The West African country Nigeria has the fastest-growing population in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the Nigerian population is outpacing poverty reduction as the population grows and the economy declines. Essentially, the demand for jobs is much higher than the availability.
Therefore, the World Bank has projected that the number of Nigerians living below the national poverty line will increase by 13 million people by 2025.
Income Inequality in Nigeria
There are several reasons for the high poverty rates in Nigeria, one of which is income inequality. The average income in rural versus urban Nigeria is incredibly unbalanced. In the past, agriculture was a key export in Nigeria. However, this industry is no longer financially flourishing, leaving those in the rural farmlands susceptible to low income.
Nigeria struggles with various factors that contribute to food insecurity. The most dominant is poverty, along with climate-related challenges that amplify the effects and hardships of poverty, such as drought and flooding. As a result, millions of Nigerians in rural marginalized areas experience extreme malnutrition and chronic hunger.
Currently, 80% of exports from Nigeria are oil, which only represents 1% of national jobs. This contributes to the shocking statistic that four out of 10 Nigerians live in poverty.
The Nigerian government is working to implement reforms that can promote poverty reduction and aid civilians to have a better quality of life. One such reform is the elimination of fuel subsidies.
The Aftermath of Eradicating Fuel Subsidies
Despite the thriving fuel industry, subsidies on petroleum have caused problems in Nigeria for decades.
Nigeria first implemented its fuel subsidies policy in 1977. The Nigerian government enacted these restrictions to provide a cushion from the 1973 oil crisis. However, what was initially intended for six months has remained for twenty-four years. As a result, the policy did not ease the burden of fuel prices but rather bankrupted the government. Fuel subsidies are 15% of the federal budget, more than education and health combined.
In 2012, the Nigerian government announced its plan to eradicate fuel subsidies, causing an uproar and protests over the new policy. In June 2023, President Bola Tinubu told the nation that “the fuel subsidy is gone.” Fearing the inevitable spike in gasoline costs, hundreds of people fled to petrol stations with jerry cans to prepare for the future.
The transition period appears to have poorly affected the public. For example, the petroleum market price increased by 200%. However, the perpetuation of subsidies appeared to be unattainable. Its elimination could pave the way for other initiatives that aim to alleviate poverty. This includes a budget increase for public services, health, transport and education.
Although widely unpopular among citizens, terminating the subsidies could promote a unified exchange rate, reduce corruption and allocate a larger budget for investing in long-term sustainable reformations.
External Support in the Fight to End Poverty in Nigeria
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like Food Clique support communities in Nigeria that are most affected by poverty. Food Clique promotes poverty reduction for affected people through donations that fund nutritious food and free school meals. Alongside fighting hunger, these programs also encourage attendance and productivity, promote physical strength and build disease resistance.
Food Clique provides sustainable solutions to food insecurity, alleviating poverty in Nigeria. It also bridges the gap of poverty by helping communities gain access to nutritious meals and promoting long-term solutions. This work is critical because Food Clique aims to build a more food-secure nation and thus reduce the effects of poverty.
The British Red Cross estimates that as of 2022, 19.5 million people in Nigeria do not have enough to eat. However, with the tireless efforts of Food Clique and other nonprofit organizations, there is hope for progress.
Looking Ahead
In summary, poverty reduction in Nigeria has been a slow and complex process, and only now have major reforms beginning to take effect within the government. The removal of fuel subsidies and subsequent inflation impacted the poorest Nigerians the most. In the long run, however, these reforms could create new jobs and allow the government to fund other sectors, such as education and health, to reduce the impact of poverty in Nigeria.
– April Plenderleith
Photo: Pixabay
How Doctors Without Borders is Helping People in Turkey
Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontiers (MSF), is a global organization dedicated to providing essential medical care worldwide. The program collaborates with countries in need of emergency medical assistance. As reported by The Guardian, the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquakes of February 2023 resulted in the loss of 47,000 lives, with thousands of people missing and millions displaced from their homes. Doctors Without Borders has been actively involved in providing aid and support to the affected areas. Here is how Doctors Without Borders has been helping people in Turkey during the recent crisis.
