Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

7 Facts About Women’s Health in Mexico

Women's Health in Mexico
Mexico has seen its fair share of issues in women’s health over the years, including a lack of access to affordable healthcare and gender inequalities. Recently, Mexico has made significant progress in addressing women’s health, making it a priority for the country. Here are seven facts about women’s health in Mexico.

7 Facts About Women’s Health in Mexico

  1. Femicide: Femicide is defined as the murder of a woman for gender-based reasons. The rate of femicides in Mexico has nearly doubled since 2007. Citizens of Mexico, along with the government, now refuse to ignore the issue. In March 2020, millions of Mexican women went on a 24-hour strike to stand up against gender-based violence. Through these strikes, women aim to criminalize femicides nationally,  as opposed to states deciding for themselves.
  2. Affordable Healthcare: Annual fees for healthcare in Mexico are, at most, $500 per family, with participation costing $40 per month per person. Each major city in Mexico has a first-rate hospital, and the healthcare system is not based around profit. On average, prescription drugs cost between 30 to 60 percent less than the same drugs in the United States. Mexico’s status as a developing country makes this especially promising. 
  3. Improved Sex Education for Rural Regions: Though many indigenous women living in rural areas in Mexico do not have access to formal healthcare, nonprofit organizations throughout the country offer assistance. Mujeres Aliadas, a non-profit organization, has worked with over 9,000 women in 40 rural communities in central Mexico to educate them on sexual and reproductive health. The organization offers workshops, talks, and even safe spaces for women to give birth. With improved education, women can empower themselves and learn about their bodies.
  4. Fair Start in Life: “Fair Start in Life,” an initiative launched in 2001, was created to address maternal mortality and the health of young children. This program gave expecting mothers access to safe blood, nurses, necessary drugs and healthcare networks. The initiative also led to proper monitoring of maternal deaths and women of reproductive age. Between 2000 and 2006, maternal deaths dropped 2.7 percent.
  5. Emergency Contraception: After a discussion between hundreds of organizations and members of the public, emergency contraception was officially included in the essential drug list in July 2005. The office of the President of Mexico, as well as women’s rights advocacy groups, supported the initiative. Advocates stated that acknowledging the importance of emergency contraception would decrease unwanted pregnancy, disease and sexual violence. 
  6. National Center for Gender Equality and Reproductive Health (NCGERH): In 2003, the Ministry of Health (MOH) established the National Center for Gender Equality and Reproductive Health (NCGERH) in order to acknowledge the equality gap between men and women’s health in Mexico. This institution has the ability to suggest, monitor and evaluate sexual and reproductive national policies. The NCGERH also has the authority to monitor the quality of reproductive health services across the country. 
  7. Cervical Cancer Screening: Mexico has made a significant effort in preventing cervical cancer among Mexican women. In 2012, 48.5 percent of women ages 25-64 were screened for cervical cancer, an increase of more than 4 percent from 2006. The country has also given all girls access to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine since 2008, which prevents a virus that causes various types of cancer in women. 

These seven facts about women’s health in Mexico highlight that although Mexican women have faced challenges in their healthcare, the country is working hard to make changes. Moving forward, it is essential that Mexico continues to prioritize women’s health, paving the way for more progress. 

– Alyson Kaufman
Photo: Pixabay

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5 Facts About Eyesight in Nigeria

Eyesight in NigeriaAccording to the “World Report on Vision” by the World Health Organization (WHO), about one billion of the approximately 2.2 billion cases of visual impairment or blindness are preventable. Individuals still experience visual impairment because of the financial strain they would face for seeking medical help in sight-related issues. However, Nigeria has improved access to eye care. Considering there are about 4.25 million people over the age of 40 with vision impairment, the topic of eyesight in Nigeria is pertinent. To better understand Nigeria’s story and approach to battling vision impairment, here are some facts about eyesight in Nigeria:

