African Vegetable Staples

African Vegetable StaplesAfrica has millions of hectares of viable land for large-scale agricultural operations. Many large regions of Africa are the last locations on the planet with large plots of land rich in soil nutrients and water sufficiency. New government infrastructure, a global investment and advanced technology has allowed sub-Saharan African farmers to raise crop yield. The agriculture industry is the most viable way to feed families on a small scale in villages. African vegetable staples are important as they are the bulk of the famous nutritional African diet.

Approximately 65% of the African labor force involves itself in agriculture, with the agriculture industry accounting for 32% of the region’s GDP. Governments have attempted to increase crop yield by utilizing agriculture marketing boards in order to provide more stable and standardized prices, credit extension services, technology and improved seeds. Additionally, more companies in the private sector have improved rural marketing and supply lines. These advances in extension services improve land and water management, introduce new farming techniques and provide new, efficient technology.

Essential African Vegetable Staples

Essential African vegetable staples include yams, green bananas, plantains and cassava. There are a plethora of different and unique ways of preparing dishes particular to each region and culture. Vegetables such as beans and lentils accompany almost every meal in order to provide a balanced nutritious diet. People in Africa consider meat a side dish rather than the main dish, and vegetables the main dish. Typical African vegetable staples specific to a region are dependent on the location, land viability, soil richness and water availability. Rice is more common where there is more water whereas cash crops such as groundnut are common in every household.

Many African staple foods provide a base diet for African families. African vegetable staples provide the necessary proteins, vitamins and nutrients that combat the alarming, wide-scale malnutrition issues that run rampant in many small villages that are not connected to large cities. With no access to large-scale trade or industrial resources, villagers take care of each other with personal farms. Additionally, many African vegetables also double as medicinal uses as well, allowing improved community health and nutrition.

Many staple meals accompany African’s rich variety of culture and history. The thousands of various African cultures utilize varieties of spices to prepare the same ingredient to uphold their respective traditional values and ideas. Diverse food choices are unique in each region and can range from fermented beans, sweet potato greens, teff and varieties of dumplings, to corn-based porridges, millet, kenkey, fontou and fonio. The diverse sets of languages within each region also have their own unique menus specific to their culture and certain traditions.

Case Study: The Democratic Republic of Congo

Vegetables grown in the DRC include peanuts, yams, beans, peas and maize. The political instability of the DRC has led to problems of malnutrition and lack of food access for millions of people. However, vegetables are used as an efficient solution because of the mass remote lands DRC controls for horticulture. The agriculture industry supports more than half of the DRC population. Although farming provides less than 10% of DRC’s GDP, land use is minimal to only 3.5% of DRC’s land and accounts for over 50 tons of subsistence foodstuffs.

What Next?

African vegetables have been the bulk of the African diet for millennia. Not only is it an efficient and effective way of utilizing rich soil and plentiful land on the continent, but it is also one of the most viable ways to aid the economy while doing so. Vegetables in Africa are the staple food not just for the famous nutritious diets, but also because they are an important characteristic of African identity and culture. Many African recipes eaten today have passed down generation after generation in an effort to maintain and uphold tradition. The African vegetable staples are one of the most unique characteristics of African culture and are a testament to their devotion to their diverse ideas and traditions.

– Aria Ma
Photo: Flickr

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How to Purchase Conflict-Free Diamonds

Conflict-Free Diamonds
Twenty years after the international push to ban all conflict diamonds or blood diamonds, they still exist. Conflict diamonds often have a link to rebel insurgencies in diamond-producing countries. Even without the presence of these rebel groups, however, diamond mining and trade remain unethical. Fortunately, alternatives exist, such as conflict-free and ethically sourced diamonds.

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)

The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), popularly known as the Kimberley Process, began in 2000 in Kimberley, South Africa when diamond-producing states met to discuss the total elimination of conflict diamonds.  This effort occurred with the hopes that rebel groups would not sell diamonds to finance their movements. In 2003, the United Nations adopted the resolution to expand the scheme’s reach to the diamond industry internationally.

Today, the scheme has 81 signatories, with 52 nations having ratified the scheme. Countries that cannot prove their diamonds are conflict-free could receive a suspension from the international diamond trade.

