Archive for category: Children

Information and stories addressing children.

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Argentina

Poverty Eradication in ArgentinaArgentina, located in South America with a population of 45.7 million, has faced persistent economic instability, with 38% of the population living in poverty at the end of 2024. Although the number of people experiencing poverty in Argentina is alarming, this percentage has decreased from 53% in the first half of 2024 with President Milei’s attempts to grow Argentina’s economy. However, despite these improved figures, there is still a long way to go, and organizations and the government are continuing to work to get more people out of poverty. Here are three key innovations in poverty eradication in Argentina.

IDB Group Financial Support Package 

Last month, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) outlined a three-year strategy to support the transformation of Argentina. This plan, developed with the government, focuses on implementing reforms to ‘promote sustainability and efficient public spending.’ As part of this strategy, the IDB Group allocated $10 billion to grow Argentina’s economy and reduce poverty faced by the country. Both the private and public sectors will receive this financial support package. About $3 billion will be focused on private investment, with the remaining $7 billion focused on initiatives in the public sector. Furthermore, the plan also focuses on addressing poverty directly by ensuring the health care and education systems are improved, as well as living conditions for the most vulnerable populations.

Early Childhood Strategy 

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted Argentina’s poor early childhood care system and existing inequality, as 2.7 million children are part of a vulnerable group. In response to this, the UN’s early childhood and sustainable development programme worked with the Argentine government to address this ‘care crisis.’ This strategy focuses on improving the childcare system across the country and has trained almost 3,000 workers on the effects of COVID-19 and social isolation on children. These improvements have worked to narrow the inequality gaps between children and are integral innovations in eradicating poverty in Argentina.

Income Transfer Programmes 

Income Transfer Programmes have been a key method in alleviating poverty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government expanded cash transfers to 9 million workers, subsidizing the income of the most vulnerable in Argentina. However, while Income Transfer Programmes are not a new method of eradicating poverty as one that has been in place for 20 years, recent developments have increased their impact. For example, the Universal Child Allowance, since it became the most prominent programme, led to a 3% decrease in Argentina’s overall poverty and a nearly 30% decrease in extreme poverty.

Looking Forward 

While the innovations in poverty eradication in Argentina outlined here have been crucial in lowering poverty rates and will continue to be, the fight to truly eliminate poverty in the country is far from over. The complex and structural issues leading to Argentina’s high poverty rate persist. However, the various innovations in poverty reduction outlined here represent a holistic approach to tackling Argentina’s issues and, therefore, offer hope for eradicating poverty in the country.

– Victoria Adrados

Victoria is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Bolivia’s Ineffective Education System Is Failing Its Children

Bolivia’s Ineffective Education SystemIn the heart of South America, Bolivia faces a profound education crisis that threatens its youth’s future and the nation’s economic stability. Despite minimal efforts to reform and invest in education, systemic barriers, poverty and inequality continue to prevent millions of Bolivian children from accessing quality schooling. Only one in seven children completes their education. Additionally, more than a million Bolivians aged 15 and above remain illiterate. Hence, the country is grappling with a cycle of underdevelopment that could deepen if left unaddressed.

The Roots of the Crisis

Bolivia has the lowest GDP per capita in South America, at just $4,000. This economic reality directly impacts education, especially in rural and indigenous communities. Students in rural areas complete an average of only 4.2 years of schooling before dropping out to support their families, compared to 9.4 years in urban areas.

Data from the Bolivian Campaign for the Right to Education (CBDE) shows that most students struggle with basic literacy and comprehension. About 70% of third graders and 80% of sixth graders cannot interpret or reflect on written texts. Math and science performance is similarly low, with most students scoring at the lowest levels and unable to apply fundamental concepts.

Data from the World Bank shows that over time, Bolivian children are not completing secondary education courses, while fewer and fewer students enroll in primary education. Bolivia’s ineffective education system fails to equip students with even the most basic skills, leaving them unprepared for higher education and the workforce.

