Although the technology of virtual reality (VR) is still in its infancy, it is steadily growing more advanced and more easily available to the public. VR is opening up all kinds of new opportunities and experiences, and they’re not just limited to video games – people around the world are finding that virtual reality can affect global poverty.
VR has made a strong impact in such fields as healthcare, manufacturing and even insurance. Many around the world see no reason why these advances shouldn’t also address humanitarian needs.
Researchers have found that virtual reality is incredibly powerful at building the feeling of empathy in users, which gives it obvious appeal to those in the non-profit world. With its ability to connect users to other people, the technology can make unprecedented strides in shining a light on the plight of millions.
According to Jeremy Bailenson of Stanford University, “Virtual reality transforms relationships that tend to be abstract to become visceral. Our research has shown that making this cause and effect relationship perceptual, as opposed to theoretical, changes consumer and other behaviors more than other interventions.”
Some non-profit organizations are now taking advantage of the fact that virtual reality can affect global poverty. HOPE International has found success by reaching out to potential donors with the technology by showing them exactly what problems their donations will be addressing. Boosted levels of empathy generate more contributions, helping to make a significant dent in global need.
Another organization, Trickle Up, combats poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries also by using virtual reality. By introducing VR experiences to donors at a fundraising gala, the organization was able to connect supporters to a local shop owner in Guatemala whose business would benefit from their donations. Trickle Up’s Communications Officer, Tyler McClelland, noted that having VR at the event increased interest and made guests more excited about the cause.
Some have taken the involvement of virtual reality in the humanitarian world to an even more interesting level. Chris Milk of UNICEF partnered with Samsung in 2015 to create Clouds Over Sidra, a virtual reality film that follows a 12-year old girl, Sidra, through her day-to-day life in the Syrian refugee camp of Za’atari in Jordan. Winner of the 2015 Doc/Fest Award, the film breaks barriers in the documentary world, making the VR viewer an interactive participant.
While there is much time and research yet to spend on the technology, early success strongly indicates that virtual reality can affect global poverty. It has the power to break down walls and, as the creator of Clouds Over Sidra said, it “connects humans to other humans in a profound way I’ve never before seen in any other form of media, and it can change people’s perception of each other. That is why I think virtual reality has the potential to actually change the world.”
– Emily Marshall
Photo: Flickr
Politics and Poverty in The Gambia
The Islamic Republic of Gambia is a small West African nation of fewer than two million people and surrounded on almost all sides by Senegal. With an economy built on a small patch of tourism, peanuts, and money sent home from abroad, poverty in the Gambia has had a period of stability for the past two decades.
The authoritarian government of outgoing president Yahya Jammeh has been in power since 1994. As recently as 2006, President Jammeh’s campaign claimed that government aid and continued development would only go to its supporters, while those who supported others should expect nothing.
Hope for Reducing Poverty in The Gambia
Today, more than a third of The Gambia’s population lives below the U.N. poverty line of $1.25 per day. The nation’s poor are mostly in rural areas, and 60 percent of The Gambia relies on agriculture to make a living. Irregular rainfall, economic instability and fluctuating food pricing all contribute to the plight of the Gambian proletariat.
Low productivity persists in the staple area of rice farming, where inefficient technologies and practices lead to less yield during harvests and contribute to worsening soil fertility. Few rural institutions are able to provide basic social services and credit.
In a surprise turn of events, President Jammeh lost this year’s election to a candidate who ran on issues of economic revival, ending human rights violations, and establishing a more earnest democracy. With the end of Jammeh’s presidency comes a potential for The Gambia to begin receiving increased funding from the U.N. and E.U. Ban Ki-moon and Federica Mogherini have stated, on behalf of the U.N. and E.U. respectively, that their institutions are prepared to support The Gambia.
The President-elect, Adama Barrow, is already promising to strengthen relations with Europe and other potential partners in development. Many relationships had been strained by the Jammeh administration, and after 22 years, The Gambia may be in a position to put its most vulnerable at the forefront of its government.
– Aaron Walsh
Photo: Flickr
Education in Ireland
Education in Ireland is incredibly competitive and important for the future of students. Students are tested on a variety of subjects, including the Irish language, and their scores on one test determines their entire career path.
