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Hope for Malaria Eradication in the Caribbean

Malaria Eradication in the Caribbean
Malaria in today’s world is largely absent from the Caribbean due to the success of past eradication efforts. Despite this, total eradication in the Caribbean is not complete. The island of Hispaniola, which Haiti and the Dominican Republic shares, continues to combat the disease. In the 21st century, efforts focusing on the island have given hope that effective and complete elimination of the disease may be within reach. With the help of international allies, complete malaria eradication in the Caribbean is possible.

Understanding Malaria and Its Dangers

Malaria is a dangerous parasitic infection that humans can catch through female mosquito bites. Symptoms can manifest in various ways, such as fevers and muscle aches. Contracting the disease requires urgent medical care due to the severity of the illness. Symptoms can become extremely painful as they progress and, without treatment, malaria can result in death. While treatment can be effective, no vaccine currently exists against infection. This makes malaria an urgent issue that requires global action.

The dangers of malaria compound its impact on human health. The social and economic effects of malaria can be a major hindrance to a nation’s development. Pregnant women are one of the most vulnerable groups that malaria can affect. This threatens female attendance within education and hinders their participation in the general economy, thus widening the gender equality gap within affected nations such as Haiti or the Dominican Republic. The end result is that women are moving further into poverty.

A History of Malaria in the Caribbean

Malaria has existed across the globe for centuries with it being most prevalent in tropical regions. The Caribbean is no exception to this, however, there is some speculation regarding malaria’s introduction to the region. Theories have determined that malaria arrived in the Caribbean through European exploration of the Americas and the transatlantic slave trade. Epidemics continued to plague the entire region throughout the first half of the 20th century before widespread eradication efforts took hold.

Today, the World Health Organization’s Global Malaria Programme has placed a majority of the Caribbean nations on its certified list of malaria-free countries and territories. Programs such as this have supported malaria eradication in the Caribbean, while investments into health care systems have also helped the region get to where it is at now. These programs are typically a mixture of mass treatment as well as a targeted treatment for the most at-risk groups. As a result, Haiti and the Dominican Republic remain the last two countries within the Caribbean awaiting malaria eradication.

The Last Strong Hold

In 2004, the Dominican Republic was experiencing a rise in malaria cases. This came decades after most of the Caribbean had eliminated it. Reported infections rose by 31% that year alone. Due to the country being a major tourist destination, malaria affected many international visitors. At least 14 international tourists from Western Europe and North America contracted malaria during the spike. Although the risk to tourists remained low and still is to this day, the presence of the disease acts as a deterrent for potential visitors. The Dominican Republic relies heavily on tourist revenue, as do many of its island neighbors. This means that any threat to the industry could result in further impoverishment for the nation’s citizens.

Malaria has an even stronger albeit diminishing hold on neighboring Haiti. Haiti came close to eradicating malaria in 1968 through the Global Eradication Program. As a result, malaria’s presence within Haiti dropped to less than 1%. However, unfortunately, Haiti did not sustain its efforts to eliminate malaria due to a lack of funding and political instability. Haiti saw a rise in malaria cases in the 70s and the turmoil that Haiti’s 2010 earthquake caused further stifled efforts to combat the disease. The most recent statistics for 2020 showed a total of 22,987 cases in Haiti. Limited funds and natural disasters, among other political disturbances, have prevented malaria from being eliminated from the island of Hispaniola.

Solutions

Haiti’s National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), along with support from the U.S.-based CDC, has helped implement widespread testing as well as initiatives to control mosquito populations. These efforts have seen malaria cases in Haiti reduce by 50% since 2009. In 2015, the CDC worked with the Haitian government and researchers to collect blood samples and carry out surveys to identify activities that may be putting individuals at risk of catching malaria. The surveys encompassed approximately 20% of the population in Haiti’s Verrettes and La Chapelle communes. These efforts also extend across the island into the Dominican Republic.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) also began operations in Haiti in response to the 2010 earthquake. Rapid diagnostic testing has now become the main method of tracking the spread of malaria across Haiti. Malaria elimination in the Caribbean is now in sight due to international efforts and interventions. With continued help, total malaria eradication will be a reality.

