The video game industry is doing its part in the global fight against COVID-19. The online video game storefront, Humble Bundle, is playing a major role in charitable efforts. As of May 28, 2021, Humble Bundle has raised almost $1.2 million for COVID-19 relief in India and Brazil.
What is Humble Bundle?
Humble Bundle is an online video game store founded in 2010. Since then, the video game bundles that give the company its name have raised money for a wide variety of charitable efforts, from the World Wildlife Foundation to Make-A-Wish. The funds primarily come through the sale of popular video games along with other entertainment items like comic books.
Humble Bundle has garnered almost $200 million through bundles. These often include selections from popular gaming franchises like Civilization, Saints Row and BioShock. Typically a portion of each bundle is donated either to the company’s featured charity of the month or the purchaser’s chosen charity. However, Humble Bundle took a bit more of a drastic approach in May 2021 to help several organizations in India and Brazil during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Humble Bundle created the live “Humble Heal: COVID-19 Bundle” from May 12, 2021, until May 19, 2021, in order to support four different charities working in Brazil and India during the ongoing pandemic. More than 54,000 bundles were sold. India recently experienced a record one-day COVID-19 death toll of more than 6,000 deaths on June 10, 2021. Around the same time, Brazil neared 500,000 overall deaths due to COVID-19. The relief efforts of Humble Bundle and other charities are vitally important for COVID-19 relief.
Humble Bundle COVID-19 Relief Support
The charities supported by the bundle primarily focus on providing medical equipment and care to those in need. For example, in February 2021, Direct Relief granted more than $500,000 in aid to Amazonas in Brazil for roughly 350 oxygen concentrators. The Brazilian state desperately needed oxygen concentrators for local medical facilities and people isolated in rainforests. Similarly, in April 2021, Direct Relief donated $5 million toward the purchase of oxygen concentrators in India as well.
According to a recent report by Doctors Without Borders, countries like Brazil were forced to ration treatments or prioritize some patients over others due to a lack of resources. Humble Bumble supported Doctors Without Borders with donations to ensure that essential health services continue with the necessary medical resources.
GiveIndia also incorporates oxygen supply efforts into its pandemic relief. The charity raised more than $6 million to help boost the oxygen supply in India. GiveIndia also provided financial support for low-income families who lost employed family members during the pandemic. Furthermore, the organization supplied food for those struggling with hunger.
The International Medical Corps, another organization supported by Humble Bundle, is also working to strengthen the healthcare system in India, provide crucial medical supplies and deliver personal protective equipment. Additionally, the nonprofit is working to combat vaccine hesitancy in the country to ensure a successful vaccine rollout throughout the country.
The Impact of Humble Bundle’s Efforts
Humble Bundle supports nonprofits like International Medical Corps and Direct Relief in a unique and creative way. It not only provides significant humanitarian funds to the organizations but also spotlights the organizations and increases awareness and engagement through its platform.
“The generosity received as a result of Humble Bundle’s effort is deeply inspiring and will serve as a force-multiplier to get more aid into these areas to improve the health and lives of those who are most vulnerable,” says Heather Bennett, vice president of Partnerships and Philanthropy at Direct Relief.
The nearly $1.2 million raised by Humble Bundle will certainly help these nonprofits continue their impactful work. This will provide COVID-19 relief in India and Brazil to help hard-hit communities recover and rebuild.
– Brett Grega
Photo: Flickr
The Progress of Women’s Rights in Canada
Ontario in 1884 and Manitoba in 1900 were the first two Canadian provinces to enact the Married Women’s Property Act. This act allowed married women to have the same legal rights as men, such as purchasing property. Gradually, the other provinces and territories also signed the act. This was one of the first significant improvements to women’s rights in Canada. Further changes in legislation initiated the process of decreasing gender inequality in the country.
The Precedent of the Married Women’s Property Act
Many of the rights that women in Canada now possess are recent acquisitions, especially since Canada is a relatively young country. Most women’s rights became implemented throughout the past 100 years. The Married Women’s Property Act was one of the biggest breakthroughs in women’s rights in Canada because it set a historic precedent that women could be independent in legal matters. Furthermore, the act allowed women to exist independently as separate individuals from their male counterparts. By allowing women to buy property, women gained the ability to possess something of value for themselves.