Education in Ireland mandates that children attend school from ages six to 16. But, most children attend free childcare/pre-school services between the ages of four and five. Then students move on to primary school and then secondary school.
Secondary schools are privately run and therefore are expensive or have a religious affiliation, typically. The secondary school system includes three years in the junior cycle during ages 12 to 14 and the senior cycle of two or three years for 15 to 18-year-old students. In order to move on from the junior cycle and into the senior cycle, students must pass a test that includes all of their coursework from their three years in secondary school.
Once in the senior cycle, students must choose three tracks and at the end of their schooling, they take a test corresponding to the track they chose. There is the Traditional Leaving Certificate, which is for students who plan to continue their education at a university, and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, which applies to technical jobs and the Leaving Certificate Applied.
Students who take the Traditional Leaving Certificate have their future laid out for them from those tests. Students are tested on six subjects and students must score 90% or higher in each subject if they hope to pursue any medical, or law degrees, and so on. Students must get a 70% in order to study history or English literature in university. This test determines what subject students are allowed to study and if students are allowed to even go to college. Students who do not make the correct scores for their dream jobs simply cannot practice that profession anymore.
Because of the recent recession, education in Ireland has changed trends. More and more students are attempting to go to university after secondary school because of the poor job market. And because it is so difficult for students to get into the major of study they desire in universities, there is a gap left that welcomes foreigners to enter and take the jobs that Ireland needs such as doctors and lawyers. Education in Ireland is intimidating for students and encourages others to work in Ireland, but leaves the Irish to fend for themselves.
– Meagan Foy
Photo: Flickr
Millennium Challenge Corporation Invests in Indonesia
The U.S. foreign aid organization, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), invested $600 million in economic stimulus to reduce poverty in Indonesia that entered into force in 2013. The MCC forms five-year compact grants for countries that meet eligibility criteria and displays “good governance, economic freedom and investment in their citizens”.
According to the MCC, the Indonesia Compact consists of three projects, which aim to facilitate the increased quality of “health and nutrition, sustainable land and energy management, and modernizing the system of government procurement of public goods and services.”
To assist with the goal of “sustainable land and energy management,” part of the Indonesia Compact is the Green Prosperity project. This project accounts for $332.5 million of the Indonesia Compact investment funding, encapsulating efforts to expand economic conduits while decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases. Indonesia’s elimination of fuel subsidies has been positive and growth is expected to reach 5.5 percent in 2017. The regime’s ability to set fuel prices, however, is still a point of concern, as cited in a June 2016 report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Another part of the Indonesia Compact is the Community-Based Health and Nutrition to Reduce Stunting Project, which is a child and youth-based initiative aiming to decrease incidents of malnutrition that impact Indonesians across 5,400 villages. The World Food Programme cites that the nation loses more than $5 billion per year due to lost productivity as a result of malnutrition. An investment of $134.2 million of the $600 million is going towards the Community-Based Health and Nutrition to Reduce Stunting Project.
The World Bank notes that 37.2 percent of children under the age of five experience stunting. These developmental hindrances are pivotal to providing transparency into the double burden of malnutrition. Paired with an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases like heart disease, stunting at a young age can reduce productivity beginning in adolescence.
The MCC has allocated $65 million of the Indonesia Compact investment to the Procurement Modernization Project. The goal of this project is to strengthen the country’s public procurement system. The OECD reported that provinces and districts in Indonesia are spending 40 percent of total public funds, a rate of fiscal decentralization higher than any other East Asian country apart from China.
The compact also accounts for inequality by the implementation of the Social and Gender Integration Plan (SGIP) that ensures equal opportunity across genders and social structures for those participating in compact programs.
– Amber Bailey
Photo: Flickr
Rehabilitation for Children Affected by Chernobyl
“SOS appeal. For god’s sake, help us to get the children out.” This was the fax received by Chernobyl Children International founder Adi Roche in 1991.
Around 70 percent of radiation from the Chernobyl disaster fell on the country of Belarus. Thirty years later, 1.7 million people in Belarus live in poverty. Children in Belarus are 1.5 times more likely than the average citizen in the country to experience poverty and represent the poorest sector of the impoverished population. Chernobyl Children International was founded to close this poverty gap and assist the children in Belarus and other affected countries.