– Bryce Mathurin Lindsay
Photo: Flickr

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USAID’s $331 Million Initiative

USAID's $331 Million Initiative
On June 9, 2022, during the Ninth Summit of the Americas, Samantha Power, administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that USAID will allocate $331 million to help bolster “medium-to-long-term food security and resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.” USAID’s $331 million initiative to address food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean also includes direct emergency food assistance to vulnerable populations in the region. In addition to emergency food assistance, USAID will allocate more than $198 million in related assistance including sanitation and hygiene intervention. Subject to congressional approval, USAID will also spend more than $132 million on resources for smallholder farmers.

Powers explained, “The food crisis in the Americas will not be solved solely through emergency food assistance — far from it. It requires a long-term solution, one that sees Latin and Central American communities as partners rather than recipients.”

How Food Insecurity Impacted Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

Food insecurity has negatively affected the livelihood of families and individuals in Latin America and the Caribbean. For instance, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that more than 3.9 million Guatemalans “experienced high levels of food insecurity” between March and May 2022. Furthermore, the IPC also predicts that the number could increase to 4.6 million from June to September 2022. In addition, a 2022 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and United Nations World Food Programme survey found that 40% of the English-speaking Caribbean population suffers from food insecurity. That is a sharp increase from 2020. USAID’s $331 million initiative aims to reverse this trend.

On-the-Ground USAID Operations to Help Smallholder Farmers

USAID’s $331 million initiative also includes on-the-ground operations to tackle the issue head-on. A model for this type of support was the Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation program in Guatemala, which helped smallholder farmers access new and commercially-viable agricultural technology. From 2015 to 2018, the Feed the Future program helped more than 1,400 Guatemalan producers improve access to quality potato seeds. This illustrates the type of assistance USAID will be conducting in its effort to help Latin American and Caribbean countries tackle food insecurity with its $331 million initiative.

On-the-Ground USAID Operations to Help Households

USAID also has programs to support households in Latin America and the Caribbean struggling with food insecurity. For instance, USAID supported the 2015 – 2018 Más Riego program in Guatemala which aimed to improve smallholder family nutrition and income through training youth, smallholder businesses and families. Specifically, this project helped Guatemalan households and youth by training them on how to use low-pressure drip irrigation. This is the type of program USAID will support with the new $331 million initiative.

Looking Ahead

The influx of USAID funding for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean highlights an increasing prioritization of international development in U.S. foreign policy. As the Biden administration commented during the summit, the new USAID initiative “will result in big deliverables on issues for Latin America and the Caribbean such as migration, democracy, economic recovery and climate change.”

– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr

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How ECHORN is Supporting the Caribbean

Supporting the Caribbean
The Caribbean has long been a source of tropical weather including disastrous hurricanes, which can sweep some of the developing Caribbean countries to their feet. With high wind speeds and paths that often hit kilometers wide, hurricanes can be very dangerous to land and its ecosystems and to people and their economies. Before a hurricane ever hits the Caribbean there is already a financial disparity, causing rebuilding to be more difficult for lower-income areas. As a result, supporting the Caribbean is incredibly important.

Homes in lower-income areas usually comprise less expensive materials that cannot withstand a hurricane. Lower-income areas may also not have access to technology for updates on the weather, where to receive assistance in times of a weather crisis and a lack of general communication between family and friends. This can be a huge stressor for those living in low-income areas that experience hurricanes. In Puerto Rico, the poverty rate in 2021 was 43.4%.

A study from Geroge Washington University reported on Hurricane Maria that “mortality that resulted not just from direct impact from the storm but from things like failure to get to a hospital because of impassable roads or insufficient or expired medicine for people with heart ailments or chronic illnesses.” Hurricanes in the Caribbean can exacerbate homeless and further displacement. For this reason, it is necessary that organizations including ECHORN are supporting the Caribbean after hurricanes.

Notable Hurricanes in the Caribbean Between 1979-1994

According to a 2019 St. Lucia Loop News article, the following hurricanes discussed are the deadliest hurricanes to hit the Caribbean thus far. The fourth deadliest hurricane to hit the Caribbean was Hurricane Gordon occurring from November 8 to 21, 1994. Hurricane Gordon made impacts on Jamaica, the Bahamas, Cuba and Turks and Caicos. Windspeeds were up to 85 mph and although it was only a category 1 hurricane, it caused $594.1 million in damage and took 1,152 lives.

