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5 Things to Know About the Hunger Crisis in Myanmar

Hunger Crisis in MyanmarOngoing crises throughout the world such as inflation and social unrest have left many of the poorest populations in even more vulnerable situations. Myanmar is an example of one country that is grappling with numerous crises resulting in a dramatic rise in hunger levels. Here are five things to know about the hunger crisis in Myanmar.

5 Things to Know About the Hunger Crisis in Myanmar

  1. Political Takeover: In February 2021, the former ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), was overthrown by the military in a coup de tat. The civil unrest initially started with peaceful protests but gradually escalated to riots and, subsequently, a retaliatory response by the military. The situation progressed to the point where the military was destroying whole towns at any sign of dissidence. This unstable political state displaced over 1 million people and forced millions more into poverty.
  2. Food Shortages: The need for humanitarian aid in Myanmar has grown at an exponential rate since the military coup. As of 2022, more than 25% of people in the country are food insecure. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 13.2 million Burmese do not know where their next meal will come from and the food that they do get is insufficient in meeting their nutritional needs.
  3. Impact of the Pandemic: Myanmar is still reeling from the economic impact of COVID-19. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the nation lost between 6.4 and 9.0 trillion Kyat ($3.04 billion and $4.29 billion) due to a lack of production in 2020. To compound the effect, the World Bank projected the economy contracted by 18% in 2021. These economic pitfalls have played significantly into the ongoing hunger crisis in Myanmar.
  4. Children: The hunger crisis plaguing the nation especially affects children. The U.N. reports almost 8 million children are out of school across Myanmar and 250,000 are internally displaced. In addition, roughly 33,000 could die in 2022 due to preventable causes such as lack of immunizations and malnutrition. Furthermore, children also end up as political ploys with hundreds currently being held as political prisoners. In addition, over 1,400 children faced arrest without justifiable cause since the 2021 coup.
  5. International Aid: The international community has acknowledged that the crisis in Myanmar is far from over. In March 2022, the United States pledged $152 million to help alleviate the suffering of countless Burmese. Myanmar will allocate this funding to the provision of basic needs and help the displaced individuals find their way back home.

Food crises continue to run rampant across the world. The road ahead is not smooth or easily traversable by any means, but countries and organizations remain committed to providing aid to those in dire circumstances. As long as there is awareness, there is hope.

– Alex Peterson
Photo: Flickr

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Period Poverty in the Dominican Republic  

Period Poverty in the Dominican Republic Joining the fight to tackle period poverty in the Dominican Republic, Batey Relief Alliance, a nonprofit organization in the Dominican Republic, worked with Always, a famous American brand of menstrual products, to distribute pads to Dominican women through their #ChicaAyudaChica campaign.

Period Poverty and its Effects

According to UNFPA, “period poverty describes the struggle many low-income women and girls face while trying to afford menstrual products.” Though period poverty is a global issue, it is more prevalent in countries where women are disproportionately impacted by economic hardship. In the Dominican Republic, while the poverty rate is 3% higher for women compared to men, it is also important to note that “40% of women [carry] out unpaid work at home.”

Societal norms limit many Dominican women to domestic work rather than professional occupations. Women in rural Dominican Republic who do work often earn a total of $1 per day when the average package of pads costs $3, making it near impossible for them to afford the products. Thus, the cycle of period poverty persists.

Along with financial difficulties, women also struggled to access menstrual products due to COVID-19, as shown in a survey conducted in 30 countries including the Dominican Republic. Per the survey, 73% of health professionals noted that increased shortages and disrupted supply chains restricted women from buying menstrual products. In addition, 68% of health professionals highlighted that there was limited access to “facilities to change, clean and dispose of period products.”

Without access to sanitary products, most girls fear they will bleed through their clothing and be seen as “unclean” or “dirty” due to the taboo placed around periods and sexual health. In response, some girls trade sexual favors for money to pay for their menstrual products, while others simply stay home from school. These absences lead to lasting negative effects as these girls sometimes miss out on their education or drop out altogether.

