A growing global movement that addresses one of the world’s most pressing concerns, sustainability is taking the world by storm. Renewable energy in Rwanda, in particular, has improved the country in several ways.
Rwanda, known for its picturesque landscapes, presently has significant economic challenges. As of 2023, 56.5% of the population lives below the international poverty line. Some reasons for this poverty include the 1994 genocide as well as an overall limited access to education and health care. Many Rwandans unfortunately do not have access to essential resources and services.
Despite these challenges, however, renewable energy is Rwanda’s silver lining. Using natural resources like sunlight and wind, renewable energy can bring about positive change to Rwanda’s poverty problem. Rwanda generated 62.3% of its power via renewable means, and the nation has created means to fight poverty in three main ways using these sustainable energy solutions.
Job Creation
One of the main reasons for unemployment (which, in turn, leads to poverty) in Rwanda is the 1994, which, according to the International Labor Organization, “impaired all socio-economic activities in Rwanda.” The country seems to have had a difficult time bouncing back in terms of employment. In 2022, in fact, the World Bank claims that around 13% of Rwandan’s workforce was unemployed.
Of course, employees are required to set up renewable energy power plants. This creates jobs and fights unemployment, one of the three stages in the vicious circle of poverty. Jobs could include technical workers, such as engineers and electricians, and would require roles such as project managers, as well as other professionals relevant to renewable energy.
Several components are necessary for renewable energy plants, including solar panels. These high-end components have to be produced, creating jobs as a result. For example, the Global Green Growth Institute’s executive summary of one such renewable energy initiative stated that it would create 31,000 direct jobs. Creating jobs and increasing employment is therefore one major way to combat poverty while fighting for renewable energy in Rwanda.
Energy Cost Reduction
The price that the average impoverished family pays for energy is also important to keep in mind. Switching to renewable energy can, in many scenarios, lower the financial burden faced by many lower-class households.
Renewable energy in Rwanda is no exception. At first, it seems counterintuitive that something as expensive to create as solar panels is more economically viable than using fossil fuels. Although most renewable power plants, such as solar, wind and geothermal, have high initial costs, their high efficiency makes them far superior to fossil fuels in the long run.
In addition, unlike fossil fuel consumption, renewable energy taps into free resources like sunlight and wind, while mining and transporting fossil fuels can have high prices. According to scientifically conducted models through computer simulations, renewable energy is cheaper when compared to traditional forms of energy. The cost of renewable energy in Rwanda is a major reason for its success in alleviating poverty
Basic Service Accessibility Improvement
Renewable energy in Rwanda has improved access to basic services for impoverished communities. Reliable electricity, for many impoverished people in Rwanda, is a lifeline that has been extended thanks to the advent of renewable energy. Basic services like electricity, step by step, will improve this accessibility further and will make Rwanda develop faster than it already is.
Electricity has spurred many Rwandan businesses. For example, Mbonimana Jean Pierre began a lucrative welding business when his home village of Bweyeye connected to electricity. According to the World Bank, “on average, he makes more than 150.000 RwFr per month (around $165), far more than he used to earn in the city, but more importantly, he is with his family.”
Although this access to electricity was not directly a result of renewable energy, one can argue that it often leads to a large amount of power needed to supply such ventures. This beautiful story exemplifies how positive development in basic services such as electricity can lead to thriving businesses and significant strides against poverty.
The Link Between Renewable Energy and Poverty Reduction
It is not a secret that renewable energy can help fight against poverty. In fact, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lists pursuing a “green economy” as one of the main priorities of Rwanda’s economic transformation. Overall, renewable energy in Rwanda, a mission that has already begun, is an underrated hero in helping in the fight against global poverty. Not only does renewable development create jobs and spur industrial production, but it also reduces the cost of energy for many impoverished people, all while improving access to basic services like electricity.
In Rwanda, renewable energy serves not only as a solution to the world’s environmental challenges but also as a means to fight against poverty. As Rwanda uses free resources like wind and sunlight to light up homes and power industries, the nation certainly has a bright future in store.
– Advait K. Mishra
Photo: Flickr
These 5 Agricultural Technologies Are Eradicating Global Poverty
Here are five agricultural technologies that will help fight back against these threatening projections and statistics.
Looking Ahead
These agricultural technologies, despite facing criticism, exhibit significant promise and are currently implemented successfully worldwide.
By empowering farmers and local communities, these technologies provide better financial prospects and agency. Simultaneously, on a global scale, they contribute to a more stable food supply, preventing a rise in poverty rates.