The third deadliest hurricane to hit the Caribbean was Hurricane David which hit between August 25 to September 8, 1979. Hurricane David made a major impact on the Dominican Republic, specifically on August 29, 1979. Windspeeds for Hurricane David reached 175 mph causing $1.54 billion in damages. On August 30, 1979, Hurricane David turned into a category 5 hurricane, producing waves of 20-30 feet and mudslides which killed 1, 200 people out of a total of 2,068 deaths.

Notable Hurricanes in the Caribbean Between 2004-2019

The second deadliest hurricane to affect the Caribbean was Hurricane Jeane, which hit Puerto Rica and lasted from September 13-28, 2004. Windspeeds for Hurricane Jeane reached 120 mph and left damages in its wake costing $7.94 billion, according to Loop St. Lucia News.

The deadliest hurricane to occur in the Caribbean from 1979 to 2019 was Hurricane Maria, totaling 3,059 deaths. Hurricane Maria occurred from September 16 to October 2, 2017, and hit Puerto Rico, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Anguilla, The British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Hurricane Maria hit the Dominican Republic with winds up to 175 mph in affected areas, causing $96.1 billion in damages, Loop St. Lucia News reports. The hurricane left some areas without food, clean water and electricity for several months.

One can only imagine the devastation that many Caribbean people and islands have endured over the years. Hurricanes can be a deadly part of life for many living in the Caribbean. This is why it is imperative that teams are working remotely and on the ground to aid survivors and rebuild communities of those impacted by Caribbean hurricanes.

ECHORN: Supporting Caribbean Communities After Hurricanes

The Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network is a team of individuals located in various parts of the Caribbean as well as the United States. Dr. Marcella Nunez Smith started ECHORN in 2017 after Hurricane Irma and Maria, “which devastated the Caribbean islands of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Barbuda, Dominica and many others.” ECHORN is working to alleviate disease in the Caribbean through action-oriented research.

Most of its work pertains to disease research but it also has a Caribbean Hurricane Relief Fund that supports the Caribbean people, land and economy. ECHORN’s reason for helping Caribbean communities after a disaster is because “Climate change causes more severe storms and hurricanes that threaten island communities. The Caribbean is already under serious economic strain from the ongoing pandemic. Decreases in tourism, dependency on food imports and stagnant economic growth have complicated plans for disaster preparedness and recovery.” The ECHORN Hurricane Relief Fund is supporting the Caribbean nonprofits that aid in community health and well-being after natural disasters, such as hurricanes. ECHORN has a committment to providing long-term support to the Caribbean islands. Its goal in supporting Caribbean communities is to rebuild and restore crucial health and social services for the well-being of all who live there.

ECHORN’s Accomplishments in Supporting the Caribbean

ECHORN hurricane relief funds have gone towards rebuilding communities and establishing positive impacts on Caribbean communities. At the Caño Martín Peña ENLACE Project of San Juan, Puerto Rico, ECHORN’s hurricane relief funds were able to help rebuild a community garden, which not only feeds the community but provides safety and community involvement. Additionally, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands was able to purchase a community-sized refrigerator to hold more food to provide for people in the community.

Hand2Earth of St. Vincent & the Grenadines used ECHORN’s hurricane relief funds to support vetiver projects in the Dominican Republic. “Planting the vetiver grass restores and stabilizes eroded landscapes. When harvested, the grass also provides a renewable resource for a craft industry that supports at-risk populations.” Because of ECHORN’s dedication to supporting the Caribbean, efforts have occurred to rebuild and improve Caribbean communities after disaster strikes.

– Kaley Anderson
Photo: Flickr

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Cell Service and Disaster Recovery in the Caribbean

Cell ServiceWhen a hurricane rips through a Caribbean island, news sites often report the destruction of buildings, damaged roads and lost lives. However, one of the most important things that people lose in a natural disaster is often invisible to a spectator’s eye: cellular connectivity. Cell service is crucial to life in the Caribbean islands, just as it is around the world. When Caribbean countries lose cell service, rescue operations, the economy and society itself grind to a halt. That is why many people have been developing creative ways to ensure cellular access during natural disasters.

