Following the lockdown, 59-nine-year-old Youssef Bitar lost his house, and 16-year-old Chadi dropped out of school. Nadine, a 40-year-old blind mother, can hardly manage to feed her three children, and Jamile resorts to taking loans from friends and neighbors to pay rent. Lastly, Nour’s grandmother can only provide for the family by collecting tins and selling them by weight. Featured in CARE Lebanon’s ten-minute documentary about dire humanitarian conditions in the country, these five individuals are among the 59% of Lebanese people living below the poverty line. Thankfully, they are not helpless, as organizations like ESSN and the World Bank, the World Food Programme, Lebanon’s Financing Facility and UN-Habitat intend to provide relief to the country’s poor.
The Basics
Due to the absence of household income and expenditure surveys, the available data on poverty in Lebanon is lacking. However, one thing is certain: it is a growing problem. In part imputed to the pandemic and Beirut port explosion in 2020, Lebanon has witnessed a sharp increase in poverty since 2019, with the proportion of the poor skyrocketing from between only 17.2% and 21.5% in 2016 to, at worst, 75.9% in 2022. Analysis reveals that under the most optimistic scenario, at least three out of five Lebanese people live in poverty.
According to the World Bank, Lebanon’s crisis is among the “most severe [crisis] episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century.” The crisis is multifaceted and can be divided into at least four parts. Firstly, in June 2023, Lebanon’s parliament, for the twelfth time, failed to elect a president. This stalls any measures to alleviate the crisis. Secondly, the banking sector has stopped lending to customers and adopted strict capital control, which ceased to attract deposits. Thirdly, due to the economic crisis, the percentage of unemployed citizens soared from 11.4% in 2018–19 to 29.6% in 2022. Lastly, the port explosion worsened Lebanon’s structural vulnerabilities, including a dysfunctional electricity sector, poor waste management and water supply shortages.
The World Bank and ESSN
Fortunately, however, the crisis has inspired some organizations and partnerships to assist in poverty reduction in Lebanon. In May 2023, the World Bank’s board of executive directors approved sending $300 million to the Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN), which will assist vulnerable Lebanese households and help unify a social safety net delivery system in Lebanon. This is the second time the World Bank has agreed to aid the country. In 2021, it financed $246 million to help Lebanon fight the economic crisis and the impact of COVID on its poor. The second package intends to aid Lebanon in protecting its population from future crises and continue taking poverty reduction measures.
The financing will be especially handy because “on the sectoral level, Lebanon lacks a comprehensive and inclusive social protection system that provides its citizens equal access and opportunity.” The previous SSN program was inadequate. Approved in January 2021, the new ESSN program has effectively provided cash to 82,000 households, established an efficient call center and strengthened security. According to a survey, 99% of beneficiary households reported improved living conditions after the transfers. More households who meet the poverty criteria will receive assistance.
The World Bank’s financing will also provide cash for the education of a total of 92,000 students. Moreover, it will support access to quality social services. Jean-Christophe Carret, the Country Director of the World Bank Middle East, agrees that the financing will allow the government to respond to the growing needs of the vulnerable.
World Food Programme
An estimated 37% of the population in Lebanon faced acute food insecurity in 2022. The World Food Programme (WFP) reached 2 million Lebanese residents and Syrian refugees as part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger.
Through partnerships, WFP increased the value of cash transfers in April 2022. Although the increase of people’s purchasing power could not offset price increases and currency depreciation, the program contributed to the improvement of schoolchildren’s nutrition. WFP also helped implement the ESSN. A WFP analysis reveals that due to the launch of the ESSN and the bolstering of the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP), “the number of Lebanese households receiving assistance through national social safety nets, with WFP-implemented cash transfers, increased fourfold in 2022 compared to 2021.”
WFP’s plan from 2023 to 2025 is to strengthen Lebanon’s crisis response, provide safety nets, assist poverty reduction programs and extend school meals. The program also intends to work with the government to improve existing social protection services and strategy and achieve food security.
Lebanon’s Financing Facility
Established shortly after the explosion, the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF) “provides an important means to pool grant resources and strengthen the coherence and coordination of financing.” Its goal is to bring about socioeconomic and business recovery and prepare for social sector reforms.
The trust fund, which was established by the World Bank, follows the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF), which addresses Lebanon’s immediate needs. The 3RF outlines actions that require priority to support recovery and reconstruction in Lebanon.
In 2023, the LFF plans to continue supporting 3RF priorities. It will offer both financial and technical assistance to facilitate the execution of priorities outlined by sector working groups and overseen by government representatives. Furthermore, discussions will continue, and state institutions will present their proposals and challenges to poverty reduction in Lebanon.
UN-Habitat
Mandated by the U.N. General Assembly, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) helps establish socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. The organization works with partners and operates in over 90 countries to enact positive changes in cities and human settlements.
Between 2019 and 2022, UN-Habitat greatly assisted Lebanon. The program upgraded 164 building facades’ connections to water and electricity and rehabilitated neighboring streets. It also restored five public community health care centers, repaired 125 individual housing units, rehabilitated 44 full residential buildings, provided 816 households with rent assistance and assessed 113 schools for damage. UN-Habitat will collaborate with other municipalities to continue improving the lives of people in Lebanon.
What Does the Future Hold?
Poverty reduction in Lebanon will not be easy. In the short-term, Lebanon “needs to adopt and implement a credible, comprehensive and coordinated macro-financial stability strategy within a medium-term, macro-fiscal framework.” This strategy should achieve debt sustainability, reconstruct the financial sector, introduce a new monetary framework that regains the people’s confidence in its stability, adjust fiscal policy, enhance reforms and improve social protection. In the long term, Lebanon must build better institutions, including governance and business sectors.
In the absence of a good banking system and foreign exchange reserves, international aid and assistance from organizations remain necessary.
– Mariam Jawhar
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
4 Organizations Assisting with Poverty Reduction in Lebanon
The Basics
Due to the absence of household income and expenditure surveys, the available data on poverty in Lebanon is lacking. However, one thing is certain: it is a growing problem. In part imputed to the pandemic and Beirut port explosion in 2020, Lebanon has witnessed a sharp increase in poverty since 2019, with the proportion of the poor skyrocketing from between only 17.2% and 21.5% in 2016 to, at worst, 75.9% in 2022. Analysis reveals that under the most optimistic scenario, at least three out of five Lebanese people live in poverty.
According to the World Bank, Lebanon’s crisis is among the “most severe [crisis] episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century.” The crisis is multifaceted and can be divided into at least four parts. Firstly, in June 2023, Lebanon’s parliament, for the twelfth time, failed to elect a president. This stalls any measures to alleviate the crisis. Secondly, the banking sector has stopped lending to customers and adopted strict capital control, which ceased to attract deposits. Thirdly, due to the economic crisis, the percentage of unemployed citizens soared from 11.4% in 2018–19 to 29.6% in 2022. Lastly, the port explosion worsened Lebanon’s structural vulnerabilities, including a dysfunctional electricity sector, poor waste management and water supply shortages.
The World Bank and ESSN
Fortunately, however, the crisis has inspired some organizations and partnerships to assist in poverty reduction in Lebanon. In May 2023, the World Bank’s board of executive directors approved sending $300 million to the Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN), which will assist vulnerable Lebanese households and help unify a social safety net delivery system in Lebanon. This is the second time the World Bank has agreed to aid the country. In 2021, it financed $246 million to help Lebanon fight the economic crisis and the impact of COVID on its poor. The second package intends to aid Lebanon in protecting its population from future crises and continue taking poverty reduction measures.
The financing will be especially handy because “on the sectoral level, Lebanon lacks a comprehensive and inclusive social protection system that provides its citizens equal access and opportunity.” The previous SSN program was inadequate. Approved in January 2021, the new ESSN program has effectively provided cash to 82,000 households, established an efficient call center and strengthened security. According to a survey, 99% of beneficiary households reported improved living conditions after the transfers. More households who meet the poverty criteria will receive assistance.
The World Bank’s financing will also provide cash for the education of a total of 92,000 students. Moreover, it will support access to quality social services. Jean-Christophe Carret, the Country Director of the World Bank Middle East, agrees that the financing will allow the government to respond to the growing needs of the vulnerable.
World Food Programme
An estimated 37% of the population in Lebanon faced acute food insecurity in 2022. The World Food Programme (WFP) reached 2 million Lebanese residents and Syrian refugees as part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, Zero Hunger.
Through partnerships, WFP increased the value of cash transfers in April 2022. Although the increase of people’s purchasing power could not offset price increases and currency depreciation, the program contributed to the improvement of schoolchildren’s nutrition. WFP also helped implement the ESSN. A WFP analysis reveals that due to the launch of the ESSN and the bolstering of the National Poverty Targeting Programme (NPTP), “the number of Lebanese households receiving assistance through national social safety nets, with WFP-implemented cash transfers, increased fourfold in 2022 compared to 2021.”
WFP’s plan from 2023 to 2025 is to strengthen Lebanon’s crisis response, provide safety nets, assist poverty reduction programs and extend school meals. The program also intends to work with the government to improve existing social protection services and strategy and achieve food security.
Lebanon’s Financing Facility
Established shortly after the explosion, the Lebanon Financing Facility (LFF) “provides an important means to pool grant resources and strengthen the coherence and coordination of financing.” Its goal is to bring about socioeconomic and business recovery and prepare for social sector reforms.
The trust fund, which was established by the World Bank, follows the Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF), which addresses Lebanon’s immediate needs. The 3RF outlines actions that require priority to support recovery and reconstruction in Lebanon.
In 2023, the LFF plans to continue supporting 3RF priorities. It will offer both financial and technical assistance to facilitate the execution of priorities outlined by sector working groups and overseen by government representatives. Furthermore, discussions will continue, and state institutions will present their proposals and challenges to poverty reduction in Lebanon.
UN-Habitat
Mandated by the U.N. General Assembly, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) helps establish socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. The organization works with partners and operates in over 90 countries to enact positive changes in cities and human settlements.
Between 2019 and 2022, UN-Habitat greatly assisted Lebanon. The program upgraded 164 building facades’ connections to water and electricity and rehabilitated neighboring streets. It also restored five public community health care centers, repaired 125 individual housing units, rehabilitated 44 full residential buildings, provided 816 households with rent assistance and assessed 113 schools for damage. UN-Habitat will collaborate with other municipalities to continue improving the lives of people in Lebanon.
What Does the Future Hold?
Poverty reduction in Lebanon will not be easy. In the short-term, Lebanon “needs to adopt and implement a credible, comprehensive and coordinated macro-financial stability strategy within a medium-term, macro-fiscal framework.” This strategy should achieve debt sustainability, reconstruct the financial sector, introduce a new monetary framework that regains the people’s confidence in its stability, adjust fiscal policy, enhance reforms and improve social protection. In the long term, Lebanon must build better institutions, including governance and business sectors.
In the absence of a good banking system and foreign exchange reserves, international aid and assistance from organizations remain necessary.
– Mariam Jawhar
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Organizations Improving Women’s Rights in Morocco
The High Atlas Foundation
The High Atlas Foundation is an organization that the Peace Corps founded to support the Moroccan community. The organization emphasizes helping women’s rights in Morocco. This organization has a Family Literacy program that the EU supports. It aims to promote lifelong learning by addressing literacy problems. This program has three branches: teaching young women basic literacy, enhancing access to pre-primary education and empowering women socioeconomically. This initiative is beginning to allow women to be more involved in education, which benefits them career-wise.
This program extends beyond just education and gives women the opportunity to build financial independence and contribute to the economy. The High Atlas Foundation has worked to cultivate a strong network of individuals who lead four-day self-discovery IMAGINE workshops. In this program, Moroccan women learn about their legal and human rights. Currently, more than 380 women have attended one of these workshops in Marrakech, Al Haouz, Essaouira, Mohammedia, Oujda and Boujdour.
Education for All
Another organization that is benefitting Moroccan Women is Education for All. Few Moroccan women have access to education. This is due to parents not being able to afford lodging or transportation for school, or parents who would rather their daughters stay home. Education for All is taking a stand against this as half of the country is not literate, and in rural areas, up to 83% of women are illiterate. It is taking a stand by building and running high-quality boarding houses for girls 12-18. Everything from beds to meals to access to technology will be free. Since September 2009, it has built five homes. As of 2017, it had a total of 185 girls in its program.
Amal
Amal is a nonprofit training center dedicated to serving the female Moroccan population. It is striving to make changes in the community like closing the unemployment gap and teaching new job skills. As Amal operates as a restaurant, the main set of skills these women pick up is kitchen-based. This includes practical cutting, cooking and cleaning skills. Additionally, students attend classes for education in hygiene, security, service and language skills. These skills allow women to find jobs outside of the program and begin to support themselves.
Looking Ahead
The state of women’s rights in Morocco is a complex and challenging issue, with women facing significant barriers in areas such as education, career opportunities and personal autonomy. However, amid these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope as several organizations are actively working to address and improve the situation. The High Atlas Foundation has taken a proactive approach by implementing a Family Literacy program that focuses on enhancing women’s access to education. Education for All is another impactful organization dedicated to breaking down barriers to education for girls in Morocco. Amal, a nonprofit training center, stands out by addressing the unemployment gap among women in Morocco.
These organizations collectively exemplify the positive impact that targeted interventions can have on improving women’s rights in Morocco. While challenges persist, the efforts of these organizations provide a beacon of hope for a future where women in Morocco can enjoy greater autonomy, education and economic independence.
– Sara Agosto
Photo: Flickr
5 Organizations Helping the Deaf Community in India
1. The Noida Deaf Society
The Noida Deaf Society is an organization helping the deaf community in 12 states within India. With the overall goal of creating a society where deaf Indians are able to live entirely self-sufficiently, the Noida Deaf Society focuses on education, employment and working with organizations, teachers and other members of society to increase awareness of the challenges facing deaf Indians.
The Noida Deaf Society has helped deaf people in India find employment in sectors such as hospitality, retail, data entry, education and manufacturing. The organization also runs multiple schools, including short-term training programs, primary education, remedial education, vocational training and sign language education for hearing parents of deaf children. Through these schools, the Noida Deaf Society also helps train interpreters — a very necessary effort, as India had only 250 certified sign language interpreters as of 2017.
2. Sense International India
Sense International India is an organization helping the deaf community in 23 states within India. Working with individuals who are both deaf and blind, its goal is to ensure deafblind Indians and their families have equal access to support and opportunities. Sense International India puts enormous effort into promoting inclusion and intervention in the educational system, screening for and identifying deafblindness early in life so intervention is possible and providing vocational training to deafblind adults so they can be financially independent.
Sense International India is currently working on providing sustainable services to deafblind Indians in five southern states, four northern states and six eastern states. The organization is also working on setting up infrastructure to provide sustainable services to deafblind individuals in Ujjain, India.
3. All India Federation of the Deaf
Based in New Delhi and affiliated with the World Federation of the Deaf, the All India Federation of the Deaf has been helping the deaf community across India for more than 60 years. The foundation’s goals include empowering the deaf community, helping deaf Indians develop life skills, enabling deaf Indians to actively engage in society and making sure human rights apply equally to deaf Indians.
To meet this goal, the All India Federation of the Deaf focuses on ensuring the communication needs of deaf Indians are met and providing activities for deaf youth. It maintains a training center for deaf Indians aged 14 to 30 and a hostel for the training center’s students. Specific chapters within the organization focus on aiding deaf women and youth.
4. VAANI Deaf Children’s Foundation
VAANI Deaf Children’s Foundation currently helps the deaf community in three states within India. With the goal of ensuring every deaf child in India gets to live a fulfilling and dignified life, VAANI Deaf Children’s Foundation focuses on early detection and intervention, provides language and communication services to deaf children and their families, engages parents and professionals in the lives of deaf children and influences public policy to protect the rights of deaf Indians.
VAANI Deaf Children’s Foundation provides hearing screenings to newborns, early intervention services, training modules for educators on teaching deaf children, training for community workers and companies, a resource center for deaf children and their parents to learn Indian Sign Language, and life skills workshops for deaf children and their parents. The organization also assists in disaster management and provides general education to deaf children.
5. Deaf EnAbled Foundation
The Deaf EnAbled Foundation helps the deaf community in seven states and one union territory of India. Its goal is to create a world where deaf Indians have full and equal access to every part of society. The organization’s targets include adult literacy, promoting Indian Sign Language among both deaf and non-deaf Indians, providing education and employment training to deaf Indians and raising awareness for deaf rights.
The Deaf EnAbled Foundation started its work in 2009. To date, it has provided training to more than 6,300 deaf students, helped more than 4,400 deaf Indians get jobs, enabled more than 3,200 deaf children to participate in competitions, enabled more than 3,500 deaf youth to take part in community activities and taught Indian Sign Language to more than 500 people.
Looking Ahead
While there is still a long road ahead to achieve full equality for deaf Indians, these organizations have done great work and are making real, lasting change. Thanks to the efforts of these groups, deaf Indians are able to access education, employment opportunities and more, enabling the community to begin lifting themselves out of poverty.
– Natalie Coyne
Photo: Unsplash
Migration in Mongolia: Movement to Urban Slums
About Migration in Mongolia
An article by Bloomberg vividly portrays a persistent issue within Mongolia. Mass mobilization towards urban centers has resulted in a housing crisis as people search for a better life.
The movement towards cities such as Ulaanbaatar has resulted in ger districts, which are communities of tents. Ger literally means “tent,” and is an older, more traditional style of a yurt. Collections of them form informal settlements around Ulaanbaatar and, of the 380,000 residents of the city, around 170,000 live within ger districts in the hills surrounding the urban center. Of the entire Mongolian population, a staggering one-third live in ger districts. This further demonstrates the importance of addressing the housing crisis due to migration in Mongolia.
The Situation
During the coldest months, residents must endure temperatures that can drop to as low as -20 degrees Celsius. The population is at risk from high pollution levels as fires are lit, and materials like rubber are burned to keep warm.
There is also the practical issue of the disconnect between city and suburb. The lack of access to public transport bars access to employment within the city as the task of commuting becomes nearly impossible for those without private transportation.
Threat to civilian health is imminent, and those living below the poverty line are at the greatest risk. With more people settling in the ger regions, increased exposure to pollution has caused a rise in respiratory problems.
However, people living within these districts continually demonstrate self-determination to make a living and provide for themselves. In recent years, local communities have been providing ‘micro-enterprises,’ such as taxi services and sole trading, to provide jobs outside of the city center.
Familial networks have been vital in bridging the gap between ger districts and Ulaanbaatar as families produce and grow crops that are then transported to relatives in the city who are responsible for selling to larger businesses at a profit.
This cooperation between the urban and rural is transformative and suggestive of a positive future in de-isolating ger districts. Improved roads and accessibility are indicative of the value of the initiative of farmers living within communities and improved job prospects and living conditions.
GerHub
Projects like GerHub are paving the way for solutions to provide ger communities with a more comfortable way of life. For example, the Dulaan Ger initiative is an incredible project that combats poor living conditions. Migration in Mongolia and movement towards cities do not eradicate harsh living conditions such as freezing temperatures. However, this project, which literally translates to “a warm Ger,” is a transformative undertaking that educates community members such as handymen and seamstresses on ger insulation. This not only improves living conditions for communities but also provides additional income.
Other Initiatives
Organizations such as the UNICEF Mongolia Country Office and the UNICEF Office of Innovation have been vital in identifying the risk of pollution to people’s health within these communities. Working with brands such as The North Face and Arcteryx, prototype technology is being developed to prevent harmful gasses from entering through the door, floor and toono (crown) of the ger. These projects demonstrate the potential to alleviate poverty within ger communities through new technology and job opportunities.
– Sophie Butts
Photo: Flickr
College Students Fight Poverty in India
About Poverty in India
There are many reasons for India’s poverty problem. India’s population is constantly increasing, with at least 17 million people born each year. Combined with employment issues, these factors conspire together to keep people in poverty.
Poverty is also defined as the lack of basic resources such as health care, sanitation and electricity. The lack of these basic necessities can negatively impact life expectancy. The reduction of poverty in many places around the world, including India, will improve health for the overall population of the world. Many of the diseases that people get come from those living in poverty so it is best to decrease that amount by helping people in poverty.
Graduate Students’ Efforts
In an attempt to take care of poverty related issues, more than 50 graduate students at Kristu Jayanti College went on a mission to make changes at the grassroots level. Wanting to carry out the understanding, initiating and advocating important conversations on demanding economic issues, these students challenged themselves to address the internal migrant problem in India. The International Organization for Migration states that ‘migrant’ is a blanket term that is not defined under international law, reflecting the common understanding of a person who moves away from their place of residence. This term has a multitude of categories of people such as migrant workers.
“Labor migration is one of the defining features of the contemporary world of work and is integral to the process of India’s social and economic development,” states the Decent Work Country Programme for India 2023-2027. Not only in terms of numbers but economic relevance, internal migration is an important issue in this country. The students were able to combine advocacy, dialogue and research.
The Results of the Study
“In our study, we examined, for example, the potability of drinking water, and the findings were quite concerning as in our initial tests, most water samples were contaminated,” claimed a microbiology student. In the next phase carried out by the college, students created awareness campaigns based on their own research. Through in-person demonstrations the students explained the use of each element and how they purify the water. Without these elements, many people do not have access to clean water. The journey that these students took shows how effective teamwork and vision can make a difference.
– Hailey Spencer
Photo: Flickr
The Burden of Rare Diseases in South Africa
According to Rare Diseases SA, most rare diseases are believed to be caused by factors explicitly in genes or chromosomes like Huntington’s disease. However, it’s important to note that not all rare diseases are inherited. Some can be attributed to infections, chronic liver conditions (such as African iron overload), rare types of cancers (like pancreatic cancer) and even autoimmune disorders (such as hemolytic anemia). According to Rare Diseases SA, the lack of a definition for rare diseases in South Africa is a significant issue that the government needs to address.
Rare Diseases Challenges in South Africa’s Health Care System
It is concerning that many hospitals in the country do not keep records of diagnoses, which poses a challenge for researchers. This problem is compounded by the limited funding to researchers in South Africa compared to developed countries.
Rare Diseases SA reported that despite spending 8.5% of GDP on health care, South Africa’s health outcomes are among the poorest globally. According to World Bank, while South Africa has seen some improvements in poverty reduction since 1994, around 55.5% (equivalent to 30.3 million individuals) of the population still find themselves living below the upper poverty line, which is approximately ZAR 992. Additionally, a significant number of people, totaling around 13.8 million individuals (25%), face food poverty. There is a shortage of expertise in both the private sectors to identify and diagnose rare diseases in South Africa.
Additionally, the exorbitant cost of medications used to treat these diseases often makes them inaccessible.
According to Jacobson, rare diseases pose a challenge for health care practitioners who often lack the awareness and expertise for diagnosis, timely referral and appropriate management due to their rarity. As a result, patients may go undiagnosed, be misdiagnosed or experience delays in receiving a diagnosis. This lack impacts not only their health but also their socioeconomic status, family life, educational and employment opportunities and overall participation in society. The consequences of this can create a cycle of vulnerability and poverty.
Even when rare diseases are correctly identified, individuals with conditions face obstacles in accessing necessary treatment and health care services. In South Africa, diseases are not considered within health care planning and policy-making processes. Additionally, patients often encounter neglect or dismissal from health care funders, further delaying treatment and denying their access to health care altogether.
Rare Diseases South Africa (RDSA) and Advocacy
Established in 2013, Rare Diseases South Africa (RDSA) is a for-profit organization that advocates for individuals affected by rare diseases and congenital disorders. Their mission is to ensure these individuals receive recognition, support, improved health care services and a better quality of life. Over the years, RDSA has successfully implemented initiatives that have impacted the lives of more than 1,800 patients. It has actively engaged with departments, state organizations, industry leaders and other key stakeholders to raise awareness about diseases and advance policies related to them.
Today, RDSA combines standards and local medical breakthroughs working together to advocate for marginalized communities and connect them with advancements in health care.
Looking Ahead
Although rare diseases are a significant problem in South Africa, it is good to know efforts are underway to mitigate them and provide treatment. Through their continued work, hopefully, rare diseases will be eliminated.
– Aysu Usubova
Photo: Flickr
Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 57% of people in Sierra Leone are food insecure, 26.2% of children face impaired growth and development due to chronic malnutrition, and 43% of people live below the poverty line. A high poverty rate, coupled with limited access to education and health care, exacerbates the vulnerability of Sierra Leone’s population to hunger and malnutrition.
Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger, a global humanitarian organization, is committed to eradicating hunger worldwide. The organization states, “A world without hunger will never be achieved alone. We collaborate with communities, foundations, companies, governments, and humanitarian partners to achieve zero hunger.”
Founded in 1979, the organization operates in more than 50 countries. It reaches approximately 28 million people a year by implementing a comprehensive approach focusing on advocacy, food security, nutrition, water sanitation, emergency responses and researching innovative solutions. Funded by various governments, institutional donors and private contributors, their approach focuses on providing sustainable solutions and achieving food security for all.
Action Against Hunger began its mission in Sierra Leone in 1991, at the beginning of the country’s civil war and during the subsequent humanitarian crisis. According to BlackPast, “The Sierra Leone Civil War was one of the bloodiest in Africa resulting in more than fifty thousand people dead and half a million displaced in a nation of four million people.”
The initial goals of Action Against Hunger were to provide emergency relief, improve water and sanitation, and combat malnutrition. The organization’s early engagement laid the foundation for ongoing, comprehensive programs addressing the complex factors contributing to hunger.
Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone
In recent years, Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone has implemented various programs targeting malnutrition, food security, water and sanitation in Sierra Leone. The primary focus of Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone is improving health systems and services to prevent and treat malnutrition of children. Action Against Hunger provides “pregnant women, mothers, caregivers, and young people with knowledge about healthy nutrition through training, awareness, and cooking sessions.”
Implementing bottom-up approaches, such as empowering pregnant women, mothers, caregivers and young people through providing knowledge on healthy nutrition, signifies a proactive strategy that fosters community involvement and ensures sustained positive impact.
Action Against Hunger has also implemented the PROSSAN project in Sierra Leone, which seeks to address the profound health challenges of vulnerable populations within the country, focusing on women, children under 5 and young people. PROSSAN is has support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and works to provide quality care for women and young people adjusted for specific needs to reduce early pregnancies and the number of maternal and infant deaths.
The program is founded on three key pillars:
The Future of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone faces ongoing challenges, including changing weather patterns and health crises. Looking ahead, Action Against Hunger in Sierra Leone aims to expand its impact by scaling up successful interventions and collaborating with local partners. The United Nations has set a goal of ending hunger and ensuring access to food for all people in Sierra Leone by 2030. This broader goal includes ending malnutrition, doubling agricultural productivity, ensuring sustainable food production systems, diversifying farming, increasing investments in rural infrastructure and more. Organizations like Action Against Hunger contribute to achieving these broader goals by committing to evolving strategies in response to extreme hunger in Sierra Leone.
– Marisa Kole
Photo: Flickr
USAID Programs in Bangladesh
Challenges in Bangladesh
Bangladesh, with a population surpassing 173.5 million, faces significant poverty challenges, with 18.7% living below the poverty line. This economic hardship hampers access to essential components of a healthy life, such as food, clean water, health care and education.
A staggering 40 million people in Bangladesh grapple with food insecurity, exacerbated by recurrent climate disasters disrupting agriculture—a sector vital for the country’s economic stability. The destruction of food crops further strains its economic resilience.
Accessing health care proves challenging, particularly for those in poverty and rural areas. Existing health programs are costly and inadequately equipped for efficient and effective care delivery.
Education is a notable hurdle for Bangladesh’s impoverished. A substantial 57% of Bangladeshi children lack proficient literacy skills, posing a barrier to their future social and occupational prospects. Moreover, educational institutions receive funding more than 70% lower than that of lower-middle-income countries. Addressing these multifaceted challenges is imperative for fostering a more sustainable and equitable future in Bangladesh.
USAID’s Commitment
USAID’s programs in Bangladesh stand out as the largest in Asia, addressing multifaceted challenges like food insecurity, health disparities, educational gaps and political instability. With a commitment to fostering a robust partnership, the organization has set ambitious targets to elevate Bangladesh to an upper-middle-income status by 2023.
Consistently, USAID has played a pivotal role in promoting the growth and well-being of Bangladesh. Notably, it has swiftly responded to crises, providing emergency food and nutrition assistance to more than 900,000 individuals. In 2023, the organization responded promptly to Tropical Cyclone Mocha, contributing $250,000 to Bangladeshi disaster relief efforts, including support for the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society. This aid proved instrumental in assisting thousands affected by the cyclone.
Agriculture and Food Security
Agriculture is vital to Bangladesh’s economy. Collaborating with the Government of Bangladesh, USAID has initiated programs to enhance access to diverse and nutritious food for the people. The focus is on developing climate-smart agriculture, ensuring resilience to climate disasters while being sustainable for local farmers. As of 2023, USAID has invested $35 million in climate-smart agriculture. Additionally, USAID provides assistance and training in food policy and digital agriculture, benefiting both smallholder farmers and larger agricultural initiatives. This investment fosters economic growth through improved supply chains, positively impacting food security in Bangladesh.
Disaster Response
Bangladesh experiences bouts of severe climate every year. It is low-lying and flat, leaving it susceptible to floods, tsunamis, cyclones, droughts, earthquakes, fire and more. USAID programs in Bangladesh specifically target disaster reduction as a strategy to strengthen the infrastructure that maintains balance and reduces environmental shocks.
Bangladesh’s poor are often more severely affected by severe weather as they lose already limited access to potable water and basic hygiene equipment. USAID designates funds and assistance programs that supply hygiene/sanitation equipment as well as disaster-resistant structures that open new jobs and livelihoods for poor communities. Supporting the livelihoods and structural integrity of Bangladesh enhances the Bangladeshi people’s ability to withstand the environmental hardships of disaster.
Health
Health care in Bangladesh requires heavy sums out-of-pocket at costs that those in poverty can rarely afford and approximately 68.5% of Bangladeshi people must pay their medical fees without assistance. An estimated half of Bangladesh’s deaths are from non-communicable diseases that require a sustained treatment effort, meaning cost poses a major barrier to health care access.
USAID Assistance with Bangladesh Health Care
USAID invests in enhancing existing health systems in Bangladesh through supplying advanced medical equipment and treatment assistance, aiming to lower costs and increase accessibility to medical facilities. The organization continued to support Bangladesh throughout the outbreak of COVID-19, extending tests, treatments, vaccinations and general education to limit the unrest the pandemic inflicted on the already struggling country.
Education
In Bangladesh, there are challenges with the quality and accessibility of education. The country’s 58 million children face issues that could impact Bangladesh’s future workforce. Only 64% of children attend secondary school, affecting job opportunities.
To address these concerns, USAID has implemented programs in Bangladesh. The focus is on improving access and quality of education, especially at the secondary and higher levels. The goal is to underscore the significance of education for societal well-being. Additionally, USAID aims to create comprehensive youth programs. These initiatives seek to promote diversity in schools by representing various economic, social and personal identities. On the bright side, this approach enhances youths’ capacity to cope with challenges effectively.
Moving Forward
Bangladesh has made substantial progress in reducing poverty, with the rate dropping from 41.5% in 2006 to 18.7% in 2022. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasizes this positive trend, noting a significant decrease in extreme poverty rates from 25.1% to 5.6% during the same period.
USAID plays a vital role in supporting Bangladesh’s journey out of poverty. Through initiatives focusing on disaster resilience, enhanced education quality, health training and more, USAID’s ongoing programs contribute to the continuous strengthening of efforts aimed at poverty relief.
–Eden Ambrovich
Photo: Unsplash
Addressing Disability and poverty in Laos
More than 160,000 people are living with a disability in Laos, accounting for 2.8% of the total population. As with other developing countries, the primary causes of disability in Laos are illness, accident and congenital defects. However, one can additionally attribute disabilities in Laos to the 80 million units of unexploded ordnance left from the war which ended 50 years ago.
The UXO Problem
From 1964 to 1973, Laos endured more than 2 million tonnes of cluster bombs during the Vietnam War, making it the most bombed country per capita. Cluster bombs, extensively used in the Vietnam War, release numerous smaller bombs (bombies), notorious for often not exploding on impact. Of the 270 million bombs dropped, around 30% remain as unexploded ordnance (UXO). In the 50 years since the war, UXO explosions have caused an estimated 20,000 deaths or severe injuries, emphasizing the ongoing impact on Laos. Designed with the intent to cause damage, UXO accidents can lead to an array of disabilities, such as loss of limbs, severe burns and blindness.
Inescapable Poverty
Most Laotians, including the vast majority of people with disabilities, live rurally, where an agrarian economy is predominant. However, this form of employment, reliant on physical labor, is often challenging for people with disabilities. The lack of vocational training for alternative forms of employment means people with disabilities are significantly less likely to work and independently earn a living, thus driving them into poverty.
Living in Laos’ rural areas further distinguishes a relationship between disability and poverty. In the more remote villages, there is often limited access to basic services and other infrastructure such as adequate roads, schools and hospitals. In fact, more than 3% of Laos’ disabled population live in villages without roads, preventing their ability to access health care facilities, such as rehabilitation clinics for amputees, which could drastically improve their quality of life. This results in a relentless cycle of poverty, as people with disabilities are unable to obtain sufficient employment and cannot easily access the disability services that may be available to them.
UXO Worsens The Cycle of Poverty
Regrettably, many of the poorest neighborhoods in Laos face the risk of UXO contamination. Accidents can happen when people unknowingly handle or play with UXO or engage in farming, cooking or other daily activities. This threat is particularly concerning for rural farmers, as 22% of all UXO accidents occur while farming on contaminated land.
Farmers usually face the impossible decision between farming on land where UXO may be present or resist farming and suffer income losses. Either way, there is an increase in the likelihood of poverty. Around 45% of UXO accidents happen to children, potentially leaving them with lifelong disabilities and vulnerability to poverty. In addition, children with disabilities are seven times more likely to be unemployed or uneducated in comparison to children without disabilities.
The United Nations (U.N.) found that only 4% of disabled children in Laos are enrolled in school and this is primarily due to families not receiving the disability allowances they are entitled to, and the social stigma surrounding disability where communities may exclude disabled children.
COPE Laos
The efforts of a small-scale, nonprofit organization are improving the lives of disabled people, in particular, victims of UXO. Established in 1998, the Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) has been supporting disabled people in Laos, addressing the intersectionality between disability and poverty in Laos through the provision of health care services, which are all free of charge. This is essential for people with disabilities who are living below the poverty line. Such services include free, high-quality, individually tailored prosthetics for amputees, orthotics, assistive devices such as crutches, rehabilitation services and physiotherapy.
About one-third of individuals receiving prostheses are victims of UXO incidents. For instance, Zaythong Gaowrueng, who lost his leg in a UXO accident at 22, has experienced a transformative journey since receiving his initial prosthetic from COPE in 1999. Over time, he has received a total of 8 prosthetic legs, significantly improving his physical and mental well-being. This support has enabled him to work, earn a living and successfully reintegrate into the community that once ostracized him.
Providing Care to Remote Communities
As well as having clinics in urban Laos, COPE’s Mobile Clinic Team visits the most remote communities where people with disabilities cannot access health care services due to barriers such as low income, a lack of infrastructure or physical inability to travel. The Mobile Clinic provides disabled people with the aid they require such as providing orthotics and immediate treatment in their own neighborhoods. If further treatment is necessary elsewhere, COPE arranges and covers all transport, accommodation and food expenses, making adequate treatment widely accessible.
In 2016 alone, COPE’s Mobile Clinic Team aided almost 1,300 people with disabilities living in remote, impoverished communities. With the recent financial assistance from USAID, COPE actively assists thousands of disabled people and UXO victims each year, drastically improving their quality of life and enabling disabled individuals to autonomously earn a living, lifting them out of poverty. COPE’s Vientiane-based visitor center is the top tourist attraction in the capital city, according to Trip Advisor, thus spreading awareness of COPE, UXO and disability and poverty in Laos to a global audience.
Looking Ahead
There has been progression regarding the equality and inclusivity of people with disabilities in Laos, through the implementation of government policies such as the 2003 amended ‘Constitution of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic’ policy which states the equality of all Lao citizens, both able and disabled.
In 2016, the Laos government in collaboration with the UN created a country-specific Sustainable Development Goal (SDG18): ‘Lives safe from Unexploded Ordnance’ alongside a 10-year national plan named ‘Safe Path Forward III’. Both projects aim to reduce the impact of UXO by clearing land to prevent future accidents and provide care for UXO victims highlighting the national commitment to alleviating the threat of UXO as a cause of disability. While the relationship between disability and poverty in Laos is still apparent, the number of disabilities caused by UXO accidents is declining every year.
– Lucy Jacks
Photo: Flickr
The Role of Remittances to Mexico
In 2022, remittances to Mexico hit a record high of $58.5 billion, making Mexico the second-highest remittance-receiving country, following India. Remittances are Mexico’s main net foreign exchange generator, topping both manufacturing exports and tourism.
How Remittances Affect the Economy
In the short term, remittances impact the economy by stimulating consumption and increasing household income. In the long term, remittances can have strong poverty-reducing effects through investment in physical or human capital. The funds can provide resources to invest in education, health and small businesses.
Additionally, remittances help reduce inequality and play a role in local development. Money that people send from abroad typically goes to families in the poorest states of Mexico, which are the north-central and southwest regions—the areas where most migrants have left. Thus, remittances contribute to mitigating regional economic disparities. For example, a 2010 research paper showed that remittances shifted the wage distribution, which caused fewer low-wage workers in remittance-high areas.
Mexico’s 3×1 Program
Mexico launched an innovative government initiative aimed at fostering collaboration between Mexican migrants living abroad and their communities of origin. The program’s name of 3×1 represents the policy of matching funds; for every peso contributed by Mexican migrants, the federal, state and municipal governments contribute one peso each.
The program’s objectives are:
These efforts put the focus toward development, which contributes toward long-term economic growth, rather than household consumption. Remittances also contribute to long-term growth by enlarging the tax base as Mexican citizens receive more money.
Looking Ahead
While remittances play a major part in the Mexican economy, their effect will decrease as Mexico develops. In 2022, Mexico’s “super peso” was among the top-performing currencies in the world and appreciated more than 13% against the U.S. dollar. With a stronger local currency, Mexicans receive fewer pesos when they sell the dollars they were sent.
However, a decreasing value of remittances isn’t fully bad in the long run. Economies can get stuck in a cycle of stagnation and dependence on them, creating a “remittance trap.” Thus, while remittances are an effective way of reducing immediate poverty and increasing the well-being of many families, they should not be the main focus of development; countries must supplement growth with stronger institutions and better governance.
Conclusion
Remittances to Mexico play a large part in the economy and contribute to the well-being of millions of Mexican families. They are so crucial that the Mexican government has a new initiative to support and encourage them. And in order to not become dependent on them, Mexico is focusing on funding strong institutions and governance.
– Cameron Alcocer
Photo: Unsplash