Earlier this month, football clubs from Gaza and the West Bank traveled to face one another in the Palestine Cup for the first time in more than 15 years. Shijaiyah United of Gaza faced West Bank’s Al-Ahly squad, and more than 2,000 fans of both teams alike were in full attendance at Gaza’s al-Yarmouk stadium.
League winners from Gaza and the West Bank were previously allowed to travel and meet for the Palestine Cup; however, this has been restricted by Israel since 2000 due to security risks and concerns. The Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the governing body in charge of Palestinian travel, granted the clubs’ requests.
Prior to the contest, COGAT announced in June that it would be easing travel restrictions to and from Gaza and the West Bank. The change was made to accommodate Palestinians traveling to celebrate during the month of Ramadan. Residents were allowed to apply for travel visas, which allowed them to visit immediate family members. For the first time, bus services and airports were open to transport residents between Gaza and the West Bank.
Upon the team’s arrival at al-Yarmouk stadium, Al-Ahly’s Khaldon al-Halman said, “I am full of honour and pride, this is the first time I have ever visited Gaza and I can’t find the words to describe my feelings.”
Geographically, the two regions are only separated by a few dozen miles, but the match was momentous due to Israel’s strict travel restrictions for Palestinians. The meeting was even more noteworthy considering the recent history and events of just this past year.
Hostilities erupted between Israel and Palestine this past Summer. Throughout the course of the conflict, the United Nations estimated that approximately 18,000 homes and structures of Gaza were destroyed by airstrikes and shelling. The structural destruction has left an estimated 108,000 Gazans homeless.
“We are all coming from underneath the rubble. Every player knows someone who was killed or injured, every player has had their house destroyed,” says Ibrahim Muajib Wadi of Shijaiyah.
For an area that has endured decades of turmoil and violence, the local football clubs have inspired a common pride, and Palestinian unity has blossomed as a result. This has provided hope in a form unavailable anywhere else.
“I support both teams! It’s one country, and both will represent Palestine if they win, It’s a celebration for Palestine, for all of us,” says Mohammed Yahya, a young spectator at the second game of the two-part series final.
The ruling powers, Hamas and Fatah, govern Gaza and the West Bank respectively and are, in theory, striving towards a unified Palestine. Relations, however, have not always been smooth between the governing bodies as they share a history of political gridlock.
This divide has left Palestine separated physically, as well as politically. However, despite the geographic and diplomatic split that currently exists, the politicians’ unification has manifested itself among the people in an unconventional way.
Palestinians are hopeful that the match symbolizes a continued sign of freer movement through Israel. For now, Palestinians are reveling with pride from the ability to support their football teams in person.
While Shijaiyah won the second and deciding match 2-1 over Al-Ahly, the experience provides the people with an invaluable boost to morale and generates a hopeful optimism. In regards to the final score, Wadi understood the contest’s importance, “In the end, the only winner is Palestine.”
– The Borgen Project
Sources: Washington Times, The Guardian, Yahoo, New York Times
Photo: The Guardian
Garbage Crisis in Lebanon
Additionally, amid concerns of overfilling, the government has closed the country’s largest landfill and has not established any coping measures. As a result, the streets of Lebanese cities have been riddled with trash and waste.
The politics of Lebanon is based on a power-sharing structure amongst the various religious sects. While representative of the population, the country is susceptible to situations such as this as consensus can be difficult to achieve.
The capital of Beirut is home to over half the total Lebanese population and is the epicenter of the waste buildup. The situation has gotten so out of hand that citizens have begun burning trash in the streets. The fumes from burnt trash can contain toxic chemicals and create their own set of serious health concerns.
Calling the situation a “major health disaster,” The country’s Health Minister, Wael Abu Faour, has called for the government officials to end the gridlock and fix the escalating garbage crisis in Lebanon.
Citizens have begun to mobilize and take to the streets to voice their objections to the trash as well as the government. Movements have adopted the slogan “You Stink” as a literal and figurative metaphor for the government and the situation they have created.
