Archive for category: Development

Information and stories on development news.

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Horn of Africa Development Initiative in Kenya


In a part of the African region known as the Horn of Africa, Kenya has made significant reforms in the past 10 years to ignite economic growth in the nation. However, like the rest of the world, economic progress in Kenya came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a vulnerable economy, poverty and inequality remain daunting issues. Infestations of locusts began in January 2020, which further weakened the economic infrastructure, particularly in the Northeast part of Kenya. The Horn of Africa Development Initiative aims to uplift and empower Kenyans living in poverty.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Kenya

For many Kenyans, food security is a serious problem. According to the Kenya COVID-19 Poverty Monitor by the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network, by January 2020, some families could not afford more expensive foods such as vegetables while others only ate one or two meals per day. In addition, “lower agricultural yields” create further stress on households as does job loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 has impacted the Kenyan economy through “supply and demand shocks.” In 2020, real gross domestic product in Kenya dropped by 0.3%. Service sectors such as tourism and education faced disruption and manufacturing took a hit as well.

Help for Kenyans in Need

An inventive non-governmental organization is working to help families in need and reduce global poverty by building resilient communities. Fatuma A. Adan founded the Horn of Africa Development Initiative (HODI) in 2003, in Marsabit, Northern Kenya. Through “advocacy, education, peacebuilding and sustainable livelihoods,” the NGO works with communities and women who struggle to meet their basic needs.

Due to unemployment, locust infestation and frequent droughts that wither crops, many households are barely able to put food on the table every month. Because economic shocks disproportionately impact women-headed households, HODI runs a program with disadvantaged Kenyan women in mind.

Building Resilient Communities Program

HODI’s Building Resilient Communities Program aims to empower women and help communities increase their economic power. The program encourages village women to organize into groups of 10 to 50 women to save money together. Each member must save “at least 10 shillings every day: three shillings for education, three shillings for hospital bills and four shillings for small business.” After 30 days, this amounts to 300 shillings per member, which goes into a bank account that the women operate. From this pooled money, “women take out small loans repayable in small monthly installments” to fund their children’s education, pay medical bills and even start their own businesses.

With the revenue from their small businesses, women can”repay their loans” and also provide for their families and achieve financial independence. Within the program, HODI helps participants with record-keeping and teaches them financial literacy.

With the donations HODI receives for this program, HODI “inject[s] grants into the groups to increase the amount of money that is available for loans” and provides households with “water tanks to increase the water-saving capacity” of families.

Bringing Women Together for a Shared Purpose

Another benefit of the Building Resilient Communities Program is that although the women belong to different ethnic groups, they come together for a common purpose. Because HODI founder “Fatuma Adan was born to parents from two warring tribes in Marsabit, Northern Kenya,” she made it her goal to help unite people from different factions.

For her work in building resilient communities in Kenya, Adan received the Stuttgart Peace Prize in 2011, among other awards. In 2012, Adan received a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. With support and funding from donors, the Horn of Africa Development Initiative can continue to empower and uplift Kenyans living in poverty.

– Sarah Betuel
Photo: Flickr

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How Lab-Grown Coffee Can Help Fight Poverty

Lab-Grown Coffee
New advancements in agricultural technology are making it possible to produce sustainable coffee that can be grown in any location. Scientists in Finland have recently created lab-grown coffee. According to the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, scientists employed cellular agriculture to produce coffee cells. The end result was coffee with an aroma and taste similar to regular coffee, marking the very first batch of coffee produced in Finland. The cold climate in Finland is unsuitable for coffee-growing, but cellular agriculture has made it possible to produce coffee in any location regardless of the climate of the area. Cellular agriculture has the potential to increase food production and solve many of the world’s problems.

The Global Coffee Industry

The coffee industry uses more water than people might expect. According to the United States Geological Survey, the world needs “about 120 billion cubic meters of water” annually to produce coffee. This means that of all of the water used for crop production, about 2% exclusively goes toward producing coffee. In a world where droughts are becoming more severe and environmental challenges are evident, it is necessary to develop innovative solutions that bring to the forefront the possibility of producing more crops while also using less water.

Cellular agriculture can make it possible for more people to produce coffee. People can earn significant incomes working in the coffee industry, allowing impoverished people the opportunity to rise out of poverty with a livelihood and an income. However, the coffee industry has some limitations. According to Business Wire, the global coffee market was worth about $102.02 billion in 2020 alone. However, right now, the only nations that can produce large amounts of coffee are countries that possess ideal areas and conditions for thriving coffee crops. Currently, “Brazil and Vietnam account for the highest production of coffee, in terms of volume, owing to suitable coffee growing conditions.”

The Benefits of Cellular Agriculture

If cellular agriculture becomes mainstream, any nation will be able to produce coffee and more people will be able to earn an income by working in the coffee industry. By implementing cellular agriculture to produce coffee, concerns about growing coffee trees fall away and coffee industry workers can focus on less taxing types of work within the coffee industry.

When cellular agriculture becomes more mainstream, potential coffee growers will not have to worry about adequate land access for crops and a suitable climate to produce coffee. Lab-grown coffee is exempt from problems like droughts, diseases and transportation issues prevalent in the conventional coffee industry. Lab-grown coffee also does not contribute to problems like deforestation and water shortages as it does not require land and excessive water use. In an interview with the New Atlas, VTT Research Institute scientist Dr. Heiko Rischer said that “These solutions have a lower water footprint and less transport is needed due to local production. There isn’t any seasonal dependency or the need for pesticides either.”

Looking Ahead

Lab-grown coffee is just one example of efficient crop production through the help of cellular agriculture. Cellular agriculture is still a relatively new concept, but it is capable of solving many of the world’s economic and environmental problems. Cellular agriculture can make it possible to sustainably provide food for more people while reducing harm to the environment. Unsustainable food-producing practices keep people in poverty, but cellular agriculture can help end many causes of poverty while ensuring a sustainable solution to global food insecurity.

– Frank Decapio
Photo: Flickr

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Penal Reform International in Rwanda

Penal Reform International in Rwanda
In response to the 1994 genocide, Rwanda incarcerated up to 125,000 Rwandans (most of them Hutus) in facilities meant to hold 12,000 prisoners. Since the prison system could not sustain such a high number of inmates, it reestablished the traditional Gacaca courts for the sake of efficiency. However, the Gacaca Courts fell under international scrutiny for their failure to provide fair trials for the accused; the poor conditions at detention centers; and the election of poorly trained community judges, which held heavy prejudice against the accused. Penal Reform International, a nonprofit organization that works toward prison reform on the global stage, attempted to help Rwandan courts and prisons develop a more humanitarian legal process with respect for the tenets of international law. Below is information on Penal Reform International in Rwanda and how it has positively affected the country’s civil courts.

What is Penal Reform International?

Established in 1989 as an international nongovernmental organization, Penal Reform International’s mission is “to [reduce] the use of imprisonment around the world, through promoting alternatives to imprisonment, and to developing and promoting the implementation of international human rights standards on criminal justice and prison conditions.” It also uses paralegals – legal advisors – for those who have experienced incarceration and are awaiting trial with the goal of educating them on their rights within the country’s legal system.

Penal Reform International’s paralegals receive training in “international human rights instruments; National criminal law and procedure (including the Constitution and the Penal Code); The judiciary and the court systems; Prison conditions, systems and infrastructure; Health and safety awareness.” In cases such as Rwanda, having expertise on legal rights amid overcrowded prisons is valuable and extremely beneficial to prison reform as well as for the implementation of prison standards in accordance with international law.

Reforming Rwanda’s Courts and Prisons Through Education

Penal Reform International’s mission revolves around using paralegals, which, thus far, have “[organized] and conducted awareness sessions for over 3,000 detainees awaiting trial,” specifically targeting groups that are vulnerable to the spread of diseases within these prisons and informing them of their rights within Rwanda’s legal system. Penal Reform International in Rwanda has also “distributed 7,300 booklets on the rights of detainees in all Rwandan prisons,” which, in effect, not only educates the inmates of their rights but also advocates for more humanitarian methods within the Gacaca courts. As such, both the inmates and the judges in office are now more aware of the legal standards that international law demands.

The organization’s use of legal education as an instrument for court reform has been beneficial as it has reduced “unlawful and pre-trial detention,” and allowed for better-informed pleas, quicker file management and the overall improvement of communication from actors within the criminal justice system. As a result of Penal Reform International’s mission, the Rwandan courts have been able to lawfully issue court summons for 1,055 citizens using proper adjudicating techniques, obtain 1,100 court judgments for the purpose of constructing an able defense for appealing inmates and successfully lodge 455 appeals.

Stopping Overincarceration

Overcrowded prisons violate numerous human rights laws, confining inmates to dangerous living conditions which are unsanitary, leading to diseases and starvation. Nevertheless, Penal Reform International has helped release many Rwandans from these conditions. In just a year, from October 2009-2010, it assisted in “the permanent release of 625 detainees” along with deriving 168 provisional releases. In 2010, due to organizations like Penal Reform International, Rwanda’s prison population decreased to 43,400, a significant change from its earlier population of 125,000 inmates. Penal Reform International accomplished all of this by improving prisoners’ abilities to represent themselves in court and educating them on their rights. Ultimately, through this work, Penal Reform International’s mission has helped solve many of the problems stemming from over-incarceration in Rwanda.

Due to organizations like Penal Reform International in Rwanda, the absence of humanitarian legal values in underdeveloped countries has evolved to a system that is international judicial bodies both accept and praise. As Penal Reform International’s mission continues to thrive, so will underdeveloped countries around the globe.

– Jacob Crosley
Photo: Flickr

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Aiding Women in Afghanistan

Aiding Women in Afghanistan
Afghanistan has been experiencing challenges economically, socially and politically. While these situations are affecting its citizens and the world, children and women are the most vulnerable members of the community, leading to many being impoverished, but there are ways that people/organizations are aiding women in Afghanistan.

About the Situation

Uncertainty has been governing Afghanistan since the outbreak of the crisis. Many escalations in violence have occurred since the impositions of new authorities. Over half a million of the population have demanded humanitarian assistance.

After 40 years of social crisis, poverty, several natural disasters and the outbreak of COVID-19 and the Taliban rule have increased poverty rates drastically. Both factors are a deadly combination for people in Afghanistan. About “50% of those in need in Afghanistan are women and girls.” Summing up, the outbreak of COVID-19 has pushed thousands of people to poverty, especially women and girls, affecting global poverty rates.

Women and girls are the most vulnerable group in society. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is highly worried about how women and girls will overcome the situation in  Afghanistan. As a fundamental human right, women’s rights must receive respect. By consequence, all services must undergo proper delivery, ensuring all women and girls have access to health services, to freely work and go to school.

The Concerns of the International Community

The international community is aware that as the crisis escalates, women living in poverty in Afghanistan increase too. Levels of domestic violence, abuse and exploitation are dramatically increasing as global poverty rates are tremendously increasing. Elinor Raikes, IRC vice president and head of program delivery states, “We know that during times of crisis, violence against women and girls increases. With uncertainty mounting throughout Afghanistan, the IRC is concerned that we could see an increase in violence against women as well as an increase in child marriage.”

The international community is heavily working on reducing global poverty on reducing poverty in Afghanistan. It is essential for world leaders to drive an international plan and work on the solution. Since August 2021, the international humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan has received only 38% of its necessary funding. According to data “the shortfall could mean that 1.2 million children will lose specialized protection services, making them more vulnerable to violence, recruitment, child labor, early and forced marriages, and sexual exploitation.”

Challenges for Women in Afghanistan

Data has demonstrated that women are the most vulnerable group in society. Since the outbreak of the crisis, “1.4 million women, many of them survivors of violence, will be left without safe places to receive comprehensive support.”

Several attacks have been taking place in small villages and schools. As a result, many girls will lack access to education. According to the report published by UNICEF, “An estimated 3.7 million children are out-of-school in Afghanistan. 60% of them are girls.” Undoubtedly, girls are the ones suffering the major consequences of the crisis in Afghanistan, impacting global poverty.

The challenge of women in Afghanistan is a significant topic across the world today. The Taliban is constantly oppressing women and limiting women’s rights. Thus, gender equality which had been progressing in the country has suddenly diminished as the new authorities are pushing back all the effort done. As mentioned above, many girls are not going to school and women have been limited the rights they had. As a consequence, women in Afghanistan fall into poverty as they cannot access a job.

How Some are Aiding Women in Afghanistan

The World Bank has highlighted a few of the national programs established in Afghanistan to help women and mobilize social groups. Women Economic Empowerment Rural Development Project (WEE-RDP) is the most popular national approach in Afghanistan. As the World Bank reported, “These groups help their members access financial services and start small businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, self-help groups have also provided critical support for health and livelihoods.”

In conclusion, the Taliban’s rule is becoming a major concern for the world. Undoubtedly, national and international approaches have undergone implementation with the purpose of aiding women in Afghanistan and reducing poverty.

– Cristina Alvarez
Photo: Flickr

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The Effects of COVID-19 in Somalia

Effects of COVID-19 in Somalia
In November 2019, flooding that caused more than 500,000 people to lose their homes hit Somalia. These floods also created the perfect conditions for the largest locust invasion in 25 years. The destruction of crops by locusts led to widespread hunger in Somalia. Then, in April 2020, the media’s attention turned away from locust invasions as the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic posed a far greater threat. With several compounded issues, the effects of COVID-19 in Somalia are harsh.

Healthcare in Somalia

According to the Global Health Security (GHS) Index, “Somalia ranks 194th out of 195” countries in terms of its health system capabilities. The GHS Index is “the first comprehensive” evaluation of the health security capabilities of “the 195 countries that make up the States Parties to the International Health Regulations.” The creators of the GHS Index, namely the John Hopkins Center for Health Security, the Nuclear Threat Initiative and The Economist Intelligence Unit, believe that the index will improve the international ability to handle “infectious disease outbreaks that can lead to international epidemics and pandemics.”

In numbers, Somalia employs only two healthcare workers per 100,000 citizens although the international standard is 25 healthcare workers per 100,000 people. For a nation of more than 15 million citizens, Somalia’s healthcare resources are minimal, with only 15 intensive care unit beds. As such, Somalia ranks “among the least prepared countries in the world to detect and report epidemics.”

Inadequate Testing and Reporting

Due to poor healthcare surveillance and reporting and as well as inadequate testing, it is difficult to gauge the full effects of COVID-19 in Somalia. As of May 2021, the country of 15 million people only administered 156,000 COVID-19 tests. Somalia’s Ministry of Health has officially reported more than 14,000 cases and more than 720 deaths as of May 2021. However, Mohamed Mohamud Ali Fuje, chief medical adviser of Somalia’s COVID-19 National Task Force tells The New Humanitarian that “the actual death toll is higher than the figures reported” because the country lacks documentation and adequate healthcare coverage.

In the predominantly Muslim nation of Somalia, most ill Somalians receive care within the confines of their homes. When a sickness leads to a fatality, the burial usually occurs “according to Islamic tradition within 24 hours.” These factors make tracing and reporting difficult. A United Nations healthcare worker employed in Kismayo, Somalia, told The New Humanitarian that even if a person with COVID-19 complications is able to get to a hospital, “there’s almost a zero chance of surviving” due to inadequate hospital equipment and a shortage of supplies and oxygen.

Vaccine Donations

The Federal Government of Somalia has worked together with the World Health Organization (WHO) to gather vaccines for Somalis ever since a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine became available. About 12 months after Somalia’s first confirmed COVID-19 case, vaccine donations started coming in.

On March 15, 2021, Somalia received its first donation of 300,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX Facility. Another delivery of 108,000 AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in Somalia on August 8, 2021, a donation from the Government of France through COVAX. Soon after, the United States gave 302,400 Johnson & Johnson vaccines to Somalia via COVAX. China also supported Somalia with a donation of 200,000 Sinopharm vaccines. As of September 12, 2021, Somalia administered 83% of the donated vaccines. Still, Somalia’s full vaccination rate stands at only 0.77% of the population at this point.

The Progress

Aside from vaccine donations, Somalia is also receiving aid from the Ministry of Health and Human Services along with WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to lessen the effects of COVID-19 in Somalia. In order to advance Somalia’s vaccine campaign, the organizations employed a number of strategies. In both Somaliland and Banadir, “special outreach teams of vaccinations” went to different areas. Trained community health workers educated Somalis on COVID-19 prevention measures and the advantages of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. Health workers were also on the lookout for people with COVID-19 in order to provide them with sufficient aid and support.

Although Somalia faces “a triple threat” of flooding, an infestation of locusts and a global health pandemic, organizations and donors commit to assisting the nation. With continued support, the nation can successfully overcome the effects of COVID-19 in Somalia.

– Trystin Baker
Photo: Flickr

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How Self-Driving Boats Can Reduce Poverty

Self-Driving Boats can Reduce Poverty
Many countries around the world are developing autonomous boats for the purposes of transportation and military advancement. However, some scientists are developing autonomous boats for humanitarian and environmental purposes, such as aid transportation, marine safety, data collection and energy conservation. Self-driving boats can reduce poverty by saving refugees’ lives, distributing aid, collecting data relevant to poverty reduction and protecting the oceans, all of which benefit people in low-income areas.

Marine Safety

Self-driving boats can act as highly effective lifeguards, especially in waters that are too dangerous or difficult for human lifeguards to swim through. In 2020, the Australian government granted $5.5 million to a startup company named Ocious Technology to provide Australia with several autonomous boats to save refugees at sea from drowning. The vessels are solar-powered and are equipped with “360-degree cameras, radar, automatic identification systems and collision avoidance software.” The vessels are large enough to carry several people from sea to safety, in contrast with a human lifeguard who would likely only be able to save a limited number of people. According to Statista, “from January to September 2021, “almost 1,400 migrants lost their lives while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Self-driving boats can reduce poverty by addressing refugee crises, providing humanitarian lifeguard assistance to those in need.

Aid Transportation

Self-driving boats are capable of transporting both people and goods. In addition to their “lifeguarding” abilities, the ships can transport humanitarian aid to economically developing countries. Many autonomous boats have propellers that allow them to move in any direction as well as a “series of cameras and sensors to guide [their] movements.” Some self-driving boats can also sync up with other boats, creating groups of boats that can travel long distances together. As a result, autonomous boats can be highly effective tools for transporting essential goods, such as aid. Without the need for a person to man the vessel, autonomous ships can safely deliver aid to war-ridden countries that are too dangerous for humans to enter.

Data Collection

Autonomous boats can collect a wide range of data relevant to poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. Equipped with cameras and a variety of sensors, the boats can collect mass data about the ocean as well as temperature, air pressure, wind direction, solar intensity, wave height and more at a given location. Scientists can use the sensors on autonomous ships to study and preserve marine life, discover food and water sources and even locate missing people and items. Furthermore, fishers can use data from the ships to maximize their catches and ensure the marine item is a sustainable source, which benefits fishers economically and ensures adequate food for their local communities. As such, self-driving boats can reduce poverty by preserving marine ecosystems and improving access to food in low-income communities.

Environmental Benefits

Autonomous boats can also collect rubbish, monitor marine biodiversity and hydrocarbons, check for oil leaks and collect oceanographic and meteorological data. The boats can help keep oceans healthy and clean, which is beneficial to both people and the environment. According to the United Nations, oceans provide humans with food, drinking water, rainwater and even oxygen. Therefore, as a global resource, it is crucial to preserve the sea. Autonomous robots can protect oceans from pollution and acidification, which both harm ecosystems and biodiversity to a great extent. Self-driving boats can reduce poverty by protecting the oceans, thereby supporting small-scale fisheries in developing countries.

– Cleo Hudson
Photo: Flickr

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4 Mobile Applications Elevating Farmers in Kenya

Elevating Farmers in KenyaAfrican agricultural technology (agri-tech) services bring in $2.6 billion every year. Kenyan agri-tech is a large piece of Africa’s agri-tech industry, accounting for 25% of all startups. Agri-tech companies in Kenya create websites and mobile applications with the hope of elevating farmers in Kenya from poverty by allowing them to showcase their products and access information databases. Mobile applications and virtual marketplace platforms also boost market accessibility for farmers in Kenya.

Agriculture in Kenya

More than 25% of the global workforce works in the agriculture sector. In Kenya, agricultural employment accounts for more than 40% of the population. Additionally, agriculture comprises 33% of Kenya’s GDP. Although agriculture is a major economic sector, in Kenya the industry traditionally consists of older and smallholder farmers. Socially, Kenyans see farming as lackluster and dirty. Many young people prefer to turn to education rather than farming but digitalization in the agriculture industry is drawing in younger people.

It is important for younger Kenyans to enter the agricultural industry because their experience with technology will advance the market. What Kenyans saw as an industry for the older generation is transforming into a technologically advanced industry with the help of young adults. Engaging young people through social media and other mobile applications will rejuvenate and modernize agriculture in Kenya. Additionally, because many farmers in Kenya are smallholders, people who own small-scale farming operations, the creation of mobile applications allows farmers to feasibly access new markets via smartphone or computer without relying on brokerages or a middle-man, elevating farmers in Kenya from poverty.

4 Agri-Tech Applications Transforming Agriculture in Kenya

  1. Mkulima Young: Created by Joseph Macharia, a Kenyan farmer, Mkulima Young’s website connects farmers and potential buyers throughout East Africa. The platform is enhancing trade throughout the region. Using the application, Kenyans can feasibly buy and sell agricultural products. On the platform’s website’s homepage, Mkulima Young features young farmers’ selfies with their products, the latest products its members uploaded to the site and requests from buyers. Another page on the site includes a virtual market that allows farmers in Kenya to showcase and sell their cash crops, flowers, livestock and other agriculture products. Mkulima Young’s virtual marketplace gives users access to data to help understand trend projections and market insights.
  2. Twiga Foods Ltd: Beginning in 2014, Twiga sources products from Kenyan farmers and food manufacturers for registered vendors to sell, in turn providing adequate market security for farmers and vendors. After sourcing fresh fruits and vegetables from Kenyan farmers, Twiga Foods brings produce to Kenya’s urban centers. Currently, more than 4,000 suppliers and more than 35,000 vendors utilize Twiga’s marketplace platform. Twiga prides itself on transparency and efficient delivery of quality products. The platform offers smallholder farmers reassurance that their products will be profitable. Twiga Foods makes selling and buying Kenyan produce easier for average Kenyan farmers and vendors through its transparency and a guaranteed market.
  3. DigiCow: Founded by tech start-up Farmingtech Solutions, which specializes in agricultural data management, DigiCow provides smallholder farmers with farming management services. With DigiCow’s services, farmers in Kenya can reach data-based conclusions rather than guessing and estimating results, which was common practice before applications like DigiCow. The application enables its users to make data-driven decisions. Specific tools the application offers are, but are not limited to, virtual training, message boards for farmers to connect with each other, digital tracking of feeding, insemination and milking, notifications for vital dates and analyzed reports. April 2019 marked a notable milestone for DigiCow. The World Bank recognized the Farmingtech Solutions team as Kenya’s most inventive Agri-tech by awarding DigiCow the winner of the Disruptive Agricultural Technologies challenge. With the DigiCow application, farmers can now keep data sets and make educated decisions.
  4. DigiFarm: Founded by Safaricom, a telecommunication firm in Kenya, DigiFarm allows farmers to connect directly with bulk produce buyers, credit providers and cheaper agronomic materials. DigiFarm arranges deals with buyers for small farmers. These deals are more beneficial than the deals farmers use to make with traditional brokers. More than 40,000 farmers utilize the application. The app allows smallholder farmers to analyze the market of their produce. Additional services DigiFarm provides its users are insurance for weather-related incidents, loss management and recommendations on how to increase yields. Projections estimate that if success continues, DigiFarm will represent 10% of annual ag-business affairs in Kenya. Before DigiFarm’s assistance many farmers could not afford supplies but with DigiFarm’s help, many small farmers can now run successful operations.

How Agri-Tech Alleviates Poverty in Kenya

The World Bank states that an increase in agriculture technology will assist Kenya in meeting its rising food demand, whilst elevating farmers in Kenya from poverty. As smaller farmers utilize more agri-tech, their production will increase leading to a rise in income for themselves and also a rise in food production for the country. Increasing agriculture productivity through agricultural technology will not only increase food supply but will also increase the number of jobs available in both the agriculture and technology sectors.

These agricultural technology applications are a game-changer for smallholder Kenyan farmers. They have the potential to create economic growth in the agriculture and technology industry. The creation of virtual marketplaces and agri-tech platforms will ultimately lead to prosperity in Kenya.

– Bailey Lamb
Photo: Flickr

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The Work of FWNGO

Poverty in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan is a shining example for other nations in Central Asia. Despite a poverty rate of 38%, Kyrgyzstan has made tremendous progress over the years in reducing its poverty, and it continues to do so. On top of the progress, the country is trying to make economically, the nation is actively trying to make social improvements to its society. Specifically, Kyrgyzstan wants to make its society better for women. One example of Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to do this is the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Other forces actively pushing for equality in Kyrgyzstan include the Forum of Women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan (FWNGO). The work of FWNGO has been persistent, and it has helped many causes that promote women’s equality in Kyrgyzstan.

Goals of FWNGO

One of the goals of FWNGO is to engage women’s organizations on a local level in order to complete certain goals. For example, FWNGO wants local women’s organizations to help increase the number of women in governing bodies, and for these women to hold important decision-making roles. Decreasing violence against women is another important goal of FWNGO. To do this, FWNGO helps local women’s organizations monitor violence against women. The work of FWNGO also focuses on education. This includes educating women’s rights organizations about the field of gender equality and also teaching them important skills to further their goals.

FWNGO’s Programs

FWNGO runs numerous programs to promote women’s equality in Kyrgyzstan. One such program is its Participation of Women in Political Processes. This program started back in 2006, and since then, its purpose is to engage women to participate in all political levels within Kyrgyzstan. FWNGO believes that in order for women to have equality, they must fight for it by using the political processes that Kyrgyzstan affords them. FWNGO does not just want women themselves to participate in political processes in Kyrgyzstan; it wants other women’s rights organizations to help promote women as well. By having more women participate in elections, FWNGO can better guarantee that the interests of women will end up in government programs and decisions.

Another program that FWNGO runs is Combatting Discrimination and Violence against Women. The goal of this program is to reduce all forms of violence and discrimination that Kyrgyzstani women face. FWNGO actively works with other women’s rights organizations to prevent violence against women. To achieve these goals, FWNGO actively pursues aggressors against women and brings them to justice.

How it Helps

The work of FWNGO is important because it helps women living in poverty in Kyrgyzstan. Rural women in Kyrgyzstan are poorer than urban women, and their quality of life is much worse. Rural women are also less likely to actively participate in political processes in Kyrgyzstan. FWNGO seeks to help women living in these circumstances by encouraging them to participate in Kyrgyzstan’s political processes. While the focus of the FWNGO is on all women, rural women are in a tougher situation.

Kyrgyzstan has made great progress over the years. The work of FWNGO and organizations like it will ensure that progress will continue to occur.

– Jacob E. Lee
Photo: Flickr

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Ban of Leaded Gasoline is a Huge Win for the World

Ban of Leaded Gasoline
Recently, the entire world has banned leaded gasoline. Not only had leaded gasoline caused deaths, but also had raised greenhouse gas emissions. The ban on leaded gasoline is a giant win for society and one can see it as a foundation of other life-threatening fossil fuels, like sulfur in diesel.

Leaded Gasoline in a Nutshell

According to Smithsonian Magazine, Thomas Midgely Jr. created leaded gasoline in the 1920s by adding “tetraethyl lead” to gasoline to reduce the “knocking” sound in cars. People were already aware that tetraethyl lead was poisonous, even before it became a part of gasoline.

Leaded gasoline leads to an abundance of greenhouse gas emissions and is detrimental to the environment. Additionally, both children and adults have seen negative health side effects when exposed to leaded gasoline. Children exposed to lead can experience anemia, cancer, low IQ, learning disability, anemia and nerve damage. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute showed that gasoline exposure in adults has led to cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension and more. Both children and adults have either entered hospitals and/or died due to leaded gasoline.

Countries Ban Leaded Gasoline

In August 2021, Algeria was officially the last country to ban leaded gasoline. There has been a long-lasting humanitarian struggle to ban leaded gasoline throughout different countries. The first country to ban leaded gasoline was Japan in the 1980s. Then, other developed countries had followed, including Austria, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Germany and the United States. During the 2000s until the 2020s, 117 more countries, developed and developing, pushed to ban leaded gasoline.

Bribes, Finance and the Holdouts for Ban on Leaded Gasoline

Some countries, such as Indonesia, were guilty of receiving bribes from leaded gasoline oil industries. However, Indonesia finally banned leaded gasoline.

“By 2016 only Algeria, Yemen, and Iraq were holdouts,” said National Geographic. Yemen is the poorest country in the world, Iraq is under development and Algeria’s citizens are destitute. Leaded gasoline is more inexpensive than unleaded gasoline. Additionally, leaded gasoline companies were reportedly sending bribes to countries to encourage them to continue using leaded gasoline. It is clear to see why some countries took much longer to ban leaded gasoline than other countries.

Ban of Leaded Gasoline Everywhere is a Huge Win

There are an estimated 1.2 million people who die from leaded gasoline each year. The hospital rates are even higher. Now that there is a ban on leaded fuel, “The fuel’s elimination will save $2.45 trillion a year, UNEP estimates, reflecting the economic side of lives and nature saved,” said Geneva SolutionsInger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. Andersen also described the ban as a huge milestone for the environment.

What the Ban means for Other Fossil Fuels

Now that the world has banned leaded gasoline, there have already been results of a cleaner earth, and better health. Yet, there are still hazardous fossil fuels. Companies are putting sulfur in diesel, burning coal and adding other additives to gasoline, all of which can cause greenhouse gas emissions and negative health effects. Additionally, some aviation still uses leaded gasoline.

However, now that results are showing the benefits of banning toxic fuels, the government and other organizations can give a better focus on banning other harmful fuels. Countries, especially developing countries, that are worried about the financial loss, can view the money they have saved from leaded gasoline as reassurance that banning fossil fuels is the right move. The ban on leaded gasoline is a huge win for the planet, but the fight for a better world is not over.

– Sydney Littlejohn
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in Denmark – 3 Facts You Need to Know

Poverty In Denmark
Denmark has one of the lowest poverty rates in the world, and it is important to look at what allows the nation to have such a low rate. With aggressive public health programs and a well-rounded social welfare program that
brings aid for unemployment, disability and old age, the people of Denmark can often receive proper help and assistance in times of need.

Social Welfare Aid

Widespread access to welfare in the country stems from a systemically upheld belief that welfare is a right of the people and not a privilege as it is all paid for through taxes. The benefits received by those who are unable to properly support themselves or their children work to lower poverty in Denmark. Furthermore, while the Danish have access to assistance programs, one poll suggests that nearly 60% of respondents believe that the economic gap between the upper and lower classes needs to be reduced.

Social responsibility is a large key ideal held by many people in Denmark. Social responsibility carries into the ideas of the social welfare programs and correlates to funds allocated toward helping members of the community. Because of governmental and social efforts, the level of poverty in Denmark is able to stay relatively low. For instance, funds and programs go to help parents raising new children, allowing a year of paid paternity or maternity leave.

The Poverty Rate

As of 2018, Denmark had a poverty rate of around 0.30%, which was a 0.1% increase from the previous year. Those living with fewer than $5.50 U.S. dollars per day are counted within the poverty figures. This is one of the lowest poverty rates in the world, around 10% less than the United State’s poverty rate in 2020. With a high poverty rate in the late 1980s of around 1.2%, the decline has occurred steadily over the years. While the poverty rate tends to fluctuate from year to year, it remains relatively low. Currently, Denmark is often compared to nations like the Netherlands, Malta, the Czech Republic and Norway. However, changes in social spending correlate to the fact that poverty seems to be been rising despite the high levels of support offered by the system.

Child Poverty

Despite Denmark’s reputation for strong welfare programs, child poverty rose in the country from 2016 to 2017. In the span of that year, the number of children recognized as living in poverty rose from around 40,000 to more than 60,000. Despite the level of social welfare benefits, employment rates have remained largely unchanged among certain groups. Among those affected by reduced social spending are refugees and minority groups in the country. As of 2017, the number of children under the poverty line accounts for more than 5% of the child population. Programs like the Integration Benefit are targeted to those living in extreme poverty in Denmark.

With many different social programs, poverty in Denmark has been able to stay relatively low in recent years, notably due to social programs and community mentalities. Despite the rising poverty rates among those in danger of falling below the poverty line, the Danish government has been implementing programs to try and reduce these issues like the Integration Benefit. Lastly, the programs afforded to parents allow for a stable environment for parents to raise their children. The solutions to these issues through more aid and higher access to aid stand to lower the poverty rate further.

– Jake Herbetko
Photo: Flickr