Since the beginning of the ongoing war, two years ago, disability and poverty in Sudan have increased while life conditions and healthcare access have diminished. More than 13 million people are displaced internally or to neighboring countries, representing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
After 21 months of fighting, the terrorist militia known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced more than 11.5 million. Most of them internally, 3.3 million to neighboring countries including Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. The displaced Sudanese live in horrible conditions in camps, they lack proper supplies and 25.6 million are food insecure. Doctors Without Borders estimated in February 2024 that 13 children died from starvation every single day.
On top of living in dire circumstances, the Sudanese are exposed to constant bombings, sexual violence and ethnic cleansing. The American secretary of state, Anthony J. Blinken, has described the RSF’s actions as genocidal. Here is information about disability and poverty in Sudan and efforts to address it.
Disability in Sudan
The Swedish International Corporation Agency estimated that there are 1.9 to 3.8 million disabled people in Sudan, representing 10-15% of the total population. This estimate considers the under reporting of untreated patients. The most common disabilities are blindness at 31% and mental disability at 24%.
While some of these disabilities are hereditary, a large number of impairments have risen throughout the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Injuries from bullets, artillery and bombs have led to severe physical harm such as burns and fractures, sometimes resulting in lifelong injuries like amputations.
Health Care Access
Armed conflict and poverty play a big role in health care access. Before the war, only 50% of people who managed to reach a health facility were offered proper treatment, the weakened health system puts 8 million of children in dire condition at risk as 78,000 babies die every year from preventable causes like malaria.
This access is even more limited to people with disabilities. In 2015, a research studying health care access across Sudan, Namibia, Malawi and South Africa showed that 8.18% of people with no activity limitation had problems accessing health care, while the percentage of people with some or severe activity limitations who lack health care access was 12.24% and 12.10% per month.
The lack of access to health care has only worsened since the beginning of the RSF attacks in April 2023. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 108 attacks on health care facilities by September 2024, the percentage of facilities and public hospitals partially or totally dysfunctional is 70-80% in areas worst affected by the crisis and 45% in other parts of the country, leaving millions of people helpless.
Poverty in Sudan
The 2014 Multidimensional Poverty Index estimates of Sudan indicated that 52.3% of the Sudanese population is multidimensionally poor and 17.7% are vulnerable to multidimensional poverty. These figures are in constant increase, total poverty rates rose to 80% in 2018 and to 97% in 2020.
Due to the ongoing conflict, living conditions have deteriorated and a great number of the population have lost shelter and income. A study compared the decrease of resources between 2021 (before the conflict) and 2023 (during the conflict), it expected the poverty rate to increase by 4.5%, affecting 39.3 million Sudanese. It estimated that the war led to the loss of $15 billion of Sudan’s economy by the end of 2023 which is equivalent to 48% of Sudan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is due to the attack on states that produce sectoral goods as well as the loss of jobs in industry, services and agriculture which amount to 5.2 million jobs lost, representing almost half of the Sudanese workforce.
Though the damage is on a national scale, disabled people struggle more, they are in constant need of food and welfare supplies. Before the conflict, they received financial support from non disabled people through religious donations known as zakat, but the war led to the collapse of the zakat system and begging at the local market is now the main source of income for the disabled Sudanese in Darfur. They are reliant on family members who at times of crises might leave them behind in a desperate pursuit of safety.
Efforts and Solutions
Many efforts have emerged to diminish disability and poverty in Sudan, whether domestically or internationally. The UNICEF Sudan social protection programme, which is in the eastern states where the malnutrition rates are higher, is directly supporting 300,000 beneficiaries through monetary, informational and care provisions to mothers from the conception of their babies to two years after their birth. This has proven to reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality and malnutrition.
Meanwhile, in November 2023 and with the support of UNICEF, the Federal Ministry of Education launched the National Strategy on education of children with disabilities from 2013-2016, followed by the first National Council on education of children with disabilities with the support of UNESCO, UNICEF and Plan international. The strategy aimed to integrate a holistic model to cater to the educational, social, health and protection needs of disabled children as well as safeguarding their rights.
