Vitoria Reyes has been involved with the Latin American Leadership Academy (LALA) since her high school days in Brazil. Now pursuing her undergraduate studies in the United States (U.S.), she annually facilitates LALA’s camps and mentors the next generation of Latin American leaders. She describes LALA’s mission as “trigger(ing) change and development in Latin America through fostering young change-makers and leaders.”
Founded in 2017, LALA has successfully established a network of nearly 2,000 young leaders spanning South America and the Caribbean. With a vision extending to 2024, the organization aims to annually enroll 1,500 high-school-aged students. LALA is actively shaping the future by tackling the challenges affecting underserved youth across the region. To overcome these obstacles, the organization has meticulously tailored its programs, addressing each barrier comprehensively. Through these efforts, LALA is fostering a generation of empowered leaders.
Barrier 1: Lack of Financial Resources
As of 2022, the U.N. estimated that 45% of Latin American children and adolescents lived in poverty. This places youth at a higher risk of poverty compared to the broader population, of which 32.3% are poor. In addition, the pandemic led to decreased education rates and youth employment, and these factors have not yet fully recovered. Consequently, financial resources have become an even more significant barrier to the success of Latin American youths.
While 90% of LALA’s students receive financial aid from the organization to support their membership, the assistance doesn’t end there. According to Reyes, “They (LALA) hire a lot of people who are not college graduates, or maybe not even in college yet, which is very, very unusual, especially here in Brazil.” In fact, she works as a camp facilitator. Reyes explains, “It’s like a job, so I get paid to do it. We have training; I have to report to someone. But it’s also fun, ’cause it’s just like being with people that you really like and doing work that is really meaningful to you.”
Reyes further describes how LALA is growing the future by boosting the prospects of underserved students in Latin America: “I have friends that are facilitators and I know that the payment they receive really, really helps them to pay rent, or to have some money to help their families.”
Barrier 2: Lack of Community Support
Many underserved students in Latin America don’t have access to a network of informed, successful adults who can provide guidance and share opportunities. That’s why LALA places a strong emphasis on networking and mentorship within the organization. LALA’s 2021 impact report highlights, “Our mentors and donors do not see young, underprivileged LALA students as charity cases, but as awe-inspiring future leaders they can relate to.”
For Reyes, the power of LALA’s student community surpasses formal networking programs. She states, “Everyone in Lala is really, really devoted to being there, to being part of the community, to helping each other.” She describes how LALeaders (the Academy’s alumni) support one another, from offering internships to providing a couch to sleep on in a foreign country.
Barrier 3: Lack of Career Opportunities
The World Bank estimates that 40 million young people who were jobless in 2021 would have been employed without the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most affected countries in the world, Brazil experienced a 6% decline in youth employment in this period. This intensified the need for youth professional development in Latin America.
In 2021, Reyes participated in LALA’s Career Internship Program. For 10 weeks, she and her peers honed skills like resume writing and networking before connecting with organizations that aligned with their interests for internships. The program successfully matched 56 students with 25 organizations in six countries, several of which were founded by LALA alumni.
Barrier 4: Lack of University Opportunities
Recognizing the importance of education, LALA is growing the future by providing application support for member students seeking undergraduate education. LALA’s assistance has resulted in member students receiving more than $20 million in high school and university scholarships. Many LALeaders, including Reyes, pursue studies abroad. In 2021, over a quarter of LALeaders enrolled in undergraduate programs studied outside their home countries.
Barrier 5: Mental Health/Intrapersonal Development
More than 25% of the total disease burden in Latin America and the Caribbean is mental or neurological, and 5% of Latin America’s population suffers from depression. Despite this, more than half of depressed people do not seek treatment and less than 2% of the region’s health care budget is allocated to mental health.
LALA is growing the future of mental health and intrapersonal development by offering compassion cultivation training and encouraging students to explore their personal growth. Reyes describes some of the activities conducted during the camps she has facilitated, such as discussions on vulnerability inspired by Brene Brown’s work, strategies for building meaningful connections and active listening.
