Archive for category: Developing Countries

Information and stories about developing countries.

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The Frontline Heroes of Human Rights in Brazil

Human Rights in BrazilHuman rights in Brazil are under attack by the country’s own presidential administration. Having campaigned on his famous “anti-human-rights rhetoric,” President Jair Bolsonaro is now turning his words into concrete actions that affect millions of Brazilians. Activists in Brazil are not backing down, relentlessly fighting for the human rights of the Brazilian people.

Human Rights Concerns in Brazil

  • Bolstering of police impunity for use of illegal force
  • Government complicity with torture in detention facilities and the systematic disassembly of government monitoring programs tasked with preventing torture
  • Funding cuts to environmental protection programs, approval of new pesticides for use without proper monitoring of toxicity levels in rural communities, minimization of consequences for illegal logging and ignoring reports of increased deaths of forest defenders
  • Civil and property rights of indigenous people, quilombolas, women and LGBTQI communities
  • Limiting the independence of nongovernmental agencies and restricting access to government information and public records

Despite the wave of policy change threatening human rights in Brazil, there is an equally powerful movement rising to meet it; real people and organizations dedicated to the fight for all humans and their right to exist freely in a peaceful, healthy and safe country.

Damião Braga

At 54 years old, Damião Braga is an experienced activist. He is the leader of Pedra do Sal, a community of African slave descendants in Rio de Janeiro called quilombolas. For 30 years, Braga has been in a judicial struggle over land in a historical part of Rio because he believes it should belong to his people whose ancestors arrived there as slaves.

This land is currently owned by the state and claimed by the Catholic Church, two formidable opponents. Braga says granting quilombolas the property rights is an essential step in making reparations for these descendants of slaves. Because slaves freed in Rio were never given property to live on in the first place, forcing them to settle in the margins of the city that became known as favelas, many believe it is time the government makes amends.

It is not only important for the quilombolas to fight against racism and systematic marginalization but it is also important for them to fight for the right to have a place of their own. Here they can build a future in a land they did not arrive at willingly but now call home.

The Guardians of the Forest

This group, formally established in 2013, is made up of around 120 indigenous activists in the Araribóia Indigenous Reserve. Located in the Brazilian state of Maranhão, this reserve is one of the regions most at risk of illegal logging. Emboldened by the relaxing of consequences for illegal loggers by the Bolsonaro administration, violence is increasing and the local people are taking matters into their own hands.

At first, most of the group’s work entailed destroying the camps of illegal loggers, using guerilla tactics to make them feel unwelcome. The Guardians are now working to set up an NGO and website in order to raise awareness and donations to help fund a more organized resistance.

It is indeed dangerous work. In 2019, the Indigenous Missionary Council released a report saying that violence against the indigenous peoples of the Amazon went up 23% from 2017 to 2018, making for a total of 135 people murdered in 2018 alone. Thus, the Guardians take this work very seriously. Most of them are Guajajara, the indigenous people of the area, therefore, they see it as a sacred duty to protect the land they have lived on for centuries. “We will continue to confront the wrongs committed by the Brazilian system of justice against the lives of Brazilians.”

Marielle Franco

Born to a very poor family who immigrated to Rio, Franco grew up in the favela Maré. Because she was exposed to the injustice of police brutality at a young age, Franco’s experiences fuelled her political career.

In 2016, she became a councilwoman for the Socialism and Liberty Party, officially enlisting in the fight for human rights in Brazil. She worked hard in this position to improve the situations of women and people living in favelas.

The councilwoman proposed 16 bills but only two were approved while she was alive. Another five would pass after her death, a small comfort to those who saw her as a leader.

In March of 2018, a now-charged man shot the 38-year-old Rio councilwoman in an alleged assassination. Now, after her death, her life is celebrated by supporters wearing shirts that read, “Fight like Marielle” and her name is the inspiration and strength people need to keep fighting for their rights.

Inspiring Activism in Brazil

The danger of these and thousands of other activists fighting for human rights in Brazil is tangible and constant. Thus, the courage to continue this work even in the face of such great risk shows the world their commitment to stand up against an authoritarian government.

