The latest estimate from the World Bank put the cost of Ukraine’s recovery at $411 billion. This figure encompasses the expenses associated with rebuilding damaged infrastructure, agriculture, housing and education in the country. The World Bank, as of November 2023, has given $29 billion to support basic social services in Ukraine, with more than $20 billion spent on the salaries of civil servants, teachers, health workers, first responders and pensions.
Furthermore, charitable contributions have also been widespread. In December 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the government-run United24 had raised $500 million from donations across the globe. The significant aid received by Ukraine has led to the impression that the country relies solely on external assistance. However, from the outset, it is crucial to recognize grassroots humanitarian efforts in Ukraine have played a pivotal role in their recovery.
Civil Society in Ukraine
Vyacheslav Hardikov, a deputy director in the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, said in October 2023 that since the resumption of the invasion, 9,000 charities and 6,000 public organizations had officially registered with the Ukrainian government. In its 32 years of independence from the Soviet Union, Ukraine has gone through periods of democratization and regression to authoritarianism. When democracy or independence has been perceived as being under threat, participation in grassroots humanitarian efforts has spiked. Thinktank Chatham House has put it that Ukrainians have a “strong sense of autonomy from the state.”
As of September 2023, a survey by the Center for Insights, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), found that 33% of Ukrainians were volunteering part-time and 6% full-time. Another found that after 18 months of war, 68% of Ukrainians had volunteered in some capacity. The remaining 32% primarily consists of individuals who, for the most part, require assistance. Volunteerism is more prevalent among 18-29-year-olds, with 75.8% actively participating, compared to 49% among those aged 60 or above. Additionally, volunteering was more common among those who reported living well (85.9%) than those who reported barely making ends meet (46.7%). Among the 15,000 new organizations are groups formed spontaneously in reaction to the Russian invasion. Likewise, organizations that already existed altered themselves almost completely to the needs of the war.
Feminist Workshop in Ukraine
Feminist Workshop (FemWork) was formed in Lviv in 2014. For the last decade, Ukrainian women have earned more than 20% less than men, equivalent to $6000. Additionally, two out of three women have experienced gender-motivated violence. Apart from holding workshops and lectures, Femwork was created as a space “that would allow the feminist community of Lviv and Ukraine to feel safe.”
Located near the border with Poland, millions of refugees passed through Lviv. At its height, the city of 700,000 had 100,000 people moving through it daily. Speaking with The Borgen Project, FemWork said that in early 2022, they planned to close due to a lack of funding. “But when a full-scale war started, our community organized itself.”
Like thousands of others in Lviv, FemWork found refugee beds in their friends’ apartments, gave out food and clothes and helped at the train station. A psychological support workshop was revived on the night of the invasion. “Then there was no time to think, doubt or fear,” FemWork said. “Each of us did everything we could and even more.”
With Ukraine’s GDP dropping by more than 30% and poverty rising from 5.5% to 24% in 2022, what was once the basics of living have become out-of-reach for millions of Ukrainians. The 51% of 60-year-olds who had not volunteered are often pensioners with no means to move or find alternative income. FemWork coming to help grannies, as they put it, reflected that with food and medicine prices rising, the “pensions of many elderly women don’t come close to covering their basic needs.”
Trouble Getting International Help
Ukrainians have faced difficulties in receiving assistance from international organizations due to their large size. The bureaucratic processes they are obligated to employ are often impossible for ordinary people to navigate, let alone those who have been forced from their homes, leaving passports and documents behind. “We often work with elderly people who don’t even know how to use a phone,” FemWork told The Borgen Project, “so it’s obvious that they are afraid to send their documents to someone or they don’t even understand what is required of them.” People need help getting to the help waiting for them. In other words, “(We) go to the bank with them, help collect documents, defend their rights to receive assistance, explain what is required of them and what personal information is safe to transfer.”
Grassroots humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, in tandem with funding from international organizations, have been able to meet some of the daily needs of the Ukrainian people, during a time of instability and war within the country.
