Many people associate bikes with an expensive international sport that is growing in popularity. With professional cyclists gaining attention on social media and brands using aggressive marketing, cycling is often seen as an exclusive activity for those who can afford it. In major cities around the world, it has become a strong attraction for sports enthusiasts.
In the United States, for example, a record 112 million Americans rode a bike at least once in 2024. Bikes and cycling can positively impact millions of people worldwide, especially in densely populated urban areas. One key example is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.
In recent weeks, it officially became the largest metropolitan area in North America, with an estimated population of 25.6 million. That status brings major challenges, including urban poverty, inequality and rising pollution. Bicycles, however, have the potential to help address these issues. Through bike-share programs across the city, Mexico is using bikes to fight poverty, inequality and climate challenges.
Shared Mobility Services
Bikes can help address pollution and transportation affordability in urban areas. As more people migrate to cities, carbon emissions have continued to rise. Emissions from transportation, especially in cities, account for 22% of global fuel emissions. In response, many cities are turning to shared mobility services that reduce emissions by lowering the number of vehicles on the road.
These services not only cut pollution in densely populated areas, but also give people more ways to reach their destinations without relying on a single mode of transport. These programs allow low-income households and individuals to move faster and more cheaply across the city, freeing some of their income to spend on other priorities. Bike-share programs are one form of shared mobility service being implemented worldwide to fight poverty.
Major cities in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil have introduced bike-share programs for their populations. American cities like New York City and more than 150 European cities have also implemented similar programs. Although these initiatives continue to face regulatory and other challenges, there is a clear global shift toward supporting their success.
Mexico City is leading such efforts in Latin America. It has the largest program in the region, “with [more than] 6,000 bikes and a competitive ride-hailing market with an estimated 200,000-plus drivers.”
Poverty in Mexico City
Although the government has worked over the last two decades to fight poverty across the country, poverty and inequality continue to plague Mexico City. The biggest challenge within the capital is inequality, with the “richest 1% of the population [owning] 40% of the country’s wealth, while nearly 19 million people struggle to put food on the table.” This is not new for residents, but it has worsened in recent years.
For instance, “Mexico’s 22 billionaires have seen their fortunes double in the last five years,” while the average Mexican citizen has not seen proportional growth in economic status. Inequality within the city is evident in its real estate and housing environment. Those who are wealthy “have been very effective at isolating themselves from the rest of the country,” living in luxury apartments in the heart of Mexico City, where more economic opportunities are available.
On the contrary, those with lower incomes are “relegated to sprawling cinder-block slums” located far from those opportunities. As a result, commuting to and from work is often costly and inefficient for low-income families. During an interview with Lucia Margarita Vazquez Alcantara, a resident of Mexico City for the last 40 years, she expressed frustration with the cost of gasoline for her car and taxis.
“It is impossible to afford gas if you want to go anywhere in the city,” she stated. The distance and cost of transportation place a heavy burden on lower-income families in Mexico City, making it harder to escape cycles of poverty or afford basic necessities.
Bike-Share Programs in Mexico City
Bike-share programs offer an effective and environmentally friendly solution to reduce transportation costs in Mexico City and help lower-income families travel to their places of work. Ecobici is the city’s official bike-share program, allowing users to “take a bicycle from any cycle station and return it to the nearest one to their destinations in unlimited 45-minute rides.” If users wish to use it longer, they can pay for an affordable $32 subscription.
This program shows how Mexico is actively using bikes to fight poverty. Women in particular are benefiting greatly from the Ecobici program in Mexico City. In urban areas, women often have “less access to quick and reliable transportation” and tend to make trips with multiple purposes.
The bike-share program improves mobility across the city and women have “gained a cheap, efficient and flexible mode of transportation.” Since its implementation, Ecobici has increased women’s bicycle use in the city from 10% to 38%. “I am too old to be riding bicycles, but now some of my friends’ daughters use them to get to work or go to ‘la tienda’ (grocery store) when needed,” said Alcantara.
She added that although she does not ride bikes, she has seen tangible changes in Mexico City. The sky is clearer, pollution is lower and she sees more people smiling instead of yelling at each other behind the wheel.
Beyond their economic benefits, biking is growing in popularity among Mexico’s population. Monica Castilla, a hotel cook in the Zona Rosa area of Mexico City, expressed her preference for riding her bike over driving a car or taking the bus. “You get the stress out. You [get] exercise. And it’s faster,” she said. Mexico has 250 miles of bike lanes and “closes major avenues in the city center every Sunday” so cyclists can use them recreationally.
