Archive for category: Economy

Information and stories about economy.

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The Modernization of India’s Railways Can Support Poverty Reduction

India's Railways
India’s railways transport millions of passengers daily, connecting cities and communities across the country. However, connectivity between major cities and tier-2 and tier-3 cities has been historically uneven. Since the turn of the century, increased government investment has accelerated railway modernization, including faster trains, upgraded stations and new safety technologies. Services such as Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat, alongside the Amrit Bharat Station scheme, are reshaping passenger rail connectivity across the country. This article examines how these investments can expand economic opportunities and potentially contribute to poverty reduction.

Why Does Railway Connectivity Matter?

Smaller cities, rural communities and remote regions often have weaker connections to jobs, education and health care. Poor connectivity can limit businesses’ access to larger markets and make it harder for workers to pursue opportunities outside their immediate areas. Better connectivity can also encourage tourism and increase spending in less-developed regions. The Borgen Project spoke with Lakshya Bafna, an international business student with a scholarship from Macquarie University. He said, “From an economic-development perspective, improved railway connectivity reduces generalized transportation costs—not just the ticket price, but also travel time, reliability and the cost of accessing economic opportunities.”

Vande Bharat: Faster Connectivity and Economic Opportunity

The first Vande Bharat service was launched in 2019 between New Delhi and Varanasi. Since then, the service has expanded across India. While its fares may make it inaccessible to some lower-income households, its economic effects can extend beyond direct passengers. Faster connections can help workers reach economic centers, facilitate business activity and increase access to tourism destinations. These effects may contribute to the growth of smaller cities along its routes. Bafna explained that “positive externalities and indirect economic benefits” are important, noting that Vande Bharat can contribute to “positive effects on labor market forces, increased productivity and business activity, increased tourism, infrastructure spillovers, and improved railway network effects.”

Amrit Bharat: Expanding Affordable Connectivity

Amrit Bharat is a non-air-conditioned long-distance train service operated by Indian Railways, designed to provide affordable travel for low- and middle-income passengers. By reducing the cost of long-distance rail travel, it can make employment and economic opportunities more accessible to lower-income households. While Vande Bharat demonstrates how faster connectivity can create economic spillovers, Amrit Bharat illustrates how affordability can make those opportunities accessible to a wider population. Bafna said, “This is arguably a more direct poverty-reduction mechanism because affordability determines whether lower-income households can actually participate in the transport network. Affordable rail services can reduce the cost of accessing employment.” He continued, “For example, suppose someone lives in a smaller town but works in a larger city. If affordable rail makes daily or weekly commuting economically viable, the worker gains access to a much larger labor market.”

Amrit Bharat Station Scheme: Modernizing India’s Railway Gateways

The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is a railway station redevelopment program aimed at modernizing facilities across India. Announced in 2022, the scheme targets more than 1,300 stations for redevelopment. Upgrades include improved passenger facilities, accessibility infrastructure and wider platforms designed to accommodate growing passenger numbers. By making stations more accessible and functional, the scheme can improve people’s ability to use rail services and connect with employment, education, health care and markets. Better stations can therefore complement improved train services by making the wider railway network more accessible to communities.

How Can Railway Modernization Support Poverty Reduction?

Better rail connectivity can expand the geographical area in which people can seek employment. Railway construction, maintenance and associated activities can also generate jobs. Improved mobility can give workers and businesses greater access to markets and suppliers, while lower transportation costs can make economic activity more efficient.

Railway modernization can also support local economic activity around stations. Bafna said, “A railway station can function as an economic node, not merely a place where passengers board trains.” He explained that modernization can create opportunities in construction, maintenance, retail and services, while potentially increasing demand for hospitality, taxis and logistics. Better stations could also make surrounding areas more attractive to businesses and investors, creating additional opportunities for employment and economic activity.

Kavach: Strengthening Railway Safety

Kavach is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system that the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) developed to improve railway safety. The system provides automated train protection and collision-prevention capabilities, including protection against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), overspeeding, rollback and certain side, head-on and rear-end collisions. Kavach can also automatically apply brakes in specified situations, including when a train exceeds its permitted speed or when the system detects two trains moving toward each other on the same track section.

By adding another layer of protection to train operations, the system can support safer and more reliable rail services. Reliable rail services matter to passengers and businesses that depend on trains for mobility and the movement of goods. However, Kavach should not be presented as a direct poverty-reduction measure. Instead, safer, more reliable railway operations may limit disruptions to the movement of people and goods, complementing broader railway investments in connectivity and affordability.

Who Benefits From Railway Modernization?

