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Ripples Foundation Making Major Waves in Rural Africa

Ripples Foundation Making Waves in Rural AfricaSmall but mighty, the British nonprofit Ripples Foundation has been making waves in the fight against extreme poverty in Africa’s most rural communities. It provides the training and funding necessary for otherwise disenfranchised women to gain skills in the trade of their choice and to start their own businesses.

Through mentoring, the program allows women the chance to present their own business ideas. In addition to the training they receive in their trade, the women are also introduced to the fundamentals of bookkeeping and finance to help ensure their businesses will flourish independent of the program’s intervention.

Once a business plan is honed and deemed feasible, the foundation provides the women with a start-up loan to get their venture off the ground. As the business grows and becomes self-sufficient, the loan money is paid back and is used to sponsor another woman’s entrepreneurial goals, creating the profound ripple effect which earned the foundation its namesake.

The businesses run by these women cover a broad range of skill sets and services such as fisheries, cocoa butter, coconut oil and black soap production. Most recently, Ripples has been educating women in sustainable farming practices for which they are given two years of training. To facilitate their earning potential, Ripples created the online store Akomi Trading where many of the goods produced by the women can be purchased. All the proceeds go directly back to the women, which allow them to provide for their families.

Ripples Foundation grew from the charity BME Concern, an organization dedicated to delivering sustainable development programs to minority groups within the U.K. Today, the foundation has expanded to have offices in Africa as well as the United States.

Despite having a small core team, which relies heavily on the work of their volunteers, the foundation currently supports a staggering 6,500 women in Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria. Today, with many African women surviving on less one dollar a day, most of the program’s participants can experience the peace of mind of a steady paycheck for the first time in their lives. Though the Ripples Foundation is small, its impact cannot be overstated.

Though their women enterprise project is at the heart of everything they do, the Ripples Foundation also offers rich programs in the areas of youth empowerment and medical care. At its core, Ripples Foundation strives to empower women and cultivate the confidence they need to harness their skills and earn an income. They rely on the hard work and determination of women to make the program a success. The idea is, if you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime. As the organization’s website states, “We encourage self-reliance as we do not give handouts, we give a hand up.”

– Micaela Fischer

Photo: Flickr

What Are the Causes of Poverty in Iran?

Causes of Poverty in IranIn 2016, about 80 percent of people in Iran were impoverished. Poverty in Iran can lead to a variety of other issues, including negative effects on the mental health of the country’s youth. Mental health issues in Iranians are found to be linked to a plethora of factors, economic pressure being one of them. Due to the poverty faced by many, suicide is becoming a more common issue.

In addition to affecting the mental health of young people in Iran, the country’s high poverty rate also impacts people’s physical health. With how negatively poverty has affected the people of Iran, it is essential to consider what the causes of poverty in Iran are.

Top Causes of Poverty in Iran

  1. Sanctions in Iran are cited as a cause of the country’s high poverty rate. These sanctions have affected multiple groups, one of which is Iran’s millions of Afghan refugees. Statistics have demonstrated that Afghans who are able to find work are self-sufficient and actually better the economy of Iran.
  2. Inflation is another cause of poverty in Iran. In early 2013, Iran’s inflation rate stood at nearly 40 percent. The depreciation of the country’s money has lead to an increase in the unemployment rate, which has driven many Iranians into poverty. A solution to this issue that the government of Iran has sought in the past was rationing, which prevented the country’s impoverished populations from being as affected by inflation.
  3. Besides sanctions and inflation, another cause of poverty in Iran is high medical costs. Each year, 7.5 percent of Iranians are driven into poverty because of their medical expenses. Among the top three most common illnesses to affect Iranians is cancer. Many times, the cost of treatment for families is so high that those affected by illness are not able to complete their treatment.

The high poverty rate in Iran has affected millions of Iranian citizens and has taken a toll on the mental health of the country’s youth. Among the most prominent causes of poverty in Iran are sanctions, inflation and medical expenses. As of mid-2017, the government of Iran is working toward implementing a reform agenda, which aims to help businesses and labor markets. The reform agenda is targeted at Iran’s overall goal of reducing its poverty rate. Though they face hard times as a result of their medical and economic status, children and families remain hopeful for the future.

– Haley Rogers

Photo: Flickr

Education in Tuvalu

Education in Tuvalu

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27 African Countries Pledge to End Child Marriage

27 African Countries Pledge to End Child MarriageIn Dakar, Senegal, leaders from western and central Africa have pledged to end child marriage in their countries. Political leaders, activists and tribal chiefs from nations such as Zambia, Uganda and Malawi sat down in the region’s first meeting to address this issue.