6 Ways That Doctors Without Borders is Helping the People in Turkey
Looking Ahead
The efforts of MSF teams were vital in providing essential aid and medical assistance to the earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria. They worked diligently to assess medical needs quickly and offer psychological and hygiene support, ensuring that the affected communities had access to basic facilities. Additionally, MSF teams provided training to local staff to ensure the sustainability of their efforts. Their primary focus was on enhancing the capacity of health care and relief services for those facing crises.
– Gurjot Kaur
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Generational Poverty with Trust Funds for Babies
Statistics reflect the truth that hard work and luck are not enough to escape generational poverty. In the United States (U.S.), for example, only 4% of poor Americans climb the rungs of the economic ladder toward wealth. The large majority of Americans born into the lowest income bracket remain there for life. Economist Darrick Hamilton confidently stated in The Journal that “Wealth is the paramount indicator of economic security and wellbeing.” Accepting this philosophy, the key question becomes: How does a society accumulate and distribute wealth to people born into the throes of poverty?
The answer just might be establishing trust funds for babies.
Looking to Babies to Address Generational Poverty
In 2002, the United Kingdom (U.K.) piloted a long-term savings account for minors called the Child Trust Fund (CTF). CTF was a tax-free savings account parents could open for their kids without facing any decrease in government benefits or tax credits. The parents of any child born in the U.K. between 2002 and 2011 received a £250 voucher to launch a CTF — they could then contribute an additional £9,000 per year. Once the child turned 18, they could access the funds in their account for any combination of reinvestment and spending they saw fit.
The government knew this was a small step in the direction of addressing generational poverty — a £250 stipend would not be enough to solve the nation’s fiscal inequity — but the hope was that a tax-free savings account for children would promote the possibility of home ownership, higher education and healthy investment practices for many who never thought such would be attainable.
Beyond the UK: Child Trust Funds in Canada
In Canada, every family is eligible to open a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP): a low-tax, long-term saving account to help guardians save for their child’s future education. RESP funds can go toward any post-secondary education including colleges, trade schools, universities and formal apprenticeship programs.
While Canadians from all income brackets are encouraged to open an RESP for their children, Canada provides direct capital to low-income families’ RESPs. Any Canadian child born into a low-income family after 2004 is eligible for the Canada Learning Bond (CLB). The Canadian government provides an initial payment of $500 in the child’s first year and continues to add $100 each year until the total governmental contribution hits $2,000.
The Canada Learning Bond, much like the U.K.’s CTF, aims to chip away at the generational wealth gaps that prevent low-income youth from actualizing their full intellectual and economic potential.
Extrapolating the Baby Bonds Model to the United States
In Connecticut, nearly 15,000 children are born into poverty each year. To help close the state’s wealth gaps and encourage innovation, investment and long-term economic growth, Connecticut recently implemented a Baby Bonds program modeled on the U.K. and Canada’s previous successes.
Any child who is born into a family on Connecticut’s public health insurance — on or after July 1, 2023 — will be automatically enrolled in CT Baby Bonds. The government will contribute up to $3,200 to each child’s trust, and at 18, after completing a financial literacy course, the child can claim their capital. The funds are to be used for home ownership, business investment, education or retirement planning. Despite the program name, CT Baby Bonds, Governor Ned Lamont backed off of the original idea to fund the program using money from investors in exchange for bonds. He worried about debt accumulation. Instead, the state will be funding the program through a deposit of $381 million of state budget surplus — meaning there will be no inflated state debt or increased tax.
The Potential Impacts of CT Baby Bonds
While a leg-up of a few thousand dollars is certainly not the end-all-be-all for leveling the playing field, it is a powerful tool in revolutionizing saving philosophies in low-income communities. “You’re more focused on possibly going to college if you see a pathway, if there’s a fund,” Former Connecticut State Treasurer Shawn Wooden shared. “You’re more focused on one day owning a home, which some people in poverty never aspire to because they don’t think it’s ever achievable.”