The country’s education system also suffers from a mismatch between what students learn and what the labor market demands. This makes it one of the significant catalysts for an ever-growing wealth disparity. Many graduates find themselves ill-equipped for Bolivia’s dominant agriculture, mining and construction industries, which favor hands-on experience over formal education.

Poverty and Education: A Repeating Cycle

The lack of education in Bolivia is both a cause and a consequence of poverty. Children who leave school early often enter informal labor markets with little opportunity for upward mobility. This keeps a cycle going where families stay trapped in poverty, unable to invest in their children’s futures and it continues for generations. Similar patterns are seen in other countries facing economic struggles.

Several studies have found a strong correlation between education and poverty reduction. Higher levels of education significantly decrease the probability of being impoverished and reduce income inequality. Yet, Bolivia’s ineffective education system fails to deliver these benefits to its vulnerable populations.

Government Efforts and Community Initiatives

Bolivia has tried to make notable efforts to reform its education system. The 1994 education reform aimed to decentralize funding, improve teacher training and expand intercultural bilingual education. These reforms were designed to address the diverse needs of Bolivia’s population, especially in rural and indigenous areas. While efforts to mainstream Indigenous languages in education and reform teaching methods yielded encouraging results, other challenges hinder broader school progress.

In 2010, the Bolivian government enacted the Avelino Siñani–Elizardo Pérez Education Law. This law redefined the country’s educational framework by establishing an educational system rooted in cultural diversity, social inclusion and lifelong learning principles. Rather than using the term “lifelong learning,” the law emphasizes “alternative education,” which serves youth and adults seeking to continue their studies outside the conventional educational system given to them.

The law also promotes education as a fundamental human right and an integration into intercultural and multilingual approaches to strengthen social cohesion, especially among indigenous communities. The holistic approach aimed to democratize access to education and align learning with Bolivia’s social and cultural realities.

Organizations like CHOICE Humanitarian have also taken action to fill gaps. CHOICE Humanitarian has built schools with solar panels, internet access and ecological classrooms that double as greenhouses, providing education and nutrition to students in remote areas. Despite these efforts, Bolivia’s ineffective education system struggles with implementation, consistency and scalability, especially in underserved regions.

The Path Forward

Bolivia’s ineffective education system is complex, rooted in historical inequalities and economic hardship. Yet, the country can pave the way for a brighter future with sustained investment, community involvement and policy reform. In this future, every child can learn, grow and contribute to a prosperous Bolivia.

– Dylan Fly

Dylan is based in Detroit, MI, USA and focuses on Business and New Markets for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Returning to School: Ukrainian Children in Poverty

Ukrainian Children in PovertyDuring the Russo-Ukrainian war, attacks have destroyed or damaged 1,600 schools in Ukraine, according to U.N.-verified data. Nearly 40 % of children across Ukraine study only online or through remote classes and in-person study. Returning to school for children in Ukraine is important for mental health improvements, development and well-being. It is equally worrying for those children who were born three years ago at the start of the Russian invasion and have now spent their early years in extreme loss, during which their brains develop the fastest and set their foundation for life.

Ukrainian Children in Poverty

There are 3.7 million Ukrainians internally displaced within the country, with 1.4 million refugee children. Furthermore, reports show that more than 600,000 children remain out of school and as of 2024, the poverty rate in Ukraine has risen to 37%, according to the World Bank. This absence of schools for children in Ukraine puts further pressure on lower-income homes, which may struggle to homeschool their children.

Those in poverty may also lack the means for their children to access school remotely due to a lack of resources. Rebuilding schools will help families in poverty and provide a comforting and warm place for children to learn life-long skills.

In 2023, poverty levels among Ukrainian children were at 65% due to the ongoing war. With this number only likely to increase with the ongoing war, it is more vital now than ever to get children in Ukraine back into schools.

