Kyrgyzstan is a lower-middle-income country in Central Asia, surrounded by Kazakhstan, China, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It is known for its stunning natural beauty and nomadic traditions. After being controlled by a rotating series of tribes and clans, the country finally gained sovereignty in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Since its inception, the nation-state of Kyrgyzstan has made economic progress. However, there have been serious obstacles during the transition. So, why is Kyrgyzstan poor?
Poverty in Kyrgyzstan
According to the World Factbook, it is home to approximately 6.2 million people, with only three million or nearly half, in the labor force. Additionally, 33.3% of the total population lived below the national poverty line in 2021, making Kyrgyzstan the second poorest nation in Central Asia after Tajikistan. There is also a significant wealth disparity between the urban and rural populations, with 70% of the country’s poor living in rural areas.
Causes of Poverty in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan’s economy heavily depends on farming, which accounts for 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Furthermore, 40% of the workforce is employed in agriculture and more than 50% of the farming output comes from household plots where many individuals participate in subsistence farming. However, due to the slow modernization of its agricultural sector, food insecurity persists in rural Kyrgyzstan.
According to research, 16% of the “poorest quintile of households in Kyrgyzstan” do not have enough food. This inadequate food intake can lead to acute energy deficiency (AED) and reduced physical activity. As a result, the most impoverished people in Kyrgyzstan lack the energy to work and earn income, making it challenging for them to break the cycle of poverty.
Secondly, Kyrgyzstan is only able to export cotton and tobacco as it has few natural resources that the rest of the world wants. While the country has untapped coal deposits and a major gold mine, little has been done to take advantage of these resources. Another factor that causes poverty in Kyrgyzstan is its severe lack of access to proper banking and financial services. There has been little competition between large commercial banks and the country has continued to rely on imperfect Soviet methods for accounting and banking.
Furthermore, the Kyrgyz Revolution of 2010 led to the discovery of high-level corruption in the banking sector. In fact, more than $170 million or 10% of the country’s assets, was stolen by the former president’s son. Due to these serious issues with the banking infrastructure, many people, particularly those in rural Kyrgyzstan, do not have access to banking services, preventing investment and economic growth. There is also a lack of services crucial to aiding entrepreneurs, such as credit risk assessments and bank loans.
USAID in Kyrgyzstan
To address food insecurity, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) implemented the Farmer-to-Farmer initiative in 2018. The initiative aims to boost Kyrgyzstan’s economy by providing technical assistance to its agriculture sector. The program brought 79 agricultural specialists from the United States (U.S.) to assist the country’s “farmers, agribusinesses, agricultural education and advisory services” improve their services and make more profit, thereby breaking free from the cycle of poverty. The program, which ran until September 2023, reached 4,320 people, including both men and women, with 85% of them being trained.
Final Remark
Like several other landlocked developing nations, Kyrgyzstan faces challenges, such as a high poverty rate and food insecurity. Organizations like USAID, which are working to eliminate food insecurity in the country, can improve the lives of Kyrgyzstan’s most vulnerable citizens.
– Akhil Reddy
Photo: Flickr
Updated: June 01, 2024
How Do US Ambassadors Fight Global Poverty?
On August 19, 2017, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. wrote to President Donald Trump urging him to appoint a U.S. ambassador to India.
As of August 4, President Trump has only nominated 36 of the 77 ambassador posts he is authorized to fill. In an unprecedented move, Trump has not allowed any appointed officials from the Obama administration to reapply for their positions, opting instead to fill all the positions himself. Despite this decision, Trump is nominating ambassadors slowly compared to past administrations.
Rep. Pallone was motivated to write to President Trump after the president announced that the U.S. would increase troops in Afghanistan and put pressure on India and Pakistan to do the same. Pointing out that India is one of the U.S.’s strongest allies in south Asia, Rep. Pallone claimed that the appointment of an ambassador to India is “long overdue.”
U.S. ambassadors are the president’s highest-ranking representatives assigned to a foreign nation or organization. They reside and keep offices at embassies, which are centers for U.S. diplomatic affairs located in the capital of a given country. Ambassadors are strong leaders adept at negotiation. Most importantly, they promote peace and prosperity while helping to support U.S. interests abroad.
Even when U.S. ambassadors aren’t working on issues concerning global poverty, their efforts can help reduce global poverty indirectly. The more stable the political and social climate of a given country is, the more opportunity there is for local growth in the economy, agriculture, education, health and other sectors. In turn, stable countries with a diminishing poverty rate benefit the U.S. as they become more viable markets.