More significantly, LALA provides students with a safe space to be themselves: “LALA is always this place where people say, ‘I feel home when I’m here’.” She shares that LALA was the first community where she found acceptance and support from like-minded individuals.
As a reminder of how LALA is shaping the future, Reyes shares a quotation from Thich Nhat Hahn that resonates with her and appears at the top of many Latin American Leadership Academy learning materials: “It is possible the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community, a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living.”
–Faye Crawford
Photo: Flickr
3 Organizations Fighting Food Insecurity in Zambia
Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger is a nonprofit organization that aims to end hunger through prevention and treatment programs. To help eradicate malnutrition, they created the Seeds of Hope program in Zambia’s Western Province, where 82% of the population lives in poverty. The program provides local farmers with resources and teaches them “climate-smart agricultural practices.” Climate change has challenged communities that rely on farming; therefore, they need sustainable solutions that protect their crops year-round.
Examples of Seeds of Hope projects include teaching water management, building irrigation systems and introducing drought-resistant crops. They also provide new tools and technologies, such as fishing gear and devices that capture excess carbon. Increasing food production will grow the country’s economy “by creating new markets and supporting agribusiness models,” demonstrating the many ways Seeds of Hope can make a difference.
The World Food Program (WFP)
Since 1.5 million smallholder farms produce most of Zambia’s food supply, the World Food Program has introduced a two-year project to help maximize their harvests. Severe droughts between 2018 and 2019 caused half the country and millions of farmers to lose their crops. The WFP’s project works with over 100,000 farmers in five districts across southern and western Zambia. Their goal is to implement “improved farming methods and crop management practices and technologies to reduce post-harvest losses.” They educate farmers on the entire harvesting process, from cultivating land and crop rotation to transportation and storage.
The WFP gives farming communities the resources they need to sustain production quantities, such as affordable storage bags, seeds and mulch. The project has seen promising results, with locals yielding enough crops to feed their families and create revenue.
United Nations Volunteers
In March 2020, Hiroaki Sonoda, a United Nations Volunteer from Japan, started the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia (SIFAZ) project. He came to the country as a Value Chain Development Specialist with the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The project aims to resolve malnutrition and food insecurity in Zambia through economically sustainable farming. Sonoda personally “produced agribusiness and marketing information” to help communities earn more money for their harvests.
FAO-trained officers work locally to implement marketing strategies and sustainable farming techniques. The officers collaborate with local governments to ensure that the SIFAZ project is accessible across the country. So far, the program has helped more than 150 cooperatives, totaling 16,000 farmers in 27 districts across Zambia.
While rates of poverty and malnutrition are growing, several organizations have created programs that reduce food insecurity in Zambia. The projects provide new resources, including irrigation systems, marketing strategies and crop management, that create profitable and sustainable farming practices.
– Diana Grant
Photo: Flickr
Mental Health in Côte d’Ivoire
Mental Health Statistics
As of 2007, the government has funded a program titled the National Program for Mental Health (also known as PNSM) which allows civilians to receive the help that they require and deserve. This could be due to the aftermath of the First Ivorian Civil War from 2002-2007, in which many people were left with unresolved mental and psychological issues. There is no exact number of people who are suffering from mental health issues in Côte d’Ivoire, but there are only three mental health facilities for 21 million people.
However, due to recent developments, this statistic is about to change; many charities are introducing schemes and programs targeted at reducing the number of people who are suffering from mental health issues and are unable to get help.
Bluemind Foundation
The Bluemind Foundation is a nonprofit charity set up in 2021 to help tackle women’s mental health battles throughout Africa. Their first mission for Côte d’Ivoire was to introduce the ‘Heal by Hair’ program.