How Batey Relief Alliance is Helping Dominican Women

Batey Relief Alliance is a non-political nonprofit founded in 1997 that addresses extreme poverty for women, children and families across the Americas and the Caribbean. In 2021, the organization revealed that 20% of Dominican girls in rural areas missed an average of 2-3 days of school monthly due to lack of access to menstrual products. Overall, a UNICEF report notes that only 56.7% of Dominican girls complete high school.

In response to period poverty in the Dominican Republic, the organization partnered with Always and a famous supermarket chain in the Dominican Republic called La Sirena to launch the ChicaAyudaChica campaign on April 6, 2022. The ChicaAyudaChica, or GirlHelpsGirl campaign is a response to the financial strain the pandemic placed on low-income families. The initiative grew using platforms like Twitter and Facebook to reach a bigger audience. By the end of the month, Always donated 20,000 sanitary pads to girls who lived in the rural province of Monte Plata, the seventh poorest town in the Dominican Republic.

Moving Forward

Even though the campaign is over, Always continues the fight against period poverty through its ongoing #EndPeriodPoverty movement, using social media as a tool to spread the word. As awareness of period poverty and its effects increases, the more young girls and women can gain control over their well-being and future economic opportunities.

– Blanly Rodriguez
Photo: Flickr

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Cafeterias Address Child Poverty in Japan

Children’s Cafeterias in JapanWhile Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world, the country has a pressing issue to solve — child poverty. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2017, Japan’s child income poverty rate stood at 16.3%, 2.9% greater than other OECD countries. To tackle this issue and meet the needs of children, some Japanese volunteers have set up children’s cafeterias in Japan, also known as Kodomo-Shokudo.

3 Facts About Child Poverty in Japan

  1. Single mothers face higher rates of household poverty. There is a link between child poverty and single parenting. In Japan, children from single-parent households tend to live in poverty because household incomes are relatively lower for this demographic and particularly low for single mothers. While this phenomenon is not exclusive to Japan, the country’s notable gender inequality between men and women is unusual for a developed country. In the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report of 2022, Japan did not make it into the top 100 — it ranked 116th out of 146 countries. In terms of the gender pay gap, the average monthly income for female full-time employees stood at 251,800 yen in 2020 ($2,359) in contrast to 338,800 yen ($3,174) for male employees.
  2. Education links to poverty. There is a correlation between child poverty, parents’ economic status and education. Research shows that the lower a household’s income is, the less likely the parents are to prioritize and value the education of their children. This trickles down, and as a result, these children feel less motivated to continue their education. This continues the cycle of poverty as education is a proven path out of poverty.
  3. Child poverty is an invisible issue. In Japan, child poverty is an obscured problem. In fact, anything related to poverty tends to be hidden. “Fear of being seen as disadvantaged in a society that values the appearance of financial security means poverty in Japan is largely hidden from view,” The Guardian reports. As a result of the stigma associated with poverty, many impoverished families ensure in every way possible that their children have a well-to-do appearance. Consequently, this misleads others into thinking poverty is not a reality in Japan and has led to the government’s underestimation of the seriousness of child poverty.

A Solution: Children’s Cafeterias

To address the issue of child poverty in Japan, a vegetable shop owner, Hiroko Kondo, came up with a practical solution – children’s cafeterias. Kondo established the first cafeteria in 2012. The story goes: a primary school teacher told Kondo that a particular student “had only a banana to eat for the day besides school lunch because his single mother was sick.” After hearing this, Kondo decided to open a cafeteria for disadvantaged children in her neighborhood and offered them low-cost but nutritious dinners twice a month.

The Impact

Kondo’s initiative has inspired many volunteers in Japan, leading to an uptick in children’s cafeterias in the country. By 2019, Japan noted 3,718 children’s cafeterias, a 62% increase from 2018. Interestingly, every children’s canteen operates differently. For instance, while one canteen opens between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. every Monday, giving free meals for children, another “opens from 5.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday each month,” offering 300 yen ($2.07) dinners for children and adults.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children’s cafeterias were able to keep their doors open. Some volunteers, however, changed the style of operation. Instead of providing meals in cafeterias, they made boxed lunches for children to collect.