Repairing Schools in Ukraine

The European Union (EU) is funding the “School Repairs in Ukraine” project, which has become possible through the Directorate-General for the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO). This scheme has been in action by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and will see around 2,000 children across communities in Kyiv and Chernihiv return to schools that offer in-person learning with safe and comfortable conditions.

So far, 44 educational facilities have been restored in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Chernihiv, with plans to renovate more than 70 additional schools by the end of 2025. EU head Marianna Franco emphasized the importance of in-person learning, noting its vital role in a child’s development. She stated, “Restoring access to educational facilities in Ukraine remains one of the key priorities of the EU’s support to Ukraine.”

The LEARN Program

The Lifting Education Access and Resilience in Times of Need (LEARN) is a $415 million education program. It will improve school safety conditions, provide free transport, implement education reforms for grades 1-12, purchase textbooks, train teachers and strengthen education management.

LEARN equips Ukrainian schools with the tools needed to maintain high teaching standards and create safe spaces for children amid the ongoing war. By the end of 2025, the program aims to reach one million teachers, school staff and students.

The money for this scheme comes from $235 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), $150 million from the International Development Association (IDA) and $30 million from the Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform Trust Fund.

By improving education, it will help Ukraine on the long path to social and economic recovery, as the students and children of today are the people of the future rebuilding Ukraine to success.

Ukraine Reforms

The LEARN program is a part of the efforts by the Ukrainian government in its reform called “The New Ukrainian school” (NUS). This reform started in 2018 to modernize education and aim to meet EU standards. It emphasizes a curriculum with modernized education management and 21st-century skills.

The reform focuses on teaching methods and adapting to new approaches to provide children with better skills that match the standards of Europe. This reform is set to continue until 2029. From the 2023-2024 academic year alone, the scheme benefitted more than 2.2 million pupils from the updated curriculum and improved teaching practices.

From the start of the reform to 2024, the Ukrainian government has spent more than $150 million on the scheme’s implementation.

Moving Forward

The rebuilding of schools in Ukraine is a positive step toward ensuring Ukrainian children in poverty receive the support and education they need during wartime. War is unpredictable and it is in these moments that children require the most protection and care. Restoring schools provides education, stability and security for developing children. However, much more remains to be done, as many children still lack access to a safe learning environment.

– Alice Haston

Alice is based in Liverpool, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Children International: Lasting Poverty Relief

Children InternationalStarting with a meek beginning in 1936, an organization, not yet formally named Children International, began its outreach out of a one-room medical clinic to help families around Jerusalem.

Over the following decades, the initiative’s care expanded as its positive results increased with the growing care providers. Much of its growth included the development of its own global headquarters, child sponsorship programs, hospitals and many different specialized care opportunities.

By 1989, the organization formally named itself Children International. It began their full-fledged mission to give children poverty relief for a lifetime.

How Children International Works

Children International seeks to provide care and support to all children in need, helping to break the cycle of poverty. Its specialized programs are flexible, adapting to give each child the resources they need to flourish.

One of the organization’s most pertinent parts is sponsorship-supported interventions. These help children and adolescents reach critical milestones and create lasting pathways out of poverty.

Measuring Success

Children International supports its recipients in specific areas to help them achieve lifelong freedom from poverty. The organization’s outreach focuses on the following key aspects of life:

  • Medical Care and Access. Since 2021, Children International has provided more than 100,000 medical and dental services, nearly 40,000 more than in previous years. Additionally, it provided medical support to 20,000 adolescents, giving them access to addiction treatment, contraceptives and other essential services to protect their health and safety. This increased access to health care gave many lower-income families the support they needed to live healthily and adequately.
  • Education Quality and Access. Children International provides students with a wide range of educational resources, focusing on increasing school enrollment, boosting completion rates and improving learning outcomes. Since 2022, 92% of participants in a specialized course designed to help students finish school have completed it. Among youth sponsored by Children International, 99% complete their education. In addition, 150,000 children and youth have been given access to proper technology during their schooling to ensure quality education. Globally, almost two-thirds of children lack internet or technology access, making this service a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty.
  • Empowerment and Quality of Life. Empowerment and Quality of Life. To lead a higher quality of life, Children International also implements many programs that help youth maintain high emotional well-being. As of 2022, the organization recorded having more than 60,000 participants in its Emotional Well-Being Program. This program aims to improve mental well-being through group settings. Its emotional support services help communities interact socially and strengthen social connections.
  • Into Employment Opportunities. As children and adolescents complete their programs with Children International, they are set up for a proper future that includes poverty relief for a lifetime. This relief includes many meaningful skill learning opportunities such as résumé writing, interview skills, job searching, job applying and other essential career skills. This training allows youth to break the cycle of poverty and gain a life that keeps improving.

A Lasting Impact

Children International aims to create connected, thriving communities for every child, family and individual. The charity allows communities to grow and prosper through programs supporting health, education and careers.

Using targeted outreach strategies, Children International works to break the cycle of poverty and provide families with lasting relief through essential resources.

– Angelina Tas

Angelina is based in Cleveland, OH, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Hunger and Trauma Among Rohingya Children

Hunger and Trauma Among Rohingya ChildrenIn the world’s largest refugee settlement in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the crisis impacting the Rohingya children is double-edged: widespread hunger and deep psychological trauma. The good news is that proven, scalable solutions range from community-run nutrition services to play-based mental health support. With sustained funding, addressing hunger and trauma among Rohingya children is not a slogan; it’s an achievable goal.

Keeping Children Alive With Integrated Nutrition Services

UNICEF and its partners operate Integrated Nutrition Facilities within the camps. There, children below the age of 5 are routinely weighed and measured, screened with MUAC colour tapes and put on treatment plans. In 2021, these facilities treated 6,923 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

The organization exceeded its annual target, providing ready-to-use therapeutic food, deworming treatments and follow-up care. It also offered counseling for parents on breastfeeding and complementary feeding, reaching 14,000 pregnant and lactating mothers with infant and young child feeding support. Indeed, these cost-effective, life-saving services are making a real difference.

Restoring Food Rations and Protecting Nutrition Budgets

When rations are cut, hunger spikes quickly. New International Rescue Committee (IRC) data reveal that between 2022 and 2023, the number of Rohingya refugees without adequate food jumped from 44% to 70%. Nearly half of young children displayed physical signs of malnutrition and fewer than one in six children ate three meals daily.

Restoring rations to prior levels and ensuring predictable funding would immediately blunt wasting and protect child development, whilst addressing hunger and trauma among Rohingya children.

Healing in Crisis

A large randomized controlled trial tested BRAC’s Home-Based Humanitarian Play Lab (HPL), which offered weekly peer-led sessions for Rohingya mothers and children under 2. The program significantly improved mothers’ mental well-being. It enhanced children’s developmental outcomes through simple, low-cost activities led by trained Rohingya “Mother Volunteers.” In settings where specialist care is scarce, HPL provides a practical, scalable way to deliver psychosocial support.

Similarly, BRAC’s broader Humanitarian Play Lab approach is home-based for ages 0–3 and centre-based for ages 3–5. It creates safe, culturally rooted spaces where trained Rohingya Play Leaders guide activities. These activities build language, problem-solving skills and resilience. Furthermore, evaluations in Cox’s Bazar show gains in children’s development and improvements in maternal mental health. The model is now being adapted to other countries, offering the kind of community-powered intervention donors can scale.

Furthermore, child-friendly spaces run with UNICEF support give children predictable routines to play, learn and feel safe. This is critical in protecting them from toxic stress. These hubs are also entry points for early learning, protection, nutrition and health services referrals.