– Kari Millstein
Photo: Flickr

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Fighting Malnutrition in Nepal

Malnutrition in NepalIn 2019, the malnutrition rate in Nepal was 43% for children under 5 years old. Malnutrition is defined as a lack of nutrition and can be a result of either being underfed or not eating enough nutritious foods. When children suffer from chronic malnutrition, it can result in stunting, which can permanently affect a child’s growth physically and cognitively. For the first two decades after 1990, malnutrition in Nepal decreased. Thereafter, malnutrition progress slowed down. Currently, malnutrition in Nepal is still a serious issue that needs addressing.

Malnutrition in Numbers

Nearly 66% of children between 0-5 months old are exclusively breastfed. Between 6-24 months old, only 36% of babies receive a minimum acceptable diet. Additionally, as little as 47% of these children receive diversified diets with the proper nutrients.

Mother Fights Malnutrition

To help fight malnutrition, adolescent girls, women and children, need access to better nutritious diets and associated nutritional care. According to UNICEF, “The first 1,000 days from the start of a woman’s pregnancy to a child’s second birthday offer an extraordinary window of opportunity for preventing undernutrition and its consequences.” In this critical period, preventative intervention is vital. This includes breastfeeding support,  supplementary foods for infants and micronutrient supplementation for women and children.

Bimala Chaudhary is an example of a mother who has been educated on the importance of nutrition. On a monthly basis, Chaudhary participates in a mothers’ group meeting where female community health volunteers teach mothers about how to improve both their own nutrition and the nutrition of their children. The mothers have been taught lessons that include the importance of handwashing and how to prepare nutritious porridge.

The health volunteers also visit Chaudary’s home to provide one-on-one nutritional counseling. A USAID-supported radio program called Mother Knows Best further emphasizes the lessons she learns through the women’s group. She also receives SMS messages to remind her to take her daughter for visits at the clinic in order to monitor progress.

To help the community, Chaudhary shares what she learns from the meetings with other mothers. Her end goal is to make sure no children are malnourished in the future.

Solutions

Since the 1990s, a lot of progress has been made to fight malnutrition in Nepal. The current country program (2018-2022) works to improve nutrition in Nepal. Adolescents, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, infants and young children receive special focus. UNICEF supports the Government of Nepal in the implementation of comprehensive nutritional strategies. These strategies include deworming children, vitamin A supplementation, iron folate supplementation and nutritional education and counseling.

The Nepal Youth Foundation has developed child malnutrition treatment centers. These Nutrition Rehabilitation Homes (NRHs) treat severely malnourished children, teach mothers about children’s health and train professionals on best nutritional practices. These homes bring in critically-underweight children for three to four weeks to help improve their health through a monitored diet. For a long-term solution, caregivers and mothers are taught how to make nutritious meals. They are then encouraged to share these lessons with their communities. Since the first NRH was opened in 1998, 15,000 malnourished children have been restored back to health.

Food for the Future

By increasing the nutritional education of communities, malnutrition in Nepal can improve. With both short and long-term solutions, organizations like UNICEF and the Nepal Youth Foundation improve the lives of mothers and children.

– Sarah Kirchner
Photo: Flickr

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The Kwanisa Foundation Helps South Africans

Kwanisa FoundationWhile COVID-19 casts a new set of challenges for poverty in South Africa, two extraordinary women are showing the power that a grassroots foundation has in the fight against poverty. COVID-19 has had disastrous effects on poverty in South Africa, leaving many South Africans unemployed and unable to secure basic needs such as food and clean water. The Kwanisa Foundation aims to assist South Africans in need.

COVID-19 in South Africa

Surprisingly, in an analysis done by Global Food Security, food security issues caused by COVID-19 in South Africa are not related to supply, logistics or distribution. Food insecurity is due to a collapse in earnings.