The Challenges of KPCS

Many politicians, investigative journalists and diamond traders have expressed that KPCS is a step forward in ending conflict-free diamond trading. The certification, however, contains many loopholes for blood diamonds to mix in with legitimately mined and traded diamonds. For instance, according to The Next Web news site, which did an extensive report on the legitimacy of conflict-free diamonds, “no legitimate company willingly buys diamonds from conflict regions, at least not anymore.” This is a step in the right direction, but is it enough to guarantee a conflict-free diamond? The watchdog group Human Rights Watch wrote in 2018, “The Kimberley Process is narrowly focused on curbing the trade of diamonds whose sales benefit armed groups—not abusive governments or their armed forces.” Thus civilian harassment, child labor and human rights abuses still go unchecked.

There also remains the question of who is creating the conflict. In recent years, the local Zimbabwean government of the Marange mining village has become notorious for creating conflict in their diamond mining villages. The intimidation of the residents with threats and weapons has characterized this conflict, enforcing unethical labor practices, and the like.

Thus, at the very minimum when buying diamonds, the jeweler should be able to state where the diamond came from and if it has KPCS certification. But the buyer will have to do more to ensure the diamond in question is completely conflict-free.

6 Ways to Ensure a Conflict-Free Diamond

Because the systems in place are inconsistent, it is up to the consumer to do extra research. Thankfully, legitimate ways exist to ensure these criteria.

  1. Check for Certification: A visit to the actual jeweler requires questioning. A reliable jeweler should be willing to state the diamond’s history and origin and provide certification such as the KPCS and Systems of Warranties statements to ensure that the diamond is completely conflict-free. The caveat, however, is that the consumer may not know whether the diamond is ethically mined.
  2. Buy Canadian: The safest bet in purchasing a diamond that is conflict-free with ethical mining practices is to purchase from Canada. The Canadian Diamond Code of Conduct ensures that diamonds come from sustainable and ethical mining.
  3. Check for the CanadaMark Standard: Many regard CanadaMark as the “highest standard” of ethical diamonds, specifically diamonds which “are carefully tracked from the moment they’re mined in Northwest Canada to the moment they’re polished.” Both of CanadaMark’s mines have a partnership that invests in the well-being of local communities such as local aboriginal peoples to protect the surrounding land, air, water and wildlife. James Allen, a popular engagement ring retailer, is the exclusive online retailer of CanadaMark.
  4. Buy from Committed Retailers: Online retailers such as James Allen, Brilliant Earth* and Blue Nile specialize in conflict-free and ethically sourced diamonds. Brilliant Earth, for example, sources diamonds from Canada, and 5% of its profits go to a fund to benefit local African communities that the diamond industry has harmed.
  5. Purchase Lab Created Stones: Synthetic diamonds do not come from the earth but rather a lab. These diamonds have the same sparkle as a mined diamond without the baggage of human rights abuses, child labor and unfair trade. Another benefit of lab-created diamonds is that they are often cheaper than traditional diamonds.
  6. Repurposing Vintage Stones: One of the best ways to ensure that a diamond comes from a conflict-free and ethical source is to buy a used or vintage diamond. Although online retailers specialize in vintage jewelry, one can also re-purpose a passed-down family diamond and have it recut to reflect modern designs.

Concluding Thoughts

While it can be challenging to ensure that a diamond emerged from ethical practices, the above steps are an excellent starting point. By knowing where a diamond comes from as well and whether it has the appropriate certification, one can be sure they are purchasing a diamond that is conflict-free.

– Vicki Colbert
Photo: Flickr

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3 Ways to Eradicate Child Poverty in South Africa

Child Poverty in South Africa
Situated in the southernmost region of the African continent, poverty plagues South Africa and afflicts around 7 million of its children, accounting for more than 60% of the population. This growing problem owes itself to an increase in low-income families, the urban-rural area divide and decreased access to medical care and necessities of life. But work is slowly being done to turn the tide of this dire situation. In recent years, multidimensional child poverty in South Africa has decreased significantly (by almost 10 percentage points). However, it is possible to do more. Here are three ways to eradicate child poverty in South Africa.

