Archive for category: Development

Information and stories on development news.

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How the Gentrification of Thrifting Affects Low-Income Communities

Gentrification of ThriftingThe gentrification of thrifting is impacting the availability of second-hand clothing for people in need. Although thrifting existed from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, it had not gained widespread popularity until the 1970s onward. Furthermore, the scale at which this now $119 billion industry operates signifies its importance to the fashion industry and mass media. While thrifting has captured the interest of many young consumers, the consequences of this overconsumption prove to be more harmful than initially intended.

The History of Thrifting

Thrifting has existed for centuries across various cultures, but it was not until the late 1800s that thrift stores began to appear all across the U.S. As immigrants integrated themselves into the evolving American culture, they struggled to be accepted by mainstream society, often seen as those who took opportunities away from U.S.-born citizens. Many low-income individuals sought to create secondhand shops in collaboration with the Salvation Army, however, secondhand clothing held a stigma that deterred the general public.

At the turn of the 20th century, these locations began to change their marketing tactics to resemble popular department stores emerging at the time. From then on, they appealed to a broader range of people and the stigma began to disappear. It was not until the last half-century that modern thrift stores aligned with popular fashion, moreover when maximalism became all the rage.

Throughout the mid-to-late 2010s, fashion companies worldwide, including Levi Strauss and H&M, formed an arrangement to push sustainable fashion to the forefront of their businesses. Their proposed sustainable options could not come to fruition without addressing the issue of unethical production methods. Once fast fashion increased in scale, garment producers overlooked the human rights side of the equation. Tragedies like the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, sparked the question of ethical textile creation. Thus, thrifting presented an easy switch for consumers. Furthermore, with the increase in internet use and micro-trends perpetuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, thrifting gained traction like never before.

Recent Popularization of Secondhand Shopping

With the upward trend of maximalist fashion —a style that incorporates layers, patterns and other eccentric accessories— consumers acknowledged thrifting as an affordable shopping alternative. This craze began among teenagers and the advent of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has merely increased its appeal. Environmental friendliness and avoiding exploitative labor justify the transition from fast fashion websites to secondhand stores. Influencer culture has also weaved itself into the mix, triggering this overconsumption and gentrification of thrifting.

Thrift stores, designed to benefit low-income communities, have been under fire for increasing the prices of secondhand clothing in recent years. Although a majority attribute the online reseller to be the pivotal cause of this shift, more often than not, thrift stores are raising their prices to maximize sales from wealthy shoppers.

The issue pertains to demand rather than the supply of donated goods. The desire for thrifted items has increased, so much so that it is becoming difficult for low-income people to access this support network. Moreover, thrifting has positively benefited the environment and human rights issues. However, psychological determinants, especially among impressionable youth, also play a role.

Changes in the Thrifting Market

A study in Vietnam displayed the growing second-hand market as well as the impacts of social class and cultural perceptions. While many western countries have developed an affluent thrifting environment, others have blurred the lines regarding the practice due to external influences. Some feel good about their decision to thrift due to its low cost and benefits to the environment while others stay away because of lingering social stigma. Each country is attempting to develop its own stance on second-hand goods, but a general consensus has yet to be reached.

Clearing up Misconceptions and Finding a Solution

Misconceptions about thrifting have emerged over the years. Supply is a common segway for thrifting advocates to guilt affluent consumers out of purchasing secondhand. The sheer number of donated clothing has skyrocketed since the pandemic began, but only around 20% become in-store inventory for selling in secondhand shops. The rest are either sent to warehouses to ship to overseas markets in sub-Saharan Africa or end up in landfills. It is an act of overconsumption as an ideology that has erected a majority of the damage; even more so than resellers of thrifted clothing.

Rather than citing specific groups that have contributed to the steepening prices, the best solution to combat the gentrification of thrifting is to spread awareness and encourage ethical buying behaviors, such as avoiding “high-need items in low stock” or simply buying an item that one can use for an extended period of time. Another alternative may be purchasing from vintage clothing or consignment sites that are not geared toward the low-income demographic. This way, one streamlines where their clothing originates from and can avoid situations where the seller mass purchases items from mainstream thrifting locations.

