To make positive change in the world, we don’t just need tons of money, popularity or political influence, we need the right tools.
By getting the right people together in one place, specifically one that fosters intellectual development and creativity, we can make great things happen.
This is the belief of kLab, a tech hub in Rwanda where young people can bring their startup ideas and receive free Wi-Fi, workspace and mentorship from professors, business owners, and community leaders.
kLab – which stands for “knowledge lab” – has been operating for over a year and was officially launched in October 2013. The center is funded by the Rwanda private Sector Federation, the Rwanda Development Board and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
“The knowledge lab is an innovation center where fresh and young graduates come to work on their projects, especially in the tech industry,” said Jovani Ntabgoba, kLab’s general manager, at the launch.
kLab currently offers the services of 21 different mentors to its over 80 tenants. The startups at the center range from online shopping websites to improved medical technology. The mentors offer these young people the ability to truly flesh out their ideas and turn them into much more.
“The culture is collaboration, but it’s not just collaboration; it’s positioning oneself at an age where you receive the best mentorship that you cannot find anywhere else in Rwanda,” Ntabgoba said. “At kLab we have all of the knowledge that is required for a tenant to develop their business.”
The power of this collaboration has led to the beginning of many bright futures for startups that focus on the vision of the country of Rwanda: to turn the nation into a knowledge-based economy. However, young Rwandans are challenged daily by a lack of skills due to the fact that the educational curriculum is not yet “innovation-oriented.”
One of the more recent kLab successes is GIRA ICT – a startup that combats a large roadblock to widespread internet usage in Africa: hardware prices. By partnering with big name manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, HP and Lenovo, GIRA ICT allows consumers to pay for their devices in monthly installments in order to increase hardware ownership across the country.
“We started as a group of five entrepreneurs, so we came into kLab and they gave us a free space to work in. We could enjoy internet… they provided us with mentors,” said project supervisor Alphonse Ruhigira.
GIRA ICT has also been collaborating with the government to supplement the One Laptop per Child program. Founded by Nadia Uwamahoro, this effort provides teachers with laptops that they can pay off over a span of four years. So far, this has helped about 100 teachers to attain laptops and the number is steadily increasing.
“It’s a brilliant innovation and she is doing brilliant business,” says Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Rwandan Minister for Youth and ICT of Uwamahoro. “She’s taken computers to places where they were seeing and touching them for the first time by lowering the affordability challenge.”
Through efforts such as GIRA ICT, kLab is pushing Rwanda towards its goal of becoming a middle-income country by the year 2020.
“I want you to understand the uniqueness of this kLab compared to many other iHubs in the region. The uniqueness of this one is that you are in this building and you are not alone in this building,” said Michael Bezy, associate director of Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, who works with kLab in order to provide mentorship to its tenants.
“You look at that and you say ‘I have entrepreneurs here, I have a world-class university, I have IT businesses and I have IT infrastructure.’ That looks to me like a mini Silicon Valley,” said Bezy.
– Samantha Davis
Sources: Wired, kLab, Wired
Photo: Wired
2014 Sundance Film Festival and Global Poverty
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival encourages storytellers to share the strength of those living in poverty. The Sundance Institute aims to “harness the power of independent film,” and drive a global conversation on poverty.
Partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the institute calls for short narrative or documentary films. In three to eight minutes, these films should celebrate the innovation and perseverance of those in poverty.
The Institute also partnered with Tongal.com to manage submissions. Filmmakers can submit projects through 1 July 2014 at no cost. Sundance awards winning films 10,000 dollars and the opportunity to premiere at the 2015 Film Festival. To apply, visit tongal.com/sundance.
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival featured the first five films on January 21. The Institute and Gates Foundation plan to release these films online throughout the year.
After My Garden Grows, directed by Megan Mylan
A young girl plants “seeds of independence and financial freedom” in a rural, male-dominated region of India.
Am I Going Too Fast?, directed by Hank Willis Thomas and Christopher Myers
This experimental documentary featured the intersecting lives of shopkeepers, craftspeople and ordinary citizens in Nairobi, Kenya. The sweeping transformation of technology, cell phone banking and micro-finance brought these men and women together.
