Playing a sport is one of the most developmental experiences a child can take part in. Sports offer great health benefits, foster social interaction and give children a sense of fun, happiness and motivation. Most impoverished children who play sports end up quitting or have to quit because of how expensive sportswear and equipment are. Even then, less investment goes into sports programs in underdeveloped countries, and as a result, players struggle to reach their full potential. Some interpret this as developing countries do not perform as well as more powerful countries in global sporting events. This is why two professional lacrosse players are giving back with the Give & Go Foundation: an organization dedicated to supporting underserved lacrosse communities around the world through a variety of services, helping some of the 365 million children living in extreme poverty.
The Professional Lacrosse Players Behind the Give & Go Foundation
Adam Ghitelman and Scott Ratliff are professional lacrosse players with major accomplishments in lacrosse, but they are also the inventors of a global nonprofit organization. Ratliff, a long stick midfielder and captain for the Archers Lacrosse Club, is a three-time Major League Lacrosse All-Star and a 2017 recipient of the fundraising award “Real Man of the MLL.”
Ghitelman, a goalie for the Archers Lacrosse Club, is a two-time Major League Lacrosse All-Star and was chosen as the World Lacrosse Foundation Ambassador of the Year. These two came together to organize the Give & Go Foundation with the simple mission of growing the game of lacrosse around the world, focusing on underdeveloped communities. The game has “brought so much” to their lives, so they decided to give others the chance to experience it. “Lacrosse promotes teamwork, physical exercise, discipline and communication. By sharing this sport with underserved programs we will be able to add massive value to the lives of the players whom we connect with,” said the co-founders on the organization’s website.
How the Give & Go Foundation Makes a Difference
Since 2015, Ghitelman and Ratliff have been giving back with the Give & Go Foundation to empower, grow, link and inspire lacrosse communities globally. This organization focuses on financing, consulting, educating and donating resources to lacrosse programs in need.
Program development is a focus point of the organization, providing resources to numerous programs: coaching, funding, equipment and even “kickstart[ing] international youth programs.” Children’s personal development is an area of focus that Give & Go prioritizes through leadership, education and shared love for the game.
There are scholarship programs that allow the next generation to attend college/prep school, ensuring they reach their fullest possible potential. Give & Go aims for programs to reach Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Status to support players with “the dream of playing in the world games.”
The Give & Go Foundation serves as a worldwide network for the lacrosse community, connecting lacrosse players all around the globe. Travel experiences are another focal point, so the organization gives stipends to travel and coach in various places and establishes travel plans for individuals, groups and teams.
The Foundation makes sure to provide all the necessary equipment for the game along with money for the field space as there is no way to play the game if there is nowhere to play. Professional ambassadors, both men and women, work to inspire, consult and teach programs internationally.
Helping Countries in Poverty
A few of the many countries Give & Go has impacted include Jamaica, Argentina, Costa Rica, Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic, Nicaragua, Panama and the Netherlands. In just these countries alone, millions of people face poverty. In Nicaragua, in 2016, about 25% of people lived below the national poverty line. Meanwhile, in Portugal, in 2016, close to 2.6 million people faced risks of poverty, and in Argentina, about 10 million people endured poverty in the first half of 2019.
Ghitelman and Ratliff have already impacted so many lives by giving back with the Give & Go Foundation. The organization is providing children all over the world with the opportunity of playing the great sport of lacrosse. In the process, the organization educates children and teaches them skills necessary for personal development.
In an interview with The Sport of Philanthropy in 2019, co-founder Ratliff said that “Sports are a safe environment to learn how to fail and try again, to learn how to deal with loss in emotionally elevated circumstances and to learn how to communicate through differences with teammates and coaches who aren’t always like you.” He further stated that his mission “is to not only help more people have access to sports but also to understand the power and value of sports when viewed through this lens.”
The Give & Go Foundation is prioritizing the well-being and development of children through sports, ensuring that children obtain the skills and empowerment necessary to rise out of poverty.