The modernization of India’s railways requires significant public investment and can create employment through construction and infrastructure projects. Upgraded stations, including wider platforms, escalators and lifts, can also make rail services more accessible to passengers such as students, migrant workers, vendors and transport operators. However, connecting a poorer region with a wealthier one does not automatically make its residents richer. The benefits depend on affordability, accessibility, employment opportunities and local economic capacity. Bafna said the economic impact of railway modernization should be evaluated “not only by passenger numbers or travel-time savings,” but also by its effects on productivity, labor mobility, market access, employment, regional development and the distribution of benefits across income groups.

Conclusion

The modernization of India’s railways does not directly reduce poverty, but it can support the economic conditions that help communities escape it. Better rail connectivity can reduce transportation and logistics costs, expand access to employment and markets and create opportunities for businesses, tourists, students and migrant workers. If lower-income communities can access these opportunities, railway modernization may contribute to higher incomes and long-term poverty reduction. Ultimately, rail infrastructure is not a cure for poverty, but a tool connecting communities to economic opportunities.

– Dhruv Bandhu

Dhruv is based in Bengaluru, India and focuses on Good News, Technology and Solutions, and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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How Hydrogel in Zambia Could Help Women Protect Livelihoods

Hydrogel in Zambia
Forests can be an important source of income for families in rural Zambia. Forest products contribute about 20% of rural household income, while forests and other natural resources support the livelihoods of about 60% of rural households. For women who depend on these resources, environmental degradation can put an existing source of income under pressure.

The Booma Women Cooperative

In Southern Province, the Booma Women Cooperative is investigating whether hydrogel can help recently planted trees withstand dry conditions. The cooperative uses natural resources such as mongongo to produce oils and cosmetics, linking forest resources to women’s existing livelihood activities.

Women in Mukuni Village, Southern Province, collect forest resources for food and income. Mongongo nuts are one such resource, traditionally collected and processed by local communities. The Booma Women Cooperative buys mongongo seeds from local women and processes them into cooking and cosmetic oils for local shops, lodging facilities and wellness centers. The cooperative also produces cosmetic oils and butters from other locally sourced forest products.

Mendel University reports that the cooperative gives women opportunities to earn income by collecting and selling mongongo products.

Drought and Forest Pressure

These livelihoods face pressure from environmental degradation. Drought, logging, charcoal production, agricultural expansion and uncontrolled fires can place additional pressure on forests. Research from the International Growth Centre found that drought-related crop failures can push smallholder farmers toward charcoal production as a coping strategy, increasing pressure on forests.

Testing Hydrogel in Drought-Prone Areas

Hydrogel absorbs water in soil and gradually releases moisture as surrounding conditions become drier. Hydrogel can retain water in soil and release moisture gradually; its effects on seedling survival vary by species and conditions.

At the Booma Women Cooperative, researchers from Mendel University in Brno are testing whether hydrogel can support tree establishment in drought-prone areas. The project receives funding and support from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Czech-UNDP Partnership. It initially aimed to support at least 400 native and oil-bearing trees. By early November 2025, more than 1,500 seedlings from eight species had been sown, and more than 1,000 had germinated. Six species are native and two are introduced.

Women receive training in planting, hydrogel application and early seedling care, while researchers collect field data and use sensors to monitor tree growth and local conditions. A 2023 field study of four Central European tree species found that hydrogel treatment reduced seedling mortality by 1% to 9%, although responses varied by species.

Future Income Benefits Remain Uncertain

The potential economic benefit of the Booma project depends on whether the seedlings survive and mature. If they do, the trees could eventually contribute to forest resources used for activities such as mongongo collection and processing. However, the project has not yet demonstrated that hydrogel will produce this outcome in Southern Zambia.

It remains uncertain how many seedlings will survive and mature, whether the technique will perform similarly under local conditions and whether healthier trees will eventually produce enough forest products to affect women’s incomes. The cost and scalability of hydrogel also remain questions.

Most importantly, Booma members have not yet received measurable income benefits from the project. Evidence that hydrogel can improve seedling survival under some conditions does not establish that it will increase incomes in Southern Zambia.

The Booma project is testing whether a drought-adaptation technique can help protect forest resources connected to existing women’s livelihoods. Whether the approach eventually strengthens those livelihoods remains to be determined.

– Zeba Vagh

Zeba is based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Education in Indian Languages: Expanding Economic Opportunity

Education in Indian Languages
India’s linguistic diversity is an important part of its culture, but language can also affect how students access education. For students who are more comfortable learning in their home or regional language, being taught primarily in another language can make it harder to understand lessons and participate in school. Education in Indian languages could help reduce this barrier while expanding access to educational and economic opportunities.

The Government of India has recently increased its focus on multilingual education. The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, announced in the 2025 Union Budget, aims to provide digital educational books in Indian languages for school and higher education. The scheme envisions making educational content available in 22 Indian languages.

When Language Becomes a Barrier to Learning

For some students, the language used in the classroom may not be the language they understand best. UNICEF India has found that children can struggle when they enter school and are expected to learn in a language different from the one they speak at home. These difficulties can affect understanding, confidence and participation and can increase the risk of leaving school early.