Kombit, directed by Jeff Reichert and Farihah Zaman
In aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, men and women united to start a micro-garden.
The Masterchef, directed by Ritesh Batra
Akhil, a young shoeshiner, aspires to become a gourmet chef. One day, he has a “chance encounter” with the most popular Indian television chef.
Vezo, directed by Tod Lending
Narrated by a nine-year old girl, this documentary tells the tale of a village close to starvation until it adopts sustainable fishing practices.
The Faces of Global Poverty: 15 Must-See Short Films
Colours in the Dust
Blood Brother Trailer
Rural Poverty in Their Own Words: Ghana
In Your Hands
Syrian Girl Chooses School Before Marriage
The Thread
Pupils Speak Out About UK Child Poverty
Afghan Girl:Teacher? Engineer? Sheppard?
Hope on a Bicycle
The “Poster Girl for Starvation”
Stay: Migration and Poverty in Rural Mexico
Coal Boy
Four Men, 28 Days: Haiti After the Earthquake
Waste
Human Rights and Poverty in Ireland
– Ellery Spahr
Sources: Why Poverty
Photo: Flipkey
Are Developing Countries Now Overweight?
Statistics indicate that individuals who are obese or overweight in developing countries have tripled over the last 30 years. It seems that as countries begin to shift from low income towards middle income and onwards, people are able to purchase more food, most of which is unhealthy.
High-calories foods, usually quite tasty, are now easily accessible in practically every country but now those with more money are purchasing larger quantities.
In the 1980s, less than 23% of adults in the third world were overweight; currently, the amount of obese people in the developing world rival those of rich nations. Mexico is a prime example of this global problem. In 1980, under 40% of Mexican women were overweight but in 2008 it increased to 70% and there is speculation of a greater increase in recent years.
An official from the Overseas Development Institute in London, Steve Wiggins, reports that large varieties of high-calorie snacks such as chips, cookies and carbonated drinks are readily available in various Mexican stores, making it the “poster child” for the obesity problem.
Over 90% of men in some Pacific Island nations are also facing the overweight issue. Countries in the Middle East, such as Egypt, have a growing number of overweight women.
Health systems in developing nations already have significant issues with infectious diseases and now this burden of excessive consumption of high-calorie foods poses a risk for developing other diseases. Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and various cancers can all be caused by large intake of fat, sugar and salt.
This global trend could potentially lead to increased health care expenses and decreased economic growth from a loss of productivity.
Despite these risky factors, reports suggest that a quick turn around is possible if new health campaigns for better diets are adopted. In the mean time, developing nations are not too interested in advocating for a fruit and vegetable substitute since several families are finally getting sufficient income for more food.
– Maybelline Martez
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NPR
Photo: Club House News
Social Media Affects 21st Century Political Instability
From a political standpoint, 2011 was a groundbreaking year that marked monumental transitions in political power on an international scale.
With the Arab Spring in the Middle East region, the authoritative regimes of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen became toppled and replaced—the effects of which are still felt today. Currently, social unrest still persists on an international scale, while the causes are embedded primarily within the economy and international media.
The Global Financial Decline
Following the 2008 global recession, unemployment hit people hard across the world. As a result, people began to address some of the pressing social issues in politics and economics. And although much of the significant political shifts occurred in the Middle East, various nations in Europe had evidence of social unrest as well.
However, the global financial decline has already begun the process of slowing, which may seem to imply that political instability is on the decline as well.
On the contrary, there are still prevalent issues expected to become problems down the road. Youth unemployment is the greatest concern as, “in the EU, a record of 24.4% of people under 25 are unable to find work.”
This sort of unemployment is expected to continue as residual effects of global economic recession and has even resulted in disastrous cases such as Spain and Greece where youth unemployment for their “lost generation” is nearly 60%. In the same way that unemployment and financial decline were catalysts to Arab Spring movements, they may continue to do so in the future.