5 Facts About Eyesight in Nigeria

  1. The healthcare system for eyesight in Nigeria is largely unequal for low-income and rural populations. Financially, the cost of eye exams and transportation to eye clinics are not affordable for many Nigerians. Moreover, people in rural communities lack education, information and resources that would better explain the facts behind vision impairment. This is amplified by the lack of trained, dispersed staff who would otherwise introduce the available resources for vision care. Overall, all of these factors disproportionally obstruct people in rural communities from getting the care that they need.
  2. The most common impairments for eyesight in Nigeria include cataracts, glaucoma and other preventable diseases. With early diagnosis, many of these diseases can be corrected with the use of medicines and glasses. Routine check-ups are not a norm in Nigeria. In turn, this has adversely impacted eyesight for many Nigerians. As a result, conducting studies, spreading awareness and international pressure have led Nigeria and other developing countries to create task forces that specifically focus on access to vision care.
  3. From 2005 to 2007, the “National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey” was conducted to measure eyesight in Nigeria. This was the first survey to calculate vision data of individuals over 40 in the country. The survey results helped the state mobilize appropriate resources towards vision rehabilitation. Additionally, the study provided data for international initiatives, such as the World Health Organization’s “Vision 2020: The Right to Sight,” that also hope to alleviate impaired vision.
  4. WHO and The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) launched “Vision 2020: The Right to Sight” in 1999. Over the past two decades, this project made eye care a primary public health issue. The project set a target to reduce avoidable visual impairment by 25 percent by 2019. Nigeria’s participation in Vision 2020 allowed it to increase vision care accessibility for low-income individuals. Due to Nigeria’s overwhelming success in vision care, it has established eye care standards that other developing countries are striving to achieve.
  5. Companies, such as VisionSpring, help to provide eyewear to low-income communities around the world. VisionSpring sees the earning potential of an individual with the proper eyewear. From being able to see course work as a student to being able to drive safely as an adult, there are many possibilities in adequate eyewear. The average cost of glasses that address nearsightedness in Nigeria is around $0.85 per pair. As of 2018, VisionSpring has distributed about 6.8 million glasses to 43 countries. The impact of companies that are focusing on affordable prices for underserved communities has been enormous in the effort to alleviate global vision impairment.

Eyesight is fundamental to the quality of life and productivity of an individual. Nonetheless, eye care still does not garner as much attention it should in low and middle-income countries. Fortunately, international organizations, companies and efforts from individual countries, like Nigeria, have emerged to ensure better access to eyesight for vulnerable populations.

– Ashleigh Litcofsky
Photo: Flickr

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Worldreader Empowers Communities

Worldreader Empowers Communities to Create Lifelong Readers
Illiteracy is not much of a problem in developed countries, but for developing countries, rates of illiteracy are high. Around 617 million children are not meeting the minimum reading level because the regions they live in do not always stress education as much or it simply is not available. Illiteracy is a huge problem, especially in this day and age. It can cause an average decrease of 35 percent in income, and a lack of reading can lead to a lack of cognitive development. Worldreader empowers communities to create lifelong readers.

Worldreader Empowers Readers

When people have an education, they tend to give posterity a better chance. Children born to literate mothers are 50 percent more likely to live past 5 years old. Worldreader is an application with a library of 35,000 books in 52 different languages. It is available on advanced but affordable e-readers and other devices. The content of these books depends on the reader but all titles aim to be culturally relevant.

There are four categories of reading on the application. Worldreader has tailored the programs to each of its audiences to best address the main problems for each crowd. These programs include pre-reading, library reading, lifelong reading and school reading.

Pre-reading is for younger people up to age 19 but can also help illiterate adults. This program promotes positive interaction, cognitive development and school preparedness. Library reading focuses on promoting reading culture through libraries no matter the age. The goal of this program is to get more people to visit libraries and more librarians to emerge in their areas.

Lifelong reading is for people from 16 and up to read digital books on the Worldreader Open Library application. This program seeks to build a reading habit in people and promote an overall joy of reading. It also wishes to gain more regular readers by transitioning users to readers. That may sound similar, but really it is for a noncommittal user to develop a reading habit and become a lifelong reader.

Lastly, school reading is just how it sounds. School programs have e-readers with books for any age or grade level, language or even cultural context. It has a teaching program for educators to help cultivate learning and reading cultures. Worldreader also works to train families, schools and libraries so they can reap the most benefit from its programs.

Worldreader’s partners help to make this happen. Worldreader’s partners provide the resources that it needs to reach people in need. Its main partners are Binu, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Opera Mini. Binu helps to promote Worldreader on its Moya app. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation helps to launch e-readers in all national Kenyan libraries. Opera Mini promotes Worldreader to its users from 34 sub-Saharan African countries. Other prominent partners include USAID, The U.N. Refugee Agency, UNHCR, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, LinkedIn, Pearson and Amazon. Penguin Random House, Sub-Saharan Publishers, Longhorn Publishers, Modjaji Books and Rosetta Books are the partners that help to publish and translate books for Worldreader.

Worldreader’s Accomplishments

The year 2018 saw an increase of 3 million readers with over 10 million readers overall. Worldreader has gained 100 million hours of reading since 2014 and has received $12.1 million total in donations. These donations have made it much easier for Worldreader to reach more potential readers from around the world. These funds mostly went toward program services, but other notable areas are management and fundraising. Worldreader empowers communities through this funding. As of 2018, Worldreader is already in 49 countries including Mexico, Ghana, India, Kenya and Jordan.