In 2017, Hurricane Maria destroyed 75% of Puerto Rico’s cell towers, which deprived 91% of Puerto Ricans of their cell service. The most immediate effect of losing service was the inability of rescue teams to find or assist survivors. For weeks after the disaster, large parts of the island remained unable to communicate with the rest of the world to tell people about the island’s condition.

Rebuilding After Hurricane Maria

The lack of internet and cellular service proved a chronic problem for Puerto Rico as it attempted to rebuild after Hurricane Maria. Businesses were unable to advertise or sell their goods, and people could not coordinate rebuilding projects.

Even a year after Hurricane Maria, 10% of small businesses had not reopened and 40% of the population had lost their jobs or were earning less than they had before the hurricane. Estimates of the total financial cost of the hurricane range from $43 billion to $159 billion.

Cell Service and Subscriptions

In Puerto Rico, the internet is so important that the poorest 40% of the population pay about one-fifth of their income for broadband service. The rest of the Caribbean is equally dependent on connectivity. In most Caribbean countries, there are more cell subscriptions than people. The island nation of Dominica, for example, had 152 cell subscriptions for every 100 people in 2014. While other Caribbean countries have been lucky enough to avoid destruction on the scale of Puerto Rico, cellular and internet access after hurricanes is a region-wide problem.

Organizations Helping

Various organizations have proposed many innovations that could provide access to cell service and the internet in the aftermath of a disaster. One potential solution is internet balloons. These are huge balloons that float more than 12 miles in the air and grant internet access to huge swathes of land. Such balloons can undergo quick deployment in the wake of catastrophe and remain in the sky for as long as necessary. Unfortunately, Google’s Loon, the largest maker of these balloons, has shut down. As a result, the future of the idea is in doubt.

Other solutions also exist. Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a special way of sending radio signals in disaster situations. TETRA is a decentralized system, so it can broadcast from boats, storm shelters, planes and countless other mediums.

TETRA is also a two-way system, allowing people to communicate with each other in addition to a central broadcaster. Several Caribbean nations, such as the Dominican Republic, already use TETRA systems to provide both warning and relief to the public.

Natural disasters are inevitable, and so much depends on a country’s ability to respond to and recover from them. Perhaps no factor is as important for recovery as good cellular and internet service. New technology will hopefully ensure that connectivity continues when people most need it.

– Thomas Brodey
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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A Look at USAID Hurricane Preparation Efforts

USAID hurricane preparation effortsBefore hurricanes arrive, aid organizations such as USAID work to prepare for the natural disasters. USAID hurricane preparation efforts for the Atlantic hurricane season include ensuring that the organization itself and communities in Latin America and the Caribbean have the supplies and knowledge needed to minimize the impact of hurricanes. With the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season underway, USAID’s preparation efforts will help communities, especially those most impacted by poverty, recover from the aftermath of hurricanes.

The 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast

June 1 marked the start of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season with the arrival of the first Atlantic hurricane, Hurricane Elsa. According to AccuWeather meteorologists, Hurricane Elsa is one of seven to 10 hurricanes expected for the year 2021. Meteorologists believe three to five of these hurricanes will qualify as major hurricanes — hurricanes with wind speeds more than or equal to 111 miles per hour.

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season forecast predicts a season with above-average intensity, but meteorologists do not forecast a record-breaking season. As with the 2020 hurricane season, COVID-19 presents a challenge for evacuation and relief efforts.

The increased poverty levels in Latin America and the Caribbean also create a new challenge for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. Extreme poverty levels increased in the region during 2020 due to COVID-19, with approximately 12.5% of Latin America and the Caribbean’s population currently living in extreme poverty.

People living in poverty face more barriers in recovering from the impact of hurricanes because they lack access to financial resources that could help them rebuild and seek assistance after hurricanes land. Furthermore, impoverished countries usually lack resilient infrastructure and housing, making these countries more vulnerable to damage and destruction.