– Frederick Lake
Photo: Flickr
Cricket and Poverty Reduction in India
Cricket and Creating a Distinct Identity
Cricket has played a significant role in India’s fight against poverty, with a history deeply intertwined with the nation’s quest for autonomy and the ability to shape one’s destiny. A sport introduced by the British Empire became a symbol of resistance for India during its struggle for independence. The game allowed individuals from impoverished backgrounds to achieve economic and social mobility. Pamala Devan stated, “Cricket has enabled social mobility among the Indian people, allowing cricketers from humble origins to master the sport and move to larger cities to showcase their cricketing skills.” This aspect of cricket has provided many with the opportunity to improve their lives and status within society.
Furthermore, the British Empire hoped that by introducing an ‘English’ game, they could control the lower class, when in fact, they provided India with a vehicle to assert their own identity whilst being given a tool to ascend the position the British sought for them, as subservient. Cricket allowed this process to continue post-independence, where the economically disadvantaged can escape poverty via an Indian symbol of freedom: cricket.
The Economic Advantages of Cricket
Cricket’s role in reducing poverty in India is significantly aided by its significant role in India’s economy, providing a considerable economic advantage. As Pamela Devan notes, India is the world’s largest cricket consumer, generating 60% of the world’s cricket income. With a population of more than one billion, India naturally boasts the most prominent TV audiences. Moreover, cricket is not simply a passive spectator sport for many Indians and South Asians; many have also played the game.
Playing cricket, particularly for those from impoverished backgrounds, offers a means of escaping poverty and achieving international stardom, a path that has been available for several decades. This can also increase exposure to Indian culture and showcase world-class cricket players through events such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and on international stages, allowing audiences to enjoy the sport.
The Indian Premier League (IPL)
Cricket’s role in reducing poverty in India involves collaboration between the Indian Government and cricketing organizations. In 2014, the economic benefits of increased visibility became clear when two teams reported significant profits: Kolkata Knight Riders announced a profit of Rs 14.15 crore ($2.12 million) and Kings XI Punjab reported earnings of Rs 12.76 crore ($1.91 million). The IPL has showcased its marketing prowess by signing players with high market values, ensuring excellent returns on investment both internationally and regionally.
Cricket: A Catalyst for Change in India
The collaboration between the Indian government and cricket organizations, including the IPL, highlights a unique approach to addressing poverty while fostering national pride. These partnerships have not only elevated India’s stature on the global stage but also underscored the potential of sports as a vehicle for social and economic development.
The strategic use of cricket in poverty alleviation efforts exemplifies a successful model for integrating sports into national development agendas. The link between cricket and poverty reduction in India is strengthening the economy through initiatives and providing valuable insights for other nations. The positive impact of cricket in India serves as a powerful testament to the role of sports in driving meaningful change and improving lives across the globe.
– Jordan Cunningham
Photo: Pexels
On the Brink of Eradication: Polio in Pakistan
Polio is an extremely infectious viral disease, largely affecting young children under five. Symptoms can range widely from flu-like illness to paralysis or even death, with paralysis victims often permanently losing use of their legs or arms. This life-altering virus spreads via fecal-oral transmission or occasionally through contaminated food or water and can spread rapidly through communities if not managed carefully.
Eradicating Polio in Pakistan
In an effort to tackle the persisting threat of the virus, Pakistan launched its Polio Eradication Programme in 1994 and has since seen a significant decline in polio cases, with cases dropping from 20,000 annually in the 1990s to only eight cases in 2018.
The country’s eradication strategy prioritizes:
Vaccine Home Delivery
In 2000, the year Pakistan launched home delivery of the oral polio vaccine (OPV), there were a reported 119 cases of polio in Pakistan. Although figures were initially on the decline, with only 32 cases reported less than a decade later, these figures have been steadily increasing since 2008. In 2019, there were 146 cases of polio in Pakistan reported.