A recent study conducted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), concluded that 34% of households are expected to fall out of middle-class status and into the vulnerability of poverty. The same study predicts that the South African economy will contract anywhere from 5-8% in 2020. Furthermore, the economy will likely recovery slowly through 2024.

The adverse health effects of COVID-19 and economic disruptions put South Africa’s food security in jeopardy. Shocks in the system due to COVID-19 have resulted in a complete stop of household income for many families, income that is vital for purchasing food.

Although the South African government has provided relief funds, it has not been enough to curb the effects of the pandemic. With the loss of income resulting in food insecurity, social protections and grassroots efforts are vital to providing short-term relief.

The Kwanisa Foundation

Providing much-needed short-term relief is exactly what Kopano Tsengiwe and Nwabisa Mpotulo, both from Johannesburg, set out to do by founding the Kwanisa Foundation. Starting in March 2020 when the nation went into lockdown, the Kwanisa Foundation has been providing food to families in need.

Delivering food packages around their community, consisting of dry and canned goods and even hygiene products such as toothpaste, the Kwanisa foundation has empowered those in the community to help in any way they can.

By developing these grassroots programs that draw in help from those who can give it, the Kwanisa Foundation has put an increased emphasis on outreach directed toward the youth of South Africa.

The goal is to build a network of individuals who can pool together resources and skills in order to develop and improve local communities.

The co-founders first met at the University of Pretoria and both worked at the nonprofit called Blue Palm. In an attempt to continue their philanthropic efforts, the two co-founded the Kwanisa Foundation whose mission is to empower disadvantaged youth to become advocates for change within and outside of their communities.

Other Initiatives

The Kwanisa Foundation’s efforts do not stop at food drives. Looking to empower the youth of South Africa and address unemployment, skills development workshops target students in underprivileged schools. These workshops include university readiness training and career counseling to help prepare the youth for their futures ahead.

Another youth-driven project is the Light in a Home Mission. This project looks to improve the living conditions and access to resources for the 2.3 million orphaned children currently living in South Africa. Orphans receive basic necessities and administrative help such as applications for grants and tertiary institutions.

Other community-driven projects championed by the Kwanisa Foundation include sanitary pads and toiletry drives, school shoes and stationary drives as well as blanket drives.

Instead of just hoping for change, Tsengiwe and Mpotulo are stepping up and creating change with a grassroots effort to help end poverty in South Africa.

– Andrew Eckas
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Period Poverty in Brazil

Period Poverty in BrazilPeriod poverty is defined as a lack of access to menstrual hygiene resources and education. This includes access to sanitary products, washing facilities and waste management services. Financial barriers exacerbate period poverty in Brazil. Menstrual products in Brazil are taxed because they are not categorized as essential. In fact, in São Paulo, taxes form 34% of the price of menstrual products. Individuals and organizations are dedicating efforts to addressing period poverty globally.

Period Poverty in Brazil

In Brazil, not only is access to period products an issue but females also have no or limited access to hygiene facilities. Roughly 39% of schools lack handwashing facilities. This inadequacy directly impacts girls’ school attendance because, during menstruation, girls need a bathroom facility to change their tampons or pads and wash their hands. Outside of school, roughly five million Brazilians live in places that do not have adequate bathroom facilities.

Menstrual Stigma

There are about 5,000 known euphemisms for the words “menstruation” or “period.” This simple fact illustrates the shame associated with menstruation. Cultural taboos, discrimination, lack of education and period poverty perpetuate menstrual stigma. The consequences are that girls miss school while menstruating due to stigmas and taboos as well as a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products. Missing school means falling behind on education and increases the likelihood of girls dropping out of school altogether. Without education, girls are at higher risk of child marriage, early pregnancy and violence. Lack of education continues the cycle of poverty, limiting the futures of girls. This clearly illustrates how period poverty affects overall poverty.

Helena Branco

Ordinary young Brazilians are taking action to address period poverty in Brazil. Helena Branco is an 18-year-old Brazilian inspiring change and finding solutions to period poverty. After learning that the Brazilian government did not view period products as an essential resource, she took action. Branco and her teammates are part of Girl Up, a global movement for gender equality created by the United Nations Foundation.