Nutrition + Mental Health = Better Outcomes

None of these solutions works in isolation. In December 2021, UNICEF Bangladesh reported that one-third of Rohingya children under 5 were stunted due to poor diets and repeated illness. Combining nutrition services with caregiver counseling and play-based psychosocial support multiplies impact, helping children recover physically while stimulating their brains for long-term learning and well-being. Trained Rohingya community members are already delivering this integrated package.

– Arabella D’Aniello

Arabella is based in Toronto, Canada and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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IVI and GAVI: The Future of Vaccination in Developing Countries

IVIIn 2024, 4.8 million children below the age of 5 died worldwide, including a staggering 2.3 million newborns. Though the global mortality rate of young children is still far too high, it has almost halved in the past 25 years. In 2000, child deaths worldwide stood at an estimated 9.92 million. This decreased rate is thanks to a myriad of factors at play, but perhaps none more so than the advancement in immunization technologies.

The Work of GAVI and IVI

Organizations such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) are doing life-changing work, especially in developing countries.

Since Gavi’s establishment in 2000, it has aided in vaccinating more than 1.1 billion children in 78 countries; this is one-eighth of the globe’s entire population. These immunizations have, subsequently, averted more than 18.8 million future deaths, decreasing the global mortality rate drastically. Gavi particularly focuses on “zero-dose” children who have not received a single dose of their base-level vaccines and ensures that they are the first to be immunized.

The IVI, established in 1997, devoted itself exclusively to protecting vulnerable citizens of developing countries, who are situationally less capable of receiving necessary vaccinations. The remoteness of these nations creates barriers to immunization, including the lack of concrete infrastructure, weather conditions and political turbulence, among other factors. Currently, IVI operates under a treaty signed by both the World Health Organization (WHO) and 35 countries on several different continents. It is cementing local partnerships in developing countries, which lead to the issuance of immunization technologies in these nations.

Key Players

  • Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Nishtar has devoted her career to campaigning and innovating solutions to global health issues. In 1998, Nishtar founded Heartfile, a nonprofit campaigning for health reform in Pakistan. More recently, Nishtar has focused on the improvement of vaccine delivery for Gavi. She has pioneered the integration of biometric technology into health care delivery, working with organizations like Simprints. Simprints has developed the first open-source biometric digital ID; its issuance in Bangladesh led to a 39% increase in maternal health coverage. Moreover, the introduction of Simprints in the Dhaka and Moulvibazar districts has confirmed the administration of more than 23,000 measles and rubella vaccines in these regions.
  • Dr. Shabir A. Madhi. Madhi is the current Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Immunology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Currently, Madhi is devoted to important work on vaccines that protect both mothers and unborn babies during pregnancy from Group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).GBS causes at least 90,000 newborn deaths and 46,000 stillbirths yearly; RSV is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children and causes at least 100,000 infant deaths per year. These deaths are highly concentrated in developing countries. Madhi has recently received licensure for a maternal vaccine that fights RSV. Vaccinating the mother against this virus drastically decreases the risk of disease in infants up to 6 months old.The rollout of this vaccination in developing countries will, undoubtedly, save countless lives. Madhi has also been working on a maternal vaccine for GBS, which, if successful, could have the benefit of protecting the mother, reducing risks of stillbirth and preventing disease in newborns. This vaccine, according to Madhi, should arrive by the turn of the decade.

Conclusion

By 2030, scientists are aiming to reach a neonatal mortality rate of at least 12 deaths per 1,000 live births, as compared to 17 deaths per 1,000 in 2024. With the increasing development and roll-out of advanced immunization technology in developing countries, this process should be faster than it has been in previous years. Deaths claimed by vaccine-preventable infectious diseases are on the decline. Thanks to numerous brilliant innovators, these numbers will keep decreasing.

– Sarina Maloy

Sarina is based in Bath, UK and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Driving Down Child Malnutrition in Sudan: Life-Saving Peanut Paste

Peanut PasteTwo-year-old Alfred arrived at a UNICEF stabilization ward in Juba with an arm circumference far into the red zone of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Eight weeks later, he walked out the door with a sachet of life-saving peanut paste in Sudan, beaming for the first time in months. This story reveals proof that a simple nut-based food can tip the scales between life and death for Sudanese children.

Child Malnutrition in Sudan

Sudan and South Sudan together form one of the world’s hungriest corridors. The conflict has displaced millions; crop failures have destroyed harvests and inflation has made staple foods unattainable. Insecurity has also crippled supply chains and closed health clinics, limiting access to screening, early treatment and food aid in the hardest-hit regions like Darfur and Upper Nile.

In July–August 2024, unprecedented floods across Sudan destroyed nearly 205,500 acres of farmland and displaced more than 44,000 people. This wiped out entire cropping seasons, deepening food shortages and pushing thousands more children into malnutrition.

According to UNICEF, more than two million children aged below 5 suffer from malnutrition, with 522,000 experiencing SAM. However, some actions can be taken: outpatient programs using ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) routinely achieve 90% recovery rates.

What Exactly is in a Sachet?

RUTF is a blend of roasted peanuts, powdered milk, sugar, vegetable oil, vitamins and minerals sealed in a foil pouch. Since the product is energy-dense, has excellent shelf stability and requires no water or cooking, caregivers can administer the full treatment at home.

This not only frees up overwhelmed hospital beds but also shields children from unsafe water sources and health facility overcrowding. Nutritionists call it “medicine you can eat,” and parents know it simply as Sudan’s life-saving peanut paste. One 92-gram sachet supplies more than 500 kcal and a full day’s micronutrients.

Proven Results

  • Affordable. A six- to eight-week SAM treatment course costs about $69, far lower than prolonged inpatient care.
  • Mass impact. In crisis zones like Sudan, these sachets have enabled community-level treatment, reaching more children with fewer resources.
  • Fast recovery. Children with SAM often show dramatic improvement in just a few days of RUTF use, regaining strength, appetite and energy.

Every foil packet of life-saving peanut paste in Sudan delivers food and medicine in one lightweight dose, a huge advantage as clinics are distant and clean water is scarce.

The Takeaway

A single peanut pack has become the strongest shield against child malnutrition in Sudan. Alfred’s recovery exhibits that children survive and thrive when resources, farmers and determined mothers converge around a foil packet.

– Arabella D’Aniello

Arabella is based in Toronto, Canada and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Bringing the Focus to Child Marriage in Angola

Child Marriage in AngolaAngola, located on the southwest coast of Africa, has little data on child marriage. However, from the statistics that have emerged, it paints a rather alarming picture. The lack of stories from underage brides can indicate that there has been little investigation into this topic, making it even more crucial that the internet is bringing the focus to child marriage in Angola.

The Hard Facts

Angola’s legal age of marriage is 18. However, this law can have exceptions. If the guardians of a minor believe marriage to be in the best interest of the child, children can marry from as young as 15.

In Angola, 8% of girls are married before they are 15 years old. While this can appear to be a relatively low percentage, that is still 929,000 young girls. The statistic is even higher for brides under the age of 18, at around 30%. This means that at least 2.9 million girls are married before they reach the legal age of marriage in Angola. While child marriage is less common for boys, 6% of boys in Angola also marry before they are 18.

Why is Child Marriage Happening in Angola? 

Gender inequality is a primary cause of child marriage. The perpetuated belief that girls and women are lesser than their male counterparts can contribute to violence against girls. More than 7,000 girls reported in 2020 that they had experienced some form of physical, verbal or sexual violence. And, that same year, there were reports of a further 15,000 cases of violence against children. Violence against women correlates with the increased number of child brides. From 2017 to 2020, the yearly number of reported child marriages rose from 11 to 267.

