Across the entire world, millions of people are approaching a point known as Day Zero. This is the specific moment when a region or city runs out of water and taps go dry, crops wither and livelihoods collapse. Day Zero droughts are more than just environmental disasters; they are also drivers of poverty and hunger and they are reshaping lives across many countries, including Somalia, Yemen and Haiti.
Water scarcity is something that has many different, far-reaching effects. Without water, livestock die, agriculture fails and food prices soar. In many vulnerable regions that are currently battling conflict and poverty, a Day Zero event can quickly become a full-blown humanitarian crisis. In Somalia, currently, less than 30% of the Somali population has access to clean water. This means that many rural Somali households have to rely on expensive and unsustainable means to access clean, usable water.
The Link Between Poverty and Water
Somalia has had five consecutive failed rainy seasons, which have all but devastated pastures and farmlands. As crops start to fail and animals start to die, many communities lose their primary sources of income and food and families are forced to migrate in search of the most important things they need to survive: food and water. Many families are forced to end up in overcrowded displacement camps and have little access to sustainable agriculture or drinking water, which causes hunger to spread and poverty to deepen.
In Yemen, which is one of the most water-scarce countries in the entire world, the ongoing conflict has completely damaged its water infrastructure. More than 90% of the available water resources are used for agriculture; inefficiencies or depletion of groundwater can threaten not only crops but also rural communities’ survival. Many households in the country often rely on trucked-in water, which can be expensive and consume much of their income. This leaves many families unable to afford enough food as the decline in agriculture drives up the prices of food across the entire country.
In Haiti, a combination of hurricanes and droughts has destroyed much of the country’s farmland and disrupted its rural livelihoods entirely. Many farmers struggle to even irrigate their crops, which leads to widespread hunger and crop failure. As the cycle of drought and disaster repeats, it keeps many rural communities unable to recover between crises and trapped in poverty.
The Global Impact of Day Zero Droughts
Day Zero droughts don’t just mean empty taps, but they also mean empty plates. When water disappears and food production drops, farming collapses and hunger also increases. As the effects of climate instability accelerate, Day Zero droughts are becoming more frequent and severe, increasingly threatening global food security as well.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. It works to save lives in emergencies and uses food assistance to build a pathway to stability, peace and prosperity for individuals recovering from conflict, disasters and climate-related disasters. This organization has a presence in more than 120 countries and works tirelessly to bring life-saving resources to people in need.
According to the WFP, 319 million people are acutely hungry and famine looms for 1.9 million worldwide. It also reports that climate extremes are a key driver of food insecurity and that the climate crisis is exacerbating hunger for many people in need.
Innovative Solutions Bringing Hope
Despite this severe crisis, many communities are working to implement innovative solutions that can combine sustainable agriculture, clean water access and community-led, local governance. In Somalia, the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are currently collaborating on a project to help provide sustainable water access for drought-affected communities. The project promises to help more than 120,000 people by harnessing solar energy.
This project aims to strengthen local water governance, ensuring that local communities have access to sustainable sources of water. Additionally, the World Bank’s Somalia Urban Resilience Project Phase II is designed to strengthen urban resilience in Somalia. It aims to rebuild infrastructure, improve water supply and support displaced and drought-affected families.
In Yemen, the UNDP’s Integrated Water Resources Management to Enhance Resilience of Agriculture and Food Security Project (IWRM-ERA) is working to strengthen the country’s food security and agricultural resilience. It does so by ensuring efficient, equitable and sustainable water resource management. The UNDP is also trying to build community wells, improve water harvesting and protect farmland from disastrous floods.
In Haiti, the World Bank approved an $80 million grant to improve rural access to decentralized, sustainable and resilient water and sanitation services. The funding will also expand access to resilient and sustainable water systems across rural communities. Additionally, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is supporting the Trois-Rivieres region with a project that combines sustainable agriculture, flood control and better governance for water and land management.
