Comoros, a group of three islands in the Indian Ocean, has great scenic beauty, although the nation is poor. Skilled workers often go to France, hurting development and leaving Comoros with a consistently low gross domestic product. Since its independence in 1975, Comoros has slowly gained self-sufficiency in food production, with subsistence farming being the top employer in the region and making up the bulk of the economy. This means that poor harvests and the potential to run out of useful land are major issues in Comoros, and the need to help people in Comoros diversify the economy is becoming more and more time-sensitive.
The nation is not completely without help, however. France provides major financial support, and other countries provide some financial aid as well, including Saudi Arabia and Japan. But in order for Comoros to move away from a subsistence farming and fishing industry and towards a more developed economy, it needs to expand and find better solutions that do not rely on foreign lending. The World Bank is cautiously optimistic that the new government elected in 2016 is starting to implement policies that may prove successful in helping the GDP grow through “expanding the coverage of the electricity network and relaunching public investments.”
Upward Mobility and Higher Education
One of the ways to help people in Comoros is to boost its areas of success, namely, the agricultural sector. This may not improve the nation’s economy, but stimulating this sector will help the poor in the region, most of whom live in rural areas where the only employment opportunities are in the agricultural sector. Upward mobility for the poor is crucial, as the last household survey conducted in 2014 found that almost 18% of the population lives under the international poverty line, which is set at $1.90 per capita per day. Therefore, in order to have enough money to pursue more developed industries, the people of Comoros need to rely on higher-paying agricultural sector work first.
In the long-term, Comoros is in a position to develop through better education initiatives and public spending. While the government does not have much money to work with, one of their first goals should be to increase spending for better schooling and then provide monetary rewards for those educated citizens that come back to the islands after college. Only then, through an educated populace, can the country really diversify its industry enough to increase the GDP and stimulate the economy. The population is already set up for this kind of initiative, with 53% of the citizens being under the age of 20, the perfect age group to benefit from better education and trade industries.
The Tourism Industry
Another way for Comoros to get an economic boost is to increase its tourism industry. Although tourists do go to Comoros due to its beautiful beaches and natural forests, the nation remains relatively unknown. Making a deal with a nation like France to bring in tourists and open up transportation to the island, as well as commercializing a few of the nicest beaches would not only stimulate the economy but also provide new employment opportunities for the citizens of Comoros. This is not to say that the islands should be completely commercialized, as it would take away from their natural beauty and culture, as well as harm their subsistence farming and fishing industries. However, a moderate tourist industry could be enough of a boost to provide funding for other useful initiatives.
Ultimately, Comoros has a struggling economy and a lack of development that cannot be turned around quickly. However, through diversifying industry, educating the populace and opening the islands up to more tourists, Comoros will have less poverty and more opportunities for its citizens moving forward.
– Rachael Blandau
Photo: Flickr
How to Help People in Comoros: Education and Development
Comoros, a group of three islands in the Indian Ocean, has great scenic beauty, although the nation is poor. Skilled workers often go to France, hurting development and leaving Comoros with a consistently low gross domestic product. Since its independence in 1975, Comoros has slowly gained self-sufficiency in food production, with subsistence farming being the top employer in the region and making up the bulk of the economy. This means that poor harvests and the potential to run out of useful land are major issues in Comoros, and the need to help people in Comoros diversify the economy is becoming more and more time-sensitive.
The nation is not completely without help, however. France provides major financial support, and other countries provide some financial aid as well, including Saudi Arabia and Japan. But in order for Comoros to move away from a subsistence farming and fishing industry and towards a more developed economy, it needs to expand and find better solutions that do not rely on foreign lending. The World Bank is cautiously optimistic that the new government elected in 2016 is starting to implement policies that may prove successful in helping the GDP grow through “expanding the coverage of the electricity network and relaunching public investments.”
Upward Mobility and Higher Education
One of the ways to help people in Comoros is to boost its areas of success, namely, the agricultural sector. This may not improve the nation’s economy, but stimulating this sector will help the poor in the region, most of whom live in rural areas where the only employment opportunities are in the agricultural sector. Upward mobility for the poor is crucial, as the last household survey conducted in 2014 found that almost 18% of the population lives under the international poverty line, which is set at $1.90 per capita per day. Therefore, in order to have enough money to pursue more developed industries, the people of Comoros need to rely on higher-paying agricultural sector work first.