Young girls are subject to the majority of child marriages, highlighting the strong tie to gender inequality. Girls are valued more for their potential relationships with men, rather than for their own independent futures. Young women will have their development stunted by these marriages, teaching them to rely on their husbands rather than their own skills. 

Additionally, COVID-19 largely affected Angolan girls. Only 19.73% of children attended a school prior to the pandemic and the closure of schools from 2020 puts children at a heightened risk of falling victims to child marriage and/or gender-based violence. Since the schools have been re-opened there is no data to show how many children have returned to school. The children will have been impacted from the years without education, and many are now too old to return to their studies.

The Solutions from The Angolan Government

The Angolan Government are now bringing the focus to child marriage in Angola. It has pledged that by 2030, it will have ended child and forced marriages. It is among 20 countries that have committed to this cause. From 2013, the government has co-sponsored numerous Human Rights Council resolutions which focus on putting an end to child marriage. Amidst this, it also signed a statement at the Human Rights Council which implored a solution to child marriage.

In 2019, the Angolan Government stated that they were in the process of adopting a national strategy to prevent child pregnancies and marriages. The government continues to address the issue of underage marriages, and it is hopeful that with a strategy in place, it can significantly reduce the number of cases.

The Work of Mwana Pwo

Created in 2017, Mwana Pwo is an organization based in Angola that aims to inspire leadership amongst women. Mwana Pwo translates to “girl child” in Chokwe. Maria Malomalo created this organization after going to a clinic for check-ups during her third pregnancy and realizing she was nearly always the oldest woman there. She was only 30 at the time. Maria began to question why so many young girls were marrying and giving birth at such a young age, this led to the creation of Mwana Pwo.

In terms of bringing the focus to child marriage in Angola, Mwana Pwo created the project Just a Child in 2022. The organization Bread for The World funded it, which works to eradicate world hunger. The objective of Just a Child is to reduce the number of cases of child marriage in Angola.

Poverty definitely has links to child marriages. Many families view marriage as a way for girls to escape poverty and simultaneously reduce costs for a household. This is why the work of Mwana Pwo is so essential. By encouraging young girls to become leaders and seek an education, the organization is enabling them to escape poverty independently. 

Mwana Pwo has stated that “The impact of poverty on child marriage is undeniable, but sometimes you also have to ask ‘why don’t they sell their sons? So it’s the whole issue around gender inequality and looking at women as ‘things,’ not as people.” 

The organization has set up facilities that allow young women and girls to develop new skills. Its information hubs provide a place for girls to enroll in courses such as entrepreneurship, IT and business. These skills are life changing and enable young girls to take control over their own futures. The website for Mwana Pwo goes into further detail on the great work it is carrying out and what it has accomplished with donations.

– Katie Gray

Katie is based in Glasgow, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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#67Strong4Kids: Jennifer Garner Takes Strides of Hope

#67Strong4KidsJennifer Garner, an actress and Save the Children trustee, ran 67 miles in a powerful show of support for the organization’s global efforts to treat children suffering from malnutrition. Garner ran a mile each day for 67 days through the #67Strong4Kids campaign, a fundraising challenge to raise awareness for the $67 it would take to support a child with malnutrition. The challenge was to raise awareness of the costs to provide a complete, six-week course of therapeutic food that could save the life of a severely malnourished child.

Garner has been working as a Save the Children artist ambassador for more than a decade. On Sunday, June 22, she was joined in Santa Monica, California, by Peloton instructor Becs Gentry and hundreds of supporters who took strides of hope to raise awareness and funds for children suffering from malnutrition. This was the final stretch of the run, sponsored by Brooks Running. The attendance was to support the charity’s efforts to provide ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to children in danger of going hungry globally.

“I’m feeling emotional and just really grateful — grateful to people for seeing what I was doing and either joining in or cheering me on,” says Garner. “It just feels like a nice intention to be out there.”

Child Malnutrition

Around the world, one in five deaths among children aged below 5 is associated with severe acute malnutrition. This condition can cause permanent damage to children’s physical and cognitive development and make them more susceptible to illness.

