Approximately 93 million children worldwide have been diagnosed with a disability. A total of 80% of these children have problems with feeding processes. Children with disabilities often suffer from medical conditions like anemia and, along with children who do not receive nutrition through a caregiver, are among the groups that are most likely to be malnourished. However, two women from Portland, Oregon, founded the nonprofit organization SPOON to address children’s malnutrition.
Providing Nutritional Assistance for Children Worldwide
SPOON was founded in 2007 when Cindy Kaplan and Mishelle Rudzinski adopted two children from Kazakhstan who were diagnosed with severe malnutrition. They created SPOON to ensure that all children across the globe receive nourishment. SPOON aims to provide help for caregivers through nutrition programs and assessing the needs of children with feeding difficulties. As the most important part of their mission, the organization puts a special focus on nutrition support for children who do not have a family to care for them or those with a disability.
Helping Children With Feeding Difficulties
Children diagnosed with a disability are three times as likely to suffer from undernourishment than those without any disabilities. Furthermore, one of SPOON’s studies showed that approximately 91% of children in institutions and without family care do not receive the nutrition they need.
Carolyn Moore, the Policy and Advocacy Advisor for SPOON, told The Borgen Project that the two groups often overlap since “institutionalization and separation are more common for children with disabilities.” Moore further explained that the lack of training regarding children with special needs is a significant contributor to feeding difficulties and nutritional health conditions.
The population of children in need of the help SPOON has to offer is immense. Approximately 250 million children who live in developing countries are at immediate risk of stunting. Additionally, 53 million under the age of 5 received diagnoses with cognitive delays, reduced motor skills and other disabilities.
According to Moore, there are additional tens of millions of children who live “in institutions or … on the streets.” One of the main challenges in making sure that all children receive the nutrition they need is that caregivers often do not understand the importance of finding the right feeding process. This is especially important since nutrition is the main contributor to ensure a child’s health. It also affects the development of their brain and body.
Teaching People Important Feeding Skills
SPOON operates with several different methods. The first step of its work includes helping local partners and caregivers of children with disabilities. This is “to build their skills in the specific nutrition eating needs and techniques.” The initial training period covers many different aspects, including learning how to improve feeding techniques, correctly assessing the specific problems a child is facing and adapting diets and nutrition accordingly to individual needs.
Another part of SPOON’s work is the organization’s mobile app called Count Me In. The tool assesses the growth and problems of children with feeding difficulties, especially those with disabilities and in institutions. The app is then able to offer appropriate solutions to caregivers. Moore explained that Count Me In “can recommend improvements around positioning and texture” of the food. It is also a very efficient way for the organization to collect valuable data. By 2019, many orphanages in countries such as Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia have used Count Me In.
Advocacy and the Global Child Thrive Act
The third important component of SPOON’s work is advocacy. Moore explains the need for children with disabilities worldwide to have access to nutrition and support with their feeding difficulties. She emphasizes the need for nonprofit organizations to look at how to “change policies and change systems” permanently. For example, SPOON was part of the Thrive Coalition, a group of nonprofit organizations that advocated for the Global Child Thrive Act, which was passed into law in January of 2021.
The coalition continuously met with congress and the media. This resulted in more than 100 Republican and Democratic members of the House and Senate co-sponsoring the bill. The Global Child Thrive Act assures that the United States government will contribute to strengthening early childhood development. This is for 250 million children under 5 in low-to-middle-income countries. According to Moore, the act was especially important to SPOON, since it specifically included support for “children with disabilities or without family care.”
Helping Children All Across the Globe
In addition to helping with the passage of the Thrive Act, SPOON has seen many successes throughout the years. After working in countries like Vietnam, China and India for two years, the rate of stunting in the children decreased from 55% to 23% and the percentage of children with anemia went down from 41% to 13%. Furthermore, SPOON’s advocacy efforts significantly contributed to a policy change in Kazakhstan that resulted in better nutrition for children without family care.
Also, data collected through Count Me In in 2020 showed a 35% improvement in the growth of kids and found that 82% of caregivers had adjusted feeding positions according to the children’s needs. Another 2020 success was the development of the SPOON chair. The chair will help children with disabilities by allowing them to sit upright during the feeding process.
Partnering With Other Organizations to Help Children
SPOON has also seen much success through collaborations with local partners. In Zambia, SPOON worked together with CMMB, a nonprofit organization that aims to help children with diseases by improving their nutrition. Together, the two organizations were in charge of the Improving Nutrition and Safe Feeding Practices project. This project specifically focused on children with disabilities and without family care.
Moore explained that SPOON and CMMB provided “specialized training in the nutrition and feeding issues” that are common for the two groups of children. The project worked with nutritionists and clinicians who had no prior experience in this specific field. Data pulled from Count Me In in Zambia from 225 surveyed children shows that between the years 2017 and 2020, the feeding positions improved in more than half of all cases for children with disabilities. There was a reduction in malnutrition for every child that was evaluated more than once through the application.
SPOON’s work has significantly contributed to improving the health and lives of many children with feeding difficulties. SPOON has displayed solutions for helping disadvantaged children and has revealed the need for further organizations to join their cause. Moore noted with the “big shift in food insecurity,” due to COVID-19, SPOON’s work is incredibly vital.
– Bianca Adelman
Photo: With permission from Carolyn Moore
China’s Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccinations in Africa
COVID-19 vaccinations in Africa account for only 2% of vaccinations the world administers. Meanwhile, other countries are close to vaccinating the majority of their populations. This is a glaring example of the dangerous vaccine inequity burdening developing countries. The United Nations Security Council recently called for accelerated availability of COVID-19 vaccinations in Africa. A statement that all 15 members endorsed emphasized the need for “equitable access” to quality, affordable COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. With wealthy nations buying a disproportionately large amount of the world’s vaccine supply, it is imperative that developing African countries receive the proper aid and resources to implement proper vaccination programs across the continent. That is where China comes in.
China’s Efforts
China has thus far set the precedent in the global response towards increasing COVID-19 vaccinations in Africa, pledging to provide vaccines to over 40 African countries. China has described its actions as purely altruistic. To back this up, China has either been donating or selling the vaccines at favorable prices. Foreign Ministry official Wu Peng told reporters that “We believe that it is, of course, necessary to ensure that the Chinese people get vaccinated as soon as possible, but for other countries in need, we also try our best to provide vaccine help.” So far, the Chinese efforts to counter vaccine inequity have been quite successful. China has already committed half a billion doses of vaccines to African countries. By engaging in “vaccine diplomacy,” China has been able to expand its influence in Africa through tactful, yet charitable actions.
However, Wu makes the important distinction that “Aid alone cannot solve Africa’s vaccine issues. We must support local manufacturing of vaccines in Africa, even though this is difficult due to (low) levels of industrialization.” While difficult, initiating the local manufacturing of vaccines will have monumentally positive effects in curbing the disease. Starting in June 2021, Egypt will be able to start locally producing China’s Sinovac vaccine. Sinovac has not only provided Egypt with advanced technical guidance in producing the vaccine, but also the rights to manufacture and pack the vaccine domestically. China hopes to replicate this in other African countries.
US-China Rivalry
Boasting claims of being able to produce at least 2.6 billion doses by the end of 2021, China will likely continue to lead the way in vaccinating a large portion of the world’s population. In light of China’s generous distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, many have criticized the U.S. for hoarding vaccines. In response to this, President Joe Biden has now pledged to donate an additional 20 million vaccine doses. Certainly, the continued proliferation of aid from wealthy nations will help to increase the rate of COVID-19 vaccinations in Africa. Developed nations cannot hoard vaccines or vaccine technology and expect the pandemic to end. The pandemic will not end until the current state of vaccine inequity disappears.
– Conor Green
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About COVID-19 Vaccinations in Indonesia
10 Facts About the Indonesian COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
The Road Ahead
The COVID-19 vaccination rollout in Indonesia is the first step to COVID-19 recovery for both the people and the economy. With immunity, the strain on Indonesia’s healthcare system and resources will hopefully be alleviated. With economic recovery, the pandemic-induced unemployment rate will go down and businesses will strengthen, contributing to overall poverty reduction in Indonesia.
– Mary McLean
Photo: Flickr
Books From the Front Lines of Honor-Based Killings
On March 4, 2021, outrage flooded the streets of India after the news of a new honor killing. Honor killings happen when a girl or a woman becomes a victim of murder for shaming her family. Often these women are victims of physical abuse, verbal abuse or sexual assault. Bringing attention to the topic of honor-based killings and violence against women and girls are authors that have either experienced these inhumane acts first hand or reported them. Authors from across the globe are giving women a voice against the violence, honor killings and crimes they may suffer at the hands of family members. Below are four books from the front lines that exemplify the courage it takes to speak against honor-based killings.
“Murder in the Name of Honor” by Rara Husseini
In this book, author Rara Husseini provides real-life accounts of honor killings. One focus of the book is the tragic story of Kifaya. Her brother took her life after he sexually assaulted her. Husseini detailed the family’s indifference to her investigation to garner justice for the girl. In an interview with Kifaya’s uncles, Husseini dove deeper into the mistreatment of the young woman even after her death. “They spoke of her as if they were speaking about a sheep, these men were part of the conspiracy, her body not yet cold yet they were here smoking and drinking like nothing happened.”
As a journalist who commits to the truth at every turn, Husseini does not turn away from a confrontation. She has been fighting the articles and laws that protect murderers like Kifaya’s brother and has turned the story of Kifaya into one of recognition in face of adversity.
“Unbroken Spirit” by Ferzanna Riley
Ferzanna Riley, the author of “Unbroken Spirit,” was born to Muslim parents in Pakistan. She experienced a hard upbringing. The deception and betrayal that she and her sister experienced from their parents led them to return to Pakistan from their new home in London. Trapped in a home that permitted violence, Ferzanna questioned her faith daily. In this astonishing true story about faith, loss and violence, readers can learn about Riley’s strength and her unbroken spirit, despite living in an abusive home.
“Daughters of Shame” by Jasvinder Sanghera
In a family where honor matters more than anything, freedom often means risking it all for a way out. This was the case for Jasvinder Sanghera, who was born in England to seven sisters and one brother. All of her sisters married before the age of 16. When she was 14, her family showed her a photograph of a man they told her she was to marry. This began a series of repeated attempts to get Jasvinder to marry. “Daughters of Shame” recounted Jasvinder’s estranged family relationship after she ran away from home at the age of 16.
“Beyond Honour” by Tahira S. Khan
These books from the front lines are a view into the injustices of honor-based killings. The author Tahira S. Khan takes these insights a step further to examine the causes, motives and political aspects of honor-based killings. Tahira S. Khan is a distinguished professor whose work receives inspiration from experience and academic study. She obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in International studies. “Beyond Honour” goes in-depth to examine honor killings as crimes of historical importance.
Honor killings are crimes against humanity. The repercussions of such horrendous actions are something no family should bear witness to. The group Honour-Based Violence Network brings awareness and action to ending honor killings. Its library includes books from the front lines by authors like Rara Husseini, Ferzanna Riley, Jasvinder Sanghera and Tahira S. Khan. One can access these works of great achievement here to obtain awareness about honor-based killings.
– Nancy Taguiam
Photo: Flickr
SPOON: Helping Children With Feeding Difficulties
Providing Nutritional Assistance for Children Worldwide
SPOON was founded in 2007 when Cindy Kaplan and Mishelle Rudzinski adopted two children from Kazakhstan who were diagnosed with severe malnutrition. They created SPOON to ensure that all children across the globe receive nourishment. SPOON aims to provide help for caregivers through nutrition programs and assessing the needs of children with feeding difficulties. As the most important part of their mission, the organization puts a special focus on nutrition support for children who do not have a family to care for them or those with a disability.
Helping Children With Feeding Difficulties
Children diagnosed with a disability are three times as likely to suffer from undernourishment than those without any disabilities. Furthermore, one of SPOON’s studies showed that approximately 91% of children in institutions and without family care do not receive the nutrition they need.
Carolyn Moore, the Policy and Advocacy Advisor for SPOON, told The Borgen Project that the two groups often overlap since “institutionalization and separation are more common for children with disabilities.” Moore further explained that the lack of training regarding children with special needs is a significant contributor to feeding difficulties and nutritional health conditions.
The population of children in need of the help SPOON has to offer is immense. Approximately 250 million children who live in developing countries are at immediate risk of stunting. Additionally, 53 million under the age of 5 received diagnoses with cognitive delays, reduced motor skills and other disabilities.
According to Moore, there are additional tens of millions of children who live “in institutions or … on the streets.” One of the main challenges in making sure that all children receive the nutrition they need is that caregivers often do not understand the importance of finding the right feeding process. This is especially important since nutrition is the main contributor to ensure a child’s health. It also affects the development of their brain and body.
Teaching People Important Feeding Skills
SPOON operates with several different methods. The first step of its work includes helping local partners and caregivers of children with disabilities. This is “to build their skills in the specific nutrition eating needs and techniques.” The initial training period covers many different aspects, including learning how to improve feeding techniques, correctly assessing the specific problems a child is facing and adapting diets and nutrition accordingly to individual needs.
Another part of SPOON’s work is the organization’s mobile app called Count Me In. The tool assesses the growth and problems of children with feeding difficulties, especially those with disabilities and in institutions. The app is then able to offer appropriate solutions to caregivers. Moore explained that Count Me In “can recommend improvements around positioning and texture” of the food. It is also a very efficient way for the organization to collect valuable data. By 2019, many orphanages in countries such as Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia have used Count Me In.
Advocacy and the Global Child Thrive Act
The third important component of SPOON’s work is advocacy. Moore explains the need for children with disabilities worldwide to have access to nutrition and support with their feeding difficulties. She emphasizes the need for nonprofit organizations to look at how to “change policies and change systems” permanently. For example, SPOON was part of the Thrive Coalition, a group of nonprofit organizations that advocated for the Global Child Thrive Act, which was passed into law in January of 2021.
The coalition continuously met with congress and the media. This resulted in more than 100 Republican and Democratic members of the House and Senate co-sponsoring the bill. The Global Child Thrive Act assures that the United States government will contribute to strengthening early childhood development. This is for 250 million children under 5 in low-to-middle-income countries. According to Moore, the act was especially important to SPOON, since it specifically included support for “children with disabilities or without family care.”
Helping Children All Across the Globe
In addition to helping with the passage of the Thrive Act, SPOON has seen many successes throughout the years. After working in countries like Vietnam, China and India for two years, the rate of stunting in the children decreased from 55% to 23% and the percentage of children with anemia went down from 41% to 13%. Furthermore, SPOON’s advocacy efforts significantly contributed to a policy change in Kazakhstan that resulted in better nutrition for children without family care.
Also, data collected through Count Me In in 2020 showed a 35% improvement in the growth of kids and found that 82% of caregivers had adjusted feeding positions according to the children’s needs. Another 2020 success was the development of the SPOON chair. The chair will help children with disabilities by allowing them to sit upright during the feeding process.
Partnering With Other Organizations to Help Children
SPOON has also seen much success through collaborations with local partners. In Zambia, SPOON worked together with CMMB, a nonprofit organization that aims to help children with diseases by improving their nutrition. Together, the two organizations were in charge of the Improving Nutrition and Safe Feeding Practices project. This project specifically focused on children with disabilities and without family care.
Moore explained that SPOON and CMMB provided “specialized training in the nutrition and feeding issues” that are common for the two groups of children. The project worked with nutritionists and clinicians who had no prior experience in this specific field. Data pulled from Count Me In in Zambia from 225 surveyed children shows that between the years 2017 and 2020, the feeding positions improved in more than half of all cases for children with disabilities. There was a reduction in malnutrition for every child that was evaluated more than once through the application.
SPOON’s work has significantly contributed to improving the health and lives of many children with feeding difficulties. SPOON has displayed solutions for helping disadvantaged children and has revealed the need for further organizations to join their cause. Moore noted with the “big shift in food insecurity,” due to COVID-19, SPOON’s work is incredibly vital.
– Bianca Adelman
Photo: With permission from Carolyn Moore
Examining COVID-19 in South Korea
COVID-19 in South Korea
South Korea has made it a priority to establish a system for the country and its citizens in order to keep everyone safe. In the early stages of COVID-19, South Korea made it a priority to mitigate the situation by distributing tests to as many people as possible. The results of the test, positive or negative, would gauge the severity of the outbreak. The goal was to have everyone quarantine so that the transmission of the virus, regardless of the positive or negative test result, would be slowed. The procedure that the South Korean officials followed was: test, trace and isolate. Within weeks of the first COVID-19 case, South Korea was the leading country in distributing tests. In perspective, by the end of April 2020, the United States had more than one million positive cases. South Korea had fewer than 11,000 cases. In the early stages of COVID-19, South Korea had 3,700 cases whereas the United States had 32. Managing the quick outbreak, and dealing with its repercussions was not easy for any country. However, South Korea was able to quickly formulate a system of test, trace and isolate. This helped lessen the number of lost lives.
Vaccine Efforts in South Korea
The creation and distribution of vaccines have been a large factor in the success that South Korea has seen in combatting COVID-19. South Korea has signed a contract with Pfizer to purchase another 40 million doses of its vaccine. Collectively, South Korea has 192 million doses of vaccines from Moderna, AstraZeneca PLC, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. The goal that South Korea had set was to have 70% of its citizens vaccinated with the first dose by November.
In order to obtain aid and assistance to receive these large quantities of vaccines, South Korea looks to the United States for help. South Korea provided assistance to the United States in the early stages of the pandemic with COVID-19 testing kits and face masks. Therefore, South Koreans hope for help from the United States in return. The U.S. State Department has made a statement regarding this vaccine alliance. The Department sees a possibility to help other countries increase their vaccine supplies but the citizens of the United States will be the priority.
Looking Ahead
South Korea was extremely successful in combating the virus at the beginning of the pandemic by acting quickly in response to testing and isolation. When no one knew how to handle the pandemic, South Korea stood as a strong example of how to minimize the effects of a global pandemic.
– Nicole Sung
Photo: Flickr
Kahre Org is Providing Meal Kits and PPE in Ecuador
After Ecuador rounded its first full year in the coronavirus pandemic, citizens found themselves struggling to survive. Since the pandemic started in March 2020, the Ecuadorian government has repeatedly failed to protect and care for its citizens. It has been neglecting the sick and dead, spreading rampant misinformation, severely underreporting coronavirus cases, and most recently, allowing corruption to occur in the vaccine rollout. As a result, reports have determined the existence of more than 320,000 coronavirus cases along with nearly 17,000 deaths. Health care facilities have become overrun with desperate families and patients seeking care. As a response, the organization Kahre Org is providing meal kits and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Ecuador to help alleviate the suffering of its citizens.
COVID-19 in Ecuador
The pandemic and the blunt of the Ecuadorian government’s lack of responsibility has fallen upon its citizens, most notably, those living in rural areas. The pandemic has upended rural society and displaced many citizens. Communities lack basic necessities such as meal kits, PPE and education. The government has failed to provide citizens with information about the virus. Moreover, rural Ecuadorians, who are typically farmers, have faced an economic crash. This is because their typical markets and routes have closed to prevent the spread of the virus. Many rural Ecuadorians have had to face a harsh economic situation as they are no longer able to sustain their livelihood.
Kahre Org is providing Meal Kits and PPE in Ecuador
When the initiatives of Kahre Org, a nonprofit organization located in Ecuador, came to a halt at the beginning of the pandemic, they had to readjust their scope of work to suit the new needs that arose. Before the pandemic, Kahre Org offered community outreach. This included providing communities with access to legal services, shelters, education and provisions. The organization has adapted and refocused its efforts to now provide meal kits and PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization started with those in rural Ecuador and continued its efforts to frontline workers and the medical community. Consequently, the Kahre Org minimized food insecurity while also creating additional jobs for impoverished and unemployed individuals.
How it Works
By partnering with the Ecuadorian armed forces, Kahre Org was able to deliver more than 100,000 meal kits across Ecuador. These meal kits offer stability to vulnerable individuals. It meant they could focus on finding employment, recovering from the pandemic or taking care of their families rather than worrying about where their next meals would come from. Along with these meal kits came important medical supplies. This included sanitization products and PPE to further help Ecuadorians stay fed and healthy. As many of these rural communities are far from hospitals and medical care, such protective equipment is extremely important.
Moreover, the Kahre Org saw an opportunity with the pandemic to expand their preexisting Child Food Programme. This initiative provides more than 100 Ecuadorian children with two meals a day. It was able to travel to small, local communities and offer children food to minimize their food insecurity. This simultaneously creates more job opportunities for Ecuadorians who wish to work with the organization.
To further the hard work of the Kahre Org in Ecuadorian communities, the local organization extended its helping hand past rural communities to the frontline workers. The organization managed to provide hundreds of Red Cross workers, government corps, doctors and other health care providers with meal kits.
Looking Ahead
By amassing donations and formulating a thorough response plan, the Kahre Org mobilized and inspired Ecuadorians to give back to their communities. In the process, the organization was able to educate rural Ecuadorians of the dangers of the virus and how to minimize the spread and stay healthy. Through providing meal kits and PPE, thousands of Ecuadorians are receiving the resources they need to fight the pandemic.
– Caroline Largoza
Photo: Flickr
Initiatives to Fight Educational Disparities in Brazil
A number of organizations are working with local governments to combat educational disparities in Brazil. In 2021, people are living in a modern world that has deep connections to the internet, so a significant disparity for education in Brazil is access to connected technology. A majority of Latin American students lack access to digital devices with internet connections. A 2018 report stated that less than 30% of students in major countries including Brazil and Argentina had access to the web. One of the few countries with a majority of students connected to the internet is Chile. For context, around 18% of “remote rural” students in Mississippi lack internet connections. Students, especially those in extreme poverty, need access to the web, and educators need the proper equipment to teach their students.
Disparity Between Urban and Rural Students
A few factors play into the educational disparities in Brazil. The country invests one of the lowest shares of its GDP into primary and tertiary education. This may directly link to the fact that approximately 11.5 million Brazilians over the age of 15 are illiterate. A 2017 poll of public school teachers in Brazil found that “two-thirds of Brazilian public school teachers cite poor equipment as a reason for not using technological resources in the classroom.” Research shows that educational equipment and tools along with internet access at schools improve student academic performance. Meanwhile, rural students continue to have access to a limited number of technological resources.
A large education disparity in Brazil exists between rural and urban students. Both rural and urban students transitioned from in-person to online school during COVID-19. However, teacher Ivonaldo Lopes de Araújo found that half of his class lacked access to the internet. Brazil’s government, international organizations and Google for Education are working to fix these issues.
Google for Education
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, created a program called Google for Education. The mission of the program involves “directing [its] products, people, programs and philanthropy toward a future where every student has access to the quality education they deserve.” Specifically, the program helps fund initiatives and institutions in Brazil that provide technology access for students and teachers. Colégio Agostiniano São José is a reference school for Google. The school has experience using Google Workspace and Chromebooks. The college services early childhood education and grade school educators and classrooms. Certified coaches run workshops for Brazilian educators, in which the coaches teach the educators how to properly utilize the technology in classrooms.
Google also spotlights Latin American innovation projects. In 2018, Google highlighted a few ways that the organization partnered with local governments in Brazil to make computers accessible to students and teachers in public schools. Carol Neris, a high school student, created an app called Hack Health, which gives users information about health resources near the students. The app shows doctor availability, vaccine availability and other information that bridges educational access gaps for locals. Other students from a reference school in São Paulo’s Colegio Magno developed a way to condense local water sources into drinkable water. The students even created a system to purify and use river water to grow vegetables for the cafeteria to use. Students and educators are using the technology resources available to enhance student education and improve local communities.
Resources from UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) outlined information and technology use in Brazilian education. The U.N. organization developed a program that works with regional governments and institutions to contribute resources to enhance the classroom. The program’s goals include providing policy support, training educators and promoting inclusive education that bridges economic and gender gaps. The program also collects statistics that help UNESCO develop and refine the program.
How Partnerships Help
Educational disparities in Brazil exist because of historical underfunding that has led to a limit on the technological resources available to educators and students. However, local education administrations that partner with Google and UNESCO help bridge the technology gap in public schools. While these programs cannot fix the lack of funding, the initiatives help promote technology and communication access in Brazil, which gives students and educators the necessary resources to succeed in this interconnected world.
– Jacob Richard Bergeron
Photo: Flickr
Tourism in Turkey Could Be Turning a Corner Post-Pandemic
The Pandemic’s Effects
With a rich cultural history, Turkey offers a variety of stunning historic sites and tourist attractions. In recent years, the country has ranked among the top 10 most-visited countries worldwide, according to WorldAtlas. Places like Istanbul and Antalya draw in millions of visitors, creating thousands of jobs as well as revenue for the country. This was before the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for many countries, especially those that relied on tourism and travel for economic stability. For Turkey, the pandemic led to up to $12 billion in lost revenue and slashed tourism rates by 75% in the first half of 2020 compared to the previous year.
Contrasting those dim statistics, Turkey was labeled as a success last year by the WHO due to its fast actions in containing the virus. The Turkish government quickly instituted strict curfews for citizens, which proved successful and indicated a quick end to the virus. Consequently, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan loosened restrictions in Turkey’s “controlled normalization” phase in early 2021. Since then, there has been a drastic spike in cases this year. There is an estimated 1000% increase in daily cases, with an average of around 50,000 cases per day. Despite Turkey’s impressive initial control of COVID-19, deaths have doubled since the end of 2020.
Turning a Corner with Safety
When will former capacity return to sites like Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar? That is the main question business have in 2021. In response, the president of Turkey’s Travel Agencies Union, Firuz Bağlıkaya, stated that tourist agencies plan to create the best experiences possible for tourists rather than increasing tourism rates. As such, the government has begun to roll out what it calls the Safe Tourism Certification Program, which is spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The program is mandatory for businesses with 30 or more rooms and optional for smaller businesses. After a company applies, an accredited team comes to assess the safety of the establishment. Companies that pass the inspection are then announced on the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s website. Certified companies also receive safety logos that are visibly placed throughout the facilities. To ensure continual safety, periodic inspections occur in both a planned manner and secretive visit on a monthly basis. All of this information is made easily accessible to everyone, including guests, by simply scanning the QR code found on every safety logo.
Tourism Season in 2021
Although small businesses and vendors in Turkey have been hit hard, things are looking up for the country’s tourism industry. According to Firuz Bağlıkaya, European countries rolling out vaccines at higher rates is an encouraging sign for the tourism industry. Tourists from these countries may be more inclined to travel, which is very important since the tourism industry relies on foreign traffic. Additionally, establishments within Turkey are measuring up to safety standards due to the Safe Tourism Certification Program. This will entice more visitors to come back the country and see its famous sites. With increased vaccine rollouts and continued safety protocols, Turkey may be back on its feet for the 2021 tourism season.
– Maddie Youngblood
Photo: Flickr
Promoting Food Security in Odisha through Maize
According to the World Bank, the poverty rate in Odisha is 33%, making it one of the most impoverished states in the country as of May 2016. Shifting weather patterns, which have imperiled the traditional crops, are further straining food supplies in the region. In 2013, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) partnered with multiple organizations, both international and local, to introduce maize to the people of Odisha. The ultimate goal of the organization is to improve food security in Odisha. The method centers on new technology, education and female empowerment.
International Aid and Local Know-How
In a widespread effort to address food security in Odisha, CIMMYT partnered with three other organizations, the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). On the local level, the organization had the assistance of the State Department of Agriculture of Odisha and two federations of women’s self-help groups. This diverse network combined the financial and technological muscle of international aid with the immeasurable value of local expertise.
From Fallow to Fertile
In Odisha, 60,000 hectares of land are fallow due to farmer aversion to risk and lack of knowledge with regard to resilient farming practices. CIMMYT saw an opportunity, targeting the uncultivated plots as proving grounds for the value of maize, which requires less labor and fertilizer than wheat and paddy. Critically, maize is also cheaper than traditional crops.
CIMMYT and CSISA provided fertilizers, machines to dig up weeds and drills to sow the seeds. These types of technology increase crop yields. The results have been encouraging, as a total of 5,400 hectares of once-fallow lands now include maize crops. In northeastern Odisha, in the Mayurbhanj district, approximately 50 farmers have taken up maize cultivation, which has provided the farmers with a new source of income in December 2020.
Women Taking the Lead
Odisha is a primarily rural state. According to the World Bank, over half of the population work in farming. In order to achieve food security in Odisha, women must be able to play a larger role in the agrarian sector. Traditionally, women have had to care for the children, manage the household and support husbands in a myriad of ways. Even when women worked on the farms, it counted as “day labor,” just another manner of supporting their husbands rather than focusing on true livelihood.
CIMMYT and its affiliates worked to change this trend, relying on local women’s groups in order to foster trust and buy into the program. As a result, women have begun to take on leadership roles, a significant step toward food security in Odisha. CIMMYT boasts that 28% of the farmers who have adopted maize cultivation are women. Furthermore, the women of Odisha are prevalent within the training programs. They are graduating from gaining general awareness to specializing in specific subjects, laying the groundwork for them to take on leadership roles. During COVID-19, with many men out of work, women supported families by selling green corn.
Promising Returns
Encouraged by early indicators of success, people fighting for food security in Odisha are looking to expand efforts throughout the state. As weather patterns continue to shift, farming practices have to become more efficient and resistant. CIMMYT and its affiliates believe that all populations in Odisha, regardless of gender, should reach their full potential.
– Greg Fortier
Photo: Flickr
How Unbound is Fighting Global Poverty
The challenge of addressing global poverty requires a multitude of solutions and approaches. The nonprofit organization Unbound is fighting global poverty one person at a time. Unbound makes poverty personal by connecting the sponsored family with the sponsor supporting them. It formed as a grassroots program built on a foundation of human connection that gives a hand to struggling families worldwide. The nonprofit currently works in 19 nations, creating mothers’ groups and supporting families out of poverty. To discuss how Unbound helps impoverished families worldwide every day, The Borgen Project interviewed Scott Wassermann, the CEO of the organization.
Scott got his start at Unbound volunteering for the board. His wife, Annabella, pushed him to sponsor a child. After sponsoring his first child, he and his wife received an invitation for a homecooked meal from the founders. This is when he realized that Unbound was a community organization that is changing the world. He continued to work on the board while also working as a juvenile lawyer. During this time, Scott grew closer to the founders and their mission.
Unbounds’ Approach to Ending Global Poverty
The Borgen Project asked Scott why the founders had the drive to end global poverty. He said, “We had two principal founders [Bob and Bud Hentzen], about five people total [Bob, Bud, Jim and Nadine Hentzen and Jerry Tolle], but two are really leading it.” They had spent time serving in Latin America, living among the poor. Upon their return to the United States, they longed to continue their work. The founders asked themselves what they valued from their time in Latin America. Scott says the answer was simple: “The people we met, the families we knew.” Unbound built the foundation on community and humanity. It understood from its inception the power that one person can have, no matter how small.
Unbound’s approach to resolving poverty is unique. It makes use of terms such as the airplane view, plaza view and porch view to explain the multiple approaches to poverty. Scott explains these terms as follows: “The airplanes view our global evaluations; the Plaza view is community evaluations and porch view as individual families. And that’s where our heart is, is a porch.” Using this kind of imagery helps others grasp that different approaches are necessary to end global poverty. By working together, more progress can happen.
How Unbound is Fighting Global Poverty and Changing Lives
Unbound helps impoverished people get ahold of the resources they need to thrive. That means providing funding, education and aid to help provide better occupations and standards of life for sponsored families. It does this by setting up a bank account for families and giving them the monthly funds from their sponsor. That money also goes toward distributing resources that would offer the most aid for that person’s specific situation. For example, Unbound helps communities facilitate solar panels or hold classes on how to use a computer. Unbound’s goal is to support impoverished communities to give them the funding and resources to live a happy, healthy life.
Unbound Mother Groups
Mothers groups are more recent programs. These groups offer an added layer of support for women in extreme poverty. Women, in many cases, suffer from a higher level of marginalization in impoverished areas than men do. Unbound addressed this by utilizing the need for community support. Thus, the mother groups emerged, consisting of different mothers from the same community. Scott Wassermann told a story about a mother group that he had met in India.
“Anabella [Scott’s wife] and I were meeting with a mother’s group in Allahabad, India and what was amazing about this group was that there were both Hindus and Muslims in this group. They were telling us that even though they lived on the same block, they had never met each other…They created these lime green saris because we didn’t want any difference between Hindus and Muslims in Unbound. So, they say we all wear the same color of saris.” The group told them that, when one of the mothers in the group fell ill, all the other members cared for her and her family. This story shows the power of humanity and offers a hand up.
The Power of Group Support
The nonprofit’s success demonstrates that giving others the tools that they need to reach their goals produces promising results. Many people living in extreme poverty have no knowledge of where or how to lift themselves out of poverty. Unbound is fighting global poverty and has reached thousands of people in all 19 countries it works in.
– Rachel Wolf
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