Being abundant in the controversial coca leaf, Peru is one of the world’s leading producers of cocaine. In coordination with international groups, the Peruvian government has set the stage to dismantle the Peruvian cocaine industry.
Understanding the Coca Plant and the Peruvian Cocaine Industry
Coca is relatively abundant among the three major cocaine-producing nations of the world: Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. The indigenous peoples of the Andes have traditionally used the coca plant for centuries. In its raw form, the plant performs as a benign stimulant often compared with coffee, suppressing a user’s pain, appetite and exhaustion and treating altitude sickness. However, when synthesizing the coca plant, the result is a highly addictive stimulant known as cocaine. Today, millions of people throughout the Andean and Amazonian regions chew coca leaves and brew tea from them.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Peru is the world’s second-largest producer of cocaine. Most of the cocaine that Peru yields either undergoes distribution throughout Latin America or goes to Europe, the United States, Mexico and Asia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peruvian cocaine industry reached peak coca cultivation at 88,200 hectares, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) reported. In 2021, there was a documented decrease in production from the previous year at 84,400 hectares. The present quantities of production emphasize the need for better termination efforts and more stable alternative economic development strategies for the rural citizens of Peru.
Peru is an economically developing country. As a result of its stable economic growth and investments in health, education and infrastructure, Peru has reduced hunger and poverty rates in the last 10 years. Currently, a quarter (22%) of Peru’s population lives in poverty and experiences food insecurity, especially those residing within the country’s rural areas. In these impoverished rural areas, the Peruvian cocaine industry thrives as desperate citizens turn to drug selling as a means of income.
Carving a Path to Alternative Development
The Peruvian government is making serious efforts to eradicate cocaine from its borders and develop safer and more sustainable economic opportunities for rural residents. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has coordinated with Peru’s counternarcotics and law enforcement to enhance the Peruvian justice system.
Before the pandemic, the INL aided the Peruvian government in eliminating more than 25,000 hectares of coca and approximately 220 metric tons of cocaine from their markets. This was a major victory as they were able to rid the Valley of Apurímac, Ene and Manraro River (VRAEM) of coca. VRAEM is vital to the Peruvian cocaine industry, as the area produces two-thirds of all cocaine in Peru.
For more than 25 years, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been a key supporter and sponsor of alternative development in Peru. UNODC directly collaborated with more than 8,000 farming families that were once heavily dependent on coca plant farming. This was possible through the creation of forestry administration, indigenous ecosystem protection, livestock breeding and the development of legally sustainable economies in coffee, cacao and palm oil. In recent years, UNODC has implemented programs that bolstered residents’ social and economic situations in coca cultivating sectors via “farmer-led” small enterprises that contribute to the overall economy.
USAID
USAID has also played a crucial role in alternative development campaigns against the Peruvian cocaine industry. The agency backed the Peruvian National Counternarcotics Policy by arranging alternative strategies for the growing of coca plants and by building Peru’s capabilities to challenge drug cartels. Like with UNODC, USAID supports previous coca-reliant regions to develop legitimate sources of income via farming investments in coffee, cacao, bananas and lumber. In 2021, USAID uplifted more than 70,000 families to shift to legal and sustainable economies. In addition, the agency has coordinated with several companies in Peru’s private sector, local governments, communities and investors to integrate millions of dollars into the growing economies and the protection of the Peruvian Amazon.
PRISMA
PRISMA is a Peruvian organization centered on empowering Peru’s most exposed citizens and providing access to opportunities via alternative development efforts. The organization started in 1986 and began with the purpose of reducing food insecurity among the nation’s children. It collaborates will all levels of government, international aid organizations, universities, interested members of the private sector and mobilized communities. PRISMA mainly operates in Peru but has been active in Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and Equatorial Guinea through its many years of service.
The Peruvian government continues making significant strides in transforming rural citizens’ livelihoods. The nation views the cocaine endemic as a national and international security issue. Peru and its collaborators continue to bolster the coca-reliant rural communities to transition into safer, legal and reliable economic development.