Overall, child poverty is an issue in Japan that authorities often neglect. To tackle the problem, individuals like Hiroko Kondo took the initiative in 2012 by opening the first children’s cafeterias in Japan to offer needy children nutritious meals at discounted prices. More importantly, Kondo’s action has created a ripple effect — helping to address child poverty in Japan on a broader scale.

– Mimosa Ngai
Photo: Flickr

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Germany’s Efforts to Curb Energy Poverty

Energy PovertyGermany has typically received most of its oil and gas imports from Russia, being more reliant on them than any other EU country. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, these imports have plummeted, through EU sanctions and pipeline closures by Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy conglomerate. Germany has further committed to ending all reliance on fuel from Russia by 2024. Making this transition quickly is a monumental task, compounded by worldwide inflation and the lingering effects of the pandemic. As Germany’s energy market struggles to maintain affordable fuel for its citizens, many Germans are at risk of falling into energy poverty. Many different solutions are needed to combat this issue, such as reducing fuel usage, restructuring affordability, and finding alternative uses for fuel.

The German Gas Market

Natural gas accounts for 27% of Germany’s energy. Before the Ukrainian invasion, 55% of it came from Russia. EU sanctions and the partial closure of the Russian-owned Nord Stream pipeline has caused significant disruption to Germany’s energy market. Since natural gas is mainly used in Germany for heating homes and other buildings, there is a risk of many Germans falling into energy poverty this coming winter.

Energy Poverty in Germany

Energy poverty is when the cost of purchasing energy impacts one’s ability to cover other bills and expenses, or when a reduction in energy consumption impacts mental and physical health. One in four Germans are currently energy impoverished, up from one in six in 2018. The poor and disenfranchised are far more likely than others to slip into energy poverty. A member of Germany’s lower-middle class is now twice as likely to fall under the “energy poor” category compared to only one year ago. The German government is scrambling to ease the pressure of increasing prices for suppliers and consumers.

Germany’s Efforts to Curb Energy Poverty

One of Germany’s efforts to curb energy poverty is through reducing the use of natural gas, through both energy-saving measures and switching to different fuels. Most public buildings are lowering their thermostats, and monuments will no longer be lit at night. Heated swimming pools are banned. Germans are being encouraged to take cold showers. The government is also reducing taxes on other forms of fuel, giving discounts to people who switch to public transportation, and reopening old coal power plants.

Another measure in Germany’s efforts to curb energy poverty is a new gas levy, or tax, for consumers, which will be in place from October 2022 through April 2024. While this will alleviate the pressure of surging prices from suppliers to help them remain solvent, there are concerns that it will push many vulnerable Germans into energy poverty. To counteract this, the government is giving subsidies to low-income households and households with children.

The German government is also shoring up gas reserves for the winter, when need will be the highest. As of early September 2022, gas reserves had reached 80% capacity, which is much earlier than expected. The filled gas reserves will help stabilize the supply during the winter, and reduce the risk of people becoming energy impoverished.

The subsidies, gas reserves, and the cutting of gas usage will save thousands from pressures of gas usage, and ease some of the burdens off the market. Reduced market burdens will give Germany’s efforts to curb energy poverty the time to stabilize the market, stop German citizens from falling into energy poverty, and lift those who have out.

– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr

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Yemen Uses Rainwater Harvesting to Fight Water Crisis

Yemen uses rainwater harvestingThe ongoing water scarcity crisis in Yemen continues to grow. Currently, the country stands as one of the most water-scarce regions in the world. With conflict and climate change making it increasingly harder to obtain fresh water sources, access to safe drinking water is a major concern for people living in Yemen. The World Bank and its partners started a promising project where Yemen uses rainwater harvesting techniques to provide accessible and clean drinking water to local people.

Yemen’s Water Crisis

Yemen is a water-stressed region, and the ongoing conflict has significantly exacerbated the crisis. A rapidly depleting store of groundwater resources in Yemen is negatively impacting the country’s economy, which mainly relies on irrigated agriculture. The International Committee of the Red Cross reports that Yemen’s groundwater overdraft is twice the recharge rate, resulting in declining and unsustainable water reserves. Moreover, the Yemeni Civil War has significantly disrupted crucial infrastructure. The displacement of 4.2 million people in Yemen and extreme water mismanagement have worsened the water crisis.

The United States Agency for International Development states that about 20.7 million people in Yemen lack clean water and essential health services, leading to several dangerous diseases such as cholera. Outbreaks of cholera and acute watery diarrhea have been major health problems in Yemeni communities since the outbreaks began in October 2016. According to the Red Cross, approximately 2.5 million cases have been reported, with more than 4,000 deaths in the Yemen cholera outbreak.

Rainwater Harvesting Solution

With 60% of Yemenis living in rural areas, the country’s biggest infrastructural challenge is providing water access to remote communities. According to the World Bank, people in Yemen undergo hardship in gathering water for daily use by traveling to far-off wells.  The World Bank and its partners collaborated with Yemeni communities to build rainwater harvesting systems.

Rainwater harvesting is not a complex process. Cisterns are built, usually from stones or other materials easily accessible in Yemeni villages, and placed on roofs to collect rainwater. The collaborative effort constructed numerous cisterns in three towns: Al-Adn, Al-Anin and Hawf. The project resulted in the villages being able to store large quantities of water that was free of contaminants.

Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting cisterns have provided safe drinking water and resulted in employment opportunities for locals. The World Bank offered cash-for-work programs in villages, allowing locals to build cisterns and gain valuable work experience. Cisterns have also eased the burden on the women and children in the villages. Haliya Al-Jahal, one of the women the World Bank interviewed, said, “We no longer have to go through the struggle of fetching water from remote areas.” The cisterns, as Al-Jahal states, have “put an end to [their] misery.”

The Future of the Program

The Yemen Emergency Crisis Response Project (YECRP) has supported the construction of about 1,279 public and 30,686 household harvesting cisterns across Yemen. This has resulted in providing 900,000 cubic meters of clean water to communities. YECRP has shown more promising results where Yemen uses rainwater harvesting to improve areas such as public health, agricultural production and economic gains.

– Umaima Munir
Photo: Flickr

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Localized Aid Efforts in Haiti

Localized Aid Efforts in HaitiA 2021 survey found that Haitians want to play a bigger decision-making role in the delivery of humanitarian aid to ensure its effectiveness. The majority of respondents not only want to see more localized aid in Haiti but greater transparency in aid distribution.

More Aid Needed Amid Latest Natural Disaster in Haiti

In August 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti in the southern peninsula, leaving hundreds of thousands needing emergency assistance. A month after the earthquake struck, Ground Truth Solutions conducted a survey in partnership with The New Humanitarian. Their goal was to interview locals grievously affected by the disaster and their response to foreign aid and humanitarian efforts. After gaining feedback from 1,251 local Haitians, data found that those surveyed felt humanitarian aid “fell short of their expectations.”

Long-Term Needs for Localized Aid

The survey found that humanitarian aid for emergencies and other dire disasters often does not align with locals’ “long-term (or even medium-term) priorities.” Only 14% of respondents said they understood how decisions were made regarding who would receive aid and who would not. Additionally, 64% of respondents said that this type of emergency aid does not help their communities sustain an independent development pathway.

Additional responses affirm that Haitians want autonomous development and decision-making in the form of localized aid. They prefer programs that support the independent growth of their communities and oppose the idea of becoming overly dependent on foreign aid. While the survey showed that respondents overwhelmingly support the belief that “Haitians themselves, not foreign aid, should help each other in future disasters,” respondents concurrently felt that foreign assistance does little to prepare local communities for autonomous development.

The Atteindre (Attain) Project

One of the projects already implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development that prioritizes community inclusion and localized aid in Haiti is the Atteindre (Attain) Project. In partnership with Mennonite Economic Development Associates, this project intends to help empower small local businesses in Haiti; funds will go toward supporting small businesses “develop business plans, access bank loans, [and] become formalized,” which will help increase their profits and Haiti’s overall economy. The Atteindre Project aligns with efforts for localized aid by working directly with Haitian organizations and helping business service providers. With support from USAID and MEDA, grants will be awarded to Haitian providers such as STRATÈGE, Agence d’Investissement et de Développement d’Entreprises, and Centre d’Entrepreneurship et de Leadership en Haïti to help support thousands of small, underserved businesses across Haiti with assistance, training and technical support.

USAID’s Commitment to Inclusion and Localized Aid Efforts

USAID recently announced its broader commitment to greater inclusivity and diversity in aid delivery across the globe. In a speech delivered on Nov. 4, 2021, Samantha Power, the administrator of USAID, vowed that the agency’s new path to “inclusive [international] development” focuses on making aid more accessible, equitable and responsible. In doing so, USAID commits to making international aid more responsive to local communities and prioritizing “listen[ing] to what our partners in the countries where we work are asking of us.”

Power says that moving forward, USAID commits to allocating at least one-fourth of its funds directly to local partners over the next four years and that by the end of the decade, at least 50% of their funds will help “place local communities in the lead to either codesign a project, set priorities, drive implementation or evaluate the impact of [their] programs.”

Localized aid efforts in Haiti, including working with local leaders and organizations, will serve communities’ needs by offering clearer, more poignant solutions. USAID’s commitment to amplifying local voices and organizations through partnering with local organizations and providers is exactly the promise Haitians are asking for.

– Ashley Kim
Photo: Flickr

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Liz Truss: The New Prime Minister and Poverty

New Prime Minister
Britain has experienced major changes in recent days, with entirely new faces of leadership in the monarchy and government. In the same week, Queen Elizabeth II peacefully passed away in Balmoral Castle and the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson stepped down, allowing for Liz Truss to take his place as the leader of the Conservative Party and head of the government. This will have implications on the U.K’.s foreign policy, poverty and general political affairs. Understanding the new Prime Minister’s political experience is necessary to predict her policies regarding poverty and the rising costs of living in recent years under former Prime Minister Johnson.

About Mary Elizabeth Truss

As a college student, Truss openly opposed then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s policies and the institution of the British monarchy. During college, she served as “an activist for the centrist Liberal Democrat Party,” according to NBC News. Upon her graduation from Oxford University in 1996, she switched to the Conservative Party and ran as a Tory candidate in 2001 and 2005. She then became a Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk in 2010.

In addition to her position in the Parliament, Truss has held many offices and titles in U.K. politics that show her dedication and passion for issues in economic and environmental stability, women’s rights and food industries.

Despite the new Prime Minister’s shifting opinions and positions over the years that led people to question her loyalty and authenticity, her campaign to return to fundamental Conservative values, such as lower taxes and shrinking the state, appealed to her party members. The nation hopes she can restore Britain’s reputation and allow for a fresh start following former Prime Minister Johnson’s time in office when the British government was riddled with scandals and tumult.

Britain’s Energy Crisis

Since the Ukraine-Russia war, Britain has struggled with an energy crisis and economic challenges, which partially contributed to Johnson’s resignment in the first place. The inflation rates are the highest Britain has seen in the past 40 years, with costs of gas and electricity hitting record-breaking numbers.

Since the 1980s, U.K. inflation remained below 10% but increasing prices of energy, food and basic essentials have sent the rate to 10.1% as of July 2022. The Bank of England expects the rate to rise up to 13% in October 2022 after the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) implements an energy price cap increase. Energy bills are rapidly increasing as experts expect the energy price cap to increase by 80% from October following Ofgem’s actions, bringing the annual energy bill to a total of £3,549 for an average household.

The price of wholesale gas also poses a problem for Britain with uncertainty and instability looming. The Russia-Ukraine war has put pressure on most of Europe’s gas market and Britain is no exception. President Vladimir Putin has reacted negatively to the EU price cap and threatened to cut off Russia’s energy supply to Europe if the EU imposes the price cap on his supply.

Limited fuel and energy have exacerbated living conditions among vulnerable lower-income households, leaving 30% of households in the West Midlands living in fuel poverty. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition predicts that by this winter, 6.9 million households in the United Kingdom will face fuel poverty. Such a drastic drop in living standards with plummeting disposable incomes has threatened the overall health, economy and stability of Britain.

Truss’ Intended Policies

Despite issues pertaining to energy, gender equality, international aid and foreign relations, the public is clinging to hope for the new Prime Minister to improve conditions in the country. Her determination and dedication to the U.K. are clear, considering her heavy involvement in politics since her youth. She has demonstrated a clear commitment to NATO and the Group of Seven, ensuring the U.K. remains “an effective leader” on a global scale, which bodes well for the future of the U.K.’s international affairs.

Despite previously being outspoken on “lowering the tax burden, not giving out handouts,” Truss has made considerable efforts to support the struggling British population with their energy bills. She has plans to freeze the cost of gas and electricity and cap the average bill at around £2,500 annually, but it is predicted that high-income households with larger bills would benefit most.

Questions also remain about the funding for such a project, with estimates ranging around £180 billion, which will also become a burden for taxpayers in the long run. Still, the plan is expected to decrease the severity of a recession and provide support for those struggling in the cold winter.

The UK as a Global Powerhouse

The U.K. budget once stood as the most influential and resourceful in supporting education for women, battling polio, providing food rations and restoring living conditions in many underdeveloped countries. However, following the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, the U.K. cut the budget for the Department for International Development from 0.7% to 0.5% of the gross national income.

During her time as foreign secretary, Truss launched the International Development Strategy to focus on humanitarian commitments and investments in foreign economies. The British are hopeful that Truss will continue her advocacy to ease the burden on impoverished households and increase funding commitments for foreign development aid.

– Nethya Samarakkodige
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

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A Universal Child Allowance in Argentina

Child Allowance in Argentina
Countries worldwide are proposing universal child allowance, which generally entails a stipend to eligible children, to combat childhood poverty. As of 2022, more than 356 million children worldwide live in poverty. This population lives on less than $1.90 a day. A study on a Universal Child Allowance found that somewhere between $50 to $150 a month could pull between 40% to 50% of children out of poverty worldwide. Childhood poverty remains a key area of concern for governments and nonprofits who recognize that a disparity in early life can lead to drastic consequences later in life. A universal child allowance in Argentina would provide Argentinian children living in poverty with financial help and stability for health care, education and other needs.

Argentina’s Program

Argentina’s, Asignación Universal por Hijo (AUH), or Universal Child Allowance program, which was implemented in 2015, is an example of this theory in action. Argentina implemented the policy as the third pillar of a part of its social state in 2015, and the policy guarantees a minimum of $55 per month to each eligible child.

Children in Argentina

Children make up more than 25% of Argentina’s problem, making it clear why child poverty is a key focus of the government and activist groups alike. Likewise, the median age of Argentina’s population is just 31 years old indicating a young population. Generally, a young population trend is a good sign for a country, as it means there will be a strong labor force in the future. However, countries that cannot care for their youth face challenges. In Argentina, certain marginalized groups still lack access to basic programs and education with particular disparities among indigenous groups and rural communities. A Universal Child Allowance in Argentina seeks to combat these discrepancies by ensuring that children in need have the $55 monthly allowance to serve their needs.

Wealth Inequality

In Argentina, there is a significant wealth disparity among the population. Some families send their children to tuition-required private schools, while others struggle to provide for basic necessities. The Buenos Aires Times reported in 2018 that Argentina’s richest 10% controlled or possessed more than 60% of the country’s wealth. As of 2021, Argentina’s national income reached nearly $16,860 while gross domestic product (GDP) hit slightly more than $19,950. On the other hand, a large segment of the population lives well below that mark. Conversely, a large segment of Argentina’s population is well-educated and employed. Social programs seek to combat the inequalities by lifting the poorest populations up from conditions of poverty.

Moving Forward

As Argentina’s AUH underwent implementation just five years before the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, there is no significant research about the immediate success of the program. However, Argentina has made great strides in many aspects of its social state which can be tracked using other data. The “Plan Familia” program which underwent establishment in 2009, aimed to increase school enrollment and access to health care. School enrollment levels are high on average across the country at just about 98% or 99%. This data is a positive sign because it means that education across the country is possible. A Universal Child Allowance in Argentina may be able to tackle the last percent or two to make education equitable and accessible. Programs like this seek to encourage long-term financial planning and stability with the hopes of evening out wealth inequality of the lowest earners.