Off-site USAID Preparation

Effective USAID hurricane preparation efforts require the agency to accumulate the supplies needed to help people affected by hurricanes. USAID maintains supply stockpiles in the U.S. state of Miami, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Pisa in Italy. By maintaining these stockpiles, USAID can distribute supplies as needed.

USAID hurricane preparation efforts also include testing temporary shelter in simulated hurricane conditions offsite before taking it to disaster-prone areas. Testing housing helps ensure that people impacted by hurricanes receive shelter that is safe and resilient to natural disasters.

On-site USAID Preparation

USAID hurricane preparation efforts also involve working with people on-site in communities at risk of hurricanes. USAID trains meteorologists, educates people about individual safeguarding measures to take to stay safe during hurricanes, stations experts in the Caribbean and Latin America and sends teams to disaster sites before hurricanes make landfall. All these actions help minimize the impact of hurricanes. To create teams that are familiar with the region before disasters happen, USAID stations long-term consultants, advisers and program officers in Latin America and the Caribbean.

USAID’s onsite work in Latin America and the Caribbean creates a network of people prepared to respond to disasters. As of May 2019, USAID trained 70,000 people in the region on disaster response. USAID provides disaster management teams with the necessary information to evacuate regions before flash floods begin, the most life-threatening aspect of hurricanes, by training meteorologists to evaluate the risk of flash floods.

Hurricane preparation saves lives by ensuring that physical and human capital is in place to respond to hurricanes and their after-effects. The Atlantic hurricane season continues until November 30, 2021. With the dedication of organizations such as USAID, disaster response in developing countries is strengthened and the impacts of natural disasters are mitigated.

– Caroline Kuntzman
Photo: Flickr

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COVID-19 Vaccination in Dominica

COVID-19 Vaccination in Dominica
In the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, many people are now receiving COVID-19 vaccinations. Through the combined efforts of several world organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dominica has received a steady supply of vaccines to help combat COVID-19.

Vaccines from COVAX

As of July 2021, the island of Dominica had seen 194 coronavirus cases and no deaths since the outbreak back in March 2020. As of April 2021, Dominica has received 28,800 doses of the vaccine through the COVAX Mechanism, which it will distribute throughout the country. Dominica is one of the 10 countries in the Americas that have received doses of COVID-19 vaccinations at no cost through COVAX.

“We will continue to work with the country to support vaccination along with the entire package of known public health and social measures that we know can help stop the spread of [COVID-19], protect health services and save lives,” said Dr. Yitades Gebre of the PAHO and WHO in an interview with those organizations.

Campaign for COVID-19 Vaccination in Dominica

As of early July 2021, Dominica has administered nearly 40,000 doses to its population. More than 20,000 people, or around 29% of the population, have received at least one shot, and nearly 20,000 more have received both doses of the vaccine. However, even though the COVID-19 vaccination in Dominica is underway, it will still take some time. Recently, the government has been able to give about 25 doses per day and it is on track to have another 10% of the population fully vaccinated in the next 585 days.

People are still contracting the virus as vaccination levels increase, but the U.S. has deemed Dominica a low-risk country. However, the Dominican government has declared that travelers must submit a negative COVID-19 test 24-72 hours before entering the island. People traveling from Dominica must also submit another negative test before reentering the United States, and the Centers for Disease Control advises that they self-quarantine for seven days upon their arrival.

With the majority of Dominicans still not fully vaccinated, the country’s basic COVID-19 prevention tactics are still in full effect. All residents must continue to socially distance themselves from one another, wear masks at all times in public areas, keep up personal hygiene and self-quarantine if they have contracted the virus or been in contact with someone who has. However, the Dominican government and organizations like the U.N. and PAHO remain hopeful that the pandemic will be under control soon enough on the island.

Economic Support for Pandemic Recovery

Not only have WHO and PAHO helped more Dominican citizens receive COVID-19 vaccination in Dominica, but the World Bank Group has also offered support to help Dominica recover from the pandemic. It has given the Dominican government $25 million in COVID-19 relief to help lay the foundation for long-term economic recovery. As of 2009, Dominica’s poverty rate was about 30%. Funding from the World Bank Group will improve the island’s economy by helping restore stability and jobs as the government works to combat the coronavirus.