The program is designed to give hairdressers the skills and knowledge that they will need in order to recognize the warning signs of somebody who is battling with mental health and how to adapt their visit to make it the most beneficial. This scheme was introduced to over 200 hairdressers throughout Côte d’Ivoire in August 2022 and is aiming to be completed around March 2024.
This project is a prime example of how a community can be a massive help when tackling both local and global issues, as opening the lines of communication between hairdressers and clients creates a friendly and secure environment for conversations to occur. There are also charities that use other vectors like religion to improve the number of people suffering, such as Brothers of Charity.
Brothers of Charity
The Brothers of Charity was first opened in 1807 by Fr. Peter Joseph Triest with the aim of teaching young religious men to care for the elderly. However, their services were first introduced to Côte d’Ivoire in 1992 when the Congregation opened a house in Abidjan, allowing the brothers to receive both spiritual advice and professional training. This then led to the two-year-long development of a psychiatric hospital.
Looking Up
Thanks to charities such as ‘Heal by Hair’ and ‘Brothers of Charity’ alongside the development of government-funded programs such as PSNM, more help is on the way to address mental health in Côte d’Ivoire. This means that the population of Côte d’Ivoire can now finally process the traumatic events that they have experienced so far this century and move toward a life of healing.
– Ella Bushell
Photo: Flickr
Behind the Policies: Energy Poverty in Chile
Chile stands out as a frontrunner in Latin America’s renewable energy landscape, with its ambitious 2022 commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Notably, this coastal nation has emerged as a solar and wind energy champion, capitalizing on both developmental efforts and government support to furnish nearly half of its population with clean energy sources.
Although these endeavors mark a commendable stride forward, a significant facet of energy consumption in developing regions remains unaddressed by the Chilean government: energy poverty. This often neglected concern looms over Chile. While affluent households already approach net-zero carbon emissions, a considerable 30% of households still rely on wood for heating, a proportion that balloons to 75% in rural locales.
Even as legislative efforts advocate for more stringent policies aimed at transitioning to renewable energy, the specter of energy poverty in Chile persists, underscoring the complexity of the nation’s energy transformation journey.
The Risks of Energy Poverty in Chile
As Chile approaches the 100% mark for households with access to electricity, the reality for many rural families is an inconsistent and unaffordable electrical line. About 90% of Chileans in a 2018 survey reported spending more than 10% of their monthly income on an energy bill, and even then many still lack access to essential amenities such as heating and consistent internet connection.
Lack of heating is a pressing concern for many rural communities, especially in mountainous regions. This leads to an influx of wood-fueled heating in rural areas where electrical heating is inaccessible. Wood-fueled heating produces far more CO2 emissions and is linked with increased risks of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in households experiencing energy poverty. Territories in Southern Chile also have increased firewood usage where energy is unavailable. Despite legislators’ claims to work towards shifting these areas towards clean energy, less than 5% of people in polluted areas participate in policy action.
Amidst these issues, Chilean policymakers plan to tighten their carbon tax policy, which disproportionately impacts those already living in energy poverty. These policies could lead to a 16.7% increase in the proportion of households paying more than 10% of their income for access to energy.
Providing Access in Rural Areas
Fortunately, communities and initiative programs alike are working towards improving energy poverty in Chile. One such program is the Energy Inclusion Program founded in 2018, which uses international collaboration and public-private funds to provide equitable energy access to vulnerable consumers. In 2021, an advocate for the Energy Inclusion Program assisted a rural Chilean village north of Santiago in providing hot water and electricity to elderly and struggling families who could not afford energy bills. A community cooperative for renewable energy helped 40 households in the village install a solar farm with a 50kW capacity. Similar initiatives have taken off in many parts of the nation, including programs funded by the Entrepreneurship and Alternative Energy Generation (EGEA) and EBP Chile.
Moving Forward
Chile’s route towards renewable energy is commendable, and its initiatives have encouraged many other Latin American nations to pursue revised climate-centered legislation. Regardless, energy poverty in Chile negatively impacts rural and impoverished communities that possess limited resources to maintain the country’s lofty net-zero goals.