The Future for Worldreader

Worldreader empowers communities to improve literacy rates. Worldreader’s plans for the future consist of continuing to provide cheap but good technology for under-resourced people, which should in turn help schools to save on book money. The application also plans to expand on its pre-existing book collection. While 35,000 titles is a lot, it aims to add much more. It will also collect the data from its readers to provide future insights into technology improvements. Through this data collection, Worldreader will be able to improve its technology and books. Worldreader encourages sharing costs and responsibilities for sustainable impact. Its donors and supporters help to do so. Worldreader is always searching for more supporters to bring reading to the under-resourced. The Worldreader website has options to sponsor schools, volunteer or join its Reading for Opportunity campaign.

– Nyssa Jordan
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

A Mobile App That Lifts Rural Farmers Out Of Poverty

A Mobile App Lifting Rural Farmers Out Of Poverty
More than half of the world’s poorest live on farms in rural areas of developing nations. This accounts for 2 billion people that depend on small-scale agriculture for their livelihood, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development. There are challenges for rural farmers in low-income countries. A team of graduates from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed a mobile app that lifts rural farmers out of poverty.

Challenges

Challenges facing rural farmers in developing nations extend beyond the vagaries of nature, though those are certainly impactful. First, without access to affordable credit, farmers cannot secure bank loans and instead rely on informal lenders who charge exorbitant rates. Second, after receiving the necessary capital, rural farmers often lack vital information that would help them plant and tend crops, such as optimal nutrient application and weather forecasts. Lastly, after harvest, during the small window of time farmers have to sell crops before spoilage, they often lack access to direct buyers. This once again forces farmers to go through the same intermediaries who gave them the loan. Dependence on exploitative intermediaries and lack of information often trap rural farmers in developing countries in a cycle of poverty.

A Mobile App that Lifts Rural Farmers Out of Poverty

A graduate team from MIT is using technology to transform agriculture and the fight against poverty. In 2014, the group launched a startup called Ricult, a mobile app that lifts rural farmers out of poverty. Farmers can use Ricult to secure affordable credit, access inputs such as seeds and fertilizer, monitor weather forecasts and connect directly with end-buyers. In addition, the app helps farmers maximize their crop yield by providing personalized advice based on soil tests.

Ricult launched in Kasur, Pakistan in 2016. To reach the farmers, the company organized skills workshops that amassed between 400 and 500 participants. The sales team is part of the farmers’ community, and agents meet regularly with users to offer advice and improve the experience.

By August 2017, Ricult had provided farmers in Pakistan with over $77,000 worth of farm inputs to more than 150 farmers on credit. Prior to that, farmers paid between four and five times more to loan sharks. That same year, Ricult expanded to Thailand.

Ricult had more than 40,000 downloads as of April 2019. Its services have boosted farmers’ crop yields by an average of 50 percent. Meanwhile, the farmers’ profits have risen between 30 and 40 percent. Ricult currently offers its services to farmers across Thailand. Additionally, the company hopes to expand to Cambodia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka in 2020.

The founders of the app have received with the 2017 United Nations’ Innovative Ideas and Technology on Agribusiness award. In addition, the Royal Thai Government named Ricult the best Agricultural Tech in Thailand. Also, it got the best Social Enterprise in Southeast Asia and Oceania in the Global Social Venture Competition and won the Fintech Disrupt Challenge which the Gates Foundation organized.

– Kayleigh Rubin
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Role of Food Aid in Fighting World Hunger

Food Aid in Fighting World Hunger
Fighting world hunger is one of the most prominent issues activists tackle in the fight against global poverty. While famine and food shortages are a major contributor to hunger in impoverished places, they are not the only contributors. In working to lift themselves out of poverty, nations do not only lack funding, but also resources and opportunities.

If an impoverished nation has a limited set of food, it often has the dilemma of choosing between using its limited amount of food to guarantee its population meals or to export it in the hopes of generating capital and improving the country’s overall situation longterm. On the other hand, it is often difficult for a nation to maintain a healthy economy when the workers are too busy focusing on meeting their necessities.

Malnourishment in Eastern Africa

While the number of starving people decreased in the world overall in the past few years, eastern Sub-Saharan Africa still holds most of the world’s undernourished population. In this region, 30.8 percent of the population still suffers from a food shortage.

Eastern African countries like Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sedan and Tanzania have a primarily agriculture driven economy with coffee, cut flowers, tea, tobacco, fish and vegetables being its main exports.

