The relationship between the mining industry and the country of Malawi is burdened with complexity. Mining in Malawi promises substantial economic growth, yet it simultaneously has the potential to violate human rights and destroy the natural ecosystem.
Malawi profits through the mining industry, as the country is rich in economic deposits of uranium. Both Malawian granite and sandstone host uranium reserves, such as the Karoo sandstone in Karonga, Malawi.
The district of Karonga lies on the northwest side of Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is one of the only freshwater lakes on the entire continent of Africa and is a key source of livelihood for over 1.5 million Malawians.
While clearly rich in resources, the country itself is impoverished. Due to this, the government has signed many agreements with extraction companies, hoping to increase exports.
Some national organizations are concerned about the mining industry’s effect on the precious and fragile ecosystem of Lake Malawi, yet the government has prioritized economic interests.
In 2007, a subsidiary of Paladin Energy took interest in Karonga due to a uranium deposit in the district. Due to the immense economic potential of the mine, called Kayelekera, the government agreed to let Paladin extract uranium in 2009. The government was issued 15 percent equity in the subsidiary.
As expected, the mine stimulated a crucial boost to the country’s foreign currency account. Over the following 10 years, the uranium industry overall is expected to raise Malawi’s GDP by 10 percent, account for 30 percent of exports and increase exports by 25 percent.
Due to company promises, many people in Malawi flocked to Karonga, hoping the uranium industry would generate employment, build clinics and increase general infrastructure in the new mining community.
Others, however, were not adequately informed that uranium mining was going to take place around their homes. None were aware that the Kayelekera mine would disrupt their entire way of life.
Reporters from Human Rights Watch conducted research for a year in Karonga, interviewing nearly 80 villagers who had been affected by uranium mining. They found that the general lack of government oversight and corporate responsibility harmed Malawians.
The construction of the Kayelekera mine caused villagers to be evicted from their homes. Many were only notified of the relocation at the last minute. Without any time to find other places to stay, these Malawians found themselves temporarily homeless.
While Paladin did offer compensation for the forced removal, the sum was insufficient to completely cover the cost of buying new land and building a new home. The company offered about MWK 50,000 to each family, which currently equates to about $70.
The uranium mining in Malawi damaged maize crops, dried rice fields and destroyed irrigation channels. As most of the villagers around Karonga live off of subsistence farming, threatened agriculture endangers survival.
Secrecy around the operations of the mine led to Malawian suspicion. When the people in Karonga asked the corporation to test the water for contamination, Paladin claimed to have a monitoring system in place. The company then refused to release any results. This lack of transparency has left many villagers concerned for their health.
As the laws surrounding mining in Malawi have not been updated since the Environmental Management Act of 1996, amendments are well overdue. In order to protect the interests of its citizens, the government of Malawi needs to strengthen regulations over extractive corporations, educate its people about the risks of mining, enforce institutional transparency and take measures to mitigate any damage.
The Kayelekera mine was closed in 2014 for repairs, yet the uranium industry in Malawi is just beginning. Moving forward, the Malawian government needs to enforce corporate responsibility on all companies who wish to extract natural resources from their country.
This conflict over mining in Malawi ignites fundamental questions over the delicate balance between economic development and social responsibility. With a more comprehensive legal framework, the government of Malawi may not have to choose one or the other. After further reform, the government can protect its people while simultaneously fostering social, institutional and economic development.
– Larkin Smith
Photo: Flickr
Educating Children with Disabilities in Laos
Currently, there are 1 billion people worldwide who live with a disability, and 80 percent of those live in a developing country. To put things into perspective, 1 in every 7 people on this earth have a disability. It has been shown that poverty and disability are intrinsically linked. Those living in poverty are at higher risk of having a physical or intellectual impairment. This is due to factors such as unsafe living conditions and insufficient access to health services.
Unfortunately, the majority of people with disabilities have difficulty participating as equals in their communities and are oftentimes excluded or shunned. The cycle of poverty and disability can only be broken if the rights and needs of people with disabilities are addressed.
