The U.K. has recently seen a rise in politicians attempting to decrease migration into the country, especially via small boats, which are often unsafe for passengers and can lead to fatalities. A part of these efforts involves investment in Africa, with the intention of creating job opportunities. This initiative is currently focused on Ethiopia.
The British foreign ministry stated that almost a third of people traversing the English Channel on “small boats over the past two years” had departed from the Horn of Africa, which Ethiopia is a part of.
UK Foreign Minister’s Visit to Ethiopia
During a visit to Ethiopia, the U.K. Foreign Secretary met with Safaricom, a company supported by British International Investment. Safaricom provides technological connectivity and mobile money services across East Africa and has helped improve health, employment and education in Kenya. One of its subsidiaries, focused on Ethiopia, supported the country’s “digital transformation” in 2022.
During the visit, the secretary signed a Joint Development Agreement with Gridworks to proceed with two projects, which will cost more than $400 million. The Foreign Secretary also pledged financial support toward aid efforts in Africa, totaling $23.91 million. The aim is to improve access to health care, clean water and food, as well as to tackle women’s and children’s malnutrition.
Gridworks, which is also a British International Investment-backed organization, aims to increase investment in Africa from companies and businesses by providing electrical access. In Africa, “around 600 million people have no access to electricity.” This is a major barrier to economic growth because businesses must use diesel generators to supplement the lack of electricity in the area.
Safaricom and Its Impacts
Safaricom provides technological connectivity in Kenya, providing “2G, 3G, 4G and 5G in aggregate covering [more than] 99% of Kenya’s population.” It currently enables 32 million people to access and use mobile banking. This has lowered financial exclusion in the area to 16% of the adult population.
The organization is also committed to gender equality and sustainable climate practices; it wishes to have “50:50 senior management gender parity by 2025” and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Safaricom has two foundations: the M-PESA Foundation and the Safaricom Foundation.
The former is responsible for the Citizens of the Future project, which has contributed hugely to education in Kenya. The project has helped more than 2.5 million students and teachers across more than 2,500 schools. The Citizens of the Future project has also helped renovate schools, improve ICT and provide scholarships.
Furthermore, it involves local communities in its work so they can understand changes made within the school. One beneficiary of the Citizens of the Future project, Mrs. Rebecca Asiko, Acting Head of Institution at Ekwanda Primary School, told Safaricom, “The state-of-the-art ICT hub means we can now teach our learners digital skills and the modern kitchen will ensure that we provide clean meals to the children, who need good nutrition to grow and concentrate in class.”
The Safaricom Foundation invests in health, education and economic empowerment. Its health focus is on “Maternal, Newborn, Adolescent and Child Health (RMNCAH) services.” It helps provide screenings for cardiovascular diseases, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes to “enable early detection, treatment and management.”
Its educational goals are similar to those of the M-PESA Foundation: improving teacher capacity and vocational and technical education. Through “enterprise development,” it aims to improve livelihoods and empower Kenyans economically. Improving education is also likely to increase investment in Africa, as a more educated workforce attracts more businesses to the region.
It also opens up more opportunities for employment for the population, which further improves the local economy as residents begin to have disposable income that they can then spend at local businesses.
Gridworks and Its Impacts
The Joint Development Agreement will allow Gridworks to create two transmission projects. These projects aim to meet Ethiopia’s industrial energy demand and, if successful, would help fuel its economy by attracting more investment from businesses in Africa. It would also improve its relations with neighboring countries and promote interconnectedness.
Gridworks has also succeeded with projects like the Moyi Power initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which brought renewable energy to three previously isolated cities. Within five years, the project is expected to provide electricity to 37,000 households and businesses.
Conclusion
While these projects aim to attract investment to Africa and strengthen local economies, foreign aid still matters. Foreign investment not only makes these projects possible but also supports humanitarian work across the region.
UNICEF, which has assisted Ethiopia for more than 70 years, has played a major role in shaping the country’s economy. Its work focuses on children’s survival, health, social policy, protection, education, development and nutrition.
The U.K. Foreign Secretary recognizes the need for continued aid and has pledged to keep supporting organizations such as UNICEF while also investing in economic-focused projects.
– Ryan Cowen
Ryan is based in Brighton, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
Unconditional Cash Transfers: The Most Benefit for Women
Benefits included higher labor force participation, increased work productivity, lower debt levels and greater autonomy and decision-making power. The analysis found little evidence of so-called dependency effects, the concern that recipients reduce work effort after receiving benefits.