Because of CCI, children affected by Chernobyl are able to benefit from multiple advocacy programs. The Homes of Hope program offers adolescents a chance to find placement in homes that free them from institutionalized living. It is not uncommon for a teen to be moved to an adult mental asylum upon reaching 18 as a result of psychological disorders caused by radiation poisoning. Homes of Hope equips young adults with life training skills and vocational education.
Another program supported by CCI sets up volunteer families in Ireland to care for children affected by Chernobyl, allowing the children to live temporarily in an environmentally safe area. The initiative provides children with the opportunity to take a few weeks to escape the living conditions of a toxic environment.
Another organization, the Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, works to provide healthcare support to children in Belarus and Ukraine and provides recuperative breaks in the U.K. for affected children. It is estimated that breaks such as these can prolong a child’s life for up to two years and lower physical radiation contamination levels by 30 to 50 percent. Perhaps most importantly, the children return home with the reminder that the rest of the world cares about them.
Water contamination and radioactive elements in soil continue to wreak havoc on living conditions and are poised to affect generations to come. In addition to radioactive contamination, people in Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine experience poverty, displacement and insufficient healthcare.
Foundations such as CCI and CCLL provide valuable assistance to rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. These efforts are important reminders to Chernobyl victims that they are not forgotten.
– Amy Williams
Rising Middle Class in Emerging Countries Promotes Global Air Traffic
One sign of the rising middle class in emerging countries is the optimistic projection for the global airline industry. An industry study conducted by analyst DKMA indicates that airline passenger traffic should double by 2035. More than half of the eight billion additional passengers will come from the Asia-Pacific, and 70 percent of future traffic growth will come from the new middle class in emerging countries as more people leave poverty.
The airline industry will be the latest to catch the rising wave of the global middle class. Other “connection” industries that are riding this wave include the cell phone industry, with seven billion devices in use around the world, and the internet, with 3.2 billion people connected to it and each other, according to the Wall Street Daily. In fact, internet users in developing nations outnumber those in developed nations two to one.
Middle class growth drives economic change as people leave poverty. Just 25 years ago, one-quarter of the population of emerging countries lived in extreme poverty, getting by on less than $1.25 per day. Today, that number has been more than halved. Just 10 percent live in extreme poverty. In the last two years alone, 100 million households in emerging countries moved from poverty to the middle class, according to a report by Credit Suisse.
The global middle class now numbers more than 1.8 billion. If current trends of falling poverty continue, the middle class will reach 3.2 billion by 2020 and 4.9 billion by 2030, according to the OECD Observer.
Consistent with the airline study projections, most of this growth is projected to take place in Asia. Asia is anticipated to be responsible for 66 percent of the global middle class population by the end of the next decade, up from 28 percent at the end of the last decade, and the continent will account for 59 percent of all consumption by the middle class, up from 23 percent.
The OECD reports that over the next 20 years, the Asia-Pacific market is projected to grow at a 5.3 percent rate; the Middle East, at a 5.2 percent rate, and Latin America and the Caribbean at a 4.7 percent rate. Further, there will eventually be more passengers on planes from emerging countries such as India and Indonesia than from long-time market leaders Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom, according to DKMA.
The booming air traffic economy in emerging countries could have positive economic effects on the ground. Airports will need to invest in new construction or renovations and increase staff and services to keep up with the greater demand. This economic trend has the potential to further influence global poverty rates in the future, demonstrating the way positive progress toward ending global poverty continues to impact the world.
– Robert Cornet
Photo: Flickr
Simple Ways to Reduce Waste and Stop Climate Change
Simple ways to reduce waste can also help those that are forced even deeper into poverty by climate change.
Increasing levels of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide raise temperatures on Earth and cause myriad problems such as rising sea levels, melting snow and ice, extreme heat, fires, drought, floods and extreme storms.
These hazards have displaced 21.5 million people per year since 2008. Scientists predict that the amount of people displaced due to climate change will increase in the future.
Regions with large populations that are at high risk for natural hazards and lack the resources to adequately prepare for natural disasters are at the highest risk for displacement. Asia and Pacific Island nations are most at risk for displacement.
Although most people aren’t scientists trained to research methods to stop climate change, there are simple ways to reduce waste in an effort to slow the effects of climate change. Here are some everyday examples:
Each year Americans use 100 billion plastic shopping bags. It takes 12 million barrels of oil to produce all these bags. This comes at a great cost to the environment, with emissions from petroleum production polluting the air and water.
There is an area in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas full of plastic waste. Pack your lunch and pour drinks in reusable containers, and be sure to recycle plastic bottles. Women can try a menstrual cup instead of other feminine hygiene products that have plastic wrappers or applicators.
Shop thrift stores for items such as clothing, housewares, holiday decorations and more and buy used books and music rather than new. All these simple ways to reduce waste add up!
Take the bus, streetcar or subway instead of driving. Or, get fit by riding your bike or walking.
For example, do grocery shopping after work before going home rather than making separate trips. Sites like Zimride can help connect with others from the same company or university looking to carpool.
Agriculture emits more greenhouse gasses than transportation. As the increasing global population increases the demand for food, experts predict there will be a global food shortage by 2050 because there is not enough land or water to fulfill this demand. Help reduce this demand by planting a small garden. Homegrown tomatoes, lettuce, berries and herbs are easy for beginners. Food that isn’t homegrown should be bought in season and from local farmers, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Vegan diets are more eco-friendly because food produced on farms can be consumed directly by humans rather than being used as animal feed. A vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 20 pounds of CO2 equivalent, 30 square feet of forested land and 45 pounds of grain, according to Esquire Middle East.
If it’s impossible to go vegetarian or vegan, at least reduce the amount of meat and other animal products in your diet. Try having a Meatless Monday like American families during World War I and II who rationed their consumption for the war effort.
Though they may seem small, simple ways to reduce waste help those displaced by climate change if everyone does their part to help.
– Cassie Lipp
Photo: Flickr
Water Quality in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Water quality in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is in need of improvement. Only 46 percent of the population has access to clean and safe drinking water. Although the DRC has an abundance of freshwater sources, pollution and accessibility are major issues in the country.
According to the World Food Programme, the DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world. Therefore, the country has a lack of infrastructure and insufficient water storage and treatment facilities. Poorly maintained water systems can be dangerous because old and rusted pipes can possibly pollute water. Some towns, especially in rural regions, do not have any water systems.
For instance, the isolated town of Kasongo once had a working water system but it broke down and was not been repaired for several years. Without running water, residents had to walk three miles to get water from the nearest stream. This trip can take up to two hours. This is common for rural towns in the Congo.
People in the rural regions who depend on direct water sources are more likely to drink unsafe water. Approximately 37 million people in rural areas are at risk of contracting a disease from contaminated streams and rivers. One of the most common illnesses caused by unsafe drinking water is Cholera. Every year, 20,000 people die from cholera.
UNICEF representative, Pierette Vu Thi says, “A child living in a Congolese village is four times more likely to drink contaminated water than someone in town. Yet, all children have equal right to survival and development of which drinking water is a vital component.”
There are many solutions being explored to improve water access and quality in the Congo. The state water company REGIDESO is tapping groundwater in order to install pumps in remote rural areas. This method is much cheaper and less difficult than installing water systems. But, old water systems are also being restored. In Kasongo, REGIDESO replaced their defunct water system. The old storage tank, engine and pump were repaired with new models. A network of pipes and taps were extended to provide more people with running water.
The water quality in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is poor especially for the Congolese in rural areas. However, with new initiatives, many more people will gain access to clean water without having to travel miles.
– Karla Umanzor
Photo: Flickr
Monarchs, Communist States and other Non-Democratic Countries
Out of 196 countries in the world, 113 are officially recognized as democratic states. That leaves over 80 non-democratic countries. Here is a look at the top ten.
– Ashley Henyan
Photo: Flickr
Education in Algeria: Past Successes, Challenges and Goals
Since gaining their independence in 1962, education in Algeria has improved significantly in relation to access to and quality of education. The amount of students enrolled in school more than doubled between 1962 to 2000. But with overall enrollment up there was still opportunity to identify subsets of the education system in which enrollment was lacking.
The government reached out to UNICEF for assistance on quantifying these shortcomings. UNICEF and the Ministry of Education partook in the Global Out-of-School Children Initiative (OOSCI) to identify flaws in enrollment and also characteristics of students who drop out. The goal of which was to identify those characteristics so future students fitting that mold can potentially be saved from dropping out.
The OOSCI study found that 33.4 percent of eligible students were not participating in pre-primary education, three percent in primary education, and 6.5 percent in secondary education. The study found that students participating in pre-primary education were less likely to repeat grades, less likely to drop out and more likely to make it through secondary education.
The few pre-primary schools available in the country are privately funded and not available to a large portion of the population. This is something the government plans on improving in coming years.
Adding more primary and pre-primary schools will require more qualified teachers in the country. A UNESCO study estimates that by 2025, Northern Africa is going to need an additional 1.9 million teachers in total which includes 200,000 in Algeria.
Some key metrics have led to doubts about the quality of teachers across the country. In regards to literacy rates, males above the age of 15 fall into the 10 percentile and females above the age of 15 fall into the 20 percentile in comparison to other Middle Eastern & North African countries.
The repetition rate for males and females also fall into the 20 and 30 percentiles respectively compared to similar countries.
The Algerian government will be partnering with UNICEF in 2016 to work on improving these metrics. UNICEF plans on implementing child-centered methods to curriculum planning in their development of current and future teachers.
These future investments in education in Algeria will be costly. This could be problematic for a country where 60 percent of their tax revenues are related to hydrocarbons. Any fluctuation in the price of oil can have serious ripple effects on their economy.
In their 2017 budget, they are using a $50/barrel price point for allocating budget dollars. In order to maintain current levels of funding, they will be raising taxes to avoid any shortfalls that would occur.
Fortunately, with this proactive approach to maintaining levels of government spending on education in Algeria, they will not find themselves overly susceptible to influxes in their main trading commodity.
– Brian Faust
Photo: Flickr
Virtual Reality Can Affect Global Poverty
Although the technology of virtual reality (VR) is still in its infancy, it is steadily growing more advanced and more easily available to the public. VR is opening up all kinds of new opportunities and experiences, and they’re not just limited to video games – people around the world are finding that virtual reality can affect global poverty.
VR has made a strong impact in such fields as healthcare, manufacturing and even insurance. Many around the world see no reason why these advances shouldn’t also address humanitarian needs.
Researchers have found that virtual reality is incredibly powerful at building the feeling of empathy in users, which gives it obvious appeal to those in the non-profit world. With its ability to connect users to other people, the technology can make unprecedented strides in shining a light on the plight of millions.
According to Jeremy Bailenson of Stanford University, “Virtual reality transforms relationships that tend to be abstract to become visceral. Our research has shown that making this cause and effect relationship perceptual, as opposed to theoretical, changes consumer and other behaviors more than other interventions.”
Some non-profit organizations are now taking advantage of the fact that virtual reality can affect global poverty. HOPE International has found success by reaching out to potential donors with the technology by showing them exactly what problems their donations will be addressing. Boosted levels of empathy generate more contributions, helping to make a significant dent in global need.
Another organization, Trickle Up, combats poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries also by using virtual reality. By introducing VR experiences to donors at a fundraising gala, the organization was able to connect supporters to a local shop owner in Guatemala whose business would benefit from their donations. Trickle Up’s Communications Officer, Tyler McClelland, noted that having VR at the event increased interest and made guests more excited about the cause.
Some have taken the involvement of virtual reality in the humanitarian world to an even more interesting level. Chris Milk of UNICEF partnered with Samsung in 2015 to create Clouds Over Sidra, a virtual reality film that follows a 12-year old girl, Sidra, through her day-to-day life in the Syrian refugee camp of Za’atari in Jordan. Winner of the 2015 Doc/Fest Award, the film breaks barriers in the documentary world, making the VR viewer an interactive participant.
While there is much time and research yet to spend on the technology, early success strongly indicates that virtual reality can affect global poverty. It has the power to break down walls and, as the creator of Clouds Over Sidra said, it “connects humans to other humans in a profound way I’ve never before seen in any other form of media, and it can change people’s perception of each other. That is why I think virtual reality has the potential to actually change the world.”
– Emily Marshall
Photo: Flickr