As of the year 2017, about 1.5 million people in Taiwan experience some form of depression. Much like many other Asian populations, mental health issues within groups ranging from young children to prisoners to middle-aged adults heavily afflict Taiwan. With conflicts related to school bullying, family, structure and support, lack of available treatment and workplace violence, deterioration of mental health in Taiwan is something that many Taiwanese people experience. Evidently, mental health is indeed a pressing issue that calls for urgent alleviation.
Mental Health in Taiwan
A 20-year study from 1990 to 2010 utilized a Chinese Health Questionnaire to examine the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) among over 10,000 Taiwanese adult participants. The study showed a doubling in probable CMDs from 11.5% to 23.8%. However, amid rising levels of mental illness in Taiwan, there is also a rise in efforts to dispel stigmas, implement more effective programs and make amendments in already established legislation. There are people and groups beginning to recognize and work towards both reviving conversations and seeking out solutions related to mental health.
The Mental Health Act of Taiwan
The Ministry of Health and Welfare first established the Mental Health Act of Taiwan in 1990 with the objective of promoting mental well-being, treating mental health issues and supporting patients and their families. In 2007, policymakers implemented an amendment to the act to put patients and their families first. Many policies, prevention and resource allocation thereafter were then based more heavily upon the input of those who have actually experienced mental health issues along with their family members.
One of the larger impacts of the amendment was that compulsory admissions needed to receive approval from the Psychiatric Disease Mandatory Assessment and Community Care Review Committee. The number of compulsory admissions, or involuntary admissions, decreased by 83% in comparison to 2006. This change showed Taiwan’s commitment to developing a more detailed plan for protecting patients’ safety and rights. The amendment also drastically impacted the way that psychiatric institutions function in that there were new requirements related to post-treatment procedures, providing assistance for the patient’s family and encouraging community-based rehabilitation. All of these changes were the result of efforts to enhance protection and treatment for those who face issues with mental health and illness.
Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally (WARM)
The issue of mental health in Taiwan often carries a negative connotation and many associate it with shame and self-accusation due to very traditional and Confucian values. However, there are now emerging support groups that allow people to voice their struggles and relieve the burden that they might feel. Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally (WARM), co-founded by Vanessa Wang in 2017, is the first women’s support group based in Taipei that aims to combat stigmas against mental health by allowing women to share their hardships without feeling ashamed. Though it does not provide professional treatment, women who attend these weekly meetings have expressed that they have found comfort through listening to and speaking about their own struggles.
Having been featured in the Taiwan Observer, Taiwan News and Taipei Times, WARM is quickly expanding its reach. WARM’s Facebook group has over 500 members and is continuing to grow. The issue of mental health is now experiencing more exposure and the process of reconciliation is beginning with these kinds of support groups. Many are slowly realizing the importance of reshaping the narrative around mental health.
The Mental Health Association in Taiwan (MHAT)
Founded in 1955, the Mental Health Association in Taiwan (MHAT) is another group that works with promoting mental health awareness, prevention and treatment. In 2017, it began to target mental health issues within schools through promoting techniques of mindfulness and books related to mental resilience. MHAT’s current goal is to educate young children, teachers and parents about mental health and resiliency. As a diverse group of people who work in various professional fields, MHAT has previously assisted in drafting and promoting legislation related to mental health. It has completed work with and related to the Mental Health Act, the Department of Mental and Oral Health and more.
Over time, mental health in Taiwan is becoming a more popular subject of conversation. There are increasingly more groups and pieces of legislation that advocate for these kinds of issues that will, in turn, raise awareness and encourage more positive attitudes surrounding mental health.
– Grace Wang
Photo: Pixabay
The Book Fairies Advance Learning
The Book Fairies
Founded by Amy Zaslansky, The Book Fairies began in Long Island, New York, as an organization accepting new and used books that are donated to libraries and schools that lack funding for educational resources for children.
Developed in 2012, The Book Fairies has donated more than 130,000 books to 25 school districts and 100 organizations across New York. Now, the organization has expanded globally, donating over two million books to date.
Partnered with US-Africa Children’s Fellowship (ACF), a nonprofit that gives supplies to impoverished schools in Africa and refugees in Jordan, The Book Fairies provided 80,000 books in 2017 to ACF. Approximately, this figure accounted for 50% of ACF’s shipped donated books that year. Every year, the organization ships thousands of books to Africa.
