Archive for category: Education

Information and stories on education.

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Solving Poverty in China with Traditional Cuisine

poverty in China
Poverty in China remains a pressing concern for the global community, as 252 million people—or 18% of China’s population—live on less than $2 per day. Another 22% of China’s population lives on less than $5.50 per day, especially in rural areas with struggling farming and fishing industries. Yet, many people do not realize the extent of poverty in China.

Poverty in China

China remains the second-largest economy in the world since the 2008 recession. There were still 5.5 million individuals living in extreme rural poverty in China by the end of 2019. This was even after an average of 13 million people ended up out of poverty each year for the first five years of President Xi Jinping’s first term.

China’s mountainous terrain and varying natural conditions have caused issues like air pollution, water and soil problems and biodiversity loss. China’s natural landscape along with a lack of transport infrastructure makes poverty alleviation rather difficult.

However, many regions of China are trying to stimulate their economies by embracing regional cuisine. In Gansu and Qinghai Provinces, traditional noodles have stimulated the economy. In Guangdong, local chefs have run workshops to teach the poor how to cook and market their goods. Embracing traditional cuisine could help reduce poverty in China.

Noodle Initiative in Gansu Province

Gansu Province, located in North-Central China, created a noodle initiative in 2019. The aim was to alleviate poverty through the region’s specialty dish, Lanzhou noodles, prepared in a beef broth. Gansu authorities trained more than 15,000 people from impoverished areas to make Lanzhou noodles from scratch, which would typically cost them $1.50. The participants then hopefully have a better chance to find employment at or open their own noodle shops. Similar initiatives in Gansu’s capital, Lanzhou and Beijing in 2018 led 90% of participants to find noodle-related jobs afterward, which helps fight poverty in China. These jobs typically earned the workers more than $590 a month.

The centuries-old noodle recipe calls for very precise noodle pulling. It can even take up to three years to fully master the skill. The Vocational and Technical College of Resources and Environment in Lanzhou helps many Lanzhou residents perfect their noodle-pulling craft. These new chefs also receive aid in fulfilling the necessary education requirements to spread their skills overseas.

The result is an estimated 4,000 Lanzhou noodle shops are currently open in Gansu province, which had the lowest GDP per capita of any Chinese province in 2017.

Hand-pulled Noodles in Qinghai Province

Qinghai Province, located in China’s northwest on the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau, has seen drastic poverty reduction over the past decade. Previously plagued by poor infrastructure and lack of skilled labor, Qinghai has seen success with its “noodle” sector. The disposable income for farmers and herdsmen in the region nearly doubled from 2015 to 2018. Their poverty rates decreased from 24.6% to just 2.5% within that same time period.

Haidong, in northeast Qinghai, generated 15.4 billion yuan in business revenue. The source was from the city’s 578 noodle businesses, which employed 9,786 employees. One-third of the urban population and half of the families in rural areas work in the city’s operating noodle businesses. The province has encouraged the noodle sector to continue hiring poorer residents. The city employs poverty reduction methods such as workshops, specific guidelines for growth and even a planned noodle business hub.

Benkanggou Village in Qinghai also helped eradicate poverty through the noodle industry. More than 110,000 of the villages’ 300,000 residents have employment in the noodle industry. These numbers are thanks to the village’s 350 sessions of hand-pulled noodle training for more than 13,000 families. Local authorities visited many poor households encouraging them to participate in the workshops. Thousands of more workers have entered the thriving industry since then.

River Snail Rice Noodles in Liuzhou

Many know the city of Liuzhou, located in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, for its river snail rice noodles, or luosifen. Luosifen is a fusion of traditional ingredients from Han, Miao and Dong ethnic groups. It consists of rice noodles boiled with pickled bamboo shoots, dried turnip, fresh vegetables and peanuts in a spicy river snail soup. The dish received a designation as part of Guangxi’s intangible cultural heritage in 2008. Since that time, the Liuzhou government has been boosting industries related to luosifen’s production. The region now brings in around 6 billion yuan annually.

Guangxi was on a list as the province with the fourth lowest GDP per capita in 2018. Then in 2019, Guangxi lifted 1.25 million people out of poverty as well as de-listed 1,268 poor villages. This was a direct result of 337 workshops and 33 new poverty alleviation industrial parks. The luosifen industry played a major role in these poverty eradication efforts, as new factories have emerged that specialize in instant luosifen, bamboo shoot processing, river snail collection and creative luosifen packaging.

Guangdong Cooking Initiatives

In Guangzhou in South China, an initiative called the Cantonese Cuisine Master program has tried to cultivate talent, promote cultural exchange and alleviate poverty in China through Cantonese cuisine training. The program has trained more than 30,000 people so far and has mobilized more than 96,000 people to secure employment and start their own businesses, lifting many out of poverty.

A Cantonese Cuisine Master Skills Competition in 2019 brought together many graduates of the program from 23 cities. Chefs prepared dishes like Chaoshan marinated goose, roasted crispy suckling pig, Portuguese-style chicken and flavored fish balls. Various Cantonese Cuisine Master programs and workshops have taken place in Hong Kong, Macao and other regions in southern China with the help of universities and enterprises. The program prepares chefs, many of whom come from rural and poverty-stricken areas, for the workforce. It also teaches the chefs about the concepts and ideas behind their cooking, which fosters cultural exchange and cooperation.

Since 2018, Guangdong has signed cooperation agreements with Tibet, Guangxi Zhuang, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions and Guizhou and Yunnan provinces to train more Cantonese chefs and help many escape poverty.

In Sichuan Province, 103 trainees from poverty-stricken counties—Meigu, Leibo and Jinyang—came to the Shunde District in Guangdong’s city of Foshan to receive free cooking lessons for two months at the Shunde Culinary Institute. They learned to cook traditional Cantonese dishes like stir-fried milk and stuffed mud carp as well as Sichuan-inspired dishes. After completing the program, trainees will have access to restaurant internships and full-time opportunities both in Shunde and in their hometowns. These sessions that Guangdong implemented should increase monthly salaries by 1,000 to 2,000 yuan. Additionally, 56,000 students currently attend Cantonese cuisine courses at vocational schools across the province.

– Noah Sheidlower
Photo: Flickr

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The Truth About Child Poverty in El Salvador

Child Poverty in El Salvador
In a country just shy of 6.5 million people, half of the population’s children and teenagers survive off less than $1.25 a day. It is not uncommon for impoverished young children in El Salvador to not attend school regularly and child labor is still an issue to this day. El Salvador currently has one of the top crime rates in the world making homelessness much riskier for young teens and children than in other parts of the world. Here is some information about the situation of child poverty in El Salvador.

A Lifetime of Struggle

El Salvador’s poverty issue affects a large amount of the population, but children and teens make up a significant portion. In fact, four out of 10 El Salvadorans live in poverty.

Malnutrition greatly affects homeless children and 14% of children in the country experience growth stunting. Without proper food or shelter, many do not attend school because they simply cannot get there or afford it. Almost 25% of school-aged children do not attend school and roughly 10% work as child laborers. Inadequate education leads to a lack of opportunities within the country cementing these children in the cycle of poverty.

Dangers on the Streets

Children who live on the streets in El Salvador face more than malnutrition and illness. The country’s extreme crime rate makes many places unsafe. Children and teenagers are targets of the country’s violent gangs. In 2009, 241 children aged 13-17 experienced murder by June and 271 had injuries. The government has made attempts to protect the children that gangs target but the violence has not ended. Homeless children in El Salvador frequently do not have protection or means of escape.

How Education Falls Short

Like neighboring countries, El Salvador has made education reforms in order to combat the high dropout rate and educational gaps, but it has not necessarily helped impoverished families. In fact, more than 30% of children cannot afford to attend secondary education. Instead, they must work to help their family survive. In rural areas, that number doubles with children starting work at age 6 on average. Families in this position survive off of $1 a day if they are lucky.

Minors between the ages of 5 and 17 make up 1.8 million individuals working in El Salvador. The conditions are dangerous, but impoverished families often do not have a choice. It is either starve and send their children to school or eat for the day and send them to work. Child poverty in El Salvador begins at a young age and the cycle is exceedingly hard to break.

Dangerous Diseases Threaten Poor Children

Accessing health care is rare even with El Salvador battling rising cases of HIV/AIDS. Children are at high risk due to how easy it is for the disease to transmit from a mother to a newborn or young child. Currently, there are 29,000 children and adults with the disease, but more than half of the cases are undeclared especially within rural populations. Treatment is only available in the capital and provided by third parties. Without money to afford treatment or even travel, impoverished children who experience disease do not often have a chance to obtain treatment.

A variety of charities are aiming to help reduce child poverty in El Salvador. Save the Children is a nonprofit that has teams all over the world helping children in need. Its team in El Salvador has protected more than 14,000 children from violence and helped almost 130,000 moms and newborns with vital health and care to successfully lower the infant death rate. By creating preschool programs, the organization has helped hundreds get a headstart in their education. It provides details about its efforts on its website

– Amanda Rogers
Photo: Flickr

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An Assessment of Child Poverty in Tanzania

Child Poverty in Tanzania
In the Sub-Saharan region of Africa, Tanzania is one of the leading nations in development and reform. Since 2010, Tanzania’s economic indicators have held steadily above the average numbers of the rest of the region, boasting a positive GDP growth between 5% and 7% in the last 10 years. According to the World Bank’s 2019 Tanzania Mainland Poverty Assessment, poverty decreased by 8% in 10 years. Still, the World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Bella Bird, urged the nation “to accelerate the pace of poverty reduction as the number of poor people remains high.” This article will assess child poverty in Tanzania and the efforts to eradicate it.

Better Planning, Better Counting

 In 2011, Tanzania committed itself to a series of national Five Year Development Plans (FYDP) to reach economic and human development goals by 2025. The Second Five Development Plan (FYDP II), 2016/17 – 2020/21, includes “poverty reduction” as a main focus. Tanzania’s overall positive economic performance results from a commitment to accurate assessment and careful planning that has welcomed newer and better ways to assess certain indicators, such as child poverty.

With the help of UNICEF, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published the Child Poverty in Tanzania report in 2019. This report assesses child poverty in Tanzania through the recently developed framework known as Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA), which “complements the traditional method of measuring poverty through the lens of a household’s aggregate income and consumption.” The report notes that MODA brings to focus the “importance in the wellbeing of a child during childhood” without losing sight of the monetary implications of poverty.

Multidimensional Child Poverty in Tanzania

The report defines “multidimensional child poverty” as a child who “suffers deprivation in three or more key dimensions of poverty: nutrition, health, protection, education, information, sanitation, water and housing.” The report further divides each dimension into indicators, thresholds and applicable ages. Using data from the 2014/15 National Panel Survey, this 2019 report provides an update on a previous report from 2016, and a clearer look at the issue of child poverty in Tanzania.

Below is a breakdown of each dimension, its indicators and the percentage of children (0-17 years old) deprived of each respective dimension.

  • Nutrition: The prevalence of stunting or wasting, body mass index (BMI) and dietary diversity – 30.1% of children deprived.
  • Health: Mother’s assisted delivery, antenatal care, support to a child with severe disability, malaria and diarrhea – 54.7% of children deprived.
  • Protection: Victim of crime, birth registration, early marriage and child labor – 86.4% of children deprived.
  • Water: Unimproved water and time to fetch water – 72.3% of children deprived.
  • Sanitation: Unsafe waste disposal, unsafe stool disposal and unimproved/shared sanitation – 91.1% of children deprived.
  • Housing: Inadequate floor/roof, overcrowding and solid cooking fuel – 88.8% of children deprived.
  • Education: Literacy, school enrolment, completed primary, pre-school enrolment and grade for age – 36.1% of children deprived.
  • Information: Communication device and access to information – 39.4% of children deprived.

The report concludes that a total of 88% of children in Tanzania are multidimensionally poor, meaning that they suffer from at least three deprivations above.

Higher Figures, Good or Bad?

According to the report, 19.5% of children live in monetary poverty, a much lower figure. Why, then, should Tanzania pay attention to the higher figure from the more complicated model? Working through the MODA methodology provides a more accurate look at the barriers that block Tanzanian children from participating in the semi-industrial future of their government’s goals.

Furthermore, this approach to understanding poverty highlights the importance of investing in programs that go beyond monetary solutions. While Tanzania has been successful in its cash-transfer programs, there may be a need to improve programs that tend to the non-monetary wellbeing of children should the country heed to Bird’s suggestions of speeding up the pace of progress.

USAID and Tanzania

Fortunately, Tanzania is not alone in the development and investment of such programs. USAID has recognized the need to empower the youth by increasing access to health care, water, nutrition and education, among other resources. Since the updated report in June 2019, USAID has developed two new programs that affect children directly: one in nutrition (30.1% of children deprived) and one in education (36.1% of children deprived).

Advancing Nutrition

Through the Advancing Nutrition activity, USAID works with Tanzanian authorities to support the implementation and further development of the National Multi-sectoral Nutrition Action Plan (NMNAP), initially set up in 2016 and due for a second iteration after June 2021. According to the midterm NMNAP report, Tanzania is on track to meet most of its goals from 2016.

Between 2014 and 2018:

  • Acute malnutrition in children 5-years-old and under has dropped from 3.8% to 3.5%.
  • The prevalence of overweight children under 5-years-old has dropped from 3.5% to 2.8%.
  • The proportion of children aged 0-5 months who are exclusively breastfed rose from 41% to 58%.
  • The proportion of children aged 6-23 months who received a minimum acceptable diet increased from 20% to 30%.

Hesabu Na Elimu Jumuishi (“Arithmetic and Inclusive Education”)

The second program developed after June 2019 for children revolves around education. The Arithmetic and Inclusive Education activity expands math instruction for young children and “addresses the need for inclusive education for children with disabilities.” According to the UNICEF report, around 48% of children 5-13 years old experience deprivation in the education dimension. This USAID activity will work directly to improve this indicator of multidimensional in child poverty in Tanzania.

Looking Ahead

Tanzanian leaders and international groups understand the need to develop more aggressive plans to tackle poverty. As the USAID Tanzania Activity Briefer notes in the “Better Policies” activity description: “a reduction in poverty slower than the economic growth rate implies that growth has not sufficiently reached those who are the most vulnerable.”

In the next two years, Tanzania’s development (FYDP) and nutrition (NMNAP) plans will be re-discussed and re-planned. Many of USAID’s programs in Tanzania will also soon reach a conclusion, such as the “Water Resources Integration Development Initiative” (WARIDI), which improves sanitation and water management while creating jobs (72.3% of children experience deprivation in the water dimension).

Through this new look at indicators of poverty, namely multidimensional child poverty, such programs along with the government now have a better understanding of how to allocate resources purposefully to address more directly the issue of child poverty in Tanzania.

– Luis Gonzalez Kompalic
Photo: Flickr

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3 Ways to Eradicate Child Poverty in South Africa

Child Poverty in South Africa
Situated in the southernmost region of the African continent, poverty plagues South Africa and afflicts around 7 million of its children, accounting for more than 60% of the population. This growing problem owes itself to an increase in low-income families, the urban-rural area divide and decreased access to medical care and necessities of life. But work is slowly being done to turn the tide of this dire situation. In recent years, multidimensional child poverty in South Africa has decreased significantly (by almost 10 percentage points). However, it is possible to do more. Here are three ways to eradicate child poverty in South Africa.

3 Ways to Eradicate Child Poverty in South Africa

  1. Increasing Access to Education: A recent UNICEF study shows that only around one-fifth of children in highly educated households end up in poverty. Consequently, poverty rates would drop significantly if educational support for children increases from a young age. This is especially true of rural areas, where access to education is a very rare commodity. In fact, a lack of proper schooling facilities heavily contributes to 63% of children aged 5-12 living in poverty in rural areas of South Africa. Encouraging children to attend school deters them from joining gangs and buying into other violence which is prevalent in South African cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg. To that end, South Africa scored 77.49 on the crime index, ranking as one of the highest in the world. However, as apartheid has left the picture, more than 20% of the South African budget has gone towards the education system, a very high figure among international standards dedicated to ending discriminatory practices in the child learning process.
  2. Spending on Child Service Programs: The latest General Household Survey reflects that only around 17 in 100 South Africans have access to reliable medical insurance. That means that more than 45 million people have little to no connection to basic health care or medical needs, let alone the demographic of children. Expanding spending for universal healthcare for all residents in South Africa would greatly benefit the country’s poor. For example, a 2018 UNICEF study found that an estimated 43,000 children under 5 years of age died in South Africa, of which more than 12,000 were newborns. The majority of these fatalities would be preventable if the government were to enact greater spending on pertinent social issues affecting its youth through special programs, such as the social welfare system that the South African Department of Social Development manages.
  3. Creating New Jobs for Adults: Although this last strategy may sound counterintuitive to assessing the child poverty situation in South Africa, statistics point to the fact that in households where adults remain unemployed, four-fifths of children grow up in substandard living conditions. Moreover, families with one designated breadwinner are more inclined to invest their income into education for their children – an investment that will likely break the cycle of poverty. As of 2020, the 30% unemployment rate in South Africa is contributing significantly to the country’s child poverty situation. Already, the government has worked to increase labor market incomes and expand the need for skill-based jobs to combat this reality through its Youth Employment Service. Since the implementation of this program, poverty in South Africa has been steadily declining.

The data supports that current government intervention in South Africa’s socio-economic situation has shown positive results. Amplifying the effects of these existing constructs to reduce the disparity between rural and urban populations will gradually shape the country into a society that provides equity for all of its youth. These solutions will help ensure that more children in South Africa will live healthy, sustainable lives in years to come.

– Mihir Gokhale
Photo: Flickr

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How Flying Kites is Changing Education in Kenya

Education in Kenya
Kenya has seen great success in combating poverty, with the national poverty rate declining from 46.8% to 36.1% between 2005 and 2016. Over this same period, the economy grew at an average annual rate of 5.3%. An increased focus on education accompanied this economic success. In line with this new focus — changing education in Kenya is now at the forefront of one nonprofit’s agenda.

Educational Improvements and Barriers

Increased education and poverty reduction closely connect in the developing world. Education gives students the skills to seek better-paying jobs and improve their lives. Acknowledging this, the Kenyan government opted to make primary education free in 2003. It followed up by making secondary education free in 2008 as well. Due to these policies, 94% of rural Kenyans younger than age 13 now enroll in school. However, the quality of education these students receive is highly variable. For example, only 47% of primary school graduates can successfully test into secondary school.

Challenges exist because while school is free, poor children often struggle with difficult home environments. They often must support their families at the expense of their education. Additionally, weak oversight and insufficient government support mean that many areas suffer from poor quality education, lacking recourses or qualified teachers.

Flying Kites

Flying Kites is one organization with the aim of changing education in Kenya — specifically, education quality. The organization is a Kenyan nonprofit that runs a program to educate teachers and works with Kenya’s ministry of education. Importantly, it is trying to make education more accessible to poor students. Flying Kites partners with “high potential, resource-poor” schools to invite teachers to attend workshops and sit in on classrooms at the Flying Kites Academy. These teachers go through a program to teach them how to improve their classrooms and provide more support to students.

The Borgen Project recently had the opportunity to talk with Katie Quinn, the Director of Operations in the U.S. for Flying Kites. She explained how Flying Kites originally began in 2007 with a primary school catered toward disadvantaged students in central Kenya. Today, its school has evolved into one of the highest regarded academies in Kenya. Flying Kites is attempting to replicate that success across the country.

So far, Flying Kites has seen great success in improving education in Kenya with its Teacher Training Center. It evaluates the classroom skills of incoming teachers and has found that only 12% of them are proficient in all skills. However, after a year in the program, 67% of teachers achieved classroom proficiency.

According to Quinn, focusing on teachers is the best way to improve the education system.“The delivery of quality education by engaged and supported teachers dramatically improves student outcomes, empowering even the most vulnerable students to become curious and critical thinkers and to develop the skills they need to become life-long learners and positively impact their families and communities.”

Flying Kites’ Approach During COVID-19

COVID-19 has undoubtedly been a disruption to the lives of Fly Kites’ students. However, the organization is working hard to make sure that every student stays on track. It has provided direct relief to more than 6,000 local families. Also, it has been distributing meals to students in need. The organization has also pledged to cover all back-to-school expenses for students at its partner schools. This will include uniforms, school supplies and more. It hopes to guide its students through this difficult time and ensure that none of them give up their education.

Once the pandemic ends, Flying Kites hopes to continue to expand its reach to schools — changing education in Kenya. Quinn explained how the organization is planning to create a “model schools district” by working with all 45 local primary schools as well as the Kenyan government. The aim is to create a better environment for teachers and their students. By doing so, Flying Kites seeks to create a repeatable model for education in Kenya that improves student outcomes and creates better opportunities to escape poverty.

– Jack McMahon
Photo: Flickr

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4 Ways COVID-19 And Global Poverty Connect

COVID-19 and Global Poverty
Since early 2020, the entire globe has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic and attempting to address the outbreak properly. Most of the world’s population is currently under some form of social distancing as a part of a response to the outbreak. From scientific research to increased travel restrictions, almost every country is working on ways to boost the economy while managing the spread of the virus. However, COVID-19 has affected much more than the economy. Here are four ways COVID-19 and global poverty connect:

4 Ways COVID-19 and Global Poverty Connect

  1. The Consumption of Goods and Services: For most developing countries struggling with poverty, much of their economies depend on commodities, such as exports. Food consumption represents the largest portion of household spending, and the increase in food prices and shortages of products affect low-income households. Countries that depend on imported food experience shortages. The increase in food prices could also affect the households’ inability to access other services such as healthcare, a major necessity during this time. These are two significant connections between COVID-19 and global poverty.
  2. Employment and Income: The self-employed or those working for small businesses represent a large portion of the employed in developing countries. Some of these workers depend on imported materials, farming lands or agriculture. This requires harvest workers and access to local farmers’ markets to sell produce. Others work in the fields of tourism and retail. These fields require travelers, tourists and consumers — all of which lessen as COVID-19 restrictions increase. Without this labor income, many of these families (now unemployed) must rely on savings or government payments.
  3. Weak Healthcare Systems: This pandemic poses a major threat to lower-middle-income developing countries. There is a strong correlation between healthcare and economic growth. The better and bigger the economy, the better the healthcare. Healthcare systems in developing countries tend to be weaker due to minimal resources including beds, ventilators, medicine and a below-average economy. Insurance is not always available for low-income families. All of this affects the quality of healthcare that those living within the poverty line receive. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. Public Services: Low-income families and poor populations in developing countries depend on public services, such as school and public transportation. Some privatized urban schools, comprised of mainly higher-income families, are switching to online learning. However, many of the public rural schools receiving government funding do not have adequate resources to follow suit. This could increase the rate of drop out. Moreover, it will disproportionately affect poorer families since many consider education an essential incentive for escaping poverty. Aside from school, COVID-19 restrictions could prevent poorer families from accessing public transportation. For developing countries, public transportation could affect the ability of poorer families to access healthcare.

Moving Forward

There are many challenges that families across the globe face as a result of COVID-19. Notably, some organizations have stepped forward to help alleviate circumstances. The World Bank, Care International and the U.N. are among the organizations implementing programs and policies to directly target the four effects of COVID-19 mentioned above.

For example, the World Bank is continuously launching emergency support around the world to address the needs of various countries in response to COVID-19. By offering these financial packages, countries like Ethiopia, which should receive more than $82 million, can obtain essential medical equipment and support for establishing proper healthcare and treatment facilities. These financial packages constitute a total of $160 million over the next 15 months as a part of projects implemented in various countries, such as Mongolia, Kyrgyz Republic, Haiti, Yemen, Afghanistan and India.

– Nada Abuasi
Photo: Flickr

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Facts About Poverty in the Marshall Islands

Facts About Poverty in the Marshall Islands
Poverty in the Marshall Islands is a major issue, with 30% of the population in the island’s two cities living below the basic-needs poverty line. With the threat of rising sea levels and the lack of quality health care, education and jobs, a third of the nation has migrated to the west in search of a better life. Here are some facts about poverty in the Marshall Islands.

Unemployment

Unemployment is rampant with a rate of 40%. There is a scarcity of younger workers (20-45 years old) due to this demographic leaving the islands for higher-paying jobs in the United States. The primary job sectors are fishing and agriculture, which made up three-fourths of the labor force in 1958. This has changed drastically to 21% in recent years. This reliance on overseas imports is one of the main factors of poverty in the Marshall Islands.

The 1986 Compact of Free Association Law Treaty

The United States and the Marshall Islands have close ties due to the 1986 Compact of Free Association Law (COFA). This treaty grants citizens of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands to live in the U.S. without visas or work permits. Marshallese citizens have permanent non-immigrant status, distinguishing them from refugees who only receive temporary asylum.

COFA emerged in response to nuclear weapons tests during the post-World War II period from 1946 to 1958, testing 67 nuclear bombs on these Pacific Islands and atolls. The treaty serves as reparations for the loss of lives, resources, forced migration and land destroyed during the times of the nuclear testing. As a result of these tests, a number of islands–like the famous Bikini Atoll of the Marshall Islands–are uninhabitable due to the high levels of radiation still prevalent to this day.

Inefficient Health Care and Malnourishment

The insufficiency in health care is another pervasive issue on the islands, specifically in the outer islands where poverty in the Marshall Islands is high. Many citizens have to leave the Marshall Islands to receive treatment due to the limited health care facilities and programs in place. These off-island referrals are costly, further depleting government finances.

PBS interviewed Isaac Marty–a Marshallese journalist who shared how his wife was not able to get proper treatment for her chronic anxiety and depression. Marty claimed that there is a shortage of qualified medical professionals living on the Marshall Islands, and oftentimes citizens receive medication that is inadequate for their ailments.

Additionally, many Marshallese children are malnourished due to reliance on highly processed imported foods. This has led to a high percentage of diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and gout. With a lack of exports and locally grown food, the country continues to rely on unhealthy and cheap imported foods–widening the deficit and increasing poverty in the Marshall Islands.

Environmental Challenges

In recent years, environmental changes have permeated the globe, but the Marshall Islands specifically has had to bear the brunt of these adverse weather changes. Many have found that small island states, specifically in the Pacific, are the most prone to the variability in sea-level rises. The incremental increase could gradually rise by one to four feet–to the potential cessation of some island states by 2050.

Droughts are a persisting issue with 92% of households indicating that one had affected them. During droughts, household members become dehydrated and sick because their only source of water is salty well water. When water reserves are down, those who cannot afford to buy clean water have to beg.

The Ebeye Water Supply and Sanitation Project

The ADB has worked together with Australia and the Marshall Islands to form the Ebeye Water Supply and Sanitation Project. This project sets out to improve freshwater systems and has done so with success. A new desalination plant implemented in 2017 has increased people’s access to safe, reliable water. The incidence of waterborne disease, particularly gastroenteritis, has decreased, and water supply and sewerage networks have expanded to an additional 300 households.

These facts about poverty in the Marshall Islands indicate that in its fight against poverty, the Marshall Islands has to first tackle the issue of improving various internal sectors, lessening its dependency on others, while increasing the country’s GDP. By working with natural resources abundant in the country, as well as implementing governmental programs, there can be significant changes in health care, quality of education and the economy, as well as improved climate provisions. This would further pull the population out of poverty in the Marshall Islands and increase the island’s viability.

– Mina Kim
Photo: Flickr

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Harnessing Hope: Humanitarian Aid in South Sudan

Humanitarian Aid  in South Sudan
As the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan has amazing potential to be an emerging economy in East Africa. Unfortunately, conflict has plagued the newly formed country, as it emerged as a result of a war for independence, and continues to see regional conflicts as it remains politically unstable, resulting in weaker public institutions and infrastructure. Due to this instability, it has been difficult for a strong and developed economy to take hold. However, with South Sudan’s access to natural resources and untapped human capital, a strong economy is definitely possible if there is enough of an investment in humanitarian aid in South Sudan.

Many nations and organizations, such as the United States and UNESCO, have planned solutions and committed resources to help South Sudan remedy its largest issues. The most prominent issue facing South Sudan is the continued conflict the fledgling country faces. These issues cannot be fixed purely from foreign donations and humanitarian aid but there has been a concentrated effort to help relieve the worst impacts the continued fighting has caused.

Peacekeeping

In a U.S. backed mandate, the U.N. has committed to providing humanitarian aid in South Sudan by maintaining a peacekeeping force in the country till at least March 2021. These peacekeeping forces have the task of maintaining the stability of the new peace agreement as well as assisting the roughly 3.9 million displaced South Sudanese citizens. The U.N.’s forces will have the job of monitoring the new transitional government for abuses of international humanitarian law.

While a lack of political stability is the root cause of most of South Sudan’s economic struggles, a lack of dependable infrastructure also hampers the country’s ability to combat poverty. Humanitarian aid workers have found difficulty reaching rural populations in South Sudan during regular flood seasons. Roughly 70% of South Sudan’s population lives in rural areas and as many work in the agricultural sector, meaning that for a lengthy portion of the year, they are inaccessible to humanitarian workers in addition to not having access to urban centers.

Education

Another difficulty facing South Sudan is a lack of a comprehensive education system. In 2018, South Sudan had the lowest rate of adult literacy in the world at 27%. This is partly due to its reliance on agriculture and the sparse rural communities where many South Sudanese people live. As a response, UNESCO is promoting non-formal educational spaces to not only educate South Sudanese youth but also illiterate adults. Expectations have determined that over 2,000 learning spaces will emerge by the year 2023, which will serve 330,000 children who cannot attend a traditional school due to displacement from conflict.

As of 2018, 70% of South Sudan’s population was under the age of 29 years old which has the potential to lead to exponential growth in the country. The young nature of the country’s population means that they can receive training in specialized skills and can create a sudden surge of development in certain sectors of industry. Combined with developing a stronger educational network for young adults, South Sudan can see a major increase in educated and skilled workers.

The United States, recognizing the potential for South Sudan to become a strong economy in East Africa, has continued to provide humanitarian aid in South Sudan as it develops. The United States has dedicated $97 million from the State’s Department’s Bureau of Populations, Refugees, and Migration as well as an additional $11 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance in an effort to aid those displaced due to the conflict in South Sudan.

Looking Forward

South Sudan has all the makings of a stable and prosperous economy, a substantial amount of natural resources, access to undeveloped land and a population that is young enough to receive thorough training and education. All the country needs to do is to create and maintain political peace within its borders and continually receive humanitarian aid from global leaders such as the United States.

– Christopher McLean
Photo: Flickr

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5G Wireless to Improve Education in Rural Areas

5G Wireless

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world in many ways. Not only has the pandemic generated a loss of life and economic growth, but it has also shifted social dynamics. One of the most affected sectors has been education. Today, more than ever, education is dependent almost entirely on internet access or wireless cellular network coverage. Unfortunately, 51% of the world population lacks access to the internet. Many of those without internet access live in rural areas and low-income regions. In most cases, these areas lack investment in key infrastructure such as internet access. Fortunately, 5G wireless has the potential to guarantee a fast and efficient connection. The subsequent increase in access to high-speed internet will likely spur socio-economic growth worldwide, especially in rural areas.

Efficiency and Cost Reduction

The 5G network enhances WIFI capabilities; it is 10 times faster than any average WIFI network and has 100 times more capacity than 4G. The pandemic and the uptick in remote education have intensified the need to improve internet access. 5G Technology can take homeschooling to another level as it can eliminate the downside of face-to-face classes. The changing demands of the world’s population is an opportunity to transform rural communities through technologies, such as 5G wireless. Previous generations of wireless aimed to revolutionize the mobile phone sector. 5G, however, can deeply transform a wide range of industries.

The use of 5G will allow students immediate access to educational content without the common hindrances of Wi-Fi connectivity. The students will be able to enjoy a completely new form of education. Technologies that 5G powers, like virtual reality, could provide immersive experiences to develop professional skills. 5G wireless would improve the range and quality of educational activities and teaching methods. These improvements will not only expand the students’ educational experience but also their capabilities.

Many rural areas face teacher shortages and a lack of proper classroom equipment. This leads to a discrepancy between the quality of education in rural and urban schools. 5G would reduce the quality gap in education due to its universality. No matter where a teacher and their students are located, 5G can transmit the lesson quickly and clearly. For these reasons, 5G will work as a social equalizer by reducing the access cost of educational information and improving classroom technologies.

The Need for Public-Private Partnership

It has become clear that 5G can ameliorate the economic and social repercussions of the educational divide. However, this solution to a systemic social issue is only feasible when the public and private sectors collaborate. This partnership is necessary to equitably implement this new generation of broadband across both urban and rural areas. The ultimate goal is to evenly provide 5G coverage to remote areas around the world. India, for example, has prioritized its digital agenda to provide broadband connectivity in rural areas and communities that will benefit from digital inclusion.

The Indian Government, through the Department of Telecom (DoT), has been working on an action plan for the installment of 5G wireless services. The DoT has joined key stakeholders specialized in the industry to develop an ecosystem feasible for 5G commercialization and application. The government is promoting partnerships to guarantee innovation through a regulatory environment that incentives investments in the necessary infrastructures. The parties involved acknowledge that the shift toward 5G is crucial for the modern age. This technology will reduce the digital divide and the urban-rural educational gap while also producing growth and innovation.

5G as a Social Equalizer

All students in the world, regardless of their circumstances, need quality education to ensure a higher quality of life. 5G wireless is an innovative solution that can generate a dramatic impact. This network has the power to improve the quality of life for rural communities by guaranteeing opportunities for educational growth and general economic development. This means that 5G wireless can connect everything and everyone, and students can have access to all the tools necessary to succeed in several areas of interest.

For widespread 5G wireless to become a reality, government bodies and stakeholders must ensure a sufficient level of investment in national infrastructure to make the possible societal improvements a reality. The use of 5G means closing the urban-rural educational and digital gap and reducing poverty and insecurities. It is a social equalizer that will enable a smooth learning experience for students in rural areas who yearn for a better future.

– Isabella León Graticola
Photo: Flickr

Networks Unlimited Africa Promotes Education in Tembisa

Education in TembisaNetworks Unlimited Africa, an innovative IT company situated in Africa, made a generous donation to the Nokuphila School. The school is located in Tembisa, a region in South Africa, and it’s affiliated with the Love Trust organization. Love Trust is a South African organization that provides education to underprivileged children in the area, and the Nokuphila School is just one of its many projects. Since 2009, Love Trust has provided services to more than 20,000 individuals across South Africa.

Background

The Nokuphila School was originally founded in January 2009, and it wanted to serve as a source of hope for the community of Tembisa; the name Nokuphila literally translates to “place of light.” It started with a class of 45 preschoolers from Tembisa, a township with high unemployment, poverty and crime. Tembisa was also chosen as the spot for this project because of its lack of resources for education, especially when it comes to pre-school education. Statistically, only 5% of adults in Tembisa have completed some kind of education beyond high school, and more than 10% of adults in Tembisa have received no schooling at all.

Children are admitted to the Nokuphila school based on their vulnerability, and the school provides them a number of enrichment opportunities: early childhood development and primary education, nutritious meals for breakfast and lunch, safe and reliable transport to and from school, after school care, and extracurricular activities. While the school now serves 340 children, there are plans for the development of the physical school building so that the Nokuphila school can admit and educate more at-risk youth.

Networks Unlimited Africa Supports Education in Tembisa

Having a tech giant like Networks Unlimited Africa donate to the school is game-changing, in terms of the number of children they can serve and the amount of resources the school can provide. The donation of R130,000 ($7,459), raised from the tech company’s annual charity golf event, will be used for two things: art supplies for the school’s art curriculum, and IT equipment, to support the essential technology that helps to keep the school up and running.

Networks Unlimited Africa provides innovative technology to Africa, but the company has also committed to helping improve the regions that it serves. It was recently certified as a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Level 2 contributor in June 2020. BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) is a racially inclusive initiative by the South African government that attempts to rectify the economic inequalities brought about from Apartheid. The Love Trust fund has been a B-BBEE partner of Networks Unlimited Africa since 2018, which allows the company to help the Love Trust foundation in its goal of providing education in South Africa.

The donation couldn’t have come at a better time, either. Soon after the donation was announced, COVID-19 leaped onto the global stage and forced many schools to shut down or cut back on education. The Love Trust organization was hit hard and was forced to redo the budget and redistribute their finances, including their work with the Nokuphila school. While the situation is still uncertain, the Love Trust organization is grateful for its partnership with Networks Unlimited Africa and their dedication to childhood education in South Africa, especially since its support has made it possible for The Love Trust to continue to serve its community in these trying times.

– Hannah Daniel
Photo: Flickr