Shondell Vann, a mother living in Bridgeport, Connecticut with a two-year-old daughter, sees earnest hope in the Baby Bonds program. “I feel like the program would give her a little bit more of a leg up,” she said of her daughter, Maria, in an interview with The Journal. “If she wanted to have a business just like me, she would be able to fund it with no problem. Just anything she wanted to do with that money to be able to be a bit more successful than she was or just be a little bit better off than she was, is better than nothing.”
– Elena Unger
Photo: Flickr
USAID Programs Pave Pathways in Jordan
USAID Makanati – Women’s Economic Empowerment and Leadership Activity
In November 2021, EnCompass Inc. a woman-owned business partnered with USAID to implement the Makanati Program, which focuses on addressing the gender gaps women face in the labor force. Unemployment has been a problem in Jordan for some time but has skyrocketed since the coronavirus pandemic at 20-25% over the last three years. Women are disproportionately impacted with a 30% unemployment rate and 14.2% labor force participation rate, according to the World Bank. Increasing female involvement in the workforce would drastically shift the unemployment rate and improve household incomes, boost economic growth and produce a more inclusive and stable workforce. This is exactly what the Makanati Program is for.
Makanati is a $30 million, five-year project with the primary goal of creating opportunities for women in the workforce. Through the right research, campaigns and interventions, it plans on improving workplace environments and employment policies so that they are inclusive of women. Makanati is taking the approach of solving root issues that prevent women from joining the workforce in the first place. Some of the restrictions women deal with include childcare and transportation or lack thereof. Given this concern, the program intends to explore alternatives to childcare and transportation modes that would give women the flexibility they need. Over the course of the next few years, as a USAID program in Jordan, Makanati hopes to create a domino effect for women as it overcomes these root issues so that it leads to overall economic empowerment for not just Jordan itself, but for the women of Jordan.
USAID Water Management Initiative – Water Efficiency and Conservation Activity
Jordan is the second most water-scarce country in the world. USAID has implemented several programs to address these issues in hopes that with the proper engineering and planning, water can be conserved and more abundant. To put it in perspective, Jordan’s annual water availability in 2012 was 145m3 and 10 years later it is less than 100m3. With significant population growth combined with water scarcity, only two-thirds of the population’s water demands are being met. While changing weather patterns play a role in the disappearing water levels, much of the cause comes from poor infrastructure including supply systems, broken piping and the lack of conservation strategies. USAID is determined to address the issues of water scarcity with the help of Tetra Tech, a consulting and engineering services firm through the Water Management Initiative (WMI).
The WMI is a $35 million five-year initiative that focuses on four key areas; water supply systems, water conservation and demand management, water sector governance and protection of water supply. Tetra Tech is taking a realistic approach in order to create long-term solutions that will provide the country with sustainable water sources. It is hoping to achieve this by partnering with the Jordanian government, Jordan’s water utility services (Yarmouk Water Company) and the private sector. By addressing the problems first and then creating solutions, these long-term goals can be achieved. As an engineering services firm, they are developing the proper framework to improve water conservation and quality management. Gradually, this program will help change the trajectory of Jordan’s resources and assist in meeting the basic need for water accessibility for the people of Jordan, including their large refugee population.
Final Thoughts
Manakati and The Water Management Initiative are simply two examples of the focus USAID programs in Jordan have on ensuring local concerns are met and root problems are identified and solved. Development is not simply applying a bandage to a deep wound; it involves thoroughly cleaning the wound, dressing it properly and providing the appropriate medication. Over the next few years, these programs intend to build a better future for Jordanians and the country as a whole.
– Sarina Qureshi
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About Child Marriage in Mali
5 Facts About Child Marriage in Mali
Looking Ahead
Mali is actively developing national action plans to eliminate child and forced marriage. For example, Mali set the minimum age of marriage to 18 under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Along with this, Mali is one of nine countries in Africa to sign the AU Campaign to End Child Marriage.
