The electric vehicle market has grown fast. With more people opting to purchase environmentally friendly modes of transport. According to IEA, electric vehicle sales “reached a record high in 2021.” In 2021, around the world, there were up to 6.5 million electric vehicles sold. Sales nearly doubled the numbers set in 2020. J.P. Morgen has estimated that by 2025, “30% of all vehicle sales will be electric vehicles.” The shift from combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles is becoming more of a reality every year. General Motors has announced its plan to “exclusively offer electric vehicles by 2035.” The growing electric vehicle market may appear like a victory for consumers and even car manufacturers. However, the real winner may just be Mexico. This is how Mexico may gain from the exploding electric vehicle market.
How “White Gold” Could Be a Potential Savior
Often referred to as “white gold,” lithium is an essential material for the production of electric vehicle batteries. With the increase in the manufacturing of electric vehicles, Investing News (INN) has stated that lithium has caught the eye of Elon Musk, CEO of the electric car manufacturer Tesla. As lithium becomes an increasing priority for car manufacturers, its prices have hit an all-time high.
Fortunately for Mexico, it has the ninth-largest lithium reserve in the world. The country estimates its Sonora lithium deposits value at more than $600 billion. Mexico’s total national debt amounted to $838 billion in 2022. According to Mexico Business News, the country could benefit from the growing demand for lithium.
With the demand for lithium only growing, Mexico could potentially change its fortune. The revenue gained from extracting lithium and selling it could hugely boost Mexico’s “stagnant economy.”
Potential Problems
Mexico has nationalized lithium. The reform effectively bans “all direct private investment and production in the lithium sector and creates a state-owned entity to extract, process and sell lithium.” The Mexican government was divided over the nationalization of lithium, some believing that the country would be unable to successfully extract and commercialize the metal itself.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has suggested private investment may be necessary due to the huge cost it will take. However, investors seem to show more interest in already established lithium markets, Reuters reports.
Whilst lithium prices have risen to $70,000 per tonne, Reuters understands that the clay deposits have largely trapped lithium in Mexico, making it difficult and expensive to mine. As a result, the lithium in Sonora has yet to see mining on a commercial scale.
Mexico in Crisis
Mexico is a country with high levels of corruption and drug trafficking. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) states that the drug cartels in Mexico are “fuelling the rampant corruption and violence in Mexico.”
According to a 2023 article, roughly 52% of Mexican citizens live in poverty. This amounts to 57 million people. This largely attributes to a “lack of access to education, health care and well-paying jobs.”
As a result, some of the public in Mexico resort to joining drug cartels or engaging in corruption to improve their lives. Since 2006, CFR believes there to have been more than 360,000 homicides in Mexico, many of which link to cartel activity.
If Mexico can capitalize on its lithium reserves, the financial gain could help fund improved access to education and health care, and improve the availability of well-paying jobs. By doing so, Mexico could start to improve its large poverty issues.
Benefits to Mexico
El Pais suggests the Mexican administration has taken steps to take over control of lithium in the country. By nationalizing lithium, the objective is to make it a strategic resource such as oil.
If the Mexican government can invest and learn how to efficiently mine lithium, the revenue it generates from the sale of lithium would be part of the national revenue. Therefore, benefiting the entire country by being able to redistribute a larger source of income to the areas most important.
The government could use the revenue to improve access to education. There is a clear link between “increased educational provision and decreased poverty.”
There is also a link between poverty and crime. “In Mexico, 27% of people between the age of 25 and 34 had a tertiary qualification in 2021, compared with 47% on average in OECD countries,” OECD reports. In 2019, the country spent a total of “$3,577 per full-time student through primary to tertiary institutions compared to $11,990 on average in OECD countries.” By improving access to education, Mexico may begin to decrease the levels of rampant crime and corruption in the country.
Foreign Investments
Mexico has allowed China’s Ganfeng Lithium to massively increase its lithium mining operation in Mexico. Ganfeng Lithium, a major supplier of Tesla’s lithium, is one of the world’s biggest miners of lithium, accounting for 24% of global output. With this increase in investment in Mexico, there is a chance for long-term sustainable jobs for many in Mexico.
The increased investment could help improve the average wage within Mexico with a larger amount of well-payed jobs on offer. Thus, reducing the desire for many to join illegal drug cartels that fuel the extreme levels of corruption in Mexico. According to Quartz, 5% of Mexico’s GDP is lost to corruption, this amounts to $53 billion. The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness stated that this would cover three times the amount Mexico spends on its Department of Education.
The Future
Whilst it is clear that Mexico’s troubles will not vanish overnight, the discovery of an in-demand material such as lithium in Mexico could be a glimmer of hope. The link between poverty and the ongoing corruption and violent crime in Mexico is apparent. Should Mexico start to exploit the significant amount of lithium the country possesses, the government has the ability to make real change to the lives of many Mexicans who lack access to education, health care and the ability to find a well-payed job. Doing so potentially limits the power of drug cartels who continue to make life in Mexico insufferable for many.
– Josef Whitehead
Photo: Unsplash
How Electric Vehicles Could Save Mexico
The electric vehicle market has grown fast. With more people opting to purchase environmentally friendly modes of transport. According to IEA, electric vehicle sales “reached a record high in 2021.” In 2021, around the world, there were up to 6.5 million electric vehicles sold. Sales nearly doubled the numbers set in 2020. J.P. Morgen has estimated that by 2025, “30% of all vehicle sales will be electric vehicles.” The shift from combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles is becoming more of a reality every year. General Motors has announced its plan to “exclusively offer electric vehicles by 2035.” The growing electric vehicle market may appear like a victory for consumers and even car manufacturers. However, the real winner may just be Mexico. This is how Mexico may gain from the exploding electric vehicle market.
How “White Gold” Could Be a Potential Savior
Often referred to as “white gold,” lithium is an essential material for the production of electric vehicle batteries. With the increase in the manufacturing of electric vehicles, Investing News (INN) has stated that lithium has caught the eye of Elon Musk, CEO of the electric car manufacturer Tesla. As lithium becomes an increasing priority for car manufacturers, its prices have hit an all-time high.
Fortunately for Mexico, it has the ninth-largest lithium reserve in the world. The country estimates its Sonora lithium deposits value at more than $600 billion. Mexico’s total national debt amounted to $838 billion in 2022. According to Mexico Business News, the country could benefit from the growing demand for lithium.
With the demand for lithium only growing, Mexico could potentially change its fortune. The revenue gained from extracting lithium and selling it could hugely boost Mexico’s “stagnant economy.”
Potential Problems
Mexico has nationalized lithium. The reform effectively bans “all direct private investment and production in the lithium sector and creates a state-owned entity to extract, process and sell lithium.” The Mexican government was divided over the nationalization of lithium, some believing that the country would be unable to successfully extract and commercialize the metal itself.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has suggested private investment may be necessary due to the huge cost it will take. However, investors seem to show more interest in already established lithium markets, Reuters reports.
Whilst lithium prices have risen to $70,000 per tonne, Reuters understands that the clay deposits have largely trapped lithium in Mexico, making it difficult and expensive to mine. As a result, the lithium in Sonora has yet to see mining on a commercial scale.
Mexico in Crisis
Mexico is a country with high levels of corruption and drug trafficking. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) states that the drug cartels in Mexico are “fuelling the rampant corruption and violence in Mexico.”
According to a 2023 article, roughly 52% of Mexican citizens live in poverty. This amounts to 57 million people. This largely attributes to a “lack of access to education, health care and well-paying jobs.”
As a result, some of the public in Mexico resort to joining drug cartels or engaging in corruption to improve their lives. Since 2006, CFR believes there to have been more than 360,000 homicides in Mexico, many of which link to cartel activity.
If Mexico can capitalize on its lithium reserves, the financial gain could help fund improved access to education and health care, and improve the availability of well-paying jobs. By doing so, Mexico could start to improve its large poverty issues.
Benefits to Mexico
El Pais suggests the Mexican administration has taken steps to take over control of lithium in the country. By nationalizing lithium, the objective is to make it a strategic resource such as oil.
If the Mexican government can invest and learn how to efficiently mine lithium, the revenue it generates from the sale of lithium would be part of the national revenue. Therefore, benefiting the entire country by being able to redistribute a larger source of income to the areas most important.
The government could use the revenue to improve access to education. There is a clear link between “increased educational provision and decreased poverty.”
There is also a link between poverty and crime. “In Mexico, 27% of people between the age of 25 and 34 had a tertiary qualification in 2021, compared with 47% on average in OECD countries,” OECD reports. In 2019, the country spent a total of “$3,577 per full-time student through primary to tertiary institutions compared to $11,990 on average in OECD countries.” By improving access to education, Mexico may begin to decrease the levels of rampant crime and corruption in the country.
Foreign Investments
Mexico has allowed China’s Ganfeng Lithium to massively increase its lithium mining operation in Mexico. Ganfeng Lithium, a major supplier of Tesla’s lithium, is one of the world’s biggest miners of lithium, accounting for 24% of global output. With this increase in investment in Mexico, there is a chance for long-term sustainable jobs for many in Mexico.
The increased investment could help improve the average wage within Mexico with a larger amount of well-payed jobs on offer. Thus, reducing the desire for many to join illegal drug cartels that fuel the extreme levels of corruption in Mexico. According to Quartz, 5% of Mexico’s GDP is lost to corruption, this amounts to $53 billion. The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness stated that this would cover three times the amount Mexico spends on its Department of Education.
The Future
Whilst it is clear that Mexico’s troubles will not vanish overnight, the discovery of an in-demand material such as lithium in Mexico could be a glimmer of hope. The link between poverty and the ongoing corruption and violent crime in Mexico is apparent. Should Mexico start to exploit the significant amount of lithium the country possesses, the government has the ability to make real change to the lives of many Mexicans who lack access to education, health care and the ability to find a well-payed job. Doing so potentially limits the power of drug cartels who continue to make life in Mexico insufferable for many.
– Josef Whitehead
Photo: Unsplash
Philanthropists Help Address COVID-19’s Impact on Nigeria
Philanthropists in Nigeria have played a pivotal role in addressing national emergencies, but the scope of their partnership widened beyond expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when families increasingly struggle to buy food due to low economic activities during the pandemic, such efforts are significantly crucial. Private sector institutions and wealthy individuals have donated large sums of money in an effort to mitigate COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria. The initiative, named Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) is one such endeavor, which raised well above N25.8 billion (approximately $620,192,307.6 at the time) as additional financial resources to complement the government’s effort.
Furthermore, Nigerians in the diaspora and other international donors contributed considerable money to support the government’s effort to address COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria. They made their contributions noticeable through a nonprofit organization called Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF). The NSSF, created in 2020 as a “multi-donor institutional mechanism” for raising funds for interventions in the health sector, uses its funds to target vulnerable groups and re-skilling the youths for post-COVID-19. The NSSF has been actively involved in vaccine advocacy campaigns and training health care workers in Nigeria.
Motivation
In Nigeria, charitable giving has strong ties to religious and cultural traditions. Both Christian and Islamic beliefs emphasize the importance of helping others. The glaring negative impact of the pandemic on individuals and households has invited the private sector to provide assistance in curbing the large-scale impact of COVID-19. This includes the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 CACOVID Fund, which delivers effective assistance to improving the public and private health sectors. Funds that CACOVID collected totaled $55.7 million, 5.1 million of which have been received via donations from the Central Bank.
According to a World Bank report on COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria, the strict measures adopted by the government to contain the virus, coupled with the declining prices of petroleum products, a significant earner of national income by 60%, brought hardship to most households. The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2022, also reported that about 133 million Nigerians, or 63%, are multi-dimensionally poor, compared to the pre-COVID period figure of about 80 million before the pandemic.
Implementation and Accountability
The government of Nigeria introduced a regulatory measure titled, Framework for the Management of COVID-19 Funds in Nigeria under the Treasury Single Account. The aim of this framework is to support adequate transparency pertaining to COVID-19 funds. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation containing $1 million, also supported Nigerians rebuilding and addressing the ramifications following COVID-19.
The public-private partnership model to address national emergencies is emerging as a regular pattern in Nigeria. In the second half of 2022, widespread flooding took place across the country, particularly in Benue state. The Dangote Flood Committee, which Mr. Aliko Dangote heads, helps flood victims across the country. During the late 2022 flooding incident, the committee raised a significant amount of money totaling N1.5 billion from philanthropists to provide relief and food resources to flood victims in the country. Such relief efforts are of particular significance, as UNICEF reports the destruction of 82,000 homes. This was in addition to the government’s efforts and the $21.4 million aid from the United States.
Public spiritedness, charity or philanthropy are emerging as extra tiers of solutions to national and global challenges. While citizens expect that governments assume primary responsibility, philanthropist partnerships with the government contribute hugely in relation to financial assistance to address COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria. This intervention brought immense relief to larger sections of the population beyond the scope that the government provided.
– Friday Okai
Photo: Flickr
Upholding the Rights of Fashion Industry Workers
Shopping retail can be overwhelming due to the options available. When making shopping choices, many might forget about fashion industry workers. Many fashion industry workers across the world face exploitation and violations of human rights, which often pushes them into poverty. Several organizations aim to uphold the rights of fashion industry workers through fair pay, safe working environments, reasonable working hours and more.
The Fashion Industry
The fashion industry had a 2019 estimate of $2.5 trillion global value. Yet, many fashion brands exploit and take advantage of fashion industry workers in developing nations.
The “minimum wage” in many manufacturing counties only covers a fraction of living costs. Furthermore, many workers do not receive the inadequate “minimum wage.” Workers have to endure 14 to 16 hours of work seven days a week. Additionally, the actual workplace conditions are unsafe and hazardous. It is common for there to be toxic matter present, fiber dust in the air, no ventilation and unsafe building structure.
These circumstances are not humane and prevent workers from breaking cycles of poverty. In 2018, the majority of the 75 million garment workers are women ages 18 to 35 who already face disadvantages due to gender inequality.
Trade
Global trade can help developing countries improve their economic growth. In 2017, estimates determined that the fast fashion industry would grow by 5.91% and reach $1,652.73 billion by 2020. This billion-dollar industry could make a difference in low-income countries since there is such value for the market. If companies begin to invest in second-hand items and create sustainable clothing designs by 2030, they could make a $192 billion profit. This would impact the global economy and potentially allow fashion industry workers in low-income countries to boost their economies.
Consuming Thoughtfully
Many know the fashion industry for its exploitation of workers through unsafe labor and low wages. One solution to this problem is through purchasing from companies that want to work with people who have historically experienced exploitation by unfair work practices in the fashion industry.
Pura Utz
This fair trade business has an emphasis on empowering women and breaking the cycle of poverty by employing women in Guatemala to create handmade jewelry in safe conditions and with a livable wage. The directors of Pura Utz created the business in 2018 and now have a staff of more than 50 women in Guatemala working full-time. They wanted to empower their employees and pay the women four times the market standard in Guatemala and the women receive bonuses twice a year. The directors also created safe standards by allowing flexibility in how much the women want to work since some employees might have other responsibilities. Furthermore, they can all work from home, which is especially helpful for women with domestic responsibilities. The work week is Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Pura Utz adopted a business strategy that upholds the rights of fashion industry workers.
Change Starts Now
This company works to create items for the fashion industry while still upholding the rights of fashion industry workers. Through these efforts, the workers receive the empowerment to break cycles of poverty. The workers are able to work with rights and in conditions that are safe while receiving an opportunity to rise out of poverty through fair wages and fair working policies.
– Ann Shick
Photo: Flickr
Countries Show How Stipends Can Reduce Poverty
One of the best ways to aid populations in financial need is using stipends. Niger, the Philippines and Kenya are three countries working to set an example of how stipends can reduce poverty and improve people’s financial status and general well-being.
Niger
The government of Niger has been giving money to those with the most economic need since 2012 and has seen the program change lives. Since the 1990s, researchers have tried to find the most effective way to relieve poverty for those in developing nations. Researchers conducted trials in Niger in which some participants received aid and others did not. The researchers gave benefactors different types of aid in the form of subsidizing materials or direct funds. Through the study, researchers found that stipends can reduce poverty. In the years after the 2012 program, approximately 100,000 households have been given 24 monthly payments of about $16. This money “more than doubled [the citizens’] typical spending power.”
The Philippines
In the Philippines, the government started a program in 2008 called the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps. Only certain groups are eligible for the stipends, but in 2019, more than 4 million households benefited. One of the requirements of the program is that the beneficiary household’s children must be enrolled in school and attend school 85% of the time. The stipends can reduce poverty, but these educational requirements help individuals as well. Although families can only be eligible for the program for seven years, many see it as extremely helpful in the Philippines.
Kenya
Kenya implemented a program similar to the stipend program in Niger and saw visible success. There is often a fear that when people in poverty receive stipends, they will choose not to work or use the increased income to purchase vices like alcohol instead of necessities. The research that occurred in Kenya showed that stipends gave citizens more free time. From 2011 to 2013, groups of 250 people received about $400 in one payment or through nine equal allotments. Economists found that those who had the payment upfront typically used it for durable goods and the smaller payments often went toward food. The economic activity and overall well-being of both groups increased.
Moreover, research that occurred from 2011 to 2013 found that when more than 10,500 households received $1,000 stipends across 653 randomized villages, the economic benefits helped everyone, including those who did not receive the stipend. This research is limited in scale but shows that stipends can also indirectly reduce poverty.
Economic Value
Overall, the economic value of stipends has been very successful. The examples of Niger, the Philippines and Kenya show how the simple concept of stipends opens up the possibility for a better future. Because stipends can reduce poverty, countries can expand these programs through further research and extend accessibility so more people receive benefits. In the Philippines, families are limited to receiving cash transfers for seven years and it can be hard to qualify. In Kenya, research needs to keep happening on larger scales to show the multitude of benefits. Ultimately, these three examples show the success of stipends in helping those struggling amid poverty.
Photo: Flickr
How Baby Grubz is Combating Malnutrition in Nigeria
Baby Grubz is a Nigerian baby food company that produces food inspired by traditional Nigerian flavors while using local ingredients. Nigerian computer scientist Seun Sangoleye founded Baby Grubz while seeking more nutritious food for her son. Although it may produce a small footprint in combating malnutrition in Nigeria, Baby Grubz is an example of the impact small businesses can have on poverty in their communities.
Malnutrition in Nigeria
According to UNICEF, approximately “2 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).” SAM is especially prevalent in the northeastern regions of Nigeria, which have faced food insecurity due to the regional “rampage” of Boko Haram, according to Al Jazeera. The conflict, which has persisted since 2009, remains to have an effect on food stockpiles in the area, which has led to malnutrition among children in the area — and the problem is only getting worse. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Association (FAO) found that 42.1% of households in three northeastern Nigerian states have “insufficient food intake,” compared to 37.8% in 2021.
A Small Business Solution
Sangoleye founded Baby Grubz upon learning that there were limited options for locally produced, nutritious baby food. She sought to create a “new and nutritious, pocket and family-friendly” alternative to imported baby food products.
“I started Baby Grubz out of a desire for good health for my son but my discoveries about the alarming malnutrition crisis pushed me to continue,” as reported on the Baby Grubz website. She also said that her experience of living in a rural neighborhood opened her eyes to the common struggle and that she decided that her business would “alleviate poverty and provide maximum nutrition at the best prices for the masses.” Her product achieves this by using locally sourced ingredients that are high in malnutrition-tackling vitamins. By using local ingredients, her product also has a small yet positive impact on the local economy.
Infrastructure and COVID-19’s Effects
Baby Grubz’s journey to achieving Sangoleye’s goals of combating malnutrition in Nigeria has faced significant hurdles, however. Infrastructure instability in Nigeria is proving a tricky factor in succeeding as a business. Sangoleye explained to How We Made It in Africa that it is difficult to transport her product throughout the country and that her business uses diesel-powered generators in order to avoid power shortages — a quite costly solution.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit Nigerian businesses hard, with “at least two-thirds” of Nigerian businesses closing down as a result, according to the UNDP. Baby Grubz experienced these effects too, with Sangoleye having to lay off some of her employees. The company’s workforce comprises 95% women, a population that has seen a dropping labor participation rate in the last decade. In Nigeria, 48% of women were part of the national workforce in 2021, compared to a peak of 57% that was reached between 1993-2011.
A Bright Future
Despite these hurdles, Sangoleye continues to pursue her fight against child malnutrition in Nigeria, as well as female empowerment. As economies around the world continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Sangoleye has started hiring again and has no plans to stop, according to How We Made It in Africa. While international organizations like the U.N. and numerous NGOs work on combating malnutrition in Nigeria, Baby Grubz presents a small yet effective solution to combating malnutrition on a local level, while boosting the economy by using locally grown ingredients and hiring workers from the surrounding community.
– Mohammad Samhouri
Photo: Flickr
Drought-Resistant Grains Boost Food Production in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in south-eastern Africa, frequently suffers from the effects of seasonal droughts. For example, during the 2019 agricultural season, Zimbabwe endured a particularly devastating drought resulting in more than 5 million rural Zimbabweans experiencing food insecurity and nearly 4 million requiring food assistance. On top of issues of food insecurity that lower yields caused, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate rose to rates above 190% in June 2021, resulting in a higher overall cost of living throughout the country. Additionally, the price of maize has risen by more than 50% since the beginning of 2021. Luckily, drought-resistant grains are boosting food production in Zimbabwe.
How the Zimbabwean Government is Assisting Farmers
To solve the problem of lower yield due to maize not being able to withstand drought conditions, the Zimbabwean government has begun assisting farmers in the transition to farming smaller drought-resistant grains like sorghum and millet. This transition has resulted in food production increases in Zimbabwe, though it has not been easy for many farmers, as these smaller grains require more work to keep up. The small-grain crops attract birds, making a protection system essential to guard their crops. Moreover, when harvested, small-grain crops require more labor-intensive processing. Additionally, because the farmers have stopped farming as much maize, they have subsequently become unable to produce the corn necessary to make many staple Zimbabwean foods.
Responsive Drip Irrigation
Responsive Drip Irrigation is aiding farmers with an innovative irrigation system that helps crop production in drought conditions. It developed an irrigation system that reacts to the crops’ chemicals to determine when the plants need water. Of course, innovative technology such as Responsive Drip Irrigation is expensive and therefore difficult to make available to many Zimbabwean farmers. Nevertheless, in August 2021, Responsive Drip Irrigation began working with smallholder farms to help encourage food production increases in Zimbabwe.
The CAWEP Program
Additionally, in December 2022, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced the implementation of a new three-year initiative to make water more accessible throughout rural Zimbabwe. The CAWEP program allocated $14.8 million to increase access to water for various household uses, improve access to clean and affordable energy, and refurbish current irrigation systems. CAWEP should eventually connect as many as 12,500 people to electricity, assist 150,000 people with accessing water and establish more than 100 hectares of land as workable agricultural property. By making water more accessible to these rural Zimbabwean farmers, the UNDP hopes to increase food production in Zimbabwe.
The World Food Programme (WFP)
Finally, the World Food Programme (WFP) has also worked to provide support for rural Zimbabwean farmers in the face of probable climate shocks such as prevalent droughts. as of November 2022, the WFP has provided nearly 10,000 metric tons of food, more than $420,000 worth of cash-based transfers and has reached close to 500,000 people with these cash transfers. As of December 2022, the WFP provided more than 550,000 people with emergency food assistance.
The Road Ahead
Though frequently facing the brunt of powerful droughts and an ever-growing inflation rate, food production is slowly increasing in Zimbabwe as farmers shift to more sustainable crops and receive help from humanitarian organizations such as the WFP and the UNDP.
– Chris Dickinson
Photo: Flickr
Drop Access Brings Sustainable Solutions to Kenya
Addressing the world’s most pressing needs through sustainable solutions is one of the greatest challenges human beings currently face as a collective species. Drop Access, a Kenyan-based women and youth-led NGO that legally incorporated in 2019, works to spark change in rural and grassroots communities by improving access to renewable energy and educational programs. The co-founder and CEO of Drop Access Norah Magero and her team conceptualize and manufacture many of the organization’s solutions in-house. Here is some information about the sustainable solutions that Drop Access is bringing to Kenya.
Challenges with Medical Access
Across Southeast Kenya, rural areas like Kamboo and Yindilani are positioned far from the nearest town and electricity grid, with poor roads for connection. Without a steady supply of electricity, the health facilities across these areas face limits in the services providable, and as such, many residents struggle to meet their basic medical needs.
Media outlet Nigeria Health Watch reported in late 2022 an instance where a facility could not offer maternity services due to the inability to store oxytocin, a peptide hormone administered during labor, because of the low temperatures the drug requires in storage and the lack of cold storage facilities on the premises.
This inadequacy was extremely significant during the COVID-19 pandemic when immunization efforts fell below average as facilities could not store enough vaccines to administer to the population on demand. According to data from the World Bank, in 2019, Kenya spent 4.59% of its GDP on health services, a significant decline from 6.12%, not even a decade earlier in 2010, perhaps offering a reason why medical facilities across rural areas of the country endure shortages and inadequacies.
The VacciBox
In response to these challenges, Magero, through Drop Access, tested the VacciBox, a solar-powered portable fridge. With solar panels on the lid, one can mount the box on a motorcycle, bike or boat for transport while the panels harness solar power along the journey. The design includes an integrated digital feature, gathering data and tracking the supply and dispensation of the contents stored, ensuring more informed and effective immunization efforts.
Drop Access ran a pilot project with Usungu Dispensary, a fully off-grid health facility in Makueni County. Initially, the health facility ran biweekly vaccine transports to the dispensary and returned the supplies to the county hospital at the end of the day. The VacciBox has enabled the dispensary to store more than 1,000 vaccines onsite, a development associated with an exceptional growth of 45% in immunization rates across the area.
Agricultural Efforts
The remote struggle extends beyond the lack of access to basic health care resources. Initially, Magero and the team modeled the VacciBox in response to farmers’ concerns regarding supply chain issues. The prototype emerged to enable more reliable transport of perishable goods, particularly milk, with the cold storage allowing for longer travel periods without the milk spoiling. Each VacciBox can carry up to 50 liters of product, preventing food waste in crucial areas and ensuring an overall more efficient supply chain system that offers safer delivery and consumption of food.
In August 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a $123.7 million appeal to tackle the food crisis in the greater Horn of Africa. Seven nations in the region, including Kenya, are experiencing food insecurity on an unprecedented scale.
As of June 2022, more than 37 million people are experiencing levels of food insecurity so severe that people are forgoing essential livelihood assets and turning to other crisis-coping strategies to feed their families as malnutrition is prevalent. Low income, high prices as a result of shortages, drought and supply chain issues contribute to these crisis levels of hunger.
Drop Access hosts workshops to develop and enhance agricultural practices across Kenya. Extremely impactful work, targeting what PricewaterhouseCoopers calls the “the backbone of Kenya’s economy,” agriculture makes up 80% of Kenya’s workforce. Through educational programs informing farmers on innovative and sustainable solutions, the aim is to sustainably increase production levels. The organization aims to educate and inform agricultural workers on the technological developments in the sector and how best to integrate these into their practices.
Education
Education initiatives extend beyond agricultural training and innovation. Drop Access aims to provide renewable energy to marginalized and remote communities through hosted training sessions outlining solar-powered systems, where community members can learn how to use readily available and locally sourced materials to build personal solar-powered systems.
Drop Access provides further guidance and technical support to institutions such as schools, health care clinics and community centers to install such systems. The success of the initiatives has seen increased outreach by Drop Access, which now targets individuals and households to help them integrate renewable energy sources into their day-to-day lives. As an organization, Drop Access’ efforts and initiatives are broad, yet all draw lifeblood from a common denominator: sustainability.
The work of Drop Access and Magero represents far more than an NGO offering environmentally conscious solutions to the most pressing problems communities can face. The efforts toward sustainable solutions are a testament to the environmental awareness of the younger generation and their commitment to playing a role in addressing global issues through innovation.
– Bojan Ivancic
Photo: Flickr
The 3 Deadliest Noncommunicable Diseases
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) occur due to “genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors.” They are not diseases you can get after touching or being in close contact with someone, but they occur after getting a communicable virus or illness that develops. Common NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. In developing nations, NCDs cause 41 million deaths (74% of all deaths globally) per year. NCDs affect all people, but primarily those who have unhealthy diets, are physically inactive, smoke or excessively drink alcohol. The risks are higher in developing nations where unhealthy lifestyles such as high blood pressure, glucose, fat in the blood and obesity have become more prominent.
3 Deadliest Noncommunicable Diseases
Looking Ahead
While people can treat these deadliest noncommunicable diseases, many developing nations cannot afford treatment and lack adequate professional health services. Noncommunicable diseases are long-lasting and can cause suffering with symptoms constantly worsening. According to WHO, every two seconds, a noncommunicable disease kills someone under the age of 70. Currently, 14 of 194 countries that NCDs affect are on target to reach “sustainable development goals” and decrease mortality rates by 2030, preventing nearly 30 million deaths. However, only 5% of outside support goes toward preventing and controlling NCDs, where they are often “overlooked and underfunded.”
To detect, screen and treat NCDs, professional health care services need a drastic improvement. The Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030 focuses on the role of governments and stakeholders in reducing and monitoring risk factors and building policies accordingly. For instance, many sectors, such as finance, education and agriculture, need improvement to prevent and control NCDs. In 2019, WHO extended the Global Action Plan from 2013 to 2030 and set nine global targets.
NCDs Around the World
According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), 550 million people globally are reported to suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD) as of 2019. Asia and Australasia account for 310 million of these cases, with Uzbekistan recording the highest mortality rate. WHO has a focused plan on all NCDs affecting Uzbekistan. As part of its cost-effective preventative measures, the government has tightened laws regarding the use of tobacco as well as salt and alcohol consumption. In addition, there are campaigns to encourage people to become more physically active. Screenings for CVD and diabetes will see an improvement as well as treatment for those who are high risk, new cases and ongoing cases.
In 2020, there were 18,094,716 cancer cases across the globe, with Denmark topping the list in terms of the number of cases. However, the highest mortality rates were in Mongolia. WHO’s 2020 to 2024 plan for decreasing cervical cancer has three primary targets: to vaccinate 90% of girls aged 15 against HPV, to screen 70% of women twice by 35 to 45 with 90% of treatment and support managing 90% of women who have invasive cervical cancer.
Possible Solutions
Globally, 545 million people suffered from a chronic respiratory disease in 2017, according to The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, which has seen an increase of 39.8% compared to 1990. COPD and asthma are the leading causes of mortality rates, especially in South Asia.
In order to diagnose NCDs, the fundamental factors require improvement first. For example, improving NCD data, research capacity and funding such as collaborating with other countries and organizations to produce better services, creating factually-correct strategies, and improving health technology. While there is no treatment-based plan, following SDG Target 3.4 could reduce one-third of premature deaths by 2030.
– Deanna Barratt
Photo: Flickr
How Women in the Chivi District Are Reducing Poverty
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa. It is a member of the United Nations, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. Many know it for its gold and agriculture-based economy as well as its status of being a tourist destination. The Chivi district, specifically, is a district located in the Masvingo province of Zimbabwe. This district is known for being quite arid and prone to drought. Natural disasters and changing weather patterns have exacerbated the arid climate and drought in the region.
While changing weather patterns and environmental disasters have been negatively affecting the area, women have been working to combat the more unfavorable effects, such as poverty. A 2012 study on the Chivi District shows that around 33.8% of people in the district suffer from chronic malnutrition. Malnutrition is one of the effects of extreme poverty that women in the district are aiming to combat. This article will focus on the role of women in the Chivi district in battling the effects of poverty and the challenges they face in their mission.
The Role of Women in Rural Economies
Overall, women play an important role in developing countries. A study by Hilda Jaka and Elvin Shava has explained that in more rural countries, such as Zimbabwe, women contribute greatly to the reduction of poverty. They help reduce poverty by making important improvements to rural economies. These improvements often come in the form of livelihoods as farm laborers or wage laborers. They also manage and operate complex households and families. Depending on the region, rural women often work in different sectors of agriculture. In the case of the Chivi district, women uphold the economy through their work in irrigation and pottery.
The Role of Women in Chivi
With a population of 90,170 women and 75,879 men in the district, women make up a larger portion of the population in Chivi. Women in this region often spend the majority of their time working on unpaid chores that are necessary for survival. During cropping season in Chivi, women often tend to contribute by working in irrigation. During the agricultural off-season times, many of the women in Chivi are focused on tasks such as pottery, crocheting, sewing and beer-brewing as means to earn extra income for their families. The work of women in this region contributes greatly to the overall economy as they play key roles in society by providing for their families and communities.
Challenges That Women in Chivi are Facing
Although women play an elemental role in the region’s economy, there are still a number of challenges that they face. One of the main challenges women face in this region is the lack of access to competitive markets. The local Chivi government does not provide ready markets, so women often have to travel to other areas in order to sell their goods (pottery, cloth, etc.). There is no direct transport to these areas so women oftentimes have to walk many miles each day. Changing climate patterns is another problem that women in the area are facing. Environmental disasters, in general, have made it harder for agriculture, which is one of the main means of livelihood for women in the region. These cause high temperatures that negatively impact crop production. Women in Chivi are also not very educated about this matter and have no tools to mitigate it.
Conclusion
Women play a large part in the Chivi district and its economy. Whether working as a laborer in agriculture or making pottery and other sellable goods, women are doing something to help their local economy year-round. While they do face challenges such as a lack of education about changing climate patterns and limited access to competitive markets, they still manage to contribute greatly to society. Their contributions to society not only aid their community and family but also helps in reducing global poverty.
– Timothy Ginter
Photo: Flickr
Updates on SDG 1 in Qatar: Will the World Cup Reduce Poverty?
The first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is for countries to eliminate poverty. Qatar is an interesting case. While it is the second richest country in the world with an excess of riches through its oil wealth, its kafala sponsorship system has created a great disparity between its migrant population and native Qataris. The kafala system is a labor system that is a predominant culprit of poor living conditions in Qatar. Unfortunately, little data exists on updates on SDG 1 in Qatar. On the whole, Qatar has made some progress in recent years in tackling poverty, and this has been centered around fixing a broken labor system. Since Qatar won the World Cup bid back in 2010, its overall SDG rating has increased from 62.83 in 2010 to an updated score of 66.8 in 2022.
Perhaps the most positive impact of the World Cup came before the tournament commenced. In 2021, the Qatari government announced the implementation of a new increased universal minimum wage. The U.N.’s International Labor Organization (ILO) has said that this will benefit more than 400,000 workers.
Reality
However, as reports have widely stated, many of Qatar’s advancements in labor rights have not been unanimous. There remain reports of foreign workers, which make up 95% of the working population, receiving less than $1 an hour despite the legislative progress.
Under the kafala system, many foreign workers pay a fee to come to Qatar to work. This has been the primary reason for a lack of progress on SDG 1 in Qatar. Workers must work off this fee and often experience uncompromising working conditions, with 12-hour days and no days off. Another often-underreported dimension of this includes the abuse of female workers who take jobs as live-in maids and are extremely vulnerable.
Possible Solutions
Hosting a World Cup is a tremendous commitment and something that requires a variety of complex infrastructure. Qatar has built a new airport, metro system, hundreds of new hotels and multiple new modern stadiums. This has had a direct impact on SDG 8 as economic growth steadily increases and unemployment decreases.
Approximately 20,000 workers have come under the guise of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the committee that oversaw the planning and building of the World Cup, reflecting a massive surge in employment. There have clearly been transgressions in working conditions during the preparation for the tournament, with concerning reports of worker deaths. However, there is also hope that the building of this infrastructure will trickle down and benefit the entire population.
Similarly, Amnesty International has devised a comprehensive 10-point plan to reform the labor system. This plan reflects how many of the reforms Qatar has made to its kafala system are not far-reaching enough, but with further revisions, foreign workers can have protection and enjoy greater autonomy. For instance, the government changed a law that previously meant that workers had to ask their employers’ permission to leave Qatar in 2020. Now, workers must still inform their employers.
The work of Amnesty International has influenced progress, with an expose in June 2020 surrounding the building of the Al Bayt stadium and its subpar working conditions leading to much international outcry. One can see the progress that occurred in labor reform thereafter as a direct consequence of the NGO’s investigation.
Looking Ahead
Overall, unfortunately, there is a lack of data surrounding poverty levels and SDG 1 in Qatar. Much of the data that the government released only includes native Qatari who enjoy great benefits from the government. It remains evident that migrant workers bear the brunt of poverty, and it has been reported that Bangladeshi workers, for instance, can earn as little as $275 a month.
– Claudia Dooley
Photo: Unsplash