Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Vietnam’s Science, Technology and Innovation

Vietnams Science Tech and innovation

Vietnam sits at a crucial point as its economic development is currently facing difficulties with labor and capital forces that could hinder proper and sustainable development. Therefore, Vietnam must rely on a boost in productivity to successfully increase the country’s GDP growth. At this moment Vietnam’s science, technology and innovation system can provide numerous advantages in accomplishing its goal of building a sustainable economy. By taking proper advantage of its science and innovation, Vietnam could create numerous opportunities for its future.

Vietnam’s Successes

While Vietnam has a long history of respected and reputable scientific research, particularly in agriculture and biology, its innovation system is only beginning to emerge. Vietnam has numerous advantages it can utilize in order to improve its science, technology and innovation (STI) system.

Geographically, Vietnam is one of the most dynamic regions in the world. Over the past 2 decades, Vietnam has seen strong economic development and a massive reduction in poverty rates. In 1993, the percentage of Vietnamese people in poverty was 58, but by 2011 the percentage had dropped to 12. Vietnam’s education system and educational efforts have also been largely successful. The education systems success is demonstrated by a 98 percent literacy rate in Vietnam.

Furthermore, since the nation becomes industrialized, it has seen an increase in exports of an eclectic variety. Previously exports have been predominantly in agriculture, which it has maintained. However, in 2009, its exports expanded to include electronic equipment (5 percent), jewelry (5 percent) and machinery (4 percent).

Obstacles and Solutions

Vietnam’s current science, technology and innovation (STI) system contains several weaknesses. They include a lack of proper infrastructure, poor research and development in the business sector and weak STI government policies. Vietnam is also faced with several threats to its STI system such as a slowdown in economic growth in recent years, failure to prepare for international cooperation and failure to improve government and business institutions to deal with corruption.

To address these threats and weaknesses to innovation the World Bank has formulated a list of recommendations to serve as solutions to these problems. The list includes:

  • Improving the framework for innovations: All aspects of Vietnam’s framework, including infrastructure, the business sector, openness to trade and foreign direct investment and the tax system affect Vietnam’s innovative system.
  • Improving governance of innovation system: The government plays an integral role in regulating all aspects of STI systems, including setting priorities and ensuring adequate performance.
  • Strengthening the human resource base for innovation: Improving the educational system and allowing current workforce members opportunities to improve their skills as well as placing heavier emphasis on soft skills is essential for innovation.

Looking Forward

With the proper development of Vietnam’s science, technology and innovation System, the country has numerous potential opportunities to pursue. It could lead to a positive social and economic impact on the country’s population. Vietnam’s economic system has the potential to be upgraded and diversified with the development of a dynamic business sector. Lastly, the improvement of Vietnam’s STI system could be the driving force to sustaining Vietnam’s recent economic development.

– Randall Costa
Photo: Flickr

Revolutionizing Education and Technology in Africa

Education and Technology in AfricaAccess to education and literacy are two of the most important tools for positive growth in developing nations. Each new educated, literate and technologically-savvy generation can bring with it a host of innovative solutions and boundless potential for future development. However, in rural or impoverished parts of Africa, access to education – and especially technology – can be limited, making it difficult for the millions of people living there to receive these key resources.

Connecting Rural Africa

Intuitive, driven thinkers are determined to change this; the introduction of the XO Laptop and the Inye computer tablet has changed the face of education in Africa with technology, while the WorldReader program is making literacy more accessible than ever with e-readers. Advancements like this help fuel the growth of developing countries from the inside out by starting grassroots dedication to education that can completely alter the future of impoverished nations.

One of the essential first steps for transforming education in Africa with technology is connecting rural villages to the internet, a vital resource when it comes to both teaching and learning. Internet access isn’t guaranteed in villages without the luxury of cables and Wi-Fi, which meant other solutions had to be explored.

The XO Laptop

Two pieces of technology emerged, providing limitless potential to impoverished children throughout Africa. The first is known as the XO Laptop, a compact, inexpensive personal computer with both built-in internet connectivity as well as a host of other features that make it ideal for use in rural areas. The product has surged in popularity in Kenya.

The Inye Tablet

For adolescent users with more advanced technological understanding, the Inye Computer Tablet is the solution helping to bridge the tech gap between first and third-world countries, such as its origin country of Nigeria. At a price just over 250 dollars, it provides competitive features to mainstream wireless devices for a fraction of the cost. The Inye tablet uses dongles to connect to the internet rather than a wireless connection, making World Wide Web access affordable and easy. The Inye tablet has also opened the market for local programmers to develop apps for needs specific to their communities, often featuring education modules focuses on HIV, clean water, and youth education.

The WorldReader Project

Finally, literacy has gone from dream to reality for millions in impoverished countries worldwide with technological advances and the initiative of NGOs like the WorldReader Project, which provides e-readers stocked with curated libraries to schools in developing nations. WorldReader programs are tailored based on age group and reading experience, and the long-lasting e-readers they rely on can be used in direct sunlight. WorldReader has taken action in nearly 50 countries and expanded its base to include nearly 10 million readers since 2010.

The revolution to improve and expand education in Africa with technology is already underway, and growing every day. With new innovations like the Inye Computer Tablet and WorldReader e-readers becoming available to millions worldwide, lives are changing for the better, and the future is bright for Africa.

– Emmitt Kussrow
Photo: Flickr

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An Update on the BeyGood Fellowship Program in South Africa

BeyGood Fellowship ProgramLast December, Beyoncé performed at the Global Citizen Festival in South Africa, a festival aimed at ending global poverty. The 2018 festival was in honor of Nelson Mandela, former South African president and activist who died in 2013. Over 90,000 people attended the festival, which raised $7.1 billion worldwide. The highly anticipated performance garnered high viewership and engagement worldwide, and parts of the performance were streamed online. However, this was not the beginning of Beyoncé’s charity work in South Africa. Her foundation, BeyGood, has spotlighted local organizations for years. Now, BeyGood plans to return to South Africa twice a year to help develop and execute its community outreach plan. In doing so, BeyGood created the BeyGood Fellowship Program.

BeyGood Fellowship Program in South Africa

The BeyGood Fellowship Program in South Africa is being executed in partnership with Global Citizen. The two organizations are working to empower local youth in helping end world poverty by 2030. Each youth fellow receives a paid, yearlong job opportunity and will focus on one of four pillars of activity from Global Citizen: creative, campaigns, rewards or marketing.

In late March 2019, the BeyGood foundation reviewed applications and returned from New York to Johannesburg, South Africa. Once there, BeyGood representatives met with four fellows who have been working on the project since the Global Citizen Festival in December. They also met with local partners to see how their work has been going and what is needed to ensure future success.

BeyGood Foundation Partnerships in South Africa

In addition to the organization’s work in South Africa, the BeyGood Foundation is partnering with UNICEF USA and Chime for Change on a campaign called Every Drop Counts, bringing clean water to Burundi. The BeyGood Foundation also works with an organization in Johannesburg, IkamvaYouth. This organization aims to pull children out of poverty through after-school tutoring. Founded in 2003, IkamvaYouth is youth-driven and offers career advice and psychological services. It impacts 5,000 youths per year across 15 branches.

Moreover, BeyGood is partnered with 9-year-old arts organization Lalea, whose mission is to support youth through after-school art programs. The organization helps students manifest their dreams and think creatively to accomplish their goals. BeyGood’s visits to South Africa enabled them to check in with all of these programs and more. More importantly, it allowed BeyGood to ensure they are engaging the communities they serve and maintain and create future success.

Though the BeyGood fellowship program in South Africa is relatively new, the organization has continuously worked with various South African organizations to aid youth development. The program has executed on their promises to the community. Ultimately, BeyGood is an example of how to incorporate youth in the fight to end extreme poverty by 2030.

– Ava Gambero
Photo: Google Images

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How One Artist is Helping Sex Trafficking Victims in India

Sex Trafficking Victims in IndiaEvery eight minutes, a child goes missing in India, becoming yet another one of the estimated three to nine million sex trafficking victims in India, many who are young girls between the ages of nine and 12. Extreme poverty, coupled with a lack of education and awareness about human trafficking, leaves women, young girls and young boys victims of sexual exploitation. However, one Indian artist has launched a campaign that uses art and technology to protect women and children from falling prey to sex trafficking.

The Artist

Leena Kejriwal grew up near Kolkata’s Sonagachi, the largest red-light district in Asia and a global sex-trafficking hub, where around 10,000 women and girls work as prostitutes. Thousands more are trafficked through the district to other brothels and sex trafficking destinations each year. “My awareness of the existence of a red light district happened as a child. I had heard tales of girls and women who were caught and put there. Every time our car passed the lane, we were told not to look to ‘that side’. Furtive glances gave me glimpses of girls and ladies standing on the roadside,” Leena described.

Leena’s childhood awareness that many women and girls around her were trapped as sex slaves spurred her to take action. She knew she had to do something, so in 2014 as a wife, mother and artist, Leena launched “Missing” at the Indian Art Fair. The goal of “Missing” is to bring mass awareness to the dark reality of the sex trafficking industry in India through a simple and engaging piece of art that speaks to everyone and transcends space and language barriers.

What is “Missing?”

The campaign is simple: erect cut-out figures of a young girl in parks, on schools, businesses and other sites throughout cities and towns, casting symbolic shadows to commemorate the millions of young lives lost in the dark shadow that is sex trafficking. Leena’s purpose with “Missing” is twofold—bring public awareness to sex trafficking and provide women, young girls and boys with knowledge so they can avoid becoming sex trafficking victims in India. Confirmed sites for the art campaign include New Delhi’s Gurgaon and Connaught Place, as well as Eco Park in Kolkata.

Leena, along with Satyajit Chakraborty of Flying Robot Studios, has also developed the “Missing” app. The app has a role-playing game that allows players to experience what a missing person goes through when she is trafficked into prostitution. The player, who assumes the role of the missing person, must assess risks and make choices throughout the game in order to find her way to freedom.

Awareness = Prevention

Leena also works in a trafficking prevention program in the remote Sundarbans area, a region that accounts for 44 percent of sex trafficking victims in India. The program, much like Leena’s “Missing” artwork and app, seeks to build awareness and empower both sex trafficking victims and potential victims, giving them a better understanding of their rights and the options available to them, along with consistent counseling.

Leena, whose motto is, “Why wait for a girl to get trafficked to save her?,” believes awareness equals prevention, and with her artwork and the app, she is opening up conversations and bringing public attention to the human trafficking industry in the hopes that Indian women and children will no longer be pulled unawares into the shadows of sex slavery.

– Sarah Musick
Photo: Wikimedia

7 Health Care Innovations in sub-Saharan Africa

Innovations in sub-Saharan Africa are emerging, aiming to improve sanitary conditions and facilitate access to medical care, directly combatting some of the region’s most prominent health crises. Due to health and sanitation concerns being a primary factor in high rates of illness and morbidity, advances in technology are progressively bettering the quality of life of many citizens in these regions.

7 Health Care Innovations in sub-Saharan Africa

  1. The Mamaope Jacket
    In Uganda, a leading cause of infant mortality is pneumonia. In its early stages, pneumonia can be difficult to distinguish from malaria. As a result, misdiagnosis is the leading cause of infant and toddler deaths attributed to pneumonia. One of the innovations of sub-Saharan Africa became the solution to reducing the impacted community. The Mamaope Jacket was created by a Ugandan engineer, Brian Turyabagye. This Mamope Jacket records audio of a child’s breathing via a modified stethoscope inserted into a vest. Analyzing this data aids in detecting key signs of pneumonia. It is estimated that the Mamaope Jacket’s diagnostic rate is three to four times faster than a traditional doctor, and also greatly reduces the risk of human error.
  2. SafariSeat
    Access to wheelchairs and other assisted mobility devices is severely limited in rural regions of developing nations. However, the SafariSeat is changing this; the SafariSeat is an inexpensive, durable wheelchair. This offers both a solution to individuals living with limited mobility in rural areas and is environmentally sustainable. SafariSeat is both produced and maintained using bicycle parts to create a wheelchair suitable for use in all terrain types.
  3. NIFTY Cup
    The NIFTY cup is lowering the rate of infant deaths from malnourishment by providing a cost-effective, convenient way to feed newborns unable to breastfeed. Some causes of not being able to breastfeed include birth defects such as a cleft palate or premature birth. Amongst the other innovations of Sub-Saharan Africa, the NIFTY cup funnels breast milk from the main cup into a small reservoir that a baby can sip from easily without choking or spilling. The creator, a mother herself, Trish Coffey, created the NIFTY cup after giving birth to her daughter prematurely. Manufacturing a NIFTY cup costs just $1, a viable alternative to breastfeeding for impoverished rural communities such as Tanzania and Malawi. In addition, it is reusable.
  4. Flo
    In developing African nations such as Kenya, on average, girls miss a week of school per month due to menstruating. This is because of the stigma associated with periods and limited sanitation resources. That being said, Flo is a reusable menstrual hygiene kit equipped. Within this kit, are reusable pads, a discreet carrying pouch, and a container used while washing clothes to avoid soiling other garments. This offers a cost-effective, environmentally friendly method for women lacking disposable alternatives. Flo opens the door for greater educational and occupational opportunities. It also lowers the rate of reproductive diseases resulting from poor menstrual hygiene.
  5. LifeStraw
    With more than 10 percent of the global population lacking access to sources of clean drinking water, diseases resulting from consuming contaminated water are a major contributor to high child mortality rates. Approximately, illnesses from drinking contaminated water kill a child every 90 seconds. The high temperatures and unpredictable climate shifts in the sub-Saharan region make potable water extremely valuable, but can also cause availability to fluctuate. Innovations in sub-Saharan African, such as LifeStraw is a simple, portable device that uses a mesh fiber to filter out bacteria and parasites commonly found in contaminated water. The LifeStraw corporation works with major humanitarian organizations such as World Health Organization and the United Nations to provide both individual LifeStraw filtration devices and larger filtration systems to developing communities in need.
  6. Speaking Books
    There is a lack of information about mental illness available to impoverished communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, there is a higher rate of suicide among younger populations. Just a decade ago, more than 15 percent of South Africans afflicted with mental illness had little to no access to any kind of treatment. Zane Wilson, the founder of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, created a range of free audio pamphlets on mental health. Innovations in sub-Saharan Africa like Speaking Books have a goal to combat the lack of access to treatment, which in many rural areas, also reflects high rates of illiteracy. The Speaking Books series now offers 48 different booklets explaining and destigmatizing mental health disorders. Furthermore, these pamphlets are available in 24 languages and distribution spans among 20 African countries.
  7. Tutu Tester Van
    Although HIV is a global epidemic, South Africa has especially high rates of infection. As a result, the country’s rate of tuberculosis has dramatically spiked over the last two decades. However, because of the stigma surrounding HIV, very few communities have access to effective counseling, testing and treatment methods. The Tutu Tester van, introduced by the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, is a fully-staffed clinic on wheels. They visit rural and impoverished communities to provide health screenings using modern equipment – including tests for HIV and TB. As a result, this reduces the stigma attached to these diseases, as patients retain anonymity once they enter the van. Globally, increasing availability to testing is a primary goal of the United Nation’s plan to eliminate the epidemic of HIV by 2030.

Access to these health care innovations in sub-Saharan Africa is having numerous impactful effects: reducing mortality rates, advancing mental health awareness, contributing to greater longevity and improving quality of life for people in impoverished communities across the region. With improved healthcare and sanitation access,  communities have greater chances of reducing poverty and increasing economic and cultural growth.

– Emmitt Kussrow

Photo: Flickr

The African Water Grab is Hurting Small Farmers

africa water grabWater is an essential but limited resource that is unfairly allocated in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Although one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG7) is to lower the number of people that currently live without sustainable access to safe water by at least half, there is much work to do. The African water grab by international banks and corporations is leaving small African farmers quite vulnerable.

Water Rights

The term “water rights” means the right to extract water from groundwater and other bodies of water. It grants access to desalination projects, water-purification and treatment technologies, irrigation and well-drilling technologies, water and sanitation services and utilities, water infrastructure maintenance and construction. Restrictive permit systems in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe have resulted in 100 million people being left with insufficient water.

Water rights for large commercial operations in Africa are granted primarily by permit laws that were established in colonial times. Small farmers have only customary water rights, which are agreements based on tradition rather than written law. Their operations are often too small to gain permits either because the government does not have the infrastructure to grant so many permits or farmers do not know to get them. Approximately half of sub-Saharan Africa governments use customary rights to water for home use and limited farm irrigation.

Inequitable Water Distribution

Since the end of Apartheid in South Africa, water distribution has remained inequitable despite the legislative efforts of the National Water Act (NWA 36 of 1998) and the National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS2), which prioritize the allocation of water for socio-economic growth over commercial uses.

In Malawi, 80 percent of the people live in rural areas are dependant upon rain for agriculture success. This leaves the population vulnerable because there are frequent droughts, variations in climate and natural disasters. Recent estimates suggest that foreign investment in Mali’s land jumped by 60 percent between 2009 and 2010. In locations like Mali and Sudan, a new approach is badly needed. Some investors have been given unrestricted access to water. The chairman and former CEO of Nestlé, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, has called the buy up of farmland a “great water grab.”

Traditional access is efficient until there’s a conflict. In those cases, large-scale water users, with superior entitlements to use water for large-scale irrigation, mining, industry and hydropower generation, are better able to win disputes with the government. Internationally, water rights consolidated in the hands of a few is also a problem.

These new “water barons”—international banks and investors—are buying up the world’s water quickly.  With international and influential agents having extensive rights, and local farmers having questionable rights, the already limited water systems will be further stretched. “Exclusive reliance on national permit systems has, at least on paper, “criminalized” up to 100 million people lacking water permits in the five countries studied,” wrote Barbara van Koppen, the lead author of the report.

A Hybrid Approach

A recent report argued that the consolidation of water rights is hurting the environment and the small farmer, who holds only traditional water rights. The solution, the authors argue, is to support African governments in “decolonizing” water laws through a “hybrid” approach to water-use rights.  They recommend that permit systems be retained but used instead to regulate large-scale water users that have a large impact on small farmers and the environment. The hybrid approach would also extend legitimate rights to customary laws, which have guided investments in water infrastructure as well as water sharing for centuries.

Certain aspects of this hybrid approach are already in use in parts of Africa. Uganda is focusing on providing permits to 20 percent of its large-scale water users. These users require 80 percent of the resources. In Kenya, targeted permitting has been formalized. Water users are categorized from A to D, depending on the impact their water use has, and they are regulated accordingly. However, the legal protection for small-scale users still remains unaddressed.

– Heather Hughes
Photo: Flickr

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Drones Bringing Vaccinations to Ghana

Drones Bringing Vaccinations

Over the past few decades, Ghana has been able to drastically improve its vaccination rates through education and communication with communities. Right now, vaccination rates for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough are at 98 percent in Ghana, compared to 94 percent in the U.S. The child mortality rate in Ghana has dropped by 30 percent and is now at 5 percent.

Additionally, measles, which used to be one of the predominant causes of child mortality in Ghana, has now been nearly eradicated. This is due in part to the double-roll out in 2012, which was the first time any African country introduced two vaccines at the same time, the pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines. It proved to be wildly successful, reinforcing Ghana as a model for neighboring countries.

Despite these improvements, one of the main roadblocks to increasing the coverage and effectiveness of vaccines in Ghana is accessibility. One promising solution to this roadblock is drones bringing vaccinations to Ghana.

Drones Bringing Vaccinations to Ghana

Planning to reach the remaining unvaccinated Ghanaians, the Ghanaian government recently launched the start of its partnership with Zipline, a company utilizing drones to deliver medical supplies to underserved regions. The technology increases the accessibility of essential medical supplies without having to wait for the costly infrastructure development of better roads and train access. Zipline is currently able to provide 13 million people vital medicine incredibly quickly. At the four distribution centers located throughout Ghana, doctors can place an order via text for any necessary medications and reliably expect a delivery within 30 minutes.

In addition, one of the primary challenges in increasing vaccination coverage is access to electricity for refrigeration. Zipline’s quick and reliable delivery system solves this issue as supplies are received still cold. This innovative battery powered medical delivery system is able to deliver goods pilotless, thus reducing emissions costs and medicine transport costs. This makes it an incredibly cost-effective mode of transport, aiding initiatives to offer free vaccinations to children in Ghana.

With dozens of hospitals relying on Zipline for emergency medicinal deliveries, access to life-saving medical supplies has already increased dramatically in hard to reach areas. In Rwanda, where Zipline has served for the past 3 years, maternal mortality rates are dropping drastically due to emergency drone deliveries of rare blood types.

Just a few decades ago, Ghanaians were in a statistically alarming situation. The introduction of Zipline is bringing medical supplies to Ghanaians who still lack access. With plans to eventually provide access to vital medical supplies all around the world, Zipline appears to be revolutionizing the world of medicinal accessibility for the world’s underdeveloped regions. As Zipline is a relatively new company, it’s too soon to have data determining long term impacts. However, given the rapid changes Zipline has brought to Ghana and Rwanda’s medical access already, it’s feasible to imagine a future where drones bringing vaccinations is commonplace.

– Amy Dickens
Photo: Flickr

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The Humanitarian Efforts of Alyssa Milano

Humanitarian Efforts of Alyssa MilanoEver since she was a child, Alyssa Milano has spent almost all of her entire life in the public eye. Memories of “Who’s the Boss?” and “Charmed” come to mind when recalling her television career. Moreover, of late, Milano was featured prominently at the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings, along with involvement in the #MeToo movement. Few know that Alyssa Milano is a philanthropist who gives to charity regularly on both global and domestic level. This is a closer look at some of the humanitarian efforts of Alyssa Milano.

Early Humanitarian Efforts

In 2002, the humanitarian aid of Alyssa Milano began in hosting a photography exhibition and auction in Los Angeles to raise money for a charity in South Africa. An avid photographer in her own right, Milano displayed her own work, as well as the photos of the children attending Los Angeles’s Venice Arts program. Nkosi’s Haven, an organization that runs care centers in South Africa for AIDS-afflicted mothers and children, received close to $50,000 from this event.

UNICEF Ambassador

In 2003, UNICEF invited Milano to become an ambassador due to her charitable work on behalf of children. Milano’s first trip to Angola was to see the issues that plagued the newly-liberated country. Milano launched UNICEF’s Trick or Treat campaign in the fall of 2004. Traveling with UNICEF to India six months after the tsunami disaster, she visited the worst-affected tsunami zones in South India to witness the relief and rehabilitation efforts. Milano’s trip also focused on education and spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS. India has the second highest infection rate in the world. Since her appointment as a UNICEF Ambassador, Milano has been influential in raising funds and awareness for UNICEF and its mission of saving and improving the lives of children worldwide.

As a founding lead ambassador for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Disease Control, Milano’s her first action was to donate $250,000 to the charity’s Drug Fund. This was used to battle lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Myanmar.

The Global Network is an advocacy group dedicated to raising awareness, inspiring policymakers and working with the necessary funding to control and eliminate the most common Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). NTDs are a group of disabling, disfiguring and deadly diseases affecting people worldwide, living on less than $1.25 a day. The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with the Global Network to raise the profile of the neglected disease. In addition to the other humanitarian efforts of Alyssa Milano, she remained focused on bringing this issue to the public.

Charity

In addition to the humanitarian efforts of Alyssa Milano are her charity efforts. In 2009, she became involved with charity work. She began with Water, a grassroots non-profit that engaged more than 75,000 donors around the world and raised over $13 million for operations and water projects. For her 37th birthday, Milano asked in lieu of any presents or parties, that her charity campaign receive donations.

Clean and safe drinking water is not accessible to millions of people. Many suffer from waterborne schistosomiasis, caused by parasitic worms. Not having access to clean drinking water perpetuates the cycle of poverty, Milano believes, as it keeps children out of school and women from pursuing economic growth.

Milano’s campaign brought clean water to Adi Berakit Elementary School in Ethiopia. The campaign also reached 18 other projects. She raised over $50,000 in less than a week and 250 families benefited from her actions. Projects like this one use clean water as a catalyst to improve the overall health of children and the surrounding community.

Recognition

For her commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of others, Milano received:

  • a humanitarian award from Sri Chinmoy
  • The Peace Meditation at the United Nations
  • The John Wayne Cancer Institute 2004 Spirit of Hollywood Award

Milano remains involved with the charities reported in this article, in addition to many other organizations. All of the humanitarian efforts of Alyssa Milano show how she used her fame, along with constant dedication and generosity, to turn her work into something incredible that helps other people.

-Colette Sherrington
Photo: Wikimedia

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10 Facts About US Involvement in Central America

10 Facts About U.S. Involvement in Central America
Central America consists of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. U.S. involvement in Central America has been consistent throughout history and into the present day. The U.S. provides aid to Central American countries and supports their development projects. Recently, the U.S. has placed special emphasis on providing aid to the Northern Triangle countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. These are the 10 facts about U.S. involvement in Central America.

10 Facts About U.S. Involvement in Central America

  1. In 2018, Guatemala received $80.6 million in U.S. aid, while Honduras received $67.8 million and El Salvador $46.3 million. These countries used the received aid to reduce crime, corruption and poverty. Some of the specific U.S. goals behind the aid included improving development in Guatemala, increasing economic growth by training workers and increasing production in El Salvador and addressing the high rates of poverty and hunger in Honduras.
  2. In the past decade, USAID has provided Guatemalan farmers with greenhouses, new irrigation systems and the machinery needed to plant new types of crops. In the past, many Guatemalans could not farm the land in their home country and migrated out of necessity. Thanks to USAID, Guatemalans can now farm their land effectively.
  3. Between 2011 and 2014, USAID worked to combat violence and crime in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Panama. USAID implemented new programs within communities and emphasized employment opportunities and criminal justice reform. In 2014, data showed that individuals living in neighborhoods with USAID initiatives felt safer and were more optimistic about their communities and police forces. There was a 51 percent decrease in individuals who felt aware of murder and extortion in their neighborhoods, a 14 percent decrease in the perception of gang violence and a nine percent increase in respect for law enforcement in areas impacted by USAID anti-crime initiatives. USAID reports that its efforts reduced murder rates significantly in El Salvador.
  4. USAID collaborates with Central American governments to fund programs designed to improve Central America’s living conditions. USAID programs provide job training for young Guatemalans. USAID also works to rehabilitate ex-convicts in El Salvador, teach entrepreneurship skills to young people in Honduras and financially assist Guatemalan farmers.
  5. Fifty-seven percent of U.S. aid provided to El Salvador in 2017 was used to improve its criminal justice system. Much of the aid funded training for police officers and public defenders. U.S. aid also funded anti-corruption initiatives in the Salvadoran attorney general’s office.
  6. U.S. aid provides funding for anti-corruption investigations of the Honduran government. It also funds monitoring of the Honduran electoral system and combats poverty in rural Honduras.
  7. In 2017, Honduras used over 50 percent of its aid funding to help the poor. The U.S.-funded programs implemented addressed child malnourishment and treated HIV. Honduras also used U.S. aid to assist with sustainable agriculture practices.
  8. In 2014, the U.S. collaborated with the governments of the three Northern Triangle countries to increase economic development. The U.S. provided $750 million for this project in 2014. By 2017, conditions in the Northern Triangle had improved enough to reduce rates of illegal migration to the lowest levels seen since 1971.
  9. By 2017, the positive results mentioned in these 10 facts about U.S. involvement in Central America were visible. There was a decrease in homicide rates in all three Northern Triangle countries and 20,000 new agricultural jobs in rural Guatemala. Meanwhile, agricultural sales in Guatemala increased by 51 percent.
  10. Since 2016, U.S. aid to Central America has decreased by about 20 percent.The State Department claims that the aid provided to Central American countries in the past did not create positive results. To protect U.S. foreign aid to the Northern Triangle and continue the positive effects discussed in these 10 facts about U.S. involvement in Central America, U.S. voters can contact Congress here.

U.S. aid has played an important role in reducing violence and poverty in Central America. These 10 facts about U.S. involvement in Central America show the positive results of U.S. foreign aid and enhance the idea that reducing the amount of aid provided would be detrimental to the people of Central America.

– Emelie Fippin
Photo: Flickr

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5 Examples of Social Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries

Social Entrepreneurship in Developing CountriesToday, social entrepreneurship is growing rapidly in size, scope and support. An unprecedented number of organizations are using entrepreneurship as a strategy to address social problems like poverty, at-risk youth and hunger. Social entrepreneurs are developing creative and innovative organizations that give people the tools, education and resources to become an entrepreneur. As entrepreneurs, they can serve their own communities, improving health, decreasing hunger, creating safer environments and accessing clean water. Here are five organizations using social entrepreneurship to help create jobs in developing countries.

5 Examples of Social Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries

  1. The Adventure Project
    The Adventure Project works in developing countries seeking out partnerships with organizations creating jobs for their communities. Some organizations include KickStart, LifeLine, Living Goods, Water for People, and WaterAid. The organization chooses partners based on their measurable social impact, a proven track record of success, and readiness to scale. Since its inception, the Adventure Project has empowered 798 people to find a job. This has led to thriving local economies, improved environmental conditions and even reduced mortality rates. In Kenya, cooking over an open fire posed a huge health risk to both people and the environment. Now, stoves are made and sold locally. Masons create stoves and vendors earn commissions for their sales. And because they’re using 50 percent less charcoal, families are saving 20 percent of daily expenses. In other countries, villagers have been trained as health care agents, selling more than 60 products at affordable prices. These health care agents also care for more than 800 people in their communities.
  2. Indego Africa
    Indego Africa is a nonprofit social enterprise that supports women in Rwanda through economic empowerment and education. This enterprise aims to break intergenerational cycles of poverty. To do so, Indego Africa provides female artisans with the tools and support necessary to become independent businesswomen and drive local development.Partnering with 18 cooperatives of female artisans, Indego Africa sells handcrafted products through an e-commerce site, collaborations with designers and brands and at boutiques worldwide. To develop their entrepreneurial skills, Indego Africa provides artisans with training in quality control, design and product management. Indego currently employs over 600 women, 58 percent of whom make over $2 a day. According to the World Bank, $2 a day marks the entry point into Africa’s growing middle class.
  3. Mercardo Global
    Mercardo Global is a social enterprise organization that links indigenous artisans in rural Latin American communities to international sales opportunities. As a result, this organization helps provide sustainable income-earning opportunities, access to business training and community-based education programs. Mercado Global also increases access to microloans for technology, such as sewing machines and floor looms. Mercado Global believes income alone cannot solve long-term problems. Therefore, the organization focuses on both business education and leadership training. In doing so, Mercado Global enables artisans to address systemic problems within their communities. Artisans are given microloans, ideally to purchase equipment that allows them to work more efficiently. They then pay back their loans, allowing another artisan to attain one. Forty-four percent of Mercado Global entrepreneurs held a leadership position within their cooperatives in the last three years. Ninety-six percent participate in the finances of their households. And 77 percent of women voted in their last community election.
  4. Solar Sister
    Everyone should have access to clean energy. And the team behind Solar Sister believes women are a key part of the solution to the clean energy challenge. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 600 million people have no access to electricity. Moreover, more than 700 million must rely on harmful fuels. However, women bear the majority burden of this energy poverty and disproportionately shoulder the harmful effects. In order to address this issue and create more equity around clean energy and economic opportunities, Solar Sister invests in women’s enterprises in off-grid communities. By doing so, the Solar Sister team builds networks of women entrepreneurs. Women are first given access to clean, renewable energy. Then, they participate in a direct sales network to build sustainable businesses. Centering local women in a rapidly growing clean energy sector is essential to eradicating poverty. This allows helps achieve sustainable solutions to climate change and a host of development issues. Evidence shows the income of self-employed rural women with access to energy is more than double the income of those without access to energy. For rural female wage or salary workers, access to energy is correlated with 59 percent higher wages. Solar Sister is currently helping over 1,200 entrepreneurs. The team is also partnering with Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Sustainable Energy for All, U.N. Women and Women in Solar Energy.
  5. United Prosperity
    United Prosperity is a nonprofit organization providing an online lending platform connecting lenders to poor entrepreneurs across the globe. A Kiva-like peer-to-peer loaning system allows anyone with spare cash to guarantee loans to entrepreneurs in need. Lenders select the entrepreneur they want to support and lend any amount they wish. United Prosperity then consolidates the loan amount and passes it on to the entrepreneur through a local bank. For every $1 given by the lender, the bank makes a nearly $2 loan to the entrepreneur through a partner Microfinance Institution (MFI). Once a loan or a loan guarantee has been made, the entrepreneur’s progress is tracked online. When loans are repaid, lenders get their money back. They then have the opportunity to recycle it by lending or guaranteeing the loan to another entrepreneur. These microloans aim to help entrepreneurs, mostly women, grow their small businesses. United Prosperity has transferred more than $280,000 in loans to 1,300 entrepreneurs. Moreover, MFI helps build entrepreneurs’ credit history with local banking systems, thus encouraging more banks to lend to them.

These organizations are wonderful examples of how social enterprises have effectively empowered locals in the social entrepreneurship space. Through innovation, investment in local resources and talent, and measurement practices, these organizations have helped social entrepreneurs around the world to scale and grow. In doing so, they also address social problems like poverty, at-risk youth and hunger in their community. The results have been improved health, increased economic opportunities, safer environments and increased access to clean water and energy.

– Leroy Adams
Photo: Flickr