– Ricardo Silva
Photo: Flickr
Pricepally: Nigerian Startup Fights High Food Costs
Pricepally is a food co-op that connects Nigeria’s urban consumers directly with farmers and wholesalers, thus bolstering Nigeria’s urban centers against the impending global food crisis. Luther Lawoyin originally developed Pricepally in 2019 to make food more affordable and accessible for Nigerians. The digital startup uses modern technology to connect urban consumers directly with wholesalers and farmers, bypassing the country’s inefficient food supply infrastructure, which contributes to high food costs. Additionally, the Nigerian startup fights high food costs by enabling customers to pool their resources with other Pricepally users to invest in bulk purchases, providing further savings.
An Instant Hit
Lawoyin came up with the idea for Pricepally after monitoring his new family’s collective grocery expenses. After doing some research, he realized that Nigeria’s outdated supply chain infrastructure resulted in “a lack of integration” between consumers and producers. Intermediaries meant to connect rural producers with urban consumers lacked a sound data structure, meaning that farmers had no way of knowing current market demands. The Nigerian startup fights high food costs caused by an inefficient and inequitable market structure by providing a community-based platform that benefits both consumers and producers.
Following its launch in November 2019, Nigerians quickly recognized Pricepally as a valuable consumer platform amid high inflation. The digital startup’s popularity skyrocketed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, providing consumers with a safe method of obtaining essential resources. The Lagos-based startup met the needs of quarantined populations, quickly obtaining a government license to travel despite pandemic restrictions.
Pricepally began as a modest operation with only seven employees operating solely within the city of Lagos. Within months of its debut, Principally received funding from multiple investors, allowing it to rapidly expand operations to include the Nigerian capital of Abuja, serving more than 5,000 consumers per month.
Benefits Farmers and Consumers Alike
While Pricepally’s creator initially developed the platform with urban customers in mind, its operation has become an incredibly beneficial mechanism by which smallholder farmers can expand their market access. Chronic underinvestment and an outdated supply chain infrastructure have caused Nigeria’s smallholder farmers to become embroiled in poverty. A lack of basic facilities such as transportation routes, energy and water irrigation systems deter investors and leads to inefficiency and significant agricultural losses. In fact, Nigeria’s agricultural industry loses anywhere from 55% to 72% of Nigeria’s fresh produce before it even enters the domestic market.
Pricepally works to overcome these structural pitfalls by acting as a fair and reliable middleman, using its mobile and web-based services to connect farmers with consumers. This reduces the various intermediaries that once clogged the value chain, providing an equitable and transparent procurement process that empowers small-scale farmers to attain fair prices. In the spirit of transparency, Pricepally has begun featuring farmer’s profiles on its website, ensuring people can trust that they are buying high-quality produce. The Nigerian startup fights high food costs by streamlining the supply chain process in a manner that optimizes both transparency and equitability.
Future Goals
Pricepally recently started working with Prosper Africa, a U.S. government operation aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment between African nations and the United States. This partnership works to secure U.S. investment and further expand Pricepally’s operational capacity.
In early 2022, Pricepally expanded its operations to the Nigerian coastal city of Port Harcourt, meaning the startup now serves consumers in Nigeria’s three largest urban centers. The most recent operational expansion increases Pricepally’s customer base while also connecting more markets and expanding overall supplies.
As investments continue to pour in, Pricepally is focused on improving its warehouse and processing facilities and investing in tech support so that the digital platform can serve more consumers each month. In the long-term, Lawoyin hopes to continue expanding operations to encompass other African nations struggling with similar supply chain and infrastructure issues.
As Pricepally continues to grow, it hopes to expand support for smallholder farmers within Nigeria as well as throughout the rest of Africa. Many of Nigeria’s farmers are simply trying to make ends meet, but Lawoyin hopes to transform farming to make it a viable career choice. He plans to do so by investing in programs aimed at addressing the issues that smallholder farmers face, including a lack of proper education, infrastructure and financing.
Within only three years, Pricepally has transformed the agricultural sector of Nigeria for the better. The Nigerian startup fights high food costs by leveraging shared economy principles that benefit consumers and producers alike, streamlining the procurement process and cutting out unnecessary intermediaries. As the startup continues to expand its operational capacity, it has the potential to transform the food supply chain of countless African nations, thus bolstering the world’s most vulnerable populations against the threat of food insecurity.
– Mollie Lund
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
The Success of Poverty Reduction in Cambodia
Over the last decade, poverty reduction in Cambodia has successfully reached and exceeded governmental goals. Significant economic growth and an increase in earnings allowed Cambodia to reduce poverty by more than half since 2009.
History of Poverty and Instability in Cambodia
In the 1970s, the Khmer Rouge, a communist movement, took control of Cambodia. Through a five-year civil war, it was able to gain control of the country, maintaining control for the following four years.
The ultimate goal of the Khmer Rouge was to transform Cambodia into an entirely agrarian state, and it did this by slaughtering anyone perceived to be an intellectual and by emptying the country’s cities. The Khmer Rouge movement killed hundreds of thousands of Cambodians during the four-year period that Khmer Rouge had control, and even more people died from disease or starvation.
Despite a short four-year reign for the Khmer Rouge, 30 years of violence and instability followed. Cambodia now had to recover from a massive genocidal effort, the effects of which resulted in as much as 40% of the population still in poverty by 2009.
Poverty Reduction Efforts
Following the fall of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia underwent the daunting task of reopening itself to the international market and rebuilding its governmental structure. According to the World Bank, “Cambodia’s open borders to international trade and investment have helped attract foreign direct investment to support manufacturing, construction, and tourism.” Such efforts have resulted in consistent economic growth.
The Cambodian government has committed to revising its poverty line procedure every 15 years. This is necessary because rapid economic growth requires consistent reevaluation of poverty standards and allows the government to better monitor poverty reduction in Cambodia. The current poverty line requires someone to earn less than $2.70 a day to be considered in poverty.
Additionally, a new cash transfer program launched in June 2020, benefitting around 2.8 million Cambodians. This program demonstrates the continuous and novel efforts of the Cambodian government toward once again creating economic and political stability throughout.
Poverty Reduction Effects
As a result of the aforementioned efforts, around 17.8% of the Cambodian population was in poverty as of 2020, compared to 40% in 2009. This means that in just over a decade, poverty in Cambodia has reduced by more than half.
The Cambodian government has successfully exceeded its poverty reduction goals. While it committed to an annual 1% decrease, it has achieved an annual 1.6% decrease.
Quality of life factors has also improved. According to the World Bank, “from 2000 to 2017, life expectancy increased from 58 years to 69; the under-five mortality rate decreased from 107 to 29 per 1,000 live births; and primary school completion rate increased from 51% to 90%.”
Efforts in poverty reduction in Cambodia over the past decade have been overwhelmingly successful. A combination of international trade and government oversight has allowed for economic growth within Cambodia, increasing stability for those living there. The results reflect significant reductions in poverty across the country.
– Eleanor Corbin
Photo: Flickr
Wheat Crisis in Lebanon
Lebanon is facing a crippling economic crisis that forced more than three-quarters of its population into poverty, and the latest manifestation of this is its wheat crisis. Following the 2020 Beirut explosion, the country lacks any national reserves and relies on foreign imports for wheat. Before the conflict in Ukraine, the country imported approximately 80% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine. Lebanon is currently struggling to find new markets that satisfy its wheat demand, given its low purchasing power amid the pandemic inflation.
Current Situation
Ever since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has blocked all Ukrainian grain exports via the black sea, resulting in a hefty surge in bread prices in Lebanon. Although Ukraine and Russia, through negotiations facilitated by the U.N., have signed an agreement expressing intent to restart grain exports, the deal’s legitimacy is in question as Russia attacked the Ukrainian port city of Odesa less than 24 hours following the initiation of the agreement. In fact, the offense pushed grain prices even higher.
According to the Lebanon Crisis Analytics Team at Mercy Corps, the price of wheat flour has increased by 209% since the beginning of the Russian invasion. The annual food and beverage inflation, which rose to a staggering 332% in June, exacerbates this. As of today, 22% of Lebanese households are food insecure.
International Aid
Lebanon has already received a $150 million loan from the World Bank to fund immediate wheat imports to provide poor and vulnerable households and other displaced populations with affordable food options. Lebanon’s Minister of Economy and Trade, Amin Salam, projects that the loan will cover food supplies for six to nine months. As the global price of wheat has been decreasing, Salam believes that the loan will most likely last for eight months. During this timeframe, Salam seeks to receive an additional $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a promised package of support pending approval.
In addition to importing food, Lebanon also plans to build two new grain silos, which will cost approximately $100 million. According to Salam, several countries have already expressed interest in supporting the project, including Germany, the United States, France, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The project received official approval following the technical feasibility study that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development conducted. The current plan is to construct two grain silos north of Beirut in the Tripoli Port and the eastern Bekaa Valley. The new silos will be fully operational in around a year and will hold approximately 125,000 tons of grain, equivalent to nine months of reserves.
Building the new grain silos is a significant step forward for Lebanon’s crisis management. In addition to easing the pressure of wheat imports, which are expensive and at times slow, the silos also point to the beginnings of more organized economic planning, which might well lift the country out of its economic collapse.
– Emily Xin
Photo: Flickr
4 Circular Economy Projects Fighting Poverty in Southern Africa
Southern Africa faces huge numerous management issues, with South Africa recovering or recycling only 34.5% of its waste in 2017. However, organizations are mobilizing communities to tackle both this issue of waste and poverty through one tactic. Circular economy projects empower disadvantaged communities to clear and upcycle waste, creating income opportunities and helping the environment. Here is some information about some circular economy projects and what they are doing to eliminate poverty in southern Africa.
Wasteland Graced Land Project
Headed by Dreamcatcher Foundation’s Anthea Roussow and University of Brighton waste expert Ryan Woodward, the 2020 Wasteland Graced Land project has helped transform the South African town of Melkhoutfontein into a tourist destination by turning its plastic waste into sellable products. Thanks to a £65,000 grant from the British Council’s Developing Inclusive and Creative Economies, the project has empowered locals to create crafts and souvenirs such as jewelry, toys, mosaics and bowls – all from Melhoutfontein’s waste products. Grant money goes toward paying stipends to crafters and provides a small income for waste collectors, enabling many women and unemployed youth to better provide for their families and develop their business skills.
Flip Flop Recycling Company
Founded by Julie Church in 2005, the Nairobi-based FlipFlop Recycling Company (FFRC) upcycles flip-flops that have washed up on the shores of the Kenyan coast into 100 different products. This includes jewelry – some of which has appeared on the catwalk at Paris fashion week. The company buys flip-flops from women who collect them at the coast, employs workers to wash and repair these flip-flops and pays artisans to rehash the flip-flops into various products which it finally sells to the shop. The FFRC provides communities with business training and multiple income opportunities, employing around 40 people at its Nairobi facility in 2012.
3R Ecopoint Network
3R Ecopoint Network is based in the seaside town of Vilanculos, Mozambique, and is focused on reducing the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the Indian Ocean. However, it has also improved the lives of local waste pickers, who play a vital role in salvaging reusable material yet are socially excluded and often seen as criminals or failures. By setting up secondary collection points which buy recyclable waste and selling this waste to recycling industries, 3R Ecopoint Network has not only reduced waste volumes in Vilanculos but also increased the revenue for waste pickers by 23, 525MZN from 2019-2022. One impacted individual is Teresa Navelane, who is now able to buy basic food items using the income she receives from collecting recyclables.
Watamu Marine Association
Negative perceptions about waste pickers are also an issue in Kenya, where the informal waste management sector continues to suffer without proper infrastructure and government support. The Watamu Marine Association (WMA) assists waste pickers outcast by society by creating a plastic waste value chain running between the local community and tourism industry in Watamu and surrounding areas. WMA has employed 100 waste pickers from disadvantaged backgrounds, who earn a weekly income through the sponsored “Cash 4 Trash” beach clean-ups. This income empowers women and youth to participate in business ventures and improve their living standards.
These four circular economy projects have had a significant impact on the communities they work in. Their continued work should offer livelihoods to many individuals and have an even further effect on the reduction of waste.
– Imogen Scott
Photo: Flickr
3 Facts About Child Poverty in Italy
In 2020, about 5.6 million people in Italy were living in absolute poverty, meaning they greatly struggled to obtain basic needs, including water, food and shelter. More than 20% of those people were children. Though Italy is not on the list of poor countries in the EU, its population of children in poverty has steadily grown over the last few years. Child poverty in Italy has become a worsening crisis. Here are three facts about child poverty in Italy.
The Link Between Child Labor and Child Poverty in Italy
In 2015, approximately 340,000 children had to work to financially support their families. The Italian government does not have a standardized system for measuring child labor, which is why no consistent data has been released in the last few years. Researchers are concerned that child labor has sharply risen amid this gap in data, especially due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Most of the children who had to work lived in Southern Italy, where there is significant segregation among social classes. Working kids typically come from impoverished multi-child households. An only child runs a 7% risk of living in poverty, whereas a child with siblings faces a 30% chance of poverty. These kids tend to work after school or miss school to work. In many areas of Italy, child labor is often culturally acceptable in workplaces like restaurants because customers think they are family businesses.
In the process of trying to make more money, some child workers fall into the hands of criminal organizations, such as the Mafia, according to Humanium. These organizations often pay kids higher than average wages in exchange for requiring them to sell drugs on the streets of low-income areas with high rates of violence. Criminal organizations often force young girls to make money through sex work.
How the EU and Italian Government are Eliminating Child Poverty in Italy
In 2021, the EU implemented the European Child Guarantee, under which member states create their own Child Guarantee National Action Plan (NAP) aimed at improving the lives of children and decreasing child poverty. The Italian government collaborated with local organizations and submitted its NAP to the EU in April 2021.
In its NAP, the Italian government focuses on early childhood education and childcare. Italy plans to provide more support to caregivers and further integrate children that are national citizens with immigrant children, especially those coming from Ukraine. The government is planning to ensure that all children have access to healthy meals at school and that more full-time schools are available for working parents. To help fight child poverty in Italy, the government has said that it will implement special support measures for children from underserved communities.
The Tree of Life Foundation is Helping Kids
The Tree of Life Foundation — or the L’Albero della Vita in Italian — focuses on providing children with proper nutrition, comprehensive health care and social and sports activities. The organization started in 1997 as a volunteer program, and about a decade later, the Tree of Life became an official Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Italy. Since becoming an NGO, the program has expanded to other countries across the world.
In its latest response to growing child poverty in Italy, the Tree of Life Foundation gave baskets of staples to families that included groceries, children’s clothing and educational materials. It also provided families with an education program to learn how to best manage their household budget. The Tree of Life offers individual counseling, parent-support programs, workshops for children and employment-guidance meetings. The organization has created a network where impoverished families can support and learn from one another, and it prioritizes supporting mothers and pregnant people.
Looking Ahead
Though poverty is worsening in Italy, and child poverty is no exception, community members work to protect kids. Local communities help children in need by volunteering, assisting families and mothers, donating meals and speaking up when they see signs of child abuse, homelessness or child labor. Multiple NGOs in Italy are fighting child poverty and asking the government to do more simultaneously. Hopefully, the country’s NAP will make important systemic changes that help alleviate child poverty in Italy.
– Delaney Murray
Photo: Flickr
Dismantling the Peruvian Cocaine Industry
Being abundant in the controversial coca leaf, Peru is one of the world’s leading producers of cocaine. In coordination with international groups, the Peruvian government has set the stage to dismantle the Peruvian cocaine industry.
Understanding the Coca Plant and the Peruvian Cocaine Industry
Coca is relatively abundant among the three major cocaine-producing nations of the world: Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. The indigenous peoples of the Andes have traditionally used the coca plant for centuries. In its raw form, the plant performs as a benign stimulant often compared with coffee, suppressing a user’s pain, appetite and exhaustion and treating altitude sickness. However, when synthesizing the coca plant, the result is a highly addictive stimulant known as cocaine. Today, millions of people throughout the Andean and Amazonian regions chew coca leaves and brew tea from them.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Peru is the world’s second-largest producer of cocaine. Most of the cocaine that Peru yields either undergoes distribution throughout Latin America or goes to Europe, the United States, Mexico and Asia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peruvian cocaine industry reached peak coca cultivation at 88,200 hectares, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) reported. In 2021, there was a documented decrease in production from the previous year at 84,400 hectares. The present quantities of production emphasize the need for better termination efforts and more stable alternative economic development strategies for the rural citizens of Peru.
Peru is an economically developing country. As a result of its stable economic growth and investments in health, education and infrastructure, Peru has reduced hunger and poverty rates in the last 10 years. Currently, a quarter (22%) of Peru’s population lives in poverty and experiences food insecurity, especially those residing within the country’s rural areas. In these impoverished rural areas, the Peruvian cocaine industry thrives as desperate citizens turn to drug selling as a means of income.
Carving a Path to Alternative Development
The Peruvian government is making serious efforts to eradicate cocaine from its borders and develop safer and more sustainable economic opportunities for rural residents. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) has coordinated with Peru’s counternarcotics and law enforcement to enhance the Peruvian justice system.
Before the pandemic, the INL aided the Peruvian government in eliminating more than 25,000 hectares of coca and approximately 220 metric tons of cocaine from their markets. This was a major victory as they were able to rid the Valley of Apurímac, Ene and Manraro River (VRAEM) of coca. VRAEM is vital to the Peruvian cocaine industry, as the area produces two-thirds of all cocaine in Peru.
For more than 25 years, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been a key supporter and sponsor of alternative development in Peru. UNODC directly collaborated with more than 8,000 farming families that were once heavily dependent on coca plant farming. This was possible through the creation of forestry administration, indigenous ecosystem protection, livestock breeding and the development of legally sustainable economies in coffee, cacao and palm oil. In recent years, UNODC has implemented programs that bolstered residents’ social and economic situations in coca cultivating sectors via “farmer-led” small enterprises that contribute to the overall economy.
USAID
USAID has also played a crucial role in alternative development campaigns against the Peruvian cocaine industry. The agency backed the Peruvian National Counternarcotics Policy by arranging alternative strategies for the growing of coca plants and by building Peru’s capabilities to challenge drug cartels. Like with UNODC, USAID supports previous coca-reliant regions to develop legitimate sources of income via farming investments in coffee, cacao, bananas and lumber. In 2021, USAID uplifted more than 70,000 families to shift to legal and sustainable economies. In addition, the agency has coordinated with several companies in Peru’s private sector, local governments, communities and investors to integrate millions of dollars into the growing economies and the protection of the Peruvian Amazon.
PRISMA
PRISMA is a Peruvian organization centered on empowering Peru’s most exposed citizens and providing access to opportunities via alternative development efforts. The organization started in 1986 and began with the purpose of reducing food insecurity among the nation’s children. It collaborates will all levels of government, international aid organizations, universities, interested members of the private sector and mobilized communities. PRISMA mainly operates in Peru but has been active in Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and Equatorial Guinea through its many years of service.
The Peruvian government continues making significant strides in transforming rural citizens’ livelihoods. The nation views the cocaine endemic as a national and international security issue. Peru and its collaborators continue to bolster the coca-reliant rural communities to transition into safer, legal and reliable economic development.
– Ricardo Silva
Photo: Flickr
5 Charities Operating in Albania
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many countries, even developing ones that saw progress before it. Inflation rates and the current war in Ukraine are also slowing things down for Albania. However, some organizations and charities operating in Albania are still at work helping to alleviate prior and new struggles.
Efforts Before Pandemic
Albania had been undergoing work towards equitable growth for years even before the pandemic. One example was the help it was receiving from organizations like the World Bank Group and its Country Partnership Framework plan (CPF). This strategy began in 2015 and lasted through 2019 where it focused on macroeconomic balances, private and public sector growth and service delivery. This plan was then extended two more years due to elections and the pandemic.
Current Help From Charities
Efforts are still ongoing with well-known and even smaller charities. Project Worldwide has compiled a list of many nonprofit organizations that are helping in Albania. Here are five of the charities operating in Albania that deserve mention along with a quick rundown of what they are doing in their work:
Albania’s Future
These charities operating in Albania are just a few among many others that are helping Albania. Business, education and health care are some of the focuses that help countries reach stability. These organizations do not always give funds, but often also provide mentoring, educational programs, governmental support and other resources. The types of aid that these organizations are giving should help Albania recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and any future challenges.
– Marynette Holmes
Photo: Flickr
Fidel Ramos’ Legacy of Social and Economic Reforms
Fidel Ramos, a former President of the Philippines who ousted a long-standing dictator, died on July 31, 2022 at the age of 94. Ramos served as a general in the Korean and Vietnam wars and played a major role in turning the Philippines into a pro-democratic country. His accomplishments include uplifting millions of Filipinos and eliminating the Philippines’ historic title as ‘the sick man of Asia.’ Press Trixie Cruz-Angeles told the LA Times that “He leaves behind a colorful legacy and a secure place in history for his participation in the great changes of our country, both as a military officer and chief executive.” Here is some information about Fidel Ramos’ legacy including his economic and social reforms.
Democracy Under Fidel Ramos
The dictatorship and policies under Ferdinand Marcos were crippling for many Filipinos and the country’s economy. Although the unemployment rate fell from 7.1% to 3.9% during the early years of Marcos’ presidency, unemployment rapidly rose again in the mid-1970s when it reached 7.9%. By 1985, two-thirds of the population was poor and at least half, or 27 million Filipinos, lived in extreme poverty.
During Marcos’ administration, Ramos was a key figure, serving as a PC chief. However, in February 1986, Ramos resigned from his post and supported the rebellion, People Power Revolution, after a failed coup. The rebellion ushered in a radical transformation in the Philippines and became a symbol against authoritarian regimes worldwide.
When Aquino rose to the presidency, Ramos was able to prevent her from attempting violent coups. In 1992, the people of the Philippines elected Fidel Ramos as President. His administration successfully implemented many reforms to reduce poverty and bolster the Philippines’ economy.
Economic Reforms Under Fidel Ramos
To combat the aftermath effects of Marcos’ dictatorship, Ramos embraced a “comprehensive reform strategy” to open up the economy, reduce macroeconomic imbalances and address structural rigidities. The IMF has supported this program since 1994 and made considerable progress in boosting the Philippines’ economy.
The program accelerated privatization, recapitalized the central bank and opened numerous sectors to new competition such as banking, telecommunication and the oil sector. The limits on foreign participation loosened in many sectors and the program resulted in the removal of import restrictions. The average import tariff in 2000 was 10%, which was one-third of that in the mid-1980s.
However, powerful interest groups that formed under Marcos’ regime of heavy regulation of the economy and income inequality resisted reforms that would even the playing field. Despite this, Ramos was able to reduce inequalities and spur growth. He cracked down on monopolies in various sectors and privatized some government-owned corporations to boost the annual growth to 5%.
Social Reforms Under Fidel Ramos
During Ramos’ administration, the Philippines saw for the first time emergence of massive, coordinated, nationwide poverty reduction programs. Ramos’ Social Reform Agenda (SRA) integrated the delivery of social services, protection and reforms to the poorest provinces in the Philippines where people could not meet their basic needs. Many heralded this program as the most consultative, reform-oriented and well-targeted poverty platform in the history of the Philippines.
The SRA had clear, defined targets and brought together many NGOs, local agencies and other stakeholders during the development, planning and execution process as they monitored stages of poverty intervention.
Through the Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, the 10 most unmet necessities in the community and sector determined the social services. To accommodate the needs of diverse impoverished communities such as the urban poor, farmers and indigenous peoples, 33 indicators underwent implementation that includes basic survival needs, security and capability. These indicators also helped track progress in poverty. The result of these programs proved to be a success as family poverty incidence fell from 39.9% in 1991 to 31.8% in 1997.
Fidel Ramos’ Legacy
Although Fidel Ramos’ presidency ended in 1998, his policies, legislations and reforms continue to be impactful in the Philippines today. Fidel Ramos’ legacy includes the creation of anti-poverty infrastructure in government bureaucracy. The Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act of 1997 adopted the SRA into the Commission’s mandated agenda. In governmental agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), there was the widespread adoption of the Minimum Basic Needs Survey, poverty information gathering and resource gathering. The data gathered from these instruments continue to be useful today.
Moreover, the Gender and Development Budget Policy, which mandated the allocation of a minimum of 5% of the government’s budget to Gender and Development programs aiding women, passed in 1992. The Philippines is continuing to incorporate this policy annually and revisions have ensured the policy’s effectiveness.
– Samyukta Gaddam
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Flooding in Uganda
What’s Happening?
24 people have died and over 5,600 people have been displaced due to the eruption of 2 riverbanks in Eastern Uganda causing flash flooding after heavy rain. The floods have also led to 400,000 people without clean water and destroying thousands of acres of farmable land. Flooding in Uganda has left many Ugandans without the capacity to sustain their basic needs. Rain is predicted for the coming month and the local government has a goal of evacuating 100,00 people out of the Eastern Ugandan area, only 2,500 have been evacuated thus far.
Impact On Poverty
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world. Half of the population is 15 years old or younger, so this massively impacts the work force. 76% of the country lives in rural areas and 73% of the work force works in agriculture. The floods have greatly impacted this massive industry of agriculture which affects the way the population is able to earn sustainable wages. 41% of the country already lives below the poverty line of less than $1.90/day. Fertile land and farming are seen as a way for people to make a living for themselves.
With the floods having no end in sight and likely only to get worse due to global warming, thousands of acres have been lost in this season alone and it is hard to say when the industry could make a full recovery. The eastern and northern regions of Uganda have higher poverty populations than the rest of the country. This means flooding in Uganda is more likely to affect people who are in poverty.
Humanitarian Impact
On June 13, politicians in the area declared a need for humanitarian assistance in food security. The USAID and BHA are planning to deliver emergency funds to the world food program in order to help with the food crisis caused by the flooding in Uganda. The U.S. also announced a donation of $20 million in development assistance to the country. The funds are meant to ease the food insecurity by helping the agriculture industry and providing the country with improved techniques to increase productivity and to prevent losses.
A Look Ahead
The situation for many in Uganda is currently not adequate, however, the people of the world see their struggle and have committed to helping. The U.S. and other organizations have seen this problem all over the world in terms of food insecurity caused by natural disasters. While the problem may not be gone today or tomorrow, there are countless people trying to make sure that the Ugandans in the coming years will not have the same worries.
– Alex Peterson
Photo: WikiCommons
Improving Education in Mexico
Education in Mexico has a history of being low in quality and, thus, enrollment. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), almost 19% of Mexican children between the ages of 15 and 19 do not have a high school education. As of 2022, the graduation rate of Mexican students is only 45% and those who are receiving an education are not even close to receiving a quality education.
Barriers to Education in Mexico
There are many barriers to education in Mexico, a large one being the shrinking of funds that go towards the school systems. In the past 5 years, Mexico has cut its textbook budget by a third and reduced its teacher training by more than 40%. As of 2018, Mexico is only spending 16.58% of its budget on education, a number that has been declining since 2015. The limited money that is going towards education in Mexico makes it almost impossible to develop a higher-quality system.
Another barrier to education in Mexico is the poverty that 43.9% of people are currently living in. School dropout rates and grade repetitions are very real and serious issues for students living in poorer communities and largely affect teenagers. Many young adults have to abandon the privilege of an education and seek work instead. Low-quality education is more of a reality for children in the marginalized areas of Mexico, exhibiting disregard for regional differences and therefore putting some students at major disadvantages. Due to natural disasters and a lack of funding, many school buildings are in extremely poor condition, disrupting learning and sometimes, putting students in danger.
Nonprofits Improving Education in Mexico
The poor quality of education in Mexico is doing a severe disservice to the future of the country. Thankfully, there are a few organizations that are trying to combat the deeply flawed system. Project Amigo is a nonprofit that is helping the disadvantaged and marginalized children of west-central Mexico by providing educational scholarships, school supplies and health care to those who need it. It accepts monetary, laptop and book donations, all of which help students achieve their academic and extracurricular goals. Other organizations are focusing on training capable and empowered teachers. Enseña Por México trains young leaders who, upon completion of the program, devote a minimum of two years to working in a low-income school. As of 2018, approximately 284 of Enseña Por México’s alumni became teachers in eight different states.
Looking Ahead
While some schools are in worse shape than others, the overall quality of education in Mexico is poor. Denying young people the right to receive a well-rounded education is no better than denying them any education at all. It is imperative that organizations like Project Amigo and Enseña Por México get the support that they need to help the children of Mexico flourish.
– Ava Lombardi
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