Currently, it is estimated that it would take 100 years to end child marriage in west and central Africa, which is stricken by poverty. Due to religious practices or insecurities, it is traditional for many families to marry off young girls. The recent pledge by 27 African leaders to end child marriage by 2030 is part of the commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. 

At an END Child Marriage event organized in New York, President Peter Mutharika of Malawi stated that it is important for young women to have their rights and that full potential cannot be reached until early marriage is stopped. The country of Malawi has banned child marriage this year after previously raising the legal age to marry to 18 and adding a $145 fine to any violators.

In the Gambia, the practice of child marriage is prohibited and punishable by law with a 20-year prison sentence. Many other countries have already banned child marriage which is a positive step towards achieving the same ban in other African nations wanting to outlaw this practice, as it will inspire change for the better.

At the First African Girls’ Summit on Ending Child Marriage in Africa, hosted in November 2015 in Zambia, Roland Angerer, Plan International’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, said, “It is essential that we promote education and encourage dialogue if we want to change social norms and attitudes that perpetuate child marriage.” 

Angerer maintains that education is one of the biggest factors which delay the age at which girls get married. As such, governments must ensure that schools are accessible, inclusive and safe. Further, they must include good quality teaching materials, to enable more girls to attend and stay on in school.

In addition to better education, setting a minimum age of 18 for marriage will also be established via state legislation. This will keep countries in line with guidelines such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Ending child marriage not only stops many cases of violence and abuse, but it also empowers and advances women’s rights in many sectors. It is important for all members of the community to be involved with this task of eliminating the practice and implementing national strategies to reach the goal by 2030. 

– Lorial Roballo

Photo: Flickr

Why “America First” Is Bad For National Security

America FirstThe nationalist wave is sweeping across the United States in the form of Donald Trump’s America First foreign policy. But isolationist policies can indirectly fuel the very threats that nationalists seek to keep out.

Donald Trump’s America First platform is unapologetically nationalist, built on hardline immigration policies, a pledge to bring jobs back to American soil and drastic cuts to foreign aid. But U.S. policies that encourage isolation and show no concern for the health of the global economy could have unintended consequences and pose a serious threat to our national security.

Global conflicts and civil wars create refugees, decrease educational opportunities and deprive people of their basic needs. These conditions have been widely reported to breed political unrest and give rise to extremist groups such as ISIS. Just last year, Daniel Byman told the Washington Post, “terrorist groups don’t emerge out of nowhere, and wars are perhaps the richest soil for seeding and growing violent groups of all stripes.”

For the year 2017, the United States has allocated $42 billion to foreign aid. These funds are earmarked for important causes such as Peace & Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Economic Development. Foreign aid benefits our economy through increased trade opportunities with developing countries. It also keeps us safe by preventing or seeking to end conflicts abroad and the national security threats that come along with such conflicts.

A common argument for cutting U.S. foreign aid, most common among conservatives, is that it is an unnecessary expense that we cannot afford with such a large national debt. But at $42 billion, foreign aid accounts for just 1 percent of the budget. This pales in comparison to the over $600 billion a year that the U.S. spends on its military.

While some conservatives may not see the benefits of foreign aid, many prominent Republicans have spoken out against President Trump’s drastic cuts. Former president George W. Bush acknowledged the link between foreign aid and national security earlier this year and told NPR, “When you have an entire generation of people being wiped out and the free world turns its back, it provides a convenient opportunity for people to spread extremism.”

Many former generals have also been vocal about the need to protect the U.S. Foreign Assistance budget. Many retired three- and four-star generals sent a letter to Congress earlier this year to stress the importance of USAID for our national security. Gen. James Mattis, our current Secretary of Defense, has also made strong comments about the importance of foreign assistance in promoting peace.

It is important to let our knowledge of this link between regional conflicts around the world and U.S. national security threats inform the debate around our current president’s America First agenda. We need to learn to see foreign aid as an important investment in our national security as well as a way for the United States to be a leader in creating a more peaceful and prosperous world.

– Aaron Childree

Photo: Flickr

Five Things to Know About Healthcare in Ghana

Five Things to Know About Healthcare in GhanaGhana, a country in West Africa, gained its independence in 1957 and now has a population of 28.2 million people. Though it has been considered one of the most stable countries in the region since 1992, Ghana still faces issues, one of which is the health of its population.

For men and women in Ghana, the life expectancy at birth is 64 and 66 years, respectively. These life expectancies are both below the global average, which, in 2015, was reported to be 71.4 years when considering both men and women.

Ghana faces a multitude of health issues that affect its population’s life expectancy. Below are five things to know about healthcare in Ghana.

  1. Accra, the country’s capital, is one of the centers of Ghana’s medical system. This city, which is one of the largest cities in Ghana, has a population of about 2 million people. Accra is where the Ghana Health Service is located, thus making it an important city for health in Ghana.
  2. HIV/AIDS is one of the top ten causes of death in Ghana. This virus killed 10,300 people in Ghana in 2012, which was 4.9 percent of the country’s population. At this rate, HIV/AIDS was ranked as the fifth leading cause of death in Ghana, in 2012, by the World Health Organization (WHO).
  3. In 2012, Malaria killed 8.3 percent of Ghana’s population. At this rate, Malaria ranked higher than HIV/AIDS, at number three, in the leading causes of death in Ghana, as reported by the WHO in 2012. When considering children under five, Malaria was the leading cause of death, killing 20 percent of this group in 2012.
  4. As of 2016, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has trained 125 people in Ghana to better monitor and evaluate the spread of infectious diseases. The CDC is working with Ghana to help citizens better recognize, treat and prevent infectious diseases.
  5. The education system for medicine and health in Ghana has improved over the last few decades. Many institutions that focus on educating Ghanaians in medicine have been founded since 1976. The Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS), which was founded in 2003, trained approximately 300 residents in 2014.

Though HIV/AIDS and malaria continue to be two of the leading causes of death in Ghana, the country’s work with the CDC and its improved education in medicine have certainly made progress towards improving healthcare in Ghana.

– Haley Rogers

Photo: Flickr

The Role of Mental Health in Poverty

The Role of Mental Health in PovertyOn the Mental Health page of the World Health Organization (WHO), there is a quote from Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. Annan said, “The biggest enemy of health in the developing world is poverty.” This is a strong statement that reflects the need for more mental health awareness in the fight against poverty.

In 2010, the WHO published a report about the importance of mental health in poverty and development. In order to properly help people out of poverty, groups must take mental health into account in all aspects of life and society. Research has shown that poverty negatively affects one’s mental health and affects one’s ability to do day-to-day tasks. As a result, mental health issues occur more often in the poor. For example, depression is more frequent in people of low socioeconomic status. Mental health needs to be addressed with the same focus given to physical health, especially in lower-income and vulnerable communities.

The WHO’s Mental Health policy and service development department works on issues related to disabilities and mental health issues, specifically for those in poverty. Individuals with mental health issues are more likely to be marginalized, so the department is working to publish reports and advocate for more awareness of this subject. One method is via the WHO QualityRights Initiative, which is “reforming mental health services and promoting the human rights of people with psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities around the world.”

There are other examples of groups working to improve mental health around the globe. For example, “BasicNeeds, an NGO working in the area of mental health and development, assessed economic outcomes of people with mental disabilities in their North India Programme, which promotes livelihoods and treatment and care.” Many groups and people around the world are trying to get countries to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Mental health needs to be a focus in the development of new and existing societies. Organizations like the WHO need to continue leading the way with its initiatives related to mental health in poverty. If groups focus on mental health and its connection with poverty, then people and their lives will be impacted in a more positive way.

– Emilia Beuger

Photo: Flickr

USAID Building Trust After Ebola Outbreak in Guinea

USAID Building Trust After Ebola Outbreak in GuineaThe Ebola outbreak in Guinea began in 2014 and over the course of its run in two years, there were over 3,300 Ebola cases in Guinea. Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, known as Ebola, is a formerly serious, mostly fatal illness in humans. The virus is very contagious and is transmitted to humans from wild animals. The virus causes severe bleeding, organ failure, and often death.

In the midst of the epidemic, many of the citizens of Guinea were avoiding healthcare centers and hospitals in Guinea because of fear. The citizens feared the government because they were thought of as untrustworthy and the healthcare system had not been providing health services correctly. Another factor as to why people were not using health clinics and hospitals in Guinea was because of the denial that was present about the virus, as many did not regard Ebola as being a real issue and avoided seeking treatment for the disease.

After the hardships that Ebola left on the country, the stress prompted changes and restorations in the hospitals. The USAID teamed up with leaders and organizations in Guinea to guide the country and help them to recover from the virus. The USAID is aiding the country through renovations of hospitals, donating and replacing medical equipment and supplies, and rebuilding the trust in the Guinea healthcare system. The organization also started a ‘Gold Star Accreditation System‘, through a campaign alongside their partners which include the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative, Jhplego, and Guinea’s Ministry of health. The Gold Star Accreditation System puts a sign of a gold star on facilities to signify that it has passed a month-long accreditation process. This has helped citizens to rebuild their trust with hospitals and facilities.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

Water Quality in Uruguay: A Success Story

Water Quality in UruguayUruguay experienced significant economic development from 2004-2014 due to a large increase in agriculture and raising livestock. This economic boom led to an average growth rate of 5.4 percent for Uruguay‘s economy during that time period. It also brought low unemployment and rising wages to the country.

The Unintended Consequences of Growth 

However, along with economic growth, there were unintended consequences. One of the main issues associated with agricultural growth was that the country’s water sources became contaminated from the waste produced. The water quality in Uruguay continued to decrease until 2013. Here are four facts about water quality in Uruguay and where it stood when it reached the peak of its contamination.

  1. Drinking water is provided to Uruguay’s citizens by the state-owned utility company Obras Sanitarias del Estado (OSE).
  2. In 2013, a report was released saying that 94 percent of Uruguay’s rivers were contaminated.
  3. The main cause of contamination was as a result of the economic boom which led to an increase in the use of land for agriculture and raising livestock. Another contaminate was wastewater from industries.
  4. The San Lucía River in Uruguay is the source of much of the countries tap water. A local newspaper reported in 2013 that it could take a minimum of 60 years to clean up some of the worst parts of the river.

Big Improvements Made to the Water Quality in Uruguay

The water quality in Uruguay has improved significantly since 2013. This is due in large part to a coordinated effort by the government. Below are three facts to know about how Uruguay dealt with the crisis.

  1. The government of Uruguay put together a committee to coordinate measures to clean up the San Lucía River in 2013. The committee was made up of government officials, local authorities, and civilians.
  2. Uruguay borrowed $45 million in 2014 for improvements to the sewage network and water quality. The project was said to benefit 20,000 homes.
  3. In 2015, a study found that 99 percent of Uruguay’s drinking water was potable. This was a higher percentage than in Europe or Latin America as a whole. The improvements implemented by the government and other organizations have clearly made a difference.

Economic development can lift people out of poverty and improve the quality of life in many ways. As economies grow, there are often negative impacts to water quality, air quality and other factors important to health and wellbeing. The current state of water quality in Uruguay is an example of what can be accomplished when the government recognizes a negative consequence of growth and implements a coordinated plan to fix it. This success story should serve as an example to other countries facing a similar problem.

– Aaron Childree

Photo: Flickr

Reducing Maternal Mortality in Central African Republic

Maternal Mortality in Central African RepublicIn a country slightly smaller than Texas, the Central African Republic sits in a region that leads the world in pregnancy-related deaths. The maternal mortality rate stands at 890 per 100,000 live-births. Maternal mortality in the Central African Republic is a tragic reality that puts the health and survival of children at risk and places strain on economic development.

One of the major contributors to the mortality rate is a lack of accessible health centers. High teenage pregnancy rates increase the risk of complications. Long distances to health centers increase the impact of those complications. Even when women are able to reach a health center or clinic they are ill-prepared to deal with complications like hemorrhaging or lack the equipment to perform C-sections.

Due to the inaccessibility of viable and prepared health centers, many women opt to give birth at home. Women from poorer communities are more likely to opt for home-birth in response to a lack of transportation or qualified health facilities. With less than two licensed mid-wives per 10,000 people, home-births come with increased risks of complications and death.

Additionally, understanding maternal mortality in the Central African Republic is complicated by a lack of accurate data concerning the cause of death. Even countries with well-functioning civil registration and vital statistics systems (CRVS) have deaths misclassified as maternal or otherwise. Improved data collection could help better statistical research and in turn improve solution-based action.

The most troubling aspect of maternal mortality is that many of these deaths are preventable. Giving birth in the presence of trained personnel is one of the most basic ways to keep mothers safe. Research has shown that giving birth in a facility reduces mortality rates. Here are some suggested solutions to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the Central African Republic:

  • Governments can adopt cash transfers to mothers or reproductive health voucher programs which have proved successful in select districts in Kenya. Among the poorest women, facility deliveries and postnatal care doubled after similar introductions.
  • Nigeria employed midwives through their Midwives Service Scheme which trains retired, unemployed or newly graduated midwives to work in underserved areas. The initiative increased the use of prenatal care by 60 percent and increased the number of births attended by health professionals by half.
  • Providing more reliable transportation at affordable costs using vouchers or cash transfers giving women the option to travel to present health centers.

Medical teams from the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) are working to support three local health centers in Boda. The clinics provide free prenatal consultation and help with deliveries. They also have midwives that offer family planning and make house visits to ensure new mothers are healthy. ALIMA is funded by the EU’s humanitarian aid department (ECHO). Since the program began in 2014, nearly 13,000 women have benefitted from prenatal care, 3,100 women have given birth at the facilities, and an average of 115 pregnant women are hospitalized each month.

Maternal mortality in the Central African Republic can be decreased drastically with efforts to give access to mothers in need. The people of CAR are in need of better maternity care and with these basic initiatives, hundreds of lives could be spared each year, along with better circumstances for children and economic growth in communities.

– Rebekah Korn

Photo: Flickr