– Dylan Olive
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
4 Benefits of Mobile Money in Africa
Stable Financial Systems
Mobile money began when Vodafone’s Safaricom launched M-PESA in 2007. It is a platform that allows the transfer of money between mobile phones after being installed into the devices’ SIM. Whilst originating in Kenya, M-Pesa expanded to 10 countries in 10 years, with many other mobile money companies cropping up along the way, including OPay and Wave. Mobile money’s popularity lies in allowing people to make financial transactions without connecting to the banking system.
Technology is particularly influential in Somalia, which saw the breakdown of its financial system after the collapse of the Somali Central Bank in 2013. However, it was saved through the introduction of technology. With mobile payments free to access, marketplaces could flourish and businesses could interact with one another.
Financial Resilience
The convenience and efficiency of mobile money transactions can also be a saving grace for families experiencing unexpected difficulties, such as natural disasters and sudden health issues. One study found that Kenyan households with M-PESA did not have to reduce their spending on food or education in response to negative events, as they were better able to receive fast money transfers from family and friends. In contrast, families without M-PESA had to withdraw their children from school to pay for health expenses.
More Inclusive Marketplace
Access to mobile money means more freedom within the economy. Besides, technology has provided many women with the opportunity to change occupations. One study concluded that with M-PESA, 185,000 women moved from agriculture to retail, according to J-PAL. Mobile money also boosted consumption and lifted around 2% of Kenyan households out of poverty – especially female-headed households, as it drove up levels of savings and labor market outcomes.
Humanitarian Cash Transfer Systems
Mobile money also facilitates easy foreign aid for those facing hardship. The U.K. government is set to send £15.5 million to GSMA Mobile for the Humanitarian (M4H) Innovation Programme this year. It will help reach over 17 million people facing humanitarian crises such as displacement and hunger. The program has already provided over 8 million people with disaster-recovery services.
Togo is another example of the utilization of mobile money for humanitarian aid. Its government launched a digital mass payment platform called NOVISSI at the start of the pandemic. NOVISSI allowed for beneficiaries to receive payments within minutes and without the internet, distributing $34 million to a quarter of its adult population.
With the benefits of mobile money in Africa, people increasingly connect with each other, gaining more freedom within the economy and more financial stability. Technology has allowed millions to gain independence and build better lives.
– Imogen Scott
Photo: Flickr
Supporting Agriculture in Malawi
This is why the U.S., in its recent developmental work in Malawi, is largely prioritizing agricultural initiatives which have the potential to see the country’s soaring poverty and food insecurity rates decrease as well as boost economic growth and innovation. With that, here are a few of the important steps the U.S. is currently taking to support agriculture in Malawi.
Increasing Commercialization
Among the U.S.’s goals for the Malawian agricultural sector, one major aspect is expanding the industry’s commercialization. In a recent press release, USAID announced its $35 million support for the expansion and strengthening of Malawi’s agricultural industry. It pointed out that the country’s population is growing and limited agricultural productivity has presented numerous obstacles to meeting growing needs.
“Malawi’s agricultural industry is not sufficiently commercialized nor large enough to meet the needs of a growing population, which is projected to double to nearly 34 million people in just over two decades,” USAID explained. “[This] new project will generate jobs and incomes for smallholder farmers and increase agricultural and food exports for the country.”
Strengthening the Private Sector
As part of supporting the expanded commercialization of Malawi’s agricultural industry, the U.S. also aims to boost investment in the country’s private sector. In a speech in Malawi on July 2, USAID Administrator Samantha Powers reconfirmed this commitment, stating, “We will invest in rural economic hubs, supporting companies that, themselves, support smallholder farmers or help process their goods for export.”
One such program which will invest in the private sector in order to bolster agricultural growth and commercialization is the “Let Them Grow Healthy” initiative. Through this initiative, “USAID will invest $23 million and the private sector will match this by also contributing $23 million.” Specifically, the initiative will aim to invest in companies that have the potential to aid the Malawian government’s goals related to increasing the country’s food security and nutrition services.
Roughly 5.4 million Malawians face moderate or severe food insecurity. Initiatives such as this one are a step in the right direction for encouraging the growth and development of new, accessible and nutrient-rich food products and services.
