According to the United Nations (UN), more than 2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and nearly half of the world’s population (3.5 billion) do not have access to safe sanitation. Therefore, striving for universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation practices will not only reduce the number of deaths due to waterborne illness, but it will also help to reduce the global disease burden by 10%. Several unconventional and innovative solutions are currently underway to address global water and sanitation crises.
1. Lifestraw
This product enables the conversion of any contaminated water source into clean, safe drinking water. The small, portable filtration device removes about 99% of contaminants, such as bacteria, parasites, chemicals, microplastics and pesticides.
For every 500 LifeStraw products that consumers buy, LifeStraw donates a LifeStraw Community Purifier to a school in need, ensuring safe drinking water for 100 kids for five years. By the end of 2022, the innovative solution had provided safe water to more than 7 million kids and 2,500 schools.
2. Peepoo Bag
The Peepoo bag is a portable, self-sanitizing and biodegradable toilet. It comprises a thin film for people to use in the absence of clean facilities. The bag includes a layer of urea that helps sanitize and break down human waste into fertilizer that individuals can then use for up to a month.
Previous studies of the Peepoo bag in Bangladesh and Kenya found the product to be especially useful to women and children due to its usefulness in situations when it was difficult to leave the house. Mothers with access to the bag also report their children were sick less often. Almost 90% of users in the study said the bag was better than their normal sanitation practices.
3. Bottle Bright
Bottle Bright, the company, offers all-natural, biodegradable cleaning tablets designed for thorough cleaning of drinking containers. These tablets use effervescent technology, enabling foaming and dissolving in water without the need for chlorine or harsh chemicals.
With each Bottle Bright package sale, the company commits to donating an equal amount of tablets to people in developing countries facing challenges in transporting water and maintaining cleanliness. Bottle Bright has distributed more than 60,000 tablets to developing communities to date.
4. Waterstep Bleachmaker
The BleachMaker utilizes electrolysis to purify large quantities of drinking water quickly, producing chlorine through the combination of salt, water and electricity to effectively eliminate harmful bacteria. The portable device can produce up to five liters of bleach every hour, providing quantities that can be used for water disinfection and medical sanitation.
In 2022, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Governments of Japan and Malawi worked together to install BleachMakers in 46 hospitals and health facilities across Malawi, empowering “public institutions to locally produce chlorine bleach more cheaply within the convenience of their facilities’ budgets.”
5. Everly
Through the creation of flavored drink mixes with clean ingredients and crucial electrolytes, Everly demonstrates a commitment to ending dehydration and waterborne diseases. For every pouch of Everly drink mix sold, the company donates a pouch of rehydration salts to ColaLife, a nonprofit committed to improving access to essential medicines and health products in developing countries.
ColaLife gained attention for its innovative approach to utilizing the existing networks of companies like Coca-Cola to distribute health products. Specifically, they focus on oral rehydration salts and zinc supplements, which are vital in treating dehydration caused by diarrhea, a leading cause of child mortality in many developing regions.
Through Everly’s commitment to partnering with ColaLife, more than 1.5 million packets of rehydration salts have been donated to help mothers and their children in countries like Zambia gain access to life-saving nutrients.
The Importance of These Innovative Solutions
These innovative solutions for global water and sanitation crises are advantageous in that they are non-infrastructure solutions, meaning they can be implemented to help people in developing areas without political support or pushback.
While implementing policy and investments that safeguard necessary human health needs is the key to long-lasting progress in developing communities, these technological innovations are evidence of convenient, immediate opportunities for positive change.
– Bella Simokaitis
Photo: Flickr
Innovation and Technology in Nicaragua
Tackling Teen Pregnancy
In Latin America, the number of teen pregnancies (between the ages of 15 and 19) are some of the highest percentages in the world. In 2019, that recorded statistic reached as high as 83.3 cases of pregnancy per every 1,000 women. These pregnancies and the rise in STIs associated with them, when occurring within low-income families, present challenges to the medical, social and economic positions of those affected, further inflaming already struggling families and limiting future life opportunities.
Sometimes, prevention of teen pregnancy altogether can be as simple as reaching out to and educating teens on safe practices, which was the goal of Teen Smart International’s (TSI) program in Nicaragua. In 2019, TSI developed information packets (micro-messages) delivered through email and mobile apps — delivery venues frequented by the demographic in question. As of 2022, efforts saw as many as 50,000 teens engaged with the online program over the three years, with 98% reporting being satisfied with the results, presenting a viable avenue for improving the education and eventually even the lives, of Nicaragua’s youth.
