Archive for category: Developing Countries

Information and stories about developing countries.

, ,

How to Eliminate Global Poverty in Three Ways

How to Eliminate Global PovertyGlobal poverty is a complex social issue that has numerous causes and implications. The causes of global poverty are numerous, but it is clear that they stem from the effects of colonization, war and political instability and the national debt of impoverished countries. The consequences of poverty on citizens are numerous and include effects such as lack of education, the transmission of diseases and even alcohol and substance abuse on the personal scale. When viewing the large picture, poverty is a primary cause of social tension. To be able to take action in addressing this issue, society must figure out how to eliminate global poverty. Below are a few ways to work toward the end of global poverty:

Combat Homelessness
A stable life is almost impossible to achieve without a home, and it is society’s job to help the homeless find a more permanent residence. Many people think of the homeless as people suffering from addiction and poor health. The reality of the homelessness problem is that a large percentage of the 1.6 billion individuals lacking adequate housing in the world are suffering from the results of political instability and chronic poverty. Eliminating the environment which makes people homeless also helps create a solution to global poverty.

One way to fight against homelessness is to support shelters that house the homeless until they can find a job and more permanent residence. Numerous foundations have this goal in mind: for example, The United Way has done the work required for any citizen to get involved in fighting global homelessness.

Combat Hunger
According to The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, of the 7.3 billion people in the world, 795 million of them suffer from chronic undernourishment. This means at about one in eight people do not have access to the most fundamental quantities of food. The majority of citizens experiencing hunger reside in developing countries. Hunger makes working at one’s full potential difficult, and children who are hungry do worse academically in school. Being hungry is a key reason people are classified as impoverished. Thus, addressing this issues helps eliminate global poverty.

One method to fight against hunger is through food donations to groups fighting global hunger. Organizations such as The American Red Cross fund $33.2 million per year to fight hunger around the world. By investing in these agencies through volunteering and donations (money or non-perishable food stock), global citizens facing undernourishment can be supported.

Invest In Education
A high school diploma is one of the fastest routes impoverished people can use to escape their circumstances. Education allows people to find better jobs, pursue higher education, and learn the skills necessary to eliminate global poverty.

One way to encourage youth to remain in school and receive a high school diploma is to invest in organizations which support public schools struggling to get their students to graduate. For example, the group Robin Hood donates more funds towards education than any of their other initiatives. The organization hosts interventions with families helping children finish high school and provides extra support services on the elementary-school level (tutoring and therapy). Donating to groups such as Robin Hood helps to ensure that more children who struggle with poverty finish high school.

Poverty is an issue that remains prevalent in our society. However, much can be done to combat this problem. This includes donating and volunteering at organizations such as Robin Hood or The Red Cross or supporting groups such as The Borgen Project that advocate for anti-poverty acts from Congress. The Borgen Project works alongside Congress and advocates for them to pass laws and legislation which have the potential to address how to eliminate global poverty. Last year, The Borgen Project built support for the Global Food Security Act. This act later became law and helped address food insecurity by teaching small-scale farmers sustainable techniques which produce more food. Overall, society can avoid the issues that stem from poverty by continuing to support these organizations.

– Nicholas Beauchamp

Photo: Pixabay

, , ,

Developing Countries Are Changing Education

Changing EducationThere are many organizations and companies that are investing in developing countries to better the lives of people that live in them and to also decrease the global rates of poverty and hunger. With all of the focus on helping developing countries, new advancements in these nations often slip under the radar.

One such achievement is the way developing countries are changing education. Experts are now looking at developing countries’ new initiatives and technology and investigating how these advancements can be applied to schools in developed countries.

There are several ways schools in developing countries are changing education. One way is the use of technology in classrooms. With tech companies such as Dell, which has recently created the initiative Youth Learning that gives students access to laptops for their studies, students in developing countries are learning and using more technology.

William Altman, who is a tech industry analyst at CB insights, says that schools in developing countries are more likely to use online tools in order to stay up to date. Schools in developed countries tend to continue to use traditional techniques because they have enough funding to do so.

For students in developing countries, technology is creating new ways to learn while also providing more opportunities. Jamil Salmi, an education economist and coordinator of higher education professionals at World Bank, discusses the importance of technology for developing countries in an interview for Voices.

He says, “Today, technological innovations are revolutionizing again the capacity to store, transmit, access and use information.” Salmi goes on to say that low cost for technology access is another reason why using technology is beneficial for students.

Another difference in schools from developing countries compared to those in developed countries is the teaching techniques themselves. Since there are such large student populations, some schools in developing countries had to develop ways to teach larger class sizes.