Feed the Future Initiative
In another major victory for the future of agriculture in Malawi, at the recent G7 Leaders’ Summit in Germany, U.S. President Joe Biden announced the expansion of the Feed the Future Initiative to include several new African countries, Malawi among them.
Developed by the U.S. in 2010, Feed the Future works to identify the root causes of hunger and poverty around the globe and address them by “boosting inclusive agriculture-led economic growth, resilience and nutrition in countries with great need and opportunity for improvement.” Feed the Future is widely regarded as the U.S.’s flagship agricultural development program. USAID Administrator Samantha Powers, responding to the expansion, briefly summed up its significance for Malawi. She stated that “This will mean an intensification of our efforts to strengthen food security, poverty reduction and agricultural growth in the country.”
According to USAID, in Malawi, among other things, Feed the Future will specifically work to:
Future at Glance
Harsh climate shocks and limited economic growth have had a negative impact on many Malawians’ way of life in the agricultural sector in recent years. However, with these current programs in place and others scheduled to take place, hope is certainly on the horizon.
Given the significant strides Malawi has made in other areas of its country— such as increased access to education, the prioritization of gender equality, as well as the reduction of some income inequality between the rich and the poor — Malawi is certainly capable of positive change. With this strong support from the U.S. and its continued partnership with the Government of Malawi, agriculture in Malawi might just see a similar chance for improvement.
– Riley Wooldridge
Photo: Flickr
The World Bank’s $2.3 Billion Program in Africa
Alleviating Food Insecurity
The World Bank’s $2.3 billion initiative in Africa highlights the power of international institutions to help vulnerable populations during difficult times. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the invasion of Ukraine, international institutions such as The World Bank have stepped in to alleviate food insecurity in developing countries. In fact, The World Bank’s $2.3 billion program in Africa “is the first regional and multi-sectoral operation” aimed at tackling food insecurity in Eastern and Southern Africa.
The World Bank hopes to achieve that by “ensuring regional coordination” in confronting food insecurity by focusing on food policy reforms and market volatility. In other words, this is a story of how international institutions uphold human rights by cooperating with countries to make sure every person lives a better life.
The Impact of Food Insecurity on People in Southern and Eastern Africa
Food insecurity has had a devastating effect on the livelihood of people living in Africa. For example, 22.7 million people in Ethiopia are struggling with food insecurity “due to drought.” In fact, the food price index in Ethiopia has increased to 43% alongside an increase in the price of vegetable oil and cereals “by over 89% and 37% year-on-year.”
In Madagascar, between 1 and 2.5 million people are in need of food assistance because of weather disasters such as flooding and storms. Thus, The World Bank’s $2.3 billion program in Africa aims to address these crises and mitigate them.
First Phase of the Program
The first phase of The World Bank’s $2.3 billion program in Africa will address food insecurity in Ethiopia and Madagascar. The World Bank has approved “a total financing package of $788 million that could “benefit 2.3 million people,” as reported on its website. This financing package will support the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) “which will strengthen information and data sharing.”
It will also support the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA). This will utilize “its existing networks and outreach tools for regional coordination mechanisms” to help Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Other Efforts to Tackle Food Insecurity in Africa
The World Bank’s $2.3 billion program in Africa is ongoing and more details will be unveiled later. However, more international institutions are also tackling food insecurity in Africa at the same time as The World Bank. For example, since April 1, 2022, The World Food Programme (WFP) “has delivered 100,000 tonnes of food,” to the Tigray region of Ethiopia which was “enough to feed 5.9 million people for a month,” the U.N. News reports. The WFP has also provided emergency food rations to “1.3 million people in Afar and Amhara,” regions of Ethiopia since April 1, 2022.
Though much more aid is needed as global threats persist, The World Bank’s and other international institutions’ efforts in tackling food insecurity in Africa are a step in the right direction.
– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr
Peecycling Process to Help Fertilizer Shortage
Prices of fertilizers are skyrocketing worldwide, forcing farmers to produce less, and thus, unintentionally harming their livelihoods. This ripple is also extending into the food market, with the FAO Food Price Index reaching an all-time high of 159.7 points in March 2022.
Benefits of Using Human Urine as Fertilizer
How the Peecycling Process Works
A variety of systems, including cups, jugs and special toilets with attached plumbed tanks, were designed to aid the process of urine diversion. These instruments are easy to use and once the urine is collected, it is transported to the site of treatment.
The process of sterilizing urine is simpler than doing the same for feces. All one has to do to destroy the remaining pathogens is keep the collected urine between temperatures of 71-75 degrees Fahrenheit for about three months.
Urine is 95% water, and therefore, requires significant storage capacity. This is expensive, but there are ways to concentrate urine through various processes such as evaporation, distillation and reverse osmosis. One particularly effective process is “alkaline urine dehydration.” This involves raising the pH value of urine to reduce its volume and convert it into fertilizer.
Peecycling Projects Underway
A lot of potential is yet to be unpacked from human urine and scientists are on top of it. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: the peecycling process provides a feasible solution to global fertilizer shortages, ensuring food security worldwide.
– Anushka Raychaudhuri
Photo: Flickr
Water ATMs Provide Clean Drinking Water in India
In India, despite the country being the second most populated in the world, less than half of the population has access to clean drinking water. This barrier brings a heavy toll. Aside from the humanitarian cost, UNICEF estimates that diseases from unsanitary drinking water cost India $600 million each year. Contamination of drinking water, as well as the depletion of natural groundwater, has plagued the Indian government’s attempts to expand water access to its citizens. The two main chemical contaminants of water in India are fluoride and arsenic. According to UNICEF, 1.96 million homes in India have chemically contaminated water. Although the United States has disbursed approximately $110 million to India in foreign aid, foreign assistance is not the only way India is hoping to combat water insecurity. JanaJal, a New Delhi-based water purification company, has made strides toward providing clean drinking water in India.
What is JanaJal?
A flagship initiative from Supremus Developers, brothers Parag and Anurag Agarwal launched JanaJal in 2013 with the mission to provide clean, safe drinking water in India. In its nine years of existence, according to its website, JanaJal has:
JanaJal prides itself on being “technology agnostic,” which means they are not bound to one specific technology to attain its goals. This allows the company to be flexible and cater to the needs of specific areas across India.
Clean Drinking Water in India
According to water.org, 91 million people lack access to safe water in India. Part of the issue is fecal contamination. Approximately 15% of the population in India openly defecates, which leads to fecal matter ending up in water sources. Additionally, 62% of Indian households do not treat their water, with treatment less common in rural areas. Waterborne illnesses infect roughly 37 million Indians each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In rural communities without access to water supplies at home, the burden of water collection often falls on the women of the families. In 2018, 40% of girls aged 15-18 were not in school, many of them burdened with housework and supporting their families, including the task of gathering water. Women empowerment is one of JanaJal’s four success metrics. In 2020, 40% of JanaJal businesses were women-owned, a statistic the company hopes to increase to 50% by 2024. JanaJal’s business model has helped empower women by allowing them to become entrepreneurs running local Water ATMs.
Water ATMs
Water ATMs are exactly what they sound like: an easy access point to vend safe water. In 2020, JanaJal had 755 water ATMs and safe water access points across the country. Each water ATM can dispense up to 15,000 liters of water a day. Additionally, the water ATMs can dispense water in a variety of amounts depending on the need. JanaJal’s newest initiative may be their most impactful yet as the company expands.
Water on Wheels (WOW)
Delhi, where JanaJal is headquartered, recently approved the implementation of seven Water on Wheels (WOW) within the Badarpur area. Water on Wheels is a custom-built electric vehicle with GPS technology to deliver water to the doorsteps of houses. WOWs have been quickly proving their worth, as they were one of five technologies that the Indian government recommended for its states and union territories to implement.
JanaJal’s impact on India’s water crisis is widespread. By providing access to clean drinking water, JanaJal has helped reduce waterborne illnesses, water contamination and plastic waste in the South Asian country. Though tackling India’s water crisis is a daunting task, JanaJal seems up for the challenge.
– Emma Rushworth
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
US Approval of COVID-19 Vaccines For Young Children
COVID-19’s Effect on Children Worldwide
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 543 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide. As of December 2021, 17,200 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in adolescents under the age of 20, making up 0.4% of deaths worldwide. The effect on children is harder to understand. Data on child excess mortality and case numbers are inconsistent. Numbers disproportionately represent high-income countries and while the pandemic hits the poorest children the hardest, the effects on middle and low-income countries are underreported.
Along with the direct health effects of contracting COVID-19, children are experiencing indirect effects from prolonging the pandemic. Specifically in low-income countries, children have been affected by the strain on the healthcare system, such as disruptions from routine care and lost family income.
For example, according to UNICEF, 80 million children under the age of one may miss out on other essential vaccines because of the disruptions of the pandemic in May 2020. With increased vaccination rates worldwide, the hope is the pandemic can be mitigated and such effects on children will decrease.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young children approved in the U.S. have a smaller dosage than their adult counterparts. For Moderna, two doses given four weeks apart are 25 micrograms each. With Pfizer, three shots contain three micrograms each. Each vaccine contains just a fraction of the dosage given to adults.
Worldwide Childhood Vaccine Distribution
Since the beginning of the pandemic, health care responses have not been equitable across the globe. While 66% of the world has been vaccinated against COVID-19, only 16% of people in low-income countries have received one dose as of May 2022. Initiatives similar to the WHO’s COVAX program has helped distribute COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries. As of May 2022, Pfizer has distributed 3.5 billion COVID-19 vaccines to over 175 countries.
As the U.S. was the first country to approve Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children under 5 years old, other efforts are underway across the world. Pfizer and Moderna are not the only COVID-19 vaccines, as a Cuban vaccine has been given to over 1.7 million children under the age of 18. This vaccine is now being produced for Iran, Vietnam and Venezuela.
Vaccine Regulations and Authorizations
Pfizer and Moderna are some of the most prominent vaccines as they are making up around 33.6% of the total vaccines distributed in Africa. The companies are working to get vaccines for young children approved in other countries. Pfizer says they are committed to protecting all age groups from COVID-19 and are working to ensure other countries will follow the actions of the U.S. authorization. The company plans to submit authorizations for vaccinations under five to regulators around the world. For example, the company will request authorization from the European Medical Agency beginning in July 2022.
Ultimately, the vaccine regulations and processes differ for each country. Countries will license various vaccines for different age groups depending on their own analysis of the safety and efficacy of the vaccines. As WHO’s Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan states, countries should follow their guidelines to determine their own calculated risks. Vaccine companies like Pfizer and Moderna will work with health care providers, governments and communities as they continue to expand access to healthcare throughout the world.
Conclusion
While it is unclear when each country will approve vaccines for young children and start distributing the shots, companies similar to Pfizer are working around the world to make sure children will have access to the vaccine.
– Abigail Turner
Photo: Flickr
Eliminating Gender Inequality in Egypt
Egypt is a country famous for its robust capital city and majestic monuments, reminiscent of the sophisticated ancient civilizations that it once cultivated. However, the country has struggled to alleviate gender disparities, and gender inequality in Egypt has placed its ranking 134th out of 153 countries according to the Global Gender Gap Index. Despite these numbers, Egypt has shown determination to eliminate gender discrimination domestically and worldwide by aiming to provide more representation globally.
Egypt’s Advancements
Egypt recently made substantial steps forward in representing women not only domestically, but worldwide. Dr. Maya Morsy, the President of Egypt’s National Council for Women, was elected to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women for 2023-2026. The Committee’s goal is to eliminate all forms of gender discrimination against women and uplift them by recognizing women’s rights through new laws and providing more opportunities. The Committee contains 23 members who are qualified experts in women’s issues.
Dr. Morsy’s significant accomplishment follows the Committee’s previous ruling in 2021 that Egypt would no longer be considered in a state of emergency and that the progress of eliminating gender inequality since 2010 showed great improvement in equality within Egyptian civil society.
Dr. Morsy presented the combined eighth to tenth periodic reports of Egypt to the Committee in 2021 and claimed the creation of a new era for eliminating gender discrimination began with the June 2014 election of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. With this election, women became a major focus of Egypt’s National Human Rights Strategy.
In the conclusion report that lifted Egypt from its state of emergency, the Committee praised new key national strategies for its contribution to alleviating gender inequality in Egypt, including acclaim for its 2014 Constitution. It created more opportunities for women in civil, social, political and economic sectors.
Gender Inequality in Egypt’s Workforce
The labor force of Egypt is predominantly male. In 2020, only 18% of women able to work participated in the labor force while 65% of working-age men participated, according to USAID.
According to the World Bank, Egypt-specific studies have predicted that the GDP would rise by 34% if the labor force participation of women was as high as men. GDP is a rough estimate of a country’s standard of living. Because of this, an increase of women in the workforce has a high potential to boost the Egyptian economy and reduce poverty.
The Egyptian Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics reported that the poverty rates between 2015 and 2018 rose dramatically from 27.8% to 32.5%. This hike in poverty led to the less general consumption of goods and services such as education and health care. Increasing the labor force participation rate of women could ultimately positively affect the economy of Egypt while also destigmatizing their presence in the workplace and civil society.
Stepping Forward
Egypt has made tremendous advances toward eliminating gender inequality within its country. The appointment of Dr. Maya Morsy to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women demonstrates Egypt’s dedication to the pivotal issue. Domestically, the creation of more freedoms, such as financial equality, broader property rights and universal access to reproductive health care is reflected in initiatives such as the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Egyptian Women for 2016-2030. In addition, the government saw an increase in the proportion of women in senior management positions to 24.1%.
In Egypt, the future of opportunity expansion for women, according to the current progress in eliminating gender discrimination, appears hopeful and experts such as Dr. Maya Morsy intend to enact change globally.
– Caroline Zientek
Photo: Flickr
Professional Lacrosse Players Giving Back
Playing a sport is one of the most developmental experiences a child can take part in. Sports offer great health benefits, foster social interaction and give children a sense of fun, happiness and motivation. Most impoverished children who play sports end up quitting or have to quit because of how expensive sportswear and equipment are. Even then, less investment goes into sports programs in underdeveloped countries, and as a result, players struggle to reach their full potential. Some interpret this as developing countries do not perform as well as more powerful countries in global sporting events. This is why two professional lacrosse players are giving back with the Give & Go Foundation: an organization dedicated to supporting underserved lacrosse communities around the world through a variety of services, helping some of the 365 million children living in extreme poverty.
The Professional Lacrosse Players Behind the Give & Go Foundation
Adam Ghitelman and Scott Ratliff are professional lacrosse players with major accomplishments in lacrosse, but they are also the inventors of a global nonprofit organization. Ratliff, a long stick midfielder and captain for the Archers Lacrosse Club, is a three-time Major League Lacrosse All-Star and a 2017 recipient of the fundraising award “Real Man of the MLL.”
Ghitelman, a goalie for the Archers Lacrosse Club, is a two-time Major League Lacrosse All-Star and was chosen as the World Lacrosse Foundation Ambassador of the Year. These two came together to organize the Give & Go Foundation with the simple mission of growing the game of lacrosse around the world, focusing on underdeveloped communities. The game has “brought so much” to their lives, so they decided to give others the chance to experience it. “Lacrosse promotes teamwork, physical exercise, discipline and communication. By sharing this sport with underserved programs we will be able to add massive value to the lives of the players whom we connect with,” said the co-founders on the organization’s website.
How the Give & Go Foundation Makes a Difference
Since 2015, Ghitelman and Ratliff have been giving back with the Give & Go Foundation to empower, grow, link and inspire lacrosse communities globally. This organization focuses on financing, consulting, educating and donating resources to lacrosse programs in need.
Program development is a focus point of the organization, providing resources to numerous programs: coaching, funding, equipment and even “kickstart[ing] international youth programs.” Children’s personal development is an area of focus that Give & Go prioritizes through leadership, education and shared love for the game.
There are scholarship programs that allow the next generation to attend college/prep school, ensuring they reach their fullest possible potential. Give & Go aims for programs to reach Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Status to support players with “the dream of playing in the world games.”
The Give & Go Foundation serves as a worldwide network for the lacrosse community, connecting lacrosse players all around the globe. Travel experiences are another focal point, so the organization gives stipends to travel and coach in various places and establishes travel plans for individuals, groups and teams.
The Foundation makes sure to provide all the necessary equipment for the game along with money for the field space as there is no way to play the game if there is nowhere to play. Professional ambassadors, both men and women, work to inspire, consult and teach programs internationally.
Helping Countries in Poverty
A few of the many countries Give & Go has impacted include Jamaica, Argentina, Costa Rica, Portugal, Spain, the Czech Republic, Nicaragua, Panama and the Netherlands. In just these countries alone, millions of people face poverty. In Nicaragua, in 2016, about 25% of people lived below the national poverty line. Meanwhile, in Portugal, in 2016, close to 2.6 million people faced risks of poverty, and in Argentina, about 10 million people endured poverty in the first half of 2019.
Ghitelman and Ratliff have already impacted so many lives by giving back with the Give & Go Foundation. The organization is providing children all over the world with the opportunity of playing the great sport of lacrosse. In the process, the organization educates children and teaches them skills necessary for personal development.
In an interview with The Sport of Philanthropy in 2019, co-founder Ratliff said that “Sports are a safe environment to learn how to fail and try again, to learn how to deal with loss in emotionally elevated circumstances and to learn how to communicate through differences with teammates and coaches who aren’t always like you.” He further stated that his mission “is to not only help more people have access to sports but also to understand the power and value of sports when viewed through this lens.”
The Give & Go Foundation is prioritizing the well-being and development of children through sports, ensuring that children obtain the skills and empowerment necessary to rise out of poverty.
– Dylan Olive
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
The Need for More Aid to Latin America
The diverse sprawl of nations that make up Latin America and the Caribbean is currently mired in the intense ramifications of inequity and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite internal efforts from across Latin American nations to fight off poverty, inequality and illness, it is evident that more foreign aid to Latin America is necessary. The aid should fall into the two main categories of helping maintain sovereignty for Latin Americans and growing their economies.
The Current Crisis
The most significant threat to lifting Latin American nations out of poverty is the rate of high inequality paired alongside low social program spending, which has resulted in the region accounting for 28% of total global COVID-19 fatalities by April 2022 despite only making up 8.4% of the world’s population. In addition, ineffective cash transfers and tax systems, which often neglect to collect from the wealthiest citizens, result in women, Indigenous communities and other marginalized groups bearing the brunt of the economic fallout.
The impact of the pandemic has only exacerbated the issues of low social program spending and lack of progressive taxation. Increased food insecurity, economic contraction of 7.4% in the region in 2020, as well as increased poverty and extreme poverty rates, all paint the current picture of economic and social inequality in Latin America and the need for more aid to alleviate the region’s levels of poverty.
Current Aid
Funds are currently in play, supplying aid to Latin America for COVID-19 relief and future infrastructure support. The World Bank initiated funding for public health systems throughout 2021, various industry support funds, vaccines and emergency health response improvement. Countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Panama have received substantive aid with the primary focus on COVID-19 and health-related recovery.
Over the past 20 years, the need for aid in Latin America and the Caribbean has remained high, but due to developmental growth in the region, the “U.S. government has increasingly concentrated those resources in fewer countries and sectors.”
The rate of poverty in the region reduced from 45.3% in 2002 to 30.5% in 2019. However, around 2015, progress in many Latin American nations began to stagnate. Political instability deteriorated economic conditions in nations such as Nicaragua and Venezuela, and poverty levels only worsened across the region in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Biden administration has proposed as of March 31, 2022, a foreign assistance budget of $2.1 billion for aid to Latin America and the Caribbean. However, these funds have yet to receive approval and the type of causes that the money would go to suggests that there is no exclusive focus on marginalized groups and women in these countries.
The Necessary Aid
An Amnesty International report in April 2022 shows the need for more aid to Latin America in the coming months, but the kind of aid that goes beyond basic health and economic assistance. Most notably, countries must rework the frame of providing funding and aid by opting for a “human rights-based approach to recovering from the pandemic and tackling inequality.”
Looking Ahead
With much of the impact of the social and economic fallout of the pandemic falling on the women of these countries, aid that is to come to the region must take into account how services and economic improvements can work for women. Aid that helps Latin American countries provide financial investment for improved infrastructure is aid that can help alleviate poverty. In addition, aid with a focus on equality and taking into account the social and economic discrepancies on a nation-by-nation basis can more adequately contribute to ending poverty in Latin America.
– Albert Vargas
Photo: Flickr
Elderly Poverty in Israel: A Long-Term Project
Elderly poverty in Israel has sharply declined over the last 20 years. The percentage of households below the poverty line that have a retirement-age head of the household has dropped from 27% in 1997 to 20% in 2011. One reason for this change is due to the welfare legislation laws passed in favor of elderly citizens. Coupled with, “social strategies,” such as living with younger, employed family members, the state of Israel can ensure its elderly population maintains a comfortable standard of living. The gross monthly income of households with retirement-age family members has increased from $3,948 in 1997 to $5,476 in 2011.
An Allowance
According to Ayal Kimhi, researcher and professor at the Hebrew University, “there is a general consensus that the elderly population is entitled to assistance.”
Elderly citizens who live with younger, employed family members are more likely to avoid poverty, because, when joined as one household, they will receive a higher income rate as opposed to an elderly citizen living on their own. Elderly individuals that live with younger family members have three sources of income: government support in the form of an old-age-benefit allowance, employment pensions and income from employed family members.
The percentage of elderly Israelis living in households that receive income from employment pensions increased from 48% in 1999 to 51% in 2011. Due to a rise in income among the elderly population, largely thanks to the old-age benefits allowance, elderly poverty in Israel is decreasing.
“In practice, poverty rates among those entitled to pensions are extremely low,” according to researchers Haya Stier and Haim Bleikh. Israel legislates that the elderly population receives “a minimum level of income.” Therefore, in addition to pensions received from employment, Israeli people of retirement age receive an old-age pension. Income from pension plans serves as a safety net for retired individuals to ensure that they can still live in comfort outside of employment.
The History Behind Legislation
As of 1980, “awareness of needs of the large and rapidly growing group of elderly population intensified.” As a result, Israel instilled new welfare laws and services. The new order specified that, legally, Israel had to provide a minimum income for the elderly population. Thanks to the National Insurance Institute (NII), the elderly population in Israel has been guaranteed a level of income that will allow them to still engage in day-to-day activities. However, there are a number of eligibility requirements.
In addition to a required income for the elderly population, Israel passed the National Health Care Law in 1995, guaranteeing all citizens health care coverage no matter their socio-economic status. This law covers ambulance and hospital services for all Israeli citizens as well as medication. About 30% of the national health care services budget goes toward addressing the health needs of elderly Israeli citizens.
Israel, through the introduction of these welfare acts, aimed to ensure that elderly citizens could “continue living in their own homes and communities as long as possible.” Israel also established public and private housing for independent elderly citizens. The elderly citizens who reside in these shelters are not in need of many services.
Finally, in 1998, Israel passed the Nursing Law, which sought to provide for elderly citizens struggling to engage in “activities of daily living (ADL).” The Nursing Law allows these citizens to “receive up to 16 hours a week of help” directly in their homes. Trained caregivers help with “personal needs as well as cooking, house cleaning and shopping.”
Looking Ahead
Elderly poverty in Israel has been on the decline since the passing of welfare laws in the 1980s. Thanks to the Israeli government and new social standards, the elderly population in Israel is guaranteed to live comfortably whether with their younger and still employed family members or independently. Israel is addressing elderly poverty within the nation and the gap of impoverishment between the elderly and the young has been closing over the past 20 years.
– Henry Hyman
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