A bottom-up approach to tackling poverty, which stems from colonial endeavors, is crucial when addressing poverty, as seen in these three successful examples of bottom-up organizations within Haiti.
About Poverty in Haiti
While Haiti experiences multiple forms of poverty, such as from their encounters with tropical storms, the root of Haitian poverty is undoubtedly European colonialism. While Haiti is now an independent country, its trauma is still severe as “European countries had colonized Haiti in the late nineteenth century, instituting a system of economic exploitation in which Haitian raw materials, particularly cash crops and minerals, were expropriated and exported to the sole benefit of the colonizing power where they built their Empire at the expense of Haiti.”
The statistics are harrowing: “In Haiti, nearly 59% of the population lives below the poverty line, with limited access to basic services. Haiti ranks 163 out of 191 countries on the 2021 Human Development Index, and is affected by political turmoil; cholera; poverty; institutional and socioeconomic crises; and natural disasters.”
It is critical to understand the significant benefits of bottom-up organizations within Haiti to battle these statistics and realities for many while subverting colonial behavior. Here are three bottom-up organizations within Haiti that are making a real difference.
1. Peasant Movement of Papaye/Mouvman Peyizan Papay
As mentioned, European colonialists stripped Haiti of much of its natural resources and natural resources. This environmental degradation plays a considerable role in poverty, making it harder to grow crops and crucial natural resources. Peasant Movement of Papaye/Mouvman Peyizan Papay (MPP), founded in 1973, seeks to undo the damage to their land and prevent further degradation.
One of the main symptoms of poverty is hunger, and MPP targets this symptom. In August 2023, the MPP brought together 1,500 delegates from across Haiti to ratify a five-year strategic plan revolving around agrarian support and advocacy for inclusion.
Also, in 2023, it was the International Winner of the Food Sovereignty Prize, which the U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance awarded it with. It celebrated 50 years of using collective food production and commercialization, technical assistance, advocacy, litigation, direct action and more to achieve food sovereignty.
2. Haiti Food Systems Alliance
Similarly to MPP, the Haiti Food Systems Alliance seeks to end hunger in Haiti. Founded and run by Haitians, their mission is to generate enduring and foundational economic change for Haiti’s rural families and communities.
The Haiti Food System Alliance supports 34,000 Haitian farmers and, as of 2023, has provided 13 million locally sourced meals to Haiti’s most vulnerable regions and demographics.
In June 2023, the Haiti Food Systems Alliance partnered with other local organizations to feed hundreds of students peanut butter and cassava.
3. Groupe D’Appui Aux Rapatriés Et Réfugiés
Groupe d’Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés (GARR) is a bottom-up organization that helps some of the most impoverished people of Haiti: refugees and internally displaced people. Not only do they provide important resources such as food and shelter, but they also provide legal assistance and rehabilitation programs.
GARR also helps prioritize women and girls who are especially vulnerable to violence. According to the Haitian times, “In 2022, GARR recorded 161,986 repatriated Haitians, 30% of whom are women and girls.”
In August 2017, GARR worked together with representatives of the Dominican Republic to prevent further xenophobia among Haitian refugees and immigrants in the Dominican Republic. GARR has worked to dismantle current tensions and prevent further tensions from being established, all while cultivating a culture of peace.
Concluding Thoughts
All three of these bottom-up organizations within Haiti provide critical assistance to the impoverished communities within Haiti. Not only do they provide agency and sustainable practices to alleviate poverty, but they subvert the colonial foundations from which so much poverty stems.
In Haiti’s poverty, these organizations provide a beacon of hope. They not only address immediate issues such as hunger, agriculture and the safety of displaced peoples but provide an unwavering commitment to dismantling the persistent symptoms of colonial exploitation.
– Piper Jenkins
Photo: Pixabay
Oprah Winfrey Supports Education in Developing Countries
Oprah’s Angel Network
Oprah established a public charity called Oprah’s Angel Network in 1998. During its 12-year history, the charity garnered more than $80 million in donations, all of which went toward supporting charitable causes across the world. According to the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation website, Oprah’s Angel Network dedicated funds towards bettering the lives of people around the world, including helping establish 60 schools in 13 countries, creating scholarships, supporting women’s shelters, and building youth centers and homes.
The Angel Network concluded in 2010 after distributing $1 million in donations to six charter schools to support the improvement of quality public education for children.
Seven Foundations Primary School
In 2007, Oprah’s Angel Network provided funding for the Seven Fountains Primary School located in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Situated in a poor, rural community, the initial school building had no electricity, limited water access, few sanitation facilities, and stood in a dilapidated state. Donations from the network allowed for the construction of an entirely new and sustainably built school building with proper facilities for both learning and recreation. An approximate 1,000 students were provided with educational resources that they and their instructors had previously not had access to, including computers and SMART Boards.
Designed to impact the whole community, the school also granted adults access to use its facilities to further their education or host workshops. Amenities made available to them consisted of a night school, the computer lab, and the library.
Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (“OWLAG”) was established by Oprah in 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Inspired by former South African president Nelson Mandela and his passion for education, Oprah made a promise back in 2002 to provide the best possible education opportunities for marginalized women in South Africa. The OWLAG, a result of that pledge, is active to this day.
Entry criteria for the academy requires that the applicant has had to overcome childhood poverty and trauma, yet also possesses a resilience, courage and spirit that establishes them as a leader among their peers. With features such as 21 state-of-the-art classrooms, six labs, and a 10,000 volume library, the OWLAG provides chosen girls with access to world-class resources dedicated towards improving their education and supporting them to seek out substantial careers.
As of 2023, 528 girls have graduated from the academy. Out of this number, 90% have pursued college education, some attending top universities around the world.
Improving Education: Looking Ahead
Through Oprah’s charitable work over the years, even the most disadvantaged communities have been able to receive an education that will allow them to gain the skills and knowledge needed to break the cycle of poverty.
In October 2023, Oprah pledged $2.5 million to the U.S. Dream Academy to assist in their efforts to provide after-school and mentoring programs to children with incarcerated parents. With youth education being a priority for her philanthropic deeds, she hopes to continue to provide marginalized groups with the resources they need to be able to shape a better future for themselves.
– Ella Bushell
Photo: Flickr
The Delivery of Foreign Aid to Sudan
The delivery of foreign aid to Sudan has been facing major challenges and obstacles, due to local authorities imposing bureaucratic security restrictions.
The Situation
After the recent violence between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the country is in dire need of basic human assistance, including food, water, shelter and health services. According to Clementine Nkweta-Salami, Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, more than 6 million people have fled the ongoing civil war and are displaced in Sudan or in neighboring countries.
This civil war puts Sudan on the verge of a humanitarian disaster and a refugee crisis, with 25 million people in need of assistance and protection. On July 19, 2023, the United Nations (U.N.) sponsored an event raising nearly $1.5 billion from international donors to fund life-saving relief efforts in the region, calling on parties in Sudan to immediately end the fighting.
US Aid to Sudan
In 2023, the United States provided more than $700 million in foreign aid to Sudan and neighboring countries experiencing the impacts of the ongoing crisis, including Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic.
At a briefing last month, Nkweta-Salami expressed that the country is facing many challenges in receiving foreign aid. Bureaucratic security restrictions have hindered delivering aid and granting visas to humanitarian workers, as well as preventing those seeking safety from fleeing the country. Since early September, Sudanese authorities have banned the transportation of surgical supplies to hospitals in Khartoum, which is under RSF control. As a result, Khartoum citizens cannot receive life-saving treatment and some hospitals have suspended operations.
The prolonged conflict in Sudan has led to a huge increase of people experiencing food insecurity. More than 20 million people are facing hunger, with 6.3 million being one step away from famine. Additionally, 30% of the Sudanese population is unable to afford local food and the prices of food have increased by nearly 50% since the start of the conflict in April. Many children and pregnant or nursing women suffer from malnutrition, but the conflict has closed 80% of hospitals.
Aid from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) set up a cash assistance distribution point in Khartoum, utilizing funding from the Sudan Humanitarian Fund to help alleviate the crisis in that region. The cash is usable for non-food items and emergency shelter. The NRC cited this method as “more effective, faster, and easier to control and meet people’s needs.” About 210,300 people have received emergency shelter and non-food items through the U.N. and other humanitarian partners.
