Poverty in the Dominican Republic continues to affect many families despite economic growth in recent years. The World Bank states that although the Dominican Republic has experienced rapid economic growth over the past two decades, inequalities and limited access to quality jobs and public services continue to affect underserved populations. Limited access to stable employment, reliable infrastructure, affordable health care and higher education creates ongoing challenges for low-income families.
A former resident of a low-income community in the Dominican Republic, who requested anonymity for privacy reasons, described growing up in a household where survival depended on constant work. According to the source, every member of the family began working at a young age to help cover necessities such as food, clothing and utility bills.
“Every day was spent working to pay for clothes and food and keep the bills up to date,” the source said. They also stated that in a household of five children and two parents, financial pressure shaped nearly every aspect of daily life.
Economic hardship also affected social relationships and community life. Long work hours left little time for friendships, recreation or personal development. “It was just to focus on work and get money to pay bills and get food to continue living,” the source explained.
Education and School Dropout Rates
Financial hardship often creates long-term educational barriers for children living in poverty in the Dominican Republic. Families struggling to meet daily needs frequently depend on children and adolescents to contribute financially, increasing the likelihood of school absenteeism and dropout rates.
UNICEF reported that many children in the Dominican Republic continue to face educational exclusion due to poverty and limited resources. The organization found that 60% of Dominicans ages 18 to 40 had not completed school during the 2014-2015 academic period.
According to a UNICEF report, 9.9% of adolescents aged 15 to 17 were not attending school during the 2014-2015 academic period. The report also found that 24.1% of secondary students were enrolled with an overage of two or more years, increasing the risk of school abandonment and educational exclusion.
The report additionally noted that students living in rural and underserved communities face greater barriers to completing secondary education and accessing equal educational opportunities. Researchers also found that many adolescents who left school would have needed to return to primary education if they reentered the school system.
The anonymous source explained that balancing work and education created constant stress and exhaustion during childhood. Although education was valued within the household, financial hardship often took priority over long-term academic opportunities.
“In the Dominican Republic, the school systems were not the best, but it is what we had,” the source said. Financial limitations eventually prevented the individual from attending university after graduating from high school, forcing full-time entry into the workforce instead.
Education Quality and Access
Educational inequality in the Dominican Republic extends beyond school attendance to learning quality and student achievement.
According to UNICEF, education challenges in the Dominican Republic include low learning outcomes, school exclusion and unequal access to quality education, particularly among vulnerable communities. Despite increased investment in education, many students continue struggling to complete school due to poverty and limited educational resources.
UNICEF reported that only 12% of third-grade students achieved satisfactory results in Spanish language studies, while only 27% achieved satisfactory results in mathematics during the 2017 National Diagnostic Assessment. The organizations also identify school violence and unequal educational opportunities as major barriers affecting learning outcomes throughout the country.
According to UNICEF’s All Children Learn in the Dominican Republic initiative, educational programs currently focus on improving literacy and mathematics instruction, supporting vulnerable students and increasing inclusive learning opportunities for children and adolescents with disabilities. UNICEF has also worked with schools and communities to strengthen programs for peaceful conflict resolution and improve inclusive classroom practices.
These educational challenges are often closely connected to broader housing and infrastructure issues that affect low-income communities daily.
Housing and Infrastructure Challenges
The effects of poverty in the Dominican Republic also extend to housing and infrastructure. According to the source, the family lived in a crowded home where multiple people shared rooms and privacy was limited. Daily routines were often disrupted by unreliable electricity and inconsistent access to water.
“The light would always go out and there was not much access to water,” the source explained. They also described poor infrastructure in the community, including constant construction and difficult road access, which disrupted daily life.
The World Bank states that inequalities in infrastructure and access to public services continue to affect underserved populations throughout the Dominican Republic, particularly low-income communities. Limited infrastructure can also contribute to educational and health-related challenges, especially for families already struggling financially.
Health Care and Community Support
Health care expenses created major financial burdens for families living paycheck to paycheck. Instead of relying on larger pharmacies, many residents turned to smaller local “boticas,” which offered more affordable medicine options.
“When it came to someone who was ill, we would have to skip out on work or school to take them to the hospital,” the source said. Missing work to care for a sick family member often meant losing income needed for food, rent or utility bills.
In many underserved communities, churches remain one of the only reliable forms of local support. The source explained that families often depended on churches for food, clothing or emergency assistance because few organizations or social programs were available in the area.
“There were only churches; there were no types of support or organizations that would help,” the source explained.
Looking Beyond the Statistics
UNICEF continues to support educational initiatives in the Dominican Republic to improve learning opportunities and school accessibility for vulnerable children and adolescents. The organization’s programs focus on strengthening early education, improving inclusive learning opportunities and helping students remain in school. UNICEF has also supported programs designed to reduce school violence and improve educational accessibility for children with disabilities.