Technology in Farming
As an agriculturally reliant country, many of Nicaragua’s poorest families have to weather the many challenges and developing complications of fishing and farming, from water scarcity to market and environmental instability, to keep themselves fed. As of 2022, 16.78% of the country’s GDP could be attributed solely to the agricultural sector, necessitating efforts to empower struggling farmers.
Non-Profit International Development Enterprises (iDE) tackle these areas by addressing road bumps on the path to climate sustainability and providing technology to smooth them over. It established ‘iDEal Technologias’ in Nicaragua to directly support the various small farms of Nicaragua and keep them sustainable across competitive and unforgiving markets. Smart application of technology and innovation in Nicaragua, such as providing low-pressure irrigation systems combined with long-term consultancy, helps bridge the gap between what these farms need and what they can feasibly acquire as poor farmers. The iDE, in particular, has managed to seriously transform the lives of the farmers they work with, increasing the annual profits of their partners and reinforcing opportunity and the broader economy.
Expanding Health Care
Health Care has remained a point of contention for Nicaragua’s developmental goals throughout most of the 2000s, with limited hospital coverage, lack of general health insurance and a high poverty rate limiting access to potentially life-saving medication and even just enough to keep children from suffering the effects of malnutrition. Advancements to the health care system can come slowly in Nicaragua, but the aftermath of COVID-19 helped spur efforts to preserve vaccines.
A vaccine storage center opened in Nicaragua, funded with foreign investment from the governments of Canada and Japan, the GAVI alliance, PHAO and UNICEF — providing storage for vital vaccinations that support 30% of the country’s population. With these upgrades to technology and innovation in Nicaragua, the country’s health care can work better to promote the immunization of children and pregnant women and provide a buffer in the event of any viral outbreaks in the future.
Poverty statistics have improved steadily over the past decade. With the rigors of creative innovation and the utilization of modern technology, we have started to see further improvements in addressing pain points, which is key to dealing with the causes of poverty in Nicaragua. The trick is bridging the space between modern technology’s benefits and the feasibility of bringing these tools to developing countries and solving that the biggest hurdle to overcome is the joining of technology and innovation in Nicaragua for the future.
– Brandon Murphy
Photo: Flickr
Creative Solutions for Nutritional Deficiencies
The Life Saving Dot
To combat this unfortunate reality and provide tangible solutions for nutritional deficiencies, Grey For Good partnered with Neelvasant Medical Foundation and Research Center to invent the “life-saving dot.” Indian women traditionally wear bindis, colored dots at the center of their eyebrows, for religious purposes or to signal that they are married. Recently, bindis have grown in popularity, and most Indian women wear them. The life-saving dot is a bindi coated in iodine that delivers the recommended amount of 150-220 micrograms of the mineral to consumers every day. To reach as many people in need as possible, the life-saving dot costs only 10 rupees, or 16 cents, for a packet of 30 bindis.
Risks Associated with an Iron Deficiency
In addition to iodine, iron deficiencies are common worldwide, affecting over two billion people in both developed and underdeveloped nations. Iron is responsible for the transport of oxygen throughout the bloodstream. When one doesn’t have enough of this vital mineral stored, fatigue, shortness of breath and lack of concentration are expected side effects. According to the NHS, “Severe iron deficiency anemia may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs, such as an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or heart failure, where your heart is unable to pump enough blood around your body at the right pressure.” Iron is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency, disproportionately affecting menstruating women, children and those eating a primarily vegetarian diet.
The Lucky Iron Fish
In 2008, a nonprofit (unnamed at the time) set out to innovate another creative solution for nutritional deficiencies. The organization dedicated itself to finding a sustainable and accessible source of iron for the rural Cambodians. Cambodians consider fish as a symbol of good luck. Hence, “The Lucky Iron Fish” was born. The Lucky Iron Fish is a cooking tool that provides consumers with their recommended daily dose of iron when combined with a few drops of citrus and boiled in water for 10 minutes. Consumers can add the fish to their boiling soup or curry dish to iron-fortify their meals. More than 285,000 lives have been positively impacted by this innovation. The nonprofit, now known as “Lucky Iron Life,” partners with organizations and community members worldwide to provide educational resources to help address and present solutions for nutritional deficiencies in their communities.
–Sophia Loizos
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Infant Mortality in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a beautiful country in West Africa that shares borders with the Atlantic Ocean, Guinea and Liberia. Although it is rich in beauty, it is one of the poorest nations in the world. As a result, many people lack necessities such as food, water, shelter and medical care. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that 57% of people in Sierra Leone are food insecure. This is due to a plethora of issues, such as ongoing conflict and war in the region, Ebola outbreaks, unpredictable natural disasters that make farming difficult, and a long history of corruption in government. It is no wonder that under such difficult circumstances, the infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone is so high.
Infant Mortality in Sierra Leone
Infant mortality rates in Sierra Leone are much higher than the world’s average. Project Hope shared the statistic that “at 1,360 deaths per 100,000 live births,” Sierra Leone’s infant mortality rate is “six times higher than the global average.” Additionally, mothers are more likely to die during childbirth as well. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2019, 717 mothers died annually for every 100,000 live births in Sierra Leone. Children mainly die from diarrheal infections, malaria, pneumonia and malnourishment. Mothers tend to die from pregnancy complications such as hemorrhages and labor issues. Sierra Leone hopes to improve these systems since these issues can be fixed with the proper medical resources and necessities.
Improvements
Infant mortality rates in Sierra Leone have been decreasing over the last few years due to measures taken, but much more work is necessary. Programs to address poverty can play an amazing role in decreasing infant mortality rates and also helping to save and support expecting mothers. For example, one program that the Quality Essential Health Services and Systems Support Project (QEHSSSP) runs, which has funding from the World Bank, integrated community health systems into Sierra Leone, and expecting mothers said they could see a real difference in their medical care.
Even just the accessibility of having such a program seemed to make a positive difference. Statista revealed that the “infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone decreased by 2.2 deaths per 1,000 live births (-2.73%) in 2021 compared to the previous year.” Hopefully, this trend will continue. With more education and resources, the infant mortality rates in Sierra Leone can reduce.
Looking Forward
Infant mortality is a devastating reality that often comes as a result of poverty. Luckily, by tracking the information on where, how and why these deaths occur, we can find hope for a better future for expecting mothers and infants. Sierra Leone is a great example of change that is needed and is beginning to take place. With more time, research and improvement, it is possible that infant mortality in Sierra Leone can decrease.
– Rachel Breeden
Photo: Flickr
Solving Nigeria’s Food Emergency
Causes
UNICEF’s report covering the Nigerian food emergency crisis suggests the floods that occurred in 2022 contributed greatly: “Widespread flooding in the 2022 rainy season damaged more than 676,000 hectares of farmlands.” The floods resulted in a devastating loss of harvests, creating an increased level of food insecurity for a considerable number of families. Additionally, conflict and violence throughout the country have increased food shortage levels. This, combined with extreme shifts in weather, has created an overwhelming food insecurity status across Nigeria, meaning potential solutions that can bring the country out of this state of emergency are desperately needed.
Education
Action Against Hunger has continuously worked to alleviate Nigeria’s food emergency issue and has developed numerous education programs to help prevent food insecurity. The organization’s Porridge Moms program aims to educate mothers impacted by a lack of food on creating nutritious meals, thus reducing malnutrition levels in the Nigerian population. This system not only creates a long-term solution but also generates a support system for Nigerian women who have endured suffering. Action Against Hunger was able to help almost 3 million people in 2022.
Developing Income-Generating Activities
Nigeria requires both short and long-term results to ensure a reversal of their food emergency. In response, the World Food Program has prioritized the development of income-generating activities in the country: “We give cash support in the short term, while providing training so displaced people can acquire skills and employment in the long term.” The WFP has worked to create opportunities for the affected Nigerian population in vegetable gardening, aquaculture and food processing, enabling communities to prevent further food shortages from occurring in the future.
Preventing Soil Erosion
A report from the World Bank has revealed that uncontrollable floods in southern Nigeria triggered significant soil erosion, leading to the destruction of numerous crops and farms. Soil erosion is an indirect consequence of climate change. The Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) proposed numerous mechanisms to combat changing weather patterns. Such mechanisms included waste management, stormwater diversion plans and early-warning systems. NEWMAP has reported that more than 12 million people benefitted from their program.
Despite the causes that have led to Nigeria’s food emergency, many organizations are proposing a vast multitude of solutions across all areas to alleviate food insecurity. With help from the rest of the world, the country of Nigeria can look to a brighter future with the assistance of the charitable organizations already devoted to the country.
– Ibrahim Azam
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Child Poverty in the Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago just east of Vietnam, comprising more than 7,000 individual islands in the Pacific Ocean. It is the second most-populated country in Asia, which tourists know as being home to a rich culture and popular cuisine. However, many Filipinos struggle with the consequences of intense wealth disparity within the Southeast Asian country, which has resulted in significant child poverty in the Philippines as well.
Child Poverty in the Philippines
According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), child poverty in the Philippines is a pressing issue. UNICEF stated in its report on the Southeast Asian country that children experiencing poverty in the Philippines face “deep-rooted deprivations and vulnerabilities that impede their survival, development, protection and participation.”
Intense wealth disparity, combined with the general instability of the country’s infrastructure, has created an environment where government programs “are not enough to reduce families’ vulnerability” and do not provide enough of a foundation for these vulnerable populations “to protect themselves against risks and losses to their income.” UNICEF explained that poverty exposes children to circumstances that “threaten their survival and growth.” In the Philippines, more than one-third of Filipino children live below the poverty line and face this harsh reality day-to-day.
UNICEF described how those experiencing child poverty in the Philippines “easily end up suffering from poor health and malnutrition,” which harms their potential to thrive as adults. In turn, these factors negatively affect the overall future of the country’s workforce, and generational poverty continues.
Arms of Love International
Because of the high incidence of childhood poverty in the Philippines, humanitarian organizations working to provide aid within the country are more relevant than ever. One of these organizations is Arms of Love International or Arms of Love.
According to the Arms of Love website, Robert Benson founded it in the Philippines in 2001. Benson faced abandonment and abuse as a child and felt moved to provide the essential foundation to succeed that he received from a family that took him in during a time when he needed it most.
Benson described how he felt “the call from God to build homes for abandoned and abused children.” Arms of Love now provides “a home and a loving family for children who desperately need a safe place to live and grow” in the Philippines. The organization’s goal is to provide support now so that in the future, “communities are healthier and stronger.”
The Residential Care Program
Its website also highlighted the organization’s belief that “every child has the right to a home of safety and security.” The harsh reality is that children receiving aid from Arms of Love “share one thing in common- they have nowhere to live and no one to care for them.” Because of this, the organization’s key goal is to provide shelter, support and “a place they may always call home” when these children need it most.
Arms of Love operates two main programs to achieve its goal of alleviating childhood poverty in the Philippines. The first is the Residential Care Program. This program operates through establishing residential homes for “abandoned, abused, and orphaned” on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. Within these homes, children receiving aid from Arms of Love receive “comprehensive care, like education and health care, while living in a family environment with house-parent couples.” This care is in addition to ensuring their most basic needs are satisfied.
The Independent Living Program
Beyond its Residential Care program, Arms of Love also operates the Independent Living Program. The organization wants the children they help to “succeed in life and to ultimately be able to support themselves and have their own healthy family.” With this, the organization works to go beyond just satisfying these children’s most basic needs and seeks “to break the cycle of poverty itself” and “change the legacy” of the families it helps.
With this, its Independent Living Program completes the work that the Residential Care Program started. In this program, Arms of Love “teaches students to be responsible young adults through part-time employment, budget training,” and more to ensure those receiving aid can succeed independently. These students are then set up in independent living situations and provided aid.
Looking Ahead
Child poverty is a deep-rooted issue in the Philippines. Disparity of wealth and socioeconomic pressures are some factors contributing to this issue. Because of this, the work that Arms of Love and similar humanitarian organizations are doing to create sustainable change is much needed within the country.
– Rosemary Wright
Photo: Flickr
How An Internet Connection Can Prevent Poverty in Pakistan
Fortunately, more than 183 million Pakistanis now own smartphones with preloaded internet access. This signifies that a substantial portion of the population can connect to the internet and engage with billions of other users online. Here are 8 reasons why having an internet connection can help reduce poverty in Pakistan.
Education
The benefits of school pupils having internet access include having trackers on their phones, keeping their school informed about their attendance and online schooling for those unable to access education venues in their local areas. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the crucial role of internet connectivity for young Pakistani students. Lack of access left them in isolation, missing out on valuable educational opportunities.
Terrorism
Poverty in Pakistan does have a link to terrorism because those from poverty-stricken areas are more likely to become involved in terrorist organizations. It is widely acknowledged that many terrorist organizations actively utilize the internet, particularly internet chatrooms, to spread their ideology and identify potential recruits. Given that social media serves as a primary platform for social interaction among young internet users, this presents a significant concern.
