Few law students find themselves on the front lines of civil suits with Fortune 500 companies; fewer still emerge victorious. Eric Harrison did just that — even while starting a successful nonprofit that restores clean water to communities pushed aside by corporate concerns.
In 2011, while studying at the University of Washington Law School, Harrison became aware of Dole Food Company’s suspicious practice of water sourcing in Guatemala. The banana empire irrigated a plantation by diverting river water from its natural course, which left thousands without clean drinking water. Harrison took Dole to court — shouldering the bulk of the caseload himself — and successfully circumvented Dole’s motion to dismiss, an accomplishment that led to a settlement in 2012.
Dole agreed to cooperate with Harrison’s WASH (Water and Sanitation Health, Inc.) to establish a water distribution system that provides 4,500 Guatemalans in six communities with potable water. The unexpected partnership between plaintiff and defendant has established a community health plan that ensures families receive water filters and locally produced purifiers every 18 months.
The success of the Dole case established WASH as a legitimate player in the fight for sustainable solutions to the world water crisis. This 501(c)(3) organization focuses not only on providing water and sanitation systems to lacking areas, but also emphasizes education regarding hygiene and disease.
The World Health Organization recently estimated that 36% of the world’s population lacks access to improved sanitation facilities while 768 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Ramifications of these conditions extend beyond the threat of disease to economics and equal rights.
In areas with high disease burdens due to waterborne cholera, dysentery and E. coli, wage earners are less productive, health systems can become quickly overwhelmed and economies drag. Schools lacking proper sanitation facilities may refuse to educate young girls or cease operations altogether. Women are subjected to difficult days fetching water and cannot participate in many aspects of family and social life.
Harrison explains that because Guatemala and other countries lack an authority such as the EPA, “companies can kind of skirt around [regulations]” and evade sanctions for threatening water quality.
Nonetheless, even corporate giants can have a change of heart.
Well-executed legal action seems to effectively remind corporations of their duty to the environment and local populations. Dole’s partnership with WASH, for example, has affected a 180-degree transformation in regional water quality and serves as a reminder that effective cooperation between big business and environmental organization is possible.
Unfortunately, another big name in the banana industry has emerged in connection with alleged contamination of rivers and drinking water in Guatemala’s Ocós municipality. Chiquita Brands International may be polluting water sources affecting six communities and 7,200 people with carcinogenic pesticides, chemicals and organic matter.
It should come as no surprise that Harrison is not standing idly by. In a complaint filed December 4, he — acting as WASH President — alleges that Chiquita misrepresents its self-proclaimed ethical agricultural and labor practices in marketing materials.
The giant is accused of committing “a series of human rights and environmental atrocities” that will be extremely costly, both financially and in terms of public relations, should the suit proceed.
Chiquita has issued a response statement asserting that all of the brand’s farms are environmentally conscious and comply with high labor and social standards. The statement then takes on a cooperative tone, noting the company’s willingness to engage Harrison in a “constructive dialogue that supports local communities and improves the lives of employees.”
Perhaps the Washingtonian is on his way to another improbable victory for Guatemalans lacking clean water.
– Casey Ernstes
Sources: Boston Business Journal, KOMO News, Nonprofit Quarterly, UNICEF
Photo:
Top 5 International Affairs Internships
Looking for a little bit of extra motivation for finishing that college degree? Need a little more incentive to pursue graduate study? The perks of a well-rounded academic background in foreign policy are many.
However, lectures and papers can only inspire so much excitement. If you are interested in a dynamic and interactive experience to set you on the path of being a global advocate, here are five of the top organizations that offer International Affairs internships.
1. Council on Foreign Relations
Take your pick between a yearlong experience in New York or a semester’s worth of study in Washington, D.C. In the Big Apple, the Council on Foreign Relations offers an editorial internship for those interested in pursuing advocacy-based journalism as a potential field. In the capital, students have the opportunity to help with the council’s board and development strategies. Also in Washington, students interested in Middle Eastern Affairs have two unique internship opportunities to further develop policy and advocacy in that area.
2. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
What better way to influence United States global policy than by interning with Congress? This intern will have the ability to attend meetings both on and off Capitol Hill, follow and influence congressional legislation and cultivate research projects for the committee.
3. USAID
USAID is the government agency responsible for executing U.S. policy concerning global development. An internship with USAID entails working at USAID headquarters in Washington and supporting international agriculture programs, immunization initiatives, hunger programs, and much more. Internships with the USAID vary between paid and unpaid as well.
4. United Nations, Social Policy and Development Division
Not only does an internship with the U.N. offer all of the prestige and influence of the world’s most collaborative decision-making body, it also gives students a wonderful opportunity to intern abroad. Whether you are interested in working on development programs from the New York office or promoting HIV/AIDS research in Geneva or Humanitarian Affairs in Nairobi, Kenya, the U.N.’s vastness is a resource waiting to be used.
5. The Borgen Project
Interested in writing for a broad readership? Fascinated by the idea of working for a true non-profit? Are you a self-motivated and independent worker? Then the Borgen Project could be the internship for you! Borgen allows you the creative freedom to find your own niche within the advocacy world and express it to a diverse audience through either writing and/or editing internships as well as front line regional advocates.
– Taylor Diamond
Sources: UN Social Policy and Development Division, Council on Foreign Affairs
Photo:
Acumen Fund and Bank Alfalah Team Up
Jacqueline Novogratz, head of the Acumen Fund held a press conference to announce the implementation of ‘Eradicating Poverty through Entrepreneurship in Pakistan.’ The Acumen Fund is teaming up with Bank Alfalah to launch a 40,000 dollar loan program to establish sustainable businesses within Pakistan.
The Acumen Fund provides long term loans to try to establish sustainable infrastructure within a region through entrepreneurship. Acumen rejects the old idea of just giving a lump sum of money to a foreign government and telling them how it needs to be spent. Instead, Acumen raises funds and invests money in local enterprises that can be expanded to benefit the owner as well as the community. Since its beginning, Acumen has invested millions of dollars in countries all over the world to improve overall health and quality of life.
Bank Alfalah comes into this project by implementing its ‘Beyond Philanthropy’ initiative. The bank aims to invest in business while keeping the greater good of the community in mind. With Acumen’s experience in investing to alleviate poverty and Bank Alfalah’s firsthand knowledge of the community, this pairing is expected to be a successful one.
Alfalah CEO Atif Bajwa says, “Given Acumen’s demonstrated expertise in the fields of entrepreneurship and poverty alleviation, we are confident that this program will help us play a small part in creating an ecosystem which seeks to address chronic socio-economic issues in the country.”
The Acumen Fund and Bank Alfalah are investing money into several companies including Pharmegen, a company that is devoted to bringing clean drinking water to urban cities. Another company that received investment money is called Microdrip, a company that distributes water conserving drip irrigation equipment to communities dependent on farming. The program is expected to be implemented in a multistep process over several years.
So far Acumen has invested over 14 million dollars in infrastructure in Pakistan. It is estimated that businesses funded by Acumen have positively impacted over four million Pakistani lives. The investments have also created and supported over 3,500 jobs which helps improve the overall livelihood of people in the region.
– Colleen Eckvahl
Sources: Acumen: Pakistan, Acumen: Bank al Falah, Dawn
Photo: Giphy.com
Giving Aid Through Chickenjoy
In response to the ravaged regions of Typhoon Haiyan, Jollibee, the flagship Filipino fast food chain of Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), donates towards relief efforts.
Initially established in 1975 as an ice cream parlor, Jollibee is now among the largest fast food chains in the Philippines, known for their trademark fried chicken meal “Chickenjoy.” Included in the JFC conglomerate are national fast food chains Greenwhich pizza, Chinese-themed Chowking, chicken-based Mang Inasal and Philippine Burger King.
