Tom Holland is a famous actor who made his acting debut at 12 years old as Billy in “Billy Elliot the Musical” in 2008. However, Holland is most notably known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He made his first appearance as Spider-Man in “Captain America: Civil War” in 2016 and became popular due to Marvel’s large audience. Holland’s parents founded The Brothers Trust charity in 2017, which the whole family plays a role in, including Holland’s three brothers. The organization utilizes Holland’s fame and celebrity reach to fundraise. The funding goes toward supporting small-scale organizations often overshadowed by larger and more popular organizations.
The Start of The Brothers Trust
When The Brothers Trust first began, the Holland family focused on helping to raise money for more local charities, such as Momentum. Momentum is a children’s charity that provides support to families around the South West London area with children battling debilitating illnesses, most commonly cancer. Because Holland and his brothers were born in the same hospital out of which the charity was founded, the Holland family has a special connection to the Momentum charity, and thus, decided to begin their charitable work by supporting Momentum. However, as the organization continued to grow, The Brothers Trust moved to fund charities farther out.
Supporting The Lunchbowl Network
To help eliminate poverty in the world, The Brothers Trust has assisted in raising money for The Lunchbowl Network since their partnership in 2016. The Lunchbowl Network is a charity created in 2006 that, among other efforts, focuses on providing food for the most deprived children within Kibera, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. In fact, through its Saturday Dinner Programme, The Lunchbowl supplies about 7,640 meals monthly, equating to more than 90,000 dinner meals per year.
In 2019, The Brothers Trust’s fundraising efforts supported the purchase of “two brand new school buses” for The Lunchbowl Network. The buses are used to transport children to school, sports events and recreational school trips. Not only has The Brothers Trust helped raise money for The Lunchbowl but the Holland family also visits the charity to take photos and videos to raise awareness of the struggles that the children in Kibera face.
Artists for Africa
To further reduce poverty, The Brothers Trust supports Artists for Africa. Artists for Africa is a charity that hopes to create a better life for children living in the most poverty-stricken areas of Africa through art and education openings. Currently, Artists for Africa offers arts education for children living in Kuwinda, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the most densely populated areas with deteriorating infrastructure. Due to these circumstances, Artists for Africa helps provide safe accommodation for those pursuing art and organizes scholarships to allow art students to continue their education.
Art is significant because it “encourages self-expression and creativity.” To add, it can help “build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity.” The Brothers Trust provided eight children with a safe and supportive living environment and arts education by donating $36,000 to the Artists for Africa charity.
How The Brothers Trust Fundraises
The Brothers Trust utilizes different ways to raise funds for the numerous charities it supports. For instance, the Trust raises money through various raffles that give Holland fans the chance to meet him, attend his movie premieres and visit film sets that he works on. As a matter of fact, in November 2021, Holland held a competition allowing a winner to join him in attending the world premiere of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in Los Angeles, California on December 13, 2021. To join the sweepstakes, people donated money to participate in a lottery system raffle.
Another way to support The Brothers Trust is by joining Holland’s live streaming events that aim to raise awareness for a particular cause and raise funds. On November 18, 2021, Holland hosted a live stream to raise awareness and funds “for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare and life-threatening genetic skin disorder that affects children from birth.” When encouraging people to donate, Holland only asks donors to give what they can afford.
Fundraising Through Merchandise
The Brothers Trust also helps raise money by selling merchandise, using the help of small businesses whenever possible. For instance, The Brothers Trust is selling a jigsaw puzzle designed by Jessica Murray (@jmurhop) and created by Wentworth Puzzles. In this way, the Trust is not only helping raise money to support charities but is also garnering support for Murray’s small business. Other available merchandise include mugs, scented candles and dog collars. By buying merchandise, Holland fans can help raise awareness of the organization to help change the world.
The Brothers Trust has seen success in helping many organizations through Holland’s fame and popularity. The Holland family continues to use their platform for the greater good of humanity, ensuring that funding goes to the unnoticed humanitarian organizations that need the most support.
– Kayla De Alba
Photo: Flickr
Renewable Energy in South Korea
In 2020, the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) introduced the 9th Basic Plan for Long-Term Electricity Demand and Supply 2020-2034. In this plan, MOTIE sets a goal for renewable energy in South Korea to account for around 40% of the energy mix by 2034. Impressively, 100% of all South Koreans have access to electricity, however, most of the nation’s energy comes from non-renewable sources, which are not only expensive but are also unsustainable.
Statistics on Energy in South Korea
In 2021, South Korea’s price of electricity increased “for the first time in around eight years” due to global fuel spikes. In June 2021, South Korea’s cost for energy for its citizens stood at $0.103 ( KRW123.02) per kWh (kilowatt-hour). On September 23, 2021, MOTIE announced that the Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) intends to raise the rate per kWh to KRW3 by October 2021, meaning citizens can expect to pay another $0.88 (KRW1,050) monthly per household.
In comparison, in the United States, energy rates for households in November 2021 stood at $0.1412 per kWh. While South Korea’s energy rates per hour are cheaper, taking into account the vast number of people in Korea and the proportion of the population earning low wages, these rates are still costly. Energy rates could become more affordable with the use of renewable energy.
In 2020, crude oil was responsible for most of South Korea’s energy requirements, covering 35% of the country’s energy demands while coal covered 25% of energy requirements. Renewable energy in South Korea made up 1% of energy in 2020, with gas and nuclear covering the remaining energy needs at 17% and 16% respectively.
South Korea’s Poverty Rates
Between 2018 and 2019, South Korea’s poverty rate stood as the “fourth-highest” across 39 Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member states. This 16.7% poverty rate equates to one in every six Koreans living in relative poverty, according to the Korean Herald. Korea’s unemployment rates are low, however, many employed citizens do not earn adequate incomes. This, combined with an aging society, contributes to the impoverished circumstances of many households and individuals.
How Renewable Energy Can Reduce Poverty
In 2015, South Korea’s capital city of Seoul implemented the Energy Welfare Public-Private Partnership Program to address issues of energy poverty among impoverished city dwellers. The project constructed a virtual power plant “through which 17 municipal buildings and 16 universities save electricity consumption during peak hours and donate profits from saved power back to the program to finance energy welfare.” The virtual power plant has led to “annual profits of more than $180,000,” which goes to the Seoul Energy Welfare Civic Fund. With this funding, more than 2,000 low-income households received retrofitting of “LED light bulbs, energy-efficient windows and solar panels” to reduce energy costs and harmful greenhouse emissions. The Seoul Energy Welfare Civic Fund also prioritized training the unemployed as community energy consultants, which led to 180 new employment opportunities.
Why Renewable Energy is Important
Renewable energy could increase access to energy for those living in poverty and reduce production costs and the selling price of electricity.
According to the World Economic Forum, in 2020, renewable energy stood as the most affordable energy source and the costs of renewable energy technology continue to reduce each year. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), “emerging economies will save up to $156 billion over the lifespan of the renewable projects added in 2020 alone,” which would help to significantly reduce global poverty.
With South Korea as the “ninth-largest energy consumer in 2019,” the use of renewable energy can reduce the price of energy for citizens living in poverty.
Future of Renewable Energy in South Korea
Renewable energy can make electricity more affordable for all citizens, allowing them to focus finances on other basic necessities, investments and welfare programs. With the future increase of renewable energy, a decrease in air pollution and carbon emissions is also a significant positive benefit.
– Kyle Swingle
Photo: Flickr
Poverty and Air Pollution in Bangladesh
Indoor and outdoor air pollution in Bangladesh is a growing issue. As a global issue, estimates from the World Health Organization indicate that air pollution causes 7 million deaths annually. Unsurprisingly, low and middle-income countries like Bangladesh, the most polluted country in 2020, take the hardest hit. Research links poor air quality to strokes, heart disease, cancers and many other serious illnesses. For these reasons, clean air is a critical component in ending the cycle of poverty.
Air Pollution in Low-Income Communities
Low-income households all over the world tend to rely on biomass for fuel as it stands as a significantly cheaper option in comparison to cleaner fuels such as kerosene and natural gas. Bangladesh’s natural gas prices increased by 32.8% in 2019, the largest increase in the history of the country. When families in Bangladesh opt for cheaper fuels for heat and cooking, these fuels release more pollutants into homes than cleaner, more expensive fuels do. Many families in Bangladesh with a per capita income of less than $1 per day have a particulate matter concentration that varies from 410 microg/m3 to 202 microg/m3. These concerning numbers are partly due to families’ dependence on these fuels.
In Bangladesh, there are 30,000 industries, 6,000 of which are large industries. Larger pollution-producing industries often move to low-income areas to take advantage of fewer environmental regulations. Impoverished neighborhoods are also less likely to receive investments in urban greening, the reservation of land for natural environments, which can improve pollution levels in the air. Furthermore, lower-income communities are more likely to be positioned near major roads and receive underinvestment in environmentally-friendly public transit. Both of these factors add to transportation pollution in the neighborhoods.
Air Pollution’s Impact on Health
The presence of air pollution can cause health concerns, such as calcification in arteries, and can also increase the risk of breast cancer. In poverty-stricken areas, it is often difficult to get medical help because of the out-of-pocket costs of doctor’s visits and transportation. Poor air quality led to 173,500 deaths in Bangladesh in 2019, 50,000 more deaths than in 2017.
Jobs are necessary for individuals in poverty to provide for themselves and their families. People suffering from air pollution-induced illnesses are more likely to quit working because they are not physically capable of manual labor. Family members of the affected persons may also have to quit their jobs or stop attending school in order to take care of their relatives. Without these sources of income and further education, it could be difficult for families in Bangladesh to escape generational poverty.
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) began reducing pollutants in Bangladesh in 2012. The organization has invested in green technology for brick kilns as these kilns account for 20% of black carbon emissions. The CCAC also started finance funds to help build a greener future along with many additional air pollution-reducing initiatives. CCAC’s efforts and other similar commitments could reduce black carbon emissions by 72% and methane by 37% by the year 2040.
Hope for Bangladesh
Because of the link between air pollution, related illnesses and poverty, addressing these issues is crucial. Extreme levels of air pollution in Bangladesh often stem from the neglect of low-income communities. By paying extra close attention to the air quality in these areas, Bangladesh can overcome its air pollution crisis.
– Katelyn Rogers
Photo: Flickr
Foreign Aid for Tonga’s Natural Disasters
In January 2022, Tonga underwent a series of natural disasters that left the country in a state of reparation due to the damage to homes, infrastructure and technological services. As the repairs from Tonga’s natural disasters are widespread and costly, in January 2022, the United States pledged more than $2.5 million in relief aid. The assistance from the U.S. to support reparation efforts will provide the Polynesian nation’s construction industry with significant opportunities for work, helping the country to recover quickly.
Damages From Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are common in Tonga, but January 2022 recorded a tsunami, a volcanic eruption and an earthquake. The Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha’apai volcanic eruption on January 15, 2022, was powerful enough to potentially claim the title of the strongest eruption on the island in at least the last 30 years, if not more. The eruption then triggered a tsunami on the same day, which caused flooding, fatalities, building destruction and a loss of electrical power for extended periods. The tsunami then led to an earthquake, the final natural disaster occurring on January 27, 2022.
The damages do not end with destroyed power and cable lines. However, the extensive dangers of repairing the cable services remain. The storm severed the main cable line connecting Tonga to the rest of the world. The cable line rests on coral reefs, which can be dangerous to navigate. While these details paint a grim picture of the country, Tonga’s construction industry and workforce, with the help of local and international aid volunteers, are ready to help rebuild the island nation.
Tonga Construction Industry and Workforce
In the wake of Tonga’s natural disasters, the construction industry plays a vital part in reparation efforts. Tonga’s construction industry plays a role in implementing some of the goals of the Tonga Strategic Development Framework (2015 -2025). The Framework is a plan to revitalize Tonga’s economy through construction and reconstruction efforts. Tonga aims to achieve this by lowering the costs of construction materials and labor and by making building structures more resilient to extreme climate conditions. The Tongan government especially pushed for these efforts after the destruction of Cyclone Gita in 2018, one of Tonga’s worst cyclones.
In 2020, Tonga’s construction industry contributed more than 14% to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP). The last clarified national poverty rate was about 22% in 2015. New construction projects since 2018 have created new positions specifically for assisting with relief after Tonga’s natural disasters. Tonga’s natural disasters create a need for construction assistance across all areas of Tonga, including all outlying islands and the main island. The added positions offer jobs to Tongans of all age ranges and levels of educational attainment. The new jobs often come with training, supervision and in-field experience. Each new job is invaluable considering Tonga’s first month of storms in 2022. Foreign aid can also potentially increase the salaries of construction workers during these most recent reparation efforts, helping them to rise out of poverty.
Foreign Aid and the Path to Recovery
Tonga’s natural disasters often cause millions of dollars of damage. As an impoverished country, Tonga’s government lacks the funds necessary to finance reconstruction materials and pay construction workers. For this reason, Tonga relies heavily on international aid. First, the U.S. government pledged $100,000 in financial assistance on January 20, 2022, and less than a week later, on January 26, 2022, the U.S. government allocated $2.5 million to support Tonga’s recovery.
The path to recovery is not easy for Tonga, but the aid does not stop with the United States’ support. British and Australian ships entered Tongan waters in January 2022 to provide necessities such as medical supplies, water and food.
To earn international coverage and garner more support for Tonga, Tongan Olympian athletes, such as Pita Taufatofua, are using their influence to encourage people to donate to support relief efforts and use social media to bring global attention to the humanitarian situation in Tonga.
By beginning construction again, the Tongan economy will be on its way to recovery. Reconstruction and reparation will take time, but with the funds promised by foreign aid and allies, the nation is one step closer to recovery. Though Tonga’s natural disasters are unpredictable, international aid provides hope for relief each time.
– Clara Mulvihill
Photo: Flickr
The Brothers Trust And Tom Holland Fight Poverty
The Start of The Brothers Trust
When The Brothers Trust first began, the Holland family focused on helping to raise money for more local charities, such as Momentum. Momentum is a children’s charity that provides support to families around the South West London area with children battling debilitating illnesses, most commonly cancer. Because Holland and his brothers were born in the same hospital out of which the charity was founded, the Holland family has a special connection to the Momentum charity, and thus, decided to begin their charitable work by supporting Momentum. However, as the organization continued to grow, The Brothers Trust moved to fund charities farther out.
Supporting The Lunchbowl Network
To help eliminate poverty in the world, The Brothers Trust has assisted in raising money for The Lunchbowl Network since their partnership in 2016. The Lunchbowl Network is a charity created in 2006 that, among other efforts, focuses on providing food for the most deprived children within Kibera, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya. In fact, through its Saturday Dinner Programme, The Lunchbowl supplies about 7,640 meals monthly, equating to more than 90,000 dinner meals per year.
In 2019, The Brothers Trust’s fundraising efforts supported the purchase of “two brand new school buses” for The Lunchbowl Network. The buses are used to transport children to school, sports events and recreational school trips. Not only has The Brothers Trust helped raise money for The Lunchbowl but the Holland family also visits the charity to take photos and videos to raise awareness of the struggles that the children in Kibera face.
Artists for Africa
To further reduce poverty, The Brothers Trust supports Artists for Africa. Artists for Africa is a charity that hopes to create a better life for children living in the most poverty-stricken areas of Africa through art and education openings. Currently, Artists for Africa offers arts education for children living in Kuwinda, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the most densely populated areas with deteriorating infrastructure. Due to these circumstances, Artists for Africa helps provide safe accommodation for those pursuing art and organizes scholarships to allow art students to continue their education.
Art is significant because it “encourages self-expression and creativity.” To add, it can help “build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity.” The Brothers Trust provided eight children with a safe and supportive living environment and arts education by donating $36,000 to the Artists for Africa charity.
How The Brothers Trust Fundraises
The Brothers Trust utilizes different ways to raise funds for the numerous charities it supports. For instance, the Trust raises money through various raffles that give Holland fans the chance to meet him, attend his movie premieres and visit film sets that he works on. As a matter of fact, in November 2021, Holland held a competition allowing a winner to join him in attending the world premiere of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in Los Angeles, California on December 13, 2021. To join the sweepstakes, people donated money to participate in a lottery system raffle.
Another way to support The Brothers Trust is by joining Holland’s live streaming events that aim to raise awareness for a particular cause and raise funds. On November 18, 2021, Holland hosted a live stream to raise awareness and funds “for Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare and life-threatening genetic skin disorder that affects children from birth.” When encouraging people to donate, Holland only asks donors to give what they can afford.
Fundraising Through Merchandise
The Brothers Trust also helps raise money by selling merchandise, using the help of small businesses whenever possible. For instance, The Brothers Trust is selling a jigsaw puzzle designed by Jessica Murray (@jmurhop) and created by Wentworth Puzzles. In this way, the Trust is not only helping raise money to support charities but is also garnering support for Murray’s small business. Other available merchandise include mugs, scented candles and dog collars. By buying merchandise, Holland fans can help raise awareness of the organization to help change the world.
The Brothers Trust has seen success in helping many organizations through Holland’s fame and popularity. The Holland family continues to use their platform for the greater good of humanity, ensuring that funding goes to the unnoticed humanitarian organizations that need the most support.
– Kayla De Alba
Photo: Flickr
E-Health in Latin America
As new digital technologies grow more prominent, e-health in Latin America can provide solutions to the region’s most pressing health problems. Given existing disparities in health care and geographically complex challenges, policies promoting e-health can improve health care access and quality.
The Benefits of E-Health in Latin America
E-health relies on digital information and technology to support and improve people’s health and well-being. It has particular potential in marginalized or remote regions without easy access to traditional health facilities. E-health stands as one of the most effective ways to make health care more equitable and efficient while saving on provider costs.
E-Health in Latin America: Examples of Success
Looking Ahead
E-health in Latin America can aid in eliminating many existing barriers to quality health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption and implementation of such measures. While Latin America must contend with various challenges, such as a lack of resources and specialists, widespread disparities and remote regions without easy access, e-health programs and technologies can reach more citizens and improve the health and well-being of the region’s inhabitants.
– Jennifer Hendricks
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
How Health and Poverty in India Overlap
According to the World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017, at minimum, 50% of the global population cannot access “essential health services.” The crippling costs of annual checkups, emergency health care and chronic disease treatment often push struggling households into extreme poverty. The dynamic relationship between health and poverty impacts the lives of millions around the globe, especially in India. According to the World Poverty Clock, in 2021, the rate of extreme poverty in India stood at 7% and the income of 84% of Indian households took a plunge. Health issues remain one of the leading causes of poverty in the country. By taking a closer look at how health and poverty in India overlap, one can understand the interconnectedness of the issues.
Poverty and Health Care Debt in India
The Indian Ministry of Health stated that between 2011 and 2012, “18% of households faced catastrophic health costs,” a rate that only grows as poverty deepens and social assistance remains minimal. These unaffordable health care costs push already struggling households into extreme poverty. It is important to note that those in rural areas and impoverished countries make up the vast majority of people who shoulder medical expense burdens. India’s impoverished receive little to no governmental aid as government spending goes elsewhere.
The Indian government continues to underfund the health care sector as it spends roughly “1% of GDP on health.” This percentage is “among the lowest for any major economy.” The scarcity of government funding to support the health care sector often drives Indian citizens to use savings and out-of-pocket money to cover medical expenses. Research shows that, in 2018, almost 63% of Indian citizens’ “total health spending” went to out-of-pocket expenditure, which increases people’s vulnerability to crippling debt and poverty.
Poverty and Health Insurance in India
India’s most impoverished and most vulnerable people consider health insurance a luxury. A report by the National Survey Office (NSO) of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in India states that between 2017 and 2018, only 14.1% of Indians residing in rural areas and 19.1% of Indians residing in urban areas had access to any form of health insurance. In addition, private health care in India is inaccessible to a majority of the nation’s most vulnerable groups due to the high cost. According to IndiaSpend in 2017, India had the sixth-highest private health care expenditure “among low- and middle-income countries.” As for government insurance, NSO reports found that, between 2017 and 2018, only 9.9% of the most impoverished rural Indians and 7.5% of urban Indians “had any government-sponsored health protection.”
Poverty and the COVID-19 Pandemic in India
The COVID-19 pandemic brought devastation to world economies and destruction to health care systems internationally. Specifically, COVID-19 had severe impacts on India’s impoverished. In the first year of the pandemic, the virus caused 7 million job losses in India. In particular, India’s agricultural sector took a hard hit in several ways.
For example, labor and transportation limitations impacted “production and marketing” while the economic impact of COVID-19 on the nation led to “income shock” that increased the price of food and changed household consumption patterns. A survey by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) confirms these economic shocks. Using data from “a panel survey of 197,000 households” implemented “every four months” up until July 2021, researchers deduced that extreme poverty rose greatly across India due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, especially in cities. As a result of COVID-19 impacts, 44 million more people fell into extreme poverty in India by July 2021.
The DevaMitra Foundation Offers Hope
As India’s most vulnerable continue to struggle with the rising cost of medical care, several organizations aim to alleviate healthcare-related poverty and make health services more accessible. The DevaMitra Foundation is a New Delhi-based organization that aims to reduce the impacts of deteriorating health and poverty in India.
DevaMitra’s main goal is to improve the health of the most vulnerable by offering health care services and facilities and by providing treatments and medications to remote and rural areas across India. The organization also implements programs to increase health awareness and health education in communities.
By allowing vulnerable and underprivileged people equitable access to health care, non-governmental organizations offer hope and pave the way for societal development.
– Nohad Awada
Photo: Flickr
Increases in Food Prices Cause Concern for the Poor
The pandemic has been a source of economic stress for several industries globally, resulting in mass inflation and government intervention in order to alleviate the harmful effects of such rises in costs. A global index that the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization performed found that food prices in January 2022 were at their highest level since 2011 when Egypt and Libya experienced political uprisings. Former Chief Economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Maurice Obstfeld claims that it “wasn’t much of an exaggeration” to say that the world is approaching a significant global food crisis. Developing economies are experiencing some of the most severe increases in prices, which has detrimental effects on populations in poverty. Here is some information about how increases in food prices cause concern for the poor.
About the Food Crisis
Increases in food prices are not limited to one food industry. Foods are experiencing massive increases in prices. Cereal prices have increased 12.5% and dairy has increased 18.7%. From April 2020 to December 2021, the price of soybeans has risen 52% and coffee prices have risen 70% due to the pandemic. Supply chain issues have caused a struggle, especially for economies with high demands that are import-based during the pandemic. Spikes in all costs of goods are related to one another, which is evident in the rising oil prices.
Oil prices have risen to levels comparable to the oil crisis during the 1990s, which has raised food costs due to the energy industry’s involvement in transporting and producing food. Extreme weather conditions could be a factor determining food prices. For example, Brazil has undergone harsh droughts that prevent coffee beans from flourishing. Uncontrollable factors that target the poor have largely driven the food crisis.
How Those in Poverty are Most at Risk
Unfortunately, the nations that the increases in food prices have affected the most are the most vulnerable to economic crises and have large populations in poverty. According to World Vision, food prices rose by an average of 2.9% in the U.K., 3.6% in the U.S. and 4.8% in Japan and Canada between February 2020 and July 2021. On the other hand, prices increased in countries such as Myanmar which had price increases of 54% and Timor-Leste, which experienced increases of 17.7%. The nations have reported high levels of poverty during the pandemic, with more than 3 billion people not having access to healthy foods.
Food insecurity is running rampant in developing countries, while the United States is surviving flawlessly in comparison. One can see such disabilities simply in how the average citizens of each region spend their money. According to the IMF, people in Latin America and Africa are expected to spend 50%-60% of their wages on food while people in the United States spend about one-seventh of their income on food. A rise in food prices means that Latin American and African citizens will have to spend extremely large sums of their income on food.
A Nature food study found that by the end of 2022, more than 283,000 children under the age of 5 years old could perish from malnutrition as a result of this food crisis and 13.6 million children suffer from acute malnutrition. Certain areas in poverty in Asia do not suffer the implications of the increases in food prices because of their plentiful grains. However, Africa, South America and the Middle East region are most likely to feel the effects of food shortages because they are heavily dependent on food imports.
In addition, low-income nations including Brazil, Argentina and Turkey have suffered due to currency depreciation against the dollar, which is the standard for international food commodity prices. In Africa, bad weather and conflicts in the Dominican Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Nigeria and more have disrupted transportation routes and risen food prices. Developing nations are most at risk for increases in food prices, disproportionately affecting poorer global populations rather than populations in high-income countries.
Ways to Drive Down Food Prices
The pandemic is a special case of increases in food prices. However, there are at least two meaningful ways that could prevent massive spikes in food prices in the near future.
The global increases in food prices rightly cause some serious concerns about food insecurity, especially for residents of developing nations that are in poverty. There are ways to create positive change to prevent crises from occurring again. Nations should concentrate on providing food to their citizens in need and high-income countries must prioritize the lives of the hungry abroad and domestically.
– Rachel Reardon
Photo: Flickr
5 USAID-Sponsored Programs in Mexico
Despite Mexico’s social and economic developments over the past decades, the country still confronts serious issues of corruption, a high violent crime rate and unsteady public trust in its institutions. These issues impact those experiencing poverty the hardest because they are often targets of crime and frequently find public assistance to be unreliable. Addressing concerns relating to human rights, violence prevention and environmental sustainability will benefit the most vulnerable members of society. There are several USAID-sponsored programs in Mexico with these objectives in mind.
5 USAID-Sponsored Programs in Mexico
These USAID-sponsored programs in Mexico help build connections between influential state institutions and civil society. The expectation is that this will benefit all members of Mexican society, especially those living in poverty.
– Gonzalo Rodriguez
Photo: Flickr
Improving Water Quality In China
Water quality in China poses challenges as water is generally unsafe for residents to drink. However, a clean and safer future lies ahead with the promise of reduced pollution, increased filtration and clean drinking water.
Current State of China’s Water
As of July 2021, 70% of China’s rivers and lakes were not safe for human utilization. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic restricted movement and led to lockdowns during 2020, water quality in China has seen significant improvements. For example, PH levels increased from mid-March to early May 2020.
Economic Impact of Water Systems
Unsafe water systems negatively impact the fishing and marine business inside of China. Pollution can decrease PH levels and make water toxic for fish and other sea life, which is essential for a strong marine business. Fifty-three coastal cities in China provided data from the years 1994 to 2018, describing the damage that pollution caused in agriculture and industrial businesses in China.
“As the main source of high-quality proteins in China, the yield of seawater cultured products reached 20.65 million tons in 2019, accounting for about 31.8% of the total aquatic products. Meanwhile, the proportion of seawater fishing products has decreased to about 18.7%,” according to the study.
Water is essential to the survival of an entire country. Low PH, pollution and other dangerous contaminants can damage ecosystems. This causes a ripple effect that impacts the livelihood of citizens, wildlife and the overall economic structure of a country. Fishermen need a safe work environment to catch and sell fish. The marine economy plays an important role in the nation’s growth and clean drinking water is necessary for the health of a nation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that “safe and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic use, food production or recreational purposes. Improved water supply and sanitation and better management of water resources, can boost countries’ economic growth and can contribute greatly to poverty reduction.”
Plans to Improve China’s Water Quality
In December 2021, the World Bank approved a $400 million loan for decontamination and removal of pollutants in China’s Yangtze River Basin. This, along with $6 billion of China’s own resources will go toward water treatment for the 19 provinces in China and almost 600 million people who receive water from this basin.
The Yangtze River Protection and Ecological Restoration Program aims to improve water quality in China. This will support agriculture, livestock and waste management for townships. Approved in 2022, the latest update shows the beginning of a groundbreaking project.
Public participation in the management of water is beneficial. The University of California wrote an article showing a decrease of 19% in pollutant levels in quarterly reports that became possible with the help of Chinese citizens. Citizens collected data twice a month.
The Future of China’s Water
Water quality in China may not be at its best right now, but the positive feedback shows early signs of improvement inside the country. Baiyangdian, North China’s largest freshwater lake, received an upgrade to Class III in 2021, meaning that its surface water is of good quality. This is the lake’s best condition since the initial monitoring in 1988, with the classes ranging from a scale of between one and five.
Water has a significant place in the economy of China. Clean water is essential to promoting a steady marine market, economy and livelihood for all citizens in China.
– Kyle Swingle
Photo: Px Here
The Situation for Refugees in Thailand
In February 2021, a military coup in Myanmar removed the country’s democratically-elected President from power and instated an autocratic regime that the Tatmadaw controlled. In response, citizens organized massive protests against the military institution which continued into 2022. Politicians and reporters have given Myanmar significant attention following the political upheaval, as refugees leave in droves to neighboring countries like Thailand, continuing a migration trend that has persisted for decades. Additionally, as of January 2022, UNHCR has estimated that there were 91,408 Myanmar refugees in Thailand. However, crossing the border is not a solution in and of itself, especially since Thailand’s government offers limited protections to those seeking asylum.
The Dynamics Between Myanmar-Thailand
Myanmar is far from the only dictatorship in Southeast Asia. Thailand shares a fluctuating political record. Despite ongoing student protests, the current “semi-democratic” regime allows the monarchy and military to maintain a tight grip on domestic politics. Not only has the government subjugated its own people, but it exacerbated the poor conditions of refugees in Thailand.
In addition to certain political similarities, the leaders of the Tatmadaw and the Royal Thai Army have worked together to govern illegal activities along their shared border. Additionally, unlike other Southeast Asian countries, which have largely condemned the junta in Myanmar, Thailand has committed to a diplomatic approach to its conflict-ridden neighbor and has “refrained from criticizing the junta” despite its human rights abuses, according to The Diplomat. This dynamic also shows through the close relationship between Myanmar’s coup leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and the late president of Thailand’s Privy Council, General Prem Tinsulanonda.
Thailand’s Treatment of Myanmar Refugees
Since the nature of Thailand’s government, people fleeing Myanmar receive no guarantee of personal safety. Refugees are unable to legally work, leaving them wholly dependent on aid and the camps where they live lack necessary resources including food, education and health services. On top of that, Thailand’s Immigration Act categorizes all refugees in Thailand as illegal immigrants, which makes them vulnerable to arrest and deportation regardless of international norms, according to UNHCR.
As a result, Thailand has sent thousands back to Myanmar. This number includes a group of more than 3,000 who had settled in tents on the Thai side of the Thaung Yin River. These people involuntarily returned to Myanmar territory, where they could face political or ethnic persecution on top of poor living conditions with limited access to clean food and water.
While the close ties between Thailand and Myanmar’s governments coincide with their shared human trafficking agreements, both states exclude Rohingya migrants from their policies. This creates an environment rife with human trafficking in both states, as government officials knowingly and illegally traffic refugees into third countries.
Solutions
The international community could take action to protect those fleeing Myanmar, and in some ways, it already has. A joint statement from several aid agencies called on international governments and organizations to meet the needs of Myanmar citizens and refugees. The statement drew attention to all the displaced people and asylum-seekers lacking shelter, food, water and other basic needs. It also called on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Thailand is a founding member, to “formulate a clear action plan” that would lead to “the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar,” according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Furthermore, UNHCR urged Thailand to extend greater humanitarian aid to asylum-seekers in its borders and offered assistance, as did several humanitarian non-government organizations.
In addition, the U.S. Senate is currently deliberating the BURMA Act of 2021, or S.2937, which would protect refugees’ basic rights, provide access to higher education in refugees in Thailand and provide humanitarian aid to social and ethnic groups in Myanmar and Thailand. The U.S. has already led bipartisan efforts to encourage democracy in Myanmar and it seems that it will continue to do so in 2022.
– Lauren Sung
Photo: Wikipedia Commons