In 2015, the United Nations’ World Population Prospects reported that African countries such as Niger, Uganda and Chad account for all top 10 positions in world’s youngest populations. The result of a large number of students is to find solutions by trying new things and thus finding new ways to teach students.

Educators are now looking at how developing countries are changing education to see what is next for schools. Schools in developed countries are seeing what ways technology can be used in schools and what techniques work to teach the most students. It seems that the more new techniques that schools in developing countries try, the more advanced school systems get.

– Deanna Wetmore

Photo: Flickr

,

Different Approaches to Measuring Poverty

Measuring PovertyWhile the word “poverty” is for many a familiar term that invokes strong imagery, the exact definition remains elusive. Today, no consensus exists on the guidelines for measuring poverty around the world. However, measuring poverty is of utmost importance to those on the forefront of global development — primarily governments or international organizations like the World Bank — and essential to tracking the progress of aid programs. As a result, there are several varying methods used to quantify poverty around the world.

The typical method for getting a headcount of impoverished people within a single nation is using a calculated number called an absolute threshold. Typically referred to as a ‘poverty line’, this threshold indicates that those whose incomes fail to meet a certain standard are poor. The standard varies with country, taking into account economic factors like inflation.

Absolute thresholds were historically used by the World Bank and most governments around the world as a means of taking a “poverty census”.

However, critics like Mark Greenberg, senior fellow of the American Progress organization, call the absolute threshold method “essentially arbitrary.” Many point out that an absolute threshold is limited as a headcount evaluation because it fails to take into account factors outside of income that may still be related to poverty.

The absolute measurement’s counterpart is that of relative poverty. This approach focuses on quality of life as the determining factor for a poverty headcount. According to UNESCO, evaluating poverty this way takes into account income as well as two additional perspectives: basic needs and empowerment.

The U.N. asserts that humans have eight basic needs: food, safe water, sanitation, health, shelter, education, information and access to services.

The level of access to each need is evaluated using clearly defined standards, such as body mass index for measuring access to food, or distance from a clean water source. The state of living with two or more ‘severe deprivations’ (substandard measurements) is termed ‘absolute poverty’.

The final aspect of relative poverty — the empowerment perspective — views poverty as limiting social and political rights. Therefore, groups that experience high levels of discrimination or are denied basic rights, such as that of political participation, are also considered impoverished.

While methods of measuring poverty certainly vary, the general consensus is that living on less than $1.90 per day is extreme poverty.

Though it is by no means an easy task and there is ample room for improving methodology, measuring poverty is essential to understanding and approaching this complex, global issue.

– Kailey Dubinsky

Photo: Flickr

,

El Salvador Poverty Rate Tied to Corruption

El Salvador Poverty Rate
El Salvador, a tiny county in Central America, has struggled with corruption and poverty for centuries. The El Salvador poverty rate is one of the highest in the world.

In fact, the most recent official statistics reported that the poverty rate in El Salvador is above a third of the entire population. In 2015, the CIA established that almost 35 percent of El Salvador’s population lived below the poverty line. Other recent data has shown it could be above 40 percent.

One standardized way of measuring poverty thresholds is contrasting a household’s income with the price of a basic family basket of food sufficient to feed the whole household.

A study into the El Salvador poverty rate defines living in poverty as any household whose income does not reach two times the price of a basic family basket of food.

Most data places the price of a basic family basket of food at somewhere between $130 and $184, depending on the rurality of the area. Therefore, if a basket were to be priced at $170 nationwide, then the number of households with a monthly income below $340 would make up the poverty rate.

The El Salvador poverty rate logically goes hand-in-hand with the issue of violent gangs, who have plagued the country since the end of the civil war. A report out of El Salvador has attributed 84 percent of forced displacement to gang violence and crime.

The World Bank and others have pointed to a declining poverty rate in El Salvador, citing a possible seven percent fall since 2000. However, this data has been contradicted.

With a fluctuating GDP, it is difficult to observe any real patterns of economic growth in the nation. This is predominantly because of large-scale corruption.

In fact, just last year former President of El Salvador, Antonio Saca, was arrested on corruption charges. He has been accused of misusing public funds and money laundering. These accusations have come in light of him acquiring five to six million dollars while in office.

The United Nations announced the establishment of a program that will tackle corruption in El Salvador. By working with existing institutions, the anti-corruption program will investigate existing cases while attempting to uncover more.

Most analysts share the belief that before the El Salvador poverty rate can be effectively addressed and significantly shifted, the country must rid itself of the levels of corruption evident today.

– Cornell Holland

Photo: Flickr

, ,

The Good News That Poverty is Declining

Poverty is DecliningEradicating world poverty is a noble goal. Obtaining zero poverty levels by 2030 is one on the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, and there are many indicators that the target could be within reach. Poverty is declining in most parts of the world, but in some countries, poverty reduction is not keeping up with the global pace.

The overall trend is positive. In 1820, when only 1.1 billion people populated the planet, one billion of these people lived in poverty. As recently as 1981, 41 percent of the world’s population was extremely poor or living on $1.90 per day. By 2013, the percentage was down to 10.7 percent.

In raw numbers, the largest number of people in extreme poverty peaked in 1970 when there were 3.7 billion people in the world. Of those, 2.2 billion people were living below the poverty line.

The economic growth of China and Asia has had a significant impact on global poverty decreasing. China began economic reform in the late 1970s and grew at 10 percent a year until 2010. This translated to 800 million people moving out of poverty, and those that benefitted lived in the city and rural sections of the country. The peasants were able to improve their living conditions by making their small farms highly productive.

In Bangladesh, poorly educated women found work in the textile factories and pulled themselves out of poverty. Economic growth is one factor that influences why poverty is declining. International aid through such organizations as USAID invests in water quality, medicine, schools and infrastructure that improve the quality of life for those trying to increase their standard of living. And global trade has improved living conditions for people in some of the poorest countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa is moving in a positive direction, but there is a caveat. Its poverty rate in 2013 was 41 percent, which dropped from 54 percent in 1990. However, its population is growing at a very fast pace of about 2.5 percent a year, making the total number of Africans living in absolute poverty higher. In fact, more than half the world’s extremely poor now live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Poverty reduction has moved at a fast pace over the last quarter of a century. When the members of the United Nations agreed to cut poverty by 50 percent from 1990 to 2015, they reached their goal five years early. New goals were set to reduce poverty to three percent by 2030. Poverty is declining, but the issue may move from a global problem to one focused on certain parts of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, will have to focus on how to balance its population growth with poverty reduction.

– Jene Cates

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Why Global Dropout Rates Aren’t Improving

Global Dropout Rates
Even as the world prioritizes improving the accessibility and quality of education, global dropout rates continue to increase. In most developing countries, very few children graduate from secondary school or even finish primary school. Sub-Saharan Africa sees 42% of its pupils leaving school early, and 33% of southern and western Asian students also drop out. While free universal education for all children is an important goal, the way policies and organizations approach the goal should keep global dropout rates in mind.

Why don’t impoverished children stay in school? An obvious reason is the cost of schooling in general. Many schools offer free tuition, but expenses for lunch, uniforms and examinations all add up to a high cost. If local education doesn’t prepare students to meet local and national standards, parents are forced to pay for additional tutoring for their children. Also, educational opportunity comes at a cost if the children who typically produce an income for their families become full-time students. Since impoverished families are often large, supporting many children in their education becomes almost impossible. When choosing between a tutor and food for the next week, chances are the latter is a higher priority.

Going to school may even be dangerous for students, resulting in high global dropout rates in developing countries. Limited infrastructure forces many students to walk far distances every day. If an area is prone to conflict and hostility, walking students are at a high risk of encountering violence and becoming casualties.

Other factors influencing children to leave school include a lack of basic facilities like water points and latrines, support for disabled children, language barriers and discrimination based on gender, ethnicity or religion. The curriculum might drive children and families away from school if its mastery isn’t relevant to their lives, defeating the purpose of universal education.
Children who don’t go to school are often the most vulnerable and marginalized in a developing society. Of the 121 million children currently out of primary and secondary school worldwide, more than 60% live in impoverished countries.

Establishing universal education is the logical place to begin, but in order for the education system to be effective, it must address global dropout rates and tailor a learning environment that keeps students’ unique situations in mind. A curriculum that values real-life problem-solving and relevant topics, such as health and financial literacy, is more sustainable in impoverished regions than a more American, test score grading approach.

Students need to feel empowered and develop the knowledge and skills necessary for alleviating poverty. While the answer to poverty is already hazy, the world’s youngest minds may find the key that unlocks both a lifetime love of learning and a draw toward critical thinking required to manage their limited resources and create opportunities for themselves.

– Allie Knofczynski

Photo: Flickr

,

Improving Mental Health in Poor Communities

Mental Health in Poor Communities
While it is proven that poverty leads to cognitive setbacks, similar studies suggest that there are methods to counter poverty and its psychological effects in both the family unit and schools.

Improving mental health in poor communities became a priority in sustainable development over the last decade. Children from low-income families face psychological challenges that are much less common for higher-income children, including developmental delays, mental disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, depression and attention disorders. Parents’ education levels, race and other critical factors are not shown to have as strong a correlation as family income. Scientists trace statistics concerning mental health in poor communities back to inadequate nutrition, obstacles to proper development and chronic stress.

In response to these findings, more promising studies have shown that efforts to improve mental health in disadvantaged populations can be particularly effective during childhood.

For example, nutrition during and for a year after pregnancy is a critical part of cognitive development. Mothers who prioritize nutrition and a high-protein diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding are far more likely to have children free of mental disability.

The parent-child relationship is also crucial. At least one parent or parental figure’s consistent ability to care for a child leads to “secure attachment,” which encourages brain development, feelings of being worthy of love and the development of positive relationships. Professionals today are using attachment theory to understand and assist disadvantaged families.

The takeaway is that prioritizing pregnancy education and support in addition to positive parental relationships can improve mental health in poor communities.

Outside of the family unit, schools are an additional opportunity to promote psychological health in disadvantaged populations. Encouraging students to set goals in the classroom and giving consistent feedback develops student autonomy and intrinsic motivation. Since impoverished individuals are at greater risk of adopting a “victim mindset,” the thought process that external events alone determine their circumstance, drive and independence are crucial to future success.

According to the self-determination theory, surrounding students having material that suggests they can overcome difficult circumstances lead them to believe that they can succeed. Supplementing this school material with similar cultural stories and values at home increases the chances of internalizing positive values.

Organizing students into cooperative learning groups promotes relaxation, high achievement, positive relationships and improved psychological health, according to a 2000 study. Encouraging children to work together may combat the anxiety and stress that results from living in a low-income family and improve socialization.

While the psychological effects of poverty can be discouraging, these studies suggest that simple changes in the home and classroom are highly effective ways of empowering disadvantaged individuals. As research continues in the areas of cognitive development and psychology, further improvement in mental health in poor communities is expected.

– Kailey Dubinsky

Photo: Flickr

,

Poverty Rate of Venezuela Increases

Poverty Rate of Venezuela
Venezuela, once expected to be one of the richest countries in South America, has been crippled by socialist dictators and now suffers from widespread poverty. In fact, 82% of the population lives in poverty. With the largest oil reserves in the world, Venezuela’s economy has become solely dependent on oil.

Venezuela has relied on high oil prices to bolster their exports and pay for importing basic goods, including food and medicine. However, with the price of oil dropping dramatically in the last few years, Venezuela’s economy has taken a major hit and caused drastic inflation. As inflation skyrocketed and political turmoil brewed, investors and businesses drained out of the country.

Currently, Venezuela leads the world with the highest inflation. In December of 2016, it reached a high of 800% inflation and has not significantly decreased since. According to the LA Times, it cost $150 to buy a dozen eggs in Venezuela in 2016. This hyperinflation has caused Venezuela’s currency, the Bolivar Fuerte, to depreciate. This has caused the poverty rate of Venezuela to jump to more than 80%.

 

Poverty in Venezuela

 

The face of poverty in Venezuela is also changing. With such a staggeringly high poverty rate, poverty now affects citizens with degrees who cannot find jobs and more urban people, in addition to the already rural poor.

Long lines at supermarkets have developed as people seek the most basic and necessary means of survival. According to CNBC, Venezuelans are eating two or fewer meals a day and around three-fourths of the population have watched their weight decrease throughout the years.

In 2016, President Nicolas Maduro increased the minimum wage by 40%. With inflation, this means that citizens who receive minimum wage earn just $67 a month. The explosive poverty rate and lack of proper government response have prompted protests, as this issue is now being seen as a clear violation of human rights.

However, opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez, his wife, Lilian Tintori and Capriles Radonski acknowledge the situation and have been fighting for a better Venezuela. A Venezuela with democratic power, basic goods and luxuries everyone can afford, a Venezuela with jobs for everyone, lower crime rates and better health care.

The high poverty rate in Venezuela has reached the attention of the world. Raising awareness has been part of finding hope for Venezuela. The hashtag #SOSVenezuela has been used over the last few years to protest corruption and has acted as a rallying cry to bring global attention to the people affected by Venezuela’s dire political situation.