Laos, in particular, is a country that has started taking matters into its own hands. It has traditionally been difficult for international non-government organizations to work in Laos. However, Caritas Australia has been able to partner with the Lao Disabled Persons Association (LDPA), which helps both parents and teachers in developing the skills of children with disabilities in Laos.
LDPA is the most prominent and recognized disabled people’s organizations in Laos. These organizations work directly with and serve as a representative for persons with disabilities. In addition, they aim to educate the public about disability rights.
Due to the negative connotations associated with disability, Lao “society is more likely to abandon, ostracize or even hide children with disabilities.” Families receive little or no benefits from registering children with disabilities in Laos. Families who choose to hide a disabled member from authorities affect the government’s ability to improve legislation and living conditions.
That’s where Caritas Australia comes in. The organization believes that disabilities can be both a cause and a consequence of poverty. They aim to make sure all community development programs are accessible to people with disabilities. The organization also funds initiatives specific to people with disabilities to empower them to actively participate in community development and decision-making activities.
Specifically, the LDPA aims to support around 50 children with an intellectual disability attend a volunteer-run school. In addition to that, the association runs a series of workshops for parents and teachers of children with disabilities, led by specially-trained experts.
The Lao Disabled Persons Association’s main goal is to build the capacity of families and teachers to more effectively care for, educate and influence others on behalf of children with disabilities. Along with that, Caritas and LDPA work with parents and teachers towards providing consistency in areas such as behavioral management, teaching methods and social inclusion. Because very little is know about intellectual disability in Laos, the association is working to develop opportunities for schools and families to build a network for mutual support.
In 2010 the government began implementing the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. This program is well positioned in order to build a growing awareness of disability issues in the country. Though the program is in its early stages, children, parents and teachers involved have already shown great interest and commitment.
LDPA is the first program of its kind in Laos and is currently limited to the Vientiane Province of Laos. However, the program has the potential to expand to other provinces through its wide network of disabled people’s organizations and its connections with the government.
– Keaton McCalla
Photo: Flickr
Weather Prediction Technology in Developing Countries
By 2020, 8.5 billion people will reside in developing countries. This reality dictates food security as a critical component of agricultural planning to support this burgeoning population.
With nearly 100 countries lacking early warning systems for weather patterns, the developing world cannot protect crop yields to feed a growing world. While increased food production is an important part of the puzzle, improved food security measures are the missing link.
India’s AgriMet Department of the Indian Meteorological Department is helping to solve this problem by sharing weather prediction technology and satellite data with Bhutan and seven other developing countries including Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Moldova, Dominica, Peru, Colombia and Burkina Faso.
Within India’s system, weather advisories are sent via text and voice messages to registered farmers. Registration is free and participating farmers have reported increased income. Indian scientists also plan to assist other countries in developing their own models for weather forecasting.
This comes on the heels of a warning from the World Meteorological Organization in March 2016 on World Meteorological Day. The initiative titled, “Hotter, drier, wetter. Face the Future,” recognizes 2015 as the hottest year on record and warning that these trends will continue for the next 50 years making weather prediction technology critical in the developing world.
Droughts, flooding, cyclones and heavy rain hit developing countries harder due to lack of preparation and time to evacuate. The effects of weather events are often cumulative in poor populations, making bad situations worse each time a new event occurs.
Global partnerships in weather prediction are a cost-effective way to address weather forecasting but are difficult to manage when a weather event threatens a smaller region. Global systems can also be more difficult for small, poor countries to access due to issues such as slow internet connections.
This makes regional partnerships for weather events a logical next step in forecasting due to closer proximity and easier methods of accessing a weather warning.
The goal for Bhutan and other developing countries is the implementation of long-range weather prediction technology and use of cost-effective toolkits such as rain gauges and measuring tools for soil moisture. While India will provide training and skills in this project, countries such as Canada and Norway will assist with grant funding to set up the weather station.