3 Ways to Eradicate Child Poverty in South Africa

  1. Increasing Access to Education: A recent UNICEF study shows that only around one-fifth of children in highly educated households end up in poverty. Consequently, poverty rates would drop significantly if educational support for children increases from a young age. This is especially true of rural areas, where access to education is a very rare commodity. In fact, a lack of proper schooling facilities heavily contributes to 63% of children aged 5-12 living in poverty in rural areas of South Africa. Encouraging children to attend school deters them from joining gangs and buying into other violence which is prevalent in South African cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg. To that end, South Africa scored 77.49 on the crime index, ranking as one of the highest in the world. However, as apartheid has left the picture, more than 20% of the South African budget has gone towards the education system, a very high figure among international standards dedicated to ending discriminatory practices in the child learning process.
  2. Spending on Child Service Programs: The latest General Household Survey reflects that only around 17 in 100 South Africans have access to reliable medical insurance. That means that more than 45 million people have little to no connection to basic health care or medical needs, let alone the demographic of children. Expanding spending for universal healthcare for all residents in South Africa would greatly benefit the country’s poor. For example, a 2018 UNICEF study found that an estimated 43,000 children under 5 years of age died in South Africa, of which more than 12,000 were newborns. The majority of these fatalities would be preventable if the government were to enact greater spending on pertinent social issues affecting its youth through special programs, such as the social welfare system that the South African Department of Social Development manages.
  3. Creating New Jobs for Adults: Although this last strategy may sound counterintuitive to assessing the child poverty situation in South Africa, statistics point to the fact that in households where adults remain unemployed, four-fifths of children grow up in substandard living conditions. Moreover, families with one designated breadwinner are more inclined to invest their income into education for their children – an investment that will likely break the cycle of poverty. As of 2020, the 30% unemployment rate in South Africa is contributing significantly to the country’s child poverty situation. Already, the government has worked to increase labor market incomes and expand the need for skill-based jobs to combat this reality through its Youth Employment Service. Since the implementation of this program, poverty in South Africa has been steadily declining.

The data supports that current government intervention in South Africa’s socio-economic situation has shown positive results. Amplifying the effects of these existing constructs to reduce the disparity between rural and urban populations will gradually shape the country into a society that provides equity for all of its youth. These solutions will help ensure that more children in South Africa will live healthy, sustainable lives in years to come.

– Mihir Gokhale
Photo: Flickr

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Alleviating Child Poverty in Cambodia

Child Poverty in Cambodia
A shocking 30% of the Cambodian population lives under the poverty line, affecting children most of all. The under-5 mortality rate in Cambodia sits at 25% due to the extreme poverty they live in. Here is some information about child poverty in Cambodia.

Malnutrition and Education

Children in Cambodia face malnutrition from conception due to many women experiencing malnourishment while pregnant. Malnutrition occurs when women do not have the right care during their pregnancy. Limited resources in Cambodia contribute to the issue of women not being able to obtain the necessary care to stay healthy during pregnancy. This absence of nutrition does not end once children are born either. If a baby does not receive post-natal care or proper nutrition in the first couple of months, it can lead to stunting in growth or even death.

On top of that, more than 10% of Cambodian children currently do not go to school. Instead of getting a substantial education, around 45% of children aged 5 to 14 partake in labor instead. Though the situation appears dismal for the children of Cambodia, people across the globe are working on solving common problems circling child poverty in Cambodia.

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking has intimate ties to poverty in Cambodia. The four main factors that lead to human trafficking today include mass displacement, conflict, extreme poverty and lack of access to education and jobs. It is extremely common for parents to sell their children to human traffickers or for traffickers to lure children with the prospect of a legitimate job, only for them to enter prostitution. When short on money to provide for their families, parents may sell their daughters’ virginity, as it can give them up to 20 times their household average income a week.

The Rapha House is an organization dedicated to rehabilitating young girls after rescuing them from human trafficking. It started in 2003 after the founder spoke to Cambodian leaders about the threat of human trafficking to Cambodian girls. The organization opened two houses in Cambodia: Battambang and Siem Rep. Each aftercare campus gives child survivors of slavery and sexual exploitation the chance to reclaim their lost childhood. Survivors are treated with love and value instead of abuse and neglect. Volunteers at the houses teach morals and self-love to these girls daily, in hopes of healing them from their trauma.

Educating Children

Though the initial percentages of student enrollment in Cambodia were low, presence in the classroom is rising significantly. The number of children enrolling in primary education increased to more than 97% during the 2017-2018 school year. Enrollment had limitations prior due to the need for manual labor in family businesses. Children worked with, or for, their parents to help earn a livable income.

ChildFund has been working on improving education in Cambodia through fundraising since 2007 and has no plans to stop any time soon. Its official website says that helping children living in poverty fulfill their potential through education is one of its top priorities in the country of Cambodia. The funds raised go directly to helping eliminate child poverty in Cambodia allowing donors to sponsor a child and help pay for their education. Education is key in ending the cycle of poverty. Once people learn essential skills, they can go on to get better jobs and make more money.

Helping the Hungry

The national prevalence of under-5 stunting is 32.4%, which is greater than the developing country average of 25% according to the Global Nutrition Report. Cambodia also struggles with an under-5 wasting prevalence of 9.8%, which surpasses the normal developing country average significantly. Malnutrition in children and their mothers during pregnancy causes this stunting. Child poverty in Cambodia often occurs when children lack the proper amount of food per day to remain healthy. If their bodies have no nutrition, they will not have the energy to grow, causing growth stunts.

Action Against Hunger, an activist group aiming to improve all-around nutrition on a global level, has been taking strides to lower Cambodia’s under-5 statistics. Over the course of 2019, the organization created 5,310 community groups focused on increasing food security through rice banks, farming and home gardens. It also helped 7,139 people reach nutrition and health programs and 6,278 people gain access to food security programs. Action Against Hunger says that it has helped 15,744 people total in Cambodia during 2019.

Alleviating child poverty in Cambodia requires more work, but these organizations show that it is possible to improve the situation. Rapha House, ChildFund and Action Against Hunger are all taking huge steps to help eliminate child poverty in Cambodia whether it be through donations, fieldwork or volunteering.

– Kendall Little
Photo: Flickr

Updates on SDG Goal 2 in Bangladesh

SDG Goal 2 in BangladeshThe United Nations’ (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of objectives designed for all countries to fulfill in order to provide everyone with a more sustainable future. Members of the U.N. General Assembly enacted these 17 SDGs in 2015 to aim to reduce poverty, eradicate widespread hunger, as well as address other global challenges. Assuming all countries follow the plan’s yearly agenda in a timely fashion, all developing countries are expected to enjoy a more prosperous life by 2030.

Since 2015, Bangladesh is one of the many countries that have made remarkable improvements in reducing poverty (SDG 1). For instance, only three years after the implementation of the SDGs, the proportion of the population living below the international poverty line decreased by 8.3% since 2010. In a similar manner, the proportion of the population living below the domestic poverty line decreased by 9.9% from 2010 to 2018. While this is considered an exceptional improvement, much of the Bengali population still suffers from widespread food insecurity. This has been especially apparent since August 2017, where more than 700,000 refugees fled Myanmar, Bangladesh’s neighboring country to the west, due to the violence against the Rohingya population. With that being said, here are five updates on SDG Goal – 2 – achieving zero hunger in Bangladesh.

Updates on SDG Goal 2 in Bangladesh

  1. Along with public sector scientists, Bengali farmers have been working alongside one another to create varieties of high-yielding, nutritious foods. This includes rice that has been enriched with vitamin A and potatoes that are resistant to blight. One of the most notable crops Bengali farmers have incorporated into their diets are eggplants, or better known as brinjal in Bangladesh. Historically, farmers applied a massive amount of pesticide since the eggplants often suffered from severe pest infestation. However, ever since the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) studied alternate ways to grow the eggplants without as much pesticide usage, more than 30,000 farmers began to grow and distribute it.

  2. Bangladesh’s success in reducing child malnutrition has been the quickest in recorded history. For example, with improved food production and distribution reforms, Bangladesh was able to decrease child stunting rates by 19%.

  3. There are still many improvements to be made to achieve zero hunger in Bangladesh by 2030. Looking at the statistics, approximately 36% of Bengali children under the age of 5 still suffer from this condition because of chronic malnutrition. Within this 36%, over half reside in slums and cannot afford food or other necessities. This means that despite the improvements that have been made, a total of 5.5 million children alone still suffer from hunger.

  4. According to the World Food Programme, Bangladesh’s progress is not quick enough to fulfill the targets it has set out to defeat domestic hunger. As previously described, stunting is a significant issue within Bangladesh that has been decreased by 19% over 18 years. However, in order to achieve its current targets, stunting rates need to decline at least 5.3% per year if the country is to meet its 2021 goals. Thus, according to the 2014 Global Nutrition Report, assuming Bangladesh continues at its current pace, it will not be able to fulfill the 2025 targets agreed upon at the World Health Assembly in 2012.

  5. Around 40 million people or one-quarter of the Bengali population still experience widespread hunger. Of the 40 million, about 11 million suffer from acute hunger.

While it is critical to recognize the success that has been made, it is equally important to acknowledge how a country needs to improve. While there is no denying the drastic improvements Bangladesh has made, the country needs to expand its efforts to fulfill SDG Goal 2.

– Heather Law
Photo: Flickr

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8 Facts About Germany’s Foreign Aid

Germany Foreign Aid
In 2019, Germany followed the U.S. as the second-largest donor to official development assistance (ODA). Historically, Germany’s foreign aid has focused on migration, forced displacement, food security and climate concerns. In its foreign aid policy, Germany aims to create lasting change in the nations it reaches. Here are eight facts about Germany’s foreign aid.

8 Facts About Germany’s Foreign Aid

  1. The BMZ Handles Aid: The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) primarily addresses the regulation of foreign aid. The BMZ is responsible for the development of policies, management of projects and the allocation of funds in times of crisis. Its support centers on several factors important to development, including “good governance, education, rural development, climate control, sustainable development, and a strengthening of the private sector.” Germany expects responsibility from the countries it lends aid to and thus does not grant budget support freely.
  2. The BMZ Does Not Work Alone: The BMZ works in accordance with other ministries, including the Federal Foreign Office and Ministry of Defense. The Federal Foreign Office addresses matters of humanitarian aid and, if a military presence is necessary, the Ministry of Defense offers assistance. KfW, a German-owned development bank, has also played a key role in Germany’s foreign aid contributions.
  3. Making UHC a Reality: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2015 marked Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a priority. UHC embodies the idea of having “all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship.” Germany has committed to this ideal in three stages. Globally, Germany aims to strengthen health systems through technical and financial support. On a multilateral level, Germany endorses the P4HNetwork, which provides health financing, and the L4UHC leadership course, which helps in the development of partnerships. Lastly, Germany is aiding its partner countries directly in the development of necessary changes.
  4. Supporting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance: Germany has donated to Gavi through the BMZ since 2006 and its support continues to grow. Chancellor Merkel “pledged EUR 600 million for Gavi over the 2016-2020 strategic period” in 2015. Providing immunizations across the globe, Germany’s support of Gavi enables a safer, healthier world.
  5. BMZ Unveils an Effective Reform Strategy: The BMZ’s primary goal remains the same; eliminating poverty and world hunger. However, the BMZ is changing how it aims to achieve this goal through new focuses, new partnerships and new modes of cooperation. BMZ has reduced its number of partner countries from 85 to 60 but has done so to maximize its efforts strategically. German foreign aid is attempting to establish peace and structure with its nexus and peace partners. By “strengthening [German] support for people in crisis and refugee regions, addressing the root causes and supporting them in the process of stabilization,” the BMZ is aiming to build up nations like Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
  6. Germany and Syria: In recent years, Germany has shown great support for the Syrian people. In 2018, more than 500,000 Syrian refugees resided in Germany. German support is not solely based on helping the refugees, however. In June 2020, as part of a conference jointly hosted by the E.U. and U.N., Germany pledged $1.78 billion to humanitarian aid for Syria.
  7. Germany and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Adopted in September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development replaced the previous Millennium Development Goals. The initiative comprises 17 goals and ties together poverty reduction and sustainability. Within the decade, the United Nations wishes to address the most pressing concerns of poverty, female empowerment and climate concerns. Germany is one of many nations playing a large role in addressing these goals.
  8. An Endorsement that Looks to the Future: Alongside Ghana and Norway, Germany requested the establishment of a global action plan in April 2018. This request took the form of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All. The plan has united 12 agencies dedicated to health, development and humanitarian efforts, allowing each to strengthen each other while addressing the central SDGs.

The nation has proudly taken up the mantle of leadership and will serve as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from June 2020 until December 2020. Germany promised additional ODA-funds in June 2020, dedicating $3.5 billion for “global health measures, humanitarian assistance, and overall development cooperation.”

– Kelli Hughes
Photo: Flickr

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The Defense Benefits of US Foreign Aid

U.S. Foreign Aid
People have historically looked at U.S. foreign policy as a stool supported by three legs: Defense, Diplomacy and Development. The final leg, development, refers to foreign aid. U.S. foreign aid is a vital tool in the U.S.’s national security toolbox and yet its 2019 budget did not even account for 8% of the budget for the first leg, national defense.

The need for national security is obvious, but the apparent belief that defense spending is the unilateral key to achieving this goal is dangerously reductionist. The U.S. federal budget represents a heavy reliance on military strength and a contrasting disregard for the other two facets of security. Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, called for a “whole of government approach,” when asked in his Senate confirmation hearing about how the U.S. should approach its competitive coexistence with China.