Media Impacts of Social Unrest
As a generation of the information era of technological innovation and various capabilities, the youth population has been instrumental in addressing prevalent social concerns. The internet in general has allowed for open networks of information that are widely accessible and transparency has been an influential byproduct.
Additionally, when social media capabilities are thrown into the equation, the potential for collective organizing is monumental.
During the Arab Spring alone, social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter were bombarded with citizen journalism and ground level footage of political atrocities. Because the world has begun to lose its walls and become much less isolated, globalization has been on the rise.
So the world was able to watch the entire process of thousands of citizens in nations such as Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen rallying in protest to voice their grievances because of social media.
Therefore, with the capabilities presented before the youth population and social issues of unemployment presented before them, it is certain that political instability and social unrest may continue to endure with the youth population.
– Jugal Patel
Sources: CNN, The Guardian, University of Washington
Photo: MRGMI
10 Quotes from Business Executives on Poverty
Too often there is a disconnect between the business world and those around the globe suffering from poverty. These two worlds are perceived as either completely unrelated, or to a certain extent, antagonistic. However, funding global development and combating poverty are smart business choices.
When business promotes development in ailing communities, healthy and prosperous people create new markets. As stated by current Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, “We need to stop viewing it as aid. It’s an investment.”
Viewing global aid in that vein, it becomes much easier to see how the determination it takes to create a successful business is quite similar to the dedication necessary to fight global poverty.
Here, then, are ten quotes from business executives that you should apply in your daily fight to end poverty worldwide.
1. “When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.” – Roy Disney
2. “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” – Malcolm Forbes
3. “Think P.I.G. – that’s my motto. P stands for persistence, I stands for integrity, and G stands for guts. These are the ingredients for a successful business and a successful life.” – Linda Chandler
4. “We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why even be here?” – Steve Jobs
5. “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion.” – Jack Welch
6. “Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.” – Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
7. “Apply yourself. Get all the education you can, but then, by God, do something. Don’t just stand there, make it happen.” – Lee Iacocca
8. “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree long before.” – Warren Buffet
9. “I believe if you show people the problems and you show people the solutions, they will be moved to act.” – Bill Gates
10. “Creativity often consists of merely turning up what is already there” – Bernice Fitz-Gibbon
– Taylor Diamond
Sources: ThinkExist, Thought Catalog, BrainyQuote
Photo: HEC
5 Groups in the U.S. Addressing Climate Change
A growing movement is spreading throughout the international community in regards to addressing the prevalence of climate change. Accordingly, thousands of organizations on a global scale have mobilized to spread awareness, understand key issues and articulate solutions.
In the United States alone, there are a plethora of organizations that have been able to make strides in addressing the issue. Here is a list of 5 prominent environmental organizations that are fighting climate change and reaching success.
1. 350.org: The influential global movement headed by author Bill McKibben works across nearly 200 countries. Much of their work specifically targets carbon emissions as the number 350 itself refers to the amount of atmospheric carbon (in parts per million) needed for a stable climate.
Currently, the number is nearly at 400 parts per million, which is quite overwhelming. In order to reduce the number on an international scale, 350 works on campaigns widely ranging from stopping the Keystone XL pipeline in the United States to fighting the development of coal power plants in India.
2. Chesapeake Climate Action Network: Focusing specifically on the Atlantic coast of the United States, the Chesapeake Climate Action (CCAN) is the first organization to address climate change impacts in the Maryland/Virginia region. The area is highly vulnerable as it is home to dozens of defense facilities, while also being low-lying and densely populated.
CCAN works at the grassroots level to spread awareness, introduce the general public into the political process and influence environmental legislation. More recently, their work has been focusing on making use of Virginia’s vast renewable energy potential in offshore wind and solar energy.
3. Sierra Club: As one of the oldest, largest and influential environmental organizations in the United States, the Sierra Club has been focusing on various environmental issues for the past century. They now have 64 local chapters nationwide, a network of 2.1 million supporters and an extremely dedicated team of individuals.