Garner says, “With climate disruptions, conflict and inequality, more children than ever are suffering from the effects of severe malnutrition, a condition that is preventable and treatable. Our 67 runs may be behind us, but the race for kids’ futures is ongoing. Together, we can help. For only $67, a child can receive a six-week course of RUTF and along with it, a chance at a healthier future. Thank you for partnering with Save the Children by joining with Becs Gentry and me. You are part of the solution!”

As of June 22, the #67Strong4Kids campaign has raised $500,000 to support severely malnourished kids globally.

Garner’s Advocacy Efforts

Garner has advocated on Capitol Hill and brought Save the Children’s early childhood education programs to her state of West Virginia. She traveled to Arkansas, California, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington to meet with lawmakers, press and philanthropists to raise awareness for the foundation.

Conclusion

Jennifer Garner shared that her decision to run every day “was a small promise that I could keep to myself every day, but would be meaningful for me.” She has set a groundbreaking example by taking strides of hope, where each stride counts.

Her drive to take initiative and accept the #67Strong4Kids challenge has inspired countless runners and fans. Through all of its participants, Save the Children has acquired some of the resources needed to support malnourished children globally.

– Abirame Shanthakumar

Abirame is based in Ontario, Canada and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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WhatsApp Tutors in Lebanon Are Educating Refugee Children

WhatsApp Tutors in LebanonIn Lebanon, Syrian refugee children often face unreliable internet and little access to formal education due to the conflict that recently happened in the area. Early this year, after a ceasefire took effect in Lebanon, much of the infrastructure remains in ruins. As a result, the region’s education suffered a large toll and it lost opportunities. However, a small but mighty resolution began with an unexpected platform: WhatsApp.

The Problem in Lebanon

Education is highly dependent on the infrastructure it lies on. Proper facilities, strong internet and a safe region determine the quality of education. However, in Lebanon, many children, especially those affected by the recent conflict, are facing a lack of access due to overcrowding, cost and legal barriers.

The lack of a strong digital infrastructure primarily explains this, underscoring the importance of education facilities. Regarding Lebanon’s education sector, the system has faced multiple issues, from the refugee influx to a significant port explosion and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, public education opportunities began to dwindle as the infrastructure started to collapse. This is where WhatsApp tutors in Lebanon began to change the picture.

WhatsApp Tutors in Lebanon Comes to the Rescue

When the state cannot provide education, WhatsApp tutors in Lebanon rise to the challenge by creating virtual classrooms. On WhatsApp, peer tutors share voice notes containing lessons on various subjects, including math and science.

In the absence of physical classrooms, teachers and tutors use WhatsApp to distribute assignments and collect submissions. A nonprofit called Jusoor has started providing $25 grants to refugee families to help them afford phones and data packages, enabling their participation in virtual education.

To save data and prevent potential outages, educators conducted lessons through chat and audio, which created a community where students began to support other students. To save data and avoid potential outages, educators delivered lessons through chat and audio, fostering a community where students began supporting one another.

The biggest life-saver for many families was that WhatsApp only requires a smartphone. Many other online platforms require a computer or other expensive hardware. WhatsApp allowed tutors in Lebanon to reach more students simply through mobile access.

The Digital Future

Research has found that conducting education through online platforms such as WhatsApp is not as effective as the physical classroom. However, in Lebanon, it is important to understand that WhatsApp and other similar platforms are the only opportunities many kids have.

Learning does not require a building or sophisticated technology. In areas devastated by war and conflict, such as Lebanon, tutors are creating makeshift classrooms using only mobile phones, chat messages and voice notes.

Despite limited resources and unstable conditions, they built a space where education continues, proving that determination and creativity can overcome even the harshest barriers to learning.

– Kallen Zhou

Kallen is based in Hattiesburg, MS, USA and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons