Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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The Evolution of Women’s Rights in Liberia

Women’s Rights in Liberia
Although there have been steps toward equal rights for women, some countries are struggling more than others. In Liberia, gender disparities and imbalances are common. To put it another way, there is little appreciation or recognition for the contributions of women to the Liberian community. However, progress has occurred in regard to improving women’s rights in Liberia and gender equality.

The Root of Inequality

In Liberia, traditional and religious insight impacts gender inequality and the neglect of women. This leaves women underrepresented, uneducated and undermined. Gender inequality plays a major role in the rights of women. They have no one to advocate for their rights but themselves. This would not be as unfortunate if women had a right to equal education. While contributing all of their time to family and working, women have less time to focus on education and social life. Furthermore, the stringent roles and responsibilities of women have prevented them from being able to partake in society and benefit development.

The Roles of Women

Women account for more than 50% of the labor in agriculture, cash production and food crop production, along with marketing and trading in Liberia. Despite their heavy role in the workforce, private and public sectors do not even honor the law of allowing pregnant women to go on maternity leave. They are also responsible for taking care of the household and doing additional work on the side, such as gathering wood and water. Despite their roles in agriculture, women own less property and have no other option than to be dependent on male relatives. The discrimination in land ownership is due to biases in the formal legal framework and customary law. Men are also more likely than women to inherit the land, control decision-making, allocation, management and the use of land.

Besides a woman’s role economically, they also experience a high risk of violent behavior against them in Liberia. These acts of violent behavior can include female genital mutilation, wife burning, dowry-related violence, rape, incest, wife battering, female femicide, female infanticide, trafficking, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, execution and prostitution. Any violence against women is a human rights violation according to the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Conventions and their protocols provide protection against discrimination against women, allowing women to be equal to men under the Humanitarian Law, subsequently improving women’s rights in Liberia.

Aid and Hope

Another aid established is the 2009 National Gender Policy, which fights to abolish all gender issues. The main goal is to form a fair society where girls and boys along with women and men enjoy their human rights equally on a basis of non-discrimination. In other words, where the full potentials of all, regardless of sex, are harassed toward achieving unprejudiced rapid economic growth which includes equal access to social, financial and technological resources.

Inconsistency in the national legislature has delayed the implementation of the National Gender Policy. After President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became Africa’s first female president, men began to recognize the possibility of a woman in power. As the President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018, she secured millions of dollars in foreign investment. She also formed a Truth and Reconciliation Committee to investigate corruption and heal ethnic tensions.

The history and roles of women in Liberia are what drive the ongoing evolution of women’s rights. The more women who have representation, the better the chances are for their rights. Changes start as small policies and fill bigger shoes such as presidencies. Although improvements are still necessary, any is better than none at all.

– Destiny Jackson
Photo: Flickr

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ARMMAN Improves Maternal and Newborn Health in India 

Newborn Health in India 
Maternal and newborn health in India is a pressing issue. Women die every day before and during childbirth, yet 90% of these maternal deaths are entirely preventable with adequate healthcare. Poverty exacerbates maternal mortality, with about 94% of maternal deaths occurring in lower-income nations. In lower-income nations, the common obstacles in receiving proper healthcare include the inability to afford healthcare services and a “lack of information.” Distance also plays a factor, particularly in rural areas where clinics and hospitals are scant and many women cannot easily travel to these facilities. ARMMAN is an India-based organization that aims to improve maternal and newborn health in India.

Maternal Healthcare in India

Even if a woman makes it to the hospital for childbirth, the services she receives may be subpar, putting her health at risk. Without proper hygiene protocols in place and well-trained medical staff to assist them at health centers, women can die from infections, severe bleeding, “high blood pressure during pregnancy” and delivery complications. These factors account for almost two-thirds of maternal deaths and all of them are avoidable.

Maternal health poses an urgent problem in India. The latest available data indicates that India’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) stands at 113 deaths per 100,000 births in comparison to the world average MMR of 11 deaths per 100,000 births in higher-income countries. In fact, pregnancy complications are the leading “cause of death among girls between 15 and 19 years of age” in India. These statistics also reflect the broader issues with Indian healthcare — it is inaccessible, unaffordable and low quality. Although it will be difficult to reform the entire healthcare system in India, organizations have a commitment to improving maternal and newborn health in India.