Conditional Cash Can Increase Women’s Burden of Work
The international research team, led by Amber Peterman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, argued that unconditional cash transfers may be more effective because they increase women’s choices and freedom. The researchers wrote:
“Some studies point to potential adverse effects or unintended consequences of social security nets for women. A common example raised is the potential for cash transfers with conditions to increase women’s unpaid care burden, reinforcing their involvement in child care or domestic work. This might occur if programs designate women as responsible for attending mandatory training associated with the intervention or for monitoring children’s schooling or health due to co-responsibilities.”
The authors acknowledged several limitations with their analysis, including the short-term nature of many studies. They were also unable to include studies published in French or Spanish, thereby limiting the generalizability of the findings. However, they remained relatively confident that unconditional cash transfers yield the greatest benefit for women compared to other forms of aid.
Unconditional Welfare Payments
One of the largest programs, Brazil’s Bolsa Família, was launched in 2003. Research shows the transfers helped mothers enter the labor market by increasing children’s school enrolment, without weakening incentives to work. In the nonprofit sector, GiveDirectly has emerged as a leading advocate for unconditional cash payments.
The organization argues that direct transfers bypass much of the bureaucracy and the administrative costs associated with traditional aid models. These include food distribution, training programs and other service-based interventions. One of its flagship programs in Kenya delivered one-off payments of $1,000 to more than 10,000 households between 2014 and 2017.
Program researchers say the initiative reduced infant mortality by 48% and achieved other gains. Miriam Laker-Oketta, a Ugandan doctor and senior research adviser at GiveDirectly, told the Guardian last year: “The problem with big aid organizations is that their approach is based on training and advice. They tell people what to do and how to spend their money. But whether in Uganda, Yemen, India or the U.S., direct cash support has shown that when people living in poverty receive money, they know best what matters to them and they invest in that.”
Caution Regarding the Inflationary Effect
Still, some economists urge caution about direct cash payments. World Bank economist Eeshani Kandpal, who has studied cash transfer programs in the Philippines, points to research showing negative spillovers. Transfers can raise local prices for certain staple foods and increase stunting rates among children in households that did not receive payments.
Kandpal adds that smaller, short-term transfers targeted to fewer recipients within each village or market are less likely to trigger inflation. Despite ongoing debate over design and potential unintended consequences, there is growing evidence supporting direct money transfers. Unconditional cash transfers generate the greatest benefit for women compared to other forms of payment or aid.
– Lawrence Dunhill
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Everything You Need To Know About Poverty in Burundi
Agricultural Dependency
Agriculture dominates Burundi’s economy, most of the country relies largely on subsistence agriculture, but Burundi has limited land that can support this sector. Almost 90% of the population depends on agriculture for their livelihood, which puts enormous pressure on the limited land and natural resources. As a result, food insecurity in Burundi stands at roughly double the average for Sub-Saharan Africa.
The overall agricultural production in Burundi is lower than the country’s population growth. This imbalance limits food supply and income opportunities for rural families. Consequently, poverty in Burundi affects a large share of the youth population, especially in rural communities.
Farmers often struggle to produce enough crops to feed their families or generate a stable income. When agricultural output fails to meet the demand, food shortages follow. These conditions in Burundi contribute to one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world, particularly among children under the age of 5.
Understanding this heavy reliance on agriculture forms a key part of everything you need to know about poverty in Burundi because the country’s economic stability depends heavily on the success of its agricultural sector.
Changing Weather Patterns
Environmental challenges also play a major role in deepening poverty in Burundi. Changing weather patterns have intensified natural disasters and disrupted farming conditions across Burundi. Frequent flooding, unpredictable rainfall and land degradation reduce crop yields and damage farmland. These environmental shocks weaken food production and limit economic progress. Because so many Burundians rely on agriculture for survival, climate related disruptions quickly translate into rising poverty levels.
Burundi also lacks sufficient financial resources, infrastructure and technology to adapt to environmental pressures effectively. Limited irrigation systems, poor storage facilities and weak transportation networks make it difficult for farmers to respond to changing climate conditions. As a result, changing weather continues to intensify poverty in Burundi and slow economic development.
Political Instability and Conflict
Political instability has also shaped Burundi’s economic challenges. After gaining independence in 1962, the country has experienced long periods of political instability, conflict and a civil war that lasted more than a decade.
These conflicts damaged infrastructure, disrupted economic activity and forced millions of people to leave their homes. Businesses closed, agricultural production declined and national development dramatically slowed, contributing to the effects of poverty in Burundi.
Today, the economy still struggles to recover fully from these disruptions. Many families live in extreme poverty as a result and humanitarian aid remains essential for meeting basic needs. Political insecurity has therefore increased the country’s reliance on international aid and development support.
Examining these historical and political factors provides further insight into everything you need to know about poverty in Burundi. Long term instability continues to shape the country’s development.
Potential for Change
Despite these challenges, Burundi has taken steps to improve its economy and reduce poverty. The government has prioritized job creation for the rapidly growing youth population and invested in infrastructure that supports agriculture and rural development.