Many parents and carers are beginning to refuse the vaccine for their children, proving to be a critical factor in polio’s resurgence. In polio-endemic countries such as Pakistan, children require multiple doses of the vaccine in order to build up sufficient immunity from the disease.
Tracking Reasons for OPV Rejection
In an attempt to address the rising rejection of OPV, the World Health Organisation (WHO) developed a tally sheet for frontline workers to make a record of the various reasons for vaccine refusal.
Here are some of the notable reasons for rejection:
However, despite this regression in the 2010s, polio in Pakistan has been back on the decline in recent years. Cases dropped by 36% from 2019 to 2020, with numbers continuing to drop in 2021. This is reassuring progress for Pakistan and all the more impressive when considering the additional challenges the Coronavirus pandemic posed to the safety and efficiency of successful OPV rollout.
Polio in Pakistan: The Future
In 2023, there were six reported cases of polio in Pakistan. As the country continues to press on with its fight against this life-altering virus, there seems reason for optimism for the future. Consistent and thorough vaccination campaigns continue to be carried out across Pakistan, but it seems that successfully and thoroughly eradicating polio relies upon both the continued efforts from the government and health care workers in hand with consistent cooperation from parents.
– Rose Williams
Photo: Flickr
Countries That Halved Their Multidimensional Poverty Index
India
Between 2015–2016 and 2019–2021, 135 million people escaped multidimensional poverty, with the largest decline in the north of India. The different methods of the multi-layered approach are:
Indonesia
Having made substantial progress in reducing the MPI, 19.1% of the population in 2000 lived in multidimensional poverty. In 2022, this was 9.5%.
Morocco
Morocco has managed to reduce its multidimensional poverty from 16.2 in 2010 to less than 9% in 2020.
Cambodia
Cambodia has made commendable strides in reducing poverty levels, with two million Cambodians escaping multidimensional poverty.
China
In China 62% of the population in 2010 lived in Multidimensional Poverty to 24% in 2019, China has managed to lift millions of people out of poverty.
– Jack Timmins
Photo: Unsplash
Grassroots Humanitarian Efforts In Ukraine
Furthermore, charitable contributions have also been widespread. In December 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the government-run United24 had raised $500 million from donations across the globe. The significant aid received by Ukraine has led to the impression that the country relies solely on external assistance. However, from the outset, it is crucial to recognize grassroots humanitarian efforts in Ukraine have played a pivotal role in their recovery.
Civil Society in Ukraine
Vyacheslav Hardikov, a deputy director in the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, said in October 2023 that since the resumption of the invasion, 9,000 charities and 6,000 public organizations had officially registered with the Ukrainian government. In its 32 years of independence from the Soviet Union, Ukraine has gone through periods of democratization and regression to authoritarianism. When democracy or independence has been perceived as being under threat, participation in grassroots humanitarian efforts has spiked. Thinktank Chatham House has put it that Ukrainians have a “strong sense of autonomy from the state.”
As of September 2023, a survey by the Center for Insights, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), found that 33% of Ukrainians were volunteering part-time and 6% full-time. Another found that after 18 months of war, 68% of Ukrainians had volunteered in some capacity. The remaining 32% primarily consists of individuals who, for the most part, require assistance. Volunteerism is more prevalent among 18-29-year-olds, with 75.8% actively participating, compared to 49% among those aged 60 or above. Additionally, volunteering was more common among those who reported living well (85.9%) than those who reported barely making ends meet (46.7%). Among the 15,000 new organizations are groups formed spontaneously in reaction to the Russian invasion. Likewise, organizations that already existed altered themselves almost completely to the needs of the war.
Feminist Workshop in Ukraine
Feminist Workshop (FemWork) was formed in Lviv in 2014. For the last decade, Ukrainian women have earned more than 20% less than men, equivalent to $6000. Additionally, two out of three women have experienced gender-motivated violence. Apart from holding workshops and lectures, Femwork was created as a space “that would allow the feminist community of Lviv and Ukraine to feel safe.”