A UNICEF-supported language mapping project in Chhattisgarh examined more than 400,000 first-grade students and 30,000 teachers across 24 languages, including 11 tribal languages. The project found that about three-fourths of students and nearly half of teachers had minimal or functional understanding of the language used for instruction. The project responded by developing teacher training and learning materials that better reflected students’ languages.

These challenges can be especially important for students from communities with fewer educational resources. When students have difficulty understanding classroom material, they may also have fewer opportunities to build the knowledge and skills needed for higher education and employment.

Education and Economic Opportunity

Education is closely connected to economic opportunity. The World Bank describes education as a foundation for developing skills, finding employment and building a pathway out of poverty. Higher levels of education are also associated with better employment opportunities and higher earnings.

For this reason, improving access to educational materials is not only about making lessons easier to understand. It can also help students develop the academic foundation needed to continue their education and prepare for the workforce. Education in Indian languages can be particularly relevant for students who face language barriers in school. Providing textbooks and other learning materials in languages students already understand can make educational resources more accessible and support students as they move through different levels of education.

Expanding Books Across 22 Languages

The Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme is one of the Government of India’s recent efforts to expand access to educational content in Indian languages. According to the Ministry of Education, the scheme is intended to provide digital books for school and higher education in 22 Indian languages. The Ministry is working alongside organizations including the University Grants Commission and the All India Council of Technical Education on initiatives to increase educational content in Indian languages.

The effort builds on earlier government initiatives. In 2024, the University Grants Commission launched ASMITA, a project intended to produce 22,000 books in 22 scheduled Indian languages over five years. Other initiatives have also focused on multilingual dictionaries and technology for real-time translation.

Making Education More Accessible

India’s National Education Policy 2020 also emphasizes multilingual education. The policy recommends that, wherever possible, the medium of instruction remains a student’s home, mother or regional language until at least grade five and preferably through grade eight and beyond.

Digital resources can make these efforts more accessible because students can use educational materials without depending entirely on physical textbooks. The government’s Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, for example, provides thousands of digital titles in multiple Indian languages and is intended to promote more equitable learning opportunities for underserved and marginalized readers.

The Government of India is also using newer technology to expand multilingual education. In 2026, the Ministry of Education reported that AI-based tools such as ANUVADINI and BHASHINI were being used to support translation and language-enabled digital services across Indian languages.

A Step Toward Greater Opportunity

Education in Indian languages cannot solve poverty by itself, but it can address one barrier that affects how students access and understand education. For students from underserved communities, having learning materials available in a familiar language can make educational opportunities more accessible.

As India continues expanding multilingual textbooks, digital resources and translation technology, these efforts could help more students participate fully in their education. Improving language access can support the larger goal of ensuring that a student’s language does not become a barrier to gaining the knowledge and skills needed for higher education and future economic opportunity.

– Anvitha Nakka

Anvitha is based in Frederick, Maryland and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Updates on SDG 8 in the Maldives

SDG 8 in the Maldives
The Maldives is an archipelago of more than 1,000 islands located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives has the longest chain of coral atolls in the world and a rich and unique marine biodiversity. Tourism and fishing drive the economy, with tourism representing about 21% of GDP. The country is among the 193 nations that took the pledge in September 2015 to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, and it is ranked 63rd out of 169 countries in the 2026 SDG Index.

The Sustainable Development Goals are a roadmap of 17 goals that the United Nations initiated, which call on all nations to join efforts to end all forms of poverty, ensure equality and take action to protect the planet, while making sure that no one is left behind. Therefore, the UN in the Maldives has been working tirelessly with the Maldivian government to achieve the SDGs, and this article will particularly pinpoint the updates on SDG 8 in the Maldives.

SDG 8

Within the framework of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 8 highlights decent work and economic growth. This goal has been established to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Hence, SDG 8 encompasses 12 targets that are meaningful for achieving the goal. Among those targets are the promotion of youth employment, their education and their training; the protection of labor rights, and the promotion of safe working environments; the promotion of beneficial and sustainable tourism; and the promotion of full employment and decent work with equal pay. In achieving SDG 8 in the Maldives, the government took several actions, such as empowering policies for women’s economic growth through the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the tourism sector, as well as accelerating economic diversification.

The Importance of Tourism and Fisheries

The Maldives has a successful development story. Economic growth combined with the expansion of social services and infrastructure development has allowed the country to sustain poverty reduction, human development, and socio-economic progress over the past 30 years. Nonetheless, almost a third of the population is poor across several dimensions, even if income poverty is relatively low in the Maldives. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), the Maldives is highly vulnerable to climate change and other environmental hazards that impact its economy. To this extent, the resilience of its economy and society depends on a significant reliance on natural resources.