In the past, The Sierra Club was influential in the implementation of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. Currently, they are focused on leading the world towards a clean energy economy and away from the heavy reliance on the fossil fuel industry.
4. Climate Reality Project: Both founded and chaired by Al Gore, the former Vice President and Nobel Laureate has led a growing global network of over 5 million individuals. The Climate Reality Project focuses heavily on spreading awareness by introducing the international scientific consensus on climate change to the general public.
Some of their promising initiatives are centered on revealing the truth behind the climate denial movement, providing information on the costs of carbon pollution and training climate reality leaders to have the skills to mobilize communities for action.
5. Energy Action Coalition: With student activism on the steep rise, organizations form and collaborate to be as effective as possible. The Energy Action Coalition is a group of 30 youth led organizations that address current environmental issues. With their level of diversity and broad organizational inclusion, the Energy Action Coalition is able to reach success in mobilizing campus communities.
The combined efforts of students across America have been successful in organizing national Power Shift Summits and campaigns to stop the development of the Keystone XL pipeline.
However, one of their prominent successes is embedded within their commitment to establishing carbon neutral college campuses. Ultimately, the Energy Action Coalition has been able to solidify almost 700 campus commitments to carbon neutrality up to 2012.
– Jugal Patel
Sources: 350.org, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, Sierra Club, The Climate Reality Project, Sierra Club, Energy Action Coalition
Photo: Scientific American
5 Motivational Bill Gates Quotes
As one of the richest men on the planet, a philanthropist extraordinaire with his own multi-million dollar fund and a proponent for the human race, billionaire Bill Gates shouldn’t only be perceived as the father of Microsoft — he’s a prominent source of inspiration and hope.
Following are five advocative quotes by the legendary man, certain to motivate and incite toward action:
1. “I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act.”
2. “I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they’re interested in.”
3. “People always fear change. People feared electricity when it was invented, didn’t they? People feared coal, they feared gas-powered engines… There will always be ignorance, and ignorance leads to fear. But with time, people will come to accept their silicon masters.”
4. “At Microsoft there are lots of brilliant ideas but the image is that they all come from the top – I’m afraid that’s not quite right.”
5. “The general idea of the rich helping the poor, I think, is important.”
What’s truly important to keep in mind here is that Mr. Gates, no matter how successful, is only human—much like everyone else. Due to his accomplishments, there probably isn’t a single person unfamiliar with his name in the modern day world.
However, Bill Gates himself pays attention to those in need; he donates money and funds research that is helping to alleviate global poverty.
These hand-picked quotes are only a sample of the reflective thoughts he produces; the encouraging simple truths they present should function as incentives for hard work.
– Natalia Isaeva
Sources: BrainyQuote, The Gates Notes
Photo: CNN
Davos’s Gender Problem
Helen Clark, the former prime minister of New Zealand, was interviewed during her preparations to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More than 2,600 people are currently attending the forum, which runs from January 22 to January 25.
Asked about women’s attendance at the conference, Clark said “It’s the same story every year, under 20% of the people going are women.” When informed that the actual figure is closer to 15%, the former prime minister just rolled her eyes.
And, understandably so. Despite comprising 50% of the global population, a mere 15% of attendees are women. Worse yet, this number is down from last year, where 17% of attendees were female. Statistically, this means a person is 66% less likely to encounter a woman at Davos than anywhere else in the world.
The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) organizers contend that the gender disparity at the conference merely mirrors the reality of today’s world. WEF’s managing director and head of communications Adrian Monck says: “We’re on the front line of reflecting the world as it is, not how we want it to be.”
Monck claims that the organization wishes its meetings were better attended by women but that the organization’s greater goal prevents it. WEF’s imperative? To bring together the world’s most powerful and influential people. Given that only 16.9% of Fortune 500 boards of directors are comprised of women and less than 5% of the Fortune 500 are actually led by women, it is a point that, unfortunately, makes sense.
However, according to Clark, who is currently ranked as the 21st most powerful woman in the world by Forbes, getting women to these events should not be an issue. “Often the response from people who organize these events is that they cannot find enough women. If you look you can find them, they exist,” she says.