In the long-term, Comoros is in a position to develop through better education initiatives and public spending. While the government does not have much money to work with, one of their first goals should be to increase spending for better schooling and then provide monetary rewards for those educated citizens that come back to the islands after college. Only then, through an educated populace, can the country really diversify its industry enough to increase the GDP and stimulate the economy. The population is already set up for this kind of initiative, with 53% of the citizens being under the age of 20, the perfect age group to benefit from better education and trade industries.
The Tourism Industry
Another way for Comoros to get an economic boost is to increase its tourism industry. Although tourists do go to Comoros due to its beautiful beaches and natural forests, the nation remains relatively unknown. Making a deal with a nation like France to bring in tourists and open up transportation to the island, as well as commercializing a few of the nicest beaches would not only stimulate the economy but also provide new employment opportunities for the citizens of Comoros. This is not to say that the islands should be completely commercialized, as it would take away from their natural beauty and culture, as well as harm their subsistence farming and fishing industries. However, a moderate tourist industry could be enough of a boost to provide funding for other useful initiatives.
Ultimately, Comoros has a struggling economy and a lack of development that cannot be turned around quickly. However, through diversifying industry, educating the populace and opening the islands up to more tourists, Comoros will have less poverty and more opportunities for its citizens moving forward.
– Rachael Blandau
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Food Security in Côte D’Ivoire
Since July 2016, there has been a rise in conflict in 17 countries in the world, including the Côte d’Ivoire region. In a statement from the World Food Programme executive director Ertharin Cousin and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General José Graziano da Silva, they classify violence and conflict as one of the leading causes of famine within Africa. The issue of conflict and violence in places like Africa increases the risk of famine, as it “undermines food security in multiple ways: destroying crops, livestock and agricultural infrastructure, disrupting markets, causing displacement, creating fear and uncertainty over fulfilling future needs, damaging human capital and contributing to the spread of disease among others.”
Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf called for action at the African Revolution Forum, stating that while Africa missed the first Green Revolution, they must now “seize the moment and tackle food urgency” and food security in Côte d’Ivoire and other African countries. Since the rise of famine in Africa, Cote d’Ivoire has made great progress in the Green Revolution, yet they still have a long road ahead of them. Transforming the agriculture of conflicted areas and improving food security in Côte d’Ivoire and other countries in Africa can also be achieved with The Feed Africa Strategy, which will “create wealth, improve ties and secure the environment.”
Along with the Green Revolution working toward alleviating poverty and aiding food security in Côte d’Ivoire and other countries in Africa, the U.N. states that “addressing hunger can be a meaningful contribution to peacebuilding” and can be achieved with the 2030 Agenda, as it is a “vital threshold condition for development.” Other organizations like Action Against Hunger are addressing food security in Côte d’Ivoire by providing people with nutritional support, access to safe water and sanitation and the means for economic self-sufficiency. The Borgen Project is helping by advocating for support of the International Affairs Budget and the Economic Growth and Development Act directly to Congress.
– Jennifer Lightle
Photo: Flickr
How to Help People in Cyprus Post Eurozone Financial Crisis
As a result of the 2008 financial crisis, the poverty rate in Cyprus swelled by more than 28 percent. The interrelated problems of a three-year recession, high unemployment and austerity measures combined to make Cyprus the country most affected—behind Greece—by the eurozone financial crisis.
The Cypriot crisis was just one domino in the global financial crisis that spread from the U.S. to the eurozone. After the Greek economy began collapsing under its own debt, millions of Greek euros were withdrawn from Cypriot coffers, causing a cyclical run on Cypriot banks.
To acquire the $10 billion necessary to “bail-in” its financial sector, the Cypriot government agreed to implement a number of austerity measures to balance the budget and ensure the repayment of loans to the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and the World Bank.
These measures included capital controls, across-the-board cuts to social welfare and education spending, tax increases on individuals and companies and tax reductions on foreigners bringing capital to Cyprus. Altogether, these policies served to worsen the effects of unemployment and recession on the average Cypriot, leading to a spike in poverty.
Although the Cypriot financial sector quickly recovered with the help of loans and the overall economy began growing again in 2014, the scars on the average Cypriot are still being felt. Unemployment still rests at 10 percent and many families saw their savings vanish as a result of bank defaults and capital controls.
A number of organizations like the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN), the “Hope for Children” United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Policy Center, and Cans for Kids have been working on how to help people in Cyprus.
While EAPN has lobbied the European Union to support employment and social inclusion in Cyprus, and “Hope for Children” supports educational and health initiatives in Cyprus, Cans for Kids raises money for hospitalized youth. By supporting these organizations, anyone can have a direct impact on how to help people in Cyprus.
– Nathaniel Sher
Photo: Flickr
Demi Lovato Named Healing and Education Through the Arts Ambassador
The HEART program endeavors to provide displaced children in Iraq with new hope and an opportunity for a brighter future after surviving unimaginable hardships.
In the first stage of their partnership, Demi Lovato and Global Citizen will help the world’s foremost child-focused philanthropic organization, Save the Children, by funding the expansion of the HEART program in Iraq. Last year, Save the Children touched the lives of more than 157 million children in 120 countries. Presently, the global HEART initiative assists more than 150,000 children in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe,
Since 2014, war and conflict have displaced more than three million people in Iraq. Many emigrant Yezidi women and girls who escaped ISIS and live in the Kurdistan region of Iraq do not have adequate access to mental health and psychosocial services. Many suffer from vivid “waking nightmares” or are too traumatized to speak. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq states that explosives, artillery and suicide bombings have killed at least 9,153 Iraqis since January 2016. A 2016 UNICEF report proclaimed Iraq to be one of the deadliest locations in the world for children.
According to a HEART spokesperson, the program encourages uprooted children scarred by brutality to process trauma using “drawing, painting, music and other art forms” to rebuild their self-confidence and trust in others
Lovato became a highly visible advocate for mental health issues after sharing her struggles with eating disorders, substance abuse and a bipolar diagnosis. The singer initially worked with Global Citizen in 2016 when she was one of several celebrities who appeared at the Global Citizen Festival in New York. More recently, she joined Global Citizen in Mumbai and Hamburg for the organization’s first festivals in India and Germany.
On her Instagram account, Lovato writes of her desire to “focus on vulnerable communities around the world.” With Global Citizen’s support, Demi hopes to reinforce her own wellness while promoting mental health care throughout the world.
– Heather Hopkins
Photo: Flickr
Hunger in Poland an Ongoing Post-Soviet Battle
Every day in Poland, almost 120,000 children go to school hungry. More than half of these children rely almost entirely on meals supplied by their school or another type of government-funded meal program. Hunger in Poland is one of the most pressing issues facing the nation, and despite the alarmingly high number of hungry Polish children, the Polish government’s plan to address this crisis is to spend 550 million zlotych (roughly $153 million) per year on food programs. When you do the math, this equates to less than $70 per child per year.
Poland ranks third in the European Union on the list of the most children living in poverty, behind only Romania and Belarus. Poverty, hunger and limited access to education all go hand in hand, and today the children of Poland are facing a crisis of epic proportions.
The foundations of hunger in Poland can be traced back to the nation shifting from a planned to a market economy in 1989. This created a sort of vacuum in terms of economic control, and it allowed a wealthy minority to capitalize on the shift while the poor grew poorer. The economic shift marked the beginning of a steady increase in economic inequality in Poland. Ensuing conditions in the years since 1989 led to spiking levels of unemployment, emigration and labor strikes.
Poland is a Second World, the former socialist state still reeling from economic turmoil created decades before. In 2017, the repercussions of the radical shift in the Polish economic system can be seen in the faces of hungry children. But given the necessary assistance, Poland can rebound and develop into a balanced, self-sustaining economic power in Eastern Europe.
There are a number of charities of a variety of sizes and origins currently working in Poland. They range from the Red Cross, which provides aid around the world, to the local Emaus Lubin charity, based in Lubin, Poland, which helps hungry Poles by supporting food systems and social welfare programs.
The humanitarian crisis in Poland needs to be combated with the full efforts of the international aid community. The children of Poland who wake up and go to school without breakfast are depending on our help, and today is the day to implement the change to stop this cycle of poverty and hunger in Poland.
