India has one of the most sophisticated and developed call center industries, so much so that many other countries outsource their jobs to India. However, scam call centers exist in India, which is an illegal underground part of this industry. While these centers are not a new concept, they had become increasingly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in India. A Microsoft 2021 survey found that India is perceived “as the hub of [scam] call center talent being put to criminal use,” defrauding many countries such as the United States, Canada and even the people within India itself.
This particular survey, comprising 16 countries and 16,254 adult internet users, concluded that seven out of 10 people from India “encountered tech support scams in the past year.” With the prevalence of scam calls in India rising from 23% in 2018 to 31% in 2021, police raids in the nation aim to combat scam call centers in India. The Indian Ministry of Labour and Employment is also taking the initiative to improve job outcomes for youth, indirectly preventing people, especially youth, from resorting to these illegal practices.
Poverty as a Driving Factor
Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to India’s National Statistical Office, India endured a harsh economic contraction of almost 24% “in the first quarter of the 2020-2021 fiscal year,” marking the “worst decline among the world’s major economies releasing GDP figures for that same quarter.” In December 2021, India noted an unemployment rate of 7.91%, up from 6.3% in 2018-2019, according to Al Jazeera. Furthermore, close to 30 million Indian citizens between the ages of 20 and 29 faced unemployment in 2021, which equated to 85% of the total unemployed population, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). Due to these circumstances of unemployment, people search for jobs wherever they can find them, sometimes falling victim to fraudulent job opportunities or even participating in fraudulent work as a last resort.
Victims of Scam Call Centers
Scammers will target whoever they can get money from, whether young or old. In the United States, it is common for scammers to target the elderly and vulnerable populations, with scammers allegedly using tactics such as fear to steal money. IRS and Social Security scammers threaten to arrest their victims if they do not receive the money, among other methods. The United States experienced an increase in losing money through tech scams from 6% in 2018 to 10% in 2021. Some victims would lose their entire life savings.
Canada experienced an increase in victims losing money to tech scams from 3% in 2018 to 6% in 2021. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported that scammers stole a minimum of $3 million from citizens in 2020 through a bank investor scheme.
However, compared to the rest of the world, scammers target residents in India the most. The victim rate is likely high due to customers in India being more trusting of unsolicited contact. From the same 2021 Microsoft survey, “47% [of Indian consumers] thought that it was very or somewhat likely that a company would contact them via an unsolicited call, pop-up, text message, ad or email.” This is a 15% increase from 2018.
The survey also reveals that scammers misled 48% of Indian consumers into continuing the scam. Millennials in India (aged 24-37) were the most at risk of falling victim to scams in 2021, resulting in 58% of targets losing money through scams. Around 73% of males were likely to lose money when interacting with scammers in contrast to 27% of women. Customers in 2021 lost 15,334 rupees on average, though 88% of those who lost money were able to recover 10,797 rupees on average.
Action to Combat Scam Call Centers
Police residing in multiple cities of India are combating scam call centers and their illegal practices through raids, arresting hundreds of people and seizing data. The Delhi Police raided a group in 2020 for allegedly defrauding more than 4,500 United States citizens, stealing upward of $14 million. Along with this, the Delhi Police’s cyber-crime unit raided more than 25 scam call centers within the same year.
In the Indian city of Gurugram between January and June 2021, police raided eight call centers. New Delhi police also arrested 65 people on July 28, 2021, seizing “58 computers, two laptops, internet routers and data found on electronic devices.”
Addressing Youth Unemployment
Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar said that India is dedicated to reducing youth unemployment rates in India, making efforts to “improve the bridge between unemployment and education.” This statement came “after the signing of a Statement of Intent between the Ministry and UNICEF” in June 2021. The partnership aims to empower the youth in India to gain the relevant skills and guidance for future legitimate job opportunities.
The National Career Service (NCS) provides “career counseling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, apprenticeship and internships” in order to address the youth unemployment rate in India. The Ministry and NCS are taking steps to combat lockdown-induced barriers in the job market, for example, by planning “online job fairs” and providing job seekers with links for remote job opportunities and online skills training.
Both UNICEF and Gangwar hope to make improvements in the next three years to help the youth secure brighter futures. By creating more legitimate job opportunities and making skills and education initiatives accessible to the impoverished, India can prevent youth from resorting to participating in scam call centers. As India recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and poverty and unemployment reduce in the nation, it is likely that the prevalence of scam call centers will reduce too.