– Mandy Otis
Photo: Flickr
Digital Solutions to Adolescent Mental Illness
The World Health Organization estimates that as much as 50 percent of people in high-income nations, and as much as 85 percent of people in developing nations, do not receive adequate mental health care. Closing the gap between those who need care for mental illnesses during adolescence and those who receive that care has been an ongoing public health challenge for several decades.
Part of the challenge lies in the nature of mental health care. In the case of natural disasters or disease outbreaks, public health efforts may focus on immediate interventions, allocating emergency resources toward the affected communities for a specified amount of time until things return to normal. With mental health care, treatment may involve a variety of resources like medication, one-on-one consultations, group therapy and other services that are harder to sustain for the duration of an individual’s life.
In recent years, apps have emerged as a versatile public health tool. Although a person’s socioeconomic status can profoundly affect other aspects of health care and who receive them, most people, regardless of income have cell phones.
The 2015 Mobility Report by Ericsson estimates that there are 2.6 billion smartphone subscriptions worldwide. Researchers expect that number to reach 6 billion by 2020, with regions like Africa, Asia Pacific and the Middle East accounting for 80 percent of all new subscriptions. Delivering mental health care through smartphone technology could help improve ease of access for those in developing nations.
Healthwatch Wokingham is an independent group of healthcare professionals working to deliver mental health care to people in South East England through smartphone technology. The program, Appyness, specifically targets teenagers by catering to unique adolescent mental illness needs. Users can learn about different mental illnesses that commonly affect adolescents and their symptoms, access contact information for various mental health care providers, and compare different kinds of treatment.
In some ways, Appyness provides many of the same services as a traditional mental health care provider. With simple language and easy-to-use interfacing, Appyness guides teens in classifying their symptoms, logging their moods and triggers and directs them to additional resources.
Healthwatch aims to reach teenagers through the technology platforms they already commonly use. The goal is to help them form positive self-care habits early on and prevent adolescent mental illness.
– Jessica Levitan
Photo: Flickr
Mining in Malawi: Understanding the Conflict
The relationship between the mining industry and the country of Malawi is burdened with complexity. Mining in Malawi promises substantial economic growth, yet it simultaneously has the potential to violate human rights and destroy the natural ecosystem.
Malawi profits through the mining industry, as the country is rich in economic deposits of uranium. Both Malawian granite and sandstone host uranium reserves, such as the Karoo sandstone in Karonga, Malawi.
The district of Karonga lies on the northwest side of Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is one of the only freshwater lakes on the entire continent of Africa and is a key source of livelihood for over 1.5 million Malawians.
While clearly rich in resources, the country itself is impoverished. Due to this, the government has signed many agreements with extraction companies, hoping to increase exports.
Some national organizations are concerned about the mining industry’s effect on the precious and fragile ecosystem of Lake Malawi, yet the government has prioritized economic interests.
In 2007, a subsidiary of Paladin Energy took interest in Karonga due to a uranium deposit in the district. Due to the immense economic potential of the mine, called Kayelekera, the government agreed to let Paladin extract uranium in 2009. The government was issued 15 percent equity in the subsidiary.
As expected, the mine stimulated a crucial boost to the country’s foreign currency account. Over the following 10 years, the uranium industry overall is expected to raise Malawi’s GDP by 10 percent, account for 30 percent of exports and increase exports by 25 percent.
Due to company promises, many people in Malawi flocked to Karonga, hoping the uranium industry would generate employment, build clinics and increase general infrastructure in the new mining community.
Others, however, were not adequately informed that uranium mining was going to take place around their homes. None were aware that the Kayelekera mine would disrupt their entire way of life.
Reporters from Human Rights Watch conducted research for a year in Karonga, interviewing nearly 80 villagers who had been affected by uranium mining. They found that the general lack of government oversight and corporate responsibility harmed Malawians.
The construction of the Kayelekera mine caused villagers to be evicted from their homes. Many were only notified of the relocation at the last minute. Without any time to find other places to stay, these Malawians found themselves temporarily homeless.
While Paladin did offer compensation for the forced removal, the sum was insufficient to completely cover the cost of buying new land and building a new home. The company offered about MWK 50,000 to each family, which currently equates to about $70.
The uranium mining in Malawi damaged maize crops, dried rice fields and destroyed irrigation channels. As most of the villagers around Karonga live off of subsistence farming, threatened agriculture endangers survival.
Secrecy around the operations of the mine led to Malawian suspicion. When the people in Karonga asked the corporation to test the water for contamination, Paladin claimed to have a monitoring system in place. The company then refused to release any results. This lack of transparency has left many villagers concerned for their health.
As the laws surrounding mining in Malawi have not been updated since the Environmental Management Act of 1996, amendments are well overdue. In order to protect the interests of its citizens, the government of Malawi needs to strengthen regulations over extractive corporations, educate its people about the risks of mining, enforce institutional transparency and take measures to mitigate any damage.
The Kayelekera mine was closed in 2014 for repairs, yet the uranium industry in Malawi is just beginning. Moving forward, the Malawian government needs to enforce corporate responsibility on all companies who wish to extract natural resources from their country.
This conflict over mining in Malawi ignites fundamental questions over the delicate balance between economic development and social responsibility. With a more comprehensive legal framework, the government of Malawi may not have to choose one or the other. After further reform, the government can protect its people while simultaneously fostering social, institutional and economic development.
– Larkin Smith
Photo: Flickr
Rise Up Belize! Advances Education in Belize
Rise Up Belize! is a nonprofit organization that promotes the educational development of Belizean children. Education in Belize is unique because all schools are tuition-based. Many children cannot afford to continue their education beyond the primary school level. Nearly 40 percent of the Central American country’s residents are under the age of 18. This places great importance on the education of its youngest citizens.
In 2014, 96.29 percent children of primary school age were enrolled in school. That same year, only 69.33 percent of students of secondary school age were enrolled. This drop of nearly 27 percent can be directly attributed to the fact that secondary school is not affordable for a significant number of families.
Joey Garcia is a writer who lives in Sacramento, California. She created Rise Up Belize! in 2004, after traveling to Belize City for a family funeral. Garcia was born in Belize and feels that the organization allows her to maintain a close relationship with her original homeland.
Each year, Rise Up Belize! selects ten high school girls from Sacramento to take part in an intensive leadership program. Over three to six months the students learn how to develop curricula, manage classrooms, raise funds and run a nonprofit organization. They also study cultural sensitivity and presentation skills.
After completing the leadership program, the girls travel to Belize where they run a week-long academic camp for fourth to sixth graders. The camp is free to attend and at the end of the week, each child leaves with a backpack filled with school supplies. Approximately 150 children attend Rise Up Belize! summer camps each year.
Rise Up Belize! also offers free professional development workshops for teachers. The three-day training program is run by Sacramento area teachers and psychotherapists who volunteer their time and expertise to help teachers in Belize hone their skills. More than 200 teachers in Belize have participated thus far.
Native Belizean students aged 13 to 16 who have completed primary school with a 2.5 GPA may apply for the Rise Up Belize! scholarship program.
Prospective recipients must have either attended a Rise Up Belize! summer camp or be recommended by a Rise Up Belize! staff member. The application process also requires students to write an essay that describes their dreams for themselves and for Belize. With so many young citizens, the future of the country certainly depends on the dreams of its students. Rise Up Belize! helps realize these ambitions by making secondary education in Belize accessible to more children.
– Kate Tilton
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in Nicaragua: Causes and Progress
Nicaragua is the poorest country in Central America. Rural poverty is a large portion of all poverty in Nicaragua. With a total population 6 million, 1.5 million of the rural populations are impoverished. Many factors contribute to the high rate of poverty, including political instability, natural disasters and lack of education. However, the government is implementing changes to improve the lives of impoverished Nicaraguans.
Political History
The Somoza family governed Nicaragua from 1930-1979. During this time, the unequal distribution of wealth left the majority of Nicaraguans in poverty. The Somozas allowed foreign companies to use Nicaraguan land and labor to make a profit off of agricultural crops and resources. With little government regulation, companies were able to keep wages low and deny their employees benefits.
In 1980, the Sandinistas National Liberation Front replaced the Somoza family. That same year civil war broke out between the Sandinistas and the Contras, a U.S. backed anti-communist group. The U.S., along with other countries, withdrew foreign investment and aid as well as halted trade with Nicaragua because they perceived the Sandinista government as a Communist threat. This put a strain on the economy since Nicaragua’s economy depends on agricultural exports.
Finally, in 1990 the civil war ended with the election of Violeta Chamorro. However, Nicaragua would continue to endure high rates of poverty caused by years of revolution and war.
Costly Natural Disasters
Nicaragua constantly endures hurricanes, floods and earthquakes that leave many individuals destitute. The 1972 Nicaraguan earthquake killed between 3,000 and 7,000 people and left 250,000 homeless. Hurricane Mitch caused severe rainfall in Nicaragua which left 750,000 homeless. It destroyed schools, crops and livestock. The damages totaled to over a billion dollars.
In response to the destruction from these disasters, government agencies and organizations like the Nicaraguan Red Cross created educational campaigns to inform Nicaraguans on how to prepare for natural disasters. They also distributed pamphlets and emergency phone numbers.
Local communities are also making natural disaster preparation a priority. Teachers on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, one of the poorest regions in the country, along with the Neighborhood Committee for Prevention, Mitigation and Disaster Response organized the School Safety Brigade. Children in the brigade are taught first aid, rescue and evacuation.
Education Reconsidered
Lack of education is also an issue in Nicaragua. Primary school is free and mandatory, but schools are often located far away from rural areas and are underfunded. The government only pays teacher salary, training and some school repairs. Therefore, school supplies and transportation become the parent’s responsibilities.
Often, children of poor families are removed from school and put to work or are forced to drop out because parents cannot afford the cost. According to the Education Policy Data Center, 37 percent of Nicaraguans ages 15-24 have not completed their primary education. Of that percentage, 28 percent live in rural areas.
To address educational issues, the Nicaraguan government created a plan that includes facilitating access to primary schools, especially to rural households, assuring completion of primary and secondary school and improving the quality of education. Funds from the U.S., European Union and the World Bank helped remodel schools and provide new textbooks and supplies.
Future of Nicaragua
Nicaragua has come a long way since the government of Somoza and the violent civil war. Nicaragua has shown promising improvements in the past few years specifically in addressing the problem of rural poverty such by increasing access and funding to schools so poor children can attend and helping citizens prepare for earthquakes and hurricanes that can potentially destroy farms. However, 29.6 percent of the population still lives under the national poverty line. Therefore, much still has to be done to minimize poverty in Nicaragua.
– Karla Umanzor
Photo: Flickr
UN Women: Internship Program for Women in Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a country where the population largely consists of people under 24 years old, and about 400,000 people are entering the workforce every year. It is hard enough finding a job as a young college graduate, but it’s even more difficult for the women in Afghanistan. Women in Afghanistan who seek education or employment still face backlash from a patriarchal society.
Although 64 percent of Afghans believe women should be allowed to work, many men still feel that women should be forbidden from pursuing an education. Girls who attempt to pursue education face great danger. Schools for girls have been burned down, teachers have been threatened and killed, and girls have been injured walking to and from school. The women who manage to complete their education often have forces working against them, preventing them from getting a job.
In December 2015, U.N. Women developed an internship program to help college-educated women acquire skills and develop a work ethic to better prepare them for the working world in Afghanistan. As of now, 48 women have completed the U.N. Women’s internship program in Afghanistan. The six-month program consists of two months spent training the women in different professional skills, and four months spent interning with an organization in the woman’s chosen field. The women receive a stipend from U.N. Women for the duration of their internship period.
The internship program has helped participants make vital social and professional connections with different programs around the world, some of which have offered these women jobs after completing their internships. The U.N. Women internship opportunity is helping women in Afghanistan look more suitable and appealing to job recruiters, giving them a competitive edge against young men looking for jobs.
As drastic and detrimental as things are for women in Afghanistan, the country is making progress for women and girls in education, political participation and economic roles. The National Unity Government is committed to the empowerment of women, and recognizes that equal opportunity for women is necessary for stabilizing Afghanistan and developing the country in a sustainable way.
There are more women in power than ever before. For example, 27.7 percent of parliament consists of women and three serve as ambassadors as well as the leaders of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission and four ministries. Also, Afghanistan has in place a National Action Plan to implement a resolution for the peace and security of women. These measures of progress show that there have been efforts in promoting and upholding a peaceful society with equal opportunity for women.
Women in Afghanistan continue to be disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation. There is still a substantial amount of resistance and discrimination in the workforce, but Afghanistan is making progress. With the help from U.N. Women, the working and educated women in Afghanistan can be progressive role models and leaders to all other women and girls.
Although Afghanistan has established ambitious goals, these actions are necessary to ensure that progress is not reversed and to preserve the great gains the country has made.
– Kayla Mehl
Photo: Flickr
Global Development: It’s Better Than You Think
Despite global victories in disease eradication, hunger and poverty reduction, the majority of Americans perceive the rest of the world to be in terrible shape. According to a recent study by the Barna group, 84 percent of Americans are unaware of the rising global development. In fact, 67 percent believe that global poverty has been rising since the 80’s. With regard to global health, 50 percent of Americans think child mortality is on the rise, and 35 percent believe that HIV/AIDS-related death has increased in the last five years.
It’s easy to make these assumptions when news headlines tend to focus on negative statistics. While it’s true the global community has a lot of work left to do, it’s also necessary to recognize the very tangible victories in humanitarian efforts over the last 50 years.
For instance, by 2010, the global community successfully lifted one billion people out of extreme poverty, reducing the world’s poorest population by half and achieving the U.N.’s first millennium development goal five years ahead of schedule. In developing regions, the population of undernourished people has decreased by nearly 50 percent since 1990.
Many economic and health-related improvements are directly tied to successful USAID programs. Every year, USAID saves more than 3 million lives through global vaccination efforts. More than 50 million couples worldwide use USAID sponsored family planning services. USAID has also played a major role in the global reduction of infant mortality by 10 percent through various child survival programs, as well as the U.N.’s Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade, which gave 1.3 billion safe drinking water and 750 million people sanitation for the first time.
Still, there are widespread misconceptions about foreign aid and its effects on global development. The majority of Americans believe that 25 percent of the federal budget goes toward foreign aid and want that number reduced to ten percent. In reality, less than one percent of the federal budget is allocated for foreign aid. The gap between perception and reality isn’t just an American problem. A recent study by Dutch research firm Motivaction found that out of 26,000 people in 24 different countries, 87 percent of respondents said that extreme poverty had not improved over the last two decades. Just 1 percent were aware that extreme poverty has actually been cut in half.
But if global efforts are as successful as the data shows, does public perception even matter? Martijn Lampert, research director at Motivaction, explains: “If you don’t see it happen, you don’t believe it.” Motivaction’s research certainly supports the notion that seeing is believing, after the most optimistic survey responses, came out of emerging economies in India, China and Indonesia, where people witnessed tangible improvements. Even more telling, 50 percent of people in those regions correctly said that global poverty had been reduced by half, compared to 8 percent of Americans and Germans.
Perhaps if more Americans were aware of the real-life impact that foreign aid has made, there would be greater support for USAID programs. With that support, lawmakers and advocacy groups could face fewer challenges in passing legislation to immediately improve the living conditions of the world’s poor. Better understanding begins with the facts. Thanks to work done by the U.N., USAID, Motivaction and countless other groups, new data shows that global development is on the rise.
– Jessica Levitan
Photo: Flickr
Economist Jeffrey Sachs’ Call for Global Education Investment
Macroeconomist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs has been hailed by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential world leaders of our time. Best known for his New York Times Bestseller “The End of Poverty,” Sachs recently published a statistically rich article on Project Syndicate calling for the U.S. to increase its support for global education.
Sachs is currently the director of the U.N. Sustainability Development Solutions Network. Sachs once optimistically claimed, “extreme poverty can be ended not in the time of our grandchildren, but in our time.” His call for increasing access to global education is expressed primarily in tandem with his focus on meeting the U.N. Sustainability Goals by 2030.
A Global Fund for Education (GFE), a coalition that would bring together wealthy countries to collaboratively provide financial assistance to countries that need it the most is, for Sachs, the essential key to doing so. Yet, Sachs’ presents startling statistics representing an enormous imbalance in U.S. priorities and an overt militarization in its defense strategy. Moreover, the numbers signal the United States’ negligence. in pursuing a successful strategy towards eradicating poverty.
According to Sachs, roughly $1 billion per year is spent on supporting global education where approximately $900 billion is spent on military-related programs. These military programs included in the sum constitute the Pentagon, CIA, Homeland Security, nuclear weapons systems and veterans’ programs.
Sachs claims that an extra $45 billion per year would guarantee children access to education, one that would allow them to be literate, and minimize risk from joining gangs, drug traffickers and jihadists — all elements that encourage a more dangerous global terrain.
In another article published on Project Syndicate, Financing Health and Education for All, Sachs claims that if the U.S. followed in the footsteps of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom in supporting health and education, the U.S. could add roughly $90 billion per year to global funding. The extra $45 billion per year then, would offer an easy and complete fix to the eradication of poverty by 2030.
The U.S. could also utilize $90 billion of the $900 billion allocated to military projects towards development aid. These steps would promote the U.S.’s national security as well as give the 200 million children currently out of school the opportunity to become literate and contribute to their own country’s economies.
The Global Fund for Education, if implemented, would allow low-income countries to submit proposals for support where if approved would receive both financial funds and monitoring of its implementation.
Bolstering educational systems and the world’s youth in an increasingly knowledge-based economy will increase the U.S.’s national security and alleviate poverty by 2030. Sachs’ optimism then is not misplaced — so long as the U.S. as well as other wealthy countries reform their strategies.
– Priscilla Son
Photo: Flickr
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Selfie App to Help Save the Children
Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid’s star forward and Global Artist Ambassador for Save the Children, recently released his latest initiative for the organization, the CR7Selfie: Fans with a Cause app.
According to Save the Children’s website, Cristiano Ronaldo’s selfie app costs $1.99 and will allow fans to “take a selfie with Ronaldo in one of several different outfits and poses.” A portion of all money raised from the app, which can be downloaded from the Apple App and Google Play stores, will go toward the non-profit organization.
Save the Children, which was founded in 1932, focuses on providing children in 120 countries around the world with proper education, food and health services, especially in the wake of natural disasters or war. In 2015, Save the Children delivered health care to 22.6 million children, and 11.6 million children participated in the organization’s nutrition programs.
Ronaldo has represented Save the Children as an ambassador since January 2013, directing his attention to the worldwide issue of child hunger. The athlete first realized that he wanted to join the fight against poverty when he learned that one in seven children go to bed hungry every night.
Over the past few years, it has become common for advocates to utilize social media. More than 230 million people follow Ronaldo on his various accounts, which allows Save the Children’s message to spread quickly. Cristiano Ronaldo’s selfie app — The CR7Selfie: Fans with a Cause app — puts this same strategy to use, allowing users to have fun sharing their selfies with the superstar while also supporting the organization’s mission.
Ronaldo is one of the most admired athletes on the planet, making him an expert when it comes to taking selfies. During the premiere of his documentary Ronaldo, he even tried to break the world record for most selfies taken in three minutes. Ultimately, Ronaldo failed in this endeavor, but his widespread popularity could make the new app a huge success.
– Liam Travers
Photo: Flickr