International organizations also support these efforts. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has worked in Burundi for decades to strengthen rural livelihoods and boost agricultural productivity. They have implemented a number of social development strategies that have the potential to alleviate the effects of poverty in Burundi. For example, the IFAD has funded irrigation projects that help farmers manage unpredictable rainfall and increase crop yields. The organization has also supported farmer training programs that teach improved farming techniques, soil management and crop diversification.
Global development programs have also focused on improving storage facilities, building rural roads and expanding access to financial services. These projects make it easier for farmers to transport crops, reduce food waste and invest in their businesses.
According to the Global Hunger Index, Burundi still faces serious hunger challenges, but the country also holds significant agricultural potential. Continued investment in farming technology, infrastructure and rural communities could help Burundi unlock that potential and reduce poverty.
Looking Ahead
To understand poverty in Burundi, it is important to recognize that progress remains possible. With stronger agricultural systems, improved infrastructure and sustained international support, Burundi can reduce poverty and create better opportunities for its people in the years ahead.
– Leah Denning
Photo: Pixabay
Investment in Africa: How the UK Aims To Reduce Migration
The British foreign ministry stated that almost a third of people traversing the English Channel on “small boats over the past two years” had departed from the Horn of Africa, which Ethiopia is a part of.
UK Foreign Minister’s Visit to Ethiopia
During a visit to Ethiopia, the U.K. Foreign Secretary met with Safaricom, a company supported by British International Investment. Safaricom provides technological connectivity and mobile money services across East Africa and has helped improve health, employment and education in Kenya. One of its subsidiaries, focused on Ethiopia, supported the country’s “digital transformation” in 2022.
During the visit, the secretary signed a Joint Development Agreement with Gridworks to proceed with two projects, which will cost more than $400 million. The Foreign Secretary also pledged financial support toward aid efforts in Africa, totaling $23.91 million. The aim is to improve access to health care, clean water and food, as well as to tackle women’s and children’s malnutrition.
Gridworks, which is also a British International Investment-backed organization, aims to increase investment in Africa from companies and businesses by providing electrical access. In Africa, “around 600 million people have no access to electricity.” This is a major barrier to economic growth because businesses must use diesel generators to supplement the lack of electricity in the area.
Safaricom and Its Impacts
Safaricom provides technological connectivity in Kenya, providing “2G, 3G, 4G and 5G in aggregate covering [more than] 99% of Kenya’s population.” It currently enables 32 million people to access and use mobile banking. This has lowered financial exclusion in the area to 16% of the adult population.
The organization is also committed to gender equality and sustainable climate practices; it wishes to have “50:50 senior management gender parity by 2025” and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Safaricom has two foundations: the M-PESA Foundation and the Safaricom Foundation.
The former is responsible for the Citizens of the Future project, which has contributed hugely to education in Kenya. The project has helped more than 2.5 million students and teachers across more than 2,500 schools. The Citizens of the Future project has also helped renovate schools, improve ICT and provide scholarships.
Furthermore, it involves local communities in its work so they can understand changes made within the school. One beneficiary of the Citizens of the Future project, Mrs. Rebecca Asiko, Acting Head of Institution at Ekwanda Primary School, told Safaricom, “The state-of-the-art ICT hub means we can now teach our learners digital skills and the modern kitchen will ensure that we provide clean meals to the children, who need good nutrition to grow and concentrate in class.”
The Safaricom Foundation invests in health, education and economic empowerment. Its health focus is on “Maternal, Newborn, Adolescent and Child Health (RMNCAH) services.” It helps provide screenings for cardiovascular diseases, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes to “enable early detection, treatment and management.”
Its educational goals are similar to those of the M-PESA Foundation: improving teacher capacity and vocational and technical education. Through “enterprise development,” it aims to improve livelihoods and empower Kenyans economically. Improving education is also likely to increase investment in Africa, as a more educated workforce attracts more businesses to the region.
It also opens up more opportunities for employment for the population, which further improves the local economy as residents begin to have disposable income that they can then spend at local businesses.
Gridworks and Its Impacts
The Joint Development Agreement will allow Gridworks to create two transmission projects. These projects aim to meet Ethiopia’s industrial energy demand and, if successful, would help fuel its economy by attracting more investment from businesses in Africa. It would also improve its relations with neighboring countries and promote interconnectedness.
Gridworks has also succeeded with projects like the Moyi Power initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which brought renewable energy to three previously isolated cities. Within five years, the project is expected to provide electricity to 37,000 households and businesses.
Conclusion
While these projects aim to attract investment to Africa and strengthen local economies, foreign aid still matters. Foreign investment not only makes these projects possible but also supports humanitarian work across the region.