– Demetrous Nobles
Photo: Flickr

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US Economic Partnership with the Caribbean Islands

Partnership with the Caribbean IslandsThe vibrant atmospheres and scenic views in the Caribbean reach across 14 islands, as well as six more that are categorized as the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States. These islands in the Caribbean Sea have relatively small economies that are fiercely dependent on tourism. About 15% of employment and 13.9% of the Caribbean’s GDP centers around tourism, making the Caribbean islands the most tourism-dependent region in the world. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had a disastrous impact on the economy of several Caribbean islands, as people were not traveling and tourism decreased. Due to the United States’ reinstated partnership with the Caribbean islands, the economy may be looking up.

Background of Poverty in the Caribbean

The Caribbean’s exclusion of its poor has been apparent throughout its history, owing to hierarchies of race, class and gender established back through colonial domination. Around 30% of people live in poverty and most jobs that are accessible for uneducated people are low-skilled and low-paid.

There are few opportunities for impoverished people to gain ground in the Caribbean, and there was an even larger setback in the economy due to the lack of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has contracted the economy by approximately 8.6%. The ability of the Caribbean’s economy to bounce back from the pandemic will determine how many more of its people will fall below the poverty line.

Past U.S. Partnership with the Caribbean Islands

The U.S. has been the Caribbean’s largest trading partner for many years. Likewise, the Caribbean is the U.S.’s sixth-largest trading partner, with around 35.3 billion dollars exchanged between the two each year. The U.S. partnership with the Caribbean began in 1983 with the Caribbean Basin Initiative, consisting of two trade programs: the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act and the US-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act. These help Caribbean countries have more open access to U.S. markets.

The United States’ partnership with the Caribbean islands helps to boost its economy while simultaneously creating more jobs to employ Caribbean residents. This further emphasizes the importance of the U.S.’s reiteration of its commitment to the Caribbean.

Importance of Future U.S. Partnership with the Caribbean Islands

In June 2021, the United States committed itself to partner with the Caribbean as a means for economic growth and the eradication of poverty. This commitment was vocalized as the keynote address at the American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago by Ian Saunders, the U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere.

Saunders assured the Chamber of Commerce that the United States is a committed partner to the growth of the economy post-pandemic and of their efforts to help eradicate poverty throughout the islands.

According to the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, Saunders stated that a Caribbean Region Trade Mission and Business Conference will take place in October 2021 with the help of the U.S. Department of Commerce and 14 American embassies. This conference will help connect U.S. companies to opportunities in the islands.

The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted a positive growth rate that had been maintained by the Caribbean for many years, decimating a lot of hard work by the islanders and plunging many people below the poverty line.

With the United States showing support for the economic backing of the Caribbean, things are looking up for tourism rates and commodity exportation to increase. 

– Allie Degner
Photo: Flickr

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Supporting Women in Barbados Combats Trafficking

Women in BarbadosHuman trafficking is prevalent in the Caribbean, including the island of Barbados. Trafficking is the act of transporting a person with the intention of forced or coerced labor. Research conducted by the Criminal Justice Research and Planning Unit (CJRPU) indicates that women’s involvement in drug trafficking is more prevalent among those who are uneducated and live in circumstances of poverty with little economic opportunity. The financial rewards of drug trafficking are appealing to women dealing with extreme economic hardship and poverty. Women are involved in trafficking more often than men. Specifically, mothers fall victim to trafficking to take care of their children and help their families out of poverty. Anti-trafficking efforts support women in Barbados and other Caribbean islands.

Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership

The Caribbean Institute for Women in Leadership (CIWiL), together with several partners, works to create a more favorable environment for female leadership. The CIWiL is a multi-partisan organization without political affiliations that strengthens female leaders’ decision-making in Barbados. Its work is primarily achieved through building initiatives. Currently, webinars are accessible through the CIWiL website. The webinars are about leadership, politics and socio-economic subjects. The website has other political and economic resources such as initiatives for Young Women in Leadership (YWiL) in the Caribbean. One of these initiatives took place in October 2020 in Antigua and Barbuda. This program worked on building personal development skills for women ages 18 to 25 who are actively passionate about public leadership.

Efforts to Support Entrepreneurship

In July 2011, the CIWiL began its activity in Barbados to support events and initiatives that empower female entrepreneurs. In February of the same year, the Barbados government’s Bureau of Gender Affairs held a workshop to celebrate the Day of Women of the Americas for Leaders. The workshop hosted women in the Caribbean who are actively aspiring political or public leaders, helping them learn and build on their leadership skills. The Bureau is confident that supporting entrepreneurship will aid women in Barbados and be an efficient way to combat human trafficking. Developing the country’s economy helps decrease poverty in the country. Providing outlets for businesses to grow also creates significant opportunities for women to explore healthier income avenues.

HIV/AIDS Prevention

The Caribbean is leading at number two for the highest HIV/AIDs prevalence rate in the world. USAID launched a five-year initiative in 2015 to support the Caribbean’s efforts to combat the virus. The Bureau of Gender Affairs declares women’s health a pertinent issue, that if addressed, will support women trafficked in Barbados. From July to September 2011, the Bureau conducted a series of workshops addressing HIV/AIDS. The workshops discussed women’s susceptibility to HIV/AIDS and how to create more awareness and understanding of the topic. The event successfully implemented supportive measures for women in Barbados, including educational tools.

Barbados-United States Partnership

The U.S. Embassy Bridgetown Public Affairs Section (PAS) is trying to implement a new fixed grant system for Barbados. There are about 24 grants awarded for up to $24,000 each. These grants hope to strengthen the Barbados relationship with the U.S. Department of State. The more economically beneficial relationships Barbados has, the greater the opportunity to decrease poverty. Providing women trafficked in Barbados with more options for quality work is imperative to stop the lure of trafficking.

Commitment to Anti-Human Trafficking

Barbados will continue to be successful with its measures to support women and stop human trafficking. The Bureau of Gender Affairs is putting stress on expanding women’s economic status through productive initiatives that provide more opportunities for women in Barbados vulnerable to human trafficking. These anti-human trafficking efforts are the start of increased female empowerment in Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean.

– Libby Keefe
Photo: Flickr

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Caribbean Nations Unites on Storm Resilience

storm resilienceThe Caribbean region is facing an accelerated amount of devastating storms and severe weather incidents. With the Atlantic hurricane season becoming longer and more aggressive, as well as the additional crippling effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caribbean nations are struggling to persevere. It was predicted that from June 2020 to November 2020 there would be as many as 19 named storms, with up to six potentially becoming major hurricanes. In the Caribbean, a typical hurricane season has 12 named storms and three major hurricanes. Caribbean nations have united on storm resilience in the face of disaster in order to strengthen their disaster response.

COVID-19 and Caribbean Storms

The COVID-19 pandemic has already made it difficult to rebuild from past storms. Economies have been critically damaged as many regions depend on tourism. Furthermore, the government has to now prioritize already minimal resources for the public health crisis instead of disaster relief efforts.

With more devastating storms to come, the well-being of these Caribbean nations is a critical concern. Amid the uncertainty, Caribbean nations have united on storm resilience to implement effective emergency preparedness and response.

Initiating Institutional Reform

Nations throughout the Caribbean are acknowledging the obstacle of insufficient investments in National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs) that stem from deficiencies in their institutional frameworks. In January 2021, The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) launched an initiative to augment disaster preparedness and enact institutional evaluations for Eastern Caribbean countries like Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines and St. Lucia. These evaluations, conducted by in-person interviews and questionnaires from national disaster experts and program representatives, will find weaknesses in each countries respective NDMOs. From there, the initiative will create a foundation that will support future regional cooperation.

During these institutional assessments, a reoccurring fault was the inadequacy of the NDMOs ability to collect and manage triable data and information. In response, the project received further funding to implement data collection training workshops that cover managing COVID-19 and the oncoming hurricane season. To guarantee the sustainability of these reforms, the project needs to engage policymakers and stakeholders within the government as well as gain input from ministries of finance in the countries involved.

Mobilizing Finance and Insurance Coverage

Caribbean nations have united on storm resilience by developing the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) in 2007 which provides the region with insurance coverage for hurricanes and earthquakes. This “sovereign parametric” insurance method is bought by the government and relies on risk modeling instead of on-the-ground damage evaluations to estimate the cost of disasters. The insurance policy automatically pays out when pre-agreed conditions like wind speed, rainfall and modeled economic losses meet or exceed a certain limit.

This creates fast payouts that avoid time-consuming damage evaluations. This also allows businesses to reopen sooner, roads and airports to quickly start operating again and affected communities to recover faster, preventing further long-term damage.

USAID Collaboration in Disaster Response Training

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has continued to support the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to expand the Red Cross national societies in Caribbean countries. USAID allocated more than $43.1 million in 2020 to support disaster risk reduction activities in Latin America and the Caribbean. These tools will empower communities to adequately prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.

Setting an Example During Turbulent Times

Preventing future destruction from violent storms and natural disasters will require serious commitment and collaboration among Caribbean nations. In addition, these circumstances call for increased international support during a time where pre-existing vulnerabilities have been intensified by a threatening pandemic. Witnessing how Caribbean nations have united on storm resilience in face of disaster can provide a positive example for other countries during a time where global unity is most essential.

– Alyssa McGrail
Photo: Flickr

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IDB Lab: Including the Traditionally Excluded

traditionally excludedOne of the gravest mistakes made when discussing development initiatives is presuming to know what communities’ most relevant problems are without involving those experiencing them. The members of traditionally excluded communities have the necessary knowledge to not only identify the best solutions to the challenges they face but to articulate and call attention to these challenges in the first place. Including traditionally excluded communities in the innovation process is a key ingredient in tackling some of the biggest development challenges of today. IDB Lab is an innovation lab born out of the Inter-American Development Bank Group that aims to do just this, promoting solutions that have been developed with and for excluded communities.

Incubating Innovation

IDB Lab mobilizes financing, knowledge and connections to support creators of inclusive solutions geared to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. These innovative projects target people who are usually excluded from traditional markets. The projects also target populations made vulnerable by economic, social or environmental factors. Such people often do not get to participate in the decision-making process that influences public and private services designed in their favor. IDB Lab prioritizes the involvement of beneficiaries to ensure that relevant solutions are proposed and implemented.

Since 1993, IDB Lab has deployed more than 2,300 operations across 26 Latin American and Caribbean countries, amounting to more than $2 billion put toward development projects. These have included 161 loans, 144 equity investments and more than 2,000 technical cooperation projects. The creative thinkers who champion these ideas come from universities, non-governmental organizations, private firms, and importantly, excluded populations.

The Process

IDB Lab relies on crowdsourcing so that excluded individuals can voice their challenges as well as their preference and knowledge of solutions. Crowdsourcing is essentially gathering and applying the wisdom of a group, a practice that has become increasingly popular and feasible with the emergence of smartphones and social media.

Crowdsourcing fills knowledge gaps and the people in need of the solutions are engaged in it. IDB Lab follows a seven-step process when crowdsourcing data.

7-Step Crowdsourcing Process

  1. Excluded individuals voice their challenges
  2. The group of excluded individuals ranks these challenges
  3. Creative thinkers supply innovative ideas as solutions
  4. These ideas compete with one another and become solutions
  5. IDB Lab and partners fund the winning solutions
  6. Impactful innovations are generated
  7. The innovations developed ideally solve the problems

Informed Decisions, Effective Solutions

IDB Lab favors interdisciplinary collaboration as opposed to a single-sector approach, recognizing the complexities and varying perspectives present among the challenges faced by traditionally excluded communities. Technology facilitates inclusive communication, thus, the group has a strong tech basis. These technologies also ensure democratic and demand-driven development. Technology also offers efficient tools to tackle international development in inventive ways.

Successful social innovation requires sourcing and employing the knowledge of traditionally excluded populations. The more accurate the understanding of a community’s hardships, the more effective the proposed solutions are going to be. IDB Lab recognizes this. IDB Lab finds those who are experiencing hardship and offers them a voice. Crowdsourcing techniques enable IDB Lab to identify and support the development initiatives that are most relevant, inclusive and impactful.

– Margot Seidel
Photo: Flickr