“You Stink” organizers have begun using social media outlets to pass information and spread the word on protests. Recently, a protest of over 20,000 civilians took place in Beirut. However, police suppressed the protestors with billy clubs and fire hoses. A litany of footage documenting police violence has been uploaded to Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.
“You Stink” protesters hope that the utilization of the internet and social media will raise awareness to the international community. With the added attention, organizers hope their Lebanese government will face mounting pressure to proactively solve this crisis.
The protests and concerns have certainly caught the attention of Prime Minister Tammam Salam. In a televised speech, he stated, “The trash issue was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but the story is larger, much larger than this straw, and it is the story of the political trash in the country.”
– The Borgen Project
Sources: New York Times 1, Huffington Post, New York Times 2, LA Times
Photo: New York Times
A Bright Future for Kenyan Slums with Addition of Electricity
In our homes and about our daily lives, we do not place a schedule around the daylight hours; with a generous supply of electricity, we can be productive at any time.
We neglect to think about the children who cannot finish their homework each night, the markets which cannot operate in the evenings, the businesses which can’t get off the ground or the schools and clinics which fail to provide the most basic services in areas without electricity, laments a video by the World Bank which describes the harsh reality of living in such circumstances.
When we think of places that have no electricity, often images of remote villages come to mind, but surprisingly, many of those who are lacking access to power are those living in urban slums.
Two years ago in the slums of Nairobi, as many as two million people lived in “informal settlements” which were not equipped with power, or if they were, they were unsafe, unreliable and illegal connections prone to catching fire or causing electrocutions sold by local cartels. This unsafe environment was not desirable and for any change to occur, the Kenyan community would have to embrace the notion of safe and affordable electricity.
At first community members were skeptical of Kenya Power, Kenya’s national utility which focused on taking down illegal connections in the slums from 2011-2013. Community members associated Kenya Power with dismantling their source of electricity, despite how unsafe it may be they were unhappy, often putting up another illegal connection within days.
Kenya Power adapted a community approach and conversed with people, opting to leave the illegal connections alone and just focus on providing safe electricity. In just one year, the number of legal connections would grow from just 5,000 in May 2014 to 150,000 and counting in May 2015.
With the reliability and affordability of such a system in place, its usage has become contagious, “Most consumers use pay-as-you-go scheme, buying pre-paid chits, available at any corner store, and paying for electricity in small increments.
In fact, many of the former vendors of illegal electricity are now in the (legal) business of selling Kenya Power chits,” says the World Bank, which provides funding for Kenya Power and also offers a South-South Knowledge exchange including Kenyan workers and experts from utilities in Brazil, Colombia and South Africa.
Support from the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid and World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program are also a part of the given support and part of a much larger $330 million World Bank project to help Kenya Power expand, modernize and light up its cities’ slums.
– Nikki Schaffer
Sources: World Bank, Kenya Power
Photo: World Bank
Rwandan Parliament Seeks to Increase Maternity Coverage
Throughout the spring, the bill moved through parliament but was temporarily tabled in the House because of other pressing issues. Members of parliament are set to discuss this important legislation in the next few weeks, though, according to an article in Equal Times.
Because of the current system, many Rwandan women on maternity leave return to the workplace after just six weeks because they cannot afford to lose 80 percent of their compensation for that time.
Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Claver Gatete said that the current plan is not conducive to supporting a mother and her child both socially and financially.
The new legislation will have employers compensating mothers for the first six weeks and a social security fund covering compensation for the second six weeks. As an insurance scheme rather than a government fund, the additional compensation will come from a new income tax.
Public and private sector employees will make a 0.6 percent contribution of their salary to the insurance scheme in order to cover the costs of this fund. Contributions are set to be taken through the existing Rwanda Social Security Board, but the scheme funds are set to be distinct from other social security funds.
There is widespread support throughout Rwanda for this legislation, many calling this bill “long overdue.” Dominique Bicamumpaka, president of the Congrés du Travail et de la Fraternité — Rwanda (CONTRAF) was quoted in Equal Times, explaining her and other campaigners’ support for this legislation.
“[CONTRAF was] involved in the whole process and we encourage all the citizens to embrace this new initiative wholeheartedly because when a woman gives birth, it is not only for the family but also for the society,” she said.
If adopted, this bill will improve living conditions for mothers and their newborns, while also giving mothers more value and credibility in Rwandan society.
Many Rwandans consider this legislation a major step toward improving working conditions for women throughout the country. However, advocates such as Andre Mutsindashyaka, secretary general of the Rwanda Extractive Industry Workers Union, hope that this is just the first step of many other adjustments in making the workplace more mother-friendly.
“We are trying to make it easier for mothers, especially that nursing, by finding ways how they can work but also look after their babies,” he was quoted in Equal Times.
“So far, there is a plan that we hope to launch in five years, which will see each office have a daycare centre where mothers can breastfeed their babies. So far, some places like [the Rwandan Tea Authority] are providing [daycare facilities] and we hope that eventually, every office can do the same.”
– Arin Kerstein
Photo: Flickr
Students Work on Prosthetics to Help World’s Poor
Providing prosthetics in developing countries can be challenging because of the lack of technology and support. Two students at Texas A&M University may have the potential to make prosthetics quicker, cheaper and more accessible.
On campus, Brandon Sweeney and Blake Teipel have discovered how to make prosthetic body parts using a 3D printer.
“With a typical 3D printed part, it’ll just peel apart between the layer, so it’s a pretty fragile piece, but for this technology, with the coating, as you print the layers you heat up the whole part and cause fusing to happen all across the entire component,” says Teipel.
Their new invention is increasing in demand. Teipel says, “Globally, every 30 seconds, there is a new amputee.” Most prosthetic options, however, are extremely expensive, sometimes $50,000 or more.
With their new discovery, they believe prosthetics should not be this expensive. “At the very basic level, the materials cost and the time it would take to make it? $20,” says Sweeney.
As products become more affordable, it is that much more possible to make them accessible for those in developing countries.
“Next generation materials are making it possible for us to address problems that have so far been too expensive to technologically advanced, especially for the world’s poor,” says Teipel.
Several large companies are interested in their technology and the pair hopes to team up with one who is socially conscious and believes in doing good.
– Kelsey Parrotte
Sources: KBTX, TSRHC, JMU
Photo: Flickr
Europe Pushes for Improved Response to Migrant Crisis
As the European Migrant Crisis intensifies, countries are more persistently urging the European Union (EU) to act. Top security officials representing France, Britain and Germany are pressing for better processing of migrants crossing over into southern Europe.
Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, France, Germany and Britain have received a total of 920,000 asylum applications. Four years later, they are feeling the pressure to respond to these asylum seekers more than ever before. Unprecedented numbers of migrants are reaching EU borders, and the need for action is almost tangible.
Accordingly, the three countries are calling for reception centers to be set up in Italy and Greece in order to register new arrivals. The migrant centers would distinguish between genuine refugees and economic migrants. The refugees in need would be allowed to stay, and the economic migrants would be returned home.
The countries—Germany especially—are also asking the EU to release a list of “safe countries of origin,” which would theoretically allow asylum applications to be more quickly registered based off of specific nationalities. Such a list could also free up resources to help those most severely in need.
In a joint statement, the countries called on Luxembourg to convene an emergency meeting between the home and the interior ministers of each member state within the next two weeks. At this proposed meeting, proposals could be discussed and then later voted on at the next scheduled meeting in October.
Establishment of “hot spot” detention centers in Greece and Italy would be at the head of the emergency meeting’s agenda. Discussions would center on methods of ensuring that migrants are fingerprinted and registered in a timely manner, allowing authorities to distinguish those most severely in need of protection.
Angela Merkel, Germany Chancellor, made a statement calling on other member nations to follow Germany’s lead by taking in more asylum seekers. Germany has indeed played a leading role throughout the crisis, as evidenced by the country’s pledge to receive 800,000 migrants this year alone.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls echoed Merkel’s message, explaining that migrants who “are fleeing war, persecution, torture, and oppression must be welcomed”. Unfortunately, leaders urging this type of progressive, inclusive message are facing intense opposition.
Theresa May, the British home secretary, recently said that the current levels of migration are unsustainable and that only European migrants with a job lined up for themselves should be allowed into the United Kingdom.
May argued that the migrant crisis puts pressure on infrastructure, like housing and transport, as well as public services like schools and hospitals. While her argument is not invalid, her attitude is certainly counterproductive in such a time of crisis.
It is true that intensified migration has put pressure on European infrastructure and public services, which is why every capable member state must work together to divide and conquer more efficiently. If every European nation were to take on the attitude of Mrs. May, the crisis would not only remain unsolved but would worsen.
At upcoming talks, all European participants must acknowledge this simple fact. Looking ahead, member states must assume positions of cooperation and humility. Developed nations need to collaboratively rise up to meet the challenge of the migrant crisis, and to address the needs of citizens fleeing war and persecution.
– Sarah Bernard
Sources: Haaretz, Breit Bart, Irish Times
Photo: Wikipedia
Saudi Women Allowed to Vote for the First Time
Municipal council elections occur every four years in Saudi Arabia. Two-thirds of the council members must be voted in and the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs must appoint the other third.
The late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud granted women the right to vote as well as run as candidates in 2011. Approximately 70 women are intending to register as municipal council leader candidates. Another 80 women are planning on registering as campaign managers.
The Baladi (My Country) campaign is a political campaign run by Saudi women activists. The campaign was planning to bring in teachers and trainers from different Arab countries as well as the United Nations for campaigning workshops.
The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs stopped Baladi from holding the training workshops in an attempt to unify the election programme.
Women and men will have separate polling centers for voting. In Makkah, there will be 40 polling centers with 14 set aside for women.
Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia have gradually increased and a royal decree issued by Abdullah in 2013 required the Consultative Council to be at least 20 percent women. The Consultative Council is an advisory body that is royally appointed.
Although these rights have made improvements for women in Saudi Arabia, they are still far from equal. A male guardian must accompany the women when they travel or go to school. They are not permitted to drive.
Voter registration for the municipal council elections began on August 22 and will end on September 14. Candidate registration runs from August 30 until September 17.
– Iona Brannon
Sources: Al Arabiya News, Al Jazeera 1, Al Jazeera 2, CNN, Saudi National Portal, Time
Photo: Google Images
How Economists Are Using Social Programs to Fight Global Poverty
In an effort to combat this trend, economists are testing incentive programs to see whether or not communities can be encouraged to immunize on a larger scale.
Across the Indian subcontinent, scientists and economists are using randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as part of a massive trial, testing whether incentives such as food can increase the “stubbornly low” immunization rates for children in impoverished areas. As part of the experiment, 70 local health clinics in the Indian state of Haryana provide parents with a free kilogram of sugar if a child begins a standard series of vaccinations and a free liter of cooking oil if they complete it.
Researchers randomly assigned clinics in the seven Haryana districts with the lowest immunization rates to either provide incentives or not. While initial results of the experiment are not expected until next year, similar experiments suggest that results are likely to be positive. In a study conducted in India and published in 2010, monthly medical camps caused vaccination rates to triple, and offering incentives increased the rate of vaccination by six times.
“We have learned something about why immunization rates are low,” said Massachusetts Institute of Technology economist Esther Duflo, who notes that for families in poor communities, sending their children on a trek to a faraway clinic can carry high opportunity costs. “And you can balance that difficulty with a little incentive.”
According to a 2011 study on vaccination rates in India, the country is home to one-third of the world’s unimmunized children, despite being a leading producer and exporter of vaccines. Nearly half of Indian children do not receive the full schedule of immunizations.
Among the leading causes of the vaccine deficit are “little investment by the government; a focus on polio eradication at the expense of other immunizations; and low demand as a consequence of a poorly educated population and the presence of anti-vaccine advocates.”
The implementation of RCTs has come at a time when people are raising doubts as to the efficacy of foreign development aid provided by countries like the United States. While some $16 trillion of aid has flowed to the developing world since World War II, there is little empirical data as to whether, and to what extent, that money has improved recipients’ lives. Scientists see these tests as the answer to that question and hold that such studies will help development organizations better target areas of need in developing countries.
Research organizations are primarily interested in implementing tangible policy changes and hope to do so by demonstrating empirical research regarding development aid. Such is the aim of the Global Innovation Fund, which offers funding for organizations looking to conduct similar tests.
The fund has received nearly 2,000 applications for projects in 110 countries, and it will announce the first wave of grant recipients later this year. The amount of funding provided by such organizations, however, is tiny, and even at major lending institutions, the portion of investments backed by rigorous and empirical research is small.
The World Bank started a Development Impact Evaluation division in 2005, and the number of projects receiving “formal impact evaluations”—by means of RCTs, for example—increased from 20 in 2003 to nearly 200 in 2014. But that only accounts for 15 percent of the bank’s projects. This is largely because of the up-front costs of such evaluations, which carry average funding requirements of nearly $500,000.
While expensive and time-consuming, the more empirical research is conducted on social programs and development aid, the more effective those initiatives will become in remedying the conditions that drive global poverty rates. As this information is presented to donor governments in the developed world, and as aid allocation becomes more transparent, development experts will be better able to target areas of need in poor and developing countries.
– Zach VeShancey
Sources: Nature, NIH
Photo: Nature
Gaza and West Bank Football Teams Meet for Palestine Cup
League winners from Gaza and the West Bank were previously allowed to travel and meet for the Palestine Cup; however, this has been restricted by Israel since 2000 due to security risks and concerns. The Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the governing body in charge of Palestinian travel, granted the clubs’ requests.
Prior to the contest, COGAT announced in June that it would be easing travel restrictions to and from Gaza and the West Bank. The change was made to accommodate Palestinians traveling to celebrate during the month of Ramadan. Residents were allowed to apply for travel visas, which allowed them to visit immediate family members. For the first time, bus services and airports were open to transport residents between Gaza and the West Bank.
Upon the team’s arrival at al-Yarmouk stadium, Al-Ahly’s Khaldon al-Halman said, “I am full of honour and pride, this is the first time I have ever visited Gaza and I can’t find the words to describe my feelings.”
Geographically, the two regions are only separated by a few dozen miles, but the match was momentous due to Israel’s strict travel restrictions for Palestinians. The meeting was even more noteworthy considering the recent history and events of just this past year.
Hostilities erupted between Israel and Palestine this past Summer. Throughout the course of the conflict, the United Nations estimated that approximately 18,000 homes and structures of Gaza were destroyed by airstrikes and shelling. The structural destruction has left an estimated 108,000 Gazans homeless.
“We are all coming from underneath the rubble. Every player knows someone who was killed or injured, every player has had their house destroyed,” says Ibrahim Muajib Wadi of Shijaiyah.
For an area that has endured decades of turmoil and violence, the local football clubs have inspired a common pride, and Palestinian unity has blossomed as a result. This has provided hope in a form unavailable anywhere else.
“I support both teams! It’s one country, and both will represent Palestine if they win, It’s a celebration for Palestine, for all of us,” says Mohammed Yahya, a young spectator at the second game of the two-part series final.
The ruling powers, Hamas and Fatah, govern Gaza and the West Bank respectively and are, in theory, striving towards a unified Palestine. Relations, however, have not always been smooth between the governing bodies as they share a history of political gridlock.
This divide has left Palestine separated physically, as well as politically. However, despite the geographic and diplomatic split that currently exists, the politicians’ unification has manifested itself among the people in an unconventional way.
Palestinians are hopeful that the match symbolizes a continued sign of freer movement through Israel. For now, Palestinians are reveling with pride from the ability to support their football teams in person.
While Shijaiyah won the second and deciding match 2-1 over Al-Ahly, the experience provides the people with an invaluable boost to morale and generates a hopeful optimism. In regards to the final score, Wadi understood the contest’s importance, “In the end, the only winner is Palestine.”
– The Borgen Project
Sources: Washington Times, The Guardian, Yahoo, New York Times
Photo: The Guardian
Smartphones for Education Globally
Online courses have become appealing to international students, and especially those in developing countries because they are available anywhere in the world that where there is internet access and they are affordable. The Khan Academy — one of the most successful online schools — claims that 30 percent of their students are non-American.
The argument has been made that online courses are not as revolutionary to developing countries as they have been predicted to be. Opponents contend that because the necessary technology, a tablet or smartphone, and the bandwidth or Internet access, is not currently available in economically struggling countries, it makes more sense to direct aid towards building schools or encourage the governments of developing countries to focus their agendas on improving their countries educational institutions.
But what if instead of focusing on the traditional avenues to increasing education, philanthropists and governments got on board with investing in smartphones for education?
While online classes have the potential to bridge the education gap between wealthy and poor countries, the missing piece is access to the necessary online learning tools, namely a tablet or phone and bandwidth. edX is a non-profit organization that offers free courses for students.
The courses range from high school to university level and beyond. While the courses are free, they provide options to receive certifications for a small fee, which all goes towards creating a financially sustainable organization. Professors from across the U.S. including several who from Harvard, Berkeley and MIT teach the classes.
Anant Agarwal is the leader of this massively open online courses (MOOC) organization. He predicts that once governments realize that high-quality online learning content is available through organizations such as edX, that they will begin investing in the infrastructure necessary for their citizens to access this wealth of information.
It is more economical for governments or NGOs to provide students with the technology for online classes than to build the roads or buildings to make attending a physical school accessible. Even in the developing world, the majority of people already own a cell phone and some even a smartphone. 62 percent of Nigerians surveyed by Global Attitudes said they owned a cellphone and 27 percent of them reported owning a smartphone. While this is nowhere near the 64 percent of Americans who own smartphones, it is a start.
Governments and NGOs should consider investing in providing the necessary technology for students to participate in online classes as a means of gaining their education. Students will be able to access a higher level and standard of education and lift themselves out of poverty by fulfilling the requirements for a successful career and future through online courses.
– Brittney Dimond
Sources: The Verge, College Classes, CE
Photo: Baltic Grid
Kenyan Bitcoin Startup Receives Gates Foundation Funding
Used in Bitcoin, blockchain technology saves and encrypts transaction records that allow for safe, speedy monetary transactions at a low cost.
This form of technology expands access to financial services for merchants and their customers. For sellers, such programming allows them to view and track customer payments while aggregating this data to produce complete financial and stock records, customer invoices and receipts, financial statements, and tax returns.
The acceleration of blockchain technology will also make transferring funds between individuals cheaper, encouraging mobile commerce.
Developments such as this will provide an alternative to inconvenient, slow transactions using cash or credit cards and will follow at the heels of the economic boom occurring in Africa. Such technology will foster economic growth and pair customers with suitable goods and services in a more efficient way.
According to Allan Juma, co-founder of Bitsoko, the brand hopes to be a leader in mobile finances, noting how “the financial structure in Kenya and throughout Africa has changed rapidly since the birth of mobile money by M-Pesa. We believe that this will only continue to grow”.
The company has recently attracted attention from international investors and organizations as well. It was recently awarded $100,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Global Challenges Explorations, an initiative providing support to groups working toward solutions to global problems.
Programs such as this one provide an incentive for entrepreneurs who have experienced societal challenges to develop efficient, sustainable strategies for improvement.
With its GCE funding, Bitsoko plans on expanding its access internationally, bringing mobile banking services to Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone in a project co-founder Daniel Bloch has named “Enable Universal Acceptance of Mobile Money Payments”.
Bringing this technology to new countries will spur economic growth and technological innovation that has been heating up Africa in recent years. With increased transactional accessibility, sellers can expect to create a larger, more diverse consumer base and enhanced output.
Partnerships between international organizations such as the Gates Foundation and local businesses can lead to far-reaching global solutions that empower entrepreneurs and their communities.
– Jenny Wheeler
Sources: Disrupt Africa, Grand Challenges in Global Health, Bitsoko
Photo: Coin Telegraph