UNICEF, which has assisted Ethiopia for more than 70 years, has played a major role in shaping the country’s economy. Its work focuses on children’s survival, health, social policy, protection, education, development and nutrition.
The U.K. Foreign Secretary recognizes the need for continued aid and has pledged to keep supporting organizations such as UNICEF while also investing in economic-focused projects.
– Ryan Cowen
Photo: Flickr
The Gender Wage Gap in Paraguay and Efforts To Close It
Even as more women enter the labor market and pursue careers across a wide range of industries, many still earn less than men performing similar – often the same – work. From offices in Asunción to farms and factories across the countryside, the pattern repeats itself: women contributing equally to Paraguay’s growth whilst taking home less at the end of the month.
Understanding the Gender Wage Gap in Paraguay
Households across Paraguay experience the gender wage gap directly. As the number of women taking on careers once dominated by men grows, the paychecks rarely reflect this. Despite completing the same work as their male colleagues, women receive paychecks that are often 20-30% smaller depending on the sector and region.
Looking closer, the gender wage gap in Paraguay reflects more than just differences in wages. Women also encounter fewer opportunities during their careers, and many cannot move up the career ladder, influence workplace policies, or take on higher-paying roles. In fact, women occupy only around 20 % of managerial positions even though women make up nearly half of Paraguay’s labor force.
The gender wage gap in Paraguay is not only a matter of paychecks – it reveals a workplace environment where women are not equally valued or recognized.
Factors Behind the Wage Gap
Several factors contribute to Paraguay’s persistent gender wage gap. One of the issues is occupational segregation. Women are more likely to be employed in lower-paying sectors such as domestic service, retail or caregiving roles in Paraguay, resulting in a lack of access to roles that come with a higher salary.
Care responsibilities also play a major role, especially in rural Paraguay. As women often carry the majority of childcare and household duties, many are unable to work full time. Furthermore, women in rural areas face fewer work opportunities with limited access to external childcare. As a result, many women are unable to pursue higher-paying positions or grow their careers.
The lack of education and training opportunities available also influences the wage gap. Although Paraguay has made progress in expanding access to education, barriers still prevent many women from entering technical and specialized professions that require advanced training. Many high-paying industries like engineering, technology and construction are still male-dominated and offer women fewer opportunities to access some of the best-paid jobs.
Government and International Efforts
The Paraguayan government has started to address the gender wage gap, along with other inequalities that women face, in the workplace. Equal opportunity and workers’ rights policies are now part of national development strategies. Furthermore, government institutions have strengthened labor regulations, with the aim to improve workplace conditions for women. The Paraguayan Parliament approved Law No. 5777 on Comprehensive Protection for Women Against Violence in 2016 to improve legal protections against gender-based discrimination.
The government also established the IV National Plan for Equality between Women and Men, which spanned from 2018 to 2024. Increasing women’s economic participation, improving access to employment opportunities and promoting women’s leadership were all key aims of this initiative.
Additionally, a number of international bodies have been supporting initiatives aimed at bridging the gender pay gap. One of these bodies is UN Women, which work in conjunction with different bodies in Paraguay aimed at enhancing gender equality in different workplaces. In Paraguay, UN Women has supported programs that promote women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship and leadership training. These initiatives include partnerships with government agencies and civil society groups to provide skills training, mentoring and policy support designed to increase women’s participation in employment and decision-making positions.
Global institutions such as the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank have helped in the formulation of such programs. The focus of these institutions in Paraguay is to improve access to education, improve the quality of job training and improve women’s participation in the workforce.
Community and NGO Initiatives
In addition to government programs, nonprofit organizations are working to empower women economically. Many of these initiatives focus on entrepreneurship and financial inclusion.
Several organizations actively promote gender equality in Paraguay’s workplaces. Some of these programs offer women business training and mentoring, enabling them to start their own businesses. Other programs focus on enhancing women’s access to financial services, such as micro-loans.
Nonprofit education programs also contribute to the promotion of gender equality. Fundación Paraguaya provides entrepreneurship programs, financial programs and assistance to women across the country who want to start their own businesses. Similarly, Pro Mujer runs programs in Latin American countries, including Paraguay, to offer women access to business programs, mentoring and financial programs to enable them to establish sustainable businesses.
Signs of Progress
Despite ongoing challenges that women in Paraguay are facing, there are signs of improvement. The number of women in Paraguay’s labor force has grown. More women are becoming entrepreneurs and business owners, contributing to economic growth at both local and national levels as a result.
As the public’s awareness of wage inequality grows, efforts to establish fair pay and equal opportunities for women are gaining traction across Paraguay. The gender wage gap shapes more than salaries; it shapes lives.
– Celine Heath
Photo: Unsplash
Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Timor-Leste
In recent years, the government of Timor-Leste launched an ambitious and comprehensive poverty eradication program to improve living standards and promote inclusive economic growth. These efforts present some of the most important innovations in poverty eradication in Timor-Leste. A central pillar of this effort is the Doha Programme of Action (DPoA). Government officials and International partners support this framework through a range of interconnected initiatives spanning social protection, education, economic diversification and overall institutional strengthening. Together, these complementary measures create a coordinated program aimed at alleviating poverty in Timor-Leste.
Putting the People First
In 2025, the United Nations published a report on poverty in Timor-Leste that outlining several key strategies the country uses to address its persistent development challenges. The first approach prioritizes strengthening the resilience and well-being of Timorese communities. One of the flagship initiatives is the Bolsa da Mãe Kondisional programme, which provides “[…] conditional cash transfers to low-income families.”
Under this initiative, eligible households receive regular financial assistance. These conditions often include ensuring children attend school consistently, participate in routine health check-ups, receive essential vaccinations, and are provided with weekly food supplies. In 2025, the program boasted an intense turnout, reaching more than 74,648 households, with particular focus on vulnerable mothers and children.
Beyond direct income support, DPoA efforts also target the structural causes of poverty, particularly through education reform and investment. The World Bank Group, through the International Development Association (IDA), partnered with the Timorese government to rehabilitate 2,780 classrooms across 535 schools and construct 102 new educational facilities. As a result, primary school completion rates increased from 56% in 2015 to approximately 62% in 2020. In more recent years, primary and secondary school enrolment rates have also improved drastically, with dropout rates falling by 50%. Higher levels of educational attainment now strengthens the foundation for future employment opportunities, helping more young people access the skills they need to participate in the workforce. Hence, these education-driven initiatives represent key innovations in poverty eradication in Timor-Leste, by fundamentally addressing long-term inequality by investing in human capital.
“Better” Lifestyles Through Innovation
Beyond traditional, on-the-ground development initiatives, rapid technological advancement now plays an increasingly important role in transforming Timor-Leste into a more digitally connected society. This digital expansion helps reduce poverty by widening people’s access to information, services and economic opportunities, representing yet another example of key innovations in poverty eradication in Timor-Leste.
The period between 2024 and 2025 marks a pivotal phase in the country’s digital infrastructure development. The government and its partners installed a fibre-optic underwater cable linking Timor-Leste to Australia, enabling the country to transition from a costly and unreliable satellite to faster and more affordable broadband connectivity. In addition, the launch of a Starlink license for Timor-Leste in late 2024 has “[…] provided immediate connectivity to remote rural areas that were previously excluded from the digital economy.”
This growing technological infrastructure now allows more people to access online education, digital financial services, remote employment opportunities and government platforms has become increasingly more apparent with the help of this growing technocratic sphere in Timor. By the end of 2025, internet penetration reached 40.4%, with more than 575,000 active users nationwide.
Conclusion
Timor-Leste illustrates a rich context in which poverty reduction is gradually taking shape. The country strategically combines targeted social protection programmes, such as the Bolsa da Mãe “Kondisional,” with technological advancements and frameworks like the Doha Programme of Action, to steadily transform poverty management strategies. These efforts are not only alleviating immediate hardships but also lay the foundation for long-term, sustainable development.
– Sophia Lupo
Photo: Flickr
The Proactive Fight Against HIV/AIDS in the Solomon Islands
For decades, the archipelago has maintained a low HIV prevalence rate. Data shows that since 1994, only 0.1% of the population aged 15-49 lives with HIV/AIDS in the Solomon Islands. Between 1994 and 2016, health officials recorded only 30 cases, a testament to the nation’s early intervention and cultural protective factors.
While the historical numbers remain low, recent years have seen a slight uptick in reported cases of HIV/AIDS in the Solomon Islands. Rather than viewing this as a setback, health experts interpret increased numbers as a sign of enhanced diagnostic capabilities.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has significantly expanded testing sites and medical supply procurement. By making testing more accessible, the government identifies cases earlier, enabling immediate treatment. This shift from low numbers through limited testing to active surveillance marks a positive evolution in the country’s medical strategy.
Overcoming Barriers to Treatment
With nearly 1,000 islands in total, treatment for HIV/AIDS in the Solomon Islands has not come without its unique set of obstacles:
Strategic Measures To Improve Access
To address these difficulties, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and its partners have introduced the following improvements:
Beyond clinical settings, the nation prioritizes education as a primary tool for preventing HIV/AIDS in the Solomon Islands. Community-led initiatives utilize radio broadcasts and local leaders to share information about sexual health and disease prevention.