– Lara Drinan
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

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5 Organizations Improving Mental Health in Africa

Mental Health in Africa
Recently, doctors have been sounding the alarm bells on the ongoing global mental health crisis, going as far as to describe the worldwide support for mental health as “pitifully small.” When there is support for mental health issues, the spotlight is centered largely on more developed nations, leaving mental health disorders to be untreated and thrive in developing countries where healthcare systems are generally weak and inaccessible to the general population. However, nonprofits and NGOs are now refocusing their efforts on creating better outcomes for people suffering from poor mental health in less-acclimated nations. Mental health in Africa requires attention, but luckily, some organizations are working there to make a difference.

Mental health support across the continent of Africa, in particular, is notably poor. In 2022, Lesotho, a small country surrounded by South Africa, had the most suicides per capita in the world at 72.4 per 100,000, with surrounding countries displaying similar statistics. The high suicide rate and lackluster mental health across Africa stem from issues such as the prevalence AIDS, widespread poverty, conflict and general lack of resources.

Support for People in Africa

When people living in Africa face these struggles, they seldom receive support. In 2015, Sierra Leone, a nation of 7 million, had only one mental health facility which was to support 104 patients. In Nigeria and South Africa, two of the continent’s more affluent nations, only 10% and 25% of mentally ill citizens have access to a psychiatrist, respectively.

Poor mental health can have dire outcomes for those who do not receive help. While many acknowledge the correlation between mental illness and suicide, lesser emphasis has been placed on the association between subpar mental health and poverty. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, poverty can intensify the symptoms of mental disorders and increase the likelihood of the onset of illness. Moreover, mental health issues can also increase the odds that someone falls below the poverty line. Here are five organizations fighting global poverty by improving mental health in Africa.

5 Organizations Improving Mental Health in Africa

  1. StrongMinds: Concentrated in Uganda and Zambia, Strongminds provides mental health care to impoverished women living in Africa. It specifically helps treat depression in women by organizing group talk therapy sessions for underprivileged women delivered by community health workers. According to the organization, it has served more than 140,000 women and has an 80% success rate in helping patients recover from their symptoms. In July 2022, the organization received donations from The Inner Foundation, an organization that has raised more than $100,000,000 to support different mental health initiatives.
  2. Sentebale: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho founded Sentebale in 2006 to support the children of Botswana and Lesotho in response to the countries’ AIDS epidemics. Sentebale means “forget-me-not” in the Sesotho language, which relates to the organization’s mission of not forgetting some of Africa’s most vulnerable children. Sentebale delivers sexual education, proposes improvements to the country’s healthcare system and provides psycho-social support to the children of Lesotho and Botswana. The organization works directly with communities to help children that the epidemic affected become more “empowered, healthy and resilient.” It also works to gather support from the governments of Lesotho, Botswana and the United Kingdom to support their mission of improving mental health across Africa.
  3. Dolen Cymru: Founded in 1985, Dolen Cymru is a Welsh organization supporting the nation of Lesotho. It has established various programs, but its core project has been developing Lesotho’s mental healthcare system. Uniquely, Dolen Cymru works primarily with the actual doctors and health educators of Lesotho through the country’s Ministry of Health, providing them with WHO-developed training. According to the foundation, it has trained more than 100 healthcare professionals using an innovative program including discussions about “human rights, stigma and cultural beliefs.”
  4. African Mental Health Research and Training Foundation (AMHRTF): AMHRTF is an NGO based in Kenya that focuses on mental health research and treatment. Its headquarters are located in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The organization directly serves the urban population, though it also operates a phone line and telehealth services for people located in more isolated regions that are unable to visit in person. The organization treats a wide variety of mental illnesses, helping patients with mental health issues including substance abuse disorders, PTSD and depression. In 2019, AMHRTF began supporting the CREATE Kenya project. CREATE Kenya is focused on forming a successful social business that provides Kenyans dealing with mental illness an “evidence-based Recovery-Oriented Psychosocial Rehabilitation Toolkit” to help them gain employment and support their wellbeing.
  5. IOM Libya: IOM, or the International Organization for Migration, is an agency of the U.N. operating in numerous countries to support migrants and refugees throughout the world. IOM Libya is the organization’s branch operating in Libya, focusing on the nation’s migration crisis. Libya is an especially popular location for refugees because of its treacherous sea route to Italy through the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, the organization has helped 12,000 stranded migrants return to their homes. For these refugees and migrants that remain in the country, IOM Libya also provides mental health support because it recognizes the tremendous stress that migrants may face on their journeys. Since 2011, the IOM has been providing counseling, group support and other activities in eight Libyan cities to help migrants recover from their traumas. The organization also trains first responders to better understand mental health issues.

