Bangladesh’s flood-prone geography leaves nearly 60% of the population exposed to high flood risk, disrupting livelihoods, education and food production. In response, communities are using floating technology in Bangladesh to adapt to rising waters and build long-term resilience.
Bangladesh’s Growing Flood Challenges
Bangladesh has always suffered from flooding due to its location and river systems. Severe flooding has repeatedly displaced families and heightened the risk of waterborne disease.
Experts have warned that the risks from flooding will only increase due to a forecast of increased rainfall in upcoming years.
In 2024, heavy rainfall resulted in overcrowded temporary shelters, compromising the protection of vulnerable young girls. The flooding situation is not getting easier, but the country has begun to combat this devastating common occurrence.
Floating Schools Keep Education Afloat
One example of floating technology in Bangladesh is floating schools. Due to floods causing significant disruption, the country has started to work around it.
Roads in the most flood-prone villages become submerged easily, making children’s school runs very difficult. Floating schools have been created to ensure education remains consistent and undisrupted by floods. Instead of students making the journey to school, the floating school mechanism goes to them.
Since the first floating school launched in 2002, a report published in 2025 described more than 100 floating schools, libraries and health boats together, with more than 70,000 children benefiting from the initiative.
Floating Farms and Food Security
Another example of floating technology is floating farms. These systems allow crops to be cultivated in places affected by prolonged flooding.
Floating farms are essentially “artificial islands” that rise and fall with the river’s tide. They are most popular in Barisal, Gopalganj and Pirojpur. Farmers create platforms out of water hyacinth, plant seeds on these rafts and move them into flooded areas. Nutrients are released into the crops as the raft decomposes, making this process effective in the long run.
Many villages rely on these buoyant rafts to keep their food supply stable during floods. Ultimately, the floating farms and gardens offer a hopeful solution to the food deprivation caused by extreme flooding.
More Floating Innovations
In some flood-prone regions, boats have been transformed into mobile health clinics, libraries and community centers that bring essential services directly to isolated populations.
Floating health facilities provide basic medical care to residents who might otherwise struggle to reach clinics during flood periods.
Floating libraries give children and adults access to books and learning materials, supporting literacy and educational development.
These services help reduce the barriers that flooding creates while ensuring that communities remain connected to critical resources. By bringing assistance to people rather than expecting travel through difficult conditions, floating technologies improve accessibility and strengthen community resilience.
A More Resilient Future for Bangladesh
As changing weather creates flood risks, floating technology offers a promising path forward for vulnerable communities. What began as local solutions has evolved into a broader model of climate adaptation, helping people maintain access to education, food production and essential services even when floodwaters rise.
Continued investment in floating schools, farms and community services could expand opportunities for thousands more families in flood-prone regions. These innovations not only help communities withstand environmental challenges but also support long-term goals related to poverty reduction, food security and sustainable development.
Bangladesh’s success demonstrates that effective climate solutions do not always require costly infrastructure. By combining local knowledge with practical innovation, communities are finding new ways to thrive in changing conditions. Continued support from NGOs like Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, development organizations and government programs will play an important role in expanding these initiatives.
As other countries face increasing climate-related flooding, Bangladesh’s floating technologies may provide valuable lessons for building a more resilient future.
– Lottie Oldreive
Lottie is based in Cardiff, Wales and focuses on Technology and Solutions, and Celebs for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
How Hydrogel in Zambia Could Help Women Protect Livelihoods
Forests can be an important source of income for families in rural Zambia. Forest products contribute about 20% of rural household income, while forests and other natural resources support the livelihoods of about 60% of rural households. For women who depend on these resources, environmental degradation can put an existing source of income under pressure.
The Booma Women Cooperative
In Southern Province, the Booma Women Cooperative is investigating whether hydrogel can help recently planted trees withstand dry conditions. The cooperative uses natural resources such as mongongo to produce oils and cosmetics, linking forest resources to women’s existing livelihood activities.
Women in Mukuni Village, Southern Province, collect forest resources for food and income. Mongongo nuts are one such resource, traditionally collected and processed by local communities. The Booma Women Cooperative buys mongongo seeds from local women and processes them into cooking and cosmetic oils for local shops, lodging facilities and wellness centers. The cooperative also produces cosmetic oils and butters from other locally sourced forest products.
Mendel University reports that the cooperative gives women opportunities to earn income by collecting and selling mongongo products.