Where Does the Money Go?

In 2019, over $46 billion went toward foreign assistance, representing a roughly $6 billion decrease from appropriated funds in 2015. Where those tax dollars go matters when understanding the investment they represent in American safety and prosperity. The vast majority of those funds went to the U.S. Department of State and USAID. These are the two principal government agencies with the charge of managing U.S. foreign aid. Within those two federal agencies, funds go into nine categories with Peace and Security, Health and Humanitarian Assistance making up the bulk of aid.

Looking more closely, the Health sector received $9.5 billion in appropriations in 2019. The majority of that figure went towards HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. This can have a substantial impact on reducing poverty as AIDS-related illnesses greatly reduce life expectancy in the countries that the epidemic most affected. Additionally, statistics have proven that the HIV/AIDS epidemic has slowed economic growth in Africa as it often prevents those affected from receiving an education or obtaining a job. Prevention and treatment of this epidemic is just one aspect of U.S. foreign aid.

Slow and Steady

Proving the results of U.S. foreign aid has long been a complicated task. The absence of conflict in a region is hard to credit with just one measure and not nearly as easy to point to as the existence of conflict elsewhere. Specific examples of changes in spending do however uncover gradual successes. Peace and Security funding goes towards military equipment, training and development. However, as the situation improves incrementally in certain countries, USAID and the Department of State are able to shift their efforts towards Democracy, Human Rights and Governance projects.

One example is Afghanistan, which received more U.S. aid in 2019 than any other nation. One should not ignore the fact that 17% of funds went to Peace and Security while 49% went to the aforementioned Democracy, Human Rights and Governance sector. This represents a marked shift as previous years focused the majority of aid on the military. Furthermore, it is representative of the slow yet undeniable progress that just about 1% of the federal budget has made.

When USAID first started working in Afghanistan in December 2002, the literacy rate was 50% for men and 20% for women. The budget that the Afghan government operated on came exclusively from donor support and accounted for just $600 million. The GDP per capita, a useful measure of average living standards in a country, was $250. By 2017, the GDP per capita had risen to $2,000. In 2018, the literacy rates had increased to 55.5% for men and 29.8% for women and the government’s budget had risen to $2.2 billion. These figures are not indications that the task is finished, but just some examples that U.S. foreign aid made the task possible.

Foreign Aid is Key to Grand Strategy

U.S. history has demonstrated the strategic gains of foreign aid countless times throughout U.S. history. Dating all the way back to the Marshall Plan in 1948, the U.S. provided more than $13 billion in aid to Europe so that the continent could rebuild after WWII. This allowed the U.S. to build stronger bilateral and multilateral ties with Europe, forming lasting alliances that reaped benefits in trade and a return to reduced conflict in the region.

During the 1960s, the U.S. improved upon this practice with the creation of USAID and the Peace Corps. From there, U.S. foreign aid expanded beyond to areas like education, agriculture and health. As a result, the U.S. could continue to project more than just military might. Key democratic values like education for girls and boys, free and fair elections, freedoms for the press and more could be developed around the globe. This all occurred in the context of a great power competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union with a clear understanding of the benefits of a three-legged approach in lieu of a military standing alone. As recently as 2017, a letter to Congress authored by roughly 120 retired U.S. admirals and generals called for a continuation of aid funding in the interest of, “preventing conflict and reducing the need to put our men and women in uniform in harm’s way.”

An End to “Forever Wars”

As the world becomes ever-more intertwined, the U.S. must evolve its own foreign policy to meet new challenges. Relying solely on the military places an impossible task on its shoulders as it attempts to help rebuild nations, improve foreign governments and end global poverty. This work requires professional diplomats trained for these tasks and foreign aid that allows governments and NGOs to do it themselves. In the long term, more foreign aid could mean the sending of fewer troops to war.

– Scott Mistler-Ferguson
Photo: Flickr

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5 Key Points to Know About Hunger in Gabon 

Hunger in Gabon
Many African nations are losing the fight against hunger. Levels of hunger are rising faster than governments can handle, but one country is setting an example of how nations should respond to this persistent struggle. Gabon, an African nation off the west coast of Africa, is taking steps to combat the threat of hunger around the region. Starvation is a massive problem in Africa and Gabon is no exception. Hunger proliferates throughout the African nation, but Gabon, with the help of international organizations, is making big strides that have helped thousands of Gabonese people.  Here are five key points to know about hunger in Gabon.