Given that social media serves as a primary platform for social interaction among young internet users, this presents a significant concern. Fortunately, the Violent Extremism Prevention Unit (VEPU) is dedicated to identifying potentially dangerous accounts and taking prompt action to eliminate them. In 2023, more than 700 potentially dangerous accounts were removed from the web, thus protecting Pakistani users from danger.
Food
Through a combination of education and access to updated knowledge on farming practices, the people of Pakistan can make significant strides in agriculture. A digital avenue facilitating this is the Kisan Card Scheme, a government initiative providing cards to farmers and information on successful productivity to farmers. This program aims to facilitate registered farmers to “get benefits from various government schemes like subsidies, loans, insurance, etc.”
Financial
To help those struggling financially, the World Bank initiated the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to act as a safety net for those struggling with poverty. Through the BISP program, Pakistani people can use their internet connections to perform an online banking interaction, after which funds can be transferred from the World Bank to support them in meeting their essential needs.
Domestic
Women in Pakistan face many issues, such as restricted mobility, limited lifestyle choices and the persistent threat of abuse. In 2013, recognizing the need for a supportive platform, Group Soul Sisters Pakistan was established on the social networking site Facebook. This private group chat serves as a space for women to share their stories and offer mutual support to one another.
Employment
Social networking plays a pivotal role in job or apprenticeship searches and its absence can impede employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas. Those with internet access can create accounts on platforms such as Rozee or Total Jobs to facilitate the exploration of professions that align with their skills and preferences, thereby enhancing their chances of securing employment.
Medicine
Telemedicine is a concept that can help treat those in poverty-stricken areas rurally. This helps prevent the patients from traveling miles to receive medical attention. As of 2022, telemedicine formats include virtual videos and text messages providing medicinal incite for patients, which are distributed out rurally.
Politics
Access to the internet provides an empowering avenue for the disadvantaged people of Pakistan to voice their concerns and challenge their government. Since the internet became widely available in the ’90s, individuals from various social classes have been able to closely monitor their political leaders, enabling a more engaged and informed citizenry.
– Phoebe Vaughan
Photo: Flickr
Empowering Women: Community Libraries in Rural Asia
Education in Rural Asia
Education in rural Asian communities often faces obstacles like limited resources and gender biases. Community libraries in rural Asia are challenging this by providing accessible educational tools and programs. In rural Bangladesh, for instance, libraries not only provide a diverse selection of books but also host computer training and literacy classes specifically designed for women. These initiatives are pivotal in enhancing women’s abilities to secure better employment and improve their living standards. The resources and learning programs available in these libraries have opened doors for women, offering them a chance to learn new skills and gain knowledge that was previously out of reach.
How Community Libraries are Helping
The transformative power of community libraries in rural India is evident through numerous initiatives aimed at revitalizing these spaces. These libraries have become more than just places for reading; they have become active centers of learning and empowerment for local communities. Through diverse programs such as adult education and digital literacy, women in these areas are acquiring invaluable skills and knowledge. This has not only created new opportunities for personal development and employment but has also played a significant role in the social and economic upliftment of their communities. The success stories emerging from these libraries are a testament to the crucial role they play in fostering a culture of continuous learning and empowerment.
The libraries are also helping to foster a sense of empowerment and community involvement among women. Empowered with newfound skills and knowledge, women are increasingly taking on more active roles within their communities. This shift is gradually altering traditional gender dynamics, allowing for greater gender equality and community development. Women’s empowerment through education can lead to broader social changes, contributing to the overall progress of these rural areas.
Despite their successes, these community libraries face challenges, such as funding constraints and cultural barriers that sometimes hinder women’s participation. However, the future seems hopeful with increased support from nongovernmental organizations and governmental initiatives aimed at expanding educational resources and opportunities in these rural areas.
Looking Ahead
Community libraries in rural Asia are much more than just book lending facilities; they play an important role in shaping the future of women’s education and empowerment in these regions. As they continue to break down barriers and open doors to new opportunities, they pave the way toward a more inclusive and equitable society. The story of these libraries is one of resilience, hope and the transformative power of education.
– Hana Al-Khodairi
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Malnutrition in Burundi
The Challenges
Food insecurity, inadequate health care infrastructure and socioeconomic challenges have long contributed to the cycle of malnutrition among the less privileged in Burundi. The Burundian government has made substantial efforts to change this status quo.
Over the years, the government has made significant efforts to bring the country’s acute malnutrition rates down to 4.8%. Recent plans, which a partnership with UNICEF facilitated, are implementing comprehensive strategies targeting the combat of chronic malnutrition in Burundi through a multisectoral approach.
Vitamin Supplements and Health Advice
UNICEF has backed several government initiatives targeting children and breastfeeding mothers, including a nationwide campaign to increase access to vitamin supplements. In 2023, 1.2 million children aged 4 to 6 received two doses of vitamin A supplements, while 500,000 children under the age of 2 received access to micronutrient powders. The supplements were accompanied by hygiene, sanitation and food care advice handed out to more than 500,000 mothers and caretakers. More than 245,000 women benefited from a targeted service aimed at reducing anemia and malnutrition rates. More than 75,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition received sufficient health care as part of the initiative. This health program aims address and improve chronic malnutrition rates in 2024.
Steering Committee (COPIL) Project
In September 2023, the second Steering Committee met to implement the third phase of a project fighting malnutrition in Burundi’s most vulnerable provinces, including Kayanza, Muyinga and Ngozi. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has invested nine million Swiss francs into the project since December 2021. The initial two phases of the project were effectively executed in Ngozi from 2013 to 2021, resulting in a notable reduction in chronic malnutrition rates among children under the age of 5 in the province. The project’s third phase intends to reduce chronic malnutrition rates to 5% across at least 60% of populations spread across Ngozi, Buye, Kiremba and Gahombo. The committee made adjustments after it examined the successes and failures of the initial phases, with the focus shifting to increasing access to basic sanitation and the production of fortified flour.
WFP Anticipatory Action
Heavy rainfall associated with El Niño in November 2023 triggered flooding, causing internal displacements and contributing to food insecurity among Burundi’s rural population. Given that 90% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture, the country is vulnerable to experiencing a severe shortage of essential food commodities during intense climate disasters.
The World Food Program (WFP), in partnership with the Burundi Red Cross, activated the Anticipatory Action Plan to safeguard the livelihoods of those facing heightened food insecurity caused by the El Niño period. In August, the WFP assisted nearly 7,900 households in constructing resilient structures, including kitchen gardens and small animal breeding facilities, with the aim of enhancing access to nutritional food sources.
An Education and Child Nutrition Program
The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture initiated, serves as a global feeding program aimed at assisting more than 31 million children in 48 countries. In 2022, Burundi became the latest participant in the program, gaining 6,000 metric tons of U.S. commodities and 2,000 metric tons of local commodities to assist in school meal provisions. More than 80,000 Burundian children were predicted to benefit from the aid.
While these initiatives demonstrate the government’s ongoing commitment to battle malnutrition, significant challenges continue to persist. Issues such as persistent poverty, lack of awareness and limited access to health care continue to hinder progress. Therefore, additional evaluation mechanisms must undergo development to ensure the effective implementation of these programs and extend their reach to a larger segment of the population, thereby building upon the progress the country has initiated. The government must continue to focus its efforts on new, modified programs to alleviate the suffering among all men, women and children enduring the effects of chronic malnutrition in Burundi.
– Megha Gupta
Photo: Flickr
5 Innovative Solutions for Global Water and Sanitation Crises
1. Lifestraw
This product enables the conversion of any contaminated water source into clean, safe drinking water. The small, portable filtration device removes about 99% of contaminants, such as bacteria, parasites, chemicals, microplastics and pesticides.
For every 500 LifeStraw products that consumers buy, LifeStraw donates a LifeStraw Community Purifier to a school in need, ensuring safe drinking water for 100 kids for five years. By the end of 2022, the innovative solution had provided safe water to more than 7 million kids and 2,500 schools.
2. Peepoo Bag
The Peepoo bag is a portable, self-sanitizing and biodegradable toilet. It comprises a thin film for people to use in the absence of clean facilities. The bag includes a layer of urea that helps sanitize and break down human waste into fertilizer that individuals can then use for up to a month.
Previous studies of the Peepoo bag in Bangladesh and Kenya found the product to be especially useful to women and children due to its usefulness in situations when it was difficult to leave the house. Mothers with access to the bag also report their children were sick less often. Almost 90% of users in the study said the bag was better than their normal sanitation practices.
3. Bottle Bright
Bottle Bright, the company, offers all-natural, biodegradable cleaning tablets designed for thorough cleaning of drinking containers. These tablets use effervescent technology, enabling foaming and dissolving in water without the need for chlorine or harsh chemicals.
With each Bottle Bright package sale, the company commits to donating an equal amount of tablets to people in developing countries facing challenges in transporting water and maintaining cleanliness. Bottle Bright has distributed more than 60,000 tablets to developing communities to date.
4. Waterstep Bleachmaker
The BleachMaker utilizes electrolysis to purify large quantities of drinking water quickly, producing chlorine through the combination of salt, water and electricity to effectively eliminate harmful bacteria. The portable device can produce up to five liters of bleach every hour, providing quantities that can be used for water disinfection and medical sanitation.
In 2022, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Governments of Japan and Malawi worked together to install BleachMakers in 46 hospitals and health facilities across Malawi, empowering “public institutions to locally produce chlorine bleach more cheaply within the convenience of their facilities’ budgets.”
5. Everly
Through the creation of flavored drink mixes with clean ingredients and crucial electrolytes, Everly demonstrates a commitment to ending dehydration and waterborne diseases. For every pouch of Everly drink mix sold, the company donates a pouch of rehydration salts to ColaLife, a nonprofit committed to improving access to essential medicines and health products in developing countries.
ColaLife gained attention for its innovative approach to utilizing the existing networks of companies like Coca-Cola to distribute health products. Specifically, they focus on oral rehydration salts and zinc supplements, which are vital in treating dehydration caused by diarrhea, a leading cause of child mortality in many developing regions.
Through Everly’s commitment to partnering with ColaLife, more than 1.5 million packets of rehydration salts have been donated to help mothers and their children in countries like Zambia gain access to life-saving nutrients.
The Importance of These Innovative Solutions
These innovative solutions for global water and sanitation crises are advantageous in that they are non-infrastructure solutions, meaning they can be implemented to help people in developing areas without political support or pushback.
While implementing policy and investments that safeguard necessary human health needs is the key to long-lasting progress in developing communities, these technological innovations are evidence of convenient, immediate opportunities for positive change.
– Bella Simokaitis
Photo: Flickr
How the Tourism Boom in Cambodia Has Impacted Urban Poverty
The Economic Impact
In the first seven months of 2023, Cambodia welcomed 409% more international visitors, a significant growth compared to the same period in 2022. The tourism boom in Cambodia has caused a significant economic boost in the urban centers, particularly in cities like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The rise in tourist arrivals has led to a surge in demand for services, creating employment opportunities in many sectors, such as hospitality, transportation and retail.
Employment Opportunities
One of the most visible impacts of the tourism boom in Cambodia is the increase in job opportunities. Specifically, the hospitality sector, including hotels, restaurants and tour guides, has experienced significant growth, providing jobs for a large portion of the urban workforce. Due to the growth of this sector, there was an increased demand for specialized training. In 2023, the Ministry of Tourism responded by providing hospitality training to approximately 4,106 young people from economically disadvantaged families. These trainings took place across 10 Cambodian provinces and helped to strengthen the hospitality sector.
Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Beyond traditional employment, the tourism boom in Cambodia has spurred entrepreneurial activities. Many individuals have taken the opportunity to establish small businesses catering to the needs and preferences of tourists. In fact, in the first 11 months of 2023, the Ministry of Commerce recorded 11,056 new businesses. This number showed an increase of about 15% in new businesses compared to the previous year.
Infrastructure Development
Recognizing the potential of tourism as a cause of economic growth, the Cambodian government has invested significantly in infrastructure development. Remote communities, previously isolated due to inefficient transportation networks, are now much better connected. As a result, economic development is fostered with new markets for local products and creating trade opportunities.
Community Development
The positive impact of the tourism boom in Cambodia goes far beyond the economic realm, benefitting community development and social welfare. As tourism revenue flows into the country, the Cambodian government and local authorities have increasingly directed these profits toward needed services, such as education and health care.
Tourism revenue has been channeled into building schools, providing scholarships and improving educational infrastructure. Similarly, the health care sector has received much-needed attention. Medical facilities in regions with a high influx of tourists have been enhanced, ensuring that both local residents and visitors have access to quality health care services.
Overall, the boom in Cambodia tourism has generated a large profit. This revenue has helped create new job opportunities, enhance infrastructure and improve the quality of life for impoverished communities in the country.
– Trisha Borde
Photo: Flickr