Banowan-e-Afghan is a pop-up restaurant in Afghanistan that opened in 2023. A couple of women comfortably lounge across the wooden tables; some reading books, listening to music, or, conversing with others. Suddenly, a tantalizing aroma disseminates across the atmosphere. A cordial woman wearing a hijab and white apron walks over and places a symphony of flavors in front of the seated women. These women enjoy the delight while finally finding a special community of safety, security and opportunity.
Amidst a bustling street in Northwestern Kabul, a small intimate sanctuary is present. From mantoos (lamb-filled dumplings) to bolani (vegetable-stuffed flatbread) this welcoming Afghani abode serves a wide range of traditional and Western foods. However, this restaurant is not your ordinary dine-in. Instead, it is the result of the first step taken by a courageous woman toward a greater national vision.
Gender Inequality in Afghanistan
Gender inequality has been a persistent and perennial issue in Afghanistan. In 2021, despite prior positive efforts against this concern, all progress was nullified due to the Taliban’s inception. The Taliban has issued 80 edicts, including 54 contradicting women’s rights and freedom. Additionally, women were banned from visiting parks, gyms, public bathing houses and constrained girls’ education beyond the sixth grade.
To prevent further Taliban abuse, these Afghani women were forced into surveillance, assault, arbitrary detention, torture and exile. As a result of these restrictions and more, it has been a norm for women to not leave their homes. Women harassment is ubiquitous and even a simple errand or stroll down the street can put a woman in danger. On top of that, in rural Afghanistan, society forbids women from stepping out of the house without a mahram (a male relative by blood).
Societal restrictions also limit women’s job opportunities, prohibiting them from working in NGOs or government jobs. The women’s only chance of employment is in the private sector, but many women are hesitant to do this because of the risk it puts them in. Nonetheless, Samira Muhammadi believes in utilizing this opportunity to provide hope for a more women-friendly future.
By Women, For Women
Muhammadi, the owner of this unique pop-up restaurant in Afghanistan, launched it with a mission to provide women with a safer, more trustworthy and serene haven. In a typical Afghani restaurant, there is a separate family section for only women accompanied by male relatives. Despite this, male threats still endanger women.
Therefore, this rare pop-up restaurant addresses this widespread caveat. For starters, the restaurant is exclusively by women, for women. In other words, all the employees and customers are only women. This allows both the employees and the customers to feel more secure and surrounded by people going through similar circumstances. Instead, these women reclaim their true authentic selves, freely choose their attire and recultivate their public life which has been unethically stripped from them. With this substantial solution, powerful relationships are developed over mouth-watering meals in an elevated state of joy and laughter.
Empowerment Through Employment
In addition, this pop-up restaurant directly supports women facing poverty in Afghanistan. It provides unprivileged women with job and work opportunities in a field that adheres to their talents. The workforce of this restaurant consists solely of women taking refuge at a local women’s shelter, the Afghan Women Skills Development Center (AWSDC). Furthermore, many women living on the streets and in substandard living conditions have approached Muhammadi to work at her restaurant. Most of these women tend to be widows or the sole breadwinner in their families, making them desperate for money as they are the primary source of income. Ultimately, this restaurant provides impoverished women a ticket out of financial deprivation and can provide food and shelter for their families.
Today, the restaurant has hired more than 17 employees including 10 chefs and 7 waitresses. Most of the employees are around the age of 20, the youngest being 13 and the oldest being 40 years. However, all of these employees have gone through rough hardships and dreadful turmoil such as family violence, domestic abuse, parental drug addiction and more. Working at this restaurant allows them a second chance to positively invigorate their lives.
Future Plans
As this pop-up restaurant flourishes and evolves, Muhammadi plans to provide more job opportunities to unfortunate women, as well as more adequate salaries. She also wants to expand the size of the restaurant, to host mini-exhibitions for women to display handicrafts like clothes or jewelry for customers to purchase.
Inspired by her own experience and odyssey, Muhumadi wants to continue to enhance women’s lives in Afghanistan. “I thought these vulnerable women should have a source of income,“ Muhammadi says.