Located near the border with Poland, millions of refugees passed through Lviv. At its height, the city of 700,000 had 100,000 people moving through it daily. Speaking with The Borgen Project, FemWork said that in early 2022, they planned to close due to a lack of funding. “But when a full-scale war started, our community organized itself.”
Like thousands of others in Lviv, FemWork found refugee beds in their friends’ apartments, gave out food and clothes and helped at the train station. A psychological support workshop was revived on the night of the invasion. “Then there was no time to think, doubt or fear,” FemWork said. “Each of us did everything we could and even more.”
With Ukraine’s GDP dropping by more than 30% and poverty rising from 5.5% to 24% in 2022, what was once the basics of living have become out-of-reach for millions of Ukrainians. The 51% of 60-year-olds who had not volunteered are often pensioners with no means to move or find alternative income. FemWork coming to help grannies, as they put it, reflected that with food and medicine prices rising, the “pensions of many elderly women don’t come close to covering their basic needs.”
Trouble Getting International Help
Ukrainians have faced difficulties in receiving assistance from international organizations due to their large size. The bureaucratic processes they are obligated to employ are often impossible for ordinary people to navigate, let alone those who have been forced from their homes, leaving passports and documents behind. “We often work with elderly people who don’t even know how to use a phone,” FemWork told The Borgen Project, “so it’s obvious that they are afraid to send their documents to someone or they don’t even understand what is required of them.” People need help getting to the help waiting for them. In other words, “(We) go to the bank with them, help collect documents, defend their rights to receive assistance, explain what is required of them and what personal information is safe to transfer.”
Grassroots humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, in tandem with funding from international organizations, have been able to meet some of the daily needs of the Ukrainian people, during a time of instability and war within the country.
– Frederick Lake
Photo: Flickr
Tech Firms Take On Poverty
Alphabet (Google)
As the leading powerhouse in the search engine industry, according to Forbes, Google has established itself as the second-largest brand in the world while turning in $279 billion in revenue as of 2023. Google has been actively involved in philanthropic initiatives through Google.org, its charitable arm established in 2005. The organization has engaged in various poverty alleviation projects across the globe. Google.org has invested more than $250 million into closing educational gaps worldwide, especially in impoverished areas. This includes supplying technological resources to facilitate learning, a collaboration that extends to partnerships with entities like Khan Academy.
Furthermore, the organization has contributed to economic empowerment across countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa by supporting those who suffer from systematic barriers as small to medium-sized business owners. One of Google’s more recent contributions is a $5 million grant provided to underserved businesses worldwide during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Google.org is an example of how technology firms are alleviating poverty by supporting various communities. This support includes ensuring access to education and fostering financial stability, which helps to lift households out of poverty.
Meta
Recently rebranded from Facebook, Meta holds significant control over media consumption through platforms like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. The multinational technology company has expanded its philanthropic efforts through the founders, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan. Having pledged to donate more than 99% of their fortune throughout their lifetime, estimated to be around $45 billion, the couple established the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in 2015.
The initiative has become an important player in lobbying U.S. legislators, leveraging its substantial funding to address social issues on a global scale. Furthermore, it has given away more than $4.9 billion in grants to various nonprofit organizations globally, with a keen focus on medical research, which can positively contribute to impoverished communities across the globe by improving living standards.
CZI contributes significantly to the fight against poverty by making global venture investments in emerging companies. These investments aim to alleviate poverty through research and innovation, particularly in the discovery of new techniques to establish food security and ensure equal access to education on a global scale, leveraging the power of technology.
While it may be challenging to entirely separate the philanthropic motives of tech firms from their corporate social responsibility branding, potential tax breaks and other benefits, it is nonetheless encouraging to see these companies actively alleviating poverty through generous donations and efforts aimed at creating positive change.
– Matthew Fung
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Lithuania
Governmental Gender Equality Initiatives
The Ministry of Social Security and Labour is in charge of equality policy in Lithuania and ensuring that their strategies are effectively implemented. In 2021, this government group took on responsibility for ensuring gender equality as a core value in the work of the nation’s central government. The ministry also had an internal structure named the Equal Opportunities and Equality between Women and Men Group, which oversees government policy on anti-discrimination and gender equality. This group has eight employees, two of whom work strictly on gender-based issues.
Initiatives in the Workplace
In 2016, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour implemented the initiative “Municipal Success Code- Gender Equality.” This project aims to reduce gender disparities regarding both the right to work and rights at work by purposely targeting issues such as the wage gap between genders and public education on the impacts of this inequality. This project ran until December 2019.
This program tackled the gender pay gap in municipalities by raising public awareness, identifying factors that determine equality and developing targeted solutions. Consequently, in 2017, a list of gender-based inequality indicators was compiled, encompassing nine key factors: “demography, knowledge, participation in the labor market, access to social services, economic power (resources), authorities and decision-making, health and health services, domestic violence and time.” This list of specifics meant that the correct targeted measures could be issued to the appropriate people and areas.
Lithuania’s movements towards women’s rights in the workplace have made an impact. The percentage of unemployed females (5.5%) stands slightly lower than the unemployment rate of men, which is currently at 7%. However, there is still progress to be made in this sector, as the proportion of females spending time on unpaid chores remains at 18.7%, which is notably higher than the male figure of 9%.
Women’s NGOs in Lithuania
“According to data from the Lithuania’s Women’s Information Centre, there were 63 women’s NGOs in existence on 1 January 1999.” Although there is no “umbrella term” involving all organizations for women in Lithuania, the Lithuanian Women’s Association embraces 12 member organizations. Additionally, 18 women’s organizations are involved in this association’s coordination council and the Women’s Information Centre was founded as a mediator for all the organizations in the nation. This has been monumental for women’s rights.
For instance, these initiatives sped up the implementation of the Law on Equal Opportunities, which benefits women’s rights in the opportunity to and ability to engage in public life. Additionally, it focuses on improving sectors such as transport and infrastructure. Another significant example was their cooperation to engage in protests against “quotas established for men during the entrance examinations at the Kaunas Institute of Technology in 1998.” These quotas were put in place by the university itself, demonstrating the severity of institutional gender bias. This powerful initiative meant that these quotas were soon abolished.
Initiatives Against Violence Against Women
Violence against women is a serious problem in Lithuania. The 2014 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights survey data results demonstrated that, since the age of 15, 31% of women in Lithuania have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. The Network of Specialized Assistance Centres was set up by NGOs and has been in place since 2012. This initiative set up centers to support victims of violence, educate them on how and where they can receive this aid and help in restoring interpersonal relationships with family members.
Further, in 2012, the Lithuanian government initiated an Inter-Institutional action plan focused on crime prevention and the control of violence, with a particular emphasis on violence against women. In 2015, more than 8,000 women received assistance through these centers. Lithuania currently operates 17 specialized support centers to aid women who are victims of domestic violence.
Looking Ahead
Thanks to these efforts, Lithuania ranks ninth globally for gender equality, as reported by the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for 2023. Elements of gender equality can be seen in the social aspects of everyday life in Lithuania. For instance, the literacy rate of males and females aged 15 and above stands at 99.8%. With the ongoing support of the Lithuanian government, the fight for gender equality is certainly progressing in the right direction and can be expected to strengthen even further.
– Eva McMonigle
Photo: Flickr
The KIND Fund in Malawi
The KIND Fund
In a developing country like Malawi, children attend classes on the ground, similar to a pre-school. As the children grow older, this arrangement becomes less practical for an advanced learning environment. The children have to balance paper on their knees to write. Since soap is expensive in Malawi, kids skip school if they dislike being seen in dirty clothes after a week of sitting on the ground. This is particularly true for girls who prefer to miss several school days rather than spend all day on the dirty ground during their periods and having to jump up and down to answer questions.
The KIND Fund, short for Kids in Need of Desks, was created by MSNBC reporter Lawrence O’Donnell and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 2010 to provide desks to all ages of schoolchildren in Malawi. Since 2010, the program has raised $38 million to help kids get desks and school supplies. The provision of desks not only yields tangible benefits such as improved penmanship but also enhances the overall attitude of children towards school.
Scholarships for Girls
Desks are not the only focus of the KIND Fund. KIND also provides secondary scholarships for girls to move forward in their education. A scholarship package from them will fund a girl’s tuition, boarding, transport and school supplies fees and include everything from socks to mentorship at school. The program has provided scholarships to more than 27000 girls across Malawi.
Keeping girls in school, even until age 18, is a small win against child marriage, a serious problem in developing countries. About 47% of women are married before age 18 in Malawi. The KIND fund conducted interviews with girls, posing the question of what they would do without the scholarship. Fifteen-year-old Happiness Ndawu responded, “Here in Malawi, girls marry at early ages. So, at 15, maybe I would have been married by now.” Happiness aspires to become a journalist. Being in school has protected her from potential domestic violence, risky pregnancies and other challenges that child brides often encounter. It has also opened her eyes to the potential she possesses.
Conclusion
Education plays a crucial role in lifting a country out of poverty, serving as one of the most essential pathways for socioeconomic advancement. When people think about education, they often take things like furniture and supplies for granted, items that other countries lack. A well-made desk can last decades and serve dozens of children over generations.
– Varsha Pai
Photo: Flickr
Facts About Women Sanitation in Indonesia
Period Poverty
Period poverty can be defined as a lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, waste management and education, affecting many women globally and causing physical, mental and emotional challenges. Women in Indonesia also cannot afford proper menstrual sanitation products such as tampons and sanitary napkins. They only use one pad for one day. Most women depend on their husbands’ salary, which averages less than IDR 2,000,000 to IDR 3,000,000 (approximately $128 to $192).
Only 34% of Girls Receive Menstruation Education
More than 50% of girls in Indonesia do not receive menstruation education from their mothers. Menstruation is considered abnormal and abject, so girls are not able to talk about menstruation when they experience it. The negative stigma attached to menstruation makes menstruation taboo to talk about. About 25% of teenagers in Indonesia “never discussed menstruation before they had their first menstruation” and 17% of them do not know that “menstruation is a sign of puberty.”
Lack of proper education regarding menstrual and reproductive hygiene can lead to unwanted pregnancies and reproductive diseases. Schools often fail to provide education about menstruation and proper reproductive health for girls experiencing puberty, along with adequate facilities for those undergoing menstruation. A recorded 42% of girls do not change sanitary napkins at school due to the lack of cleanliness in school toilets.
Sanitation Has a Significant Impact on Stunting
Many women and girls cannot access proper sanitation at home. Poor maternal health and hygiene have a significant impact on stunting. Data shows that 1 in 3 children in Indonesia experience stunting. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stunting as “the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection and inadequate psychosocial stimulation.” The impact of stunting does not occur instantly but will have an effect on children’s health and nutrition in the long term.
Poor Sanitation Kills More Women Than HIV and Aids
Poor sanitation is closely related to death. Not washing hands when handling deliveries and after giving birth causes mothers to contract infectious diseases. About 12% of mothers die during childbirth due to infection. Zainal I Nampira, the Head of the Water Health and Basic Sanitation Sub Division of the Directorate of Environment Health at the Ministry of Health, hopes that as access to basic sanitation improves, the maternal mortality rate can be reduced to 24 per 1,000 people.
Looking Ahead
To combat women’s sanitation-related issues in Indonesia, the World Bank, in collaboration with the Indonesian government and other organizations, implemented the National Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (PAMSIMAS) in 2008. The program successfully provided access to drinking water to 24.5 million people in 35,928 villages across 408 districts in Indonesia by the end of 2021.
– Afra Amirah
Photo: Flickr
Fotokids: Helping Children in Guatemala
History of the Organization
While conflict-stricken areas undoubtedly give rise to vulnerable populations, children become the most highly affected by this vulnerability, demanding special attention to protect them from spiraling into poverty. In 1991, Fotokids began with only six children from the garbage dump in Guatemala City. Intending to break the cycle of poverty through training children in visual arts and technology, the organization expanded in 1996 to include communities outside of Guatemala, such as the areas covered under the “Children in Conflict” program. Over the years, Fotokids grew and evolved even further, providing services to children from poverty and violence-stricken areas around the world.
The Program
The organization has focused on developing monetizable and employable skills among the children. They teach them to use photography, writing and computers to better their lives and bring them to par with the rest of the globalized and digitalized world. The goal is to help “small groups of Central American young people from the poorest of barrios.”
Fotokids is an integrated program that mandates enrolled children to attend schools, offering full or partial scholarships to support their education while simultaneously learning essential skills provided by the program. Upon entering, each student is given a camera and taught the basic skills of black-and-white photography, which then evolves and develops into teaching them newer and more complicated skills. Throughout this process, the program relies highly on long-term teacher-student relationships as a means of learning and guidance.
Impact
Since its inception, the organization has helped more than a thousand children escape their state of poverty and desolation, impacting the lives of more than 500 families. Students from the program have gone on to give back to the organization, assuming roles in program management. About 14 of the program graduates have become a part of the Fotokids’ Guatemalan staff, playing a pivotal role in extending assistance to children in Guatemala.
Exhibitions and Galleries
The work done by the organization and its children has been exhibited in various museums and galleries over the years: Colombia, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, among others. Additionally, due to its work and impact, Fotokids has also been featured in numerous lectures held at Harvard University, Bowdoin College and Boston University in the U.S. Further, it has been presented at international conferences in countries like Brazil, Guatemala, Japan, Spain and the U.S.
With its wide-ranging and highly positive impact, Fotokids continues its program today, still working to provide an alternate life to children from six different communities in Guatemala and the farms of the Central Valley of California.
– Manasvi Kadian
Photo: Flickr
Ripple Effect: The Organization Empowering Ugandans With Cows
Ripple Effect: The Original Mission
Initiatives like “The Ripple Effect” have been implemented in Uganda to aid farmers and improve their quality of life. These initiatives provide families with cattle, such as cows, offering benefits like milk, meat, hides, manure for fertilizer and the potential for profit through the sale of the animals, effectively utilizing animals as assets. In Uganda, there are approximately 14.2 million cattle, along with millions of other farming animals, thanks to the efforts of numerous organizations.
The mission of “The Ripple Effect” was originally to address malnutrition among children in Uganda, as in 2018, malnutrition was affecting 24 million children in East Africa. Beyond providing food and drink to the animals, the initiative ensures financial security for farmers by facilitating the buying and selling of the gifted cattle. More specifically, smaller animals play a role in helping women in Uganda manage their savings and invest, enabling them to actively participate in their local community and contribute to its overall health and prosperity.
Recycling Back Into the Community
Through organizations like Ripple Effect (previously Send a Cow), cows are provided to local farmers who, in turn, contribute to their community. The initiative enables individuals to raise and nurture cows as assets and through breeding, they can then pass on cows to other farmers. This method sustains the rural economy, extending its impact beyond a single farming family. For every family assisted by the charity, three additional families benefit. As of 2020, “The Ripple Effect” had helped more than two million people across the continent, not limited to Uganda, through their agricultural support.
The Challenges and Vision for the Future
While the future appears promising for Ugandan farmers, challenges persist, particularly due to limited assistance and the remoteness of many communities. These rural areas are challenging to reach and the necessary resources may not be readily available to help them achieve their goals. Moreover, recent issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts within the nation have further affected efforts to reach individuals in rural communities.
Despite the difficulties, the Ripple Effect is committed to helping the communities in need. The “Send a Cow” mission has been noticed and replicated by other organizations, such as the Livestock Project, with a mission to help those in need. The cows have pulled people out of hunger, poverty and malnutrition, which is a rife issue across Africa and the missions see no sign of stopping.
– Lily Thornhill
Photo: Pexels