Also, Mali committed to a 5-year action plan in July 2021 at the Generation Equality Forum in France to advance efforts toward improving gender equality. The goal is to use a $40 million investment to develop both legal and social change to end various forms of gender-based violence including child marriage and FGM by 2026. First Lady Mali Keïta Aminata Maïga led a campaign entitled “Education for girls: a means to eliminating early child marriage” which advocates for keeping girls in school to help end child marriage.
The fight against child marriage in Mali gain globed traction after the European Union made an $18 million investment between 2019-2020 which is meant to go toward ending harmful and violent practices toward women. These funds have been funneled to various organizations that promote legislation on gender-based violence, institutions supporting government efforts, prevention methods, data collection agencies, social monitoring platforms and support services. Ultimately, this investment will help decrease child marriage rates in Mali.
Conclusion
While Mali has put forth massive plans to decrease child marriage cases, continual efforts must be made in order to address this issue. Facilitating access to education and promoting financial relief for Malians in poverty will be instrumental in eradicating child marriage in Mali altogether.
– Olivia Welling
Photo: Flickr
Addressing Child Trauma in the Caribbean
Grenada is a picturesque island nation at the tip of the Windward Islands region of the West Indies with a population of just under 125,000. Currently, the rate of poverty hovers around 38%, estimated by a Food for the Poor report. As a result of the high poverty rate and the legacy of colonial dehumanization, abuse is common in Grenada with 30% of women reporting mistreatment. In 2019, authorities charged a man with raping a 9-year-old girl, an instance in the 30% increase in sexual crimes against children that year.
The National Bureau of Economic Research found that poverty is a significant risk factor for neglect and physical abuse. Poverty can compromise parents’ emotional health, causing absences from home and a willingness to exploit to survive. Child abuse is a global problem, but one NGO is doing something about it. Here is how Reach Within is addressing child trauma in the Caribbean and Grenada.
Reach Within
Reach Within, a program by the Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation, combats child trauma in Grenada. It works within the Grenadine community ecosystem: teachers, politicians, health care workers and clergy enact its programs. Community members learn through Reach Within programs how to provide trauma-informed care. Trauma-informed practices bring hope to homes for children, foster homes and to kids on the street. Reach Within’s “philosophical underpinnings” are the cycle of rebirth following a loss. In the words of a volunteer, the organization holds that “every child, no matter their history, can learn to access their inner resources.” Reach Within has developed three, high-impact, low-cost programs that give abused children a future of safety and healing.
Self-Regulation Program
This program works beyond traditional “talk therapy.” Some children do not respond well to talking about trauma, as memories of pain can be retraumatizing. Instead, the Self-Regulation Program involves movement therapy such as tapping, drumming, yoga and breathing. According to the “Science Behind PTSD” published by the Boston Clinical Trials, trauma hits the brain stem first, which is underdeveloped in children, leading to intense anxiety that higher brain regions cannot rationalize. Reach Within uses rhythmic movement to heal this trauma. Rhythmic, repetitive music and movement help mature the brain stem and reach the child’s inner resilience.
Caregiver Certification Program
Caregivers provide the stable human attachment necessary to repattern traumatized brains. Trained in the best methods of treating child trauma, caregivers learn the brain regions affected by trauma and how to reframe traumatic events to help regulate emotional experiences. Healthy attachment can be the result of therapeutic play and eye gazing that form a sympathetic, caring human bond. This bond is imperative to successfully overcoming adversity. Self-care is also central to Reach Within’s caregiver program and caregivers are “provided with support groups and retreats” to foster growth and sustainability in all members of the community.
Transitional Living Program
This Reach Within program targets youth who are phased out of living in residential programs. It provides young adults with educational opportunities, housing and emotional support to prevent abandonment and the furthering of the cycle of abuse. These youths become mentors to the community’s children, “informing their behavior in school, work, and the world at large.”
