and two wing-flap motors, and it can deliver two pounds of life-saving materials without needing to be retrieved.
The industrial paper airplane can accurately deliver supplies to even the most remote of places. With refinement, it is hoped that the flyer can be scaled to carry up to 22 pounds of cargo, with new prototypes aimed at humanitarian groups.
4. MetaFridge
Inventions that fight poverty do so by meeting needs where the needs exist. The MetaFridge keeps vaccines safe during long power outages, which in developing countries, can plague an already ravaged land. With more than 40 units tested in Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia, the MetaFridge keeps temperatures stabilized for vaccines.
Researchers have explored this idea even further and are now working on a portable cooler for vaccinators to reach kids in the remotest of places.
5. LifeStraw
Imagine all the contaminants that thrive in an unclean water source. Now imagine 99 percent of these contaminants being defused by the simplest of devices — a straw. Sometimes inventions that fight poverty do so in ways that seem too simple to be able to work.
The LifeStraw is a device that filters water through narrow fibers that trap unwanted contaminants. In places around the world where expensive filtration systems are not readily available, the LifeStraw can live up to its name.
6. Hans Free Electric Bike
Piloted in India in 2016, the Hans Free Electric Bike provides so many ‘no’s’ that are easy to say ‘yes’ to — no utility bill, no waiting for the elements to cooperate and no pollution.
The hybrid bicycle runs on a flywheel, which then turns a generator, which finally charges a battery. Power is literally put in a person’s hands — or rather, their legs. How effective is this? One hour of pedaling on this bike provides 24 hours of electricity.
7. Paperfuge
What can $.20 buy nowadays? How about an on-the-spot diagnosis. The Paperfuge centrifuge costs $.20 to make and can diagnose diseases like malaria and HIV within minutes.
That’s life-saving power without the aid of electricity. The toy-like device holds bloods samples on a disc, while someone pulls on strings to spin the disc at fast speeds, separating blood from plasma in mere minutes. Cheap, lightweight and effective, the Paperfuge is one of the inventions that fight poverty in a way that benefits all.
8. Tarjimly
Facebook’s translation bot, Tarjimly, provides a new face for altruism. Used in real time on Facebook Messenger, Tarjimly connects refugees with volunteer translators.
This potentially life-saving capability could provide a needed voice for those whose voice has been taken from them. Whether doctors or aid workers, a need is only a translation away.
9. Petit-Pli
Around the world, children often outgrow their clothes too quickly, and in developing countries this usually means wearing clothes that simply do not fit. Petit-Pli is a clothing line that grows with a child for up to seven sizes.
The waterproof, lightweight material reduces waste and saves families money. With Petit-Pli, parents of those without much will have less to worry about.
10. Vodafone
In the rural Lake Zone of Tanzania, inventions that fight poverty sometimes come in the form of programs like Vodafone, an ambulance taxi program that uses the mobile money system M-PESA.
Vetted taxi drivers respond to hotline calls from pregnant women in health emergencies. Where there are few ambulances available, lives are saved.
Inventions that fight poverty do so through the power of innovation, but this particular kind of innovation is fueled by a desire to help — the only real requirement for progress.
– Daniel Staesser
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Poverty in the United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) GDP per capita is a whopping 49,000, and the unemployment rate is as low as 2.4 percent. At first glance, the country appears to be thriving with room for growth; yet, there is a large population living in poverty in the UAE. This is not present in the news as the focus is usually on the prosperous cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, both of which control the majority of the UAE’s total wealth.
This media focus gives outsiders the illusion of a rich and prospering country, and here are 10 facts about poverty in the United Arab Emirates worth knowing.
Facts About Poverty in the United Arab Emirates
Room for Growth in the UAE
These facts about poverty in the United Arab Emirates show that although stable in many regards, the UAE could do with foreign aid and government assistance.
While the country has impressive employment rates and GDP per capita, the percentage of citizens living in or at poverty level is striking. Thankfully, the local government of the UAE has implemented assistance programs in an effort to reduce and relief local poverty. But also in the meantime, assistance should be offered and readily available for those in need.
– Haley Hine
Photo: Google
Four Major Benefits of Volunteering in Other Countries
However, the benefits of volunteering outweighs the fear and intimidation associated with travelling and living in a new culture. Benefits vary from personal growth, to help with job searches and the creation of improvement in those countries. Here are just some of the benefits of volunteering in other countries.
1. Personal Growth and Diversity
With so many different cultures around the world, simple things such as hand gestures and other ways we communicate with each other can have a vastly different meaning in another part of the world.
Being thrust head-first into a brand new culture is an excellent way to learn first-hand about different cultures and the way they communicate. While there may be some trial and error involved, learning about and experiencing these differences can lead to better development for communication skills elsewhere.
2. Cultural Exchange
While volunteers will learn a lot about the culture they are staying at, the same can be said in reverse.
Depending on the program, people from the host country may be used to volunteers from other countries coming to live with them, but sometimes that volunteer may be the first one. In both situations, the volunteer brings new information about their own country, culture and life story.
Through volunteering in other countries, there’s a benefit of not only learning about another culture, but of also teaching about and sharing personal experiences.
3. Long-Lasting Relationships
One of the many elements mentioned when talking about volunteering is the connections and relationships made while living and working in another country. This benefit of volunteering is arguably one of the biggest highlights.
While the work being done abroad is very important and will lead to tangible results, there are also other elements of foreign volunteerism that can be just as important. For example, teaching English to a classroom full of children is incredible and important in academic and professional regards, but it’s really the connections made with those kids that will stick years later. Making meaningful connections will also help kids better remember and learn, as well.
4. Make a Difference
From building homes to teaching children, volunteering allows the individual to actually create a difference and leave a mark on this world for the better.
Volunteers are able to work side-by-side with people from another culture in order to create something to better their lives. Lending a hand in building homes for people who need them, helping educate children so the other teachers have more time and helping doctors with all of their patients are just a few of many ways volunteers can greatly aid another culture.
These are only some of the benefits of volunteering in other countries. While volunteering and moving to another country can be a scary and intimidating option, it’s a wonderful and unique experience that not only hones personal skills but applies them to people in need. The major benefits of volunteering in other countries is the experience’s ability to foster teamwork, create personal connections and inspire memorable moments.
– Marissa Wandzel
Photo: Google
How the Youth Make a Difference in the Face of Poverty
Mark McCord, former Director of the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Center in Nairobi, Kenya, sees the possibilities for those not yet jaded by the world and states that “…Young people can be transformative in their communities and countries.”
Mohamed Arshad Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Youth Peer Education Network in Somalia (Y-PEER), understands this as well. Ibrahim, whose organization targets vulnerable youth who might otherwise join militant groups, says “by discussing issues that affect them, youth come up with solutions.”
Breaking Barriers
These solutions vary as much as the stories of the young people behind them. Youth make a difference in ways that speak to the strength that comes from struggle. For adolescents in Gaza, that struggle is 430,000 strong. With that many young people, initiative and opportunity are and become vital to the development of a region.
Sokaina Girls’ School in Deir al Balah City, in the middle of the Gaza Strip, now has a library because of the initiative of some 40 young women. With $300 in funding from the United Nations’ International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the girls challenged the social attitudes surrounding them, went to the market (for the first time ever) and bought books. With some tables and chairs provided by the Education Ministry, they built shelves from wooden boxes and seats from old tires.
In addition, youth make a difference in the State of Palestine, where UNICEF helps 18,000 disadvantaged adolescents develop through life skills, civic engagement, sports and entrepreneurial initiatives. This library project was part of a larger program that the organization started in 11 schools, involving 1,200 high school students.
The Power of One
Though it has been said that there is strength in numbers, youth make a difference by simply seeing and responding to a need. For Toby Little, a nine-year-old English boy, that need started with a desire to learn more about the world. During his campaign to write to somebody in every country, Toby became empathetic to his new pen-pals.
Soon, Toby found himself working with ShelterBox, a charity focused on providing those in need with aid and essentials, such as:
A Portrait of Promise
Sometimes, youth need a guiding hand to help those in need. Teacher Amy Hall provided just that when she collaborated with Memory Project, an organization that invites students and art teachers to create portraits of abused or neglected children, in order to make them feel valued.
The students in her class chose to work with Syrian children and orphans, feeling that this population would benefit the most from their assistance. For the children in the refugee camps and orphanages, barely having anything, a portrait became a big deal and a reminder of their worth.
Goals for Peace
Youth make a difference in communities such as one in Brazil, where the country’s Goals for Peace project fights against gender inequality. This admirable group hopes to provide opportunities for the empowerment of young girls. For boys like Taniel (18), and Clibson (15), the chance to help is inspiring. Sometimes, just standing with those who challenge the impediments of progress is doing enough. With violence against women acting as an everyday occurrence, a change in the status quo provides hope for a new direction.
The desire to help cannot be quantified in years, and youth make a difference when given the freedom and reigns to do so.
– Daniel Staesser
Photo: Flickr
The Bright Future of Macadamia Nut Farming in Kenya
Why the Increase in Macadamia Trees?
Historically, farmers planted macadamia trees to provide shade for coffee bushes that produce high-quality coffee; however, today, some coffee farmers have switched to farming macadamia nuts due to the fact that the price for the nuts has more than doubled so far in 2018. A kilo (about two pounds) of nuts sells for 160 to 180 Kenyan shillings, which is up from 70 shillings as of January 2018. Kenya is now the world’s third-largest grower of macadamia nuts, behind South Africa and Australia.
The versatility of the nuts may be a reason for their high demand in international and local markets. Macadamia nuts can be eaten raw or added to various food items like candies and cakes, or also made into oil with pharmaceutical and cosmetic uses.
The waste products — like shells and husks — can then be utilized as fertilizer, processing fuel, mulching and other efficient uses. Kenyan macadamia nuts are especially appreciated for their crunchy consistency, and the United States imports the largest amount of shelled macadamia on the globe. There are now 27 licensed macadamia processors in Kenya, as opposed to just five in 2013.
Decrease in Coffee, Rise in Nuts
The slow decline of Kenya’s coffee production may have also given room for the macadamia market to thrive. There were 38,620 tons of coffee grown in 2017 compared to the nation’s peak of 130,000 tons in 1989. Busolo, Director-General of Agriculture and Food Authority in Kenya, stated: “We want the private sector to play a key role, unlike coffee, which had a lot of government involvement.”
Slovak Aid, an appendage of Slovak foreign policy, has funded a project that will provide farmers in Kirinyaga County, Kenya, with one million “fast-maturing” and “high-yielding” seedlings so as to promote macadamia nut farming in Kenya.
These seedlings are expected to come to full maturity in three years rather than nine, and produce 50 kilograms worth of nuts as opposed to the 10 kilogram average. The organization has dedicated itself to the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to eradicate poverty and hunger while also promoting sustainable development.
An Optimistic Future
Kenya’s Slovak Ambassador, Frantisek Dlhopolek, is optimistic about macadamia nut farming in Kenya. “Kenya’s climatic condition is ideal for optimum macadamia production and…with the rising global demand is not a coincidence-rather a calculated move to help local farmers prosper,” he said.
It’s expected that with the help of this project, Kenya may grow to hold the number one position in global macadamia production.
– Camille Wilson
Photo: Google
How the US Benefits From Foreign Aid to Niger
In recent years, attacks such as these have plagued Niger and lead to growing extremist activity. In the case of Niger, Boko Haram has been the largest opponent of the Nigerien government’s forces.
How Does the U.S. Benefits From Foreign Aid to Niger?
The United States provides foreign aid to troubled African countries such as Niger, and in addition to significantly aiding their foreign partners, the U.S. also benefits from foreign aid to Niger. The United States has invested heavily in curtailing extremist activity across the globe. According to the State Department, “U.S. foreign assistance to Niger plays a critical role in preserving stability in a country vulnerable to political volatility, and food insecurity and regional instability.”
As the United States ratchets up counter-terrorism activity, countries like Niger become major partners who promote U.S. initiatives. The State Department goes further to mention that Niger’s agricultural sources are at risk due to continued droughts and conflict. Currently, the country faces a food crisis as crops continue to disappear. U.S. policy aims to strengthen African nations against extremist groups, and with their continued support, this is how the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Niger.
What Does Funding for Niger Do?
Niger is projected to receive $34 million in foreign assistance from the U.S. for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. Forty-four percent of that total sum is being invested in Nigerien health. One hundred percent of the health investment is geared towards fighting malaria, which has affected a significant portion of the population.
An additional 5 percent of the funds are being earmarked for peace and security. However, economic development and promoting democratic values are also being largely focused on.
Alleviating Poverty in Niger
Describing the poverty crisis in Niger, the World Bank’s statistics show that roughly 44 percent of the population lives in poverty. In fact, from 1960 to 2016, Niger’s population exploded from roughly 3 million people to 20 million! As the population continues to grow, the current food crisis deepens. During the drought of 2010, the U.N. wrote that 17 percent of children were actually malnourished.
While the situation may seem dire, U.S. assistance to Nigeria has yielded positive results. Prior to 2014, close to 50 percent of Niger’s population was living on less than a dollar a day. Niger has also entered into an assistance program — the Security Governance Initiative (SGI).
By joining the SGI, Niger has become an important target for U.S. foreign assistance programs. Adding another strong partner in Africa is how the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Niger. If the Nigerien government successfully addresses the food crisis and adopts democratic values, Niger’s poverty crisis could possibly be addressed for good.
For now, the U.S. continues to inject aid assistance into the Nigerien treasury in an effort to promote stability — stability which the United States desperately needs. These are just a few of the reasons how the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Niger.
– Colby McCoy
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