How US Aid Can Help
The U.S. can play a pivotal role in helping prevent future droughts. By supporting sustainable water infrastructure, climate adaptation and drought resilience through international aid, the U.S. can make a lasting difference. U.S. funding for projects like drought-resistant crops, irrigation systems and water governance has the potential to not only save lives but also strengthen global food security.
Additionally, these investments have the potential to create stable, self-sufficient communities that can be better equipped to face the challenges at hand.
– Madyn Lewis
Madyn is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Unsplash
South Asian Truck Art: An Art Form of the Poor
Origins
Truck art started in the 1920s, “Bedford trucks came from Great Britain, plying all over the country, carting goods”. The individuals driving the trucks decided to dress their vehicles in bright patterns and images to represent the “inspirations and imagination of the people at large, and they also show the close bond of the truck owner with his vehicle”. This gave birth to the concept of truck art, which now dons a majority of trucks in South Asia. The truck art still represents inspiring and important cultural or political images to the drivers.
Poverty Within the Asian Truck Art World
The countries that have the most truck art are also places with extremely high poverty rates. Pakistan, known for having intricately decorated trucks fill up the roads, has a poverty rate of 22%.
According to the working class people who paint the trucks, “people take up this profession not out of choice but out of necessity”. The trucks that have elaborate colors and images originate from these individuals in poverty who paint the trucks for the drivers. Within the world of poverty, aesthetics become a tool of making more of the living conditions inflicted upon them. “From clothes, accessories, decorative items, transport and housing, the aesthetic of the underprivileged is one that has to do with poverty. It is about making do with what is available, or something old and/or something used or even shabby.”
A Form of Hope
Although the drivers and painters are in conditions less than ideal, they use truck art to symbolize a hopeful outlook on life. Individuals interviewed had discussed how the images painted on trucks was not a reality of their lives, but instead their hopes. Despite living through conditions of poverty, truck art helps the workers involved – either through driving the truck or painting the art – hope for a different and better life. South Asian truck art is now popular worldwide for its beautiful and intricate designs, but what is not as popular is the art form’s origins of trying to improve one’s life through art and beauty when in poverty.
– Sara Tareen
Photo: Flickr
The Last Mile Against River Blindness in Cameroon
Background
Cameroon has long been an endemic country for onchocerciasis. Indeed, a geospatial modelling study of Africa and Yemen estimated that, as of 2018, national-level infection prevalence in Cameroon exceeded 5% and in some focal regions was much higher.
In response, Cameroon launched community-directed treatment with ivermectin in 1996 under the World Health Organization’s African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control. After APOC ended in 2015, the country continued elimination activities through the WHO’s Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), which now coordinates regional support.
Mass Drug Administration
At the heart of Cameroon’s strategy has been annual mass drug administration of ivermectin delivered through community-directed treatment. Over 15 years of campaigns in several districts have sharply reduced infection levels. In the Tombel Health District, for instance, after 15 consecutive years of treatment, microfilaria prevalence fell to 1.5% and nodule prevalence to 6%, indicating progress but not full interruption of transmission
Yet, remote mountain villages present persistent challenges. A 2024 study along the Cameroon–Chad border noted that onchocerciasis transmission remains ongoing despite decades of CDTI.
Localised vector habitats, seasonal migration of workers, and gaps in treatment coverage are among the underlying factors. A detailed study in the Meme River Basin highlighted how poverty, farming occupations, housing conditions and limited health seeking behaviour all hamper elimination efforts.
Community-Directed Distributors
Community health volunteers, called community-directed distributors (CDDs), carry the burden of delivering ivermectin and tracking treatments in hardscrabble terrain. But their efforts are constrained by low motivation, logistical bottlenecks and limited training. A qualitative study in three rural districts of Cameroon found that inadequate numbers of CDDs and weak understanding of the disease among health staff hamper progress.
Despite these challenges, when coverage is high and sustained, the health benefits are profound. People treated with ivermectin experience relief from itching, healing of skin lesions and prevention of visual impairment, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Cameroon’s Meme River Basin, researchers also found that annual community-directed treatment improved productivity and reduced stigma around the disease.
The Future
Progress in Cameroon against river blindness shows how persistence pays off. National health authorities continue annual community-directed ivermectin campaigns with support from the WHO’s Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN). The country also participates in regional cross-border monitoring with Chad and Nigeria to track transmission and share data.
According to the WHO’s ESPEN program, several health districts in Cameroon have already transitioned to post-treatment surveillance after interrupting transmission, marking key milestones toward national elimination.
– Katie Williams
Photo: Flickr
3 Organizations Defending Migrants’ Rights in Austria
The country offers a bright outlook for many fleeing conflict or poverty. However, many migrants slip through bureaucratic cracks. Whether it is due to a lack of education, inability to speak the native language or legal setbacks when applying for work permits and residency documentation, many migrants find themselves in a legal gray zone that strips them of any meaningful way to make money and integrate into the country.
That is where organizations like Ikemba, Südwind and Megaphon come in. Armed with expertise in social integration, knowledge transfer and legal counsel, and access to invaluable resources, each works tirelessly to defend migrants’ rights in Austria, help them get a footing in the job market and secure a fulfilling future.
Ikemba
“We need humanity.” That is Ikemba’s resounding call on its homepage, and it is this philosophy that informs all the work it does in Graz’s underprivileged migrant communities. Its focus is on equipping migrants, low-threshold families and “hard-to-reach people” with skills that will increase their chances of a sustainable future.
A combination of social integration, help with language skills, cultural education and health support has seen Ikemba empower underrepresented communities. Courses include “Low-threshold A1 German courses for women” and “Empowerment communication course on the topic of ‘Health,’” among others. By offering this kind of education free of charge, Ikemba is one step closer to its vision: a society in which diversity is lived and valued. It is essential when it comes to fighting for migrants’ rights in Austria.
Südwind
While Südwind’s core focus is climate justice, the charity recognizes that this goes hand in hand with poverty and social inequality. Climate justice is innately connected to human rights and global sustainable development, which is why it fights for fair working conditions across every stage of international supply chains and campaigns for international solidarity and access to food and education for all.
It is no mean feat. Tackling all these major societal issues simultaneously takes a strong vision and an airtight strategy. The charity invests a significant portion of time in educational workshops that are carried out across the whole country ,the Südwind magazine and international PR campaigns that inform readers about climate justice and its impacts on migration and disadvantaged communities.
Megaphon
Taking a different approach to Südwind and Ikemba, Megaphon recognizes the bureaucratic challenges that many migrants face when in Austria. Its mission is to keep as many migrants as possible out of financial precarity by offering them the opportunity to sell its street magazine, Megaphon, without any work permits.
Offering an empowering alternative to begging on the street, Megaphon recognizes the legal battles that many migrants face in Austria and offers them legal counseling regarding visas, permits and residency. And while profits for the magazine are always welcome, the organization’s main objective is to get its vendors into meaningful and long-lasting jobs that secure a sustainable future for themselves and their families.
Looking Ahead
All three organizations are cornerstones of the social sector in Graz. Whether defending migrants’ rights in Austria by loudly taking to the streets to protest or quietly managing tedious paperwork that makes migrants’ lives easier, each proves how important such organizations are in lifting people out of poverty for the long term.
– Saroj Spickett
Photo: Unsplash
The Sprawling Indian Slum Economy: Dharavi
The Invisible Engine
Dharavi has thousands of small workshops and micro-enterprises. Many homes function as production units, producing goods such as leather products, textiles and jewelry, as well as niche items like plastic weaving, with some reportedly being exported. Although these claims cannot be fully verified through official documentation, word-of-mouth accounts suggest widespread trade activity. Some sources cite that there are upwards of 20,000 mini-manufacturing units with cumulative annual outputs close to $1 billion.
Margins of the Marketplace
While the Indian slum economy is flourishing, it also harbors limitations. Informality contributes to a lack of protection, precarious working conditions and exploitation. Most workers lack formal contracts and statutory benefits. Many face unsafe factory and construction conditions that can result in illness or even death, as safety measures are rarely enforced.
