Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Telemedicine in Mexico Broadens Health Care

Telemedicine in MexicoThe health care system in Mexico is notably flawed. Only 77% of Mexico’s 131 million citizens have access to health care coverage and nearly half of the health spending in the country comes out of the pockets of citizens, not the government. Mexico only allocates 5.7% of its GDP to health care-related costs, far below the average of 9.2% from the other 38 countries that make up the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This leaves the system underfunded and underresourced, particularly in rural locations.

Telemedicine, the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients, is helping fill in the gaps of Mexico’s health care system by making medical advice more accessible to poor and rural communities throughout the country.

Bringing Health Care to Rural Mexican Communities

Founded in 2014, 19Labs aims to make health care more accessible worldwide to people in rural communities. Its GALE platform is a “smart first-aid kit” that is affordable and accessible and it brings the full clinic experience to those unable to go to one in person. The organization has helped people in Guyana, the United States and Lebanon and now it’s expanding its reach in Mexico.

Earlier this year, 19Labs launched a new branch of its telemedicine program in Yucatán, Mexico, to bring health care services to the underserved rural communities in the area. 19Labs GALE eClinics have connected people who had previously faced distance barriers to services such as medical consultations, diagnostic tools and specialist advice and treatments. Using tools such as Zoom and EchoNous, people can now access effective health care treatment from the comfort of their own communities and without the burden of extensive travel.

In less than a year, the impact and benefits of the GALE eClinics have already been seen. In Comunidad Col, a child who was previously diagnosed with a heart murmur was assessed by the GALE eClinic and appropriately diagnosed with and treated for allergic rhinitis. A 6-month-old child in Noh Bec received an accurate diagnosis and treatment from a chronic dermatitis specialist, significantly improving the child’s condition and quality of life.

Maria Magdalena Chan Uluac, Director of the Noh Bec community clinic, credited the GALE eClinics for helping the lives of those in the Yucatán area: “We are at least three hours from Mérida, where the specialists are, so GALE has been a major financial and logistical relief for our patients. This has encouraged seeking medical treatment sooner instead of waiting until symptoms become critical.”

Telemedicine for Mexicans Abroad

MiSalud is a startup that connects Mexicans working abroad to health care. MiSalud’s mission is to provide services such as basic health care, preventative care, nutrition coaching, chronic condition management and mental health support via video, phone or SMS chat. The company also does not charge its users a co-pay and has extended hours for its virtual clinic.

MiSalud primarily works with agricultural, construction, hospitality and manufacturing companies where employees struggle to access health care because of language barriers or a lack of time to make it to a clinic or hospital. Employees of these companies receive MiSalud’s resources as an employer-sponsored benefit regardless of their insurance or full-time or part-time status. The coverage also extends to up to three family members.

Taylor Farms, a major global purveyor of packaged salads and cut vegetables, is one company that partners with MiSalud. Amy Taylor, the leader of Taylor Farms’ wellness initiative, reported that about 5,600 of the company’s 6,400 employees have signed up for MiSalud’s services. More than 2,000 of these employees have utilized the resource at least once.

MiSalud says that 40% of its users have said they would have ignored their health concerns or waited until they could travel back to Mexico to see a doctor without the platform. The company also reports that its users have seen a 56% improvement in depression scores and a one-level drop in diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure risk. In addition, users experienced a 24% improvement in chronic condition management and an average weight loss of 16 pounds.

More Ways to Access Telemedicine in Mexico

MedicallHome is another company working to make health care in Mexico more affordable and accessible. It provides 24/7 telephone access to licensed doctors, costing just $2 to $5 a month. Beyond medical care, the company also offers life insurance and vision and dental coverage.

Medicall is staffed by more than 60 practitioners, nutritionists and psychologists, each with at least two years of clinical experience and required to practice outside the call center to maintain their skills. The center handles about 500,000 calls annually, resolving 62% of cases over the phone and referring the rest for in-person treatment. Customers also have access to a provider network that includes primary care and specialist clinics, laboratories, pharmacies and hospitals.

Conclusion

Telemedicine is a growing field in Mexico and with widespread smartphone adoption by Mexican citizens and improving internet access, it is expected to become more popular. As of 2024, 68% of Mexicans reported preferring video and telephone consultations due to convenience, reduced travel costs and fewer wait times than in-person clinics. Since only half of the population has consistent medical care, the growth of free and accessible telemedicine in Mexico is significant and a welcome change to the health care system.

