Archive for category: Children

Information and stories addressing children.

, , ,

China’s Left-Behind Children

Left-Behind ChildrenChina has undergone swift urbanization and development in recent years. However, reaping the rewards of this progress has not been easy for everyone. In search of better job opportunities, millions of Chinese parents in poverty have left their communities in hopes of creating a better future for their children. However, these parents must leave their children behind to do so. These left-behind children (LBC) may remain with a caregiver, family member, friend or institution, or they can be left entirely on their own.

There are about 70 million left-behind children in China, and they experience many effects of poverty. The average ages of LBC range from 6 to 17. While LBC are more prominent in rural China, the number of LBC has risen in urban areas as well. As a result, many children in China are mentally and physically ill, don’t receive a proper education and are essentially stuck in the cycle of poverty. Parental absence contributes to all of these factors.

Poor Quality of Education

While their parents seek more money in the city, left-behind children are left in inadequate school buildings with limited supplies and ill-prepared teachers. In an interview with The Borgen Project, Lijiah Zhang, an author and journalist who examines China’s left-behind children, stressed that education is the largest problem these children face. “Without their parents, the children are more likely to lose interest in their studies and sometimes drop out of school, the opposite of what their parents hope for,” she said. Indeed, over 13% of left-behind children drop out by the eighth grade. Another reason for dropouts is the household responsibilities some left-behind children must take on, such as agricultural work, which leaves them with no time for academics.

For those who do continue their education, the quality is waning. With teachers lacking incentives and resources, education is a large obstacle for LBC. Educators hired for rural teaching positions are often fresh out of training and possess little teaching experience to offer a proper education. But because they are cheaper to pay, schools that lack funding hire them constantly. The staff is overworked and tremendously underpaid, with some rural educators working over 12 hours a day. This poor teaching quality combined with cramped classrooms and a lack of technology sets rural children up for failure.

High Dropout Rates

Left-behind children dropping out of school perpetuates cyclical poverty. China’s economic expansion over the past 40 years has brought about 800 million people out of poverty, but it has also widened the gap between rural and urban communities. Families in poverty continue to struggle with money, and the number of parents deciding to leave children behind is rising. These children are stuck living with the effects of poverty, and with no parental guidance, they have little means of digging their way out.

Zhang stated that many LBC feel powerless in their situations, which leads to them losing interest in their schooling and dropping out, thus reducing their chances of climbing the employment ladder. Because of the difference in economic opportunities between rural and urban communities, poor children remain poor while the rich stay rich.

Lack of Safety and Health

Because left-behind children do not have parents to protect or guide them, they are more vulnerable to abuse. Forms of abuse include harassment from peers and guardians, sexual abuse and criminality. For example, in 2015 a teacher was sentenced to life in prison for raping 12 of his students, 11 of whom were left-behind children. Many children also experience extremely long walks to and from their schools, some of which take multiple hours. This leaves them alone and vulnerable to anyone passing by.

Living without parental guidance also takes a mental and physical toll on children. Left-behind children are much more likely than non-LBC to have depression, anxiety and behavioral issues due to parental absence. They are also more likely to suffer from chronic loneliness. In a survey of six Chinese provinces, 25% of LBC reported high levels of loneliness, which can worsen mental and physical health. While parental migration offers a chance at economic improvement, child development often deteriorates.

The diets of left-behind children are often also insufficient. According to a 2015 study, left-behind boys consumed more fat and less protein in their diets. This puts them at an increased risk for obesity and stunted growth. Zhang said: “I think the LBC’s diet is worse than non-LBC. Their guardians, usually their grandparents, are mostly very frugal. They also don’t have any idea about healthy diet or nutrition.” Limited nutrition can lead to poor school performance in addition to long-term health risks.

Helping Left-Behind Children

This crisis is well-known, and many organizations are working to aid these millions of children. Save the Children, OneSky and Humanium advocate for and offer direct assistance to left-behind children. So far, Save the Children has helped 310,000 vulnerable Chinese children. Specifically, it provides educational improvements and services to keep them from harm. UNICEF also offers services to LBC in multiple Chinese provinces, including social and emotional development and health administration. UNICEF continues to initiate projects to help these children.

Each year, millions of Chinese children suffer without their parents. The mental and physical health consequences along with the inadequate education they face make their everyday lives an uphill battle. Humanitarian assistance helps thousands of these children, but the causes underlying the crisis continue challenge poverty eradication. 