– Sai Sidharth Kanyaboena
Photo: Unsplash
Human Trafficking in the Bahamas
Who Is Trafficked
The groups most vulnerable to human trafficking appear to be those displaced within the region, women, children of migrants and irregular migrants themselves. About 2.4 million people are victims of this dehumanizing and shameful crime at any given moment, with women making up 55–60% of all victims identified worldwide. When combined, women and girls make up around 75% of the trafficked population. Among all victims found worldwide, minors make up about 27%. The traffickers are mostly male adults who live in the nation where they conduct their business.
The U.S. Department of State identified eight primary categories of trafficking in its 2013 United States Annual Trafficking in Persons Report. This includes trafficking connected to sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor, child sex trafficking, involuntary domestic servitude, unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers.
Government Efforts
The government satisfies the requirements necessary to eliminate human trafficking in the Bahamas. This included the restitution of a victim who was returned from abroad as well as the conviction and sentencing of a trafficker. Along with continuing to support victims who were repatriated from abroad, the government also created legislation enabling victims to testify remotely, even from abroad. In addition, the government raised awareness, established new hotlines for reporting cases of human trafficking, trained new labor inspectors and high-ranking officials and solicited input from underrepresented groups on anti-human trafficking policies.
IOM Support
On August 9–10, 2023, in New Providence, the International Organization for Migration organized a two-day workshop on “identification and protection of victims of trafficking and migrants in vulnerable situations.” This was in collaboration with the Bahamas Immigration Department. More than 20 cops took part in the training, which covered important ideas and an overview of practical tools, including trauma-informed interviewing methods for better identifying and defending vulnerable migrants and victims of human trafficking.
The session aims to equip them with the skills necessary to recognize victims and know what to do afterward. Creating action plans for frontline officials to include the training material in their regular work was another task covered at the event. Even though this training focused on immigration officers stationed on the island of New Providence, the Government of The Bahamas asked IOM to follow up with further training for officers in Bimini and Grand Bahama, among other places.
Multiple agencies provide assistance involving human trafficking in the Bahamas and other nations to victims. These include the police, military, prison system, immigration and customs forces, Ministry of Health Providers, Faith-Based Organizations, Ministry of Social Services and nongovernmental organizations such as the Red Cross and the Crisis Center.
Conclusion
Human trafficking in the Bahamas is an issue that needs urgent attention and action from the government and civil society in the country. With solid legislation, improved law enforcement, increased public awareness and cooperation with international organizations, significant progress can be made in eliminating human trafficking and protecting the most vulnerable people in our society.
– AuiCha Conley
Photo: Flickr
The Rise of Digital Adherence Technologies for Tuberculosis
To treat tuberculosis, patients are required to undergo months of antibiotic therapy. Directly observed therapy (DOT), is a widely employed strategy that relies on confirming patient adherence to treatment protocol, where health care workers observe patients taking anti-TB medication. However, DOT requires significant time and resources for health care providers and patients. Digital Adherence Technologies (DATs), on the other hand, are digital tools (internet, phones, computers, or detectors) that allow patients to take their medication at their convenience while adherence is relayed to healthcare providers without direct observation. As a modern strategy to combat TB, DATs can help affected individuals and families from a wide range of income levels by reducing implementation costs over time.
Types of Digital Adherence Technologies
Several types of DATs can be implemented to improve TB treatment outcomes:
DATs have varying costs, levels of accessibility and ease of implementation. Poverty, resource limitations and insufficient infrastructure can pose challenges to implementing these technologies. Medication sleeves require phone access and communication infrastructure to support phone calls or text messages. Smart pillboxes require adherence platform access but are user-friendly and work with various pill types. VATs require phone access, mobile data or Wi-Fi and an in-country server to store video files yet are considered suitable for use with different drug types. These requirements help determine the logistics of implementing a DAT for a specific country.