With numerous sites in North America, Jollibee is an ever-expanding franchise with sites in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Currently there are 2,761 stores worldwide. Future sites aim towards Indonesia and Canada.
Jollibee is one of the largest employers in the Philippines, and through its Jollibee Foundation, is known for its philanthropic measures.
In 2009, the Jollibee Franchises Association donated roughly $400,000 (USD) to programs and projects. The beneficiaries were able to care for the welfare of underprivileged children throughout the Philippines via eight separate children’s organizations.
JFC’s Food Aid program deployed mobile soup kitchens to over 9,000 individuals in the Visayan region of the Philippines, the focal point of the storm. Additionally, 12,800 relief packs and 5,700 hot meals were distributed. These packs included an estimated 600 sacks of rice, bottled water, canned goods and instant noodles.
Along with coin banks in local Jollibee stores nationwide, JFC raised over $900,000 (USD) in combination with donations and donors.
Through further initiatives, JFC plans to aid farmers’ lives, reconstruct local schools and support local youth through scholarships.
As a large conglomerate, all hands are on deck in order to assist amidst one of the largest typhoons recorded in Southeast Asia. The Jollibee Foods Corporation is doing their part via the way they know best: food.
– Miles Abadilla
Sources: ABS-CBN News, The Inquirer, The Inquirer, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Philippine News, The Philippine Star
Photo: Giphy.com
The Plight of Artisanal Miners in the DRC
It is no secret that many nations have headed to Africa in search of economic opportunity. In fact, a significant portion of trading relationships with Africa centers on mineral deposits, many of which are needed to produce high-tech products such as tablets and smartphones. However despite the lucrative opportunities the mining trade presents to outsiders, a significant portion of mineral extraction is done by poor locals who have little access to proper equipment. These individuals are known as artisanal miners.
The practice dates back thousands of years when many African kingdoms used artisanal miners to extract minerals for building materials and wealth. Today, still without access to technology, these miners operate with hand-held tools, no safety equipment and within shafts lacking any type of ventilation system.
So why does one engage in these dangerous activities? Kevin D’Souza, a mining engineer, discusses in his piece, “Artisanal and Small Scale Mining in Africa: A Reality Check,” that many turn to mining in the dry season when farming is less prevalent. This allows individuals to supplement their income. Also, many turn to the practice as a last resort since they live in rural areas with few employment opportunities outside of the mining sector.
Amnesty International has recently conducted a study of the mining industry within the DRC, specifically, the Katanga region. What they found was a serious lack of oversight by the government in terms of enforcing mining laws on the books as well as UN accords ensuring the safety of workers.
One of the cases focused by the Amnesty International report is that of the Tilwezembe mine operated by Misa Mining. The interviews outlined in the report shed light on serious human rights violations at the mine and surrounding area. For instance, accidents resulting in serious injury or death occur frequently at the site. Many miners are injured by landslides, falling debris within the mine, and asphyxiation. Child labor has also been known to be used at the mining site.
Furthermore, many violations have been perpetrated by the private security companies that oversee the mining activities. Unlike in the past, miners are prevented from taking the minerals they extracted off the mining site once Misa Mining took over. If miners are caught taking minerals offsite they face serious punishment by the guards which include steep fines and the possibility of being banned from the site. The guards also have the right to imprison miners for no more than the legally stated 48 hours. However, violations frequently occur with many stating that individuals are held for several days within the onsite prisons.
The presence of artisanal mining as the only means for some to make money and a government unwilling to enforce international human rights laws leaves little hope for its practitioners. However, D’Souza outlines some actions that can possibly alleviate the suffering. For example, he recommends legalizing the practice due to the fact that over 75% of miners operate outside the law. This would help create formal standards for artisanal mining as well as open the doors to introducing health and safety regulations that could vastly improve the miners’ situation.
– Zack Lindberg
Sources: Amnesty International, UN
Underdog Fights for Clean Water in Guatemala
Few law students find themselves on the front lines of civil suits with Fortune 500 companies; fewer still emerge victorious. Eric Harrison did just that — even while starting a successful nonprofit that restores clean water to communities pushed aside by corporate concerns.
In 2011, while studying at the University of Washington Law School, Harrison became aware of Dole Food Company’s suspicious practice of water sourcing in Guatemala. The banana empire irrigated a plantation by diverting river water from its natural course, which left thousands without clean drinking water. Harrison took Dole to court — shouldering the bulk of the caseload himself — and successfully circumvented Dole’s motion to dismiss, an accomplishment that led to a settlement in 2012.
Dole agreed to cooperate with Harrison’s WASH (Water and Sanitation Health, Inc.) to establish a water distribution system that provides 4,500 Guatemalans in six communities with potable water. The unexpected partnership between plaintiff and defendant has established a community health plan that ensures families receive water filters and locally produced purifiers every 18 months.
The success of the Dole case established WASH as a legitimate player in the fight for sustainable solutions to the world water crisis. This 501(c)(3) organization focuses not only on providing water and sanitation systems to lacking areas, but also emphasizes education regarding hygiene and disease.
The World Health Organization recently estimated that 36% of the world’s population lacks access to improved sanitation facilities while 768 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Ramifications of these conditions extend beyond the threat of disease to economics and equal rights.
In areas with high disease burdens due to waterborne cholera, dysentery and E. coli, wage earners are less productive, health systems can become quickly overwhelmed and economies drag. Schools lacking proper sanitation facilities may refuse to educate young girls or cease operations altogether. Women are subjected to difficult days fetching water and cannot participate in many aspects of family and social life.
Harrison explains that because Guatemala and other countries lack an authority such as the EPA, “companies can kind of skirt around [regulations]” and evade sanctions for threatening water quality.
Nonetheless, even corporate giants can have a change of heart.
Well-executed legal action seems to effectively remind corporations of their duty to the environment and local populations. Dole’s partnership with WASH, for example, has affected a 180-degree transformation in regional water quality and serves as a reminder that effective cooperation between big business and environmental organization is possible.
Unfortunately, another big name in the banana industry has emerged in connection with alleged contamination of rivers and drinking water in Guatemala’s Ocós municipality. Chiquita Brands International may be polluting water sources affecting six communities and 7,200 people with carcinogenic pesticides, chemicals and organic matter.
It should come as no surprise that Harrison is not standing idly by. In a complaint filed December 4, he — acting as WASH President — alleges that Chiquita misrepresents its self-proclaimed ethical agricultural and labor practices in marketing materials.
The giant is accused of committing “a series of human rights and environmental atrocities” that will be extremely costly, both financially and in terms of public relations, should the suit proceed.
Chiquita has issued a response statement asserting that all of the brand’s farms are environmentally conscious and comply with high labor and social standards. The statement then takes on a cooperative tone, noting the company’s willingness to engage Harrison in a “constructive dialogue that supports local communities and improves the lives of employees.”
Perhaps the Washingtonian is on his way to another improbable victory for Guatemalans lacking clean water.
– Casey Ernstes
Sources: Boston Business Journal, KOMO News, Nonprofit Quarterly, UNICEF
Photo:
Stop Hunger Now
Engendered in 1998 by Ray Buchanan and colleagues, Stop Hunger Now (SHN) is regarded as a successful international hunger relief organization, having received a four-star rating by Charity Navigators for its excellent management of resources. The organization is primarily sponsored primarily by corporate and individual donations.
With the establishment’s headquarters located in Raleigh, North Carolina at the intersection of the intellectual and innovative Research Triangle Park (RTP,) the organization has established itself as a powerful combatant against global hunger.
By distributing much-needed resources such as food, medicine, and other supplies to impoverished countries, SHN aims to reduce the extent of suffering and plight in the world. Over the past 15 years, SHN has generated more than $100 million in aid to 65 countries in need.
In addition to raising monetary funds for hunger relief, ever since 2005, the organization has also taken part in the ubiquitous creation and distribution of meal packages. These inexpensive packages, costing a mere 25 cents apiece, are rich in necessary nutrients such as soy, vegetables, and 21 crucial minerals and vitamins.
The assemblage of these vital packages are often constructed by volunteers and undertaken as a community-wide endeavor often taking place at local institutions such as Raleigh’s North Carolina State University. Additionally, completed meal packages serve a dual purpose as they provide much-needed relief to impoverished communities yet, in their completion, simultaneously educate volunteers about international hunger.
Furthermore, since the establishment’s adoption of the meal-packaging program, SHN has packaged and provided 127,964,644 meal packages. Approximately 70 percent of these meals are allocated for transformational development programs such as schools, orphanages and clinics, aiming to eradicate hunger at its source by promoting education and autonomy.
Not only do these meal packages provide subsistence for impoverished communities, they also deter activity that often ensnares youth in the cycle of poverty. According to a student at the Lakay School in Haiti, “For many children like me, the food we eat at Lakay is the only plate of food that we eat all day. With this food we are able to make sure that we won’t have to do bad things in the street in order to survive.”
Having raised $100 million in relief efforts and providing over 127 million meal packages to disadvantaged communities, within its mere 15 years of operation, through fundraisers and its unique meal-packaging program, SHN has upheld its vow to help reduce world hunger one meal at a time.
– Phoebe Pradhan
Sources: Stop Hunger Now, North Carolina State University, Rice Select
Photo: Spring Hill College
The Chemical Weapons that Aren’t Being Destroyed
Few will fail to condemn Syria’s Bashar Assad for his use of chemical weapons this past August that reportedly killed reported 1,400 people, including civilians. However, the international community responded sternly, spearheaded by the United States.
Obama called the act an atrocity and, with the support of Russia, who had usually blocked or opposed any international action against the Assad regime, lead the United Nations to intervene. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW,) the body created to enforce the Chemical Weapons Convention in the 1990’s, has overseen the disarmament of Syria’s stockpiles and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year for the work they have done around the world in chemical weapon disarmament.
Syria is now behind on the timetable that calls for the destruction of all their stores, over 1,200 metric tons, by mid-2014. Logistics are a major obstacle in this feat, as chemical weapons are stored by the government all over the country, with the potential for these sites to be amid conflict and the serious danger in handling them. Still, international resources for this endeavor are in no short supply and, perhaps most importantly, with administration of the operation handled by the OPCW, the will to carry out the plan is strong.
So the stage is set for a humanitarian victory with the U.S. and Russia as an odd couple of heroes, given the respective efforts of the two countries politically and in the physical disposal of the dangerous weapons despite some of the disparate geopolitical leanings of the two superpowers.
The parade, though, will likely be delayed as Syria, as of January 7, has only just removed a very small amount of some of their least dangerous chemicals. They may very well need an extension of their deadline, but this should be a familiar storyline to the two nations that have delayed the destruction of their chemical weapons continuously since signing the Chemical Weapons Convention accord.
In fact, this country’s refusal to relinquish the right to retaliation in the early 1990’s, wanting to retain a defensive store of the most deadly chemical weapons, delayed the drafting of the accord. Russia still has 30 percent of its self-reported stores and the U.S. has 10 percent left, according to OPCW’s 2011 report. While that might not seem like much, the two countries combine for some 20,000 metric tons or nearly 20 times Syria’s entire stockpile.
In 2011 alone, the U.S. destroyed 1,996 metric tons of Class 1 chemical weapons, the most dangerous variety, including Sarin gas. It won’t be until 2023 that the U.S. Government predicts they will finally have destroyed all of its stores, over 5,000 metric tons. Russia is expected to request an additional extension until 2020 for the destruction of their more voluminous horde.
That the two countries that control the largest share of some of the world’s most terrifying weapons are so active in the disarmament of another is certainly still commendable, although setting an example by expediently disarming themselves and reducing the availability of chemical weapons might do more for the world.
– Tyson Watkins
Sources: OPCW, CNN, RIANOVOSTI, New York Times, USA Today
Photo: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Tensions Rise between Residents, Syrian Refugees
There are now over two million Syrians registered as refugees with the UNHCR. The vast majority of the refugees have fled to neighboring countries such as Lebanon and Jordan. The massive influx of people has caused tensions between the residents of the countries and refugees trying to escape conflict. Many Syrian refugees are fleeing their war torn country with little to no items, hoping to start over in a new country. Citizens in many countries have been less than welcoming to refugees due to overstretched resources and inadequate aid from other countries.
The locals have grown wary of being outnumbered by so many refugees. They are not eager to let them establish roots in an area that cannot accommodate more people staying there permanently. In addition to limited resources, there are political and ethnic sensitivities that add to the strain between residents and refugees.
Lebanon has received over 800,000 refugees as of December. Lebanon is a small country west of Syria that is roughly the size of Delaware. Resources were already stretched providing for Lebanon’s four million citizens and the past two years have brought a 20% population increase from refugees alone. In November 2013, the first refugee camp was opened on the border of Syria and Lebanon to accommodate the influx of refugees pushed out of Syria by increased fighting in the area. In the area surrounding the camp, refugees greatly outnumber the locals living in the area. In one case, an informal camp that housed seasonal Syrian migrant workers for years before the civil war, was burned to the ground.
Tensions rose when the landlords who owned the land the camp was built on, ordered the occupants to leave and gave them a 24-hour deadline. The villagers claimed refugees staying in the camp assaulted a local disabled man and returned before the 24 hours were up with Molotov cocktails, quickly igniting the camp. The mayor of the village claimed the fire started due to infighting between the residents in the camp. A local doctor concluded there was no evidence of an assault and the Syrian Opposition Coalition, working to remove Assad from office, called the eviction of the camp “inhumane and unethical.”
Jordan borders Syria to the south. Six million people live in Jordan and approximately 500,000 Syrians refugees have entered the country. Like Lebanon, resources in Jordan are already stretched thin and the massive influx of refugees is causing further strain and tension. In an interview with the New York Times, Syrian refugee Noman Sarhan said Jordanians tend to lump Syrians together into one group and blame them for many of the country’s issues. Sarhan came to Jordan 2012 and started a business in the city of Mafraq, but is still looked at as a refugee.
Many Syrian refugees entering Jordan have opted to move into cities rather than stay in camps. Moving into cities allows newcomers a better chance to get a job or establish a business similar to one they had in Syria. Syrians moving in and getting jobs starting business sometimes comes at the expense of a Jordanian, causing discord between the hosts and the refugees. Refugees and government officials fear that unless conditions drastically improve, they will continue to face hostility from residents in their host country.
– Colleen Eckvahl
Sources: New York Times, New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Post
Photo: Giphy.com
Participatory Democracy in Africa
With over 300 in attendance, the Congressional Palace of Tunisia is to host the Participatory Budgeting and Citizen Conference between Dec 4 and Dec 6.
Participatory budgeting is the collaboration between civil society and local government in allocating municipal funds. The purpose is to create transparency and accountability in the use of public funds as citizens themselves become engaged and more knowledgeable of their government. As a result, informed decisions can lead to fairer spending and community development.
The movement gained ground in 1989 at Porto Alegre, Brazil. In 2012, participatory democracy is practiced in over 2,778 municipalities worldwide from New York City to Buenos Aires to London.
The participatory budget movement in Africa gained ground in the early 2000s and as a result, there are a recorded 211 African communes that take part.
The first International Conference on Participatory Budgeting was held in 2008 at Senegal. The conference was supported by the World Bank and drew in over 200 participants from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.
That same year, pamphlets about participatory budgeting were published in English, Arabic and French for their respective African countries.
Furthermore, in 2012, the Observatory on Participatory Democracy was launched for Africa at Dakar. The conference included over 154 participants representing 16 different countries. Among them included elected local officials, overseers of P.B., lecturers, university professors and researchers.
The goal of the Observatory is to publicize the efforts of participatory budgeting, support it within Africa and to educate the global audience in regards to the movement.
The participatory budgeting movement empowers local actors and ensures that public resources go towards the poor. Based on a report by the World Bank, participatory democracy can increase knowledge of municipal systems – from transparency to accountability. As a result, a level of public education about local government enables an active civil society and media. Thus, policy is shaped by a “pro-poor” influence.
For its part, the current conference in Tunisia hopes to elaborate upon the benefits and challenges that participatory budgeting faces.
Secondly, the conference aims to discuss the mainstreaming and possible institutionalization of participatory democracy throughout Africa.
Lastly, the conference hopes to address the role elected officials, particularly women, have in mobilizing grassroots efforts.
Such measures are in line with the goals of creating an active citizenry for the betterment of their localities, a true echo of democracy and self-determination.
– Miles Abadilla
Sources: PBP, OIDP 1, 2, World Bank
Photo: Giphy.com
Big Impact of Baby Footprints
In one of the largest countries in Africa, a new program is working to change the outcome of premature births with a simple footprint. Tanzania is home to an estimated 46,218,000 people who earn an average of $570 per year. With about one third of its people living below the national poverty line, Tanzania is regarded as a ‘developing country.’ The term ‘developing country’ is described by Princeton as “a nation with a low level of material well-being.” A common reality in developing countries is the limited or complete lack of access to medical assistance, whether a hospital, pharmaceuticals or a birth attendant.
The latter is an issue that can have devastating consequences. In low-income countries, about 40% of births are unattended by a trained, medical professional. Whether or not they are equipped with modern tools and resources, a trained professional is better able to determine the dangers and necessary steps to take before, during, and after birth, especially regarding premature babies. Of the approximately 10% of infants worldwide born prematurely each year, about one million die, with over 80% of those deaths occurring in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
At present, Dr. Joanna Schellenberg and a team at Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania are researching a strategy with the potential to have a global impact. The research began by attempting to solve how to reduce premature infant deaths without requiring entire health systems to be constructed (and funded) first. This is especially important since one of the greatest obstacles facing health care in rural areas is the absence of equipment. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 75% of preterm infant deaths could be prevented without the use of intensive care and modern resources. Premature infant weights are under 5lb 5oz, yet since scales cannot be assumed to be available, the IHI team came up with another measurement: the size of a baby’s footprint.
Volunteer health workers visit villages with a laminated card picturing two footprints. The health workers measure infants’ feet against the pictures and determine how to proceed based on their size. If the infant’s footprint is the same size or larger than the bigger footprint, then the child is not premature. If the footprint is between the two sizes, it may be premature but not necessarily in danger.
Health workers then proceed with suggestions on how to promote infant health such as holding the child skin-to-skin for warmth, or how to breastfeed effectively. Finally, if the footprint is smaller than both samples, about 67mm or less, the mother is directed to the nearest health center where the infant can receive potentially life-saving care.
The strategy just described is called “Mtunze Mtoto Mchanga” which translates to “Protect the newborn baby,” a concept that local women have been quick to support. With the persistent visits and encouragement by the project’s health workers, support has grown into a greater compliance by the public. Though the project will continue for another six months before clear results are available, the team is already poised to implement it throughout Tanzania.
The laminated-card system is not only relatively simple to duplicate, it also demonstrates potential self-sufficiency amongst rural women. Moreover, once the procedure and subsequent actions are ingrained, the individuals could monitor their babies themselves without the need for health workers help with premature birth testing.
The versatility of the project only heightens anticipation for the results of the study. If successful, the IHI project could mean saving up to three-quarters of a million infants each year with just a footprint.
– Katey Baker-Smith
Sources: World Health Organization, Princeton University, United Nations Data, The World Bank, BBC
Photo: Giphy.com