– Radley Tan
Photo: Flickr

, , ,

Finding Hope for Women with Fistula

Finding Hope for Women with FistulaFistula is a medical condition faced by women of every nationality, background and income level. However, these factors affect the rate at which women encounter fistula. Although income level is the largest determinant, nationality is also highly influential in countries where women have limited economic opportunities. However, recent developments are providing hope for women with fistula.

What is Fistula?

Fistula is an abnormal connection between the organs that often occurs when women have troubles with pregnancy and labor—specifically when labor is prolonged. When fistula occurs, especially in places where women have financial and geographic access to medical care, medical experts can normally address the problem with procedures such as C-sections. However, for women who lack access to these services, the issue worsens.

The labor period can last for days, which causes extreme pain and usually causes the baby to die in the process. During labor, the baby’s head presses against the mother’s pelvis and disrupts blood flow. This disruption creates holes, or fistulae, between the vagina and bladder or rectum. Permanent leakage of waste occurs in the mother if the condition goes untreated. Thus, women’s health and well-being directly impact access to emergency medical treatment.

Women with fistula usually live in underprivileged parts of Africa and Asia. To make matters worse, these countries largely lack access to sanitation services or goods like running water and incontinence pads. Fistula causes severe physical and psychological pain in affected women: in addition to uncontrollable leakage of urine and stool, women with fistula also face social issues. For example, this condition causes an unpleasant scent that repels family and friends. This condition can also cause a plethora of infections with the potential to impact others.

One Woman’s Story

Edis, a Ugandan woman suffering from fistula, provides a powerful example of the struggle to receive adequate urgent care. With a recently deceased husband, Edisa gave prolonged birth at home because she could not access a nearby hospital to go through labor. As a result, she contracted a fistula with all of its negative side-effects. Fortunately for Edisa, she was eventually able to receive a treatment procedure. Despite accessing care from a USAID-funded hospital, however, Elisa was forced to travel 11 hours away and incur significant transportation costs as a result. For financially struggling women like Elisa, these expenses can become highly burdensome.

Many other women also face hidden costs when seeking fistula repair surgeries, even if the surgery itself is free. These expenses can include loss of income, child care during recovery and food. USAID is using this information to improve conditions for these women by drafting actions like providing financial support for these hidden costs.

Hope for the Future of Fistula

While women with fistula are still suffering across the globe, especially in impoverished areas, this condition is now much less common than in the past. Additionally, many efforts are being initiated to provide funding and support to women in need of care.

– Fahad Saad
Photo: Flickr

, , , ,

5 Facts about Poverty in Guinea-Bissau

Poverty in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a small West African country with a population of fewer than 2 million, bordered by Senegal, Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Although the country gained its independence from Portugal in 1974, its subsequent history has been marked by continuous instability and frequent coup d’états. Moreover, Guinea-Bissau suffers from high levels of poverty, economic fragility and a dire lack of medical and nutritional resources, ranking it among the poorest nations in the world. Below are five key facts necessary to understand poverty in Guinea-Bissau.

5 Facts about Poverty in Guinea-Bissau

  1. Poverty in Guinea-Bissau is a widespread issue. Nearly 65% of the population lives below the poverty line. Many families rely on unstable employment in the informal economy or remittances from migrant workers abroad, but cannot generate enough income to support themselves long-term. Other factors such as corruption and organized criminal activity have also hindered residents from achieving financial stability. Additionally, poverty in Guinea-Bissau disproportionately impacts women and children, who face restrictions in owning or inheriting property and are subject to constraints on social freedoms such as early and forced marriage.
  2. The country faces a high risk of infant mortality. Guinea-Bisseau’s high infant and maternal mortality rates offset a large reproductive-age population that ranks 13 in the world in terms of total fertility rate. Early childbearing and a lack of access to vital health care resources are among several factors that greatly contribute to high mortality rates. Maternal and newborn health coverage is primarily limited to urban areas, with only 40% of women making at least 4 antenatal care visits in comparison to 71% in urban regions.
  3. Agriculture is a primary yet relatively unprofitable industry. Guinea-Bissau’s economy heavily depends on agriculture, yet lacks other critical infrastructure. Though the country is rich in unexploited mineral deposits and offshore oil, it remains focused on cashew production, which constitutes 95% of its exports. Additionally, approximately 85% of the population is dependent on cashew farming, which puts most of the country at risk of food insecurity when subject to cashew price fluctuations. Low prices offered by major commercial purchasers for the crop in 2021 and 2022 forced rural farmers to resort to local bartering, cutting their flow to regular income, food and medicine, and instead fueling cartel activity.
  4. An alarming number of children suffer from malnutrition. Approximately 28% of the children in Guinea-Bissau under the age of five suffer from stunted growth. Poverty is directly correlated to malnutrition, as stunting rates in poor households are more than twice those in wealthy households. Malnutrition in children can also be attributed to a lack of knowledge regarding child feeding practices, poor access to nutritious foods, inadequate prevention and treatment of common illnesses and inadequate nutrition screening and care.
  5. Education is often inaccessible and undervalued. Only 12% of children aged 7-14 have basic reading skills and only 7% can demonstrate numeracy skills. Most schools lack conducive learning conditions, such as qualified teachers and adequate water and sanitation facilities. Due to the cost of sending a child through the education system, especially for those located outside of urban areas, nearly one-third of children in Guinea-Bissau are out of school. Those who attend are discouraged from continuing past primary education as a result of frequent teacher strikes, sexual harassment and early marriage. Among the most disadvantaged are young girls and children with disabilities, who are also more likely to be multi-dimensionally poor than their other peers.