– Piper Jenkins
Photo: Unsplash
Purchase College’s Commitment to the 17 SDGs
Purchase College is a public state university in New York that focuses on liberal arts but holds the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the center of all its efforts. In an interview with The Borgen Project, Anne Kern, dean for global strategy and international programs and director of the center of engagement at the college itself, explains how the college’s prioritization of justice, equity and environmental sustainability in all aspects of the campus, both in and outside the classroom, came from the college’s ongoing commitment to incorporate both social justice and sustainability on the campus in order to play a role in the fight against global poverty. Purchase College’s dedication to reducing global poverty is visible in its commitment to the 17 SDGs.
In spring 2021, Purchase College collaborated with the United Nations University Global Coalition, aiming to engage globally-focused colleges and institutions in joint efforts for a sustainable future. The partnership focuses on addressing critical global issues, aligning with the United Nations’ 17 SDGs. According to Kern, Purchase College students will encounter these goals in their professional lives, and she emphasizes the importance of their awareness to equip them for success. This initiative reflects the college’s commitment to social justice, sustainability and preparing students for a globally impactful future.
Goals of the United Nations University Global Coalition
The United Nations University Global Coalition commits to broadening students’ awareness of the world’s most pressing issues outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By urging students to actively participate in creating change and proposing innovative solutions, the coalition aims to equip them with the required skills and leadership qualities for effective collaboration across cultural and national boundaries, as well as various disciplines and sectors.
Through engaging in practical research, sharing knowledge and innovating with local and international organizations, students will contribute to novel approaches to achieving the SDGs. This experiential learning will empower them to interact with both private and public entities, playing leadership roles and providing guidance for local, national and global responses to these goals.
Recognizing the impact of each entity’s operations on critical sustainable development challenges, students will act responsibly to address these issues. Serving as exemplars, they will communicate their efforts publicly and uphold accountability for the results achieved. This comprehensive approach aims to foster a sustainable future through collective and informed action.
17 Rooms
In the past, Kern attended a kick-off event to join the Brookings Institution’s Community of Practice on learning to implement a 17 Rooms event on Purchase College’s campus, which aims to provide a fun and energizing approach to convening 17 disparate specialist communities under the same roof in order to identify high-impact actions to improve SDG outcomes. The 17 Rooms project was launched by The Brookings Institution and The Rockefeller Foundation in September 2018, on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, as an experiment to spark new kinds of action toward the 17 SDGs. Since then, 17 Rooms has developed into two different paths. The first is a yearly worldwide flagship process aimed at addressing international-scale SDG difficulties, while the second is “17 Rooms-X,” a broadly accessible technique designed to assist local communities in taking real actions toward local SDG objectives.
Moreover, 17 Rooms assembles participants from diverse professional communities to convene in separate “Rooms,” each dedicated to one of the 17 SDGs. Within each room, the shared objective is to choose collaborative actions for the upcoming 12–18 months. Ideas that emerge are then circulated across rooms, facilitating the identification of potential areas for cooperation. This approach effectively brings together natural allies, promoting familiarity for collaboration while ensuring sufficient diversity to generate innovative ideas and avenues for action.
Anne Kern’s Opinions on 17 Rooms
When asked why she decided to participate in Brookings Institution’s 17 Rooms event in the first place and how she thinks Purchase College could benefit from an event like this, Kern told The Borgen Project that she thinks it’s a good idea for young collegegoers to know that they have the ability to take on issues within the world with the college’s assistance through an event such as 17 Rooms, and she thinks that Purchase College could benefit from it because it will open up the doors to many wonderful opportunities the college could have through foreign relations relating to aid hailing from students who attend Purchase College itself.
Purchase College Inspired by 17 Rooms
In August 2023, Purchase College hosted an event inspired by the Brookings Institution’s 17 Rooms initiative, where the college’s Sustainability Office and the Office for Global Education collaborated to put on an event where like-minded students discussed pressing global issues such as the environment, justice and equity. Faculty and staff from various departments across the institution led small breakout discussion groups to educate and engage incoming students about the SDGs. Additionally, students had the opportunity to focus on one SDG, learn how Purchase advances it, and set goals to make a change on campus while forming connections with peers, faculty and staff.
To this day, Purchase College, along with Anne Kern, continues to help take on issues within the world through its commitment to the 17 SDGs, thanks to its Sustainability Office and the Office for Global Education, who help them along the way.
– Deon Roberts
Photo: Flickr
4 Foods That Can Feed the World’s Poor
Amaranth
Although amaranth produces grain, every part of it is edible. Furthermore, its nine amino acids and high protein and fiber content make it a very nutritious meal. It is drought-resistant and has been planted yearly on nearly every continent, making it an excellent crop. Amaranth grain is easier to digest after soaking for a few days. It can be turned into flour or added to a variety of dishes. Amaranth tastes “sweet and nutty,” with a “crunchy [texture] when cooked.” Puente a la Salud Comunitaria is a nonprofit working in Oaxaca, Mexico, to reduce malnutrition and poor health. It is incorporating amaranth into its diet outreach and microenterprise workshops because of its high nutrition. Purdue also recognized the importance of amaranth as one of the foods that can feed the world’s poor when it created an amaranth popper for use in Africa.
Pigeon Peas
This “pea” is not a snap pea or a cowpea. While the grain is edible, the other parts of the plant have been used as roofing, medicine and charcoal. Its usefulness as far more than a food increases its favorability. Pigeon peas are drought and heat-resistant. They can be harvested ripe or dry and must be replanted every year in areas that receive frost. However, in areas without frost, the pea plant can last for up to five years. Under the right conditions, this is an extremely high-yield plant. One plant reportedly produced 2.5 lbs. of seeds, making it an excellent addition to the list of foods that can feed the world’s poor. It is grown widely in India and Africa and has been cultivated at high elevations.
This pea is known for its sweet flavor and must be cooked before it is eaten. In 2022, Madagascan farmers took advantage of pigeon peas’ drought-resistant nature and used the peas to feed their families. The improved soil quality post-pea can be used to plant other crops. In Malawi, pigeon peas have a reputation for being the food that gets eaten when there isn’t anything else to eat. This demonstrates their hardiness, but people are not receptive to it as a staple because they are unaware of its many uses. To solve that problem, a pigeon pea cookbook was published in 2022 to teach people how to use it.
Taro
The underground part of this plant is the most commonly eaten portion, but contrary to popular belief, it is a corm or underground stem, not a root. Although its leaves and stalks are also edible, they are eaten less frequently. High in fiber and nutrients, this adaptable plant is grown around the world, making it one of the ideal foods that can feed the world’s poor. There are several varieties of taro, and as a result, it can be grown in different types of soil. It must be cooked before it is eaten due to its toxicity when raw, and “has a mildly sweet taste and a texture similar to potato” with a note of nuttiness. One of taro’s limits is its inability to store well for long periods of time. However, it can be prepared in various ways to feed the world’s poor.
The Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance recognizes that taro takes a limited amount of land and work to grow. This makes it an attractive option for farmers and countries in poverty. In 2018, the crop was “9th in the world for food crop production.”
Fonio
This hardy and nutritious grain is another food that can feed the world’s poor. It contains important amino acids along with plenty of fiber and nutrients. Fonio is extremely drought-resistant and can also flourish in less-than-ideal soil conditions. These two characteristics make this grain a formidable opponent of world hunger. It is a traditional African crop and has been grown there longer than any other cereal. It is also easily stored, enhancing its capacity to address hunger. This grain has a “rich, nutty flavor” and expands in size four times when cooked in water.
Looking Ahead
According to UNICEF, “more than one in five children under age 5 worldwide had stunted growth” as a result of malnutrition in 2022. With hardy, nutritious and versatile crops like taro, fonio, pigeon peas and amaranth available, solving world hunger and changing the lives of millions of people could be within reach.
– Abigail Leland
Photo: Unsplash
The Future Starts Today: Enriching Young Lives in South Africa
South Africa’s history of apartheid and marginalization has made it rife with poverty. A report published by the World Bank in 2023 concluded that as of 2014, an estimated 55% of South Africans lived at and under the national poverty line. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 50% of people aged 25 to 34 do not have the upper secondary qualifications needed to sustain a healthy labor force. This data points to a massive educational issue, and fixing that starts with school reform and youth preparedness. Here is how people are working on enriching young lives in South Africa.
Accenture
In early September 2023, there was an announcement that Accenture, an IT service company, provided a grant worth R24 million in South Africa’s currency ($1.3 million) to Save the Children: South Africa. STC will receive funding for youth entrepreneurship and local community projects for the next three years. Accenture has a program known as Skills 2 Succeed, where it invests in foreign countries targeting unprivileged youths. The target is an estimated 30,000 youths of equal boys and girls aged 15-24 from the most impoverished parts of the country.
Accenture will provide training for skills development while promoting climate change and the green economic sector. About 860 adults will be directed on how to create more fruitful environments as the basis for enriching young lives in South Africa. This direction includes implementing more modern technology to develop digital skills. Accenture is partnering with local community service organizations to provide computers and other digital equipment to prepare the youth for the modern world.
Shoprite Holdings
Shoprite Holdings is the largest supermarket company in Africa. In the past five years, the company has given opportunities to local communities with the Youth Employment Service (YES) Program. So far, at least 9,454 opportunities have been created for South African youth.
Participants receive a year of retail training and experience; afterward, they can begin working in retail, explore other sectors with newfound skills or choose the path of entrepreneurship. Shoprite also has a personal seven-week Retail Readiness Program, which teaches basic retail and management skills to unemployed youth. It is the largest and most successful skills development program by a South African retailer. Over the past three years, Shoprite has invested more than R384.5 million ($20.66 million) into developing 18,513 unemployed youth.