When Trump appoints ambassadors to India and the other 76 posts he has yet to fill, the ambassadors will surely reinforce the U.S.’s relationship with individual countries. However, the appointment of ambassadors is important on a global scale because it will demonstrate that the U.S. takes the well-being of diverse peoples seriously and means to thoroughly address political, economic and social disparity in different countries.
– Caroline Meyers
Photo: Flickr
How to Help People in Peru Out of Poverty
While the poverty rate in Peru has dropped over the last year, there are still people living without access to basic human necessities. There are several programs and organizations that help people in Peru by putting them in a position to live a better life.
In Peru, over 3 million people are living in poverty and over 5 million have no water resources, according to HELP International, a globally responsive organization. Over 40,000 more people have left poverty compared to last year, but the government is expecting a decrease of 3 percent this year because of floods resulting from El Niño earlier this year and a graft scandal that has halted public works.
The flooding caused by El Niño killed about a hundred people and damaged thousands of homes. Organizations in Peru like Save the Children and ADRA Peru have been working and accepting donations since then to help those affected.
Global Giving is another nonprofit organization resource that lists the specific needs of people in certain regions living in less than desirable conditions. On the Global Giving website, you can find a list of projects accepting donations for relief for the thousands that were forced to abandon their homes.
By giving help to people in Peru, you would be helping the one-third of Peru’s population that lives in poverty. This help goes a long way towards continuing the progress that Peru has made in its fight to reduce poverty.
– Jalil Perry
Photo: Flickr
Why is Kyrgyzstan Poor?
Poverty in Kyrgyzstan
According to the World Factbook, it is home to approximately 6.2 million people, with only three million or nearly half, in the labor force. Additionally, 33.3% of the total population lived below the national poverty line in 2021, making Kyrgyzstan the second poorest nation in Central Asia after Tajikistan. There is also a significant wealth disparity between the urban and rural populations, with 70% of the country’s poor living in rural areas.
Causes of Poverty in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan’s economy heavily depends on farming, which accounts for 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Furthermore, 40% of the workforce is employed in agriculture and more than 50% of the farming output comes from household plots where many individuals participate in subsistence farming. However, due to the slow modernization of its agricultural sector, food insecurity persists in rural Kyrgyzstan.
According to research, 16% of the “poorest quintile of households in Kyrgyzstan” do not have enough food. This inadequate food intake can lead to acute energy deficiency (AED) and reduced physical activity. As a result, the most impoverished people in Kyrgyzstan lack the energy to work and earn income, making it challenging for them to break the cycle of poverty.
Secondly, Kyrgyzstan is only able to export cotton and tobacco as it has few natural resources that the rest of the world wants. While the country has untapped coal deposits and a major gold mine, little has been done to take advantage of these resources. Another factor that causes poverty in Kyrgyzstan is its severe lack of access to proper banking and financial services. There has been little competition between large commercial banks and the country has continued to rely on imperfect Soviet methods for accounting and banking.
Furthermore, the Kyrgyz Revolution of 2010 led to the discovery of high-level corruption in the banking sector. In fact, more than $170 million or 10% of the country’s assets, was stolen by the former president’s son. Due to these serious issues with the banking infrastructure, many people, particularly those in rural Kyrgyzstan, do not have access to banking services, preventing investment and economic growth. There is also a lack of services crucial to aiding entrepreneurs, such as credit risk assessments and bank loans.
USAID in Kyrgyzstan
To address food insecurity, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) implemented the Farmer-to-Farmer initiative in 2018. The initiative aims to boost Kyrgyzstan’s economy by providing technical assistance to its agriculture sector. The program brought 79 agricultural specialists from the United States (U.S.) to assist the country’s “farmers, agribusinesses, agricultural education and advisory services” improve their services and make more profit, thereby breaking free from the cycle of poverty. The program, which ran until September 2023, reached 4,320 people, including both men and women, with 85% of them being trained.
Final Remark
Like several other landlocked developing nations, Kyrgyzstan faces challenges, such as a high poverty rate and food insecurity. Organizations like USAID, which are working to eliminate food insecurity in the country, can improve the lives of Kyrgyzstan’s most vulnerable citizens.
– Akhil Reddy
Photo: Flickr
Updated: June 01, 2024
Factors Affecting the Tanzania Poverty Rate
Over the last decade, the Tanzania poverty rate has decreased to about 47 percent. Political stability, agricultural growth and increased access to education have all widely contributed to Tanzania’s victory in poverty reduction. Improving infrastructure, gender equality and employment are the keys to helping the remaining 2 million people still struggling on less than $0.60 a day.
Infrastructure
The 2015 World Bank Poverty Assessment showed a strong link between poverty and low access to public infrastructure. Tanzania’s infrastructure is limited, which leads to only 2.9 percent of poor people having access to grid power. Additionally, only 16 percent of the poor have access to paved roads. A further reduction in poverty and sustainable economic growth will require additional investments in transport and energy infrastructure.
Gender Equality
Even though the Tanzanian Constitution assures equal participation for women and men, discrepancies still exist. Disparity still exists in education, while women continue to face inequality in social, economic and political activities. Recently, The National Gender Development Policy and Strategy have set new targets within the constitution for gender equality. But to successfully achieve goals on the poverty reduction level, institutional support will be essential.
Employment
35 percent of people in Tanzania between 15 and 35 years of age are unemployed. Lack of basic skills, poor infrastructure and unavailable jobs are key contributors to youth unemployment. Addressing unemployment requires both supply and demand interventions. The enhancement of quality education will need to be available to even more people. Demand-side measures will have to provide advanced solutions in finance, infrastructure deficiencies and business support services.
Despite these issues, the Tanzania poverty rate has seen tremendous improvements. Tanzania deserves credit for its reduction of child mortality, a decrease in the incidence of HIV/AIDS and a significant drop in food insecurity. As for the areas that still need work, the country has partnered with the African Development Bank to achieve even more progress in poverty reduction.
– Emilee Wessel
Photo: Flickr
Why Is Djibouti Poor?
Djibouti is a small nation located in the Horn of Africa between Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea. The country faces a major poverty problem. About 41 percent of the population live in poverty and 23 percent live in extreme poverty. So why is Djibouti poor?
At the heart of Djibouti’s poverty is a lack of resources. The arid land makes Djibouti a poor place for farming. In fact, just 0.04 percent of land in Djibouti is arable; this is largely due to the harsh, dry climate. Drought is common and a huge threat to Djibouti’s rural population, which consists of nomadic farmers. The most recent drought saw malnutrition rates rise to 18 percent and in some areas, chronic malnutrition was as high as 30 percent.
These conditions have caused people to flee to urban areas like Djibouti’s capital city, which is home to over 75 percent of the population. Due to the unprofitable nature of farming in Djibouti, the country has to rely on foreign imported food to feed its people.
In addition to a poor agricultural sector, Djibouti also suffers from the stresses of war. In the 1990s, Djibouti experienced a civil war after President Hassan Gouled Aptidon transformed the government into a single party state and began granting privileges to the Issa clan. The Afar clan rebelled, which led to a three year civil war. By the time peace was finally attained, the war had caused significant damage to rural livestock production and infrastructure. Djibouti has spent a decade recovering from these damages.
Despite these great challenges, Djibouti’s future is looking brighter. The nation is gaining significant investment, primarily from China, in the hopes of making Djibouti a free trade zone. These investments have caused Djibouti’s GDP to grow and the country is expected to have its GDP growth rate continue to rise in the next two years. Consistent foreign investment in infrastructure and Djibouti government reforms to make the area more business friendly could be a significant boon to ending poverty in Djibouti. Hopefully with continued progress, we will no longer have to ask “Why is Djibouti poor?”
– Carson Hughes
Photo: Flickr
Common Diseases in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a country that has made huge strides in terms of disease reduction and increased sanitation. The nation achieved an all-time high of 98 percent of the population having access to clean water in 2010. This has enormously limited the number of diseases spread by poor water sanitation. With that said, what are the common diseases in St. Vincent and the Grenadines?
Of diseases common in developing countries, less than 3 percent of the population of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has HIV/AIDS, dengue, tuberculosis or leptospirosis. This is due to impressive programs in the nation, such as the Expanded Program on Immunization, which maintained a rate of 95-98 percent immunization of children under five years old. Another program that helped to achieve these outstanding figures is the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Program, which tested 100 percent of pregnant women for HIV/AIDS, and gave antiretrovirals, free of cost, to those who were positive.
There are very few diseases that can even be considered common in the small island nation. Of communicable diseases, the largest are acute respiratory infection, which had about 29,631 cases between 2006-2010, and the Zika virus, which had around seven cases per week in 2016. While cases of Zika have reduced greatly in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, it still poses a threat to the population, as there is no known cure for the virus and it can be spread very easily between individuals. Because of this, it is still considered a hazard to the population and those who are traveling there.
Overall, this small island nation has incredibly low disease spread because of its commitment to protecting its citizens at whatever the cost. Because of this, there are very few common diseases in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The country sets an excellent example for other developing nations for disease prevention and reduction. Even as the poorest country in the eastern Caribbean, with a number of other issues to deal with as it develops, it has made incredible progress.
– Liyanga De Silva
Photo: Flickr
Human Rights in Nauru
What do you know about Nauru? That it is the smallest republic in the world? In 1968, the island of Nauru gained its independence, and a bit over three decades later became the smallest independent republic in the world when it joined the United Nations.
The south Pacific island is home to just under 10,000 people. Those who live there are governed by a parliamentary republic. Today, Nauru is arguably better known for its human rights issues than for its last place finish in the world’s largest country contest. While there are certainly those who are not satisfied with the protection of human rights in Nauru, the evidence suggests that the nation does a very admirable job in this area.
Some of the allegations of human rights violations in Nauru were related to corruption. However, the U.S. State Department’s 2014 report on Nauru did not reach the same conclusion. The report states that the government, led by President Baron Waqa, utilizes its resources effectively to investigate and punish abuse and corruption. This seems to be working well, as there were zero reports of impunity involving Nauruan security forces in 2014.
Another frequent concern are the prison and detention center conditions in Nauru. This worry stemmed from an incident in the summer of 2013 when asylum seekers in Nauru’s Australian-run detention center rioted. The riot was the result of Australia announcing that Australia would put into effect more rigid immigration policies. Ultimately, more than 60 asylum seekers faced criminal charges. The world’s perception of human rights in Nauru has been greatly affected by this incident.
While this occurrence certainly represents a stain on the nation’s human rights record, it does not capture the full picture. In fact, the State Department’s report states that prison conditions generally met international standards.
The protection of women and women’s rights is another aspect of Nauru’s protection of human rights that is sometimes criticized. Part of this concern stems from the fact that women’s participation in politics is significantly less than that of men’s. However, since there are no rules or laws stopping women from participating, this may be more of a cultural issue.
Authorities in Nauru have been successful in protecting women against domestic violence and rape. The State Department’s report states that the courts “vigorously prosecuted” reported cases of rape.
There is clearly still work to be done and room for improvement, but the tiny island nation of Nauru is succeeding in protecting its people’s human rights in many regards.
– Adam Braunstein
Photo: Flickr
Common Diseases in Bahrain
People living with HIV/AIDS comprise only .01 percent of Bahrain’s total population. While Bahrain has a very low HIV/AIDS rate compared to other countries in the region, there are still other common diseases in Bahrain.
The Joint Mission found that cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases are all common diseases in Bahrain. Non-communicable diseases cause 78 percent of deaths in Bahrain. Many dietary behaviors are correlated with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Diets high in sodium and fatty acids, for example, can contribute to future cardiovascular diseases.
Cancer in Bahrain also contributes to a small percentage of deaths. Bronchial and lung cancers are the most common among the population of Bahrain. Tobacco use is very common among adults and children daily: one-third of men in Bahrain use tobacco.
Furthermore, much of the population is not physically active and does not eat enough fruits and vegetables. One-third of the population is hypertensive and 15 percent are diabetic. Diabetes has many effects on the population. Diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathies and heart diseases related to diabetes are prevalent in the population.
The government is in the process of coming up with preventative measures to decrease the cardiovascular disease rate and those of other common diseases in Bahrain. The National Health Strategy 2015-2018 will provide health insurance, and an executive committee has been established for a national health insurance program. The committee is currently looking for ways to improve efficiency in using scarce health resources.
Only a small amount of the nation’s budget is allocated for public health each year. In 2014, only 4.98 percent of the budget was spent on healthcare. The density of physicians and nurses has been fairly low over the past few years.
However, there has been some progress made in recent years. For example, the national medicine policy has been updated by the Directorate of Materials Management, and some government sectors have collaborated through the national purchasing committee.