Implementing Digital Adherence Technologies
The Stop TB Partnership and the ASCENT Project are two organizations among many that continually research and implement digital adherence technologies for tuberculosis treatment. The Stop TB Partnership funded the implementation of medication sleeves and video-observed treatment in Nigeria, where tuberculosis rates are high, from October 2021 to August 2022. According to a December 2023 report, more than 7,600 patients received digital adherence technologies through this project. Patients achieved success with a medication sleeve called 99DOTS, but limited access to smartphones and network difficulties hindered the success of video observed treatment. The project highlighted the importance of digital adherence technologies with low technology requirements, especially in remote locations.
In 2021, the ASCENT project, organized and funded by Unitaid, began implementing smart pill boxes and medication sleeves in Ethiopia, a low-income country with a high tuberculosis burden. The project provided more than 4,000 people with DATs. In November 2023, the ASCENT team reported broad acceptance of the technologies among patients with tuberculosis, high national support, and concerns regarding costs. The project also revealed ways leaders could improve and increase the use of digital adherence technologies in Ethiopia in the future.
Conclusion
Digital adherence technologies offer several strategies to support tuberculosis patients through months of medications. Implementing these tools in areas of poverty presents challenges to overcome, including limited resources and frail infrastructure. To this end, organizations will continue to implement, research, and improve the use of DATs for tuberculosis treatment around the world.
– Kelly Carroll
Photo: Flickr
Solar Solutions in the Democratic Republic of Congo
However, mini-grids and other off-grid alternatives provide a cost-effective solution that can bring the socio-economic benefits of electrification to those communities without access. Mini-grids are small-scale electricity generation and distribution systems that operate independently from the national grid and serve a localized group of customers. Alternatively, many households find solutions in the form of solar home systems (SHS) which provide affordable, clean and reliable electricity where grid or mini-grid connections are not feasible. Fortunately, three companies are already making headway in the fight to improve livelihoods through off-grid solar solutions to increase the accessibility of renewable energy in the DRC.
Nuru
Nuru, which means “light” in Swahili, is a company that aims to improve connectivity in the DRC. In 2017, Nuru successfully launched Congo’s first solar-powered mini-grid. It also has a 1.3MW solar hybrid site in Goma, which is currently “the largest off-grid mini-grid in sub-Saharan Africa.” In addition to these, Nuru has constructed two other solar hybrid sites in Beni and the Oriental Province, namely Tadu and Faradje. These mini-grids offer whole communities access to electricity that would otherwise have taken years, perhaps even decades, to gain access to the national electricity grid. As building mini-grids continues, it is not always as timely as necessary since they require larger investment funds which means there is a need for solutions on a reduced scope that utilize renewable energy in the DRC.
Altech
On a smaller scale, Altech has been providing bespoke SHS solutions to businesses, households and individuals since 2013. Two Congolese refugees turned entrepreneurs created Altech with a mission to promote green, inclusive and prosperous growth by providing affordable, reliable and eco-friendly energy solutions, including solar lamps, SHS and energy-efficient cookstoves. These products offer households and businesses access to resources fundamental to carrying out daily activities and transactions. Providing solar energy solutions for households and businesses is crucial to incorporating more Congolese people into electrical grids, but many in poorer, remote regions in the DRC also face the challenge of getting approved for loans or credit which they need to finance solar home systems.
Mwinda Technologies
Seeing the need for credit and energy solutions, a group of renewable energy enthusiasts based in Houston, Texas founded Mwinda Technologies in 2018. The company strongly believes that access to energy and financial inclusion is crucial for the economic development of the DRC. That is why it focuses on providing individuals with financial solutions for their solar energy products and services. Through these payments underbanked individuals can build credit that can eventually lead to greater economic opportunities as investors and lenders will be able to assess their credit history.
The Way Forward
Renewable energy in the DRC, particularly solar, offers a crucial opportunity for growth. The importance of providing off-grid solutions cannot be overstated, as a recent study found that nearly 60% of off-grid solar customers undertook more economic activity within just three months of purchasing an SHS. This manifests itself through access to new jobs, using their SHS for business power needs or being able to work beyond daylight hours.