The Importance of Humanitarian Aid Access
Nkweta-Salami stressed the importance of improving humanitarian aid access. Thus far, Sudan has received only one-third of the $2.6 billion needed to alleviate the worst of the crisis. “If we don’t act now, Sudan risks becoming a protracted crisis where there is little hope and fewer dreams,” said Nkweta-Salami.
Aside from the $1.5 billion raised in July, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths announced an additional $22 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund. According to the U.N., more than $3 billion are needed to allocate life-saving multisectoral assistance and protection services to the millions of people displaced and seeking refuge. It urges donors to continue contributing to the Humanitarian Response Plan and the Refugee Response Plan.
Looking Ahead
On the brink of famine, facing nationwide food insecurity and a lack of health services, with millions displaced, Sudan needs foreign aid now more than ever. International agencies can also help by putting pressure on the Sudanese government to lessen the restrictions currently keeping aid from reaching the population.
– Noura Dakka
Photo: Flickr
3 Bottom-Up Organizations Within Haiti Battling Poverty
About Poverty in Haiti
While Haiti experiences multiple forms of poverty, such as from their encounters with tropical storms, the root of Haitian poverty is undoubtedly European colonialism. While Haiti is now an independent country, its trauma is still severe as “European countries had colonized Haiti in the late nineteenth century, instituting a system of economic exploitation in which Haitian raw materials, particularly cash crops and minerals, were expropriated and exported to the sole benefit of the colonizing power where they built their Empire at the expense of Haiti.”
The statistics are harrowing: “In Haiti, nearly 59% of the population lives below the poverty line, with limited access to basic services. Haiti ranks 163 out of 191 countries on the 2021 Human Development Index, and is affected by political turmoil; cholera; poverty; institutional and socioeconomic crises; and natural disasters.”
It is critical to understand the significant benefits of bottom-up organizations within Haiti to battle these statistics and realities for many while subverting colonial behavior. Here are three bottom-up organizations within Haiti that are making a real difference.
1. Peasant Movement of Papaye/Mouvman Peyizan Papay
As mentioned, European colonialists stripped Haiti of much of its natural resources and natural resources. This environmental degradation plays a considerable role in poverty, making it harder to grow crops and crucial natural resources. Peasant Movement of Papaye/Mouvman Peyizan Papay (MPP), founded in 1973, seeks to undo the damage to their land and prevent further degradation.
One of the main symptoms of poverty is hunger, and MPP targets this symptom. In August 2023, the MPP brought together 1,500 delegates from across Haiti to ratify a five-year strategic plan revolving around agrarian support and advocacy for inclusion.
Also, in 2023, it was the International Winner of the Food Sovereignty Prize, which the U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance awarded it with. It celebrated 50 years of using collective food production and commercialization, technical assistance, advocacy, litigation, direct action and more to achieve food sovereignty.
2. Haiti Food Systems Alliance
Similarly to MPP, the Haiti Food Systems Alliance seeks to end hunger in Haiti. Founded and run by Haitians, their mission is to generate enduring and foundational economic change for Haiti’s rural families and communities.
The Haiti Food System Alliance supports 34,000 Haitian farmers and, as of 2023, has provided 13 million locally sourced meals to Haiti’s most vulnerable regions and demographics.
In June 2023, the Haiti Food Systems Alliance partnered with other local organizations to feed hundreds of students peanut butter and cassava.
3. Groupe D’Appui Aux Rapatriés Et Réfugiés
Groupe d’Appui aux Rapatriés et Réfugiés (GARR) is a bottom-up organization that helps some of the most impoverished people of Haiti: refugees and internally displaced people. Not only do they provide important resources such as food and shelter, but they also provide legal assistance and rehabilitation programs.
GARR also helps prioritize women and girls who are especially vulnerable to violence. According to the Haitian times, “In 2022, GARR recorded 161,986 repatriated Haitians, 30% of whom are women and girls.”
In August 2017, GARR worked together with representatives of the Dominican Republic to prevent further xenophobia among Haitian refugees and immigrants in the Dominican Republic. GARR has worked to dismantle current tensions and prevent further tensions from being established, all while cultivating a culture of peace.
Concluding Thoughts
All three of these bottom-up organizations within Haiti provide critical assistance to the impoverished communities within Haiti. Not only do they provide agency and sustainable practices to alleviate poverty, but they subvert the colonial foundations from which so much poverty stems.
In Haiti’s poverty, these organizations provide a beacon of hope. They not only address immediate issues such as hunger, agriculture and the safety of displaced peoples but provide an unwavering commitment to dismantling the persistent symptoms of colonial exploitation.
– Piper Jenkins
Photo: Pixabay
Wheels of Change: Motivation’s Wheelchair Initiative
The Stats
The WHO’s Global Report on Assistive Technology states, “Access to assistive technology is a human right and a precondition for equal opportunities and participation.” Around the world today, more than 75 million people need appropriate wheelchairs and services to enable mobility and unleash their full potential in society. Four in five people live in developing countries, and sadly, less than 10% have access to the support they are entitled to, preventing millions of people from contributing to society. Furthermore, without AT, disabled people and their families encounter restricted opportunities for education and employment, leading to diminished health and well-being, as well as heightened rates of poverty.
Poverty and disability exist in a vicious cycle, with poverty leading to disability and disability worsening poverty. Delivering wheelchair services to those who need them can, therefore, help break the link between poverty and disability as well as a long list of societal benefits. The majority of the world’s disabled people live in the Global South, and only 0.5% of international aid emphasizes disability inclusion. This is where Motivation’s wheelchair initiative comes in.
Motivation
Motivation, registered as a U.K. charity in 1992, launched several projects last year in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and India. They implement a “user-focused and user-led” approach to their programs and products. It has a long and successful history of providing appropriate wheelchairs, their most widespread AT product. Appropriate wheelchairs suit the user’s needs and their living environment. A one-size-fits-all approach using the cheapest wheelchair can cause secondary injuries or disabilities and be discarded quickly. Motivation, therefore, designs and supplies wheelchairs that fit correctly are safe, durable and affordable. It also hires physiotherapists, clinicians and professionals for mobility training and maintenance so users can modify and repair their chairs.
Motivation had an incredibly impactful 2022. More than 1,300 disabled people received wheelchairs that fit their needs, along with mobility and life skills training. The absence of AT for children with disabilities results in lower school completion and poverty later in life. Motivation’s efforts saw more than 430 disabled children regularly attend primary school, develop improved eating habits, and become more included in their families and communities. Disability is rarely just a burden for one person; families, dependents, schools and local government are also affected. Therefore, on a grand scale, Motivation impacted at least 99,000 lives last year — a testament to the power of assistive technology and Motivation’s wheelchair initiative in developing countries.
Why Motivation’s Wheelchair Initiative Matters
Motivation’s wheelchair provision unleashes human potential. Through assistive technology, countless individuals gain the ability to actively contribute to the workforce, unlocking untapped potential and broadening the talent pool. Proving appropriate wheelchairs can also foster more significant social and political stability. By reducing the association between disability and poverty, people’s economic conditions improve, leading to greater social harmony. Additionally, empowering individuals to lead independent lives alleviates stress on strained health care and welfare systems in developing countries.
Fighting poverty creates jobs and market expansion, and Motivation’s vision is no different. Access to wheelchairs drives market activity for products and services, fostering job growth in the technology sector and its affiliated industries. This cycle generates economic advantages and is pivotal in global economic development. It improves cooperation among nations, promoting global trade in the disability needs sector.
– Sam Waterkeyn
Photo: Flickr
2 Organizations Helping Women in India
These statistics reflect an increasing number of Indian women leaving formal employment, even as the economy grows. Major factors that contribute to these statistics include:
MasterG Class
Launched in 2015, MasterG is India’s first all-women garment design and skill development organization. Its founder, Gayatri Jolly, studied fashion design at Parsons in the United States, then returned to India to advance the training of women in fashion. Fashion design in India is a male-dominated industry, socially excluding women from garment manufacturing.
In an interview with Global Connections Television in 2015, Jolly defined fashion as a way to empower and sustain women, and help impoverished people all over the world. MasterG has an entrepreneurship program that aims to train those living in urban slums in a way that makes them immediately employable. It teaches six months of garment construction skills and ends with the gift of a sewing machine to each trainee.
After working with big labels such as Doodlage and NorBlack NorWhite, MasterG launched an independent label called Heimat — the German word for belonging. This in-house label changes the organization from charity-driven to market-driven, increasing trainee skills beyond design and construction to include marketing and sales.