In the East African Community (EAC), up to 44 percent of the GDP comes from agriculture, with 80 percent of the region’s population relying on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Producing food is not the problem itself, as having an agriculture-centered economy means that there is enough food to sustain an economy. However, when a bad season destroys a harvest, food prices suddenly soar as a result. This happened to Kenya in 1984 when a drought caused a food shortage. It previously grew food both for consumption and export, keeping pace with a growing population. When this happens, the people who are more reliant on this harvest as an accessible food source cannot afford it. Developed countries can afford to purchase these exports at inflated prices, though they are not reliant on them as their main food source.

The Weight of the Developed World

The developed countries are not ignorant of developing country’s food stability or quality of life and will often try to send direct food aid to assist hungry nations. When wealthier countries do try to help in the form of sending food aid, though, sometimes they wind up unintentionally causing more damage in the longterm.

Sending food aid to malnourished countries to help with fighting world hunger might help the starving population in the short term, but it does nothing to triage the bleeding infrastructure that exacerbated the food shortage to begin with. Reliance on food aid can depress the prices at which farmers sell locally grown crops, hampering production if no one buys what they are producing, which can further cripple the local economy in the long run.

World Vision

While there are some drawbacks with direct food aid, there are other means of aid that developed countries can send in addition to food. Investing in the country’s infrastructure so that farmers know how to grow more food more effectively can help protect them from food shortages if a poor growing season hits. Providing resources for impoverished countries to set up schools can allow the population to move away from a purely agricultural economy, and allow it to cultivate a more diverse one. This can, in turn, create more jobs for the people to earn an income with.

World Vision works to end global poverty and improve the welfare of families, women and children through long term programs and education. In Burundi and Rwanda, World Vision has been fighting world hunger by providing improved seeds and fertilizers to farmers, while also connecting them with markets to encourage turning a surplus of food into an income.

In providing individuals with access to credit and loans via Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), the community can meet day-to-day needs while also supplementing other income-generating projects.

World Vision institutes and trains savings groups, who strive to help families within the community save money. World Vision also creates non-agricultural job opportunities.

Successes

As of 2017, more than 1,600 VSLAs’ stabilized the lives of 100,000 children. This means that 7,385 hungry children gained more than 400 grams due to health programs. Around 4,560 farmers trained in agricultural sustainability in Burundi whereas 20,244 did in Rwanda in both 2016 and 2017. In 2017, 22,522 farmers had the resources they needed to grow their crops while 14,611 farmers did in 2016 and 2017. The number of World Vision-created savings groups grew to 6,831 with 107,159 members, while the organization created 2,230 non-agricultural jobs.

As a result of World Vision’s work in Rwanda, families went from making $15.01 per month to $42.20 from non-agricultural endeavors. Around 73.5 percent of adolescents reported having sufficient food, which was a 32 percent increase from 55.5 percent in 2014.

In Kenya, World Vision works closely with the government, abiding by the Kenya Health Policy and the National Food and Nutritional Security Policy to encourage maternal, infant and young child nutrition, agricultural and livestock nutrition and education in nutrition.

A focus on productivity, sustainability and education can help a lucrative economy take root, and the proper guidance on how to maintain it can create a solid foothold for the nation to maneuver out of starvation and poverty.

– Catherine Lin
Photo: Flickr

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Improving ENT Care in Zimbabwe 

ENT Care in Zimbabwe Zimbabwe is a country in Sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated population of 14.2 million people. As a developing country struggling from political and civil issues, their Human Development Index is at 0.509. This places the country in the low human development category. Lacking effective medical care access, the country has long struggled with managing several pandemics. This includes malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and widespread maternal and childhood illnesses. A particular medical issue that needs attention in Zimbabwe is ear, nose and throat (ENT) care.

Challenges in ENT and Audiology Care in Zimbabwe

According to a survey of 22 Sub-Saharan countries in Africa, it has been observed that there has been an overall lack of progress in ENT and audiology care between 2009 and 2015. Although there has been an increase in ENT surgeons by 43 percent and audiologists by 2.5 percent, these numbers cannot adequately serve the 23 percent population growth that occurred during that time. Since 2015, there has been a steady decline in ENT physicians and audiologists in Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, U.K. respondents have noted that there is a lack of proper medical equipment for ENT care, training facilities and audiological rehabilitation.

Importance of ENT Care in Zimbabwe

With the lack of ENT care available in African countries, physicians wondered how they can also provide social support to patients that have suffered hearing loss, speech impediments and other traumas relating to ENT illnesses. Dzongodzaand Chidziva, an ENT surgeon who works in Zimbabwe, has explained that many Zimbabweans believe that a runny nose or snoring are minor issues. However, those same symptoms could be the precursor for devastating illnesses.