Through community inclusion and global programs, families in poverty have renewed prospects towards pushing Chile’s emerging economy to become a global leader in climate change policies and renewable energy.
– Inaya Lala
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Empowering Survivors of Rape in South Africa
The Handbag Project: Restoring Hope to Rape Survivors
In the aftermath of rape, survivors require care and support. Through The Handbag Project, JFF provides essential toiletries and care items like sanitary pads, soap and underwear in donated handbags, along with a note of comfort. As of 2023, JFF has distributed 54,450 handbags to rape crisis centers, 60% of which go to child rape survivors. These bags include toys and art supplies which serve as tools for art therapy and safety items for young survivors.
Empowerment Through Awareness
JFF recognizes the importance of raising awareness as a preventive tool against rape in South Africa. When sexual violence becomes taboo, survivors feel isolated and harmful norms fester unchecked. Through awareness lectures in schools, workplaces and other institutions, JFF covers essential topics like human rights, consent and the importance of counseling. As of 2023, it has reached more than 450,000 school-aged children, 12% of whom sought counseling after listening to an awareness lecture.
In 2018, JFF piloted a more comprehensive Learner Awareness Impact Program. Over a six-week course, enrolled high schoolers cover subjects such as personal rights, “no means no” and what to do if you have been raped.
Additionally, through its Young Men’s Mentorship Program, JFF hosts an annual three-day camp for underserved teenage boys from Kwa-Zulu Natal. It covers topics like self-esteem, sex and relationships, bullying, the importance of communication and how to make a difference in your community. As of 2023, 148 young men have completed this program.
The importance of awareness-raising, especially among young men, could not be a more important part of addressing rape in South Africa. Globally, 25% of women who have been in a relationship have suffered sexual or physical violence from their partner. Worse, intimate partners perpetuate up to 38% of murders targeting women. The WHO cites education as a key risk factor determining whether a young man becomes a sexual abuser later in life.
Looking Forward: A Path To Healing and Progress
The Jes Foord Foundation’s dedication to dignity and awareness offers hope to survivors of rape in South Africa. By breaking the silence surrounding this issue and challenging harmful norms, JFF paves the way for a safer and more compassionate society.
– Faye Crawford
Photo: Unsplash
Empowering Women Farmers in Mali
Poverty’s Grip on Rural Communities
Mali, like many other African countries, grapples with deep-rooted poverty that disproportionately affects its rural population. In fact, 49% of Malians live below the extreme poverty line. In the face of climate change, volatile food prices and limited access to resources and education, women farmers often find themselves trapped in a cycle of hardship and marginalization. However, recent initiatives aimed at empowering women in the agricultural sector are showing promise in breaking these barriers and creating opportunities for sustainable development.
Unity in Empowerment: Women’s Farming Cooperatives
One such initiative gaining momentum is the establishment of women-led farming cooperatives in Mali. These cooperatives provide a platform for women farmers to come together, share knowledge, pool resources and collectively market their produce. By working together, these women gain access to larger markets and better crop prices, improving their income and financial independence. Additionally, these cooperatives foster an environment of mutual support, enabling women to adopt innovative and sustainable farming practices that enhance crop yields and resilience in the face of environmental challenges.
Education as a Catalyst for Change
Furthermore, addressing the gender gap in access to education is another critical component of empowering women farmers in Mali. When women attain knowledge and skills, they become powerful agents of change within their communities. Non-governmental organizations and local authorities are partnering to establish training programs that focus on agricultural techniques, financial literacy and leadership skills. These programs not only enhance women’s capabilities but also contribute to the overall agricultural productivity of the nation.
Policy Shifts Towards Inclusivity
In recent years, the Malian government, in collaboration with international development agencies, has also taken significant steps to address the systemic challenges women farmers face. By providing better access to land tenure, credit facilities and agricultural extension services, the government aims to level the playing field and create an enabling environment for women to thrive in agriculture. Additionally, policies that promote gender equality and women’s rights are being integrated into national development plans, signaling a commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth.