After extensive research, the team’s first step was to focus efforts on supplying menstrual products to people suffering from the financial impact of COVID-19. The team developed the campaign #AbsorventeUrgente (#UrgentPads) to encourage local communities to donate menstrual products to organizations supporting vulnerable people during COVID-19. A total of 16 girl-led gender equality clubs from seven different Brazilian states took part in this effort. Through the campaign, the team successfully distributed more than 60,000 period products, raised $3,200 and directly impacted more than 3,000 people.

Eliminating Global Period Poverty

Branco and her team are bringing attention to the issue of period poverty in Brazil, highlighting barriers such as menstrual product taxes that discriminate against women. It is vital to address issues of period poverty in order to eliminate stigma and normalize the idea of menstruation in all nations. Efforts to address period poverty are essentially efforts to address global poverty overall.

– Rachel Wolf
Photo: Flickr

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How Mobile Money Accounts Can Transform Africa

Mobile Money accountsMobile Money refers to digital payments that require no bank account to complete the transaction. A telecom provider, Verizon in the United States, for example, performs the function that a bank account would traditionally carry out. Mobile money accounts are particularly prevalent in emerging markets such as sub-Saharan Africa because individuals and small businesses in these places lack access to formal savings accounts and credit.

Mobile Money in Sub-Saharan Africa

There are more than one billion registered mobile money accounts worldwide and sub-Saharan Africa makes up nearly half of those accounts. The implementation of digital finance has the capability to boost an emerging nation’s GDP by 6% ($3.7 trillion) by 2025. Boosting sub-Saharan Africa’s economy by this amount would be the same as adding an economy the size of Germany to the global market.

COVID-19 Accelerates Mobile Money Usage

African governments have worked to increase the use of mobile money accounts to stimulate the national economy by reducing barriers to sign up. Rwanda implemented lockdown restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and mobile money transfers doubled within a week after the placement of these restrictions. Other African nations followed Rwanda’s lead and also eased restrictions on mobile money accounts, hoping to accelerate economic growth amid the global crisis.

The Success of Mobile Money in Africa

Roughly one in 10 African adults utilize mobile money accounts, which equates to about 100 million active accounts. This is more than double the number of accounts in the second-biggest region for mobile money, South Asia. MTN, the largest mobile telco in Africa, has 171 million customers, far outweighing leading African banks such as Ecobank and Barclays Africa, which have between 11 million and 15 million customers.

Mobile phone penetration in Africa is on average 80%, whereas banking penetrates approximately 40% of Africa. Telcos have found ways to create client experiences that are attractive to African consumers, with minimal restrictions and time investment necessary to set up mobile money accounts. There are often no transaction fees on bill payments and merchant acceptance is widespread, making mobile money an attractive way for African citizens to build wealth and manage their finances.

How Mobile Money Reduces Poverty in Africa

Studies predict that by 2025, 84% of Africans will have access to a mobile SIM card connection. Furthermore, mobile money payments will be crucial to the success of individuals, businesses and the overall African economy. Mobile payment technology allows people to manage their money securely, regardless of credit history. It also removes the barriers that people typically experience with bank account access. Mobile money essentially allows for financial inclusion. Mobile money transactions have the potential to reduce poverty in Africa and financially include millions of previously excluded people.

A study by the Gates Foundation found that mobile money directly impacts an African household’s ability to deal with shocks and extreme poverty. For example, in Uganda, mobile money increased food security by 45% for households far from a bank. In Kenya, mobile money account holders who experienced a shock had no decrease in consumption level, compared to a 7% decrease in consumption for households without a mobile money account.

The Future of Mobile Money

Mobile money fosters financial resilience and thus reduces poverty levels. Households with mobile money accounts are able to respond to unforeseen events. For example, if there is a flood, a household with access to mobile money can rely on the easy transfer of money from friends and family to support them even if they live far away. Since mobile money account usage increases per capita consumption and savings, it thus reduces the rate of poverty.