By involving traditional leaders and local health workers, the government ensures that health messaging respects cultural nuances while providing vital medical facts. These programs empower citizens to take charge of their own health and encourage voluntary testing, further contributing to the slight rise in known cases, which allows for a more accurate public health response.
Looking Toward a Healthy Future
The Solomon Islands is not merely reacting to HIV; it is building a prevention strategy. The government’s commitment to the Fast-Track targets set by UNAIDS shows a clear path forward. By prioritizing education and investing in rural health care infrastructure, the nation ensures that the recent surge in data translates into a long-term surge in survival and well-being.
With continued international support and a dedicated local workforce, the Solomon Islands stands as a model for how a developing nation can manage infectious diseases through unity and proactive care.
– Rebecca Cameron
Photo: Flickr
SDG 4 in Haiti: Global Partnerships Advancing Education
Across Haiti, school closures, language barriers and chronic underfunding continue to disrupt education for millions of students. The UN’s fourth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) focuses on “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. In a country like Haiti, achieving this goal is especially urgent as the population continues to face extreme levels of poverty, violence and repeated school disruptions. In recent years, however, efforts have emerged to create a more robust system that will support the overall growth of Haitian youth. International organizations and local partners play an important role in supporting progress toward SDG 4 in Haiti.
Barriers To Achieving SDG 4 in Haiti
Years of political instability and the rise of gang violence have long impacted Haiti’s education system. As of May 2025, more than 1,600 schools across four departments shut down, largely due to the escalating insecurity. In addition to these safety concerns, education is severely underfunded. Less than one-quarter of schools are public institutions. In fact, approximately 80% of primary schools are privately run. Many families do not have the necessary resources to pay for a proper education, while the government does not provide them with the adequate tools to do so.
There are also key systemic issues that hinder learning outcomes. Haiti has two official languages: French and Haitian Creole. However, in reality, only a small minority of Haitians are bilingual, with around 90% of the population only speaking Haitian Creole. Despite this reality, French remains the official language of instruction, which creates an additional barrier for the majority of monolingual students. Educational materials in Haitian Creole remain limited, further complicating classroom learning.
Proper instructor training is another ongoing concern. Many teachers do not have the proper training or qualifications needed to deliver high-quality instruction. To add on to that, classrooms are often overcrowded and lack basic resources. Millions of students lack the proper support and tools needed to succeed, making progress toward SDG 4 in Haiti particularly challenging.
UNESCO Supports Curriculum Reform in Haiti
Despite these many obstacles, international actors continue to create initiatives that aim to strengthen Haiti’s education system. UNESCO has been a major player in Haiti’s pursuit of higher quality education. The Ministry of National Education of Haiti and the UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education recently signed a $6.8 million agreement to support curriculum reform and development in the country.
This project aims to create a better system by understanding and addressing the root causes of issues. Rather than focusing solely on classroom content, it aims to address why education is delivered the way it is and who it serves. Self-described as an “endogenous” education, it aims to completely reform the way in which Haitians perceive education to a more holistic view of it, understanding the power of their environment, their culture and their realities. This approach integrates Haiti’s cultural and social context into the curriculum through a more interactive process that involves the students and their input.
The project will unfold in three phases. The program began with a diagnostic phase from 2022 to 2024. Its conclusions revealed the system’s most glaring issues including overloaded curricula, a discrepancy in teacher training, learning assessment and content, and issues surrounding the use of the language of learning. Phases II (2025-2027) and III (2026-2029) both involve an integration of the newly developed curriculum into schools, including experimentation in classrooms. The final phase will develop digital educational resources that students can access both online and offline. This is especially important in the context of Haiti today, where electricity and internet access can be inconsistent. In addition, the program will train teachers, inspectors and pedagogical advisers who will help implement and monitor the new curriculum as it is gradually rolled out nationwide.
While UNESCO’s initiative represents only one component of broader reform efforts, it is a great example of how international partnerships are helping move SDG 4 in Haiti forward.
Programs Supporting Students Beyond the Classroom
A student’s ability to focus and succeed in school is also contingent on their well-being outside of the classroom. The improvement of education outcomes therefore requires addressing broader challenges that students face such as nutrition, stability and access to basic resources among other factors. Hunger and financial hardship often reduce attendance and academic performance significantly.
Organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) work to address issues surrounding nutrition. WFP helps to provide daily meals to around 420,000 students all over the country. Hunger reduces overall focus and energy, making it difficult for students to be fully present in class. On the other hand, school meal programs improve nutrition and serve as an incentive for families to keep their children enrolled in school.
Other organizations, including UNICEF, have developed programs that address emotional and stability barriers to learning. For example, UNICEF’s EDUPOL provides psychosocial care for more than 200,000 children affected by gang violence and displacement. The program also provided financial assistance to around 18,000 households and supported 33,062 students across 129 schools through water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services designed to improve health and well-being.
By addressing these out-of-classroom challenges, these programs help create the conditions necessary for students to succeed academically. Education improvements require addressing both classroom and societal challenges.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Education in Haiti
Haiti continues to face numerous challenges that inevitably affect the education of all students. However, educators, policymakers and international actors increasingly recognize the need for a more robust education system. Different initiatives have already improved the lives of countless students. Sustained collaboration between these different entities will be essential for these efforts to continue to expand. By addressing both systemic education barriers and the broader social challenges students face, these initiatives can help build a more resilient education system and expand opportunities for Haiti’s next generation, advancing progress toward SDG 4 in Haiti.
– Chloe Bonnefil
Photo: Flickr
Elderly Poverty in Kiribati
The Poverty in Kiribati
When it comes to the poverty in Kiribati itself, it goes all the way back to 2006, according to the World Bank, stating that about 21.8% of people in Kiribati lived below the national poverty line. This means that about one in five people could not afford basic needs like food, housing and other essentials.
The World Bank also measures poverty using global income levels, and they found that 12.9% of people lived on less than $1.90 per day compared to the 34.6% that lived on less than $3.20 per day. Even if the larger percentage is not in extreme poverty, a large portion of the population still lives with very low income. This does not mean, though, that the whole of Kiribati is like this; there is higher poverty in different areas, such as South Tarawa, having 24.2%, and the rest of the Gilbert islands at 22%. The people living in these areas experience more poverty than anywhere else in Kiribati.
Elderly Poverty in Kiribati
Poverty in Kiribati does not affect all groups equally. Certain populations are more vulnerable due to economic, social and health-related factors. According to information from the Save Kiribati website, certain groups in Kiribati society face a higher risk of poverty, including large low-income families, unemployed individuals and elderly people without family support.
The elderly in Kiribati are one of the groups that can be particularly vulnerable to poverty, especially when they do not have children or family members to support them. In Kiribati culture, elderly individuals traditionally rely on their extended family for financial help and daily care, as stated in a Kiribati country case study. Extended family support systems in Kiribati are weakening as people increasingly prioritize their nuclear families. This shift can leave vulnerable groups, including elderly individuals, with less social and financial support than in the past.
Many elderly individuals face health problems that make it difficult for them to work or support themselves. Improving access to affordable health care and medical services can reduce financial stress and improve the quality of life for older adults. The article “Leave no-one behind: social protection reducing poverty in Kiribati” by Ruth Cross Kwansing talks about how the Kiribati government increased financial support for elderly citizens through a program called the Senior Citizens Allowance (SCA). The Senior Citizens Allowance was first introduced in 2004 and provides monthly payments to citizens aged 65 and older to help cover basic living expenses.
In recent years, the government has increased the allowance to support elderly citizens better, and thousands of older adults now receive assistance through the program. This is just the beginning; elders are still struggling from poverty because of the missing support from their families, so it’s important to recognize still the issues that are still at hand.
Additional Efforts To Address Elderly Poverty
In addition to the Senior Citizens Allowance, development partners such as the Australian government have supported social protection initiatives in Kiribati. These programs aim to strengthen social services, improve healthcare access, and provide support to vulnerable populations, including the elderly. Such initiatives help reduce financial stress and improve living conditions for older adults experiencing elderly poverty in Kiribati.
Looking Ahead
Elderly poverty in Kiribati remains a serious challenge for many older citizens. While traditional family support systems once played a significant role in caring for the elderly, social and economic changes have reduced this support for some individuals. Government programs and development initiatives are important steps toward improving the quality of life for elderly people in Kiribati and reducing poverty among this vulnerable population.
– Grelby Santos
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts To Know About Disability and Poverty in Djibouti
More than 40% of its population lives in extreme poverty, and with 90% of its food imported, the country is deeply vulnerable to global price shocks. For persons with disabilities, these challenges are compounded further still. The following five facts shed light on disability and poverty in Djibouti, and the efforts some are making to address it.
1. Djibouti Faces Widespread Poverty
While Djibouti is a middle-income country, it is ranked 93rd out of the 125 in the 2023 Global Hunger Index. Thus, its food insecurity situation is considered to be in the category of serious severity. More than 40% of its inhabitants are living in extreme poverty. The main causes of the poverty rates are natural disasters such as droughts and disease outbreaks. This burden falls especially hard on people with disabilities: those with significant functional difficulties face a multidimensional poverty rate of 84%, compared to 81% for those with none.
2. Djibouti’s Economy Demonstrating Growth
Between 2000 and 2021, Djibouti averaged about 4% annual GDP growth, and an additional 6.7% in 2023. Some current projections even estimate that poverty rates have gone down since the most recent official date reported in 2017. Most of the economic growth has been a result of investments in transport and port infrastructure. While this is helpful for the economy, it also has created more debt vulnerabilities.
3. The Intersection of Disability and Poverty in Djibouti
People with disabilities have lower access to things like clean cooking fuel, adequate housing, electricity and assets than those without. Families with disabled children also face high costs of medical care and specialized therapies, in addition to the existing economic vulnerabilities. These create barriers for some children and families to have the same quality of education as others.
4. A New World Bank Project
The Improving Inclusion of Vulnerable Children with Disabilities Project is a new plan from the World Bank in partnership with the Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF). In July of 2025, the JSDF approved a grant of $2.97 million.
The project aims to help 4,500 beneficiaries in total, including 2,500 children with hearing or visual disabilities as well as 2,000 community members. The project will effectively run assessments to understand the challenges children with disabilities face, provide support to teachers, and promote economic inclusion for vulnerable households.
5. The International Community is Stepping Up
In addition to the World Bank’s and the JSDF’s recent efforts, the European Union (EU) has provided humanitarian aid at an average of €500,000 every year since 2020. These funds mainly target basic needs and services such as nutrition, water and special mobile support teams to assist those located in remote desert areas.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has been active in Djibouti since 1978. They aid with food assistance, with nutrition programs that are especially helpful for refugees, pregnant women and children under 5 years old. A majority of the refugees in Djibouti have little to no income, so they must rely heavily on WFP’s food assistance programs.
In addition to the various nutrition facilities, the WFP and the Djiboutian government runs the Humanitarian Logistics Hub. This helps organize the logistics of providing food and aid, and also can store 65,000 metric tons of food to facilitate regional operations.
Disability and Poverty in Djibouti: The Good and the Bad
Progress on the situation in Djibouti is real and productive. There are various on-the-ground programs in motion and international investment in humanitarian aid is highly effective. There are more programs addressing disparities for people with disabilities. Nevertheless, the problems with the structural economy, food insecurity, rough climate and even lack of mainstream awareness means that significant work remains.
– Gia Sen
Photo: Flickr
Food Systems in Russia: A Taste of Success
Key Statistics Regarding Food Systems in Russia
What’s the History?
Following the breakdown of the Soviet Union, Russia experienced a period of collapse internally. Mass poverty and malnutrition struck the population. When it came to food production, output declined in the organized farms sector and shifted to home production and imports: by the mid-1990s, Russia’s cities depended on foreign imports for more than 80% of all meat stocks, for instance.
People also became vulnerable to price increases in the international trading system. What happened is that as imports became progressively more expensive, so domestic producers became progressively more competitive. This was the germination of domestic advantage and recovery, but state aid hugely bolstered it following the falling out from 2014 events in Crimea. For the first time in post-Soviet history, Russia had the impetus and will to bring about change from within – on a massive scale. Investment had already started in 2000, with a strategy for agricultural development, but now it was a critical need.
The Russian Federation itself “[r]ecognizes that hunger and malnutrition are the perverse manifestations of persistent, structural poverty and inequality, and recognizes the need to end poverty and hunger in all their forms and dimensions.”
The Food Security Doctrine
Interwoven in all this is the Food Security Doctrine, which at its heart commits to self-sufficiency; quality of life through reliable provision of food; sustainable development and modernization of the agriculture and fisheries sectors, including infrastructure; good management of the environment; food safety, including adequate regulation, as well as sanitary, epidemiological, veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance; specialist skills and sector training. It presents extraordinary ambition and the results have followed: currently self-sufficiency measures show that Russia produces 165.6% of its necessary grains (making it an exporter); 100.1% of meat and meat products; 84% of milk and dairy products; and 97.4% on eggs.
The Food Bank Rus Charity
Where poverty does exist, NGOs are working to fill the gap. The Food Bank Rus charity is an organization that collects food and products and distributes them to people in need: people who have had to leave their homes, living in isolation, or simply going without. That includes families in difficult situations or pensioners. It also helps people in emergency situations such as those suffering natural disasters or accidents. About 673,000 kg of food and essential goods were donated to refugees from Donetsk and Lugansk in just a few months in 2022.
Looking Ahead
Food systems in Russia are protected through a highly organized institutional set-up, with action on assessment of food needs, the needs of farmers (especially large farms), and distribution networks to get food out there to people who need it. It is especially laudable in a country with challenging climatic conditions and a world where people profit from food. The key goals of “safe, quality and affordable” products are good news for the nation. So, whether it’s blini, pelmeni or beef Stroganoff, you know that food miles are minimal, food safety is paramount and the government is making sure you have food for the future.
– Gergana Manassieva
Photo: Wikimedia Commons