5 Key Points to Know About Hunger in Gabon

  1. The proportion of undernourished people in Gabon is rising again. According to the 2019 Global Hunger Index report, Gabon’s proportion of undernourished people has been steadily decreasing every year since 2008. However, hunger levels decreased every year between 2008 and 2014 but have since started to rise.
  2. Children and women are at the greatest risk. In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that 18% of children under 5 years old suffered from chronic malnutrition. Furthermore, a 2016 report found that close to 61% of women in Gabon were anemic. Improved access to food can help prevent starvation, malnutrition and sickness.
  3. GHI lists Gabon’s level of hunger as ‘moderate.’ Gabon’s GHI Score in 2000 was 20.8 indicating that the country’s level of hunger ‘serious.’ Many Gabonese people continue to suffer from malnutrition, but the Gabonese parliament had undergone great efforts to alleviate the problem. Gabon has adopted policy frameworks, such as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP), which outlines a plan for improved access to water and food security. In 20 years, Gabon has dropped its score to 18.2, lowering the nation’s level of hunger to ‘moderate.’ Today, Gabon continues to make progress in its fight to end hunger throughout the nation.
  4. Gabon’s government has taken measures to fight the hunger epidemic. In 2019, the Gabonese government founded the Gabonese Parliamentary Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (APGSAN). The organization, established in association with the FAO Subregional Office for Central Africa and the United Nations, is committed to fighting hunger and malnutrition throughout the nation. APGSAN will work with other parliamentary coalitions to help provide sustainable food to the 42.7 million people who are starving in Central Africa. APGSAN’s formation proves that nations can allocate money, design legislation and form coalitions to combat pressing issues.
  5. From 2000 to 2019, the prevalence of growth stunting in children dropped from 25.9% to 20.2%. Growth stunting in children has seen a steady decline, but since 2010, the number of children suffering from stunted growth has in fact increased from 17% to 20.2%. In response, NGOs like ScalingUpNutrition (SUN) have created detailed action plans that illustrate hunger priorities the Gabonese government must address, such as resource mobilization for nutrition and budget allocations.

Like many other African nations, the threat of malnutrition has not spared Gabon. However, increased efforts on the part of Gabonese parliament and international bodies have proven effective in the fight against rising levels of hunger. Gabon is not 100% free from the hunger plague, but despite this harsh reality, the nation is getting better. Hunger levels in Gabon are decreasing faster than most countries in the same region. Continued commitment by the Gabonese government and international organizations to fight hunger will be the key to end it once and for all.

– Pedro Rodriguez
Photo: Flickr

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How Flying Kites is Changing Education in Kenya

Education in Kenya
Kenya has seen great success in combating poverty, with the national poverty rate declining from 46.8% to 36.1% between 2005 and 2016. Over this same period, the economy grew at an average annual rate of 5.3%. An increased focus on education accompanied this economic success. In line with this new focus — changing education in Kenya is now at the forefront of one nonprofit’s agenda.

Educational Improvements and Barriers

Increased education and poverty reduction closely connect in the developing world. Education gives students the skills to seek better-paying jobs and improve their lives. Acknowledging this, the Kenyan government opted to make primary education free in 2003. It followed up by making secondary education free in 2008 as well. Due to these policies, 94% of rural Kenyans younger than age 13 now enroll in school. However, the quality of education these students receive is highly variable. For example, only 47% of primary school graduates can successfully test into secondary school.

Challenges exist because while school is free, poor children often struggle with difficult home environments. They often must support their families at the expense of their education. Additionally, weak oversight and insufficient government support mean that many areas suffer from poor quality education, lacking recourses or qualified teachers.

Flying Kites

Flying Kites is one organization with the aim of changing education in Kenya — specifically, education quality. The organization is a Kenyan nonprofit that runs a program to educate teachers and works with Kenya’s ministry of education. Importantly, it is trying to make education more accessible to poor students. Flying Kites partners with “high potential, resource-poor” schools to invite teachers to attend workshops and sit in on classrooms at the Flying Kites Academy. These teachers go through a program to teach them how to improve their classrooms and provide more support to students.

The Borgen Project recently had the opportunity to talk with Katie Quinn, the Director of Operations in the U.S. for Flying Kites. She explained how Flying Kites originally began in 2007 with a primary school catered toward disadvantaged students in central Kenya. Today, its school has evolved into one of the highest regarded academies in Kenya. Flying Kites is attempting to replicate that success across the country.