– Francis Hurtado

Photo: Google

, ,

Studies Show Long-Term Effects of Poverty in Children

Effects of Poverty in Children
Recent research and behavioral studies focusing on children that grow up in conditions of poverty have indicated that the stress associated with that environment can have lasting negative effects. It has been long accepted in the field that spending one’s formative years in the tough circumstances associated with poverty can lead to learning and behavioral problems. However, these recent studies indicate something different: the long-term effects of poverty in children are not only potentially psychologically detrimental but also physiologically damaging.

Researchers and experts in the field have coined the term “toxic stress” to describe the prolonged activation of the stress response system when a child experiences strong, frequent or prolonged adversity. Children brought up in the harsh conditions of poverty are highly likely to be continually exposed to this type of toxic stress. The absence of protective relationships, physical and emotional abuse, chronic neglect, exposure to substance abuse and violence and the accumulation of family economic hardships all lead to the prolonged activation of the stress response system. This toxic stress, especially in the early formative years of a child’s development, can have highly detrimental effects on the individual’s health which follows them for the rest of their lives.

The most recent research suggests that toxic stress can lead to some of the major causes of the deadliest diseases in adulthood, such as diabetes and heart attacks. As Dr. Tina Hahn, a pediatrician, recently claimed, “The damage that happens to kids from the infectious diseases of toxic stress is as severe as the damage from meningitis or polio.”

Undergoing toxic stress can also lead to higher risks of internal inflammation; a 2015 study at Brown University found that the saliva of children who had experienced abuse or other hardships had elevated levels of inflammation markers. The effects of poverty in children can also potentially be deadly: one of the direst findings, from a 2009 study, found that adults with six or more adverse childhood experiences died 20 years earlier than those with none.

The findings of the adverse long-term effects of poverty in children have begun to lead to a change in approach on behalf of psychologists, pediatricians and educators. The American Academy of Pediatricians in 2016, for example, passed a policy urging pediatricians to routinely screen families for poverty and help them find food, homeless shelters and other necessary resources. Some schools have also begun to screen children for signs of toxic stress, in order to curb these harmful effects before they manifest themselves. This practice, unfortunately, is far from universal. However, as awareness about these findings grow and more studies reach similar conclusions, the professional — and public — attitude toward the issue of poverty is beginning to change, it is beginning to no longer be seen only as a socio-economic issue but as a fundamental humanitarian and health one.

– Alan Garcia-Ramos
Photo: Flickr

,

Why is Bhutan Poor?

Why Is Bhutan Poor
Why is Bhutan poor? The landlocked country, located in the eastern region of the Himalayan Mountains, is one of rich culture and strong national pride. Despite the lack of infrastructure and small economy, Bhutan is considered to be the happiest country in Asia. It is also one of the poorest, with a striking poverty rate of 12%. Factors such as rugged landscape, lack of education and intangible government goals all contribute to answering this question: Why is Bhutan poor?

Difficult Landscape

Due to its location in the Himalayas, Bhutan’s terrain is extremely hilly and rugged. It also has no contact with any body of water. This makes movement throughout and beyond the country extremely difficult. The lack of mobility further impacts the ability of the Bhutanese government to make health care and education readily available throughout the country.

Lack of Education

Most children have to walk two to three hours to find a primary school. Consequently, 47% of the population above the age of six is uneducated. Without an education, finding a job becomes extremely difficult. Most jobs require specialized skills, so the impoverished Bhutanese population is often limited to either subsistence farming, trading or laboring.

Farmers, especially in rural regions, are severely limited in capital and resources and often work for the bare necessities. Given that 96% of the poor live in rural areas, most of them get stuck in a vicious cycle of poverty. Even if they were to get enough capital to produce more, due to inadequate access to markets, they would not be able to take part in much trade. Consequently, education certainly plays a big factor in answering the question, why is Bhutan poor?

Natural Disasters

Bhutan is often struck by natural calamities due to its mountainous landscape. Floods and landslides make it impossible for any major infrastructural development to take place. This also increases the cost of goods and services. These natural disasters also affect residents’ health by causing an increase in diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. This can prevent already poor families from going to work and increase medical costs.

Despite these sub-par living conditions, the government continues to focus on Gross National Happiness instead of improving the economy. With such a large proportion of the population living under the poverty line, Bhutan must rise up and focus on tangible objectives.

Recently, the government has implemented legislation, such as the National Rehabilitation Programs and the Rural Economic Advancement Program, that aim to help needy individuals by giving them land and better socioeconomic opportunities. Bhutan may have a long way to go, but these programs have certainly propelled them in the right direction and away from the question: why is Bhutan poor?

– Tanvi Wattal

Photo: Flickr