These problems have become part of a broader debate around redevelopment. Some advocates, such as Adani Group and its supporters, have cited poor working conditions as justification for redevelopment plans that could dismantle the existing economy and lifestyle.
Risks of Redevelopment
Redevelopment could, in theory, benefit the informal economy through formalization, safety measures and improved infrastructure. However, current plans—particularly the Adani Group’s redevelopment project—have raised significant concerns. According to the opposition government of India, the project appears to prioritize private gain over community welfare, with the potential to displace up to 700,000 people. Some alternative residential sites proposed by the government are located far from the existing economy and income sources of current residents.
Rahul Gandhi stated, “This government handed over Dharavi to Adani,” accusing it of “enriching cronies.” For many Dharavi vendors, the plan “has raised significant fears amongst residents over their livelihood, education and opportunities,” according to Land Conflict Watch. The industries that thrive here cannot be confined to traditional business models based on standardized land parcels or enclosed units without open yards or foot traffic access.
What Dharavi Needs
Dharavi does not need to be replaced—it has the potential to be part of India’s urban future. While redevelopment is often framed as a way to bring safety, order and opportunity, the current plans, particularly those led by private players like Adani, risk doing the opposite. The Dharavi Bachao Andolan (Save Dharavi Movement) fears that redevelopment could prioritize land acquisition over community welfare.
The informal economy here is not accidental but rather a functional system with a “thriving micro-economy” built on proximity, shared space and dense networks, according to a report by the Toda Peace Institute. For redevelopment to genuinely benefit this community, it must consider how residents already live and work. As Land Conflict Watch notes, the government’s decisions “indicate that the government is prioritising profits for [the] developer over the interests of Dharavi residents.”
If implemented inclusively, redevelopment could bring safer conditions, better infrastructure and stronger worker protections. However, that would require ensuring that residents are active participants in planning processes, as noted by Slum Dwellers International. This case highlights the importance of approaching informal economies through inclusion and collaboration rather than replacement.
Looking Ahead
Dharavi’s resilience shows that progress and preservation can coexist. With inclusive planning that safeguards jobs, strengthens safety and involves residents in decision-making, redevelopment can improve living conditions while protecting livelihoods. If done responsibly, Dharavi can stand as a model for community-driven urban renewal in India.
– Maryam Qutbuddin
Photo: Flickr
“From Ground Zero”: Representation for Palestine
The Depiction of Poverty in Context
The film portrays life in the Palestinian territories, where poverty is not only economic but deeply tied to displacement, instability and systemic oppression. As stated in a United Nations report, “Poverty in the State of Palestine is projected to rise to 74.3%, affecting 4.1 million people, including 2.61 million people who are newly impoverished.” The report goes on to state the increase of “multidimensional poverty” in Palestine during this time, especially in the areas of housing, services and safety, among others.
This film allows us to analyze, through its audio-visual portrayal of scenes that highlight daily struggles, the impact and outcomes of these newly imposed dimensions of poverty. This is especially evident in the short film “Hell’s Heaven,” in which the narrator is forced to sleep in a body bag to keep warm, where he questions why it should only be provided to him after his death. This highlights a drastic impoverishment and unavailability of access to basic needs, employment and dignity.
Empowerment Through Participation
Most of those involved in the production, including non-professional actors, are directly affected by poverty and conflict, including the director Rashid Mashrawi, many of whose family members are in Gaza. His main purpose for creating this film was representation for Palestine from Palestinians. As he states, “I want to share our stories with the world.”
The act of storytelling gave voice and agency to people often excluded from public narratives. Alongside the despair and devastation, there is also a parallel current of hope, which has been a central aspect of the project from its inception. Amid stories of death and destitution told with a raw documentary realism, emerge narrative shorts that reveal the ways Palestinians continue to seek moments of joy and humanity. One segment captures a puppeteer bringing laughter to young audiences through marionettes. These glimpses of creativity and resilience remind viewers that even in the darkest circumstances, art persists as both refuge and resistance.
