Archive for category: Development

Information and stories on development news.

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Stanford Researchers Using Artificial Intelligence to Fight Poverty

AI to fight poverty
On September 25, 2015, United Nations member countries adopted a set of goals “to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.” The number one goal to be achieved by 2030 is to eradicate extreme poverty.

Fighting global poverty is a huge battle, and many countries don’t keep data on the frequency and distribution of poverty, which makes it hard to track.

The lack of clear, representative data is what drove students and professors at Stanford University to create the Sustainability and Artificial Intelligence Lab. The lab focuses on many different projects that use artificial intelligence to fight poverty.

Neal Jean, Marshall Burke, Michael Xie, W. Matthew Davis, David B. Lobell and Stefano Ermon started the Predicting Poverty project 18 months ago. The project combines the forces of satellite imagery and machine-learning algorithms to detect places in the world that put off more light at night than others. The Borgen Project had the opportunity to speak with Burke about the work the team is doing.

The logic is that the brighter the lights in an area, the more developed that country is likely to be. Over time, the tracking of “night lights” can give information about where and how extreme poverty is. Using artificial intelligence to fight poverty can also recognize where there are roads, urban areas, waterways, and farmland.

“We are still in the stage of making sure the satellite-based approach works,” Burke said. “We have had great results in five African countries, but still need to know how it works in other countries and whether it can make decent predictions of changes in poverty over time.”

The group has tracked poverty in Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi and Rwanda. The methods used in these countries are inexpensive. By mapping where poverty is most significant, aid organizations can properly distribute help and materials.

Once they have figured out whether the technology can predict changes in poverty, the team hopes to track all of Africa and monitor many other Sustainable Development Goals using technology.

“I think AI could provide some large benefits in regions of the world where we currently have little on-the-ground data about economic well-being — which includes a lot of the developing world,” Burke said. “AI-based approaches can help us measure livelihoods on the ground in these places, and also help us understand which sorts of anti-poverty programs are particularly successful in reducing poverty. “

– Madeline Boeding

Photo: Flickr

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Rwanda’s Economic Success Story


After the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi that killed 800,000 people, Rwanda has developed as a nation, improving its economy and decreasing its poverty rates. Rwanda Vision 2020 seeks to bolster Rwanda’s economic success by investing in a knowledge-based society.

World Economic Forum calls Rwanda “one of the fastest growing economies in Central Africa.” The country increased its GDP growth to eight percent per year between 2001 and 2014. However, more than 60 percent of the population still lives on less than $1.25 a day.

Foreign assistance continues to expand Rwanda’s economy by investing in programs such as education, youth workforce development and the coffee sector. Rwanda benefited from foreign assistance since the genocide, with 30 to 40 percent of the nation’s budget coming from aid. The Rwandan government’s initiative, Rwanda Vision 2020, focuses on long-term goals to grow from an agricultural and subsistence economy to a diversified economy less dependent on foreign aid.

Struck by economic disadvantages, including high unemployment and fluctuating prices in coffee and tea exports, Rwanda hopes to transform into a middle-income country and knowledge-based society.

Rwanda Vision 2020 promotes macroeconomic stability and wealth creation to reduce dependency on aid and develop the private sector. The initiative will expand Rwanda’s domestic resource base and increase its exports and promote diversification in non-traditional exports.

Rwanda recognizes that it must improve education and health standards to provide an efficient and productive workforce. Entrepreneurship is crucial to Rwanda’s economic success. Instigating wealth, employment and educational services in sciences and technology will create a new class of entrepreneurs.

USAID partners with the Rwanda Education Board to enhance investments in training, teaching and materials to ensure that all children learn to read within their first years of schooling.

While Rwandan youth are challenged by poverty and social instability, they increase their chances for success through USAID’s programs for basic life skills and work training, which promote education and employment. As a result, over 20,000 youth are equipped with workforce skills, and over 60 percent of these youth gained new or better employment, including self-employment. More than 40 percent of the youth choose to pursue further schooling.

With a history of poverty, Rwanda’s economic success comes from embracing present challenges and adjusting its approach. Rwanda’s changing landscape promotes socio-economic stability and harnesses a new identity as it becomes a middle-income nation and knowledge-based society.

– Sarah Dunlap

Photo: Flickr

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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Wear Nigerian” Campaign


Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie already has an impressive resume. She is the author of five bestselling novels and an ardent feminist activist. But in the past couple of months, she’s added another title: champion for local business. Recently, she started a “Wear Nigerian” campaign that serves just this purpose.

In a Facebook post, Adichie announced her intention to wear almost exclusively Nigerian brands for public appearances. She made this decision after observing, in her words, the “Nigerian government’s disastrous economic policies” that led to a “reduction in the value of the Naira and therefore in disposable income, a change in values, a disorientation of the middle class and most of all, to a debilitating sense of uncertainty.”

Adichie’s Facebook post aptly highlights a problem that the Nigerian government has been grappling with for a while. Between 2015 and 2016, the Naira, Nigeria’s currency, lost 25 percent of its value. Nigeria is rated by the World Bank Doing Business 2017 Report as one of the most difficult countries to do business in. This is largely due to the difficulty of border trade and the lack of reliable infrastructure such as electricity within Nigeria’s borders. Because of these factors, it is difficult for entrepreneurs to start businesses and obtain credit in Nigeria.

Adichie’s Wear Nigerian campaign works to combat this. There is a wide consensus among economists that economic growth starts at a local level. When citizens of Nigeria buy local goods instead of imported goods, the community grows. As the local producers begin to have more income, they invest their extra income in community projects like repairing infrastructure. Thus, it helps everyone to follow Adichie’s Wear Nigerian campaign.

Adichie is also using her platform to convince people that wearing Nigerian-made clothes can be cool. People can see all the styles Adichie is wearing by following her Instagram page, @chimamanda_adichie.

– Adesuwa Agbonile

Photo: Flickr

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The Poverty Rate in India: An Unfinished Success Story

India has made incredible progress in efforts to decrease its population’s degree of poverty and improve the quality of life of its citizens throughout the last 20 years. The poverty rate in India fell from 45.3 to 21.9 percent between 1993 and 2011, and it continues to drop each year.

Behind only China, India is the second most-populated nation in the world with over 1.3 billion citizens. Additionally, India still houses one-third of the world’s poor, despite a 50 percent drop.

There is thus a two-way focus on India in achieving the World Bank’s Millennium Development Goals of defeating global poverty by 2030. While it is a clear example of successful aid and development, the nation still has a long way to go.

Despite its struggles, India has still transformed into one of the world’s fastest growing economies. India is an influential member of the G20, and it now acts as an important participant in international affairs.

The United States has provided a great deal of aid to India over the last two decades. Consequently, its dramatic improvement is proof that nations that once appeared hopeless can succeed in the global market.

In a blog post, Bill Gates cited India’s resurrection as “phenomenal.” Further, India “deserves recognition especially now, as rich countries consider whether to continue investing in global development assistance despite all the economic problems they face at home.”

Despite these developments, it is important to remember that there are still 400 million Indians living in extreme poverty. UNICEF has instituted programs that target these issues. These campaigns work to reduce neonatal deaths; increase child growth and development; protect children’s learning environment; and empower adolescents.

USAID plans to continue investing in the country’s healthcare, water, education, and energy. The G20 Summit will hopefully provide further opportunities to develop a plan that will eradicate poverty. Until world poverty has all but disappeared, India remains an unfinished success story.

– Emily Trosclair

Photo: Flickr

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One Way to Demand More Corporate Social Responsibility


It’s no secret that Americans love to go out to eat. Choosing take out or driving to the nearest food drive always sounds better than working in the kitchen for what seems like hours. Luckily, for those times that a good burger or pizza sounds too delicious to pass up, there are still opportunities to help the world’s poor as restaurants adopt new policies of corporate social responsibility.

Restaurants everywhere are catching on to the notion that they can adopt a policy of corporate social responsibility and use their position in society to help people who are in need. According to an article in AdWeek, Millennials are civic-minded and have more recently demanded that companies and corporations be civic-minded as well by giving back to society. Millennials want to create change, take responsibility for the world and help those who are unable to help themselves.