– Hannah Fruehstorfer

Hannah is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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OneSky: Hong Kong’s Invisible Children

Hong Kong's Invisible ChildrenHong Kong, one of Asia’s largest economic markets, is home to more than 7.5 million individuals. With one of the highest population densities, the city is often unaffordable to many. According to Oxfam Hong Kong, 20.2% of people live below the poverty line. Within that group, young children, often facing abandonment, are the most vulnerable group, as 24.3% of children under the age of 14 live in poverty. In addition, one in 10 children lives with a single parent.

The consequences of a torn and neglected childhood are severe, impacting the ability to provide for oneself and family in the future. Invisible children and those in poverty lack education, have low self-esteem, and struggle with isolation from other children, according to The Hub. Because of instability, children in poverty are highly likely to transition families.

OneSky

Although numerous non-governmental organizations, such as Oxfa,m have worked in reducing poverty in Hong Kong, few groups focus on children’s welfare. OneSky is one of those nonprofits, aiming to empower children in marginalized communities through partnering with governments in Asia. Specifically, their Hong Kong Center seeks to care for invisible children, who are adolescents who were abandoned by their parents, as well as creating programs to educate parents and caretakers.

OneSky’s Hong Kong Center not only aims to provide and raise Hong Kong’s invisible children, but surrounding Chinese villages as well. Following a large wave of migration from rural Chinese villages to industry in Hong Kong, many children struggled with abandonment. As OneSky noted, the damages the invisible children suffered showed little difference from impoverished Chinese children in the late 1990s.

Family Village Program

As other nations in Asia continue to exponentially develop industry and economy, OneSky recognizes the risk young children incur. Drawing from previous work in Hong Kong and China, OneSky is building strategic government partnerships and model centers to guide proper parenting across Asia.

Notably, OnesSky, through the Family Village Program, played a critical role in determining the best course of action impacting invisible children’s welfare status in China. As a result, the initiative trained 36,146 caregivers and assisted over 74,297 children.

Since 2021, OneSky Hong Kong has planned more than 50 partnerships with local service organizations. Throughout the pandemic, OneSky has helped 437 children and families. Despite numerous difficulties in the past years, OneSky has remained true to its mission in looking out for Hong Kong’s invisible children, and will continue to do so.

The Future

OneSky’s work in Hong Kong clearly demonstrates that even in wealthy, industrious areas, poverty among the most vulnerable groups is invisible. Without the dedication and contributions of groups such as OneSky, individuals under the poverty line, especially children, are unable to advocate for their needs. As such, the hope is that the government and the private sector continue to partner and fund organizations that care for invisible children, to ensure that every child has the resources necessary to thrive.

– Owen Wu

Owen is based in Westborough, MA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Water Politics and Poverty Reduction in Jordan

Poverty Reduction in JordanJordan, one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, utilizes innovative solutions, with the help of U.S. aid, that lead to poverty reduction, improved livelihoods, and strengthened national resilience in a fragile regional context.

Water Access in Jordan

UNICEF estimates that water in Jordan is available weekly in urban areas and biweekly in more rural communities. Annually renewed water sources provide only about 90 cubic meters of water to each person every year; this is less than one-fifth of the severe water scarcity threshold as defined by the Falkenmark Water Stress Indicator. By 2040, these provisions are estimated to fall to 60 cubic meters per person yearly.

Limited frash water in the region, which the neighbouring territories of Israel and Palestine also change, including the rapid expansion of the population, are one of the main reasons for such extreme water scarcity.

Water as Politics

Access to clean water is a stabilizing force for nations. Without access to safe, clean water, Jordanians do not have means for hydration or basic hygiene, heightening vulnerability to disease and damaging the nation’s overall public health.

Without an increase in Jordanian water supply, the current growth of the agriculture, industry, and energy sectors could face disruption, restricting increases in GDP and employment rates.

Currently, only about 15.5% of Jordanian women participate in the workforce. This may be due to the fact that women and children bear the majority of water-collection responsibilities. If water were more readily available closer to home, women and children could spend less time traveling to collection sites. Consequently, more women could participate in the workforce and children could spend more time in school.