The Book Fairies advance learning and literacy in underdeveloped global nations such as Africa, India, China, South America and the Caribbean Islands. Even with COVID-19, students in poor communities in the U.S. and abroad still have access to books due to the organization’s efforts.
Other Book Fairies Hiding Books Globally
The influence of this organization has spread. In 2017, a similar reading organization launched in Europe, also known as The Book Fairies. To be a book fairy, a person chooses a book that they have read and enjoyed, they then put an official book fairy sticker on it that reads “take this book, read it and leave it for the next person to enjoy.” Then, the book is hidden in public for someone else to find and read. This little tradition has expanded to almost 9,000 people sharing books in over 100 countries.
Actress Emma Watson is a notable book fairy. After starring in the 2019 film “Little Women”, the actress launched a Little Women campaign. A whole 2,000 copies of the book were hidden around the world, with a handwritten note from Watson herself that promotes The Book Fairies’ organization.
Alleviating Illiteracy and Poverty Through Books
The main missions of book organizations such as those above are to end the cycle of poverty by improving literacy. The Book Fairies advance learning by providing books of all kinds to poor communities and countries and give children a fighting chance to take themselves out of poverty.
– Shelby Gruber
Photo: Flickr
Combating Period Poverty in Pakistan
Period Poverty in Pakistan
Period poverty is a severe issue around the world and is especially prevalent in Pakistan. A large part of the problem exists as a result of the many taboos that surround menstruation. In Pakistan, menstruation is seen as making women impure and dirty.
As a result, Pakistan’s culture as related to periods has prevented the population from educating women on menstruation and proper hygiene. As such, period poverty in Pakistan extends beyond just the financial discrepancies that hinder women from having access to proper menstrual products and extends into a “social period poverty” wherein women are deprived of education about menstruation.
Misinformation of Menstruation and Hygiene Practices
U-Report found that 49% of young women in Pakistan have little to no knowledge of periods before their first period. Likely, more than 20% of young women will only learn about menstruation in schools.
The myths that exist around menstruation actively disempower women. Part of the issue is that menstruation can often be a sign of good health in women. Menstruation taboos prevent women from realizing underlying symptoms of health conditions.
Period poverty in Pakistan also results in misinformation about menstruation. Part of this is because information about menstruation is often kept away from women. After all, it is believed withholding information preserves women’s chastity. This incorrect premise often results in unhygienic and dangerous practices for women. Many women use rags and share these rags and menstrual clothes with family members. Sharing of these rags can increase the risk of urinary infections and other health conditions.
Innovative Programs Fighting Period Poverty
Recently, many people have taken the initiative to work toward mitigating period poverty in Pakistan. One such tool has been apps like Girlythings, an app that allows women with disabilities to get period products delivered straight to their door. Their products include an “urgent kit,” which contains essentials such as disposable underwear, pads and bloodstain remover.
Another such tool to fight period poverty in Pakistan has been initiatives like the Menstrual Hygiene Innovation Challenge. This project, launched by UNICEF WASH and U-Report, plans to encourage young men and women to pitch their projects to educate their local communities on menstruation. One such project taken on by this challenge was a three-hour live chat. During this live chat, around 2500 people asked questions about menstruation. This live chat not only began to break down the taboos that surround openly discussing menstruation but also increases everyone’s knowledge and understanding of menstrual health.
Period poverty is a prevalent problem in Pakistan. Affecting women from both a financial and a societal point of view, people must begin to change the conversation around periods to ensure that all women in Pakistan can access menstruation information and menstrual products. However, by harnessing technology and taking initiatives, citizens all around Pakistan can work toward mitigating period poverty.
– Anushka Somani
Photo: Flickr
How Mexican Avocados Are Reducing Poverty
Poverty in Mexico
According to the World Bank, in 2018 almost 42% of Mexicans lived in poverty, with the rural population being the most impacted. Moreover, around 62% of Mexican children make it to high school and only 45% graduate. To reduce poverty, Mexico has increased its social spending to help those in need. The Mexican government has implemented programs such as cash transfers, farmland subsidies, scholarships and subsidized medicine. These programs are put into place in the hope of reducing poverty in Mexico.
The Mexican state of Michoacan is one of the poorest in the country. A whole 46% of people in the state lived in poverty in 2018. However, Michoacan is rich in agriculture. In fact, around 20% of the land is used for agriculture and the industry employs 34% of the population. Moreover, Michoacan’s most popular crop is the avocado.
The Avocado Industry Boom
Michoacan is the top producer of avocados not only for Mexico but for the entire world. Increased demand for avocados has created an economic boom in the country. Mexican avocados make up 82% of all U.S. avocado sales. Furthermore, Mexican avocados have created more than 30,000 U.S. jobs and have an economic output of $6.5 billion. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, avocado sales were flourishing.
The United States had banned the import of Mexican avocados in 1914 due to fears of insect infestation. In 1994, The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) implemented between Mexico, Canada and the United States resulted in the ban being lifted. The agreement led to the free flow of Mexican avocados into the U.S. The company Avocados From Mexico (AFM) has sold 2.1 pounds of avocados in 2020 and expects 2.3 pounds to be sold in 2021. Mexican avocados have had such a great economic impact that they are called “green gold” by the locals.
Impact of Mexican Avocados
The increased demand for Mexican avocados has led to less migration of Mexicans into the United States. The competitive wages avocado farming has produced has meant many more Mexicans are willing to stay in their home country. The popularity of avocados has led to the creation of thousands of jobs in Mexico. Due to this fact, families do not feel the need to migrate to the United States for employment.
The demand for Mexican avocados has led to employment opportunities, less migration and closer economic ties to the United States. The Mexican avocado industry is playing a part in reducing global poverty.
– Andy Calderon Lanza
Photo: Flickr
Darkness to Light: The GCEEP and Energy Poverty
The Global Commission to End Energy Poverty (GCEEP)
The GCEEP is a smorgasbord of innovators and leaders composed of utility companies, off-grid companies, multilateral development banks, academics and individuals across many different sectors. Drawing from key decision-makers such as former U.S. Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, and Africa Development Bank president, Dr. Akinwumi Adisina, the GCEEP is in a unique and leveraged position to influence governments around the world to take a better-informed approach at tackling energy poverty.
The Global Impact of COVID-19
Operating under the leadership of the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, the GCEEP issued a report in early December of 2020, stating that COVID-19 has resulted in a new wave of complications in the fight against energy poverty. COVID-19 could result in an additional 100 million people losing access to electricity because of exacerbated financial hardship.
Defining Energy Poverty
Energy poverty is defined as a lack of access to reliable and affordable energy sources. Energy is the foundation through which a place can build a healthy, financially stable community. As the COVID-19 pandemic has proven, energy is at the core of modern health care and treatment. Countries that lack access to electricity, or the financial capabilities to afford electricity, struggle to recover in several aspects. Access to energy is a key indicator and crucial aspect to eradicating global poverty.
The GCEEP’s 2020 report on electricity access calls for governments around the world to consider energy poverty a serious issue that demands an expeditious and large-scale response.
Boasting an MIT-led research team and a practical, on-the-ground approach, the GCEEP’s strategy directly engages government leaders, investors and stakeholders in the power sector.
This approach is the Integrated Distribution Framework (IDF). Focusing on what the report calls the “weak link” in power systems across the world, the IDF aims to address problems in distribution and large-scale electrification through business models that are feasible and actionable.
Key Principles of the IDF:
The GCEEP believes that ending energy poverty is an achievable goal. As the GCEEP co-founders sum it up, “Only by ending energy poverty can we end poverty itself.”
– Andrew Eckas
Photo: Flickr
How Implementing AI Increases Food Security
Predicting Threats to Food Security
A vital step to protect food security is looking ahead and responding proactively to potential problems. The Nutrition Early Warning System (NEWS) works by gathering massive amounts of data from vast sources to forecast developing situations affecting food supply. NEWS is a perfect example of how AI increases food security with constant improvements in its system to enhance response times to price changes, poor weather conditions for food development and other global crop issues.
The effectiveness of machine learning far surpasses human data collection and these types of technology have already seen success. Through the algorithms created by AI technology, a forecasted drought prevented many Colombian farmers from planting crops that would not have been fruitful. This prediction saved the farmers millions of dollars by avoiding crop loss during the dry spell. Preserving large amounts of money to spend during opportune times is another way AI increases food security and stabilizes supply.
AI Optimizes Agricultural Procedures and Production
People living in rural areas that work in farming communities are usually the most susceptible to extreme poverty. AI can improve working conditions and modernize agriculture to protect vulnerable populations and provide them with upward economic mobility through technology education and increased crop production.
AI robotics is revolutionizing agriculture and crop harvesting robots as well as AI-enhanced drones are increasing production and keeping workers safe. Robotic weed control allows for the proper and safe distribution of herbicides that can be harmful to humans. This also prevents herbicide resistance. In Argentina, drones inspect wheat crops for harmful infections and pests. AI increases food security by diagnosing soil conditions as well. This technology allows workers to implement the necessary strategies for correcting nutrient deficiencies.
The most important aspect of these technologies is that they provide benefits but will not reduce the need for actual workers. Though education in these fields can be expensive, the skills learned will add value and mobilize people out of extreme poverty.
The FAO AI Systems Used for Food Security
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has implemented two programs in which AI increases food security and improves agriculture sustainability; the FAO’s WaPOR portal and the Agriculture Stress Index System (ASIS). Both systems monitor water usage in agriculture in different ways.
The Future of Food Security
As time progresses, AI will improve and become more common, eventually becoming cheaper and more accessible worldwide. With the rapid advancement in this technology and what is already in place to sustain food security using AI, a hunger-free world is a closer reality.
– Zachary Kunze
Photo: Flickr
Mental Health in Taiwan: Striving for Reformation
As of the year 2017, about 1.5 million people in Taiwan experience some form of depression. Much like many other Asian populations, mental health issues within groups ranging from young children to prisoners to middle-aged adults heavily afflict Taiwan. With conflicts related to school bullying, family, structure and support, lack of available treatment and workplace violence, deterioration of mental health in Taiwan is something that many Taiwanese people experience. Evidently, mental health is indeed a pressing issue that calls for urgent alleviation.
Mental Health in Taiwan
A 20-year study from 1990 to 2010 utilized a Chinese Health Questionnaire to examine the prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) among over 10,000 Taiwanese adult participants. The study showed a doubling in probable CMDs from 11.5% to 23.8%. However, amid rising levels of mental illness in Taiwan, there is also a rise in efforts to dispel stigmas, implement more effective programs and make amendments in already established legislation. There are people and groups beginning to recognize and work towards both reviving conversations and seeking out solutions related to mental health.
The Mental Health Act of Taiwan
The Ministry of Health and Welfare first established the Mental Health Act of Taiwan in 1990 with the objective of promoting mental well-being, treating mental health issues and supporting patients and their families. In 2007, policymakers implemented an amendment to the act to put patients and their families first. Many policies, prevention and resource allocation thereafter were then based more heavily upon the input of those who have actually experienced mental health issues along with their family members.
One of the larger impacts of the amendment was that compulsory admissions needed to receive approval from the Psychiatric Disease Mandatory Assessment and Community Care Review Committee. The number of compulsory admissions, or involuntary admissions, decreased by 83% in comparison to 2006. This change showed Taiwan’s commitment to developing a more detailed plan for protecting patients’ safety and rights. The amendment also drastically impacted the way that psychiatric institutions function in that there were new requirements related to post-treatment procedures, providing assistance for the patient’s family and encouraging community-based rehabilitation. All of these changes were the result of efforts to enhance protection and treatment for those who face issues with mental health and illness.
Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally (WARM)
The issue of mental health in Taiwan often carries a negative connotation and many associate it with shame and self-accusation due to very traditional and Confucian values. However, there are now emerging support groups that allow people to voice their struggles and relieve the burden that they might feel. Women Anonymous Reconnecting Mentally (WARM), co-founded by Vanessa Wang in 2017, is the first women’s support group based in Taipei that aims to combat stigmas against mental health by allowing women to share their hardships without feeling ashamed. Though it does not provide professional treatment, women who attend these weekly meetings have expressed that they have found comfort through listening to and speaking about their own struggles.
Having been featured in the Taiwan Observer, Taiwan News and Taipei Times, WARM is quickly expanding its reach. WARM’s Facebook group has over 500 members and is continuing to grow. The issue of mental health is now experiencing more exposure and the process of reconciliation is beginning with these kinds of support groups. Many are slowly realizing the importance of reshaping the narrative around mental health.
The Mental Health Association in Taiwan (MHAT)
Founded in 1955, the Mental Health Association in Taiwan (MHAT) is another group that works with promoting mental health awareness, prevention and treatment. In 2017, it began to target mental health issues within schools through promoting techniques of mindfulness and books related to mental resilience. MHAT’s current goal is to educate young children, teachers and parents about mental health and resiliency. As a diverse group of people who work in various professional fields, MHAT has previously assisted in drafting and promoting legislation related to mental health. It has completed work with and related to the Mental Health Act, the Department of Mental and Oral Health and more.
Over time, mental health in Taiwan is becoming a more popular subject of conversation. There are increasingly more groups and pieces of legislation that advocate for these kinds of issues that will, in turn, raise awareness and encourage more positive attitudes surrounding mental health.
– Grace Wang
Photo: Pixabay
Fighting Period Poverty in Ethiopia
3 Organizations Fighting Period Poverty in Ethiopia
Although period poverty in Ethiopia is still a serious issue, these organizations are working to fight the stigma and better the lives of women and girls throughout the country.
– Allie Beutel
Photo: Flickr
Access to Clean Drinking Water in the Philippines
The Philippine Clean Water Act
In 2004, the government passed the Philippine Clean Water Act which aims to protect water bodies from pollution and monitor their safety. This was implemented through multiple boards of governors and local mayors who were given specific water sources to monitor and maintain. By localizing management, the government found that leaders were more driven to clean their water because it affected their personal community. In addition, this strategy hinged upon community involvement as well, which led to a greater public awareness of water sanitation. In other countries with a similar problem, this localized strategy could work to create a body of legislators invested in water access, which would lead to cleaner water overall.
Hydropanel Fields
Water sanitizing technology has also been instrumental in guaranteeing access to all populations in the Philippines, specifically the rural ones. For the indigenous people of Palawan, the lack of clean drinking water is due to their lack of access to city centers and infrastructure. SOURCE Global and Conservation International collaborated to create a field of hydropanels that will create 40,000 liters of clean drinking water each year. Because the hydropanels are portable and easy to assemble, they can theoretically be used anywhere in the world. This opens up possibilities globally for communities with inadequate drinking water access. Going forward, this model could be used to eradicate water insecurity.
Water.org
Another influential NGO has been Water.org, which provides no-interest loans to families trying to gain access to clean water in their homes. These loans are used to rig homes with plumbing as well as build wells. The organization is unique in that it addresses the economic issues associated with a lack of clean water. Without clean water, families contract diseases at higher rates, which limits their ability to work and earn an income. In addition, because these illnesses tend to affect children at higher proportions, access to clean water means a chance for education. Water.org’s belief is that by providing rural communities with their own funding, the people in that community will be able to build themselves up independently and ensure a legacy of success. As of now, the goal of the organization is to help the government in the Philippines reach its goal of access to clean drinking water for all by 2028.
Other Organizations for Water Access
Two other notable NGOs are DAI and Clean Water International. Both of these organizations work globally to ensure all people have access to clean water. In the Philippines, DAI specifically works to improve sanitation techniques. This has been accomplished through infrastructure projects that transport water in safer ways as well as education campaigns that teach communities how to check if the water is clean and how to clean it properly. Similar to this, Clean Water International has worked to increase sanitation. Both of these organizations maintain that proper sanitation is essential to access to clean water and have provided the funds to create proper water sanitation.
Access to Clean Drinking Water
Without access to clean water, communities are barred from work opportunities, exposed to disease and experience the effects of poverty at higher proportions. As seen in the Philippines, a multi-faceted and robust approach is needed to address this crisis and it requires the cooperation of all. The problem of lack of access to clean drinking water in the Philippines cannot be addressed simply by giving communities water bottles. It must be a ground-up approach that gives communities the tools to create and access clean water for years to come.
– Mary Buffaloe
Photo: Flickr
The Power of Empowering Women in Agriculture
The Gender Gap
Regardless of their active role in agriculture, women own fewer assets, have less access to necessary agricultural yields and receive less education and training in these areas compared to men in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main cause of this persistent gap is established traditional gender roles. Gender roles continue to negatively impact women across Africa. Women often face more difficulties in owning land, establishing credit and gaining access to proper resources. When given the proper tools, these women could have a substantial positive effect on both the economy and SSA’s agricultural output.
The Benefits of Gender Parity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Closing the gender gap is imperative to making progress in SSA’s economy and increasing agricultural output. By empowering female agricultural workers and increasing their access to finances, land rights, resources and training, there could be a significant positive effect for the whole of Africa. Ruth Meinzen-Dick explains that in Sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture is two to four times more effective in reducing poverty than growth in other sectors. She explains further that because women are more likely than men to invest resources into meeting their children’s educational and nutritional needs, investing in women is crucial.
Making Women a Priority
Although the benefits of female empowerment are clear to see, in order to make these benefits a reality, it is imperative that programs and policies target three main factors: land rights, equal access to agricultural resources and finances and equal power in decision-making. Furthermore, as more women become educated and empowered, these investments and knowledge will not only be passed on to their children but throughout the community. As explained by Slyvia Tetteh, “When mothers are educated, they keep their education in their home and use it to educate their children. If you educate a woman, you educate her home and to some extent, the community.”
Women Who Farm Africa
Across the world, efforts are being made to educate and empower female agricultural workers in Africa. Policies and programs are all pushing to further female agricultural workers’ rights and power. A clear example of this is Women Who Farm Africa. This alliance was created in order to provide resources for women farmers to learn about agriculture through empowerment. By involving them in decision-making and access to finances, women farmers can increase their income, develop a stable rural livelihood and contribute to ensuring food security.
The Promise of Female Farmers
It is clear to see why female empowerment and closing the gender gap should take priority across Africa. Doing so would not only increase the lives and quality of living for these women but would also positively impact the agricultural output and the general state of Africa’s economy. Furthermore, this could also create more stability for the children growing up in rural communities. With the knowledge that mothers gain, this knowledge can then be passed down to their children and the rise in income can be invested in the children’s future. If properly prioritized and applied, empowering women in agriculture could break intergenerational cycles of poverty, reduce hunger and malnutrition rates and improve Africa’s economy as a whole.
– Caroline Dunn
Photo: Flickr
Sugira Muryango Program in Rwanda
Violence and Intergenerational Poverty
In past studies, social programs aimed toward child development have been more focused on mothers of the households. However, the developers of Sugira Muryango (researchers at Boston College’s School of Social Work and the nonprofit FXB Rwanda) chose to implement this program to focus more on the father’s role within the household and child’s life.
Rwanda is a key place to evaluate this program due to the persistent household violence and gender roles within Rwandan society. Traditionally, Rwandan society has held few expectations for fathers within the household. However, a positive male figure plays an important role in a child’s developmental outcomes.
The data of some surveys taken in Rwanda by Promundo and the Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre on masculinity and gender-based violence convey shocking truths. The surveys reported that 73% of men and 82% of women agreed with the statement, “a woman’s most important role is to take care of her home” and 44% of men and 54% of women agreed that “a woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together.” Lastly, 45% of men saw their dads beat their moms in childhood and 38% of those men became violent toward their own partners in adulthood. Men who witnessed violence at home as children were more likely to perpetuate it, indicating that children emulate behavior, both positive and negative.
Methods Used in the Sugira Muryango Program
As a response to this violence, Sugira Muryango was implemented as a home-visiting intervention program that targets the poorest households with young children (aged between 6 months and 26 months) in Rwanda. The program offers coaching to caregivers of the household in order to teach parents, specifically fathers, positive caregiving practices, nutrition skills, hygiene skills and basic involvement.
The program uses methods of home visits and caregiving coaching in order to improve family relations. The family-based model aims to encourage responsive and positive interactions as well as discourage violence and harsh punishment. In providing this coaching through these methods, it is possible to improve not only parent-child relations but also child development outcomes. With these improved outcomes, Rwanda should see improvements as the children reach adulthood and in breaking the cyclical poverty which should then improve Rwanda’s general development as a country.
The Impacts of the Program in Rwanda
Not only did the results of the program aid in the decrease of violence within Rwandan homes but it also helped improve mental health rates among Rwandan fathers. Furthermore, reports indicate changes in parents’ behaviors towards the child, including responsive care and play, dietary diversity, care-seeking for child health problems and reduced family violence.
Potential Global Impacts
The Sugira Muryango program is playing an important role in breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty within Rwanda. Although the lasting effects of this program need to be studied as the children grow, the immediate effects have aided in reducing violence and improving family relationships. If integrated into other low to middle-income communities and countries, the overall effects should be promising in breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty on a global scale.
– Caroline Dunn
Photo: Flickr