Changing the Future: UNICEF

Today, organizations such as UNICEF continue to work to improve living conditions in many areas of Guinea-Bissau. UNICEF is currently partnered with the country’s Ministry of Health and helps support the distribution of  Vitamin A and deworming supplements for children under 5. UNICEF has also played a key role in establishing inpatient and outpatient treatment for severe acute malnutrition in 78 health care centers throughout Guinea-Bissau. Lastly, the organization has partnered with the Ministry of National Education and Higher Education (MENES) to provide training to schoolteachers and decrease teacher absenteeism, ultimately targeting education quality and student retention rates.

Conclusion

Despite improvements in the past decade, Guinea-Bissau still suffers from multidimensional poverty and remains far below its socioeconomic potential. Political conflicts and strong wealth disparities in the West African nation have constrained its ability to make tangible progress in several developmental indicators such as food security and better wages. Looking forward, poverty in Guinea-Bissau must remain the focus of international aid and development initiatives to ensure growth and security for children and adults alike.

– Oumaima Jaayfer, Moon Jung Kim
Photo: Flickr
Updated: June 10, 2024

, , , ,

How Amazon and UPS Battle Food Insecurity in Guatemala

Food Insecurity in Guatemala
September 1, 2020, brought joy to citizens of Guatemala City as nearby schools finally received a long-awaited donation from the company, Amazon. Through coordinated efforts with Guatemala Minister of Education Claudia Ruíz Casasola, Amazon donated cooking supplies which will be dispersed among 500 schools surrounding Guatemala City. These schools are located in the Dry Corridor, an area that has suffered from food insecurity due to dramatic flooding followed by months of drought. Amazon’s donation to these 500 schools will perhaps assist 100,000 students currently battling food insecurity in Guatemala.

Amazon’s Partnership with the World Food Program (WFP) USA

Amazon is a partner of the World Food Program USA (WFP), an organization dedicated to fighting global hunger and famine. The organization has had quite a year, providing meals for 138 million people. They even raised $1 million in 10 days for those suffering the results of the explosion in Beirut. This partnership has allowed WFP to continue its efforts in supporting the Guatemalan government’s school feeding program while combating global hunger as a whole.

Amazon’s Partnership with the United Parcel Service (UPS)

This donation was long-awaited, as Amazon delivered the initial shipment back in February of 2020. Concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and international shipping delayed the distribution of the donation until now. Therefore, making this a moment of excitement and gratitude. However, the shipment of this donation was made possible through the generosity of the United Parcel Service (UPS). UPS covered the cost of the shipment of Amazon’s donation to the schools in Guatemala, contributing to the support of the WFP as it navigates the global challenges of the pandemic. The donations expect utilization in January when many public schools plan on welcoming back students.

The outcomes of this donation are plentiful, as food insecurity is a major threat to the children in Guatemala. This year’s cropping season produced Guatemala’s worst crop yield in 35 years due to excessive drought. Moreover, Guatemala faces the highest level of malnutrition in Latin America. As a result, many school-aged children face stunted growth and the pandemic contributed to a total of 1.2 million citizens, already in need of food assistance.

Through the generosity of Amazon and UPS, items such as bowls, blenders and pans will arrive in schools to prepare breakfasts and lunches for students facing food insecurity. By battling food insecurity  in Guatemala and malnutrition in schools, the government can work to make sure students are receiving their necessary nutrient intakes. In parallel, this does not place financial stress on families to provide daily meals for their children.

Mission Guatemala

The Guatemalan government’s school feeding program, in addition to other initiatives, such as Mission Guatemala, has the goal of ending any deaths relating to hunger across the country. Large organizations like the WFP, along with major businesses like Amazon and UPS have the potential to assist in the fight against global hunger in countries like Guatemala. Amazon and UPS have set a positive example with this donation. In this way, they bring awareness to the food crisis that exists in countries outside of the U.S. Due to the companies’ global influence, other major brands may follow suit. Potentially, making donations and partnering with organizations that work to assist others.

The WFP USA also accepts donations and the opportunity to begin fundraising through their website. Advocacy is essential, and any individual contribution can assist those battling hunger, as seen by the generosity of both Amazon and UPS.

– Evan Coleman
Photo: Flickr

, ,

Testing and Poverty: The Role of High-Stakes Exams

testing and povertyDoing away with certain high-stakes exams could help alleviate poverty. The pandemic has forced many to consider alternatives to what was the status quo, including high-stakes exams used in education systems around the world. These popular exams have roots as far back as the selection of civil servants in ancient China. During the past two centuries, the number of educational systems that make use of high-stakes testing has grown. Exams may be useful as a means of helping students, parents and educators understand how the student is doing. However, they become high-stakes when decisions regarding admissions and advancement rely on exam results. Eliminating high-stakes exams could reduce both testing and poverty.

The Positive and Negative Consequences of Testing

Research has shown that there are positive and negative impacts of high-stakes testing. The benefits of high-stakes examinations include concrete educational standards and assistance for students who perform poorly. On the other hand, disadvantages include a narrowed curriculum, cheating and policies that disproportionately impact minority students.

According to the World Bank’s Public “Examinations Examined,” “[It] is difficult to make the case that examinations, whatever the motivation in their introduction, played a major role in the promotion of equity.” With an emphasis on testing and poverty in contemporary education, understanding how high-stakes exams reflect inequity may help educators better assist disadvantaged students.

Testing and Poverty

High-stakes testing puts pressure not just on students, but also on parents, educators, schools and  governments. These pressures affect those with low socioeconomic status the most. Students from low-income families often face cognitive, emotional and social developmental deficits induced by poverty and stunting. The effects of poverty and stunting turn into a 19.8% deficit in adult annual income.

Low-income families also often lack the financial resources to pay for their student’s academic success with tutors, textbooks and materials. Moreover, educators and schools may focus their efforts on more advantaged students. Studies in Zambia, for example, reveal that advantaged students tend to do better than poor students.

Furthermore, public spending on education is higher in wealthier communities. One reason may be because the government rewards schools that perform better in high-stakes exams with additional funding. Many of these schools, comprised of students from high socioeconomic statuses, tend to have more resources than their low-income counterparts.

This lack of spending directly connects testing and poverty, as using testing to measure success gives fewer resources to underprivileged students. A report by the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity reports that 330 million students are in school but are not learning the basics. This may be connected to poor quality teaching or poor resources, which can result from measuring success with tests. Ultimately, being poor has become closely connected to poorer exam performance. Indeed, “Large scale assessments in exam subjects and grades routinely show a steep ‘social gradient’ in performance,” according to the Center for Global Development.

Doing Away with High-Stakes Exams

Education is central to reducing poverty. For example, individual income increases by 8% for every year that one goes to school. More specifically, having a secondary education in Tanzania decreases by 60% the chance that a working adult will be poor.

Recognizing the benefits of education and the consequences of testing and poverty, schools could eliminate some high-stakes exams. Countries such as Kenya and Singapore, as well as most Caribbean countries, use tests to determine a student’s placement in secondary schools. Yet those who made it into secondary schools in Kenya obtained employment benefits, decreasing low-skill self-employment, compared to those who did not. According to the IMF,  “increasing [the] average years of schooling and [the] reducing [of] inequality of schooling” can significantly reduce economic inequality.

If primary and secondary education were universal, extreme poverty could lessen by half. To make this happen, developing countries dealing with the pandemic should consider doing away with certain high-stakes exams. This will allow poorer students to contribute to human capital.

The Good News

While it took 40 years for American girls’ enrollments in education to increase from 57% to 88%, it took Morocco 11 years. Yet, in 2013 there was a disparity in the net enrollment rate in lower secondary education. Though 79% for boys in urban areas were enrolled, the rate was only 26% for girls in rural areas.

Since 2007, Education for All (EFA) has provided girls in Morocco’s rural communities of the High Atlas mountains the opportunity of secondary education. The organization’s provision includes nutritious meals, hot showers, beds and access to computers. EFA has at least 50 girls who are enrolled at university.

While this work is laudable, governments may be able to provide similar results by doing away with high-stakes testing. When exams act as a gatekeeper to advanced education, they reproduce cycles of poverty. All students must have access to equal education in order to escape from poverty.