Bahrain has a good economy and relatively low rates of disease compared to other countries in its area. With the proper treatment and education, Bahrain’s cardiovascular disease rate can decrease a small amount at a time. With the help of the government and its people, the country can work to continue to educate everyone on preventative measures.
– Treasure Shepard
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About the Poverty Rate in Senegal
Senegal, the westernmost country in Africa, has a population of about 13 million people. Nearly half of the Senegalese population—46.7 percent, to be exact—are living in poverty. The following 10 facts explain and give context for the poverty rate in Senegal:
Despite the fact that the poverty rate in Senegal is high, many projects have been implemented to reduce the poverty rate. President Macky Sall unveiled the Emerging Senegal Plan (ESP), which strives to prioritize economic reforms and growth. The International Monetary Fund is providing assistance for the ESP from 2015 to 2017.
In an attempt to take a fresh look at poverty, Senegal’s national statistics office distributed the second Senegal Poverty Monitoring Survey. The World Bank, the Canadian government and the World Food Programme provided financial support. The survey, however, has room for error, because it is heavily dependent on the time of year that residents fill it out, as consumption levels vary based on the harvest.
Furthermore, microfinance has begun to play a key role in reducing poverty in very poor countries, such as Senegal. This program has allowed very poor individuals who are excluded from traditional banking to obtain microloans. The Hunger Project introduced the Microfinance Program (MFP) in Senegal, which strives to incorporate female farmers and entrepreneurs to give them a larger voice in the community. Three of the MFPs in Senegal have been approved by the government to operate as rural banks. MFPs provide credit and savings programs and have allowed many farmers to move beyond exclusively subsistence farming.
Economic growth will be the key component in reducing poverty in Senegal. These projects from the Senegalese government and various organizations hope to spark economic growth and help reduce the poverty rate in Senegal.
– Christiana Lano
Photo: Google
Causes of Poverty in South Korea Among the Elderly
While in many poor countries poverty disproportionately affects the young, the opposite is true for South Korea. After the Korean war of the 1950s, South Korea saw a period of extreme poverty, followed by a fifty-year rise to economic power. And while this rise was good news for most of the country, it also meant that the bulk of all poverty in South Korea was pushed onto its elderly population, with nearly half of all citizens over the age of 65 living in poverty.
One reason for this has been what many people have called South Korea’s cut-throat nature. Known for its ruthless competition over test scores and prestigious jobs, South Korea’s population has accumulated wealth at such a fast pace that social mores have struggled to keep up with the pace of change. In much of Asia, it has long been a tradition to honor and care for elderly relatives as part of a Confucian social contract. However, as the country’s young population has migrated to cities, away from the family unit, expectations have drastically changed. In just the past fifteen years, the percentage of young South Koreans who believe they should care for their parents has plummeted from 90 percent to 37 percent.
In the absence of this social expectation, there exists little to no government program to take its place. South Korea was ranked second-to-last in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in terms of spending on welfare for the elderly. Only a third of the elderly population receives a pension, and the pension itself makes for a threadbare living at best. Many people do not even attempt to receive the government pension out of embarrassment, since, to be eligible, an applicant has to prove that his or her children are unwilling or incapable of providing support.
Elderly and Poverty in South Korea
In 2012, South Korea enacted an ill-conceived way to improve the situation, called the “National Happiness Pension,” which only slightly raised pensions, and only for the poorest 70 percent of seniors. Addressing elderly poverty is, sadly, still not a first priority for the South Korean government, which has widespread unemployment and a tumultuous relationship with North Korea to contend with.
Since 2012, however, young South Koreans have begun to recognize the need for action. The Korea Legacy Committee, begun by Mike Kim, an entrepreneur in Seoul and the director of Asia-Pacific partnerships at Google, is dedicated to addressing this issue. Consisting of Kim and eight other Korean entrepreneurs, all working in different fields, the Korea Legacy Committee is tasked with solving this crisis of poverty, first and foremost by raising awareness of the issue. Since 2015, the KLC has held monthly events for their volunteers to interact with elderly pensioners from the Seoul Senior Welfare Center, and quarterly fundraisers, the money from which goes to the senior center’s meal program. So far, the organization has raised more than $20,000.
While South Korea’s elderly population still suffers from poverty and neglect, the rest of the population is slowly coming to terms with the depth of this issue and is finding ways to help. This will be the first step in solving this crisis. Though the end to poverty in South Korea is within sight, there is still a long way to go.
– Audrey Palzkill