Drought and Forest Pressure
These livelihoods face pressure from environmental degradation. Drought, logging, charcoal production, agricultural expansion and uncontrolled fires can place additional pressure on forests. Research from the International Growth Centre found that drought-related crop failures can push smallholder farmers toward charcoal production as a coping strategy, increasing pressure on forests.
Testing Hydrogel in Drought-Prone Areas
Hydrogel absorbs water in soil and gradually releases moisture as surrounding conditions become drier. Hydrogel can retain water in soil and release moisture gradually; its effects on seedling survival vary by species and conditions.
At the Booma Women Cooperative, researchers from Mendel University in Brno are testing whether hydrogel can support tree establishment in drought-prone areas. The project receives funding and support from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Czech-UNDP Partnership. It initially aimed to support at least 400 native and oil-bearing trees. By early November 2025, more than 1,500 seedlings from eight species had been sown, and more than 1,000 had germinated. Six species are native and two are introduced.
Women receive training in planting, hydrogel application and early seedling care, while researchers collect field data and use sensors to monitor tree growth and local conditions. A 2023 field study of four Central European tree species found that hydrogel treatment reduced seedling mortality by 1% to 9%, although responses varied by species.
Future Income Benefits Remain Uncertain
The potential economic benefit of the Booma project depends on whether the seedlings survive and mature. If they do, the trees could eventually contribute to forest resources used for activities such as mongongo collection and processing. However, the project has not yet demonstrated that hydrogel will produce this outcome in Southern Zambia.
It remains uncertain how many seedlings will survive and mature, whether the technique will perform similarly under local conditions and whether healthier trees will eventually produce enough forest products to affect women’s incomes. The cost and scalability of hydrogel also remain questions.
Most importantly, Booma members have not yet received measurable income benefits from the project. Evidence that hydrogel can improve seedling survival under some conditions does not establish that it will increase incomes in Southern Zambia.
The Booma project is testing whether a drought-adaptation technique can help protect forest resources connected to existing women’s livelihoods. Whether the approach eventually strengthens those livelihoods remains to be determined.
– Zeba Vagh
Photo: Flickr
Improvement for Higher Education in Fiji
Throughout the years, there has been some slight improvement in Fiji’s education system by increasing accessible education through zero-tuition fees. Although Fijian students are provided with free primary and lower secondary education, they still have to pay for college tuition when planning or attending a higher educational institution. Tuition and other living costs can be barriers for students from low-income households.
Affording higher education in Fiji can be a major stress factor for students from low-income households, especially when considering transportation, books, meals, housing, and other scholarly expenses. However, the Fiji government and nonprofit organizations have been making progress by making higher education affordable and accessible for all Fiji Island residents. Here are some methods reflecting Fiji’s improvement in higher education by providing equal opportunities and funding more financial opportunities.
Academic Excellence for Women
On Sept. 20, 2023, the Permanent Secretary of Education, Selina Kuruleca, confirmed that women in Fiji are completing their education more often than men. High school graduation for female students is at a 97% rate, while male students have a 79% rate. About 60-65% of college and higher education enrollment are female-identifying students.
Nonprofit organizations have encouraged and funded opportunities for Fijian women to attend higher educational institutions. For example, Graduate Women Fiji was established in 1983 with a mission to support higher education for women by promoting fellowships and global networking for members. Graduate Women Fiji promotes women’s education and professional development, including opportunities in fields where women have historically been underrepresented. Programs that fund scholarships and grants for women pursuing higher education in Fiji exemplify how funding for women’s academic excellence can break financial barriers women face while earning a college degree.
The Higher Education Commission
The Higher Education Commission was established in 2010 to prioritize the services of higher education for Fijian residents. It is a government regulatory body that supports the delivery of higher education in Fiji. Its goals are to meet the necessities and standards of students, teachers, and other faculty members. The Higher Education Commission Fiji confirms that there is major improvement in operating grants for institutions such as the University of South Pacific and Fiji National University. The commission states, “For 2025-2026, the Government has invested $83,042,808 in operating grant to HEIs and $3,431,739 in capital grant.” Fiji National University reported signing a government grant agreement for 2026–2027 that includes FJD 74.49 million in operating funding. These grants will support more funding toward career training, workforce development, and more opportunities for students from different financial backgrounds.
