Despite the bustling atmosphere on the surface of Ukraine’s capital city, the ongoing war has reversed 15 years of progress, as 7.1 million more people were living in poverty by the end of 2022. This is expected as Russian attacks have devastated Ukraine’s infrastructure. Only 10 months after Russia’s full-scale invasion, it damaged or destroyed 149,300 residential buildings, 3,000 educational institutions, 1,131 health care facilities, 14,400 public transport vehicles and 1,327 community facilities (such as cultural, sport, religious and tourism facilities). The loss of these resources has a significant impact on everyday life in Ukraine as hundreds of thousands have lost their homes, have no access to a health care facility or have no school to attend.
Life for Those in Ukraine
Oleksandra, a 40-year-old woman from Kyiv, lost her job as an accountant when Russian troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, dismantling Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure. The war is still ongoing, and since then, people have lost an estimated 2.4 million jobs, making Oleksandra just one of the millions struggling to live in a war-torn country without an income.
With her savings dwindling, she turned to pawning possessions, a popular solution for those on the brink of poverty in Ukraine. According to the shopkeeper of the Treasure pawn shop in Kyiv, Oleksandr Stepanov, on busy days, there can be up to 50 people pawning their appliances and phones as “the price of everything has gone up. Food is the most expensive, and then there is fuel for the car… Before the war, my wife would go to the supermarket to shop, which would cost 200 hryvnias, now the same shop costs 400-500.” With inflation reaching 26.6% at the end of 2022, even those employed struggle to navigate everyday life in Ukraine and feel insecure about their future.
Reliance on Handouts
Those experiencing the toughest circumstances have had to rely largely or completely on handouts. In Irpin, a heavily hit town on the outskirts of Kyiv, the priests of a protestant church established six distribution centers, running five days a week, where people can collect bread for free. Almost every day, around 500 people queue for a loaf of bread, while occasionally, tables and tents offering second-hand clothes, shoes and toys are also set up next to the church.
One woman, Veronika Pravyk, searched for baby milk and nappies for her toddler amongst the bins of donated items. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Pravyk lost her job and fled with her children to Spain, but within just six months, she had used all of her savings and returned home. Although her husband has employment, inflation has meant his salary no longer covers their food, rent and heating, “I just never imagined we would be living like this. Before the war, we managed everything. It’s very difficult, and everyone is suffering the same,” she told The Guardian.
Job Losses in Ukraine
Around 400 people in Irpin lost their jobs when the factories of one of the biggest employers, a wood carving business, were severely damaged by the war, forcing them to relocate to the West. As a result, “people are ready to work for peanuts here. The salaries are already less. But people will do anything to earn some money,” The Guardian reports. With Ukraine exporting 80% of its goods, the GDP had already declined by 30% at the end of 2022, and the hryvnia, Ukraine’s currency, lost 20% compared to the dollar.
However, Ukraine’s economic situation would be even worse without the ongoing financial support from the international community of $43 billion in pledges. A volunteer at the church, Larysa Kuzhel, told The Guardian,“ is going to get more difficult, especially for the younger people. The pensioners who you see here get support. It’s only $50 a month, but it is something. But it is the younger people who have lost their jobs who are suffering.”
Efforts to Help People in Ukraine
Since the war began, everyday life in Ukraine is almost unrecognizable as Oleksandra and Pravyk are two of millions who, for the first time in their lives, are facing poverty, having to pawn their belongings or rely on handouts to survive. Thankfully, organizations are working on the ground in Ukraine to alleviate poverty. UNICEF administers learning supplies to children so they can participate in formal or nonformal, education, provides crucial mental health and psychosocial services, facilitates access to safe water in regions where water networks have been destroyed or damaged, enabling access to health care by distributing medical supplies and even assisting households with cash. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) is also offering its help. After the first six months, DEC had equipped 1.9 million people with clean water, 392,000 people with food aid, 71,000 with primary health care and 3338,900 people with cash support.
Although everyday life in Ukraine has changed, organizations like UNICEF and DEC are on the ground providing as much support as possible to ensure the people of Ukraine do not go hungry, thirsty, cold or untreated. UNICEF and DEC, alongside local communities such as the church in Irpin, provide relief and hope to those facing poverty because of the war.
– Alice Isola
Photo: Flickr
Stroke in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Hypertension in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Low- and middle-income countries have a high incidence of hypertension, or high blood pressure, which leads to stroke. The poorest people in developing countries often experience hypertension. The link between poverty and hypertension is counter to the common assumption that people in poverty have low body weight and high physical activity levels. Still, other environmental and lifestyle factors can cause hypertension in poor populations. Hypertension damages blood vessels and can cause them to leak or clog, increasing the chances of a stroke. High blood pressure in developing countries is linked to various factors, including environmental conditions and diets high in salt and low in fruits and vegetables.
There is less awareness and treatment of hypertension in low- and middle-income countries compared with high-income countries. Research published in 2019 by Pascal Geldsetzer and others showed that 26% of people with hypertension in 44 low- and middle-income countries had never received a blood pressure check. Furthermore, merely one in 10 of the hypertension cases had attained control. People in poverty with hypertension often cannot access quality treatment and heavily depend on good health to support themselves financially.
Air Pollution and Stroke
Air pollution is a significant contributor to stroke and causes 21% of worldwide stroke deaths, according to a report from Dean Schraufnagel and others in 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported in 2016 that more than 85% of air pollution-caused deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Lower-income groups in developing countries often work outdoors and endure more air pollution exposure, creating a relationship between poverty and air pollution. Jun Rentschler and Nadezea Leonova reported research in 2023 showing that more than 700 million people living on less than $2 per day experience unsafe levels of air pollution exposure. Air quality standards are typically less strict in developing countries than in high-income countries. The sources of air pollution include older models of machines and cars, city transportation systems, industrialization and the clearing and burning of land for farming.
Both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of stroke. Over the long term, tiny pieces of air pollutants affect internal organ function, leading to increased blood clot formation and a potential stroke.
Health Care Access and Stroke Outcomes
Health care access affects the outcomes of stroke in low- and middle-income countries. A research study by Peter Langhorne and others published in 2018 showed that people in low- and middle-income countries had reduced access to evaluation and treatment when experiencing a stroke. Poverty is also linked to decreased access to quality care for strokes and other cardiovascular events.
According to a study by Mohammad Rabhar and others published in 2022, access to health care contributes to the lower average age of stroke in low- and middle-income countries. Health care facilities in these countries do not always start preventative stroke measures, such as treating hypertension and measuring blood lipids. Developing countries often lack the imaging capabilities necessary to diagnose stroke effectively. Improving access to health care before, during and after stroke is a potential strategy to reduce stroke incidence and death in low- and middle-income countries.
The Fight To Improve Stroke Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
With an increased understanding of stroke in developing countries, organizations are acting to reduce the burden. In 2017, the International Society of Hypertension began a global campaign to screen people for hypertension. Over two years, the effort resulted in the blood pressure evaluations of 4.2 million people.
There are also regional groups fighting stroke, including the Middle East and North Africa Stroke Organization, the African Stroke Organization, the European Stroke Organization and the Asia Pacific Stroke Organization. In 2022, the American Heart Association recognized the Middle East and North Africa Stroke Organization for its efforts to educate citizens and health care professionals about stroke and its advocacy for stroke health services.
The World Stroke Organization—Lancet Neurology Commission Stroke Collaboration Group published a multi-pronged practical strategy for improving worldwide stroke outcomes in October 2023. The commission outlines a path to improve stroke outcomes in developing countries, including increasing surveillance, and access to preventative health care, acute stroke care and rehabilitation therapies. To encourage research on global stroke prevention and treatment, the World Stroke Organization announced funding for four pilot research projects in 2024, prioritizing projects focused on stroke in low- and middle-income countries.
Looking Ahead
Stroke in low- and middle-income countries is a complex and multifaceted issue. People in poverty can experience increased exposure to the risk factors of stroke and have fewer resources to cope with stroke. International organizations continue researching and implementing practical strategies to reduce stroke in impacted countries. Improvements in the prevention and treatment of stroke can potentially improve citizens’ quality of life and economic contributions.
– Kelly Carroll
Photo: Unsplash
Everyday Life in Ukraine: Poverty in a War-Torn Country
Life for Those in Ukraine
Oleksandra, a 40-year-old woman from Kyiv, lost her job as an accountant when Russian troops launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, dismantling Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure. The war is still ongoing, and since then, people have lost an estimated 2.4 million jobs, making Oleksandra just one of the millions struggling to live in a war-torn country without an income.
With her savings dwindling, she turned to pawning possessions, a popular solution for those on the brink of poverty in Ukraine. According to the shopkeeper of the Treasure pawn shop in Kyiv, Oleksandr Stepanov, on busy days, there can be up to 50 people pawning their appliances and phones as “the price of everything has gone up. Food is the most expensive, and then there is fuel for the car… Before the war, my wife would go to the supermarket to shop, which would cost 200 hryvnias, now the same shop costs 400-500.” With inflation reaching 26.6% at the end of 2022, even those employed struggle to navigate everyday life in Ukraine and feel insecure about their future.
Reliance on Handouts
Those experiencing the toughest circumstances have had to rely largely or completely on handouts. In Irpin, a heavily hit town on the outskirts of Kyiv, the priests of a protestant church established six distribution centers, running five days a week, where people can collect bread for free. Almost every day, around 500 people queue for a loaf of bread, while occasionally, tables and tents offering second-hand clothes, shoes and toys are also set up next to the church.
One woman, Veronika Pravyk, searched for baby milk and nappies for her toddler amongst the bins of donated items. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Pravyk lost her job and fled with her children to Spain, but within just six months, she had used all of her savings and returned home. Although her husband has employment, inflation has meant his salary no longer covers their food, rent and heating, “I just never imagined we would be living like this. Before the war, we managed everything. It’s very difficult, and everyone is suffering the same,” she told The Guardian.
Job Losses in Ukraine
Around 400 people in Irpin lost their jobs when the factories of one of the biggest employers, a wood carving business, were severely damaged by the war, forcing them to relocate to the West. As a result, “people are ready to work for peanuts here. The salaries are already less. But people will do anything to earn some money,” The Guardian reports. With Ukraine exporting 80% of its goods, the GDP had already declined by 30% at the end of 2022, and the hryvnia, Ukraine’s currency, lost 20% compared to the dollar.
However, Ukraine’s economic situation would be even worse without the ongoing financial support from the international community of $43 billion in pledges. A volunteer at the church, Larysa Kuzhel, told The Guardian,“ is going to get more difficult, especially for the younger people. The pensioners who you see here get support. It’s only $50 a month, but it is something. But it is the younger people who have lost their jobs who are suffering.”
Efforts to Help People in Ukraine
Since the war began, everyday life in Ukraine is almost unrecognizable as Oleksandra and Pravyk are two of millions who, for the first time in their lives, are facing poverty, having to pawn their belongings or rely on handouts to survive. Thankfully, organizations are working on the ground in Ukraine to alleviate poverty. UNICEF administers learning supplies to children so they can participate in formal or nonformal, education, provides crucial mental health and psychosocial services, facilitates access to safe water in regions where water networks have been destroyed or damaged, enabling access to health care by distributing medical supplies and even assisting households with cash. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) is also offering its help. After the first six months, DEC had equipped 1.9 million people with clean water, 392,000 people with food aid, 71,000 with primary health care and 3338,900 people with cash support.
Although everyday life in Ukraine has changed, organizations like UNICEF and DEC are on the ground providing as much support as possible to ensure the people of Ukraine do not go hungry, thirsty, cold or untreated. UNICEF and DEC, alongside local communities such as the church in Irpin, provide relief and hope to those facing poverty because of the war.
– Alice Isola
Photo: Flickr
7 Causes of the Gender Wage Gap in Italy
Italy is an interesting case study in Europe when exploring the intricate landscape of gender wage disparities. From the seemingly promising statistics, it seems to be performing quite well. The gender wage gap in Italy is around 5%, significantly lower than the general European average.
However, this encouraging figure masks a much different reality. The numbers do not consider many underlying key factors that shape the Italian labor market and, specifically, the wage difference. Italy stands out in the European Union for having an exceptionally low rate of female workforce participation, along with the lowest employment rate for women. Women make up just 42.8% of the workforce, ranking Italy at the lower end in comparison with other European countries.
At 51.7%, Italy has the lowest rate of female employment within the European Union, just recently surpassed by Greece (51.8%).
In fact, the persistent gender wage gap in Italy has roots in deep-seated structural imbalances. According to OECD, 60% of the Italian pay gap exists within companies due to men and women with comparable qualifications working in roles with differing responsibilities and tasks. An additional 40% arises from the concentration of women in lower-paying firms and sectors. Here are seven key factors responsible for the persistence of the gender wage gap in Italy today.
7 Key Factors Responsible for the Gender Wage Gap in Italy
Women in Poverty in Italy
The persistence of the gender wage gap in Italy not only reflects but also contributes to the broader issue of poverty among women. Today in Italy, women and single mothers are the groups most at risk of poverty. The annual ISTAT report, released in July 2022, uncovers stark gender disparities. Of the 11.7% of single-parent families living in absolute poverty, single mothers head 80.9%. Around 2.28 million women are living in poverty and merely having a job does not guarantee an escape from it. Approximately 30% of Italian women do not own a bank account and 40% rely financially on their spouses.
National Recovery and Resilience Plan
The Italian government and various NGOs have been implementing initiatives to address this issue. One notable example is the government’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which allocates significant funding towards expanding childcare services and promoting women’s participation in the workforce. This plan recognizes the pivotal role of women in economic recovery and aims to create a more inclusive labor market.
One such initiative is the “Family Act” that the Italian government proposed, which aims to support families with children through various measures, including tax breaks and increased childcare services. This policy, particularly beneficial for working mothers, can help narrow the gender wage gap by providing better support for balancing work and family life.
Women in the Field and WeWorld
Additionally, NGOs including Donne in Campo (Women in the Field) focus on empowering women, particularly in rural areas. They provide training and resources to women, enabling them to start and sustain their businesses. Such initiatives not only address immediate financial needs but also build long-term economic resilience among women.
Another significant step is the work of NGOs including WeWorld, which focuses on supporting women in Italy who are facing poverty. It provides assistance through education programs, vocational training and advocating for women’s rights, thereby empowering women economically and socially.
Looking Ahead
Furthermore, legislative reforms aimed at promoting gender equality in the workplace, such as enforcing equal pay for equal work, are crucial. Tackling gender disparities requires a multifaceted approach, implementing policies to challenge societal norms and encourage women to enter traditionally male-dominated fields, especially in countries with such rooted traditional roles such as Italy. Ultimately, the journey towards bridging the gender wage gap in Italy is about fairness in paychecks and building a society where women’s contribution is valued as equally as her male counterparts.
– Matilde Liboni
Photo: Pexels
10 Low-Cost Innovations Saving Lives
1. The Shoe That Grows
The first of these low-cost innovations is The Shoe That Grows. This rubber sandal is designed with expanding straps and buckles, designed to fit a growing child’s feet from the age of five up to nine years old. Not only do these shoes save parents money, they prevent foot injuries among growing children and protect against soil-transmitted diseases, parasites, and bites from snakes and scorpions. Children in more than 97 countries have already received a pair.
2. Flo
Flo is a reusable kit of menstrual products, including washable pads, a pouch to carry them in and a container for them to be washed and dried in. A menstrual hygiene kit allows girls to keep attending school throughout their periods. On average, girls in Kenya miss four days of school every month because they do not have the products or the facilities necessary at school. Additionally, a reusable design means women can reuse the products for multiple years, which is better for the planet.
3. SafariSeat
This is an all-terrain wheelchair modified from the design of a traditional wheelchair to suit mountainous roads and off-roading. Made from recycled bicycle parts and designed to be manufactured and fixed in developing countries, the SafariSeat is a cyclical product requiring few inputs. Two hand levers propel the wheelchair, keeping the users’ hands clean from dust and dirt that collect on the wheels. The Accessibility Institute, the company that developed the SafariSeat, is now manufacturing a cart that can be added.
4. NIFTY Cup
The NIFTY cup is a small plastic cup that allows for easy collection of breastmilk to feed babies with a cleft palate or other difficulty with breastfeeding. This reusable cup prevents malnutrition in places where an infant’s ability to nurse is the difference between life and death. Only costing $1 to produce, what the NIFTY cup lacks in size it makes up for in use.
5. The Life Saving Dot
Women across rural Bangladesh suffer from iodine deficiency, which can cause fibrocystic disease, breast cancer and complications with pregnancy and childbirth. The Life Saving Dot is a variation on a traditional bindi, worn by women between the eyebrows, and provides women with the recommended dose of iodine. This is an affordable innovation for rural households, as each pack costs only two rupees.
6. Lucky Iron Fish
Iron is another common deficiency, especially among menstruating women, with roughly 3.5 billion suffering worldwide. This life-changing innovation is a fish-shaped iron object that is put into boiling water before vegetables are added to increase their iron content. This can prevent anemia and boost concentration levels and energy.
7. Life Straw
The LifeStraw filters water through a specially designed fabric, making it safer to drink and can prevent water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. The company that makes them donates straws to communities that need them, in addition to providing filtration systems.
8. Embrace Warmer
The Embrace Warmer is a special sleeping bag for babies, to prevent them from catching hypothermia, a common cause of death among infants in developing countries. It stays at optimum body temperature for four hours, takes in heat from the baby who is too hot and gives out heat if the baby’s temperature drops. Low-cost and reusable, it is a great innovation for areas with high infant mortality rates, with many babies around India and Africa having used the embrace warmer so far.
9. Hippo Roller
Carrying water can cause long-term health effects to women, who often bear the responsibility of collecting a household’s supply. The Hippo Roller is essentially a plastic barrel with a metal handle, allowing users to roll a day’s worth of water for their household along the ground, instead of carrying it. This also protects women who are at risk of sexual assault or violence as they can collect water during the day, when it is safer. Currently, Hippo Rollers are used in 56 countries to transport 2 billion liters of water every year.
10. Hemafuse
The Hemafuse makes blood transfusions simpler in areas without access to storage banks. Acting like a large syringe, it allows a doctor to collect blood from a hemorrhage, filter it and replace blood back into the patient’s own body. This improves hygiene in remote areas which don’t have access to high-tech medical supplies, saving lives in emergency situations and childbirth.
Looking Ahead
These low-cost innovations play a huge role in tackling poverty, especially for people in developing countries, helping them overcome their everyday struggles such as access to clean water, nutritious food and health care. Hopefully, both governments and NGOs will focus on low-cost innovations in the future as well, providing help to more and more people every day.
– Lydia Greene
Photo: Flickr
Resuming Food Assistance to Ethiopia
On October 5 and October 9, respectively, both the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced they were again beginning to provide nutritional aid and food assistance to Ethiopia, specifically the country’s refugee populations. This comes after a pause in June 2023, when both USAID and the WFP suspended provisions after receiving reports of aid diversions.
The Situation
Ethiopia is a landlocked East African country, with a population of 116.5 million people. Following a two-year civil war in the Ethiopian region of northern Tigray — formally resolved in November 2022 — residents and refugees alike have found themselves in need of aid. Conflict has left 9.4 million people requiring food assistance throughout the Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions. Additionally, severe drought in Ethiopia, a product of five consecutive seasons without adequate rainfall, has meant 11.8 million in the nation are facing extreme hunger.
Assistant executive director of the WFP, Valerie Guarnieri, highlighted the widespread issue following the recent announcements to resume aid. “Food is a lifeline for refugees living in unimaginably hard conditions,” said Guarnieri, “and it’s a relief that we now have measures in place to resume vital support.”
The Efforts of USAID and WFP
In their announcements, USAID and the WFP outlined effective plans of action to resume and maintain food assistance and combat the diversion of aid. In its press release, USAID reemphasized its pledge to provide for the most vulnerable refugee populations facing food insecurity. The nongovernmental organization stressed its disapproval for events in the past year, firmly stating that any diverting of its assistance is “unacceptable.” Relating to this, it announced the appointment of a “new agency coordinator” in Washington who will work to oversee the implementation of aid across the world and ensure that provisions from the U.S. are not mismanaged or diverted away from those most in need.
The WFP, on the other hand, pointed out in its press release that around 35,000 refugees in Ethiopia are in urgent need of food assistance, after fleeing from conflict in neighboring Sudan. It also noted how Ethiopia is currently hosting a further 850,000 individuals fleeing from Somalia, Eritrea and South Sudan. With this in mind, in its announcement to resume aid, the WFP has pledged to provide refugees with resources such as pulses, cereals, salt and vegetable oil, as well as promising some of the vulnerable with additional cash assistance.
Like USAID, the WFP have worked to prevent future issues of aid diversion: The organization now exclusively manages each and every warehouse in Ethiopian refugee camps, and updated systems have been implemented for the tracking and collection of resources. The WFP has improved face-to-face support systems for refugees in Ethiopia at risk of having their food assistance diverted, placing help desks on-site and introducing an anonymous hotline for feedback and potential reporting.
The European Union’s Pledge
Food assistance to Ethiopia represents part of an international effort to end extreme poverty in the nation. Just days before USAID and the WFP announced they would be resuming aid, on October 3, 2023, the European Union pledged $680 million in support to Ethiopia, a package that the outbreak of civil war delayed. The original aim was for funding to undergo disbursal among Ethiopians from 2021 to 2027. Ahmed Shide, finance minister for Ethiopia, said the deal demonstrated the “strategic importance” of the Ethiopia–EU partnership. Jutta Urpilainen, the European commissioner for international partnerships, also said that the EU aims to “rebuild a mutually reinforcing partnership” with Ethiopia, with the goal of ensuring political peace and stability in the nation.
Looking Ahead
Overall, global efforts to provide food assistance to Ethiopia and its refugees signal a step in the right direction. Concentrating aid in the regions with the most vulnerable populations — and ensuring all attempts at aid diversion promptly stop — is sure to reduce severe hunger in Ethiopia, contributing to the fight to end global extreme poverty.
– Alice Weatherley
Photo: Unsplash
Technology Investments Across Asia Spur Economic Growth
It is often presumed that a few powerhouse economies, such as the United States, China and the United Kingdom, steer the technological landscape, especially in artificial intelligence (AI). While this is true to an extent, a deeper dive into the ever-evolving AI market reveals a new narrative — one where emerging economies and smaller nations are making significant strides in the realm of AI technology.
Unveiling the Global AI Landscape
The global AI market hit a staggering $454.12 billion in 2022, showcasing the immense growth and potential of this field. To truly understand the significance of this figure, it is crucial to analyze which countries are driving and benefiting the most from this surging industry.
The Global AI Index is the first benchmark to assess nations based on their investment, innovation and implementation of AI. This comprehensive dataset delves into various factors that influence the AI industry, breaking them down into critical quantitative categories.
Top Players
Unsurprisingly, the top spots in AI innovation are claimed by dominant economies, including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Canada. These countries have long been recognized as key players in global trade and innovation, contributing significantly to several markets and industries, including the AI market’s growth and development. However, what is intriguing is the recent surge in the involvement of smaller, developing economies in the AI market, particularly across South and Southeast Asian countries.
Emerging Tech Frontiers in Asia
Recent developments in tech partnerships and advancements within various Asian countries have caught the attention of the global tech community. Several Asian nations are now showcasing remarkable e-commerce and development partnerships, as well as innovations and collaborations in the AI and tech spheres, highlighting the growing importance of technology investments across Asia. These countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, India and South Korea.
Indonesia: E-commerce Meets Social Media
Indonesia’s tech giant, GoTo, is in discussions for an extensive partnership with TikTok, a leading short-form video social media platform. The country’s e-commerce market is forecasted to soar to approximately $160 billion by 2030, indicating a monumental growth trajectory driven by technology investments across Asia. This advancement not only reflects economic growth, but also the potential for social impact by creating job opportunities and empowering small businesses, contributing to poverty alleviation.
Malaysia: Nvidia’s Multibillion-Dollar AI Project
Nvidia’s collaboration with Malaysia’s YTL Power in a $4.3 billion AI development venture signifies Malaysia’s goal to become a pivotal player in global tech advancements, supported by substantial technology investments across Asia. The move also solidifies Malaysia’s position as a significant hub for Southeast Asia’s computing and semiconductor industry, as Nvidia’s CEO noted.
The decision to invest in Malaysia marks that foreign investors, especially technology giants, continue to make the country a primary market of choice in the region. The move not only positions Malaysia as a significant hub for technology, but also holds the promise of uplifting local communities by providing employment and fostering skill development, actively combating poverty and decreasing the percentage of ‘the working poor’ in the market.
Vietnam: Nvidia’s Strategic Chip Deals and Apple’s iPad Engineering Investment
Vietnam is strategically exploring semiconductor industry expansion, leveraging partnerships with tech giants like Nvidia, which makes AI chips and graphics processing units. Nvidia has existing partnerships with Vietnam’s leading tech companies to deploy AI in the cloud. Now, the country’s ambitions in chip designing and manufacturing signal a potential shift in the global tech supply chain.
This Southeast Asian country is already home to large chip assembling factories, including Intel’s largest global factory. This expansion into chip designing and making opens up the high-skilled labor market, creates job opportunities and increases trade possibilities for the nation, contributing significantly to economic inclusivity and poverty reduction in the region.
Apple also has its sights set on Vietnam, relocating key iPad engineering to the country and therefore bolstering high-skilled labor and job opportunities. This marks the first time the company has shifted this caliber of core product resource to the nation.
India: Apple’s Production Commitment
Apple is increasing its presence in South Asia, with a commitment to produce more than 50 million iPhones annually in India. This demonstrates the country’s growing significance in tech manufacturing, stimulating the economy and serving as a reliable source of job opportunities in the coming years. This move not only enhances India’s tech manufacturing capabilities but also presents a pathway toward economic empowerment by creating a robust job market, fostering skill development and contributing to poverty alleviation efforts.
South Korea: Naver Cloud’s AI Export Surge
South Korea’s Naver Cloud is witnessing a substantial surge in AI exports, showcasing the country’s skill in offering tailored AI solutions to global markets. The South Korean company expects its exports to at least double in the next three years, and the country is one of the few to establish its own fundamental AI models.
Conclusion
The global tech and AI landscape is undergoing a transformation from traditional powerhouses to emerging economies that are actively shaping the technological frontier. As smaller nations across Asia increase their stake in e-commerce — especially AI development, production, innovation and implementation — they are setting new benchmarks that redefine the global narrative of technological innovation and progress. These expanding technology investments across Asia are not only driving innovation, but also spurring substantial economic growth, job opportunities and developments across these nations, contributing to economic inclusivity and, in turn, poverty reduction.
– Kailey Schwinghammer
Photo: Flickr
Addressing HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh
HIV/AIDS has taken up to 40 million lives worldwide since the outbreak of the epidemic in the 1980s. Today, it remains a persistent virus across nations. Here is how HIV/AIDs in Bangladesh is a significant issue and how some are addressing it.
About HIV/AIDS
HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, targets and weakens the immune system, progressing to AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, which signals severe damage and can lead to death in some cases.
In the past two decades, global infection rates of HIV have decreased. The spread of HIV/AIDS has reduced by 59% since 1995, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
The international organization works toward raising awareness and fostering a global response to the disease’s epidemic. Its statistics show that 1.9 million fewer people became infected with HIV from 1995 to 2022.
Despite this, densely populated areas like Latin America and Asia show increased transmission.
Amongst the countries with an increased rate of transmission is Bangladesh, alongside others such as the Philippines and Timor-Leste, according to a 2023 UNAIDS Asia and the Pacific report.
About HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh
While these three countries have a low prevalence of the disease, HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh affects less than 0.1% of the population, according to the medical journal AIDS Research and Therapy.
These statistics make Bangladesh one of the Asian countries with fewer HIV cases. Despite low numbers, the rise in cases of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh has brought concerns. Income inequalities and poverty in resources are two major influencing factors on the rise of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh and other countries in Asia and the Pacific. A fact sheet that the American Psychological Association published shows a correlation between socioeconomic status and HIV/AIDS infection rates.
According to the source, a lower income may lead to activities such as engaging in sex as a form of labor in exchange for money. Additionally, areas with lower economic advantages may be subject to a lack of health care facilities.
Experts have also noted an increase in drug use as a primary factor in increased transmission rates of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh. Drug users who share needles and syringes are prone to getting diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C.
UNAIDS’ report, “Breaking Down Barriers: Removing The Obstacles That Hold Back HIV Responses,” shows that up to 10% of people who inject drugs receive help through needle and syringe exchange programs in the country of Bangladesh.
The Role of Gender Inequality in the Prevalence of HIV/AIDS
Despite these major factors, the medical journal AIDS Research and Therapy presents Bangladeshi women as a key population at risk of contracting the disease. Deep-rooted gender disparities in the country expose women to both emotional and physical threats.
This disparity occurs through limited access to education, including health education. Additionally, gender inequalities prevent Bangladeshi women from having full ownership over their own sexual lives.
UNFPA’s Efforts
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Bangladesh, is a major organization in the country fighting to eliminate harmful actions toward Bangladeshi women and girls.
The health agency is also a leading advocate for the fighting of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh. Since its beginnings in 1974, it has been working alongside the government of the country to better the sexual and reproductive health of its citizens.
Through fostering visibility on the disease and encouraging HIV testing and safe sex and protection, UNFPA looks to not only reduce HIV cases but achieve gender equality as well.
Addressing the rising concerns of the existing disease is paramount for improving the Bangladeshi and the global population.
The disease of HIV/AIDS extends beyond health, impacting culture and education worldwide, and organizations such as UNFPA not only provide resources for a better understanding of the disease but also heighten awareness about it and its global impact.
– Paula Pujol-Gibson
Photo: Flickr
Interweave Solutions: Meshing Mental Health Solutions with Guyana
The Cycle of Poverty and Mental Health
Mental health is a term that continues to gain popularity as a buzzword, both domestically and internationally, within various communities. The earliest studies that observed the relationship between poverty and mental health were Langner and Michael’s 1963 N.Y. study, which helped solidify the sentiment that poverty is both “a cause of mental health problems and a consequence.” The lack of resources to create mental health solutions means a child living in poverty will be emotionally stunted into adulthood. Adults living with unaddressed mental health issues struggle to cope and engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking.
About 40% of Guyanese people live in poverty, lacking access to essential resources to address their mental health concerns, potentially increasing the risk of homelessness. The Department of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana implemented the Mental Health Protection and Promotion Act 2022 (“the Mental Health Act”) to reduce homelessness by these measures. The Government of Guyana also implemented a $5 million infrastructural upgrade to the Night Shelter, a 24/7 refuge for vulnerable people.
Interweave Solutions: Building New Leaders
Established in 2008 by two brothers, Lynn and Dean Curtis, along with David Curtis (son of Lynn), Interweave Solutions is an international nonprofit organization that works with developing nations to transform ordinary citizens into self-reliant community groups. The nonprofit organization is teaching different people in more than 50 countries, including Guyana, how to create their own small businesses and contribute to the growth of their nations and communities through a program called “Success Ambassadors.”
Interweave Solutions: Building a Counseling Community
The initiative also has a program called “Counseling in the Streets,” which is dedicated to providing “a viable, sustainable option that can help those who confront mental health issues, those with family members and friends who struggle and anyone who would like to become more emotionally self-reliant.” The “Counseling in the Streets” program equips local leaders with user-friendly materials, training and consultation, empowering them to serve as group facilitators and peer counselors. The aim is to enable these leaders to “provide self-directed, interactive and highly effective therapy and emotional support for anyone who may be experiencing mental health or emotional struggles.”
Conclusion
Mental health solutions continue to develop in Guyana. In 2022, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) evaluated Guyana’s National Mental Health Plan 2015–2020. The evaluation disclosed that the country successfully attained various objectives outlined in the plan, such as heightening health awareness in communities, delivering quality care within community settings and establishing civil society organizations. The PAHO Guyana country office set goals to accomplish by 2030, pledging “its support for the provision of ongoing technical cooperation for improved mental health outcomes in the country.”
– Luis Lujano-Garcia
Photo: Flickr
Examining Food Systems in Kenya
Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)
With more than 40% of its overall workforce situated within the agricultural sector, the Kenyan government pledged to implement its Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) in 2022.
The policy focuses on making agricultural transformation a priority within government and aims to support small-hold farmers by driving resources and technology to modernize outdated methods within agriculture.
While implementing this plan recognizes the importance of transforming food systems in Kenya as a solution to extreme poverty, severe food insecurity still affects around 28% of Kenyans, with a large proportion of children suffering from malnutrition.
Hydroponic Systems and Urban Farming
One example of a method revolutionizing food systems in Kenya is the use of hydroponic systems. While the initial installation of hydroponics can be expensive, this ‘no soil’ method of farming uses nutrient-rich water to grow crops and can produce plants rapidly.
According to the World Bank, hydroponic systems use 10 times less water than traditional field farming methods and can grow barley for cattle feed in just five to seven days.
A second factor setting hydroponics at the forefront of modern sustainable farming, is the ability for systems to be built and grown vertically. This allows people living in confined urban environments to create their own food systems through initiatives like The World Food Programme’s (WFP) H2Grow project. Through this program, WFP is providing technology and support to local farmers, while creating innovative solutions to decrease the cost of installation and upkeep for disadvantaged communities.
With results in more than 21 countries worldwide, H2Grow aims to ‘grow food in impossible places’ and has helped more than 89,000 people to achieve better nutrition and food security.
The primary benefit of using hydroponic systems in Kenya is that hydroponic farming does not rely on seasonal rainfall which makes it one of the few sustainable forms of continuously successful agriculture for arid and semi-arid environments.
Women in Agriculture
While hydroponics offer a positive route for urban farming, rural communities still largely rely upon land-based subsistence.
The Association of Women in Agriculture Kenya (AWAK) is a women-led, nonprofit organization seeking to educate women in the necessary skills to develop both profitable and agroecological farming practices.
Winners of the 2023 Women’s Economic Empowerment Award, AWAK focuses on helping women at the intersection of poverty and the climate emergency by providing education and opportunities through a variety of projects.
Their initiatives range from a land restoration project teaching women how to successfully become independent farmers, to an online MYCoop partnership that reduces the gap between the producer and market.
Currently, AWAK’s land restoration project has reached more than 150,000 farmers and has taught women how to turn subsistence farming into a sustainable, profitable and climate-smart business. AWAK’s goal is to reach and empower 4,000,000 women in the next 10 years by helping them become an integral, educated part of Kenya’s agricultural sector.
Looking Ahead
Both education and resources play a vital role in transforming food systems in Kenya and emphasize the need for Kenya’s BETA to fully come into effect. Tackling food systems in Kenya will not only help poverty reduction but, with enough research and technological advancement, present an opportunity for Kenya to utilize its agricultural sector innovatively and sustainably in the fight against food insecurity and poverty.
– Zoe Winterfeldt
Photo: Flickr
Foreign Aid to Iraq: A Keystone in Rebuilding and Development
The European Union’s Pivotal Role
Since 2003, the European Union (EU) has played a critical role in humanitarian support in Iraq, with a strong emphasis on legal aid and protection for vulnerable populations. Acknowledging the long-term challenges, in 2023, the EU dedicated €17 million to aid internally displaced individuals, underscoring education, health care and assistance, particularly for those grappling with the aftermath of camp closures. This allocation is part of the EU’s sustained efforts, which have seen contributions such as €5 million, €79 million and €150 million in various years, to bolster Iraq’s recovery process. Collectively, the EU has provided over €547 million since 2014, reaching more than 400,000 Iraqis and emphasizing the importance of civil documentation for ensuring access to fundamental rights and services.
USAID’s Multifaceted Support
The United States, via USAID, has been a consistent ally to Iraq, focusing on community stability and economic prosperity. Since 2014, USAID has provided $3 billion in humanitarian aid to address essential needs such as water access, sanitation and food security. Its programs have supported the rebuilding of communities, particularly those that ISIS ravaged, with a focus on local resilience and sustainable recovery initiatives.
Governance and Economic Development
USAID’s commitment extends to cultivating a democratic, accountable governance system in Iraq. Efforts to enhance the transparency of political processes and service delivery are pivotal in their strategy. USAID strives to incorporate civil society actors into these processes, promoting a more inclusive and equitable society and aligning with the broader objective of Iraq’s stability and prosperity.
Challenges and Prospects
Despite the formidable challenges of governance, economic strain and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign aid to Iraq has provided immediate relief and the foundation for the country’s long-term recovery. The collaboration of entities like the EU and USAID signals a concerted effort toward a more secure and affluent Iraq.
A Unified Path Forward
Foreign aid to Iraq, including humanitarian assistance and development support, has been instrumental in confronting the country’s complex challenges. The collaborative efforts of the EU, USAID and other international partners underscore a shared commitment to Iraq’s enduring recovery and resilience. As Iraq advances on its quest for peace and prosperity, unwavering support from the international community is imperative. The persistence of this support not only fulfills immediate needs but also assists in laying the groundwork for a stable, prosperous Iraq, contributing significantly to global peace and stability.
– Hana Alkhodairi
Photo: Flickr