According to the Shoprite Group’s 2023 Food Index, 21.18% of South African children will experience stunting by 2025. Children affected by stunting (while being more likely to be victims of poverty in adolescence) are more likely to drop out of school and remain impoverished into and throughout adulthood.
Shoprite is partnering to support 479 children enrolled at 10 Early Childhood Development (ECD) education centers in Soweto. ECD centers provide a safe and instructional location to teach young children and provide a solid foundation for their future. However, many of these centers struggle to support themselves. Since last year, Shoprite has served more than 7,200 meals daily to children at over 114 ECD centers across South Africa.
Afrika Tikkun Bambanani
Afrika Tikkun Bambanani is dedicated to maximizing ECD and supporting impoverished youth. The company recently launched its Bamba Learn app, which is available on Android and iOS. It is an educational app that plans to teach fundamental skills such as numeracy, literacy and critical thinking to children aged two to six.
An estimated 800 employees are working on enriching young lives in South Africa, with 200 early learning centers in disadvantaged communities throughout the country serving as the cognitive foundation of 10,000 of South Africa’s future.
Sun International
Another group working hard to instill quality education in children in South Africa is Sun International, a development and investing company. Literacy is a fundamental part of education, and according to the 2030 Reading Panel report for 2023, South Africa has experienced a significant regression in children’s literacy; most children graduate grade one without knowing the alphabet and a recently estimated 82% of grade four students struggle to read for understanding.
This regression has severe indications for stunted critical thinking skills on a generational scale. The greatest issue is that children are simply not reading due to lack of access.
Sun International worked with the local nonprofit Read To Rise in September to counteract this crisis by donating books and school supplies to Vukani Primary School in Soweto. The donation included four mini-libraries, school supplies for grades three and four students and 65 additional books for the school with a total value of R37,500 ($2,000). Over seven years, Sun International has worked to send 13,000 books to 23 primary schools across South Africa and into the hands of an estimated 6,241 young minds.
Looking Forward
On the bright side, various initiatives and corporations are actively working to uplift young lives and combat the educational challenges stemming from historical issues in South Africa. Accenture’s investment in youth entrepreneurship and digital skills, Shoprite’s Youth Employment Service Program, Afrika Tikkun Bambanani’s innovative Bamba Learn app and Sun International’s efforts to promote literacy all contribute to creating a brighter future for South African youth. These endeavors demonstrate a commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty by investing in education and skill development, paving the way for positive change.
–Eddie Dale
Photo: Flickr
Partnerships for Global Poverty Alleviation
Ongoing trends in the fight against poverty highlight the significance of collaborative global initiatives. Governments, international organizations and the corporate sector are working together to tackle the multifaceted challenges associated with poverty. This unified approach enhances the effectiveness of poverty alleviation efforts.
The Borgen Project supports these joint activities as part of its commitment to fighting global poverty through the passage of foreign aid laws.
The following is a deep dive into the relevance of global collaborations, alongside efforts that are helping to alleviate poverty. These partnerships for global poverty alleviation show the potential of collective action in mobilizing resources and skills to address one of our time’s most important concerns.
United Nations Development Program
The United Nations (U.N.) is a key player in global diplomacy, with 193 member states. The public continues to see it as a central hub for addressing various international issues.
To tackle issues like global poverty, the U.N. approved the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), representing the common global commitment to addressing 14 aspects of global poverty, including education, health care and job opportunities.
Present in more than 170 nations and territories, the efforts of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have been essential to meeting the challenge of the SDGs.
In addition, the Human Development Index (HDI) which gauges a nation’s overall progress using metrics like life expectancy, education and per capita income, was developed largely due to the influence of UNDP. Many nations’ HDI scores have improved as a result of UNDP’s activities.
In 2022, the U.N. conducted an impact assessment of the SDGs through more than 3,000 scientific studies. The findings indicated that the goals had a substantial impact on political discourse, possibly influenced by the efforts of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
SDGs have had a special ability to connect people with a common goal of eradicating global poverty, and the UNDP has been instrumental in this effort, succeeding in mobilizing $3.8 billion in SDG bonds, raising $1.6 billion to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and giving 71 million people access to essential services in 36 countries. These figures indicate why this is one of the most significant partnerships for global poverty alleviation.
World Vision
Founded in 1950, World Vision is a prominent international humanitarian organization dedicated to alleviating poverty. Operating in nearly 100 countries, World Vision focuses on issues such as child well-being, education, health and economic development. Based on 2022 data, World Vision has sponsored 3.2 million children and helped 3 million people gain access to water.
By quickly responding to emergencies, the organization has been able to “[help] more than 30 million people affected by emergencies,” which ranged from “conflict to cyclones.” World Vision has had a significant influence by changing the lives of vulnerable children and communities, pushing them to pursue a brighter future.
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Africa is widely recognized for its stunning landscapes and diverse cultures. However, the economic development across the continent lags behind. Among the 46 countries labeled as least developed by the U.N., a significant 33 are from Africa. This poses unique challenges for the region’s progress.
African countries have realized this gap in development and have made admirable progress through several key partnerships. One of these, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), prioritizes small-scale farmers in order to increase agricultural productivity, develop value chains and improve market access.
The organization’s motto emphasizes sustainable growth for Africa’s food systems, a commitment it continues working to uphold. So far, the Alliance has attracted more than $140 million in investments, demonstrating its ongoing dedication to this goal.
By investing in large-scale agriculture, AGRA is able to cut potential losses while encouraging local farmers and providing them with upward mobility. This strategy gives underprivileged African communities the tools they need to end the vicious cycle of poverty.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Vaccines play a crucial role in fighting health-related poverty and preventing diseases such as polio, tetanus, and influenza.
Since 2000, Gavi, in collaboration with organizations like UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), has prevented more than 17 million disease-related deaths and vaccinated more than 1.8 billion people. More than half of these individuals are children, and they come from 73 different nations. This not only saves lives but also contributes to reducing poverty by boosting economic productivity in these countries.
Looking Ahead
The struggle against worldwide poverty is a multifaceted challenge, intricately woven with the relationships between governments and the private sector. The interconnected dimensions of this issue require collaborative efforts, and the alliances spotlighted so far suggest a significant stride toward making global poverty eradication more attainable for governments and citizens alike.
–Advait K. Mishra
Photo: Wikimedia
Child Marriage and Women’s Rights in Burkina Faso
The Impact
The consequences of child marriage reverberate throughout the lives of girls and young women in Burkina Faso. A lack of education is one of the most common outcomes. As the adolescent birth rate is 132.3 per 1,000 women aged 15–19, girls who marry early are more likely to drop out of school to raise their children.
Furthermore, the health implications of these rights violations for girls cannot be overlooked. Burkina Faso has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world, with one in every twenty-two women succumbing to pregnancy-related causes. By simply providing education to these girls surrounding sex education, alongside improved health care programs in place, these deaths could be dramatically reduced. These alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions that empower girls and women to make informed choices about their lives, their health and their futures.
A Glimmer of Hope
That being said, despite these shocking statistics, Burkina Faso as a nation does recognize the need for change, and recent developments demonstrate this. As of February 2020, the Burkina Faso government had announced its dedication to eradicating early, non consensual marriage for girls by raising the legal age of marriage to 18 and ensuring that in Burkina Faso’s criminal code, forced marriage is clearly outlawed.
A year later, in July 2021, Burkina Faso also committed to a five-year journey of action to improve gender equality by 2026 by investing $40 million into the development of legal as well as social change to end not only child marriage but gender-based violence, female genital mutilation and more. These efforts demonstrate a genuine commitment to protecting the rights of girls and women throughout the country.
Impact: Success Stories and Empowering Change
In Burkina Faso, where conflict disrupts education and pressures some families into early marriages, stories of resilience and hope emerge.
At the Sainte Maria Goretti shelter, a beacon of hope, over one hundred young women have sought refuge, each with a determination to rekindle their dreams. Sister Veronique, a guardian at the shelter, has been witness to their incredible journeys. “Some have faced violence, while others endured hardships that would daunt the bravest,” she shared. Veronique takes care of girls like Evelyne, 16, whose grandfather planned to force her to marry an older man after an attack on their village caused them to flee.
“I overheard his intentions and made the courageous choice to find refuge here,” said Evelyne. “I’m still a child, and on top of that, I want to study,” she emphasized. While Evelyne’s parents eventually located her at the shelter, social worker support and their recognition of Evelyne’s passion for learning convinced them to let her continue her education.
These stories radiate the indomitable spirit of young girls in Burkina Faso, who, even in the face of adversity, stand resolute in their pursuit of education and dreams. Their journeys embody the transformative power of enabling girls to make choices that shape their own lives and futures, encapsulating the promise and hope for women’s rights in Burkina Faso.
A Hopeful Path Forward
In Burkina Faso, the battle against child marriage is ongoing, but there is a glimmer of hope that lights the way for women’s rights in Burkina Faso. The prevalence of this harmful practice is gradually decreasing as legal reforms and awareness campaigns gain momentum. While there is much work ahead, the path forward is clear: By breaking the cycle of child marriage, we not only empower individual girls but also pave the way for an entire generation to rise, thrive and shape a brighter future for women’s rights in Burkina Faso.