– Ty Troped
Photo: Flickr
War and Hunger in South Sudan
Fighting and violence are disruptive to the agricultural system in South Sudan, leading to critical food shortages. South Sudanese people struggle to find reasonably priced food, let alone an adequate amount of nutrition. More than 90 percent of South Sudan’s population depends on rain-fed farming.
A famine was declared in South Sudan in February of this year when the number of deaths due to starvation reached an alarming rate. The famine was declared in two different counties home to approximately 100,000 people. Quick and efficient delivery of aid relief reversed famine conditions in these areas by July.
Organizations like World Vision and other nonprofits are aiding children and their families in South Sudan. Emergency food aid and cash transfers for families are the primary forms of outreach. Other means of assistance include supporting the South Sudanese with training and equipment for farming and fishing.
In 2016, Action Against Hunger mobilized expert emergency teams on the ground in Sudan, who delivered immediate nutritional needs to vulnerable communities in the conflicted regions. The group also gathered data to identify the needs of the population using a surveillance and evaluation team and provided treatment to 3,100 undernourished children.
There are still emergency operations ongoing in South Sudan, and immediate assistance is being provided by nonprofit organizations. Organizations like these mentioned and the World Food Programme continue to work with donors and volunteers to support the South Sudanese and reduce hunger in South Sudan.
– Melanie Snyder
Photo: Flickr
Education in Belgium: A Model for the World
Belgium has one of the most complex and successful education systems in the world. Between 2008 and 2012, 98.9 percent of male children and 99.2 percent of female children were enrolled in primary school. These statistics show that mandatory primary school is enforced and taken seriously in Belgium.
Compulsory education lasts 12 years, similar to the United States, and goes from age six to age 17. Belgium also has equal primary and secondary education enrollment rates for both boys and girls, showing equal access to education for both. What is even more impressive is that since 2007, at least 20 percent more women than men have enrolled in higher education.
Education in Belgium is monitored by a number of comprehensive policies. In 2002, the Decree on Equal Educational Opportunities created local consultation platforms to ensure fair school admission and enrollment processes. In March of 2014, the “M Decree” was passed, which is meant to promote the inclusion of students with special education needs in mainstream schools. The Decree indicates that schools may only refer students to “special education” if they can justify having tried all possible methods to allow them to follow mainstream education programs.
This system is very thorough and accounts not only for what happens while children are in school but also works to make sure they can integrate effectively into the labor market. It is this system that improves not only education and literacy rates, but economic success, crime rates and domestic stability.
Education in Belgium is setting an incredible example for the rest of the world. While it is a very rich country, its model can still be used to improve education in other, less financially stable, countries. It continues to improve further, as seen with its 2014-19 plans to implement measures to reduce dropout rates, and will hopefully help lead education systems in developing countries to similar heights.
– Liyanga De Silva
Photo: Flickr
Renewable Energy in Africa: Uganda’s Success
According to the International Energy Agency, Chinese firms were responsible for 30 percent of the utility power-generation capacity built in sub-Saharan Africa between 2010 and 2015, and 56 percent of the capacity they have built (or will build) this decade comes from renewable sources, including wind and hydroelectric power.
Still, Africa’s utility-scale energy infrastructure is notoriously underdeveloped, which means localities and individual consumers often opt for smaller, more independent means of generating energy and their associated programs.
GET FiT Uganda is one such program. Its goal is to increase the country’s energy production by 20 percent by stimulating private investment in smaller green energy projects. The program draws funding from the Norwegian, German, and United Kingdom governments as well as the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund. It culminated in late 2016 with the unveiling of the 10-megawatt solar power plant in Soroti, capable of powering 40,000 homes, businesses and schools in the town and surrounding district.
The plant’s operations manager, Phillip Karumuna, has said of the plant, “The abundance of the solar resource in Eastern Uganda makes it perfect for solar power generation. The sun shines throughout most of the day, there isn’t too much rain here, and this means the plant will produce lots of power for years to come.”
The new plant means the district will enjoy access to computers and the Internet, and activities like cooking will no longer be relegated to the dim light of lanterns. Achom Naomi, director of a local nursery and primary school, says that once the schools gain access to power, more students will enroll and school standards will improve—a result of access to light for reading and homework at night.
