Geographically surrounded by the entire nation of South Africa, education in Lesotho, a mountainous country, has maintained an incredible track record. Boasting one of the highest adult literacy rates in all of Africa, Lesotho prides itself on its educational policies and opportunities.
Following the passage of the Education Act in 2010, education in Lesotho experienced tremendous success: by providing free, universal and compulsory education for students, the nation increased the rate of enrollment to 82 percent. In fact, of all the school-aged girls in the nation, 84 percent are enrolled in school.
Similar to many parts of the United States, Lesotho mandates a formal education structure that places students in primary school starting at the age of six. From there, students remain in primary school for seven years (from grades one through seven), enter lower secondary school from grades eight through 10, and complete their education with upper secondary school in grades 11 and 12.
Although the nation has made significant progress, organizations such as the Global Partnership for Education have been working to improve education in Lesotho. As of 2015, they helped reduce the student-to-teacher ratio in primary schools to 45:1 and purchased 1.1 million textbooks throughout the country. They also helped build, reform and furnish 143 classrooms.
In fact, with the World Bank Group’s approval of $25 million for education in Lesotho, leaders project that another 84,500 students will benefit. Lasting until 2021, the project will support teachers, improve student learning and retention and bolster institutional capacity. The project will also aim to reduce dropout rates in 300 of the lowest-performing schools, many of which are inaccessible and are located in poverty-stricken rural areas.
Higher education is also a priority in Lesotho. Through thirteen private and public institutions, including the National University of Lesotho, Lerotholi Polytechnic, Lesotho College of Education and the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Lesotho serves the needs of its students interested in pursuing higher education.
In Lesotho, women’s literacy rates remain incredibly high. Recent statistics suggest that, despite a high number of out-of-school girls, 95 percent of all Lesotho women are literate. This suggests that some success is emerging as a result of the educational policies put forward in Lesotho.
Although there remains room for improvement, as no system can ever truly be perfect, Lesotho has made incredible strides as a nation in prioritizing and developing their educational system. Through international support and continued relief efforts, the nation will inevitably reach their goal of providing education for all in the near future.
– Emily Chazen
Photo: Flickr
How the Educate! Program Improves Education in Uganda
For the last 15 years, the Educate! program has been turning education in Uganda on its head, teaching practical and entrepreneurial skills to break the cycle of poverty and youth unemployment. Currently partnered with more than 350 secondary schools in Uganda and 520 total schools across Africa, Educate! delivers experience-based education to help develop the next generation of community leaders and innovators.
With a growing population, 70 percent of which is young people under the age of 30, Uganda is in need of education reform. Although Uganda introduced free universal secondary schooling in 2011, the youth unemployment rate remains around 66 percent, and factors like attendance and education quality still raise questions. The Educate! program seeks to combat these problems by breaking students into smaller groups taught by mentors in the program, working together to build practical skills such as public speaking, personal savings and social responsibility.
Educate! was first founded in 2002 when U.S. students visited Uganda and were shocked by the number of children struggling to stay in school due to school fees and living and traveling conditions. Educate!’s founders saw the opportunity to turn classrooms into training grounds for students to learn to help themselves, and the organization has been growing and bringing in new teachers ever since.
Outside of the classroom, Educate! is innovating education in Uganda by encouraging interaction between schools with groups such as student business clubs. In these clubs, students utilize skills learned in the classrooms, forming enterprises to compete in the annual National Student Business Competition.
In the last decade, Educate!’s impact in Uganda has increased significantly. Since launching its first education programs in 2009 with seven mentors, Educate! has grown to 200 mentors impacting more than 14,000 students and expanding into other African countries such as Rwanda. By 2024, Educate! aims to reach a million students in Uganda and expand to reach millions more across Africa. Today, the organization reports a 105 percent increase in income among Educate! scholars after graduating high school and a 120 percent increase among female scholars.
The organization is also working with the Ugandan government to spread its mission beyond the scope of just mentors. By building curriculums together with the government and bringing its skills-based model to other schools, Educate! acts as a driving force giving education in Uganda a practical focus. Thanks to its work with the Ugandan government, 45 percent of Ugandan schools now have active student business clubs.