Mobile money has long-term impacts on poverty, especially in female-headed households. It has the power to empower millions of women. Digital payment platforms can give women in male-headed households more financial independence and can help them increase their savings.

According to research, increased consumption rates due to mobile money account utilization drove 196,000 households out of extreme poverty in Kenya. The ability of mobile money to lift African households out of poverty is impressive and shows promise for the continent’s future economic development.

– Tatiana Nelson
Photo: Flickr

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Virtual Learning for Colombia’s Indigenous People

Colombia’s indigenous people An effort to bring virtual education resources to Colombia’s indigenous people helps students learn in their native language and creates opportunities for them to break the cycle of poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has created food insecurity and economic challenges for many indigenous communities in Colombia and Latin America. Education has also undergone disruption as 137 million children in Latin America and the Caribbean are staying home from school. Fundación El Origen is addressing this lack of education during COVID-19 by bringing virtual learning to indigenous children in Colombia.

COVID-19’s Impact on Colombia’s Indigenous People

In Colombia, the economic toll of the pandemic has hit the indigenous people of Colombia especially hard. Across Colombia, an estimated 1.5 million indigenous people account for 3.4% of the total population, according to the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA).

The largest indigenous group in Colombia, the Wayuu people, live predominantly in the region of La Guajira in northern Colombia along the border of Venezuela.

The pandemic has been so detrimental to the indigenous people of Colombia because it has shut down the tourism sector and 90% of people in La Guajira work in informal sectors like tourism. At the same time, remote work or school is nearly impossible as only 10% of people have access to the internet.

Fundación El Origen: Virtual Learning

Fundación El Origen is trying to break the cycle of poverty by making virtual learning an option for all students and by focusing on other educational challenges faced by indigenous and rural youth living in La Guajira. Spanish is the official language in Colombia, however, estimates have determined that people speak 70 different indigenous languages in the country. This presents a challenge to indigenous students who may have grown up speaking a native language and then have to attend classes that teachers teach in Spanish.

To even the playing field for indigenous students, especially during the pandemic, Fundación El Origen has supplied students with tablets that offer instruction in their indigenous wayuunaiki languages. Roughly 260 children from the Wayuu tribe of La Guajira received tablets.

The tablets use a virtual learning program called O-Lab. This program teaches students in Spanish and in their native language. Moreover, it works without an internet connection.

“They have to adapt to an education system that was not made for them,” said Tania Rosas, executive director of Fundación El Origen, in an interview with The Borgen Project.

In Colombia, more than 100,000 kids dropped out of school during 2020, largely because of the financial hardships of the pandemic, Rosas said. The problem is daunting and organizations like Fundación el Origen can only help a small portion of students in need. So far, Fundación el Origen has brought online learning to 2,000 children and hopes to reach even more children in 2021.

Access to virtual learning is the latest education barrier but education is not a new fight for the indigenous people of Colombia or Fundación el Origen.

The Importance of Education for the Indigenous

“We have been fighting for many years to have the rights to our lands and have the right to access quality education for our communities,” Rosas said. Rosas sees education as the best way for Colombia’s indigenous people to have a voice in government and for an entire community to leave poverty.

“If we give them access to education programs to help them understand those problems and create solutions, we are eventually ensuring access to sustainable development in their communities,” she said. “We think that education is the best way to empower them and give them the tools to ensure sustainable development.”

– Laney Pope
Photo: Flickr

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The Smile Foundation: Improving Education in India

The Smile FoundationIndia is one of the poorest and populated countries, with more than 1.3 billion people. Nearly 70% of the population lives on less than $2 per day. Furthermore, women and children are among the most vulnerable groups that are most affected by poverty and inequality. The Smile Foundation commits to improving educational outcomes in India so that children have a way to improve their lives and rise out of poverty.