The Soroti solar plant—the largest of its kind in East Africa—follows the launch of a power plant in Kakira in 2015, and a third plant will be coming to Tororo. All three plants were funded through GET FiT.
The situation in Uganda is a snapshot of what renewable energy in Africa is achieving—and can achieve—on the continent itself and across the developing world. And the United States should not be content to let China and Europe dominate the investment sphere. By ramping up spending on renewable energy in Africa and other developing nations, America stands to build instrumental alliances and partnerships in trade and for national and global security.
– Chuck Hasenauer
Photo: Flickr
Minimal Hunger in Saudi Arabia Due to Government Initiatives
Given Saudi Arabia’s interest in accelerating and expanding all aspects of socioeconomic development, all of the nation’s needy groups have been specifically targeted. There is a wide availability of services provided throughout the Kingdom, including education, health and social services. The Kingdom’s actions have been undertaken in efforts to reduce poverty, but also to improve the standard of living and establish a “firm” middle class.
These efforts have been effective, as the number of Saudi households living below the extreme poverty line was at a mere 0.06 percent as of 2009. However, the context of the Kingdom’s poverty line is essential because it was raised nationally to $2 per day over the Millennium Goals level of $1 per day. Further, the Kingdom achieved one Millennium Development Goal by eradicating food poverty ahead of the 2015 deadline.
Fortunately, the Kingdom’s efforts to fight hunger are spreading elsewhere. Saudi officials report that both private and public donors in Saudi Arabia have made considerable donations in the Middle East and abroad as part of a global initiative to end hunger. The World Food Programme (WFP) praised Saudi support in 2006 specifically due to the Kingdom’s tenfold increase in support of the humanitarian cause from 2005. Through WFP operations, Saudi donations have benefitted nations including Lebanon, Cambodia, Palestinian territory, Pakistan and several areas in East and West Africa.
Despite Saudi success, the Kingdom must remain diligent in maintaining its successes in eradicating hunger in Saudi Arabia. While most citizens do not face hunger, some within the borders do still struggle. For example, women are particularly vulnerable to hunger in Saudi Arabia because they typically are not employed and rely on their husband’s support. By Islamic law, a widowed woman is stateless and not recognized as a Saudi citizen, which means it is also barred from welfare and aid. Additionally, the surrounding countries are permeated with hunger. Specifically, Yemen, a bordering nation, is one of the poorest and hungriest of the Arab nations.
Currently, Saudi Arabia is successfully fighting hunger both domestically and internationally. While some Saudis are at more risk, as women, as long as officials continue to focus on improving conditions, hunger is likely to remain outside of the nation’s borders.
– Taylor Elkins
Photo: Flickr
Walking With Water: Africa’s Solar-Powered Water Carts
The concept of the Watt-r is simple: this cart aims to make carrying water from sources to villages much easier and significantly more efficient. The cart is powered by clean, environmentally friendly solar energy, rather than human labor. Furthermore, the cart’s capacity is far more than a pair of human hands: in a single trip, it will likely be capable of carrying up to a dozen 20-liter containers of water. This is the same amount of cargo that 25 people would be able to carry.
When not in use, the cart stores solar energy for locals in villages to power cell phones and other small electronics, while the entrepreneur using it sells water.
The creators behind Africa’s solar-powered water carts have stated that they hope their product will go beyond transporting water – this could include crops, medicine, tools and many other types of cargo safely and efficiently.
However, the question still remains: how will it foster economic growth, if people are still walking to collect water?
Ultimately, the Watt-r’s goal is to not only improve the speed and efficiency of collecting water but also foster entrepreneurship of those collecting it. The creator of this product, Jose Paris, estimates that an entrepreneur making daily micro-payments on the cart would be able to pay it off in a mere three years. “There is a market for this service already and people are paying for it”, he says, citing already-existent kiosks in Nairobi selling cans of water in the streets.
Africa’s solar-powered water carts have the potential to completely revolutionize communities that employ them. The increase in transport efficiency and speed, electricity provision, and entrepreneurial opportunity allows them to be employed by the world’s 663 million who currently struggle to access reliable or clean water sources – and empower them to improve the stability of water, income and opportunity in their lives.
– Brad Tait
Photo: Google