Conclusion
Bike-share programs are proving that simple transportation solutions can create real social change. In Mexico City, initiatives like Ecobici are reducing travel costs, expanding mobility for low-income families, supporting women’s independence and helping cut urban pollution. As the city continues to grow, Mexico is showing how two wheels can help move people closer to economic opportunity and a better quality of life.
– Rodrigo Salgado
Rodrigois based in Boulder, CO, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash
Improving WASH in South African Schools
When sanitation is not safely managed, it can contaminate soil, food and water sources, spreading disease and causing death in extreme cases. South Africa’s government is taking steps to improve WASH for its next generation.
The Impact of Poor WASH on Education
Improving education has remained a major challenge for the South African government, and this is directly linked to the lack of WASH services in schools. The problem is especially prevalent in underprivileged, water-scarce areas, where students leave school without completing their education due to the inaccessibility of water and toilets within schools.
Even with South Africa investing in schools and policy reforms, WASH access differs depending on socioeconomic status and community. South Africa’s informal settlements, where citizens face limited access to housing, education and job opportunities, are often the most affected.
This disparity causes students in lower-income communities to have higher exposure to waterborne diseases, making them unable to focus properly due to dehydration, lack of privacy, illness and poor sanitation. This limits classroom time, stunting cognitive development and reducing attendance rates.
A New Sanitation Solution
South Africa has looked to other countries for help in improving WASH in its schools. A South African delegation attended the 2018 Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing, where a new sanitation system was showcased. The system purifies solid waste and urine, removes all pathogens and recycles the output as flushable water — a solution South Africa was ready to implement.
At the event, South Africa partnered with Enviro Loo to adapt the system for local schools. The system was installed in 2020, and Enviro Loo has since continued to install it in South African schools and informal settlements, reaching more than 41 locations with more being built.
Enviro Loo is also part of the South African Sanitation Enterprise Programme (SASTEP), a government initiative that organizes sanitation solutions and tracks new systems and technologies to increase WASH access in South African schools.
Measurable Results
The effects of the new system have been immediate. Schools now have bathrooms located in hallways next to classrooms, rather than in secluded areas.
Looking Ahead
South Africa is continuing to expand WASH access for its next generation. Indeed, with its continued partnership with Enviro Loo and the Gates Foundation, students are better able to focus on their education, and the program offers a model for addressing sanitation-linked barriers to learning in other developing countries.
– Kianna Phosouvanh-Sythong
Photo: Flickr
Immunization Initiative Reduces Child Mortality in Zimbabwe
Measles-Rubella Vaccination Campaign
The government of Zimbabwe titled the initiative the National Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccination and Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign. It targeted children between the ages of 9 and 59 months across all regions of the country, regardless of previous vaccination status. An estimated 1.7 million children received vaccinations as a result of the program. Ncebile Ngwenya, a frontline nurse in Plumtree, Bulilimamangwe district in the Matabeland South Province, described the campaign’s approach: “The campaign utilised scheduled outreach points, which improved access to immunization services by delivering them at the community level. It will help protect children from measles and rubella, ensuring strong immunity and a healthier future for our communities.”
Vitamin A Supplementation and Child Nutrition
In addition to the measles-rubella vaccine, nearly 2 million children also received Vitamin A supplements. The rationale for providing these supplements was the same as that of the vaccination effort: to reduce child mortality across Zimbabwe. Vitamin A deficiency is a widespread issue across the country’s young population and can lead to malnutrition, disease and, ultimately, death. One of the most significant risks of Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is total loss of vision. VAD is one of the leading causes of blindness in low-income countries. Keratomalacia, a condition that causes corneal deterioration, is especially prominent in individuals with VAD. The average income of families in Zimbabwe is $3 a day, meaning most children do not have consistent access to foods rich in Vitamin A or other crucial nutrients.
Measurable Results
The combined effects of the measles-rubella vaccination and Vitamin A supplementation produced significant health improvements. WHO Zimbabwe estimates that 95% of children in Zimbabwe aged 9 to 59 months experienced improvements in both nutrition and disease immunity. By launching the campaign across all regions of Zimbabwe and vaccinating all children from ages 9 to 59 months regardless of financial means or prior vaccination status, the government actively addressed fatal health risks in its youngest and most vulnerable population.
Looking Ahead
The National Measles-Rubella Vaccination and Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign demonstrates how combining vaccination with nutritional supplementation can produce measurable health outcomes for children in low-income countries. As other countries facing similar challenges with malnutrition and childhood disease consider their public health strategies, Zimbabwe’s approach offers a model for reducing child mortality at scale.
– Natalie Naylor
Photo: Flickr
Powering Gender Equality: How Women Light the Way Out
Women, as primary caregivers and household energy managers, bear the brunt of energy poverty. Bound by societal norms, women and young girls are often responsible for household chores, including cooking and cleaning and reliance on unsafe energy sources leads to the deterioration of both physical and mental health. This often leaves girls and young children unable to leave the home, gain an education, become financially independent or contribute to the development of their communities.
Overall, this creates a chain of events that keeps households in poverty for generations and prevents them from reaching their full potential.
The Powering Gender Equality Project
In response to Africa’s energy poverty, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched the Powering Gender Equality project in Ethiopia, Malawi, Madagascar and Eswatini in 2023. It is supported by the governments of Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea to enhance women’s economic empowerment while combating widespread energy poverty in Africa. The project aims to empower women-led networks and entrepreneurs to establish clean energy businesses, while encouraging energy policies that address gender disparities.
Addressing Energy Poverty in Eswatini
In Eswatini, where women make up 52% of the population, the project has shown encouraging early results and strong potential. It trained 50 women entrepreneurs from rural communities in using sustainable energy for their homes and businesses, including solar, biogas and waste-to-fuel technologies, as well as essential business skills such as planning, marketing and management. They were also provided with clean energy starter kits, including solar panels, to launch and expand their businesses.
Partnering with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, the project also developed an early-stage strategy for gender-responsive policies and capacity-building. The aim is to improve gender equality in the energy sector and create a more inclusive environment for energy planning. The trained women plan to establish and expand their businesses, power their homes, strengthen food security, send their children to school and build a sustainable future.
Addressing Energy Poverty in Madagascar
Only 2% of Madagascar’s population has access to clean cooking energy, while the rest relies on unsafe sources such as biomass and firewood. With more than three-fourths of the population living in poverty, many are especially vulnerable to this energy crisis, which contributes to serious health issues, rising pollution levels and deforestation in the region. Here, the gender-equality project trained 15 women in installing and repairing solar hub systems and biogas technologies and in establishing sustainable businesses.
UNDP also worked with local community leaders to raise awareness of these issues and build support for women’s businesses and their involvement in the energy sector. After the training, the women were provided seed funding to sell solar kits and components or to manage nanogrids, promoting sustainable energy within their communities.
The Future
Ultimately, the Powering Gender Equality project demonstrates the untapped potential of women and offers hope for combating energy poverty in Africa and worldwide. It also advances Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to ensure access to clean, affordable energy for all. With training, support and policy influence, empowered women can rise to the challenge and help power their households and communities, truly lighting the way out of the energy poverty trap.
– Nishtha Mahendra Kumar
Photo: Flickr
Fog Harvesting Technology and Clean Water in Rural Morocco
How Fog Harvesting Technology Works
Fog harvesting technology uses large vertical mesh nets to capture tiny water droplets from fog. As wind passes through the nets, moisture condenses on the fibers, forming larger droplets that flow downward into collection channels. The collected water is then filtered and stored for household use, including drinking, cooking and sanitation.
According to Dar Si Hmad, the system deployed in southwestern Morocco is the largest operational fog-collection network in North Africa. The organization explains that the technology relies on consistent fog patterns in mountainous coastal regions, making it especially effective in the Anti-Atlas area. As described in project research materials, “The research aims to optimize fog collection means and create strong, self- sufficient nets that can withstand extremely hard conditions.” This reflects ongoing efforts to improve durability and efficiency in extreme environments while expanding access to clean water in rural communities.
Fog Harvesting in the Anti-Atlas Mountains
One of the most significant implementations of fog-harvesting technology in rural Morocco is in the Ait Baamrane region of the Anti-Atlas Mountains.
Dar Si Hmad described the fog-harvesting system in southwestern Morocco is described by Dar Si Hmad as “the largest functioning fog collection project in the world,” which has brought “positive transformations to the communities, particularly the women, and the environment.” The project uses CloudFisher technology at Mount Boutmezguida to capture fog and supply water to nearby villages, supporting both climate adaptation and local development.
Social and Economic Impacts
Procedia Engineering highlights the broader impacts of fog harvesting in rural Morocco. The study explains that the fogwater harvesting initiative “provides a holistic approach to addressing complex development challenges” and that it “delivers potable water to hundreds of rural residents who have never had running water.”The research further emphasizes that the project combines engineering innovation with community participation to improve water access, reduce poverty, and support sustainable development in underserved regions.
The project has had a significant impact on women in rural communities. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Dar Si Hmad is a “women-led NGO in Morocco” that designed and installed “the world’s largest operational fogwater harvesting system.” The organization also reports that Dar Si Hmad’s female team leaders have conducted more than 20 capacity-building workshops with rural berber women to promote literacy and income-generating projects. By training female villagers to monitor and maintain the fogwater system, the initiative strengthens local participation and empowers women as managers of water resources in climate-vulnerable regions.
Benefits for Women and Children
A major impact of fog harvesting technology in rural Morocco is the reduction in the time spent collecting water. In many rural communities, women and girls are traditionally responsible for this task, often walking long distances daily.
With the fog water system installed closer to villages, women and girls do not have the burden of long daily walks for water. According to Procedia Engineering, the project helps “free women and children from the time-consuming chore of collecting water” and contributes to the “Release of young girls from water gathering chores, enhancing the possibility they will attend school.” This shift can improve gender equity and create more opportunities for education and community development.
Health and Environmental Benefits
Access to clean water from fog harvesting systems has also improved public health outcomes. Reliable drinking water reduces exposure to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, which disproportionately affects children in rural areas.
In addition, fog harvesting technology in rural Morocco is environmentally sustainable. The UNFCCC describes the project as “an environmentally friendly water source to combat the effects of desertification.” Powered in part by solar panels and requiring little energy to operate, the system offers a cost-effective and low-impact solution for water-scarce regions facing the effects of extreme weather patterns
Fog harvesting technology demonstrates how an innovative, low-cost solution can address critical water shortages in vulnerable regions. Through the efforts of Dar Si Hmad and local communities, fog is being transformed into a reliable source of clean drinking water. This technology not only improves health and reduces daily burdens but also strengthens education, economic opportunity, and climate resilience in rural Morocco.
– Grelby Santos
Photo: Flickr
The Story Behind India’s Midday Meal Scheme
States like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have implemented strict measures to ensure students have access to healthy food. The scheme provides free, freshly cooked meals to children in government and government-aided schools. The Akshaya Patra Foundation reports, “The Government of Karnataka was the first state government to involve NGOs in providing midday meals to school children in India.”
The Nutritional Impact of the Scheme
Hunger acts as a significant barrier to education, primarily among children from low-income families. Sometimes, the meal provided by the scheme is the only nutritious meal children receive in a day. The program has been working to improve children’s health.
According to Dhristhi IAS, “India is home to about 30% of the world’s stunted children.” The scheme aims to reduce stunting and improve child growth. The nutritional gains from the meals significantly improve learning outcomes. Better nutrition also enhances other cognitive skills, such as attention span, participation and concentration.
In addition, school enrollment and attendance rates have increased by 16–19 percentage points after the enforcement of midday meals. Families often face the decision of whether to send their children to school due to economic constraints. The Midday Meal Scheme helps address these problems and reduces the financial burden of feeding their children and covering education costs.
How It Changes Lives for Women
Aside from financial costs and hunger, another notable achievement of this scheme is gender equality. According to a study published in ScienceDirect, “The analysis found the effect of the midday meal program on girls to be almost twice its effect on boys for primary school enrollment.” Historically, communities have existed where girls’ desire for education and public roles has been undervalued.
One of the biggest factors is social and economic. This scheme creates an incentive for families to send their daughters to school. It provides girls with access and reduces gender gaps in areas such as education and literacy. In the long run, girls in low-income communities have the opportunity to pursue their education.
Similar to its impact on youth, the Midday Meal Scheme has also contributed to women’s empowerment. Historically, women have been prevented from participating in the economy and from establishing themselves in their communities. However, through the scheme, women are given jobs as assistants and cooks.
This gives them the chance to provide their households with a stable income and to independently control their finances.
Future of the Scheme
In 2021, the government rebranded the Midday Meal Scheme to Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti. With this new name comes a heavier focus on nutrients for students. The new scheme aims to integrate local and seasonal produce and also introduces new, healthier options like fortified rice. According to MicroSave Consulting, the scheme uses the Automated Monitoring System to prevent mishaps and track the number of meals provided.
India’s Midday Meal Scheme has made a huge impact and is a key part of India’s development. With more attention, it can cover millions more children in other states.
– Hasini Muddapu
Photo: Unsplash
Using Bikes To Fight Poverty in Mexico City
In the United States, for example, a record 112 million Americans rode a bike at least once in 2024. Bikes and cycling can positively impact millions of people worldwide, especially in densely populated urban areas. One key example is Mexico City, the capital of Mexico.
In recent weeks, it officially became the largest metropolitan area in North America, with an estimated population of 25.6 million. That status brings major challenges, including urban poverty, inequality and rising pollution. Bicycles, however, have the potential to help address these issues. Through bike-share programs across the city, Mexico is using bikes to fight poverty, inequality and climate challenges.
Shared Mobility Services
Bikes can help address pollution and transportation affordability in urban areas. As more people migrate to cities, carbon emissions have continued to rise. Emissions from transportation, especially in cities, account for 22% of global fuel emissions. In response, many cities are turning to shared mobility services that reduce emissions by lowering the number of vehicles on the road.
These services not only cut pollution in densely populated areas, but also give people more ways to reach their destinations without relying on a single mode of transport. These programs allow low-income households and individuals to move faster and more cheaply across the city, freeing some of their income to spend on other priorities. Bike-share programs are one form of shared mobility service being implemented worldwide to fight poverty.
Major cities in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil have introduced bike-share programs for their populations. American cities like New York City and more than 150 European cities have also implemented similar programs. Although these initiatives continue to face regulatory and other challenges, there is a clear global shift toward supporting their success.
Mexico City is leading such efforts in Latin America. It has the largest program in the region, “with [more than] 6,000 bikes and a competitive ride-hailing market with an estimated 200,000-plus drivers.”
Poverty in Mexico City
Although the government has worked over the last two decades to fight poverty across the country, poverty and inequality continue to plague Mexico City. The biggest challenge within the capital is inequality, with the “richest 1% of the population [owning] 40% of the country’s wealth, while nearly 19 million people struggle to put food on the table.” This is not new for residents, but it has worsened in recent years.
For instance, “Mexico’s 22 billionaires have seen their fortunes double in the last five years,” while the average Mexican citizen has not seen proportional growth in economic status. Inequality within the city is evident in its real estate and housing environment. Those who are wealthy “have been very effective at isolating themselves from the rest of the country,” living in luxury apartments in the heart of Mexico City, where more economic opportunities are available.
On the contrary, those with lower incomes are “relegated to sprawling cinder-block slums” located far from those opportunities. As a result, commuting to and from work is often costly and inefficient for low-income families. During an interview with Lucia Margarita Vazquez Alcantara, a resident of Mexico City for the last 40 years, she expressed frustration with the cost of gasoline for her car and taxis.
“It is impossible to afford gas if you want to go anywhere in the city,” she stated. The distance and cost of transportation place a heavy burden on lower-income families in Mexico City, making it harder to escape cycles of poverty or afford basic necessities.
Bike-Share Programs in Mexico City
Bike-share programs offer an effective and environmentally friendly solution to reduce transportation costs in Mexico City and help lower-income families travel to their places of work. Ecobici is the city’s official bike-share program, allowing users to “take a bicycle from any cycle station and return it to the nearest one to their destinations in unlimited 45-minute rides.” If users wish to use it longer, they can pay for an affordable $32 subscription.
This program shows how Mexico is actively using bikes to fight poverty. Women in particular are benefiting greatly from the Ecobici program in Mexico City. In urban areas, women often have “less access to quick and reliable transportation” and tend to make trips with multiple purposes.
The bike-share program improves mobility across the city and women have “gained a cheap, efficient and flexible mode of transportation.” Since its implementation, Ecobici has increased women’s bicycle use in the city from 10% to 38%. “I am too old to be riding bicycles, but now some of my friends’ daughters use them to get to work or go to ‘la tienda’ (grocery store) when needed,” said Alcantara.
She added that although she does not ride bikes, she has seen tangible changes in Mexico City. The sky is clearer, pollution is lower and she sees more people smiling instead of yelling at each other behind the wheel.
Beyond their economic benefits, biking is growing in popularity among Mexico’s population. Monica Castilla, a hotel cook in the Zona Rosa area of Mexico City, expressed her preference for riding her bike over driving a car or taking the bus. “You get the stress out. You [get] exercise. And it’s faster,” she said. Mexico has 250 miles of bike lanes and “closes major avenues in the city center every Sunday” so cyclists can use them recreationally.
Conclusion
Bike-share programs are proving that simple transportation solutions can create real social change. In Mexico City, initiatives like Ecobici are reducing travel costs, expanding mobility for low-income families, supporting women’s independence and helping cut urban pollution. As the city continues to grow, Mexico is showing how two wheels can help move people closer to economic opportunity and a better quality of life.
– Rodrigo Salgado
Photo: Unsplash
From Seeds to Market With the DeHaat App
By combining technology with agriculture, DeHaat is helping to modernize the farming sector through modern agrotech solutions for farmers, making information and resources far more accessible. In doing so, the app is simultaneously helping farmers increase crop productivity and secure better prices for their produce.
The following sections outline the key features of the app and how each one of them contributes to reducing poverty and promoting long-term economic stability.
Crop Insurance
One of the most significant advantages of this app is its provision of crop insurance, which plays a critical role in alleviating poverty among farmers. A major challenge in the Indian agricultural sector is the impact of extreme weather events on harvests. In India, since 2020, floods, storms or hailstorms have damaged“[…] 1.32 million acres – nearly seven times the size of New York City.”
Such losses could be devastating and force farmers to restart from the beginning, wiping out their income and pushing them deeper into financial insecurity. However, through integrated insurance services, DeHaat provides a vital financial safety net. This support ensures that farmers are not left without resources in times of crisis, helping them recover quickly and stabilise their income.
Therefore, by protecting farmers against unpredictable losses, the platform not only strengthens agricultural resistance but also promotes long-term economic security, making it a potent tool in the broader effort to reduce rural poverty.
Weather Alerts
Similar to its insurance feature, the app’s frequent weather alerts also play a key role in alleviating poverty. By providing timely meteorological updates and guidance for different stages of the growing season, farmers are able to plan ahead more effectively. This allows them to choose the right crops for specific conditions, allowing them to plant produce at optimal times.
For instance, if a storm is forecast to reach their farmland, farmers can prepare by fortifying crops or adjusting their harvesting schedule to minimize damage. These proactive decisions could help reduce crop losses, ensuring the farmer retains more of their income and produce.
Consequently, these agritech solutions for farmers could help lower the risks associated with unpredictable weather. DeHaat helps farmers to maintain more consistent earnings, reducing farmers’ vulnerability to condition-induced poverty over time.
Farm Tagging and Connect with Experts
A third significant feature of the app is its ability to directly and swiftly connect rural farmers with expert agriculture advice. Through the Dehaat platform, farmers can access guidance on critical aspects of farming such as pest control, irrigation techniques and the appropriate use of fertilizers. This immediate access to professional knowledge helps address one of the key challenges faced by smallholder farmers: the lack of reliable support.
By creating a more informed and responsive farming environment, the platform enables farmers to make better decisions and manage their land more thoroughly. Rather than relying on trial-and-error procedures, farmers can instead implement reliable and proven science-based solutions.
From a poverty-alleviation perspective, such expertise could be truly transformative because it could reduce the likelihood of crop failures, which would subsequently lead to lower production yields. In the long term, this intellectual exchange between farmers and experts empowers farmers to cultivate a secure and stable farming career, which could increase their ability to make money.
Market Linkage
The final, and most significant, feature of the app is its ability to connect farmers directly to local markets and facilitate the sale of their produce. Historically, the Indian agricultural sector has faced challenges related to corruption and exploitation. For example, findings from the BBC and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) identified that, “90,000 farmers between April 2011 and March 2012 found serious irregularities,” underscoring the vulnerability of small holders within traditional market systems.
By enabling direct access to institutional buyers, DeHaat could help reduce farmers’ reliance on intermediaries who may exploit information systems, helping ensure fairer pricing and more secure transactions, which helps farmers to avoid falling into debt traps. This greater financial independence contributes to a more equitable farmer experience that plays a role in reducing declines into rural poverty.
Conclusion
Ultimately, this app is an extraordinary example of how technology can provide effective solutions to reduce rural poverty by strengthening every stage of the farming process. From crop insurance to weather alerts to formal market guidelines, DeHaat agritech solutions for farmers help foster a proper, long-term, stable economic future for many individuals.
– Sophia Lupo
Photo: Flickr
Life, Community and Poverty in Al-Qalamoun
The town’s supportiveness is discussed in The Borgen Project’s interview with one of the town’s most famous women, who noted that Al-Qalamoun is very hospitable. She also described life in the town, touching on poverty, its consequences and especially the supportive community of Al-Qalamoun.
Poverty in Al-Qalamoun
There have been some changes in this town over the last few years that continue to the present. Education is no longer given the same value it once was. A witness to this change states that the level of public schools has decreased. Before, only a few parents placed their children in private schools, while the rest trusted public schools. They all cared about guaranteeing a good education for their children.
However, in this modern age, parents struggle to afford the fees to enroll their children in private schools. This has demotivated some parents and led them to neglect the importance of education. This poses a threat to the future of the town’s new generation. The possible future of this is intertwined with the town’s job market.
According to Baynetna Media, the job market is in a “deep crisis.” There are many jobless people despite the town’s large potential. Jobs could be created due to the rich harvest linked to olives, oranges and floral water. However, many young adults did not attend college and therefore have not acquired a high level of education.
The interviewee explains how this disrupts the marriage market: “Poverty affects the marriage market.” Interestingly, although the town is quite populated, the number of marriages is diminishing. As some families are more impoverished than others, some young adults in Lebanon do not have a clear career path. Especially in this town, they either travel to another country to work in a clothing store or a restaurant or they do not work at all. This leads some of them to grow up with no prospects and, thus, no marriage potential. The lack of education leaves them unable to secure a job.
Baynetna Media highlights that the youth are most affected by the Lebanese labor market. Additionally, the instability of the Lebanese dollar rate plays a significant role in poverty. This prompts people living in urban areas like Al-Qalamoun to “rely on informal and casual employment” to stay afloat. Studies show that “The Lebanese pound ranks as the weakest currency in the world in 2026.” Therefore, even employed citizens suffer from the country’s fragile economy.
An Attempt To Prevent Poverty in Al-Qalamoun
The issue in Al-Qalamoun is a scarcity of jobs in the town itself. Therefore, people seek jobs outside the town. An expert on the town explains, “Money is being spent while making money.” In other words, people spend money on gas or other necessities to work outside the town. However, despite the challenges of finding a job, this does not mean the town’s residents are divided.
On the contrary, whenever people are made aware of who is in need, they immediately raise awareness. This is done through a WhatsApp channel created for residents, of which all are part. Through this channel, announcements are published and whoever has the capacity to help does so. Additionally, the interviewee expressed how proud she is of the medical community, especially the Red Cross.
She explained that back in the day, when her mother needed help, they would have to wait for ages. However, nowadays, the Red Cross is very active in Al-Qalamoun. The Lebanese Red Cross is highly significant, as it helps citizens with whatever emergencies they are facing. It makes every effort to help in times of crisis.
Furthermore, there is a significant community group that distributes food every month called the Ibad Al Rahman Association. It is reliable and of great help to people in need. In addition, it is especially active during the holidays. Another example of the stable aid available in this town is the money sent by relatives living abroad.
In Lebanon, people who travel abroad often try their best to provide their families back home with as much financial help as they can. As a result, in Al-Qalamoun, a significant portion of the support provided comes from individuals who no longer reside in the area. They try to lessen the financial burden of their loved ones.
The town of Al-Qalamoun is itself an underserved region, in that much of its funding comes from outside. However, that does not mean it is declining. In reality, the support offered by these communities and relatives abroad helps the town’s residents stay afloat.
Moving Forward
Al-Qalamoun is built on a community full of love and support. This support comes from inside and outside the town, showing the impact of its generous and welcoming residents. The interviewee, who has lived there her whole life, offers insight into what poverty looks like in Al-Qalamoun. However, despite the turmoil in Lebanese lives, no one gives up on one another. Together, the town’s residents make sure no one is left behind as they work to ease the financial burden on people’s backs.
– Lara Ibrahim
Photo: Wikimedia
The Fight for Justice: Disabilities in Libya
To rebuild Libya, Libyan leaders and the international community must prioritize the rights and inclusion of these citizens.
Disabilities in Libya
Libya, since the 2012 overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, has been embroiled in a constant state of warfare. The history of warfare negatively impacts those living with disabilities; even in the fleeting moments of calm, the lingering effects of war remain. The conflict has left a deadly, invisible legacy in the streets of Sirte, Tripoli and Benghazi: unexploded ordnance (UXO) continues to claim lives and trap families in a cycle of poverty years after guns fall silent.
Unlike traditional minefields found in Iraq or Syria, Libya’s contamination plagues densely populated cities. The HALO Trust reports that urban centers remain littered with “suicide” mines, booby traps and cluster munitions. Cities like Sirte, under occupation by ISIS until 2016, suffer from explosives hidden within the rubble of homes, schools and hospitals.
This contamination prevents displaced families from returning, effectively freezing the economic recovery of entire neighborhoods. Conflict-related injuries in Libya, in particular landmines, commonly result in permanent disabilities.
Survivors
A survivor of landmines, Omar Musa, a taxi driver from Tawergha, fled his home in 2011 to escape the violence. When he finally returned seven years later, he discovered a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) wedged into one of his palm trees. Musa did not touch the device. Instead, he contacted the Free Fields Foundation (FFF), a local NGO supported by the European Union. Today, Musa works with the FFF, training other returnees to find unexploded devices.
For others, the experience with mines is less fortunate. Mahmoud, a professional deminer, was blinded when a mine went off while working alongside his brother, Muhammed, for a professional demining team. Muhammed was killed instantly in the blast. Mahmoud was stripped of his sight and had to have his leg amputated.
While many would see this as an unavoidable tragedy of war, Mahmoud identifies it as a deliberate crime. He points directly to the Russian Wagner Group and the forces of Khalifa Hafter, who retreated from the area in 2020 but left behind a landscape of prohibited anti-personnel mines and “trick” explosives designed to maim civilians and first responders alike. Mahmoud refused to accept his disability, transforming his survival into a vocal campaign for legal reparations.
The Fight for Inclusion
In Libya, losing a limb often has devastating results. While landmines themselves physically harm, a fractured health care system ensures the injuries remain permanent. The “right to health” in Libya has become a luxury that few survivors can afford. Libya once boasted one of the highest Human Development Indices in Africa, providing free health care to its citizens; today, that system is in near collapse.
Only a handful of physical rehabilitation centers (PRCs) remain operational in cities such as Tripoli, Misrata and Benghazi. Survivors in rural or southern regions must travel hundreds of miles through dangerous territory to access basic fittings. In response, the United Nations Support Mission recently issued a National Charter that includes a bold 7% quota for persons with disabilities in the next government and across all sovereign councils.
Director Al-Awjali has called for a transition from traditional social care to true political empowerment, positioning women with disabilities as “decision-makers” rather than just service recipients. True inclusion requires more than medical aid; it requires a seat at the table. The Libyan Forum of Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with international partners such as UNICEF, is also working to break the stigma by advocating for political representation, which serves as a bedrock for other rights.
These advocates keep the path open for people like Mahmoud to continue to stride forward in a nation plagued by war for more than a decade.
– Haydn Goodboy
Photo: Flickr
Updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela
What SDG 1 Means for Venezuela
SDG 1 is broader than income alone. The goal includes reducing poverty according to national definitions, strengthening social protection systems and helping vulnerable populations gain access to essential services. In Venezuela, this matters because poverty is not only expressed through low wages or unstable income. It is also reflected in whether families can afford food, whether children can remain in school and whether households can meet basic needs with dignity.
That distinction is especially important in the Venezuelan case. A household may experience a small increase in income and still remain in a deeply precarious situation if access to health care, education and adequate nutrition continues to lag. For that reason, updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela must be understood through a multidimensional lens rather than through income data alone. UNICEF’s Venezuela social protection program links poverty directly to family income, unmet needs and structural inequality.
What Recent Data Shows
Recent data presents a mixed picture. According to ENCOVI 2024, Venezuela’s economic reactivation has contributed to a decrease in monetary poverty. However, the same report states that these changes have had only a limited impact on improvements in access to education and health care, where significant deficits remain. This means that while some households may be earning slightly more, broader living conditions have not improved at the same pace.
International SDG tracking also reflects these limits. The Sustainable Development Report 2025 gives Venezuela an SDG Index score of 63.8 and ranks it 115th out of 167 countries. The profile also notes that Venezuela completed one Voluntary National Review between 2016 and 2025. This suggests that overall progress toward SDG goals, including SDG 1, remains limited.
Social Protection and Humanitarian Support in Venezuela
Despite these challenges, there are still efforts underway that connect directly to SDG 1. UNICEF Venezuela states that its main objective in social protection is to ensure that children and adolescents have access to inclusive social protection and live free of poverty.
UNICEF implements programs such as:
These programs have reached thousands of vulnerable families and contributed to increased food security and household stability.
Humanitarian assistance also remains essential. The World Food Programme (WFP) began implementing its school meals program in Venezuela in 2021. According to WFP, 5.1 million people in Venezuela urgently require food assistance, and the agency reached 750,000 people in 2025. Its school meals program supports more than 330,000 people across more than 1,100 schools, helping reduce pressure on vulnerable households and improve child nutrition.
Why Progress on SDG 1 Remains Uneven
Even with these efforts, progress on SDG 1 in Venezuela remains uneven. ENCOVI 2024 makes clear that improvements in monetary poverty have not translated into equally strong advances in education and health. UNICEF also notes that low household income and unmet basic needs continue to limit long-term progress. This shows that poverty in Venezuela remains both economic and structural.
Recent 2026 reporting reinforces this fragility. Reuters reported that the IMF described Venezuela’s situation as “quite fragile,” citing inflation, currency depreciation, and persistent inequality. Additional reports indicate that rising oil prices may improve national revenue but can also increase food and fuel costs, placing further pressure on low-income households.
The Road Ahead for SDG 1 in Venezuela
The future of updates on SDG 1 in Venezuela depends on whether the country can move from short-term relief toward broader stability and inclusion. Better poverty measurement, stronger social protection and sustained humanitarian assistance remain essential. Organizations such as UNICEF and WFP demonstrate that practical support is possible even in difficult conditions.
Venezuela remains far from achieving SDG 1, but the country’s situation also highlights why the goal matters. Poverty is not only about income. It is connected to food security, education, health and the ability of families to live with dignity. Understanding these factors is key to building more effective responses and moving toward long-term poverty reduction.
– Adriana Carolina Herrera
Photo: Wikimedia Commons