The term “Arab Spring” characterized a series of upheavals across the Middle East and North African regions (MENA) in which a surge of citizens defied their authoritarian governments. It all started in Tunisia in 2010 when a man set himself on fire in a demonstration against police corruption. Sudan joined the anti-oppression movement in an effort to eradicate oppression and poverty in Sudan soon after. Now, a decade and a new government later, the country finds itself in an ideal position to begin seriously addressing poverty in Sudan.
A Tragic History
For many years, the Sudanese have suffered the brutal dictatorship of an authoritarian regime. In 2003, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) took up arms against their government in Darfur. These groups launched attacks against government facilities and army facilities in an attempt to obtain more financial and democratic power for the citizens. The subsequent conflict became known as the Darfur Genocide.
Both Sudan’s government, headed by President Omar al-Bashir, and the movements that opposed it were non-Arab. This conflict led to the deaths of around 15,000 people and the uprooting of millions of citizens. Bashir created a country dichotomized into Arabs and Africans, as opposed to a country that acted as a home for all Sudanese people. These conditions laid the foundation for the Bashir administration’s oppression of the Sudanese people. In 2011, the stage was set for the Arab Spring in Sudan. As a result of these protests, violence erupted. Throughout, Bashir retained his presidency.
Economic Challenges
Poverty in Sudan and socioeconomic woes increased following July 2011, when South Sudan gained independence from Sudan after Africa’s longest-running civil war. Considering most oil fields prospered in the south of the country, the most significant price Sudan paid was the loss of oil profits. As a result, Sudan’s inflation went rampant, provoking major upset among the Sudanese. The younger generations found it exceptionally challenging to find a job. Instead of addressing these issues, Sudan used most of its resources for military purposes. Additionally, a drought worsened Sudan’s already restrictive agricultural policies.
The failure of the industrial labor market caused unemployment and poverty to spread. The absence of economic opportunity prompted Bashir to eradicate nearly all civil society organizations. As a result, human rights and labor units shut down. Conjointly, due to Bashir’s Islamic leadership, women experienced extreme restraints. Indeed, Sudanese people experienced their basic rights stripped from them and those they loved, leaving them with exceptionally limited freedom.
Poverty in Sudan prevailed when bread, a basic food, became unaffordable. Violence and economic struggles contributed greatly to the oppression of the Sudanese people. However, the loss of affordable access to the most basic aspect of life, food, triggered the people to rise up and demand change.
New National Solidarity
One catalyst driving the protests was the desegregation of the different factions of Sudan. New national solidarity arose in recent years with the hope of ending Bashir’s rule. It was no longer Arabs verse the Africans. One example illustrating this was the chants throughout the northern and southern parts of Sudan beginning in late 2018. Multi-ethnic protestors chanted “we are all Darfur” while Darfur’s protestors chanted “we are all Khartoum,” demonstrating solidarity across the different religions and ethnicities of Sudan.
As the protests gained momentum, many more joined in hopes of replacing the regime with a government that could recover some of the economic loss. Public opposition groups played a key role in even the poorest communities. This ensured that everyone’s voices were on display despite their economic status. Women also took to the streets to protest the mistreatment they had experienced over the years, proving that all segments of Sudanese society engaged and committed themselves to the revolution.
A Successful Revolution
Sudanese citizens again requested Bashir to resign, but he refused. The government reacted violently, murdering a number of protestors. This only served to further outrage and inspire demonstrators around the country. Finally, the opposition assembled peacefully outside Sudan’s military headquarters in Khartoum, the capital, demanding Bashir’s resignation.
Critically, the revolution attained military assistance despite the military being a fundamental pillar of Bashir’s rule. In the face of the massive scale of the uprisings, the military began wavering in its support of Bashir. Leaders eventually determined that self-preservation was the only choice, and the military deposed the dictator.
Sudan Today
Despite the success in overthrowing Bashir, poverty in Sudan remains a major issue. Some 36% of the population lives below the poverty line. Poverty in Sudan exacerbates other issues, resulting in approximately 1 million children experiencing global acute malnutrition.
Due to its perseverance, Sudan is experiencing rebuilding. Many organizations are addressing poverty in Sudan. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is assisting in the establishment of early childcare programs in Darfur, Sudan. Additionally, the organization is going through an appeal process to raise $211 million to assist in humanitarian efforts. Some of the targeted recipients include 7.4 million children and 2.5 million internally displaced persons. Another organization committed to aiding the next generation of Sudan is Save the Children. In 2020, it helped 374,000 children by addressing poverty in Sudan through nourishment, education, protection and crisis aid. Doctors Without Borders also aims to improve the severely-lacking health care in Sudan.
A Brighter Future
The Sudanese have always fought for human rights and against tyranny. They triumphed due to their tenacity, finally ending a dictatorship that lasted for 30 years. Now, with support from its international allies, Sudan is undeniably on its road to alleviating the effects of poverty.
