South Sudan has suffered nearly a decade of conflict and is one of the countries most heavily affected by neglected tropical diseases in the world. The conflict caused almost irreparable damage to the nation’s social support structures that have only in recent years been improving with the help of external humanitarian organizations. Continent-wide diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and pneumonia place a heavy burden on South Sudan. However, many neglected tropical diseases are also rife within the nation, acting as silent killers that hugely contribute to the country’s mortality rate yet garner far less attention and aid than is needed to combat the outbreaks.
Civil War and the Health Care System
The South-Sudanese Civil War occurred from 2013 to 2020 due to President Salva Kiir’s accusation towards Riek Machar, former deputy, and 10 others of attempting to start a coup d’etat. Conflict broke out between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), devastating the country’s social structures, such as the democratic institutions, the weak economy and the fragile healthcare system. South Sudan currently ranks third in the world on the Fragile States Index.
The war catalyzed a vast humanitarian crisis that shook the very core of the nation, destabilizing the basic structures and needs for the population to survive. The inflation rate soared, reaching a peak of 835%, which made commodity prices exponentially rise and plummeted the value of the Sudanese Pound. Millions fled their homes during the conflict, leaving them displaced in a famine and relying on an already-overwhelmed health care system.
In 2020, essential health care coverage stood at 44% and critical care services such as child health care were at risk due to shrinking national fiscal space. Additionally, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, more than 8 million people out of the total 13 million population needed humanitarian aid.
Neglected Tropical Disease Outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes 20 neglected tropical diseases, 19 of which affect South Sudan. While South Sudan has been formulating plans and programs to combat neglected tropical diseases for decades, progress is slow and has only in recent years bolstered more support.
In 2008, the Ministry of Health identified the top neglected tropical diseases that affected South Sudan: visceral leishmaniasis (VL), human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), onchocerciasis, dracunculiasis (Guinea worm), lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, trachoma and soil transmitted helminths (STH).
The ministry recommended the use of integrated mass drug administration (MDA), however, it feared that “the existing financial resources and global political commitment are not sufficient to reach the goals of elimination or control by 2020 at the latest.”
Indeed, in the 2016-2020 South Sudan National Master Plan, it outlined that “the allocation of funds to states and countries through inadequate, lacks guidance on allocation of funds to specific programs areas such as NTD control.” In 2008, the Ministry of Health estimated that around 3.9 million people were at risk of trachoma in surveyed areas, and in 2024, South Sudan remained with the highest prevalence of active trachoma anywhere in the world, with up to 80% of children under 9 suffering from the condition.
The Good News
The story is not all bleak, however, as the continued efforts have been gradually paying off. The 2023-2027 South Sudan NTDs Master Plan details that increased attention has allowed for “significant strides globally in the control, eradication and elimination of NTDs.” These positive steps include 70-80% member states previously NTD-endemic in 2020 now declaring the elimination of at least one disease, 44 member states certified free of guinea-worm disease compared with 2020, and 44 states fully mapped for PCT-NTDs (preventative chemotherapy NTDs) compared with 2020.
With support from the WHO, since 2021, the country has managed to treat almost 17 million people for river blindness, elephantiasis, bilharzia, trachoma and soil-transmitted worms. Additionally, a treatment drive in 2023 traveled house-to-house, performing MDA against bilharzia. Increased awareness and education efforts are allowing isolated villages to receive more accessible treatment diseases; Dr Aja Kuol, the president of South Sudan’s Ophthalmologic Association and first South Sudanese female ophthalmologist has been travelling across the country with her team to perform sight-restoring operations to those suffering from sight-related diseases, reaching almost 4,700 people in 2023, The Telegraph reports.
Lastly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced Project ECHO, which aims to reduce clinical variations and improve the quality of care for patients. As of 2024, the project conducted nearly 200 sessions and 3,500 health care workers across the nation have received the training.
Closing Remarks
The civil war in South Sudan caused not only physical mass destruction and damage but also took a huge mental toll on the population. The efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases across the country have been slow and demoralizing at times, however, the effort has paid off. Now that the society is breaking initial barriers such as poor awareness and education, the country can expect improvement, with the most recent master plan facilitating “multi-sectoral collaboration” that can achieve the nation’s vision of a neglected tropical disease-free country.
– Helena Pryce
Helena is based in Nottingham, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
The Fight Against HIV/AIDS in Fiji
Causes
The Fijian Health Ministry credits the rise in HIV/AIDS cases in Fiji to illegal drug usage. There are two particular practices that are said to have caused the spike in cases, which are “bluetoothing” and “chem-sex.” However, others believe that the rise of cases is due to the lack of funding and research in HIV/AIDS as a whole. According to an EastAsiaForum article, “before 2012, they used a combination prevention approach to HIV. Funding had ramped up in 2008 through the HIV and STIs Regional Response Fund… [but] in 2013, the HIV Regional Response funding ended.” This may have played a significant role in the spike of HIV/AIDS cases in the Fijian Islands.
Financial Implications
The HIV/AIDS outbreak has not only severely impacted the health of Fijians but also their finances and quality of life. Fiji’s increasing rates of urbanization, which have caused homelessness and unemployment, have also contributed to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Fiji. Additionally, a large part of Fiji’s economy is reliant upon tourism, as they are still recovering from COVID-19. A reputation hit that could come from this outbreak would be detrimental to the Fijian economy, which would likely make the spread even worse, as it is disproportionately affecting those who are economically struggling.
Responses to the Spike
In January 2025, Fiji announced a 90-day containment plan that will guide the nation’s AIDS response until 2027. This is the start of the prioritization of HIV research in Fiji and helping the most vulnerable among the population get the treatment they need. However, there is still the underlying concern that some people who are HIV positive in Fiji are not aware of their status, and those who are too afraid to receive the care that they need due to prejudice and the stigmatization of the condition. Minister Lalabalavu, the minister of Health and Medical Services of Fiji, says that “discrimination and stigma will only serve to make our current situation worse.”
In order to combat this, there are many movements to increase education on HIV/AIDS in hopes of increasing knowledge and reducing stigma, such as the HIV Surge Strategy 2024-2027 that the Fijian government has endorsed. The focus of the strategy is based on intersecting issues that contribute to the rise in HIV cases, such as prevention, treatment, harm reduction, human rights and social justice. Additionally, it plans on coordinating public health responses due to the presence of hard drugs within the Fijian community.
Government Intervention
UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Jan Beagle said, “The most effective results can only be achieved through partnership across sectors, through strong leadership, and with community at the center. By taking AIDS out of isolation, the impact can go far beyond the AIDS response.” Displaying that this issue has become a government issue, and due to this the government has given Fijian $FJ200,000 for its HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Programme, a program that targets the prevention of drug use in underprivileged communities as well as destigmatizing testing centers and HIV itself, in the 2023-2024 budget and is only adding more every year to combat this crisis.
Looking Ahead
While the outbreak of HIV/AIDS in Fiji has extremely affected the country’s population, the increasing awareness towards this issue has allowed them to fight back and take control over their health. However, it is still important to continue raising awareness towards this topic. HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects Fijians that come from low-income communities, and the lack of knowledge has made the spread worse. Therefore, continued efforts are essential to ensuring that these people get the education and support they need to slow the spread.
– Sydney Carr
Photo: Unsplash
Protecting Futures: Addressing Child Marriage in Rwanda
Today, approximately 38,800 girls in Rwanda are married before the age of 15 and 424,900 married before 18. This practice has direct links to poverty as struggling families see early marriage as a means for financial relief. However, Rwanda is implementing strategies to tackle child marriage by addressing the root causes.
Legal Protections
The Rwandan government has raised the legal marriage age to 21. This law aims to protect girls from early marriage, allowing them to complete their education.
Mandatory documentation checks help to enforce the law, closing loopholes that previously allowed child marriage in Rwanda to fly under the radar. Additionally, there are awareness campaigns about the consequences for breaking the law which community leaders support. These consequences can act as deterrents, helping people to understand the seriousness of the law.
Education Programs
Access to education is central to preventing child marriage in Rwanda. The “Girl’s Education Policy,” launched in 2008, has increased girls’ enrolment in primary and secondary schools by 15%. This policy promotes gender equality through mentorship programs and savings groups for girls.
UNICEF has also supported girls’ education in Rwanda through initiatives like the GIRL program (Girls In Rwanda Learn), which provides learning support for girls at risk of dropping out of school. The scheme helps to address challenges such as academic struggles and limited resources, aiming to empower girls to stay in school and advance their education in spite of familial and economic pressures that may lead to early marriage.
Community Involvement
Community-based efforts are deconstructing cultural norms that accept child marriage as commonplace. For example, the 12+ Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program hosted workshops and seminars to empower girls, build new skills and educate on the risks of early marriage. With almost 100,000 girls reached, the initiative strengthened young girl’s self-confidence and reduced the risk that they and their families might see child marriage as the only option for economic security.
Economic Empowerment
Economic pressure is one of the main reasons behind child marriage in Rwanda. However, the country has introduced initiatives to tackle this. For example, vocational training programs equip girls with practical skills in jobs such as tailoring, hairdressing and farming. These skills give young women and girls a route to financial independence, helping them to provide for their families without relying on early marriage. These programs are also open to young girls who have already been a victim of child marriage or who are young mothers.
Support for Victims
Rwanda has support systems in place for victims of child marriage. Similar to the vocational training programs, community-based girls’ clubs provide safe spaces where survivors can share experiences, receive emotional support and gain critical skills to help them reclaim their lives.
Reintegration programs that local organizations provide such as the “Imbuto Foundation” offer counseling to help girls, who have been married early or teenage mothers, navigate any difficulties as they rebuild their lives. Once again, vocational training through these programs also gives survivors the tools for financial independence, allowing them to break free from cycles of dependency.
Progress and Challenges
So far, efforts to reduce child marriage have seen the percentage of women, aged 20-24, married before 18 lowered to 6%. This number reflects the effectiveness of the legal reforms, education initiatives and community advocacy.
Despite this progress, one in 20 young women still marry as children. The practice largely persists in rural areas where poverty, limited resources and ingrained cultural practices hinder further improvements. However, the progress so far proves that Rwanda can overcome these barriers. With continued investment, awareness and collaboration a freer future can be ensured for all young girls in Rwanda.
– Amber Lennox
Photo: Flickr
The $6.5 Billion Pledge: Syria’s Recovery Package
Discussions focused not only on physical reconstruction but also on strengthening civil society, expanding access to education and addressing widespread displacement. The event marked a renewed commitment to multilateral collaboration, bringing together more than 60 countries and international organizations to discuss not only funding but also sustainable strategies for Syria’s recovery.
Pledges for Syria’s Recovery Package
The European Commission reported that €4.2 billion (about $4.6 billion) of the pledged amount would be provided as grants, while €1.6 billion (about $1.7 billion) would come as low-interest loans. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU is increasing its pledge to Syrians in the country and the region to almost €2.5 billion (about $2.7 billion) for 2025 and 2026.
Among major donor countries, Germany committed approximately €300 million (about $326 million), with more than half designated for aid within Syria and the remainder for displaced Syrians abroad. The United Kingdom (U.K.), despite reducing its foreign aid budget to 0.3% of GDP, pledged up to $208 million. The United States (U.S.), represented by Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Syria Natasha Franceschi, did not announce a new pledge, noting its status as the largest contributor to Syrian aid over the past 14 years and indicating that foreign aid commitments are under review.
Context and Challenges
The pledging conference comes at a pivotal time for Syria. The new leadership is tasked with unifying a country fragmented by war. Rebuilding efforts face obstacles, including a shattered economy and infrastructure, with United Nations (U.N.) estimates putting reconstruction costs between $250 billion and $400 billion. Security threats persist. Recent clashes, including an ambush on a Syrian security patrol and retaliatory attacks from supporters of the new government, have resulted in civilian casualties. These ongoing incidents have led some donors to delay investment until more stable conditions are confirmed.
International Community’s Role in Syria
The international community’s pledges demonstrate support for Syria’s transition toward peace and development. President Von der Leyen emphasized the urgency of assistance, stating, “At this critical time, the people of Syria need us more than ever.” However, this year’s total commitment falls short of the €7.5 billion (about $8.1 billion) pledged last year, reflecting financial constraints and competing global priorities.
Syria’s Path Forward
Syria’s recovery potentially depends on efforts to restore essential services, rebuild infrastructure and foster reconciliation among diverse communities. Syria’s recovery package represents an important step in addressing urgent humanitarian needs and laying the groundwork for long-term recovery. Coordination between the Syrian government, international donors and humanitarian organizations could be essential to ensure the transparent, inclusive and effective use of aid.
– Leighton Webber
Photo: Flickr
How Emergency Response Rooms are Alleviating Poverty in Sudan
Community-Led Aid in Sudan
The first ERRs in Sudan began in 2019 and now comprise more than 700 volunteer-run spaces that provide food, medicine and support for communities, alleviating poverty in Sudan. While international agencies face limitations, the ERRs deliver community-led support that improves how donations are used and localizes the delivery of aid. This approach—known as mutual aid—has reached more than 11.5 million people. The ERRs’ impact has earned them a nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Through community networks, efficient delivery and adaptable structures, ERRs offer a localized model of aid in Sudan.
Community Links and Flexibility
In addition to adapting quickly to the civil war’s impact on aid delivery, the ERRs operate within local communities and use pre-existing resources. The outbreak of war worsened Sudan’s food crisis, putting 25 million people at risk of starvation. While U.N. food trucks are restricted to refugee camps in neighboring Chad, ERRs can deliver food supplies. ERRs in the state of West Kordofan feed 177,000 people daily.
As Kholood Khair, director of the think tank Confluence Advisory, puts it, “[ERRs] are able to negotiate access locally; they are able to buy from local markets; they are able to make their activities as flexible as needs be, very unlike NGOs.” That flexibility has allowed ERRs to serve various roles over the years. A forerunner to the ERRs started in 2013 in response to mass flooding and ERRs played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic by raising awareness, disinfecting hospitals and distributing medicine. The ERRs’ local roots and adaptability continue to help address crises as they arise.
Mutual Aid and Cost Efficiency
International aid often involves donor dependency and external control. ERRs, by contrast, give local communities the tools to manage their own needs. Rather than relying on international structures, mutual aid efforts in Sudan have created local alternatives. According to the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition—a group of philanthropic and aid organizations that support ERRs—$0.95 of every $1 donated goes directly to local actors. In comparison, UNICEF reports that £0.75 of every £1 goes toward its work for children and the British Red Cross states that £0.65 of every £1 helps people in crisis. This higher percentage of funds reaching local communities reveals how ERRs provide a more direct use of donations.
The Future of ERRs and International Aid in Sudan
In September 2024, the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition pledged to allocate $2 million to ERRs by the end of the year, calling mutual aid “the most viable and cost-effective mechanism to reach at-risk communities.” While this support remains essential, some challenges persist. A recent report from the Social Science in Humanitarian Action Platform stated that the success of ERRs might “enable a new era of localization in Sudan,” but noted that international aid frameworks do not align with the ERRs’ model.
Bringing ERRs closer to international aid networks could increase funding opportunities. However, doing so could reduce the flexibility and responsiveness that have made them effective. Maintaining the ERRs’ local approach can potentially preserve their ability to respond directly and efficiently to community needs.
– Oliver Tanner
Photo: Flickr
Norovirus in India Pushes New Public Health Plan
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, these symptoms can appear as early as 12 hours after exposure. Children under 5 and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. As pandemic-related restrictions have eased, increased person-to-person contact has led to higher transmission rates of various infectious diseases.
Norovirus Transmission and Prevention
Norovirus spreads through direct contact with an infected person, consuming contaminated food or water or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth. Unlike some other pathogens, norovirus is resistant to alcohol-based sanitizers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emphasize that proper handwashing with soap and water is more effective in preventing norovirus infection than using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
Government Response: National Health Mission
In response to the rising burden of infectious diseases like norovirus, the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched initiatives to improve public health outcomes through the National Health Mission (NHM). The NHM outlines development strategies for improving sanitation, food and water safety and health infrastructure in both rural and urban areas. The mission uses a performance-based framework. States that meet health benchmarks receive increased funding, promoting both accountability and innovation. The 2018–2019 Health System Strengthening Conditionality Report details how these benchmarks are designed to reflect the diverse health needs of India’s states.
Guiding Indicators for Public Health Improvements
To monitor and encourage improvements in health outcomes, NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and technical assistance from the World Bank, developed the State Health Index. This index assesses states and union territories based on health outcomes, governance and key inputs or processes. The index aims to nudge states toward transformative action in the health sector. The NHM uses various key indicators to evaluate state-level progress:
Incremental performance based on the NITI Aayog Health Index
Operationalization of health and wellness centers
Implementation of human resource information systems
Grading of district hospitals
Mental health service expansion
Screening of individuals aged 30 and older for noncommunicable diseases
Performance ratings of urban and rural primary health centers
These indicators aim to identify specific needs across states and tailor support accordingly. The goal is to encourage cooperation while allowing state governments to focus on the communities ’ most urgent health issues.
Looking Ahead
India’s public health efforts are being shaped by both long-term planning and immediate challenges. The recent increase in norovirus cases has highlighted existing gaps in sanitation and preventive care. Government-led initiatives such as the National Health Mission offer targeted approaches to address these ongoing issues while promoting systemic improvement. Continued implementation of state-specific strategies may help reduce disease incidence and improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations.
– Jonathan Joseph
Photo: Flickr
Safi Organics Brings Sustainable Agriculture to Rural Kenya
Safi Organics
Samuel Rigu and Joyce Kamande founded Safi Organics in 2015 to partner with local farmers in Kenya. After graduating from agricultural college, Rigu noticed that Kenyan farmers were burning farming waste like rice husks while the land decayed. He developed a method to make soil more productive using local materials. With partnership from MIT graduate Kevin Kung, they introduced a new process to convert agricultural waste into organic fertilizer, helping to improve long-term sustainability. Safi Organics created a decentralized business model where crop residues are locally processed into organic fertilizers, reducing transportation costs and empowering rural farmers economically.
The company employs rural farmers to help produce the organic fertilizer from agricultural waste. It also works with more than 35,000 farms across Kenya to expand access to sustainable farming practices. Its partnerships give farmers unique access to sustainable agricultural practices that help even the playing field of systemic inequality.
Economic Impact for Farmers in Kenya
Farmers using Safi Organics fertilizer have seen a 30% increase in crop yields. About 600 farmers using the fertilizer reported a 50% rise in income. The fertilizer also reduces the need for expensive chemicals, allowing farmers to spend 60% to 70% less on fertilizer. Safi Organics has helped preserve more than 6,000 hectares of farmland and repurposed large volumes of waste, contributing to environmental sustainability in Kenya.
Challenges and Opportunities for Growth
Access to credit and financing remains a challenge for many farmers. This challenge makes it difficult for farmers to invest in the new technology that Safi Organics offers. Infrastructure in rural areas in Kenya is underdeveloped, increasing the cost of transport. The company provides more affordable options than international fertilizer providers. With greater outreach and further efforts to help the marginalized in the agricultural industry, the company could further expand awareness of sustainable farming practices.
Safi Organics demonstrates how local agricultural innovation in Kenya can contribute to farmers’ poverty reduction. By transforming farm waste into affordable, eco-friendly fertilizer, the company improves crop yields, boosts incomes and creates employment for farmers in rural Kenya. As more rural farmers achieve financial independence, the benefits extend to their households and communities. With additional investment and strategic partnerships, Safi Organics could scale its impact, supporting sustainable development and economic inclusion.
– Divya Beeram
Photo: Flickr
Silent Killers: Neglected Tropical Diseases in South Sudan
Civil War and the Health Care System
The South-Sudanese Civil War occurred from 2013 to 2020 due to President Salva Kiir’s accusation towards Riek Machar, former deputy, and 10 others of attempting to start a coup d’etat. Conflict broke out between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), devastating the country’s social structures, such as the democratic institutions, the weak economy and the fragile healthcare system. South Sudan currently ranks third in the world on the Fragile States Index.
The war catalyzed a vast humanitarian crisis that shook the very core of the nation, destabilizing the basic structures and needs for the population to survive. The inflation rate soared, reaching a peak of 835%, which made commodity prices exponentially rise and plummeted the value of the Sudanese Pound. Millions fled their homes during the conflict, leaving them displaced in a famine and relying on an already-overwhelmed health care system.
In 2020, essential health care coverage stood at 44% and critical care services such as child health care were at risk due to shrinking national fiscal space. Additionally, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, more than 8 million people out of the total 13 million population needed humanitarian aid.
Neglected Tropical Disease Outbreak
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes 20 neglected tropical diseases, 19 of which affect South Sudan. While South Sudan has been formulating plans and programs to combat neglected tropical diseases for decades, progress is slow and has only in recent years bolstered more support.
In 2008, the Ministry of Health identified the top neglected tropical diseases that affected South Sudan: visceral leishmaniasis (VL), human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), onchocerciasis, dracunculiasis (Guinea worm), lymphatic filariasis (LF), schistosomiasis, trachoma and soil transmitted helminths (STH).
The ministry recommended the use of integrated mass drug administration (MDA), however, it feared that “the existing financial resources and global political commitment are not sufficient to reach the goals of elimination or control by 2020 at the latest.”
Indeed, in the 2016-2020 South Sudan National Master Plan, it outlined that “the allocation of funds to states and countries through inadequate, lacks guidance on allocation of funds to specific programs areas such as NTD control.” In 2008, the Ministry of Health estimated that around 3.9 million people were at risk of trachoma in surveyed areas, and in 2024, South Sudan remained with the highest prevalence of active trachoma anywhere in the world, with up to 80% of children under 9 suffering from the condition.
The Good News
The story is not all bleak, however, as the continued efforts have been gradually paying off. The 2023-2027 South Sudan NTDs Master Plan details that increased attention has allowed for “significant strides globally in the control, eradication and elimination of NTDs.” These positive steps include 70-80% member states previously NTD-endemic in 2020 now declaring the elimination of at least one disease, 44 member states certified free of guinea-worm disease compared with 2020, and 44 states fully mapped for PCT-NTDs (preventative chemotherapy NTDs) compared with 2020.
With support from the WHO, since 2021, the country has managed to treat almost 17 million people for river blindness, elephantiasis, bilharzia, trachoma and soil-transmitted worms. Additionally, a treatment drive in 2023 traveled house-to-house, performing MDA against bilharzia. Increased awareness and education efforts are allowing isolated villages to receive more accessible treatment diseases; Dr Aja Kuol, the president of South Sudan’s Ophthalmologic Association and first South Sudanese female ophthalmologist has been travelling across the country with her team to perform sight-restoring operations to those suffering from sight-related diseases, reaching almost 4,700 people in 2023, The Telegraph reports.
Lastly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced Project ECHO, which aims to reduce clinical variations and improve the quality of care for patients. As of 2024, the project conducted nearly 200 sessions and 3,500 health care workers across the nation have received the training.
Closing Remarks
The civil war in South Sudan caused not only physical mass destruction and damage but also took a huge mental toll on the population. The efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases across the country have been slow and demoralizing at times, however, the effort has paid off. Now that the society is breaking initial barriers such as poor awareness and education, the country can expect improvement, with the most recent master plan facilitating “multi-sectoral collaboration” that can achieve the nation’s vision of a neglected tropical disease-free country.
– Helena Pryce
Photo: Flickr
The Gender Wage Gap in Haiti
Education
Education is a significant factor in women’s employment, as educated women are more likely to have jobs in higher positions. The literacy rate for women in Haiti is among the lowest in Latin America and the Caribbean, which plays a role in the gender wage gap in Haiti.
Child marriage and early childbirth are two major factors that prevent girls in Haiti from attending school or completing secondary education. Secondary education is essential for women to access higher-paying jobs, as simply finishing primary school is often insufficient to secure employment.
Textiles
Women dominate the textile industry in Haiti, which holds promise for creating more jobs and potentially higher pay for women. However, entry-level positions, predominantly filled by women, offer extremely low wages. Although two-thirds of the workers in the industry are women, higher-ranking positions are often occupied by men. Many women in textiles have limited education and face additional disadvantages due to the country’s low minimum wage, which further impacts their earning potential.
Unemployment During the Pandemic
There was a significant decrease in women’s employment during the pandemic. This is likely attributed to inequality in pay for domestic work. Data shows that most women did household chores like laundry, cooking, cleaning and caring for children. Only 35% of people surveyed said that the man and woman of the household shared these duties. Women-dominated fields, such as firms, were closed disproportionately during the pandemic, causing these women to work solely domestically.
Economic Factors
While a legal framework mandates equal pay, certain jobs, such as night shifts, dangerous roles and industrial positions, typically offer higher wages. However, women often do not have equal access to these opportunities. This creates a loophole that perpetuates the gender wage gap in Haiti. This disparity significantly contributes to unequal pay between men and women in the workforce.
Women in Haiti are entitled to only 12 weeks of paid leave, compared to the recommended 14 weeks, while men are granted just one week of paid leave. Additionally, women with children under 5 are less likely to participate in the workforce. This policy creates significant barriers to women’s full employment and career advancement.
Empowering Women
To address the gender wage gap in Haiti, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supported the Haitian Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights (MCFDF) through the project “Supporting the Government of Haiti for the Socioeconomic Empowerment of Rural Women.”
The project, which ran from January 2020 to December 2021, aimed to raise awareness among rural women about the importance of their roles and potential within their communities. It provided 1,200 women, organized into 15 associations, with both technical and financial support to help foster women’s freedom.
Summary
The gender wage gap in Haiti is driven by limited education, unequal job opportunities and systemic barriers, particularly for women with children. Despite legal frameworks for equal pay, women face significant challenges accessing better-paying jobs. However, initiatives like the FAO’s empowerment project provide valuable support, offering women the tools to improve their economic independence. Addressing these issues is crucial for reducing the gender wage gap and creating a more equitable society in Haiti.
– Ella Burke
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
How Kenyan Inventors Are Turning Waste to Affordable Prosthetics
These systemic barriers and inequalities continue to perpetuate poverty, but David Gathu and Moses Kiuna are breaking them down. They prove that restoring dignity to individuals with disabilities and ensuring affordability can go hand in hand. Their low-cost prosthetics, made from e-waste, are a fraction of the price of commercial alternatives. Through their AI project, they go even further, addressing not only the physical needs of persons with disabilities but also the social isolation they often face.
David Gathu and Moses Kiuna
Gathu and Kiuna, the brilliant minds behind an AI-powered prosthetic designed to empower individuals with disabilities, may seem like seasoned engineers. However, the two Kenyan inventors are self-taught high school dropouts driven by an unwavering passion for innovation. Their journey began in primary school when Gathu, inspired by a friend who was an amputee, sought a way to restore his ability to use his hand. Witnessing his struggles with everyday tasks like eating and writing, Gathu researched harnessing neural signals to create a functional solution. Working from their grandmother’s granary, the duo set out on a mission: to uplift people with disabilities by fostering independence through technology.
What started as childhood curiosity turned into groundbreaking innovation. Using salvaged electronic components, they developed a bionic hand that translates brain signals into movement, allowing users to grasp objects effortlessly. “Just like a microphone; it listens to the brain signals or waves that are coming out of the skull because every time you are thinking or talking there is that activity that happens in the neurons. These neurons release electrical pulses which are electoral magnetic. This gadget listens to these magnetic waves and converts them into electrical and then this electrical is converted into digital signals. These digital signals are transmitted away, so this gadget itself amplifies these digital signals and transmits them into the robotic arm,” David explained to BBC’s Newsday.
After spending countless hours and years, their efforts finally paid off, as their prototype now operates flawlessly. With just a simple thought, the device springs to life effortlessly, requiring no physical input from the user.
The Poverty-Disability Cycle
Gathu and Kiuna’s work is important because their low-cost, e-waste prosthetics provide hope for persons with disabilities in Kenya, who are more likely to experience poverty. This bidirectional relationship is especially prominent in low- and middle-income countries, where poverty often leads to unsafe living conditions and poor quality of life, heightening the risk of disabilities. The exclusions faced by individuals with disabilities often trap families in economic hardship. Women and children with disabilities encounter even greater challenges, as cultural stigma and gender inequality often deny them opportunities for empowerment. The lack of affordable assistive devices further amplifies these barriers, leaving many amputees without the mobility they need to fully engage in daily life.
Therefore, the development of AI-powered prosthetics by Gathu and Kiuna, if fully implemented, can make assistive devices affordable and accessible to low-income individuals with disabilities in Kenya. By providing affordable prosthetics, these innovations can empower individuals to participate in the workforce, engage in daily activities and regain their independence. This increased mobility and autonomy can help break the cycle of poverty, improving economic stability for families and communities and ultimately contributing to greater social inclusion and empowerment for people with disabilities.
Support and Market Access
While their work has gained both local and international media attention, gaining coverage on the BBC and other global media outlets, they have yet to receive significant institutional or financial backing to scale their innovations. Recognition has come, but resources to transition to mass production have hindered their progress.
Nonetheless, their journey exemplifies more than innovation. What originated in their grandmother’s granary could spark a movement transforming every discarded circuit board into a symbol of hope and each prototype into a stride toward a more equitable society. It highlights the remarkable impact of grassroots creativity in changing lives. With increased backing, these two self-taught innovators have the potential to change numerous lives for the better, with affordable prosthetics.
– Grace Ruria
Photo: Flickr
How HUSK and RGF Are Fighting Poverty
RGF
Sarah Basemera founded RGF with a modest $3,000 grant and an ambitious goal: to address Uganda’s reliance on charcoal while creating employment opportunities. Uganda’s high dependence on charcoal for cooking and heating—used by more than 85% of households—posed an environmental and economic challenge. In response, RGF developed biomass briquettes as an alternative energy source, ultimately shaping the foundation into a thriving social enterprise.
RGF’s success is built on a women-led sustainable development model, utilizing a retail strategy that centers on women vendors. Instead of dealing with hundreds of small-scale buyers, RGF streamlined its sales through market agents, all women. This model has not only increased efficiency but has also empowered female entrepreneurs within local marketplaces.
Today, RGF produces four different types of briquettes, operates a factory and has implemented a digital sales platform. While adopting digital transactions remains slow, its app, Zeed Energy, has started gaining traction. By promoting online payments, RGF breaks traditional barriers and encourages financial inclusion.
Households using Zeed Energy solutions have seen a 40% reduction in energy costs, improved business productivity by 60% and reported a 30% increase in disposable income. RGF’s innovations in clean energy and business operations demonstrate the power of women-led sustainable development in driving economic progress.
HUSK Ventures
While RGF is making strides in Uganda, HUSK Ventures, co-founded by Heloise Buckland and Carol Rius, is reshaping sustainable agriculture in Cambodia through biochar technology. Grounded in the conviction that businesses can be powerful drivers of social and environmental change, Buckland and Rius established HUSK to combat soil degradation and improve farmer livelihoods.
HUSK’s method is highly scientific and deeply rooted in traditional agricultural practices. Agriculture experts, engineers and specialists in regenerative agriculture are among the organization’s diverse workforce and they collaborate to create sustainable, long-term solutions for small-scale farmers. Understanding that climate vulnerability and soil degradation pose serious risks to food security, HUSK incorporates a low-cost, high-impact technique to restore farms while reducing carbon emissions.
Biochar, a soil supplement that improves fertility, holds onto water and captures carbon, is at the core of this innovation. HUSK modernizes this centuries-old method by repurposing rice husks—a common agricultural byproduct—into biochar, carbon-based fertilizers and biopesticides using a practical, smokeless process called pyrolysis. This reduces the impact of climate instability by lowering waste and emissions while trapping carbon in the soil for hundreds of years. The organization’s innovative work has resulted in the first biochar plant installed inside a rice mill, marking a significant advancement in sustainable agriculture.
Through their work, Buckland and Rius are proving that women-led enterprises can drive meaningful transformation in both agricultural and environmental spheres. Their model offers a blueprint for balancing economic growth with ecological responsibility, reinforcing the vital role of women-led innovation in shaping a more sustainable future.
The Impact of Women-Led Sustainable Development
Both RGF and HUSK Ventures highlight the potential of women-led enterprises to drive social and environmental change. Their business models prioritize community engagement, sustainability and economic empowerment. The success of these initiatives demonstrates the importance of investing in female entrepreneurs tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The journey of these organizations serves as a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of women entrepreneurs in the fight against poverty. With continued investment and support, women-led sustainable development initiatives like RGF and HUSK Ventures will continue transforming economies, empowering communities and contributing to a more sustainable world.
– Linnéa Matlack
Photo: Pexels