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How to Provide Access to Clean Water In Innovative Ways


One in nine people worldwide have little access to clean water, and, in developing countries, 80 percent of illnesses stem from unclean water and lack of sanitation. Water is the most integral component required to sustain human life, and in 2010, the United Nations General Assembly recognized clean drinking water and sanitation as an essential human right. Here are five innovative new ways organizations and people are working on the problem of how to provide access to clean water throughout the world:

The OmniProcessor

Invented by Peter Janicki and his team at Janicki BioEnergy, the OmniProcessor is a machine that can convert 14 tons of sewage into water and electricity. The OmniProcessor can have an enormous impact on the two billion people on the planet who cannot properly dispose of waste. This waste eventually makes its way into water sources, which contaminates it and can spread diseases such as cholera and dysentery. The OmniProcessor solves both problems with one machine. Bill Gates, whose foundation gave Janicki a grant to research the OmniProcessor once stated, “If you can get thousands of these things out there, then you have ensured the people will grow up healthily.”

The SaTo Pan

This innovative toilet, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is an alternative to open defecation, and a game-changer when looking at the problem of how to provide access to clean water. The toilet is made of plastic and thus is much more affordable that other restroom alternatives.  The toilet works by closing off the pit latrine from the open air and reducing the amount of water needed to flush waste. This simple but inventive SaTo pan (the name is derived from “Safe Toilet”) prevents water from being contaminated by waste left behind by open defecation and is a sure step in the journey to provide clean water access to all.

SODIS

SODIS (Solar Water Disinfection) is a method ideal for purifying water in developing countries. All one has to do is take a clear plastic bottle, fill it with clear water and set it out in the sun for six hours or more. The UV rays in the sunlight hitting the bottles will kill viruses, bacteria and parasites that may contaminate the water, making it clean and safe to drink. SODIS is an easy, safe and inexpensive method which makes it ideal for the world’s poor.

Microloans

Another solution for the problem of how to provide access to clean water is to empower the people searching for access. Microloans are a way of doing just this, providing small loans to people who otherwise would not be approved for loans at all. According to a study done by A. M. Muazam Husain, “microcredit loans provided to women in Bangladesh increased the presence of latrines in their households from nine to 26 percent over three years.” When given the opportunity, people without clean water and proper sanitation, especially women in families with children to look after, actively seek it out.  This kind of change is sustainable because it teaches individuals to solve their problems without the help of outsiders.

The Water Project

The Water Project is an innovative non-profit that does on-the-ground work in sub-Saharan Africa to build wells, dams and systems to catch rainwater. They collaborate with in-country teams to ensure that the services they are providing are needed and sustainable.  They also regularly check in on projects they have sponsored to ensure they are going well. Anyone can contribute to the water project simply by raising awareness, fundraising or sponsoring an entire project. These sorts of organizations are an integral part of broadening access to clean water in the developing world.

In the past ten years, the world has made leaps and bounds in how to provide access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Moreover, with more investment in research, an increase in aid to nonprofit organizations and a continued commitment to finding innovative solutions to the lack of water, access to clean water is sure to become a certainty for every single person in the world.

– Adesuwa Agbonile

Photo: Flickr

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10 Important Facts About Refugees in Slovenia

Slovenia Refugees
Although small in size and population, Slovenia is a gateway to Central Europe for millions of migrants. Slovenia borders the countries of Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Italy, making it an ideal stomping ground for millions of refugees traveling north. Slovenia is also a member of the European Union (EU), which is idyllic for migrants seeking freedom and access to the western world. These 10 facts about refugees in Slovenia show how dire the situation has become.

10 Facts About Refugees in Slovenia

  1. The years 2015 and 2016 saw a sizable increase in refugees traveling through Slovenia to reach other countries in the European Union. The total number of immigrants who traveled to Slovenia in 2015 was 15,420. This was an 11 percent increase from the previous year.
  2. Slovenia is a country with moderate poverty rates for the region. Overall, 13.9 percent of citizens live at or below the poverty line. As you move closer to the various border countries, this percentage increases. The shared border with Croatia has a 17.3 percent poverty rate, representing the thousands of refugees crossing over into Slovenia.
  3. October of 2015 saw the largest peak in refugees entering the country, with 66,353 entering the country in that month alone.
  4. As a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area, Slovenia is an ideal state for refugees. Individuals are able to move freely between countries in the Schengen Area.
  5. Syria has consistently been the country represented most with refugees in Slovenia. Forty-five percent of refugees in Slovenia immigrated from Syria.
  6. To date, twelve other countries have contributed police force officials to assist with the refugee crisis in Slovenia.
  7. Medical care is offered at reception and accommodation centers across Slovenia. Refugees are offered preventative physical exams and urgent care. This is all included in the federal budget of Slovenia.
  8. The European Commission provided Slovenia 10.17 million euros to help supply more officials on the border with Croatia and to improve reception centers for refugees.
  9. Every day, there are more than 400 volunteers from nonprofits, humanitarian organizations and other assistance agencies who work at various refugee camps across Slovenia to provide food and care.
  10. By simply stating that they are seeking asylum, refugees are immediately taken care of by government officials and a set of procedures is followed. This includes fingerprinting the individual to deduce whether or not they have requested asylum in a country before. This procedure is internationally known as the Dublin procedure.

A small Balkan country with various minorities, Slovenia is doing all they can to help traveling refugees. These facts about refugees in Slovenia show the lengths that the Slovenian government is going to in order to assist refugees seeking security and freedom. Although the number of migrants has declined with the closure of borders, the Slovenians are still willing to help those seeking a brighter future.

– Sophie Casimes

Photo: Flickr

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Why Is Syria Poor?

In 2007, 35 percent of Syrians lived at or below the international poverty line. As of 2017, that number lies above 80 percent. Why is Syria poor so suddenly? A large reason for this rise is the Syrian civil war, which started in 2011 sparked by pro-democracy protests and rebel forces that formed to fight the government forces led by Syria’s president. Discussed are there reasons for the rapid acceleration of poverty in Syria.

Top 6 Explanations for Syrian Poverty

  1. Inflation: Currency inflation in Syria was at 51.1 percent in August 2016 after reaching an all-time high of 121.29 percent in August 2014. When the Syrian government began running out of money due to the high cost of war, it printed more and more money to pay their debt. When asking, “Why is Syria poor?” inflation is an inevitable answer. It makes cash lose much of its value, and, as a result, millions of people in Syria have lost their life savings. Businesses have had to close because it is impossible to trade with foreign markets, and food prices have become unaffordable. This means less overall economic security for the Syrian people.
  2. Healthcare: The civil war has decimated healthcare infrastructure in Syria over the past six years. In 2016 alone there were almost 200 attacks on healthcare providers, and forces on both sides have prevented citizens from accessing healthcare as a war tactic. Because of this, diseases such as typhoid, tuberculosis and cholera are becoming endemic again in Syria. Poverty is inextricably tied to healthcare access, and, when a country’s public health system begins to fail, it is much more difficult for people to escape poverty.
  3. Unemployment: Largely due to inflation, many Syrian businesses and industries have closed. Over 50 percent of the labor force is currently unemployed. This creates massive economic insecurity for millions of Syrians Without money, most are unable to access basic human needs such as food, water and shelter. Why is Syria poor? A large reason is a lack of employment opportunities.
  4. Infrastructure: Much of Syria’s basic infrastructure has been lost because of the war. According to the United Nations Development Program, “the supply of electricity and water [in Syria] is unpredictable and major roads are impassable due to destruction or fighting…All of this has aggravated the socio-economic plight of the population.” This lack of infrastructure in Syria greatly increases the vulnerability of the poor.
  5. Education: Fifty percent of Syrian children no longer attend school, and almost half have lost up to three years of schooling. In addition, many school buildings have been destroyed. Education is one of the surest ways out of poverty, so without reliable access to education, many Syrian children are becoming a “lost generation” trapped in a cycle of poverty.
  6. Fleeing Refugees: There are nearly five million Syrians officially registered as refugees. This hurts Syria’s economy as labor flows out of the country, which in turn hurts people in Syria who are already impoverished. The unwillingness of many countries to welcome Syrian refugees further hurts people who are still in Syria because it means refugees are unable to send money to their families.

While it can be easy to get swept up in the ugliness of war, it is important to remember the human stories underneath it and recognize that the answers to the question “why is Syria poor?” present solutions. Organizations such as the UNDP currently have boots on the ground in Syria and are working to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. In 201,6 UNDP implemented 199 local projects that helped more than 2.5 million Syrians. The World Food Programme provides emergency food assistance to 4.5 million people each month. One person can make a difference and help fight poverty in Syria, simply by calling his or her representatives and encouraging them to support legislation that accepts more refugees or provides more funding for international aid. All of these things are steps towards a less poor Syria. And so perhaps the true question is not “why is Syria poor?” but “how can I help?”

– Adesuwa Agbonile

Photo: Flickr

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5 Organizations Fighting Famine in East Africa


According to U.N. Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Stephen O’Brien, the world faces its worst humanitarian crisis since World War II in the current famine affecting certain African and Middle Eastern countries. More than 20 million people in Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and Nigeria are facing severe starvation and malnutrition. In addition to the U.N.’s push to mobilize aid to these countries, smaller organizations have made a concentrated effort to fight famine in East Africa.

5 Organizations Fighting Famine in East Africa

  1. Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) is a nonprofit organization focused on fighting global starvation, annually producing more than a million meals that are shipped to impoverished countries. FMSC operates in several locations around the Twin Cities, hosting volunteer meal preparation shifts six days a week. The current East African crisis has prompted FMSC to increase its efforts. The organization now aims to produce an additional 10 million meals to reduce starvation in Somalia.
  2. The Léger Foundation has been combatting global poverty and social exclusion for over 65 years. In June 2017, it joined Canada’s growing Famine Relief Fund, which focuses on providing aid to the millions of Africans affected by the famine. While currently responding to humanitarian demand in Cameroon, The Léger Foundation is expanding outreach to other countries afflicted by the famine including Nigeria and South Sudan. As a new member of the Famine Relief Fund, the foundation will see its donations doubled by Canada’s government through the end of June to support famine relief.
  3. SOS Children’s Villages is another member of the Famine Relief Fund dedicated to fighting famine in East Africa. SOS traditionally operates as a nonprofit centered on providing homes for orphaned and abandoned children and has built more than 550 children’s villages. These provide children with food, shelter, education and a family life. The recent famine has prompted SOS Children’s Villages to shift its focus to East Africa. Fundraising efforts are now aimed at alleviating food shortages caused by drought and subsequent livestock loss.
  4. Caritas Australia is a Catholic charity working to end poverty and facilitate global development for people of all backgrounds. Recently Caritas launched a program called Africa Emergency Appeal to mobilize its humanitarian network of partners to respond to the famine in East Africa. Caritas and its partner agencies currently provide local assistance in delivering clean water, sanitation supplies and food such as sugar, beans and maize flour.
  5. Save the Children is a British charity that promotes children’s rights and seeks to improve conditions for children globally through healthcare and education. In response to the famine in East Africa, Save the Children aims to reach children under the age of five and provide aid to those most at risk for malnutrition and diseases such as malaria. With humanitarian infrastructure already in place in the affected countries, Save the Children can turn its focus to fighting famine in ways such as increasing malnutrition screenings in Nigeria or distributing vouchers for supplies in Somalia.

These are just a few of the many organizations that have responded swiftly to the growing humanitarian crisis in Africa. While there is still need for further funding in these countries, these organizations are doing all they can to bring immediate relief and save lives.

– Nicholas Dugan

Photo: Flickr

Reducing the Causes of Poverty in Iceland

Poverty in Iceland
Iceland, known for its breathtaking glaciers and stunning views of the Northern Lights, has an impressive quality of life. Additionally, citizens have long life expectancies due to extensive health care services. Most higher education is free, and the government’s welfare program aims to aid the unemployed, the disabled and young families. Despite these factors, over 6,000 out of 330,000 Icelanders live in extreme poverty. Many of the causes of poverty in Iceland stem from the 2008 recession.

When the economy crashed, almost all of the Icelandic businesses went under. The crash occurred when the banks collapsed, resulting from the banks owing immense debts to foreign countries and businesses.

After the recession in 2008, child poverty increased dramatically. Between 2008 and 2012, the number of children living in poverty nearly tripled. By the end of 2012, 31.6 percent of children in Iceland were living in poverty. According to UNICEF, this increase was the highest among rich countries.

In order to combat the rise in child poverty, Iceland replaced their flat taxation methods with a progressive form of taxation. The government also implemented policies that encouraged citizens to invest in businesses within the nation, improving economic growth.

While these efforts helped fight the causes of poverty in Iceland, tourism has jumpstarted the economy of Iceland and helped bring up employment rates. Last year, almost 2 million tourists came to visit Iceland and explore its beautiful attractions. This is partially a result of airlines offering cheap tickets from the United States to Iceland. Iceland has met this influx of tourists by increasing the number of attractions, restaurants and lodging opportunities to ensure a memorable trip.

The turn of events in Iceland can serve as a model for other countries. Tourism can help any country, but is particularly helpful for developing nations. The influx of money from tourists can benefit the extremely poor by creating jobs and providing them with the resources to pull themselves out of poverty.

While Iceland is still fighting to recover from the rapid increase in poverty from its economic crash, the implementation of policies and the dramatic rise in tourism has lifted Iceland out of the decline. By using tangible ways to fight the causes of poverty in Iceland, the number of people in deep poverty should drop within the next decade.

– Julia McCartney

Photo: Flickr

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10 Important Facts About Refugees in Lesotho


In response to apartheid in South Africa, refugees emerged in Lesotho in the 1960s. These refugees—the majority of whom were South African and children or teenagers—play a crucial role in defining Lesotho’s vibrant society. Here are 10 facts about refugees in Lesotho.

10 Facts About Refugees in Lesotho

  1. Home to fewer than 10,000 refugees, Lesotho began implementing projects to help grant loans and business training to refugees in 1983. Of the 17 businesses which ultimately emerged, only one was run by a woman.
  2. Lesotho has been incredibly welcoming to refugees, ensuring their integration into local Basotho communities and serving as a global paradigm of refugee inclusivity and acceptance.
  3. In 2005, in an attempt to solidify its commitment to refugee protection, Limakatso Ntlhoki of Lesotho held a four-day workshop intended to help people develop the skills for working with refugees and guaranteeing their protection.
  4. Lesotho has been deemed a “South African Development Community” (SADC) alongside fifteen other countries such as Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Recent statistics indicate that SADC countries are home to approximately 68 percent of international migrants living in South Africa.
  5. In June 2017, the Vodafone Foundation put forward a system for young refugees living in nations, including Lesotho, to gain free and unlimited access to online education using tablets.
  6. During apartheid, Lesotho’s rural regions served as a safe haven for a number of political refugees escaping the wrath of a government who rejected their ideas. However, when the country was threatened by South Africa, they helped a significant number of refugees flee and obtain safety.
  7. The 1983 Lesotho Refugee Act guarantees that the country will provide refugees with the rights laid out by the United Nations Convention and the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees. They also incorporated the criterion outlined by the OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, which rendered their definition amongst the most inclusive in terms of explicating the legal status of refugees in the world.
  8. The former Prime Minister of Lesotho, Chief Leabua Jonathan, attested to the United Nations General Assembly that Lesotho maintained full respect for human dignity, would not use violence towards refugees, and recognized their moral responsibility to help solve their problems through support and openness.
  9. In response to Lesotho’s refugee policies, nations such as India and Thailand praised the nation for its willingness to welcome individuals despite South African threats.
  10. In 2002, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) returned 48 brick homes originally used to house refugees in Lesotho to the country’s government, thereby indicating the true end of apartheid and highlighting the ways in which the nation could be entrusted to maintain respectful living conditions for refugees without external intervention.

These 10 facts about refugees in Lesotho illuminate how the country has, since the 1960s, experienced tremendous success in its relationship with refugees. Ultimately, this undeniable altruism indicates that Lesotho ought to be lauded as an example of how to positively incorporate refugees into societies throughout the world.

– Emily Chazen

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Refugees in Bolivia


Bolivia is a mountainous landlocked country in the heart of South America. With 36 languages and 51 indigenous groups, it is a mosaic of the diversity in the Andes. Since establishing independence in 1825, the country has experienced serious political turmoil, with the total number of revolutions and coups around 190. With so much chaotic political history, the incredible story of refugees in Bolivia is often forgotten. Here are 10 facts about refugees in Bolivia.

10 Facts About Refugees in Bolivia

  1. As the Holocaust intensified, so did measures across the world to prohibit Jewish refugees from immigrating into safer countries. In the famous case of transatlantic liner St. Louis where nearly 1,000 German Jews aboard were denied entry to Cuba, then the United States and finally Canada showed the shameful policy of turning people back to the countries they were fleeing to face certain death. While most countries were closing their borders, Bolivia opened its immigration policies, welcoming 30,000 Jewish refugees from 1938 to 1941.
  2. Bolivian consulates in capitals across Europe provided visas. The refugees then flew to Chile where they boarded a train to La Paz. Due to the large amount of Jewish refugees on this train route, it became known as El Expres Judio (the Jewish Express).
  3. Tin mining tycoon Mauricio Hochschild has been referred to as the “Bolivian Schindler” because he orchestrated the escape of between 3,000 and 9,000 Jews. He then put the men to work running the mines and created charities such as daycares for the children. This incredible effort was even larger than Oskar Schindler’s plan, which saved around 1,000 Jews.
  4. Uruguayan rock star Jorge Drexler is the grandson of German refugees escaping Nazi persecution, who were welcomed to Bolivia under the open door policy. He recently composed a song called “Bolivia” to commemorate this event.
  5. Bolivian President Evo Morales recently held the World Without Walls Conference on World Refugee Day, where he used very radical language for a head of state, saying that we should work towards “universal citizenship” and that is impossible for a person to be “illegal.”
  6. Bolivia is currently facing a crisis of climate refugees. When Lake Poopo dried up, it was the death of a cultural resource so important that locals referred to it as “mother” and “father.” It has led to nearly a thousand refugees coming down the mountain and forming shanty towns outside of La Paz. It is one of the most catastrophic events for refugees in Bolivia.
  7. Bolivia has also produced political refugees such as former consul general in Washington, D.C., Carlos Hugo Jiminez. He fled to Canada after becoming the target of death threats due to his political affiliation. As of 2016, he had been waiting for four years to receive his asylum status.
  8. The Bolivian government is a vocal advocate for statehood for refugees across the world. It is one of the countries to formally recognize Palestine as independent and is a vocal advocate for a Polisario-based state in the Western Sahara.
  9. Lack of economic opportunity and changing climate conditions are creating large flows of migrants from Bolivia across the Argentine border. The Argentine government has responded by calling for a special border police force and some right-wing lawmakers calling for a wall.
  10. Water access and extreme poverty are driving factors for immigration and refugees in Bolivia today. The glaciers of the Andes are melting at an extreme rate and, by most estimates, all of them will be gone by the end of the century. Thirty percent of the 2.3 million people from El Alto and La Paz depend on these glaciers for water.

Water protests have shut down entire cities in Bolivia, especially in the Cochabamba Water Wars of 2000. The melting of glaciers, drought and changing climate conditions could be a huge source of instability, refugees and immigration in the future. Bolivian President Morales shows commitment to the environment going as far as to legislate granting rights to the land and Earth itself. Regional and international partners will be necessary to tackle the climate challenges that will otherwise be left unaddressed and create more refugees in the future.

– Jared Gilbert

Photo: Flickr

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How Sustainable is the McGovern-Dole Program?


The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program was established in 2000 by former Senators George McGovern and Robert Dole. It has fed millions of children all over the globe by way of school meals made from surplus U.S. agricultural products. In 2006, McGovern and Dole were awarded the World Food Prize for their work on the program. This award is seen as the “Nobel Prize for hunger.”

The program is credited with helping improve school attendance as well as feeding the hungry, as free school meals provide families with an extra incentive to send their children to school. This is especially the case for girls, as parents sometimes decide to keep them home from school to do housework.

McGovern-Dole has made recent news because the Trump administration’s 2018 budget outline proposes eliminating the program, citing that it “lacks evidence that it is being effectively implemented to reduce food insecurity.”

Forbes contributor Tim Worstall contends Trump’s claim that McGovern-Dole fails to reduce food insecurity is accurate. He points out that because McGovern-Dole consists only of food donations, it lacks sustainability, doing nothing to inject money into local economies or help farmers grow their crops. Although the program feeds people effectively, it is not a long-term solution to ending hunger locally.

This being said, McGovern-Dole does have sustainability measures in place, though they may not address food insecurity directly. The program is concerned with education. All meals through the program are offered through schools. This allows McGovern-Dole to track data such as the number of kids taking medication or learning to read at school. This helps other education-centered organizations focus their efforts. McGovern-Dole also implements teacher training, school infrastructure improvements and nutrition programs for pregnant women in the communities it serves.

Alternatives to direct food aid programs are not always reliable. The cash-based transfer, a form of assistance by which individuals in need receive bank transfers or vouchers to exchange for food at stores owned by the World Food Programme, is ineffective in communities with extremely unstable markets or bank services. Direct food aid like McGovern-Dole provides hungry individuals with food regardless of the state of the market in a community.

– Caroline Meyers

Photo: Flickr

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How Has U.S. Foreign Assistance Has Helped South Korea?

U.S. Foreign Assistance Has Helped South Korea
U.S. foreign assistance has helped South Korea rise from poverty and the economic devastation of The Korean War. South Korea now sustains a prosperous economy and contributes to foreign assistance worldwide.

The United States’ $35 billion investment in economic foreign assistance has helped the Republic of Korea (ROK), once one of the poorest nations, become the world’s 12th largest economy.

Ways U.S. Foreign Assistance Has Helped South Korea

The overall health of South Koreans has improved, including a better life expectancy, a decreased infant mortality rate, improved sanitation and prevention of infectious diseases. South Korea’s transformation is not only evident from the increased wellbeing of its people. The country’s GDP per capita grew from $876 in 1950 to $36,500 in 2015, with a GINI index of 30.2, indicating the distribution of wealth.

South Korea is now the U.S.’s seventh-largest trading partner due to its economic gain and position as a world power. In 2010, the U.S.-Korea trade agreement amounted to approximately $88 billion. According to estimates by The U.S. International Trade Commission, tariff cuts in the agreement increase U.S. exports by $11 billion annually.

Since overcoming poverty and benefiting from U.S. Foreign Assistance, South Korea has become an international donor of foreign aid and a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), one of the world’s largest funders of foreign assistance.

Seoul, one of U.S.’s most important allied cities in the Asia-Pacific, contributes to international development assistance and increases foreign relational values. Its $680 million investment in Afghanistan has helped reconstruction efforts. They have helped build medical facilities and police training stations, paved roads and trained Afghan civil servants. Furthermore, in December 2013, Seoul invested $43 million in Afghanistan to improve women’s rights and access to medical services.

Ranked the world’s most innovative country in 2015, South Korea leads global development and expands opportunities for sustainable solutions. Its ingenuity yields significant results in public-private partnerships and in research and development.

Among South Korea’s contributions is its Creative Technology Solution (CTS), launched by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs also funded this program. KOICA CTS supports socio-economic growth, as well as reducing inequalities between countries and social classes. It also aims to create decent jobs and promote science, technology and innovation in the context of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.

South Korea, once a beneficiary of U.S. foreign assistance, is now a leading contributor to foreign aid and global development. U.S. foreign assistance has helped South Korea to create a prosperous economy and become a model example of foreign aid investment and surmounted poverty.

– Sarah Dunlap

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About the Education of Refugees


According to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than half of reported refugees, 6.1 million people, are under the age of 18. Given this large youth population, the lack of education of refugees has become a significant roadblock for these children and adolescents’ future successes. Here are 10 facts about the education of refugees at present.

10 Facts About the Education of Refugees

  1. The UNHCR reported in 2016 that of the 6.1 million school-aged refugees, 3.7 million had no access to education. 1.75 million of these had not received a primary education, and 1.95 million had not received a secondary education.
  2. Comparing the education of refugees to the global average, refugees are reportedly five times less likely to attend school.
  3. The global average of children attending primary school is 91 percent, while the average for refugee children is 50 percent. Secondary school is even less likely for refugees, with an average of 22 percent attending, where the global average is 84 percent. Only one percent of refugees receive a college- or university-level education. This global average is 34 percent.
  4. The education of refugees became more difficult when the refugee population grew by 30 percent in 2014 and is predicted to continue growing. The UNHCR predicts the need for 12,000 additional classrooms and 20,000 additional teachers annually.
  5. Refugees are displaced from their home country for an average 20 years. Because this exceeds school-age and because the education of refugees is difficult, the potential for refugee children and adolescents to access education is minimal.
  6. Of the 3.7 million out-of-school refugees, more than half come from Chad, Jordan, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lebanon.
  7. Long-term conflict tends to reverse positive trends in education. For example, 94 percent of Syrian children in 2009 received an education, but this number dropped to 60 percent in 2016.
  8. Progress has been made towards the education of refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Turkey through an increase in encouraging school enrollment and reinforcing the “double-shift system.” This means that two groups of students receive schooling at different times with the same faculty. A lack of funding threatens this system’s future as the uneducated refugee population increases.
  9. The education of refugees is primarily covered by emergency funds rather than long-term programs. Given the current refugee crisis, sustainable funding is crucial for the education of refugees.
  10. There are a number of potential solutions to the refugee education crisis. The main three proposed solutions are accelerated education programs, online courses and expanding vocational training. Each of these is promising because they offer the flexibility that makes school attendance a realistic option.

Education has the potential to provide a safe haven for refugees and may even prevent future conflict, but the education of refugees will require systematic changes to become sustainably successful.

– Haley Hurtt

Photo: Flickr