ARMMAN

ARMMAN is one such organization working to improve maternal and newborn health in India. This Indian nonprofit dedicates efforts to improving the quality of life for mothers and their newborns. Dr. Aparna Hegde founded ARMMAN in 2008 after witnessing the death of a pregnant woman due to circumstances that were entirely preventable with appropriate guidance. ARMMAN leverages technology to help both women and healthcare workers. So far, the organization has helped more than 26 million women and has trained more than 212,000 health workers across 19 Indian states.

Apps and mobile technology play a central role in ARMMAN’s programs, providing education and monitoring the well-being of pregnant women. The organization’s Mobile Academy is a maternal and child healthcare course that aims to keep health workers up-to-date with “knowledge of life-saving preventative health behaviors and improve the quality of their engagement with new and expecting mothers and their families.” The audio-based training can be accessed via voice call and is available in five of the most common local languages. Another project, mMitra, allows pregnant women and mothers of infants to access “a free mobile voice call service,” which provides “timed and targeted preventive care information weekly/bi-weekly directly to the phones of the enrolled women.” mMitra has reached 2.5 million women so far.

Arogya Sakhi Program

AMMAN’s Arogya Sakhi program is a home-based child and maternal care program. Arogya Sakhi “trains women health entrepreneurs (Arogya Sakhis) from communities in resource-poor rural areas to provide home-based preventive care” and other necessary tests and screenings to “ensure early referral during antenatal and infancy period.” This service is essential because healthcare workers attend only 37.4% of births in rural areas, a gaping difference in comparison to a birth attendance rate of 73.4% in urban areas. Arogya Sakhi helps diminish this gap, giving women the skills to help their communities. Armed with medical kits and an app that guides them through proper procedures, the Arogya Sakhis assist people in their community with care, diagnosis and births. The Arogya Sakhis charge a minimal fee for their services, allowing them to gain financial stability and pull themselves out of poverty.

Maternal health remains a pressing issue in developing countries, but organizations like ARMMAN work to improve access to high-quality healthcare services for women and their children.

– Alison Ding
Photo: Flickr

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Pope Francis’ View on Poverty

Pope Francis' view on Poverty
The Roman Catholic Church has a following of approximately 1.2 billion people around the globe. Pope Francis currently stands as the 266th pope. Pope Francis’ view on poverty emulates the values of his namesake, St. Francis of Assissi, putting poverty relief at the forefront of his mission. Pope Francis has the power to bring together people from all over the world in order to combat global poverty.

Leading by Example

As the figurehead of a major global entity, Pope Francis has a tremendous influence on a significant number of people. Even before his election as pope, as the first pope from Latin America, Pope Francis had been exposed to poverty as a youth in his homeland. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was born in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrants. Growing up in his native land of Argentina, Pope Francis saw the gap between the wealthy and impoverished widening drastically. This issue, occurring in several areas of the world, is a topic of concern for Pope Francis.

Poverty Reduction Efforts

Speaking on poverty, Pope Francis says, “There is such a large number of people who are on the margins. And we don’t see them because poverty is bashful. They have become part of the landscape; they are things.” As far as religious figures go, Pope Francis is notably unconventional. He calls on world leaders to fight poverty and hunger by readjusting the budgeting of tax dollars and redistribution of immense wealth in order to provide for the most at risk.

He also preaches about remaining true to an ascetic lifestyle, which means possessing the discipline to reject modern luxuries in the name of equality. For example, the title of cardinal is a tremendous honor in the Roman Catholic Church and is often cause for celebration. Practicing what he preaches, Pope Francis requested that those wishing to travel to the Vatican to witness his appointment to the position of cardinal not do so. Rather, Pope Francis suggested donating these travel funds to people most in need.

In March 2021, the Pope donated $350,000 while in Iraq, $250,000 of which went directly to families living in poverty. The Pope has also made significant donations toward the fight against COVID-19, particularly with the purchase of ventilators sent to several countries in need. Additionally, the Pope contributed to funding for medical supplies through donations to Colombia in April 2021 and Brazil in August 2021.

Calls to Action

Regardless of one’s belief system, it is easy to recognize the Pope’s humanitarianism simply by considering Pope Francis’ view on poverty. It is inspiring to have a leader who so valiantly fights for those in poverty. The Pope typically follows the teachings professed in the Gospel of Matthew, verse six, which states, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward…” This means that the Pope does not make public the nature of his charity. The known instances of his charity are only public knowledge because of public statements made out of gratitude by the recipients. The Pope’s empathy and authenticity are notable features that are changing the world for the better.

It is easy to recognize injustice in the world, however, it is not always easy to remain steadfast in ethics and intervene in global poverty with bravery. In his speeches, Pope Francis declares that even the most ordinary individual can play a role in global poverty reduction.

– Michelle Schwab
Photo: Unsplash

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NGOs in Turkey Help Refugees Access Education

NGOs in Turkey
Turkey has the largest refugee population in the world, hosting more than 3.6 million Syrian refugees and about 320,000 refugees from other countries. With mass amounts of people migrating to Turkey, there are several complications that must be accounted for, one being the issue of accessible education for those entering the country. Listed below are three NGOs in Turkey that have been helping refugees and local students access educational resources.

Darussafaka Society

Five young male scholars founded the Darussafaka Society in 1863 with the aim of providing quality education and resources to those in need. The Darussafaka Society provides scholarships and academic opportunities to children in need of financial aid or children who have lost a parent. Each year, 120 students receive opportunities from the Darussafaka Society. Its aim is to present equality of opportunity in education to its students, even though its students do not come from financially stable households. Darussafaka alumni have found successful careers in both the public and private sectors in Turkey. Many others have taken the opportunity to study and work abroad. As the Darussafaka Society boasts more than 155 years of experience, it is currently working to provide online learning options due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including international programs, through a virtual format.

Turkish Educational Foundation

The Turkish Educational Foundation (TEF) is one of the oldest educational philanthropic NGOs in Turkey, as it has been in service for about 51 years. Unique to the other NGOs, TEF is based in Berkeley, CA, allowing it to have more international connections and resources than foundations solely based in Turkey. TEF’s primary objective is to provide accessible education to those in need regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds. Each year, TEF supports 1,000 Turkish students with their programs. It offers several unique programs for international volunteers including a Youth Group which works to fundraise and communicate their message, and an English Learning Program where students can learn from English-speaking volunteers from around the world. TEF is currently working with its Youth Group to maintain the program’s success throughout the COVID-19 pandemic via virtual fundraisers and events.

The Imece Initiative

The Imece Initiative, one of the most prominent NGOs in Turkey, has been working since 2014 to provide education services specifically to Syrian refugees in Turkey. One of the Imece Initiative’s primary beliefs is that education should not undergo distribution based on a child’s ethnic background, but that education should be accessible to everyone. “We wanted to create a community free of political and religious considerations,” stated founder Ali Güray Yalvaçlı. “To give the opportunity for anyone, regardless of their background, to contribute with their skills and time to help those in need.” One of its most notable projects is The Solar Age Project, which supports women refugees in Turkey by teaching them life skills that help them in finding employment once they undergo establishment in the country.

With organizations like these, it is easy to see that there are lots of opportunities for both refugee and native students in Turkey to receive the best education possible. Though it can be easy to lose oneself in the negative effects of poverty in the world, organizations like the ones introduced above provide hope for a better future of education for all.

– Andra Fofuca
Photo: Flickr

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USAID Programs in Lebanon

USAID Programs in Lebanon
USAID Lebanon celebrated World Teacher’s Day 2021 by recognizing the 35,000 Syrian and Lebanese students who received basic literacy and numeric skills through USAID’s summer catch-up program. By partnering with Lebanon’s Ministry of Education, USAID equipped 3,500 teachers with mentorship, curriculum and school supplies. This is just a glimpse of the impact of USAID programs in Lebanon.

USAID Programs in Lebanon

The United States’ relationship with Lebanon began as early as 1951. Since USAID’s commitment to assist Lebanon’s development in 2006, USAID has supported Lebanon with more than $1.3 billion worth of foreign aid. USAID’s work in Lebanon focuses on three main sectors: education, “local development and governance” and economic development. In 2021 alone, USAID contributed $41 million to fund COVID-19 relief and economic development programs in Lebanon. This funding continues to impact the lives of millions amid rising poverty levels in Lebanon.