– Nicholas Dugan
Photo: Flickr
One Way to Demand More Corporate Social Responsibility
It’s no secret that Americans love to go out to eat. Choosing take out or driving to the nearest food drive always sounds better than working in the kitchen for what seems like hours. Luckily, for those times that a good burger or pizza sounds too delicious to pass up, there are still opportunities to help the world’s poor as restaurants adopt new policies of corporate social responsibility.
Restaurants everywhere are catching on to the notion that they can adopt a policy of corporate social responsibility and use their position in society to help people who are in need. According to an article in AdWeek, Millennials are civic-minded and have more recently demanded that companies and corporations be civic-minded as well by giving back to society. Millennials want to create change, take responsibility for the world and help those who are unable to help themselves.
The 2015 Cone Communications Millennial CSR (corporate social responsibility) Study found that 9 in 10 millennials would drop one brand and replace it with a more socially conscious one. Furthermore, 62 percent of millennials would willingly take a pay cut if it meant working for a socially responsible company. Millennials are dedicated to staying socially responsible in all areas of their lives.
Many people know of clothing brands and large corporations that are donating sums of money or have a one-for-one philanthropic model with clothes, shelter and other essential items. In a similar way, there are now many restaurants that are donating food to hungry people all over the world.
Some major brands, including Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Yum Brand restaurants and Zambrero donate to charitable causes specific to eradicating hunger worldwide. Some restaurants name the charities they are working with right in their mission statement. For example, Malawi’s Pizza serves “pizza with a purpose,” has a Meal for Meal Exchange program and has sent 923,859 meals to orphans in Malawi since its inception.
These are only a few options. The good news is there are many more corporations that care about good causes. Staying educated on corporate social responsibility is the most efficient way to be up-to-date with which corporations are making a difference because those are the ones that should maintain support. The more demanding consumers are of socially responsible corporations, the more they will appear and, as a result, Americans can begin taking more responsibility for those in need everywhere.
– Emily Arnold
Photo: Flickr
UNICEF and the WHO Racing to End Yemen’s Cholera Outbreak
Faced with ongoing violence and humanitarian crises, war-torn Yemen is now experiencing the worst cholera outbreak in the world. As the poorest nation in the Arabian Peninsula, the epidemic is spreading rapidly; however, the U.N. children’s agency (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are working vigilantly to end Yemen’s cholera outbreak.
Cholera, which is spread through contaminated food and water, is a highly contagious bacterial infection. Although cholera is easily treatable, it can prove fatal within hours if left untreated. This is what makes the outbreak in Yemen so dangerous; because of the civil war, treatment can be difficult to find.
In just two months, more than 1,300 people have died in the outbreak, and 25 percent of the casualties are children. UNICEF has reported a suspected 200,000 cases, increasing at a rate of about 5,000 cases a day.
With the armed conflict over the past two years displacing more than 11 percent of Yemen’s population and wounding more than 45,000 people, the outbreak is considered a direct result of the war. Due to the civil war, 14.5 million people have lost access to clean water and sanitation. The impact on children is disproportionate because they are most prone to malnutrition, which makes them even more susceptible to cholera.
But susceptibility is not the only cause of this unprecedented outbreak; the epidemic also is widespread because of a lack of medical access. Most patients have difficulty reaching the few medical facilities within Yemen. Some travel hours to the Sabeen Hospital, which is already overcrowded from those wounded in the war. Of those treating the infected, an estimated 30,000 local health workers have not been paid their salaries in more than 10 months. The limited access to treatment is making Yemen’s cholera outbreak even more severe; humanitarian group Oxfam has called for a ceasefire, but its efforts were unsuccessful.
To slow the outbreak, UNICEF and the WHO are focusing their efforts on accessibility to clean water and sanitation development, as well as medical treatment. Rapid response teams are even going door-to-door to reach families, teaching techniques on storing water and how to protect against the disease.
The largest quantity of emergency oral cholera vaccines—one million doses—was recently approved for use in Yemen. The WHO plans to distribute the vaccine by going house-to-house in priority areas. UNICEF and the WHO have also received a grant of $66.7 million from Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This donation, according to UNICEF, “will make a great difference to thousands of children at risk of contracting this rapidly spreading disease.”
Although the war-torn nation faces a series of humanitarian crises, the efforts of UNICEF and the WHO against Yemen’s cholera outbreak are proving effective. With increasing funding and the approval of vaccines, the fight against cholera seems optimistic.
– Kelly Hayes
Photo: Flickr
Free Wi-Fi for South Africans on World Wi-Fi Day
Wi-Fi is a tool that not only connects people across the globe but also drives the socio-economic development of a region. Tuesday, June 20th marked this year’s World Wi-Fi day, a day that acknowledges and celebrates the importance of Wi-Fi access for everyone. This year, Wi-Fi provider VAST Networks teamed up with network provider Rukus to give out one gigabyte (GB) of free Wi-Fi to all South Africans on VAST’s network.
Although it may not sound like a lot, one GB of Wi-Fi can go a long way. With just one GB, a person can spend 72 hours browsing the Internet, 20 hours watching videos on YouTube, five hours streaming live TV or send or receive 30,000 emails. All these tools provide Wi-Fi users with a means of interaction, education, research or entertainment.
With unemployment rates at an all-time high, Wi-Fi access is necessary for businesses to post available positions and for individuals to search for jobs quickly and efficiently. VAST Network’s free Wi-Fi gave these opportunities to both businesses and individuals at no cost last Tuesday.
VAST Networks CEO Grant Marais says that VAST was founded with the aim to increase South Africa’s global competitiveness through equal opportunities and inclusivity. Providing the country with affordable data rates and creating opportunities for free Wi-Fi serve as investments in South Africa’s future.
Wi-Fi is a powerful tool that has the capability to raise a country and its individuals out of poverty and World Wi-Fi Day recognizes the need for global Wi-Fi access. There exists the possibility for significant and positive change within communities of all kinds through the access and provision of Wi-Fi.
VAST Networks and Rukus show their support of affordable Wi-Fi as a worldwide necessity by giving one GB of free Wi-Fi as well as making their networks reasonably priced and obtainable every day.
– Hannah Kaiser
Photo: Flickr
10 Important Facts to Know About Refugees in Finland
In 2015, there were over a million migrants and refugees who sought a home in European countries to escape from war and poverty. Approximately 32,000 of them found refuge in Finland. Finland has bolstered enough of the refugee intake that the finance minister is now urging eastern EU countries to use their development funds to take responsibility for the growing refugee crisis and alleviate some of the pressure from western countries, such as Finland, who now face criticism as they increase deportations. Here are 10 facts about refugees in Finland.
10 Facts About Refugees in Finland
Finland is increasingly struggling to keep up with the flow of refugees from conflict areas across the world, most notably those in the Middle East. Refugees continue to risk their lives on the journey there, sometimes lying about their age or sacrificing months of processing time only to be turned away or to leave voluntarily because the conditions are so far from what they hoped. Even with this risk, the country is still a beacon for many hopeful people and a new home to a fortunate few.
– Brooke Clayton
Photo: Flickr
Foreign Aid to Boost Quality Education in Lesotho
Geographically surrounded by the entire nation of South Africa, education in Lesotho, a mountainous country, has maintained an incredible track record. Boasting one of the highest adult literacy rates in all of Africa, Lesotho prides itself on its educational policies and opportunities.
Following the passage of the Education Act in 2010, education in Lesotho experienced tremendous success: by providing free, universal and compulsory education for students, the nation increased the rate of enrollment to 82 percent. In fact, of all the school-aged girls in the nation, 84 percent are enrolled in school.
Similar to many parts of the United States, Lesotho mandates a formal education structure that places students in primary school starting at the age of six. From there, students remain in primary school for seven years (from grades one through seven), enter lower secondary school from grades eight through 10, and complete their education with upper secondary school in grades 11 and 12.
Although the nation has made significant progress, organizations such as the Global Partnership for Education have been working to improve education in Lesotho. As of 2015, they helped reduce the student-to-teacher ratio in primary schools to 45:1 and purchased 1.1 million textbooks throughout the country. They also helped build, reform and furnish 143 classrooms.
In fact, with the World Bank Group’s approval of $25 million for education in Lesotho, leaders project that another 84,500 students will benefit. Lasting until 2021, the project will support teachers, improve student learning and retention and bolster institutional capacity. The project will also aim to reduce dropout rates in 300 of the lowest-performing schools, many of which are inaccessible and are located in poverty-stricken rural areas.
