Poor sanitation, hygiene, overcrowding, medicine shortages and food insecurity are major issues in countries immersed in warfare. Nations such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Libya and the Central African Republic face these issues. Consequently, diseases in war-torn countries are a major concern. Inadequate amounts of safe drinking water and nutritious meals in refugee camps endanger millions of lives. One child dies every 10 minutes due to preventable diseases.
The International Office of Migration recently declared that a rise in the number of individuals in refugee camps is coincident with the increase in the number of diseases in war-torn countries in Africa.
The following diseases are most prevalent among individuals who have been externally and internally displaced:
Malnutrition
Over 400,000 children in African countries under 5 currently suffer from acute malnutrition. Additionally, nearly 2.2 million children in Yemen are also suffering from severe cases of acute malnutrition. Malnutrition can exacerbate and give rise to other diseases, like cholera, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
Consequently, UNICEF is conducting localized vaccination campaigns and nutrition surveillance initiatives to address malnutrition. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working alongside health authorities and other partners to swiftly respond to the risks posed by life-threatening diseases in war-torn countries. Under the WHO, the Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWARS) is aiding in the training of health personnel and surveillance officers. It also assists with the effective detection of massive disease outbreaks.
Cholera
Cholera is growing very common in South Sudan. The Vibrio cholerae bacterium produces a distinct toxin that poisons cells. Once this condition aggravates, it is difficult to absorb water from the gastrointestinal tract. This results in the secretion of large volumes of water.
UNICEF-sponsored clinics are initiating oral-rehydration therapies and distributing water purification tablets to help those impacted.
Malaria
Malaria is becoming especially common among refugee camps along the Turkish-Syria border and many parts of Pakistan. It can culminate in the complete collapse of the body systems. Additionally, children are especially susceptible to this illness.
China has recently transported over 500,000 anti-malaria drugs to South Sudan to combat the threat of malaria. Over 400,000 individuals will benefit from this.
Polio
This disease is still endemic in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polio results in weaknesses in the muscles of the legs and diaphragm and paralysis. Immunization coverage is also quite poor in these places.
However, the Gavi Alliance board is supporting the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) as a way of addressing the humanitarian emergency it poses to refugees and vulnerable civilians. With the help of the Gavi initiative, immunization programs will become more routine and efficient in combatting such diseases in war-torn countries. The cost to extend the project until 2020 is over $250 million. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) currently spearhead the project.
Hepatitis E
This particular infection is essentially a liver disease and is caused by the HEV virus due to the consumption of contaminated food and water. The disease passes through the fecal-oral route. Hepatitis E impacts over 20 million individuals worldwide every year. The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization has been reviewing the state of the disease and the immunogenicity of the vaccine since 2015.
Measles
An estimated of 2.6 million children under the age of 15 are at risk of contracting the disease in Yemen. The majority of women and children have not received vaccinations for more than 2 years. Also known as rubeola, measles can become very ubiquitous during periods of mass-displacement. It is an infectious and contagious disease that results in high fever and challenges to the respiratory system. The current lack of vaccination and immunization schemes is debilitating.
The Global Measles and Rubella Strategic Plan is a 10-year initiative conducted by the WHO and World Health Assembly from 2012 to 2020. It aims to ensure the control and elimination of measles.
Overall, it is vital to counter the risk of diseases in war-torn countries from becoming endemics in refugee camps and war-torn areas. Due to the close proximity in which people live in these zones, diseases and infections can become very widespread. But the current collaborative efforts undertaken by nonprofit and international organizations will go a long way in alleviating the problem.
– Shivani Ekkanath
Photo: Flickr
10 Books About Nonprofits to Change Your Mind
Within the world of nonprofit work, many have incredible stories to share that expand others’ perspectives. Here is a list of books about nonprofits specifically focused on global poverty. Some are about what inspired certain organizations, some about the work that they do and some about behind-the-scenes logistics.
Everyone has a book, movie or song that completely changed the way he or she sees the world. Perhaps it was a particularly inspiring character or a plot that defied imagination. Often the most amazing stories humans tell each other are true.
– Ellen Ray
Photo: Flickr
Water Quality in Austria
Austria is a large European country with a population of more than 8.5 million people. The water quality in Austria is quite good compared to other places around Europe. It is a developed country with infrastructure that allows the nation access to clean drinking water.
The annual precipitation in Austria is around 1,100 mm making it one of the most water-wealthy countries in Europe and around the world. About half of the drinking water in Austria comes from groundwater resources while the other half comes from springs. Water consumption amounts to approximately 135 liters a day per person.
Having clean drinking water is the most important thing a country can have, it is essential for citizens living a healthy lifestyle. Using it for purposes such as showering, washing laundry, sanitation and personal hygiene is essential for allowing a household to run smoothly. Austria has no shortage of that availability.
Austria does not just look toward always improving their water situation, they are looking to help out countries that are still developing and don’t have the access to clean water. The Austrian Development Agency has supported developing countries in their efforts in setting up a water supply that is sustainable and is able to produce clean water. Austria is a country that is powerful enough to help the countries around it and prioritizes giving access to clean water and sanitation to people in Albania, Moldova, Mozambique, Palestine and Uganda. Aid of this nature is something that all developed countries with clean water can do to help out the countries where most live in poverty with no access.
The water quality in Austria is one of the best in the world. Not only are they constantly improving their own water systems, but they are also looking to help out other countries.
– Brendin Axtman
Photo: Flickr
How to Help the Hungry
One of the U.N.’s sustainable development goals for ending poverty by 2030 is to end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The question raised from this information is how to help the hungry? The answer is to support global works that engage in local communities and advocate for hunger-related issues.
Below are six ways to participate in the reduction of global hunger.
Being more conscious of eating habits and not overbuying can ensure food does not go to waste. Buying produce at a local farmer’s market that may be thrown out because of their size, shape, or color can also prevent food from going to waste. One can also volunteer with a local gleaning group to pick up fruit and vegetables thrown away.
Shopping at local farmer’s markets can also improve an individual’s local economy. Many people earn their income by running local businesses, and by supporting them, one can help keep people employed and assist them in making a living.
Since most food banks serve ready-to-eat foods, one can host a food drive in their local community. After the drive is over, the donated food such as canned or shelf-stable foods then has the potential to feed the hungry. One can also give money to food banks and other nonprofits that fight hunger on top as being a volunteer.
By electing officials who support ending hunger and contacting Congress, one can increase their country’s involvement in efforts fighting global hunger. Phone calls, sending emails, and letters to ones elected officials can also influence the national agenda. Once elected representatives begin to understand constituents care about ending global hunger, accomplishing this change is possible.
One can help the hungry by supporting hunger-related issues in their community and finding out how they can help. Through advocacy, one can create an informed public who will join the fight to end hunger.
According to the U.N., “A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish today’s 795 million hungry and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050.”
– Sarah Dunlap
Photo: Flickr
Facts and Figures in Uganda
Poverty reduction efforts depend on data. To improve lives in Uganda, it is important to know the facts and figures in Uganda that affect the population every day.
Commonly referred to as “the Pearl of Africa,” Uganda has a population of approximately 39 million people and borders Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. The following are important facts and figures in Uganda:
Many of these facts and figures in Uganda have improved over the years as Uganda has worked to meet Millennium Development Goals. For example, the United Nations reported that the percent of the rural population with access to improved drinking water increased from 52 percent in 2001/02 to 72 percent in 2012/13 and most recently to 79 percent. In addition, the country has reduced income poverty by two-thirds, an accomplishment that was five years ahead of schedule. But, Uganda is not stopping there; the country still has the opportunity and plans to make many more strides to aid poverty-reduction efforts.
– Francesca Montalto
Photo: Flickr
Ghana’s Groundwater, USAID and Coca-Cola
The Water and Development Alliance (WADA), a water management program designed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Coca-Cola, provides communities in Latin America, Middle East, Asia, and Africa with safe water access and sanitation. Since its conception in 2005, WADA has implemented 35 projects. After 10 years, WADA provided 600,000 people with reformed water access and 250,000 people with improved sanitation.
Between 2005 and 2014, WADA reached Uganda, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, and Ghana. WADA engages with these communities with several objectives. First, they establish participatory, sustainable water and watershed resources management to benefit people and ecosystems. Second, they increase access to community water supply and sanitation services. Third, WADA fosters improved behaviors and sanitation hygiene for positive health impacts. Finally, they promote efficient and sustainable productive use for water to protect the environment and provide economic benefits to communities.
WADA’s work in Ghana is a perfect example of the program’s endeavors. Ghana’s groundwater is the primary source of water for small rural towns, and it also has exceptionally high concentrations of fluoride. Fluoride affects calcium’s strength in the human body, a reaction that children are susceptible to. The reaction threatens the development of tooth enamel, resulting in decay, discoloration and severe pitting. The high fluoride content in Ghana’s groundwater is particularly dangerous for children. According to Water.org, “seventy percent of all diseases in Ghana are caused by unsafe water and sanitation.” The program directly improved water access for 4,000 families.
WADA also reformed five schools in Ghana’s Sekondi/ Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly. Schools often lack clean water for handwashing and latrines to properly dispose of waste. The program trained more than 40 teachers on hygiene behaviors and latrine facility maintenance. Furthermore, it created school hygiene clubs, installed 40 handwashing stations and 7 latrines. The project serviced approximately 5,400 students with safe water access and sanitation. Since 2007, WADA has serviced 8,000 schoolchildren.
Through the Water and Development Alliance, USAID and Coca-Cola has successfully changed thousands of lives around the world. This organization is a perfect example of how corporations and aid organizations can work together in order to reduce global poverty. Hopefully, other alliances such as this one can continue to improve the state of the world.
– Tiffany Santos
Photo: Flickr
Top Water Quality in Switzerland
Switzerland is one of the more well-known countries in Europe that has a population of just over eight million people in 2015. There have been some issues in the past, but over the last 30 years, the water quality in Switzerland has improved big time. The chemical levels have fallen over the years and it has become some of the safest water to drink and interact with in Europe.
The water has been the subject of some very strict rules and standards over the years. There is a lot of water that is available and the water quality does change from region to region within the country. There is bottled water available to the citizens, yet the tap water is considered superior to the bottled water available. Around the world, it is rare for tap water to be considered better than bottled water.
The water quality in Switzerland has risen extensively over the years. With new wastewater treatments, as well as treatments across the board on all water quality, there have been massive reductions in the amount of water that is contaminated across the country. The lakes have been some of the most contaminated waters in the country with a lot of pollution and chemicals within the waters. It has now become very safe to drink from and swim in whereas in the past it was not.
Switzerland has a lot of reserves to fall back on, which differs from a lot of countries around Europe and around the world. Switzerland has about 100 different lakes within the country that provide a lot of reserves of water and the ever-improving water quality of these lakes has helped the overall quality in the country. Just 2% of the annual rainfall makes it back into the process of purifying and getting the water right to make it safe to drink.
The phosphorous levels in all of the major lakes and rivers in Switzerland have dropped off significantly from 1980. The majority of the bodies of water in 1980 were between 100 and 200. Today, they are all below 100. There are other contaminants finding their way into the waters that have officials more worried than what has been problematic over the years.
The water has become safer and safer over the years in Switzerland. They have become a country to look at and see how it has improved its situation with pollution and contaminants and overcame inadequate water.
– Brendin Axtman
Photo: Google
Mall for Africa App Brings E-Retailers to African Consumers
Mall for Africa is a patent-pending app, payment system, web service and platform that allows people from African nations to buy from U.S.- and U.K.-based e-commerce sites. This opens up local populations in Africa to products and stores they might not have access to otherwise. The app and site provide secure logins, delivery and accept local payment methods. Since its inception, Mall for Africa has joined forces with other companies and expanded its brand to give African shoppers even more options.
Chris Folayan is the CEO and founder of Mall for Africa. While studying for a business degree in marketing at San Jose State University, his family in Nigeria would send him detailed lists of things they wanted him to bring them when he visited. He started the business after he couldn’t board a plane because he had too much luggage with him. He recognized the demand and developed an app to bridge the gap.
The company works by shipping through the app and absorbing all the risks U.S. and U.K. e-retailers are wary of. The app takes care of payments in various currencies, security concerns and fraud, charge-backs, delivery confirmations and customs clearing. As a result, popular companies and brands —Amazon, eBay, Macy’s, Apple, Zara just to name a few—are now shipping to African countries.
Additionally, individuals can use the app for more than entertainment and commodities. In an interview with How We Made It In Africa, Folayan explains that it is also a tool of empowerment for the African people. It is how some schools get textbooks, computers and other supplies necessary for the academic year. Hospitals have ordered equipment that used to be unavailable to them. People have even started their own businesses now that they can gather the items they need.
Folayan went on to say that international brands are recognizing that the African consumer base is invaluable. This puts these consumers in a position to request stores to stock African brands. If this becomes the case, African designers will be able to use Mall for Africa to sell their goods abroad.
Since its humble beginnings in 2012, Mall for Africa has grown exponentially. GroceryDirect and FashionDirect connect African consumers to even more products and goods. These services are both powered by Mall for Africa. Even with these expansions, Folayan sees room for improvement in the app. Currently, it is available to people living in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. However, the founder hopes to include other countries in the future.
– Jada Haynes
Photo: Google
Top Diseases in Haiti
Before the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, 80% of Haitians already lived below the poverty line, and 54% of the natives lived in poverty. Already an economically struggling country, the earthquake shattered what little financial support it had by creating $8.5 billion in destruction. According to the Inter-American Development Bank, Haiti’s gross domestic product decreased to 5.1% and destroyed 106,000 homes while damaging another 188,383 homes.
While the effects of the earthquake still linger, diseases in Haiti are still one of the most prominent causes of death in the nation. Tuberculosis has proven to be one of the most detrimental diseases in Haiti, with two million people dying each year due to the disease, and another 8.4 million contracting the disease. USAID notes that Haiti is among the highest per capita recipients of tuberculosis in the Latin America and Caribbean region, and has become one of the most infectious causes of mortality in both children and young adults with a recorded 6,814 deaths in 2007. EMBO reports that fewer than half of the tuberculosis cases are diagnosed, and of those diagnosed, only 30% have access to treatable care.
USAID notes that Haiti is among the highest per capita recipients of tuberculosis in the Latin America and Caribbean region, and has become one of the most infectious causes of mortality in both children and young adults with a recorded 6,814 deaths in 2007. The European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) reports that fewer than half of the tuberculosis cases are diagnosed, and of those diagnosed, only 30% have access to treatable care. EMBO suggests that the rate of tuberculosis in Haiti is largely in part of the expansion of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. HIV/AIDS has also been one of the deadly diseases in Haiti, proving to be the cause of death for three million residents of Haiti per year. Of those who are diagnosed with HIV/Aids, one-third died of tuberculosis.
EMBO suggests that the rate of tuberculosis in Haiti is largely in part of the expansion of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. HIV/AIDS has also been one of the deadly diseases in Haiti, proving to be the cause of death for three million residents of Haiti per year. Of those who are diagnosed with HIV/Aids, one-third died of tuberculosis.
Diseases in Haiti are also highly contracted from mosquito bites that in turn become vector-borne diseases. One of the most common vector-borne diseases is malaria, which impacts 1,278 residents out every 100,000 people annually. Another disease in Haiti that is notably less common is Chikungunya. The virus transmission was first reported in Haiti in May 2014, and infects 627 Haitians per 100,000. Cholera is the last example of vector-borne diseases in Haiti. It severely broke out following the earthquake in 2010, causing 700,000 cases of illness and 8,500 deaths last year. In 2014, 27,750 residents of Haiti reported having cholera, 296 deaths resulted from the disease.
Cholera is the last example of vector-borne diseases in Haiti. It severely broke out following the earthquake in 2010, causing 700,000 cases of illness and 8,500 deaths last year. In 2014, 27,750 residents of Haiti reported having cholera, 296 deaths resulted from the disease.
There are strong efforts to reduce diseases in Haiti through a variety of health programs. One of the health programs in Haiti is Partners in Health, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Partners in Health has made significant strides in integrating a “four pillars of health” system. This includes voluntary HIV counseling and testing in primary healthcare, maternal health services and tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment while providing healthcare from a humans rights approach and using paid community health workers to accompany patients with their chronic disease.
The work of Partners for Health has made a drastic and positive impact on HIV/AIDS prevention. Through the Partners for Health, a survey conducted off treatment approaches proved that 59 of 60 patients responded favorably to the treatment, providing hope for the future.
Overall, diseases in Haiti are still very prominent and remain a global issue for humanitarians. That said, programs such as Partners for Health are making a tremendous effort in reducing the rise of diseases in Haiti.
– Patrick Greeley
Photo: Flickr
Common Diseases in Jamaica
Over the years, diseases in Jamaica have been exposed as well as evolved. These diseases have been tracked and analyzed and placed in a data chart to keep the residents and travelers informed. A common informer is the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
The information it provides is updated every year, and as of this year, the CDC has provided information on recent common diseases in Jamaica. The list it has provided includes hepatitis A and B, typhoid, yellow fever and the most recent cases of the Zika virus.
Hepatitis A may be caught throughout the country, through contaminated water and food. Hepatitis B through contaminated needles or blood product. While hepatitis A may be cleared in a week or so, hepatitis B is highly infectious.
Typhoid can also be caused by contaminated water and food in Jamaica. The disease is transmitted orally, when someone with poor body hygiene may infect the food and water being served.
Yellow fever is a virus spread when bitten by an Aedes mosquito but cannot be spread from person to person. Symptoms may disappear after a week, but there may be cases in which symptoms go into the toxic third phase.
The Zika virus is a hazard in Jamaica and is the first thing presented in the health information section of the CDC website. The Zika virus is a disease in Jamaica that is also spread by mosquitoes. When people are bitten by these mosquitoes, they are infected and other people may be infected by human contact.
The risk is most dangerous in pregnant women and women who are trying to get pregnant. The infection in these women may cause birth defects. The Centers for Disease Control strongly recommends pregnant women not to travel, being extra cautious if they do, and using condoms during intercourse.
These common diseases in Jamaica are being analyzed as cases come in. The information brought forth will make travelers and residents more safe and aware.
– Brandi Gomez
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Common Diseases in War-Torn Countries
Poor sanitation, hygiene, overcrowding, medicine shortages and food insecurity are major issues in countries immersed in warfare. Nations such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia, Libya and the Central African Republic face these issues. Consequently, diseases in war-torn countries are a major concern. Inadequate amounts of safe drinking water and nutritious meals in refugee camps endanger millions of lives. One child dies every 10 minutes due to preventable diseases.
The International Office of Migration recently declared that a rise in the number of individuals in refugee camps is coincident with the increase in the number of diseases in war-torn countries in Africa.
The following diseases are most prevalent among individuals who have been externally and internally displaced:
Malnutrition
Over 400,000 children in African countries under 5 currently suffer from acute malnutrition. Additionally, nearly 2.2 million children in Yemen are also suffering from severe cases of acute malnutrition. Malnutrition can exacerbate and give rise to other diseases, like cholera, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
Consequently, UNICEF is conducting localized vaccination campaigns and nutrition surveillance initiatives to address malnutrition. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working alongside health authorities and other partners to swiftly respond to the risks posed by life-threatening diseases in war-torn countries. Under the WHO, the Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWARS) is aiding in the training of health personnel and surveillance officers. It also assists with the effective detection of massive disease outbreaks.
Cholera
Cholera is growing very common in South Sudan. The Vibrio cholerae bacterium produces a distinct toxin that poisons cells. Once this condition aggravates, it is difficult to absorb water from the gastrointestinal tract. This results in the secretion of large volumes of water.
UNICEF-sponsored clinics are initiating oral-rehydration therapies and distributing water purification tablets to help those impacted.
Malaria
Malaria is becoming especially common among refugee camps along the Turkish-Syria border and many parts of Pakistan. It can culminate in the complete collapse of the body systems. Additionally, children are especially susceptible to this illness.
China has recently transported over 500,000 anti-malaria drugs to South Sudan to combat the threat of malaria. Over 400,000 individuals will benefit from this.
Polio
This disease is still endemic in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Polio results in weaknesses in the muscles of the legs and diaphragm and paralysis. Immunization coverage is also quite poor in these places.
However, the Gavi Alliance board is supporting the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) as a way of addressing the humanitarian emergency it poses to refugees and vulnerable civilians. With the help of the Gavi initiative, immunization programs will become more routine and efficient in combatting such diseases in war-torn countries. The cost to extend the project until 2020 is over $250 million. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) currently spearhead the project.
Hepatitis E
This particular infection is essentially a liver disease and is caused by the HEV virus due to the consumption of contaminated food and water. The disease passes through the fecal-oral route. Hepatitis E impacts over 20 million individuals worldwide every year. The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization has been reviewing the state of the disease and the immunogenicity of the vaccine since 2015.
Measles
An estimated of 2.6 million children under the age of 15 are at risk of contracting the disease in Yemen. The majority of women and children have not received vaccinations for more than 2 years. Also known as rubeola, measles can become very ubiquitous during periods of mass-displacement. It is an infectious and contagious disease that results in high fever and challenges to the respiratory system. The current lack of vaccination and immunization schemes is debilitating.
The Global Measles and Rubella Strategic Plan is a 10-year initiative conducted by the WHO and World Health Assembly from 2012 to 2020. It aims to ensure the control and elimination of measles.
Overall, it is vital to counter the risk of diseases in war-torn countries from becoming endemics in refugee camps and war-torn areas. Due to the close proximity in which people live in these zones, diseases and infections can become very widespread. But the current collaborative efforts undertaken by nonprofit and international organizations will go a long way in alleviating the problem.
– Shivani Ekkanath
Photo: Flickr