Education in India

The National Sample Survey Organization’s 2017-2018 survey showed that roughly 30 million children aged 6-17 were not attending school. UNICEF reports that approximately 20 million children between the ages of 3 and 6 do not attend preschool. Between 2011 and 2018, literacy rates in India increased by 5.07%. However, in 2018, the female literacy rate in India was 70.3%, compared to the male literacy rate of 84.7%.

Access, availability and quality of education in India are some of the most prevalent barriers to combating poverty for vulnerable women and children in underserved communities. The exclusion of children from educational opportunities based on caste, socio-religious identification, gender and ability, facilitates even more marginalization and poverty for disadvantaged groups.

The Smile Foundation

Education in India, especially among rural communities, is a strong determinant for ensuring a chance of economic security and female employment. Thanks to the diligent work of the Smile Foundation, a nonprofit organization empowering change through education and awareness, disadvantaged women, youth and children have an opportunity to escape poverty and achieve economic security.

Santanu Mishra, the co-founder and executive trustee of Smile Foundation, refers to education as, “the great equalizer that opens new gateways and opportunities to improve the standard of life.” Mishra explains that poverty is a multifaceted state that can derive from a lack of quality educational attainment, in addition to the absence of certain knowledge, assets and opportunities. Acquiring an education in India can improve individual well-being while interrupting the generational and cyclical nature of poverty. “I believe that education is the key that can transform the story of an individual from trying to survive to thriving in life,” says Mishra.

Vision and Approach

The Smile Foundation came about in 2002 with the aim of making a positive contribution to society. Today, the organization serves more than 2,000 villages and slums in 25 states of India through welfare projects promoting education, healthcare, income and women’s empowerment.

The Smile Foundation believes that “Civic Driven Change” which upholds public responsibility to increase community-based engagement, is pivotal to achieve transformation. The organization has collaborated with local and international groups, institutions and public figures to bear global awareness and response. In 2010, the Smile Foundation produced, “I Am Kalam,” the first film created by a development organization, which premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, winning 17 national and international awards. The film addresses the issue and importance of child education as a tool to rise out of poverty.

Utilizing a “lifecycle approach,” the Smile Foundation aims to improve welfare by empowering children and families through meaningful education, healthcare and social skills. The Smile Foundation employs “Social Venture Philanthropy” —  a concept which means connecting social investment plans to charitable giving by focusing on reach, sustainability, a culture of leadership and clear accountability. The organization’s Outreach model reaches rural regions, enabling deeper insight into obstacles of project implementation.

Mission Education

The Smile Foundation developed Mission Education (ME), a national program providing quality healthcare and education in India to over 232,000 underserved children since 2002. The ME program guarantees unbiased access to education through a four-step approach. This involves a focus on students, a focus on teachers, prioritizing an effective learning environment and community and stakeholder engagements.

“Education of girls also gets priority, with 51% of total beneficiaries being girls. This is done by bringing about an attitudinal change in the parents’ outlook toward education,” says Mishra. In 2019, 87% of qualified students who graduated from ME centers entered traditional schools and almost every ME teacher possessed sufficient academic training.

Going Forward

Amid COVID-19 challenges, the Smile Foundation has implemented personalized, virtual education plans to guarantee disadvantaged students an adequate opportunity to succeed. The Smile Foundation also utilizes socio-behavioral guidance and capacity-building opportunities for teachers to prepare students to become active members of society.

“I often say that our vision at Smile should be that one day we should not exist,” says Mishra. Mishra explains that the Smile Foundation intends to mobilize community-based action, sensitize global responses and perpetuate government accountability to achieve sustainable change and eventually become a bygone organization.

Improving Education in India

The Indian government has taken strides toward improving the education system but further measures are crucial to combat the pandemic-induced likelihood of increased out-of-school children rates. Mishra suggests that the government should prioritize family-based social and economic assistance to encourage parents to send their children back to school. Mishra believes that a synergistic approach works best. This involves support from NGOs, advantageous stakeholders, community programs and components of an effective learning environment. In combination, this produces the greatest results for providing children an equal opportunity to thrive in life and rise out of poverty.

– Violet Chazkel
Photo: Flickr

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Going Global: The NBA in Africa

The NBA in AfricaThe National Basketball Association (NBA) is known as one of the best leading professional basketball leagues to ever exist. With 30 franchises across North America, the NBA has a large following and media presence with fans and supporters from all around the globe. The top NBA players have lucrative careers that many young people dream of achieving. However, this dream has always seemed out of reach for young people in Africa. Many who play basketball in Africa are unsure of how to pursue a successful athletic career, may lack the access to adequate training and coaching and may not even be aware of the possibility. The NBA has partnered with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to create the Basketball Africa League (BAL), the first official league outside of North America. The NBA in Africa could be a complete game-changer, opening up possibilities and positively impacting Africa’s economy.

The Basketball Africa League

Though the BAL is the first NBA league in Africa, it is certainly not the NBA’s first interaction with the continent. Basketball Without Borders (BWB), also in collaboration with FIBA, is an international basketball camp that unites youth from Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa in order to promote the sport and encourage social change. The top youth players train under NBA players and coaches. Life skills training is also provided. It focuses on the importance of education, leadership, development and health. The participation of young women is important to NBA Africa, allowing them opportunities that were never an option before. In 2019, BWB hosted its 17th event in Africa. BWB is much more than just basketball, it helps players develop important life skills that they can take forward.

The NBA Academy Africa

The NBA’s activity in Africa does not end at the BWB. The NBA Academy is an elite basketball initiative meant to provide high schoolers outside of the U.S with holistic training development. There are six academies across Australia, China, India, Mexico and Africa (Senegal). The Senegal center opened in 2018 and is the primary training location for NBA Academy Africa prospects. The NBA Academy’s holistic approach includes a focus on education. These young people either attend a local public school or receive a scholarship to a local private school. They also receive additional academic support.

In December 2019, the BAL announced the host cities of Cairo (Egypt), Dakar (Senegal), Lagos (Nigeria), Luanda (Angola), Rabat (Morocco) and Monastir (Tunisia). The NBA will host games in these cities and build infrastructure. Rwanda will also host BAL Finals. These games started in 2020 but COVID-19 postponed further events.

Benefits of the NBA Africa

Dikembe Mutombo, a former Congolese-American NBA player, expressed his gratitude and excitement for the BAL. Mutombo was a rare case of an African making it to the NBA. He knows that for many children in Africa, the prospect is out of reach. Masai Ujiri, a Nigerian-Canadian former professional basketball player who is now president of the Toronto Raptors, expressed that the BAL will also allow for new opportunities of employment and revenue in Africa.

Africa’s population is predicted to double by 2050. Accordingly, the NBA in Africa is an especially important part of the development and dreams of the new generations to come. The NBA in Africa will create jobs, revenue and stimulate the economy. The NBA is thus contributing to the alleviation of poverty in Africa.

– Grace Wang
Photo: Flickr

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Smile Train Improves the Lives of Children With Clefts

Smile TrainMore than 170,000 children in developing countries are born with cleft lips or palates. Children born with clefts in developing countries often go untreated due to a lack of trained surgeons and facilities as well as the high cost of corrective surgery. Without surgery, children struggle to eat, breathe, hear and speak. Smile Train is a nonprofit that works to provide life-enhancing services to children with clefts in developing countries.

Cleft Lips and Palates

Cleft lip occurs when the lip does not completely form during fetal development. On the other hand, cleft palate occurs when the roof of the mouth does not completely close during fetal development, leaving an opening that can extend into the nasal cavity. Clefts can also occur in varying degrees.

The cause of cleft lip and palate is unclear but research shows that both genes and the environment are contributing factors. In addition, several syndromes are commonly associated with cleft lip and palate. This includes Down’s syndrome and Stickler syndrome.

Cleft deformities can result in a range of issues such as feeding difficulties, dental problems, hearing impairments, speech impediments and breathing struggles. Cleft surgeries and other essential cleft services are imperative because they significantly improve a child’s quality of life.

Smile Train’s Mission

Smile Train is the world’s largest organization that focuses on helping children with clefts in developing countries. It works on a sustainable model that goes beyond simply providing cleft surgeries. It also works to provide other essential services to address the struggles that come with cleft lips or palates. These services include nutritional support, dental care, orthodontic treatment and speech therapy. Smile Train works in more than 70 countries and has helped more than 1.5 million children in the past 20 years.

Smile Train’s sustainable model focuses on providing training, funding and resources to empower medical staff in developing countries to provide free cleft surgeries and care in their very own communities. Once these doctors are trained, a ripple effect occurs as they train more doctors within their communities and beyond. This means that children with clefts will receive quality care and treatment for years to come.

A Smile Train Story

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, a little girl named Elizabeth was born with a cleft lip. Financial difficulties made it impossible for her parents to afford the necessary treatment and care for her. The family learned about Smile Train partner, Tebow CURE. Through the assistance of Smile Train donors, Elizabeth was able to have surgery at no cost. The surgery helped to ensure that Elizabeth has a good quality of life ahead of her.

Smile Train gives parents in developing countries renewed hope that their children will lead healthy and productive lives despite difficulties.

– Olivia Bay
Photo: Flickr

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James Wolfensohn: Champion of Poverty Reduction

James WolfensohnJames Wolfensohn, the ninth World Bank president, passed away at the age of 86 on November 25, 2020. During his decade of leadership, the World Bank became a preeminent leader in addressing global poverty as one of the world’s largest financiers of education, health, HIV/AIDS programs and the environment. His legacy as a champion of poverty reduction is worth remembering and is one that future leaders should emulate.

Early Life of James Wolfensohn

Growing up in Edgecliff, New South Wales, Wolfensohn’s father struggled financially. According to his autobiography, “A Global Life,” the financial insecurity that challenged his family through his childhood had a profound impact on his life and was something he would carry with him through his tenure as president of the World Bank.

After graduating from the University of Sydney with an LLB Law degree and later earning an MBA at Harvard Business School, Wolfensohn worked for multiple firms and investment banks. He eventually created his own investment firm in New York in 1981.

Joining the World Bank

When Wolfensohn first came onboard at the World Bank, the Bank was under intense scrutiny. Facing mass protests, a number of failed projects as well as increasing criticism from the investment banking industry and NGOs, many felt the World Bank had lost sight of its mission and objectives.

When Wolfensohn received the appointment of the ninth World Bank president in 1995, the world was facing the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, an intensifying war in the Balkans and around 31% of the world’s population was living at or below $1.90 per day.

Facing a complex set of challenges as World Bank president, Wolfensohn rose to the challenge and began implementing new initiatives and started retooling projects. Under his leadership, the Bank took steps to refocus on social-sector lending programs instead of the ineffective and expensive infrastructure initiatives of the past. Simply put, he reinstated the World Bank’s central goal: helping the world’s most impoverished nations defeat poverty.

Initiatives and Legacy

Wolfensohn’s policy regarding the debt that many African and South American countries incurred best exemplifies this shift in organizational focus. It is the Debt Initiative for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), a framework for all creditors to provide debt relief to the most heavily indebted low-income countries. The goal of the initiative was to address halted economic growth and slowed poverty reduction due to debt accumulation.

Further policies aimed at reducing poverty included the Comprehensive Development Framework (CDF) and the 1999 Poverty Reduction Strategy. The CDF provided a strategy and vehicle for the Bank to implement the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDG). The World Bank committed to achieving the goals, placing the MDGs at the center of its poverty reduction efforts.

Wolfensohn also committed to increasing engagement with disenfranchised communities such as impoverished youth, the Roma and those with disabilities. He also took steps to help make HIV/AIDS treatment affordable.

Remembering James Wolfensohn

The impact of global poverty reduction efforts that James Wolfensohn spearheaded will forever remain. According to Wolfensohn, “If we want stability on our planet, we must fight to end poverty.” His powerful statements on global poverty will guide future poverty reduction efforts of the World Bank.

– Andrew Eckas
Photo: Flickr