– Jerrett Phinney
Photo: Flickr
Everything to Know About Poverty in Lebanon
It has been almost three years since Lebanon, previously labeled as the “Switzerland of the Middle East,” began to slowly drown in poverty. As the ESCWA report stated, 82% of the Lebanese and non-Lebanese population lives in multidimensional poverty while 40% of them live in extreme multidimensional poverty. Those numbers result from an unprecedented economic crisis that started in October 2019 and kept on worsening with the COVID-19 outbreak, the Beirut Port explosion, the ongoing corruption and the war in Ukraine. Here is everything to know about poverty in Lebanon.
Health Care
One of the most important and dangerous symptoms of the poverty increase in Lebanon is the degradation of the health care system. The Lebanese lira has lost more than 90% of its value since 2019, making it impossible for many health care professionals (nurses and doctors) to live decently with their salaries, thus leading them to leave the country for better opportunities abroad. In addition to that, the country imports many medical care products and medicines, leading to a huge increase in their prices, making them unaffordable for many. Lebanon has the means to produce its drugs, an action that the actual government is encouraging while it still needs time before being fully implemented.
Public Utilities and Food Security
Another dimension to know about poverty in Lebanon is the lack of public utilities available to the people. The most famous, touching a majority of people, is the lack of electricity the state provides, forcing the Lebanese people to reach out to owners of private generators to have a few hours of electricity a day. However, this alternative has a considerable cost to Lebanese households. The fuel that powers the generators comes from abroad, requiring payments in USD and making it impossible for many to subscribe to this service amidst the severe economic crisis the country is going through.
A more recent issue Lebanon must face as a result of the War in Ukraine is the wheat crisis and with it a risk of shortage in bread production. The country imports more than 60% of its wheat from Ukraine. The urgency of this new issue also depends on the government’s capacity to secure enough quantities before any increase in the price of wheat.
Education
The numerous challenges Lebanon has faced over the past three years have also had their effect on education. According to UNICEF, 260,000 Lebanese children risk interrupting their education. Whether it is the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the students to stop their studies because of the lack of means to pursue them online, the destruction of some schools in Beirut after the port explosion and the economic crisis forcing some schools and universities to increase their tuitions making them unaffordable for many.
Efforts to Help Lebanon
A year ago, the World Bank approved a $246 million project to provide 147,000 households with basic needs as well as cash transfers. More recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reached an agreement of $3 billion with the Lebanese government to help Lebanon get out of the crisis. On another note, local NGOs are playing an important role in helping people in need. Private actors are also taking initiatives to benefit from this situation, by enhancing made in Lebanon products, thus relying less on imports.
Hence, having presented everything to know about poverty in Lebanon, shows clearly that the country is not in its best phase. However, hope is always there with small steps taken towards a better future and especially with a young generation who is learning from the mistakes of the older. Helping Lebanon is therefore helping a country full of potential and showing once again that it will rise despite all.
– Youssef Yazbek
Photo: Flickr
Eco-Kolek Aids Plastic Waste Collectors in the Philippines
Informal waste collectors in the city of Puerto Princesa in the Philippines, in collaboration with the Eco-Kolek initiative by Project Zacchaeus (PZC), are developing a safer, more organized method of waste collection and disposal for their community. The Eco-Kolek project allows waste collectors to voice themselves and become more involved in their local communities.
Plastic and Poverty in the Philippines
Single-use plastic products are low-cost and easy to produce; the high production rate of single-use plastics in the Philippines has led to a large percentage of plastic pollution coming from the country. The Philippines produces 2.7 million tons of plastic waste annually and roughly 20% of it pollutes the ocean. As a nation of more than 7,500 islands, the coastal areas of the country are especially susceptible to the negative impacts of ocean plastic pollution.
Recent data shows that about 23.7% of Filipinos lived under the poverty threshold in the first quarter of 2021 while about 10% lived in extreme poverty, unable to meet their basic food needs. Because single-use plastics are an inexpensive way to purchase everyday necessities, like soap and toothpaste, impoverished communities produce and purchase these plastics in abundance.
Project Zacchaeus and Eco-Kolek
Project Zacchaeus is a social enterprise in the Philippines that develops specialized products and services and trains local citizens to become “servant leaders” in their communities. The organization focuses on communities in need and tailors strategies that aim to alleviate poverty in each area.
Eco-Kolek is an initiative of Project Zacchaeus that educates and provides relevant resources to waste collectors. The project’s goal is to bring a sense of safety and organization to the practice of waste collection and to elevate waste collectors in the Philippines to “Eco-Warriors” and community leaders. The program takes place in Puerto Princesa on the island of Palawan in the Philippines to “help bridge the gaps of waste management.”