It is important to note that Lebanon has not always needed this level of support. Once a continental trade center, Lebanon has a rich development history, complete with rising income levels and GDP growth. A 15-year civil war ending in 1990 disrupted the value of the Lebanese pound, creating a snowball effect of economic casualties. With the compounded effects of COVID-19, a global recession and a refugee crisis, 82% of the Lebanese population lives in multidimensional poverty in 2021.

Improving Education in Lebanon

USAID programs in Lebanon focus on improving education systems, acknowledging that education is a proven tool for long-term poverty reduction. The current state of the Lebanese public education system is poor. Noting the dilapidated school infrastructure in Lebanon, USAID aims to provide rehabilitation support to Lebanon by “helping to renovate nearly a third of all Lebanese public schools. “Additionally, USAID is supplying all 256 public high schools with “science lab equipment.” To improve the quality of education, USAID is “training 75 English-speaking teacher trainers from the Ministry of Education on the methodologies of teaching the subjects of English, science and math.”

The Reaching all Children with Education (RACE) program ran from 2013 to 2016. The second phase of the program will reach conclusion at the close of 2021. RACE aims to enhance “access to formal education for 460,000 Syrian refugee children and underprivileged Lebanese children in the country.” RACE’s phase 2 aims to accomplish this “by expanding equitable access to schooling, improving conditions for learning and strengthening management of the education system.”

To promote higher education as a means to decrease poverty, USAID has supplied full university scholarships “to more than 1,300 Lebanese and refugee students.” USAID also helps 12 higher education institutions in Lebanon “to better prepare their graduates” for success in the job market after their studies.

Local Development and Governance

USAID programs in Lebanon work with local governments to build better civil services, increase access to drinking water and modernize technical infrastructure. The water and sanitation program has invested $180 million since 2006 in order to rehabilitate water infrastructure. This program has increased drinking water access for 620,000 Lebanese citizens and 120,000 Syrian refugees. Since 2012, more than 1.3 million Lebanese people have experienced the positive impacts of USAID’s “almost $200 million investment to improve basic services, including renewal back-up power generation and clean water provision.”

Beyond funding, USAID also works to provide local governments with technical training and resources. Through this work, 270,000 individuals experienced increased earnings through job creation and technical development. USAID predicts that the number of beneficiaries will reach 645,000 by 2022.

Economic Growth

Finally, USAID programs in Lebanon provide funding, training and resources to improve economic development. Over the last seven years, $113 million in funding has benefitted more than 20,000 companies, startups and small businesses. Additionally, this assistance has led to the creation of thousands of new jobs and tens of millions of dollars in leveraged funding. By investing in economic development, USAID works to kickstart long-term poverty reduction.

Looking Ahead

By funding education, local governance and economic development, USAID programs in Lebanon improve the lives of millions of impoverished Lebanese people. The programs provide both short and long-term relief, bolstering Lebanon’s ability to bounce back from decades of economic disruptions.

– Aiden Marina Smith
Photo: Flickr

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Fashion Labels That Give Back

Fashion Labels That Give Back
Blue denim jeans, preppy polo shirts and black leather have nothing in common, but their founders do. Levi Strauss, the creator of blue jeans, Ralph Lauren, the creator of the polo shirts, and Versace, known for their iconic black leather and Medusa logo, are just some of the fashion labels that give back to combat current issues. They donate money, clothes and masks for issues such as poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who They Are

Ralph Lauren has dominated the fashion world with its vibrant colors and iconic polo player logo, which stems from the designer’s love of sports and is embroidered on the company’s polo shirts. People also know Ralph Lauren for blending the American style with European fashion. As for its founder, he built his company from the ground up without ever attending fashion school. As of November 2021, Forbes listed Ralph Lauren’s worth at $7.3 billion.

Gianni Versace worked alongside his mother in the fashion industry, before starting to freelance designs for Italian designers. He sprung his own collection in 1978. His fashion house, Versace, received credit in the 1990s for being the first to feature supermodels in its ad campaigns. Not only that, the Italian company pioneered displaying models with noticeable personalities. Black leather and gold jewels accompany its iconically sensual style to give more of an edgy punk look.

Levi Strauss wanted to strike gold during the California Gold Rush in 1853, but it was not gold that would make him rich. In 1872, tailor Jacob Davis wrote to Strauss, sharing his new way of making pants that made them last longer. In the letter, he asked Strauss to be a business partner. Strauss agreed, and thus blue jeans were born.

All three fashion designers started out small, which eventually led to their success. Despite that success, these fashion labels advocate for private organizations, implement poverty reduction efforts and sponsor those combating COVID-19 relief and support the arts and culture.

COVID-19 Hospital Relief: Versace

In 2020, COVID-19 took a negative toll on everyone and their health. Cases increased and hospitals ran out of rooms to place their patients in. Donatella Versace, the chief creative officer of Versace, decided to contribute to pandemic relief by donating to hospitals in her home country of Italy. At that time, Italy had the highest number of COVID-19 cases with a total of 17,660 as of March 14, 2020. Versace donated €200,000 ($222,890) to San Raffaele hospital’s ICU after it requested aid due to the increase of pandemic patients. She explained, “In times like this, it is important to be united and support however we can help all those who are in the front lines, fighting every day to save hundreds of lives.”

Millions Donated: Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren has created and funded nonprofit organizations that differ from Versace’s. However, these two fashion powerhouses share one goal: to help their community. The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has donated a total of $10 million in donations and resources to its workers and communities worldwide. The Foundation recently donated a value of $1.5 million in clothing to frontline workers and families. These interventions build on the precedent that emerged decades ago when the Foundation started a cancer-combatting campaign in 2000 called the Pink Pony Campaign.

Ralph Lauren provided grants for any employee who needed accommodations during the pandemic, such as health or childcare needs. Additionally, it partnered with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund for COVID-19 relief and donated 250,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns to health care workers. As Ralph Lauren said, “This includes helping to fund necessary hospital resources—ranging from personal protective equipment and patient navigation programs to meals and childcare support.”

Advocate for Poverty Reduction: Levi Strauss

As of 2018, 10% of San Francisco residents lived in poverty. To combat this, Levi Strauss Foundation donated a total of $100,000 to a local poverty-fighting NGO called The Tipping Point Community. This organization combats poverty in the area and raises funds for communities that the pandemic hit hardest.

The Tipping Point Community funds economic support for people dealing with or at risk of poverty. Its funding has paid for food, housing and hospital bills. It also aids in paying bills for workers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. The Tipping Point Community’s goal of $30 million is ambitious, but foundations like Levi Strauss agree that stabilizing the area’s ecosystem and improving the lives of individuals in need is well worth the investment. To date, the NGO has raised more than $18 million of that goal.

Fashion Labels That Give Back

Ralph Lauren loved sports so much that he created an empire. Versace wanted women to feel comfortable in their skin, so he designed clothes that accentuated their bodies. Levi Strauss made a partnership and, in the process, created blue jeans that better-accommodated workers. These three designers grew up differently and had different inspirations when it came to making clothes. However, these fashion labels share one thing: they give back. All three created and funded organizations that helped to fight issues such as poverty, providing funding during the pandemic and helping their workers receive financial aid.

– Maria Garcia
Photo: Flickr 

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Modernizing the Agricultural Sector in the Philippines


The COVID-19 pandemic hit the agricultural sector of the Philippines hard. Several families rely on their income from agriculture as more than 22% of the country’s population works in the agricultural industry. However, the pandemic particularly affected agricultural households because “agriculture-related occupations have always been associated with being income poor.” Many of those who solely rely on agricultural income do not have access to electricity, education, proper sanitation and more. COVID-19 serves to exacerbate these poor living conditions even further. However, the Philippines recognizes that the agricultural industry is a significant part of the country’s economy, thus, the nation has established initiatives aimed at modernizing the agricultural sector so that its citizens can thrive.

Disasters Affecting Farmers

Because of the impacts of both the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters, 2020 was an unfavorable year for the agricultural sector. The supply chain took a heavy hit with several obstacles, including lack of transportation, a decrease in demand and a low volume of exports. These factors all contribute to the decline of the agricultural industry and the country’s economy.

Due to pandemic-related quarantine restrictions, local farmers had to schedule market visits, which led to a rise in transportation costs. To make matters worse, several typhoons hit the Philippines, negatively impacting the economy, which is already suffering the effects of COVID-19. According to the FAO, typhoons in 2020 destroyed “agricultural equipment and other livelihood resources, significantly affecting those who are dependent on farming” for an income.

However, despite the difficulties that the agricultural sector faces, the Philippine government aims to improve the lives of farmers and the country’s economy by modernizing the agricultural sector in the country.

Modernizing the Agricultural Sector

In June 2020, the World Bank released a report titled “Transforming Philippine Agriculture During COVID-19 and Beyond,” which highlights the need to modernize the Philippines’ agricultural sectors. The report points out that while reconstructing the agricultural industry is a difficult process, it is necessary for a country to grow positively.

The World Bank offers ideas such as direct cash payments to farmers, investing in agricultural startups and increasing the use of e-commerce to modernize the Philippines’ agricultural sector and “reduce poverty in the rural communities.” The report supports the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) initiatives to transform the agricultural industry. Agriculture Secretary William Dar is adamant that the sector will recover in 2021, which in turn, will help with the overall economy’s recovery.

The Philippines’ 2021 overall economic growth target is 6.5%-7.5% and the agricultural sector’s growth target is 2.5%. The nation aims to achieve these goals “through further integration of technology that will improve production, connectivity and delivery of service to its beneficiaries.” Both the World Bank and the Department of Agriculture realize the potential of modernizing the agricultural sector of the Philippines. By reforming the industry through several different initiatives, the economy will improve along with the lives of farmers within the country.

Solutions

Alongside the Philippines’ and the World Bank’s efforts to modernize the agricultural sectors, other organizations have focused themselves on the same initiative. One of these organizations is Agro-Eco Philippines, established in 2004 as a ”farmer-led national network organization.” Farmers created the organization for farmers, with farmers constituting 80% of the Board of Trustees. The organization has several ongoing initiatives, including modernization interventions, such as the “development and documentation of locally-adapted technologies.” Specifically, the organization runs a “community-based, farmer-led and participatory breeding program” for rice and corn crops, with “35 farmer-breeders with about 500 bred lines used by an estimated 30,000 farmers nationwide.”

The Future

Overall, it is apparent that agriculture plays a crucial role in both the Philippines’ economy and the lives of several families who rely on agriculture for an income. Families are struggling due to the pandemic’s impact on the sector, however, modernizing the agricultural sector with the help of institutions and organizations brings hope to improve not only the country’s economy but also the lives of the families reliant on the sector.

– Karuna Lakhiani
Photo: Flickr

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Cambodia’s School Feeding Program Tackles Undernourishment

Cambodia’s School Feeding Program
In Cambodia, 15% of the population suffers from undernourishment and 32% of children younger than 5 experience stunting. Children are not consuming enough food and the food that they do consume does not have the nutrients necessary for healthy development. Considering these dire statistics, as early as 1999, the World Food Programme (WFP) committed to helping the Cambodian government provide school meals for children. Although combating undernourishment is a daunting task, Cambodia’s school feeding program has expanded over the years and is continuing to make a profound impact on Cambodian communities.

Food Production and Intense Weather: Food Security Challenges

One of the factors contributing to high undernourishment rates in Cambodia is limited production and efficiency in the agricultural sector. According to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), “nearly 80% of Cambodians live in rural areas and 65% rely on agriculture, fisheries and forestry for their livelihoods.” At the same time, a fifth of the Cambodian population suffers from food deprivation. Although Cambodia has a large agriculture industry, the nation is not able to meet the needs of its people.

Challenges within agricultural production affect crop yields, and therefore, also affect the capacity to increase people’s access to food. In Cambodia, crop plots are small, leading to limited agricultural output. Additionally, many areas with rainfall-dependant crops do not receive consistent rainfall and these same areas are unable to produce during the dry season. Also, a growing number of rural Cambodians do not have access to cropland. These factors pose challenges to Cambodian farmers and agricultural production expansion.

Compounding issues of food insecurity and poverty further, Cambodia regularly experiences natural disasters. Monsoons are common, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, some areas experience severe droughts. The loss of land and the reduction in shared resources as a result of natural disasters harshly impact food-insecure Cambodians already in vulnerable positions.

Investing in Children and Communities Through Food

In 1999, the WFP began to support government-backed school meal programs, helping to implement these programs across 908 Cambodian schools. Pre-primary and primary schools provide meals, which is particularly important because children younger than 5 are especially vulnerable to the impacts of malnutrition.

In 2014, the WFP and the Cambodian government reached one of their goals for school meal programming, a “home-grown school meals model.” The model calls for schools to locally purchase ingredients for meals, which increases demand for and develops the local agriculture industry while spurring job growth. At first, a couple of schools tested the home-grown school meals model, and now, more than 200 schools implement the model.

The Benefits of School Meals

Cambodia’s school feeding program is an important source of food for Cambodian children, providing them with the nutrients necessary for healthy development. Before Cambodia’s school feeding program, some children were unable to eat during the school day because they did not have enough money to buy food at school. The implementation and growth of the school meal program mark an important investment in Cambodian children, especially as the Cambodian government works with the WFP in the transition to run the home-grown school feeding program on its own.

In Cambodia, school meals benefit children’s health and improve their engagement in school. An added and possibly unforeseen benefit of Cambodia’s school feeding program is that parent engagement with schools and teachers has increased. Through the program, parents have become more knowledgeable about nutrition, to the benefit of themselves and their children. Furthermore, parents are eager to get involved in the program. Parents, even the most impoverished ones, donate ingredients and money and volunteer when the program requires extra help. Parents even helped to build a kitchen in one of the participating schools.

Turning the Tide

Although Cambodia has high levels of undernourishment and challenges to its agricultural sector, the government is working hard to turn the tide. The school feeding program’s promising results and growth thus far exemplify how far Cambodia has come in tackling undernourishment and hunger, illustrating the far-reaching impacts of school meal programs. With continued efforts, Cambodia will begin to see reductions in its undernourishment statistics, especially among the youth, as Cambodia’s school feeding program continues to develop and benefit Cambodian children and communities.

– Anna Ryu
Photo: Unsplash

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CAR Addresses Gender Inequality and HIV 

Gender Inequality and HIV
Gender Inequality and HIV is a significant issue in the Central African Republic (CAR). In fact, it is still the primary cause of death in the nation, with nearly 5,000 people dying from HIV/AIDS in 2020. More than 50% of the nearly 110,000 people living with HIV in CAR are not receiving treatment for it. Furthermore, gender inequality within the CAR HIV/AIDS response is ever-present. However, CAR, with the support of organizations like Doctors Without Borders and UNAIDS, is working to make health services for HIV/AIDS more accessible and create a setting where women can get the help that they need, tackling both gender inequality and HIV.

Gender Inequality and HIV in the Central African Republic

Statistics from the year 2020 indicate that 88,000 adults and children are living with HIV in CAR. Of the total number of people living with HIV in CAR, women aged 15 and older account for approximately 51,000 cases. Meanwhile, 1,200 women aged 15 and older have died from HIV.

The aforementioned statistics align with the social and economic conditions present in CAR. MICS-6 survey data from 2021 indicates that 23.6% of females between 15 and 49 years of age entered into a marriage or union before reaching the age of 15. On top of this, CAR gender-based violence information management system records also reveal 72 instances of rape and 340 instances of gender-based violence during the month of January 2021.

Female genital mutilation is also a common practice in the region, with 21% of CAR women undergoing this traditional yet harmful procedure. Deputy Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the Central African Republic Denise Brown attributes this violence against women to a combination of “protracted insecurity, violence and humanitarian crises compounded with toxic masculinities and negative social norms.”

The CAR Government Takes Action

The CAR government has conducted an assessment of gender dimensions and HIV response. The results of the assessment reveal that the female members of the population do not receive the full benefit of HIV program advances. The assessment also shows that HIV was prevalent among 15% of female sex workers. Meanwhile, less than a quarter of pregnant mothers obtain “access to prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services.”

Acting on these figures, the Central African Republic government has put together an intervention plan for 2021-2023 to assist marginalized women. The plan includes “biomedical and behavioral interventions to promote gender-transformative education and sensitization” to alleviate “barriers to access to HIV services by women, girls and key populations.” In addition, various strategies of care will “promote access to health, social and psychosocial services for women,” with a focus on reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Furthermore, monitoring will allow for accountability regarding gender equality and HIV progress.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Assists

The CAR government is not alone in its efforts. Other organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, have also stepped up efforts to help improve access to HIV services in the CAR region. Beginning in 2019 in the capital city of Bangui, this help comes in the form of MSF teams “providing free medical care and psychological support for patients” infected with advanced HIV and tuberculosis complications. The treatment serves as specialized care in an area where HIV prevalence is double the national average. Furthermore, MSF has set up community anti-retroviral (ARV) groups in various areas where designated community representatives can supply ARV drug refills. This endeavor eliminates the burden of transport expenditure on already impoverished people and “time spent in medical consultations.”

Besides providing care, MSF also helps patients care for themselves through self-management. Peer support receives encouragement. This has led to advocacy among community members. The close of 2020 has seen the establishment of “276 community ARV groups in CAR, representing some 2,300 patients.” With the efforts of the government and organizations such as MSF, CAR can make progress in both the realms of gender inequality and HIV.

– Jared Faircloth
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Poverty Reduction in Costa Rica

Poverty Reduction in Costa Rica
The recent COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the economic stability of Central America’s wealthiest country and caused a resurgence in poverty. As a result, poverty reduction in Costa Rica has become an important goal for the country. Many know Costa Rica for its lush rainforests and beaches, universal healthcare system and environmental activism. However, since the pandemic began, thousands of small businesses have shut down due to low demand. The decreased income levels led many families to live below the poverty line. According to UNICEF, one in three children under 18 years of age in Costa Rica now lives in poverty. Poverty reduction in Costa Rica is necessary to create a healthier population throughout the country.

Economic Reform

While Costa Rica displayed steady economic growth in the past three decades, the recent pandemic impacted that trajectory. The current goals of economic reform in the country are to address fiscal imbalances while decreasing income inequality and distribution. According to President Alvarado Quesada, Costa Rica plans to accomplish this by strengthening social assistance programs. These social assistance programs aim to promote greater formalization and support female labor force participation. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is also aiding in economic recovery through a $1.7 billion arrangement. These assets will aid the country in improving public funding for subsidies to individuals the pandemic has heavily affected.

The government is seeking to continue decreasing income inequality through educating more children and adults, which could create long-term growth. Currently, the literacy rate in Costa Rica is high at 97.9%, but there is still a large gap in income inequality. In 2019, Costa Rica’s richest individuals held approximately 53.7% of the country’s income. The country will reduce poverty and income inequality by creating infrastructural reforms to streamline regulations and complete trade commitments, foreign direct investment and natural resources preservation. Increasing opportunities for females within the labor market is also vital to improving income inequality. In 2019, females made up 40.5% of the total labor workforce. This can improve through social assistance programs aimed at hiring females for jobs.

Tourism’s Effect on Poverty

In 2019, Costa Rica’s tourist industry represented 8.5% of gross domestic product and employed 9% of the population. However, in 2021, Costa Rica’s government estimates that the industry will only be worth approximately 3.5% of GDP and will decrease by approximately 100,000 jobs. In 2020, poverty in Costa Rica reached 26.2% of families, the highest level in 30 years due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 45% of the working-age population is in a condition of informal employment. In other words, they perform jobs without being registered or contributing to taxes and social security. Many of these informal positions relied on tourism such as the restaurant, hotel and excursions industries. With a lack of job security, individuals with these informal jobs were the first people that layoffs impacted.

COVID-19 Vaccines

Moving past the COVID-19 pandemic is necessary to restore the livelihoods of many Costa Rican people in poverty. To do this, the country is focusing on vaccinating low-income individuals. Earlier in 2021, rather than creating stringent lockdowns, the Costa Rican government imposed restrictions on vehicle mobility and limited business hours and capacity. The country also requires COVID-19 vaccinations for people to enter most commercial centers and participate in many public activities. Fortunately, the latest vaccination rates show 82% of all Costa Ricans ages 12 and older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.  Travelers to Costa Rica must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the country. These requirements can lead to a rapid return to tourism levels which will aid the country in returning to economic stability.

Moving Forward

With continued adherence to precautionary COVID-19 safety measures, individuals in Costa Rica can greatly protect public health. Meanwhile, the new social assistant programs promise to greatly assist in bringing about poverty reduction in Costa Rica.

– Robert Moncayo
Photo: Flickr