Achieving Women’s Rights
By 1918, Caucasian women had all gained the right to vote in federal elections. However, it wasn’t until 1960 that Aboriginal women achieved women’s suffrage as well. Furthermore, women were identified as “persons” in the name of the law, which gave them the right to hold political office in 1929. Cairine Reay Wilson became the first woman elected to the Senate in the following year. By selecting a female senator, women’s rights in Canada progressed even further because a female leader represented and spoke up for women.
Moving forward, there were many more victories for women’s rights in Canada. In 1985, the government outlawed discrimination against an individual on the basis of sex, gender or sexual orientation. Around the same time, the government also criminalized sexual assault within marriage.
Organizations Making An Impact
Two major organizations that support women in Canada are the Canadian Women’s Foundation and the National Council of Women of Canada.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation is a nongovernmental organization that is committed to achieving gender equality. The organization implements social and economic strategies to do so. It specifically advocates for women of diverse backgrounds but is not limited to them. The organization funds programs dedicated to addressing the issues of violence, economic stability, women’s empowerment and leadership. Furthermore, the foundation’s mission reflects its dedication to achieving gender equality for all genders.
The National Council of Women of Canada addresses the welfare and improvement of the overall standard of life for women. The organization focuses on using research and education to empower women to make informed political decisions. This allows women to play a more active role in society and gain an equal position in important matters.
The Gender Wage Gap
Though Canada has made immense strides in gender equality, there are still many issues that the country has to address. One of these issues is the wage gap in Canada. The government made the gender wage gap illegal; however, women are still not all paid equally. This issue can be addressed by representing women in every field. Women occupy fewer high-paid roles than men do. By providing equal gender representation in career fields, the government will make large strides in addressing women’s rights in Canada.
Canada can push for women’s equality by setting an example and being active in women’s rights issues. The country has been successful in creating change and altering perceptions on women’s rights. Partnering with nonprofit organizations, such as the National Council of Women of Canada, will be essential in making Canada a leader in women’s rights and paving the way for future change.
– Manasi Singh
Photo: Flickr
H.R. 161: Venezuela TPS Act of 2021
H.R. 161: Venezuela TPS Act of 2021
Introduced on January 4, 2021, the Venezuela TPS Act of 2021 is a bill that would make Venezuelan citizens eligible for temporary protected status, allowing refugees to stay, work and travel in the United States for 18 months from the date of legal enactment if the bill becomes law.
Many Venezuelan refugees had to completely abandon their old lives and seek out a better one without a plan in mind. With 96% of Venezuelans living in poverty, it is clear that there are very few opportunities left in Venezuela. As a result, Venezuelans need support and opportunities to succeed in a country that is not their own. On March 4, 2021, the House referred the bill to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship for further review.
Accepting Refugees Benefits the US
The U.S. is currently experiencing labor shortages in low-skilled jobs in the wake of COVID-19. According to research from The Conference Board, 85% of companies in blue-collar industries are struggling with recruitment. These jobs range from factory work to service jobs with commercial fast food employers.
Venezuelan refugees are eager to work and earn money to provide for their families in essentially any role. Many U.S. citizens are not interested in such jobs and hold degrees that make them more suitable for the white-collar industry. However, most Venezuelan nationals would be more than willing to fulfill these roles. This allows the refugees to earn an income while also helping the U.S. reduce its labor shortages. In this way, the Venezuelan TPS Act will aid the U.S. economy while providing a path out of poverty for Venezuelans.
Federal Register TPS Notice
On March 9, 2021, the Federal Register posted a notice that Venezuela would be granted TPS for 18 months through September 9, 2022, just five days after Congress moved the bill to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. President Biden granted this allowance as part of his campaign promises. This allowance makes 323,000 Venezuelan people eligible to receive the same entitlements expressed in the Venezuela TPS Act of 2021. The bill still remains alive in the House, however.
Columbia is a good example of an open-door refugee policy. Colombia has been a leader in the refugee crisis, granting TPS to Venezuelan refugees for up to 10 years. This has helped nearly two million Venezuelans in the process. It is important to realize that most Venezuelan refugees are not looking to permanently settle in a new country and would rather return to Venezuela once the country is no longer under the dictatorship of President Nicolás Maduro. In a survey conducted by GBAO, 79% of Venezuelan refugees said they would be likely to return to Venezuela if the president was replaced by “an opponent of the Maduro regime” and the economy improved.
Extended TPS for Venezuelans
An improved home country is likely going to take longer than 18 months given the scale of the crisis in Venezuela. As a result, the U.S. should grant Venezuela TPS for longer than 18 months. Making this change falls on the members of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship as the Subcommittee is responsible for deliberating and suggesting changes to the Venezuela TPS Act. Increasing the span of Venezuela’s TPS would grant more long-term stability to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan refugees while providing the U.S. with its labor needs.
The Venezuelan TPS Act of 2021 ensures a better future for Venezuelan refugees. Amending the bill to match Colombia’s provision of 10 years of TPS for Venezuelan refugees will provide long-term protection and support as refugees await the end of the crisis in Venezuela in order to return home.
– Jeremy Long
Photo: Flickr
Reducing Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa
The threat of disease transmission plays a significant role in the life of sub-Saharan Africans. Diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, heart disease and diarrheal diseases remain leading causes of death for African citizens. Of particular worry is HIV/AIDS, the fourth leading cause of death on the continent. Furthermore, urbanization has direct links with reducing disease in sub-Saharan Africa. The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that 25.5 million people currently live with HIV/AIDs in sub-Saharan Africa, representing approximately 64% of the world’s cases. The transmission rate is particularly high in sub-Saharan Africa due to high rates of poverty, with over 60% of the population spending less than $1 a day.
Fortunately, in recent years, sub-Saharan Africa has witnessed a downturn in disease trends. For example, in the last six years, Africa has reduced AIDS deaths by over 30%. One can partly explain the successes in stopping the transmission of disease in sub-Saharan Africa by the process of urbanization that sub-Saharan Africa has undergone in recent years. Physician’s Medical Center Labs explains this relationship, highlighting factors such as sex work, migration, polygamy and teenage marriages, all of which increase with higher poverty levels.
What is Urbanization?
Urbanization is the process of making an area more urban. Characteristics defining urban areas include higher population density, greater infrastructure and non-agricultural opportunities for specialization. Urbanization has been ongoing since the 1950s in sub-Saharan Africa – however, its pace has increased in the past few decades. The rate of urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa is the highest globally, with an average annual growth rate of 4.1%. Urban growth results from a multitude of factors, including migration and the reclassification of cities. Migration from rural areas to urban centers is predominantly based on educational and financial concerns. However, seasonal and forced migration can also play a role in the growth of urban centers. This fast-paced urbanization is not without its challenges, including income loss, weak investment and less productivity. Nevertheless, urban areas can create circumstances that can reduce the transmission of disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
Improving Sanitation
Improved sanitation follows urbanization. Even in the most impoverished urban areas, sanitation conditions are still better than those in rural communities. The key factors contributing to sanitation levels are clean water and flush toilets. Poor urban areas remain two times more likely to have clean, piped water. They are also four times more likely to have flush toilets than rural areas. This is vital to disease prevention as poor sanitation in human waste is a key driver of disease transmission, specifically diarrheal diseases. Piped water can also reduce the threat of mosquito growth. Large amounts of stagnant water provide breeding grounds for dangerous mosquitos, which transmit viruses such as malaria. Piped water decreases the need for stagnant storage sites, diminishing this problem.
Empowering Women
Urban areas provide greater educational opportunities. While schools in rural areas remain understaffed, urban schools can cater to more students with a higher quality of education. This access to education is essential for females as women are 20% more likely to attend school in urban areas. Education for women is key to increasing awareness of sexual health needs and reproductive control. Along with education, the increase in infrastructure that results from urbanization can also increase access to resources for women. They can access the clinics and facilities necessary to control their fertility and protect themselves during sex. This is especially important for female sex workers in the region. In urban areas, the infrastructure of clinics, reproductive health resources and educational opportunities provide women with solutions that can decrease the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and infections.
Tracing Diseases
Urbanized areas have the infrastructure necessary to support cell towers and the internet. Because of this infrastructure growth, urban settings allow for high rates of cell phone usage. Meanwhile, rural areas tend to lack access to personal technology devices. In South Africa, around 50% of the rural population do not have access to a personal cellular device. The increased prevalence of mobile phones in urbanizing areas could play a consequential role in combating disease transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. The success of mobile phone contact tracing apps that some utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights this. A Massachusetts Institute of Technology study has found that these apps can decrease the infection rate and break transmission chains even with limited use. People could utilize these tools, thanks to urbanization, to decrease the transmission of disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
US Foreign Assistance is Vital
When looking at the benefits of urbanization throughout the world, it is important to focus on the dangers it can present. While urbanization can foster gender equality, education and quality healthcare, poorly managed urbanization can worsen inequality and destabilize governments. The work of U.S. Foreign Assistance plays a consequential role in the lives of Africa’s urban population. However, U.S. assistance remains disproportionately focused on rural settings, leaving these urbanizing areas in danger. Thus, the continued role of the U.S. in supporting poverty reduction initiatives throughout sub-Saharan Africa is vital to support and foster long-term, stable urbanized growth. One cannot discount the role of urbanization to impede the transmission of disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
– Haylee Ann Ramsey-Code
Photo: Unsplash
UNICEF’s Work During COVID-19
Beyond the immediate impact of families falling below the poverty line, the pandemic is also likely to impact growth. Without policy action, the pandemic may “trigger cycles of higher income inequality, lower social mobility among the vulnerable, and lower resilience to future shocks.
Despite the difficulty, UNICEF works hard to counter the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. UNICEF is an organization under the United Nations with the express purpose of protecting children’s rights across the globe. The organization mainly focuses on helping children in some of the toughest places in the world. It supports “child health and nutrition, safe water and sanitation, quality education and skill building, HIV prevention and treatment for mothers and babies, and the protection of children and adolescents from violence and exploitation.”
The Impact of COVID-19
The pandemic touched nearly every part of the globe in 2020. Its impact worsened global progress toward reaching the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals. Progress was already off track due to a range of humanitarian crises, climate change and inequalities across the world. This led to 142 million additional children living in “monetarily poor households” in 2020. The pandemic led to about 15% of all children spending the majority of the year under stay-at-home orders. An estimated 94% of students were affected at some point by school closures. These disruptions caused the most harm to children living in poverty. At least one-third of students didn’t have access to remote learning, and food disruptions led to 44 million children facing hunger.
While absolute mortality appeared to be less of a danger for children, the effects of the virus had a negative impact on almost every key measure of progress. Disruptions to health services impacted children across the world. An estimated 80 million children under the age of one “may miss out on life-saving vaccines.” The pandemic and its secondary effects also led to a rise in abuse as disruptions to violence prevention and response services rose.
UNICEF’s Response
Despite these disheartening consequences, UNICEF’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped. It has been working continuously to provide the necessary services to handle COVID-19. It also dedicates resources to responding to non-virus-related situations. This global crisis has highlighted UNICEF’s ability to adapt to new challenges and find new ways to help children living in poverty across the world. One way in which UNICEF’s work during COVID-19 had a large impact was its efforts toward providing necessary supplies and helping with the rollout of vaccines.
Throughout 2020, UNICEF provided “water, sanitation, hygiene services and supplies” for 106 million people. It also provided PPE to 2.6 million health care workers and training to an additional 4 million health care workers. UNICEF also worked with COVAX to make sure that vaccines were procured and distributed equitably across the world. UNICEF’s work to help children across the world extended to efforts not directly related to health care. The organization also used its leadership to reach more than 130 million children through its social protection initiatives and cash transfers.
Future Work
As the world moves forward, necessary work remains to help rebuild much of what the pandemic brought down. To this end, UNICEF’s work during COVID-19 continues. Executive Director Henrietta Fore laid out five goals for UNICEF to work on as nations rebuild and reimagine the systems children across the world rely on:
The pandemic continues to have a massive impact on children across the globe. Not only did the virus directly affect millions, but it also shone a light on many already existing inequalities. UNICEF’s work during COVID-19 was vital and helped millions throughout the year. In the future, UNICEF will continue to work to improve the lives of children across the world.
– Taryn Steckler-Houle
Photo: Flickr
Philippine COVID-19 Vaccination Set to Escalate
As of late June, the Philippines had only administered 8 million doses. The Philippine COVID-19 vaccination goal is to vaccinate at least 70 million people in the next 5 months. Carlito Galvez, chief of the Philippine COVID-19 vaccine administration, remarked that the new vaccine purchase “will significantly boost our national immunization program and will enable us to realize our goal of achieving herd immunity by year-end.” Vaccine distribution is prioritizing people who work out of their homes, healthcare workers and older citizens.
Struggles in Virus Response
Like much of the world, a second wave outbreak of the virus devastated the Philippines. From March to June 2021, the daily rate of documented infections ranged from 3,000 to 7,000. It hit a peak of 15,310 daily cases on April 2. President Rodrigo Duterte received immense criticism from the international community for this second wave of the pandemic. Although he employed one of the world’s strictest and longest lockdowns, he failed to implement mass testing or a robust vaccination program.
Duterte is already infamous for his troubled human rights record. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet described the ongoing situation as “highly militarized.” Unfortunately, according to Time, virus mismanagement is a common trend in authoritarian countries where rulers belittle the COVID threat and refuse to follow science and the advice of health officials. Duterte and rulers like him have gained the label of “medical populists.” Time considers Duterte a “wild card” and stresses that what happens in the Philippines matters elsewhere because the Philippines provides workers throughout the world. Hopefully, the recent Pfizer-BioNTech deal is a step in the direction towards a more humane and effective virus response.
The Path Ahead
The Philippines will have to overcome many obstacles to reach herd immunity for its large population. Manila, the capital, lacks vaccine access, and COVID is surging in several provinces, which complicates vaccine distribution.
Despite these obstacles, in addition to the new purchase of vaccines, the government is consulting with experts on vaccine rollout. A team of medical experts from Israel is in the Philippines supporting the COVID response. Israel is a world leader in vaccine dissemination. Galvez reiterated that “we want to learn from the best practices being implemented in Israel and hopefully, replicate and use them in crafting our country’s policies.” Vaccinating children aged 12-15 is a top priority so Philippine children are now eligible to receive the single-dose vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech. The Philippines is also hoping to receive 44 million vaccine doses from COVAX, the international vaccine-sharing organization. All these efforts should bolster the Philippine COVID-19 vaccination program.
– Conor Green
Photo: Flickr
Austrian Development Agency Assists South Caucasus
Poverty is an unfortunate way of life for many people living in the South Caucasus, a region that includes the countries of Armenia and Georgia. As of 2018, about 23.5% of Armenia’s population was living below the poverty line. For Georgia, the most recent statistics from 2019 show that 13.3% of its population lived below the poverty line. However, despite the hardships that poverty brings for the people living in the South Caucasus countries, there is a glimmer of hope. Beginning in 1988, the Austrian Development Agency assists countries in the South Caucasus. With this assistance, Armenians and Georgians will have the tools they need for a better life.
Objectives of the Austrian Development Agency
The Austrian Development Agency follows three core objectives: fighting against poverty, working to guarantee peace and protecting the environment. The agency funds and oversees numerous programs intended to address these three objectives. The agency has used a total of 550 million euros to help fund current projects. However, the Austrian Development Agency does not carry out its objectives alone. Often, it partners with other institutions, such as the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.
The Austrian Development Agency’s Work in Armenia
About 68% of the Austrian Development Agency’s funding for Armenia goes to the agricultural sector alone. The reason the agency provides so much funding to Armenia’s agriculture is that over a third of Armenia’s population has employment in that sector. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the agricultural sector of Armenia began to suffer. The agency is assisting Armenia by providing funding, knowledge and machinery to promote agricultural productivity.
The Austrian Development Agency’s Work in Georgia
The Austrian Development Agency assists the South Caucasus country of Georgia as well. The agricultural sector employed more than half of all workers in Georgia. The agency helps Georgia’s agricultural sector by providing modern agro-technologies and teaching agro-management techniques. In addition, the agency is trying to promote democratization in the country, using the standards of European institutions to promote democratic values.
The Austrian Development Agency is also working to preserve the forests that cover 38% of Georgia. Forests prevent erosion, maintain the climate and store necessary amounts of water. The agency is promoting sustainable forest and watershed management through education.
Progress in South Caucasus Countries
The Austrian Development Agency assists the South Caucasus countries of Armenia and Georgia in several different ways. It aims to boost residents’ productivity in the agricultural sector, in turn boosting the countries’ economies. Furthermore, in Georgia, it aims to protect forests and to circulate democratic values throughout the country.
– Jacob E. Lee
Photo: Flickr
Examining COVID-19 and EdTech
COVID-19 has profoundly redrawn the global investment matrix, driving a structural shift toward emerging technologies. It is also wiping out capital investments in major sectors such as tourism and the automotive industry. The substantial increase in educational technologies (EdTech) due to COVID-19 could benefit people living in poverty in developing countries.