How Eco-Kolek Helps Locals Improve Waste Collection
Women make up a large number of informal waste collectors around the world. In the Philippines, women commonly turn to waste collection to earn extra income for their families. In Puerto Princesa, local women hold many leadership roles in waste management.
A waste collector gathers improperly disposed waste and sells it to collectors for a profit. Through the help of Eco-Kolek, the Eco-Warriors can earn an income by learning other relevant skills, such as bookkeeping. With the help of the Eco-Kolek program, the waste collection has become more than just a job — it has become a way to practice and improve leadership skills and become active voices in the community. The Eco-Warriors have become integral to curbing plastic pollution in Puerto Princesa.
In March 2022, USAID’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean program provided the Eco-Warriors with vehicles to make waste collection more efficient. The agency donated “five bicycles, two motorcycles with sidecars and one four-wheeled multi-cab” to the Eco-Kolek program. These vehicles will help the waste collectors reach about “3,000 households in Puerto Princesa.” The Eco-Warriors who will drive the vehicles will also receive free training and courses on driving and vehicle maintenance.
Eco-Kolek aims to reduce ocean plastic pollution by helping waste collectors in Puerto Princesa maintain a more efficient and sustainable method of waste collection. The program professionalizes the job of waste collecting by making it safer and more organized. Eco-Warriors receive education on waste disposal laws and how to most safely dispose of solid waste. Eco-Kolek provides the resources for local waste collectors to unite and more effectively help themselves and their community.
– Melissa Hood
Photo: Flickr
Fighting Food Insecurity by Decreasing Food Waste
Food waste is any food fit for human consumption that one disposes of or uses for a differing purpose either due to choice or circumstances such as food expiry. In a 2014 report, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that food waste compounds the severity of poverty because it negatively impacts hunger, “nutrition, income generation and economic growth.” An essential point of the report is that the need for decreasing food waste is a global issue and food waste occurs at every level of the food supply chain.
The Global Issue of Food Waste
In lower-income countries, the barriers to decreasing food waste include, “managerial or technical limitations in harvesting techniques, storage, transportation, processing, cooling facilities, infrastructure, packaging and marketing systems.” For middle-income to higher-income countries, food waste often occurs on the consumer side, for example, improper meal planning that leads to food wastage. In addition, policies, such as agricultural subsidies, can lead to the excess production of certain crops. Food safety regulations may also lead to the wastage of food that is still fit for human consumption.
To visualize the dizzying scale of food waste, the FAO reported in 2021 that “17% of total global food production” goes to waste. The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021 confirms this, highlighting further that in 2019 global food waste equated to 931 million tonnes of food waste, 61% of which occurred at the household level. The report finds that “household per capita food waste generation” is similar across all nations, developing and developed. In brief, food waste is an issue that spans across class and country lines — a global crisis that requires a global solution.
How the FAO is Fighting Food Insecurity
The FAO is fighting food insecurity through education and collaboration with other governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private partnerships. Among these educational endeavors, the FAOs’ SAVE FOOD initiative aims to reduce food waste in SAARC countries (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) by educating smallholder farmers on proper post-harvest management practices. Post-harvest loss occurs at high rates of 20%-40%, mainly due to a lack of awareness and knowledge, which can affect “food availability, food security and nutrition.” Especially in countries with “traditional fruit and vegetable supply chains,” namely Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the SAVE FOOD initiative prioritizes post-harvest management training.
How the Private Sector Fights Food Insecurity
Private sector partners are addressing food waste-created food insecurity at all levels, from the production of food to its consumption. One of these partners, GrainPro, is decreasing food waste through its high-tech “GrainPro Cocoon” in Bangladesh, one of the FAO’s prioritized SAARC countries. The GrainPro Cocoon decreases food waste because it preserves dry grains, spices and seeds “in an airtight and moisture-tight container.” The containers are uniquely suitable for Bangladesh and other countries prone to flooding. GrainPro containers are easily transportable and can protect contents from flooding up to as high as a meter.
Under a Bangladeshi Department of Agriculture Extension project in partnership with the official GrainPro partners of Bangladesh, Allied Agro Industries and ACI Motors, 800 units of the GrainPro Cocoon went out to Bangladeshi farmers. Farmers who used the GrainPro Cocoon to store paddy seeds saw a “20% increase in production” due to improved seed quality, which positively impacted farmers’ income. For a country with about 48% of the population economically relying on agriculture, this continued collaboration will enable people to escape extreme poverty.
10x20x30 Initiative
The World Resources Institute’s (WRI) 10x20x30 Initiative is a compelling development in decreasing food waste. The initiative began in 2019 by the WRI Champions 12.3 coalition, which is a joint team of “executives from governments, businesses, international organizations, research institutions, farmer groups and civil society” all committed to reducing food waste. This coalition aims to reach U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, namely to reduce by 50% “global food waste at retail and consumer levels” while minimizing “food loss during production and supply.”
In 2020, the WRI rallied 12 food retailers and foodservice providers, including “six of the world’s largest food retailers” and secured commitments from these providers to recruit 20 of their own respective suppliers to focus on achieving SDG 12.3. The commitments led to nearly 200 food suppliers globally committing to cutting their food waste in half by 2030.
A remarkable amount of progress is visible in decreasing food waste as a result of the commitments of the international community. Going forward, global participation in decreasing food waste must continue in order to reach the global goals of combating hunger and achieving zero poverty.
– Chester Lankford
Photo: Flickr
Aviro Health in South Africa
In 2015, a quarter of the global disease cases existed in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Yet, only 3% of the world’s doctors reside in this region. Access to health care is crucial in maintaining a functioning society. Aviro Health, a company based in Cape Town, South Africa, is extending accessible health care and information to patients across the country while improving treatment options and the overall health of sub-Saharan Africans.
Health Care in South Africa
There are more than 600 hospitals in South Africa, including the third-largest globally, the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, which holds 3,400 beds and 6,760 staff members. Around 400 of these hospitals are public and the remaining 200 are private. Public health care is available to all people living in South Africa “regardless of nationality or immigration status.”
Many people face challenges when physically traveling to medical centers despite their availability. According to the World Bank, only one-third of those living in rural areas of Africa reside within two kilometers of adequately paved road systems. Technological advancements that allow health care practitioners to virtually conduct appointments would greatly benefit those in desperate need of health care.
About Aviro Health
Aviro Health in South Africa began in 2012. It is a technology company based in Cape Town that develops digital innovations that assist both health care practitioners and patients. The established vision of the company has stated that “We see a world in which everyone gets medical information and healthcare that is accessible, efficient, and delivered with empathy and understanding.”
Aviro staff members aim to provide services through technology, which would allow those who encounter difficulties traveling to medical centers in person to still receive information and treatment. Medical practitioners receive further training in the form of e-books and videos and patients can learn more about testing and diagnoses through e-learning. Technology benefits that Aviro Health in South Africa developed are also available to health care professionals in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi. Since its foundation, Aviro has assisted more than 50,000 users in accessing medical services.
The Pocket Clinic
A significant technological innovation developed by Aviro Health in South Africa is the Aviro mobile Pocket Clinic. This innovation is a digital counseling service used by health professionals in both the private and public sectors in South Africa. The Pocket Clinic allows medical counseling through mobile phones or other technological devices. Patients can manage their health care digitally while also connecting to health care providers.
The service provides users with a medical content plan based on their medical tests that users can receive via the web, the platform app or Whatsapp. The Pocket Clinic can also connect patients to other health experts and services that could provide hands-on treatment. The Pocket Clinic serves as a life-changing tool that the medical field can use to assist health care practitioners and patients in delivering and efficiently receiving care. The Aurum Institute partnered with Johns Hopkins University offering self-HIV tests in the lobbies of health care centers “supported by the Aviro Pocket Clinic on tablets.” This led to a “40% increase in testing” along with an 80% increase in HIV treatment uptake.
HIV/AIDS Testing
South Africa is home to the world’s largest HIV treatment initiative. Yet, as of 2021, South Africa noted 7.8 million HIV cases, with only 4 million people receiving treatment in the country. In the age of COVID-19, many people find it difficult to travel to medical facilities to receive testing and treatment.
Fortunately, the Pocket Clinic offers self-tests for patients without requiring the presence of a health care professional. This method also promotes increased patient privacy. A soft launch of self-HIV tests by Aviro Health in South Africa generated positive results. In Kwazulu-Natal, 7.5% of service users tested positive for HIV and began ARV treatment in contrast with only 2.5% in conventional clinical-based testing.
Pocket Clinic also connects those who test positive to an HIV hotline. In the next five years, Aviro Health anticipates making self-tests available to 10 million people in the sub-Saharan region.
A Future of Health
Technological advancements in health care that Aviro Health in South Africa developed improve overall health in the country. Innovations that individuals can access virtually will provide better testing and treatment for patients across the nation.
– Megan Quinn
Photo: Flickr
Scam Call Centers in India and Poverty
India has one of the most sophisticated and developed call center industries, so much so that many other countries outsource their jobs to India. However, scam call centers exist in India, which is an illegal underground part of this industry. While these centers are not a new concept, they had become increasingly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in India. A Microsoft 2021 survey found that India is perceived “as the hub of [scam] call center talent being put to criminal use,” defrauding many countries such as the United States, Canada and even the people within India itself.
This particular survey, comprising 16 countries and 16,254 adult internet users, concluded that seven out of 10 people from India “encountered tech support scams in the past year.” With the prevalence of scam calls in India rising from 23% in 2018 to 31% in 2021, police raids in the nation aim to combat scam call centers in India. The Indian Ministry of Labour and Employment is also taking the initiative to improve job outcomes for youth, indirectly preventing people, especially youth, from resorting to these illegal practices.
Poverty as a Driving Factor
Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to India’s National Statistical Office, India endured a harsh economic contraction of almost 24% “in the first quarter of the 2020-2021 fiscal year,” marking the “worst decline among the world’s major economies releasing GDP figures for that same quarter.” In December 2021, India noted an unemployment rate of 7.91%, up from 6.3% in 2018-2019, according to Al Jazeera. Furthermore, close to 30 million Indian citizens between the ages of 20 and 29 faced unemployment in 2021, which equated to 85% of the total unemployed population, according to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). Due to these circumstances of unemployment, people search for jobs wherever they can find them, sometimes falling victim to fraudulent job opportunities or even participating in fraudulent work as a last resort.
Victims of Scam Call Centers
Scammers will target whoever they can get money from, whether young or old. In the United States, it is common for scammers to target the elderly and vulnerable populations, with scammers allegedly using tactics such as fear to steal money. IRS and Social Security scammers threaten to arrest their victims if they do not receive the money, among other methods. The United States experienced an increase in losing money through tech scams from 6% in 2018 to 10% in 2021. Some victims would lose their entire life savings.
Canada experienced an increase in victims losing money to tech scams from 3% in 2018 to 6% in 2021. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported that scammers stole a minimum of $3 million from citizens in 2020 through a bank investor scheme.
However, compared to the rest of the world, scammers target residents in India the most. The victim rate is likely high due to customers in India being more trusting of unsolicited contact. From the same 2021 Microsoft survey, “47% [of Indian consumers] thought that it was very or somewhat likely that a company would contact them via an unsolicited call, pop-up, text message, ad or email.” This is a 15% increase from 2018.
The survey also reveals that scammers misled 48% of Indian consumers into continuing the scam. Millennials in India (aged 24-37) were the most at risk of falling victim to scams in 2021, resulting in 58% of targets losing money through scams. Around 73% of males were likely to lose money when interacting with scammers in contrast to 27% of women. Customers in 2021 lost 15,334 rupees on average, though 88% of those who lost money were able to recover 10,797 rupees on average.
Action to Combat Scam Call Centers
Police residing in multiple cities of India are combating scam call centers and their illegal practices through raids, arresting hundreds of people and seizing data. The Delhi Police raided a group in 2020 for allegedly defrauding more than 4,500 United States citizens, stealing upward of $14 million. Along with this, the Delhi Police’s cyber-crime unit raided more than 25 scam call centers within the same year.
In the Indian city of Gurugram between January and June 2021, police raided eight call centers. New Delhi police also arrested 65 people on July 28, 2021, seizing “58 computers, two laptops, internet routers and data found on electronic devices.”
Addressing Youth Unemployment
Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar said that India is dedicated to reducing youth unemployment rates in India, making efforts to “improve the bridge between unemployment and education.” This statement came “after the signing of a Statement of Intent between the Ministry and UNICEF” in June 2021. The partnership aims to empower the youth in India to gain the relevant skills and guidance for future legitimate job opportunities.
The National Career Service (NCS) provides “career counseling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, apprenticeship and internships” in order to address the youth unemployment rate in India. The Ministry and NCS are taking steps to combat lockdown-induced barriers in the job market, for example, by planning “online job fairs” and providing job seekers with links for remote job opportunities and online skills training.
Both UNICEF and Gangwar hope to make improvements in the next three years to help the youth secure brighter futures. By creating more legitimate job opportunities and making skills and education initiatives accessible to the impoverished, India can prevent youth from resorting to participating in scam call centers. As India recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and poverty and unemployment reduce in the nation, it is likely that the prevalence of scam call centers will reduce too.
– Jerrett Phinney
Photo: Flickr
Landslide-Preventing Water Systems in Morocco
Since 2000, Morocco has been quite successful in reducing poverty and increasing its citizens’ quality of life. During those years, the poverty rate decreased by almost 30%. Despite significant progress, numerous challenges remain for rural Moroccan communities, one of which is rapid deforestation. In 2020 alone, the country lost approximately 3,62 hectares (more than 13 square miles) of forest cover. To address landslides as a consequence of deforestation, the High Atlas Foundation is building landslide-preventing water systems in Morocco.
Deforestation and Water Access in Morocco
As it is, Morocco is susceptible to droughts and deforestation exacerbates this issue as the removal of trees causes a decrease in soil moisture and leads to desertification. Deforestation can also diminish soil quality and lead to poorer crop yields. For communities in the High Atlas mountains of Morocco, the reduction of forest area was also linked to landslides that destroyed crops and houses.
Another threat to rural Moroccan communities is a lack of access to water. In 2020, only 61% of rural Moroccan citizens had access to “safely managed drinking water services.” Around 77% had access to “at least basic drinking water services.” That leaves 23% of the rural population without a safe and reliable water source.
Experts agree that planting trees (reforestation) is a crucial step in combating these issues. Not only does it stabilize the water cycle and improve soil quality; the crops harvested from trees provide diversity to the agricultural economy and give an extra measure of economic security to nearby communities. If hypothetically, cereal crops were to fail in an area, farmers would still have crops to sell and eat.
The High Atlas Foundation
The High Atlas Foundation, commonly called HAF, has done admirable work when it comes to reforestation. The Foundation dedicates its time and resources primarily to reforestation efforts but also helps provide access to clean water throughout the High Atlas Mountains. In the 2020-2021 planting season, HAF oversaw the planting of more than 700,000 trees. Three new nurseries have undergone construction in the last year and a half, resulting in a total of 11 HAF-managed fruit tree nurseries throughout Morocco.
HAF’s efforts do not stop there. High Atlas Foundation has initiated projects that go above and beyond when it comes to efficiency; it has found a way to address three community threats with a single project. The Foundation noticed in 2011 that landslides and a lack of food/water security particularly plagued the Toubkal community and HAF devised a one-stop solution to assist the rural area as landslides led to crop destruction.
With carefully designed water systems, the High Atlas Foundation was able to provide clean water to 14 villages. The system, located on a hill, also steadied the area and provided the stability needed to prevent soil erosion and frequent landslides. Additionally, HAF planted fruit trees in the area, and through community training and newly possible irrigation, the Toubkal area was able to start producing new crops. The new nursery and reforestation will improve soil quality and eventually contribute to a healthier water cycle.
Looking Ahead
Morocco is well on its way to see victory over poverty; with help from NGOs like the High Atlas Foundation, reforestation is increasing food and water security for thousands. Due to innovative solutions like the stabilizing water systems, life in rural Moroccan communities is drastically improving.
– Mia Sharpe
Photo: Flickr
How Mobile Phones Can Fight Child Marriage
A March 2021 report by UNICEF indicates that as many as 100 million girls in the world could experience child marriage in the next 10 years. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted school shutdowns, financial distress, parental mortality and early pregnancy, putting millions of girls at risk of child marriage. Several organizations have created initiatives to reduce child marriage amid the pandemic and many of the initiatives revolve around mobile phone use. Mobile phones can fight child marriage and gender discrimination by raising awareness with hotlines, social media and apps designed to educate and empower young women.
Driving Forces Behind Child Marriage
In countries where child marriage is prevalent, many parents feel social and economic pressures to marry off their young daughters. Parents who do not have the resources to support all of their children may feel that pushing their daughters into marriage is the only financial option. Patriarchal norms, economic instability, lack of educational opportunities and poverty can all increase the commonality of child marriages in developing countries. According to Girls Not Brides, many parents believe child marriage will increase their daughters’ safety and reduce the risk of sexual and physical abuse, even though this is quite the contrary — spousal abuse is quite common in child marriages. Mobile phones can fight child marriage by raising awareness about laws, rights, job opportunities and alternatives to child marriage.
The Naubat Baja Project
The National Family Health Survey 2020-21 (NFHS-5) revealed that, in Rajasthan, 25.4% of females between 20 and 24 years old entered into marriages before the age of 18. In rural areas of Rajasthan, child marriage rates of females are higher at 28.3% in comparison to 15.1% in urban areas.
The Naubat Baja project began on International Women’s Day in 2019 to reduce child marriage in Rajasthan and empower girls through mobile phones. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) worked in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan, the Directorate of Women Empowerment and the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) Foundation to launch the initiative. The idea behind the project is to target youth using their “favorite” technological devices: mobile phones.
When girls call the Naubat Baja number, they receive a phone call back that contains a recording about government welfare schemes, job opportunities and information about child marriage, health, hygiene, COVID-19 protocols and other themes that are relevant to girls in Rajasthan. Various forms of entertainment, such as songs, stories and short audio dramas, which Naubat Baja updates regularly, relay much of this information. Initiatives like the Naubat Baja project model how mobile phones can fight child marriage and gender discrimination by providing girls with access to empowering resources and information.
Apps and Social Media
Many mobile phones support apps and social media that can fight child marriage and uplift girls who are at risk of it. The creators of the Naubat Baja project used social media and graffiti to popularize the initiative among young people. While many low-income areas lack access to the internet, launching a project like Naubat Baja on social media can help gain national and global support from communities that do have internet access.
Several developers have also created apps that prevent child marriage. Bangladesh has a child marriage prevalence of 51%, ranking in the top 10 nations with the highest rates of child marriage globally. An organization called Plan International Bangladesh designed an app for marriage registrars to verify young women’s ages before entering into marriage. In its first six months of use, the app prevented more than 3,700 child marriages.
Between apps, social media and hotlines, mobile phones offer a range of technological resources that can empower girls and fight child marriage. The rising popularity of mobile phones makes their influence increasingly widespread, especially among youth. The Naubat Baja project exemplifies how technology can lead to social development and spread awareness about pressing issues like child marriage.
– Cleo Hudson
Photo: Unsplash
GPS Tracking of Livestock in Africa
Livestock Agriculture in Africa
About 70% of African civilians rely on agriculture to make a decent living. This sector contributes to improved food security, industrialization and domestic and global trade throughout Africa. Livestock is an essential part of agriculture. Farmers raise domesticated animals to provide resources such as dairy products, fibers and feathers. In fact, 60%-80% of rural homes in Africa keep livestock to support their economic and food necessities. The East Africa region is the nation’s largest exporter of live animals, “home to 107.2 million head of cattle, 178.8 million goats and sheep, 1.3 million camels and 4.4 million pigs” in 2019.
East Africa derives more than $1 billion worth of annual income from the export of livestock to the Middle East and Northern Africa. In addition, livestock agriculture contributes between 30% and 80% of the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) across African nations.
Disease Risks of Livestock Agriculture
Due to the heavy reliance on livestock agriculture in Africa, one must consider diseases that could potentially transmit to other herds and humans. The avian flu, Ebola and COVID-19 are only a few of the many illnesses spread through animals. About 75% of emerging infectious diseases are “zoonotic,” meaning that the diseases originate from pathogens of infected live animals and then pass on to humans. With increased interaction between livestock and civilians in Africa, there is a higher risk for disease transmission. This could negatively impact livestock productivity and could worsen poverty and food insecurity across Africa.
GPS Tracking of Livestock
Livestock health authorities in Africa have little knowledge of which areas have the highest prevalence of disease transmission among cattle. GPS tracking of livestock in Africa could be the solution. In 2021, scientists and researchers from the University of Glasgow teamed up with farmers from rural villages of Tanzania to study how diseases spread among livestock to prevent future disease spread. Together, they developed satellite GPS tracking devices that could monitor the transportation of livestock.
Through this method, researchers discovered that disease transmission was most likely to occur in areas where the animals congregated for long periods, “such as at water holes and cattle plunge dips.” GPS tracking of livestock in Africa also reveals the far distances cattle often travel daily. Cattle would cover roughly five miles per day and reach maximum speeds of seven miles per hour, allowing room for intermingling between herds.
Looking Ahead
GPS tracking of livestock in Africa is paving the way for disease control and prevention. This research could potentially save lives and economies in continents like Africa where disease prevalence and agricultural demand are high. A better understanding of disease transmission between livestock and humans can also improve the animals’ health, contributing significantly to the strengthening of African livelihoods.
– Megan Quinn
Photo: Flickr
7 Facts About Water Scarcity in Jordan
Despite regional turmoil, Jordan enjoys relative stability compared to its neighbors in the Middle East. However, the Kingdom’s long-running issue of water scarcity, which ranked second globally, could threaten that continued stability. Water scarcity exacerbates existing systemic issues such as poverty and public health crises, which Jordan currently contends with. The Kingdom is suffering from an unprecedented youth employment rate of 48.1% as of November 2021 and is struggling to meet the pandemic-induced public health demands. As the effects of environmental changes continue to develop, Jordanians may increasingly feel the impacts of water scarcity in Jordan in the next decade.
7 Facts About Water Scarcity in Jordan
Looking Ahead
To continue as an oasis of peace and stability in the Middle East, Jordan must address its long-standing water scarcity crisis. Investment in strategies, such as the effective use of recycled wastewater, will help improve the country’s capacity to meet its booming population’s demand.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is helping to improve water scarcity in Jordan with its operations in Jordan beginning as early as 1949 — three years after the nation’s independence. In 2020, USAID “installed 8,500 kilometers of water piping and 120,0000 high-accuracy smart meters” while securing “leak detection equipment and vehicles” for the nation and upgrading “water monitoring and control systems” across the country. Through these measures, USAID was able to save sufficient “water in 2020 to supply more than 215,000 people” in Jordan annually.
In addition to technological solutions, Jordan is pursuing regional diplomatic efforts, such as the water-for-energy deal. Signed in November 2021 by Jordan and Israel, the deal will see Jordan export 600 megawatts of solar energy to Israel in exchange for 200 million cubic meters of Israel’s desalinated water.
This deal, and other efforts, could make way for sustainable, regional improvements in water conservation and accelerate the development of renewable energy infrastructure.
– Majeed Malhas
Photo: Flickr
Sheep Farming in the Sahel Region
Farming Difficulties and Solutions in the Sahel Region
The Sahel region’s farming difficulties are numerous. The soil for farming lacks nutrients and makes it challenging to maintain crops. New technologies, such as the Delfino Plough, are currently working to combat this. The plough moves up and down acres of land and punches seeds and nutrients into the ground. Another challenge the Sahel region faces is a lack of water. Rainfall is less than 200 millimeters (mm) annually along its northern edges and often never more than 600 mm along the southern border. Despite the extra rain from the 2020 and 2021 rainy seasons, the soil is typically too dry to support long-term farming. However, if the excess rain continues, it will help the ground remain richer for longer.
Funding and financial backing for the Sahel region’s farms have been minimal, impacting the farms’ ability to grow more produce and generate more income. Meager income affects the number of proper farming tools farmers can acquire and does not help farmers when they try to create and sustain their farms. Useful and new farming tools are expensive. Banks have begun operations in the region. The banks must connect with local farms and help them create plans for saving money. Traditionally, some of the most profitable farms in the Sahel region have been the sheep farms.
Importance of Sheep Farming in the Sahel Region
The Sahel region’s sheep farms are essential because they provide vital income, quickly tradable goods and food security. In such an arid environment, the Sahel region’s farmers are experts at their crafts and know which crops will thrive as sheep farming offers alternative farming options. Sheep livestock farming guarantees at least one, if not multiple, sources of income from the animals, i.e., dairy products, wool/fibers for clothes and bedding and offspring to further the economic income. Additionally, sheep manure benefits the soils and feeds nutrients to the ground to help other farms grow their produce.
Demand for sheep’s wool reaches almost 2 million tons annually. Depending on which type of market one is selling wool in and which type of wool it is, the wool can earn the seller $15 to $20 per pound. The amount of wool produced depends on various factors, such as diet, gender, age, size, climate and more. Considering those factors, a sheep can make anywhere between two and 30 pounds a year. The shearing and raising of sheep allow for a quick return on profits because sheep fur grows fast and brings a profit. Later, the breeding of the sheep earns the livestock farmers extra income.
The profit from sheep farming in the Sahel region varies depending on the purpose of the sheep farms. If a farm is raising sheep solely for its wool, its income comes from what it makes by selling the wool. However, sheep farmers can also sell the animal’s meat or offspring should the farms begin breeding the sheep. Every dollar counts for the sheep farmers, especially in regard to how the costs of the farm balances with their income.
Sheep Farming’s Future in the Sahel Region
Sheep farming in the Sahel region is a continually expanding business. As desertification has affected more and more land in the Sahel region, farmers need to look for ways to preserve their land and maintain income. Sheep farming is an ideal way to achieve their goals. Sheep farming in the Sahel region allows farmers to revitalize land and the economy as demand for wool and sheep meat remains high locally and internationally.
As almost 90% of the Sahel region relies on farming of some type, countless non-governmental organizations (NGOs) work to find solutions to the challenges Sahel farmers face. Sheep farming in the Sahel region is likely to be a practice that many other farms in the Sahel region take up because of its sustainability. With the help of the Sahel Alliance, farming practices are likely going to continue and remain a dominant source of income in the region.
The Sahel Alliance organizes efforts for projects across the Sahel region to preserve the region’s ways of life and raises money to fund projects aimed at local support. The projects are in fields like “education and youth employment” as well as “agriculture, rural development, food security” and “energy and climate” along with “governance,” “decentralization and basic services” and “internal security.” Helping farmers in the Sahel region is a primary goal of the Alliance and sheep farmers are a significant number of those farmers. With all the benefits sheep farming in the Sahel region brings, it is no wonder that it is vital to the region and likely to grow with the assistance of the Alliance.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr