Information and stories on development news.

BRCK: Kenya’s Power Outages

When it comes to developing products that are durable and useful in the developing world, many of the innovative ideas and products that appear in the media come from NGOs and students from the developed world. Recently however, many local companies and startups in the developing world have begun to take matters into their own hands by addressing the problems their countries face, from traffic congestion to securing a reliable data connection.

One such of these innovative products is BRCK, a power source and a reliable mobile data connection for people who experience frequent power outages in both urban and rural areas around the world. The idea for creating a durable power source emerged from Kenya’s power outages that a group of Nairobi-based engineers were experiencing on a daily basis. Realizing that both urban and rural people needed a more secure power source, as well as a reliable connection to data for mobile devices, the engineers came up with BRCK.

The BRCKs were launched this year on July 17, when the first 700 units were shipped out across Kenya and the world. The initial market for the device was for small and medium businesses, but the sales of the first 700 included people from 45 different countries as well as biotech companies and nonprofits operating in the developing world.

The device has eight hours of battery life in full power mode and five different low power states that help extend that time. It can be charged on anything from a computer to a car battery making it versatile for a wide range of people and conditions. It is marketed as a “rugged” power source that can withstand dust and any formidable weather.

Realizing that there were bound to be questions and concerns with the launch of their product, the team behind BRCK included a forum on their website that allows people from around the world to connect and discuss topics from troubleshooting to technical support to bandwidth quotas.

Devices like the BRCK are important because they not only address the energy needs of the bottom billion, but also foster innovation, development and production in the developing countries. However, one challenge that the team behind BRCK faced was the infrastructure to actually manufacture the device in Kenya, something that many African nations are still developing.

As a result, while the idea originated in Nairobi, Kenya, the manufacturing was done in China and the assembly in Austin, Texas. Working to decrease costs and bring assembly to Kenya will be a work in progress for this young company. Despite the challenges however, the need for the product is great, as anyone who has ever lived or visited a developing country can confirm.

In the mean time, BRCK is addressing a much needed energy supply for people in Kenya, by people in Kenya, a truly remarkable accomplishment.

– Andrea Blinkhorn

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, BRCK 1, BRCK 2, BRCK 3
Photo: Forbes

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Habitat for Humanity International

It is no secret that human beings require food, water and shelter to survive. Though many organizations focus on providing food and water for those in need, Habitat for Humanity International provides shelter.

Founded in 1976 with an emphasis on natural disasters, war and civil unrest, Habitat for Humanity International helps to build and rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure from natural or manmade events. It is funded through volunteer labor and donations.

The organization has more than 1,500 affiliates in the U.S. and over 70 national outlets worldwide. Habitat for Humanity has constructed houses in six continents, and its main headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia.

Apart from constructing houses with a focus on sustainable living, Habitat for Humanity is involved in microfinance and disaster response. It also recognizes and reaches out to vulnerable groups, including those with disabilities.

Its Board of Directors consists of American philanthropists and investors, as well as leaders from Egypt, Kenya, Indonesia and El Salvador.

According to Habitat for Humanity International, there are roughly two billion people worldwide who inhabit slum housing.

A key component to the organization’s success is its ability to work with governments. A combination of cooperation with legislators and housing regulators, advocacy, the monitoring of public policies and the use of government funds applicable to Habitat’s ideology assures its success.

Habitat for Humanity builds homes that are “simple, decent and affordable to low-income families around the world.” In fact, homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to assist with the building of new houses.

In conjunction with South Africa’s Mandela Day, Habitat for Humanity and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, pledged to build 67 homes in one week. The organization regularly collaborates with organizations worldwide on housing projects.

With an expanding world population, the need for housing will continue to grow. With a proven track record of success, Habitat for Humanity will most likely continue to be one of the leading house building organizations in the world.

– Ethan Safran

Sources: Habitat for Humanity, The New Age
Photo: Missouri State University

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Restricted Labor Force in India

While stories of India’s gender gap have been in the media spotlight in past years, a recent census shows the depth of the inequality. India is rated 101 out of a 136 country survey for gender disparity, with lower economic opportunities and a lower literacy rate. With a population of over a billion, nearly 160 million women are estimated to be restricted to domestic work, many of whom are of working age.

With a restricted labor force in India, the capacity for growth and development is hindered. Additionally, the options women do have are limited by unequal access to education and training. While this problem has been acknowledged, its scope was underestimated. Sociologists hope that governmental encouragement of women in the workforce can help reduce illiteracy and poverty among women.

However, even women who are employed are more likely to be “vulnerably employed” than their male counterparts. This term, used by an ILO study to describe nearly 84 percent of South Asian women, refers to the risk these workers face: seasonal employment and more easily terminated services leaves them with little job security. Additionally, these workers perform mostly domestic services, a trend which consistently reinforces the patriarchal hierarchy in India.

With job security being a problem for women, the government is hoping that opening up more opportunities in the public sector, now dominated by men, can have an equalizing effect for the women of India. With women and girls being among the most disadvantaged in the world, employing them and fostering growth in education and literacy is in the best interest for 21st century India.

For as large of a nation as it is, the hindrances on the labor force have not allowed India to realize its potential. For the generations of women now and those in the future, women must have the opportunity to come out of the domestic sphere and into the working world.

– Kristin Ronzi

Sources: Silicon India, ISP News
Photo: Worldbank

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China’s Rising Economy

China’s April-to-June quarter results have proved that the country is growing economically. China’s rising economy has expanded 7.5 percent in the past year, on target with the government’s goal, and retail sales and factory output has risen even just in the month of June.

This change is positive, but was somewhat expected, as China’s government has created a plan to boost economic growth. These quarterly results simply reaffirmed that they are on the right track.

Dariusz Kowalczyk, a senior economist in Hong Kong, said regarding the results, “The Result is very good and shows the economy has recovered very well in the second quarter.” He also confirmed that the improvements were the result of the “targeted stimulus measures undertaken by the Chinese authorities.”

This boost has come after a recent decline in China’s economy due to lowered demands of exports. The economic lull inspired the government to increase consumption domestically and rebalance their growth model.

One of the changes made to boost the economy was to lower the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR,) the cash amount required by banks to keep in reserve in order to have money to lend to agriculture related businesses and smaller companies. Smaller companies also received cuts on their taxes.

While the growth is something to celebrate, China still needs to practice caution. The growing economy may be completely dependent on the stimulus changes, and the momentum could easily fade. Chang Jian, an analysist with Barclays, stated that, “…the recovery is quite dependent on government support”.

There is also the question as to how genuine the rising economy is. The property sector, making up about 16 percent of China’s GDP, is going through a downturn. The government is working on taking out “shadow banking,” where alternative lending and finances are given outside of the government. House sales have fallen 9.2 percent. While these facts should be lending to a shrinking economy, the economy continues to grow, putting it under speculation by some.

Some believe that the numbers are inflated, and that the GDP has truly only expanded by 6 percent rather than 7.5 percent. Some economists worry that the growth will plateau, or that the government’s stimulus work will not be enough to sustain the momentum.

One thing to hope for is that the economy’s growth will continue because of these changes, even without the government continually tending to it.

Banks have been encouraged to lend more willingly to companies that export goods, which should increase exports over time.

China also plans to build railways, roads and airports along the Yangtze river, which would enable the country’s less developed areas to more easily reach Shanghai, giving economic opportunity to a larger variety of citizens.

Only time will tell if the rising economy of China is genuine and long lasting. This growth, or lack of growth, will surely affect the global economy as well.

– Courtney Prentice

Sources: BBC, Time, The Asashi Shimbun
Photo: Opinion-Maker

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China’s Nail Houses Protest Corporations


Dingzihu, “nail-house,” is a Chinese expression to label homes and their tenacious owners who resist eviction. These inhabitants are perceived as being as stubborn as a nail. However, this is no idiomatic exaggeration. In photos, these homes stand like pillars on an island, forlorn on a dirt mound in the middle of an excavation site for business development. These homes and their owners are immovable.
The media can be a powerful partner. The image of the nail house resonates across many different audiences and it raises many questions about the situation and stakeholders. Questions circulate about cause and effect, like where tenants go after eviction, property laws, the economic situation in the state, the willpower of the defiant and so on.
The international audience begins to draw comparisons between similar scenarios and starts questioning their own limits and privileges at home. In the comments of a National Post article on the topic of nail houses, commenters were surprised by the secure private property protection laws in China. In comparison to some of the expropriation efforts in the West, where governments clear property for the sake of “public interest,” the nail houses in China are an example of nearly unimpeded individual expression.
Many families face threats from gangsters, and officials have severed the families’ electric and water supply. The story of the Wu family in Chongqing is especially stirring as they would rather stay and die in their home, than be moved unjustly. Similarly, in the case of the Santa Marta favela dwellers in Brazil, officials adopted several unscrupulous tactics to flush out residents, including the termination of public services.
Unfortunately, eviction initiatives are common in many regions of the world as governments press against the poor to make room for grander urbanization projects. Some find it a wonder that the nail house residents in China have held out for so long.
In the long run however, nail houses are not a significant threat to developers. Government and businesses continue to build their visions and complete their agendas, leaving these nail houses to appear as nothing more than a humorous public presentation. Some owners ultimately yield and turn over their property. Some do not, forcing developers to build roads and buildings around the structure. Often, officials do not care about the safety of a home residing in the center of a construction site and these owners eventually relocate as well.
Nevertheless, nail house owners still walk out as victors. They’ve made a statement. There will always be people prepared to combat social and political injustice, with a media and international audience on standby to amplify the outcry. Abandoned nail houses encircled by the tarmac of highway roads, and nail houses rising from the middle of a pedestrian crosswalk at a city intersection will serve as haunting monuments to remind the public and officials that citizens are not easily bullied. The images and stories these nail-houses leave behind help to inspire and empower the oppressed around the world.

– Carmen Tu

Sources: National Post, Studies on Asia, The Guardian, Visual News
Photo: CBS News

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Halving Global Poverty Remains Elusive


Although the world has made headway in alleviating global poverty, about one in five of the world’s poor live on less than $1.25 per day, according to the U.N. Millennium Development Goals report 2014.

The United Nations stated that even though the goal of halving global poverty before 2015 has been achieved, progress on poverty alleviation is lopsided across regions. “Some regions, such as Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia, have met the target of halving the extreme poverty rate, whereas other regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, still lag behind.”

In South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, 30 and 48 percent, respectively, of people live on less than $1.25 a day, respectively, compared to 51 and 56 percent in 1990. But while South Asia has made significant progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs,) it will require more effort to achieve targets to help the world’s poor by the end of 2015.

Lise Grande, U.N. Development Program representative in India and United Nations resident coordinator, emphasized that the MDGs cannot be reached if poverty is not alleviated in India. “The new post-2015 framework cannot succeed if it does not reflect the aspirations, and does not have the commitment and support of India,” she said. One third of the world’s poor live in India alone. The people of India hope that their new Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will rejuvenate the slow economy and alleviate poverty for millions.

Despite China making significant progress in decreasing the poverty rate (12 percent compared to 60 percent two decades ago,) China ranks second behind India in the largest share of the world’s poor. Besides these large populous countries which have high numbers of extreme poor, extraordinary poverty rates are found in areas that are fragile and tense, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5 percent,) Bangladesh (5 percent) and Nigeria (9 percent).

Many MDG goals focusing on achieving gender equality in schools, increasing access to better water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers and reducing poverty have already been met, according to the Millennium Development Goals Report 2014. But there is still a ways to go.

– Colleen Moore

Sources: moneycontrol.com, Daily Times
Photo: DW

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Education in Tanzania: 10 Important Facts

Tanzania has seen tremendous growth and progress in the education sector over the last decade. However, despite rapid expansion in primary and secondary school enrollment, the country’s education system continues to struggle to deliver quality education and to keep its children in school. Below are some facts about education in Tanzania:

1. Growth in Education

According to a census report, 94 percent of children aged 7 to 13 were enrolled in primary school in 2011. Only 59 percent of children were enrolled in primary school in 2000.

2. No Fees

This incredible jump in enrollment is due in part to Tanzania’s abolition of primary school fees in 2001.

3. MDGs

Today, Tanzania is said to be on track for meeting the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal for male and female enrollment in primary and secondary schools.

4. Class Size

Due to rapid enrollment numbers, Tanzania faces extreme overcrowding within its classrooms. The average government primary school classroom holds 66 pupils. In some areas of the country, there can be as many as 200 pupils in a single classroom.

5. Student:Teacher Ratio

While the number of enrolled students continues to grow, a corresponding increase in qualified teachers does not. The pupil to qualified teacher ratio remains 49:1 in Tanzania.

6. Student:Latrine Ratio

The pupil to latrine ratio is an even larger culprit when it comes to factors that hinder Tanzanian children’s education—for girls, especially. On average, there is 1 toilet for a collective 54 boys and 51 girls. This ratio — far below the normal pupil:latrine ration of 25:1 — affects not only attendance but also performance in Tanzanian schools.

7. Special Education

There is no system today in Tanzania for the identification of, assessment of, or support for children with mental or physical disabilities within government schools.

8. Drop Out Rates

In 2010, 68,000 children dropped out of primary school, and 66,000 children left secondary school early.

9. Pregnancy

Also in 2010, 7000 girls dropped out of primary and secondary schools due to pregnancy.

10. Exams

Only half (53.5 percent) of students passed the primary school’s leaving examination in 2010; the majority of children who passed the examination were boys.

Though the statistics that reflect the enrollment growth are impressive, the system supporting education in Tanzania is decrepit, if not dysfunctional. With one of the highest net enrollment ratios in Africa, there is much potential to empower Tanzanian children and adolescents, helping them to attain the education necessary to break the cycle of poverty. For the thousands of children who begin, but never finish, their schooling, education reform must remain at the forefront of the Tanzanian government’s agenda.

– Elizabeth Nutt

Sources: UNICEF, USAID
Photo: HNKC News

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Mexican Auto Industry Speeds Past Brazil

Brazil’s rule as Latin America’s auto king is coming to an end as Mexico positions itself for a dramatic increase in factory output over the next 10 years. Brazil has enjoyed its decade at the top of the auto industry in Latin America but is currently experiencing a slump in domestic consumer demand. A simultaneous boom in U.S. demand — the primary export market for the Mexican auto industry — has paved the way for Mexico to speed past Brazil in auto production.

Brazilian-made cars are typically not shipped abroad due to high labor costs and taxes, meaning that the South American giant’s auto market is driven mostly by domestic buyers. Output in Brazilian auto factories has fallen 17 percent this year already, and light-vehicle exports have fallen 52 percent since June 2013. Brazil‘s exports to its top trading partner Argentina plummeted nearly 30 percent in May, according to Anfavea, Brazil’s automaker association. Additionally, a weakened economy and tight credit are dissuading Brazilians from purchasing new vehicles.

On the other hand, Mexico’s promising growth in the auto sector is due in large part to its proximity to the United States. New and prospective plants in Mexico are predicted to add 1.5 million units of vehicle capacity through 2019, increasing vehicle production from nearly 3 million units in 2013 to almost 4.5 million units by 2019. Much of this 50 percent increase will be oriented toward U.S. consumers.

Auto companies Nissan, Mazda, Toyota, Honda, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti and BMW are all expanding into Mexico, drawn by cheap labor and available capacity for compact and subcompact car production. European companies are particularly lured by free trade agreements with Mexico that create favorable climates for export to Europe.

The real drive behind the Mexican boost in auto production, however, comes from across the northern border. Car makers in Mexico earn 20 cents for every dollar made by U.S. laborers.

Joe Langley, the chief analyst for North America vehicle production forecasting at IHS Automotive observes, “Because these new models are lower-priced vehicles, the factories need to be in a market where labor is inexpensive, which Mexico’s certainly is. But they still need to be very close to the main market, which is the United States.”

The surge in auto production in Mexico, fueled by U.S. demand for cheap labor and small cars, involves significant foreign investment and has the potential to boost Mexico’s economy tremendously. However, Mexican factories, known as maquiladoras, have a reputation for dropping the ball on worker’s rights. The debate continues on whether more jobs with meager pay, harsh hours and poor working conditions are better than no jobs.

– Kayla Strickland

Sources: BusinessWeek 1, BusinessWeek 2, Automotive News
Photo: The Detroit Bureau

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WASProject: 3D Printers

The company WASProject is pursuing an innovative idea: it will develop materials to build homes by using 3D printing technology.

WASProject – which stands for “World’s Advanced Saving Project” – is based in Italy and has already produced an impressive line of distinct and advanced 3D printers.

However, the team now has even bigger dreams focused on impacting lives. The money accumulated from selling the previous printers was used to finance a bigger printer – created with the noble goal of providing housing to those living in developing nations.

The company’s main objective is, “to produce a big Delta Robot, capable of printing huge objects and use this machine to produce housing structures or housing modules, using natural materials such as clay, soil, natural powders, mixed with resin, etc,” said WASProject team member Sebastiano.

The Big Delta 3D printer already made its debut in 2013 at the Rome Maker Faire, which considers itself the “World’s Largest Show Festival” and is sponsored by Intel, the reputable semiconductor chip maker.

The basic goal of the Big Delta is to produce building material for houses made of clay. The building material is created by inserting a mixture of soil, water and oil into the printer in order to print out the pieces of clay housing structure.

The Big Delta is incredibly versatile. It will not necessarily be confined to printing the same housing structures, and therefore, can prevent the creation of a monotonous and dull neighborhood of tract houses in these developing countries.

In developing areas, such as Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeastern Asia, many families live in poor conditions, with little or no access to energy or sanitation. These areas are often also affected by floods and landslides.

With new technology and social inventions, devices like the Big Delta can be utilized to address these issues of sustainable housing that millions of people throughout the world face.

A properly established housing structure serves as a launching pad to address other pressing issues. For instance, after the problem of housing is dealt with, the issue of proper sanitary structure can be implemented, including access to latrines and clean water.

The Big Delta has the potential to improve the economy of a region by providing work to the citizens to boost the demand for labor. While the printer only prints structures, human hands are needed to piece them together to build the homes.

– Christina Cho

Sources: WASProject, 3DPrint
Photo: Wikipedia

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Six Successes of Plant With Purpose Around the World

Plant With Purpose is a San Diego-based Christian development organization. It assists the impoverished living in rural areas “where poverty and environmental degradation intersect” globally.

Through agricultural training, restoring the land and providing financial education, Plant With Purpose helps poor farming families become self-sufficient. To date, they have helped plant 11.9 million trees since their founding in 1984.

Plant With Purpose is currently present in more than 325 communities, providing aid and support to over 17,132 individuals within Burundi, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Tanzania and Thailand.

Location: Davi, Haiti

The Need: In Haiti, only 2 percent of its original forestry remains. Eighty-four percent of the population lives in poverty, and the country imports 60 percent of its food needs. Half of Haitian children under 5 are undernourished. With the help of Plant With Purpose, smallholder farming families are planting trees, implementing soil conservation methods and preventing soil erosion. Locals are educated on sustainable agriculture methods that restore the land and increase their food production and incomes. Village Savings and Loan Associations are also implemented.

Instead of providing food aid, Plant With Purpose is educating for self-sufficiency.

The communities in Davi are facing particular hardships. Floods and landslides cause destruction every rainy season, washing away the fertile topsoil and preventing farmers from growing crops. Families are forced to migrate to cities to find work. Plant With Purpose is working to reverse deforestation through its various methodologies.

Progress: Assisted families showed a 46 percent decrease in cholera and a 50 percent decrease in typhoid, compared with others. They also now actively save cash four times more frequently. They cultivate about 20 percent more land, own 30 percent more land and protect 20 percent more land through reforestation or erosion control.

These families also plant about three times as many trees as non-assisted local families.

Location: Panasawan & Pang Dang Nok, Thailand

The Need: The government of Thailand refuses to recognize many hill tribe members as citizens. Thus, they have few legal rights. They also have limited access to healthy fields, leaving them to grow crops on devastated hillsides. Plant With Purpose has been working with these communities to help them learn sustainable farming techniques and advocate for legal status in Thailand.

The village of Panasawan suffers from extreme poverty and a destroyed environment. Soil erosion, poor water quality and sanitation, difficult access to land rights and lacking availability of credit has ensnared the community in the cycle of poverty and environmental degradation. Plant With Purpose is providing farmers with environmental and financial training and economic opportunities necessary to break the cycle.

Progress: Hill tribe farming families are gaining access to land and basic rights. Village Savings and Loan Associations are providing a means to save and gain credit. Plant With Purpose is also helping congregations better meet the needs of their communities by training leaders.

Families aided now have twice as many children enrolled in high school, are 31 percent more likely to actively save cash, are 41 percent more likely to own land that is protected, have planted 2.5 times more trees, have shown a 19 percent decrease in admitted gambling and are 20 percent more likely to eat meat, eggs or fish on a daily or weekly basis.

Location: Lyasongoro, Tanzania

The Need: In Tanzania, Plant With Purpose mainly works with women, many of whom are widows or single mothers, because women and children there represent the poorest segment of the communities. Roughly 98 percent of these women who work earn through agriculture, but because they don’t have access to the same training their male counterparts receive, their yields suffer.

Plant With Purpose  provides agricultural training, which doubles crop output, and plants over a million trees each year around Mt. Kilimanjaro. They are also establishing Village Savings and Loan Associations.

Progress: Assisted families showed a 65 percent decrease in diarrheal disease and a 70 percent decrease in typhoid incidence. It’s also true that 99 percent of these families actively save cash, compared with 48 percent previously, and 50 percent have enough savings to cover household expenses for six months, compared with 6 percent previously.

Of participant families, 80 percent own cattle, which is 42 percent higher than those not assisted, and 66 percent of participants earn some household income through microenterprise endeavors, a significant 43 percent higher than those who were not trained.

Location: El Café, Dominican Republic

The Need: While the Dominican Republic is gaining wealth, there is a growing gap between the rich and poor. The most impoverished, deforested regions exist near the border of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

The Dominican government relies on Plant With Purpose to help with their reforestation programs.

El Café mainly profits off of its oregano crop, but recent deforestation threatens this trade. Plant With Purpose is helping to replenish the soil and diversify their economy. The organization has started a nursery, growing seedlings, fruit trees and other plants to replenish the forests and provide an additional source of income. Plant With Purpose has also provided a solar drier to villagers to convert their oregano into a marketable good. They are also offering workshops teaching sustainable farming and land conservation methods.

Progress: Families who work with the organization own twice as much land and protect 75 percent more land than non-participant families. These households are 60 percent more likely to own cattle as well.

Cacao, a valuable cash crop, is harvested 30 percent more often by Plant With Purpose farmers than other locals. Assisted families have planted almost three times as many trees than before.

Location: Kiremba, Burundi

The Need: In the world’s hungriest country, 80 percent of Burundi’s 8.5 million people live below the poverty line. At least 90 percent of Burundians depend on agriculture, but their farmland has been devastated by deforestation, drought, war and over-farming. Plant With Purpose is helping these farmers access land and maximize their productivity. They are also working with agriculture research institutions to provide disease-resistant crops. Through the introduced Village Savings and Loan Associations, villagers are saving their money and providing loans to others.

Progress: Plant With Purpose reports that 95 percent of farmers in associations have shared their knowledge with other farmers; each farmer shares with an average of 23.5 people. Participants are 24 percent more likely to save cash than non-participants, have planted three times as many trees as non-participants and have harvested 31 different crops, compared with 20 crops harvested by non-participant farmers.

Location: Tamazola, Mexico

The Need: In Oaxaca and Chiapas, two of the poorest states in Mexico, more than 75 percent of indigenous people live in extreme poverty. As men migrate to find work elsewhere, women are frequently left to care for their children and households.

Plant With Purpose is teaching families in rural communities to plant vegetable gardens that will increase their food production and incomes. Village Savings and Loan Associations have also been established to provide financial security and opportunity.

Progress: Plant With Purpose reports that participant households actively save cash 68 percent of the time, while non-participants save cash only 45 percent of the time, with participants being 43 percent more likely to have enough savings to cover six months of needs. Seventy-seven percent of participants own cattle, compared with 51 percent of non-participants, with the number of cattle owned by participants being twice that of the number owned by non-participants. Only seven percent of participant households have dirt floors in their homes compared with 29 percent of non-participant households. Participant farmers harvested 22 different crops, compared with eight by non-participants.

Plant With Purpose has seen measurable success from its efforts, objectively putting donations to good use. If seeking an effective, Christian-based charity that assists the poor on the ground, look no further. Personal contributions can be guaranteed to yield maximal benefit in the hands of this organization.

– Elias Goodman

Sources: Charity Navigator, Plan with Purpose, Scribd
Photo: New Identity Magazine