By addressing the gentrification of thrifting through conscious thrifting behaviors, secondhand shops can still serve the people most in need.

– Sena Ho
Photo: Flickr

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Mental Health in Pakistan

In developing countries like Pakistan, a nation that has faced violence, economic and political instability since its birth in 1947, mental health is a highly consequential yet invisible issue. Pakistan has one of the highest mental illness rates in the world — A 2016 article by DAWN says around 50 million Pakistanis suffer from mental issues. Pakistan also has a staggeringly low number of psychiatrists — a 2020 article published by The Lancet Psychiatry says Pakistan’s population stands at more than 200 million people yet the nation has fewer than 500 psychiatrists. A 2015 article by Inamullah Ansari says Pakistan has four psychiatric hospitals available to the whole country. This makes it especially hard for those who need help to find it, a problem only exacerbated in rural areas where there is only one psychiatrist per million people. For these reasons, improving mental health in Pakistan is imperative.

Mental Health Stigma in Pakistan

The topic of mental health in Pakistan carries a stigma, which deters people from seeking professional help. Many believe that mental health issues stem from “supernatural forces,” and as such, psychiatric patients seek help from religious healers. This is due to limited educational awareness of mental health conditions and minimal access to mental health professionals.

Mental Health Among Pakistani Women

Pakistani women face significant societal stigmas and gender biases, which marginalize women and serve as stressors exacerbating mental health issues among women. In Pakistan, violence against women is rife as society considers violence “one of the acceptable means whereby men exercise their culturally constructed right to control women.”

It is common for many Pakistani families to celebrate the birth of a boy but mourn the birth of a girl. Child brides, dowries and exchange marriages are common, especially in rural areas. And often, early marriage results in abuse, violence, and in extreme circumstances, some marriages lead to honor killings and acid burns. Marital violence is concerningly common in Pakistan. A United Nations study found that a staggering 90% of Pakistani women surveyed suffered mental and verbal abuse from their spouses and 50% of women endured physical abuse.

Societal Stigma

Divorce in Pakistan also carries a tremendous stigma. Many women are afraid to leave their husbands simply due to social stigma, fearing their friends and families will cut them off. This stigma often traps women in a cycle of abuse. Around 70% of abused women have never opened up to anyone about their abuse, says a 2004 study by Unaiza Niaz.

This constant abuse puts women at high risk for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and even suicide. Marital abuse also puts children at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, substance abuse and poor school performance. Children younger than 12 with abusive parents are up to seven times more likely to endure emotional, behavioral and learning difficulties, says the same study.

Several studies and surveys have shown that women, especially married women who have faced violence, are exponentially more likely to seek psychiatric care than men. Due to the gender-specific issues Pakistani women endure, promoting mental health in Pakistan, especially for women, is imperative.

Fighting for Change

Although the situation seems grim, many organizations and individuals are fighting to bring awareness and increase psychiatric care for those who need it the most.

Dr. Alaptagin Khan is working to raise awareness of mental health in Pakistan and established the Childhood Trauma Research Center in Peshawar in 2018 at Lady Reading Hospital, with the support of the Neurocare Foundation. This center collects data, hosts workshops and seminars and works to bring awareness to childhood trauma. The center aimed to collect data from 2,500 participants by December 2020. The data “will allow health professionals to assess the true disease burden of mental health disorders associated with childhood trauma in Pakistan.”

The Pakistan Psychiatric Society, founded in 1972, is the largest professional psychiatric membership organization in Pakistan. It represents more than 400 psychiatrists and continually advocates for a better system to combat mental health in Pakistan. It publishes scientific journals and magazines on mental health awareness and provides training for psychiatrists.

BasicNeeds Pakistan, started in 2011, is a nonprofit organization that “works to improve the lives of people living with mental illness and/or epilepsy in Pakistan.” It provides mental health training for community volunteers, brings awareness to mental illnesses and common symptoms and debunks myths or stigma. In addition, in 2016, it started the Centre for Women’s Enterprise and Development, which aims to create job opportunities for women suffering from mental illnesses. As of 2016, BasicNeeds Pakistan has provided support to 16,703 people who faced mental health issues or knew someone who did.