– Tiffany Lewallyn
Photo: Flickr
Tikkun Olam Makers Aids Minority Communities
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15% of people worldwide, roughly 1 billion, live with a disability. An estimated 80% of those living with disabilities reside in developing countries where lack of accessibility serves as a barrier for getting through everyday life. Moreover, these physical obstacles can lead to both social and cultural hardships. Luckily, Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) is attempting to provide aid to disabled and low-income people.
Multidimensional Disabilities
While having a disability in itself can pose a challenge to individuals, there are other adversities as well. In developing countries, 90% of children with disabilities are not in school. In addition, women with disabilities often experience much higher rates of violence and abuse than women without impediments.
A 2004 study focused on girls and women with disabilities in India and showed that almost all had experienced physical abuse in their homes. Furthermore, 25% had experienced rape and 6% had undergone sterilization against their will. The fact that a mere 45 countries, primarily developed ones, have anti-discrimination and disability-specific laws has only made this reality worse. However, growing global movements have set out to change this status quo directed at the needs of minority communities.
Bringing New Technology to Age-Old Challenges
Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) is a global movement based out of Israel dedicated to seeking affordable solutions for individuals living with disabilities in lower-income communities. TOM recognizes the power of technology and views it as a tool to help all people achieve access to affordable solutions for their disabilities. Tikkun Olam Makers has instituted 605 projects and delivered more than 213,000 products since its start in 2014. Tikkun Olam Makers addresses the needs of minority communities through a multi-step process:
Tikkun Olam Makers Captures Global Attention
TOM’s work has reached thousands of people in need. In November 2021, the organization took part in its first Global Innovation Challenge in Dubai. The organization presented its disability solutions alongside 50 others from more than 15 countries. Three teams from Tikkun Olam Makers received grand prizes for their innovations. One of these included the Talker Mount, a mechanism for individuals with cerebral palsy to communicate independently via a tablet. In addition, one other group from TOM also received an honorable mention.
As another year approaches, Tikkun Olam Makers intends to continue creating solutions for those with disabilities. Through support from people across the globe and strong investments in a better future, Tikkun Olam Makers is paving the way for such inventions to become normalized necessities.
– Chloé D’Hers
Photo: Flickr
The Arab Spring: Addressing Poverty in Sudan
The term “Arab Spring” characterized a series of upheavals across the Middle East and North African regions (MENA) in which a surge of citizens defied their authoritarian governments. It all started in Tunisia in 2010 when a man set himself on fire in a demonstration against police corruption. Sudan joined the anti-oppression movement in an effort to eradicate oppression and poverty in Sudan soon after. Now, a decade and a new government later, the country finds itself in an ideal position to begin seriously addressing poverty in Sudan.
A Tragic History
For many years, the Sudanese have suffered the brutal dictatorship of an authoritarian regime. In 2003, Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) took up arms against their government in Darfur. These groups launched attacks against government facilities and army facilities in an attempt to obtain more financial and democratic power for the citizens. The subsequent conflict became known as the Darfur Genocide.
Both Sudan’s government, headed by President Omar al-Bashir, and the movements that opposed it were non-Arab. This conflict led to the deaths of around 15,000 people and the uprooting of millions of citizens. Bashir created a country dichotomized into Arabs and Africans, as opposed to a country that acted as a home for all Sudanese people. These conditions laid the foundation for the Bashir administration’s oppression of the Sudanese people. In 2011, the stage was set for the Arab Spring in Sudan. As a result of these protests, violence erupted. Throughout, Bashir retained his presidency.
Economic Challenges
Poverty in Sudan and socioeconomic woes increased following July 2011, when South Sudan gained independence from Sudan after Africa’s longest-running civil war. Considering most oil fields prospered in the south of the country, the most significant price Sudan paid was the loss of oil profits. As a result, Sudan’s inflation went rampant, provoking major upset among the Sudanese. The younger generations found it exceptionally challenging to find a job. Instead of addressing these issues, Sudan used most of its resources for military purposes. Additionally, a drought worsened Sudan’s already restrictive agricultural policies.
The failure of the industrial labor market caused unemployment and poverty to spread. The absence of economic opportunity prompted Bashir to eradicate nearly all civil society organizations. As a result, human rights and labor units shut down. Conjointly, due to Bashir’s Islamic leadership, women experienced extreme restraints. Indeed, Sudanese people experienced their basic rights stripped from them and those they loved, leaving them with exceptionally limited freedom.
Poverty in Sudan prevailed when bread, a basic food, became unaffordable. Violence and economic struggles contributed greatly to the oppression of the Sudanese people. However, the loss of affordable access to the most basic aspect of life, food, triggered the people to rise up and demand change.
New National Solidarity
One catalyst driving the protests was the desegregation of the different factions of Sudan. New national solidarity arose in recent years with the hope of ending Bashir’s rule. It was no longer Arabs verse the Africans. One example illustrating this was the chants throughout the northern and southern parts of Sudan beginning in late 2018. Multi-ethnic protestors chanted “we are all Darfur” while Darfur’s protestors chanted “we are all Khartoum,” demonstrating solidarity across the different religions and ethnicities of Sudan.
As the protests gained momentum, many more joined in hopes of replacing the regime with a government that could recover some of the economic loss. Public opposition groups played a key role in even the poorest communities. This ensured that everyone’s voices were on display despite their economic status. Women also took to the streets to protest the mistreatment they had experienced over the years, proving that all segments of Sudanese society engaged and committed themselves to the revolution.
A Successful Revolution
Sudanese citizens again requested Bashir to resign, but he refused. The government reacted violently, murdering a number of protestors. This only served to further outrage and inspire demonstrators around the country. Finally, the opposition assembled peacefully outside Sudan’s military headquarters in Khartoum, the capital, demanding Bashir’s resignation.
Critically, the revolution attained military assistance despite the military being a fundamental pillar of Bashir’s rule. In the face of the massive scale of the uprisings, the military began wavering in its support of Bashir. Leaders eventually determined that self-preservation was the only choice, and the military deposed the dictator.
Sudan Today
Despite the success in overthrowing Bashir, poverty in Sudan remains a major issue. Some 36% of the population lives below the poverty line. Poverty in Sudan exacerbates other issues, resulting in approximately 1 million children experiencing global acute malnutrition.
Due to its perseverance, Sudan is experiencing rebuilding. Many organizations are addressing poverty in Sudan. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is assisting in the establishment of early childcare programs in Darfur, Sudan. Additionally, the organization is going through an appeal process to raise $211 million to assist in humanitarian efforts. Some of the targeted recipients include 7.4 million children and 2.5 million internally displaced persons. Another organization committed to aiding the next generation of Sudan is Save the Children. In 2020, it helped 374,000 children by addressing poverty in Sudan through nourishment, education, protection and crisis aid. Doctors Without Borders also aims to improve the severely-lacking health care in Sudan.
A Brighter Future
The Sudanese have always fought for human rights and against tyranny. They triumphed due to their tenacity, finally ending a dictatorship that lasted for 30 years. Now, with support from its international allies, Sudan is undeniably on its road to alleviating the effects of poverty.
– Tiffany Lewallyn
Photo: Flickr
How HIV/AIDS in Africa Contributes to Violent Conflict
The HIV/AIDS epidemic remains a significant public health problem in southern Africa. In the last decade, infections have drastically dropped while awareness of HIV status and availability of treatment has increased. This progress aligns with the UNAIDS 90-90-90 goal. Meeting this goal means that at least 90% of people with HIV are aware of their status, 90% are receiving antiretroviral drug treatments and 90% are virally suppressed. Viral suppression means that the virus will not negatively affect a person and that that person will not be able to transmit it to another person. Some of the most HIV-afflicted countries in Africa have met and even exceeded the 90-90-90 goals. Eswatini has the highest HIV prevalence in the world today at 26.8%. It has reached 95% in all categories and is on its way to reducing new infections.
HIV/AIDS and Conflicts
Despite recent progress, international aid has been focusing on HIV/AIDS less and less, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has become a more imminent global threat. Sub-Saharan Africa still has the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world. It is also one of the most conflict-ridden regions in the world.
HIV/AIDS has a history of destabilizing political and social institutions in countries and leaving them vulnerable to violent conflict. The International Crisis Group estimated that one in seven civil servants, including government employees, teachers and the armed forces in South Africa were HIV-positive in 1998.
How Does HIV/AIDS Affect Civil Servants in Africa?
Civil Servants
The impact of HIV/AIDS on civil servants in Africa has been immense. The disease affects vulnerable populations such as gay men, sex workers and young women disproportionately. However, it has also affected those who work as civil servants. Civil servants are integral to the functioning of governments. Without them, countries are vulnerable to conflict and violence. Furthermore, HIV/AIDS prolongs conflict in countries already experiencing it.
While there are many other causes of violent conflict, the breakdown of political and social institutions fueled by HIV/AIDS only exacerbates conflict. War can also be a vector for the further spread of the disease. According to UNHCR, both consensual and non-consensual sexual encounters happen more often during the conflict. Rape has been a weapon of war in conflicts in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Liberia in recent years and has likely contributed to the spread of HIV.
Solutions
Combating HIV and AIDS is a very important step in stabilizing economic, political and social structures across Africa. USAID programs like PEPFAR have had a significant role in combating HIV and AIDS. PEPFAR has invested nearly $100 billion in the global AIDS response in various ways. Most notably, it has provided 18.96 million people with much-needed antiretroviral treatment.
PEPFAR also aids in prevention care. For example, it has supported more than 27 million voluntary medical male circumcisions as well as testing services for 63.4 million people. In 2012, there was a government campaign in Zimbabwe to promote circumcision, in which at least 10 members of parliament participated.
These campaigns and USAID programs have had tangible results. In 2013, a study by the South African National Defense Forces showed an 8.5% HIV prevalence rate among its soldiers, much lower than the 19% prevalence in the general population. Given the successes in decreasing HIV/AIDS infections across Africa, perhaps economic, political and social stability is to follow.