Looking Ahead

These five organizations have been beneficial to communities in Africa by improving mental health care. Through their continued work, Africans should be able to receive the support they need.

– Ryan Morton
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

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A Community-Centered Approach: Improving Sanitation in Angola

Sanitation in Angola
According to USAID, “nearly half the population of Angola (49.3%) lacks access to clean drinking water and (54.7%) of households do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities.” As a result, many Angolans face a high risk of exposure to waterborne illnesses, further burdening the nation’s existing health care infrastructure, worsening malnutrition and negatively impacting the economy.

Moreover, the southern regions of Angola are currently experiencing a prolonged drought, which has gravely impacted the nation’s health, sanitation, water access and also education services. More than 1.2 million Angolans face water scarcity due to the drought. In the Cunene province, the drought has caused “serious disruptions” to school access for nearly 70% of students.

Impacts on Public Health

The lack of access to sanitation and clean water has had devastating consequences for public health and children are the most vulnerable demographic. In Angola, half of the children under 5 are anemic, while another third are estimated to have stunted growth and one-fifth are underweight.

Diarrheal diseases that originate from contaminated drinking water, including cholera, are a leading cause of death in Angola. In 2018, UNICEF reported 1,038 suspected cases of cholera and 17 deaths in the Angolan cities of Uige, Cabina and Luanda.

The World Bank’s Plans to Improve Angola’s Water Quality

Despite the scale of this issue, agencies like the World Bank are taking important measures alongside Angola’s government to improve water quality, in hopes of achieving universal access to WASH services by 2030. Between 2013 and 2016, Angola’s government created 16 provincial water and sanitation utilities aimed at improving water access in urban areas by utilizing independent service providers. In May 2021, Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water launched a new reform program for the WASH sector.

The World Bank, through this reform program, is evaluating the progress of the Ministry’s working groups, looking at five key opportunities for improvement. These indicators include the significant population growth in Angola that has slowed WASH sector progress, the high rate of susceptibility by poor and malnourished children to WASH-related diarrheal diseases and mortality, the ways in which Angola can invest more effectively in the WASH sector, insufficient institutional and bureaucratic resources to achieve success and inadequate data on the effectiveness of WASH sector improvements.

UNICEF’s Efforts to Aid Angola

In addition, UNICEF is leading an initiative to support Angola by establishing child-centered hubs, known as “safe havens” that support vulnerable communities by concentrating integrated health, sanitation and water services within the same communities. Projections have indicated that these interventions will assist an estimated 341,565 children.

These efforts, which the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) funded, also encompass a supply of 30 5,000-liter water tanks that will end up in drought-affected communities in Cunene province. These tanks will reduce the distances community members travel to acquire water.

UNICEF’s initiative will assist 96,000 women in regions that the nation’s severe drought affected, and projections have stated that 135,000 people will receive WASH sector assistance. Additionally, the initiative will see a shipment of around 12 tonnes of therapeutic milk (used to treat severe acute malnutrition in children) and tablets for water purification delivered to the Cunene and Huila provinces. This relief package is a critical step forward in reducing malnutrition in Angola.

Looking Towards a Brighter Future

The efforts to improve access to water and sanitation in Angola will have transformative effects on not only public health but also education and economic development. Having access to clean water and adequate sanitation greatly reduces children’s risk of contracting waterborne illnesses, allowing them to stay in school. Improving hygiene and sanitation in Angolan communities and schools will spur greater social development, and in turn, reduce poverty.

– Oliver De Jonghe
Photo: Flickr