It takes 21 days to form a habit according to plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz who coined the phrase. Although we would like to believe that a set time frame exists, it’s not possible that we should all be capable of fitting the mold of such a vague theory.
While we often consider willpower and the ability to create a positive environment as antidotes for whatever aspect of our lives we desire change, these changes may just be scraping the surface of a much larger problem.
Forming a new behavior may be less about implementing physical changes and more about addressing behavioral ones — especially for Indians adhering to the cultural patterns associated with open defecation within their communities.
Presently, with 60 percent of rural Indian people defecating in the open, the call for eradicating this practice throughout the entirety of the country is underway.
Many changes have been occurring, particularly in the Nadia district of West Bengal, where openly defecating in public has been banned by the district and enforced by the “Para Nazardari,” which translates to Neighborhood Monitoring Committee.
Here it is not uncommon to see members of this committee with a whistle at the ready, patrolling previously popular sites for the newly banned practice.
According to an article by the World Bank, the Nadia district is now the first open-defecation-free (ODF) district in West Bengal thanks to the synergy of an “intense behavior change campaign, leadership of the local government, and strong community monitoring.”
This is a great achievement that has occurred within just 18 months of the launch of the State’s Nirmal Bangla (Clean Bengal) Mission, which strives to create an ODF State by 2017. India’s Prime Minister foresees a future that is ODF in India through the country’s new flagship program, Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen (Clean India Mission – Rural).
Improving sanitation practices would greatly boost the country’s economy, which loses about $53.8 billion a year to premature mortality, healthcare costs and health-related productivity losses.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one in every 10 deaths can be attributed to poor sanitation and hygiene, with nearly 44 million children under five stunted.
Due to the successful implementation of programs within West Bengal, the World Bank has stationed a 32-member delegation in Bihar to work their magic. Learning from West Bengal, Bahir will also adopt a “collective behavioral change” rather than a “subsidy-driven toilet construction.”
The programs have realized that the areas which consider themselves ODF are more valuable than the number of toilets constructed themselves.
Addressing solutions for behavior change has been carried out through various campaigns that involved having religious speakers discuss the need for sanitation, doctors prescribing toilets as “the first medicine” and schools taking cleanliness oaths by encouraging good hygiene, such as the proper use of toilets and handwashing.
Villages have also adopted a communal approach in their aim for an ODF India. “Community volunteers mapped people’s habits and captured their attention through puppet shows, cycle rallies, sanitation quizzes, repurposed catchy tunes from popular film songs and hot air balloons with sanitation messages.
New toilet users formed a massive human chain stretching 122 km, signifying a change in the way people viewed open defecation,” says the World Bank.
Ultimately, by addressing behavioral changes regarding sanitation in Bihar and West Bengal, it may one day be possible for India to be declared an ODF country.
– Nikki Schaffer
Sources: WHO, World Bank, James Clear
Photo: Pixabay
Micro Hydro Power Proves Life-Changing for Nepal
How exactly is energy gleaned from a micro hydro plant? Practical Action, a company which uses technology to challenge poverty in developing countries, describes it as, “the small-scale harnessing of energy from falling water, such as steep mountain rivers.”
The company goes on to explain that “Using this renewable, indigenous, non-polluting resource, micro-hydro plants can generate power for homes, hospitals, schools and workshops.”
Ultimately, it is by using power from these water sources, that micro-hydros are able to generate energy, therefore producing electricity, and ultimately giving many Nepalese access to “reliable and clean energy through community managed micro-hydro plants,” states an article by the World Bank.
In fact, it is through the Nepal Micro Hydro Promotion project, that the Nepal Government (with help from the World Bank) has already built 400 micro run-of-the-river hydropower plants between 2007-2014.
The power that is harnessed by each micro hydro plant is quite astounding. Even the smallest micro hydro plant at 7 watts is able to provide electricity for 100 households, while the largest plant can serve around 940 households.
Additional revenue is created through a micro hydro project which issues carbon credits by displacing diesel fuel with renewable energy. Afterwards, any credits received can be sold and profits will help fund operations and maintenance of the existing hydros.
The first ever carbon credits alone reduced 66,345 tons of carbon dioxide, which is the equivalent of taking 14,000 vehicles off the road for a year, states a World Bank infographic.
With the establishment of micro hydros, 625,000 more people now have access to electricity and the potential for this renewable energy stands tall: with reliable electricity children can finish their homework into the evening, businesses and schools can remain open later and even more importantly, paths can be illuminated ensuring a safer means of traveling once night falls.
Micro hydro power plants are not just helping people—they are providing a green environment for future generations.
“Another benefit is improved health and household finances. People are spending less money on kerosene, diesel and batteries – and breathe in less smoke from oil lamps and diesel generators. And the environment benefits from reduced chemical pollution from dry cell batteries,” states the World Bank.
Ultimately, micro hydros encompass four community benefits: financial security, the stimulation of jobs, the creation of a safe environment through lighting and finally, the establishment of a healthy environment by choosing renewable energy over non-renewable sources.
Even with as many as 130 plants out of commission due to the recent earthquakes Nepal has experienced in April and May, the government recognizes their irreplaceable value and plans to rebuild all of the micro-hydros which have been damaged—74 are already now fully or partially operating.
– Nikki Schaffer
Sources: Practical Action, World Bank
Photo: Flickr
d.light Solar Energy
An estimated 1.3 billion people live without access to electricity globally. In the 21st century, access to electricity is almost as important as food and water; it is undoubtedly a lifeline for the economic and financial health of any nation.
Inaccessibility to electricity hinders economic growth, as well as impacts the standard of life in regions without electricity, crippling the human capital as well.
The link between access to electricity and poverty has long been established. Modern technology is, more often than not, dependent on electricity.
From successful farming and production of sufficient food to education resources and the creation of industry, electricity is the prerequisite for numerous facets of life. The United Nation’s Millennium Goals also identify the importance of electricity in eradicating global poverty.
Despite the significance of electricity in today’s world, many developing countries struggle to find solutions to the problem of accessibility of electricity. To address the problems of electricity shortage, we have to ask what the reason for this shortage is.
The primary cause of the unavailability of electricity in most regions is the lack of technology to produce electricity or the lack of resources used for its production, such as coal, gas and water dams.
Solar energy is currently being touted as the cure-all to the energy woes of the world. Solar energy is a renewable source of energy and is also ecologically sustainable.
Although it is by no means the most energy-efficient in terms of the ratio of available energy to harvested energy, solar power is abundant in developing countries and can be harnessed for generating electricity.
Recently, the development and provision of solar-powered devices to low-income countries have gained momentum. Programs like Solar Electric Light Fund and Solar Sisters work to empower the populations living in extreme poverty through the provision of electricity and related resources.
d.light is also one such initiative. Its goal is to provide electricity to people in developing countries. According to its estimates based on its customers’ feedback, d.light has helped more than 50 million people worldwide with its program.
d.light was initially developed as the brainchild of Sam Goldman, who saw the dangers of kerosene usage for lamps in East Africa. He partnered with Ned Tozun to find d.light in 2006, which operates principally in East Africa and India.
d.light manufactures solar lamps and solar chargers, which are compact, mobile, safe and incur no recurring costs. Its products are also designed to be efficient, yet inexpensive and long-lasting. d.light’s solar lamp, S2 — at $8 apiece — has the distinction of being the world’s most affordable, high-quality solar light.
The impact of these solar lights is not only financial but environmentally significant as well. Approximately 4 million tons of carbon dioxide production usage have been offset to date.
The solar lamps have cumulatively saved $275 million for families who previously spent 10 to 15 percent of their earnings on kerosene. The program has also created job opportunities by creating a local market for importing and selling d.light’s products.
d.light has sold more than 10 million solar lamps to date. Its goal is to reach 100 million people by 2020. With a dedication to providing affordable, efficient and safe electricity to millions of people in developing countries, d.light is set to realize its objectives and improve millions of lives.
– Atifah Safi
Sources: D.light, Acumen, World Energy Outlook, Global Envision
Photo: Pixabay
Improving Nutrition Boosts IQs in Developing World
To say poverty is a complex issue is an understatement. The conditions that lead to and perpetuate poverty occur across levels, making it different for individuals, organizations and governments to address. Targeting initiatives toward healthy individual development is imperative to reduce poverty in the long-term.
Poverty, at its core, is a stressor. An inability to gain access to proper nutrition, quality medical care and education greatly affect the well-being of individuals and families.
For children, the effects of extreme poverty are magnified, which has implications for brain development, psychological well-being and ability to handle conflict. Iodine deficiency, which is common in developing countries, can lead to neural tube defects during pregnancy, especially if the fetus is female.
Iodine deficiency is the most common preventable cause of mental retardation in children; the CDC estimates that 18 million children worldwide are born disabled as a result of the deficiency. Currently, two billion people are at risk for iodine deficiency.
Iodine, in addition to other micronutrients, is critical for healthy brain development and functioning. Initiatives to address micronutrient deficiency work to not only reduce world hunger but also ensure that children can have healthy brain development.
Ensuring healthy brain development is not just preventing deficiencies, it gives children increased potential to develop abstract thinking skills. As noted by James Flynn, a psychologist who researches global patterns of IQ scores, intelligence increases as societies modernize.
Through modernization, individuals are more likely to have access to education, have more cognitively demanding work and utilize logic more often in their daily lives. In turn, critical thinking becomes more necessary and there is a need for individuals to have strong working memory and abstract thinking skills.
Flynn has also documented the “Flynn Effect”: as societies develop, the average IQ score increases. This is happening rapidly in developing countries; Kenya, for example, has seen an eleven point increase in IQ scores over a fourteen-year period. In contrast, the U.S. has seen an eighteen point increase over a 55-year period.
While it is difficult to untangle all of the factors contributing to developing countries’ increasing IQ scores, access to education and better nutrition are most likely strong influences on this gain. These countries are developing and modernizing simultaneously, which accelerates the increase in intelligence scores.
Flynn also argues that, in developed countries, the trend towards smaller families have exposed children to more adult speech, which further improves a child’s intelligence. Perhaps it is arguable, too, that as impoverished communities gain access to medical care and family planning and the birth rate reduces, these children reap similar benefits.
As organizations continue to implement programs fighting world hunger and reducing micronutrient deficiencies, this gain in IQ scores for developing countries is an important reminder that at its core, development work is an investment.
Investing in nutrition for individuals in poverty can bring better brain health, which leads to improved academic performance and increased resiliency, thus empowering people both now and in the future.
– Priscilla McCelvey
Sources: CDC, Vintage Books, Scientific American, UNICEF
Photo: Flickr
Internet Access: Ending Extreme Poverty
3.9 billion people around the world do not have access to the Internet, a necessity most take for granted. Since the Internet has become a crucial part of daily life and a constant source of communication, what if the entire world were connected?
Usually, most people do not realize how essential technology and the Internet have impacted society until they really think about it.
What would people do without their iPhones at their beck and call? The world of technology has completely changed how society stays connected with one another.
Since global connectivity is essential, the United Nations have agreed to connect underdeveloped countries to the world of the Internet by 2020.
Supporters of the UN’s decision include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bono and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
During the UN’s September summit, Zuckerberg discussed how Internet access is the key to ending extreme poverty. “When communities are connected, we can lift them out of poverty,” he said. “We can and must do more,” said Zuckerberg.
Currently, the lowest levels of Internet access are found in sub-Saharan Africa, where Internet access is available to less than 2 percent of the populations in Guinea, Somalia, Burundi and Eritrea.
To do more, Zuckerberg and Facebook have created a free mobile application called Free Basics, launched in May 2015.
“This is a set of basic websites and services to introduce people to the value of the internet, and that we hope to add value to their lives. These websites are very simple and data-efficient, so operators can offer these for free in an economically sustainable way. Web sites do not pay to be included, and operators don’t charge developers for the data people use their services,” said Facebook in a statement.
With access to the Internet, there are vast possibilities when it comes to ending extreme poverty and improving the lives of those living in unfavorable conditions:
Truly, the possibilities are endless.
With Internet accessibility, developing countries can finally be on the same playing field and understand the benefits of Internet access.
“We have a simple message,” Zuckerberg wrote. “By giving people access to the tools, knowledge and opportunities of the Internet, we can give a voice to the voiceless and power to the powerless.”
– Alexandra Korman
Sources: Arc, CNN, One, UN News Centre
Photo: Flickr
Textile Traditions: How the Handloom Can Fight Poverty in India
In early August of this year, Indian Prime Minister Modi launched the first National Handloom Day in Chennai, championing traditional textiles as a tool to fight poverty in India.
Last year in October, Modi called upon the film industry to highlight textile products, asking them to include at least one product in their films. According to the government, textile sales rose nearly 60 percent as a result of the added exposure.
The Indian government has also recently announced that it is establishing a policy framework to additionally promote handloom products in the e-marketplace, aiming to popularize the “India Handloom” as a brand.
Handmade textiles are still commonly used for special occasions such as weddings, but Modi says popularizing the textiles as fashion pieces could be a real boost to the Indian economy.
“People wear handloom clothes on social occasions. We need to popularize this among youth. This will give much-needed boost to the handloom sector,” Modi said of the e-commerce avenue.
A number of famous handloom products were born in India, like the Kani shawl of Kashmir and the sarees of Tamil Nadu. According to the prime minister, if the use of handloom products was raised just 5%, turnover would increase by 33%.
In total, the textile industry accounts for 27% of the foreign exchange from exports and makes up three percent of India’s total GDP. The textile sector employs around 35 million people or about 21% of total employment in India. The promotion of high quality, handmade products represents a large, relatively untapped yet significant source of income for the country.
Grassroots efforts have also sprung up to “give handlooms some love.” The hashtag #ILoveHandlooms has been started by GoCoop, India’s first online marketplace for weavers and artisans. The group invites people to share their love for handloom products on social media by posting photos of their favorite items.
– Gina Lehner
Sources: The Hindu, India Times, Business-Standard
Photo: Your Story
The Philippines Education System Improves
The Philippines was granted independence by the United States in 1946. In the Postcolony modern world, the country is still struggling to compete in the modern economy, particularly with regards to its education system.
World Bank statistics placed the Philippines in the bottom 10 percent of all educated countries in 2013. A report put out this year by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization has shed light on the challenges currently faced by the Philippines.
UNESCO’s latest report shows that the Filipino Government is complying with UNESCO and implementing the necessary reforms to raise the standard of education in its country. However, the Filipino Government is still struggling to raise the standards of education in the country.
In particular, the safety of students is of the foremost concern to UNESCO. This year, the Anti-Bullying Act addresses the issue of students’ safety. The Filipino Government has implemented several key pieces of legislation addressing issues that have been affecting education.
As part of the Philippines Development Plan put out by UNESCO, the Philippines’ Department of Education will make it mandatory for everyone to complete basic education, and the Philippines have made great progress in this respect.
The World Bank has reported that in 2013, the participation for 6- to 11-year-olds was at 95.24 percent, which marked a significant increase since 2005.
In the same report, overall enrollment improved from 13 million to 14.4 million that year. The Philippines has made significant progress in improving the condition of education in the country. Despite a great deal of progress the Philippines has made, 42 percent of the country still remains below the poverty line making roughly $2 a day.
UNESCO and USAID are working with the Philippine Government to improve the conditions of education. USAID reports an average 7 percent growth in education and attributes this to the weak government in the region. UNESCO attributes the challenges in education to internal conflict and is working to broker a lasting peace in the region.
The Philippines Development Plan laid out the goal for 2011 to 2016, and with one year left, only time will tell if the Philippines will meet its goal.
– Robert Cross
Sources: Asian Scientist, ICEF Monitor, UNESDOC, USAID, USAID Reform Efforts, World Bank
Photo: Google Images
Tetanus Eradicated in India
India has eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) as a threat to public health, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the Call to Action 2015 Summit on Aug. 27. The announcement comes ahead of the nation’s goal of December.
Tetanus regularly targets newborns and mothers, usually resulting from births taking place in unsanitary conditions or dirty blades being used to cut umbilical cords.
The eradication of MNT comes 15 years after the creation of a campaign by UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA. The organizations launched the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Initiative in 1999 with the goal of abolishing MNT as a global health problem.
The initiative defines the elimination of MNT as a global health problem as every district having less than one case of neonatal tetanus per 1,000 live births. When that is accomplished, maternal tetanus is deemed eliminated as well.
At the time the initiative was created, there were an estimated 800,000 newborn deaths a year globally as a result of tetanus, according to WHO. That number is now less than 50,000.
Along with the initiative, the Indian government took its own steps to help eradicate the disease, which is estimated to have killed 160,000 children in the country in 1988.
In Dec. 2014, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India launched Mission Indradhanush, a project aiming to increase the percentage of children completely vaccinated from 65 to at least 90 percent.
In addition to tetanus, immunizations provided by Mission Indradhanush help protect children against tuberculosis, polio, measles, hepatitis B, diphtheria and pertussis, and are free due to India’s Universal Immunization Programme.
In an effort to have more births occur in medical facilities, the Indian government developed a program in which women are paid up to $21 if they go to a clinic or hospital to give birth.
Health workers are also paid to make sure women in labor go to a medical facility. Dubbed “lady health workers,” they are paid up to $9 per mother and receive full payment only if they visit each baby at home and administer TB shots.
Even with these incentives, some women still insist on giving birth at home, as doing so is a local tradition in India. To ensure sanitary conditions, the government will send these women kits containing antibacterial soap, a clean plastic sheet, and a sterile scalpel and plastic clamp to be used on the umbilical cord.
While India has eliminated MNT, the infection is still considered a public health problem in 22 out of the 59 countries originally identified by the U.N. initiative.
– Matt Wotus
Sources: National Health Portal of India, Quartz, The New York Times, UNICEF, WHO
Photo: Google Images
Polio Eradication for the Globe
On March 27, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified that the South-East Asia region, home to a quarter of the world’s population, was polio-free.
The beginning of the WHO Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988 was faced with 350,000 cases of poliovirus infections, in 125 countries worldwide. This 2014 achievement now means 80 percent of the world’s population is polio-free.
Mass immunization efforts are the most effective when dealing with the spread of the poliovirus. In the Horn of Africa, it has been over one year since the last reported case of Polio due to the synchronized efforts to vaccinate every child with the oral polio vaccine (OPV).
The June 2015 Horn of Africa outbreak assessment deduced that poliovirus transmission has been interrupted.
Nigeria is currently the last country in Africa with the poliovirus, however, they are making progress. In 2013 there were 49 reported cases of polio, however, this year Nigeria has reported only six cases.
This dramatic drop in poliovirus infection is due to the OPV for type 1, 2 and 3 polioviruses. Vaccines are also administered to children of all ages and even at birth.
In February 2015 the Inactive Polio Vaccine (IPV) was introduced into the immunization program. It is predicted that by September 2015, Nigeria could be removed from the WHO’s list of polio-endemic countries.
Poliovirus lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines and is spread through feces especially in unsanitary environments. Even though some persons infected with the poliovirus do not show any symptoms they can still pass on the virus. Moreover, there is no cure for polio which is why immunization is the most effective method to stop the spread of polio.
– Marie Helene Ngom
Sources: World Health Organization South-East Asia, Scientific American, The Atlantic, World Health Organization Africa, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Photo: Polio Eradication
Improving Sanitation in Bihar
It takes 21 days to form a habit according to plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz who coined the phrase. Although we would like to believe that a set time frame exists, it’s not possible that we should all be capable of fitting the mold of such a vague theory.
While we often consider willpower and the ability to create a positive environment as antidotes for whatever aspect of our lives we desire change, these changes may just be scraping the surface of a much larger problem.
Forming a new behavior may be less about implementing physical changes and more about addressing behavioral ones — especially for Indians adhering to the cultural patterns associated with open defecation within their communities.
Presently, with 60 percent of rural Indian people defecating in the open, the call for eradicating this practice throughout the entirety of the country is underway.
Many changes have been occurring, particularly in the Nadia district of West Bengal, where openly defecating in public has been banned by the district and enforced by the “Para Nazardari,” which translates to Neighborhood Monitoring Committee.
Here it is not uncommon to see members of this committee with a whistle at the ready, patrolling previously popular sites for the newly banned practice.
According to an article by the World Bank, the Nadia district is now the first open-defecation-free (ODF) district in West Bengal thanks to the synergy of an “intense behavior change campaign, leadership of the local government, and strong community monitoring.”
This is a great achievement that has occurred within just 18 months of the launch of the State’s Nirmal Bangla (Clean Bengal) Mission, which strives to create an ODF State by 2017. India’s Prime Minister foresees a future that is ODF in India through the country’s new flagship program, Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen (Clean India Mission – Rural).
Improving sanitation practices would greatly boost the country’s economy, which loses about $53.8 billion a year to premature mortality, healthcare costs and health-related productivity losses.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one in every 10 deaths can be attributed to poor sanitation and hygiene, with nearly 44 million children under five stunted.
Due to the successful implementation of programs within West Bengal, the World Bank has stationed a 32-member delegation in Bihar to work their magic. Learning from West Bengal, Bahir will also adopt a “collective behavioral change” rather than a “subsidy-driven toilet construction.”
The programs have realized that the areas which consider themselves ODF are more valuable than the number of toilets constructed themselves.
Addressing solutions for behavior change has been carried out through various campaigns that involved having religious speakers discuss the need for sanitation, doctors prescribing toilets as “the first medicine” and schools taking cleanliness oaths by encouraging good hygiene, such as the proper use of toilets and handwashing.
Villages have also adopted a communal approach in their aim for an ODF India. “Community volunteers mapped people’s habits and captured their attention through puppet shows, cycle rallies, sanitation quizzes, repurposed catchy tunes from popular film songs and hot air balloons with sanitation messages.
New toilet users formed a massive human chain stretching 122 km, signifying a change in the way people viewed open defecation,” says the World Bank.
Ultimately, by addressing behavioral changes regarding sanitation in Bihar and West Bengal, it may one day be possible for India to be declared an ODF country.
– Nikki Schaffer
Sources: WHO, World Bank, James Clear
Photo: Pixabay
Upward Mobility: Four Mobile Technologies in Africa
More people in Africa now have access to mobile phones than to toilets. While that may be a concerning statistic when talking about bio-security, the saturation of cell phones and the ease of data transfer and communication has opened the door to many creative solutions to some of Africa’s most pressing issues.
Humanitarian efforts, from tracking disease to analyzing hate speech, to helping farmers track market prices have all found an unexpected ally in mobile technology. Below are four mobile technologies in Africa that are making a difference.
Pulse Lab, use of telecommunications data to track measles outbreaks
Pulse Lab based out of Kampala, Uganda has found a unique way to predict disease outbreaks in the country, by using mobile phone locations to understand how Ugandans move around. Tracking population movements and aggregation trends can help disease experts predict when and where outbreaks are most likely to occur, as well as how the outbreak may spread around the country. This dramatically increases response time and allows for better overall preparedness.
Umati, monitoring online platforms to track the presence of hate speech
Following the 2007/08 post-election violence in Kenya, some wondered about the role of social media and online communications in catalyzing the violent outburst. The Umati project, started by iHub, an organization dedicated to advancing technological innovation in Africa, seeks to better understand the use of hate speech online. The goal of the project is to understand how hate speech is used online and to develop ways to detect when such vernacular indicates potential violence.
Kudu, using mobile phones to make agricultural markets more effective
The idea behind Kudu was to make agricultural markets more effective by helping farmers find the best buyers and thus the best prices for their goods. Kudu establishes a double auction, where sellers and buyers are connected by a third party, which both can communicate with as simple as sending a text. Buyers and sellers are then matched and the markets are kept stable.
Punya, “Transform a sea of goodwill into actions by linking knowledge, data, and mobility”
Punya cloud architecture aggregates data and mobile applications from numerous humanitarian organizations. The Punya project works to integrate individual applications with as much of the available relevant information as possible. This integration streamlines humanitarian efforts, connecting aid organizers, volunteers and researchers, all in one data cloud. During disaster relief efforts, or when combating disease outbreaks like the ebola epidemic, this streamlining can be a critical edge.
– Gina Lehner
Sources: Punya, Umati, Kudu, Pulse Lab Kampala
Photo: Wikimedia