– Emma Tkacz
Photo: Flickr
Health Aid for All and Nigerian Women’s Health
In a 2021 Brookings Institution report, Dr. Damaris Parsitau proposed that African women and girls remain at the forefront of recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic. In explaining why, the Kenyan professor of religion highlighted that African females bear the brunt of the pandemic’s disasters, making up more than 60% of Africa’s health care workforce and essential services workforce. According to the report, this disproportionately high percentage of females reaches slightly more than 90% in some countries, such as Egypt. Women in African countries face not only an increased risk of death from COVID-19 but also poor working conditions, low pay and lack of voice due to androcentric leadership. The conditions that African women experienced during the pandemic raise questions surrounding African women’s health more broadly. Here is some information about how the Health Aid for All Initiative (HAFAI) is promoting women’s health at a holistic level for Nigerian women.
About the Health Aid for All Initiative
Health Aid for All promotes Nigerian women’s health in two different ways: by promoting women’s education concerning menstrual health and working to reduce maternal and infant mortality via disease control, immunization against common childhood diseases and population management. Dr. Ugochi Ohajuruka founded Health Aid for All on Valentine’s Day 2006. Today, she runs the executive operations of the nonprofit as its CEO.
About Dr. Ugochi Ohajuruka
Dr. Ohajuruka holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Ibadan; Ibadan claims its status because it is the capital of Oyo State in Southwestern Nigeria. She also holds a bachelor of medicine (MBBS) and a master’s in public health from the University of Liverpool in Northwestern England. In the English educational system, a bachelor of medicine is equivalent to the MD doctoral designation in the United States. To further qualify Ohajuruka’s expertise, she also took a course on international women’s health and human rights from Stanford University and studied leadership and management in health at the University of Washington in the United States.
The Origins of Health Aid for All (HAFAI )
The Health Aid for All Initiative began in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, and was fully registered as a nonprofit via the Integrated Tax Office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service on June 12, 2015. The organization also holds an office in the Bronx, New York.
Ohajuruka founded HAFAI to address the cognitive, interpersonal and structural problems that girls’ menstruation raises in Nigeria. Nigerian girls suffer from misconceptions concerning menstruation and have little bodily freedom during their menstrual cycles. In addition, the lack of proper menstrual products means that girls miss school for long periods of time, which affects the quality of life for the country as a whole. There is also an environmental impact as the sanitary pads used (up to 11,000 in one lifetime) are not biodegradable or environmentally friendly.
Nigeria suffers a lack of proper waste management resources. These concerns motivated Ohajuruka to found the organization. According to a story from Laureate, a nonprofit organization using education to promote changed lives, Ohajuruka was working on her dissertation to complete her online MPH. While working at her local health center one day, she saw a teenage girl rushed to the emergency room after suffering a pelvic infection caused by managing her menstruation with feathers and other unsafe alternatives. This was enough for the medical doctor to start the organization.
The Mission of Health Aid for All Initiative
HAFAI addresses women’s health holistically, targeting important issues like maternal and child health, menstrual hygiene management and adolescent health. Concerning maternal and infant health, Nigeria is the second-largest contributor to the global under-5 mortality rate and the global maternal mortality rate; daily, the West African country loses about 2,300 children 5 years old and younger and 145 women of childbearing age. To combat this, Health Aid for All provides educational opportunities on safe motherhood and the reduction of infant mortality rates.
Menstrual hygiene management is an important focus of HAFAI. HAFAI provides Nigerian girls information on menstruation to counter the misconceptions that religious and cultural influences promote. In addition, the nonprofit has produced an affordable, sustainable, washable and reusable sanitary towel for young women that lasts up to three years. As of date, HAFAI has distributed more than 22,400 reusable pads and has enabled 650 women to start pad-making businesses and thus earn a living. Abuja has seen a nearly 67% decrease in school absenteeism from 24% to 8%.
HAFAI has also shared success stories of individuals it has helped through its initiatives; readers can share the link to this webpage through their social media pages. The organization also has a blog through which readers can learn more about menstrual hygiene and other women’s health issues. Readers can also share links on social media to increase awareness.
The Health Aid for All Initiative has seen marked success in promoting Nigerian women’s health, which improves their quality of life, especially through education. This, in turn, provides hope for the reduction of poverty in the country as increased education causes fewer children to be born into poverty.
– Ozichukwu Ojukwu
Photo: Flickr
Geospatial Mapping to Help End Poverty
Without the help of development agencies, peacekeepers may always have to participate in the never-ending cycle of peacekeeping. With 50% of the world’s poor projected to live in counties where violence casts its constant shadow, peacekeeping efforts can only stand to scale, but at what cost, and to what end? Fortunately, technological advancements, such as geospatial mapping, can allow peacekeepers to help expand options for development agencies that danger constantly repels.
Accessibility to Hostile Territory
Lack of security defines development agencies’ diminishing hopes of lasting presence, demanding the perpetual presence of peacekeepers. Development projects thus deal with constant mission suspensions, limits on the number of authorized personnel and the inability to conduct crucial work. A review of relief operations in Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan and Syria have recorded a multitude of resources in safer areas that are not in need due to reluctance to transgress into “red zones.”
Access limitations are not a characteristic of peacekeeping efforts for obvious reasons. Without development agencies in the arena of conflict, peacekeepers merely provide greater tolerance for conflict since development is not within their capacity, serving to encourage scaling conflict which exposes more poor people to violence.
The World Bank’s Geo-Enabling for Monitoring and Supervision Initiative (GEMS)
The World Bank’s Geo-Enabling for Monitoring and Supervision initiative (GEMS) facilitates for government agencies the ability to use tech innovations such as KoBoToolbox, an open-source data collection software that the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative developed, to amass data and analysis in states defined, at least in part, by conflict to improve monitoring and evaluation. Government representatives and partner organizations receive training to develop and mete out a platform for data collection that usually takes place during field visits and undergoes acquisition with the assistance of mobile devices and can cover any topic relevant to the goals of a project. Such a process helps developers monitor a project’s progress while maintaining safety.
How Geospatial Mapping Tools for Peacekeepers Works
Geospatial mapping tools for peacekeepers serve the relevant function of sharing categorized data regarding violence and insecurity to apprise development experts. These sorts of data collection efforts include identifying the number, type and intensity of violent occurrences in conflicted areas where peacekeepers often work.
Security maps in conjunction with poverty can provide development agencies the ability to develop access strategies for projects that specialize in the delivery of commodities to the poor who are in conflict. Because security administration is a public service, data that peacekeepers amass can help governments measure the degree of necessity regarding providing accountable and effective security services. Allowing peacekeepers of the U.N. the capability of strengthening their data-gathering capabilities aid the U.N. in determining its efficacy regarding deployments.
U.N. peacekeepers have made progress regarding the protection of civilians policy (POC) in recent years. Notwithstanding, peacekeepers will linger in a state of perpetual peacekeeping if systems that can monitor and evaluate progress fail to undergo initiation. These maps, which initiatives like GEMS are implementing, provide an advantage for peacemaking and development efforts.
– Mohamed Makalou
Photo: Rawpixel
How the EU’s Global Gateway Aids Infrastructure
In competition with China, the European Union (EU) pledged in December 2021 to give €300 billion to countries around the world in order to help them rebuild their infrastructure. The EU’s Global Gateway is a ‘global investment plan’ that will offer options to countries that are currently dependent upon China’s Belt and Road Initiative and also provide different opportunities through the United States’ and G7’s Build Back Better World initiative. These three different strategies and initiatives will all work in cooperation but also compete with each other to increase infrastructure in underdeveloped countries around the world and bring jobs and opportunities to raise people out of poverty.
The announcement comes after the meeting of the G7 in June 2021, where the members had agreed to launch an infrastructure partnership to meet global infrastructure development needs and will build off of the success of the 2018 EU-Asia Connectivity Strategy. The EU announced on December 1, 2021, that it will direct €300 billion equal to $340 billion to public and private infrastructure investments over the next six years through 2027.
Global Gateway Projects
With the announcement of the Global Gateway Strategy, the EU has also laid out how it will divide the money into different sectors such as digital, transport, energy and health. In a press release from the European Commission, it is written that the Global Gateway will “boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport and strengthen health, education and research systems across the world.” Europe is also hoping that the Global Gateway will help improve its strategic interests and most importantly boost its supply chains which Europe noticed the instability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan will focus on providing physical infrastructure such as “fibre optic cables, clean transport corridors and clean power transmission lines.”
EU’s Global Gateway Strategy vs. China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Although the official announcement of the Global Gateway did not mention China or its economic development plan called the Belt and Road Initiative, this new deal comes into direct competition with China’s economic development plan which critics question for forcing already underdeveloped countries into unsustainable levels of debt. Further, the EU’s version will provide financing for countries “under fair and favorable terms in order to limit the risk of debt distress.”
How China’s Belt and Road Initiative Works
China’s Belt and Road Initiative focuses mainly on offering assistance to foreign countries in the form of loans and thus the loans are the only way the countries can improve their infrastructure. Compared to the EU’s $340 billion plan, China plans to spend up to $1 trillion for its plan, which began in 2013. The projects approved with funds from the Global Gateway must support high standards to keep workers safe and properly paid for their work. The money for the plan will come from the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus. This can provide €40 billion guaranteed while giving grants up to €18 billion through external programs.
How the Global Gateway Works
The Global Gateway is bringing together the EU and its member states with financial and development institutions such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) while also mobilizing the private sector to create an even larger impact. In addition to financial contributions for projects, the EU will also offer technical aid to their partners to enhance their ability for credible projects. The Global Gateway will provide a much-needed option to countries that have limited choices for foreign economic development aid. In the case of Sri Lanka, it had taken part in China’s Belt and Road Initiative to build the Hambantota Port. However, when it turned out that Sri Lanka was unable to repay its loan, China forced the nation to “hand over a majority stake and 99-year lease on the port to a Chinese firm.”
Conclusion
The EU’s Global Gateway is a necessary achievement for the advancement of progress for countries and their citizens around the world. This is a true achievement of the G7 and will go a long way in supplying sufficient projects and infrastructure to lift people out of poverty around the world. With the support of the European Union and its focus on lifting people out of poverty and competition building foreign countries, the Global Gateway should be able to aid in the reduction of poverty around the world.
– Julian Smith
Photo: Flickr
Alleviating Poverty in Lebanon
According to the United Nations, Lebanon is facing a significant economic crisis, with nearly three-quarters of the country living below the poverty line as of September 2021. This staggering poverty rate warrants assistance from the international community.
Lebanon’s Poverty in Numbers
In a 2019 report, the U.N. found that “between 2019 and 2020,” poverty in Lebanon rose “from 28% to 55%.” When looking at multi-dimensional poverty, the situation is even more severe. According to the World Bank, multi-dimensional poverty ratings look to “understand poverty beyond monetary deprivations,” by including six key indications: “education, health, public utilities, housing, assets and property as well as employment and income.” Lebanon’s multidimensional poverty rate almost “doubled from 42% in 2019 to 82% in 2021.” Furthermore, about a third of the Lebanese population has no access to adequate health care, a fact that is especially concerning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the U.N., close to 25% of the country could not meet their nutritional food needs by the close of 2020.
Additionally, by August 2021, Lebanon reached a record high unemployment rate of more than 35% — a sudden surge from the single-digit average throughout the past decade. With this crisis, the value of the Lebanese lira has also decreased by almost 80% against the U.S. dollar as a result of extreme inflation and economic deterioration.
Lebanon’s Deteriorating Economy
Investigations show Lebanon’s economic crisis could date back to the early 2010s, although the primary detriments of the surge appear at the beginning of 2019. Although there is no evidence that COVID-19 was a direct cause of this crisis, its effects certainly did not aid the economy when exports slowed immensely, thus stalling the country’s primary export industries. Additionally, World Bank experts predict that Lebanon’s economy may decline by 10.5% by the close of 2021.
Lebanon’s corrupt banking sector shares the blame for the country’s economic crisis. It lent the Lebanese government close to 75% of its deposits in early 2019. The result of this was “extreme bankruptcy.” Additionally, the political turmoil in Lebanon played a contributing role to instability — the nation had no official leader between 2014 and 2016. Experts believe the economic crash was inevitable with no proper leadership. According to an article by the Middle East Institute, Lebanon’s economy could see a decline “from $60 billion in 2018 to $15 billion” by the end of 2021.
World Bank Assistance
Despite how dire Lebanon’s situation may appear, hope is on the horizon. In January 2021, the World Bank Group announced the approval of “a $246 million new project to provide emergency cash transfers and access to social services to approximately 786,000 [impoverished] and vulnerable Lebanese” facing the impacts of both the economic crisis and COVID-19.
This initiative, the Emergency Crisis and COVID-19 Response Social Safety Net Project (ESSN), will also help implement “social safety nets” to improve the nation’s resilience and recovery in the face of “future shocks” or crises. To help people living in extreme poverty, the ESSN project will provide cash assistance to these individuals for 12 months. Additionally, the ESSN will provide a “top-up cash transfer” to 87,000 Lebanese children aged 13-18 to cover the costs of education, including uniforms, supplies and remote learning resources.
Lebanon’s economic crisis brings suffering to countless citizens. However, the World Bank’s ESSN poverty alleviation project has the potential to provide essential relief to the most vulnerable citizens, ultimately reducing overall poverty in Lebanon.
– Andra Fofuca
Photo: Flickr
Eradicating Recidivism Through Restaurants
Recidivism is the repeat of criminal activity which often leads the offender back to prison. It is one of the many flaws of today’s prison system because it is costly from both a monetary and social standpoint. Reducing recidivism reconciles the life of those formerly incarcerated as well as their families. When people have something to work toward, it gives them purpose. Despite the challenges that many people face when exiting prison and reestablishing their lives, the restaurant industry might be the answer to eradicating recidivism.
On a larger scale, when crime rates reduce, the overall well-being of the community that experiences that reduction improves. The tax dollars that governments spend on the incarceration process could go toward improving the quality of life in many communities that contain high recidivism rates through improving schooling systems or building more green areas in cities. Substance abuse treatment, education and employment services and education are two of the most successful recidivism reduction strategies that are currently undergoing implementation in several countries. For example, reports have stated that providing education in prisons can reduce recidivism by 29%. These strategies would be beneficial on a global basis with proper standards. One form of employment opportunity that has shown success is the operation of a restaurant. The restaurant industry might be the answer to eradicating recidivism.
The Areas That Need Reform
Prison systems today alienate the incarcerated from society. Post incarceration policies are barriers to reducing recidivism. Some of these include challenges for former inmates when they seek employment as well as the fact that they oftentimes do not have a driver’s license or voting rights. These policies are not harmful at the surface level but they have long-term debilitating effects on inmates’ lives when they leave prison.
Obtaining an educational degree is necessary in most cases when seeking employment. However, when individuals leave prison, it is nearly impossible for them to obtain a degree mostly due to their inability to afford tuition. Additionally, lenders frequently deny ex-offenders loans and they often cannot obtain licenses in human services fields such as social work or health care.
The suspension of a driver’s license from the time of conviction makes for a nearly impossible reapplication process. No driver’s license translates to an inability to drive to job interviews, provide child care or attend necessary probation or doctor appointments. Public transportation is an option, but that is often unreliable. Meanwhile, revoking the right to vote excludes ex-offenders from the opportunity to have a voice in policy, many of which affect them directly. This is a strip of humanity and leads to further alienation of ex-offenders. The restaurant industry might be the answer to eradicating recidivism by implementing more employment opportunity programs in prisons.
InGalera and Brigade
One restaurant named InGalera is changing the lives of prisoners of Bollate prison located in Milan, Italy. InGalera was the result of a collaboration of companies and organizations with one goal in mind: set prisoners up for success when they return home. The restaurant began in 2012 as a small project that had the motto “From the jail to the city: the social restaurant, a business model.” InGalera is now a fully functioning restaurant where the only non-inmates are the head chef and head waiter.
The restaurant is accommodating to any dietary restriction such as gluten allergies or veganism. Additionally, it makes a special children’s menu per request. The in-house bathroom has a ramp to accommodate people with disabilities. These are more accommodations than what most restaurants provide. This shows the dedication the restaurant owners have to ensure the success of both the restaurant and the inmates. The inmates receive salaries, and although they cannot keep the money for themselves, they can transfer it to their families. Recidivism is 10% less likely for the inmates of the Bollate prison.
Brigade is a restaurant located in London with a similar mode of operation. The restaurant trains and employs people who are currently homeless or are just struggling to gain social mobility due to a lack of resources and support. Brigade has trained more than 6,000 people and employed more than 1,000. The restaurant works with The Beyond Food Foundation to ensure a continuation of the success. This is another example of how valuable employment opportunities are. Re-entry into the world whether it is from prison or after struggling to make ends meet is doable when you have work experience which leads to a path of success.
How Reducing Recidivism is Beneficial for Everybody
Recidivism affects where individuals choose to live, where taxpayer dollars go, the quality of children’s schools, the cost of living in communities and so much more. Working to eradicate recidivism could benefit all sectors of society.
The current prison systems around the world are making it nearly impossible for ex-offenders to thrive in society once released. There is an extreme lack of access to institutions to aid them in staying away from crime and being active citizens. Additionally, the system frequently puts a permanent label of convict onto each offender. The more people that experience alienation from contributing to society translates to increasing poverty levels. In fact, homelessness rates increase when ex-offenders cannot afford housing. Additionally, workforce participation rates plummet when jobs are unattainable. Increased numbers of children in the welfare system are a result of ex-offenders not being able to provide for their families. If the current system in place does not change for the better, poverty rates may not either.
In order to work toward eradicating recidivism, the programs in prisons need to be attainable to inmates of all backgrounds. Regardless of whether someone was an inmate or not, it is nearly impossible to uphold a stable life without secure mental health so it is important to aid inmates in every possible way. The restaurant industry might be the answer to eradicating recidivism because it serves a universally loved good and if made accessible, the operation tends to a variety of skill levels. Prisons should aim to help set inmates up for a successful life outside of prison instead of prisons strictly holding and punishing them.
– Maggie Forte
Photo: Flickr
Kimuli Fashionability in Uganda
Kampala, Uganda generates 350,000 tons of waste every year, much of which goes uncollected. Sorting through glass, plastic and other trash is a dangerous job, but that does not stop Juliet Namujju from collecting waste for her sustainable clothing brand, Kimuli Fashionability, and teaching people with disabilities how to turn trash into treasure.
From Tragedy to Hope
Juliet Namujju’s father had his legs amputated after a terrible accident. Because of his disability, he was not able to find employment, lost hope and eventually died. At only 6 years old, Namujju became an orphan when her mother died shortly after. Her grandmother, a tailor with little income, took her in. Since her grandmother could not afford toys, she inspired Juliet to make and sew dolls using leftover fabric and waste. After high school, Namujju attended a fashion course and joined Social Innovation Academy, a nonprofit organization that helps marginalized youth realize their full potential.
At 20 years old, she founded her sustainable clothing brand with the hope of employing and empowering the people of her village. Kimuli Fashionability was born out of ingenuity in an environment of poverty. Namujju’s mission is to simultaneously promote inclusivity by hiring people with disabilities while also limiting the out-of-control waste in Uganda.
The Brand
Kimuli is the Luganda word for “flower.” Namujju named her sustainable clothing brand “Kimuli Fashionability” because she takes the trash and turns it into something elegant, like a flower. Not only are her fashions flowering treasures, but her budding students make her business flourish. The sustainable clothing brand has trained at least 75 people with disabilities, and these new trainers are now teaching others. Kimuli Fashionability also contracts with 120 underserved adolescents to collect waste.
The company’s slogan is “waste is only waste if you waste it.” According to its website, Kimuli Fashionability transformed 33 tons of waste into more than 9,000 products to date, proving her slogan and solidifying her contributions to sustainability in Uganda.
The Product Line
Namujju and her team makes fashionable and affordable bags, raincoats, wallets and dresses using upcycled waste from disposal sites. One of Namujju’s most recent designs is a transparent face mask to help people with hearing loss communicate effectively in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Typical face masks cover the mouth with opaque material blocking people from reading lips. Because roughly half of Namujju’s staff is hearing impaired, she saw a need to design a mask that would alleviate the communication barrier. Her face mask design uses a clear, recycled plastic at the center of the mask. She has sold and donated more than 2,000 of these masks.
Upcycled sugar sacks and African fabric make up Kimuli Fashionability’s bright yellow and red rain jackets. The U.N. General Assembly in New York displayed them. The rain jackets also come in neutral colors and feature both children and adult sizes.
The brand also sells duffle bags made out of old cement bags with straps of colorful African fabric. It also sells earrings in different shapes made from vibrant and colorful recycled plastic.
An Inspirational Journey
Though Juliet Namujju creates lasting change in Kampala by employing people with disabilities at Kimuli Fashionability, many with disabilities are still impoverished in Uganda. These people count for over 12% of the population, and only 20% of them do not live in poverty. Namujju wants to continue growing her business and training more people with disabilities. By 2024, her goal is to train more than 1,000 people with disabilities and offer employment to at least half of them. She wants to expand her business and market her clothing in Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya. By 2025, she wants Kimuli Fashionability to own its own production and training center. Throughout, Namujju will continue to teach her fellow Ugandans to look at waste differently and recruit them to solve the waste problem in Uganda.
– Amy Helmendach
Photo: Flickr
Self-Taught Corled Nkosi Powers His Village
Yobe Nkosi is a village in the Southern African country of Malawi that now receives hydropower thanks to the work of a local innovator. However, 15 years ago, a Malawian villager, Corled Nkosi, had to do his schoolwork by candlelight. Unable to go any longer without electricity, Nkosi came up with an innovation to bring power to the village. In 2018, “Nkosi won a Point Of Light Award from Queen Elizabeth II” for his innovative work that brings electricity benefits to more than 2,000 people. Now, Nkosi stands as the “electrical engineer behind Kasangazi Hydro-Electrical Power Plant in Malawi,” which provides cost-free power to 21 houses and nine businesses in his home village.
How it All Began
It all began in 2006 after Nkosi completed high school in Mzimba, a town 25 miles away from his village, where electricity was part of everyday life. Struggling to transition back to a life with no electricity, he began experimenting with the water of a stream near his house that was able “to push the pedals on his bicycle.” With this realization, he “created a makeshift dynamo” to generate power for his home.
His invention utilizes ingenuity, which many villagers praise at the mere age of 23. Villagers would visit his home to charge their phones. As electricity demand grew, self-taught Nkosi expanded on his idea, making a water-powered turbine from a fridge compressor placed in a river to generate electricity for six homes. A local village student, Gift Mfune tells France24 that, before this electricity access, he had to study by candlelight, but “now we all have no excuse but to pass our examinations.”
Powerful Impacts
Today, the village of Yobe Nkosi uses a turbine built from “a machine that skims kernels of corn off the cob.” This machine is capable of powering 1,000 homes and is relatively free for users. Nkosi only asks for about $1 a month per house for maintenance. However, this is insufficient to cover all costs — he usually funds the rest through his personal finances.
His hard work and dedication direct him toward improving access in the surrounding areas as well. Only 4% of people have access to electricity in rural Malawi, making his contributions extraordinary. Nkosi singlehandedly brought power to schools, homes and businesses without any training. According to the Points of Light website, U.K. High Commissioner in Malawi, Holly Tett, said that “Inspiring young people like Nkosi are the future of the Commonwealth and give us all the hope that we will be able to face global challenges.”
Energy Poverty
Although the village of Yobe Nkosi now receives power, energy poverty in Malawi remains a prevalent issue. Access to electricity is vital to ending global poverty. The ONE Campaign, “a global movement” to eliminate global poverty and disease, explains the far-reaching impacts of a lack of access to electricity: “In both cities and rural areas across the continent, the lack of access to electricity isn’t just an inconvenience, it creates health risks, limits education and makes it incredibly difficult to run and grow a successful business.” Electricity access ultimately brings economic benefits, providing an escape from poverty. Because poverty has a plethora of causes and a mix of barriers that hinder people, focusing on basic necessities is the first step to addressing poverty.
Moving Windmills Project
Founded in 2008, the Moving Windmills Project “works with local leaders” in Malawi to develop solutions to issues plaguing communities. In an attempt to address energy poverty, the organization has brought “solar-powered water pumps and energy systems” to Malawian communities. By building an Innovation Center, the Moving Windmills Project aims to develop a learning center that will inspire children to become innovators. The center will provide training, tools and resources to assist young innovators to develop their own solutions to “ease the burdens” of their communities. The center will pave the way for the youth to follow a path of success like Corled Nkosi.
With imagination, a bike and a river, Corled Nkosi was able to transform an entire village. The world is on its way to universal electricity access with the help of organizations, governments and innovators like Nkosi. Every individual can play a role in electrifying the world simply by supporting these organizations through donations, volunteer work and advocacy.
– Anna Montgomery
Photo: Wikipedia Commons