To demonstrate the dangers of these misconceptions, Chidziva found that a common issue among patients he treated was respiratory papillomatosis, caused by the papilloma virus, otherwise known as the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). The illness causes growths to build up in the upper respiratory tract, constricting breathing and damaging vocal cords. If left untreated, it is life-threatening, especially for young children. Invasive care and surgery has to be taken immediately in order to dislodge warts. It is illnesses like these that make adequate and proper ENT care paramount.

Improvements to ENT Care in Zimbabwe

Despite setbacks and social misconceptions in the field, improvements are underway to bring proper ENT care in Zimbabwe. In March 2017, Zimbabwe opened its doors of the first pediatric otolaryngology clinic. This is a public clinic that has two operating rooms and a recovery room for in-patient care. Within that first year, thousands of patients traveled from all over Zimbabwe to receive treatment from the clinic. Only one other clinic such as this one existed in Africa at the time.

Following the clinic’s outstanding success, in May 2018 the first international symposium to promote the expansion of pediatric otolaryngology across Africa took place. The  PENTAfrica symposium resided in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe that year. Health care physicians and otolaryngologists from North America, Europe and Africa engaged in these ENT discussions. The purpose of the conference was to create a long-term plan to further extend ENT care to various African countries.

Zimbabwe is one of many countries in Africa that is in dire need of ear, nose and throat care. The effects of leaving ENT illnesses untreated has left lasting effects, including deafness, on populations in Zimbabwe. However, after the opening of their first ENT clinic, more clinics and treatment are underway  to treat patients suffering from ENT illnesses.

– Lucia Elmi 
Photo: Flickr

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WGHA’s Impact on Health Equity

WGHA's Impact on Health Equity
The Washington Global Health Alliance (WGHA) is a group that aims to improve the health equity of the world’s poor by connecting organizations to Washington’s global health sector. WGHA’s impact on health equity happens through the creation of these connections through the development of strategic relationships, hosting assemblies and communicating effectively. In all, WGHA unites 14,000 employees and 268 Washington-based small businesses, nonprofits and research institutes, which contribute $9 billion to the state’s economy. Moreover, while the alliance works mostly behind-the-scenes as a convener, the organization also creates public opportunities for other groups to meet and discuss important issues ranging from women in the global health sector to antimicrobial resistance to global health educator workshops.

Creating WGHA

The alliance established in Seattle, WA after a recognition that Seattle had grown into a global health powerhouse. At the time, there was not a platform in existence to allow connection between those in the global health sector.

In 2008, WGHA’s founders reached out to entities like the Washington governor, leaders of global health organizations and the University of Washington with an idea. The founders pitched that the region should focus on advancing health on a global level through a connective platform.

In an interview with The Borgen Project, the current President of WGHA, Dena Morris, said that WGHA emphasizes this belief with the question of “How can we do more together?” Further, Morris said that the organization believes the diversity in the connections it makes will allow it to foster new ideas with speedy information delivery and higher creativity flow.

With that question and those beliefs in mind, six members eventually formed WGHA with the support of various organizations including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, PATH, University of Washington, Washington State University, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. From there, WGHA’s impact on health equity grew rapidly and the organization now has over 200 allies.

Past Successes

In 2012, WGHA, Puget Sound Regional Council and Life Science Washington created the Global Health Nexus, a public exhibit and student competition focused on educating the community on global health. Three-hundred volunteers from Seattle and surrounding areas came together to build a platform that enhanced the ability to collaborate and take action regarding global health issues.

During the Ebola crisis of 2015, WGHA assembled more than 50 leaders from NGOs, research institutes, the private sector and various governments. This massive effort allowed the sharing of vital information with the CDC’s Ebola response team.

In 2011, WGHA created the Washington Global Health fund, which received $1.2 million from the Washington state legislature. The goal of the fund was to harness new health technologies and create more medical focused jobs throughout the state.

WGHA Meetings and Events

WGHA had seven planned events for April 2020 alone. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, it has either postponed its events or chosen to host them virtually. Morris told The Borgen Project that she believes that it is more crucial than ever to continue to provide conventions in the face of the pandemic. Specifically, the organization is “working to identify the optimal virtual platforms” to support these events.

The Women in Global Health Seattle Q1 Meeting (WGH Seattle) is one of the March events that the organization has postponed. Morris specifically mentioned this event as apart of the Women in Global Health movement, which is a movement that aims to create a distinct path towards leadership positions for women in the global health sector. The Q1 Meeting will likely happen on June 11th as an open event to the public. “That’s open to the broader community, and the more diversity we have in that room, the better off we are,” Morris says.