Although poverty in the Dominican Republic continues to limit opportunities for many families, educational initiatives and community-based support programs may help reduce long-term inequalities. Personal accounts from individuals directly affected by poverty highlight the realities behind economic statistics and underscore the importance of continued efforts to improve living conditions across the country.
– Grelby Santos
Grelby is based in Boston, MA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash
Turning the Cassava Industry in Nigeria into a Thriving Business
From Weekend Hobby to Industrial Vision
Iranloye first experimented with cassava as a weekend hobby; buying a small plot in Oyo State, multiplying superior cassava stems and sharing them with neighboring farmers to raise yields. Her formal scientific training informed her vision: a degree in food biochemistry and nutrition and years of work at a Lagos glucose syrup plant gave her deep insight into root crop chemistry. This blend of academic knowledge and grassroots practice laid the foundation for Psaltry International, the company she built by placing industrial processing where cassava is grown.
In 2011, at age 40, Iranloye left her salaried work, moved onto her farm and used a loan to build a 20-tonne-per-day cassava starch mill with equipment imported from China. Her decisive innovation was logistical: cassava spoils quickly after harvest, so building processing adjacent to smallholder production cut spoilage, improved quality and shortened the supply chain. That locational advantage helped Psaltry pass demanding quality tests and secure Nestlé as its first major customer; multinational buyers such as Unilever, Nigerian Breweries and Promasidor followed as Psaltry expanded its product range.
Growing the Cassava Industry in Nigeria
Across Nigeria, cassava is better used for garri or fufu, essential starchy accompaniments for soups and stews. But its industrial potential is broad: cassava roots can be refined into starch, ethanol, glucose syrup, flour and sweeteners. Food manufacturers use cassava starch as a binder and thickener. Packaging companies use it in corrugation. Rising demand for gluten-free products has given cassava flour new markets. By treating cassava as an industrial feedstock rather than merely a subsistence crop, Iranloye helped displace some imports and created higher-value market channels for farmers who previously sold raw roots into low-margin chains.
The company’s success shows how value addition can transform national supply chains. By embedding processing in the zones where cassava is grown, Psaltry boosted efficiency, raised quality standards and helped build the cassava industry in Nigeria into a more resilient and globally competitive sector.
Turning Infrastructure Challenges Into Competitive Advantage
When Psaltry set up its first mill, it was “in the middle of nowhere,” without an access road, unreliable power and a seasonal stream that ran dry. The company built its own road, installed generators until grid connections arrived and drilled boreholes for community and factory use. Financially, Iranloye blended loans and public credit schemes to buy equipment and scale operations; operationally, Psaltry invested in farmer training, traceability and stem multiplication so suppliers could meet industrial quality standards. Those investments turned logistical constraints into competitive advantages, delivering higher quality, faster processing and a dependable supply chain that appealed to major buyers.
Scaling Farmer Partnerships and Cassava Products
What began with 17 smallholders grew into a network of roughly 16,000 farmers supplying Psaltry. Expansion came in phases: after the initial starch mill, Psaltry opened a second factory in 2015 to produce cassava flour; in 2022 it added a sorbitol plant after Unilever sought a reliable local supplier. Producing sorbitol domestically helped reduce dependence on imports from Asia and showcased how downstream processing can capture more value within national borders. At each stage, Psaltry emphasized quality control, traceability and predictable procurement, lifting suppliers into market-grade production rather than subsistence selling.
The expansion of the cassava industry in Nigeria not only boosted local manufacturing, it helped reinforce Nigeria’s agricultural economy by creating jobs, reducing import reliance and solidifying new export pathways.
Competition, Economic Shocks and New Crop Frontiers
As Psaltry’s success became visible, competitors proliferated: Nigeria now hosts dozens of cassava processors. But local demand rose too, particularly after naira volatility made imports costlier and import substitution more attractive. Iranloye views this as an opening for broader agricultural industrialization: sweet potatoes (high starch and naturally gluten-free) and coconuts (where nearly every part has commercial value) are promising next wave crops for similar processing approaches. Her perspective mirrors broader development prescriptions: diversify local value chains, encourage agro processing and link smallholders to paying markets to create jobs and build resilience.
Entrepreneurship Lessons From the Farm
Iranloye’s reflections are practical and pointed. Passion for agriculture is nonnegotiable: the sector rewards persistence when markets and infrastructure lag. Deferred gratification matters. She counsels entrepreneurs to reinvest earnings rather than treat early revenues as personal paychecks, separating personal finances from business growth. Finally, iterative learning and persistence were crucial; Iranloye admits she did not have a perfect plan at the start, but steady experimentation revealed viable products and markets.
Why This Story Matters
Psaltry’s rise from experimental stems and a makeshift rural mill to multi-product processing supplying multinational companies shows how applied science, strategic location and farmer partnerships convert staple crops into industry. For policymakers and development practitioners, the lessons are concrete: invest in rural infrastructure, de-risk finance for processors and farmers and scale extension services so smallholders can meet industrial quality. For entrepreneurs, the takeaway is equally clear: patient mission-driven reinvestment and proximity to raw materials can turn agribusiness into a durable engine of local jobs and import substitution.
– Josephine Dokpesi
Photo: Flickr
Behind the Statistics: Poverty in the Dominican Republic
A former resident of a low-income community in the Dominican Republic, who requested anonymity for privacy reasons, described growing up in a household where survival depended on constant work. According to the source, every member of the family began working at a young age to help cover necessities such as food, clothing and utility bills.
“Every day was spent working to pay for clothes and food and keep the bills up to date,” the source said. They also stated that in a household of five children and two parents, financial pressure shaped nearly every aspect of daily life.
Economic hardship also affected social relationships and community life. Long work hours left little time for friendships, recreation or personal development. “It was just to focus on work and get money to pay bills and get food to continue living,” the source explained.
Education and School Dropout Rates
Financial hardship often creates long-term educational barriers for children living in poverty in the Dominican Republic. Families struggling to meet daily needs frequently depend on children and adolescents to contribute financially, increasing the likelihood of school absenteeism and dropout rates.
UNICEF reported that many children in the Dominican Republic continue to face educational exclusion due to poverty and limited resources. The organization found that 60% of Dominicans ages 18 to 40 had not completed school during the 2014-2015 academic period.
According to a UNICEF report, 9.9% of adolescents aged 15 to 17 were not attending school during the 2014-2015 academic period. The report also found that 24.1% of secondary students were enrolled with an overage of two or more years, increasing the risk of school abandonment and educational exclusion.
The report additionally noted that students living in rural and underserved communities face greater barriers to completing secondary education and accessing equal educational opportunities. Researchers also found that many adolescents who left school would have needed to return to primary education if they reentered the school system.
The anonymous source explained that balancing work and education created constant stress and exhaustion during childhood. Although education was valued within the household, financial hardship often took priority over long-term academic opportunities.
“In the Dominican Republic, the school systems were not the best, but it is what we had,” the source said. Financial limitations eventually prevented the individual from attending university after graduating from high school, forcing full-time entry into the workforce instead.
Education Quality and Access
Educational inequality in the Dominican Republic extends beyond school attendance to learning quality and student achievement.
According to UNICEF, education challenges in the Dominican Republic include low learning outcomes, school exclusion and unequal access to quality education, particularly among vulnerable communities. Despite increased investment in education, many students continue struggling to complete school due to poverty and limited educational resources.
UNICEF reported that only 12% of third-grade students achieved satisfactory results in Spanish language studies, while only 27% achieved satisfactory results in mathematics during the 2017 National Diagnostic Assessment. The organizations also identify school violence and unequal educational opportunities as major barriers affecting learning outcomes throughout the country.
According to UNICEF’s All Children Learn in the Dominican Republic initiative, educational programs currently focus on improving literacy and mathematics instruction, supporting vulnerable students and increasing inclusive learning opportunities for children and adolescents with disabilities. UNICEF has also worked with schools and communities to strengthen programs for peaceful conflict resolution and improve inclusive classroom practices.
These educational challenges are often closely connected to broader housing and infrastructure issues that affect low-income communities daily.
Housing and Infrastructure Challenges
The effects of poverty in the Dominican Republic also extend to housing and infrastructure. According to the source, the family lived in a crowded home where multiple people shared rooms and privacy was limited. Daily routines were often disrupted by unreliable electricity and inconsistent access to water.
“The light would always go out and there was not much access to water,” the source explained. They also described poor infrastructure in the community, including constant construction and difficult road access, which disrupted daily life.
The World Bank states that inequalities in infrastructure and access to public services continue to affect underserved populations throughout the Dominican Republic, particularly low-income communities. Limited infrastructure can also contribute to educational and health-related challenges, especially for families already struggling financially.
Health Care and Community Support
Health care expenses created major financial burdens for families living paycheck to paycheck. Instead of relying on larger pharmacies, many residents turned to smaller local “boticas,” which offered more affordable medicine options.
“When it came to someone who was ill, we would have to skip out on work or school to take them to the hospital,” the source said. Missing work to care for a sick family member often meant losing income needed for food, rent or utility bills.
In many underserved communities, churches remain one of the only reliable forms of local support. The source explained that families often depended on churches for food, clothing or emergency assistance because few organizations or social programs were available in the area.
“There were only churches; there were no types of support or organizations that would help,” the source explained.
Looking Beyond the Statistics
UNICEF continues to support educational initiatives in the Dominican Republic to improve learning opportunities and school accessibility for vulnerable children and adolescents. The organization’s programs focus on strengthening early education, improving inclusive learning opportunities and helping students remain in school. UNICEF has also supported programs designed to reduce school violence and improve educational accessibility for children with disabilities.
Although poverty in the Dominican Republic continues to limit opportunities for many families, educational initiatives and community-based support programs may help reduce long-term inequalities. Personal accounts from individuals directly affected by poverty highlight the realities behind economic statistics and underscore the importance of continued efforts to improve living conditions across the country.
– Grelby Santos
Photo: Unsplash
Misha Collins’ Philanthropic Work: The Work of Real-Life Angel
Overall, Collins is widely known for his advocacy endeavors. Below is an exploration of Collins’ philanthropic work and his organizations in their fight against global poverty and their assistance for nations that have faced various crises. This focuses on three of his projects (work for UNITED24, Random Acts and The AnteSocial) with regard to Ukraine and minorities in the U.S. concerning poverty, living conditions, community building and food equity.
UNITED24
“Know that your courage, tenacity, strength and dignity in your fight with evil is an inspiration for the whole world,” Collins said this in Ukrainian in a video address for UNITED24. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Collins has shown support for Ukraine. During one of his visits to Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Collins to join the UNITED24 team, becoming an ambassador for the Humanitarian Demining program.
Humanitarian Demining involves removing landmines to decontaminate land for civilians. Collins has made multiple trips to Ukraine, specifically impoverished areas, to assist with this program. After his visit in 2024, he started a fundraiser to raise money for a demining vehicle, raising $450,000. Since 2023, Collins’ philanthropic work has focused on Ukraine and UNITED24, stating, “Even if the war in Ukraine ends tomorrow, the legacy of the war will remain until the entire land is cleared of mines.”
The AnteSocial
The AnteSocial was founded by Misha Collins and his partner, Emily Farallon. The two met and laid the groundwork for this organization while trying to convince local landlords to donate vacant units to families experiencing homelessness. From there, they began projects to help their local community in hopes of having a positive impact on global communities. They now use this platform to bring communities together, allowing for fundraising opportunities to address issues such as homelessness, poverty and assisting children.
Random Acts
Random Acts is a nonprofit organization that showcases Misha Collins’ philanthropic work. Almost 600 “acts of kindness” were funded within the year. Collins founded this organization in 2010 and its activities include toy drives, food equity efforts, community service and building schools in Nicaragua. Random Acts was created after Collins raised more than $30,000 for the UNICEF disaster relief program following a devastating earthquake in Haiti.
He and the organization then shifted their attention to building a children’s orphanage in Haiti, completed in 2013. Since then, Random Acts has worked on causes such as animal welfare, childhood hunger, clothing donations, community improvement, food equity, holiday acts for underprivileged individuals, homelessness, natural disasters, youth, social justice and more.
Conclusion
Misha Collins’ philanthropic work knows no end. As mentioned, Collins is primarily recognized as an actor for his portrayal of the angel Castiel on “Supernatural.” Yet, he holds more similarities to the character than one may realize, including his pure intentions in helping the community. Collins has founded and supported four charities: Mercy Corps, Operation Smile, Represent.US and Random Acts.
He has also written numerous articles about advocacy and fighting global poverty, in addition to using his social media platforms to mobilize followers to do the same. Overall, Collins’ philanthropic work has proven his parallels to his angelic counterpart, which will only increase with his support of disaster relief, health care, human rights, politics, education and combating global poverty.
– Veronica Cham
Photo: Flickr
Cuerpxs En Resistencia: Reducing Poverty in Colombia
Poverty in Colombia
Much of the current poor economic situation in Colombia can be traced back to the U.S.-led war on drugs, where policies led to increased militarization of several key areas and increased rates of criminalization and incarceration. The consequences of these policies led to land dispossession, a decrease in rural autonomy and food sovereignty and an increase in violence and precarious employment.
Although numbers are still relatively high, since the COVID-19 pandemic and President Petro took office, poverty rates in Colombia have been on a steady decline. The most recent statistics from 2024 indicate that 31.8% of the population is below the national poverty line, while 4.5 million people (8.5%) are below the international poverty rate, calculated at living on less than $3.00 a day. Compared to figures in 2020 and 2021, at the height of the pandemic, where 39.7% of the population lived below the poverty line and 15.76% (almost 8 million people) lived on less than $3.00 a day, these figures suggest major improvements to the welfare state in Colombia under President Petro.
Rural Poverty
There does, however, remain an uneven distribution of this poverty. Around 61.5% of people living in rural Colombia are identified as poor, likely as a result of the historically disproportionate delivery of quality public services across departments and municipalities. Poverty and inequality are a particular concern in certain Colombian departments such as Nariño and La Guajira, where vulnerable groups such as Indigenous peoples are disproportionately affected.
An absence of money is not the only aspect of poverty. Multidimensional poverty takes into consideration other factors of deprivation that individuals experience. In Colombia, multidimensional poverty is assessed across five dimensions:
The National Administrative Department of Statistics published the most recent report on multidimensional poverty in Colombia in 2024 and found that in 2023, around 12% of the population was identified as multidimensionally poor. This means that in addition to receiving less than $3.00 a day, they and their households have little to no basic education and poor access to safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and electricity. The World Bank reported that by 2024, this percentage had reduced to 8.76%.
Cuerpxs En Resistencia: Bodies in Resistance
The Borgen Project spoke with Sofia, who has previously volunteered with Cuerpxs En Resistencia, a social enterprise helping to fight poverty in Colombia. Cuerpxs En Resistencia translates to “Bodies in Resistance,” with the “x” in “cuerpxs” indicating inclusivity to all types of bodies. The organization describes itself as a grassroots nonprofit social, community, political, artistic and academic organization that fights for sexual and bodily emancipation. It focuses on the intersections of class, gender and disability to advocate for the ways in which oppressive systems and policy changes do not affect everyone equally. Its work ranges from raising awareness about the lived experience of intersecting forms of oppression to community projects such as providing safe spaces and community meals in Colombia.
Sofia volunteered with Cuerpxs En Resistencia in one of the particularly poor neighborhoods of Colombia’s capital city, Bogota, called Santa Fe. She emphasizes how poverty in Colombia is not simply the lack of money but also leads to an increased sense of dehumanization due to limited access to other human rights, such as access to water and a lack of resources and organizations to turn to in times of need. She also recalls how common gun violence and the use of serious drugs were in Santa Fe as a result of decades of conflict.
Due to these local conditions, many individuals in Santa Fe are forced into exploitative and precarious job situations. Recognizing the need for help, Cuerpxs En Resistencia helped create a community-funded project to form a safe and welcoming community, providing the people of Santa Fe a safe space to receive a free, warm community meal, as well as entertainment, with the goal of improving the lives, health and dignity of those facing multidimensional poverty in Colombia. A diverse group of people attended these community meals — from young children to people in their 70s facing homelessness.
Looking Ahead
Sofia stressed that President Petro has given her and many people in Colombia hope for reducing poverty across the country. Petro has focused on the concept of dignity alongside tangible measures to help those facing poverty. While the work of grassroots projects such as the community meals provided by Cuerpxs En Resistencia is an important lifeline, systemic changes such as those implemented by President Petro are also necessary to drive broader change.
– Stephanie Gable
Photo: Pexels
Efforts To Reduce the Gender Wage Gap in Togo
Why the Wage Gap Exists
Several factors contribute to the wage gap between men and women in Togo. According to the World Bank Gender Data Portal, women are more likely than men to be employed in vulnerable forms of work. These jobs often provide lower and less stable incomes than formal employment and may offer fewer opportunities for career advancement and higher earnings.
Access to financial services is another challenge. Data from the World Bank Gender Data Portal shows that 45.3% of women in Togo had an account with a financial institution or mobile-money provider in 2024, compared with 70% of men. This gap in financial access can limit women’s ability to save money, obtain credit and invest in income-generating activities.
The Impact on Women and Families
The gender wage gap in Togo affects more than individual workers. Data that World Salaries compiled estimates that women in Togo earn an average annual salary of 5.81 million West African CFA francs compared to 6.84 million CFA francs for men. While earnings vary by occupation and region, the figures highlight a significant income gap between men and women.
Research published in the Journal of Economics and Development Studies found that women in rural Togo often earn less than men because they have less access to resources such as credit, technology and agricultural support. The study noted that improving access to these resources could help reduce income differences and strengthen local economies.
Efforts To Improve Equality
The Togolese government and development organizations have introduced programs to support women’s economic participation. According to Togo First, government spending dedicated to gender-related initiatives reached CFA32.02 billion in 2024. These initiatives aim to improve women’s access to economic opportunities, financial services and public support programs.
One of the country’s largest financial inclusion initiatives is the National Fund for Inclusive Finance (FNFI), which was created in 2013 and launched in 2014 to expand access to financial services for low-income Togolese citizens. The Republic of Togo reports that the fund works through banks and microfinance institutions to provide small loans to entrepreneurs, farmers and young people who may otherwise struggle to access credit.
As Togo First reported, the FNFI operates several programs, including APSEF for low-income entrepreneurs, AGRISEF for agricultural producers and AJSEF for young entrepreneurs. It further notes that the fund had distributed more than 113.6 billion CFA francs through 1.9 million loans by early 2025.
Final Thoughts
Reducing the gender wage gap in Togo remains an important challenge. As the World Bank noted, improving women’s access to education, financial services and economic opportunities can support broader development goals. Expanding opportunities for female entrepreneurs and workers may also help increase household incomes and strengthen economic growth.
While barriers remain, recent government initiatives and financial inclusion programs demonstrate ongoing efforts to support women’s economic participation. Continued investment in these areas could help create greater economic opportunities for women across Togo.
– Abisola Oladipupo
Photo: Flickr
HIV/AIDS in Uzbekistan
Overview of HIV/AIDS in Uzbekistan
HIV/AIDS in Uzbekistan transitioned from an illness with a relatively limited prevalence to a more visible public health issue. Data from UNAIDS indicate that 4,000 people are infected annually. At the same time, improved screening has led to more diagnosed cases, mainly due to better surveillance rather than a rise in transmission. Most cases are transmitted through unprotected sexual contact (79%), with parental transmission as the next most common route (12.7%). Urban areas report more cases, whereas rural regions have greater barriers to testing and treatment. According to the IOM, the epidemic mainly affects vulnerable groups, including migrant workers, which consist 13% of all HIV infected people in Uzbekistan.
Key Challenges
One of the main challenges in addressing HIV/AIDS in Uzbekistan is stigma. Reports from UNAIDS suggest that a significant proportion of the population living with HIV experience social discrimination, which discourages them from seeking help and treatment. Around 80% of surveyed women reported that they experienced discriminatory attitudes. As a result, many cases are diagnosed at later stages, reducing the effectiveness of treatment and prevention measures.
Additionally, awareness is not uniform among different parts of the population. Young people and migrant workers often lack the necessary sexual education, increasing their vulnerability. People between 30-39 years are the largest group among the HIV-positive population, with a 28% proportion. Children are also in a vulnerable situation. According to UNICEF, antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among children and adolescents has fallen from 89% in 2018 to 73% in 2023. This gap indicates the need for more targeted and inclusive testing and treating strategies.
HIV/AIDS and Poverty in Uzbekistan
HIV/AIDS and poverty in Uzbekistan are strongly intertwined. Despite progress in reducing poverty, low-income families continue to face barriers in accessing healthcare. According to UNAIDS, out-of-pocket healthcare costs can hinder access to HIV testing, treatment and follow-up care. Even with the availability of antiretroviral medications, transportation costs, diagnostic tests and other medical expenses can create additional burdens for people with limited financial resources. Poverty can also increase vulnerability to HIV by limiting access to health information and preventive services.
Access to healthcare also remains uneven. While antiretroviral therapy is mainly available in major cities, the rural population may face logistical and financial barriers. According to UNAIDS, disparities in healthcare infrastructure continue to affect service quality in remote regions.
As a result, economically disadvantaged individuals are more likely to experience delays in diagnosis and interruptions in treatment, leading to deteriorating health outcomes. Therefore, addressing poverty and access to healthcare is an important part of Uzbekistan’s response to HIV/AIDS.
Efforts and Solutions
Uzbekistan has expanded its HIV response by adopting national strategies and collaborating with organizations such as UNAIDS and the World Health Organization (WHO). These efforts have improved testing systems and enhanced epidemiological monitoring.
Access to ART has increased in recent years. More than 41,000 people in Uzbekistan were receiving ART in 2024, which is 84.4% of the HIV-positive population, a significant increase from the past few years. ART helps people live longer and reduces the risk of HIV transmission by lowering viral load.
Prevention programs have improved as well. Public campaigns encourage voluntary testing and work to reduce HIV-related stigma. Mobile clinics and community testing now reach more people in rural and underserved areas. Annually, 500,000 people get tested for HIV in Uzbekistan. In 2022, the total number of people tested reached 4 million.
International funding and technical support have helped expand these programs. Targeted efforts for high-risk groups, such as harm reduction for people who inject drugs, have helped stabilize HIV infection rates.
Conclusion
Although HIV/AIDS remains a serious public health problem in Uzbekistan, the country has made significant progress in expanding testing and treatment services. Partnerships between the government, international organizations and local communities have improved access to healthcare for thousands of people. However, further efforts are needed to combat stigma and healthcare inequities, particularly among low-income populations. By strengthening these initiatives, Uzbekistan can continue to reduce the number of new infections and improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.
– Dias Assan
Photo: Unsplash
Child Marriage in Honduras
A report in 2019 found that 34% of girls in Honduras marry before the age of 18 compared to 10% of boys. Within the 34%, 9% of girls marry before 15. Child marriage is more prevalent in ethnic groups such as the Miskito people as well as afro-descendant and Lenca-speaking communities. The rate in rural areas rises to 42.4%, pointing to the fact that geography and poverty can exacerbate the risk for young girls.
The Forces Behind Child Marriage
Gender-based violence in Honduras is both widespread and ingrained. According to The World Bank, “Honduras has one of the highest rates of violent deaths of women in the world.” This fuels the practice of child marriage in Honduras, as young girls often enter CEFMU to escape violence, yet the majority of these girls will end up facing further abuse from their partners.
The prevalence of violence in Honduras is even more concerning for cases of femicide, as a woman is murdered every 36 hours, mostly by an intimate partner. Entrenched misogynistic attitudes are part of the driving force in Honduras that encourages CEFMU, and one informant summed up these issues saying that men often see their wives as their property and slaves.
