In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie joined forces to write a song titled, “We are the World.” The hope was for the song to highlight the poverty crisis in Africa and generate much needed aid. The song brought many artists together for a cause and actually created a legacy for other artists to follow.
Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie jumped all in when it came to creating, “We are the world.” The duo handled long nights and experienced emotions of sadness and empathy during the process.
The idea behind the song came from Harry Belafonte and Ken Kragen. Belafonte a long time human rights activist wanted deeply to help the starving people of Africa, more specifically Ethiopia. At the time, Ethiopia lost over 1 million people to famine from 1983 – 1985.
Belafonte’s dream was to not only help poverty stricken Africa, but to help end hunger in the U.S. as well. The long time activists had heard of a charity song created in the UK that had great success in generating aid for Africa, thus sparking the idea for the project.
The sales for the album were shocking. Less than a week after the release the entire 800,000 copies available were sold.
The single also remained number 1 on many billboard charts for weeks and received multi-platinum status. It is said that “We are the world” is the bestselling single of all time. Over 50 musicians and artists worked on the song. Some artists include Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Willie Nelson, and many others.
In total, over 63 million dollars through album and merchandise sales were made. It was agreed that 90 percent of these sales would go toward relief for Africa and 10 percent would stay in the U.S. Half of the money allocated for Africa went to emergency aid relief, such as ready-made food. The remainder went toward funding programs that would create lasting change for the country.
Thus far over 70 projects have been created in 7 countries around Africa. These projects help in areas of agriculture, fishing, water management, manufacturing and reforestation. The 10 percent set aside for the U.S. helped with hunger relief and homelessness.
Michael Jackson and the many other involved with the production of We are the World, sparked a legacy for other artists to maintain. In 2010, artists gathered to create another song for charity to raise funds for Haiti after a devastating earthquake left thousands dead and injured. The song was called “We are the World 25 for Haiti.”
The song’s lyrics from the original, “We are the World,” were revised and a rap section highlighting Haiti’s tragedy was added. Artists were able to raise money for the thousands of wounded and displaced citizens.
We are the World will continue to represent the coming together of humanity to create change for a better world. The continuation of humanitarian efforts such as this will ensure that countries faced with tragedy, whether it is disease, famine, or destruction will continue to be supported.
– Amy Robinson
Sources: YouTube , The History Channel, Song Facts
Michael Jackson “We are the World”
In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie joined forces to write a song titled, “We are the World.” The hope was for the song to highlight the poverty crisis in Africa and generate much needed aid. The song brought many artists together for a cause and actually created a legacy for other artists to follow.
Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie jumped all in when it came to creating, “We are the world.” The duo handled long nights and experienced emotions of sadness and empathy during the process.
The idea behind the song came from Harry Belafonte and Ken Kragen. Belafonte a long time human rights activist wanted deeply to help the starving people of Africa, more specifically Ethiopia. At the time, Ethiopia lost over 1 million people to famine from 1983 – 1985.
Belafonte’s dream was to not only help poverty stricken Africa, but to help end hunger in the U.S. as well. The long time activists had heard of a charity song created in the UK that had great success in generating aid for Africa, thus sparking the idea for the project.
The sales for the album were shocking. Less than a week after the release the entire 800,000 copies available were sold.
The single also remained number 1 on many billboard charts for weeks and received multi-platinum status. It is said that “We are the world” is the bestselling single of all time. Over 50 musicians and artists worked on the song. Some artists include Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Willie Nelson, and many others.
In total, over 63 million dollars through album and merchandise sales were made. It was agreed that 90 percent of these sales would go toward relief for Africa and 10 percent would stay in the U.S. Half of the money allocated for Africa went to emergency aid relief, such as ready-made food. The remainder went toward funding programs that would create lasting change for the country.
Thus far over 70 projects have been created in 7 countries around Africa. These projects help in areas of agriculture, fishing, water management, manufacturing and reforestation. The 10 percent set aside for the U.S. helped with hunger relief and homelessness.
Michael Jackson and the many other involved with the production of We are the World, sparked a legacy for other artists to maintain. In 2010, artists gathered to create another song for charity to raise funds for Haiti after a devastating earthquake left thousands dead and injured. The song was called “We are the World 25 for Haiti.”
The song’s lyrics from the original, “We are the World,” were revised and a rap section highlighting Haiti’s tragedy was added. Artists were able to raise money for the thousands of wounded and displaced citizens.
We are the World will continue to represent the coming together of humanity to create change for a better world. The continuation of humanitarian efforts such as this will ensure that countries faced with tragedy, whether it is disease, famine, or destruction will continue to be supported.
– Amy Robinson
Sources: YouTube , The History Channel, Song Facts
USAID’s Humanitarian Aid to Niger Alleviates Hardships
This African country, located on the edge of the Sahara, is prone to major climate-induced hardships such as extreme droughts and floods. These affect economic growth, agriculture and cause major food shortages, something this already impoverished country does not have the means to deal with properly.
Flooding of the Niger River
The most recent heavy rainfall, between early June and late September, triggered flooding in all eight regions of Niger. These floods have resulted in at least 56 deaths with more than 194,000 affected by the damage. With 22,200 acres of crops, 700 wells and 16,000 livestock ravaged by the floodwaters, the Niger population along the Niger River, and Dosso particularly, were displaced and in hardship.
The Niger government deployed personnel to flood-affected areas to respond to efforts and distribute food to communities. The humanitarian needs, however, pushed the government into overdrive, calling upon international assistance for humanitarian aid to Niger.
Humanitarian Aid to Niger from USAID
In response, USAID and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance provided $50,000 to support the distribution of emergency relief supplies, including shelter materials, to affected people in Dosso and Niamey. This is not the first time USAID has been called upon to assist Niger. According to the organization’s website, “USAID/OFDA continues to support the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in Niger, providing nearly $1 million in FY 2017 funding for UNHAS operations in Diffa.”
For the approximately 50,000 people that were affected by the torrential rains and floods from the Niger River, the Government of Niger, with the support of USAID, is working to find sustainable solutions to recurring floods. As part of these efforts, they have created a protective dike that should defend about 30,000 people from floods in several of the city’s neighborhoods.
A Country Moving Forward
Niger and USAID’s partnership is providing life-saving humanitarian aid to Niger in a courageous effort to assist this nation and pull it out of its many hardships. With more support like this, there is a chance Niger can ascend from its impoverished status.
– Kailey Brennan
Photo: Flickr
Addressing the Importance of Sanitation and Toilets
Developing countries face challenges in accessing sanitation and hygiene care. The CDC states that hundreds of millions of people do not have access to adequate clean drinking water and that over one million deaths are a result of diseases transmitted via unclean water, poor sanitation and lack of hygiene. Access to soap is an importance of hygiene, and often a challenge in availability for developing countries. The CDC offers an effective hand washing station within communities in need of proper hygiene. Known as Tippy Taps, these stations use less water and soap than other means of hand washing.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is approaching the importance of sanitation and toilets by partnering with several organizations to reduce water-borne diseases. The Water, Sanitation & Hygiene initiative aims to reduce disease and improve lives by looking closely at communities and governments to understand their environment and what is suitable for providing hygiene and water. The Gates Foundation also supports establishing an end to open defecation and upgrading latrines in order to encourage people to practice good hygiene as well as increasing the demand for sanitation.
The World Bank is addressing the importance of sanitation and toilets through the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiative, which assesses the relationship between poverty and hygiene to properly develop methods in bringing hygiene and water. The World Bank found that the effects of unsafe drinking water and lack of proper hygiene result in various other health issues, such as child stunting. WASH, in coordination with other organizations, works to provide appropriate services. The WASH program aims to reduce childhood mortality via investing clean water access to rural communities.
Shedding light on the importance of sanitation and toilets can lead to proposing and establishing sustainable sanitation for communities with no access to sanitation. The disparities of hygiene access need to be addressed to ensure the health of communities and generations to come.
– Jennifer Serrato
Photo: Flickr
8 Important Facts About the Causes of Poverty in Asia
Asia is the largest and moust populous continent on earth and is notable for its fast-growing economy. However, it is also the continent in which over 40 percent of the 766 million people living on less than $1.90 a day reside, making it the second poorest continent after Africa.
Asia is a place of extreme poverty as well as top business ventures. While all Asian countries are not poor, the wide gap in economic condition of the eastern continent’s people in its different parts drives one to explore the causes of poverty in Asia.
The first and the foremost reason is Asia’s huge population. Almost 60 percent of the world’s population is in Asia. While density of population is not the same everywhere, the monumental growth of population compared to the scarcity of resources is one of the major causes of poverty in Asia.
According to a report by the Asian Development Bank, 67 percent of the world’s hungry lives in Asia. Since 2000, there has been an increase in basic food prices, causing food insecurity for the poor, who designate a large amount of their income for food. Various factors like urbanization, population growth, a decrease in agricultural land and poor policy making are responsible for the increasing food insecurity in Asia.
Lack of proper education also causes poverty. According to UNESCO, about 30 percent of adults in South and West Asia are illiterate, and about one-third of students in primary schools lack basic numeric and literary skills which are essential for further education. There is also a wide gender gap in education in South Asia, as only 62 percent of young women are literate compared to 77 percent of young men.
Malnutrition in women and children is also another factor. Almost 69 percent of children with acute malnutrition live in Asia, which causes low weight and stunted growth. Women are also vulnerable to the situation, as almost 80 percent of adolescent women have anemia. Poor health prevents them from having proper education and a normal life, ultimately increasing the impoverished situation.
According to the corruption perception index of 2015, 60 percent of Asian countries scored below 50, indicating a serious corruption problem. Poor governance and corruption in administration make financial power available only to the fortunate few, fueling poverty for the mass population.
Asian countries are mostly dependent upon agriculture, forestry and tourism, which can all be affected by natural disasters. In 2015, half of the world’s natural disasters took place in the Asia-Pacific region like earthquakes, droughts, wild fires, storms, extreme temperatures and floods, causing significant economic losses.
With a recession in the global market, a vast section of Asian workers or laborers working in America or Western Europe have lost their jobs, negatively affecting the economic conditions of their families.
In some countries of South Asia, caste discrimination is prominent in different levels of the society. This prohibits equal opportunities among the mass population, making certain sections of the population poorer than others.
Most of the above causes of poverty in Asia are interrelated. An increase in population leads to a corrupt administration which, in turn, fails to provide quality education to all people, giving rise to unemployment, discrimination and food insecurity. Poor governance also fails to provide sufficient health and medical facilities, causing health issues and making people unfit for progress. It is clear that, before the people of Asia can rise up out of poverty, the lack of fair and uncorrupted governments throughout the continent must be addressed.
– Mahua Mitra
Photo: Flickr
Soteni International Builds Health and Hope in Kenya
Soteni International was founded in 2002 by a group of both American and African volunteers led by Dr. Victoria Wells Wulsin, a physician and epidemiologist. Marsh describes the early mission of the organization as being to “empower orphans of AIDS to lead the fight against AIDS and to prevent another generation from succumbing.”
Villages of Hope
The organization has now developed and works through the “model of Villages of Hope.” This includes doing everything in its power to build up specific communities so that they are sustainable for future HIV/AIDS-free generations. These villages are focused in three main regions in rural Kenya: Mbakalo, Ugunja and Mitunto.
Marsh told The Borgen Project that the organization chose to stay in rural areas because it “felt like there are many organizations working in Nairobi that address the HIV crisis there. These [three regions] are also areas where the communities have given us land to use to further our mission and/or support us in other ways.” Soteni has supported a number of projects in these communities that all work toward the overall betterment of the region.
Community Improvements
In 2009, Soteni worked with other organizations, including the Lake Victoria North Water Services Board, the Gender Sensitive Initiatives organization and the Kenyan Water Services Fund Trust, to bring safe drinking water to Mbakalo. The project included bringing the region 20 hand-pump wells and 20 springwater pipes. The local schools also received 15 three-door latrines and 12 rainwater harvesting tanks. In 2015, the organization also enacted the Improving Access to Family Planning Project in Ujunga to spread sexual health and family planning awareness and provide access to sexual reproductive health services.
Soteni opened a health center in Mbakalo in 2005 and has continued to improve it over the years. The center provides essential medical services through a seven-person staff. 200 to 300 citizens receive treatment here every month that includes antimalarials, antihistamines, antibiotics and some immunizations. The center has no electricity, but in 2008 Soteni installed a solar refrigerator for vaccines and medicines. Plans are currently underway to expand and upgrade the center.
International Cooperation
Soteni International requires leadership and cooperation in both the United States and Kenya to do its work. The organization has members and locations in both Cincinnati and Nairobi and members make trips back and forth annually. Supporters in the U.S. can donate time through volunteer work or make monetary and material donations.
According to Executive Director Marsh, “the heart of our organization are the people on the ground who work to support the mission.” The organization and its community work are entirely grassroots, built from the ground up by people who saw a problem and wanted to be a part of the solution. Not only does its work better the lives of Kenyan citizens, but it also inspires citizens from the U.S. and around the globe.
– Megan Burtis
Photo: Flickr
Sustainable Agriculture in Uganda Must Be Addressed
The need for sustainable agriculture in Uganda has been met with help from organizations such as the Uganda Sustainable Agriculture Support Organization (USASO) which helps train people in sustainable methods of farming. Ugandans are taught to both plant and take care of the foods they grow. The women of Uganda learn the most, as they make up a significant part of the workforce. They, along with children, learn to fertilize soil and create a sustainable food source for the country through farming.
In 2004, Uganda adopted the Uganda Organic Standard, which helped make big changes in terms of Uganda’s economy. This standard helped improve income and food security, as well as increased the number of certified organic farmers by 359 percent between the years of 2002 to 2007. Acreage under organic agricultural production also increased by 60 percent. It also helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions and agricultural chemical runoff into local water bodies.
Despite the seemingly positive effects that farming has had on the economy of Uganda in the early 2000s, research done by environmental scientist Festus Bagoora shows that farming in places with dry land, such as Uganda, might not be the best thing for long term sustainability. Considering 22 percent of land area in Uganda is dry, and thus contains fragile ecosystems, farming in these lands could have an adverse effect on the grazing area of the cattle that usually reside there, and therefore have a negative outcome on sustainable agriculture in Uganda.
These outcomes include both drought and desertification, which have become more of a problem because of the over-cultivation of land through farming and the grazing of cattle. These are problems that have not yet touched Uganda but have the potential to become an issue. Although the economy of Uganda is surviving on the exports of coffee, plantains, sweet potatoes and more, the soil in these lands needs to be surveyed in order to determine if it can be farmed or not. This is crucial to the land’s ecosystem, as without the proper care for the soil, the ecosystem could fall apart and leave Uganda in a very poor position in terms of agriculture.
The agriculture in Uganda is in constant fluctuation. The sustainability of it has yet to be determined, as the country still has a ways to go in order for its economy to become stable. Its ecosystem is fragile and will require constant care in order for the country to be able to successfully have blossoming agriculture that everyone can benefit from. This can be reached through the proper care for soil, as well as care for the cattle and where the livestock are grazing. Addressing these can lead to a proper and more sustainable agriculture in Uganda.
– Simone Williams
Photo: Flickr
Five Important Development Projects in Mauritania
Mauritania continues to experience tensions between ethnic groups, and suffered serious threats to its security through activities from various terrorist organizations. However, since 2011 strategies and development projects in Mauritania have been implemented that use dialogue and military actions, which have stopped terrorist attacks from occurring thus far.
After years of insecurity and instability, the situation in Mauritania is improving politically. Various international and national organizations are working in Mauritania to improve the lives of citizens and increase economic growth and decrease food insecurity. Here are five development projects in Mauritania that are currently active or have recently concluded.
This project was initiated by the World Bank and implemented by the Directions des Projets Education et Formation. The project ran from April 2011 to December 2017. Carrying a total cost of $17.6 million, this project’s objectives were to improve the efficiency as well as quality of training institutions in Mauritania and to foster a more “market driven technical and vocational education training system.”
This project was approved in 2003 and ran until 2012, and was financed by IFAD. Costing a total of $33.9 million, its major objective was to reduce the poverty rate in five provinces in Mauritania. The project promoted sustainable farming solutions through the spread of technology and supported the financing of economic as well as social infrastructures, which reached 50,000 households.
This is another project financed by IFAD, but one that is currently active. Costing a total of $28.9 million, this project aims to improve livelihoods and incomes for women and young people in 21,000 rural households in three moughataas (departments), which include M’Bout, Ould-Yengé and Kankossa. This will be achieved by fostering an increase in the economy through sustainable resource management, specifically by developing systems of crop and livestock management, soil restoration and water management and support for local project development.
This project is funded by the African Development Bank (ADB), the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF) and the Mauritanian government, with loans of $11.69 million and a grant of $720,000 from the ADB and a loan of $8.6 million from the NTF. The construction of this road will help develop the right bank of Senegal River and will have an enormous impact in promoting the development of agriculture, fishing industries and transportation services. It will affect 100,000 people in 67 localities.
This project, started in 2006, will conclude in 2020 and will affect regions of Gorgol, Guidimakha and Brakna in Mauritania. Implemented by the International Labour Organization, and costing a total of €3.2 million, this project’s primary objective is to help improve the living conditions of youth through improving access to professional training and employment. The goal of the results are to improve the quality of work in construction through training and enlarge the scope of professional training programs.
Although only five development projects in Mauritania are mentioned here, there are numerous other organizations working within the country to improve the lives of Mauritanians. Through collaborative and inclusive effort, the livelihoods, economy and food security of many are sure to improve.
– Miho Kitamura
Photo: Flickr
Diplomatic Ties: How the U.S. Benefits from Foreign Aid to Iran
In 2016, the American government provided $3,350,327 in aid to the Iranian people. This money is portioned out into multiple areas, but the majority of it has been paid to Iran by the U.S. Department of Energy for the purpose of removing and destroying nuclear-grade weapons from Iranian civilians and other civilians who may have access. Although the U.S. has had uncertain relations with Iran in the past, the amount of aid the government has given them is fairly average in relation to how much aid they give to other countries in the region.
There are other ways that the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Iran as well. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. received nearly $54.8 million in imports from Iran last year. Iran’s major export is in crude petroleum, along with ethylene polymers and acyclic alcohols. However, what is surprising is that the United States does not even rank as one of Iran’s top exporting partners. Iran relies on the U.S. funds for certain processes such as energy regulation, but the U.S. does not receive quite so much financial gain in return.
So, what does the United States receive? To some extent, the U.S. government receives diplomatic relations from the money it spends. For supporting Iran, and for interacting in an international trade society, the United States receives not only imports and surpluses from the Iranian government, but it also receives a certain level of compromise and commitment from Iran when it comes to aid and foreign interaction.
The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with Iran since 1979, when Iranian rebels held U.S. employees hostage in the U.S. embassy in Iran for 444 days. After that series of events, new sanctions and agreements were created by the joint governments in an attempt to salvage relations. Since 1981, the U.S. government has maintained diplomatic ties quite well, until recently.
Currently, with a deteriorating situation involving Iran in Syria, and Israel on the defensive in the same region, the U.S. has some serious decisions to make. These decisions will determine not only the ability of the United States to keep Iran as an ally, but will also change the dynamics of U.S. foreign relations in the Middle East as a whole. While the U.S. benefits from foreign aid to Iran on a monetary and diplomatic basis, there is definitely a delicate balance at stake for the United States and Iran both. Diplomatic Ties
– Molly Atchison
Photo: Flickr
Sustainable Agriculture in Malaysia Promoting Production of Palm Oil
Palm oil grows in tropical environments, and Malaysia, located in southeast Asia, has that ideal climate. Because people consume such great quantities of palm oil, its vast production has large effects on the environment and the communities in which it is grown. As demand for palm oil continues to increase, conventional farming practices decrease biodiversity and harm the regions where it is grown.