Higher education is also a priority in Lesotho. Through thirteen private and public institutions, including the National University of Lesotho, Lerotholi Polytechnic, Lesotho College of Education and the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Lesotho serves the needs of its students interested in pursuing higher education.
In Lesotho, women’s literacy rates remain incredibly high. Recent statistics suggest that, despite a high number of out-of-school girls, 95 percent of all Lesotho women are literate. This suggests that some success is emerging as a result of the educational policies put forward in Lesotho.
Although there remains room for improvement, as no system can ever truly be perfect, Lesotho has made incredible strides as a nation in prioritizing and developing their educational system. Through international support and continued relief efforts, the nation will inevitably reach their goal of providing education for all in the near future.
– Emily Chazen
Photo: Flickr
Climate Change Increases Risk of Common Diseases in Fiji
Many of the diseases in Fiji, a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific, are preventable. Some are communicable while others are not, but vaccines and hygiene could eliminate many of the risk factors involved in contracting these diseases. Climate change is also creating problems in disease prevention.
The most common communicable diseases in Fiji are as follows:
Child immunization coverage is less likely in developing countries. While developed countries have immunization standards and emergency health procedures, most developing resources still do not have the resources to do so, and vaccinations may be rare or nonexistent. In the developing world, non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and asthma continue to be a problem as well.
Mosquitos help play a role in spreading communicable diseases, particularly in tropical climates. The major common diseases spread by mosquitos are dengue fever and Zika, which remains a risk for pregnant women, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Other factors such as bacteria found in contaminated water, food, and open wounds can lead to a risk of disease.
Climate change continues to increase the risk of common diseases in Fiji. Where public health and health systems are inadequate, populations are more susceptible to facing negative consequences of climate change.
The World Health Organization gathered in 2015 to consider proposals that will support developing countries as they adapt to the effects of climate change and improve health systems to deal with non-communicable diseases while making communicable diseases a priority.
The CDC recommends that travelers be up-to-date on routine vaccinations but also advises hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations, because contaminated water or food can spread these regardless of where you eat or stay. More people being vaccinated and practicing healthy lifestyles can reduce the risk of spreading communicable diseases and help eliminate non-communicable diseases as well.
– Stefanie Podosek
Photo: Flickr
The Top 5 Diseases in Canada
As of 2015, Canadians have a life expectancy of 82 years. However, the nation still struggles with various diseases. Here are the five most common diseases in Canada:
Cancer (Malignant neoplasms)
Cancer is currently one of the top diseases in Canada. In 2013, the latest available year for such information, Statistic Canada’s website reported that cancer was responsible for 75,112 deaths for both men and women. Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer for Canadians. According to the World Atlas, this is due to Canadians’ high tobacco/alcohol use and high-fat diets (which also increase the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer).
On June 20, the Canadian Cancer Society reported that nearly 50 percent of Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. The report goes on to say that, “excluding non-melanoma skin cancer,” approximately 206,200 Canadians are expected to face a cancer diagnosis.
Heart Disease
Heart disease killed 49,891 Canadians in 2013. In addition to poor diet, little exercise and the popularity of consuming tobacco, income is also a factor. On a scale from 0-10 percent, lower-income Canadians were 4.9 percent more likely to suffer from heart disease than those making the most income.
Stroke (Cerebrovascular diseases)
In 2013, strokes also claimed 13,400 Canadian lives. Strokes are caused by an inconsistent blood flow to the brain. A large amount of sodium in instant meals and fast food brings about hypertension, high blood pressure and, eventually, a stroke. Due to the average Canadian’s diet, this explains why strokes are one of the top diseases in Canada.
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases (CLRDs)
CLRDs caused 11,976 deaths in 2013. These diseases restrict the flow of oxygen to the lungs (asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, etc.). Bad air quality and smoking leads to the development of some CLRDs.
Diabetes (Diabetes mellitus)
Finally, diabetes brings up the rear in the list of top diseases in Canada. It caused 7,045 deaths in 2013 alone. Consuming a large amount of sugar from sodas, sugary beverages and various prepackaged foods can lead to diabetes. Income also heavily influences this disease. Using the same 0-10 percent scale from earlier, those who belong to lower-income groups were found to be 5.1 percent more likely to be living with diabetes than those in the highest income bracket.