–  Kylar Cade
Photo: Flickr

, , ,

Food Insecurity on the Islands: Hunger in Fiji

hunger in fijiFiji, a country bordering both Tonga and Futana, has faced increased obstacles with food security. It is estimated that amongst the population of 926,276 citizens, over 250,000 individuals are battling poverty and hunger. However, increased efforts have been made to combat this rise in hunger in Fiji.

Problem in Numbers

It is estimated that over 35% of Fiji’s population is below the national poverty line. With the income of households drastically declining, thousands of families do not have the proper resources to thrive.

Fiji children are also heavily impacted, further contributing to the increased rate of hunger in Fiji. It has been recently estimated that over 40% of Fiji’s children are malnourished. A majority of children in Fiji suffer from “protein-energy malnutrition”, meaning that they do not consume enough vital and nutritious foods for their bodies.

The Causes

The lack of food distribution in Fiji points towards a variety of factors. A primary cause is due to Fiji’s political instability and corruption. Additionally, with tourism making up a majority of Fiji’s GDP, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to decreased budgets and widespread unemployment.

Climate change has also affected hunger in Fiji. Cyclones have led to massive agricultural losses, resulting in widespread losses of income and the destruction of food that would be derived from the agricultural crops.

Another cause contributing to the hunger in Fiji is the increased dropout rates among children. With the majority of Fiji’s population battling poverty, children are often instructed to leave school in search of work. From grueling street work to harsh agricultural labor, children earn very little over the years.

In 2016 it was estimated that over 55% of children at primary school age were not attending school. This low schooling rate leaves many children uneducated, unskilled and closed off to stable job opportunities which in turn leaves them unable to afford basic necessities as adults.

The Road to Change

However, despite the increased rates of hunger among the Fiji population, organizations have stepped up to aid the needy. A prominent organization is Moms Against Hunger, which has dedicated itself to providing food for the individuals battling poverty. Moms Against Hunger has recruited numerous volunteers and has delivered over 250,000 food packages to families in need. Under the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of families received enough food to last several months.

Another impactful organization is HELP International, which looks to empower and educate individuals in need. HELP International focused its efforts in the nutrition sector, teaching individuals nutritional guidelines, financial literacy and the importance of schooling. Through these efforts, thousands of families can learn to manage a budget, eat well and pursue higher education.

Additionally, Aggie Global seeks to educate farmers on sustainable practices. Under a team of various volunteers, Aggie Global hosted workshops to teach farmers about crop control, production tricks and sustainable solutions. After conducting these workshops, hundreds of farmers were able to boost production, increasing the amount of food distributed to the public.

The Future

Despite organizations looking to aid those in need, Fiji continues to face problems in feeding the entirety of its population. The efforts from nonprofit organizations provide short-term relief but Fiji is in great need of government assistance to see great and lasting change.

For Fiji to see an immense reduction in its hunger rate, the government must act alongside nonprofit organizations to provide for families. In addition, the Fiji government must prioritize the youth and support and encourage the pursuit of higher education. With increased positive influence and support from Fiji’s government, poverty-stricken families all over Fiji would benefit, lowering the overall hunger rate.

– Aditya Padmaraj
Photo: Flickr

,

How a 50 Cent Deworming Pill May Help End Global Poverty

How a 50 Cents Deworming Pill May Help End Global PovertyApproximately 24% of the global population, or 1.5 billion people, suffer from intestinal worms. Approximately, 835 million children in need of treatment. These worms, known as soil-transmitted helminths, are most prevalent in middle and low-income countries. Schoolchildren living in areas with high rates of intestinal worms often miss school or cannot focus due to their poor health. As a result, this negatively impacts their ability to effectively learn and thus perpetuating the cycle of disease and poverty. Consequently, treatment for these parasites (as known as deworming) is one of the top priorities in world health. Luckily, a deworming pill is cost-efficient and accessible to people.

The Fifty Cent Treatment

Widely considered the miracle drug of deworming, albendazole is incredibly cost-efficient at the low cost of 50 cents per pill. Additionally, there are no known side effects if uninfected children are treated. This means pills do not need to be administered by medical professionals, further driving down the cost of the treatment. In fact, the medication is far cheaper than testing. This makes mass treatment the most effective way to help those in areas with lots of parasites. As such, both the World Health Organization and scientific consensus encourage giving pills to large numbers of students living in hotspots twice a year.

Economic impacts

A new analysis of this policy has shown that this treatment may have economic impacts on communities and people to a surprising degree. In the mid-1990s, Harvard researcher Michael Kremer visited Kenya and conducted a study analyzing how providing a 50 cent pill twice a year to students in extreme poverty can affect their future income. He returned to the area years later to gauge how treated children and untreated children compared in their later lives. His results were groundbreaking. According to his analysis, the pill increased the treated students’ future income by 13%. On top of this, it reduced dropout and absentee rates by a fourth (28% to 21%). In addition, it increases the number of girls able to attend high school by nearly 10%. These new findings have pushed deworming as a viable and cost-effective strategy to improve global health and global living standards.

Controversy

However, the analysis of deworming policies is incredibly complex, and many scientists are doubtful of the results of the study. Most prominently, an article published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in 2015 called into question the form of aid itself. The article claims that there is evidence that this type of treatment doesn’t have a substantial effect on patients. Thus, it will not economically benefit communities. This study later gained some traction among the scientific community. Additionally, the outcomes of this analysis have since been replicated. Moreover, some cite other factors as potentially causing the impressive numbers from the high temperatures at the time of the study increased the number of parasites and infected children to the fact that this is only one study.

Future Policymaking

Despite these prevailing questions and doubts about the study, the sheer inexpensive nature of the pills makes this form of aid a worthwhile effort. Despite the controversy, this pill would still be one of the most cost-effective policies to boost enrollment in schools. For many governments and organizations, that chance is worth taking. In particular, the Deworm the World Initiative partnered with many governments to provide treatment to over 280 million children in Kenya, India, Ethiopia, Nigeria and more. On top of this, the study’s findings prompted the Kenyan government to expand deworming programs to cover all elementary students in areas with high concentrations of parasites.

These studies and subsequent policy changes have provided evidence to support the impact of deworming pill on impoverished communities. Even with the scientific controversy surrounding the effectiveness of the pill, this form of aid remains one of the most cost-effective ways to help lift people out of poor conditions. In addition, it may help millions of students around the world gain an education and improve their quality of life.

– Elizabeth Lee

Photo: Flickr

,

The Fight Against Poverty in New Zealand

Poverty in New Zealand
New Zealand is a lush island country in the Pacific Ocean. It comprises two main islands; the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui) and the South Island (Te Waipounamu) in addition to about 600 smaller island landmasses. With a total population of approximately 5 million people, it is not the most populous of countries, but New Zealand has garnered worldwide recognition as a tourist destination. This is partly due to its stunning ocean views, rolling green hills and jagged mountainsides. In fact, New Zealand is a sought-after location for films, with popular movies like “the Lord of the Rings” showcasing the natural beauty of the area. However, such an idyllic and prosperous country has a darker underbelly. Poverty exists in New Zealand despite its ranking as a developed country.

The Facts

In New Zealand, significant economic restructuring beginning in the 1980s has resulted in prosperity for some and poverty for others. In 1984, the national poverty rate was 9%. Comparatively, in 2016, the poverty rate was 15%. This represents a decrease from the peak poverty rate of 22% in 2004 but still remains significantly higher than before the mid-1980s as a direct result of economic change, including hard hits during the 2008-2011 global recession.

According to the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services, about “one in seven households” experience poverty. In addition, 20% of families do not have access to adequate supplies of food due to financial hardships, according to the 2002 National Children’s Nutrition Survey. This means that more than 328,000 children in New Zealand (29%) came from “a low-income household” in 2019.

When people do not have access to financial and emotional resources, their health is more likely to suffer. New Zealand illustrates this as children experiencing poverty “are more than twice as likely” to require hospitalization than children who are not impoverished. Impoverished children are also far more likely to experience health consequences like heart disease, obesity and substance addiction. These problems often follow children into adulthood, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.

Vulnerable Groups in New Zealand

There is an inequitable distribution of poverty in New Zealand, with Pacific Peoples and the Māori experiencing higher levels of poverty than other ethnicities. A shocking 40% of Pacific Peoples are “living in significant or severe hardship” with Māori coming in second as nearly one-third of the Māori population experiences the same conditions. Additionally, poverty hits children harder than other groups of people. In addition, “New Zealand has one of the worst rates of child abuse in the developed world.”

According to UNICEF, “a child dies every five weeks” due to violence in New Zealand. Experiencing or seeing violence as a child can lead to negative long-term effects like drug use, early pregnancy, anxiety and mental disorders and can compound the effects of poverty into adulthood.

Families living in poverty need to spend their time and energy on survival. Due to circumstances of necessity and poverty, impoverished families typically prioritize education and health less. This creates a cycle of more people living in poverty, intensifying the circumstances of poverty over time. If more people come out of poverty now, fewer people will continue to live in poverty in the future. Preventing the inequitable effects of poverty is vital in increasing the standard of living for many people across New Zealand, especially the most marginalized groups.

Steps to Reduce Poverty in New Zealand

By 2030, New Zealand aims to decrease the number of children living in poverty by at least 50%, in line with its commitments to U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 1. The government of New Zealand has implemented policies to reduce poverty, including strategies to make housing more affordable and accessible as housing costs are a major reason why many residents struggle financially. New legislation has emerged, including the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018, which outlines a detailed 10-year strategy to reduce child poverty in the nation. The Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy helps further child poverty reduction by including measures like extending parental leave to 26 weeks, providing increased resources for abuse victims, “[increasing] the minimum wage to $20 per hour by 2021″ and expanding parenting support resources.

Over the past 10 years, New Zealand has reduced poverty rates, and with new, aggressive legislation, should see a boost in those percentages as time goes on.

– Noelle Nelson
Photo: Flickr

, , , ,

Two Organizations Combating Youth Hunger in the Philippines

Youth Hunger in the PhilippinesHunger in the Philippines is a rampant issue. Food insecurity affects 64.1% of total Filipino households. Further, an estimated 5.2 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger, hunger due to lack of food to eat, at least once in the past three months. One issue in particular is the increasing rate of youth hunger in the Philippines. Two in every 10 (19.1 %) Filipino children aged 0-59 months old are underweight. Additionally, three in every 10 (30.3%) of children the same age are stunted in growth. All of this is due to food insecurity. Due to these numbers, many organizations have stepped up to reduce youth hunger in the Philippines. Here are two organizations included in this fight against food insecurity in the Philippines.

Youth Hunger in the Philippines

One of the organizations making a tangible impact on youth hunger in the Philippines is Destiny Ministries International. One of its pastors, Ariel Tenorios, based in the City of Calamba, Laguna, has spearheaded a campaign to feed homeless youth on the streets. He also raises money to give aid packages to these malnourished children. His work has spread throughout the provinces to the General Santos City/Mindanao areas. Tenorios has helped children during the COVID-19 pandemic by provisioning meals to college-aged students and families struggling with food insecurity. To distribute these resources, his team goes from family to family in the poorer areas and gives out bags of food to those in need.

Another way in which Destiny Ministry International helps youth hunger in the Philippines is through social media. So far, the organization has been able to help hundreds of children and families struggling on the streets. One big issue during this time is mental health, with a lot of the youth on the streets struggling with anxiety and depression. Through its work, the organization has helped rehabilitate those in need. For example, it can help people work through suicidal thoughts by providing for their needs.

A Personal Touch

Norita Metcalf knows what is like to help out in these areas. Metcalf was born in the Philippines, living in the province of Cavite from birth to the age of 21. While she currently lives in the United States, she still works with various churches and organizations that focus on youth homelessness and food insecurity in the Philippines. Metcalf takes frequent trips back to the Philippines to help in both tangible and remote ways.

On her most recent trip to the Philippines, aiding Destiny Ministries International, she saw another level of poverty. She described cardboard houses, multiple stories high, that people made to give families some form of a roof above their heads, even if it is as thin as cardboard. This showed Metcalf a new level of poverty than what she personally experienced as a child in the Philippines. While there, she helped fundraise and pass out food to address this problem.

Destiny Ministries International

However, the work of Destiny Ministries International has helped make a tangible difference. Metcalf describes the ways in which people struggled not only with food insecurity but also mental health issues resulting from malnourishment and poverty. The provision of funds and food go a long way for these people. Many college-aged youths on the streets told Metcalf about the feeling of hopelessness associated with the lack of food. Even a small glimmer of hope resulted in the subsiding of suicidal thoughts and depression, thanks to the aid of Destiny Ministries International. Overall, its work has helped hundreds and reduced food insecurity for families struggling during the pandemic.

Children International

Another organization that has aided with youth hunger in the Philippines is Children International. This organization has sponsored over 43,000 kids and 14 community members for over 37 years. It helps tackle malnutrition through screening every child and identifying those who need intervention. Additionally, monitored supplemental feeding in community centers help these children regain their strength and correct their weight-height ratio. Children International also aids parents through nutrition classes that teach about healthy meals on limited budgets, so that children will not remain malnourished.

Through its community centers, such as the Kaligayahan Center (meaning “happiness” in Tagalog), the organization serves thousands of children in different areas. In this center alone, it provides medical and nutritional services to more than 5,100 children. The work that this organization does therefore helps to combat youth hunger in the Philippines. As a result, it helps stop the early deaths and malnutrition that Filipino youths often suffer through due to malnutrition.

Looking Forward

These two organizations demonstrate two different ways to fight impoverished conditions and youth hunger in the Philippines. The stark statistics on how many are affected show that stepping up to the challenge is a necessary step toward change. However, the fight is not done with just these two organizations. As demonstrated by Metcalf’s story, food insecurity is a serious issue that needs a coordinated response in the Philippines.

– Kiana Powers
Photo: Flickr

, , , ,

The Home-Grown School Feeding Model Tackles Zero Hunger

HGSF Programs
At 310 million, nearly half the world’s schoolchildren in low- and middle-income countries eat a daily meal at school. The benefits of school feeding include increasing enrollment and course completion, as well as promoting a nutritious diet for children. Governments have since evolved this model into Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF), which integrates local smallholder farmers and community members. This added step secures local food systems, encourages economies and delivers fresh, diverse food to schoolchildren. In all, Home-Grown School Feeding is an intertwined, multifaceted approach to the Zero Hunger Challenge.

Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers

Smallholders produce roughly 80% of the food consumed in low- and middle-income countries. Yet, farmers in these areas still lack the educational opportunities and resources to bring them out of complete poverty. Two major obstacles they face include price volatility and unpredictable markets, both of which Home-Grown School Feeding programs help to alleviate.

HGSF programs provide a stable market demand. This aids farmers with the unpredictability of growing seasons, amounts of food needed and the type of product that is likely to sell. Through careful organization and planning, smallholder farmers can fully understand the needs of each school and thoroughly prepare beforehand. This means less wastage, reduced risk of investments and more opportunity for farmers to expand their capacities. When farmers receive a stable income following their initial investment into Home-Grown School Feeding programs, they can produce quality and more diversified products. In turn, this gives them access to additional markets.

Structured markets resulting from HGSF programs also encourage cooperative associations between smallholder farmers. This has the potential to reduce farmers’ reliance on local traders who may hold bargaining power over them. By creating an organization together, smallholder farmers are able to share knowledge, monitor food for quality and value and get access to credit. Social protection and promotion through established organizations is thus a major benefit of Home-Grown School Feeding.

Local Community Benefits

A strong HGSF program encompasses a whole community and food production process, from growing to preparing and eating food. Replacing school meals with the HGSF model can support a whole group of people along with the students.

Job creation is one particular benefit for local communities, from delivery drivers to cooks. However, there are also chances for rural businesses to provide nutritious products to schools. In addition, more people than farmers profit from the added access to markets, which increases income and prevents economic stress.

With careful planning and implementation, governments can also use HGSF programs to promote gender equality and decrease discrimination against vulnerable groups. This model can support different groups’ participation in farming and cooking and generally promote skill training and self-confidence. At first, compensation for their work might be food or services, but their work will evolve into paid positions.

Kenya’s Successful Use of HGSF Programs

Kenya’s Home-Grown School Feeding model reaches 1.5 million children every school day. The model benefits students, whose hot lunches provide the nutrients needed to focus in school. However, it also benefits the agricultural sector, who benefit from the predictable market demand.

To maintain a transparent, flexible model, Kenya uses a decentralized HGSF approach and incorporates multiple members of the local community. Once the government sends funds to schools, school meal committees carry out a public tender process and procure food from local farmers and traders. The committee, made up of parents, teachers and community members, assure the ministry of health checks the food for quality. Once it is cleared, the committee employs community cooks to prepare the food.

Kenya’s HGSF model has experienced some problems, particularly in arid and semi-arid rural regions. Among other obstacles, lack of infrastructure and water scarcity in rural communities mean that smallholder farmers don’t necessarily have the capacity to meet the demands of schools. This leads school committees to procure food from traders, who may not be local. In this way, rural smallholder farmers aren’t always receiving sufficient benefits from HGSF intended to alleviate poverty and meet the Zero Hunger Challenge.

Nonetheless, necessary adaptions and policy implementation to the HGSF model can be made by the government to include more smallholder farmers. Rural agriculture incentives and rural development policies would provide support for farmers, but these often cost a lot of time and money. Less costly strategies include linking smallholder farmers to schools and informing them of program requirements or preparing in-depth documents for schools, which outline procedures and implementations.

The Potential of HGSF

Home-Grown School Feeding programs have the potential to combine benefits in health, education, agriculture, economic development and social well-being. The model acts as a catch-all solution for preventing poverty. By taking the investment in school meals further by investing in HGSF programs, local economies thrive and food systems become sustainable. Ultimately, HGSF’s intertwined nature becomes a viable strategy to achieve the Zero Hunger Challenge.

– Anastasia Clausen
Photo: Flickr