The 2015 Cone Communications Millennial CSR (corporate social responsibility) Study found that 9 in 10 millennials would drop one brand and replace it with a more socially conscious one. Furthermore, 62 percent of millennials would willingly take a pay cut if it meant working for a socially responsible company. Millennials are dedicated to staying socially responsible in all areas of their lives.

Many people know of clothing brands and large corporations that are donating sums of money or have a one-for-one philanthropic model with clothes, shelter and other essential items. In a similar way, there are now many restaurants that are donating food to hungry people all over the world.

Some major brands, including Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Yum Brand restaurants and Zambrero donate to charitable causes specific to eradicating hunger worldwide. Some restaurants name the charities they are working with right in their mission statement. For example, Malawi’s Pizza serves “pizza with a purpose,” has a Meal for Meal Exchange program and has sent 923,859 meals to orphans in Malawi since its inception.

These are only a few options. The good news is there are many more corporations that care about good causes. Staying educated on corporate social responsibility is the most efficient way to be up-to-date with which corporations are making a difference because those are the ones that should maintain support. The more demanding consumers are of socially responsible corporations, the more they will appear and, as a result, Americans can begin taking more responsibility for those in need everywhere.

– Emily Arnold

Photo: Flickr

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The Global Poverty Reduction Online Knowledge-Sharing Database


During the China Poverty Reduction International Forum on May 26, 2017, the first case-sharing database for poverty reduction was launched by the Chinese government. The Global Poverty Reduction Online Knowledge-Sharing Database gathers replicable cases of poverty reduction from users in the hopes of collecting “innovative and successful approaches” toward reducing global poverty.

As part of the Global Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth Portal, which is an online platform with expert’s opinions, trends, and further opportunities regarding poverty reduction, the database is meant to bring worldwide users to the platform. The Global Poverty Reduction Online Knowledge-Sharing Database is available to anyone with internet access, either to read about individual cases or contribute their own experiences. To encourage participation, it has been designed to be user-friendly and provides a guide to assist users with the template for uploading cases.

The Global Poverty Reduction Online Knowledge-Sharing Database organizes cases into three different categories for easy access: market-oriented, government-led, and community-driven. Each poverty reduction case is classified into further sub-categories that relate to how poverty was reduced in that developing nation. For further ease-of-use, the database uses tree diagrams and standard templates that make the information easier to comprehend and utilize.

More than 40 global experts and research institutions contribute to the database. For instance, the project was initiated by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank and is co-managed by the China International Poverty Reduction Center and the China Internet Information Center. With this strong network of contributors, the database has the potential to connect past and current developing nations in the effort to alleviate global poverty, especially by having China as its main contributor. Once categorized as a developing country, China now has one of the most successful economies in the world and is reported as having the fastest rate of poverty reduction in history.

With worldwide contribution and utilization, the Global Poverty Reduction Online Knowledge-Sharing Database may be the key to ending global poverty.

– Haley Hurtt

Photo: Flickr

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Innovative Social Enterprise: ME to WE Works to End Global Poverty


The for-profit arm ME to WE, an innovative social enterprise, partially funds Free the Children, a well-known international charity re-branded as WE last year. With WE, ME to WE works to end global poverty in a variety of ways.

Brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger started WE more than a decade ago, when Craig was only 12 years old. Their goal was to give people with fewer opportunities and resources the chance to better their lives. That goal is still carried out in the daily workings of the corporation, which donates half of its net profits to WE while reinvesting the other half to grow the enterprise.

WE focuses on five pillars that are important to the advancement of underdeveloped communities: education, water, health, food and opportunity.

In cooperation with the WE Charity, ME to WE works to end global poverty in these three main ways:

1. Volunteering

ME to WE offers volunteer trips to a variety of countries where communities exist in dire need of assistance. They currently serve Kenya, India, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Haiti, Sierra Leone and rural China.

The WE Charity offers “holistic, sustainable development work” for the volunteers to participate in to help the community.

ME to WE recognizes the importance of volunteer work and how far a single act of kindness can stretch. Its trip website says that after participating in the volunteer trip, “you will take home these lessons, along with an action plan to make a difference.”

Those who volunteer may build houses, install wells or plant community gardens, making a lasting impact on those in need. These projects are designed to help communities develop into sustainable societies.

2. Selling merchandise

Along with offering trips, ME to WE works to end global poverty by selling merchandise that directly benefits poverty-stricken communities.

On the ME to WE Shop web page, there is a description of how a purchase affects a community: “All ME to WE products carry the Track Your Impact promise and create sustainable change around the world in WE villages and here at home through WE school programs.”

Pacsun, a California-based retail clothing brand geared for young people, gives back by selling ME to WE merchandise in stores and online. The brand proudly announced that with any purchase of a ME to WE item, “essential resources are delivered that work to break the cycle of poverty and create real, lasting change.”

3. Educating and giving opportunities

One of the most impactful ways ME to WE works to end global poverty is by empowering communities through problem solving. The WE Charity and ME to WE Foundation “carry the power of WE globally, empowering communities to lift themselves out of poverty.”

In rural Nicaragua, for instance, a group of unemployed and impoverished women struggled to put food on the table. WE stepped in and helped the community build a school and a well. ME and WE, in the meantime, gave the women options for income-earning. The women eventually chose to learn the craft of bracelet-making. ME to WE pays them for the dedication and passion involved in making jewelry, then sells the bracelets in Europe and North America.

For years now, ME to We helps women reward themselves and feed their families. Instead of charity, these passionate females received encouragement and sustainable skills that help them care for themselves and their families. This is just a couple of the many ways ME to WE and its nonprofit arm WE empower communities to support themselves.

– Sydney Missigman

Photo: Flickr

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Education in the Solomon Islands


Education in the Solomon Islands is difficult to access for youth, creating a huge hurdle for the island nation. As a country made up of more than 300 inhabited islands, the challenge of attending school across the islands means around 20 percent of children are out of school. Uneven population distribution makes providing educational services difficult at best, and in the 2003 conflict, many schools were burnt down and teachers and students fled the violence.

As the number of out-of-school young people has increased, the Solomon Islands has seen a parallel increase in political violence as youth have found an outlet for their frustration in riots, crime and violence. A 2005 study by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) found that under-18 youth were being recruited by armed groups. This prompted the creation of a peace education module, a community-based model bringing together educators, young people, community leaders and NGO’s. The program’s purpose is to foster understanding of peace, conflict and good governance. To address the tension and positively re-engage youth, the government and NGOs have increased their focus on education in the Solomon Islands as an impactful way to promote peace measures.

To address the tension and positively re-engage youth, the government and NGOs have increased their focus on education in the Solomon Islands as an impactful way to promote peace measures.

The content of the educational curriculum is being thoughtfully reconsidered, as it is cited as a potential causal factor in the Islands’ conflicts. A perceived divide between traditional customs and skills and colonial Western-style curricula has encouraged educators to innovate, implementing the use of native languages in schools and diversifying teaching materials on history, religion and culture.

In order for the peace modules and curriculum innovations to succeed, school enrollment and completion rates must improve. As of 2012, Education Policy and Data Center (EPDC) statistics show a high enrollment of both young boys and girls in primary school, with a net enrollment rate of 81 percent and a primary completion rate of 85 percent. However, only 72 percent of students were continuing their education in the Solomon Islands and enrolling in lower secondary school.

Since then, the hard work of local actors such as the Solomon Islands’ Curricular Development Division, church organizations and local women’s groups has demonstrated great commitment to making school more accessible. Partnerships with organizations including UNICEF, the New Zealand Agency for International Development and Save the Children have supported these efforts, and these powerful collaborations are rebuilding and innovating current educational structures.

In fact, based off of 2000-2010 education trends in the Solomon Islands, the Education Policy and Data Center predicts a 100 percent enrollment rate for primary and lower secondary students by the year 2025. By engaging every young person, education in the Solomon Islands will hopefully reduce conflict and promote peace. As long as aid funding and the government’s commitment to education continues, delivering culturally relevant, quality education can be a reality for the Solomon Islands in a few years.

– Irena Huang

Photo: Flickr

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IBM’s Science for Social Good Program is Helping Save the World

IMB Uses New Science for Social GoodThe International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is a major research organization that focuses on computer wear and consultations. They also study cognitive computing and information technology. As of 2017, IBM holds the most patents of any business in the United States, making it a hub for progressive thinking. Aware of their resources, IBM announced their new program, Science for Social Good, on June 6. This program encourages IBM to partner with scientists and nonprofit organizations solving social issues through a more modern lens.

The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is one of the organizations IBM is working with. The Cary Institute’s mission is to research and address the problem of the Zika virus in Central and South America. When the Zika virus arrived in Brazil through mosquitos, it gave babies many life-threatening diseases, such as brain under-development. Without a widely distributed vaccine in countries where only high-class citizens have access to health care, many unborn children are at risk.

Science for Social Good is assisting The Cary Institute in “applying machine learning and data science tools to identify primate species that could become animal reservoirs for Zika” in order to contain and combat the disease. In a short period of time, IBM technology helped pinpoint areas where Zika is most prevalent. Then, they created  through mobile phone apps that map out these locations, allowing citizens to stay more informed and cautious. This technology also identified primate species that carry the disease in the wild.

In addition to The Cary Institute, IBM is assisting the emergency food service St. John’s Bread and Life. IBM will create an artificial intelligence supply chain model of emergency food operations and share it with cloud computing technology. Thus, Bread and Life can share its most advanced practices with other organizations to better help those in need. The digitization of new organizations would make both education on hunger issues and providing aid to the needy much easier.

“Science for Social Good is built on the premise that applied science and technology can solve the world’s toughest problems,” reads IBM’s research page. With companies like these beginning to take a more globalized approach to problem-solving, we may see more research projects like Science for Social Good in the future.

– Vicente Vera

Photo: Flickr

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How to Lobby for a Cause


Lobbying for a cause is an important part of the political process and a key way all citizens can impact government decisions. There are many ways to advocate for a cause. Here are seven important points to consider when regarding how to lobby for a cause important to you.

7 Ways to Lobby for a Cause

  1. Know background information. Having a holistic picture of an issue and understanding all sides will allow you to have more effective and productive conversations.
  2. Have a clear objective. No matter how broad your cause may be, have specific points to address and keep the focus on a clear goal, such as signing a bill. Refer to bills and pieces of legislation by their specific name and number, and remain up to date on events that could affect your objectives.
  3. Be persistent and personal. A crucial part of lobbying for a cause is building a relationship with members of Congress and their staff. Introduce yourself and tell a story that explains your personal connection to a cause. Bring photos or documents relevant to your story if you have them. These personal touches can make an issue significant for a politician. Similarly, persistence reiterates the importance you place on a cause and is vital for building relationships with your representatives.
  4. Listen. Try and have a conversation with others about your cause rather than doing all of the talking yourself. Pay attention to what questions are asked regarding the cause and your objectives as well as common themes in differing viewpoints. Listening will allow you to better formulate your argument in a way that addresses concerns and dispels misconceptions.
  5. Find allies. Being part of a group not only provides a strong support network that will help you learn how to effectively lobby for a cause, but also shows a Congress member the cause is important and personal to many constituents. Spreading awareness and advocating for a cause is more effective in a group. Beyond other supporters of a cause, also remember the important role staffers play in pushing a cause through. Do not underestimate the importance of your relationships with staffers, and know that they can advocate for you and your cause as well.
  6. Remember the power of positive reinforcement. Do not forget to say thank you and acknowledge tiny positive actions. Whether it is for signing a piece of legislation related to your cause or just taking the time to meet with you, using positive reinforcement in your interactions paves the way for building strong relationships. Collect business cards and contact information from staffers and be sure to follow-up interactions with thank you messages.
  7. Don’t get discouraged. Even if your Congressional offices do not support your cause, remain polite and persistent. There are a myriad of factors influencing political decisions, so do not be discouraged if your objective is not supported immediately or even after years of work. There is no recipe for how to lobby for a cause with 100 percent success. It is important to remain focused on the personal connection you have with this cause and continue to build relationships and find allies to support your work.

Learning how to lobby for a cause takes time and often requires one to re-evaluate their strategies in order to convey their message most effectively. Remaining persistent and listening to all sides of an issue are crucial aspects of lobbying for a cause, and over time can lead to successful results.

– Nicole Toomey

Photo: Flickr