Increasing Its Impact Addressing Child Trauma in the Caribbean
Reach Within’s practices break cycles of abuse by using science-backed soothing techniques and continuing care into adulthood. This program is built into the community’s strengths and values so that healing children’s psychological wounds can be sustainable. Despite the hurdles of poverty and a government with few policies to limit child abuse, Reach Within has dug deep roots over the past decade in Grenada’s communities with a lasting legacy. It is looking to spread its practices to address child trauma in other islands in the Caribbean. And the results so far suggest that other countries could emulate Reach Within’s philosophy and neurodevelopment-informed programs to free children from the cycle of abuse.
– Caroline Crider
Photo: Flickr
How the Opioid Epidemic in Canada Links to Poverty
About Canada’s Opioid Epidemic
Throughout history, Canada has seen a prevalence of illicit drug use among individuals residing in the nation. Fentanyl, an opioid substance, is a significant contributor to mortality rates in Canada. In 2022, the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario accounted for a significant proportion of opioid-related fatalities, comprising 87% of the total number of deaths. In 2016, fentanyl was responsible for 68% of the 985 deaths related to illicit drugs in British Columbia, which marks a significant increase from 4% in 2012. During the first half of 2017, the province experienced a significant increase of 83% in fatalities related to fentanyl.
According to data from 2016, individuals between the ages of 30 and 39 accounted for 28% of opioid-related fatalities in Canada. There appears to be variability in certain jurisdictions based on age and gender. The provinces of Alberta and Ontario have reported a higher incidence of opioid-related overdose deaths among women aged 44 years and older as compared to younger men. Disparities in mortality rates could potentially be attributed to variations in death investigation protocols across different jurisdictions, methods employed for death classification, toxicology examinations or reported statistical data, such as instances of suicide.
An Important Life Story
Jason, a homeless individual residing on the streets of Toronto, Ontario, who is grappling with drug abuse, has been referenced by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. Jason’s account highlights how his consumption of crack and heroin led to a fixation on attaining a state of intoxication. Jason has lived on the streets of Toronto for two decades. Following the car accident that claimed the life of Jason’s 3-year-old sibling, his parents’ grief hindered their ability to offer Jason the necessary emotional support and guidance. During the funeral of his sibling, he resorted to smoking cannabis as a means of coping with his grief.
On this particular day, Jason began the habit of drug use as a means of coping with his emotional distress and feelings of fragmentation. The video concludes with Jason stating, “If you wake up every day thinking about making money, that’s all you’re going to do. If you want to consume crack, that’s all you’re going to get. Well, you know what, I want life.” The story of Jason revolves around his experience of suffering from emotional distress and frustration during his childhood, which unfortunately remained unaddressed, leading him to resort to drugs as a coping mechanism. Poverty impacts social support, confidence and hope, making individuals who already experience poverty more likely to slip into addiction and vice versa.
Harm Reduction Efforts
Canada has made significant progress in implementing opioid harm reduction strategies. The government has implemented measures such as SCS (supervised consumption sites), overdose prevention sites, drug testing programs and naloxone kits have been implemented to address the issue.
The federal government also granted a three-year exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for individuals aged 18 and above in British Columbia, allowing them to possess up to 2.5 grams of opiates. This is thought to reduce the number of individuals incarcerated for drug possession.
Since 2017, the Canadian government has allocated approximately $800 million to address the opioid epidemic in Canada. This includes the provision of funding for community organizations’ Substance Use and Addictions Program initiatives aimed at providing assistance to individuals who use drugs. The provision of temporary drug consumption spaces has been authorized by the government to enhance overdose prevention services, allowing provinces and territories to establish such facilities. The prioritization of mental health and addiction services is also a matter of federal concern.
The opioid epidemic in Canada presents a significant public health concern and is responsible for the loss of lives on a daily basis. The availability of treatment and community-based services is crucial for individuals grappling with addiction and mental health challenges. The timely provision of appropriate interventions to Canadians is crucial in preventing them from reaching a state of despair where drug remedies become the sole recourse for emotional distress. The allocation of funding by the federal government towards harm-reduction initiatives is a crucial step. Opioid overdoses are predominantly characterized by high rates of poverty, unemployment, lower education levels and median household income. Additional research has also identified poverty as a contributing factor to the risk of opioid overdoses. The opioid epidemic in Canada and poverty are intertwined and it is critical for the Canadian government to address this issue in ways that lower deaths and harm.
– Valentina Ornelas
Photo: Flickr
Period Poverty in Egypt
The Complex Causes of Period Poverty in Egypt
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reports that 34% of Egyptian girls surveyed did not know what menstruation was before starting their period. Of these, 74% were “shocked, afraid or cried” during their first menstruation.
Stigmatization of periods leads to inadequate education and unreliable information: people who menstruate are often ashamed or afraid to ask questions, seek care or leave home on their period. Many young people default to unhygienic practices like not bathing during menstruation, and this can result in infection and serious illness.
Those in poverty often cannot afford sanitary resources, medication or care during their period. Many girls from impoverished families miss school while menstruating. Skipping up to a week of school every month frequently forces them to drop out, putting them at risk in a country where 35.6% of people with no formal education live in poverty.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the poor struggled to attain the appropriate resources, education and care during menstruation. Many suppliers stopped serving hard-to-reach, remote areas and period poverty-focused initiatives decreased, according to Frontiers in Global Health. Increasing economic strain led many households to deprioritize menstrual health.
Working to End Period Poverty
The 2019 World Cup winners, the Enactus Cairo University student collective, present one possible solution to period poverty in Egypt: Rosie. Rosie is a social enterprise providing environmentally friendly, hygienic, affordable sanitary pads to rural Egyptian communities.
In addition to distributing their product, Rosie’s founders taught women in impoverished communities how to make the pads themselves, boosting their income and making them active participants in eliminating period poverty. To date, Enactus estimates that Rosie has positively impacted 6,372 people across its initiatives.
Shark and Shrimp took a different route. In 2019, this Cairo-based digital marketing agency became the first company in Egypt to offer all female employees one paid day of leave per month for their period. The move was controversial, as talk of periods is rarely so public. Still, it has received praise inside and outside Egypt’s borders as an important step in removing the stigma around menstruation.
Moving Forward with Hope
Menstrual health contributes to population health, sustainable development, gender equality and human rights – and people are starting to notice. Increasing numbers of women and communities in Egypt are combatting period poverty in innovative and sustainable ways. At the same time, organizations like Shark and Shrimp are taking the lead in destigmatizing menstruation once and for all. Egypt may have much further to go, but there is cause for optimism yet.
– Faye Crawford
Photo: Flickr
Poverty Reduction in Nigeria
Therefore, the World Bank has projected that the number of Nigerians living below the national poverty line will increase by 13 million people by 2025.
Income Inequality in Nigeria
There are several reasons for the high poverty rates in Nigeria, one of which is income inequality. The average income in rural versus urban Nigeria is incredibly unbalanced. In the past, agriculture was a key export in Nigeria. However, this industry is no longer financially flourishing, leaving those in the rural farmlands susceptible to low income.
Nigeria struggles with various factors that contribute to food insecurity. The most dominant is poverty, along with climate-related challenges that amplify the effects and hardships of poverty, such as drought and flooding. As a result, millions of Nigerians in rural marginalized areas experience extreme malnutrition and chronic hunger.
Currently, 80% of exports from Nigeria are oil, which only represents 1% of national jobs. This contributes to the shocking statistic that four out of 10 Nigerians live in poverty.
The Nigerian government is working to implement reforms that can promote poverty reduction and aid civilians to have a better quality of life. One such reform is the elimination of fuel subsidies.
The Aftermath of Eradicating Fuel Subsidies
Despite the thriving fuel industry, subsidies on petroleum have caused problems in Nigeria for decades.