– Phoebe Abrahams
Photo: Flickr
5 Brands Fighting Global Poverty
Airbnb
Airbnb began fighting global poverty in 2017, and since then it has been providing emergency accommodation for people around the world. The Airbnb Open Homes program works by allowing Airbnb hosts to offer their properties to those in need on a temporary basis. While the program mainly aims to provide shelter for refugees and displaced people during emergencies, it also provides accommodation for relief workers who are offering help in struggling areas. Since its beginning, The Open Homes program has helped over 100,000 people find shelter. Recently, Airbnb has also announced the start of Airbnb.org, a nonprofit organization that aids housing provisions in times of crisis. It plans to take control of Airbnb’s Open Homes program, using Airbnb’s technology and resources to further power this long-running program.
KFC
KFC is currently the World Food Program’s (WFP) largest corporate partner. Each year, KFC engages millions of employees and consumers in its Add Hope initiative, a project that is also the WFP’s largest international consumer outreach project. Since Add Hope began 14 years ago, KFC has supplied 30 million nutritious meals to children in South Africa.
By leveraging its global presence with in-store donations and special fundraising events, the company has made a meaningful difference for families and children suffering from hunger. In cooperation with WFP, KFC has helped raise funding for over 460 million school meals in more than 50 countries, and the partnership has generated over 1 billion media impressions.
Whole Foods
Whole Planet Foundation is a nonprofit organization started by Whole Foods Market, and it dedicates its movement to alleviating poverty through empowerment. The main goal of the project is to provide microloans to people in poverty, especially in areas where Whole Food’s sources its produce.
The foundation began in 2005, when Whole Food’s stores dedicated 5% of its nationwide earnings that day as seed money for the project, and since then the project has gone on to disburse up to $107 million in microloans.
The loans have a 98% repayment rate, and all the repaid money is put towards future loans for small businesses. With the average first loan only being $181, Whole Planet Foundation has helped over 1 million people in poverty provide for themselves through their own business, supporting a sustainable route out of poverty.
Starbucks
Starbucks purchases about 3% of the world’s coffee, and they also account for a large amount of support in the industry. The Starbucks Foundation is an organization that supports people both at home and abroad. By donating grants to existing nonprofit organizations, The Starbucks Foundation helps communities to thrive, from your local stores down the street to coffee farmers outside of America. Since its start in 2005, the foundation has invested more than $25 million in coffee- and tea-growing communities across the world. In 2022, Starbucks also committed to helping 1 million women in the coffee, tea and cocoa-growing industries, ensuring they support workers with fair pay.
PepsiCo
Collaborating with local and international organizations, nonprofit organizations, and employees around the globe, the PepsiCo Foundation is on a mission to promote food security, provide safe water, encourage economic opportunity and strengthen the community. The PepsiCo Foundation dedicated a total of $62 million towards its goals in 2022, and it has reached millions of people worldwide. Since 2009, the foundation’s programs and partners have distributed more than 270 million meals. Since 2006, they helped 3 million people gain access to safe water by 2015.
In recent years, great strides have been made in fighting global poverty, but the battle continues. Approximately 719 million people still sustain on less than $2.15 per day. From a daily cup of coffee to a cheeky chicken dinner, people can support change no matter how big or small.
– Jodie Donovan
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in North Korea: Everything You Need To Know About It
Current Picture
The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has not published economic information, so researchers must find creative ways to understand the nation. New technology allows estimations of GDP and poverty based on night light using satellite imagery. Estimates of poverty in North Korea average around 60%.
Various factors, primarily internal and some external, contribute to North Korea’s poverty. One of the leading causes is the Kim dynasty’s communist government, which prioritizes military spending over the good of its people. This emphasis on preserving power by cloaking North Korea and building military might have resulted in a severely underdeveloped economy dependent on Chinese support for electricity, water and other crucial resources.
Additionally, North Korea’s economy has been further weakened by international sanctions, with countries like the U.S., denying its people to trade with North Korea. However, this does not have a significant impact anyway, as there is little chance of trade entering the country. Everything must pass through the government’s bureaucracy before it is legally permitted to operate, which makes it difficult to provide humanitarian aid or goods and services to those most affected. Even when given the go-ahead to trade, spying will still occur with systems like Red-Star, which takes regular and random screenshots of text messages and recordings of phone calls.
However, this government is not the one that is most impacted by the policies it employs. Most of the challenging circumstances provided by the state affect North Korea’s population alone. There is a great deal of suffering due to widespread malnutrition, a lack of access to health care and inadequate (above-ground) infrastructure that is not used for military purposes. Chronic food shortages are a harsh reality for many North Koreans who struggle to provide for their families. According to the UN, a startling 40% of the world’s population is malnourished.
Being malnourished does not just mean they’re starving; it also means their immune system is failing, putting them at risk of death. Of course, the bourgeoisie may eat as much as they like, which gave birth to the insult ‘Kim Fatty III’, now banned in China — another communist regime but with a more liberal approach to the economy.
Furthermore, it is difficult for aid groups to function effectively in North Korea due to the regime’s secrecy and state mandates. The efforts to lessen its citizens’ suffering are hampered by this lack of transparency and micromanagement from the dictatorship: Everything you do must be approved by the state.
Organizations Making a Difference
Despite the difficulties, a few organizations are making a valiant effort to combat poverty in North Korea. The Eugene Bell Foundation is one such group that focuses on helping North Koreans in need of medical care and tuberculosis treatment. Due to the critically underdeveloped above-ground infrastructure, North Korea has one of the highest tuberculosis rates in the world. The Eugene Bell Foundation has significantly improved the nation’s health care outcomes. The Foundation has reduced the chances of dying from the disease by providing treatment to anywhere from 500–1,500 patients per year, a number that would be much higher if the North Korean Government would be honest about how serious the problem is.
Another example is the World Food Program (WFP), which sees that 18% of all children in North Korea are stunned (cannot grow due to malnourishment). The WFP’s efforts are vital in alleviating hunger and malnutrition in the country, albeit under challenging circumstances. They have heroically provided monthly nutrition packages specialized for protein, vitamins and fats to around a million children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
The Future
Undoubtedly, the path ahead will be challenging, as political unrest and diplomatic challenges continue to impede humanitarian efforts in North Korea. These organizations continue to be dedicated to their goals and work to improve the lives of those affected by tyrannous government and poverty. All of this is in stark contrast to the open market representative democracy to its south: South Korea, which is richer, more advanced and the top destination for North Koreans seeking to escape.
To conclude, North Korea’s poverty is a pervasive issue with multiple root causes. The suffering of the North Korean people is a result of the oppressive regime and a lack of transparency as well as international sanctions. However, organizations like the World Food Program and the Eugene Bell Foundation are working nonstop to deliver critical assistance to the most vulnerable.
It is important to remember the millions of North Koreans who continue to live in poverty and squalor on the Korean Peninsula. The issue of North Korea’s poverty goes beyond geopolitics and touches on fundamental human rights and dignity. The international community must continue to be dedicated to identifying solutions and helping those in need.
– Sean Boehm
Photo: Unsplash
Reducing Poverty in Egypt & Organizations to Support
The Current Crisis
Currently, Egypt’s inflation rates are at 33%, with the cost of basic goods soaring higher. The World Bank’s data files estimated that in 2019, 29.7% of Egyptians were living near or below the poverty line.
Director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, Timothy E. Kaldas stated that “there was a very large part of the population above that line, and undoubtedly many of them have since fallen below it. As inflation continues to grow, more are falling below the poverty line.”
As measured in a research report in 2023, some of the poverty comes from increased cash assistance following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, due to grain shortages for bread.
This, as well as austerity measures taken ($12 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund in 2016) following reliance on loans for government operations and mega infrastructure projects, plummeted the country into its current financial state.
Stories From Egyptian Citizens
This rise in poverty rates led to higher levels of social deprivation, as exhibited by an average 9.7% drop in general consumption of goods and services, with less spending on items like education, health care and culture. Even those in the middle class in Egypt have to hunt for second jobs and skip meals to endure the rapidly rising costs.
Though working full-time as a professional graphic designer, Ahmed Fawzi told The Guardian that he needs to search for a second job. As a father of three, he is scraping to make sure that he can support his family with a monthly salary of 5,000 Egyptian pounds ($162). He stated, “It feels like the economic crisis is literally squeezing me. Prices are going up every day and there’s no solution to it.”
The Support Available
CAPMAS (Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics) stated that though Egypt is at the lowest rate of poverty in 20 years, the country is still deeply suffering. Yet there are support initiatives in place to make sure that poverty in Egypt is reduced. In 2022, the International Monetary Fund did provide Egypt with $3 billion, dictating that the government spend it on their citizens, allowing support for 20 million of those in poverty.
How They Are Aiding Poverty in Egypt
But is there support beyond financial means? The emotional strain that the major cost-of-living crisis has put on Egyptians is listened to and supported by organizations alike. CAPMAS said that the organization is “cultivating the fruits” of the economic reforms from projects like Karama supporting the country.
Established in 2005, Karama is a beneficiary program that names itself a “social safety net project that promotes Egyptian women empowerment.’’ Aiming to reduce poverty in Egypt, it helps poor women and children and those with disabilities by providing both conditional and unconditional cash transfers. Focusing on food insecurities, education and health care, Karama is still a successful front to aid poverty in Egypt, increasing emotional prosperity.
UNICEF, in recent months and years, has held regular conferences to address the global poverty rates, including Egypt’s. In September 2023, they focused on speaking with Congress to address health rights for children. 2021 saw UNICEF hold a conference where they discussed an “evidence-informed development agenda for Egypt.”
Egypt has partnered with international beneficiaries to reduce their ongoing poverty. While it is still widespread in the nation, the mission to end poverty in Egypt is progressing, and there are support networks for those living in poverty daily. Assisting vulnerable groups across Egypt through international charities and financial aid gives them a voice and promotes international funding for underdeveloped countries in crisis.
– Anastasia Brown
Photo: Flickr
Progress in Renewable Energy in Rwanda
Rwanda, known for its picturesque landscapes, presently has significant economic challenges. As of 2023, 56.5% of the population lives below the international poverty line. Some reasons for this poverty include the 1994 genocide as well as an overall limited access to education and health care. Many Rwandans unfortunately do not have access to essential resources and services.
Despite these challenges, however, renewable energy is Rwanda’s silver lining. Using natural resources like sunlight and wind, renewable energy can bring about positive change to Rwanda’s poverty problem. Rwanda generated 62.3% of its power via renewable means, and the nation has created means to fight poverty in three main ways using these sustainable energy solutions.
Job Creation
One of the main reasons for unemployment (which, in turn, leads to poverty) in Rwanda is the 1994, which, according to the International Labor Organization, “impaired all socio-economic activities in Rwanda.” The country seems to have had a difficult time bouncing back in terms of employment. In 2022, in fact, the World Bank claims that around 13% of Rwandan’s workforce was unemployed.
Of course, employees are required to set up renewable energy power plants. This creates jobs and fights unemployment, one of the three stages in the vicious circle of poverty. Jobs could include technical workers, such as engineers and electricians, and would require roles such as project managers, as well as other professionals relevant to renewable energy.
Several components are necessary for renewable energy plants, including solar panels. These high-end components have to be produced, creating jobs as a result. For example, the Global Green Growth Institute’s executive summary of one such renewable energy initiative stated that it would create 31,000 direct jobs. Creating jobs and increasing employment is therefore one major way to combat poverty while fighting for renewable energy in Rwanda.
Energy Cost Reduction
The price that the average impoverished family pays for energy is also important to keep in mind. Switching to renewable energy can, in many scenarios, lower the financial burden faced by many lower-class households.
Renewable energy in Rwanda is no exception. At first, it seems counterintuitive that something as expensive to create as solar panels is more economically viable than using fossil fuels. Although most renewable power plants, such as solar, wind and geothermal, have high initial costs, their high efficiency makes them far superior to fossil fuels in the long run.
In addition, unlike fossil fuel consumption, renewable energy taps into free resources like sunlight and wind, while mining and transporting fossil fuels can have high prices. According to scientifically conducted models through computer simulations, renewable energy is cheaper when compared to traditional forms of energy. The cost of renewable energy in Rwanda is a major reason for its success in alleviating poverty
Basic Service Accessibility Improvement
Renewable energy in Rwanda has improved access to basic services for impoverished communities. Reliable electricity, for many impoverished people in Rwanda, is a lifeline that has been extended thanks to the advent of renewable energy. Basic services like electricity, step by step, will improve this accessibility further and will make Rwanda develop faster than it already is.
Electricity has spurred many Rwandan businesses. For example, Mbonimana Jean Pierre began a lucrative welding business when his home village of Bweyeye connected to electricity. According to the World Bank, “on average, he makes more than 150.000 RwFr per month (around $165), far more than he used to earn in the city, but more importantly, he is with his family.”
Although this access to electricity was not directly a result of renewable energy, one can argue that it often leads to a large amount of power needed to supply such ventures. This beautiful story exemplifies how positive development in basic services such as electricity can lead to thriving businesses and significant strides against poverty.
The Link Between Renewable Energy and Poverty Reduction
It is not a secret that renewable energy can help fight against poverty. In fact, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lists pursuing a “green economy” as one of the main priorities of Rwanda’s economic transformation. Overall, renewable energy in Rwanda, a mission that has already begun, is an underrated hero in helping in the fight against global poverty. Not only does renewable development create jobs and spur industrial production, but it also reduces the cost of energy for many impoverished people, all while improving access to basic services like electricity.
In Rwanda, renewable energy serves not only as a solution to the world’s environmental challenges but also as a means to fight against poverty. As Rwanda uses free resources like wind and sunlight to light up homes and power industries, the nation certainly has a bright future in store.
– Advait K. Mishra
Photo: Flickr