Ministry of Education’s National Budget
On June 26, 2026, the Fiji Ministry of Education announced that higher education in Fiji will continue to thrive after receiving a National Budget of FJD 883 million [$392,937,119 USD]. The largest allocation of Fiji’s education system will be funded for teacher salaries, schools and scholarships. The budget provides FJD 160 million [$71,200,384 USD] for tertiary scholarships, which will help more than 23,000 new and currently enrolled college students. The government of Fiji assisted 53,000 students by writing off more than FJD 650 million [$289,251,560 USD] in college debt.
The Education Ministry in Fiji continues to plan on improving accountability by providing more scholarship programs. The Higher Education Commission’s published funding figures for 2025–2026 total FJD 86,474,547 in operating and capital grants, while the FJD 74.49 million figure relates to a separate Fiji National University agreement. Both government-led and nonprofit organizations prioritize improving higher education in Fiji by opening more grants and scholarship opportunities with less stress over affording a good college.
The Impact of Scholarships and Grants
Scholarships and grants create a positive impact for college students from low-income families because they encourage them to pursue education that will provide the skills needed for well-paid jobs. Fiji’s methods of fighting poverty include funding higher educational institutes for students seeking opportunities in studying for a job that will offer better income. Government funding and scholarships aim to make further education and training more accessible.
Funding grants and scholarships benefit Fijian students who face poverty by providing affordable access to education and training. To give students a chance at obtaining jobs that promise higher wages after graduation, the Fiji government proposed expanding training opportunities in universities. To reduce the number of residents moving out of Fiji to find better job opportunities, the government proposed more higher educational institutions to expand training courses to ensure that every resident will develop the skills needed to prepare for a career of interest.
Fiji National University has set a strategy to expand technical and vocational education and training in response to Fiji’s skills needs. Higher education in Fiji addresses the country’s labor skills gap by creating more training programs to ensure that students will have a future where their careers are related to educational background, potentially improving access to employment and income.
– Kristen Wheeler
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Boom of Freelancing in Pakistan
Freelancing provides citizens with opportunities to work remotely and earn dollar-denominated income, benefiting some unemployed young people. The rise in the gig economy emerged after the 2008 financial crisis, as people took on part-time jobs to meet basic needs. The online hiring system is less expensive and allows a greater range of applicants to apply for jobs, giving women and unemployed youth more opportunities while they stay at home.
Government Efforts and Poverty Reduction
The government has provided freelancers with a tax incentive to route payments through the country’s banking system. Freelancers registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) pay only a 0.25% tax on foreign gains. The government has focused on improving freelancing prospects due to the high 11.4% unemployment rate among youth by creating the 2023 Freelancing Policy. The PSEB has also invested in digital skills. Reports indicate that most freelancers earn around $200 to $800 a month. The Software Export Board teaches new skills ranging from creative design to SEO.
Freelancing offers an alternative source of income outside sectors such as agriculture, which can be vulnerable to weather and other natural conditions. It provides a more stable opportunity by teaching new skills so people can escape poverty. Pakistan Tech Destination has 600,000 IT professionals registered, and PNY training teaches skills like jewelry making to help locals earn their keep. Global markets also connect rural populations, increasing the number of laborers earning higher than the minimum wage.
A New Opportunity for Women
Researchers reported that women’s workforce participation was 24% in 2014. After COVID-19, a shift toward IT marketing and online work gained popularity. Freelancing provides new opportunities for women in Pakistan, where it is culturally challenging for them to work in offices. Freelancing allows for flexible shifts, enabling women to balance house chores and family responsibilities.
Platforms like Fiverr, Upwork and PeoplePerHour have emerged, offering courses with important skills for women to improve their earnings. Some research estimates that women make up 15-25% of Pakistan’s freelancers. Freelancing offers women greater flexibility and access to income, although participation and earnings vary. It provides household income security and gradually enhances economic security for the country.
Future Prospects
Freelancing could contribute to Pakistan’s economic opportunities and help broaden access to income beyond major urban job markets. It might lead to a reduction in poverty with an increase in training centers for local people and tax incentives for freelancers to acquire earnings through formal banking systems. The government could recognize the advantages of this developing sector and aim to provide opportunities to address the lack of jobs in Pakistan.
– Eshal Fatima
Photo: Unsplash
Malaria Education in Madagascar
Madagascar, an island country east of Mozambique, faces significant poverty and malaria challenges. According to World Bank estimates, 69.2% of its population lived below the international $3-a-day poverty line in 2021, measured in 2021 purchasing-power-parity dollars. Malaria outbreaks have placed additional pressure on communities and health services.
What Works and What Does Not in the Current System?
Geography is crucial when discussing the incidence of malaria infection and why it is harder to contain in Madagascar than in other places with high malaria incidences. Madagascar is an island country heavily impacted by weather events such as cyclones and droughts. Its landscape includes both endemic lowlands and epidemic-prone highlands that create transmission zones, making it very hard to monitor and control the disease. This leads to the necessity of personalized or regionally specific prevention techniques, like malaria education in Madagascar alongside the use of ITNs and residual spraying.
WHO reporting identifies Madagascar as a malaria-endemic country where malaria cases increased markedly in 2024. The risk of malaria differs across communities and transmission settings. The implementation of the highly effective insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), and seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) have been in effect since the early 2000s and continue to be some of the most useful methods of preventing the disease. Although the CDC notes that indoor spraying lasts about three to six months and does not prevent people from being bitten, it simply kills mosquitoes that land on the sprayed surface.
Malaria-specific social and behavior change communication encourages the use of proven prevention methods, including insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying. Community health workers can explain how to use these interventions and when to seek diagnosis and treatment. Another program for malaria control came from the ACCESS Program and the Ministry of Public Health and National Malaria Control Program partnering to create a community-centered program involving community health volunteers. This program included home visits for early detection and pre-referral treatment for severe malaria in children under five. By the end of ACCESS in 2025, nearly 14,000 community health volunteers were actively delivering malaria prevention and treatment services. ACCESS reports that more than 180,000 people received integrated community services in 2023-2024.
Time to Add Something New?
Although these programs extend prevention and treatment services, malaria remains a serious public health challenge in Madagascar. While the connection to community health volunteers has helped, and there has been some form of malaria prevention education through social and behavior change communication, the programs in place revolving around educating people on general malaria prevention and treatment methods in Madagascar need more investment to reach all villages across the country’s landscape.
A study done in Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire by The Lancet Global Health found that pairing malaria education with the use of ITNs cut disease risk as much as indoor spraying combined with insecticide nets. The research showed a 22% reduction in cases in the following 10 months compared to just using nets alone. This evidence suggests malaria education in Madagascar could help reduce malaria alongside the use of insecticide nets and residual spraying. These findings suggest that targeted malaria education could complement nets, spraying, diagnosis and treatment in Madagascar, although this study in Madagascar has not demonstrated the same result.
Looking Ahead
Strengthening locally appropriate malaria education through community health workers and social and behavior change communication may complement existing prevention, diagnosis and treatment efforts. Reaching remote communities remains essential.
– Lily K. Gibson
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
How Solar Water in Rural Malawi is Improving Health
Solar water in rural Malawi is helping families get safer and more reliable water. In Karonga District, new solar-powered water systems were built at Chikutu and Thawiro health posts and nearby villages. The systems now provide clean water to more than 2,000 people. Before the project, some families depended on rivers and rainwater for their daily needs. These factors made access to safe water difficult and increased the risk of diseases such as diarrhea and cholera.
Life Before Safe Water
Previously, many families in the area had no easy access to clean water, and in some cases, they had to get it from rivers or use rainwater. This was not always a safe arrangement, particularly for children. The Chikutu Health Post also had difficulties with water supply since the health workers needed clean water both to look after patients and to keep the health post clean. It was therefore important to have a safe source of water close by for the health center.
How Solar-Powered Water Systems Help
The new water systems use solar power to pump water from underground. The water is then stored in tanks and brought closer to the health posts and nearby communities. This gives families a safer source of water and means they do not have to depend as much on rivers or rainwater. The systems also give health workers easier access to the water they need each day. Solar-powered water systems are already in use in various areas of Malawi. The systems use solar power to pump water to places where people need it. This system includes homes, schools and health centers. In 2024, UNICEF-supported solar water systems provided safe water to 48,000 people in Malawi. Around 23,500 of them were children. Similar systems are now being used in different parts of the country, not only in Karonga.
Better Water, Better Health
It is also important to have safe water in order to prevent diseases; in 2023 the Chimaliro Health Centre noted 40 cases of cholera and one death. The health center and the families living nearby had been using water from the same borehole, a source that at times was not safe. Later on a solar-powered water system was set up in the area. Once the new system began to operate, the health center recorded no cases of cholera in 2024 and the health workers also had more water at their disposal for cleaning and looking after patients.
More Time for School
Solar water in rural Malawi can also save time for students. In Machinga District, some students at Mpalangwazi Primary School had to collect water before going to school. Because of this, they sometimes arrived late. Later, six solar-powered water points were built at the school and in nearby villages. Teachers said that students started coming to school on time more often. The school has more than 1,000 students, so having water closer to them can save time before and during the school day.
Water Access in Malawi
For many people in Malawi access to clean water is still a major problem. WaterAid states that about 17% of the population have no access to clean water and that 56% lack proper hygiene facilities. In rural areas people often have to walk long distances to get their water or have to depend on sources that might not be safe. The problem also affects health centers since clean water is needed by patients, the staff and for the daily cleaning. WaterAid has worked with health centers in Malawi to improve their water and sanitation services. This has involved the installation of piped water systems powered by solar energy.
Solar power is useful in rural areas since it allows the water to be pumped without relying on a regular electricity supply. Once the water is pumped, it can be stored and used by the health center and people living nearby. It is also beneficial for families to have a source of water nearby because it saves them time. Rather than spending part of the day searching for or gathering water, people have more time available for going to school, working and looking after other matters. This is particularly important for women and children, who are usually in the position of having to collect water for their families.
Looking Ahead
Many people in Malawi still do not have clean water close to where they live. Having safe water resources that are easy to access could result in less time being spent collecting it and a reduced health risk. It would also make it easier for schools and health centers which need water every day. Solar water in rural Malawi is already reaching communities that once had difficulty finding safe water.
The projects in Karonga and other districts are only part of the work that still needs to be done but the results so far give reason for hope to the people. As more communities receive safe water systems, more families can have a healthier and safer place to live. For families who have spent years worrying about where their next bucket of clean water will come from, having safe water close to home can be the beginning of a better future.
– Mert Sungur
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
How Floating Technology In Bangladesh Is Transforming Flood Zones
Bangladesh’s Growing Flood Challenges
Bangladesh has always suffered from flooding due to its location and river systems. Severe flooding has repeatedly displaced families and heightened the risk of waterborne disease.
Experts have warned that the risks from flooding will only increase due to a forecast of increased rainfall in upcoming years.
In 2024, heavy rainfall resulted in overcrowded temporary shelters, compromising the protection of vulnerable young girls. The flooding situation is not getting easier, but the country has begun to combat this devastating common occurrence.
Floating Schools Keep Education Afloat
One example of floating technology in Bangladesh is floating schools. Due to floods causing significant disruption, the country has started to work around it.
Roads in the most flood-prone villages become submerged easily, making children’s school runs very difficult. Floating schools have been created to ensure education remains consistent and undisrupted by floods. Instead of students making the journey to school, the floating school mechanism goes to them.
Since the first floating school launched in 2002, a report published in 2025 described more than 100 floating schools, libraries and health boats together, with more than 70,000 children benefiting from the initiative.
Floating Farms and Food Security
Another example of floating technology is floating farms. These systems allow crops to be cultivated in places affected by prolonged flooding.
Floating farms are essentially “artificial islands” that rise and fall with the river’s tide. They are most popular in Barisal, Gopalganj and Pirojpur. Farmers create platforms out of water hyacinth, plant seeds on these rafts and move them into flooded areas. Nutrients are released into the crops as the raft decomposes, making this process effective in the long run.
Many villages rely on these buoyant rafts to keep their food supply stable during floods. Ultimately, the floating farms and gardens offer a hopeful solution to the food deprivation caused by extreme flooding.
More Floating Innovations
In some flood-prone regions, boats have been transformed into mobile health clinics, libraries and community centers that bring essential services directly to isolated populations.
Floating health facilities provide basic medical care to residents who might otherwise struggle to reach clinics during flood periods.
Floating libraries give children and adults access to books and learning materials, supporting literacy and educational development.
These services help reduce the barriers that flooding creates while ensuring that communities remain connected to critical resources. By bringing assistance to people rather than expecting travel through difficult conditions, floating technologies improve accessibility and strengthen community resilience.
A More Resilient Future for Bangladesh
As changing weather creates flood risks, floating technology offers a promising path forward for vulnerable communities. What began as local solutions has evolved into a broader model of climate adaptation, helping people maintain access to education, food production and essential services even when floodwaters rise.
Continued investment in floating schools, farms and community services could expand opportunities for thousands more families in flood-prone regions. These innovations not only help communities withstand environmental challenges but also support long-term goals related to poverty reduction, food security and sustainable development.
Bangladesh’s success demonstrates that effective climate solutions do not always require costly infrastructure. By combining local knowledge with practical innovation, communities are finding new ways to thrive in changing conditions. Continued support from NGOs like Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, development organizations and government programs will play an important role in expanding these initiatives.
As other countries face increasing climate-related flooding, Bangladesh’s floating technologies may provide valuable lessons for building a more resilient future.
– Lottie Oldreive
Photo: Flickr
Wood-Burning Stoves in Mexico
Many people in Mexico continue to cook meals over open fires or inefficient stoves using wood and other polluting fuels. In 2019, Gold Standard estimated that about 20% of the country’s population used firewood for cooking. New, more efficient wood-burning stoves in Mexico can reduce smoke exposure and firewood use while respecting local cooking traditions.
The Health Risks
Daily exposure to smoke from open fires can contribute to serious respiratory and cardiovascular illness, with women and children often facing the greatest exposure. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that about 2.1 billion people cook using open fires or inefficient stoves fueled by polluting fuels, and household air pollution was responsible for an estimated 2.9 million deaths in 2021.
Energy Inefficiency and Deforestation
Open fires can also be energy inefficient, requiring families to purchase, harvest and transport more firewood. Where wood is harvested unsustainably, this can contribute to forest degradation and adds time and cost for households.
The Tlecuil-Alessia Stove
The Tlecuil-Alessia stove offers an efficient, smoke-reducing solution to this problem. Alessandro Mendoza-Galina, a permaculture expert, developed it in Malinalco with support from Fundación Comunitaria Malinalco. The traditional tlecuil hearth inspired the design and it uses an insulated combustion chamber, three comals and a fume extractor.
In deprived, rural areas, gas or electricity stoves are not a good solution due to lack of financial resources and infrastructure. The Tlecuil Stove still relies on the firewood families are accustomed to using, but its innovative design requires much less of it. The enhanced efficiency of the insulated combustion chamber reportedly reduces firewood consumption by 67%, allowing families to save time and money. Esther, a participant in the Tlecuil program, explained that thanks to the new technology, where her family used to have to make 10 trips for firewood, they now only need to make two. With smoke funneled out of the kitchen, the harmful side effects of smoke exposure are reduced too. A 2007 study of Patsari stoves in Michoacán found that average kitchen carbon monoxide levels fell by 66% and fine particulate matter levels by 67% after installation.
Community and Tradition
The Tlecuil program is community-focused. Workshops are in place for participants, allowing local women to come together and cooperate in the learning process. They learn how the oven functions, how to use it and its various health and environmental benefits. Next, with financial and operational support, families build their own Tlecuil in their home, meaning the oven is suited to their individual needs. Once the ovens have been built and the construction left to dry for 15 days, participants meet again to compare and share observations, techniques and food.
The program’s founder, Mendoza-Galina, is a strong believer in protecting tradition and indigenous customs. The ovens cater to centuries-old cooking techniques, allowing families to eat the same food, prepared the same way as before, but this time with less indoor smoke and lower firewood use.
The Tlecuil-Alessia approach combines efforts to reduce household smoke and firewood use with respect for local community and cooking traditions.
– Amelia Krone
Photo: Flickr
Education in Indian Languages: Expanding Economic Opportunity
India’s linguistic diversity is an important part of its culture, but language can also affect how students access education. For students who are more comfortable learning in their home or regional language, being taught primarily in another language can make it harder to understand lessons and participate in school. Education in Indian languages could help reduce this barrier while expanding access to educational and economic opportunities.
The Government of India has recently increased its focus on multilingual education. The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, announced in the 2025 Union Budget, aims to provide digital educational books in Indian languages for school and higher education. The scheme envisions making educational content available in 22 Indian languages.
When Language Becomes a Barrier to Learning
For some students, the language used in the classroom may not be the language they understand best. UNICEF India has found that children can struggle when they enter school and are expected to learn in a language different from the one they speak at home. These difficulties can affect understanding, confidence and participation and can increase the risk of leaving school early.
A UNICEF-supported language mapping project in Chhattisgarh examined more than 400,000 first-grade students and 30,000 teachers across 24 languages, including 11 tribal languages. The project found that about three-fourths of students and nearly half of teachers had minimal or functional understanding of the language used for instruction. The project responded by developing teacher training and learning materials that better reflected students’ languages.
These challenges can be especially important for students from communities with fewer educational resources. When students have difficulty understanding classroom material, they may also have fewer opportunities to build the knowledge and skills needed for higher education and employment.
Education and Economic Opportunity
Education is closely connected to economic opportunity. The World Bank describes education as a foundation for developing skills, finding employment and building a pathway out of poverty. Higher levels of education are also associated with better employment opportunities and higher earnings.
For this reason, improving access to educational materials is not only about making lessons easier to understand. It can also help students develop the academic foundation needed to continue their education and prepare for the workforce. Education in Indian languages can be particularly relevant for students who face language barriers in school. Providing textbooks and other learning materials in languages students already understand can make educational resources more accessible and support students as they move through different levels of education.
Expanding Books Across 22 Languages
The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme is one of the Government of India’s recent efforts to expand access to educational content in Indian languages. According to the Ministry of Education, the scheme is intended to provide digital books for school and higher education in 22 Indian languages. The Ministry is working alongside organizations including the University Grants Commission and the All India Council of Technical Education on initiatives to increase educational content in Indian languages.
The effort builds on earlier government initiatives. In 2024, the University Grants Commission launched ASMITA, a project intended to produce 22,000 books in 22 scheduled Indian languages over five years. Other initiatives have also focused on multilingual dictionaries and technology for real-time translation.
Making Education More Accessible
India’s National Education Policy 2020 also emphasizes multilingual education. The policy recommends that, wherever possible, the medium of instruction remains a student’s home, mother or regional language until at least grade five and preferably through grade eight and beyond.
Digital resources can make these efforts more accessible because students can use educational materials without depending entirely on physical textbooks. The government’s Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, for example, provides thousands of digital titles in multiple Indian languages and is intended to promote more equitable learning opportunities for underserved and marginalized readers.
The Government of India is also using newer technology to expand multilingual education. In 2026, the Ministry of Education reported that AI-based tools such as ANUVADINI and BHASHINI were being used to support translation and language-enabled digital services across Indian languages.
A Step Toward Greater Opportunity
Education in Indian languages cannot solve poverty by itself, but it can address one barrier that affects how students access and understand education. For students from underserved communities, having learning materials available in a familiar language can make educational opportunities more accessible.
As India continues expanding multilingual textbooks, digital resources and translation technology, these efforts could help more students participate fully in their education. Improving language access can support the larger goal of ensuring that a student’s language does not become a barrier to gaining the knowledge and skills needed for higher education and future economic opportunity.
– Anvitha Nakka
Photo: Unsplash
Creating Jobs for Rural Youth in the Dominican Republic
Rural youth in the Dominican Republic often have fewer job opportunities. According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), many young people in rural areas work in part-time and low-paid jobs. They also have limited access to job training, financial services and better employment opportunities. PRORURAL Joven is working to change this. The project aims to help 18,600 young people find jobs, become entrepreneurs or start small businesses. Officially known as the Productive Inclusion and Resilience of Poor Rural Youth Project, it aims to reduce poverty among young people living in rural areas and improve the quality of life for their families. The project focuses on helping young people find employment or become entrepreneurs while also helping families become more resilient to economic, social and climate-related challenges.
Training Young People for Jobs
One of the project’s main areas of work is its employment program. In July 2026, the Dominican government announced a new agreement that will provide technical and vocational training to more than 13,600 young people from rural communities over the next three years. The training is being developed through the country’s National Institute of Technical and Vocational Training, known as INFOTEP. The training focuses on skills that can help young people find real jobs. It also supports those who want to work for themselves or start a small business. This gives rural youth more ways to earn money and build a better future in their communities.
PRORURAL Joven also helps rural youth in the Dominican Republic who want to start their own businesses. The project provides training and support to help turn ideas into income-generating opportunities. It focuses on both finding a job and creating a job. This approach is especially useful in rural areas where work opportunities may be scarce. By supporting small businesses and young entrepreneurs, the project can help young people earn an income while staying in their communities. The project also aims to help young people develop business ideas and access financial services. This support can assist not only in starting a business but also in growing it over time. Entrepreneurship can become a way for young people living in rural areas to earn a more stable income.
Investing in Rural Youth
PRORURAL Joven is supported by the Dominican government and IFAD. IFAD lists the overall project cost at approximately $33.38 million, including $13.85 million in IFAD financing and additional funding from international and national partners. The project is part of an effort to increase the economic mobility of rural youth. IFAD says PRORURAL Joven is working to improve access to decent employment while helping young people strengthen their businesses. In 2026, the project has continued expanding its work. A national coordination effort announced in May included plans for 172 workshops designed to strengthen the project’s reach and connect vulnerable rural youth with services and opportunities.
A Path Through More Stable Incomes
PRORURAL Joven shows how job training and entrepreneurship can be used together to address rural poverty. For thousands of young people in the Dominican Republic, learning practical skills or receiving support to start a business could provide a path toward a more stable income. The planned training of more than 13,600 rural youth in the Dominican Republic gives the project a chance to reach more young people. By connecting training with jobs and entrepreneurship, PRORURAL Joven is helping young people create new opportunities for themselves while also supporting their families and communities. The project combines job training and entrepreneurship to assist young people in rural areas. Learning useful skills can help them find work, while support for small businesses can provide another way to earn money. For rural youth in the Dominican Republic, these opportunities can make it easier to build a more stable future.
Looking Ahead
There is still more work to be done, but projects like PRORURAL Joven demonstrate what is possible when young people receive the right support and opportunities. With more training and access to jobs, thousands of young people can improve their lives and build a better future without leaving their communities.
– Mert Sungur
Photo: Unsplash
South Sudan Women and Their Empowerment
South Sudan Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment Project
While the $70 million International Development Association (IDA) grant was approved in 2022, the current World Bank reporting describes the four-year SSWSEEP implementation as a $52 million project. While UN Women supports the implementation, the 2022 World Bank report says that the financing was an IDA grant. This support helps female entrepreneurs formalize and scale up their business activities and helps survivors of GBV access vital services that enable them to recover and rebuild their lives.
Survivors of GBV receive immediate safety and crisis intervention, health care and medical support, mental health and psychosocial support, and legal and economic empowerment. These services help women in poverty increase their social status in society. They provide access to education, training, business services and financing. As Aya Benjamin Warile, the Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare for South Sudan indicated, “empowering women to participate fully in civic and economic life will make South Sudan more prosperous and peaceful.”
Agricultural and Agrifood Training
FAO-backed programs are helping some women farmers move from subsistence production toward more climate-resilient, market-oriented agriculture through training, tools and field-based support. The FAO has supported South Sudan’s food security, resilience and climate-smart agriculture in response to conflict, displacement and climate shocks. The organization has also supported development in the livestock sector, which gives millions of people in South Sudan a vital source of food, income and cultural identity. These programs show how targeted agricultural support can strengthen resilience and income opportunities.
Community Centers and Safe Spaces
Empowering South Sudan’s women and girls is the first step in fostering peace. In a country where four out of five people are in extreme poverty, women and girls ravaged by conflict, submerged by floods, and affected by repeated natural and human-made disasters are now caregivers, breadwinners and protectors for families and communities. Survivor networks and referral services empower women to support each other in seeking safety and recovery from GBV. In the business sector, villages provide women with savings and loan associations that enable them to start profitable enterprises so they feed their families and send children to school.
The Women’s Social and Economic Empowerment Project (WSEEP), in collaboration with the World Bank and UN Women, has four components that show the steps to empower women. The project centers on providing community empowerment support to women and girls, establishing a women’s economic opportunity facility, enhancing services for survivors of GBV and strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Gender, Child and Social Welfare.
Women’s Economic Community Centers
The construction of five new women’s economic community centers (WECCs) in states across the country will enable the provision of social and economic services for women and girls at satellite sites in these states. The WECCs will offer integrated services such as starter kits and grants, GBV response and referrals, and training in business, leadership, financial literacy, advocacy, and peacebuilding. The second component of WSEEP allows technical assistance and grants for women-led small and growing businesses. Enterprises will be sustained through crucial investments such as purchasing key equipment, accessing digital technologies and upskilling staff.
Services for GBV Survivors
The third component of WSEEP provides critical services for GBV survivors, including a national GBV hotline and the establishment of a new safe house for survivors in Juba. The hotline gives GBV survivors access to psychosocial support, health, police, child support, legal aid, and shelter offered by a toll-free 24/7 line. The safe house provides affordable basic protection services and resources like accommodation, protection, clothing, medical care and counseling and legal support.
Policymaking
Under the fourth component, the Ministry for Gender, Child and Social Welfare focuses on policymaking and coordination on South Sudan women empowerment issues. The component trains and accredits ministry social workers to address GBV cases, support family mediation, meet ministry needs and finance training, workshops and conferences. By addressing the weaknesses and strengths of the challenges that women in the poverty-stricken country of South Sudan face, the WSEEP aims to help South Sudanese women live better, more productive lives.
– Stephanie Ou
Photo: Flickr