There is overwhelming kindness in this world despite the cynics who doubt its existence. Kindness admires charitable work, but many people are unaware of the job opportunities afforded to them for pursuing that line of work. There is a strong drive for schools to support charitable organizations and give students a taste for it through volunteering.
Volunteering through schools is a wonderful way for students to network. More often than not, they learn a great deal about themselves by doing so. Maybe this is the kind of work that those great minds will want.
But, in order to get those kinds of jobs after volunteering, one must be adaptable. Change is the only way to make a positive difference, and to be open to change is to be open to new ideas. The job will always be a learning experience.
Also, reading and writing, no doubt, are very important skills. There are reasons why these are taught at such an early age. Those who write well and practice their writing often will be able to successfully compose reports and evaluations and better communicate with donors, grantees and colleagues. Also, analyzing proposals and interpreting data will have to be done in order to better communicate results. Communication skills as well as research skills are a must. Those who are best able to communicate their positions as well as stay informed in their field have a significant advantage.
Another qualification, of course, is the ability to comply with the law. There are laws that govern philanthropic associations specifically at all levels. The California Nonprofit Act of 2004, for example, states “Charitable corporations with assets of $2 million or more must prepare annual financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant (CPA). The statements must use generally accepted accounting principles. The independent CPA must follow generally accepted auditing standards.” While, this particular kind of law might not be needed for every philanthropic position, it is useful to know that there are existing regulations.
There are many corporate philanthropy jobs, and people with all different skillsets are qualified for them. Here is a list of jobs that one can expect to find as an advocate for, and prospective employee of, a philanthropic association:
Grants Management: Director of Grants Management, Grant Manager
Charitable organizations receive grants as donations and give grants in return for advocacy, and it is up to these people to manage that money and keep it in check. Directors are generally more concerned with long-term planning and strategies for the future. The managers monitor grants and maintains grant reports.
Research Director, Associate, Librarian
They are in charge of researching and preparing reports pertinent to the organization that they represent. They assist all other employees in being fully informed of changes that occur within their concerns.
Director of Donor Services, Advancement Officer, Gift Planning
Donors, especially those who routinely give large sums, ideally wish for returns on their investments. Those returns can be in the form of tangible gifts or maybe a detailed report on where their money is going. This is yet another department that manages the foundation’s assets.
Human Resources: Receptionist, Office Manager, Recruitment Official, Computer Professionals, Director of Informational Services
These positions can be found in most large corporations, even nonprofits! These administrators manage the day-to-day life of the company or organization ensuring that information is distributed to other employees, donors, volunteers — anyone involved.
Communications/Public Relations
These are the people in charge of distributing information to the public regarding their cause/foundation whether they are snail-mail flyers or brochures in a hotel.
Program Director, Program Officer, Program Associate
Similar to the Grants Management personnel, they are in charge of analyzing grant proposals and managing grant making programs. They also conduct background research and help to organize and manage events put on by the foundation.
Finance
They manage assets and accounting, work with the treasurer and deal with all financial statements. So, when the foundations want to give a grant in exchange for advocacy, they go through this department.
Senior Management and Foundations Board
They oversee the inner-workings of the entire association. They have the uppermost abilities to make strategic decisions. A first-time jobseeker might not pursue this kind of position, however it is important for them to understand exactly what their position is in relation to other employees.
– Anna Brailow
Sources: California Registry of Charitable Trusts, Law Crossing, Philanthropy Network
Photo: VolunteerHub
Jobs in Corporate Philanthropy and How to Get Them
There is overwhelming kindness in this world despite the cynics who doubt its existence. Kindness admires charitable work, but many people are unaware of the job opportunities afforded to them for pursuing that line of work. There is a strong drive for schools to support charitable organizations and give students a taste for it through volunteering.
Volunteering through schools is a wonderful way for students to network. More often than not, they learn a great deal about themselves by doing so. Maybe this is the kind of work that those great minds will want.
But, in order to get those kinds of jobs after volunteering, one must be adaptable. Change is the only way to make a positive difference, and to be open to change is to be open to new ideas. The job will always be a learning experience.
Also, reading and writing, no doubt, are very important skills. There are reasons why these are taught at such an early age. Those who write well and practice their writing often will be able to successfully compose reports and evaluations and better communicate with donors, grantees and colleagues. Also, analyzing proposals and interpreting data will have to be done in order to better communicate results. Communication skills as well as research skills are a must. Those who are best able to communicate their positions as well as stay informed in their field have a significant advantage.
Another qualification, of course, is the ability to comply with the law. There are laws that govern philanthropic associations specifically at all levels. The California Nonprofit Act of 2004, for example, states “Charitable corporations with assets of $2 million or more must prepare annual financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant (CPA). The statements must use generally accepted accounting principles. The independent CPA must follow generally accepted auditing standards.” While, this particular kind of law might not be needed for every philanthropic position, it is useful to know that there are existing regulations.
There are many corporate philanthropy jobs, and people with all different skillsets are qualified for them. Here is a list of jobs that one can expect to find as an advocate for, and prospective employee of, a philanthropic association:
Grants Management: Director of Grants Management, Grant Manager
Charitable organizations receive grants as donations and give grants in return for advocacy, and it is up to these people to manage that money and keep it in check. Directors are generally more concerned with long-term planning and strategies for the future. The managers monitor grants and maintains grant reports.
Research Director, Associate, Librarian
They are in charge of researching and preparing reports pertinent to the organization that they represent. They assist all other employees in being fully informed of changes that occur within their concerns.
Director of Donor Services, Advancement Officer, Gift Planning
Donors, especially those who routinely give large sums, ideally wish for returns on their investments. Those returns can be in the form of tangible gifts or maybe a detailed report on where their money is going. This is yet another department that manages the foundation’s assets.
Human Resources: Receptionist, Office Manager, Recruitment Official, Computer Professionals, Director of Informational Services
These positions can be found in most large corporations, even nonprofits! These administrators manage the day-to-day life of the company or organization ensuring that information is distributed to other employees, donors, volunteers — anyone involved.
Communications/Public Relations
These are the people in charge of distributing information to the public regarding their cause/foundation whether they are snail-mail flyers or brochures in a hotel.
Program Director, Program Officer, Program Associate
Similar to the Grants Management personnel, they are in charge of analyzing grant proposals and managing grant making programs. They also conduct background research and help to organize and manage events put on by the foundation.
Finance
They manage assets and accounting, work with the treasurer and deal with all financial statements. So, when the foundations want to give a grant in exchange for advocacy, they go through this department.
Senior Management and Foundations Board
They oversee the inner-workings of the entire association. They have the uppermost abilities to make strategic decisions. A first-time jobseeker might not pursue this kind of position, however it is important for them to understand exactly what their position is in relation to other employees.
– Anna Brailow
Sources: California Registry of Charitable Trusts, Law Crossing, Philanthropy Network
Photo: VolunteerHub
Restoration of Ancient Canals Creates Hope for Lima’s Water Crisis
In an effort to alleviate its water problems, Peruvian hydrologists have been researching the most effective ways to provide Lima with a steady flow of water throughout the course of the year. However, it turns out that the most cost-effective solution is rooted in the past, not the future.
Researchers have found a solution to dealing with Lima’s water crisis in a network of ancient canals in the Andes mountains, dated as early as 500 AD to the pre-Inca era. The Peruvian capital is seeking to restore the stone canals, or amunas, as they are called locally, by regrouting them. Hydrologists have studied other methods for retaining the water supply during the dry season but found that this would be the cheapest option.
Rather than requiring new infrastructure, this project is cost-effective because it only requires improvements to the structures already in place. It is also beneficial that the project is non-disruptive to the environment.
According to a report in New Scientist, when used in the past the canals used to capture water from rivers in the Andes Mountains during the rainy season to slowly seep through rocks to flow into springs closer to the ground later in the year during the city’s dry season, which can last over half the year. The delay in water flow allows for gradual distribution of the water flow much later in the year.
However, the canals have not been maintained and generally just flow water directly downhill in a matter of hours. Hydrologists have noticed that regrouting the canals with cement would allow them to function as intended, potentially delaying water for weeks or months. This water flow, coming from over 3,500 meters above sea level, can provide the city with a more consistent water supply during its dry season.
Sedapal, the city’s water company, discovered that this project would be the most cost-effective way to provide a more steady water supply from the Lima population of almost 10 million people. In order to fund the $23 million project, the company plans to use one percent of its water charges for the next five years.
While Lima is struck with drought during its dry season, its wet season is often comprised of floods and landslips from the Chillón, Lurín and Rímac rivers. By holding back water through this system for the dry season, these problems can also be avoided.
While research is still being conducted, Bert De Bièvre of CONDESAN, a Lima-based nongovernmental organization that is spearheading the restoration, believes that 50 of the canals can be revived, mostly flowing from the Chillón River, according to the New Scientist report.
De Biévre’s work with American water specialists has indicated that this project has the potential to increase the water supply by 26 million cubic meters and decrease deficit during the dry season by 60%.
– Arin Kerstein
Sources: The Guardian, New Scientist
Photo: PRI
Cambodian Street Children
In Cambodia, a country whose economic index consistently ranks lower than the regional Asia-Pacific average, many strides have been made in recent years in order to alleviate poverty levels, strides that have moved the country into the lower-middle class. Attempts to meet the Cambodian Millennium Development Goals, or CMDG’s, have also prompted successful efforts aimed at poverty alleviation, resulting in a decrease in poverty levels from 50% in 2007 to below 20% in 2012, according to the Cambodia Socio-Economic Survey.
Despite these broad strokes of progress in recent years, a third of the Cambodian population continues to live below the national poverty line, which was set at US$0.61 (R2,470) in 2007. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has also revealed that close to 40% of Cambodian children suffer from hunger, while 22% of the population continues to live in severe poverty.
Cambodia has struggled to recover from the legacy left behind by the Cambodian genocide —conducted by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge — that killed an estimated 3 million Cambodians between 1975 and 1979. One of the legacies of Pol Pot’s reign of terror, for instance, can be observed with regards to the structure of Cambodian demographics. Due to the Khmer Rouge’s systematic targeting of senior citizens, who were considered unfit to work as farmers in the Cambodian countryside, and the significant baby-booms that occurred at the conclusion of Pol Pot’s reign in the 1980s and 1990s, youths now make up a disproportionate percent of the Cambodian population. Out of a total population of 14.0 million, around 5.1 million (49.5%) are children under the age of 18.
Of this 49.5%, studies have also found that about 18% of children age 5 to 17 are engaged in economic activities, with the average age at which a child starts working set at 10.4 years old. These children are deemed street children, for as defined by the United Nations, “any boy or girl for whom the street in the widest sense of the word has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised or directed by responsible adults.”
A study conducted by the Cambodian Street Children Network (CSCN) discovered that these children take to the street for a variety of reasons. Traditional norms in Cambodian society, for instance, foster a mentality in which all members of the household are expected to contribute to the family’s livelihood. The fact that poverty is widespread in Cambodian society and that only 7% of occupations can earn more than US$3 a day, while 38% of occupations yield less than US$1, contributes to a scenario in which income generated from begging comes to be regarded as a “career;” especially as it can yield up to $15 a day in tourist-dense regions such as Siem Reap, home to the Angkor Wat mega-complex. Add to this the fact that many of these street children come from outer provinces in order to escape or alleviate poverty at home, have lost at least one parent or are orphaned by diseases such as AIDS — it is no wonder that the street is regarded as an opportune place to reap a profit.
In addition to these contributing factors, Cambodia also has a weak law enforcement set in place to protect street children. For instance, despite a Labor Code which establishes the minimum age for employment at 15 years, CSCN has noted that there is a pervasive and blatant disregard for this law, and others. According to the latest CSCN study, conducted in 2011, children under the age of 18 engage in a variety of street activities including, but not limited to, begging. The study found that, among various activities, 19% engaged in begging, 17% in scavenging, 7% in construction work, 5% in selling petty goods, 5% in stealing and 3% in picking insects.
The phenomenon of Cambodia’s street children is inextricably connected to Cambodia’s levels of poverty and its current ineffectiveness in dealing with a significantly youthful population. In light of this, it is thus important to reflect that Cambodia has been making strides to alleviate levels of poverty within the country since the 1990s. Many organizations, such as the CSCN, the Anjali House, an education center created for former street children in Siem Reap, and the ChildSafe hotlines, managed by English-speaking Khmer social workers, have also been set up in recent years in order to directly address the issue of Cambodia’s many children who take to the streets to survive.
However, in order to most effectively rescue Cambodia’s street children, more drastic steps need to be taken to alleviate poverty and to strengthen a corrupt and failed justice system — factors which ultimately foster and enable a Cambodian street child’s existence.
– Ana Powell
Sources: Asian Development Bank, Cambodian Street Children Network Canodia, The Heritage Foundation World Bank
Photo: Campus Gup Shup
Facebook Expands Internet.org in Senegal
Facebook has partnered with Tigo, a multinational telecommunications company, to bring access to Internet.org in Senegal. This app offers access to information about healthcare, news and local services without the hefty expense of data charges.
Internet.org was founded in 2013 with the mission “to make affordable Internet access available to everyone in the world and to make the opportunities of the Internet available to everyone. Free basic services are our solution to increase accessibility of the Internet and create awareness around the value it may bring.”
Two out of every three people do not have access to the Internet. And many are questioning why. Devices are too expensive. Service plans are too expensive. A mobile network may not be available in the local area. And if a mobile network is available, the content may not be available in the local language.
However, Internet.org breaks through these barriers with three key concepts: affordability, efficiency and a practical business model.
Data is an expensive way to gain access to the Internet. But by developing technology that decreases the cost of devices and services, Internet.org is taking the first step to provide affordable access to a world of information.
Bandwidth is a necessity when transmitting data, and it is not available everywhere. Internet.org is taking on the challenge to develop technology that compresses bandwidth, which will make data services and networks more efficient.
All of these changes would not be possible without the support of billions of people who are introducing new business models that will help more people gain online access.
Tigo is a company that shares the same values as Internet.org, providing services while keeping in mind affordability, accessibility and availability. With the help of a Tigo SIM card, users in Senegal will have access to services including AccuWeather, BabyCenter & MAMA, BBC News, UNICEF, Facebook and UNICED Facts for Life. Senegal is the sixth country in Africa to gain access to Internet.org. Other countries that have access to Internet.org include Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Columbia, Guatemala, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Malawi and Pakistan.
Many may think that Internet access is available all over the world. This misconception is a leading cause as to why Internet access is still not available to two thirds of the world. With the help of Internet.org in Senegal, many will gain access to much needed information regarding health, local and world news, and education.
Because of Internet.org in Senegal, the people will also have access to recipes to prepare food that is available and local. While providing information on how to prepare food in new and exciting ways, it will also provide the knowledge essential to preparing a balanced meal.
Internet access is a necessity in today’s society. But by expanding Internet.org in Senegal and other countries without Internet, it is also providing the information to live a healthy and informed life.
– Kerri Szulak
Sources: All Africa, Internet.org, Tech City, Tigo
Photo: TechCabal
7 Traits of Philanthropic People Who See Success
Philanthropic people strive to promote the welfare of others through the donation of money, property or services. They come from all sorts of socioeconomic backgrounds, but there are several common character traits of philanthropic people who have seen success in their pursuits:
1. They are altruistic.
Philanthropic people show selfless concern for the welfare of others and venture to alleviate the struggles of others without seeking anything for their own personal benefit. Truly philanthropic acts are done without expectation of compensation or recognition of one’s efforts.
2. They are empathetic.
Philanthropists tend to be empathetic toward the struggles of others. They feel an obligation to do what is in their power to combat these struggles because they view the problems and the hurt that comes with them as their own.
3. They have heightened social awareness.
Philanthropic people tend to have great awareness of their surroundings. Not only are they open to opposing views and new ideas, but they also seek to understand the motivations and obstacles of others in order to better understand their needs and how they can best best be satisfied.
4. They are far-sighted.
People who want to make positive change in the world tend to look far into the future. They want to make a lasting impact on society rather than temporarily fixing a problem, and recognize that they must direct their efforts accordingly. They realize that in order to make significant societal change, it is crucial to address underlying structural issues by investing in long-term solutions.
5. They are politically involved.
In order to make structural changes in society, it is also necessary for philanthropists to advocate for political change. That is why many successful philanthropists are known to be advocates. They tend to recognize that while it is important to invest in programs that are shown to produce tangible results, advocacy is also important because it allows progress on a broader scale.
6. They are issue-oriented.
Successful philanthropists seek specific causes to support rather than organizations. They first identify something they would like to see happen in the world and then they go out to look for organizations that can best make this vision a reality. They recognize that specific organizations may be able to tackle one aspect of the problem best and then look for other groups to work on other aspects of the issue. They maintain a holistic view of the issue and use many tools to catalyze these changes.
7. They are business-minded.
Many philanthropic people look at their contributions as investments in society and the economy. They want their money and resources to be used efficiently and in an organized-manner in order to promote self-sustaining change. Accordingly, successful philanthropists look at issues through a business-lens, treating their philanthropic work with the same work ethic as they would their business. Just as they would to promote a business goal, successful philanthropists also capitalize on their resources, drawn upon their networks and use their position in society to promote a cause. This broad view pushes them not to focus solely on contributing to nonprofit organizations, but also to expand their support to for-profit business and legislative initiatives that will propel the cause forward.
– Arin Kerstein
Sources: Academic Impressions, Forbes, Long Beach Business Journal, PC World
Photo: Smarter Finance Journal
Canada’s Missing Link: Health and Housing
For quite some time, Canadian health officials have conducted thorough research to trace the cause of unstable housing. Now, officials have sorted out the missing link: bad health.
A 2005 published study by researcher Liz Evans presented the connection shared between HIV-sufferers and occupied hotel residency. At the time of the research, Evans illustrated the fact that 80% of Canada’s single-rooming units in hotels (estimated at 6,000) were located in Canada’s poorest Downtown Eastside, in which rooms were frequently occupied by those suffering from HIV.
One solution was to remove the hotel units; however, Evans knew that such an approach would result in “catastrophic” consequences. The analyst went on to state that the units were not “evils,” but rather an escape for HIV-sufferers who live in fear caused by social rejection.
Years would progress with minimal updates that validated Evans’ work until 2007, when TimesArgus.com broke a story on the 2010 Vancouver Games’ organizers deliberating if low-income housing should be moved elsewhere before the event. Although the organizers initially told the public that housing rights would be “respected,” over 700 low-income residents were displaced that same year in addition to inexpensive housing being converted into tourist venues. This action ignited strong backlash from a league of protestors.
The incident served as a rubric sheet for medical analysts to test theories that have longed signified a potential connection between housing issues and the trend of bad health yielded by the likes of street-involved youth.
Unearthed by the Public Health Agency of Canada, street-involved youths typically have a background of family abuse and a violent home environment. The aftermath follows with subjection to low income, low education, and lack of support or inability to pay first/last month’s rent; all of which are triggers to unstable housing.
Once housing becomes an issue, the vulnerability of infections caused by negative coping systems, such as drug use or unprotected sex, serves as a high risk.
In studying further developments, lead researcher C. Kim went on to run tests involving Vancouver-native drug users and non-drug users. Based on the test results, Kim discovered that active drug users were hepatitis C viral-carriers and singled out unstable housing as the prime connection.
With these results, varying researchers revisited the work done by Evans, who attempted to signify a connection involving HIV-sufferers and extreme occupancy within hotel units. It was in 2014 that analysts determined that the significant increase in emergency department-styled housing was being led by HIV-sufferers.
As conducted in Evans’ work, researchers indicated that those residing in the housing feared social backlash, further contributing to poor health caused by guilt and depression. In both the study and a separate one occurring one year later, analysts conclusively noted that like street-involved youths, unstable housing holds a poor-health effect on HIV-sufferers, where potential enablement of guilt, depression and drug use patterns pose as big risks.
So what exactly is being done to aid the problem?
For street-involved youths who have endured a brutal history, several intervention programs have been established to help those in need. Other establishments like Calgary-based Infinity Project provide youths with a permanent home in a community of their choosing, equipped with support and affordable options to secure them a better life. Similarly, support centers are urged, for those suffering from HIV, to decrease health-care costs and to minimize health problems relating to depression.
As positive networks continue to decrease the rate of unstable housing, optimism for more awareness of the issue comes with wishful thinking of the conflict fading away.
– Jeff Varner
Sources: NCBI, TimesArgus.com, NCBI, Public Health Agency of Canada, NCBI
Photo: Huffington Post
How YOU Can End Global Poverty From Your Couch
Have you ever dreamed about being a super hero? Did you once believe that you would grow up to end global poverty?
Well, today is your lucky day.
You may not have the time or money to fly to Africa, but you can still contribute to the fight against global poverty!
There are things that you can do without leaving your couch!
1) Advocate: Post a link to an article about global poverty on Facebook or Twitter, or even bring global poverty up in a conversation. While this may not seem like a big deal, you will be reaching every single one of your friends or followers with the post. You may even inspire them to do something too!
2) Call or Email Congress: By contacting Congress you can support bills that will aid thousands and maybe even millions of people living in poverty abroad. Your call will be taken down on a sheet and the tallies will help your representatives decide to vote on a bill.
While this may sound like a daunting task, the Borgen Project makes it easy. Simply type in your zipcode into the Borgen Project website’s application and it will bring up your Congress people’s names, numbers, and emails. If you are intimidated by the thought of talking to someone, simply call after hours and leave a message.
https://borgenproject.org/action-center/
https://borgenproject.org/call-congress/
3) Volunteer: The Borgen Project has many volunteer opportunities. You can volunteer with the Borgen Project, while spending most of your volunteer hours on your couch! Much of your volunteer time will be spent calling congress, writing, or fundraising. It is easy, but effective and worth while.
https://borgenproject.org/volunteer-opportunities/
4) Fundraise: Create an online fundraiser for The Borgen Project or other global poverty organizations and post it on Facebook. Then text your friends about it.
https://www.crowdrise.com/borgenproject
5) Donate: From the warm cushions of your couch, look at your budget. Can you spare one dollar a week? Maybe even three dollars? If so, then pick from The Borgen Project or other wonderful organizations and send in your donation. If you chose the one dollar option, then in 20 years you will have contributed over $1,000 towards ending global poverty!
https://borgenproject.org/donate/
If you have taken the first step and posted a link about ending global poverty (you can start with this one) then congratulations! Pat yourself on the back and sink back into your couch with the happy knowledge that you are now on the way to being a powerful advocate for those in poverty all across the world.
– Clare Holtzman
Sources: The Borgen Project 1, The Borgen Project 2, The Borgen Project 3, The Borgen Project 4, The Borgen Project 5, Crowdrise, The End of Poverty, wikiHow
Photo: Spark Productivity
Peace in Mali Between Government and Northern Factions
The Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation between Malian parties and Algeria-led Mediation Team was signed in early May 2015 in Mali’s capital city Bamako. The spokesperson for the United Nations, the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, implored Malians to reinstitute peace in Mali and anticipate a long-lasting ceasefire. On 20 June 2015, a member of the Arab Movement of Azawad, Sidi Ibrahim Ould Sidati, signed his name to the amended version of the Algerian Accord on behalf of the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) in the presence of northern Mali’s community leaders and international sponsors.
According to Ban Ki-moon, the official signing of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation was 15 May 2015. The Agreement received a signature from the CMA on 20 June. Pleased with the addition and recognition from CMA, a coalition of armed groups, Ki-moon wants to remind participants that Mali and Malians must adhere to reconciliation efforts and ensure accountability to maintain promising endeavors toward peace.
The Secretary-General’s statement in Bamako reassures Mali that the United Nations supports both parties under the enactment of the Agreement. Ki-moon congratulates the parties and their momentous achievement toward securing peace. He also recognizes the neutral amity expressed by the text of the document.
Conflict has stirred unrest since the 1960s as Tuareg rebel forces fought with the Malian government over discourses relating to ethic discrimination and misrepresentation. The modified Algerian Accord has aligned Mali’s President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita with Mahamadou Djeri Maiga, vice-president and spokesperson of the Transitional Council of the State of Azawad.
Mahamadou Djeri Maiga, a senior member of CMA, feels mediation tactics are close to resolving divisional conflicts between northern and southern Mali. The nation wants peace for each side of the conflict. The purpose of the Algerian Accord is to revitalize the country’s north, which stationed Tuareg revolts against governmental forces.
The Accord’s connections aim to mend national struggles with diversity and radical Islamist movements. Both aspire to end turbulence altogether with the Accord standing in good-conscience with the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.
CMA was waiting for amendments to the Accord until 5 June. Marking their commitment to the Accord required provisions that will allow Tuareg armed groups to create partnerships with security in the north and grant representation for northern inhabitants in governmental institutions. As of 19 June, unity in Mali provokes members of the coalition to withdrawal from the town Menaka.
The mistrust began in 2012 when censure formed against southern sub-Saharan groups for not upholding the interest of northern factions. Tuareg separatists confiscated several northern towns and cities before Al-Qaeda radicals further exploited hostility. The Islamist radicals were overthrown by French military efforts.
The gap between the north and south deepened with nearly five hundred thousand seeking refuge in other countries according to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) monitored by Jens Laerke. The ceasefire, known as the Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement, was reinstated on 23 May 2014 to end hostilities in Kidal. Rebelling armed groups break the original contract by carrying out militaristic and administrative positions of power in several towns.
Albert Gerard Koenders, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Mali, and Abel Aziz, Mauritania’s President and current Chairman of the African Union, pledge to end the hostility. Armed groups who originally applied their signatures to the document agree again to a ceasefire as humanitarian conditions worsen when attacks against UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization (MINUSMA), the Malian government forces and France’s Operation Serval amplify.
Nearly 400,000 original inhabitants returned to the north since the signing of the Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement. The will for peace is evident with miles still to trek. Mahamadou Djeri Maiga will continue to scan for evidence of positive results on the ground after the signing. In the meantime, Ki-moon hopes the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation is an inspiration to others in the political process.
– Katie Groe
Sources: UN 1, UN 2, GN Network, UN 3,
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
A Look at Poverty in Norway
The world’s richest country is Norway. The population of Norway is 4.5 million people. Despite the wealth of the country due to oil commodities, poverty in Norway still exists. In the capital of Oslo, 8.3 percent of the population suffers from poverty. The populations that are affected the most by poverty are immigrants, families with children and single parents, and those who are on social security.
As of 2014, child poverty is on the rise in Norway. It is estimated that 78,000 children are suffering at this time. Three point four percent of children are living in a state of ‘relative’ poverty. In Norway, it is defined as households with income below 50 per cent of the national median.
Of the children of Norway, 3.4 percent of children live below 50 percent of the poverty level, 1.6 percent of the children live below 40 percent of the poverty level and 7.5 percent live 60 percent below the poverty level.
In Norway, the defining features of their national estimates of the percentage of the population falling below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups. The results are then adjusted based upon the number in each group. However, it is important to remember that wealthier nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poorer nations.
Poverty in Norway
Norway is considered to be a relatively rural country as compared to other countries within the EU. Only half of its population lives in cities and towns that have above 8,000 residents. Living conditions are said to be an issue for the impoverished. Overcrowded living conditions accompanies economic straddles in their cities. There are many problems in northern Norway, among their municipalities.
In Norway, a long standing and successful social welfare system exists. It has strong fiscal redistribution mechanisms designed to aim both at the impoverished and at a regional level. It is for this reason alone, that it is said that absolute poverty is rare. As it stands, Norway has 11 percent of the population under low-income level.
In comparison to the other European Union countries, the household poverty threshold is higher in Norway. In Norway, elderly people have a higher low-income risk than comparative age groups, compared to other European countries. In stark contrast, the vulnerable groups of Norway experience the opposite.
The contrast is even starker in oil-rich Norway, where the poorest 38 percent of the people fare better, on average, than the poorest 38 percent of Americans, despite a lower median per capita GDP.
-Erika Wright
Sources: CS Monitor, Index Mundi, News in English, Panam Post, UNICEF,
Photo: Romania Insider
Muhammed Yunus Turns 75
Try to buy a house without a mortgage loan or start a business without a business loan. For most of the world’s population, even in developed countries, these tasked are difficult. In the developing world, where financial services are virtually nonexistent for millions of the poor, opportunity is a myth and breaking an endless cycle of poverty seems hopeless.
Bangladesh celebrated one of its own as Muhammed Yunus turned 75 years old on June 28th. Often thought of as the pioneer of the modern micro finance concept, Muhammed Yunus has, for decades, been an advocate for social business practices and alleviating global poverty.
Mohammed Yunus was born in Bangladesh India and is a social entrepreneur, banker, economist and civil society leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for founding the Grameen Bank.
The Grameen Bank is a microfinance organization and community development bank founded in Bangladesh that makes small loans known as micro-credit or “grameencredit”, without collateral requirements to impoverished entrepreneurs.
The Oxford dictionary defines micro-finance or micro-credit as the lending of small amounts of money at low interest to new businesses in the developing world.
During his tenure as a professor of economics at Chittagong University in the 1970s, Muhammed began experimenting with providing small loans to women in the tiny village of Jobra. Today, the World Bank estimates approximately 160 million people in developing nations are using micro-finance.
Yunus Social Business, an organization co-founded and chaired by Muhammed Yunus, calls itself a company created with the sole purpose of solving a social problem in a financially self-sustainable way.
Muhammed Yunus, with the success of the Grameen Bank and his concept of social business, among many other accomplishments, has won 112 international awards, received 55 doctorate degrees from 20 universities, was ranked by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 public intellectuals of the world and has authored internationally acclaimed books, published and translated into numerous languages.
Today Muhammed Yunus, as he reaches age 75, is celebrated all over the world and is still very much involved in the mission to fight global poverty. Recently, Yunus Social Business (YSB) launched its first social business accelerator in Uganda, a land locked country in East Africa, haunted by conflicts resulting in millions of deaths and plagued with child slavery. With the implementation of the program, Yunus Social Business hopes to address social and environmental problems in Uganda in a financially sustainable manner by promoting and empowering social businesses through the provision of business development services, impact investment funds and related technical support.
Uganda, an impoverished nation and an area of operation for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group listed by the U.S. as a terrorist organization, could benefit from the Yunus Social Business model and possibly emerge from a society torn by war.
Through the implementation of micro-finance and the ideology of social business, societies around the world, mired for centuries in poverty could become self-sustainable and thanks, in part to Muhammed Yunus, more could lead rich fulfilling lives.
– Jason Zimmerman
Sources: Kiva, Prothom-Alo, World Bank, Yunus Social Business 1, Yunus Social Business 2
Photo: Huffington Post