Empowerment Transforms Lives
The impact of empowering women farmers in Mali is already evident. These women are lifting themselves out of poverty, and their families and communities are also experiencing positive transformations. Increased income levels enable better access to health care, education and improved living conditions. Moreover, the newfound recognition of women’s contributions is challenging traditional gender norms and fostering a more equitable society.
Looking Ahead
The empowerment of women farmers is igniting a transformative shift in Mali. As women-led cooperatives thrive, their collective strength is breaking the cycle of poverty while fostering resilience against challenges. Education and policy shifts are further nurturing this progress, creating a ripple effect that not only improves lives but also cultivates a more inclusive and equitable society for Mali’s rural communities.
– Valentin Lyazov
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
6 Poverty-Fighting Charities in El Salvador
Additionally, crime poses a significant issue in El Salvador. In 2023, the nation recorded the world’s highest homicide rate at 52.02 murders per 100,000 residents. A major contributor to this alarming statistic is the widespread prevalence of gang activity and associated violence.
Amid these challenges, various charitable organizations are actively working to fight poverty in El Salvador. The dedicated efforts of these organizations are creating tangible positive changes within the country.
6 Poverty-Fighting Charities in El Salvador
In conclusion, despite the challenges El Salvador faces in eradicating poverty and crime, numerous organizations dedicated to addressing these issues demonstrate that progress is achievable. Positive transformations are actively taking place for many residents in El Salvador.
– Emma Glas
Photo: Wikimedia
Homelessness in Belize
Cost of Living
For a typical family of four living in Belize, monthly expenses far outweigh income. Average monthly costs total around $2,500, without rent, while the average net salary comes in around $950 per month. Furthermore, the cost of housing can be relatively high compared to average incomes, contributing to affordability issues for low-income individuals and families. With an unemployment rate of 9.7% as of 2022, many Belizeans are plunged into poverty, unable to afford a roof over their heads.
Furthermore, essential goods and services are becoming increasingly unaffordable and inaccessible, especially for rural communities. Urban centers present more comprehensive ranges of housing options, whereas rural areas provide limited options and aid for vulnerable people. As a result, there are a large number of informal settlements and unauthorized settlement areas, that lack the proper legal recognition, infrastructure and basic amenities.
Impact on Children
Notably, children are the most vulnerable to homelessness. UNICEF finds that half of the children in Belize under the age of 15 are classified as poor. Homelessness among children means that the most vulnerable in society lack basic needs, threatening the development and nourishment of young, fragile livelihoods. In conjunction, UNICEF and ECLAC (United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) find that “6 out of 10 children in Belize lack at least one of these basic needs: adequate nutrition, clean drinking water, proper sanitation, adequate housing and access to education and information.”
A home is fundamental to properly care for and support a child. To alleviate the risks and adverse effects of homelessness on children, comprehensive support for the continuation and stability of a child’s education promotes positive outcomes. Addressing the unique needs of homeless families and children involves access to stable housing, nutritious food, health care, and targeted programs for mental health support.
Initiatives to Reduce Homelessness
Countering homelessness in Belize requires a combination of efforts, including affordable housing initiatives, rent subsidies, homelessness prevention programs and comprehensive poverty alleviation efforts. Here is a list of varying organizations and comprehensive plans fighting for people experiencing homelessness.
Going Forward
The World Health Organization recognizes that “housing is a fundamental social determinant of Health and is recognized by the United Nations as a fundamental human right, and not a luxury, as many Belizeans still believe.” Through the work of several organizations, the homeless can access shelter and resources that invest and promote opportunities to re-introduce individuals into society and out of poverty. Reducing homelessness in Belize takes a multi-dimensional approach that requires collaboration between communities and organizations to establish positive solutions that empower all Belizeans.
– Emmalyn Meyer
Photo: Flickr
Toy Drives and Libraries Enhance Child Development in Ghana
In the coastal West African nation of Ghana, poverty poses significant challenges for many children. This issue extends beyond monetary constraints; it frequently revolves around inadequate access to education, both within and beyond the classroom. However, recent initiatives have made strides in enhancing child development in Ghana, specifically by facilitating children’s access to essential learning materials.
Child Poverty in Ghana: Background
To comprehend the challenges facing child development in Ghana, it’s essential to delve into the multifaceted aspects of child poverty in the country. The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) of Ghana’s 2019 report outlines nine dimensions that signify child poverty in the nation, and they include nutrition, health, child development, education, child protection, water, sanitation, housing, and information.
According to this study, a significant 73.4% of children in Ghana, aged 0 to 17, experience multidimensional poverty, characterized by deprivation in at least three dimensions.
The Struggle for Learning and Development
Poor quality of education is another roadblock to child development in Ghana. A 2022 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) shows that nearly 80% of Ghanaians do not achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills by the end of their primary school education.
There are also many instances of slow starts to child development in Ghana. The 2019 study by Ghana’s NDPC indicates that more than half of Ghanaian children aged 0-4 years (52.6%) lack access to books and toys, early childhood education and interactions with adults within the household.
Ghana Zetas Christmas Toy Drive
Charitable efforts have been undertaken to support child development in Ghana. In 2019, the Graduate Chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority initiated a Christmas toy drive in Oyarifa, Ghana, benefiting more than 50 children. The sorority members, along with contributions from the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and donors from the U.S., provided books, toys, clothing and monetary donations. This initiative was detailed in an article on the sorority’s website.
Toy Library Ghana
A more recent example illustrates how children in Ghana are gaining continuous access to learning materials. Toy Library Ghana, located in the capital city of Accra, functions as a literal toy library. With a collection of more than 200 books and 300 educational toys, this facility aims to provide children with hands-on learning resources.
Parents can borrow learning materials for their children through Toy Library Ghana. For a nominal fee of 25Ghc ($2.21) per month, the staff assists children in selecting a toy or book to rent each week. Furthermore, the library offers additional programs, including mobile clinics, supervised play dates and storytelling sessions, to enhance the learning experience.
Educational Toy Drive
In 2022, another toy drive for Ghanaian children occurred during the holiday season. A 2022 news article by the Carrollton Leader, a local publication in Dallas, Texas, highlights the work of a Ghanaian philanthropist living in Texas.
Philanthropist Hannarich Asiedu collected educational toys such as board games and puzzles as well as children’s clothing to donate to underprivileged children in her native Ghana. According to the Carrollton Leader, this drive was business as usual for Asiedu, who coordinates educational toy drives throughout the year.
Enhancing Child Development in Ghana
In a country where more than half of children aged 4 and younger lack the resources for intellectual development, these programs provide hope that quality child development in Ghana can become the rule, not the exception.
– Noel Teter
Photo: Flickr
5 Ways LALA is Growing the Future
Founded in 2017, LALA has successfully established a network of nearly 2,000 young leaders spanning South America and the Caribbean. With a vision extending to 2024, the organization aims to annually enroll 1,500 high-school-aged students. LALA is actively shaping the future by tackling the challenges affecting underserved youth across the region. To overcome these obstacles, the organization has meticulously tailored its programs, addressing each barrier comprehensively. Through these efforts, LALA is fostering a generation of empowered leaders.
Barrier 1: Lack of Financial Resources
As of 2022, the U.N. estimated that 45% of Latin American children and adolescents lived in poverty. This places youth at a higher risk of poverty compared to the broader population, of which 32.3% are poor. In addition, the pandemic led to decreased education rates and youth employment, and these factors have not yet fully recovered. Consequently, financial resources have become an even more significant barrier to the success of Latin American youths.
While 90% of LALA’s students receive financial aid from the organization to support their membership, the assistance doesn’t end there. According to Reyes, “They (LALA) hire a lot of people who are not college graduates, or maybe not even in college yet, which is very, very unusual, especially here in Brazil.” In fact, she works as a camp facilitator. Reyes explains, “It’s like a job, so I get paid to do it. We have training; I have to report to someone. But it’s also fun, ’cause it’s just like being with people that you really like and doing work that is really meaningful to you.”
Reyes further describes how LALA is growing the future by boosting the prospects of underserved students in Latin America: “I have friends that are facilitators and I know that the payment they receive really, really helps them to pay rent, or to have some money to help their families.”
Barrier 2: Lack of Community Support
Many underserved students in Latin America don’t have access to a network of informed, successful adults who can provide guidance and share opportunities. That’s why LALA places a strong emphasis on networking and mentorship within the organization. LALA’s 2021 impact report highlights, “Our mentors and donors do not see young, underprivileged LALA students as charity cases, but as awe-inspiring future leaders they can relate to.”
For Reyes, the power of LALA’s student community surpasses formal networking programs. She states, “Everyone in Lala is really, really devoted to being there, to being part of the community, to helping each other.” She describes how LALeaders (the Academy’s alumni) support one another, from offering internships to providing a couch to sleep on in a foreign country.
Barrier 3: Lack of Career Opportunities
The World Bank estimates that 40 million young people who were jobless in 2021 would have been employed without the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most affected countries in the world, Brazil experienced a 6% decline in youth employment in this period. This intensified the need for youth professional development in Latin America.
In 2021, Reyes participated in LALA’s Career Internship Program. For 10 weeks, she and her peers honed skills like resume writing and networking before connecting with organizations that aligned with their interests for internships. The program successfully matched 56 students with 25 organizations in six countries, several of which were founded by LALA alumni.
Barrier 4: Lack of University Opportunities
Recognizing the importance of education, LALA is growing the future by providing application support for member students seeking undergraduate education. LALA’s assistance has resulted in member students receiving more than $20 million in high school and university scholarships. Many LALeaders, including Reyes, pursue studies abroad. In 2021, over a quarter of LALeaders enrolled in undergraduate programs studied outside their home countries.
Barrier 5: Mental Health/Intrapersonal Development
More than 25% of the total disease burden in Latin America and the Caribbean is mental or neurological, and 5% of Latin America’s population suffers from depression. Despite this, more than half of depressed people do not seek treatment and less than 2% of the region’s health care budget is allocated to mental health.
LALA is growing the future of mental health and intrapersonal development by offering compassion cultivation training and encouraging students to explore their personal growth. Reyes describes some of the activities conducted during the camps she has facilitated, such as discussions on vulnerability inspired by Brene Brown’s work, strategies for building meaningful connections and active listening.
More significantly, LALA provides students with a safe space to be themselves: “LALA is always this place where people say, ‘I feel home when I’m here’.” She shares that LALA was the first community where she found acceptance and support from like-minded individuals.
As a reminder of how LALA is shaping the future, Reyes shares a quotation from Thich Nhat Hahn that resonates with her and appears at the top of many Latin American Leadership Academy learning materials: “It is possible the next Buddha will not take the form of an individual. The next Buddha may take the form of a community, a community practicing understanding and loving kindness, a community practicing mindful living.”
–Faye Crawford
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About Mental Health in Barbados
5 Facts About Mental Health in Barbados
Conclusion
While Barbados presents itself as a captivating Caribbean destination, it is crucial to recognize the mental health challenges faced by its population. With a significant number seeking assistance through mental health outpatient facilities, there is a need to address the persistent stigma and cultural influences that hinder proper diagnosis and treatment. Collaborative research efforts, improvements in mental health education and empowering initiatives like the Healthy Caribbean Youth are essential steps towards fostering a more supportive and mentally healthier society in Barbados.
– Sandy Kang
Photo: Flickr