Poverty is a major factor driving child marriage. In the Latin American and Caribbean region, more than 60% of girls married before 18 are from the lowest income bracket. Many young girls in poverty are less likely to receive an education because gender norms prioritize boys education and future employment. This pushes girls into domestic roles, reinforcing gender stereotypes that ultimately lead them into CEFMU.
Fighting CEFMU With Education
Emerging in 2006, the UDIMUF is the first feminist organization on the Atlantic coast of Honduras. It helps improve the quality of life for girls, adolescents and women alike. It works to empower women by providing spaces for political participation and advocacy. This helps ensure that women and girls can fully exercise their rights, significantly reducing the likelihood of young girls entering into child marriage in Honduras. The work behind the UDIMUF’s mission includes:
In 2024, UDIMUF launched a positive masculinities school in Honduras, to help prevent gender based violence. Through this single initiative, it has reached more than 70 participants and are looking to reach out and positively affect an increasing number of communities.
The efforts of the UDIMUF have had a lasting impact on the communities in the La Ceiba area. As a civil society partner of the spotlight initiative the UDIMUF contributes to a national effort that has directly reached 119,428 women and girls. This has helped create supportive and inclusive environments that promote gender equality and further contribute towards efforts to ending child marriage in Honduras.
Honduras’ Progress Towards Ending Child Marriage
Honduras has taken multiple steps to address the forces behind CEFMU. In July 2017, the Honduran government increased the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18 and removed all exemptions. Former President Castro helped promote the long-term prevention of child marriage via legislative reforms. In addition, the public prosecutors office oversaw the training of more than 4,000 civil servants, on preventing violence against children.
In November 2021, Honduras launched a national action plan to end violence against women and children. The plan focuses on providing roadmaps for the implementation of violence-prevention policy, with partners like UNICEF Honduras ensuring these policies are enforced at the municipal level.
Honduras still has a long way to go before child marriage is fully eliminated, but the country is certainly making encouraging progress. Whether it be through government initiatives or the work of NGOs, the issue is now at the forefront of the country’s concerns and it isn’t going anywhere until Honduras achieves real change.
– Jacob Anderson
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Policies That Lifted Millions Out of Poverty Around the World
Conditional Cash Transfers: Direct Support That Works
One of the most effective policies that lifted millions out of poverty is conditional cash transfers. These programs provide money to low-income families while encouraging education and health care.
In Brazil, the Bolsa Família program helped alleviate extreme poverty and improve school attendance. Low-income families with children receive payments in return for sending their children to school and ensuring regular health care checkups. According to the World Bank, the program has contributed significantly to Brazil’s declining poverty and inequality.
Mexico also implemented a similar program, Prospera, which has shown long-term improvements in education and health outcomes. These programs succeed because they address immediate needs while investing in future generations.
Investments in Rural Development and Agriculture
Many impactful policies that have lifted people out of poverty have focused on the rural populations, where poverty is often concentrated. In Vietnam, rural development and agricultural reform played a central role in poverty reduction. This began in the ’80s with the Đổi Mới reforms.
The government moved away from collective farming toward a market-oriented system that gave households control over land and production. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) these reforms have helped reduce poverty from 58% in 1993 to 16% by 2006, largely driven by improvements in rural livelihoods and agricultural productivity. These reforms worked because they empowered individuals, improved market access and encouraged economic participation.
Expanding Access to Education
Education plays a vital role in policies that have lifted millions out of poverty, particularly when governments prioritize girls’ education. Bangladesh made major progress by increasing female school enrollment and supporting women’s employment in industries like textiles. Programs that provided stipends for girls to attend school helped delay early marriage and improve long-term earning potential.
According to UNICEF, Bangladesh achieved near gender parity in primary and secondary education. Educated women contribute more to the workforce, support healthier families and help break cycles of poverty.
Universal Health Care and Social Protection Systems
Strong social protection systems represent another group of policies that lifted millions out of poverty. These systems reduce financial shocks and improve overall well-being. In Rwanda, the government introduced community-based health insurance, expanding access to medical care.
Citizens gained affordable health care, reducing out-of-pocket expenses and preventing families from falling deeper into poverty. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights Rwanda as a model for expanding health care coverage in low-income countries. Health care access supports productivity and stability, both of which drive poverty reduction.
Economic Growth Paired With Inclusive Policies
Economic growth alone does not reduce poverty; governments must pair growth with inclusive strategies. China provides a clear example of this combination.
China experienced rapid economic growth while implementing targeted poverty alleviation programs in rural areas. These programs included infrastructure development, relocation initiatives and job creation. The World Bank estimates that China has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty since 1980, largely through these initiatives.
China’s approach shows that growth must reach marginalized communities to create a lasting impact.
Why These Policies Matter Today
These examples of policies that have lifted millions out of poverty reveal common traits:
Global poverty remains a challenge, but these successes prove that effective policies can drive meaningful change. When countries adopt and adapt these strategies, they move closer to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of ending poverty worldwide.