However, on the positive side, when palm oil is produced sustainably, the environmental harms are minimized. While some countries use destructive farming practices such as clearing forests to grow palm oil, Malaysia is a model for sustainable agriculture.
Malaysian palm oil production meets the U.S. definition of sustainable agriculture. The U.S. standard is based on the 1990 Farm Bill by the Department of Agriculture. This bill lays out a framework for sustainable agricultural practices.
Malaysian production of palm oil is able to meet the standards of the bill largely due to Malaysia’s certification for sustainable palm oil, Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO), which started in 2015 and will be mandatory by 2019. MSPO is based on seven principles that emphasize a commitment to sustainable agriculture in Malaysia.
Below are the seven principles and the ways palm oil farming practices commit to sustainable agriculture in Malaysia.
Malaysia has committed to having 100 percent of its palm oil plantations MSPO certified by 2019.
Malaysia is transparent with its agricultural practices as they pertain to palm oil. Additionally, Malaysia is transparent with the percentage of palm oil plantations that are MSPO certified and its plan to obtain 100 percent certification.
This is a basic principle whereby Malaysian plantations will abide by laws and regulations governing palm oil agricultural practices.
The palm oil industry employs over 500,000 people in Malaysia and is an integral part of the economy. Growing palm oil improves the standard of living for many farmers in Malaysia and can aid in diminishing poverty.
Palm oil is an efficient crop, meaning a large amount of palm oil is gained from a small area of plants. This allows for a smaller environmental impact compared to other crops. Additionally, the Malaysian Palm Oil Wildlife Conservation Fund oversees the production of palm oil and ensures it does not negatively affect biodiversity where it is grown.
The cultivation of Malaysian palm oil uses sustainable farming practices. These include integrated pest management and biomass, as well as avoiding deforestation.
As of 2017, Malaysia had 5.74 million hectares of palm oil plants. As new plants are introduced, Malaysia wants to ensure that it meets the standards that have been laid out for the already existing plantations.
As more palm oil plantations become MSPO-certified, the model of sustainable agriculture in Malaysia is one that other countries can base their own farming practices on. The positives of sustainable agriculture, especially relating to palm oil, benefit the farmers, the environment and even the consumer.
– Hayley Herzog
Photo: Flickr
Addressing the Success of Humanitarian Aid to Moldova
Out of all the Eurasian countries that were affected by the war, poverty-struck Moldova the hardest. The country was, in fact, in a better economic situation in 1991 than after its freedom. The now democratic country is one of the poorest on the European continent. Up to 34 percent of the population lives below the poverty rate.
Environmental issues are also affecting Moldova, thus leaving the country with unsuitable ground to cultivate on. The European country mostly relies on agriculture in order to create economic profit. But such activity contributes to a decline in the quality of land due to soil erosion.
The Polish government has taken a big step forward with the success of humanitarian aid to Moldova. With a contribution of PLN 1 million, or almost $300,000, the Polish government has helped the Moldovan population to lower the level of starvation during droughts and other environmental issues that greatly affect the agriculture sector.
These and many more related issues have increased the flow of humanitarian aid to Moldova. The independent humanitarian organization Help Moldova has been a pioneer in aiding the nation. Rebuilding hospitals, helping families living in poverty and providing medical attention to those in need are just some of the initiatives carried out by the organization.
Caritas Czech Republic is also one of the many NGOs assuring the success of humanitarian aid to Moldova. The organization has been helping Moldovan families for fifteen years. By providing job opportunities, agricultural machines to provide more profit and food and creating school opportunities for disadvantaged children, Caritas Czech Republic is leading Moldova into becoming a better country day by day.
While Moldova is in the process of rebuilding itself, it is still not part of the European Union. But help and humanitarian aid to Moldova from nonprofits and government organizations alike are building a better, more developed country. Moldova still has a long way to go to become a fully developed country in terms of economic and social aspects, but the success thus far has been and still is, undeniable.
– Paula Gibson
Photo: Flickr