– Spencer Springob
Photo: Flickr
Amantani: Fighting for Education in Peru
Background
Founded in 2008, Amantani operates in the high-altitude regions of the Peruvian Andes, where indigenous communities often face numerous challenges, including economic hardships, limited access to education and a lack of resources. The organization currently operates in Ccorca, a Quechua district close to Cusco. While Ccorca embraces a strong culture tied to indigenous roots and collaboration amongst each other, the marginalized indigenous communities still suffer from alcoholism, discrimination and violence.
Amantani’s goal is to provide children and young adults in Ccorca access to higher education and employment opportunities, encouraging social growth and indigenous pride among rural communities across Peru. The organization works in tandem with the Children of Peru Foundation, receiving funding from the foundation to build better educational opportunities for underprivileged children.
Access to Education
Amantani firmly believes that education is a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering indigenous youth. Rural communities across Peru lack access to steady education, with both teachers and students facing obstacles to getting to school due to the country’s lack of sufficient infrastructure. Language barriers between teachers from urban regions and students who only speak Quechua contribute to the growing disadvantages many children in Ccorca face when learning basic elementary school lessons.
Amantani collaborates with local communities to establish and support educational programs tailored to meet the specific needs of indigenous children. The organization, working with funding from the Children of Peru Foundation, has built boarding houses for more than 350 children who faced physical barriers to school. Additionally, scholarship programs have been initiated for more than 100 young people. Furthermore, 35 are participating in monitoring programs from the boarding houses.
Fighting for Higher Education
While primary education is crucial, Amantani goes a step further by actively advocating for higher education opportunities for indigenous youth, particularly young women. Many girls, some of whom endure four-hour walks to get to school, face risks of domestic violence and sexual abuse in their attempts to pursue an education. With girls often negated to the traditional role of a wife or mother, Amantani emphasized that access to tertiary education could be transformative for them, opening doors to better employment opportunities.
The organization has set up several initiatives to fund fellowships and university costs. Ethical Trade is an initiative where more than 40 female artisans and crafters create Andean hats and bracelets to sell for a profit in Peru and the U.K. Ethical Trade not only supports local community economics but also utilizes the revenue to fund university studies, promoting financial literacy among young women.
The Transition Project
Amantani implemented the Transitions Project to support the shift of young people from secondary schooling to university. When the organization was first established, only 35 children were enrolled in secondary school. By 2017, Amantani’s support helped enroll 221 students in secondary school, with 75 students preparing to graduate and pursue higher education or formal employment.
The Pathways Program portion of the Transition Project encourages capacity building, offering academic and psychosocial support through educational workshops and specialized mentoring. The program specializes in offering computer literacy, numeracy and literacy classes to prepare students for university entrance exams and equip them with essential digital communication skills.
The Scholarships Program portion of the Transition Project encourages reaching opportunities, providing scholarships at technical colleges and universities along with support from a professional team of teachers and psychologists. The program’s Youth Hub is facilitated by a student council to lead workshops for young people. In addition, the program has created an extensive network of employer partners to connect graduating students with full-time work opportunities.
Amantani’s dedication to defending the rights of indigenous children and young people in the Peruvian Andes is commendable. By fostering a commitment to education, the organization is not only breaking the chains of poverty but also uplifting the rich cultural heritage of Ccorca’s indigenous communities. Through their efforts, Amantani is planting the seeds of empowerment, cultivating a future where indigenous youth can thrive and contribute to the development of their communities and beyond.
– Megha Gupta
Photo: Flickr
Health Care in Micronesia
Access to Health Care in Micronesia
Health Aid Strategies
In response to these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) has actively engaged in planning and programming medical and public health care within the FSM. The WHO Country Cooperation Strategy, spanning from 2018 to 2022, has played a pivotal role in collaborating with the FSM to prioritize the education and retention of a stable health care workforce and achieve national health goals.
The WHO Country Cooperation Strategy has made significant progress in addressing challenges to Micronesian health care. Early disease detection and prevention efforts, including the intensification of medical screenings, have reduced communicable diseases. The establishment of a robust risk communication system has enhanced the FSM’s preparedness for natural disasters. The Dispensary Strengthening Program, part of the WHO-FSM government partnership, has proven successful in improving health care infrastructure. Outreach activities in remote villages have provided essential health services, detected illnesses and connected patient data to hospital information systems.
While the precise quantifiable impact of the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy in Micronesia remains elusive, there is a discernible trend of improved health conditions across the Western Pacific Region. Death caused by tuberculosis in the Western Pacific Region has dropped by 42% between 2000-2021, while the number of people infected by this disease were reduced to at least 17%. In 2022, 75% of the Micronesian population was reported to have received Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination against tuberculosis. There has also been a significant decline in reported cases of other vaccine-preventable diseases and a rise of immunization coverage among Micronesians. Between 2019-2022, the number of reported leprosy cases in the FSM had dropped from 144 to 92 people per year.
Looking Ahead: A Secure Health Workforce
In 2023, the WHO organized a workshop for health management in the Western Pacific region to help the FSM address the issue of the excessive outmigration of qualified health professionals. The workshop proposed several solutions, two of which were intended to produce tangible results: the standardization of salaries across the different states and the improvement of training of its health workforce.
Health care in Micronesia still has opportunities for growth and improvement. Through their commitment to address prevailing issues and make long-lasting change, the WHO and other aid-focused organizations are currently working to provide Micronesians with a positive outlook for their future.
– Naomi Ronner
Photo: Flickr
Gender Inequality: A Pop-Up Restaurant in Afghanistan
Banowan-e-Afghan is a pop-up restaurant in Afghanistan that opened in 2023. A couple of women comfortably lounge across the wooden tables; some reading books, listening to music, or, conversing with others. Suddenly, a tantalizing aroma disseminates across the atmosphere. A cordial woman wearing a hijab and white apron walks over and places a symphony of flavors in front of the seated women. These women enjoy the delight while finally finding a special community of safety, security and opportunity.
Amidst a bustling street in Northwestern Kabul, a small intimate sanctuary is present. From mantoos (lamb-filled dumplings) to bolani (vegetable-stuffed flatbread) this welcoming Afghani abode serves a wide range of traditional and Western foods. However, this restaurant is not your ordinary dine-in. Instead, it is the result of the first step taken by a courageous woman toward a greater national vision.
Gender Inequality in Afghanistan
Gender inequality has been a persistent and perennial issue in Afghanistan. In 2021, despite prior positive efforts against this concern, all progress was nullified due to the Taliban’s inception. The Taliban has issued 80 edicts, including 54 contradicting women’s rights and freedom. Additionally, women were banned from visiting parks, gyms, public bathing houses and constrained girls’ education beyond the sixth grade.
To prevent further Taliban abuse, these Afghani women were forced into surveillance, assault, arbitrary detention, torture and exile. As a result of these restrictions and more, it has been a norm for women to not leave their homes. Women harassment is ubiquitous and even a simple errand or stroll down the street can put a woman in danger. On top of that, in rural Afghanistan, society forbids women from stepping out of the house without a mahram (a male relative by blood).
Societal restrictions also limit women’s job opportunities, prohibiting them from working in NGOs or government jobs. The women’s only chance of employment is in the private sector, but many women are hesitant to do this because of the risk it puts them in. Nonetheless, Samira Muhammadi believes in utilizing this opportunity to provide hope for a more women-friendly future.
By Women, For Women
Muhammadi, the owner of this unique pop-up restaurant in Afghanistan, launched it with a mission to provide women with a safer, more trustworthy and serene haven. In a typical Afghani restaurant, there is a separate family section for only women accompanied by male relatives. Despite this, male threats still endanger women.
Therefore, this rare pop-up restaurant addresses this widespread caveat. For starters, the restaurant is exclusively by women, for women. In other words, all the employees and customers are only women. This allows both the employees and the customers to feel more secure and surrounded by people going through similar circumstances. Instead, these women reclaim their true authentic selves, freely choose their attire and recultivate their public life which has been unethically stripped from them. With this substantial solution, powerful relationships are developed over mouth-watering meals in an elevated state of joy and laughter.
Empowerment Through Employment
In addition, this pop-up restaurant directly supports women facing poverty in Afghanistan. It provides unprivileged women with job and work opportunities in a field that adheres to their talents. The workforce of this restaurant consists solely of women taking refuge at a local women’s shelter, the Afghan Women Skills Development Center (AWSDC). Furthermore, many women living on the streets and in substandard living conditions have approached Muhammadi to work at her restaurant. Most of these women tend to be widows or the sole breadwinner in their families, making them desperate for money as they are the primary source of income. Ultimately, this restaurant provides impoverished women a ticket out of financial deprivation and can provide food and shelter for their families.
Today, the restaurant has hired more than 17 employees including 10 chefs and 7 waitresses. Most of the employees are around the age of 20, the youngest being 13 and the oldest being 40 years. However, all of these employees have gone through rough hardships and dreadful turmoil such as family violence, domestic abuse, parental drug addiction and more. Working at this restaurant allows them a second chance to positively invigorate their lives.
Future Plans
As this pop-up restaurant flourishes and evolves, Muhammadi plans to provide more job opportunities to unfortunate women, as well as more adequate salaries. She also wants to expand the size of the restaurant, to host mini-exhibitions for women to display handicrafts like clothes or jewelry for customers to purchase.
Inspired by her own experience and odyssey, Muhumadi wants to continue to enhance women’s lives in Afghanistan. “I thought these vulnerable women should have a source of income,“ Muhammadi says.
– Sai Sidharth Kanyaboena
Photo: Unsplash
Combating HIV in Wales
Despite Wales having a relatively low infection rate, there has been a troubling increase in HIV cases from 2021 to 2022, with 48 newly diagnosed individuals and around 2,800 people seeking care for HIV. Between 11% and 18% of them are unaware of their infection, perpetuating transmission and compromising health outcomes. New diagnoses of HIV in Wales are prevalent among males, particularly those aged 35 to 49 and white people.
The Welsh Government’s Response
In 2022, the Welsh Government unveiled its ambitious HIV Action Plan, outlining a strategic initiative aimed at eliminating new cases of HIV by 2030. Grounded in the principles of zero tolerance for HIV-related stigma and active involvement of people living with HIV, the plan comprises five priority areas:
1. Prevention
The Welsh Government’s proposal to improve access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a significant stride in the battle against HIV in Wales. PrEP, a preventive medication that reduces the risk of vulnerable groups contracting the virus, has played a major role in reducing the risk of HIV transmission. The Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughn Gething, championed a trial in the summer of 2017 that provided PrEP to those at the highest risk of HIV in the country, resulting in a remarkable 75% decrease in new HIV diagnoses between 2015 and 2021.
2. Testing
The Welsh Government’s efforts to increase testing have been pivotal in combating HIV in Wales. In 2021, new HIV diagnoses increased by 56.5%, with 60 reported. The year 2022 saw an 11% increase in HIV testing, with 64,505 people screened. Early detection and intervention are crucial to curb the virus’s spread.
3. Clinical care
The Welsh Government promises to provide specialist care swiftly to newly diagnosed individuals, ensuring they see a specialist within two weeks of diagnosis. These individuals can then receive clinical support and psychological assistance, promoting ongoing care and support for people living with HIV.
4. Living well with HIV
Further, the Welsh Government launched a national peer support program in March 2023. Based on research by Cardiff University, this program aims to provide comprehensive support to people living with HIV, promoting overall well-being in physical and mental health.
5. Tackling HIV-related stigma
The Positive Voices National Survey in 2017 revealed alarming statistics. One in seven HIV-positive patients in Wales admitted to never disclosing their HIV status outside the health care setting. Similarly, 21% of HIV patients in Wales avoided seeking health care when they needed it in the last year due to fear of discrimination or judgment. The Welsh Government’s plan underscores the importance of eradicating HIV-related stigma, advocating for widespread promotion of the message that effective treatment prevents HIV transmission and ensures consistency in HIV training modules.
Charity Spotlight: The Terrence Higgins Trust Cymru
The Terrence Higgins Trust Cymru (THTC) is committed to aiding Wales in achieving its ambitious goal of zero new HIV cases by 2030. Rhys Goode, Head of THTC, conveyed in a statement to The Borgen Project: “Sexual health services across the U.K. are at breaking point as they are overstretched and underfunded while STI rates are at record highs. The rollout of free postal STI testing, which is available 365 days a year in Wales, has been a game changer and had a huge impact in driving up testing and diagnosing people with STIs. But there are still barriers that prevent thousands across the nation and in England and Scotland from taking charge of their sexual health. These must be addressed urgently for Wales to stay on track to end new cases of HIV by 2030.”
Media Sparking Conversation: An Alternative Angle
The 2021 acclaimed British TV drama series “It’s a Sin” had a profound impact on societal perceptions of HIV and AIDS, particularly in Wales. The show prompted a surge in awareness and proactive responses; the Terrence Higgins Trust charity reported a remarkable spike in demand for HIV testing kits, with 8,207 orders placed in a single day, a substantial increase from the previous record of 2,709.
Conclusion
While Wales has made commendable progress in reducing new HIV diagnoses, the fight is far from over. The HIV Action Plan for Wales 2023-2026 serves as a robust framework, illustrating the government’s commitment to achieving zero new cases by 2030. The nation is taking strides towards a future free from new HIV cases, exemplifying a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combat the virus.
– Madeleine Norris
Photo: Pixabay
Tackling Poverty With Remittances in India
The Impact of Remittance
India’s extremely high population and political conflicts have subjected the country and its citizens to poverty for decades. When India gained independence from British Rule in 1947, the poverty rate was at an estimated 80%. Today, however, approximately 15% of Indian residents live in extreme poverty. Although this vast improvement may be accredited to the implementation of a full democracy, remittances have played a large role in driving internal growth.
NRIs have helped India combat poverty and greatly improve its GDP since the 1990s. Remittance money was one of the factors that prevented a serious recession following the Gulf War, which had damaged India’s trade with both the West and the Middle East.
Economic Initiatives
Since then, the continued flow of remittances has allowed banks and banking systems to improve significantly. Additionally, with NRIs being required to obtain income high enough to be able to sustain themselves and afford remittances, education has become one of the primary objectives of India’s continued development. Highlighting education has served to place a focus on schooling and reduce child labor, as children are deemed to be more useful as students overseas than as workers.
Changing Public Policy
India has continued to encourage NRIs through public policy. The Emigration Act of 1983 was passed to protect the exploitation of Indian workers overseas for 18 specific countries and to assist them with travel, which gave them additional rights to make the process of sending money home even easier. More than 370,000 Indians used this Act in 2022 to emigrate to one of these 18 countries.
International Benefits
India can contribute to its sustainable development goals such as innovation because the amount of money earned via remittance is so high. Unlike many other countries, both the upper and lower classes can emigrate to a different country and succeed in sending money back to their families. NRIs serve as a boon to the United States in that many of them are highly skilled, highly educated workers. According to the Pew Research Center, NRIs tend to make more than double in salary in comparison to other nationalities [?].
Conclusion
Remittances in India play a large and positive part in India’s economy. They help Indians stay connected worldwide, and motivate travel, trade, and education. Remittance is vital to help keep the economy afloat, which the government has recognized through public policy.
– Varsha Pai
Photo: Pexels
The Great Green Wall and Its Impact in Ethiopia
Ethiopia, a low-income country grappling with severe deforestation, became a participant in the Great Green Wall initiative in 2011. This engagement reflects the nation’s commitment to reforesting and addressing challenges such as desertification and land deterioration. While work remains, the Great Green Wall in Ethiopia has had many successes in the years since.
Achievements of the Great Green Wall in Ethiopia
The efforts of the Great Green Wall in Ethiopia focus on 58 woredas or districts, stretching across the north of the country. The initiative has generated five billion plants and seeds. Approximately one million hectares of land have been restored, including more than 150,000 hectares of forests. Efforts have also resulted in 240 hectares of multifunctional gardens, plots of land where many plant species grow.
Another success of the initiative in Ethiopia is creating 91 kilometers of windbreaks or rows of trees or shrubs. By reducing wind speed, windbreaks improve soil quality, promote agricultural growth and protect people and animals. Efforts also significantly improved watershed management. Watersheds are land areas that drain water and their management supports land restoration and agriculture.
The creation of employment opportunities is partially attributed to the newly planted trees. Specifically, the cultivation of Boswellia papyrifera, a native plant known for producing frankincense, allows communities to sell frankincense and earn income. Importantly, the process of harvesting frankincense does not entail tree felling, promoting the sustainable maintenance of forests.
The Future
In 2021, nearly 15 years after the Great Green Wall’s initiation, officials announced its next phase, called the Great Green Wall Accelerator. In the next phase, which runs through 2030, stakeholders hope to improve their coordination with one another and increase their impact. The focus narrowed to creating landscapes in 11 countries, including Ethiopia.
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture published a review of the milestones and challenges of the Great Green Wall in Ethiopia in January 2023. The report calls for increased organization and monitoring of the nation’s restoration projects. It also highlights the need for financial communication, as funding sources and allocations are not transparent to all parties. These improvements can help implement the knowledge gained thus far and scale up future efforts.
– Kelly Carroll
Photo: Unsplash
How Video Game Streamers Are Making a Global Difference
Over the last decade, the gaming industry has witnessed numerous charitable acts, whether initiated by game streamers, in-game purchases or gaming studios. Here are some of the most notable donations and acts, showing how charitable video game streamers are.
Carryminati (Ajay Nagar)
Carryminati is among the most popular gaming YouTubers, boasting a subscriber count of more than 40 million. He is mostly famous for his ability to make compelling gaming and roast videos with fresh humor. However, one of his recent acts of charity gave his long-term fans and new viewers a different reason to respect him.
On June 2, 2023, a tragic incident unfolded in Odisha, India, as three trains collided, resulting in the loss of 275 lives and leaving more than 1,100 individuals injured. In response to the situation, Carryminati conducted a live stream, raising more than £11,000 (almost $14,000), to which he contributed an additional £1,500 (approximately $2,000). Expressing deep sorrow over the tragic situation, he conveyed his thoughts and prayers for all those impacted. The goal of the fundraiser was to assist the families impacted by the incident.
PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg)
PewDiePie, also known as Felix, has long been a prominent figure on YouTube. Rising swiftly through the ranks as a YouTuber specializing in horror gaming, he surpassed all competitors to claim the title of the most subscribed creator on the platform, a title he proudly held for more than six years. Although eventually dethroned by a music label company, PewDiePie showcased not only the magnitude of his subscriber base but also the generosity of his heart through frequent charitable acts and fundraising streams. His commitment illustrates the philanthropic spirit inherent in charitable video game streamers.
In 2016, Felix started a fundraising campaign for Charity: Water, a “nonprofit organization bringing clean and safe water to people around the world.” With the combined effort of his subscribers, he raised more than $445,000, surpassing his initial target of $250,000. Similarly, teaming up with Humble Bundle and his extensive subscriber base, he played a key role in generating a substantial sum of $630,000 for the Save the Children campaign. Over the years, Felix has actively participated in numerous charity initiatives, including those for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), (RED) and Child Rights for You (CRY), among others, contributing to a cumulative total of more than $3 million raised for various causes.
Ninja
In 2016, the French gaming charity stream, Z Event, took place from September 20 to 23. During this event, Ninja made a remarkable contribution by donating an astonishing €26,000 (about $29,000). This generous act aimed to propel the fundraising efforts beyond the already impressive sum of €3 million (approximately $3.24 million) for medical research and treatments. Ninja’s donations sparked a trend among his followers and supporters, motivating them to contribute, ultimately surpassing the initially set target for the event. Additionally, during the COVID-19 outbreak, Ninja drew inspiration from the charitable efforts of Ryan Reynolds and Jimmy Fallon. In response, he contributed $150,000 to support relief initiatives and encouraged others to stay positive and practice social distancing.
– Siddharth Thampi
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