– Leah Denning
Photo: Pixabay
Hope for Refugees in Iran
The United Nations (U.N.) estimates suggest that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran since the beginning of 2026, highlighting the scale of the humanitarian crisis.
As displacement increases, the need for emergency assistance continues to escalate. Forced from their residences, families must contend with shortages of food, shelter and clean water. Many face temporary camps or overcrowded living conditions where access to basic needs is limited. Iran already hosts millions of refugees, and the current unrest is further complicating the situation. Millions of displaced people rely on Iran’s resources.
Hope for Refugees in Iran
Despite these challenges, international organizations have mobilized life-saving support. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continues to support one of the largest refugee populations in the world. As of 2026, approximately 1.65 million forcibly displaced people reside in Iran, including about 770,000 registered refugees, the majority of whom live in urban areas.
For the past 40 years, the World Food Programme (WFP) has been providing food assistance to refugees in Iran. In addition to supporting refugees, WFP has the capacity to assist the government in crisis situations. In Iran, WFP supports more than 32,500 refugees through a combination of cash transfers, food distributions and school-based nutrition programs.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) continues to provide medical care, disaster relief and community-based support services in affected areas. The IFRC launched a CHF 40 million emergency appeal to support humanitarian operations, aiming to assist up to 5 million people across 30 provinces in Iran. Relief efforts include emergency medical services, shelter, water and sanitation support and mental health services delivered by thousands of staff and volunteers.
Additional Organizations Supporting Refugees in Iran
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) provides legal assistance, shelter and education support to displaced populations. In Iran, NRC has supported more than 40,000 refugees and vulnerable host community members annually through education programs, legal aid and livelihood assistance.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) delivers health care and protection services in crisis-affected settings worldwide. Globally, the IRC reached more than 31.5 million people in 2023, including displaced and refugee populations in countries such as Iran through partner-supported programs.
Relief International works to expand access to education, health care and clean water for vulnerable communities. In Iran, the organization supports a population of nearly 3 million Afghan refugees, providing health care, education, vocational training and small business support. In 2023, its programs in Iran included supporting 18 schools, assisting more than 3,000 children with education and providing cash assistance to approximately 3,000 individuals.
Looking Ahead
As the situation continues to unfold in Iran, international awareness and sustained support will be essential. Humanitarian organizations working across the country continue to demonstrate that coordinated, targeted assistance can reach displaced populations even in complex and fast-moving crises.
– Erin Sian Mongillo
Photo: Pexels
Sustainable Heating Solutions with Mat Zero
Innovative, Sustainable Heating Solutions
In 2025, Sri Hollema, a graduate student from Loughborough University, won the Women in Innovation award by Innovate U.K. for her work with Mat Zero, which is revolutionizing humanitarian heating through sustainable energy. What started as a university project, Mat Zero is now a growing global movement with products commercially available. With a humanitarian mission to provide warmth for all, Mat Zero donates a heating unit to a family in need for every product sold.
The UNHCR previously shared stories highlighting how much warmth can impact the lives of those living as refugees, in conflict zones or in informal settlements.
The impact of having access to adequate heating extends beyond health concerns and many communities continue to be underserved in this area. With this in mind, Hollema founded Mat Zero.
Mat Zero
Mat Zero is a startup working on sustainable heating solutions to help the world’s vulnerable communities who have been forcibly displaced and continue to face challenges in meeting basic rights and needs, including access to warmth. Temporary settlements are heavily affected by severe weather conditions due to poor infrastructure. During winter, many communities face the cold, harsh winds and storms.
Founder Hollema developed the project with a simple belief: “Warmth is a human right, not a luxury.” Since its inception, Mat Zero has won and been shortlisted for multiple awards, including The Conduit’s Young Innovator Awards, the Santander X U.K. Awards in 2024 and Innovative U.K.’s Women in Innovation in 2025.
Its mission to “heat the person not the space” ensures underserved communities are kept warm in a safe and sustainable way. The mat comes with an energy hub and solar panels and relies on sustainable technology using carbon fiber heating, usable in all kinds of shelter. The group’s product ensures warmth comes in a safe form with no toxic fumes or risk of fires, an extremely important factor for crowded spaces.
The team continuously tests and improves the product’s effectiveness and recent field trials in Nepal showed 87% of users felt more comfortable at night. It does not stop there. Having tested the product’s effectiveness on the ground with clean, sustainable energy, Mat Zero can also benefit other humanitarian organizations.
Cost-Effective Solution for Humanitarian NGOs
Heating a household requires a lot of energy and can be costly. With its innovative heating solution, Mat Zero can potentially reduce the amount spent on providing heating by NGOs. Additionally, the heating mats are designed to last up to five years before the battery needs replacement.
Designed to offer clean and sustainable heating technology, Mat Zero provides a promising solution to ensure the world’s vulnerable communities stay warm and safe.
– Marine Baume
Photo: Flickr