At least one measure is in place to encourage more women to attend. Business members of WEF receive varying numbers of invitations to be distributed to their employees as they see fit. At the highest level of membership, members are offered four tickets, but if one of their designated tickets is given to a female employee, the company gets a fifth ticket to dole out.
But, as evidenced by the 15% female attendance rate at Davos this year, such a measure enjoys only limited success in drawing women to the conference. Thus, Davos’s reflection of the world’s gaping gender bias calls into question the efficacy of the conference.
The WEF defines itself as “an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging in business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.” Yet, with only one out of every seven delegates a woman, how can you really tackle the issues that face today’s world?
Making such a question even more stark is WEF’s theme this year: “Reshaping the World.”
As put by Forbes’s Dina Medland, “what’s the point of meetings between elite male leaders to discuss a world that goes far beyond their boundaries?”
– Kelley Calkins
Sources: The Telegraph, Quartz, Huffington Post, Forbes
Photo: The Daily Beast
Tech Hub for Rwanda Startups
To make positive change in the world, we don’t just need tons of money, popularity or political influence, we need the right tools.
By getting the right people together in one place, specifically one that fosters intellectual development and creativity, we can make great things happen.
This is the belief of kLab, a tech hub in Rwanda where young people can bring their startup ideas and receive free Wi-Fi, workspace and mentorship from professors, business owners, and community leaders.
kLab – which stands for “knowledge lab” – has been operating for over a year and was officially launched in October 2013. The center is funded by the Rwanda private Sector Federation, the Rwanda Development Board and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
“The knowledge lab is an innovation center where fresh and young graduates come to work on their projects, especially in the tech industry,” said Jovani Ntabgoba, kLab’s general manager, at the launch.
kLab currently offers the services of 21 different mentors to its over 80 tenants. The startups at the center range from online shopping websites to improved medical technology. The mentors offer these young people the ability to truly flesh out their ideas and turn them into much more.
“The culture is collaboration, but it’s not just collaboration; it’s positioning oneself at an age where you receive the best mentorship that you cannot find anywhere else in Rwanda,” Ntabgoba said. “At kLab we have all of the knowledge that is required for a tenant to develop their business.”
The power of this collaboration has led to the beginning of many bright futures for startups that focus on the vision of the country of Rwanda: to turn the nation into a knowledge-based economy. However, young Rwandans are challenged daily by a lack of skills due to the fact that the educational curriculum is not yet “innovation-oriented.”
One of the more recent kLab successes is GIRA ICT – a startup that combats a large roadblock to widespread internet usage in Africa: hardware prices. By partnering with big name manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, HP and Lenovo, GIRA ICT allows consumers to pay for their devices in monthly installments in order to increase hardware ownership across the country.
“We started as a group of five entrepreneurs, so we came into kLab and they gave us a free space to work in. We could enjoy internet… they provided us with mentors,” said project supervisor Alphonse Ruhigira.
GIRA ICT has also been collaborating with the government to supplement the One Laptop per Child program. Founded by Nadia Uwamahoro, this effort provides teachers with laptops that they can pay off over a span of four years. So far, this has helped about 100 teachers to attain laptops and the number is steadily increasing.
“It’s a brilliant innovation and she is doing brilliant business,” says Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Rwandan Minister for Youth and ICT of Uwamahoro. “She’s taken computers to places where they were seeing and touching them for the first time by lowering the affordability challenge.”
Through efforts such as GIRA ICT, kLab is pushing Rwanda towards its goal of becoming a middle-income country by the year 2020.
“I want you to understand the uniqueness of this kLab compared to many other iHubs in the region. The uniqueness of this one is that you are in this building and you are not alone in this building,” said Michael Bezy, associate director of Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, who works with kLab in order to provide mentorship to its tenants.
“You look at that and you say ‘I have entrepreneurs here, I have a world-class university, I have IT businesses and I have IT infrastructure.’ That looks to me like a mini Silicon Valley,” said Bezy.
– Samantha Davis
Sources: Wired, kLab, Wired
Photo: Wired
Syrian Civilians Need More Humanitarian Aid
Although countries offered more than $2.4 billion to help Syrian civilians who are struggling due to the civil conflict, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said this amount is simply not enough.
According to Ki-moon, “$6.5 billion was needed to provide medical care, food, water and shelter for Syrian refugees and civilians inside the country this year.”
On behalf of the United States, Secretary of State John Kerry pledged $380 million in new assistance. It is true that other countries have offered more than what the U.S. is willing to give this time around. However, the U.S. has provided $1.7 billion since the conflict emerged, making it Syria’s top donor.
Even if enough assistance is generated, there are barriers that reduce or prevent the flow of aid offered to Syrian civilians from reaching their hands. According to Kerry, no aid would be enough in the first place until the Syrian president discontinues “using starvation as a weapon of war.”
Another problem is in the past, not all donor nations actually provided the amount they originally promised. In 2013, only 70 percent of the aid offered by nations actually made it to Syrians. The remaining amount was not given.
Despite the efforts of providing humanitarian aid to Syrian civilians, more money is being spent to destroy the chemical weapons of Syria. According to an article published in The Atlantic, “The U.S. Army’s Chemical Materials Agency oversaw the destruction of just over 28,364 tons of chemical weapons – nearly 90 percent of the U.S. stockpile – for an estimated cost of $28 billion”.
The authors argue this strategy is worth the money and it will eliminate the possibility that terrorists would acquire the chemical weapons of Syria.
All of this is to suggest that the case of Syria is undoubtedly complicated. On one hand, not funding the destruction of chemical weapons may haunt the U.S. in the long run; on the other hand, according to the New York Times article, “the situation in Syria is worsening so rapidly that the humanitarian needs seems to outpace the resources promised.” Moreover, the article claims that roughly 6.5 million Syrians have been displaced and over 2.3 million became refugees in other countries.
Dealing with the political situation in Syria requires careful planning by the U.S. due to the polarized nature of the state. Perhaps the only solution to this mess is if more donors are willing to pledge a generous amount of money for humanitarian aid. In the meantime, there is no way to tell when the civil war in Syria will end.
– Juan Campos
Sources: New York Times, The Atlantic
Photo: VOA News
Drug-Resistant TB in South Africa
Several are in shock about the tuberculosis situation in South Africa and no solution has been given. Patients who have drug-resistant tuberculosis are being sent home despite the high likelihood that they will transmit it to their family members. These findings have been released after a study was published in the medical journal, The Lancet.
According to the report, 107 patients were monitored while they were treated for tuberculosis. Out of these people, 78 died in spite of being treated with six drugs to 10 drugs. These South African patients who were diagnosed as untreatable but infectious were discharged due to insufficient beds in hospitals. Several doctors are advocating for funding so that patients can be treated away from the community. Tuberculosis is highly infectious and can just as easily spread like the flu, ultimately infecting the lungs and potentially causing death.
South Africa does not have advanced treatments for tuberculosis and according to the World Health Organization, 450,000 people have multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Eastern Europe, Asia and South Africa. Research professors are in support of reintroducing old sanatoriums so that these patients will have comfort and long-term care while they struggle with the untreatable disease. According to The Lancet, 42 percent of patients being sent home have drug-resistant tuberculosis. In several cases they were being sent back to their one bedroom homes shared with children and other family members.
Keertan Dheda, a professor of medicine in Cape Town reports that new drugs are urgently needed. Most tuberculosis patients may live for more than a year and are risking the lives of others they come in contact with during that time. Those with virtually untreatable tuberculosis, XDR-TB, pose extreme danger to communities. In one case, one patient passed on the infection to his brother and both died.
Such cases have led to global strategies in the past with development of new forms of tuberculosis control. Due to the current lack of funding, the situation does not look promising. There is a large need for investments in drug development and diagnostics for global tuberculosis research.
-Maybelline Martez
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters
Photo: MSF