Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a discreet but profound digital revolution. The region has long been seen as being on the fringes of global innovation but is now experiencing rapid connectivity and technological development growth. Between 2005 and 2011, mobile phone subscriptions rose by 400% and internet access increased from 2.1% to 24.4% of the population between 2005 and 2018. Additionally, the 2022 Global Innovation Index ranks five countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Ghana and Senegal, among the world’s 100 most innovative countries. This dynamic is not just a question of infrastructure; it also reflects the rise in power of a local ecosystem of innovators, entrepreneurs and social startups that design solutions adapted to the realities on the ground. In this context, emerging technologies in sub-Saharan Africa, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are becoming concrete levers for poverty reduction.
Blockchain: A Tool for Financial Inclusion
In a region where a large part of the population remains excluded from traditional banking systems, blockchain offers a secure, transparent and decentralized alternative. In East Africa, the startup AZA Finance (formerly BitPesa) enables companies and individuals to make cross-border transactions faster and cheaper than traditional banking services.
Blockchain technology is also used to track the distribution of humanitarian aid, reduce the diversion risk and digital identities to populations lacking official documents and denied access to basic services. Thanks to these identities, millions can now open a mobile account, access microcredit or sign up for a health program.
AI for Health, Agriculture and Education
AI offers new perspectives in key areas of poverty reduction. In health, AI-based programs analyze X-rays for diseases such as tuberculosis, filling the acute shortage of doctors in rural areas. In agriculture, tools like UjuziKilimo in Kenya use sensors and algorithms to recommend the most profitable crops for farmers based on soil composition and climate forecasts.
On the education side, the M-Shule platform combines artificial intelligence and SMS to offer personalized educational content to primary school students. Each lesson adapts to the pace and level of the student, which is particularly useful in educational systems where class overcrowding and teacher shortages hinder learning.
IoT: Connecting Isolated Areas
The Internet of Things (IoT) is also transforming critical infrastructure. In areas not served by the national electricity grid, smart mini-solar grids managed remotely through connected sensors allow populations access to reliable electricity. IoT devices also monitor tank water levels or alert when a pump fails.
According to 360 Mozambique, these technologies are profoundly changing access to essential services and foreshadowing a new way of thinking about development centered on autonomy and local resilience.
M-Pesa: A Kenyan Success Story
Among the most emblematic examples of technological innovation against poverty, M-Pesa is central. Launched in 2007 by the operator Safaricom in Kenya, this mobile payment system allows its users to send, receive and save money via a basic mobile phone without a bank account.
According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, M-Pesa helped lift some 194,000 Kenyan households out of extreme poverty between 2008 and 2014, including facilitating cash transfers, saving and access to microcredit. Many women, in particular, have used M-Pesa to create small businesses and gain economic autonomy.
The Case of Togo: When AI Helps to Target Emergency Aid
Beyond the private sector, African governments are also beginning to integrate emerging technologies into their social policies. The Novissi program, launched by the Togolese government in 2020, is a striking example. Using satellite data and artificial intelligence models, this program has automatically targeted the most vulnerable populations without requiring them to register manually.
Recipients received money transfers directly to their phones through the mobile money system. This device, deployed in a few weeks, helped more than 500,000 people affected by the COVID-19 crisis while limiting fraud and bureaucratic delays.
An Opportunity To Transform the Fight Against Poverty
The emergence of technology hubs, social incubators and public-private partnerships across Africa shows the potential. Organizations like the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and private foundations actively support this inclusive digital transition.
Emerging technologies alone cannot eradicate poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, but in a context where traditional solutions are reaching their limits, they represent a powerful lever to strengthen resilience, promote empowerment and improve access to basic services. In sub-Saharan Africa, they empower millions of marginalized people to build a more just, dignified and sustainable future.
– Eléonore Bonnaterre
Eléonore is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
How The New York Times Communities Fund Fights Global Poverty
How It Works
Originally known as The Neediest Cases Fund, The New York Times Communities Fund annually raises money for thoroughly selected nonprofits with local to global impacts. The 113th campaign supports nonprofits such as First Book, which provides underserved schools across the U.S. with reading materials and the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), which promotes female education in rural Africa.
