The landlocked West African nation of Burkina Faso has rapidly become one of the world’s worst humanitarian situations in the past two years as food insecurity, displacement and internal conflict have created a dangerous storm of issues for locals, in particular, Burkina Faso’s poor.
The country’s issues became worse after January 2022, when army officers staged a coup against the former Prime Minister, who was replaced by the army’s captain, leading to blockades on main roads leading into the country, stopping foreign aid and minimizing the country’s trading.
The effects of these factors are slowly being reversed by organizations such as the World Bank, who have been working tirelessly to create jobs for the nation’s residents and provide immediate food support, as well as long-term solutions.
Current state
In 2018, there were less than 50,000 internally displaced people in the country, and at the end of 2022, that number rose to 1.9 million, showing the devastating impact of the country’s conflict.
As military groups have blockaded cities, planted explosives on roads and taken down critical infrastructure such as bridges and water points, people have been stuck in the landlocked nation for over a year, with minimal food and supplies. With the country locked up by army blockades, farmers have not been able to move freely, leaving fields abandoned and food production to plummet.
But farmers are not the only ones left without jobs, as delivery drivers bringing goods into the country have also halted, meaning no goods are on store shelves except cleaning products.
These factors have collectively led to the number of people facing acute food insecurity multiplying nine-fold, as there is now an estimated 2.6 million food-insecure people.
A report by the Norwegian Refugee Council has also predicted that the number of people facing acute, catastrophic levels of food insecurity will keep rising as it expects a 42% increase in food insecure people by August.
Due to the army blockades, the last considerable shipment of food came in September, when 100 tonnes of cereal reached the town of Djibo, feeding an estimated 6,700 families. Only a small portion of those who need immediate assistance.
The Norwegian report showed that the situation reached such dire levels in 2022, that almost 85% of families’ meals consisted of wild leaves.
Immediate humanitarian aid continues to drop in the country’s air bridge, but as that is the only method of support reaching the country, the assistance provided is not enough for all of Burkina Faso’s poor.
Initiating help
All of the above events struck the West African nation terribly. The global assessment by the Norwegian Refugee Council showed that by the end of 2022, there were 1.9 million people in need of aid, a 40% increase from the start of the year. Despite the increase in need, the funding requested by humanitarian organizations was only 42% filled by global NGOs, leaving many to survive without immediate aid.
But immediate aid isn’t the only way to help the poverty-stricken nation.
Organizations such as the World Bank have been carrying out job-creating initiatives such as their Forest Investment Program, which collected a total investment of $27 million, from the World Bank, the Climate Investment Funds and the European Union.
The initiative has led to over 400,000 hectares of currently unused farmland falling under sustainable management. The planting of trees and preparation of the land will benefit more than 500,000 people, creating 5,000 jobs in 32 communes targeted for the project.
In line with these investments, nearly 6,000 households have received improved stoves in an attempt to cut down on the use of wood for energy and cooking purposes, as well as make it cheaper to use stoves for Burkina Faso’s poor.
Similarly, the World Bank has also begun executing its Regional Integration initiative, building new roads and improving damaged main roads for truck drivers within the country, as well as to the nearest ports in Togo and Ghana.
As the country is landlocked alongside 32% of all African countries, access to these ports is of vital importance for the country to continue their exports and imports not only across Africa, but internationally too. One truck driver affected by these improvements told the World Bank that it used to take more than a week to travel 950 kilometers, but it now only takes two days.
Previous initiatives by the World Bank, which began in 1980, cost the organization $325 million at the time but are now worth more than $14 billion, accounting for 13% of the entire continent’s portfolio.
These long-term types of initiatives show great promise in helping countries like Burkina Faso in the long run, alongside all African countries.
– Sam Kalantzis
Photo: Flickr
5 Ways to Combat Hunger in Trinidad and Tobago
According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), 20% of the population in Trinidad and Tobago experiences moderate to severe food insecurity. Around 270,000 people are at risk of hunger or missing meals and 9.3% of children under 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition, impacting their long-term physical and mental development.