Considering all of these factors, there are some steps Canadians can take to prevent developing some of these detrimental diseases. Universal health care and private clinics provide convenient, government-funded medical help. In fact, the country’s healthcare system updates the wait times one should expect if they need to visit any health care facility. However, lifestyle changes are also necessary to treat and prevent these diseases.
– Jada Haynes
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Africa’s Education Crisis
The right to primary education frames many international statements on human rights and education. While South Africa did achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of universal primary education ahead of the 2015 target year, it is unfathomable to think that 17 million of its school-aged children will never attend school. Africa’s struggling educational sector can be outlined in these 10 facts about Africa’s education crisis.
10 Facts About Africa’s Education Crisis
Education is probably the single most influential tool to ensure that poor countries have the resources to pull themselves out of poverty. While many historic, social, economic, political and international issues play an important role in Africa’s existing educational situation, one can only hope that these 10 facts about Africa’s education crisis will shed some light on the existing roadblocks that the continent faces in fighting its education poverty.
– Jagriti Misra
Photo: Flickr
How to Provide Access to Clean Water In Innovative Ways
One in nine people worldwide have little access to clean water, and, in developing countries, 80 percent of illnesses stem from unclean water and lack of sanitation. Water is the most integral component required to sustain human life, and in 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognized clean drinking water and sanitation as an essential human right. Here are five innovative new ways organizations and people are working on the problem of how to provide access to clean water throughout the world:
The OmniProcessor
Invented by Peter Janicki and his team at Janicki BioEnergy, the OmniProcessor is a machine that can convert 14 tons of sewage into water and electricity. The OmniProcessor can have an enormous impact on the two billion people on the planet who cannot properly dispose of waste. This waste eventually makes its way into water sources, which contaminates it and can spread diseases such as cholera and dysentery. The OmniProcessor solves both problems with one machine. Bill Gates, whose foundation gave Janicki a grant to research the OmniProcessor once stated, “If you can get thousands of these things out there, then you have ensured the people will grow up healthily.”
The SaTo Pan
This innovative toilet, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is an alternative to open defecation, and a game-changer when looking at the problem of how to provide access to clean water. The toilet is made of plastic and thus is much more affordable that other restroom alternatives. The toilet works by closing off the pit latrine from the open air and reducing the amount of water needed to flush waste. This simple but inventive SaTo pan (the name is derived from “Safe Toilet”) prevents water from being contaminated by waste left behind by open defecation and is a sure step in the journey to provide clean water access to all.
SODIS
SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) is a method ideal for purifying water in developing countries. All one has to do is take a clear plastic bottle, fill it with clear water and set it out in the sun for six hours or more. The UV rays in the sunlight hitting the bottles will kill viruses, bacteria and parasites that may contaminate the water, making it clean and safe to drink. SODIS is an easy, safe and inexpensive method which makes it ideal for the world’s poor.
Microloans
Another solution for the problem of how to provide access to clean water is to empower the people searching for access. Microloans are a way of doing just this, providing small loans to people who otherwise would not be approved for loans at all. According to a study done by A. M. Muazam Husain, “microcredit loans provided to women in Bangladesh increased the presence of latrines in their households from nine to 26 percent over three years.” When given the opportunity, people without clean water and proper sanitation, especially women in families with children to look after, actively seek it out. This kind of change is sustainable because it teaches individuals to solve their problems without the help of outsiders.
The Water Project
The Water Project is an innovative non-profit that does on-the-ground work in sub-Saharan Africa to build wells, dams and systems to catch rainwater. They collaborate with in-country teams to ensure that the services they are providing are needed and sustainable. They also regularly check in on projects they have sponsored to ensure they are going well. Anyone can contribute to the water project simply by raising awareness, fundraising or sponsoring an entire project. These sorts of organizations are an integral part of broadening access to clean water in the developing world.
In the past ten years, the world has made leaps and bounds in how to provide access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Moreover, with more investment in research, an increase in aid to nonprofit organizations and a continued commitment to finding innovative solutions to the lack of water, access to clean water is sure to become a certainty for every single person in the world.
– Adesuwa Agbonile
Photo: Flickr