His characterization of these people as humans and not statistics gives a sense of reality to the disaster and deprivation they are facing, helping to shed light on the destruction from a non-political perspective. Mashrawi wants “cinema [to] play a role for justice, for humanity,” which can be achieved by using the preservative and far-reaching nature of cinema to highlight current issues. Additionally, it also preserves these stories in history by giving them their due importance and platform, allowing them to speak for themselves and take advantage of the medium of cinema.
Relevance to Current Poverty Issues
As poverty and displacement continue globally, especially in areas of prolonged conflict, the film remains timely. Serving as an educational and motivational resource in community development programs, it uses the arts to foster resilience, making its importance relevant beyond immediate events.
In the current climate of growing poverty and mass unemployment in Gaza—where labor market conditions in the West Bank have also deteriorated significantly—at least 96% of businesses have reported decreased activity and more than 42% have reduced their workforce. More than 300,000 jobs have been lost, pushing unemployment rates from 12.9% in 2023 to 32%. This represents a daily loss of $25.5 million in labor income, eroding the economic resilience of Palestinian households and deepening social hardship.
The scale of this loss reflects not only a financial crisis but also the diminishing sense of security and stability that underpins community life. It further emphasizes the importance of films like “From Ground Zero” in fostering hope and solidarity amid devastation—a symbol of representation for Palestine, especially for those directly and visibly affected every day.
Looking Ahead
“From Ground Zero” is not just a film—it is a platform for dignity, resistance and dialogue. By focusing on real experiences and empowering the impoverished through storytelling, Mashrawi’s work has become a tool for morale-building and advocating systemic change. It takes the viewer away from the political, as is prevalent in most dialogue surrounding Palestine, and focuses on the everyday problems like scarcity, poverty and violence faced by those on the ground.
As such, the film becomes a catalyst for awareness and change, opening up discussions around structural reform, aid and the importance of including marginalized voices in policy and media. Mashrawi is currently working on the follow-up “From Ground Zero Plus,” a series of 10 documentaries as representation for Palestine, where he hopes to present more stories and continue his legacy of spreading awareness for real people in crisis.
– Maryam Qutbuddin
Photo: Unsplash
School Meals Fighting Child Poverty in Cyprus
Equality Through Food
According to the 2024 report, Cyprus links the constitutional right to equal education opportunities for every child with food inequality. Minimum one subsidized meal per day is a guarantee under the Declaration Combating Child Poverty by Leaving No Child Behind, which the country signed. The country recognizes a meal as a pillar of equality and inclusion for pupils in need.
The report states: “In 2021, only 0.6% of children under 16 who were at ‘Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion’ experienced deprivation due to household financial difficulties in having one meal a day of meat, chicken, fish or a vegetarian equivalent meal.” It may seem that child poverty in Cyprus is not a significant problem; however, it still affects the quality of life and education for some students.
Free school meals help bridge the gap and consequently eradicate the problem of food inequality at school and child poverty in Cyprus in this particular aspect.
Free Breakfast Program
The “Providing Free Breakfast to Pupils in Need” program started in 2013. It is currently implemented by the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth as part of the European Union’s THALEIA 2021-2027 project, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus, which covers 90% of the costs.
Its goal is to support families at risk of poverty and exclusion and to ensure equal educational opportunities for all children, as well as provide them with adequate nutrition and social support.
Pupils in need are children from low-income families. The program provides free breakfast on every school day for the duration of the school year in public schools at all levels of education. In the school year 2022-2023 there were 14,502 pupils who benefited from the program.
Extending the Support
The government plans to extend the program of free meals for pupils starting in April 2026 to further address child poverty in Cyprus. The scheme is to create free breakfast clubs in primary schools for every student. Currently, 750 schools participate in the meal clubs, and an additional 2000 plan to enroll next year.
The investment in the program is estimated at £80 million. Its goal is to support parents and children and to ensure that every pupil has an equal start to the school day, therefore an equal chance to participate in education.
– Patrycja Pietrzak
Photo: Flickr
Zimbabwe’s Blueberry Industry Signal a Healthier Future
However, geopolitical relations and community-based projects have paved the way for a potential solution to help alleviate poverty—blueberries. Zimbabwe’s blueberry industry is becoming an increasingly prevalent market, helping to provide domestic relief and boost international trade as the country embarks on a long journey toward stability.
Zimbabwe Embracing Horticulture
Long reliant on tobacco exports, Zimbabwe is now looking to diversify its agricultural output, and blueberries have emerged as a promising and potentially lucrative product. Crucial to this development are ongoing talks with China, the world’s largest importer of the fruit, which could help Zimbabwe strengthen its position in the blueberry market currently led by Peru.
Gaining access to China’s lucrative market would help capitalize on Zimbabwe’s positive trajectory in horticulture, a trend that saw blueberry exports increase by 13% despite the presence of El Niño hindering economic growth. This growth is modest compared to future projections. Zimbabwe’s blueberry production is expected to rise by 50%, and this domestic expansion, combined with growing international markets, offers hope to local communities that this renewed interest in horticulture can improve food security and provide vital sources of employment.
Importance of Local Produce
While international trade deals will help boost macroeconomic stability in a nation facing stagnant growth and debt issues, job creation within the blueberry sector is equally significant. The industry creates approximately 6,000 jobs, most of them held by women who are increasingly becoming the main earners in their households. The sector also provides opportunities for young farmers, as more farm managers recruit trainees focused on blueberry production—creating employment in communities that disproportionately suffer from Zimbabwe’s high unemployment rate.
Zimbabwe’s poverty reduction strategy has been hindered by an overreliance on low-productivity agriculture, a sector further strained by climate events such as El Niño. The phenomenon caused a severe drought and left up to 7.6 million Zimbabweans at risk of acute hunger, yet the continued growth of blueberries during this crisis period highlights their potential to transform the country’s low-production agricultural cycle.
While the government lacks a funding framework that effectively supports people suffering from food insecurity, agri-entrepreneurs have stepped in to fill the gap. Admire Moyo developed the Goho learning app for young farmers, providing e-learning resources on climate resilience to help combat the effects of climate change. The app offers real-time updates on prices in central fruit and vegetable markets and helps farmers adapt to economic and climate shocks—factors that have indirectly fostered growth in blueberry production.
Looking Forward
The target for Zimbabwean farmers is to reach 30,000 tons of blueberry production by 2030, aiming to capitalize on the lucrative Chinese market. While the current trajectory is promising, insufficient funding structures risk undermining the progress of Zimbabwean farms working to alleviate local poverty through improved food security and employment opportunities.
– Oscar McClintock
Photo: Flickr
WHO’s EIOS 2.0 Brings AI to Early Outbreak Detection
Like its predecessor, EIOS 2.0 is a sophisticated web-based interface that sifts through readily available information from various sources, including media, social platforms, official government websites, news sites and other sources. It analyzes the data obtained to identify clues that point toward the possible spread of contagious diseases or public health threats. According to a press release, as of October 2025, 110 nations have joined the initiative.
Ways EIOS 2.0 Benefits Low- And Middle-Income Countries
Does Epidemic Intelligence Work?
Africa experiences the highest number of health emergencies each year. Indeed, as of November 2023, there were 130 active outbreaks across the continent. In the same year, an evaluation of the EIOS system showed that in 22 countries, 50% of health events were detected before national announcements or official WHO communications.
WHO studies show that in countries using EIOS, the median time between the first detected health event and notification to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) or WHO dropped from 14 days to 11. In fact, it was the EIOS system that first detected a “pneumonia” outbreak in Wuhan, China, in 2019.
One example is the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), which utilized the EIOS system between June and October 2023 to detect 425 events. These mainly included mpox and dengue fever. Eight of these events were identified before official declarations, on average, 20 days earlier. In Brazil, an event involving Haff disease was identified and tracked in 2022.
EIOS 2.0’s Promise for Inclusive Global Health Preparedness
In its first iteration of EIOS, WHO demonstrated the advantages of using an intelligent agent that can filter through hundreds of thousands of data sources and discern the likelihood of a health emergency in real-time. Indeed, with EIOS 2.0’s new features, AI capabilities and interface, more regions around the world can benefit from a free-to-use system that can strengthen existing pipelines. With earlier warnings, health authorities can take immediate measures to prevent catastrophic pandemics like those that have sunk millions of people deeper into poverty.
– Johanna Lorena Arredondo Gonzalez
Photo: Pexels
Zero Day Droughts
Water scarcity is something that has many different, far-reaching effects. Without water, livestock die, agriculture fails and food prices soar. In many vulnerable regions that are currently battling conflict and poverty, a Day Zero event can quickly become a full-blown humanitarian crisis. In Somalia, currently, less than 30% of the Somali population has access to clean water. This means that many rural Somali households have to rely on expensive and unsustainable means to access clean, usable water.
The Link Between Poverty and Water
Somalia has had five consecutive failed rainy seasons, which have all but devastated pastures and farmlands. As crops start to fail and animals start to die, many communities lose their primary sources of income and food and families are forced to migrate in search of the most important things they need to survive: food and water. Many families are forced to end up in overcrowded displacement camps and have little access to sustainable agriculture or drinking water, which causes hunger to spread and poverty to deepen.
In Yemen, which is one of the most water-scarce countries in the entire world, the ongoing conflict has completely damaged its water infrastructure. More than 90% of the available water resources are used for agriculture; inefficiencies or depletion of groundwater can threaten not only crops but also rural communities’ survival. Many households in the country often rely on trucked-in water, which can be expensive and consume much of their income. This leaves many families unable to afford enough food as the decline in agriculture drives up the prices of food across the entire country.
In Haiti, a combination of hurricanes and droughts has destroyed much of the country’s farmland and disrupted its rural livelihoods entirely. Many farmers struggle to even irrigate their crops, which leads to widespread hunger and crop failure. As the cycle of drought and disaster repeats, it keeps many rural communities unable to recover between crises and trapped in poverty.
The Global Impact of Day Zero Droughts
Day Zero droughts don’t just mean empty taps, but they also mean empty plates. When water disappears and food production drops, farming collapses and hunger also increases. As the effects of climate instability accelerate, Day Zero droughts are becoming more frequent and severe, increasingly threatening global food security as well.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization. It works to save lives in emergencies and uses food assistance to build a pathway to stability, peace and prosperity for individuals recovering from conflict, disasters and climate-related disasters. This organization has a presence in more than 120 countries and works tirelessly to bring life-saving resources to people in need.
According to the WFP, 319 million people are acutely hungry and famine looms for 1.9 million worldwide. It also reports that climate extremes are a key driver of food insecurity and that the climate crisis is exacerbating hunger for many people in need.
Innovative Solutions Bringing Hope
Despite this severe crisis, many communities are working to implement innovative solutions that can combine sustainable agriculture, clean water access and community-led, local governance. In Somalia, the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are currently collaborating on a project to help provide sustainable water access for drought-affected communities. The project promises to help more than 120,000 people by harnessing solar energy.
This project aims to strengthen local water governance, ensuring that local communities have access to sustainable sources of water. Additionally, the World Bank’s Somalia Urban Resilience Project Phase II is designed to strengthen urban resilience in Somalia. It aims to rebuild infrastructure, improve water supply and support displaced and drought-affected families.
In Yemen, the UNDP’s Integrated Water Resources Management to Enhance Resilience of Agriculture and Food Security Project (IWRM-ERA) is working to strengthen the country’s food security and agricultural resilience. It does so by ensuring efficient, equitable and sustainable water resource management. The UNDP is also trying to build community wells, improve water harvesting and protect farmland from disastrous floods.
In Haiti, the World Bank approved an $80 million grant to improve rural access to decentralized, sustainable and resilient water and sanitation services. The funding will also expand access to resilient and sustainable water systems across rural communities. Additionally, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is supporting the Trois-Rivieres region with a project that combines sustainable agriculture, flood control and better governance for water and land management.
How US Aid Can Help
The U.S. can play a pivotal role in helping prevent future droughts. By supporting sustainable water infrastructure, climate adaptation and drought resilience through international aid, the U.S. can make a lasting difference. U.S. funding for projects like drought-resistant crops, irrigation systems and water governance has the potential to not only save lives but also strengthen global food security.
Additionally, these investments have the potential to create stable, self-sufficient communities that can be better equipped to face the challenges at hand.
– Madyn Lewis
Photo: Unsplash
Kotani Pay: Can Blockchain Reduce Poverty?
Financial inclusion is crucial for poverty alleviation. Services such as blockchain can expand access to financial systems, reduce transaction costs, and provide security and transparency. Innovative platforms such as Kotani Pay, a blockchain-based system that does not require the internet, are bridging the gaps in Africa.
What is Blockchain?
Blockchain is a decentralized and tamper-proof digital ledger recording transactions across a distributed network. It is a technology which provides security and transparency without the need of traditional intermediaries such as banks. This allows faster, cheaper and more efficient transactions without people needing a traditional bank account.
Key benefits of blockchain include:
By reducing these barriers, blockchain can reduce poverty by giving individuals a tool to save, invest, and receive financial support.
Blockchain and Financial Inclusion
Many financial systems are designed assuming users have smartphones, internet access, and identification documents. Throughout Africa, however, millions of people lack these resources, especially in rural areas. Blockchain platforms that adapt to local realities, such as supporting Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) transactions or mobile-money-compatible wallets, can extend financial services to previously excluded populations.
Stablecoins, digital currencies pegged to traditional assets like the U.S. dollar, also reduce the risk of currency fluctuations for low-income individuals, making savings and transfers more predictable. By providing low-cost, accessible financial services, blockchain directly contributes to poverty reduction.
What is Kotani Pay?
Kotani Pay is a Kenyan startup which brings financial services to those without internet or traditional bank accounts. Kotani Pay is a service that lets users access blockchain and cryptocurrencies via USSD. Using USSD codes, Kotani Pay enables users to:
“We built Kotani Pay to bring financial instruments and services to those who do not have access to the Internet or have the capital and credit standing to open a bank account, thus increasing financial freedom.”
How It Works
Users can dial a short code on their phone to access a menu where they can convert crypto to fiat, and vice versa. This simplified process enables users to transfer funds between their blockchain and wallet. Kotani Pay uses a stablecoin, Celo Dollars (cUSD), which is pegged to the U.S. dollar, protecting users from the otherwise common volatility of cryptocurrencies.
Because Kotani Pay focuses on helping underserved communities, they correct the typically high fees for cross-border transactions, increasing financial stability for those sending money abroad to their family, or those crossing borders fleeing for safety.
Since its launch, Kotani Pay has reached more than 15,000 beneficiaries, including refugees, gig workers, and rural farmers, UNICEF reports. By providing predictable financial support and easy access to transactions, Kotani Pay helps people start small businesses, save safely, and engage with the economy.
The Future
In the fight for financial inclusion, blockchain could reduce poverty more effectively than conventional banking reforms. Blockchain is not the only and sole solution, but it can play a key role in reducing financial exclusion. If Kotani Pay proves successful, the opportunity for scalability is huge. And with that, reduce global poverty. Its main challenge however, is regulation and legislation. With a mission of serving the entire continent, meeting each countries’ regulatory requirements has slowed its growth. But it has not halted its mission.
Whether blockchain reduces poverty is down to how effectively governments, innovators, and communities can implement inclusive and affordable solutions. By providing secure, low-cost, and accessible financial tools, blockchain platforms like Kotani Pay are helping African communities participate in the global economy.
– Ashley Pfeifer
Photo: Flickr