COVID-19 and EdTech
Because of COVID-19, schools had to close all over the world. More than 1.2 billion children in 186 countries were unable to attend schools as a result of the pandemic. School closures put considerable pressure on educational systems. For example, considering that in many education systems, professors and teachers are often on the chopping block when there is no revenue. Many countries were unprepared for the transition to online distance learning, both in terms of familiarity and access to EdTech. Therefore, a major concern during the pandemic was the widening of the gap for disadvantaged students due to a disparity in access to EdTech. The pandemic not only exposed traditional education systems’ limitations but also social disparities that supporters believe digital learning can help fix.
Growth in digital education is inevitable. The rapid shift away from the classroom has left many wondering whether the growth of online learning will continue after the pandemic. Even before 2020, there was substantial development in EdTech. Global investment hit about $18.66 billion in 2019. With the introduction of virtual tutoring, language applications, video conferencing and online learning technologies, experts agree that the potential demand for online education can only expand.
The Future
It is difficult to envision post-pandemic learning without EdTech. In addition to direct learning applications, EdTech can promote resource sharing, create and grade quizzes and assist with homework. In UNESCO’s flagship Digital Technologies in Education event, Salman Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, shared his experience during the pandemic: he created additional online educational tools and stated that “The digital divide is the number one headline of COVID-19.”
Therefore, it is essential to build for the rebuilding phase. The pace of transition provides an impetus to reimagine the future of education and is inclusive of all students worldwide. Barbara Holzapfel, Vice President of Microsoft Education, contributed to this discussion by saying that “COVID-19 has accelerated the transformation in education that was well underway and we’ve seen years’ worth of change in just a matter of weeks.”
During 2020, COVID-19 and EdTech have forced many to consider that future. Education systems can emerge from the crisis stronger and more resilient to future disruptions. New solutions will build more gender-equal education systems and digitize educational content. Although the way to address educational inequalities is still a challenge, EdTech could provide more flexibility in addressing gaps and inequality in the education system compared to traditional education. Change is possible if policy and research agendas occur properly.
– Aining Liang
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About the COVID-19 Vaccination in Bahrain
5 Facts About the COVID-19 Vaccination in Bahrain
A Model of Diligence
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Bahrain has been a consistent model of diligence and effective leadership amid the ongoing health crisis. Furthermore, despite recent surges in the virus, Bahrain is proactive in mitigating the spread of the virus by maintaining travel restrictions for particular countries and offering booster shots to vulnerable citizens. Ultimately, Bahrain’s commitment to adhering to health guidelines and ensuring vaccine accessibility are key factors in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and reaching herd immunity.
– Samuel Weinmann
Photo: Unsplash
The Armenia Fund Helps Rebuild Armenia
The Armenia Fund was established shortly after the Nagorno-Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 1994 following Armenia’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The conflict had left the newly independent nation in shambles and needing assistance. The NGO based out of Los Angeles sought to alleviate the lasting repercussions of the recent conflict. Its primary focus was to connect the large Armenian diaspora population to its homeland in order to further develop Armenia. With an Armenian population of roughly three million, the estimated seven million Armenians living in other countries around the world are crucial to assembling an improved Armenia. With this goal in mind, the Armenia Fund plays a vital role in extending support to Armenia.
Armenia Fund Supporters
During the recent reoccurrence of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020, the Armenia Fund provided $80 million in immediate relief to the Armenian people. The imminent need for access to food, medical supplies and clean water was widespread as the war had lasting effects on the country. Many donations were influenced by the awareness raised from Kim Kardashian’s $1 million pledge to the Armenia Fund, along with the support from several other celebrities. Kim Kardashian is Armenian through her late father, Robert Kardashian. She advertised the efforts of the Armenia Fund and invited her fans to sponsor the nonprofit. Other prominent contributors consist of the Armenian Missionary Association of America, the Armenian Assembly of America, Inc. and The Manoogian Simone Foundation.
Armenia Fund Projects
Projects initiated by the Armenia Fund include rebuilding schools and churches in the nation. The NGO strives to supply resources to as many Armenians as possible while rendering aid to the Nagorno-Karabakh region. A recently completed project is the reconstruction of the Talish village. In restoring the once destroyed village, the Armenia Fund revived the historic and ancient town. Several other villages and buildings destroyed or affected by past war conflicts are primary areas the fund intends to repair.
US Assistance to Armenia
In addition to the Armenia Fund, the U.S. has long provided Armenia with support. The U.S. Embassy highlighted that the U.S. has given $2 billion in assistance funding to Armenia since 1992, aiming to develop Armenia’s democracy and sustain its economy. A 1998 foreign aid bill provided more than $45 million straight to the Nagorno-Karabakh region. At the time, the U.S. was the only country to grant such a relief package. More recent assistance includes the Valadao Amendment in 2017 and the Cox Amendment in 2019, which offered direct aid from the U.S. to the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. The legislation provided more than $1 million in direct relief. The Speier Amendment in 2019 was another notable contribution, as it allocated $40 million to democracy programs.
Armenia has had no shortage of challenges in establishing its planned democracy and strengthening itself after gaining independence from the Soviet Union. The Armenia Fund, principally supported by Armenians living outside the country, has helped shape a better Armenia. The U.S. has also been crucial, helping Armenia’s progression through foreign aid. The Armenia Fund continues to serve as a meaningful surveyor to sustain Armenia’s flourishment. The nonprofit supports Armenia by reaching the large diaspora population and continuously fighting for a more stable Armenia. Rebuilding the country physically is an investment in the Armenian people.
– James Van Bramer
Photo: Flickr
Humble Bundle: COVID-19 Relief in India and Brazil
What is Humble Bundle?
Humble Bundle is an online video game store founded in 2010. Since then, the video game bundles that give the company its name have raised money for a wide variety of charitable efforts, from the World Wildlife Foundation to Make-A-Wish. The funds primarily come through the sale of popular video games along with other entertainment items like comic books.
Humble Bundle has garnered almost $200 million through bundles. These often include selections from popular gaming franchises like Civilization, Saints Row and BioShock. Typically a portion of each bundle is donated either to the company’s featured charity of the month or the purchaser’s chosen charity. However, Humble Bundle took a bit more of a drastic approach in May 2021 to help several organizations in India and Brazil during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Humble Bundle created the live “Humble Heal: COVID-19 Bundle” from May 12, 2021, until May 19, 2021, in order to support four different charities working in Brazil and India during the ongoing pandemic. More than 54,000 bundles were sold. India recently experienced a record one-day COVID-19 death toll of more than 6,000 deaths on June 10, 2021. Around the same time, Brazil neared 500,000 overall deaths due to COVID-19. The relief efforts of Humble Bundle and other charities are vitally important for COVID-19 relief.
Humble Bundle COVID-19 Relief Support
The charities supported by the bundle primarily focus on providing medical equipment and care to those in need. For example, in February 2021, Direct Relief granted more than $500,000 in aid to Amazonas in Brazil for roughly 350 oxygen concentrators. The Brazilian state desperately needed oxygen concentrators for local medical facilities and people isolated in rainforests. Similarly, in April 2021, Direct Relief donated $5 million toward the purchase of oxygen concentrators in India as well.
According to a recent report by Doctors Without Borders, countries like Brazil were forced to ration treatments or prioritize some patients over others due to a lack of resources. Humble Bumble supported Doctors Without Borders with donations to ensure that essential health services continue with the necessary medical resources.
GiveIndia also incorporates oxygen supply efforts into its pandemic relief. The charity raised more than $6 million to help boost the oxygen supply in India. GiveIndia also provided financial support for low-income families who lost employed family members during the pandemic. Furthermore, the organization supplied food for those struggling with hunger.
The International Medical Corps, another organization supported by Humble Bundle, is also working to strengthen the healthcare system in India, provide crucial medical supplies and deliver personal protective equipment. Additionally, the nonprofit is working to combat vaccine hesitancy in the country to ensure a successful vaccine rollout throughout the country.
The Impact of Humble Bundle’s Efforts
Humble Bundle supports nonprofits like International Medical Corps and Direct Relief in a unique and creative way. It not only provides significant humanitarian funds to the organizations but also spotlights the organizations and increases awareness and engagement through its platform.
“The generosity received as a result of Humble Bundle’s effort is deeply inspiring and will serve as a force-multiplier to get more aid into these areas to improve the health and lives of those who are most vulnerable,” says Heather Bennett, vice president of Partnerships and Philanthropy at Direct Relief.
The nearly $1.2 million raised by Humble Bundle will certainly help these nonprofits continue their impactful work. This will provide COVID-19 relief in India and Brazil to help hard-hit communities recover and rebuild.
– Brett Grega
Photo: Flickr