Elderly Poverty in Moldova and the Role of Social Security

Elderly Poverty in Moldova
The Republic of Moldova’s share of the aging population is growing. In 2022, persons aged 60 and older accounted for 22.8% of the total population, and, by 2040, this demographic is projected to account for about 33% of the total population. The dynamics of such a change in the population demographic foreshadow an increased risk of financial deprivation for Moldova’s aging population. Though the government last recorded the rate of elderly poverty in Moldova at 13.8% in the 2014 census, the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) found that, in 2020, only about a fifth of persons older than 60 felt that their income afforded them the economic security to live comfortably. While acknowledging that the elderly poverty experience reaches beyond just low-income levels, one of the mainstays of elderly poverty in Moldova is the challenge of the pension system’s sustainability to provide sufficient income to current and future generations of pensioners.

Moldova’s Pension System

In the past, Moldova’s pension system could not provide a sufficient safety net to allow beneficiaries to maintain a decent standard of living, with average replacement rates amounting to a mere 25% before the latest pension system reform in 2017. This is alarming considering that the European Code of Social Security recommended in Convention No. 102 that the minimum replacement rate should stand at 40%. However, even a 40% replacement rate may not be enough to prevent persons from falling into poverty if the benefits stand as the person’s sole income.

The Borgen Project had the opportunity to interview Elizaveta Covalciuc, a retired teacher from Micleuseni, Moldova, who noted the financial struggles she faced after contributing to the country’s social fund. In 1998, her pension only amounted to 114 MDL or $28. “I was disappointed that I had not been able to make a decent living after many years of contributing to the pension fund,” notes Covalciuc who had to return to work after reaching retirement age to make ends meet.

Fortunately, the system has increased in its efficiency and raised indexation over the years. As of October 2021, the current minimum state pension that a beneficiary can receive is 2,000 MDL, equal to $430.28. However, shortcomings remain. With the recent major shocks such as the strain on Moldova’s economy via the influx of refugees from Ukraine and the consumer price inflation of basic goods, pensions cannot sufficiently cover the current costs of living. Indeed, the Minister of Labour and Social Protection Marcel Spatari confirmed in November 2022 that the government could not afford to match the indexation rate of pensions to the current rate of inflation of 30%.

Challenges for Future Pensioners

A pension system is reliant upon the sustainable contributions that the current workforce is capable of contributing and is an integral cornerstone of a country’s social cohesion.

There is a great burden upon Moldova’s current workforce to support the social services that pensioners depend on for their livelihoods. To illustrate, the age dependency ratio had a rating of 50% in 2019 and stood at 6% higher than the EU’s. This strain upon contribution levels to the pension fund is exacerbated by factors such as high emigration, low employment rates and the prevalence of undeclared work. Such factors threaten the possibility of decreased social security coverage over time. The government must address these issues to ensure the current pension system is able to distribute sufficient income for pensioners.

It is important to acknowledge that the Moldovan government is taking steps to introduce policies and programs that aim to ease the strain of pension fund contributions placed on individuals. One notable example is the introduction of Law No.242 in July 2022. Before this law, there was no minimum contribution requirement for employers toward social security. Now, the compulsory contribution rate stands at 25% of each of their employee’s minimum salary, guaranteeing at least 875 MDL ($47) contributed per employee. While the legislation only had legal force in October 2022, this is a great first step to ensuring the security of future pensioners.

Additionally, the government has signed social security agreements with 16 countries in Europe to ensure the pension rights of citizens who have emigrated from Moldova to work in those countries. While the results from such agreements are currently unknown, this is another positive sign of improvements toward ensuring security for Moldova’s elderly citizens.

Looking forward, the path toward eliminating elderly poverty in Moldova is certainly not without challenges but with the government making it a priority to implement policies sensitive to the needs of the elderly and to strengthen demographic resilience, further progress is on its way.

– Lucy Gebbie
Photo: Flickr

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How the Star Homes Project is Fighting Malaria in Tanzania

Malaria in Tanzania
Tanzania ranks among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest reported malaria cases and deaths. A survey by the Severe Malaria Observatory (SMO) revealed that 93% of Tanzania’s population lives in areas that are at high risk of malaria outbreaks. Transmission rates of malaria in Tanzania vary between regions and the country goes through seasons where it expects large spikes in the number of cases. The Star Homes Project is fighting malaria in Tanzania through improved housing.

Malaria in Tanzania

The U.N. describes malaria as a disease that “impoverishes families, households and national economies.” The economic impact of malaria is especially evident in Africa where an annual spend of $12 billion goes into addressing malaria outbreaks. Plasmodium falciparum, a unicellular protozoan parasite, is responsible for 96% of malaria cases in Tanzania. Vector mosquitoes transmit malaria to the human population by carrying the parasite.

Tanzania experiences three distinct malaria transmission seasons: stable perennial transmission, stable malaria transmission and unstable seasonal malaria transmission. Stable perennial transmission impacts 60% of the country, whereas stable malaria transmission and unstable seasonal malaria transmission impact 20% of the country at any given time in a year. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines perennial transmission as “transmission that occurs throughout the year with no great variation in intensity.”

Tanzania’s Malaria Burden

The WHO’s World Malaria Report 2021 identified that Tanzania accounted for 4.1% of global malaria-related deaths in 2020. The report also outlined that malaria in Tanzania accounted for 12.8% of reported cases in East and Southern Africa in 2020. The country adopted the Malaria National Strategic Plan (MNSP) in 2020 and the scheme is due to continue until 2025. The MNSP hopes to diagnose malaria more effectively and extend medical services to disadvantaged groups in the rural areas of Tanzania.

The Star Homes Project

The Star Homes Project began in 2018 under the management of the company Ingvartsen Artikekter. Ingvarsten oversees a cross-functional team of architects, physicians, entomologists and members of Tanzania’s local communities. The Star Home Project is fighting malaria in Tanzania by providing affordable and improved housing with effective ventilation and physical protective barriers that stop mosquitoes from entering Tanzanian homes and infecting inhabitants.

As of November 2022, the Star Homes Project built 110 homes across 55 villages in Mtwara, a rural settlement in Tanzania. The company’s homes feature a two-story structure and “permeable facades of sea green screening mesh” that blocks mosquito access. The design also includes self-closing doors that control ventilation and helps the house to maintain cool temperatures throughout the day. From 2022 to 2024, the Star Homes Project will complete trials that compare the health of children living in the Star Home to those living in their usual residences.

Estimates predict that sub-Saharan Africa will have a population of 1.1 billion people by 2050. Following these predictions, the Star Homes Project has identified the need to implement better health measures so that Tanzania’s current and future residents can safeguard themselves against highly transmittable diseases and respiratory infections.

Looking Ahead

Malaria continues to be a prevalent issue in Tanzania requiring extensive efforts to decrease the risk of infection during peak transmission seasons. However, the Star Homes Project offers an innovative housing solution that could assist Tanzania in reducing its high malaria rates and usher Tanzanians into a safer, disease-free era.

– Jennifer Preece
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Water Security in Tanzania

Water Security in Tanzania
Tanzania’s economy, health and food security rely on the sustainable management of water resources. The United Nations has entrenched access to clean water and proper sanitation as a fundamental human right. However, this has not prevented the lack of water security in Tanzania, particularly in rural areas, from negatively impacting sectors like education and health care. On the positive side, efforts are ongoing to improve water security in the country.

5 Issues Affecting Water Security in Tanzania

  1. Changing Weather Patterns: According to forecasts, the average temperature in Southwest Tanzania could increase by 3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, leading to higher evaporation rates and significantly affecting water availability.
  2. Mismanagement of Water Resources: Economic growth in Tanzania has prompted a growing demand for water. Yet, water management services fail to match this high level of demand, leaving 21 million citizens unable to access improved drinking water in 2017. In particular, this issue disproportionately affects poor rural districts.
  3. Poor Infrastructure: An estimated 80% of rural Tanzanians in rural areas use outmoded water and sanitation infrastructure such as pit toilets. A pit toilet is a type of toilet that collects human feces in a ground hole. These toilets typically do not have any lids to prevent groundwater pollution, thereby increasing the prevalence of water-related diseases. This lack of adequate toilet facilities also affects schools in the country. According to USAID in 2021, around 10% of menstruating girls in Tanzania drop out of school due to a lack of hygiene and sanitation facilities to properly and privately manage their menstruation.
  4. Health Impacts. Diarrhea-related diseases account for around 26,000 deaths due to the pathogen-infested water supply. Illnesses from the contaminated water have dire effects on education as school children lose as many as 33 million school days per annum. In 2015, only 17% of rural districts had access to sanitary water services. Additionally, according to reports, approximately 40% of the Tanzanian population has access to sanitary water services.
  5. Poor Hygiene: Tanzania only has a handful of public or private places where people can maintain proper hygiene practices, such as handwashing. While some places have handwashing areas, there is often no wash soap and non-contaminated water. Poor water, hygiene and sanitation services in Tanzania also significantly impact the health of school children as 84% of schools in the country lack access to handwashing facilities.

Improvement Efforts

From Jan. 4, 2016, to April 30, 2021, the U.S.-aided Water Resources Integration Development Initiative (WARIDI) intervened to combat the interconnected issues concerning water security in Tanzania. It collaborated with 20 local government authorities between the Wami-River and Rufiji River basins to drive the sustainable management of water resources. This included increased access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. Basin water officers received training on interpreting data regarding sustainable and resilient water management. WARIDI used modern equipment that monitors the flow of water in various streams supplying major rivers.

WARIDI’s efforts created a succinct study of climate vulnerability that could be incorporated into its model for the efficient allocation of water resources. The organization aided in the establishment and development of 50 water infrastructure projects for 500,000 inhabitants across the Morogoro and Iringa regions of Tanzania in May 2021. The project provides access to potable water in rural regions, negating the need for 255,000 women to undertake perilous journeys to collect water.

Looking Ahead

Overall, WARID’s comprehensive approach to recognizing the importance of water conservation and maintenance of water infrastructure has played a significant role in alleviating issues related to water security in Tanzania. It has enhanced the living standards of many inhabitants through a variety of advanced water supply resources, including submergible pumps, solar panels, chlorine treatment divisions and valve chambers. The work is not yet complete as many Tanzanians still face significant challenges with accessing water. However, many positive results are visible from ongoing work and the situation continues to improve.

– Dami Kalejaiye
Photo: Flickr

5 Facts About Renewable Energy in Chile

Renewable Energy in ChileWhile fossil fuels and copper mining once stood as the foundation of Chile’s energy sector, the country is now a global leader in innovative renewable energy strategies. A shift in focus toward solar power, wind energy and green hydrogen will diminish the number of remaining households impacted by energy poverty over the next 25 years. As the implementation of renewable energy in Chile grows, so does the country’s economic potential.

5 Facts About Renewable Energy in Chile

  1. Renewable energy sources are reducing energy poverty. Energy poverty takes shape in many ways, such as limited access to heating, air conditioning and hot water, inability to afford electricity bills and frequent power outages that disrupt both educational and business activities as well as access to essential services. Chile’s energy sector relies in part on coal-fired power generation, but the country’s Long-Term Energy Policy now aims to generate 70% of all electricity through renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2050. Among other benefits, this plan will provide quality energy services to all vulnerable households, reduce total electricity outages to one hour per year and offer significantly lower average residential electricity prices.
  2. Chile is now a world leader in renewable energy. The 2022 updates to the Long-Term Energy Policy additionally pledged carbon neutrality by 2050 through strategic decarbonization of the economy. Previous efforts to address changing weather patterns forged partnerships with powerhouses like Germany, but the promise of these updates solidify Chile’s status as a global leader in sustainable energy, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Other countries including the U.S., Spain and Canada are now vying to learn about renewable energy in Chile and invest in the cause.
  3. Green hydrogen exports will benefit the economy. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) foresees a significant increase in Chile’s GDP as the country expands into “green” hydrogen, a source used in zero-emission fuel cells, synthetic ammonia and gasoline substitute. According to government officials, exports of green hydrogen should generate $30 billion per year by 2050. Given the nation’s access to both the Atacama Desert and the winds of Patagonia, Chile has a stark advantage over other countries to produce hydrogen with the renewable energy generated by wind and solar power. Chile hopes to be one of the top three exporters of green hydrogen by 2040, creating jobs and further reducing poverty.
  4. Eliminating coal plants will not reduce jobs. Chile intends on eliminating all coal-fired power stations by 2040 and focusing fully on renewable energy efforts. However, guidance from the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) suggests that the closures will not negatively impact job opportunities. Germany has partnered with Chile since 2008, collaborating on renewable energy agreements and training seminars. Under Germany’s recommendations, the abandoned coal plants will become renewable power plants, such as water desalination plants. This ensures jobs stay intact throughout the transition.
  5. Renewable energy in Chile creates more jobs for women. Implementing renewable energy plants opens a new job market for Chilean women. Energy+Women is a program initially founded in 2018 that focuses on gender equality and inclusion efforts in the male-dominated energy sector. The program now offers women mentorship, among other professional opportunities. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has additionally given a $300 million loan to Chile for renewable energy efforts with a focus on promoting equal pay.

Looking Ahead

Only 52% of all Chilean households had access to electricity in 1970, but today, 100% of the population has electricity access. Now, the country is pursuing goals that eliminate even a minor power outage. This dissolution of energy poverty would not be possible without the implementation of renewable energy as both a source and commodity. The nation is paving the way for sustainability initiatives. With these exciting developments, Chile is on track to become one of the first developing countries to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

– Rachel Smith
Photo: Flickr

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Child Poverty in South Sudan

Child Poverty in South Sudan
South Sudan, a North African nation that joined the U.N. in 2011, is one of the poorest and most conflict-ridden countries in the world with a GDP of 12 billion in 2015 and about 67% of the population living in extreme poverty in 2017. The younger population of South Sudan is particularly vulnerable, with around two-thirds of children requiring humanitarian assistance due to poverty, environmental risks and conflict. Child poverty in South Sudan remains an issue, but several initiatives are providing aid.

Leading Causes of Child Poverty in Sudan

  1. Conflict: Two civil wars in 2013 and 2016 have significantly contributed to the increase in child poverty in South Sudan. Displacement due to conflict has left several thousand children homeless and armed militias have recruited approximately 19,000 child soldiers since the conflict started. The violence caused by the civil wars has been a leading cause of internal displacement, with a total of 472,452 children affected.
  2. Education: In South Sudan, education rates contribute significantly to child poverty. Three out of five children have either never attended school or dropped out, which equates to one of the highest rates globally. The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened the situation by reducing school attendance rates.
  3. Climate: Extreme climatic conditions in the country also impact child poverty. Severe floods and droughts have affected the country in recent years, leaving 390,000 children without access to basic services and affecting 846 schools. Long droughts have led to child hunger, with more than 17,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
  4. COVID-19: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increasing child poverty issues in South Sudan. It also forced school closures and further aggravated the challenges in the education system. Reduction in global aid and humanitarian assistance due to the pandemic led to an economic crisis in the already struggling nation.

Taking Action

In recent years, South Sudan has taken action domestically. In 2018, the nation resorted to a peace agreement and implemented government reform to improve political stability. The leaders ackowledged establishing a stable government as the first step in securing a brighter future for the children of South Sudan.

Charities, volunteers and missionaries on the ground have played a crucial role in alleviating child poverty in South Sudan. For example, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) plans to vaccinate 2.7 million South Sudanese children against measles and provide 1.4 million children with access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation facilities in schools by the end of 2023. UNICEF also aims to treat almost 300,000 children in South Sudan for severe wasting on top of efforts to provide 75,000 children and guardians with “mental health and psychosocial support.”

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has partnered with South Sudan since 2012 and runs initiatives to enhance the education system in South Sudan by offering financial aid through UNICEF grants and providing on-the-ground support. UNICEF provided a COVID-19 response grant of $7 million for 2020 to 2022 to secure “self-learning materials” for learners, create custom radio broadcasted learning programs for students of certain grades and launch a “back-to-school campaign” to motivate students to resume school attendance, among other efforts.

With financial support from the international community, efforts are ongoing to gradually end child poverty in South Sudan.

Looking Ahead

South Sudan’s children have endured years of hardship since the country’s independence from all spheres of life. Whether that be conflict, climate disasters or a lack of education, these children have lived through harsh realities and poor conditions. With the government and international charity organizations working to solve the issues of child poverty, South Sudan continues to see positive change. The government reforms have led to notable reductions in conflict incidents.

While there is still room for progress, ongoing efforts have seen success and present the children of South Sudan with hopes of a brighter future.

– Max Steventon
Photo: Flickr

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Drones Help Combat Illegal Fishing in Developing Countries

Fishing in Developing Countries
The marine fisheries of many developing countries, which stand as a critical source of food and income for coastal communities, are under threat from illegal foreign fishing vessels that take advantage of the rich ocean resources that lie far from prying eyes. Illegal fishing damages livelihoods, the economy and the marine biodiversity of affected countries. However, advances in technology are offering new solutions to countries struggling to protect their oceans as the world begins to look toward drones to help combat illegal fishing in developing countries to reduce poverty and boost economic growth.

Illegal Fishing in Developing Countries

Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) are the areas of the ocean belonging to coastal countries. These large swathes of the ocean hold a multitude of opportunities to facilitate economic development. However, many countries do not have the resources or the capacity to monitor their EEZs, let alone fully utilize them. The costs of obtaining and maintaining fleets of coast guard vessels are extremely high and many countries have only a handful of vessels to cover the entire extent of their EEZ.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing costs developing counties billions of dollars. Companies involved in these practices originate from countries such as China, Colombia and Spain.

In the fight against illegal fishing, countries are looking to technological innovations to provide faster, cheaper and more accessible methods of monitoring EEZs. Advances in technology are providing ways for countries to monitor illegal vessel activities in their EEZs not from the sea but from the sky.

Drones Provide Eyes in the Sky

Drones or unmanned vehicles (UMV) provide “eyes in the sky” for coast guards and fisheries organizations attempting to detect and prosecute illegal fishing vessels. The most significant benefit of drones is that the device can collect photographic, video and radar evidence of illegal vessels fishing in EEZs without the major resource requirements of sending a vessel out to make an arrest. Authorities can then use this as evidence for prosecution later.

The FishGuard Project

The Republic of Seychelles is one of the first countries to embrace this new technology and hopes to use drones to fight illegal fishing in the new program FishGuard.

The island nation of Seychelles is responsible for an enormous EEZ of almost 1.4 million square kilometers. The rich ocean resources of its EEZ have attracted hordes of illegal fishing vessels, including European fishing fleets targeting tuna and fleets from Sri Lanka targeting sharks.

Over the past 30 years, “illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing led to an over 60[%] decline in the main fish stocks, resulting in loss of livelihood and revenue for the majority of Seychellois fisherfolk,” according to a 2020 research paper by Malshini Senaratne. About 17% of the Seychelles’ population depends on the fisheries sector to derive an income.

ATLAN Space developed FishGuard, a technology startup creating drones with artificial intelligence. It hopes to aid Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the fight against illegal fishing by providing low-cost intelligent technological solutions. ATLAN Space has provided Seychelles with drones to monitor marine areas, particularly the fishing hotspots. Each drone can cover 10,000 square kilometers. ATLAN Space will train the Seychelles Air Force to operate the drones while the coast guard will provide the vessels from which to launch the drones.

As part of the FishGuard partnership, a Norwegian analytical organization called Trygg Mat Tracking will provide fisheries with intelligence and analysis services and Grid-Arendal will provide Earth observation data. ATLAS Space has received funding from National Geographic for this pilot program. It plans to use the technology to combat terrestrial environmental threats such as illegal mining and deforestation.

Looking Ahead

For now, the Republic of Seychelles hopes that the drones will aid in the endeavor to keep its oceans safe from poachers of the sea. Maintaining legal licensing processes will provide the island nation with a critical and reliable source of income and will allow more effective management and protection of its vulnerable marine ecosystems. By combating illegal fishing in developing countries, the world can safeguard the livelihoods of the vulnerable people who depend on fishing as a means of income.

– Amy McAlpine
Photo: Flickr

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7 Facts About Education in Laos

Education in LaosLaos is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia and is one of the five remaining communist countries in the world. Laos is also one of the poorest countries in the region with a GDP of about $18.8 billion in 2021. In comparison, Vietnam’s GDP stood at about $366 billion and Thailand’s GDP stood at about $506 billion. Poverty in Laos is evident in the nation’s struggling education system. Factors such as cost, accessibility and traditional beliefs have prevented children from enrolling in school. However, education in Laos has improved in recent times due to domestic changes and international help. These interventions have focused on building a better education system in Laos and getting more children into school.

7 Facts About Education in Laos

  1. High Dropout Rates. Laos’ education system sees a high number of dropouts, particularly at lower levels of education. This means very few reach upper secondary education levels. Only 81.9% of children complete their primary education, with 15% going on to pursue lower secondary education and just 3% progressing to upper secondary levels.
  2. Low Enrollment Rate in Rural Areas. Only 70% of children attend school in rural areas compared to 84% in the urban population. The low enrollment rate in rural areas is largely due to poor road access. Many children live in isolated, mountainous areas. As a result, traveling to the nearest schools is an almost impossible endeavor. Furthermore, parents in the rural population are typically low-income earners who can hardly afford the costs of education. They prefer to have their children work and earn income for the family. Another issue is the disproportionate oversupply of Laotian and international teachers in urban areas, which leaves many rural areas with few teachers.
  3. Gender-based Enrollment Disparity. Laos’ education system has a clear issue regarding gender equity and equality. There is a higher number of enrolled male children compared to female children. The enrollment rates at the primary education level for boys and girls are 75% and 71% respectively. At the secondary level, the gap is slightly wider, with 36% for boys and 31% for girls. This disparity is mainly due to the old-fashioned values that many Laotian families hold. Several families expect girls to shoulder the burden of caretaking and household chores. Hence, female education is not prioritized.
  4. Four-part Education Structure. Laos’ education system consists of four stages: early childhood education, general education, technical and vocational education and higher education. The enrollment rates drop significantly as the levels go higher. Primary enrollment, which also falls under general education, stands at 97%. In contrast, enrollment at the upper secondary level is just 3%. This results in most Laotian children failing to achieve their full scholarly potential.
  5. Inadequate Education Budget. Despite the struggles of the education system in Laos, the government does not prioritize funding and spending on the education sector. Only 3.3% of Laos’ total GDP goes into education — one of the lowest rates globally. Much of the spending, both domestically and from international aid, goes toward fighting poverty in Laos by providing basic needs such as food, water and shelter.
  6. Improved Education System and Government Reforms. Governmental reforms and policy changes have helped improve the quality of education and enrollment through the years. The education reforms of 2006 to 2015 sought to improve educational quality and align the education system with international standards. For example, these reforms focused on building more schools in rural areas to facilitate accessibility for children in rural Laos. Reforms have significantly increased enrollment. From 1975 to 1976, there were just 146 enrolled children in upper secondary education. From 2005 to 2006, the number of enrolled children increased to 45,198, demonstrating the effectiveness of the reforms.
  7. International Aid Impact. International aid has been vital in improving the quality of education in Laos. A Save the Children program aimed to “improve the quality of learning for children in Laos.” With $8 million in funding, the program enabled 3,000 children to attend primary school in 2012. In 2021, the World Bank, supported by other nations, announced funding of $47 million “aimed at improving preschool and primary education performance and enhancing education systems nationwide.”

The Promise of Progress

While dropout rates and low higher education attainment still stand as issues, Laos’ education system has seen significant progress over the years. Enrollment rates are steadily rising and the quality of education is improving. All of these are indications of a promising future for Laos’ education system.

– Max Steventon
Photo: Flickr

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Beauty Brands Contributing to Poverty Reduction

Beauty Brands Contributing to Poverty ReductionBusinesses can positively impact their communities and play a significant role in the global fight against poverty. Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury are some of the beauty brands contributing to poverty reduction.

Fenty Beauty

The brand Fenty Beauty works alongside the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF). This foundation supports and funds children’s education, health and emergency response programs worldwide. Fenty Beauty supports its work through donations and 100% of donations go directly to the foundation.

Rihanna, the creator of Fenty Beauty, details her motivation for ensuring that her brand gives back to those in need. “My grandmother always used to say if you’ve got a dollar, there’s plenty to share,” says Rihanna. The global superstar created the CLF in 2012 to honor her grandparents. The foundation focuses on assisting communities in preparing for and withstanding natural disasters. Notably, CLF aims to help the Caribbean become the world’s first climate-resilient zone.

By working to establish resilience among communities, the CLF helps prevent future poverty among residents due to natural disasters. Many of CLF’s projects take place in Barbados, Rihanna’s home country. Beneficiaries include the Westbury Primary School, which the CLF helped to upgrade to a Category 1 shelter to provide temporary emergency shelter to the community during natural disasters. The CLF also helped to renovate the school library and provide technology for research activities.

Fenty Beauty stands as one of the beauty brands contributing to poverty reduction by improving the lives of those in the Caribbean and preventing poverty from deepening through its climate resilience projects.

Rare Beauty

Rare Beauty,  founded by Selena Gomez, has committed to helping address mental health needs globally through its Rare Impact Fund (RIF). Gomez allocates 1% of all sales to the RIF. The beauty company also works with other philanthropic foundations to increase access to mental health services.

Gomez created the RIF because of her own struggles with mental health. The RIF “invests globally in the most innovative and promising organizations in the field of mental health.” The organization has given more than $1.7 million in grant support to organizations worldwide since launching the RIF in 2020. The RIF has worked in North America, the U.K., Europe and Brazil to help more than 150,000 people seeking support for their mental health needs.

A study by Lee Knifton and Greig Inglis says poverty can contribute to poor mental health through the invoked stress, stigma and trauma. Mental health issues can also deepen conditions of poverty. “Mental health problems can lead to impoverishment through loss of employment, underemployment or fragmentation of social relationships,” the study says.

Through its commitment to expanding mental health resources around the world, Rare Beauty established itself as one of the beauty brands contributing to poverty reduction.

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, the cosmetic brand named after its creator, the British beauty entrepreneur and makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, partners with Women for Women International (WFWI) to establish itself as a brand contributing to poverty reduction.

WFWI invests in women who are survivors of war and conflict. By providing these women with social and economic skills, WFWI works to transform individual lives and those in the communities the women reenter. The organization works in 14 conflict-stricken countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In 2016, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty launched a collection of 12 lipstick shades, and to commemorate the product launch, the company pledged to donate more than $1 million to WFWI. In 2018, Charlotte Tilbury Beauty also supported WFWI on Giving Tuesday by donating 15% of all sales to the organization.

Looking Ahead

Beauty brands that take a stand against global poverty can significantly alleviate the immediate and long-term effects of this global epidemic. By providing resources, education and support to those in need, such brands can help address the root causes of poverty and empower individuals and communities to improve their own economic situations.

Furthermore, these efforts can create a ripple effect, inspiring others to get involved and generating greater awareness and advocacy for this critical issue. Beauty brands contributing to poverty reduction provide hope for a brighter, more equitable future for all.

– Brooklynn Rich
Photo: Flickr

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Protecting Vulnerable Children in Guatemala

Vulnerable Children In Guatemala
Guatemala is home to more than 500,000 orphans. Orphans, in addition to children living in extreme poverty in Guatemala, are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation by gangs and traffickers. According to the World Bank, almost 60% of the population lived under the national poverty line in 2014. As a result of poverty and harsh living conditions, families sometimes abandon children and force them into child labor while other children endure neglect and abuse. According to Serving Orphans Worldwide, many of Guatemala’s abandoned children “wander the streets where they work and are more prone to suffer from exploitation.” Several organizations are working to safeguard the well-being of vulnerable children in Guatemala.

Child Labor in Guatemala

According to a 2021 report on child labor and forced labor in Guatemala by the Department of Labor (DOL), vulnerable children in Guatemala face exploitation and exposure to the worst types of forced labor, such as sexual exploitation as a result of child trafficking. The country of Guatemala has become accustomed to child labor with a large portion of its economy supported by it. According to the DOL, in 2020, more than 200,000 children between the ages of 7 and 14 engaged in child labor. The widespread conditions of poverty in the country force families to push their children into child labor to add to the household income.

Children from Guatemala’s Indigenous communities make up more than 50% of child laborers in the country and children residing in rural areas are more likely to engage in child labor than those in Guatemala’s urban centers. These rural children mostly engage in agricultural work under arduous conditions using dangerous equipment such as machetes. “Children as young as age 5 also work in coffee fields picking and carrying heavy loads of coffee beans and mixing and applying pesticides,” the DOL report says.

The DOL states that some parents send their children to work on the streets as performers. But, these children are at risk of traffickers selling them to criminal groups. The children work long hours on the street and must sometimes wear attention-grabbing body paint that is toxic to the skin.

Many vulnerable children in Guatemala are also exploited for sex work, with Guatemala being a “destination country for child sex tourists from Canada, the United States and Western Europe.” Gangs and trafficking rings usually target young girls for sexual exploitation. For this reason, young Guatemalan girls try to flee the country with their entire families to escape violence and exploitation.

In 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “reported apprehending more than 264,000 Guatemalans, including more than 185,000 people in “family units” – a parent or legal guardian traveling with a child – and more than 30,000 unaccompanied children,” the Guardian says. Many of these families sought safety in the U.S. away from violence and poverty in Guatemala.

All God’s Children International

While some seek to exploit vulnerable children in Guatemala, others are working to safeguard the human rights of these children. All God’s Children International (AGCI) has worked in Guatemala for more than two decades, beginning in 2001. AGCI is responsible for giving care to 1,400 orphans in Guatemala. The organization helped place 514 orphans in the adoptive care of “forever families” by way of the AGCI’s adoption program.

The organization now focuses on “family preservation efforts” to support vulnerable children and families in Guatemala. Through the support of a local Guatemalan ministry, AGCI has provided more than 3,500 women and children with “counseling and economic support” through community development initiatives.

AGCI’s Education Sponsorship Program allows donors to ensure children under AGCI’s care “attend school, remain within their family’s care, receive healthy meals to fuel their studies and save for their future education,” the AGCI website says.

While conditions of poverty and violence in Guatemala are not conducive to the well-being of children, organizations such as All God’s Children International are making a difference by positively impacting the lives of vulnerable children in Guatemala.

– David Keenan
Photo: Flickr

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The Connections Between Poverty and Corruption in Liberia

Poverty and Corruption in LiberiaIn 2022, Liberia had a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of 26 on a 100 scale, making it the fifth most corrupt country in Africa. Corruption has several links to poverty. Forbes explains that “poverty invites corruption, while corruption deepens poverty. Corruption both causes and thrives upon weaknesses in key economic, political and social institutions.” Considering the connection that exists between poverty and corruption in Liberia, several organizations are taking action to address corruption in the country.

Poverty and Corruption in Liberia

Corruption impacts the distribution of resources in a country, stiffens economic growth and slows down poverty reduction rates. On top of this, corruption “reduces the state’s ability to provide quality public services.” It is also one of the causes of decreased spending on the pro-poor plan rolled out in 2018 when current President George Weah took office.

As it stands, Liberia notes a high poverty rate. About 44% of Liberians lived below the poverty line in 2020, according to the United Nations Development Programme, and a quarter of the population suffered severe multidimensional poverty. High rates of poverty in Liberia are the result of two deadly civil wars the country observed from 1989-1997 and 1999-2003 and are compounded by low levels of education along with corruption, among other issues.

The people of Liberia feel that the police force is the most corrupt institution, followed by the government. However, these perceptions decreased between 2015 and 2019. Corruption in Liberia has in fact reduced. From 2015 to 2019, the overall bribery rate decreased from 69% to 53%. Public educational bribery dropped by 5% in this period and public health bribery dropped by almost 10%.  Among the police force, bribery declined from 60% to 42%. These improvements are in part due to the work of organizations aiming to address corruption in Liberia.

2 Organizations Addressing Corruption in Liberia

  1. Student Unification Party (SUP). “Twelve years later and its legacy is corruption.” These are the words of a Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) member on July 21, 2022, during a rally announcing upcoming plans to halt corruption in Liberia. SUP is a political ideology group that gained prominence in the late 1970s following Liberia’s historical rice riots. The student-led organization is born out of the University of Liberia and has made headlines for its bountiful demonstrations, petitions and pleas to the state. Last year, SUP arranged a string of protests disputing rising food, transportation and gas prices — an incident that uncannily resembled Liberia’s past events. SUP’s “Fix The Country Campaign” is a recent attempt to address corruption in Liberia. As SUP celebrated its 52nd anniversary on December 9, 2022, SUP stressed the importance of implementing new strategies that could eradicate corruption once and for all.
  2. Liberia CSOs Anti-Corruption Coalition. The Liberia CSOs Anti-Corruption Coalition (LCACC) was founded in 2019 with the help of USAID. LCACC aims to increase accountability for corruption and create a more transparent government. More than 60 young emerging leaders from West Africa participate in the Anti-Corruption Ambassador Training Program where they receive mentoring from other activists working to eradicate corruption in Liberia. Grassroots advocacy is used to foster fiscal transparency, political advocacy and natural governance.

In Liberia, corruption impacts several aspects of society and deepens conditions of poverty. However, the overall rate of corruption in Liberia has the potential to significantly decrease as these organizations continue to take action.

– Dorothy Quanteh
Photo: Flickr