5 Ways to Combat Hunger in Trinidad and Tobago
Looking Ahead
Photo: Flickr
5 Debunked Common Myths About Unconditional Cash Transfers
5 Debunked Common Myths about Unconditional Cash Transfers
Looking Ahead
– Henry Jones
Photo: Flickr
Newspaper Run by Street Children Is Fighting Child Poverty in India
Balaknama is a monthly newspaper run by a team of 40 street children spread across seven districts in northern India. Apart from the advisor, editor, sub-editor and seven reporters who are in charge of writing, editing and printing, there are 30 reporters, or Batumi, who find leads and pitch stories. However, they cannot read or write, and many are familiar with homelessness. The stories focus on the lives of India’s poorest, with the aim of garnering enough public attention to compel the Indian government into taking action.
Balaknama’s Purpose
The eight-page newspaper presents one of the only openings into the realities of Delhi’s 80,000 street children. From its conception almost 20 years ago, Balaknama’s purpose has been to highlight the injustices that street and working children experience across India and the world. It says of its purpose, “When children did not find space among adults, they decided to pen down their issues and glories, [in] an attempt to change people’s perception and ensur[e] identity, dignity and participation of street children.” The newspaper covers a range of topics pertinent to child poverty. These topics include child labor, street children’s homelessness and malnutrition.
Run by current and former working children, Balaknama gives its contributors the chance to improve their lives through their own agency. Many who have worked for the newspaper have gone on to attend school and work for Childhood Enhancement through Training and Action (CHETNA), the NGO that helped make Balaknama possible. This helps bring more Indian children out of poverty.
Balaknama’s Long History
Balaknama has been running since 2003. In May 2002, CHETNA organized a leadership-building workshop that attracted 35 street and working children. During the workshop, the organization realized that child poverty in India was hugely under-researched. As a result, it decided to take the matter of educating the Indian public into its own hands.
These children then went on to found their own organization, Badhte Kadam, which translates into “Stepping Forward.” The children of Badhte Kadam published the first edition of Balaknama in September 2003. They published in Hindi on a quarterly basis until 2014, from which point onward it became a monthly publication. Today, while Balaknama continues to be printed in Hindi and English and is preparing for its 20th anniversary, CHETNA continues to hold weekly support group meetings, allowing street and working children in the area to voice their troubles and concerns.
The Paper’s Impact
Balaknama has been a huge springboard for many talented and ambitious children to fight for greater attention and care to be given to child poverty in India. Balaknama’s current editor, 18-year-old Kishan Rathore, was able to live in a shared house and begin proper studies with the help of a stipend from CHETNA, which also contributes to the required funds that keep the newspaper operating. Another editor, Shambhu Kumar, was able to study for a psychology degree at Indira Gandhi National Open University in Delhi after his experience with Balaknama and CHETNA opened new doors for him. He said, “I have seen my life transform – from getting beaten on the streets to living a life of dignity through education.”
Balaknama’s contributors have also gone on to raise awareness for child poverty in India at the international level. In 2016, Chandni, then a journalist for the newspaper, gave a TED talk about the importance of child journalists and the challenges they face every day. Chandni also appeared in a report for the Hindustan Times where she said, “Children are the future of our country. If [the] Government sincerely wants to develop our country, [it] need[s] to focus on children first.” She said, “I want to provide education to the children like me who can’t go to school on their own, those who are still stuck somewhere like me and dream of better education. I want to provide them with that education. This is my only dream now.”
Looking Ahead
Apart from raising awareness for child poverty in India, Balaknama has become a site of opportunity for children who contribute to its pages. One day, Badhte Kadam hopes, children will have their rights protected so that they will no longer work on the streets of Delhi.
– Tiffany Chan
Photo: Flickr
Turning Coconut Husks into Sustainable Building Materials
By providing low-cost housing solutions through the recycling of coconut husks and other waste products, Cocoboard not only addresses a fundamental human need but also paves the way for improved quality of life. As a result, it is empowering individuals and families to thrive and contribute to their societies.
The Problem of Waste Management and Coconut Husks
Coconut husks are one of the most commonly discarded commodities with valuable applications that communities around the world can utilize. The Philippines produces more than 14.72 million metric tons of coconuts every year. In India, this number stands at around 13 million. And, with husk waste accounting for more than half of all coconut waste, these nuts produce more than 20 million tons of husks per year. Unfortunately, in most parts of the world, these parts of the coconut simply go to waste. Clogging up landfills and waterways, reports suggest that low-income farmers and families contribute to discarding coconut husks, with more than 85% of the resource going to waste.
