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5 Ways Poverty Affects the Developing Brain

Poverty_ Brain
Living in poverty can coincide with numerous social problems — childhood neglect, violence and malnutrition, to name a few. However, there are studies being conducted that show how poverty may potentially affect the developing brain and the cognitive abilities of children. Here are five ways that research is currently showing how poverty affects the brain.

5 Ways Poverty Affects the Developing Brain

  1. Brain scans of children who grow up in poverty reveal that, overall, their brains develop less gray matter in the frontal and parietal lobe. Serving as the control center for the brain, the frontal lobe manages accessory cognitive functions like planning, focusing, problem-solving, organizing and controlling impulses. The parietal lobe is responsible for processing sensory information. The Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports that less gray matter in these areas, as seen on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, can impede children’s abilities to learn even before they enter kindergarten. The research demonstrated that throughout brain growth in the first three years of life, children in a lower socioeconomic status (SES) had significantly lower brain volumes than their higher SES counterparts.
  2. Brains influenced by poverty show a significant decline in cognitive abilities related to memory, reading and language. This is evident through children’s performances on neurocognitive tests as well as brain activity on electroencephalograms (EEG). Research performed by Natalie H. Brito, a postdoctoral research fellow at Columbia University, combined this information along with studies of families to link cognitive abilities to circumstances like neglect, household stress and economic status.
  3. Similar studies conducted by Elizabeth Sowell from The Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles and Kimberly Noble from Columbia University demonstrate that brains of children in the lowest income brackets (families who make less than $25,000 annually) have six percent less surface area than children from higher income bracket families.
  4. Developing brains exposed to severe poverty also show smaller hippocampi (the portion of the brain that is central to stress response, memory and learning). Existing research supports the fact that parental caregiving is an important factor in the hippocampal development and childhood wellbeing. Combined with poverty, stressful life experiences result in a lower volume of hippocampi.
  5. A smaller amygdala is also characteristic of growing brains that have been exposed to poverty. Responsible for emotional processing and social information, a smaller amygdala can result in childhood depression and mood and behavioral problems.

The symptoms of poverty include many factors that can contribute to the modifications of a developing child’s DNA – malnutrition, exposure to violence, lack of cognitive stimulation or less time bonding with parents. Rather than present the solution as “eliminate all poverty,” remedies should focus on policies and programs that seek to mitigate the influence of poverty’s external factors. Research in this area is still developing, as scientists and doctors continue to monitor the neuroscience of poverty as children grow into adults.

Brito agrees when she says, “When I talk to a lot of our participants – always worrying about where their next paycheck comes from, always worrying about if they have enough resources – it takes away time and energy from having meaningful interaction with your child. So in developing countries, making sure that those policies are in place so that parents are available to just interact with their child, just play with their child without worry, really does make a big difference.”

– Tammy Hineline

Photo: Flickr

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6 Ways USAID Helps Syria


The news of the ugly, modern warfare occurring in Syria is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to the problem of Syria’s civil war. Despite obstacles, many agencies are doing their best to get humanitarian aid to civilians. In particular, USAID helps Syria by funding many organizations within the United Nations (U.N.), through non-government organizations (NGOs), and its own programs. Here are six specific groups that USAID helps fund.

6 Ways USAID Helps Syria

  1. USAID’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART): DART currently has teams deployed to Turkey and Jordan. They are on standby in case of a sudden and large-scale displacement of Syrian refugees, or for any other humanitarian needs caused by the conflict in Syria.
  2. USAID/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA): USAID/OFDA funds U.N. and NGO sponsored programs. This department has helped provide medical care to Syrians by helping the U.N.’s World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has been able to evacuate patients out of conflict zones, as well as identify and vaccinate against a recent measles outbreak. USAID/OFDA also funded NGOs to train Syrian medical staff, provide medical supplies, and vaccinate against polio.
  3. The Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM): USAID is funding the U.N. World Food Program and U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, which have been able to report on food and crop security in Syria. The CFSAM report shows that less food is being produced in Syria. With this information, the U.N. is able to respond with appropriate food deliveries.
  4. The World Food Programme (WFP): USAID gave $79,812,417 to the WFP’s work in Syria during the 2016 fiscal year. This does not include the funding given to the WFP for use in neighboring countries. In January, the WFP delivered food to 3.6 million people in Syria. The WFP has also given food assistance to conflict-isolated people in the Jordan-Syrian border towns. Finally, the WFP has given more than 1.6 million Syrian refugees food vouchers on debit cards.
  5. The U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF): UNICEF is helping in Syria and in neighboring countries. Within Syria, UNICEF is bringing six million liters of water daily. This is estimated to help 400,000 people in the country. UNICEF is helping Syrian refugees as well. Last November and December, they provided $28 clothing vouchers for Syrian refugee children in Jordan to buy winter clothing. These vouchers were given to 128,430 Syrian children. UNICEF is also offering psychosocial support to Syrian refugee children in Turkey. In January, they helped 7,200 children. UNICEF is also helping refugees by providing social services.
  6. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): The U.N. organization, OCHA, received $3,000,000 from USAID in the 2016 fiscal year. As a result, OCHA has been able to present reports on the humanitarian crisis in Syria. As a result of this important work, the world now knows if humanitarian aid is able to get into Syria, citizens are impacted by aid disruptions and by the state of facilities and infrastructure throughout Syria.

While these examples are encouraging, Syria is still struggling to receive humanitarian aid being offered. In many cases, battles between the al-Assad regime and the rebel forces prevent aid workers from reaching citizens. In some cases, the Islamic State has deliberately blocked aid organizations from repairing infrastructure.

Yet, the world is persistent and continues to fund humanitarian aid to Syria. USAID helps Syria in even more ways than are listed here. Also, the USAID website implores people to donate to NGO’s working in Syria.

It’s dispiriting to watch what unfolds in Syria and hard to imagine how Americans can help. Another way we can help is to tell Congress to support the USAID budget. As few as seven calls from constituents have been known to impact the legislation that a congressman or senator supports.

– Mary Katherine Crowley

Photo: Flickr

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Land Grabs in South America Fuel Violence

South America
As land grabs fuel violence in South America, the international community’s decision to treat this process as a crime against humanity is a significant step.

Land grabbing, the process of evicting people from their land in order to seize resources, is prevalent in many parts of South America. According to The Guardian, in the past 10 years, tens of millions of hectares of land were seized by various governments.

Land grabs are problematic for a number of reasons. For one, countries may jeopardize their national sovereignty by selling or leasing land to foreign governments or corporations. Most importantly, however, the process of land grabbing fuels violence and poverty in South American cities. When families are forced off of their land, they often move to cities where employment opportunities are scarce. This leads these families to poverty and increases the likelihood that their children will join gangs or engage in illegal activities in order to survive.

Land grabs also contribute to illegal immigration. Many undocumented families are forced off their land in land grabs and are fleeing from violence in urban areas. Between October and July 2014, 63,000 unaccompanied minors crossed the border into the United States. Many of these children cited violence in cities as their reason for leaving. Many of their parents were either dead or in prison.

For those who protest land grabbing, the consequences can be deadly. According to Global Witness, three people were murdered every week while defending their land in 2015. Activist Berta Cáceres was murdered after protesting the building of a large dam in Honduras.

In September 2016, the International Criminal Court responded to the violence of land grabs by making the process a crime against humanity. Activists believe that this could have a significant impact on the future of land grabs.

– Eva Kennedy

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Hunger in Romania


Located at the merging point of central and southeastern Europe, Romania has the seventh-largest population in the EU. However, declining agricultural production and disparities between rural and urban populations have left many Romanians vulnerable to hunger. Here are 10 facts about hunger in Romania.

10 Facts About Hunger in Romania

  1. Hunger in Romania is linked to poverty, with 13.8 percent of the population living in absolute poverty. This is an improvement, however, as the poverty rate was 35.9 percent in 2000.
  2. The Romanian economy has been generally improving since the collapse of the Communist government in 1989. Economic reforms in the early 2000s and Romania’s entry into the EU in 2007 have led to an improving economic outlook.
  3. Poverty rates remain high in rural areas. Approximately 29.6 percent of Romanians in rural areas live in poverty, compared to 9.6 percent in urban areas.
  4. Poverty disproportionately affects single people, single-parent families, families with three or more children, and single people over 65. Roma populations are affected the most, with 58 percent living in poverty.
  5. Romania has an extensive welfare system in order to assist those in poverty. Roughly half the working population receives some kind of welfare, primarily for assistance with heating, electricity, and food.
  6. Hunger in Romania has an impact on children’s physical development. Approximately eight percent of Romanian children under the age of five are stunted. This is a lower rate than Russia, however, it is a higher rate than the Czech Republic and Yugoslavia.
  7. Homelessness also increases vulnerability to hunger in Romania. Approximately 5,000 people live on the streets in Bucharest alone, the majority of whom rely on soup kitchens and shelters for meals.
  8. Agriculture makes up a significant part of Romania’s economy, however, it has declined in recent years due to infrastructure and environmental challenges. While demand for agricultural products has risen, the challenge of getting goods to the markets has led to a decline.
  9. In order to combat agricultural decline, organizations, such as Heifer International, work to help link farmers with markets that are in need of their products, by providing transportation and networking opportunities.
  10. While Romanian schools do not provide free lunches, organizations like the Red Cross contribute meals as an incentive to keep kids in school and to provide them with the nourishment they need to succeed.

While hunger in Romania has declined in certain areas, many Romanians remain susceptible. Increasing programs targeting those who live in rural areas could help reduce hunger in Romania across the board.

– Alexi Worley

Photo: Flickr

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America’s Foreign Aid Spending


Foreign aid has been a part of American culture ever since the end of World War II. Under this modern international order, the U.S. has been able to successfully flourish and spread its message of democracy. Former Secretary of State John Kerry said, “The money we devote to international programs … amounts to just one percent of the total federal budget.”

The main piece of legislation that authorizes the use of foreign aid is the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1960. While this act provides an outline and structure for dealing with foreign aid, Congress decides on most budget decisions and distribution of funds through various bills. This year’s proposals for specific financing have already been laid out in the FAA.

In order to properly finance obligations made in the 1960 legislation pursuant to section 476, more than $1 billion is to remain available until the fall of 2018. This specific bill makes $1.7 billion accessible for assistance to foreign countries. Although this seems like a lot of money, this is an $877 million cut in aid compared to the 2016 foreign aid budget. However, aid to Eurasia will remain the same at $930 million in order to combat Russian aggression in countries like Ukraine.

Congress sets the standard and fosters the responsibility of stabilizing funds responsibly. By enforcing specific conditions on the distribution of foreign aid, international goals can be successful. This affords leverage in critical situations of destabilization, like negotiating democracy with countries that erupt into a military coup.

Destabilization of a nation can reduce access to basic health services. Through the effort of international funding, governments can “control pandemics before they reach our shores.” The current budget that the U.S. Congress has agreed on includes $8 billion toward funding worldwide healthcare initiatives. A portion of this money was used to successfully implement the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), ultimately ending child and maternal deaths that previously had been unavoidable.

In addition, supporting the international community allows for the stabilization of nations and prevents the spread of terrorist activity. In the current 2017 budget, $71.1 billion is to be distributed in order to combat terrorist networks like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al Qaeda.

Through international efforts, nations have been assisted from destabilization and diseases have been contained. The budget plan for foreign assistance this year will be distributed appropriately once budget decisions are finalized and approved.

– Nick Katsos

Photo: Flickr

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Education in Albania

Education in AlbaniaEducation in modern Albania is the culmination of successful economic growth and political reform. However, lingering issues such as geographical disparities and low wages for teachers highlight the continuous need to push for systemic improvement. Seeking solutions to these challenges, various sectors of the Albanian government have partnered with international organizations including UNICEF. They are currently working to ensure higher quality and more accessible education in the near future.

Rural vs. Urban

Geographical inequalities continue to reinforce gaps in education levels and attempted reform. While urban areas benefit from a wealth of public services and industries, rural regions overwhelmingly lack basic infrastructure, employment opportunities and overall economic support that are needed to sustain schools and educational programs. In the peripheral rural areas of Albania, many schools do not have access to adequate equipment, furniture, technology, or facilities directly related to the quality of learning, which has consistently produced low enrollment rates and dwindling numbers of graduates. Only 47% of computers have an internet connection in rural Albania, which is a sharp contrast to 70% in North Macedonia and 94% on average in countries such as the United States and Japan. 

The poor quality of roads and transportation typical of remote rural areas also discourage students from attending school, counteracting long-standing efforts to consolidate schools in the interest of providing better learning opportunities. However, many students in rural Albania are still dependent on these consolidated schools, called collective classes, to support their education. This has become an issue for their parents, many of whom cannot afford to take measures to transfer their children to other schools as collective classes become increasingly unavailable following the Ministry of Education’s campaign to close approximately 350 of them due to poor performance. 

On average, students from urban areas attain two more years of schooling than those in rural areas and demonstrate higher performance in the state matura exam in all categories, including the Albanian language and mathematics.  

Low Teacher Salaries 

Teachers in Albania currently earn a lower average salary than other professions. In 2023, the average gross salary of a teacher was about 71,000 lek ($766), which is around 14% lower than the average salary in the public sector. This issue has worsened considerably, with the salary gap between teachers and the public sector average growing from 11% in 2022.

The lack of financial motivation has translated to lower quality education. Despite improvement in student-to-teacher ratios from 1990 to 2023, the academic achievements of Albanian students in the international PISA test of 2022 were recorded as having been the lowest in two decades. Low wages in education have resulted in hundreds of teacher vacancies and have obstructed recruitment efforts, leaving students to depend on frequent changes to curricula in preparing for state exams. 

In recent years, teachers who have continued to work despite these conditions have begun to publicly express their discontent. On May 1, 2024, several employee unions engaged in peaceful protests outside the Ministry of Education building to call for several changes to the existing education system, including better teacher salaries, public education funding, and compensation covering transportation costs. Protests and strikes are expected to continue in 2024 without substantial reform by the state.

Seeking Solutions: UNICEF 

Today, the Albanian government continues to attempt to reduce challenges to the current state of education, notably with the help of organizations such as UNICEF. On June 27, 2024, UNICEF partnered with the Ministry of Education, central and local government, and civil society to create a more equitable and accessible education system, focusing on preventing school drop-outs by targeting low-performing and at-risk children. By establishing relationships on a national and local scale, UNICEF has been able to bridge government representatives and communities together to better address education infrastructure decision-making. In 2023, a project between USAID, UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Sports allowed students from various schools to meet directly with mayors from the Korça, Dibra, Roskovec, Elbasan and Gjirokastra municipalities to discuss solutions to pressing school infrastructure issues and educational needs. These conversations have been crucial in pushing for ongoing cooperation with stakeholders to improve the lack of necessary tools and resources for students across the nation. 

Conclusion

Although Albania has made strides in education reform, disparities still persist among rural communities and teachers.

However, with the continued help of international institutions such as UNICEF, education in Albania has great potential to undergo impactful positive change, which will ultimately strengthen Albania’s economy and social welfare.

– Morgan Leahy, Moon Jung Kim

Photo: Flickr
Updated: July 10, 2024

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7 Facts About Poverty in Norway

Poverty in Norway

The European Union (EU) definition of the poverty line are those individuals making 60 percent of the national median earnings — for Norway, that would be about $17,000 a year. Using the EU definition, about 10 percent of Norwegians were considered below the relative poverty line in 2006, two years before the 2008 recession hit. Here are seven facts about poverty in Norway.

7 Facts About Poverty in Norway

  1. The Borgen Project had the opportunity to speak with Researcher Sindre Bangstad of the Frisch Institute in Oslo. He states: “A number of recent studies have shown that socio-economic inequalities continue to rise in Norway. Inequality is due to extensive tax cuts for the wealthiest five percent under the present right-wing government.”
  2. Aside from tax cuts, Norway provides a massive amount of social welfare programs and many regular citizens are able to find help. According to the “Inequality of Opportunity Index,” first put forth by Fransisco Ferreira of the World Bank, only two percent of Norwegians can attribute the lack of social mobility to a factor such as race, gender, birthplace, or disability.
  3. The young and old are both at risk. While inequality hurts youth, especially immigrant youth, the elderly are also facing economic hardships. Norway still needs to pay out the services promised to the older population. The elderly receive a good amount of benefits and make up a smaller percentage of the population in poverty. Contraceptive use is high and keeps birth rates low, so new generations are not as large as their predecessors. Only one in 200 children of Norwegian parents live under the poverty line.
  4.  At the same time, four in 10 immigrant children live in poverty in Norway. According to the CIA World Factbook, more than 27,000 refugees reside in Norway, who arrived from Eritrea, Somalia and Afghanistan. “Poverty is increasingly racialized in that children of immigrants are much more likely to grow up in poverty than children of white Norwegians born here,” Bangstad said.
  5. Many people facing economic trouble are centered in urban areas. Homelessness is a growing concern as housing prices remain high. With the wind, the temperature can be negative 15 degrees Celsius at night. People use shrubbery, churchyards, or sheds as toilets. Norway recently passed a law banning street beggars along with giving municipalities the power to begin making other regulations.
  6. The country’s welfare model makes social programs reliant on oil tax revenue. The decline of oil is a pressing concern for policymakers. According to the CIA World Factbook, this sector comprises nine percent of Norwegian jobs, 15 percent of its GDP and 39 percent of its exports.
  7. Norway has built up the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, stockpiling more than $800 billion. The budget each year is projected to use only four percent of those funds. The Norwegian government said it is willing to increase public spending to avoid a recession but provides many amenities to its citizens already. Perhaps something as simple as offering increased access or outreach to those who need such amenities could boost productivity and halt progress towards an economic recession.

Poverty looks similar and different across the globe. Norway still has challenges to overcome but has a government that continually works for its people. The current problem for social welfare programs fighting poverty in Norway may be hard to solve, but luckily the stockpile the country has accumulated can buy time for all its citizens to continue working towards a more sustainable future.

 

– Michael Rose

Photo: Flickr

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Education in North Korea: Exploring School Systems


Many facets of life in North Korea are kept secret from the world. The business conducted in the nation is very classified, but what about its school systems? How are the youth of North Korea educated?

Education in North Korea is based on socialistic ideals and an efficiency-oriented school system with emphasis on Korean language, mathematics, literature, and the Kims.

Features of the system include 11 free years of education for children from the age of five through 15, no private schools and tight administrative control over the schools by the state administrative system.

Students are given a political education in the “Juche Doctrine” which outlines the Kim Il-sung ideology and revolutionary strategies, illustrating the importance and necessity of collectivistic activities in their nation. Putting these theories into practice are the basis of the North Korean school system.

Not to mention the leader of the communist nation, Kim Jong-un, forces his people to understand the importance of his family. According to a study by the  Korea Institute for Curriculum Evaluation, students learn more about the Kims and their history than any other subject.

Each North Korean student is required to learn about the lives of Kim, his late father Kim Jong-il, his grandfather Kim Il-sung and grandmother Kim Jong-suk for at least 684 hours during the curriculum. Jong-il and Il-sung lessons are roughly 171 hours each, while Jung-suk lessons are only 34 hours.

Why is the combination of Kim’s history and the three bases used? Simple — to help North Korea maintain its oppressive power.

Students as young as four years old are taught about the greatness of the communist ideology and their leaders, past and present, shaping their minds to believe in the North Korean way. There is an emphasis on math in order to help create future technicians, scientists and workers that the government can rely on to help achieve the nation’s goals.

Children are supposed to learn phrases like “Long live Great Leader Generalissimo Kim Il-sung” before “Hello, how are you.”

Uniformity is the most common characteristic among schools in North Korea, comparable to the government. Rather than living up to needs of the youth, education in North Korea more closely relates to the political system. Diversity and creativity in North Korean schools are rarely nurtured.

Overall, instead of producing creative and unique individuals, education in North Korea is based on producing more followers and worshippers of the North Korean regime.

– Mary Waller

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About the International Affairs Budget

 

International Affairs Budget

The Trump Administration recently released its federal budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18), proposing deep cuts for the International Affairs Budget. The proposal includes plans to cut State Department and USAID funding by 31 percent and the Treasury International Programs budget by 35 percent. The proposed $37.6 billion total budget cut for the State Department and USAID starkly contrasts the $54 billion increase proposed for the Department of Defense.

There has already been pushback to the proposal, including a letter signed by more than 120 retired generals and admirals against the cuts, and another opposition letter signed by more than 100 faith leaders.

Top 10 things you need to know about the International Affairs Budget

  1. It’s tiny. The International Affairs Budget accounts for less than one percent of the federal budget. The amount spent on foreign aid is often overestimated by the general public. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll published in 2015 asked respondents: “What percentage of the federal budget is spent on foreign aid?” — the average response was 28 percent.
  2. The International Affairs Budget is also referred to as the “150 account.” Foreign aid can be split into two functions: economic and development assistance (151), and security assistance (152). For FY17, the State Department requested $25.6 billion for the 151 account and $16.8 billion for the 152 account.
  3. Seven out of the top 10 recipients of economic and development assistance are African nations. Afghanistan is the largest recipient of economic and development assistance, as part of the ongoing reconstruction of the country after the U.S. military invasion in 2001.
  4. Money allocated to help alleviate global poverty is mutually exclusive from money allocated to help fund domestic poverty-reducing programs. In the overall federal budget, the International Affairs Budget is a completely separate account from the domestic expenditure. Therefore, spending money on global poverty does not have to compete with spending money on poverty here at home. Mattis Foreign Aid Quote
  5. The U.N. suggests that developed countries put 0.7 percent of their Gross National Income (GNI) toward overseas development and assistance. According to 2015 OECD statistics, the U.S. spends just 0.17 percent on overseas development and assistance — missing the U.N. target by 76 percent.
  6. The International Affairs Budget funds vital programs that have profound impacts on major global health threats. USAID assistance helped stall the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa and continues to partner with local governments and organizations to ensure any further outbreaks are mitigated.
  7. USAID is the largest provider of food assistance in the world. Nearly 800 million people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger. Since its inception, around three billion people have benefited from USAID’s assistance programs.
  8. The International Affairs Budget has bipartisan support in Congress. U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) led three of his bipartisan Foreign Relations Committee members in proclaiming that funding for the budget is “every bit as essential to ensuring America’s national security as funding for the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community and law enforcement.”
  9. The soft power of foreign assistance and development is supplementary to the hard power of the military. In 2013, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, as Commander of U.S. Central Command, remarked to Congress, “If you don’t fully fund the State Department, then I need to buy more ammunition.” Foreign aid and development can undoubtedly play a role in fostering positive growth and warm feelings toward the U.S. in societies that are at risk of succumbing to terrorist groups.
  10. Spending money on international development is not just a moral decision. In an ever-connected world, funding the International Affairs Budget creates jobs for American workers and boosts the American economy. In 1996, 39 percent of exports went to developing countries. Now, more than half of U.S. exports go to developing economies. Through aid and development, people living in developing economies are becoming more wealthy and more capable of affording American products.

The International Affairs Budget is a tiny component of the overall federal budget, but its impact in myriad areas is enormous. American jobs, economic growth, national security, and global health are just a few areas that will be affected if the proposed cuts by the Trump Administration are implemented.

 

– Michael Farquharson

Photo: Oxfam