In 2025, the real GDP grew by an estimated 6.3%, driven by strong tourist arrivals and a recovery in fisheries. Tourist arrivals increased by 9.8% and reached their peak of 2.25 million in 2025. In 2026, after a strong start, tourism performance declined. In February, an increase of 15.7% was recorded in tourist arrivals, but it declined by 20.7% in March and 24.4% in April due to disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East, including airspace closures and flight cancellations. Year on year, as of May 13, 2026, tourist arrivals were down 5.4%.

Concerning fisheries, the other economic pillar of the Maldives, exports have increased by 91.8% in 2025, with 76,360 metric tons of fish exported. This rise in fish exports is due to an increase in frozen tuna exports. The largest share of the Maldives’ exports is still fish and fish products, according to the numbers. Consequently, the government’s key priority is to increase revenue from the fisheries sector and strengthen its contribution to the economy.

Overall, those two pillars of the Maldivian economy are vital for its growth and development. On one hand, the tourism sector is the main employer in the Maldives and enhances related industries such as construction, transportation and retail; on the other hand, fisheries also provide employment and community livelihoods to many Maldivians living in rural and island communities.

The MEERY Project

The COVID-19 long-term effects on the Maldivian economy have led to numerous challenges, encompassing limited job prospects for the youth. In 2020, the youth unemployment rate was 17.7% due to a competitive job market and a lack of employment opportunities. To address youth unemployment, the MEERY (Maldives: Enhancing Employability and Resilience of Youth) project, a five-year initiative jointly implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education, Labor and Skills Development, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and the World Bank, launched in 2019 and is now in its final phase.

The MEERY is a $20 million USD project that receives funding from the World Bank to “improve the relevance of technical and vocational skills and foster entrepreneurship to promote youth employment in project priority sectors.” The project’s focus is to equip youth in the Maldives with tools, training, and the opportunities they need to be successful in a rapidly evolving job market. The MEERY project also addresses skills gaps and gender equality in the job market by providing women with more opportunities to contribute to the national economy. It also prioritizes tourism, tourism-related construction, agriculture and ICT sectors.

A Supportive Policy Landscape, Slowly Evolving for Women

In recent years, the Maldives has made significant advancements in women’s education and empowerment. The archipelago has one of the highest female literacy rates in South Asia, and more women are graduating and entering the workforce than in the past. Nevertheless, the female labor force participation rate is 40.7% compared to 76.4% for males, while the female rate is also below the global female labor force participation rate of about 48.9% in 2025.

To reverse these disparities and achieve SDG 8, the Maldivian government has implemented the National Gender Equality Action Plan (2022-2026), developed under the Gender Equality Action Act of 2016. The plan lists strategic goals to promote equal participation in governance, economic development, and protection from gender-based violence. This plan has enabled a 33% quota for women in local councils, which has led to an increase in women’s political representation at the local level.

The government also enacted policies that promote gender equality, including a flex policy that offers women working for the government six months of paid maternity leave, a significant support that eases the process for women to re-enter the workforce after giving birth. Besides, civil society organizations are actively advocating for women’s rights and providing support for female entrepreneurs, opening the way for more companies to recognize the value of gender-diverse workforces. Consequently, investing in women in the Maldives is an economic strategy. By harnessing the full potential of its women, the Maldives is building the foundation of a more resilient, inclusive and dynamic society, which is imperative for national progress.

Looking Ahead

To conclude, the updates on SDG 8 in the Maldives show that the country is continuing to work toward decent work and economic growth while significant economic and employment challenges remain. Ranked 63rd out of 169 countries in the 2026 SDG Index, the Maldives is striving toward its economic growth by investing in its youth and women, important pillars of Maldivian society. By also investing in the development of tourism and fisheries, other vital pillars of its.

– Milcah Yann 

Milcah is based in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is focused on Technologies and Solutions, and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Plastic Roads in Kenya Turn Waste Into Opportunity

Plastic Roads in Kenya
Nairobi faces an ongoing challenge in managing the waste produced by its growing population. According to UN-Habitat, the Kenyan capital generates approximately 3,085 metric tons of municipal solid waste each day. About 65% is collected, while only 15% is recovered, leaving much of the remainder to end up in open dumpsites. One Kenyan company is finding a productive use for some of that discarded material by turning plastic waste into paving blocks. Plastic roads in Kenya offer an example of how local innovation can address pollution while creating employment and providing alternative construction materials.

Turning Plastic Waste Into Pavement

Nairobi-based Gjenge Makers collects discarded plastic and processes it into construction materials. Founded by Kenyan materials engineer Nzambi Matee, the social enterprise combines processed plastic waste with sand before molding the mixture into paving blocks and tiles. The company produces several types of pavers, including heavy-duty blocks designed for roads and areas used by heavy machinery.

The approach gives difficult-to-reuse plastics another purpose. Gjenge primarily works with plastics such as high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene and polypropylene. According to the company, its pavers provide a strong alternative to conventional concrete paving materials.

The technology has already been used in several paving projects around Nairobi. According to Gjenge Makers, in 2022 the company completed an installation at Kenya’s Ministry of Transport on Jogoo Road that used approximately nine metric tons of recycled plastic to create 564 square meters of paved space. The company also reports that earlier installations at residential developments repurposed several metric tons of plastic.

Creating Jobs Through Recycling

The benefits extend beyond removing plastic from the waste stream. In 2024, Gjenge Makers received an Impact Award at the United Nations SDG Action Awards. The United Nations reported that the enterprise had recycled more than 200 metric tons of plastic and created more than 600 jobs for women and young people while promoting a culture of recycling in Kenya.

This employment component strengthens the connection between recycling and poverty reduction efforts. Waste collection and recycling can provide income opportunities while supplying businesses like Gjenge with the material needed for production. The company’s model turns discarded waste into a product that can be sold and used for infrastructure.

Plastic roads in Kenya therefore represent more than an environmental solution. By connecting waste collection, manufacturing and construction, the process demonstrates how a circular economy can create economic opportunities while reducing the amount of material sent to dumpsites.

Kenya’s Growing Circular Economy

Recent government action could further support recycling efforts. Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority introduced new Extended Producer Responsibility regulations in 2024. The regulations require producers to take responsibility for the post-consumer management of their products. Kenya also introduced regulations aimed specifically at improving the management and recycling of plastic packaging.

These policies complement businesses that find commercial uses for discarded materials. Kenya’s efforts are also part of a larger shift toward circular economies across Africa. In July 2025, the African Union and its partners launched the Continental Circular Economy Action Plan for Africa 2024-2034 in Nairobi. The plan seeks to promote resource efficiency, green growth and inclusive economic development across the continent.

What’s Ahead

Gjenge Makers cannot solve Nairobi’s waste challenges alone. The low share of municipal waste currently recovered shows the scale of the problem. However, the company’s work demonstrates how locally developed technology can turn part of that challenge into an economic resource.

By converting discarded plastic into durable paving materials, creating jobs and supporting a growing recycling economy, plastic roads in Kenya provide one example of how environmental innovation can also support livelihoods. Continued investment in recycling businesses and waste collection could help Kenya build cleaner communities while creating new opportunities for workers and entrepreneurs.

– Ben Jordan

Ben is based in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany and focuses on Good News, and Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Congolese Fashion and its Potential For Economic Growth

Congolese Fashion
Since October 2023, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has collaborated with 300 professionals to help foster the growth of creative industries in 33 African countries. This is part of their Création Africa program, which focuses on connecting young African entrepreneurs with funding opportunities to help their creative businesses grow. The Colloque Scientifique International Conference in September 2026 is their latest venture and will spotlight the Congolese fashion movement, La Sape.

Création Africa

Expanding from 16 to 33 eligible countries in 2024, Création Africa has connected 300 African and French professionals to open doors for creatives. By fostering the growth of the art sector, Création Africa hopes to stimulate economic and cultural flourishing across Africa.

The program operates in three key stages:

  1. Online networking through its website, where creatives can connect with both each other and sponsors. By streamlining resources and communication, Création Africa’s website increases businesses’ visibility.
  2. A tailored mentoring scheme for a dozen individuals at a time to aid their structuring and development plans. This includes insight into Création Africa’s work mapping, which has traced the emerging trends across the continent. Individuals leave with future-oriented business models backed by professional guidance.
  3. International partnerships through ties to French and European experts. This allows creatives to develop both regional and international prominence.

Roundabout is one organization that has benefited from Création Africa’s work. Following the 2025 Création Africa Forum where their project “Heritage in Motion” was spotlighted, the zero-waste collective engaged with over 500 guests and six cross-continental collaborators. Roundabout was one of 27 creative organizations from Lesotho, South Africa and Malawi showcased at the two-day event, where high-profile guests, including President Emmanuel Macron, were spotted.

The 2026 Colloque Scientific International Conference in the DRC hopes to follow on from this success, bringing together experts in sociology, history, economics, technology and art to see the work of Congolese organizations. This will coincide with the opening of Kinshasa’s permanent exhibition on Congolese fashion and La Sape.

What is La Sape?

La Sape stands for the “Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes” (Society of Ambiance Makers and Elegant People) and is a fashion subculture in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Clad in colorful and boldly styled suits, the Sapuers and Sapueses are taxi drivers, laborers and shopkeepers. They are the everymen and women who turn the streets into catwalks worthy of the finest fashion houses.

Emerging in the mid-20th century, La Sape originated from Congolese sailors, workers and traders who returned from sea with European suits. Traditionally for the colonial elite, the suits were paired with personal pieces and reinterpreted to assert a distinct Congolese Creole identity.

This identity extends into a code of honor, politeness and pacifism where clothing is shared and the whole community is lifted up through innovation.

The Kobo Hub highlights this innovation potential as founder Sidonie Latere is providing technical training to Sapeur designers so they can streamline their supply chains. For the textile brand Kilubukila, this enables them to supply their Kasai velvet to Monoprix in France and export designs across Europe and the U.S.

Latere is working alongside Création Africa and the Kinshasa exhibition and has highlighted how this will honor La Sape’s role in shaping the two nations’ history and future. She shows how investment into the Congolese fashion industry can create an upward spiral of economic growth alongside individual empowerment.

The World Cup

The DRC’s national team drew further attention to La Sape at the 2026 World Cup when they landed in Houston impeccably dressed in leopard-print suits. The designer, Alvin Junior Mak, drew heavily from La Sape’s visuals and described how he wanted to promote the artistic identity of the DRC.

Prior to the World Cup, Mak’s personal Instagram had only 8,000 followers and his brand, Jmakxparis, fewer than 4,000. However, following the World Cup and coverage from magazines such as Vogue and Forbes, the accounts grew to more than 40,000 and 12,000 followers respectively. One post featuring the national team, the Leopards, exceeded 79,000 likes.

The widespread attention also saw an influx of pre-orders from across the world, with Jmakxparis predicted to exceed €100,000 in revenue.

For Mak, this success extends beyond a viral moment and is a step toward solidifying a legacy that can create jobs and opportunities for others in the Congo.

Looking Ahead

The World Cup highlights how Congolese fashion innovation fosters international connection and can create opportunities for both economic growth and cultural understanding. Where many have historically recognized Europe for its fashion prowess, the DRC and Ivory Coast teams drew attention to Africa’s artistry, both past and present. Through programs like Création Africa, this talent can continue to be under a spotlight and opens the door for further investment.

– Elizabeth Holden

Elizabeth is based in London, UK and focuses on Business and New Markets, and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Remittances to Kenya Lift Households Out of Poverty

Remittances to KenyaBetween June 2024 and May 2025, remittances to Kenya totaled KES 931.8 billion (approximately $7.2 billion). Recipients spent the largest share of remittance income on food, household goods, education and medical care, a pattern linked to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals covering poverty reduction. Even so, the reported spending patterns do not by themselves prove that remittances caused progress on the SDGs. Behind Kenya’s remittance figures are families like Mohammed Juma’s, who lived better lives thanks to the money they received.

Kenya’s Economic Reality at a Glance

When discussing the economy of a country, dry statistics often obscure the human reality. However, behind every data point lies a real household trying to pay school fees or put food on the table. To understand the weight of a single household remittance, consider the broader financial environment facing families: In 2022, nearly 40% of the population (39.8%) lived below the national poverty line, while 45.48% survived on less than $3 a day. The Multidimensional Poverty Headcount Ratio, which tracks deprivations in health, education and basic living standards, sat at 47.28% in 2022. Between 2015 and 2021, total per capita income dropped by 3.09%, and for the poorest 40% of the population, it fell even faster at an annualized rate of 1.18%. For Kenya’s population of over 56 million people, the overall unemployment rate hovered at 5.4% in 2024, with youth unemployment more than double that at 11.93%.

With nearly half the population experiencing multidimensional poverty and most new jobs anchored in the unpredictable informal sector, financial stability is a daily balancing act for many Kenyan families.

One Wage Abroad Rebuilds a Family’s Future

Mohammed Juma, known locally as Modi, grew up along Kenya’s coast in Kilifi County—a region known globally for tourism. While its attraction makes the coast popular, locals in Kilifi often experience an air of hopelessness because of poverty. Poverty pushes many people out of Kilifi to find better work. Juma’s wife, Aisha, wanted a fresh start. She found a job as a house manager in Saudi Arabia in 2023. A licensed employment agency helped her make the big move abroad. Aisha sends home about $1,200 a month. That money pays school fees for the couple’s two daughters. It also funds eight rental units the family is building for extra income. Juma volunteers at a local community-based organization, where he shares his family’s experience with neighbors who hope for the same kind of opportunity.

The Next Step for Remittances to Kenya

Kenya’s government and financial regulators are working to simplify inflows. The Central Bank of Kenya licensed six new remittance operators over an 18-month period, bringing the total to 24.

Mobile money adoption among Kenyan adults climbed from 27% in 2011 to 92% in 2024.

Fintech platforms carried just 1.92% of remittance inflows in 2024, leaving considerable room for growth as more digital operators enter the market.

Costs remain a barrier to efficient remittances. Sending $200 to Kenya carries an average fee of 9.15%. That is above the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal target of 3%.

Digital platforms, mobile wallets and newly licensed fintech operators could help make remittances more accessible to Kenyan households, particularly in rural areas. Initiatives supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the European Union have highlighted the potential for digital remittances to reduce transaction costs and expand financial inclusion. For families receiving money from abroad, even a small reduction in transfer fees could leave more funds available for tuition, livestock or food.