Looking Ahead

Mental health in Pakistan is a dire issue, one that political turmoil and instability continue to perpetuate. It is also one that women are at the forefront of, contributing to the oppressive standards of women’s living. It is an epidemic that continues to grow, affecting the entire population’s well-being and must be addressed for Pakistan to improve as a country.

– Padma Balaji
Photo: WikiCommons

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Addressing the Looming Debt Default Crisis

Debt Default Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have had countless consequences across the globe, namely public health emergencies and economic shutdowns. In many developing and low-income countries, one now sees what economists are calling a debt default crisis, which means that the economic burden of the pandemic and supply chain shortage has piled up so high on some countries that they are defaulting on their loans from foreign bondholders. A full-blown debt default crisis is dangerous because essential commodities and resources could become impossible to access in low-income countries, forcing many into poverty.

Debt Crisis Looms as Global Economy Worsens

Over the last six months, the number of emerging markets with sovereign debt and distressed trading levels has “more than doubled,” according to Bloomberg. This means that many low-income countries are trading and investing with money that they do not have, making these nations more vulnerable to debt crises. Debt default crises are particularly dangerous for low-income countries because the prices of necessary commodities such as food, fuel and medicine are skyrocketing due to inflation, interest rates are rising and job markets are failing. Economists point to 19 countries that house more than 900 million individuals who are particularly vulnerable to a debt default crisis, as well as a few countries that are already experiencing debt crises, including Sri Lanka and Lebanon.

Consequences of a Debt Default Crisis

Developing countries and emerging economic markets comprise about 40% of the worldwide GDP, which is part of the reason why a looming debt default crisis is worrisome to economists. Foreign bondholders are at risk of losing almost $240 billion if developing countries are unable to pay back their debts. Crushing international debt would be disastrous for not only low-income countries but developed countries as well.

The supply chain shortages could worsen, emergency health care responses could slow down and unemployment could rise. The international community is already seeing serious fallout from the debt default crisis in Sri Lanka, where disastrous fuel and food shortages are causing civil unrest.

Across low-income countries, hunger is increasing and millions more are at risk of falling into extreme poverty. Loan restructuring plans and international organizations are not working fast enough to prevent this devastation, hence the lack of essential emergency aid and foreign assistance.

Action from International Organizations

Shortly after the onset of the pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and G20 established the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) in anticipation that the pandemic would cause significant economic issues for low-income nations. This initiative provided about $13 billion of debt relief to close to 50 nations.

However, this short-term “safety net” drew to a close at the end of 2021, around the same time that many high-income countries, including the United States, significantly reduced their foreign COVID-19 aid. Additionally, G20 met again earlier in July 2022 to discuss potential plans of action to hold off a looming debt default crisis but failed to issue a communiqué after the summit. International leaders are struggling with cooperation because of the complicated relationship between Russia and Ukraine.

After the DSSI, the G20 developed the Common Framework for Debt Treatments, but it requires further refining to “provide meaningful relief to countries that need it.” The World Bank and IMF have provided guidelines in this regard.

Moving Forward in a Debt Crisis

Many low-income countries are approaching a debt default crisis, which would cause a perfect storm of economic hardships including inflation, higher interest rates and slowed job markets. International organizations like the IMF and G20 need to prioritize loan restructuring plans so that the global economy does not suffer from the loss of $240 billion. High-income countries like the United States can play a more significant role by prioritizing foreign aid to minimize devastation from the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid the fallout from the pandemic and the supply chain issues from the war in Ukraine, international leaders can take prompt and effective action to avoid a devastating debt default crisis.

– Ella DeVries
Photo: Flickr

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Top Gun’s Budget Reveals Funding Possibilities

Top Gun's Budget Reveals Funding Possibilities“Top Gun: Maverick” was released on May 27, 2022, hitting upward of $1 billion globally. The film is a sequel to the original 1986 classic starring Tom Cruise and depicts fighter pilots in the U.S. Navy training for a risky mission. As a high-energy action film, the scenes of actors being jostled in fighter jets are an integral part of the movie’s excitement and fun. However, the spending allocated within Top Gun’s budget reveals funding possibilities for international aid programs.

The Filming of “Top Gun: Maverick”

Given Cruise’s commitment to realism, it may be unsurprising that scenes including flights in F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets are real. Actors flew in jets rented directly from the U.S. Navy, getting the chance to experience the thrill of high speed and the grueling reality of high gravitational force.

However, this immersive approach to moviemaking came at a staggering cost. Bloomberg reports that the film’s production paid upward of $11,000 per hour to access the fighter jets. Yet, these fees are only a little higher than basic operation costs. The Department of Defense reports that operating a F/A-18 Super Hornet costs $10,507 per hour, not including the initial purchase cost of the aircraft.

Top Gun and Defense Spending

These figures hint at the department’s astronomical spending each year. The defense department’s budget request for this upcoming fiscal year is $773 billion— $30.7 billion more than in 2022.

DOD’s purpose is to deter war and ensure the nation’s security. However, countless military officials maintain that preventing war by funding international aid programs such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) can be more cost-effective in the long run.

International aid programs that reduce hunger and disease and spread stability through education can prevent conflict globally. As the “Top Gun: Maverick” budget highlights, the cost of everyday military operations can be exorbitant. The U.S. could funnel some of that money into international aid instead.

What One Hour of Flight Time Could Do for Global Poverty

To illustrate this point, one can look at what the U.S. military could do with the funding that matches one hour of flight time in a fighter jet— $10,507.

  • Provide 5,253 malaria nets to sub-Saharan Africa. One net saves an average of two people from malaria. At just $2 per net, more than 10,000 people could be protected from malaria. The Against Malaria Foundation reports that the world saves one child’s life for about every 600 nets set up. That means one could save at least eight young lives with the same amount of money that provides just one hour of jet flight time.
  • Feed more than 280 people in Somalia during a catastrophic famine. USAID estimates the cost per beneficiary of emergency food assistance at $37 per person. This means hundreds of people could receive food aid.
  • Send about 350 Congolese girls to primary school for a year. The average primary school fee in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is $25-$35 per year. This money could go far, especially since this cost is insurmountable for many Congolese families. Educated girls have a radiating positive economic impact on low-income countries. Rights group Plan International estimates that every $1 spent on girls’ education generates $2.80  in the country’s GDP return on investment.

Moving Forward

Seeing how Top Gun’s budget reveals funding possibilities gives pause to how much change is feasible. With even a portion of the $773 billion in yearly defense spending, just one hour of flight in a fighter jet could do much for global poverty.

The organization Global Campaign on Military Spending works to advocate for the reallocation of military spending to peace and public aid programs. Established in 2014, it holds an annual event to raise awareness about military spending and to change the conversation.

– Grace Ramsey

Photo: Flickr

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Ukrainian Diia App Helps Refugees Receive Aid and News

Diia appThe Ukrainian government released the Diia app in 2020 to help the government reach all citizens and ensure access to a wide array of governmental services. Now, amid the war that began in February 2022, displaced citizens are using the Diia app to access monetary assistance, digital versions of official documents and other modes of aid.

The Functionalities of the Diia APP

Ukraine’s official site, ukraine.ua, states that one of Diia’s goals is “to make 100% public services available online.” The available services include access to digital documents, such as one’s driver’s license or passport, that have the same legal strength as a physical copy. Furthermore, the app also allows Ukrainians to make payments to the government or register new businesses quickly.

The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change reported 13 million Diia users in Ukraine by the close of 2021, which was partially influenced by the introduction of COVID-19 aid and vaccine certification through the app. As the population in Ukraine in 2020 stood at about 44.13 million, around 29.5% of the Ukrainian population used the Diia app in 2021.

Post-War Digital Connections

However, the Diia app became significantly more important following the February 2022 Russian invasion. The United Nations Refugee Agency recorded more than 6.3 million Ukrainian refugees across Europe as of August 10, 2022. As early as May 2022, the United Nations estimated that more than 8 million Ukrainians faced internal displacement within Ukraine itself. Despite this, the app can still track the locations of registered Ukrainians no matter where they are and provide limited cash aid as well as the services mentioned above.

The government also introduced a simplified identification process that allows Ukrainians access to certain neighboring countries such as Moldova and Poland. Furthermore, it adopted the aid system used for COVID-19 to send “the equivalent of the monthly minimum wage” to anyone working in war-affected regions. Thus, the government is providing financial assistance to those both in and outside of Ukraine to support citizens and keep them out of poverty.

Finally, the app allows Ukrainians to keep track of the events taking place in their home country from firsthand sources. In an interview with the news site Emerging Europe, Ukrainian Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov stated that the app gives constant information on the state of the war and allows citizens to directly support the military with funding. This is important because the Diia app bypasses language barriers and disinformation to directly inform its citizens regardless of where they are.

The Future of Digitalization

Although not intended for a wartime scenario, Diia is making a massive difference to keep displaced Ukrainians financially secure and aware of current events. Not only does this help keep citizens afloat and out of poverty but it also helps keep their spirits up by informing them about the events occurring in their home country.

Diia’s widespread post-war availability proves the advantages of reaching out to those unable to easily access government services due to location, physical handicaps or poverty. Digital systems that aid those struggling in society can often be adjusted and reused in times of crisis to aid the general public and keep them from falling into poverty themselves.

– Henry Bauer
Photo: Flickr

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UN Working with the Zakat Foundation to End Poverty

It is no secret that the issues associated with global poverty were only made worse during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Factors such as the cost of living, food security, healthcare and education are all points of concern for many nations with a struggling poor population. Luckily, there are many organizations working to address these issues. The Zakat Foundation has recently begun working with the United Nations to address worldwide hunger and global poverty.

The Zakat Foundation

The National Zakat Foundation Worldwide is an Islamic charity organization that is dedicated to helping the world’s poor. Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam which dictates that all Muslims should be kept financially viable, and one way to ensure this is for all Muslims to donate 2.5% of their earnings to charity organizations that aid the poor. The NZF Worldwide is the perfect channeling organization for all of this funding. It is estimated that the total amount of Zakat donations reach $300 billion to nearly $1 trillion dollars annually. The NZF Worldwide wants to use this incredible amount of money to help eradicate poverty.

Success so Far

The National Zakat Foundation currently has five member countries, Austria, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland and the UK, which all provide a pathway for Muslims to send their Zakat donations to help eradicate global hunger and poverty. Through the Zakat Foundation, the member countries have raised more than $30 million since 2016 that has been used to provide aid for people living in poverty in other countries.

The UN and NZF Worldwide

The United Nations Development Programme announced in early August 2022 that it will once again be working with the National Zakat Foundation to use Zakat donation funding to help achieve the sustainable development goals for the world’s poorest countries. The first major project of this partnership is the goal of achieving the eradication of hunger and poverty in Somalia. The NZF with the help of the U.N. will work with local government officials, Islamic officials and the Central Bank of Somalia to help direct the Zakat funds in a productive manner that helps alleviate food insecurity and improve quality of life conditions for people living in poverty in Somalia.

Other NZF Programs

The National Zakat Foundation has had some recent success in the summer of 2022 before this partnership with the U.N. was announced. In the closing weeks of July, the NZF was able to provide the state of Osun in Nigeria with much needed power equipment that improved the quality of life in every sector, from nutrition to education. With the help of Zakat donations made by the member countries, the NZF was able to provide the state of Osun with cash grants, fridges, sewing machines, laptops, printers and more. Small items similar to those listed can have a profound impact on the lives of those who receive them, such as fridges keeping food from spoiling and laptops aiding educational growth.

The Future of Zakat

Despite the looming effects of an increased cost of living for those living in poverty, it appears that good news in the form of charitable religious donations may be what is keeping those people from continued suffering. The partnership with the United Nations and the already proven success are just a few reasons why the outlook for the world’s poor is bright, thanks to hard working organizations like the National Zakat Foundation.

– Declan Harkness
Photo: Flickr

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Benefits of Increasing Economic Development Aid to Turkey

Economic Development Aid to TurkeyThe relationship between the United States and Turkey began in 1831 when the country was still the Ottoman Empire. Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and one can best describe the U.S.-Turkey relationship as diplomatic. While the United States only had $220 million in obligations to the Western Asian country in 2020, more economic development aid to Turkey could help alleviate poverty and an ongoing economic crisis.

Poverty in Turkey

In 2019, the World Bank reported that 0.4% of Turkish citizens lived in poverty. In a country of 84 million people, that equates to 336,000 impoverished people.

One of the most significant factors contributing to poverty in Turkey is the lack of education. In 2019, only 66% of the population 25 and older had finished lower secondary education. Low education attainment gives rise to unemployment. In 2021, unemployment in Turkey stood at 13.4%. While the COVID-19 pandemic does stand as a contributing factor to the unemployment rate, the unemployment rate increased only about 3% since 2018.

With the unemployment rate also comes low wages, which factors into poverty. In 2018, the average wage stood at about 4,000 Turkish lira (about $220). But, the cost of living in Turkey jumped nearly 70% in April 2022, according to the BBC. To try and counteract that, the Turkish government has raised the minimum wage to 5,500 lira a month, but citizens say rent alone equates to “3,000-4,000 Turkish liras.”

Foreign Aid to Turkey

The majority of foreign aid to Turkey from the United States comes from the U.S. Department of State, largely going toward humanitarian aid. The Department of Defense gave Turkey $28.43 million in 2020 for “conflict, peace and security” programs. However, Turkey only received about $2.8 million through the Trade and Development Agency for economic development.

Trade and the Economic Crisis

Money for economic development from the Trade and Development Agency involves creating economic opportunities by exporting goods from the United States for development projects. This is beneficial to the United States as the money is invested in the Turkish economy through products produced domestically. In turn, that investment is returned through the continued trade partnership of U.S. goods.

The trade relationship between the United States and Turkey has increased significantly since 2009. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative, from 2009 to 2019, U.S. exports to Turkey increased by about 41% to $10 billion.

Despite a GDP increase of 0.9% in 2019, Turkey is facing an economic spiral. The value of its currency, the Turkish lira, has endured instability since 2018. Outstanding circumstances like the pandemic and economic sanctions have created a perfect storm of financial woes for the country, along with rampant inflation.

In November 2021, the value of the lira dropped sharply by 30%, triggering another wave of panic in the country. In 2022, the war between Russia and Ukraine exacerbated these financial circumstances, with Turkey seeing inflation rise more than 70% this year.

The United States can help alleviate poverty and the ongoing economic crisis via increased foreign aid to Turkey, especially through economic development. Expanding programs through the Trade and Development Agency would be one instrumental way to facilitate change in Turkey. Additionally, increasing economic development aid to Turkey could greatly aid the stability of the country until the lira crisis resolves.

– Emma Rushworth
Photo: WikiCommons

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Agriculture in Malawi Uses Solar Power to Water Crops

Agriculture in MalawiIn high-rise corporate buildings and individual cubicles, a barrier unfolds in the lives of many people who work in air-conditioned offices toward the difficulties of a career in agriculture. Small changes in the weather or environmental conditions impact entire communities. The emergence of the collaboration between new, innovative technological solutions and the farms of Malawi shed light on the future of farming.

Agriculture in Malawi

Malawi is a landlocked country in the southeast Africa. About 80 percent of Malawi holds connections to the agricultural sector as a means of their livelihood, representing the importance of efficient and innovative farming policies. Political leaders implemented the “National Nutrition Policy and Strategic Plan” to complement the pre-existing “Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program”. Together, the policies coordinate government spending and growth in the agricultural sector. Malawi also works with other organizations and governments for additional agricultural support. For example, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) invests in dairy and legume cultivation, provides training to assist in financial and economic improvements and works with local communities to develop lasting solutions.

Concern Worldwide in Malawi

Another organization that provides agricultural assistance is Concern Worldwide. Created in 1968 by a couple named John and Kay O’Loughlin-Kennedy, this group is based in Ireland. It initially started as a response to the independence movement in Biafra from Nigeria that resulted in widespread famine. The organization eventually expanded to countries in need around the world, providing aid and sending volunteers.

In 2021, Concern Worldwide provided emergency assistance to 17.8 million people and health services to 11.4 million people. In 24 countries, Concern Worldwide emphasizes the livelihoods and education of impoverished communities and fights for adequate health and gender equality.

Harnessing the Power of the Sun

One of Concern Worldwide’s latest initiatives is the implementation of a program to improve agriculture in Malawi. Because a large portion of the country relies on the success of agriculture to survive, it is vital that the productivity and efficiency of new technological innovation transfer to the communities to establish a sustainable livelihood. Concern helps install solar-powered irrigation systems with funding partnerships with organizations such as the European Union and Irish Aid.

The new irrigation system allows farmers to avoid problems associated with droughts and other environmental inconsistencies and plant multiple times per year. The collaboration in these local communities ensures that the program will be long-lasting and sustainable. Groups in specific areas assemble into co-operatives, jointly operate the system and make decisions about entering the agricultural market to ensure a profit. The profits provide repayment for the irrigation system, allowing the organization to move on to the next co-operative group. Thus, the system that Concern Worldwide supports encourages productive farming techniques and resourceful business strategies to ensure long-term success for agriculture in Malawi.

Success Builds From Previous Projects

The development of solar-powered irrigation systems builds on prior projects in the region from similar humanitarian groups. Concern Worldwide previously worked with the Promoting Sustainable Partnerships for Empowered Resilience (PROSPER) program to provide treadle pumps in partnership with UK Aid.

It functioned as a means to increase food accessibility and availability. After budget cuts, the organizations that were supporting the project were unable to continue. Thus, there is hope that the new solar-powered system yields more success among renewed efforts in the field of agriculture in Malawi. The solar-powered irrigation system also builds on a prior UNICEF project for a solar-powered water pump in Malawi. UNICEF installed this pump and also trained citizens to operate and fix the pump when needed while creating a way to fund the pump through a community garden. The program assisted in a wide variety of poverty-reducing actions in the areas of sanitation, agriculture, trust in local institutions and time for children to attend school.

A Look Ahead

As more projects such as the prior project that UNICEF implemented as well as the more recent project by Concern Worldwide make a difference in Malawi’s local agricultural communities, individuals remain closer to maintaining healthier and stable lifestyles.

–Kaylee Messick
Photo: Flickr

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Cryptocurrency in the Philippines

 cryptocurrency in the PhilippinesThe fallout from a new cryptocurrency game in the Philippines, Axie Infinity, has prompted involved parties to question the nature of the role that cryptocurrency plays in the economy of developing countries. The game’s adverse effects halted players’ hopes of financial gain, which cost many, including those on low incomes, their savings. Axie Infinity originally saw Filipinos earning sums as large as $487 in just over two weeks, and thousands of people entered the crypto game, as it soared in popularity. However, the game’s economy crashed, leaving many of its players in debt and a poor reputation for cryptocurrency in the Philippines.

The Appeal of the Game

The Philippine Statistics Authority saw an increase in the percentage of the population living in poverty, from 21.1% in 2018 to 23.7% in 2021. One can attribute this increase in poverty to the COVID-19 pandemic, which negatively impacted many people’s work and income stability. Many Axie Infinity players had an attraction to the play-to-earn element of the game so that they could improve their incomes. The game involved buying monsters (Axies,) that are NFTs (non-fungible tokens.) Players could trade or breed these and also obtain an exchangeable currency called SLP (smooth love potion).

How the Game Collapsed

The low income of many players (minimum wage in the Philippines currently being around 570 PHP/$10.3 USD) meant that as SLP began to increase in price, it became more difficult to afford the starter monsters and therefore, Axie Infinity became less financially accessible. This led to an employment scheme where “managers” from high-income countries, such as Australia, would buy monsters, and those who could not afford to would take the position of “scholars,” leveling the monsters up, while the managers raked in the profit. As the game’s popularity increased, the value of the currency dropped, and a bad situation turned into a catastrophe for cryptocurrency in the Philippines, with a hack costing the network and its players $600 million. Despite the players getting their stolen money back, the game lost its credibility as a multi-faceted lack of security emerged, and many players were worse off than where they started.

The Benefits

Upon seeing the damage that the Axie Infinity crash caused, it is easy to doubt the benefits of cryptocurrency, specifically to those living in poverty. Despite the magnitude of the fallout, cryptocurrency still plays a crucial role in the socio-economic system of the Philippines. At least 70% of people in the Philippines do not have a bank account, and sources show that cryptocurrency and distributed ledger technology (blockchains) are helping to decrease this percentage. Having access to banking is a vital tool for bringing people out of poverty, enabling them to have more financial stability and security in receiving pay, paying bills and opening doors for aspiring entrepreneurs. More than half of Filipinos would consider investing in cryptocurrency, and the trust issues caused by Axie Infinity may be somewhat repairable by building knowledge.

Barriers to Overcome

In order to tackle financial exclusion, and therefore poverty, using cryptocurrency must become the accessible tool it has the potential to be. This is only enabled by further research to ensure regulation will not lead to a market collapse, and for users to be educated and informed. Despite players having some trust issues with the prospect of regulation, many believe that regulating could make the market bring possibilities for rapid economic development. Working on these trust issues by studying and teaching cryptocurrency in the Philippines would mean that people could reap the benefits with minimal risk.

– Lydia Tyler
Photo: Flickr

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Mexico’s Drug War Affects Education

Mexico's Drug War Affects EducationSince the Mexican government declared war against drug cartels in 2006, nationwide violence between cartels, police and the military has been taking a steep toll. The National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI)  estimates the war led to 300,000 homicides and the disappearance of 66,000 people since 2006. This increased violence raises particular concern about how Mexico’s drug war affects education quality.

Major Disruption to Mexico’s Education System

Widespread violence from the drug war has caused mass school closures, negatively affecting the quality of education Mexican youths receive. Between 2019 and 2020, cartel violence forced school closures in eight states: elementary schools closed 104 times, junior high schools 51 times, preschools 49 times, high schools four times and universities three times. These forced closures caused severe disruptions for Mexican youths, undermining the quality of their educational opportunities. The World Bank reported in 2020 that only 72% of Mexicans used the internet, implying difficulties for remote learning options.

A study collected data during the 2000s and captured stark differences in education quality between areas with high rates of violence and areas with lower violence. Student absenteeism in high violence areas was 44%, while lower violence areas had 33%. Teacher absenteeism follows the same trend: High violence areas were 20.8%, while lower violence areas had 13.2%. Student lateness compared 52.9% to 11.9%, and teacher lateness had 41.2% to 29.1%. The study found the widest divergence in the presence of youth gangs: 51.6% versus 23.5%. Even one month of gang-related violence can reduce school enrollment by 14%. These statistics show how drug-related violence has heavily disrupted many educational systems in Mexico.

Drug Cartels Target Students and Teachers

The study emphasizes how homicide is now the second leading cause of death for Mexican males aged 15-24, a critical age range for learning skills from education and entering the labor force. Between 2000 and 2019, 21,000 Mexicans under 18 were killed, while 7,000 have disappeared. Cartels have also recruited youths in economically deprived areas where a lack of opportunities and resources contribute to youth recruitment. In 2019 alone, cartels recruited an estimated 30,000 Mexican youths. This recruitment targeting is partly why youths sometimes avoid or drop out of school. In 2006, at the start of the drug war, 11,664 Mexican youths did not attend primary school, compared to 106,131 in 2019.

In 2011, 7,000 Acapulco teachers protested against gang violence threatening their schools. They called on the government to provide safety in the face of teachers being attacked, extorted and kidnapped. More than 100 schools shut down in Acapulco due to teachers standing up to cartels who had demanded half their salaries in extortion. Schools only reopened four years later, in 2015, after the Mexican National Guard stepped in to ensure student and teacher safety.

Mexican citizens have increasingly mobilized to demand accountability from their government and better protection for schools. In 2014, the disappearance of 43 students in Guerrero sparked national protests over the government’s inability to provide a safe, educational experience for teachers and students. Mexico continues to fight drug-related violence affecting schools, knowing how important education is in reducing poverty and improving opportunities.

– John Zake
Photo: Wikimedia Commons