Nayla Prosthetics, a Sudan Disability Movement, launched before the war, which has provided prosthetic and financial support to people with mycetoma, a chronic infection caused by fungi and bacteria mainly affecting farmers. Thanks to this initiative, the beneficiaries have regained mobility which promoted their recovery and job availability.
The team designed a prosthetic capable of reading electrical signals from the amputee and reacting to them with movements. It features a simplified design, a wrist rotation and sensory feedback so that the amputee feels when they touch it and all of this is available for less than $1,000. Thanks to grants and donations, the organization only keeps growing.
Looking Ahead
Access to the bare necessities of life was already a challenge for most Sudanese, the current war has only accentuated their struggle. Disability and poverty in Sudan is at an all time high and millions of people are vulnerable to starvation, untreated wounds and incessant violence.
– Yasmine Belabed
Yasmine is based in Algeria and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Pexels
Thailand’s Efforts Against Deforestation Aids Communities
Background
Southeast Asia contains around 15% of the world’s tropical forest, much of which is in Thailand. These forests are losing 1.2% every year, one of the highest deforestation rates in the world. One of the main causes of this loss rate in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand is extractive industries like palm oil and illegal logging.
Thailand is one of the world’s top producers of palm oil, producing 2.78 million tons in 2018. In Thailand specifically, palm oil cultivation and production lands have grown by 60% since 2009.
Deforestation
Additionally, illegal logging also contributes significantly to deforestation. Thailand’s efforts against deforestation include increased government restrictions on the logging industry in 1989 and 2006. However, Thai forests continue to be at risk for illegal logging.
According to Forest Trends’ October 2021 report on Thailand, “Illegal logging and trade affect many timber species, but highly valuable – often rare and endangered – species that are protected under harvest and/or trade regulations are a key target and at an elevated risk for illegality.” China remains the key importer of illegally harvested timber.
By 2024, Thailand lost 62,600 hectares of forest. The effect of this deforestation isn’t just devastating to the environment and biodiversity. It also harms the millions of people in Thailand who live near forests.
While Thailand is fighting deforestation, researchers at the World Bank estimate that if it does not stop, the wider environmental devastation of deforestation would decrease the Thai GDP by more than $550 billion. By contrast, the economy would grow by $54 billion if deforestation stops.
The study isolates that flooding is one of the main ways that “…increases the risk and severity of floods, which can have devastating consequences. Case in point, the 2011 flood affected more than 13 million people, destroyed 19,000 homes, displaced 2.5 million people…”
Thailand Fighting Back
However, Thailand and the international community are fighting back. Thailand’s efforts against deforestation include: strengthening property rights, changing domestic budget priorities and international cooperation. Instead of pitting the global poor and the environment against each other, the Thai government has instead empowered local communities. One of the key ways Thailand has helped protect forests is to grant stronger property rights to people living in reserve forests. Researcher Thanyaporn Chankrajang found that forests with these communal property rights experienced increased forest cover and decreased forest fires.
The Thai government has also switched its fiscal policies to help protect forests. Through fiscal grants, the governments receive increased money, funded through a commodity tax, if they can successfully protect their natural resources, like naturally-grown forests. Additionally, the Thai government continues to set aside funds for forest reserves that focus on sustainable forest management.
EUDR
Assisting them with these efforts, the European Union is teaming up with Thailand to help them join the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR will help regulate Thailand’s forestry, rubber and palm oil industries in order to become more sustainable. Not only will the EU help Thailand regulate these industries and their supply chains, but also help monitor for deforestation trends. With this help and through its National Economic and Social Development Plan, Thailand aims to stop deforestation by increasing its forest area to 40% of the country.
Thailand faces a major ecological crisis that will continue to harm both its environment and its poorest communities. However, due to Thailand’s efforts against deforestation and thanks to the assistance of the international community, these negative trends can not only be halted but entirely reversed.
– Joseph Laughon
Photo: Flickr
Sanitation Improvements in Uganda: Empowering Youth Innovation
Addressing a National Sanitation Crisis
Many Ugandan schools still face serious challenges related to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). According to UNICEF, nearly 30% of schools do not have usable toilets and 40% lack access to handwashing stations. These shortages contribute to frequent illnesses, absenteeism and high dropout rates, particularly among girls, who are more likely to miss school during menstruation when hygiene facilities are inadequate.
The Centre for African Justice notes that poor WASH conditions in schools harm students’ health, attendance and dignity. While Uganda has policies like the School Health Policy in place, implementation often falls short, particularly in rural regions. To bridge these gaps, youth-led movements and nonprofit organizations continue to play a vital role in sanitation improvements in Uganda and raising community awareness.
Students Lead Practical Sanitation Solutions
A collaborative project between Wright State University students and a rural Ugandan school offers a clear example of youth-driven innovation. The engineering students co-designed and installed composting latrines, handwashing stations and improved gray water discharge systems. These improvements introduced sustainable technology while strengthening local ownership. Teachers, students and parents reported stronger attendance and a renewed sense of pride in their school environment.
Clean Water Boosts Girls’ Education
Access to clean water directly supports girls’ education. At God’s Hope Primary School, the nonprofit Simone’s Kids installed a clean water system that replaced unsafe, time-consuming water collection, reducing student absenteeism. Previously, children spent hours walking to collect water from unsafe sources. The new system provides safe drinking water and supports regular handwashing practices. Girls, in particular, benefited from private sanitation facilities, which allowed them to manage menstrual hygiene and continue their education without disruption.
Safe Water Unlocks Opportunity
Water for Good, a nonprofit working in Uganda, highlights how safe water systems open new possibilities for children. A young girl shared how a new well at her school enabled her to attend classes regularly and focus on her future goals. These stories show how basic water access can change educational outcomes and help students imagine new possibilities.
A Sustainable Path Forward
Youth-led sanitation efforts in Uganda reflect a broader commitment to health, equity and education. By installing clean water systems, building safe toilets and promoting hygiene, these projects create safer learning environments. Continued investment in school sanitation could support better academic outcomes and strengthen national development. Uganda’s youth remain central to this progress, shaping a future where all students can learn and thrive with dignity.
– Vasara Mikulevicius
Photo: Flickr
Digital Solutions: AgriDigital Reduce Rural Poverty
Rural Poverty: Background
The AgriTech sector, an industry that provides technological solutions to agricultural problems, has surged in recent years, with an average of 1,522 new companies founded annually in the past decade. This comes at a time when global agriculture has faced numerous threats, from supply chain shocks during the COVID-19 pandemic, to a changing climate that threatens global crop supplies, to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has raised food prices worldwide.
Brookings suggests that increasing agricultural productivity can directly reduce poverty, with a 1% increase in agricultural GDP creating a greater than 1% decrease in poverty. AgriTech businesses should help boost this productivity. Instead of increasing the resources available to small rural farmers, these companies help producers reach the market, make informed decisions through data, and gain access to key lines of credit and funding.
This article will highlight three AgriTech companies in three different countries and examine how these digital solutions can help reduce rural poverty and help farmers grow their businesses from subsistence activities to free-market enterprises.
AgriDigital
AgriDigital is a digital management platform that helps participants across the agricultural supply chain manage their business and make sales. Based in Australia, AgriDigital uses blockchain technology—the same digital ledger that’s behind the world’s leading cryptocurrencies—to allow buyers and sellers to make safe transactions through their platform.
Enabling online transactions between members of the agricultural supply chain is only one of AgriDigital’s many functionalities. The platform also allows users to manage inventory and deliveries, send invoices, connect with other partners in the supply chain and utilize their data to make informed business decisions. The software is designed to help each of the different roles across the supply chain, including farmers, site operators, grain traders, and brokers.
Apollo Agriculture
Apollo Agriculture helps Kenyan and Zambian farmers gain access to financing. The company allows farmers to buy inputs directly on their site. If a farmer is cash-strapped and needs to buy on credit, Apollo will give them a loan with favorable repayment conditions. The farmers also receive free insurance on purchases bought with credit in case of an emergency.
Apollo connects farmers with nearby agrodealers who also use the site. In helping both dealer and farmer buy and sell inputs where needed, Apollo fills the same intermediary role as AgriDigital, providing a platform to connect various members of the supply chain. Apollo also provides training for farmers and logistics for agrodealers.
Mayani
Mayani is a company from the Philippines that helps agri-fishery businesses sell their products to local businesses. With 2% of the country’s GDP consisting of aquaculture, Mayani helps fisheries weather the seasonal spikes that leave fishermen and women at the mercy of volatile prices. The business helps these fisheries and farms find partner businesses such as restaurants, hotels and supermarkets in a B2B format. These partner businesses gain access to sustainably sourced, quality local ingredients. Households can also use the platform to find fresh produce for the home kitchen. Mayani, while acting as an intermediary, also performs quality control on products delivered from the farm to the kitchen/market.
Technology Solving Rural Problems
The three companies surveyed above are just a small sample of the larger AgriTech sector that creates efficient ways to boost productivity and reduce rural poverty. They also perform just a small subset of the total functions that AgriTech businesses provide.
AgriDigital also helped customers manage their business, while Apolo Agriculture provided training and financing.
However, Brookings notes several other functions that AgriTech businesses perform. These include mechanization processes like IoT sensors that help farmers increase crop production, or traceability capabilities that allow products to be tracked through the supply chain, ensuring responsibility for quality products.
International poverty has decreased where crop productivity has increased. In East Asia, where many countries have climbed the economic ladder, crop yields have multiplied by a factor of six in the last 40 years. In Sub-Saharan Africa, however, these crop yields have doubled, Brookings reports.
The Future of Rural Poverty
If agricultural productivity is inversely related to global rural poverty, then businesses must focus their efforts on increasing this productivity. AgriTech businesses like AgriDigital, Apollo Agriculture, and Mayani are working towards this goal. By training farmers in useful skills, helping farmers make better business decisions through data collection, giving farmers much-needed access to finance and inputs, simplifying complex business management into simple, easy-to-use applications and connecting different groups of the supply chain together through effective intermediary platforms, these companies work to reduce rural poverty. Helping smallholder farmers gain access to markets ensures that the two-thirds of the world’s poorest who are employed in agriculture can escape rural and overall poverty and become small business owners in their own right.
– Charles Citron
Photo: Flickr
Being Poor in Panama: Challenges and Pathways To Progress
Panama’s GDP grew by 7.4% in 2023, and its poverty rate declined from around 50% in the late 1980s to 13.6% in 2024. However, these gains remain unevenly distributed. An economic slowdown in 2024—driven by mining shutdowns and droughts affecting the Panama Canal—coincided with a one-point increase in poverty, underscoring the country’s ongoing challenge: entrenched inequalities that disproportionately affect rural communities, Indigenous populations and urban peripheries. The disparities are especially stark between urban areas (4.8% poverty rate) and Indigenous comarcas (76%), highlighting how geography and ethnicity continue to shape opportunity.
Contributing Factors to Poverty in Panama
Three primary factors contribute to being poor in Panama:
How Poverty Shapes Everyday Life in Panama
Being poor in Panama affects every aspect of daily life. Here are some ways poverty affects people in Panama:
Initiatives Driving Progress Against Poverty
While Panama’s challenges remain substantial, coordinated efforts across sectors demonstrate measurable progress in poverty reduction.
A Path Forward
Being poor in Panama results from overlapping geographic, economic and institutional inequalities, but progress is possible. With sustained investment in education, inclusive job creation and climate-resilient infrastructure, Panama can convert growth into shared prosperity. By scaling proven programs and strengthening cross-sector collaboration, no community must be left behind.
– Jacobo L. Esteban
Photo: Pixabay
Disability and Poverty in Cabo Verde
According to the latest studies, an estimated 6% of the population of Cabo Verde is living with some form of disability. However, these figures were published in 2010 and are considerably low in comparison to the rest of the global population, highlighting that they are both out of date and likely to be an underestimate. Given the limited data on disability and poverty in Cabo Verde, it can therefore be difficult to form a complete understanding of what life is really like for those living with disabilities.
Pre-Pandemic
In the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabo Verde saw a considerable reduction in its national poverty rate, from 35.2% in 2015 to 27.7% in 2019. This decline was in part due to the active steps the government made to improve social inclusion for its disabled population.
For example, in 2017, in partnership with Handicap International, the National Human Rights and Citizenship Commission produced and disseminated an informative document on disability rights. Titled ‘Un Mundu Pa Nos Tudu’ (‘A World for Us All’), the document details common challenges faced by people with disabilities and debunks myths surrounding the disabled community, helping to improve levels of inclusion.
During the Pandemic
However, the pandemic pushed an estimated additional 88 million people worldwide into poverty, and the situation in Cabo Verde was no different. By 2020, almost a third (31.3%) of its population was living in poverty, reversing previous progress.
In a report published in 2021, the International Disability Alliance found that the pandemic revealed several key areas where support for the disabled population falls short. These include limited participation of people with disabilities in health policy decision-making, insufficient prenatal care for mothers with disabilities and a mental health care network which excludes the disabled community.
Post-Pandemic
Despite this, the government has implemented policies in the aftermath of the pandemic to continue the positive advancements they made before the outbreak, both with respect to poverty levels and social protection for people with disabilities. In 2022, the poverty rate began to fall again and people with disabilities started to see visible improvements to their standard of living.
Established in 2016, the Rede Nacional de Campanha da Educação para Todos, Cabo Verde (otherwise known as the National Network of The Education for All Campaign, Cabo Verde) was able to resume its efforts to improve the lives of disabled people across the country. Led by Dr Marciano Monteiro, who lives with visual impairment, the coalition advocates for increased funding for inclusive education.
In line with the government’s aim of promoting equal opportunities for all, the Ministry of Education, in partnership with the coalition, published a comprehensive report detailing a new set of regulations for schools across the country. These rules guarantee the inclusion of all children with special educational needs, as well as fee-free education, from basic to tertiary, for all children with disabilities.
These changes have already resulted in visible developments within the education system and the situation regarding disability and poverty in Cabo Verde. The quality of teaching, especially with respect to how teachers can support those with diverse educational needs, has greatly improved, leading to an increase in the number of disabled people who stay in school for longer.
Looking Ahead
In making considerable practical adjustments to education and healthcare, the government in Cabo Verde has enabled the disabled population to receive the support they require. This in turn is helping the country break the cycle of poverty.
– Elsa Tarring
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Addressing the Gender Wage Gap in Papua New Guinea
About the Gender Wage Gap
History has repeatedly indicated a significant disparity in power and economic allocations between women and men. In a society where men dominate the public sphere of influence, women are often disenfranchised. Due to this inequality, women are often short-sighted across sectors with limited access to power, resources, rights and wealth. A precedent of unequal pay for women in the labor market, known as the gender wage gap, often perpetuates this disparity.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines the gender wage gap as “the difference between the median earnings of men and of women relative to the earnings of men.”
The Gender Wage Gap in Papua New Guinea
In March 2025, the World Bank (WBG) published research showing significant increases in gender equality across landscapes in Papua New Guinea. However, research still shows gaps in employment along gendered lines. In its study, it found the following information:
Steps in Achieving Gender Equality Globally
In the face of these wage and economic inequalities, various efforts are occurring to address these disparities. In 2024, the World Bank Group launched an initiative to accelerate gender equality, end poverty and cultivate a more livable planet. This conceptual framework will be implemented from 2024 until 20230 across the world. Its objectives include:
Project Implementation in Papua New Guinea
Under the WBG’s program, selected countries like Papua New Guinea expressed a vested interest in prioritizing gender equality through various programs and reforms. The World Bank Group has outlined the following approaches.
This initiative leverages collective action in the interest of cultivating a world and future committed to nondiscrimination, inclusion and equality of opportunity. Furthermore, economic opportunities will experience expansion through meaningful and transformative impact. By working closely with nations through a country-engagement model, strategies to implement change through innovative financing and policy reforms will enable the advancement of public resources, support and equality for people regardless of their gender identity.
– McKenzie Rentie
Photo: Pexels
Accelerating SDG 1 in South Korea
Tracking Progress on SDG 1 in South Korea
All UN member states adopted the 17 SDGs in 215, which form the backbone of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since then, South Korea has steadily improved its SDG Index score, reaching 77 out of 100 last year and ranking 33rd among 166 countries according to the Sustainable Development Report 2024.
More specifically, when it comes to SDG 1 in South Korea, the country has managed to reduce the relative poverty rate from 18.5% in 2015 to 14.9%. Going forward, this rate will likely to decline further, especially as the annual living allowance was increased by 1.41 million KRW (approximately $1,000 USD) compared to last year under the new basic livelihood security program.
However, the Sustainable Development Goals Index marks South Korea’s progress on ‘no poverty’ at the stage of ‘challenges remain,’ which means that the country is moderately improving but this is not enough to achieve the goal. Such challenges include old-age poverty. Although it has dropped from 43.6% in 2016, it remains at an alarming rate of 39.8% – the highest among other OECD states. This is particularly troubling considering South Korea’s fast-aging society as more than 20% of the population is now aged 65 or over.
Policies To Tackle Domestic Poverty
In response to these challenges, the 2025 budget proposal lays out measures specifically to address elderly poverty. A major component is the expansion of the Basic Pension Program, which allocates 70% of public transfers to senior citizens as opposed to the significantly smaller proportion of 25.9% in 2016.
The new budget proposal not only aims to tackle elderly poverty but also introduces specific measures targeting various dimensions of poverty in South Korea to support other marginalized groups. For instance, the government plans to increase the number of beneficiaries of disability-related employment incentives from 633,000 to 756,000 by expanding its budget by 6.6%. In addition, the proposal includes the launch of the ‘National Advance Payment System for Child Support,’ which supports single-parent families where child support is unpaid since they are also particularly vulnerable to poverty.
The 2025 budget plan addresses poverty among younger generations as well by increasing the stipend granted to young adults to support them with financial independence. The plan moreover expands the youth work experience program to accommodate 58,000 participants to help with improving job prospects as unemployment is often the root cause of poverty among young adults.
Extending Impact Beyond Borders
South Korea’s efforts to alleviate poverty extend beyond its borders. Since its reclassification as a developed country in 2021, South Korea has expanded its role in international development. The 2025 budget plan allocates 6.5 trillion KRW (approximately $4.8 billion USD) in Official Development Assistance – a 3.8% increase from last year. The country has also joined the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, further solidifying its commitment to addressing poverty in developing countries.
In addition to financial support, the country is also sharing its own experience in addressing poverty in South Korea and the development model they used. One example is the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement) Project which is now adapted into overseas Saemaul Projects. These rural development programs based on Korea’s own transformation in the 1970s now support 42 villages in 10 countries, helping establish community infrastructure and improve agricultural productivity. By focusing on empowering local communities, these initiatives allow sustainable economic growth that breaks the cycle of poverty.
Looking Ahead
As a former aid recipient that is now a donor state, South Korea shows how efforts through social policy and international cooperation can lead to real progress. Although SDG 1 in South Korea has yet to be fully achieved, the 2025 budget plan, with its expanded support for vulnerable groups and initiatives for international development, marks a significant step toward the goal of ‘no poverty.’
– Lucy Cho
Photo: Unsplash
Addressing Disability and Poverty in Sudan
After 21 months of fighting, the terrorist militia known as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed more than 150,000 people and displaced more than 11.5 million. Most of them internally, 3.3 million to neighboring countries including Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. The displaced Sudanese live in horrible conditions in camps, they lack proper supplies and 25.6 million are food insecure. Doctors Without Borders estimated in February 2024 that 13 children died from starvation every single day.
On top of living in dire circumstances, the Sudanese are exposed to constant bombings, sexual violence and ethnic cleansing. The American secretary of state, Anthony J. Blinken, has described the RSF’s actions as genocidal. Here is information about disability and poverty in Sudan and efforts to address it.
Disability in Sudan
The Swedish International Corporation Agency estimated that there are 1.9 to 3.8 million disabled people in Sudan, representing 10-15% of the total population. This estimate considers the under reporting of untreated patients. The most common disabilities are blindness at 31% and mental disability at 24%.
While some of these disabilities are hereditary, a large number of impairments have risen throughout the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Injuries from bullets, artillery and bombs have led to severe physical harm such as burns and fractures, sometimes resulting in lifelong injuries like amputations.
Health Care Access
Armed conflict and poverty play a big role in health care access. Before the war, only 50% of people who managed to reach a health facility were offered proper treatment, the weakened health system puts 8 million of children in dire condition at risk as 78,000 babies die every year from preventable causes like malaria.
This access is even more limited to people with disabilities. In 2015, a research studying health care access across Sudan, Namibia, Malawi and South Africa showed that 8.18% of people with no activity limitation had problems accessing health care, while the percentage of people with some or severe activity limitations who lack health care access was 12.24% and 12.10% per month.
The lack of access to health care has only worsened since the beginning of the RSF attacks in April 2023. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 108 attacks on health care facilities by September 2024, the percentage of facilities and public hospitals partially or totally dysfunctional is 70-80% in areas worst affected by the crisis and 45% in other parts of the country, leaving millions of people helpless.
Poverty in Sudan
The 2014 Multidimensional Poverty Index estimates of Sudan indicated that 52.3% of the Sudanese population is multidimensionally poor and 17.7% are vulnerable to multidimensional poverty. These figures are in constant increase, total poverty rates rose to 80% in 2018 and to 97% in 2020.
Due to the ongoing conflict, living conditions have deteriorated and a great number of the population have lost shelter and income. A study compared the decrease of resources between 2021 (before the conflict) and 2023 (during the conflict), it expected the poverty rate to increase by 4.5%, affecting 39.3 million Sudanese. It estimated that the war led to the loss of $15 billion of Sudan’s economy by the end of 2023 which is equivalent to 48% of Sudan’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is due to the attack on states that produce sectoral goods as well as the loss of jobs in industry, services and agriculture which amount to 5.2 million jobs lost, representing almost half of the Sudanese workforce.
Though the damage is on a national scale, disabled people struggle more, they are in constant need of food and welfare supplies. Before the conflict, they received financial support from non disabled people through religious donations known as zakat, but the war led to the collapse of the zakat system and begging at the local market is now the main source of income for the disabled Sudanese in Darfur. They are reliant on family members who at times of crises might leave them behind in a desperate pursuit of safety.
Efforts and Solutions
Many efforts have emerged to diminish disability and poverty in Sudan, whether domestically or internationally. The UNICEF Sudan social protection programme, which is in the eastern states where the malnutrition rates are higher, is directly supporting 300,000 beneficiaries through monetary, informational and care provisions to mothers from the conception of their babies to two years after their birth. This has proven to reduce maternal mortality, infant mortality and malnutrition.
Meanwhile, in November 2023 and with the support of UNICEF, the Federal Ministry of Education launched the National Strategy on education of children with disabilities from 2013-2016, followed by the first National Council on education of children with disabilities with the support of UNESCO, UNICEF and Plan international. The strategy aimed to integrate a holistic model to cater to the educational, social, health and protection needs of disabled children as well as safeguarding their rights.
Nayla Prosthetics, a Sudan Disability Movement, launched before the war, which has provided prosthetic and financial support to people with mycetoma, a chronic infection caused by fungi and bacteria mainly affecting farmers. Thanks to this initiative, the beneficiaries have regained mobility which promoted their recovery and job availability.
The team designed a prosthetic capable of reading electrical signals from the amputee and reacting to them with movements. It features a simplified design, a wrist rotation and sensory feedback so that the amputee feels when they touch it and all of this is available for less than $1,000. Thanks to grants and donations, the organization only keeps growing.
Looking Ahead
Access to the bare necessities of life was already a challenge for most Sudanese, the current war has only accentuated their struggle. Disability and poverty in Sudan is at an all time high and millions of people are vulnerable to starvation, untreated wounds and incessant violence.
– Yasmine Belabed
Photo: Pexels
5 Facts about Hunger in Tanzania
Global Nutrition Standards
Consistent with its GHI hunger rating, the 2022 Global Nutrition Report noted that Tanzania was on course to meet only two of the 13 global nutrition targets: exclusive breastfeeding and childhood wasting.
It has made some progress toward childhood stunting, low birth weight and anemia in women of reproductive age, but is off course on the remaining eight indicators. The country is suffering from the “triple burden of malnutrition,” the coexistence of undernutrition (stunting and wasting), micronutrient deficiencies (or hidden hunger) and overnutrition (overweight and obesity).
Tanzania’s Poor Nutrition
In February 2024, USAID observed Tanzania’s continuing nutritional challenges, noting that they were driven by poverty, lack of diverse quality diets and poor infant and young children feeding practices, along with insufficient access to essential health services (including WASH—water, sanitation and hygiene). This is exacerbated by limited information, poor coordination among the government, NGOs, and communities and a shortage of professional support.
Other factors affecting hunger and nutrition are where one lives, increased demands from displaced persons and variable climate:
Domestic Attention
International Support
Tanzania recognizes that addressing food insecurity and hunger is only the first step in improving quality of life. The domestic and international focus on nutrition in Tanzania is taking the next step.
– Staff Reports
Photo: Flickr
Malnutrition in Gaza: An overview
Gaza’s Children are Starving
Food insecurity is urgent for children and breastfeeding mothers. Out of the 1.1 million children living in the Gaza Strip, nine out of 10 are experiencing severe food poverty, according to Save the Children. As of June 5, 2025, 2,700 children under the age of 5 are experiencing severe acute malnutrition (SAM). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15.6% of Gazan children under age 2 are acutely malnourished. This represents an exponential increase compared to the 0.08% in children under the age of 5 before the recent conflict.
Due to food blockades, families are consuming two or fewer low-nutritional-value meals per day, often eating animal feed and foliage. The Ministry of Health estimated that 57 Gazan children have died from starvation since March of this year. This statistic is likely an underestimate. The U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment states that 93%, approximately 930,000 children, are at risk of famine.
Illness and Malnutrition in Gaza
Malnutrition is detrimental in growing children, as young bodies are unable to fight illness and heal from injuries without proper nutrition intake. Poor nutrition weakens the immune system and prevents nutrient absorption, making children more susceptible to diarrhea, pneumonia and measles, according to WHO. To heal from sickness, children must consume more food, which is unattainable in Gaza at this time. This creates a vicious starvation cycle. Inadequate childhood nutrition has a lifelong impact. Long-term malnutrition stunts growth and impairs cognitive function, ultimately lowering a population’s overall well-being. Consequently, an entire generation is predisposed to poverty.
Implications on Breastfeeding and Pregnant Mothers
As of spring 2025, 17,000 Gazan mothers could receive treatment for acute malnourishment in the coming year, according to the WHO. Breastfeeding mothers need proper nutrition to produce milk for their babies. Breastmilk is the sole source of nourishment for infants under six months. Without adequate maternal nutrition, infants can not consume the breastmilk they need to build immunity towards disease and infection. As a result, malnutrition in Gaza is amplified.
Healing Pediatric Malnutrition in Gaza
As of May 2 aid siege, medical supplies are scarce. No food, medicine or fuel has entered the Gaza Strip in 10 weeks. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has run out of flour and hot food parcels. Their medical supplies are one-third of the way gone. The WHO’s 19 malnutrition treatment centers collectively hold the supplies to treat 500 children for acute malnutrition. This is a fraction of the 70,000 Gaza children in need of immediate care. Despite the scarcity, there are solutions to end malnutrition in Gaza.
Throughout 2024, the WFP delivered 10 million hot meals across Gaza, many of which have gone to children. Legumes, wheat products, seeds, vegetable oils, energy bars, biscuits and salt have been delivered to Gazan families. These packages are vital in preventing malnutrition in Gaza.
Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a nutritionally dense paste fed to malnourished children 6 months to 5 years old. UNICEF is primarily responsible for distributing RUTF in the Gaza Strip. RUTF is a lipid-based paste made from peanuts, sugar, milk powder, oil and essential vitamins and minerals. The fat-based formula allows nutrients to be easily absorbed. Depending on their condition, children are given several RUTF sachets per day. The home-based, ready-to-eat formula makes this paste outstanding at healing malnutrition. It has a 90% success rate in healing children from severe acute malnutrition. In 2024, UNICEF sent 1,500 boxes of RUTF to Northern Gaza.
As soon as blockades rise, there is enough food to feed 1 million children for four months. Treatment is attainable; only access must be granted.
– Helen Cusick
Photo: Flickr