MasterG also launched digital learning programs in regional languages through Coursera, to widen its reach in the country. Upon program completion, trainees have a variety of employment paths, including working in design or export houses, opening small tailoring and garment shops and becoming teachers. They acquire skills in using smartphones for education and leverage platforms like Instagram for showcasing and selling their garments online.
SEWA Foundation
Established in 1972, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) is the largest Central Trade Union in India, with membership exceeding 2.5 million people as of 2023.
Its founder, Ela Bhatt, studied law and spent her early career working with the Textile Laborer’s Association. This experience inspired her to focus on organization and coordination as a way to uplift the poor in a sustainable way. In the 1970s, 90% of India’s workforce were unprotected laborers, most of them women in domestic or agricultural labor at home, or selling products at markets. SEWA originated to redefine employment beyond an employer-employee relationship and provide basic protections for these women.
Through decentralized and affordable approaches, SEWA makes essential services easily accessible, ensuring the financial sustainability of support systems. These include SEWA Bank, health services, national insurance, managing school, a center for training and research and the Mahila Housing Trust.
In 2021, SEWA orchestrated Women, Work, and Food Systems: Voices from Grassroots. This national dialogue provided a platform for informal sector women workers in India to share their issues, challenges and solutions, integrating them into the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) workstreams. The dialogue focused on enhancing the visibility, identity, and livelihood of female workers in the food industry.
Among its achievements, SEWA formed RUDI, an agribusiness enterprise fully owned and managed by the female farmers of Gujarat. SEWA also organized 600 women in the Jammu Kashmir Valley and taught them new agricultural techniques and technology, communications, marketing, leadership and management skills. This enabled them to sell their products directly to markets, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion
An Indian Express report suggests that women’s increased participation in entrepreneurship could elevate India’s GDP by $700 billion by 2025. By creating and managing businesses, female entrepreneurs not only provide job opportunities for fellow women but also serve as inspiration for others to join the workforce, contributing to substantial economic growth. With organizations that bring value and recognition to women’s labor, as well as skills training, women from all sections of society gain a better future.
– Asra Mairaj
Photo: Pexels
Addressing Elderly Poverty in Guatemala
Additionally, extreme weather events have reversed gains in human capital, destroyed infrastructure, reduced agricultural output, intensified food insecurity, spread diseases and disrupted services. Guatemala’s poverty and inequality rates are among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean. Poverty is rampant in Guatemala, but some organizations are tackling this problem and aiding those in need.
MAAN Association
This organization supports elderly adults who do not have access to shelters or protection from the environment. MAAN partners with nursing homes to give the elderly in poverty a safe place to live and access to care they may need. The self-supporting group offers custom-sized wheelchairs to seniors with mobility issues. It also connects the elderly with basic resources, such as medicine, medical consultations and donated food.
MAAN also offers legal support to seniors who are experiencing elder abuse or neglect. This includes seniors whose children kick them out, mortgage their homes without consent or steal their pensions.
International Volunteer HQ
International Volunteer HQ is a volunteer-abroad company with a program focusing on elder care in Guatemala. It pairs international volunteers of all ages with elders, providing one-on-one recreation and socialization, house cleaning and food services, bolstering the physical and mental health of the elderly in poverty. By receiving inexpensive care from these volunteers, the elderly are more able to engage in productive activities. This can help lift them out of poverty. Additionally, this organization provides connections that most of these citizens have not experienced before, including exposure to other cultures and languages.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is addressing elderly poverty in Guatemala by helping senior citizens take control of their health. The organization leads a “take control of your health” program that aims at encouraging self-care among Guatemala’s elderly population living with noncommunicable diseases. This six-week educational program includes tips to control blood pressure and diabetes, complete more physical activity, eat smaller portions, stay hydrated, interpret food labeling and take medication on time. By giving these citizens access to better health care information, PAHO is alleviating the cycle of elderly poverty in Guatemala and enabling the elderly to participate in productive economic opportunities.
Looking Forward
In Guatemala, the MAAN Association, International Volunteer HQ and PAHO are working to alleviate elderly poverty by improving health care, fostering social connections and promoting economic participation. With increased focus on reducing elderly poverty, Guatemala can become a more resilient and productive country.
– Sara Agosto
Photo: Pixabay
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