WGH Seattle consists of professional women working in global health within the Seattle area. This organization recognizes that leadership in the global health sector would become more innovative if there was an increase in diversity and improved gender-balance. These efforts aim to achieve specific developmental goals. For example, 75 percent of the global health workforce includes women but only 25 percent of global health leadership consists of women, according to Morris. She also stated that “when women are a part of the policy-making process, [the world will] end up with better outcomes for health, and economy and education, so entire communities are better served.”

WGHA’s Projects

Another current project of WGHA is the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Global (STEM Global), which “prepares the next generation of global health researchers, practitioners and champions.” STEM Global attempts to build a bridge between students who typically receive underrepresentation in the STEM field. Additionally, the project aims to connect those underrepresented individuals to global health jobs. STEM Global and WGHA also assists educators to better understand global health careers and how students can effectively navigate the path to such careers.

Additionally, the Next Generation of Leaders in Africa is a remarkable initiative of WGHA. The program emerged in April 2019 when WGHA gathered 45 representatives from 26 of the allied organizations and discussed the need for specific improvements. The group conferred and agreed on two things: there is a need for an increase in African voices in the conversations and there is a need to create an infrastructure in which emerging leaders can succeed.

WGHA’s goals for this project are vast and specific, which provide precise measurement of achievements. One goal includes the implementation of training for doctoral researchers in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya to ensure control for local leaders over the specific diseases and ailments that affect communities. Other goals are to provide training to eye bank technicians and ophthalmic surgeons in Ethiopia to ensure local development of eye banks and conduction of eye transplants, and to develop vaccine production in South Africa to ensure that vaccines will reach the appropriate individuals with minimal financial burden and improvements in local infrastructure with supply chain expertise in Mozambique and labs in Kenya.

Morris shared that global health is not simply about people from developed nations providing a poverty-stricken country with temporary fixes. Improving the state of global health is about building a strong infrastructure to allow emerging health leaders to succeed in long-term development and improvements of public health. WGHA’s impact on health equity is profound and growing by consistently providing opportunities to communicate within the global health sector.

– Marlee Septak
Photo: Unsplash

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10 Facts About Sanitation in El Salvador

10 Facts About Sanitation in El Salvador
Both water and sanitation are crucial to survival and a decent life. The water crisis has affected many countries and millions of people, but El Salvador, home to 6.1 million people, is dangerously close to running out of water. El Salvador’s abundant water resources are also grossly polluted, with only 10 percent of surface water safe to drink. Here are 10 facts about sanitation in El Salvador.

10 Facts About Sanitation in El Salvador

  1. Environmental degradation is a constant threat to the quality of water. El Salvador is prone to natural disasters like hurricanes and droughts, simply because of its geological location. But deforestation and animal migration also impact water sources, leaving the poorest inhabitants with contaminated water.
  2. The Cérron Grande is El Salvador’s largest body of freshwater and is one of the most contaminated in all of Central America. An investigation conducted by the Salvadoran Association of Human Aid Pro-Vida showed high levels of heavy metals, banned insecticides, cyanide and toxic algae. In addition, more than 8.5 million pounds of feces are deposited into the Cérron. This medley of contagions causes algal blooms and eutrophication. The National Service of Territorial Studies reports that only 20 percent of national rivers are safe to drink from.
  3. Residents fiercely oppose the privatization of water. In recent years, the government has attempted to implement a water tax, further limiting access to water. Academic and religious institutions, environmental organizations and community forums push legislatures to protect their water sources. The leftist political party Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front also fights for the protection of water rights and equitable distribution.
  4. Historically, water management is controlled by big businesses. Examples are industrial plantations, luxury housing developments and bottling companies. In fact, a subsidiary of ABInBev called La Constancia fills thousands of Coca Cola cartons a day.  Situated on top of a major aquifer in Nejapa, over a decade of industrial waste has severely polluted the San Antonio water source. 30,000 residents rely on San Antonio for drinking, hygiene and cooking.
  5. Mining heavy metals had a drastic consequence. In 2010, it was estimated 12 million ounces of gold and 78 million ounces of silver were available to mine. According to the International Ecological Engineering Society, 950 tons of cyanide and roughly 22 million liters of water are required daily for extraction. Protesters say “No to mining, yes to life,”  demanding a ban on mining due to the contaminate risks to the waterbeds and the industrial use of such large quantities of water. In 2017, El Salvador banned mining, but the pollution left behind permanently tainted the quality of water.
  6. Experts predict El Salvador will be uninhabitable in 80 years. The water crisis continues to worsen for low-income and extremely poor households. The downward environmental trajectory in tandem with growing economic instability leads to young Salvadorans joining gangs to gain access to water. There are an estimated 60,000 gang members in El Salvador and water sources are often located between combating territories. Access to water is extremely controlled and many women and children risk their lives to collect it.
  7. Regulating water through legislation is the first defense against distribution inequality. The General Water Law, first introduced in 2006, defines, and therefore protects, access to water as a human right. It also promotes universal access to water sources. Most importantly, it implements community consultation in national decision-making regarding water and sanitation.
  8. Millennium Challenge Corp. committed to a 5-year investment compact with El Salvador in the amount of USD $449.6 million. The Water and Sanitation Sub-Activity was created to target the poorest parts of the Northern Zone and increase access to regulated water and sanitation systems. The Sub-Activity also provided technical assistance for maintenance and system sustainability which consequently lead to employment opportunities. Through the MCC, Compact Water and Sanitation Sub-Activity installed new or upgraded pre-existing pipelines in more than 7,500 homes.
  9. Ride4Water dedicates bike riding to raising money for clean water. Founder of Ride4Water Ryan Delameter uses the proceeds gained from long-distance riding to improve the access and quality of water. Ride4Water has installed Hollow Fiber Membrane Filtration Systems across three regions and 60 homes. The filtration system traps any harmful bacteria and microorganisms contaminating the water.
  10. Companion Community Development Alternatives, a non-profit organization dedicated to making potable water distribution a reality, uses solar power to bring clean water to villages. The solar retrofit was completed in 2019 and has reduced bills, operation and maintenance of water systems by $250-300 per month, lowering the overall expenses for families. By utilizing the sun, water is pumped 300 meters (~984 feet) from a spring and stored in a water tower. Chlorinated water is then distributed directly into homes. These solar-powered water systems belong to the people and can never be privatized.

Sanitation and water accessibility are often connected issues. In El Salvador, water is disappearing, compromising sanitation and health. These 10 facts about sanitation in El Salvador bring awareness to this very serious issue. With continued efforts by non-profits and other humanitarian organizations, however, water access and sanitation in El Salvador will hopefully improve.

– Marissa Taylor
Photo: Flickr

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How the COVID-19 Crisis Is Impacting Global Poverty 

Covid-19 Crisis
The COVID-19 crisis or coronavirus pandemic continues to grow as the number of global cases rises. With U.S. President Donald Trump approving a fiscal stimulus package of $2.2 trillion, the dire economic ramifications of the COVID-19 crisis grow more significant. Yet, there are disproportionate economic impacts on the world’s poor that highlight the implications of COVID-19 on global poverty.

What the COVID-19 Crisis Means for Global Poverty

Unfortunately, the aftershocks of COVID-19 will destabilize the world economy even further during the beginning of 2020 and beyond. The Asian Development Bank already estimates that the collective global impact of the COVID-19 crisis will be between $77 billion to nearly $347 billion in economic output costs worldwide.

The World Economic Forum calls the COVID-19 crisis a “pandemic in the age of inequality” as it especially impacts countries lacking universal health care or adequate health care systems. Many workers have lost work and are cannot even take paid sick leave of any kind.

“[I] fear hunger will kill us before coronavirus,’’ says Momanned Sabir, a young street entrepreneur in Delhi who owns a yogurt-based drink shop. Her words come in response to the three-week lockdown that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed. Poverty and unemployment impact many daily wage earners and workers in informal and unorganized sectors. This is particularly evident in nationwide lockdowns from India, China, the Philippines, the Middle East and European countries.

Among the 50 countries under the United Nations’ Least-Developed Country Status (LDC), more than 900 million remain vulnerable to the risk of COVID-19. This is due to the poor health care infrastructure and resources to support a large-scale health crisis. Most importantly, many countries continue to be in short supply of testing kits.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed for $2 billion to help the world’s poor who have been impacted by COVID-19. World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus implores G20 nations to offer aid and support low and middle-income countries.

Future Course of Action

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamn has proposed an economic stimulus package for financial relief to women and vulnerable groups. For example, there are welfare systems that distribute free gas cylinders, wheat and rice for up to three months. For women in India’s Jan Dhan banking system, the government offers compensation of 500 rupees for the next three months. In addition, India has issued a bailout package of $22 billion to help cushion the economic impacts of its lockdown, especially as several daily wage and unorganized workers have lost out on work and pay during this period.

The number of testing kits will also increase soon due to the invention of a new working test kit by Dr. Minal Dhakave Bhosale. India will thus rely less on more expensive imported kits. There will be a distribution of more than 100,000 kits every week from now on.

Moreover, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided $50 billion to control the COVID-19 crisis in low-income countries that seek support through its emergency financing facilities. Along with the IMF, the World Bank is also providing debt relief to poor countries through loans and grants. The group is also working with more than 35 countries to address the economic implications of the pandemic. The World Bank also plans to spend a whopping $160 billion over the next 15 months and is already securing fixed amounts for wide-scale mitigation efforts and projects.

Oxfam International is working on ways to use its knowledge and expertise in public health to better address the ongoing crisis, especially after its work during other outbreaks like Ebola and the Zika virus. Oxfam is also assisting in the delivery of sanitation services and offering accurate information to people.

Looking to the Future

To help those who have lost jobs due to COVID-19, the Asian Development Bank recommends focusing on strengthening social assistance. It also urges attention to upgrading labor market policies and programs.

The COVID-19 crisis could also impact the way the world addresses global poverty going forward, especially given the potential global impacts. It will take long-term development strategies to get low-income workers and poorer communities back on their feet.

– Shivani Ekkanath
Photo: Flickr
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5 Sustainable Technologies Solving Water Scarcity

Sustainable Technologies Solving Water Scarcity
More than 1 billion people live in areas with water scarcity or the lack of access to freshwater resources. However, current innovations are tackling water scarcity in creative and environmentally friendly ways. Here are five sustainable technologies solving water scarcity.

5 Sustainable Technologies Solving Water Scarcity

  1. Solar-powered Water Pumps: These pumps use energy from the sun to power electric pumps, which extract water from the ground. The price and technology have evolved in recent years, allowing solar-powered water pumps to be a more affordable, reliable and environmentally sustainable solution to water scarcity. Solar panels last approximately 25 years, requiring little maintenance throughout this lifetime. Also, the cost of solar panels that the pumps use has decreased by 80 percent. Solar-powered water pumps are most viable in areas with high solar insolation, particularly, many developing nations in Africa, South America and South Asia. Specifically, solar-powered water pumps have alleviated water scarcity for 40,000 people in Marimanti, Kenya, a country with annual sunshine.
  2. Solar-powered Desalination Units: Desalination technology harnesses energy from the sun and converts seawater into fresh, potable water. A system that Solar Water Solutions, a Finland-based startup, designed produces up to 3,500 liters of water per hour. Additionally, the system does not require batteries or oil-based fuel and it does not impart a large carbon footprint. Additionally, Solar Water Solutions has placed solar-powered desalination units in Kenya and Namibia. The desalination units are providing cheap, clean water to local communities. Additionally, large scale implementation of the technology could help solve water scarcity.
  3. Fog Catchers: Mesh nets trap freshwater from fog and eventually drips into the collection trays. A piping network then carries the water to the village. This system is free, clean and environmentally sustainable. People are using fog catching systems to provide water to communities in Chile, Peru, Ghana, South Africa and more. The largest fog catcher project is on the slopes of Mount Boutmezguida in southern Morocco.  Every day, about 1,000 people use water that fog captured for everything from drinking to agricultural use. 
  4. Portable Filters: In particular, one Swiss company, Vestergaard Frandsen, has developed a portable water filter. Lifestraw is a gravity-powered plastic tube, that people can use as a drinking straw. The filtration system eliminates protozoa, bacteria, chemical compounds and dissolved metals. Each Lifestraw can filter up to 4,000 liters of water — enough potable water to last three years for one person. Additionally, this portable filter eliminates the need for single-use plastics and fuel-combustion for water sanitization. Further, LifeStraw has partnered with the World Health Organization and the United Nations to alleviate the shortage of potable water for more than 64 countries, including Haiti, Rwanda and Kenya. 
  5. Drinkable Books: Each page of the drinkable book is a filter that turns raw sewage into potable water. The drinkable book houses silver and/or copper nanoparticles that kill bacteria when water passes through it. Motivated by a desire to create a water filtration system that uses greener chemistry, researchers designed the tool at Carnegie Mellon University. Field trials have shown that the drinkable book can eliminate 99 percent of bacteria in water. At the 25 contaminated water sources in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Haiti and Bangladesh, these trials have been promising enough that people can distribute the drinkable book commercially. Each book holds enough filtration sheets to filter clean water for four years.

For the millions of people across the globe lacking access to clean water, these are five sustainable technologies solving water scarcity. Technology like these has the potential to make a substantial difference in the world in terms of sustainable solutions for sanitation and access to water.

– Kayleigh Rubin
Photo: Wikimedia