So far, Flying Kites has seen great success in improving education in Kenya with its Teacher Training Center. It evaluates the classroom skills of incoming teachers and has found that only 12% of them are proficient in all skills. However, after a year in the program, 67% of teachers achieved classroom proficiency.

According to Quinn, focusing on teachers is the best way to improve the education system.“The delivery of quality education by engaged and supported teachers dramatically improves student outcomes, empowering even the most vulnerable students to become curious and critical thinkers and to develop the skills they need to become life-long learners and positively impact their families and communities.”

Flying Kites’ Approach During COVID-19

COVID-19 has undoubtedly been a disruption to the lives of Fly Kites’ students. However, the organization is working hard to make sure that every student stays on track. It has provided direct relief to more than 6,000 local families. Also, it has been distributing meals to students in need. The organization has also pledged to cover all back-to-school expenses for students at its partner schools. This will include uniforms, school supplies and more. It hopes to guide its students through this difficult time and ensure that none of them give up their education.

Once the pandemic ends, Flying Kites hopes to continue to expand its reach to schools — changing education in Kenya. Quinn explained how the organization is planning to create a “model schools district” by working with all 45 local primary schools as well as the Kenyan government. The aim is to create a better environment for teachers and their students. By doing so, Flying Kites seeks to create a repeatable model for education in Kenya that improves student outcomes and creates better opportunities to escape poverty.

– Jack McMahon
Photo: Flickr

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4 Ways COVID-19 And Global Poverty Connect

COVID-19 and Global Poverty
Since early 2020, the entire globe has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic and attempting to address the outbreak properly. Most of the world’s population is currently under some form of social distancing as a part of a response to the outbreak. From scientific research to increased travel restrictions, almost every country is working on ways to boost the economy while managing the spread of the virus. However, COVID-19 has affected much more than the economy. Here are four ways COVID-19 and global poverty connect:

4 Ways COVID-19 and Global Poverty Connect

  1. The Consumption of Goods and Services: For most developing countries struggling with poverty, much of their economies depend on commodities, such as exports. Food consumption represents the largest portion of household spending, and the increase in food prices and shortages of products affect low-income households. Countries that depend on imported food experience shortages. The increase in food prices could also affect the households’ inability to access other services such as healthcare, a major necessity during this time. These are two significant connections between COVID-19 and global poverty.
  2. Employment and Income: The self-employed or those working for small businesses represent a large portion of the employed in developing countries. Some of these workers depend on imported materials, farming lands or agriculture. This requires harvest workers and access to local farmers’ markets to sell produce. Others work in the fields of tourism and retail. These fields require travelers, tourists and consumers — all of which lessen as COVID-19 restrictions increase. Without this labor income, many of these families (now unemployed) must rely on savings or government payments.
  3. Weak Healthcare Systems: This pandemic poses a major threat to lower-middle-income developing countries. There is a strong correlation between healthcare and economic growth. The better and bigger the economy, the better the healthcare. Healthcare systems in developing countries tend to be weaker due to minimal resources including beds, ventilators, medicine and a below-average economy. Insurance is not always available for low-income families. All of this affects the quality of healthcare that those living within the poverty line receive. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. Public Services: Low-income families and poor populations in developing countries depend on public services, such as school and public transportation. Some privatized urban schools, comprised of mainly higher-income families, are switching to online learning. However, many of the public rural schools receiving government funding do not have adequate resources to follow suit. This could increase the rate of drop out. Moreover, it will disproportionately affect poorer families since many consider education an essential incentive for escaping poverty. Aside from school, COVID-19 restrictions could prevent poorer families from accessing public transportation. For developing countries, public transportation could affect the ability of poorer families to access healthcare.

Moving Forward

There are many challenges that families across the globe face as a result of COVID-19. Notably, some organizations have stepped forward to help alleviate circumstances. The World Bank, Care International and the U.N. are among the organizations implementing programs and policies to directly target the four effects of COVID-19 mentioned above.

For example, the World Bank is continuously launching emergency support around the world to address the needs of various countries in response to COVID-19. By offering these financial packages, countries like Ethiopia, which should receive more than $82 million, can obtain essential medical equipment and support for establishing proper healthcare and treatment facilities. These financial packages constitute a total of $160 million over the next 15 months as a part of projects implemented in various countries, such as Mongolia, Kyrgyz Republic, Haiti, Yemen, Afghanistan and India.

– Nada Abuasi
Photo: Flickr