Transforming Waste into Sustainable Building Materials
Coconut-fiber-based building materials are a revolutionary invention that converts used coconut husks into extremely valuable structural resources. While various companies and research groups use this pioneering process, Cocoboard’s primary composition comes from the same core set of straightforward procedures. Initially, the shredding process breaks the husks into small fibers. These fibers bond together with eco-friendly adhesives, ensuring the cohesion and structural integrity of the resulting material. Finally, through the compression of fibers, sturdy boards form which can serve for various housing applications. Since the introduction of the products in 2014, this process has been refined and redone, and coconut-based walls and panels have proven to be a comparable and equivalent alternative to traditional housing materials.
Alleviating Poverty
Over the last 12 years, nominal housing prices across the entire globe have risen by over 84%. As the worldwide population continues to increase and resources become more and more scarce, this number is only projected to grow. However, with Cocoboard, which is a significantly less expensive solution than traditional building materials, impoverished communities can build affordable homes without sacrificing safety and quality. In the Philippines, for example, the government has implemented a program that utilizes Cocoboard to build low-cost housing for marginalized communities, providing safe and sustainable homes for those who would otherwise be left without shelter. Through this solution, thousands found a suitable place to live.
Empowering Communities & Sustainable Development
Cocoboard not only offers affordable housing solutions but also empowers local communities and contributes to sustainable development. Among Cocoboard’s key strategies for achieving such feats is the creation of job opportunities and fostering of skilled development within communities. One of the parent companies of Cocoboard, NaturLoop, has established a local supply chain team in the Philippines to involve local farming communities in the value chain. By working directly with farmers and low-income workers and establishing consolidation centers, the NaturLoop team has made it significantly easier to collect and process coconut husks. This creates additional income streams for farmers, improving their welfare and livelihood.
The manufacturing process of Cocoboard often involves local community members as well, providing employment opportunities and imparting valuable construction and waste management skills. This not only enhances their livelihoods but also promotes economic growth at the grassroots level.
Additionally, NaturLoop is also a strong proponent of building strong, circular economies, reducing the overall environmental impact in the areas they serve. The production process for Cocoboard requires minimal energy input and emits fewer greenhouse gases compared to traditional construction materials. This not only mitigates environmental harm but also supports sustainable development by utilizing local resources and minimizing waste accumulation in landfills. Through its focus on empowering communities, improving living conditions and promoting sustainable development, Cocoboard emerges as a transformative solution that tackles the intertwined challenges of poverty and housing affordability.
Challenges and Future Prospects
While Cocoboard presents an innovative solution to the affordable housing crisis and waste management, several challenges and limitations need to be addressed before widespread implementation can be successful. For one, the scalability of the production process. The increase in demand for affordable housing solutions could necessitate the establishment of efficient and scalable manufacturing facilities for Cocoboard. This would require investment in machinery, the training of workers and streamlining the production process to meet the rising demand without compromising quality. To address challenges like these, collaboration among governments, NGOs and private sector stakeholders is crucial. Governments can play a significant role in promoting the use of sustainable building materials like Cocoboard by providing incentives, subsidies or regulatory support. Investment in research and development could also lead to improvements in the manufacturing process, making it more efficient and cost-effective.
Looking Ahead
The prospects for Cocoboard are promising. As the demand for sustainable and affordable housing continues to rise globally, there is a growing recognition of the need for innovative solutions like Cocoboard. With advancements in technology and increased awareness about environmental sustainability, the potential for Cocoboard to make a significant impact on addressing poverty and waste management is substantial. Innovative solutions like Cocoboard offer hope to millions of individuals living in poverty and substandard conditions worldwide.
– Sanjith Sambath
Photo: Pixabay
How The Taal Volcano Eruption Affected Poverty In The Philippines
Per the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), poverty in the Batangas region affects 10.2% of the population, which translates to 1.68 million Filipinos who cannot meet “basic food and non-food” needs. Poverty incidence among families stood at 7.2% of the population or 296 thousand families.
Agriculture and Tourism
In 2020, the Department of Agriculture revealed the damages to the agricultural sector reached approximately $54 million, affecting 15,790 hectares of farmland. The loss of money was attributed to the destruction of crops, farm infrastructure and displacement of livestock. Unfortunately, setbacks in the agricultural sector put vulnerable rural communities and workers in the Batanga province at risk.
The Taal Volcano is a popular tourist destination and the eruption in 2020 led to the closure of the area to tourists, resulting in a decline in tourism and tourism-related businesses. Tourism sites within a 14-kilometer zone suffered an estimated damage of $1.5 million and an estimated loss of $2.1 million. The Taal volcano eruption affected poverty and tourism in the area for many years to come.
Vulnerable Communities
Exposure to volcano smog (sulfur dioxide gas emissions) can cause symptoms such as irritated/swollen eyes and irritations to the throat. Those with pre-existing health conditions, the elderly, pregnant women and children were most susceptible to its effects. It affected 736,000 people in the Calabarzon region, Central Luzon region and the National Capital regions, and this led to an “evacuation of more than 135,000 residents due to infrastructure and disruption of essential resources and services such as water, food supplies and education.” The displacement and consumption of dangerous gasses have impacted families’ livelihoods and income as well as increasing respiratory problems and malnutrition among the most affected.
Foreign Aid
The Japanese Government donated 425 metric tonnes of rice to the National Food Authority (NFA) to assist those who the natural disaster affected. This is following Japan’s donation of 560 metric tons of rice in 2019 after the Philippines experienced Typhoon Jenny.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $100,000 in humanitarian support, providing soap, toothbrushes, sleeping mats and blankets for 7,600 displaced residents that were staying at evacuation centers in the Batangas province.
Following the 2020 volcanic eruption, the EU announced a donation of €750,000 to provide humanitarian aid to the Batangas province. With over 931,400 residents in the area the EU’s donation funded the Spanish Red Cross which delivered immediate support through emergency shelters, essential items, hygiene kits and access to clean water. This was alongside psychosocial support services and child protection activities.
Looking Ahead
In the face of the devastating Taal Volcano eruption, international aid and support from countries like Japan, the United States and the European Union have played a crucial role in providing relief to affected communities in the Batangas province. Donations of rice, humanitarian supplies and financial assistance have helped address immediate needs and support the recovery process. These acts of solidarity demonstrate the power of global collaboration in alleviating poverty and rebuilding lives in the aftermath of natural disasters.
– Joshua Rogers
Photo: Flickr
The Fred Hollows Foundation Boosts Eye Health in the Philippines
Vision and eye health care have been a major concern in the Philippines due to the high prevalence of eye diseases and disorders. Some common causes of blindness are cataracts, error of refraction and glaucoma. The country’s lack of access to basic eye care services is a significant challenge. Many Filipinos lack awareness of the importance of regular eye examinations that can help detect and treat eye diseases early on.
The Fred Hollows Foundation
In 2014, the Fred Hollows Foundation started working in the Philippines with the vision of developing a sustainable community eye health program. This program aimed to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality eye care services to Filipinos. The foundation supports the Department of Health (DOH) in building community eye health programs in 25 countries throughout Africa, South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Australia and the Pacific. Its priority is to strengthen the health system in the Philippines and work with communities in order to improve their eye health. The organization is achieving this goal through life-changing surgeries and treatments, training doctors and health workers and educating children in schools about visual impairment.
The Achievements of the Foundation
So far, the Fred Hollows Foundation has strengthened the health system of the Philippines by implementing eye health programs in local areas with the support of private health specialists, provincial governments and the DOH. In partnership with the Department of Education, it implemented many vision programs in schools, and this has resulted in vision screening and the supply of glasses to more than 400,000 children. In addition, the Fred Hollows Foundation performed 1,036 eye operations and treatments in 2019, including 325 cataract operations and 711 sight-improving measures. More than 4,000 people were trained in eye health, including teachers, community members, surgeons, clinic support staff and community health workers.
The foundation reached the nation’s poor and marginalized people through fair and inclusive initiatives, such as working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and participating in their Family Development Sessions. The foundation has also worked with the National Commission for Indigenous People in order to reach Indigenous schools and communities, including poor Filipino families.
Looking Ahead
In the Philippines, blindness and visual impairment are growing public health concerns. While there has been some progress with regard to improving vision and eye care in the Philippines, the Fred Hollows Foundation continues working to ensure that all Filipinos have access to quality eye care services and to build a powerful eye health network with many partners and organizations.
– Lilit Natalia Manoukian
Photo: Flickr
5 Charities Operating in Jamaica
Fortunately, many organizations in Jamaica are actively engaged in the recovery process with poverty reduction initiatives. Highlighted below are five charities operating in Jamaica, all of which help to support the most vulnerable communities across the island.
5 Charities Operating in Jamaica
These five charities operating in Jamaica play an essential role in addressing the country’s pressing issues from poverty and health care shortages to food and water insecurity. Along with many other organizations, charities in Jamaica are filling crucial gaps and offering hope to those in need. Through their dedicated work, such groups are not just providing immediate relief but are also working towards long-term, sustainable solutions that aim to reduce poverty and foster a more resilient nation.
– James Bao
Photo: Pixabay
This Is Unfolded: Reducing Poverty in Southeast Asia
Lost Stock – How Did It Work?
The Lost Stock scheme was a partnership between Cally Russell’s shopping app Mallzee and the SAJIDA Foundation, based in Bangladesh. The SAJIDA Foundation, set up in 1993, has supported more than 6 million individuals in becoming entrepreneurs and lifting themselves out of poverty. Lost Stock purchased abandoned clothing orders and gave customers the opportunity to buy a ‘mystery box’ of clothing. Each box cost about $49, and customers offered details regarding their size, gender and personal style to the organization. Lost Stock then selected three items worth over $85 altogether and sent them to the customer a few weeks later.
For every purchased box, Lost Stock and the SAJIDA Foundation were able to financially support one garment worker and their family for seven days. In 2020, the Lost Stock initiative financially aided 113,000 people for more than a month, ensuring that garment workers did not starve or succumb to poverty. Moreover, the initiative reduced textile waste by not allowing the canceled garment orders to deteriorate in a landfill.
Evolution to This Is Unfolded
After the success of the Lost Stock scheme, the organization transformed into This Is Unfolded, a sustainable clothing brand intent on reducing poverty in Southeast Asia. It adopts a slow approach to clothes manufacturing in a bid to reduce waste production and in turn, ensure that less harm comes to the planet. After receiving an order, team members develop small collections of 20 items or less to ensure that supply does not outweigh demand. Customers receive items straight from the production factories. This method of manufacturing allows the team to save money on delivery and production costs. Consequently, it is able to price items at around 80% of the price of clothing from major high-end retailers.
Perhaps more significantly, the brand uses these savings to pay garment workers a fair wage, employing 379 workers in Indian factories that use ethical manufacturing practices and instill a safe, positive working environment. The brand also pays bonuses to its full staff after the completion of each clothing collection, fully compensating workers to help them avoid falling into poverty.
Efforts to Aid in Child Literacy
In India, 26% of the population is illiterate. Since 1995, the educational charity Pratham has worked to increase literacy rates in India. In education centers, children who have never been to school or who experienced educational disruptions receive basic literacy and writing lessons. For every sold garment, This Is Unfolded funds a child to receive literacy lessons in a Pratham education center for at least one month. So far, it has supported 3,500 children in learning to read and write.
Concluding Thoughts
This Is Unfolded has made admirable progress in lowering textile waste and reducing poverty in Southeast Asia. From its origins as Lost Stock, it made certain that thousands of garment workers did not experience extreme poverty. It now makes strides to ensure that child literacy rates reach 100% in India. The organization’s work is beneficial to both the global population and the planet. It also serves as an inspiration to other clothing retailers who can also join the efforts to make positive marks on the planet.
– Mohsina Alam
Photo: Flickr
AI In International Development: The Benefits and Drawbacks
The Benefits of Using AI for International Development
The key ways AI can aid international development objectives include the following:
Achieving Development Objectives with AI
The aforementioned applications are not hypothetical as governments have already begun using AI tools to achieve development objectives. Some of such achievements are as follows:
The Drawbacks
While AI has the potential to improve many aspects of society, there are also issues that raise concerns. Some of such issues include:
What is Next?
AI has the power to foster progress by enabling the achievement of long-sought development goals, but it can just as easily be a catalyst for creating further inequality and conflict and strengthening authoritarian governments. This suggests that increased international cooperation and regulation are necessary to curb or control the negative externalities of AI development.
– Andrew Giganti
Photo: Unsplash
The World Bank Initiatives Saving Burkina Faso’s Poor
The country’s issues became worse after January 2022, when army officers staged a coup against the former Prime Minister, who was replaced by the army’s captain, leading to blockades on main roads leading into the country, stopping foreign aid and minimizing the country’s trading.
The effects of these factors are slowly being reversed by organizations such as the World Bank, who have been working tirelessly to create jobs for the nation’s residents and provide immediate food support, as well as long-term solutions.
Current state
In 2018, there were less than 50,000 internally displaced people in the country, and at the end of 2022, that number rose to 1.9 million, showing the devastating impact of the country’s conflict.
As military groups have blockaded cities, planted explosives on roads and taken down critical infrastructure such as bridges and water points, people have been stuck in the landlocked nation for over a year, with minimal food and supplies. With the country locked up by army blockades, farmers have not been able to move freely, leaving fields abandoned and food production to plummet.
But farmers are not the only ones left without jobs, as delivery drivers bringing goods into the country have also halted, meaning no goods are on store shelves except cleaning products.
These factors have collectively led to the number of people facing acute food insecurity multiplying nine-fold, as there is now an estimated 2.6 million food-insecure people.
A report by the Norwegian Refugee Council has also predicted that the number of people facing acute, catastrophic levels of food insecurity will keep rising as it expects a 42% increase in food insecure people by August.
Due to the army blockades, the last considerable shipment of food came in September, when 100 tonnes of cereal reached the town of Djibo, feeding an estimated 6,700 families. Only a small portion of those who need immediate assistance.
The Norwegian report showed that the situation reached such dire levels in 2022, that almost 85% of families’ meals consisted of wild leaves.
Immediate humanitarian aid continues to drop in the country’s air bridge, but as that is the only method of support reaching the country, the assistance provided is not enough for all of Burkina Faso’s poor.
Initiating help
All of the above events struck the West African nation terribly. The global assessment by the Norwegian Refugee Council showed that by the end of 2022, there were 1.9 million people in need of aid, a 40% increase from the start of the year. Despite the increase in need, the funding requested by humanitarian organizations was only 42% filled by global NGOs, leaving many to survive without immediate aid.
But immediate aid isn’t the only way to help the poverty-stricken nation.
Organizations such as the World Bank have been carrying out job-creating initiatives such as their Forest Investment Program, which collected a total investment of $27 million, from the World Bank, the Climate Investment Funds and the European Union.
The initiative has led to over 400,000 hectares of currently unused farmland falling under sustainable management. The planting of trees and preparation of the land will benefit more than 500,000 people, creating 5,000 jobs in 32 communes targeted for the project.
In line with these investments, nearly 6,000 households have received improved stoves in an attempt to cut down on the use of wood for energy and cooking purposes, as well as make it cheaper to use stoves for Burkina Faso’s poor.
Similarly, the World Bank has also begun executing its Regional Integration initiative, building new roads and improving damaged main roads for truck drivers within the country, as well as to the nearest ports in Togo and Ghana.
As the country is landlocked alongside 32% of all African countries, access to these ports is of vital importance for the country to continue their exports and imports not only across Africa, but internationally too. One truck driver affected by these improvements told the World Bank that it used to take more than a week to travel 950 kilometers, but it now only takes two days.
Previous initiatives by the World Bank, which began in 1980, cost the organization $325 million at the time but are now worth more than $14 billion, accounting for 13% of the entire continent’s portfolio.
These long-term types of initiatives show great promise in helping countries like Burkina Faso in the long run, alongside all African countries.
– Sam Kalantzis
Photo: Flickr
“The Borgen Project is an incredible nonprofit organization that is addressing poverty and hunger and working towards ending them.”
-The Huffington Post
Inside The Borgen Project
International Links
Get Smarter
Ways to Help