Nigeria first implemented its fuel subsidies policy in 1977. The Nigerian government enacted these restrictions to provide a cushion from the 1973 oil crisis. However, what was initially intended for six months has remained for twenty-four years. As a result, the policy did not ease the burden of fuel prices but rather bankrupted the government. Fuel subsidies are 15% of the federal budget, more than education and health combined.
In 2012, the Nigerian government announced its plan to eradicate fuel subsidies, causing an uproar and protests over the new policy. In June 2023, President Bola Tinubu told the nation that “the fuel subsidy is gone.” Fearing the inevitable spike in gasoline costs, hundreds of people fled to petrol stations with jerry cans to prepare for the future.
The transition period appears to have poorly affected the public. For example, the petroleum market price increased by 200%. However, the perpetuation of subsidies appeared to be unattainable. Its elimination could pave the way for other initiatives that aim to alleviate poverty. This includes a budget increase for public services, health, transport and education.
Although widely unpopular among citizens, terminating the subsidies could promote a unified exchange rate, reduce corruption and allocate a larger budget for investing in long-term sustainable reformations.
External Support in the Fight to End Poverty in Nigeria
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like Food Clique support communities in Nigeria that are most affected by poverty. Food Clique promotes poverty reduction for affected people through donations that fund nutritious food and free school meals. Alongside fighting hunger, these programs also encourage attendance and productivity, promote physical strength and build disease resistance.
Food Clique provides sustainable solutions to food insecurity, alleviating poverty in Nigeria. It also bridges the gap of poverty by helping communities gain access to nutritious meals and promoting long-term solutions. This work is critical because Food Clique aims to build a more food-secure nation and thus reduce the effects of poverty.
The British Red Cross estimates that as of 2022, 19.5 million people in Nigeria do not have enough to eat. However, with the tireless efforts of Food Clique and other nonprofit organizations, there is hope for progress.
Looking Ahead
In summary, poverty reduction in Nigeria has been a slow and complex process, and only now have major reforms beginning to take effect within the government. The removal of fuel subsidies and subsequent inflation impacted the poorest Nigerians the most. In the long run, however, these reforms could create new jobs and allow the government to fund other sectors, such as education and health, to reduce the impact of poverty in Nigeria.
– April Plenderleith
Photo: Pixabay
War Pressures Fuel Investment in Renewable Energy in Ukraine
However, the war in Ukraine has interrupted both nuclear and fossil fuel energy production globally. These pressures have increased demand for and investment in energy sources such as solar, wind and hydroelectric. Fortunately, many different actors have sprung to action to accelerate Ukraine’s transition to renewable energy. In 2018, there were already 347 Ukrainian renewable energy projects underway, and projections at the time suggested the number could grow in the following years.
Why Ukraine Needs Renewables
Conflict due to Russia’s invasion has damaged critical energy infrastructure, causing outages for an estimated 9 million Ukrainians as of the end of 2022. This has put many Ukrainians at risk of losing access to emergency medical treatment, safe food and other basic necessities like heat and light.
A five-fold explosion of poverty has further exacerbated the energy crisis. Since the outbreak of the war, the amount of Ukrainians living in poverty has grown to about a quarter of the population, subjecting more than 7 million Ukrainians to rising electrical costs, city-wide outages and lack of food and water.
Biomass
Ukraine’s agricultural industry is consistently ranking among the world’s largest exporters of crops such as wheat, corn and seed oils. It generated $27.8 billion in total value in 2021. Thus, biomass is one of the most promising potential sources of renewable energy in Ukraine. A 2022 study estimated the total economic potential of Ukrainian agricultural waste alone has the potential to supply “16.3% of the country’s energy needs.”
Solar
Despite only constituting around 5% of Ukraine’s energy production in 2022, solar energy production is expected to grow from 2023 onward. Public interest in renewable energy in Ukraine has increased in 2023, and The Solar Energy Association of Ukraine has responded to meet localized energy needs in impoverished or destroyed communities by cooperating with SolarPower Europe and the German Solar Association for the Solar Supports Ukraine campaign.
With the help of foundations such as the Energy Act for Ukraine and the Repower Ukraine Foundation, workers and volunteers installed hundreds of residential solar panels in Ukrainian communities in 2023, bringing energy to hospitals and homes.
Hydroelectric and Wind
Hydroelectric plants generate 6.8% of Ukraine’s electricity, but plants such as that at Kakhovka Dam have been damaged by conflict in 2022 and 2023, reducing Ukraine’s hydroelectric energy output. Luckily, Ukrainian company DTEK is filling this deficit with the 19-turbine Tyligulska Wind Power Plant, which opened in May 2023.
Built at twice the normal speed for a plant of this size, and the first of its kind in an active war zone, Tyligulska produces enough electricity for 200,000 homes, with plans to expand the plant already in development.
Looking Ahead
Renewable energy in Ukraine has already proved to be a popular and reliable solution to the hardship imposed on the country by Russia’s invasion. Fortunately, Ukrainian companies and the government are embracing the potential of these cleaner, independent energy sources.
– Finneas Sensiba
Photo: Flickr
Period Poverty in Mozambique
Period poverty is an issue that affects many women and girls around the globe. In the Southeast African country of Mozambique, females are at increased risk of facing this issue — in 2014, about 63% of the population, or 16.7 million people, lived under the international poverty line, the World Bank reports. In response, several organizations are taking action to address period poverty in Mozambique.
What is Period Poverty?
Menstruation is a natural part of the female biological process. However, due to the grand cost of menstrual products, including underwear, sanitary pads/tampons and pain relief medication, many impoverished women and girls cannot afford to properly manage their menstruation.
Though little data and statistics exist regarding period poverty in Mozambique, the cost of pads and tampons in neighboring African countries gives a relative indication of the costs in Mozambique. In Zimbabwe, it would cost about $2 for a pack of the most affordable sanitary pads. To put things into perspective, the average monthly wage for a Mozambican is $11.84 in 2023. Considering that many people need more than one pack of pads during a menstrual cycle, this purchase can interfere with other necessary expenses.
The Impact of Poverty
From 2002 to 2014, Mozambique experienced progress in reducing multidimensional poverty. However, data reveals that between 2019 and 2020, that progress reversed. Households in Mozambique suffering from multidimensional poverty increased from 32% to 46% during this time. Due to rising rates of poverty, menstruating girls and women struggle to afford basic hygiene products required for the maintenance of their period. “Without proper menstrual hygiene in place, particularly in warm, humid climates throughout Mozambique, girls and women are at greater risk of infections with impacts on their physical and mental health and well-being,” the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says.
The Solutions
In the fight to resolve period poverty in Mozambique, in 2019, the Government of Mozambique and UNFPA provided “dignity kits” to more than 16,500 girls and women in Mozambique who cannot fund these resources themselves, according to UNFPA. A “dignity kit” includes menstrual pads, bath soap, multiple pairs of underwear, detergent powder, sanitary napkins, a flashlight, toothpaste, a toothbrush and a comb. UNFPA reports that it distributed 484,000 dignity kits across 18 countries in 2017.
Additionally, HELVETAS Mozambique has attempted to address menstrual stigma in the country. HELVETAS arranged a campaign in May 2022 called “Social and Behavioral Change for the Adoption of Good Management Practices for Menstrual Hygiene.” In collaboration with the Chiúre District Government, the event raised awareness of this topic in local communities. The initiative is important considering that “Poor menstrual hygiene management affects the dignity, mobility and confidence of girls and women, thus compromising access to education, health, hygiene and economic development and ultimately overall progress toward achieving gender equity and equality,” HELVETAS says.
Period poverty is a global issue affecting women and girls everywhere. And a vital component of positive progression is education. Hence, if all people, regardless of gender, are educated in every country about the issues arising from period poverty, the taboo and stigma surrounding it could decrease.
– Katerina Petrou
Photo: Flickr