Public health, national employment levels and workforce availability, as well as education, are key components of a nation’s politics and among the main concerns of its governance. These elements, linked to water security, impact the stability of the nation and highlight the importance of water politics for poverty reduction in Jordan.

Innovative Solutions

In looking for solutions to water scarcity in Jordan, UNICEF found that the country loses around 52% of available water as non-revenue water, through leaks, theft and billing inefficiencies. In 2022, the Jordanian government announced a nationwide plan aimed at combating non-revenue water loss. With a 2040 deadline, the state aims to narrow non-revenue water to less than 25% nationally, according to the International Trade Administration (IDA).

One of the ongoing projects directed at waste reduction through systems upgrades, funded largely by USAID, involves the implementation of Smart Metering, Monitoring, and Controlling Systems, IDA reports. This change to the water network in Jordan could allow the government to resolve leaks more rapidly and prevent theft through unauthorized access. By reducing waste and ensuring fair distribution, these innovations support poverty reduction in Jordan by making reliable water access more equitable across communities.

Jordan has also found a solution for the lack of freshwater available in the region. Utilizing reverse osmosis technology, the nation is currently undergoing an ambitious international project: the Aqaba-Amman Desalinization and Conveyance Project, also known as the National Water Carrier Project.

The Jordanian Ministry of Water and Irrigation plans to use reverse osmosis to convert seawater from the Gulf of Aqaba into clean, safe freshwater. The proposed desalinization plant will be large enough to convert 300 million cubic meters of seawater yearly and will attach to a 450-kilometer (roughly 280-mile) transmission and distribution system that reaches Jordan’s capital, Amman.

Jordan’s Water, Everyone’s World

Saroj Kumar Jha, a Global Water Director for the World Bank, says that “Without water, economies falter, food production collapses, and public health deteriorates.” This statement can also go a step further: without water, nations are vulnerable to violence.

While discussed in terms of the United States’ own water supply, generalizations of the Center of Naval Analyses’ Military Advisory Board’s findings remain the same in Jordan: water scarcity can create civil unrest and localized violence, and the stress of water scarcity creates an environment more supportive of government agitators and violent extremist organizations.

For Jordan, water is more than survival– it is foundational to peace, economic progress and resilience in a volatile region. U.S. aid and innovative projects that expand water access are not simply engineering solutions; they are strategies of poverty reduction in Jordan that lift families out of cycles of deprivation and create pathways for health, education, and work.

Because most of Jordan’s limited freshwater resources are shared with Palestine and Israel, water scarcity easily spills over into regional tensions. Addressing water-focused poverty reduction in Jordan, therefore, reduces not only domestic vulnerability but also the risk of resource-driven instability across the Middle East.

– Alyse Rhee

Alyse is based in Winter Garden, FL, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Earth05: Fighting the Global Water Crisis

Earth05Artificial Intelligence (AI) is in every corner of everyone’s lives. No matter what screen you turn on, there is an AI feature that tries to simplify your life with its summarizations and generated images. That help doesn’t have to be just for people; it can also be used to save the environment.

Recognizing this potential, the Barcelona-based nonprofit Earth05 has begun applying AI to address the ongoing water crisis. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. To address this challenge, Earth05 is working toward its goal of improving the lives of 500 million people by 2030.

Earth05

Earth05, launched in January 2024 at the World Economic Forum. Its mission is to increase water access to millions of people globally. The organization aims to achieve this by using AI to predict water shortages, detect leaks and contaminants, optimize irrigation and power smart delivery systems.

Earth05’s ultimate goal is to prevent rising poverty and support lower-middle-income economies and indigenous communities. It aims to equip these groups for immediate challenges and long-term shifts in the age of AI. Earth05 believes combining AI with water conservation can create powerful solutions for the planet and its people.

Earth05’s AI could help predict water fluctuation patterns in countries that need it most, which is becoming harder to do without the assistance of AI. Such progress would be vital for nations like Mexico, Brazil, India, China and other countries that obtain water by desalination.

Aside from improving water access, Earth05 is committed to contributing to the United Nations (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and many more.

The Solution

Earth05 is fighting to ensure the global water crisis does not worsen by integrating water, education and AI across all initiatives. New technology will allow the nonprofit to analyze future systems, from water consumption to the availability of water based on previous predicted weather reports. AI can make these predictions quickly and accurately, for the first time.

The charity’s goal has always been Return on Lives (ROL), the first metric to measure what truly matters in innovation. ROL tracks how investment dollars translate into real improvements in human lives, environmental health and future well-being. It directly shows how many people Earth05 has helped through its commitment to solving the global water crisis.

Final Remarks

Earth05 is using AI to create better weather reports and better irrigation systems. The research conducted by Earth05 will help find ways to access frozen water or water buried deep in the ground. AI can use its knowledge and large language models (LLMs) to help locate water for those in need and address the growing global water crisis.

– Avery Carl

Avery is based in Norfolk, NE, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Financing Africa’s Green Transition: Global Climate Investment

Africa’s Green TransitionAfrica is at a critical juncture in its expansion, straddling the line between delivering rapid economic development and addressing adverse climatic conditions. The continent faces some of the highest levels of climate vulnerability, including persistent droughts and desertification, extreme flooding and coastal erosion.

However, Africa has enormous potential to lead in a global green transition, particularly given its abundant renewable energy resources, youth population and expanding clean technology market. Financing Africa’s green transition is imperative for environmental, economic and geopolitical reasons. 

Financing Africa’s Green Transition

Despite its potential, Africa has about 5% of global climate finance. Yet, the continent is home to 17% of the world’s population and is one of the most climate-vulnerable regions. Wealthy countries have pledged $100 billion annually in climate finance to developing countries through the Paris Agreement, but these commitments have consistently fallen short.

This means that for millions of people, a funding gap slows renewable energy deployment, prevents critical infrastructure projects and raises the cost of adaptation. Without urgent and scaled support financing, Africa risks being locked into a fossil-fuel-dependent future just as the world transitions to cleaner energy.

The economic rationale for Africa’s green transition is compelling. Expanding renewable infrastructure, solar, wind and hydro, would drive millions of jobs, increase energy access for more than 600 million people without electricity and stimulate industrial growth using clean energy.

Countries are already leading the way: Kenya, with more than 80% of its electricity from renewables; Morocco, home to one of the world’s largest concentrated solar plants; and South Africa, which is turning to wind and solar to diversify its coal-heavy grid. Together, these examples show the potential to meet domestic energy needs sustainably and position Africa as an exporter of renewable energy and hydrogen.

Why Global Climate Investment Can’t Wait

Financing Africa’s green transition is critical to achieving global climate objectives from an environmental perspective. The continent produces a small share of global emissions, approximately 4%, but its future emissions path will depend on the energy systems it deploys today.

Financing its transition to renewable technologies now has the potential to prevent a new increase in emissions, conserve biodiversity and preserve critical ecosystems, such as the Congo Basin rainforest, which is a global carbon sink.

From a geopolitical viewpoint, a green transition with sufficient finance would increase Africa’s global standing. Renewable sources would lessen overall dependence on imported fossil fuels. Energy security could be improved, too. African countries could also become influencers in the global clean technology sector.

However, for this to happen, strong international cooperation is essential. African governments, development banks, private investors and technology suppliers need to work together to mobilize the billions of dollars required for renewable energy. These funds are critical not only for infrastructure investment but also for climate adaptation and the growth of green industries.

Looking Ahead

The way forward requires innovative financing mechanisms. These include blended finance to de-risk private investments, sovereign green bonds and regional investment platforms to pool resources for cross-border projects. Development finance institutions can assist by guaranteeing loans, offering concessional rates and providing technical assistance in project design and implementation.

Africa’s green transition is already underway, but at a pace that is too slow to meet the Sustainable Development Goals or the Paris climate targets. With international support, the continent can unlock its renewable energy potential, drive economic growth and lead in clean energy innovation. The message is clear: the world cannot afford to leave Africa behind in the fight against the ongoing climate crisis.

– Sophia Scelza

Sophia is based in Lindenhurst, NY, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Poverty and Water Security in the Sahel

Water Security in the SahelWater security is a significant concern in the Sahel, where a lack of water endangers lives, livelihoods and long-term stability. This fragile region, which contains some of Africa’s most climate-vulnerable countries, is dealing with worsening droughts, expanding deserts and rising displacement. For millions, the everyday struggle for safe and reliable water worsens poverty, increases hunger and reduces resilience.

Access to clean water has progressed beyond a simple humanitarian requirement, becoming the foundation for economic development, social stability and the prospect of a more secure future.

How Scarcity Fuels Malnutrition

Reliable water access is essential for the Sahel’s food systems to meet the needs of a fast-growing population. Between June and August 2025, approximately 47.4 million people are projected to face acute food and nutrition insecurity, the highest number recorded in the region.

The impact on children is especially severe: 16.3 million children below 5 years are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition, including 4.3 million in severe condition. These figures represent more than statistics. They reflect families whose crops fail, herders who lose livestock and communities forced to pay higher prices for scarce food.

As rainfall becomes more unpredictable and fertile lands keep degrading, farming is becoming riskier, leading to a quicker spread of hunger. However, by enhancing water security in the Sahel through methods like irrigation, sustainable groundwater management and climate-resilient farming practices, these trends can be turned around. This would lessen hunger and allow communities to break free from poverty.

Water Scarcity Fuels Poverty Through Displacement

Water scarcity threatens livelihoods and drives mass displacement and instability across the Sahel. In early 2025, 9.1 million people were forcibly displaced, including 6.6 million internally displaced individuals and 2.5 million refugees and asylum seekers.

Entire communities have been torn apart as environmental changes wipe out traditional living methods. Since the ’60s, Lake Chad has lost nearly 90% of its size, destroying the farming and fishing jobs that once supported millions. When families can’t find water, they’re forced to leave their homes, which puts pressure on the communities that take them in and increases competition for limited resources.

These difficulties can weaken social ties, increase insecurity and push even more people into poverty. Addressing water scarcity could help stabilize these communities and reduce migration pressures. It also allows governments and aid organizations to shift their focus from emergency measures to sustainable solutions for poverty.

Limited Water Deepens Poverty and Vulnerability

Access to clean water remains critically low in the Sahel, disproportionately affecting women, children and the most vulnerable populations. In Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, nearly 38 million people lack drinking water and 68 million lack basic sanitation services.

For many families, children often spend hours fetching water instead of attending school and poor sanitation contributes to preventable illnesses that reduce productivity and educational attainment. These challenges deepen inequality and make it even tougher for communities to break free from poverty. Expanding access to safe water and sanitation is crucial, not just to boost health and education outcomes, but also to lay the groundwork needed to shatter the cycle of poverty.

Tackling Water Scarcity in the Sahel

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has been pivotal in expanding access to safe drinking water. In 2024, UNICEF installed eight solar-powered water systems to reduce the hassle of finding water in the region.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), a regional body supported by member governments, strengthens water governance, improves irrigation and promotes sustainable farming. Together, these efforts are critical in easing the burden of drought and helping Sahelian communities secure their future.

Conclusion

The connection between water security and poverty in the Sahel is unmistakable. Issues like hunger, displacement and inequality arise from inconsistent water access. For countless individuals, the lack of safe water impacts every part of their lives, from their meals to whether their kids can attend school.

By focusing on sustainable water infrastructure, empowering resilient communities and prioritizing water access in humanitarian and development efforts, the Sahel can start to pave the way toward stability and opportunity. Indeed, water isn’t just a basic necessity; it’s a vital resource that can help break the cycle of poverty and create a brighter, more secure future for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

– Anagha Rajithkumar

Anagha is based in Prince Edward Island, Canada and focuses on Business Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Threats and Solutions To Crop Farming in Uganda

Crop Farming in UgandaUganda is located in East-Central Africa. It is a landlocked country, with the Democratic Republic of Congo to its west, South Sudan to its north, Tanzania to its south and Kenya to its east. Uganda is resource-rich, but relatively underserved. Its GDP per capita was $1,072 in 2024, which places the country at 196 in the world for this measurement.

Farming in Uganda

Crop farming in Uganda is a major sector. About 80% of Uganda’s land is arable, but only 35% is cultivated. Agriculture remains vital, accounting for nearly 25% of the country’s GDP.” Environmental factors are intrinsic to crop farming and in recent years, these factors have become unpredictable and extreme.

Since smallholder farmers are some of the most impoverished members of Ugandan society and often rely on every harvest for their sustenance and livelihoods, the increasing environmental challenges can become a real problem.

Maize and beans are two essential crops in Uganda. While they do not rank in the top five for exports, they are significant domestic foods and cash crops. Both crops are facing new environmental challenges and the solutions demonstrate the resilience and dynamism of the Ugandan agricultural community.

Better Beans for Ugandans

Beans are vital to Uganda, providing nourishment for its people. However, rising droughts and unpredictable rainfall threaten harvests, putting the country’s most vulnerable smallholder farmers at risk.

Dr. Clare Mukankusi is a Ugandan plant researcher at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). She is a firm believer in the importance of beans as a foundation of Ugandan life, having grown up on them herself. Through selective crossbreeding, Mukankusi has been developing a new type of bean that matures in two months, rather than the three to four months taken by traditional beans.

This will make them much more likely to survive an unpredictable and shorter growing season. As this new breed of bean is further developed and eventually distributed across Uganda, it will help secure the future of crop farming in the country. It offers vulnerable smallholders a crucial advantage in facing an increasingly challenging environment.

Fighting the Armyworm Threat

Pests have always been an issue in Uganda, but pesticidal chemicals were a clear solution. The armyworm, in particular, threatens maize, an important food, cash crop and export crop on which many smallholder farmers depend. However, the armyworm is becoming increasingly pesticide-resistant, forcing farmers to adapt and find new ways to keep the pest at bay:

  • Parasites: Introducing certain parasites that feed on armyworm larvae can help control their population. If managed carefully, this could become an effective mitigation method.
  • Planting techniques: Deep ploughing and strict management of crop residue after harvest can reduce pest survival.
  • Crop rotation: Regularly rotating maize with other crops can disrupt pest life cycles and lower infestation risks.

These techniques have the potential to counter pest threat without increasing chemical potency, which many farmers have had to do in the interim. While effective, this is not sustainable. Scientists from multiple institutions warn that overuse damages soil health in the long term and accelerates pest resistance.

The Need for Government Action

Many Ugandan environmental scientists agree that their government must become more involved in crop farming in Uganda. As mentioned, increased potency of pesticides has risks to human and environmental health and risks of further pest-resistance.

Dr. Kalyebi, the lead author of armyworm research in Uganda, stated that the government needs to educate farmers on the dangers of chemical mitigation and fund different solutions, such as those aforementioned. It is widely agreed upon that the Ugandan government should recognize the importance of maize farming, particularly farming and invest in research and subsidies.

Conclusion

Crop farming in Uganda is vital to the country’s economy and people. The underserved depend on good harvests to survive and environmental factors such as droughts and pests directly threaten them. However, the determination of the Ugandan people to find ways around these problems is remarkable and one can hope that the government will match these efforts.

– Oliver Evans

Oliver is based in Winkleigh, Devon, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty Stoplight: Personal Agency Tool Combatting Poverty

poverty stoplightLifting oneself out of poverty alone is a nearly impossible task, but agency in the effort towards economic mobility can be a powerful tool. At the Poverty Stoplight, a Paraguay-based organization working to help families discover practical and innovative solutions in overcoming poverty, self-awareness is a key philosophy. The organization’s Stoplight tool offers a self-assessment survey and intervention model that enables people to identify their unique challenges and develop practical solutions to overcome them, giving them the chance to have personal agency in combating poverty.

“Who Owns Poverty?”

The Poverty Stoplight asks the question: “Who owns poverty?” and argues the answer can be “a new approach that puts poor families in charge of defining and diagnosing their own unique, multidimensional poverty—who by owning the problem, own the solution.” This participatory methodology takes form as a self-assessment survey that serves as a metric using 50 carefully selected poverty indicators across six dimensions to help individuals evaluate their poverty status, assess their needs and discover solutions.

The approach has garnered the organization more than 700,000 Stoplights applied throughout 59 countries and hundreds of organizations, from formerly incarcerated individuals in New Orleans to poverty policy in Ecuador. From that personal agency in combating poverty, users report finding the survey engaging, feeling empowered and gaining valuable insight and context into the poverty they face.

Poverty researchers have praised the methodology for being simplistic and people-focused, stating, “The elegance of the methodology shows us that simplification is not about chasing the perfect metric to simplify into a dashboard to be used by executives in far-away boardrooms for their benevolent decision making. It is about having a simple yet contextually appropriate way of ‘measuring what we value’ and of truly bringing people into the process.”

The Stoplight’s “red, yellow, green” indicators — with red indicating extreme poverty, yellow indicating poverty and green indicating no poverty — help individuals keep track and visualize their current poverty status as well as improving progression. In Paraguay alone, the organization has helped more than 6,000 families reach the “green” indicator and more than 27,000 families generate more income, key data that serves as an important incentive for resource allocation from stakeholders.

Green Stoplight: A New Focus on a Growing Issue

In the face of the urgent need to implement environmental action, Poverty Stoplight has also introduced a new tool for users. Again taking the approach of starting closest to home when tackling a challenge, the Green Stoplight helps individuals and families self-evaluate their environmental footprint within the scope of 10 indicators:

  • “Responsible water use”
  • “Waste separation”
  • “Recycling practices”
  • “Efficient energy use”
  • “Sustainable transportation”
  • “Plastic use reduction”
  • “Vegetable garden and composting”
  • “Garbage disposal”
  • Extreme weather patterns and environmental protection

Using the same self-assessment approach, as well as the guiding visuals of the “red, yellow, green” progress indicators, the tool again demonstrates an agency for individuals in creating environmental change the same way it gave personal agency in combating poverty.

Bringing Awareness

Moreover, the new focus brings their awareness to a particularly relevant issue as the effects of natural disasters and extreme weather continue to hit the world’s poorest people first and hardest. With projections predicting extreme weather around the world to push an additional 120 million people into poverty by 2030, the Green Stoplight is a tool for everyone, with a recent campaign targeting university students in Paraguay to take the assessment and apply it to their household and communities.

The campaign also helped create partnerships with universities and other institutions in a joint commitment to furthering sustainability through collective individual change. These partnerships also work to develop more practical solutions for identified problems that can be used as additional indicators to the current 10 and create a larger impact on an eventually global scale.

– Jannah Khalil

Jannah is based in Sacramento, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Impact of Mission Work in African Communities

Impact of Mission Work in African CommunitiesFor many years, churches and organizations alike have conducted mission trips to various countries. Africa is home to many of those countries that host the majority of mission trips. These trips are ways for Christians to serve the world around them by building the community up in places most in need. Mission work in poverty-ridden African communities mainly focuses on helping provide access to clean water, health care and education. Missionaries have organized mission trips for years, with hundreds of people using their time and resources to help underdeveloped communities with humanitarian aid and the gospel. 

Mission Trips

There are many aspects that go into a mission trip to Africa. The Christian faith-based mission trips impact the community by combining spiritual outreach and practical aid. Using humanitarian work with evangelism, these organizations work to make a difference. Evangelism is sharing the gospel message with those who have not heard it before or may not fully understand it. Organizations primarily visit the most underdeveloped communities in Africa. Many African areas have limited access to basic needs. Safe drinking water, electricity and quality health care are only some of the needs that these communities struggle to meet.

Mission trips involve people coming together to help build things for those in need and distribute things like food and water. These are acts of service that not only help in practical ways, but they are also a way of showing demonstration of God’s love. Many organizations participate in constructing homes, schools, food drives and many other ways to build and replenish the community.

Mission trips are multifaceted and aim to extend a hand through community service and evangelism. There are many ways to spread the gospel through mission trips, from one-on-one conversations to larger-scale communion. Helping physically provide for these communities is an important aspect of these trips, but providing faith and hope is a need that not many realize.

African Missions

Mission work in poverty-ridden African communities mostly emphasizes the connection between faith-based efforts and humanitarian development. Daingerfield Church of Christ is one of the many churches to have members go on mission trips to Africa. Founded in 1922, the Daingerfield church serves to dedicate Christ through worship, fellowship and services to others. The church partners with Pine Tree Church of Christ to conduct these mission trips. The members pay their own way and fundraise for the trips. One of their long-time members, Chuck Lee, who has gone on 17 African mission trips, spoke with the Borgen Project. “We plant churches, baptize and then disciple them in partnership with our African team,” Lee said. “We go back to encourage, strengthen and help appoint leaders.”

According to Lee, they have built more than a thousand churches and a core team of fewer than ten people has baptized tens of thousands. “10 years ago, the organization and its members spent less than $200 thousand a year in Ghana,” said Lee. “Within the last two years, it has increased to more than $1 million a year.” With this dramatic rise in funding, the amount of trips, resources and effort into preaching and aiding has made a large difference for the communities in Ghana and Togo. According to Lee, these mission trips have led to 600 churches built in Ghana and nearly 500 in Togo. The church group was able to create several schools, orphanages, a hospital and acquire a water drilling rig to help with a better water supply. 

Long-Term Impacts

Mission trips in Africa and several other countries have the potential to create a long-term impact. Churches and water systems, like the ones the church of Christ built, have been sustainable for years because of the leadership within the community. The mission members come to the community with the tools and help build, while the community residents are the ones who really keep things running. 

The impact of mission work in African communities can spark long-term change and create viable futures. The true success lies in the continuation of trips and relationships. Many mission sites are places the organization has previously visited. While mission work in poverty-ridden African communities brings short-term relief, long-term sustainability requires empowering local relationships. The repetition builds a foundation for relationships within the community and creates a reasonable outlook for the future.

Looking Ahead

Building consistent partnerships within underprivileged communities helps create a foundation for long-term success. Mission work aims to rebuild communities while teaching self-sufficiency and cooperation. Long-term relationships allow projects and missions to be monitored and adjusted where improvement is needed. Over time, these partnerships build sustainability that supports lasting progress in areas such as education, health care and finances. The impact of mission work in African communities can spark long-term change and create viable futures.

– Emily Herlehy

Emily is based in Denton, TX, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Planting the Seeds of Success with AI Learning

Seeds of SuccessWith the rise of AI developments in recent years, many organizations and companies have been adapting to AI’s capabilities and what it means in the new era of technology.

Much of everyday life has now been impacted by AI, from going through a drive-thru to searching online. However, one organization seeks to make AI have the humanistic touch it needs to have a powerful impact globally with AI learning.

About Seeds of Success

Seeds of Success is a nonprofit organization that gives individuals who lack proper access to many resources the chance to gain steady support in many aspects of their lives. Most importantly, its outreach includes many mental health services to help the 50 million adults globally who face mental health challenges with no resources.

However, the charity’s support does not stop there! Through Seeds of Success’ Project CARLA, students can be introduced to learning opportunities using AI learning, regardless of their background.

Using AI Learning for Good

In an effort to flip the narrative around AI and education, Seeds of Success looks to develop AI learning algorithms with educators and students to better school communities globally. It seeks to use AI not to replace teachers, therapists or other vital supports, but to amplify teachers’ and other support workers’ outreach to their students and receivers.

The charity seeks to eliminate the unnatural AI algorithms that do not connect with individuals seeking mental health services today. Instead, its projects include the redefinition of AI and AI learning to engage students and troubled youth in the modern world around them.

AI for the People, by the People

The founder of Seeds of Success, Jarred VanHorn, has a personal mission with his AI learning redirection: to approach communities with a compassionate response to mental health and learning challenges to improve the quality of life.

VanHorn and Seeds of Success seek to accomplish this mission by ensuring that mental health and its various resources are not an afterthought for communities. With the support of numerous volunteers driving its global impact on AI learning, Seeds of Success aims to spread mental health and educational resources to all affected youth.

In the long term, the organization seeks to cultivate a culture shift around AI and learning that will positively influence the world. Indeed, the organization’s motto, “AI for the People, by the People,” reinforces the vision that VanHorn seeks to build around AI. Seeds of Success looks to a future where AI can transform the lives of students, youth and educators alike.

The Impact Over Time

Seeds of Success is calling for donor support to sustain its mission of helping others. Until now, the organization has been operating solely with volunteers. However, VanHorn recognizes that Seeds of Success could expand its impact significantly with greater resources.

With increased funding, the organization could extend its outreach through scholarships, mental health and wellness programs and the continued redefinition of AI learning. Looking to the future, Seeds of Success is working to impact a cultural change and positively implement AI learning in communities around the globe.

– Angelina Tas

Angelina is based in Cleveland, OH, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr