Though similar to malaria in its mode of transmission, dengue fever is its own monster. With up to 400 million people infected every year, dengue has been a leading cause of illness and death worldwide since the 1950s. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.5 billion people around the world are at risk of contracting dengue fever.
Dengue is spread through the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito, a species that seeks out prey during the daytime. The mosquito has recently spread to areas in North America and Europe, though it typically resides in tropical areas. Its presence in tourist destinations like Puerto Rico have caused a global spread, and put more people at risk.
Upon contracting dengue, symptoms present in a manner similar to the flu with high fever, headache, aches and pains and vomiting. The secondary symptoms require immediate treatment to ensure that dengue runs its course without escalation.
However, in developing countries where adequate medical care is unavailable, dengue fever escalates to dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is characterized by more extreme symptoms including hemorrhaging. This can then lead to dengue shock syndrome, and in 50 percent of shock cases there is a fatality.
There is no vaccine or treatment for dengue fever, but there are many preventative measures that can be taken to minimize infection. Insecticide can prevent transmission of the virus, as can mosquito nets and clothing that covers exposed skin. Additionally, proper disposal of waste and trash can cut down on mosquitoes.
While in developed countries dengue fever is very survivable, usually lasting between two and seven days, this virus hits the developing world much harder. Not only is there a higher prevalence in many impoverished tropical areas, they are also least equipped to prevent and handle dengue fever when it occurs.
The presence of such a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease worsens the poverty conditions in a country, in which a community needs resources and money to better protect themselves from the disease. Before that can happen, they need to be able to establish a healthy community to begin the transition out of poverty. This vicious cycle is difficult to overcome, making organizations like the World Health Organization instrumental in keeping these countries afloat.
The WHO assists in minimizing the burden of dengue fever by supporting “countries in the confirmation of outbreaks through its collaborating network of laboratories,” providing “technical support and guidance to countries for the effective management of dengue outbreaks,” and a slew of other helpful measures.
Raising awareness about the causes of dengue fever, as well as how to prevent it in the first place, is the first and most important step toward minimizing outbreaks, especially in the developing world. With the assistance of humanitarian organizations and the training of medical professionals to better respond to the virus, dengue fever will become a more manageable virus with fewer fatalities.
— Maggie Wagner
Sources: CDC, WHO, MedicineNet.com, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
Photo: NY Times
Drought Increases Malnutrition in Kenya
Out of the 8.5 million people facing crisis and emergency food security conditions in East Africa, more than 1.3 million live in Kenya, reported the World Food Programme. These crisis conditions are expected to worsen as the drought in the country continues, exacerbating current hunger and malnutrition in Kenya.
This June, the European Union (EU) granted Kenya $6.5 million for drought crisis preparedness, in an attempt to push back against further crisis and famine from severe droughts across East Africa. “It is designed to deliver a quick response from the Agency to Counties in the lead up to and in the event of an official drought being declared in order to mitigate its destructive effects,” the EU said in a press release. This emergency money will be used to dig new and rehabilitate existing wells, build food storage and educate Kenyans against starvation-driven conflict.
“Drought and the impact on food supply is a real and increasing problem for hundreds of thousands living in the arid areas of Kenya,” said Erik Habers, Head of Development at the European Union in Kenya, in the release. Hunger in parts of Kenya, especially amongst the pastoral tribes, will likely reach a crisis-point before September, as crops grown before the drought begin to run out. “Well below average March to May long rains in the southeastern and coastal marginal lowlands are likely to lead to a below average maize harvest,” reads a report by Famine Early Warning Systems Network.
As the food crisis escalates, Kenyan deaths and illness associated with malnutrition will likely increase. Recent pre-crisis numbers, reported in the Star, indicate that 41 percent of children in urban areas and 35 percent of children in rural areas experience stunted growth from malnutrition. “The nutritional status of children in urban areas in Kenya is worse than that of rural areas,” said Elizabeth Kimani, a public health specialist with the Africa Population Health Research Centre.
These escalating food shortages not only impact Kenyan impoverished people, but also paint a bleak future for the thousands of South Sudanese refugees fleeing from violence and starvation into the Turkana region of northern Kenya.
Drought-stricken Kakuma, Kenya, is facing further crisis, now, as 20,000 Sudanese refugees have joined then 110,000 residents of a refugee camp already thousands past official capacity, local health official Robert Ewoi told NBC News. “The hunger situation has been growing from bad to worse as water pans have dried up, relief supplies diminished and local residents left to fend for themselves,” said Ewoi. Even areas without a constant stream of refugees remain in a fragile, near-crisis state. “What you are seeing is that people are being knocked off their feet by one shock and not quite able to get back on their feet before the next one hits”, said Nicholas Cox, of the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, to The Lancet.
Because the original vulnerability that left those people in famine remains ignored, Cox said, they fall into crisis with the next shock, be it famine, war or political instability.
-Sally Nelson
Sources: StarAfrica, The Lancet, The Star, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Food Programme
Photo: EarthTimes
MDGs Still Need Improvement
As the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals quickly approaches, the UN is encouraging governments around the world to intensify their efforts on the goals that have seen little or no progress since 2000. The main goals that still require significant attention are reducing maternal and child deaths and increasing access to improved sanitation facilities.
There have been several successes in these areas so far. In the past 20 years, the number of children dying before the age of five has dropped by nearly 50 percent. The global maternal mortality ratio has dropped by about 45 percent. It is estimated that 3.3 million deaths due to malaria have been prevented. Additionally, the goal of improving access to safe water globally has been met.
The 2014 report put out by the UN, which is based on data from 2010 to 2014, claims that many other goals are still attainable if current trends and efforts continue.
However, there are some goals that do not seem feasible any longer. Only half of pregnant women in developing countries are getting the appropriate number of prenatal checkups. Diarrhea and pneumonia are still prevalent in many countries and are the main causes of death in children under five. In the past four years, 162 million children were not receiving proper nutrition. Finally, sanitation facilities are not as available as they should be, even in middle-income countries; more than one billion people are still required to resort to open defecation.
Andy Haines, a public health expert and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom, said that the results of these goals are a “mixed picture of major advances towards some goals and worrying shortfalls in progress in the case of others.”
The Millennium Development Goals that are furthest from completion are the ones relating to women: gender equality and reducing maternal and child deaths. Last year, UNICEF claimed that at the current rate, the goal of reducing maternal and child deaths by two-thirds will not be achieved until 2028.
Seven out of the nine regions throughout the world that are participating in the MDG have not reached the goal of reducing maternal and child deaths. Three of them, Oceania, Southern Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, are not expected to achieve this particular goal, and others may fall short as 2015 approaches.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon recognizes the progress made thus far, but also the need for continued efforts. He said, “The concerted efforts of national governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector have helped expand hope and opportunity for people around the world. But more needs to be done to accelerate progress. We need bolder and focused action where significant gaps and disparities exist.”
By learning from the flaws of the Millennium Development Goals, the UN and fellow organizations have already begun work on the next set of goals called the Sustainable Development Goals. These goals will incorporate a wider span of topics that were not in the MDG, such as economic and environmental issues.
– Hannah Cleveland
Sources: The Guardian, Science Development Network
Photo: Unicef
All About Dengue Fever
Though similar to malaria in its mode of transmission, dengue fever is its own monster. With up to 400 million people infected every year, dengue has been a leading cause of illness and death worldwide since the 1950s. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.5 billion people around the world are at risk of contracting dengue fever.
Dengue is spread through the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito, a species that seeks out prey during the daytime. The mosquito has recently spread to areas in North America and Europe, though it typically resides in tropical areas. Its presence in tourist destinations like Puerto Rico have caused a global spread, and put more people at risk.
Upon contracting dengue, symptoms present in a manner similar to the flu with high fever, headache, aches and pains and vomiting. The secondary symptoms require immediate treatment to ensure that dengue runs its course without escalation.
However, in developing countries where adequate medical care is unavailable, dengue fever escalates to dengue hemorrhagic fever, which is characterized by more extreme symptoms including hemorrhaging. This can then lead to dengue shock syndrome, and in 50 percent of shock cases there is a fatality.
There is no vaccine or treatment for dengue fever, but there are many preventative measures that can be taken to minimize infection. Insecticide can prevent transmission of the virus, as can mosquito nets and clothing that covers exposed skin. Additionally, proper disposal of waste and trash can cut down on mosquitoes.
While in developed countries dengue fever is very survivable, usually lasting between two and seven days, this virus hits the developing world much harder. Not only is there a higher prevalence in many impoverished tropical areas, they are also least equipped to prevent and handle dengue fever when it occurs.
The presence of such a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease worsens the poverty conditions in a country, in which a community needs resources and money to better protect themselves from the disease. Before that can happen, they need to be able to establish a healthy community to begin the transition out of poverty. This vicious cycle is difficult to overcome, making organizations like the World Health Organization instrumental in keeping these countries afloat.
The WHO assists in minimizing the burden of dengue fever by supporting “countries in the confirmation of outbreaks through its collaborating network of laboratories,” providing “technical support and guidance to countries for the effective management of dengue outbreaks,” and a slew of other helpful measures.
Raising awareness about the causes of dengue fever, as well as how to prevent it in the first place, is the first and most important step toward minimizing outbreaks, especially in the developing world. With the assistance of humanitarian organizations and the training of medical professionals to better respond to the virus, dengue fever will become a more manageable virus with fewer fatalities.
— Maggie Wagner
Sources: CDC, WHO, MedicineNet.com, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
Photo: NY Times
New Fish Drying Method Feeds Burundi
A new fish drying method pioneered by a tiny U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization project in Burundi has had tremendous results. Instead of laying the sardine-like ngagala in the hot sand, raised racks were implemented to dry the fish. This simple strategy has cut fish waste by half, created employment for hundreds of Burundians and caused a boost in the economic prospects of fishing.
Ndagala have been a staple of the Burundian diet for centuries. With some 60 percent of Burundians currently lacking the essential amount of protein in their diets, the nutrients from ndagala are a precious commodity.
However, before the FAO project, the ndagala drying process was wasteful, inefficient and extremely physically taxing.
The old method of drying the fish took place on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Burundi. Women laborers would lay the ndagala on the sand to dry in the sun, where they were easy targets for animals and ran the risk of being trampled and contaminated.
According to the FAO, around 15 percent of the fish catch was lost or spoiled during the drying process.
But 10 years ago, with the help of Burundi’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, FAO launched a project in a village called Mvugo. This project installed 48 cheap wire-mesh racks suspended a meter above the ground, offered training and distributed leaflets on how to build the racks.
The benefits of this tiny project were almost immediately apparent.
This new method reduced drying time from three days, to only eight hours. The racks protect the fish from animals, and can be covered from the rain to prevent spoilage. Workers need not bend over to spread and turn the fish, reducing the physical toll of the labor.
The overall quality of the fish improved. According to rack owner Domitien Ndabaneze, “Our fishes are of a good quality without small gravel or stones and they are dried in hygienic conditions. With our products, customers are no longer concerned with eating sandy fish.”
The price of fish has more than doubled, from 4,000 Burundian francs in 2004 ($2.5/kg), to 9000 ($6/kg) in 2013. The increasingly lucrative trade has attracted more men workers, and the total acreage dedicated to fishing on the shores of Lake Tanganyika has expanded dramatically.
Manufacturers of the racks have sprung up on the coastline, and thanks to the increased shelf life of the fish they can be transported inland to feed other Burundi villages.
This impactful project is an example of how small-scale solutions can have large-scale benefits. The FAO plans to continually promote and strengthen the use of drying racks in countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, in hopes that more villagers will experience the life-improving benefits of this simple invention.
–Grace Flaherty
Sources: FAO, UN
Photo: UN
Hunger in Tajikistan
Hunger in Tajikistan is a major challenge. The World Food Programme reports one third of the country is affected by food insecurity, while the World Bank casts Tajikistan as the poorest former Soviet country in the Central Asian region. Only seven percent of the land in Tajikistan is capable of producing food, and that number is reduced by consistently harsh winters. Low-income combined with reduced access to food means thousands in Tajikistan go hungry.
After achieving independence from the Soviet Union, Tajikistan fell into civil war in the 1990s and the result was high levels of hunger and poverty that permeate the country to this day. AnneMarie van den Berg is the Deputy Country Director in Tajikistan for the WFP. She explains the WFP sponsored school feeding programs which combat hunger in Tajikistan.
“Tajikistan is a landlocked country and a net importer of food, which means that the country has been particularly hard hit by the high food and fuel prices,” AnneMarie describes why Tajikistan is suffering.
The WFP program provides hot meals for primary school children in the areas hardest hit by the food crisis. Beginning in 1999, 5,000 school children were served meals. By the 2007-2008 academic year, that number had increased to 265,000 primary school children. Another program was also implemented which rewards attendance for secondary school girls with food to take home to their families, 105,000 girls were able to take advantage of that in the 2007-2008 school year.
The effect has not only been higher nourishment levels among the children, but also higher concentration and school performance. Many children come to school without having had anything to eat, and find it difficult to maintain focus throughout the day. Both teachers and parents agree the hot meals provided by the WFP improve the children’s education quality.
The school feeding program directly impacts the lives of children such as Matona, age 10, and her brother Hofiz, age 9. Matona and Hofiz live in Kalai-Sheikh, a village in eastern Tajikistan. On March 21 the children, with the rest of the country, celebrate Navruz, the Central Asian New Year. They are particularly excited about the traditional Navruz dish, Sumalak. In school, Matona and Hofiz water wheat seeds on metal plates and watch as they grow into green shoots.
“The greatest joy of all for Mastona and Hofiz on this holiday is the return of their father, Firuz Bekov, from Moskow. Firuz is one of the half-million Tajik migrants in Russia working as laborers to send money home to their families,” writes the WFP.
— Julianne O’Connor
Sources: The Examiner, World Food Programme 1, World Food Programme 2, Global Voices
Photo: The Feed
Top 10 Global Poverty Nonprofits
Let’s begin with the obvious, all of us at The Borgen Project… are big fans of The Borgen Project. Our bias aside, below is a list of 10 of the top global poverty nonprofits and their commendable work.
Top Global Poverty Nonprofits
1. The Borgen Project – The Borgen Project has taken the plight of the world’s poor to the political level. With access to most members of Congress and an advocacy network of volunteers in every state, The Borgen Project is considered one of the most politically influential organizations fighting for the world’s poor.
2. ONE Campaign – ONE Campaign uses grassroots and advocacy to raise awareness and money to help put a stop to global poverty. They mainly focus their attention on those living in impoverished conditions in Africa.
3. Global Giving – Global Giving is a charity fundraising web site that gives nonprofits from anywhere in the world a chance to raise the money that they need to improve their communities. Since 2002, the project has raised $114,889,647 from 392,257 donors and has supported 10,252 projects.
4. UNICEF – UNICEF is one of the largest nonprofit organizations and it is dedicated to helping children in need. UNICEF does so much for children around the globe, all while promoting education for girls and better health for pregnant women.
5. Partners in Health – Partners in Health is another nonprofit much like Shot@Life, which is geared towards providing a better quality of living and preventing disease. Partners in Health partners with doctors and health institutions across the globe to provide much needed relief for people who would otherwise be unable to afford health care.
6. GiveWell – GiveWell is a combination of several top rated charities all over the world. Most, if not all, of these charities provide relief for impoverished people in every nation.
7. CARE – CARE wants to cut poverty off at its roots. This nonprofit provide tools for people who are at a higher risk of falling into poverty and they help them to be successful and rise above the poverty within their nations.
8. Life in Abundance – Life in Abundance is a Christian-run organization that mobilizes churches and missionaries alike to provide relief for those who are suffering. This nonprofit wants to provide a healthier lifestyle to those who are living in poverty.
9. International Rescue Committee – The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives to prevent global poverty. The nonprofit was founded in 1933 due to a request from Albert Einstein himself. The IRC has since offered lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.
10. Shot@Life – Shot@Life, while not primarily putting an end to global poverty, is trying to eradicate one facet of it. Shot@Life is a nonprofit that provides vaccinations for those less fortunate so they will not be plagued by preventable diseases.
Sources: About.com, CARE, GiveWell, Global Giving, International Rescue Committee, Life in Abundance, Partners in Health, Philanthropedia, The Borgen Project, UNICEF
Photo: The Guardian
East Timor Makes First Feature Film
East Timor has produced its first feature film, which exposes the dire events of the country’s 24-year Indonesian occupation and the role of women in the nation’s struggle for independence. The film, “A Guerra da Beatriz” or “Beatriz’s War” is the story of a young woman’s fight to reveal the truth about her husband in the midst of his disappearance during a brutal massacre by Indonesian troops and his subsequent return. With the violence of the invasion as a backdrop, the film depicts a woman’s inner battle to remain true to her two loves: her country and her husband.
The film has a similar plot design as the 1982 French film, “The Return of Martin Guerre,” which portrays a historical case of a 16th-century soldier who returns from war and is no longer recognized by his community.
The main character, Beatriz, is a girl growing up in the mountains of East Timor in 1975 when the Indonesian invasion commences. Beatriz is married at the age of 11 to a young boy and, as the destruction of the occupation ensues, Beatriz becomes a resistance fighter to defend her nation. After her husband vanishes amid the 1983 Kraras Massacre, she continues her crusade against Indonesian forces. The reunion with her presumably dead spouse 16 years later ignites sentiments of longing that are further complicated by suspicions surrounding his identity.
The majority of those involved in the film have strong personal connections to East Timor’s brutal history. The actors and crew, including thousands of extras, have all had relatives lost during the war and have witnessed the torture and murder of family and community members.
The film was co-directed by East-Timorese filmmaker Bety Reis, who also plays the part of Beatriz’s mother. Reis co-founded East Timor’s first film and television production house, Dili Film Works, in 2010 and is its acting director. At the age of 16, Reis witnessed first hand the killing and rape of her fellow countrymen by the Indonesian military. Reis claims that she came very close to execution and is thankful that she was spared, allowing her to create a film which could inform the world about her country’s bloody past.
“Beatriz’s War” completed its production in 2013, mainly funded through crowd sourcing campaigns, and is now in limited release in Australian theaters. The film was awarded the Golden Peacock award for Best Film at the 44th International Film Festival of India in 2013 and was screened at the International Film Festival of Adelaide. In early 2014, the film competed in both the Bryon Bay International Film Festival and the Big Picture Film festival in Sydney, Australia.
The rise of East Timorese cinema marks an important step in the country’s cultural development. The growth of the nation’s culture was severely stunted by the impacts of the recent war with Indonesia. As more of the country’s citizens emerge with creative narratives that illustrate East Timor’s rich history, the world will benefit from gaining insight to the strengths and triumphs of a newly minted nation.
-Talia Langman
Sources: Dili Film Works, Sunday Morning Herald, Mount Holyoke
Photo: Timor Leste Merkeda
Water for South Sudan Inc.
Spearheaded by founder and former “lost boy” Salva Dut, Water for South Sudan Inc. is dedicated to providing the people of South Sudan with “access to clean, safe water and to improving hygiene practices in areas of great need.”
After the Sudanese civil war in 1985, millions of people were displaced. Salva Dut was able to lead 1500 “lost boys” to Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya. He was able to move to the U.S. in 1996, and founded Water for South Sudan Inc. in 2003 in an attempt to help those still living in Sudan.
While Salva holds dual citizenship between the U.S. and South Sudan, he spends most of his time in South Sudan supervising drilling expeditions. He also travels throughout the U.S. in order to fundraise for this non-profit organization.
Becoming a country in 2011, South Sudan is the world’s newest country—and it’s also one of the poorest. In an effort to help this developing nation, as of May 2014, 217 borehole wells have been successfully drilled by Water for South Sudan Inc. These wells are responsible for providing thousands of people with clean water in South Sudan. The drilling teams work west and east of the White Nile River in villages in the two surrounding areas. (The White Nile River is a river that bisects Sudan.)
Water for South Sudan operates on the basic principle that “the ethical and moral way to create lasting change is to respect and empower people’s capacity to transform their own lives.”
The effects of the wells are enormous. Having greater access to water means that children can go to school instead of searching for water, women are not forced to spend days journeying long distances to bring back water for their families, and that businesses have a greater chance of being successful.
– Jordyn Horowitz
Sources: Water for South Sudan, Social Work and Society International Online Journal, Global Giving
Photo: Global Giving
All About the RAND Corporation
RAND corporation mission statement: “We exist to help policymakers make decisions that are based on the best available information.”
The RAND corporation was developed by Henry Arnold in 1946, and became an independent nonprofit organization in 1948 after WWII. He believed that there should be a group to keep America’s technology ahead of the rest of the world. The main idea behind the organization was to connect military planning with research and development decisions. It was initially formed to offer research and analysis to the United States Armed forces. In the 60’s, the organization became known as a think tank. At that time, a think tank was a research institute that came up with new ideas that could influence public policy.
RAND’s vision is “To be the world’s most trusted source for policy ideas and analysis.” Today, RAND does research on more than 1,000 topics a year.
They are reaching for their work to be understood by everyone, not just the experts. Because of this, they make all their research and findings available for download on their webpage.
They are proud that they have been able to remain independent of commercial and political pressures. It is stated on their “History and Mission” page that quality and objectivity are their two core values.
RAND Corporation is commissioned by government agencies, foundations and private firms.
The corporation is made up of 1,700 staff from around the world and is located in 47 different countries. Having this many people allows for RAND to have a diverse professional and educational background. There are 65 different languages spoken throughout RAND, and many of the staff are multilingual. Some of the popular languages are Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish. Fifty-seven percent of the people working for RAND have one or more doctorate degrees, and another 29 percent have one or more master’s degrees. This shows that RAND’s staff is well rounded, extremely educated and knowledgeable on the topics they are researching.
– Priscilla Rodarte
Sources: RAND Corporation, Mental Floss
Photo: Hands off Mother Earth
Soil Pollution in China
Part of China’s industrial landscape spans the Yixing area, and while the chemical boom has made the area one of China’s richest “country-level towns,” it has also caused an immense amount of damage to China’s third largest fresh water lake, Lake Tai.
Moreover, the area of increased industrialization is also located near agricultural fields, and consequently, vegetables are being planted in soil polluted by cadmium, mercury, lead and other disease-causing metals.
Although air and water pollution are widely discussed, soil pollution in China is not as widely addressed. Only in February of 2013 did the Ministry of Environmental Protection declare that the villages around Lake Tai and the Fenshui and Zhoutie areas are considered “cancer villages.”
Although many factories have been closed in an attempt to reduce the pollution of Lake Tai, much of the damage has already been done, as the harmful chemicals remain in the soil. Villager Zhang Junwei told a Guardian reporter that cancer rates had risen in the past ten years, and although farmers are aware of the harmful affects their crops have on the buyers, they have no choice but to plant in the polluted soil.
Dingshu has been one of the main areas of pollution, and although in 2011 there was a large effort to shutdown many ceramic factories, by 2013 only 300 had been completely closed.
Guardian reporter He Guangwei writes that “the area’s problems illustrate the high price China is paying for 30 years of rapid economic development and the risks China’s increasingly serious soil pollution poses to its food.”
In April 2014 the Ministry of Land and National Bureau of Statistics released a report saying that “16.1 percent of China’s soil and 19.4 percent of farmland were contaminated.” These results are forcing government officials to take more immediate action against the increasing pollution. Legislation increasing fines for polluters and ensuring that economic growth is not the sole factor in giving promotions to local officials is being developed in response to the environmental damage.
-Jordyn Horowitz
Sources: The Guardian, eWater
Photo: The Guardian