– Otieno Onyango

Otieno is based in Nairobi, Kenya and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Brain Drain in Nigeria: Programs Keeping Talent at Home

Brain Drain in NigeriaThe Niger River flows effortlessly through part of Nigeria. Its rushing waters empty into the Atlantic Ocean via the Niger Delta.

Another flow occurring out of Nigeria is not one that is rushing but is causing damage over time. Brain drain in Nigeria is affecting the economy of the country. Talent, particularly in technological fields, is leaving Nigeria for better opportunities.

An estimated 63% of Nigerian adults have said they would be willing to relocate if given the opportunity, a trend commonly known as “Japa” in Nigeria. An estimated 17 million Nigerians live in the wider diaspora, including second- and third-generation Nigerians, with significant communities in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States and Canada. Economic hardship and multidimensional poverty are among the pressures encouraging people to leave. In 2025, an estimated 139 million Nigerians were living in poverty. Food insecurity, limited access to clean drinking water and education gaps are some of the many dimensions of poverty in Nigeria.

Those who wish to pursue an education and career in technology find themselves at a loss. There is a gap in access to reliable and genuine technological devices and support. For Nigerians living around the poverty line, average mobile data spending in the first quarter of 2026 was equivalent to nearly one-fifth of monthly income. The loss of talent in the technology field can widen the gap in technological advancement compared with other countries. Brain drain can also make it harder for Nigerian firms to find skilled IT professionals as technologies such as AI become more widely used.

Nigeria also faces a significant digital skills gap. A 2023 GetBundi survey of 100 National Youth Service Corps members found that 85% lacked basic digital skills. This puts the country and economy behind if it cannot advance.

The Drain Explained

Brain drain is the migration of individuals who are highly skilled. People living in Nigeria who are highly skilled are leaving for a better way of life due to the country’s current state of poverty. In 2025, an estimated 61% of the population was living in poverty. Poverty is multidimensional, with food insecurity and low incomes among the pressures households face. Those who can leave may choose to do so, while some Nigerians who study abroad remain in the countries where they studied.

Individuals leave to earn better wages for themselves and their families. For instance, a mid-level software developer in Nigeria can earn approximately ₦700,000 to ₦1.5 million per month, while a Nigerian developer in a remote USD-paid role may earn around $3,000 to $5,500 per month.

Programs of Hope

A slow reversal of the flow seems to be happening. “Japada,” as many Nigerians call it, refers to those who have migrated and are coming back. In 2025, IOM supported 14,787 Nigerians to return home safely. With the cost of living going up in other countries, some Nigerians are looking to go back to Nigeria and are returning with a purpose.

Some returnees are using experience gained abroad to create businesses and employ Nigerian talent. This can help the local economy and may encourage more skilled Nigerians to remain in or return to the country.

Another bid to reverse the drain is an initiative called Return2Naija, launched by Nigeria Student Ambassador John Aikeremiokha to encourage Nigerian students and migrants abroad to return and contribute to the country’s development. There are no concrete numbers showing how many people have returned as a direct result of the initiative.

Nigerian companies are also restructuring salary packages and adopting remote and hybrid work arrangements as ways to retain talent and stay competitive.

Through the initiatives of entrepreneurs and businesses, efforts to reverse brain drain in Nigeria are taking place. These efforts may contribute to economic growth, job creation and a more diverse, innovative economy. It is a slow, steady stream making its way into Nigeria to stay.

– Lara Lewis

Lara is based in Wakefield, RI, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Reducing Poverty in Vietnam Through Economic Reform

Poverty in VietnamIn 1986, most of Vietnam’s population lived in the countryside and depended on subsistence farming with little access to markets, credit or modern health care. That year, the government introduced Doi Moi, a set of market-oriented reforms that decollectivized farmland and opened the economy to foreign trade. The changes set off one of the most significant declines in poverty in Vietnam ever recorded. Gross domestic product per capita climbed from less than $700 in 1986 to nearly $4,500 in 2023, according to the World Bank.

A Sharp Decline in Extreme Poverty

Extreme poverty in Vietnam, measured against the World Bank’s international line of $2.15 a day, fell from 45% of the population in 1992 to less than 1% in 2022, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Using the World Bank’s benchmark for lower-middle-income countries of $3.65 a day, the poverty rate declined further, from 14% in 2010 to about 4% in 2023.

Health and education outcomes improved alongside income. Infant mortality dropped from 32.6 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1993 to 12.1 in 2023, and life expectancy rose from 70.5 years in 1990 to 74.5 years in 2023, World Bank data show. National health insurance now covers 93% of the population.

Land Reform and Export Manufacturing Drove Growth

Two mechanisms account for much of the drop in poverty in Vietnam. First, Doi Moi returned control of farmland to individual households instead of state collectives, allowing farmers to sell surplus rice and other crops on the open market. Second, the government opened special economic zones and courted foreign manufacturers, turning the country into a hub for electronics, textiles and footwear production. The World Bank describes Vietnam as a middle-income economy that transformed from one of the world’s poorest countries within a single generation.

Millions Remain Vulnerable

Despite the sharp decline in extreme poverty in Vietnam, close to one in five people remain in a low-income bracket and could fall back into hardship after an economic shock or natural disaster, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported. Ethnic minority households in the country’s northern mountainous provinces and rice-farming communities in the Mekong Delta face particular exposure, as remote terrain and increasing flooding limit access to jobs, credit and health services.

A Road Program Reaching Remote Communities

One initiative addressing this vulnerability is the World Bank-supported Local Road Asset Management Program, which ran from 2016 to 2024 across dozens of Vietnam’s provinces. Rather than funding new construction, the program focused on routine maintenance of existing rural roads and bridges, ultimately improving the lives of more than 11 million people. Close to 51,000 kilometers of rural roads received regular upkeep under the program, connecting thousands of communes, home to some of the country’s most vulnerable populations, to schools, hospitals and markets, the World Bank reported. Lower transport costs allow farmers in remote provinces to reach buyers, addressing one of the structural barriers that keeps pockets of poverty in Vietnam persistent even amid national growth.

A Model for Continued Progress

Vietnam’s experience shows that sustained, reform-driven growth combined with targeted infrastructure investment can transform a country’s fortunes within a single generation. As the World Bank continues to describe Vietnam as a remarkable development success story, the country’s next task is ensuring that the millions still living near the poverty line are not left behind by the same shocks that once defined its past.

– Rachel Ma

Rachel is based in Florham Park, NJ, USA and focuses on Business and New Markets for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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World Bank Steps in to Help Fight Poverty in Nigeria

Poverty in NigeriaNigeria is one of the fastest-growing populations in Africa, with a growth rate of about 2.1%. Like other post-colonial nations, it has struggled to provide its youth population with employment. This has led to rising poverty, which has started to outpace the number of people employed. Based on the World Bank’s 2024 projections, nearly 47% of Nigerians have fallen into poverty. This marks a significant increase from 2019, showcasing the severe impact of COVID-19.

Nigeria’s poverty affects every sector, from health care to education. This has seriously inflated the nation’s youth unemployment rate, which reached as high as 21.5% in 2016. Women represent up to 79% of the rural workforce but are five times less likely to own their own land than men, contributing to wage and wealth inequality in the nation.

Statistics from The Conversation, citing Nigeria’s Multidimensional Poverty Index, indicate that more than 133 million Nigerians live in poverty, with the poverty rate in rural areas as high as 72%, compared with 42% in urban areas. Poverty in Nigeria rises due to several reasons, one being the post-colonial effects that many nations have faced since independence.

The country also struggles with domestic issues of ethnic tension, terrorism and bureaucratic corruption, according to The Conversation. This has led to a serious issue for the government to provide a steady line of policies that will positively reduce poverty in the short and long run.

Nigeria implemented its National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2022 to 2026, aimed at targeting corruption activities in the workplace, especially the public sector, judiciary and most importantly political financing. However, public perception of corruption and government efforts to address it did not significantly change, according to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Coalition.

The Role of the World Bank

In July 2026, President Bola Tinubu unveiled a $3.05 billion package of World Bank-backed anti-poverty programs, according to Punch. The package includes $1.25 billion for the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus program, $300 million for the Solutions for Internally Displaced and Host Communities program, and $1.5 billion for the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity program, which focuses on governance, primary health care and education.

Separately, the World Bank has laid out a Country Partnership Framework for 2026 to 2032, focusing on making young Nigerians more employable by supporting private sector-led job creation. As part of this framework, the World Bank approved a $1.25 billion Development Policy Financing operation to support economic reforms.

The Bank aims to increase private sector investment in development areas and help reduce poverty statistics in Nigeria, with targets including expanding energy access to 32 million people, delivering broadband to 58 million people, improving health and nutrition services for 40 million people and supporting 9.5 million farmers.

Both efforts are intended to advance the government’s “Renewed Hope Development Plan 2026 to 2030.” Tinubu said the programs represent “promises kept” under his administration’s economic reform agenda, adding that “real prosperity means no Nigerian is left behind” as the country works toward a $1 trillion economy by 2030, according to Punch.

Looking Ahead

The government aims not only to improve poverty statistics in Nigeria but also to directly impact people and their households. As Tinubu put it, positive results are emerging from Nigeria’s economic reforms, but that progress must be felt in every household, not just in national statistics.

– Tanay Ashok Sonthalia

Tanay is based in Melbourne, Australia and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels