The Syria Refugee crisis is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. With the picture of the young refugee boy whose body washed up on shore grabbing the attention of the world, more people than ever are paying attention to this humanitarian crisis.
With increased awareness of the Syrian Refugees, comes an increase in advocacy (as people in many countries are stepping up to tell their governments how they feel about accepting refugees into their countries) and an increase in activism.
Individuals like hotel owner Andrew Davies and lettings agent Wendy Wilcox on the Greek island of Symi, are stepping up to help these those who are fleeing violence and pain in hopes of finding a better life.
Together, the pair has launched a reception service on the tiny Greek island called Solidarity Symi, using an abandoned post office as their resource headquarters.
This organization is a not-for-profit that works to provide food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment to destitute Syrians who have crossed over the Mediterranean into Europe.
These heroic individuals work at this project eight hours a day in addition to the jobs they work at to make a living.
There are 30 core volunteers that work to get the refugees taken care of while they are in Symi and to direct them to resources about how to continue their journey safely.
Though some Symi residents worry about the influx of refugees hurting their tourism-based economy, Davies’ thoughts on the matter are simple. “How could we lie on the beach reading books when people were suffering?” he asks.
Many cross the Mediterranean in dangerously overloaded boats, with smugglers who overcharge them or delay the trip. But, in a country torn apart by war, many Syrians are left with no other choice.
As Francine Uenuma of Save the Children emphasizes based on the refugees she has spoken to near Serbia, “They’re fleeing violence. They’re fleeing persecution. And the risks they’re taking, I think, underscore that point.”
Right now, independent operations like Solidarity Symi are especially important in light of the strain on humanitarian aid agencies such as the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.N.’s World Food Program.
Solidarity Symi has raised over £26,000 through a Facebook site and donations from visitors. There are donation boxes set up around the island, and community members are working to raise awareness of the organization through on-site and online mediums so that it can continue to develop.
The Facebook page is also continually updated with items that the organization is in need of, so that those present on the island can make material donations such as soap, travel bags, specific foods, sleeping mats, and even toys for children.
The Solidarity Symi Facebook page is a very positive resource that updates supporters with pictures and posts about how their donations are helping and about refugees as individual people, not simply victims and members of a mass migration.
The people working tirelessly at organizations such as Solidarity Symi are a perfect testament to how each individual has the power to make a positive difference.
For more information about Solidarity Symi, or to donate to the organization, visit their website.
– Emily Dieckman
Sources: Blogspot, Daily Mail, Facebook, NPR 1, NPR 2, Reuters
Photo: cooksailing
Global Goals & UNICEF Launch “World’s Largest Lesson”
The Global Goals for Sustainable Development will launch on September 25, 2015, when 193 world leaders unite in New York City to pledge their commitment to the 17 initiatives that seek to achieve three major goals by 2030: end extreme global poverty, fight inequality and injustice and fix climate change.
The more awareness of the Global Goals, the better. If more people understand the mission of the goals, more change is likely to occur in the next 30 years.
That’s why the Global Goals have partnered with UNICEF to launch “World’s Largest Lesson,” a program designed to teach children the reality of poverty, the importance of the goals and the impact that they can have on the future.
The kids of today are the future of tomorrow; they have the potential to become the generation that changes the world and ends extreme poverty. However, it is imperative that they first understand the Global Goals. “World’s Largest Lesson” is an opportunity to promote global citizenship in schools around the world.
Together, UNICEF and the Global Goals have created a program to teach children about the three major components of the goals.
The “World’s Largest Lesson” includes several videos and lesson plans accessible to teachers around the world. It also encourages teachers to spend the week following Sept. 25 teaching their students about the Global Goals through a wide variety of subjects.
Positive change can be enforced by anyone, anywhere, regardless of age. “World’s Largest Lesson” believes that children are capable of making a difference and seeks to inspire young people to take action. Through lessons in geography, sustainability, technology and citizenship, teachers can break down the Global Goals and foster citizenship in their students.
The Global Goals will change the world and provide new life for the impoverished. “The World’s Largest Lesson” will ensure that children around the world are aware of current and future events, and inspire them to build a just and sustainable world.
– Sarah Sheppard
Sources: TES 1, TES 2
Photo: British Council
GHW: Improving Health Care in Ghana
The Global Health Watch Report (GHW), a report focused on monitoring and evaluating global health, launched in Accra, Ghana late last month.
This year’s report, the fourth edition, was launched with the theme: “Watchdogging an Essential Element to Ensuring the Right to Health.”
The purpose of GHW is to create a voice in favor of alternative dialogue when it comes to global health. The report combines analysis, alternative proposals and stories of those struggling to obtain sufficient levels of health care.
The launch of the report comes at a time when health care in Ghana remains underfunded and health officials are fighting for justice and equality for health care.
The government of Ghana is still dealing with issues such as poor sanitation and open defecation, which it spends $290 million and $79 million on, respectively, each year. Additionally, the delivery of health care sees an annual cost of $54 million.
By improving sanitation and hygiene, Ghana can help decrease the burden it sees from the spread of disease. Health officials are also calling for funds to assist with promoting and sustaining behavior changes in regards to sanitation and hygiene practices in local areas.
When it comes to the delivery of health care, health officials are calling for joint efforts to make sure citizens have universal access to sexual and reproductive health. They also want to see improved and equal distribution of resources for such care.
Eighty experts from around the world made contributions to the report, which also addresses issues seen in health systems and looks at how social, political, economic and environmental factors play a role in health care.
– Matt Wotus
Sources: AllAfrica, Global Health Watch
Photo: Flickr
Solar-Powered Phone Chargers: Mobile Access to Those Off-Grid
The Little Sun Charge, a solar-powered phone charger, is finding success on Kickstarter. The project was launched as a part of the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4All), originated by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, which aims to ensure global access to modern energy services by 2030.
The Little Sun Charge is powered entirely by solar power and charges phones in less than five hours. Other conventional solar-powered phone chargers require between eight and twenty hours to charge a phone. The device is barely larger than a smartphone and uses a USB port, so it can power other electronic devices as well.
While marketed on Kickstarter for travelers, hikers, campers and freelancers, Little Sun Charge has particular relevance for those who live off-grid. With this device, phone ownership is a greater possibility, as those individuals could have a means to power their phone. Currently, 1.1 billion people live without access to electricity.
The project was initiated by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson and Danish entrepreneur and engineer Frederic Ottesen.
The Kickstarter project has a fundraising goal of 50,000 Euros by the end of September; it is currently at 40,000 Euros and is expected to meet its goal. Proceeds from the project go towards support solar power initiatives in Africa and the SE4All Initiative.
Little Sun Charge is the second Little Sun project; the first was an LED lamp. 200,000 of these Little Sun LED lamps have been distributed in Europe, Canada, Australia, Japan and the United states in addition to 10 African countries, including Zimbabwe, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Both devices aim to support sustainable energy initiatives in Africa, especially solar entrepreneurship.
The charger is expected to be released in March 2016 at a retail price of 120 Euros.
– Priscilla McCelvey
Sources: Climate Action Programme, Wired,
Photo: api.ning
Solidarity Symi: A Safe Haven for Syrian Refugees
The Syria Refugee crisis is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. With the picture of the young refugee boy whose body washed up on shore grabbing the attention of the world, more people than ever are paying attention to this humanitarian crisis.
With increased awareness of the Syrian Refugees, comes an increase in advocacy (as people in many countries are stepping up to tell their governments how they feel about accepting refugees into their countries) and an increase in activism.
Individuals like hotel owner Andrew Davies and lettings agent Wendy Wilcox on the Greek island of Symi, are stepping up to help these those who are fleeing violence and pain in hopes of finding a better life.
Together, the pair has launched a reception service on the tiny Greek island called Solidarity Symi, using an abandoned post office as their resource headquarters.
This organization is a not-for-profit that works to provide food, clothing, shelter, and medical treatment to destitute Syrians who have crossed over the Mediterranean into Europe.
These heroic individuals work at this project eight hours a day in addition to the jobs they work at to make a living.
There are 30 core volunteers that work to get the refugees taken care of while they are in Symi and to direct them to resources about how to continue their journey safely.
Though some Symi residents worry about the influx of refugees hurting their tourism-based economy, Davies’ thoughts on the matter are simple. “How could we lie on the beach reading books when people were suffering?” he asks.
Many cross the Mediterranean in dangerously overloaded boats, with smugglers who overcharge them or delay the trip. But, in a country torn apart by war, many Syrians are left with no other choice.
As Francine Uenuma of Save the Children emphasizes based on the refugees she has spoken to near Serbia, “They’re fleeing violence. They’re fleeing persecution. And the risks they’re taking, I think, underscore that point.”
Right now, independent operations like Solidarity Symi are especially important in light of the strain on humanitarian aid agencies such as the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.N.’s World Food Program.
Solidarity Symi has raised over £26,000 through a Facebook site and donations from visitors. There are donation boxes set up around the island, and community members are working to raise awareness of the organization through on-site and online mediums so that it can continue to develop.
The Facebook page is also continually updated with items that the organization is in need of, so that those present on the island can make material donations such as soap, travel bags, specific foods, sleeping mats, and even toys for children.
The Solidarity Symi Facebook page is a very positive resource that updates supporters with pictures and posts about how their donations are helping and about refugees as individual people, not simply victims and members of a mass migration.
The people working tirelessly at organizations such as Solidarity Symi are a perfect testament to how each individual has the power to make a positive difference.
For more information about Solidarity Symi, or to donate to the organization, visit their website.
– Emily Dieckman
Sources: Blogspot, Daily Mail, Facebook, NPR 1, NPR 2, Reuters
Photo: cooksailing
Experts to Create a Global Health Risk Framework
In response to recent outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Ebola, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and H1N1, the National Academy of Medicine is coordinating a new Commission on Global Health Risk Framework. The framework will address the need for better local and global health infrastructure to stem the spread of diseases on a global scale.
The Commission is a multinational, independent board made up of 18 members from 11 countries. The National Academy of Medicine serves as the secretariat. Those serving on the board are members of their countries’ health ministries and funds while others work in universities and the insurance industry.
To create the framework, the Commission will convene four workshops, each lasting up to three days. Topics include governance for global health, financial responses to pandemic threats, resilient health systems, and research and development of medical products.
A wide range of experts will address the layout of related global initiatives, challenges and lessons learned from past health threats, and the reactions of governments, communities, and the private sector during threats.
The first public meeting was held in Washington D.C. on July 29, 2015. At the conclusion of the four workshops, the commission will publish a consensus report on how to address the issues raised and will provide detailed recommendations for fixing problem areas. The report is scheduled for release by the end of 2015.
– Katherine Hewitt
Sources: NAM 1, NAM 2, News Medical
Photo: Flickr
Millions of Iraqis Don’t Have Health Care Access
The conflict between the government of Iraq and ISIL resulted in millions of Iraqis without health care access. The ongoing conflict has created widespread insecurity in the region, and this insecurity keeps people away from an area which in turn keeps funding very low.
Humanitarian organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have only received $5.1 million out of the $61 million they need from the international community to provide health care services. As a result, 84 percent of frontline programs have been stopped. This has left 3 million Iraqis without health care access.
Vital services include trauma care, primary healthcare, outbreak detection and management, immunizations, and reproductive health care services.
According to a spokesperson for WHO, Tarik Jasarevic, 5.8 million kids need to be vaccinated in 2015 and 2016. It is imperative these children receive polio vaccinations considering cases of polio have occurred in Iraq in 2014 — fortunately none have been reported since April 2015. Currently, the polio vaccination campaign has a $45 million funding gap.
U.N. agencies and their partners are looking to fundraise $498 million to cover costs of shelter, food, water and other life-saving services for the rest of 2015. This is a challenging task, given only 15 percent of it was secured as of July 2015.
Despite the insecurity in the region, shouldn’t the international community provide the necessary funding, given the unfortunate situation 3 million Iraqis are in? Such aid would also keep those affected from having to resort to desperate means and join radicalized organizations.
– Paula Acevedo
Sources: United Nations Radio, UN News Centre
Photo: Flickr
500,000 Refugee Children Return to School
When we reminisce about our childhood afternoons spent in school, they usually include fond memories immersed in boundless creativity and new learning experiences.
Although we likely did not realize it at the time, these crucial hours of education contributed to our empowerment to become smart and driven citizens within our communities.
Imagine what missing just a year of schooling would mean for a child.
This year, 500,000 Palestinian refugee children will start school on time due to last-minute donations which secured funding for the upcoming school year.
“There had been warnings that the school year in 685 UN-run schools would be delayed for months because the agency was short of $101 million to fund the 2015-16 academic year. Protests against the potential move were held by Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip and by staff at the agency’s headquarters in Amman,” states an article by A World at School.
The Commissioner-General Pierre Krahenbuhl of the United Nations Work and Relief Agency (UNRWA) an agency for Palestinian refugees, announced that $80 million had come in allowing students to return to school within the countries of Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
According to A World at School, for students, this means schools will reopen in Palestine on August 24, in Jordan on September 1, in Lebanon on September 7 and in Syria on September 13.
The UNRWA recognizes the importance of education and was disheartened by the potential risk of schools not opening due to a funding shortfall. With the danger of millions of children being robbed of their education in a time of great conflict caused by war zones and migration, the ability of so many children to stay in school is a tremendous achievement.
Currently, the UNRWA describes themselves as a human development and humanitarian service, which “encompass primary and vocational education, primary health care, relief and social services, infrastructure and camp improvement, microfinance and emergency response, including in situations of armed conflict.”
Today, the UNRWA has contributed to 479, 519 student’s educations, awarded 344,493 loans to those in financial need and supported 301,015 refugees through the Social Safety Net.
It is only through the support and patronage of others that schools have the hope of thriving and remaining open for students.
– Nikki Schaffer
Sources: UNRWA, A World at School
Photo: Pixabay
From Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Goals
The final report of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) says it has been the most successful anti-poverty effort in history. But despite significant gains, there are many global poverty issues that still need to be addressed. These include sanitation, gender equality, maternal and children’s health, and access to family planning, among others.
After 15 years, the transition from MDGs to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) begins. The new goals will be adopted this September at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, which will provide a guideline for policy and funding for the next 15 years. There are set to be 17 goals and 169 indicators to measure the progress of these goals.
Among the proposed goals are the following:
The goals were conceived through a collaboration of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Development Group (UNDG), which undertook an unprecedented global conversation among a diverse group of stakeholders over the last three years. Stakeholders included women, young people, people with disabilities, the private sector and all levels of government.
For example, the UN’s online My World Survey, which asked participants to rank their six highest priority issues, gathered the ranked priorities for the future of 7.3 million people.
In addition, the UNDG collected the perspectives from over one million people on “the world we want,” eliciting 88 national consultations and input on 11 thematic dialogues.
“As member states consult on the shape and content of a successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beyond 2015, it is hoped that the opportunity to listen to these voices will contribute to reaching consensus on what is needed to move towards a common sustainable future,” states the World We Want website.
Partnerships will be key to realizing the proposed goals. Some of the important players that will assist in partnerships and collaboration between different entities are the Department of State’s Office of Global Partnerships, which will work with public and private sectors. The U.S. Agency for International Development will work with corporations, foundations, NGOs and others in developing countries through the Global Development Alliance.
Looking ahead, the need to work together across stakeholder groups is paramount. “World leaders have an unprecedented opportunity this year to shift the world onto a path of inclusive, sustainable and resilient development,” said Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator. And the message from the global conversation was clear: People want to be involved in the process of accomplishing these goals and to hold governments and businesses accountable for their promises and commitments.
– Paula Acevedo
Sources: Millennium Development Goals Final Report, Devex, United Nations Development Programme
Photo: Flickr
PATH’s 30 Key Global Health Innovations
PATH, the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, headquartered in Seattle, WA, is an international nonprofit organization and leader of global health innovation. For 40 years, PATH has improved health and saved lives.
PATH recently released the Innovation Count Down 2030 report, which identifies 30 key global health innovations. With support from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, PATH assembled a group of experts and innovators from around the world “to identify, evaluate, and showcase health technologies and interventions with great promise to accelerate progress toward solving the world’s most urgent health issues,” according to the report.
The report features innovations that could hasten the pace of progress towards the health targets in the proposed United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Those targets include reducing the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births and ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under five years old; ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases; reducing by one-third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases; and ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services.
The global health innovations listed below, are presented in four categories that align with the SDGs proposed health targets. To read the summary of each goal, visit path.org and click the IC2030 report.
Innovations for maternal, newborn and child health:
Innovations for combating infectious diseases:
Innovations for reproductive health:
Innovations addressing non-communicable diseases:
“On the eve of launching the SDGs, the global community now knows what we can accomplish by coming together around a common set of goals and throwing our collective weight behind health solutions with the most potential for impact,” the report states. “As world leaders consider how to finance and scale up those solutions, we know that coordinated investment and financing will be essential in our efforts to reach the 2030 health targets—and to ensure we can financially sustain those gains into the future.”
– Kelsey Parrotte
Sources: IC2030 Report, PATH
Photo: Flickr
Eva Longoria and LG Raise Money For No Kid Hungry
Last week, Eva Longoria hosted an LG Electronics USA product launch in Hollywood for the company’s new ranges with ProBake Convection technology to benefit the No Kid Hungry Campaign.
A-list celebrities and VIP guests like actress Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, chef Angel Estrada and actor Jesse Metcalfe, gathered for a family oriented event sponsored by LG. The occasion featured cooking activities and games, as well as interactive culinary demonstrations highlighting the new cooking technology.
The fun-filled afternoon also served to raise awareness and support for the No Kid Hungry campaign that is sponsored by Share Our Strength, an organization that helps to provide food for children and families in need. Fittingly, the charity also empowers families to cook healthy meals together.
The Desperate Housewives star said that she really values the importance of family and passing down recipes to loved ones.
“I come from a tight-knit family where we value the importance of gathering for meals and celebrations, and I’m thrilled to join LG to encourage families to do the same, all while benefitting such a fantastic cause,” Longoria said.
Longoria supports a worthy cause — malnutrition is a continuing problem. According to Action Against Hunger, 3.5 million children die each year from malnutrition.
To help eradicate this problem, the No Kid Hungry campaign asks for donations for hungry children and lists ways for people to improve the lives of the impoverished. The campaign’s website focuses on using food as a tool to create a better value of life, stating that “another kid falls behind and never catches up” without proper nourishment.
The campaign also seeks to provide parents the tools to create and offer nutritious meals to their children. Supporting No Kid Hungry, LG encouraged the community to start their own “PostBake sales” in their neighborhoods using kits gifted by the event to all attendees.
Longoria hosted her own bake sale at the LG event. The award-winning cookbook author and co-restaurateur shared her cooking expertise during her live demonstrations. Her culinary creations were all recipes from her New York Times bestselling cookbook, “Eva’s Kitchen: Cooking with Love for Family and Friends.”
In addition, she helped organize pizza and flatbread baking, cake and cookie decorating, a themed photo booth and more.
Since the event, LG and Longoria have helped connect struggling kids with more than 345 million meals. The benefit also helped to launch school breakfast programs, recruit summer meals sites, and helped to provide grants to the most effective hunger-fighting organizations to help end child hunger in their communities, according to the No Kid Hungry website.
Not only is the campaign feeding kids, but it is also making their dreams come true.
Straight-A students and sisters, Jeane and Jahnique love to run, dance and cheerlead, and with the help of No Kid Hungry, they are able to do these activities with more energy.
“When I eat, it makes me run faster,” one sister said.
No Kid Hungry has helped many more kids in different areas. The operation’s website shows several more stories like this one. To read these stories and to learn how to support these kids, visit the No Kid Hungry website.
– Fallon Lineberger
Sources: Action Against Hunger, Look to the Stars, No Kid Hungry 1, No Kid Hungry 2, Vimeo
Photo: Homemade Mimi