CAMFED
In 1993, Ann Cotton OBE founded CAMFED, aiming to drastically increase the number of girls in rural Africa who complete secondary school. Poverty prevents an astounding 95% of girls in this region from finishing school. CAMFED combats the social and financial barriers these girls face to not only allow them to stay in school but to blossom.
CAMFED increases a girl’s accessibility to education in several thoughtful ways. The organization pays school fees and provides girls’ uniforms, books and bicycles, helping young girls combat financial restraints. CAMFED also trains teachers and peer mentors to provide girls with social support, making them more likely to stay in school. After graduating, the girls will have access to finance, support and business training from CAMFED to ensure their success and ability to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
Since 1993, CAMFED has aided the schooling of 7.2 million children, including 2.2 million girls completing secondary school, from the most deprived regions in Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Through access to education, these girls become empowered women who inspire positive change in their communities. The support CAMFED provides lifts girls from poverty, putting them in a position to encourage and share knowledge with others to allow them to do the same.
Hispanic Federation
The Times also supports the Hispanic Federation. While the nonprofit mainly supports Hispanic communities and institutions in the U.S., it has granted $200,000 to Conservación ConCiencia in the Caribbean since Hurricane Maria devastated the region in 2017.
The Hispanic Federation’s donation focused on developing Puerto Rico’s resiliency to weather-related power outages that spoil fisheries’ stocks. Hurricane Maria left parts of Puerto Rico without power for months, destroying the food and income provided by fishing.
The Hispanic Federation’s grant to Conservación ConCiencia funded solar panels to prevent similar devastation from occurring in the future. This infrastructure makes families less likely to lose their livelihoods and fall into poverty after a natural disaster.
Takeaways
The New York Times Communities Fund fights global poverty by supporting nonprofits such as CAMFED and the Hispanic Federation. After more than 100 years of existence and positively impacting millions, the organization will likely continue using its influence to strive for a better world.
– Madison Fetch
Photo: Unsplash
Initiatives to Empower Ukrainian Women Through Entrepreneurship
Its program, “Dream and Achieve,” launched in 2023, has recently finalized its second cohort. The initiative was created to empower Ukrainian women through entrepreneurship. It receives support from international organizations like U.N. Women and government institutions such as France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Hope Amid Loss
Nina Levchuk and Olga Diakova are the co-leaders of the Dream and Achieve program on business development. The project emerged in response to the rising unemployment and the negative impact the Russian invasion had on women’s role in the economy. The program is designed to support those affected by war struggles, including internally displaced people, veterans and single mothers and to empower Ukrainian women through entrepreneurship.
The initiative offers a three-month training in digital marketing, socially responsible business models and strategies and personal mentorship. It also gives participants $1000 in financial assistance for their entrepreneurship initiatives.
Success Stories
The training and valuable insights have helped many women to take a bold step, whether launching a new business or reshaping the strategy of an existing one. Despite the different motivations, the program participants agree that Dream and Achieve has guided them to success.
Impacts of the 2023 Cohort
The program received more than 1,000 applications, from which 80 women were selected. At the beginning of the program, 75% of the women hoped to acquire skills in using online platforms and e-commerce tools. By the end, 98% assured having improved their knowledge and skills in business management and the digital economy. Beyond training, the program came to be a boost to participants’ businesses. More than 32% reported an improvement in income and financial stability.
Many participants described the experience as inspirational and hope for more women to benefit from it. The initiative demonstrates a powerful truth: the first step in rebuilding a country needs people who dare to dream big.
– Sara Arias Saiz
Photo: Flickr
Reducing Poverty with Emerging Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Blockchain: A Tool for Financial Inclusion
In a region where a large part of the population remains excluded from traditional banking systems, blockchain offers a secure, transparent and decentralized alternative. In East Africa, the startup AZA Finance (formerly BitPesa) enables companies and individuals to make cross-border transactions faster and cheaper than traditional banking services.
Blockchain technology is also used to track the distribution of humanitarian aid, reduce the diversion risk and digital identities to populations lacking official documents and denied access to basic services. Thanks to these identities, millions can now open a mobile account, access microcredit or sign up for a health program.
AI for Health, Agriculture and Education
AI offers new perspectives in key areas of poverty reduction. In health, AI-based programs analyze X-rays for diseases such as tuberculosis, filling the acute shortage of doctors in rural areas. In agriculture, tools like UjuziKilimo in Kenya use sensors and algorithms to recommend the most profitable crops for farmers based on soil composition and climate forecasts.
On the education side, the M-Shule platform combines artificial intelligence and SMS to offer personalized educational content to primary school students. Each lesson adapts to the pace and level of the student, which is particularly useful in educational systems where class overcrowding and teacher shortages hinder learning.
IoT: Connecting Isolated Areas
The Internet of Things (IoT) is also transforming critical infrastructure. In areas not served by the national electricity grid, smart mini-solar grids managed remotely through connected sensors allow populations access to reliable electricity. IoT devices also monitor tank water levels or alert when a pump fails.
According to 360 Mozambique, these technologies are profoundly changing access to essential services and foreshadowing a new way of thinking about development centered on autonomy and local resilience.
M-Pesa: A Kenyan Success Story
Among the most emblematic examples of technological innovation against poverty, M-Pesa is central. Launched in 2007 by the operator Safaricom in Kenya, this mobile payment system allows its users to send, receive and save money via a basic mobile phone without a bank account.
According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, M-Pesa helped lift some 194,000 Kenyan households out of extreme poverty between 2008 and 2014, including facilitating cash transfers, saving and access to microcredit. Many women, in particular, have used M-Pesa to create small businesses and gain economic autonomy.
The Case of Togo: When AI Helps to Target Emergency Aid
Beyond the private sector, African governments are also beginning to integrate emerging technologies into their social policies. The Novissi program, launched by the Togolese government in 2020, is a striking example. Using satellite data and artificial intelligence models, this program has automatically targeted the most vulnerable populations without requiring them to register manually.
Recipients received money transfers directly to their phones through the mobile money system. This device, deployed in a few weeks, helped more than 500,000 people affected by the COVID-19 crisis while limiting fraud and bureaucratic delays.
An Opportunity To Transform the Fight Against Poverty
The emergence of technology hubs, social incubators and public-private partnerships across Africa shows the potential. Organizations like the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and private foundations actively support this inclusive digital transition.
Emerging technologies alone cannot eradicate poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, but in a context where traditional solutions are reaching their limits, they represent a powerful lever to strengthen resilience, promote empowerment and improve access to basic services. In sub-Saharan Africa, they empower millions of marginalized people to build a more just, dignified and sustainable future.
– Eléonore Bonnaterre
Photo: Flickr
Decolonial Aid: A Different Approach to Humanitarian Work
What is Decolonial Aid?
Decolonial aid refers to the rethinking of humanitarian and development practices by dismantling long-standing colonial structures and assumptions. It challenges the perceived superiority of Western knowledge systems and emphasizes the importance of local expertise, leadership and ownership in shaping aid efforts. According to Peace Direct, decolonial aid involves rejecting colonial ideologies regarding the superiority and privilege of Western thought and approaches.
Efforts to promote locally led aid are not new. At the 2016 Grand Bargain World Humanitarian Summit, donors and humanitarian organizations pledged to direct at least 25% of aid funding to local organizations. However, loopholes have allowed international NGOs (INGOs) with offices in low-income countries to register as local organizations and claim these funds. This limits the intended impact and highlights the need for stronger accountability in aid reform.
Refugee-Led Organizations in Uganda
Uganda hosts the largest refugee population in Africa, with more than 1.6 million people seeking safety from conflicts in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UNHCR, 2024). During the COVID-19 pandemic, many international aid workers left Uganda and Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs) stepped in to meet urgent needs.
These organizations provided essential services such as education, personal protective equipment and mental health support. An example is the African Youth Action Network (AYAN), which promotes economic self-reliance and supports refugee-led political advocacy (AYAN). Another group, the Youth Social Advocacy Team (YSAT), works on peacebuilding and trauma healing among young refugees. These examples reveal that local communities often design the most effective responses to their challenges.
Financial Autonomy for Women in India
Decolonial aid also includes improving financial independence and representation. In India, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) supports female workers in the informal economy, who make up 93% of the national labor force. Despite its contribution, many face systemic barriers and undervaluation. SEWA operates in 18 of India’s 28 states and focuses on self-reliance and full-time employment for women. The union, led by elected representatives, provides services such as health care, legal aid, childcare and financial support. The World Bank reports that in India, families with lower incomes rely more heavily on women’s earnings, making their economic empowerment essential to household well-being
The Challenges of Decolonial Aid
Despite its success, many grassroots organizations face structural challenges. SEWA initially struggled to register as a union due to legal barriers for self-employed women. In Uganda, many RLOs face registration issues because refugee-led groups often lack legal recognition under national law. In addition, many donors remain hesitant to fund smaller organizations, preferring to support INGOs with greater visibility. RLOs and local groups also report being excluded from key decision-making processes, often due to visa restrictions or lack of access to policy information. These ongoing challenges limit the ability of local organizations to fully participate in shaping the systems that affect their communities.
Looking Ahead
To advance decolonial aid, international donors, governments and development agencies can potentially improve transparency, reduce legal and financial barriers and build long-term partnerships with local organizations. Increased investment in grassroots leadership and shared decision-making could enhance the sustainability and relevance of humanitarian responses. By amplifying local voices and prioritizing equity in global aid systems, decolonial aid offers a path toward more just, effective and community-driven development.
– Clodagh Dowson
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Period Poverty: Jameela Jamil’s partnership with Always
Understanding Period Poverty
Every month, more than 2 billion people around the world menstruate. Menstruation – or period – is a natural and healthy process, yet millions of women and girls cannot afford menstrual products or access to safe water and sanitation to manage their menstrual health and hygiene. In many low-income countries, period poverty forces girls to miss school and prevents women from accessing work opportunities. It also sustains stigma surrounding menstruation. This lack of access leads to health complications from unhygienic alternatives and causes long-term economic setbacks for women who cannot fully participate in society.
Role in Advocacy
Jamil has consistently used her voice to spotlight overlooked issues, including menstrual health. Through social media and public appearances, she highlights the hidden struggle of period poverty and stresses the need to treat menstrual care as a basic human right. Her advocacy frames period poverty not just as a product-access issue, but as a symptom of deeper systemic gender inequality. By confronting stigmas and encouraging open dialogue, Jamil helps normalize conversations about menstruation.
Jamil’s Partnership with Always
In partnership with Always, Jamil has helped distribute more than 1 million sanitary pads to girls in underserved communities across Africa, South Asia and Latin America. This effort ensures that fewer girls miss school due to menstruation. The partnership not only delivers immediate relief but also raises global awareness about menstrual equity.
Jamil also pushes for policy reforms to tackle period poverty at the systemic level. She advocates for menstrual equity laws that guarantee free access to sanitary products in schools and public institutions. Countries like Scotland have already passed such laws and Jamil encourages others to follow their lead. Public education campaigns and government-supported programs remain critical to building sustainable change.
Stories from Girls Impacted by Period Poverty
Jamil’s work also amplifies the voices of girls who have lived through period poverty. Many of them have shared how access to menstrual products helped them stay in school, pursue their goals and rebuild their confidence. Their experiences underscore a key truth: when girls receive the resources they need, they gain the power to strengthen their communities and economies.
Looking Ahead
While Jameela Jamil’s partnership with Always has made significant strides, millions of girls and women still face barriers due to menstruation. By supporting grassroots efforts, sharing information and pushing governments to prioritize menstrual health, the global community could help end period poverty for good.
– Divya Beeram
Photo: Flickr
“The Roma Daja”: Improving Roma Maternal Health
Maternal Outcomes and Access Barriers
Around 17.8% of Roma babies are born with low birth weight, more than double the 7.9% rate for non-Roma babies. Infant mortality among Roma children is 10 times higher than among their non-Roma counterparts. Home births remain more common and many women face malnutrition, a lack of health education and social taboos around pregnancy. Many also smoke during pregnancy. Financial instability, cultural barriers and discrimination keep Roma women from accessing prenatal care, a vital factor in improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
A New Solution
In 2023, Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) collaborated with the Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre to launch the guidebook “Roma Daja—Supporting Roma Women During and After Pregnancy.” Roma women wrote the guidebook for other Roma women. Available in English, Romanian, Czech and Slovak, this free resource offers both hard copies and online access across Europe.
Roma health worker Bianca Tanase highlighted the reasons for the guide’s importance: “We also know Roma mothers-to-be are not always getting the right health information, experience language and literacy barriers, fear mistreatment and experience racism and discrimination.” She also noted the lack of basic supplies for Roma babies leaving the maternity hospital, stating, “This reflects that Roma babies are effectively disadvantaged—right from birth.” The guidebook supports Roma women through every stage of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. It also helps health care workers communicate more effectively and respectfully with Roma patients.
Inside “The Roma Daja”
The guidebook includes five sections: Trimester 1, Trimester 2, Trimester 3, Postnatal Stage and Pregnancy Loss. It targets Roma mothers who feel unsure, unwilling or unable to access formal obstetric care.
“Roma Daja” outlines lifestyle adjustments that support healthy pregnancies. It uses visuals and clear explanations to identify substances to avoid. A 2023 study found that 76% of Roma women continue smoking during pregnancy—a result of the widespread lack of maternal health education. Smoking increases the risk of complications for both mother and baby. In 2009, researchers observed poor nutrition among Roma mothers. This often leads to premature births or low birth weight. The guidebook emphasizes the importance of proper diet and nourishment during both pregnancy and breastfeeding, aiming to close the education gap and improve outcomes.
Establishing Trust
Many Roma women avoid prenatal checkups due to language barriers, low literacy and previous experiences with discrimination. “Roma Daja” helps build trust by explaining what happens during checkups and clarifying common obstetric terms such as gestational diabetes, caesarean sections and epidurals. Understanding medical language enables Roma women to make informed decisions and engage more confidently with health care services.
Preventing Complications
Without proper counseling, women risk overlooking warning signs during pregnancy. “Roma Daja” outlines symptoms to watch for, including COVID-19 symptoms, fever, bleeding, stomach pain and changes in baby movement. The postnatal section discusses common issues such as colic, jaundice and the importance of vaccinations. At the same time, the guidebook reassures mothers about normal symptoms like nausea, soreness and weight gain throughout pregnancy.
A Better Future for Roma Maternal Health
“Roma Daja—Supporting Roma Women During and After Pregnancy” fills a critical gap in Roma maternal health education. The guide empowers Roma women to make informed health decisions, which can reduce pre-term births, low birth weight and infant mortality. As more Roma communities gain access to this resource, maternal health outcomes have the potential to improve dramatically.
– Helen Cusick
Photo: Flickr
The Pioneership of Renewable Energy in Turkmenistan
Greening Turkmenistan’s Electricity Sector
The state power corporation Turkmenenergo is responsible for the management of urban and rural electrification, and one can trace the successes of its efforts back to 1913, with the establishment of the first electric power plant for the Turkmen population. Until 1957, small isolated power plants and diesel-based stations primarily supplied electric energy to consumers.
By 1979, Turkmenenergo achieved complete centralization of power in rural areas, reducing energy poverty and integrating renewables into the grid. In 1993, initiatives to enhance social welfare led to the provision of free electricity to the population prioritizing fulfilling energy satisfaction domestically. Additionally, Turkmenistan has increased electricity exports to neighboring countries like Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey, with a renewable sources powering a growing share.
Current Strategy
The development of a Public Outreach Strategy on Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency powers Turkmenistan’s transition to green electrification. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded the strategy, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implemented it.
The outreach strategy aims to raise public awareness about the benefits of renewable energy in Turkmenistan and to harness the country’s substantial solar energy potential. Given more than 300 sunny days annually, amounting to 2,774 hours of variable sunshine throughout the country, there is a significant interest in tapping into solar energy. By investing in outreach and infrastructure, Turkmenistan is actively integrating renewables into its grid, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and striving to meet its Net Zero targets by 2030.
Energy Accessibility
The government is undertaking efforts to construct and reconstruct electric networks in accordance with the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov Development Programme, prioritizing energy accessibility in towns and villages. Leveraging the existing renewable energy potential will ensure a more consistent flow of centralized renewable electricity in Ashgabat, and this shift will reduce dependency on outdated modes of electrification based on traditional fossil fuels in Ashkhabad, Akhal and Abadan power plants.
The acceleration of renewable energy in Turkmenistan is integral for its economic, political and cultural development. Investing in green energy would help Turkmenistan mitigate energy poverty, and offer a more reliable and sustainable power supply. Indeed, studies have widely confirmed that increased consumption of renewable energy will accelerate emissions reduction and accelerate energy efficiency and conservation. Given this context, the acceleration of renewable energy in Turkmenistan directly supports efforts to promote sustainable environments that will facilitate urban growth by minimizing harmful externalities like air pollution and emissions.
The Turkmen Government’s Projects
The efforts of the Turkmen government have significantly alleviated energy poverty levels, reaching remote and hard-to-reach areas. The country has laid out projects to actively extend electrification from grids harnessed by renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to supply electricity to settlements located on the outskirts of the country.
One notable project involves the construction of a 10-megawatt hybrid solar-wind power plant in the Serdar district of the Balkan province, near the Altyn Asyr Turkmen Lake. This facility aims to provide a reliable power supply to newly established settlements in the vicinity, enhancing energy accessibility and supporting the socio-economic development here. Furthermore, the construction of these cost-effective alternative green energy facilities that do not contribute to environmental damage, ensures the implementation of all state goals envisioning sustainability and growth.
Additional Development Projects
Turkmenistan is actively seeking international cooperation to enhance its renewable share in the energy sector. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to provide technical assistance for integrating renewable-based solutions to support the country’s green transformation. These initiatives include developing solar energy roadmaps and launching pilot urban solar power plants, leading to diversification of the economic and energy landscape alongside environmental sustainability.
Furthermore, Turkmenistan has launched a collaborative project with the European Union titled EU for Turkmenistan’s Green Development: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action 2024-2028. This initiative would focus on promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, including measures to limit and cap harmful gaseous emissions.
Looking Ahead
The commitment to attain renewable energy in Turkmenistan is evident through the joint practical steps undertaken through its strategies and international collaborations. By focusing on sustainable development and energy efficiency, the country is paving the way towards a greener future, which will benefit both its citizens and the broader region.
– Tanisha Bhattacharyya
Photo: Unsplash
Child Sponsorships in Malaysia
Child sponsorship is a charitable practice that allows individuals to provide financial support to a child, often in a developing country. Programs like these can lead to improvements in health and opportunities. The children get basic needs that they usually do not have; this breaks them out of a cycle of poverty and offers a flourishing future ahead. They foster so much support from their sponsor family by gaining clean water, nutritious food, and access to a proper education. For a child living in poverty in Malaysia, these organizations can greatly improve the quality of their lives with long-term support. These are the top child sponsorships in Malaysia.
Dignity For Children
Dignity for Children Foundation is an NGO that targets undereducated, poor children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The initiative began in 1998, and its learning center now has more than 2,000 students ranging from 4-19 years old and began with only 20.
Its numerous support programs, varying from lessons in agriculture to creating businesses for underprivileged kids, lay the foundation for a participant’s successful future. Sponsoring a child is how the organization runs, providing them with its abundant amenities. Since the beginning of Dignity for Children, the organization has helped change 12,000 lives by setting up a future that was seemingly impossible for these children.
World Vision Malaysia
World Vision Malaysia has granted 80,000 people clean water and improved literacy among 15,000 children. The impacts of sponsoring a child are interwoven into the program, revealing how a sponsored 8-year-old girl made it to university and how a little boy living through the aftermath of the Korean War became a sponsor after being sponsored. Indeed, these compelling efforts deservedly placed World Vision as one of the top child sponsorships in Malaysia.
BRCR Malaysia
The BRDB Rotary Children’s Residence (BRCR) in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, is a long-term care facility dedicated to supporting underprivileged and at-risk children in Malaysia. Established through a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur Diraja and BRDB, BRCR provides a safe, multiracial, and multicultural home for children, emphasizing character development, education, and life skills. The residence currently cares for 65 children and relies entirely on public donations to sustain its operations.
The BRCR’s Sponsor A Child (SAC) program, launched in 2020, supports the most vulnerable children by providing them with full-time child protection, counselling and nutritious meals. The organization focuses on nurturing children until they reach employment. Contribution to the program gives a child a second chance in life.
Child Sponsorships in Malaysia
Individually, each of the top child sponsorships in Malaysia provides essentials for underprivileged children that might have never received them if it were not for these programs. World Vision Malaysia, Dignity for Children and BRCR all empower children intellectually through improved access to healthcare and education. They gain external support that they weren’t born with, and create an unbreakable bond between the sponsor and child.
– Kassandra Ticas
Photo: Flickr
Female Education in Cambodia: The Harpswell Foundation
Harpswell Building a Future in Cambodia
Founded in 2005, the Harpswell Foundation “seeks to bring about positive social change in Southeast Asia through the action and equal participation of women.” Whilst the foundation has a global reach, the majority of its good work comes in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh. Harpswell have been responsible for building Cambodia’s first university dormitory for women and subsequently built a second within Phnom Penh in 2009.
Together, these dormitories can accommodate 76 female students from different universities across the city, with each facility coming with both a library and computer room – crucial amenities for student life. These dormitories come in a city where female students struggle to attain accommodation, which places further burden and stress on them. Therefore, it affects their studies. Through improving the infrastructure in place for the women of Cambodia, the work of Harpswell helps create a society in which women can both have freedom of ambition and freedom to learn.
The foundation’s reach does not just stop at improving infrastructure, but also seeks to educate. Women who enrol on Harpswell’s dormitories learn important skills through the foundation’s leadership program. This program enables “international women with university degrees” to stay at the dormitories to help teach, mentor, support and collaborate with residents. Leadership Residents teach weekly core curriculum classes, facilitate critical thinking classes and also help their Cambodian counterparts with preparation for class. Through the experience and wisdom of international graduates, Harpswell helps to teach female students in Cambodia crucial life skills, “ensuring graduates are proficient in English and digital literacy.”
Harpswell: Going Global
The foundation has established a scheme in which two to three exemplary graduates receive scholarships to study in the United States for an entire year. This scholarship scheme enables students to travel to another country, enabling them to take in different cultures and ways of life, all whilst pursuing their education. The scholarship program is of great benefit to Cambodia, too, where more than 50% of scholars return to seek graduate degrees.
Along with its scholarship programme, Harpswell also hosts the ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit. This summit occurs on an annual basis, bringing together women aged between 25-35 from the ASEAN countries who have enrolled on a five-month “leadership development and professional networking program.” The summit itself lasts for a week, occurring in Penang, Malaysia. Described as “the only gathering of its kind in the region,” the summit offers women a chance to meet and work with like-minded people.
A Foundation for Change
Through both its domestic and international programmes, Harpswell aims to improve the lives of women in Southeast Asia by providing education and giving women a safe space to learn. This support is crucial in helping to achieve equality in a region where women lag behind their male counterparts in literacy rates. In a time of continual conflict and negativity, the story of the Harpswell Foundation is one of promise and prosperity, especially felt by young women in Cambodia, who dream of a bright and successful career.
– Andrew Nicoll
Photo: Flickr
Updates on SDG 6 in Brazil
Poverty in Brazil
Brazilian poverty is a lasting issue with deep historical roots. The country’s population consists of of 205.3 million people. Despite being one of the largest sights in the world, Brazil’s huge income inequities have left much of its population in poverty. Low accessibility of healthcare and education are factors that explain its widespread levels of poverty. Even if poverty rates vary over time, there are millions of Brazilians who continue to live below the poverty line every day, just trying to meet minimum standards of decent food, housing and personal healthcare. Eradicating poverty in Brazil requires strategy to drive inclusive growth and humanitarian services. Some groups like Afro-Brazilians have limited accessibility in applying to schools and health clinics. Females are prone to discrimination in the working system. As a result, some people are attempting to resolve these issues in Brazil.
Active Measures To Address Energy Poverty
Within the Paraguay-Brazil region, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) joined Itaipu Bi-National in promoting water and energy resource preservation. To further advance Brazil’s agenda towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, the partnership designed a 2030 vision board.
Energy poverty is a very critical problem in Brazil, where a significant number of people have historically lacked access to electricity. Inadequate, reliable energy slows economic development, limits educational achievement and impacts the overall quality of life, particularly in rural and poor communities.
The partnership established sustainable energy solutions in an attempt to build a stronger foundation on better collaboration and speech dialogues to discuss energy connectivity. The plan is also to find any fundamental barriers or obstacles in the incorporation of these sustainability goals. Less helping hands discourages the development of home-based businesses and minimizes access to communication and data technologies, leading to a constant poverty cycle. However, with this partnership, the results should play out in the country’s favor.
The Necessity of Addressing SDG 6 in Brazil
Limited clean water is yet another significant challenge for people in Brazil. Lack of adequate infrastructure, pollution by industry and agriculture and climate change impacts are among the reasons for limited water and water pollution. With no clean sources of water, waterborne disease is more likely to occur, impacting productivity. In 2022, 23.9% of Brazilian citizens endured irregular water stock. One of the most shocking events Brazil experienced was Rio Grande do Sul’s floods in 2024 where several officials reported 54 confirmed cases of waterborne diseases or leptospirosis, causing four sudden deaths. Women and children are more likely to bear the bulk of water collection responsibilities, once again keeping them away from education. Water management improvement and access to clean water programs are critical to Brazilian society’s health and sustainable development.
The Agua Limpa Project
United Nations environmental activist and philanthropist Gisele Bündchen has contributed positively to Brazil through sustainable development of the Agua Limpa Project (Clean Water Project). In 2004, a passionate, nature-driven Bündchen visited the Xingu area of Brazil. As an eyewitness to river pollution, she has pushed for an end to ecological degradation. The project began in 2008, co-founded with Bundchen’s family, and they planted more than 40,000 trees near streams. She oversaw the country’s water quality when managing wildlife’s restoration. Bündchen’s work as a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador in Kenya is another noteworthy aspect of her career. Her influence even extends beyond the publishing of her works, including the New York Times bestseller “Lesson: My Path to a Meaningful Life.” She shares her life experiences from exploring Brazilian lands and how it shaped her mind.
The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation
Sustainability resources have also been accompanied by Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, whose advocacy stands for nations like Brazil, in which they seek available natural resources. DiCaprio promotes conservation efforts through his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation established in 1998. The organization has supported at least 100 and more special projects in 50 countries and has achieved success in increasing international funding for environmental causes, wildland protection, and ocean conservation. The foundation has offered funding grants worth $20 million to around 100 communities fighting for environmental issues like changing weather patterns.
While DiCaprio’s efforts are dedicated to big-time environmental preservation and changing weather, he also spoke out for poverty reduction through the conservation of natural resources upon which most communities base their primary livelihood. For instance, his foundation supports projects that protect forests, whose role in the livelihoods in Brazil is significant. As of today his foundation continues to conduct additional research on specific projects in Brazil that would provide a lasting contribution to poverty alleviation in the nation.
Looking Ahead
Ending poverty and addressing SDG 6 in Brazil requires a special approach that includes promoting access to clean energy, natural resource management and promoting collaborative work between international agencies, governments, and individuals. Initiatives like the UN DESA partnership, Brazil’s development in biofuel and hydropower and the ongoing activism by Giselle Bundchen and Leonardo DiCaprio all play a crucial role in driving Brazil towards an equitable future.
– Janae Bayford
Photo: Unsplash