Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Health and Nutrition Key Parts of Development Projects in Nepal

development projects in nepalIn April 2016, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed an agreement with NGOs to provide five new development projects in Nepal, totaling $121 million in aid. Here is an overview of those projects:

Suaahara II – $63 million

This five-year (2016-2021) program is “dedicated to improving the health and nutrition status of women and children”. It will build on existing improvements in maternal, infant and young child nutrition practices through various mediums such as activities, media programs and mobile technology. This program aims to reduce stunting produced by malnutrition during critical developmental stages (conception to 24 months) and improve maternal and child health services. In addition, the integrated strategies will work with government development projects in Nepal to expand services for adolescents and social attitudes towards delayed marriages and family planning.

Feed the Future Seed and Fertilizer Project- $15 million

This five-year project will bring targeted aid to promote sustainable increases in crop productivity in the agricultural sector and provide food security to common Nepalese families. The program plans to achieve this using improved seeds and “Integrated Soil Fertility Management technologies.” It hopes to equip local farmers and national partners with the technology and information needed to sustain and grow crop productivity.

Sustainable, Just and Productive Water Resources Development in Western Nepal – $2.5 million

This three-year project was created to promote sustainable water resource development in an area particularly vulnerable to climate change. It hopes to provide accurate information and base knowledge for policymakers and companies to use in their decision making regarding water ecosystems. They will focus their efforts in the Karnali and Mahakali river basins of Nepal.

Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project – $15 million

This five-year program aims to “foster a more legitimate, accountable, and resilient Nepali civil society” through effective policy advocacy, media use and government engagement. The program will incorporate gender equality as a common thread throughout all project activities.

Programme for Aquatic Natural Resources Improvement – $25 million

Lastly, this five-year program’s goals include reducing threats to Nepalese biodiversity and increase human and ecological resilience to climate change through improved water management. It will provide critical support to areas strained by overuse, increased populations and climate change. This program hopes to incentivize water conservation engagement at all levels of society, from fisherman to politicians, through political engagements, informational activities, and academic research.

According to Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz, these USAID-funded development projects in Nepal “address both the continuing needs of the Nepali people post-earthquake, and at the same time build sustainable communities that support Nepal’s long-term development goals.”

– Belén Loza

Photo: Flickr

Infrastructure in Yemen in Precarious State Due to Civil War

Infrastructure in YemenIn 2014, a civil war broke out in Yemen, a country in the Middle East. Infrastructure in Yemen was already poor and underdeveloped prior to the civil war but has gotten worse since the war began. Due to a large fuel shortage, health services and water supplies were among the resources that were about to collapse only a year after the war began.

In 2016, out of the 3,652 facilities that provided vaccinations, 900 of them were no longer operating. The shutdown of these facilities took a toll on infrastructure in Yemen, leaving 2.6 million children at a higher risk of catching measles.

Lack of Water

The health of Yemeni people is at further risk because of the increased difficulty in accessing water. Many explosions in early 2016 left a water desalination plant close to Al-Mokha with a lot of damage. Over a million people in Taiz, a nearby city, no longer had access to their only dependable source of water.

Even Yemen’s capital city of Sana’a lacks piped water, though the city was known to experience water shortages prior to the war. This lack of resources causes water prices to increase in most areas. The exceptions are places such as Saada City, where the corporation of water is supported by the ICRC and the U.N.

In an effort to address the country’s issues with water, a new drilling technique was introduced to supply more water to meet the demand. The technique, however, caused too much water to be taken from Yemen’s aquifers, thus making water more scarce and expensive. The increase in water prices was also partially caused by increased petrol prices, which sparked protests in 2014.

Issues with Transportation

Given that it is one of the driest countries in the Middle East, Yemen’s lack of water is a pressing concern. However, the country experiences many other issues in its infrastructure. Only 4,785 miles of the 41,634 miles of road in Yemen are paved. The transportation situation has only worsened since the beginning of the civil war, during which many of the country’s key bridges have been bombed.

Overall, the war has caused almost $7 billion of damage to infrastructure in Yemen. This cost rises to over $14 billion when including the damage to the country’s economy.

Progress in Infrastructure

In an effort to help fix the country’s infrastructure, in February 2017, the U.N. began working on providing $2.1 billion in aid to Yemen. Additionally, a fund of $20 million has been devoted to the Financial Infrastructure Project in Yemen, which began in 2013 and closed in 2017. The project was coordinated by the World Bank, and they set even more goals for infrastructure in Yemen that they aim to complete by 2019. By focusing on meeting these goals, crucial infrastructure can be restored to the Yemenis who need it most.

– Haley Rogers

Photo: Flickr

Credit Access in Belize on the Road to Improvement

credit access in BelizeDespite having the third highest per capita income in Central America, credit access in Belize is still in need of improvement. With the help of governmental programs, bank expansions and bank partnerships, credit access will continue to improve.

Belize’s GDP increased from $3.082 billion in 2015 to $3.097 in 2016. However, this increase does not accurately depict the large disparity between the rich and the poor in the country. To combat the approximately 11.1 percent unemployment rate and the 41 percent of the population living in poverty, Belize has actively created programs and partnerships to increase credit access that would benefit those in poverty.

In 2012, in order to increase access to financial services and credit access in Belize, the country created a program called BOOST, which stands for Building Opportunities for Our Social Transformation and provides small cash assistance to poor households. The program has helped children in schools and offers services such as savings and micro-loans as a first step toward financial independence. According to a World Bank Social Protection Specialist, BOOST promotes human capital growth, savings and productive investments.

The following year the country partnered with the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, to help establish the first credit reporting system in Belize. The system would allow financial institutions to share credit information and better manage lending risks. The partnership will also help expand access to finances for individual borrowers and small businesses.

The creation of a credit reporting system, along with BOOST, is key to a sound economy and will help reduce the risks of financial institutions, which will lead to lower interest rates, making loans more affordable and more widely available.

With the continued success of programs such as BOOST and the credit reporting system, credit access in Belize will continue to improve and become more available to everyone.

 – Amira Wynn

Photo: Flickr

The Future Looks Bright for Infrastructure in the Philippines

infrastructure in the philippinesThe Philippines has become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The poverty level has decreased from 25.2 percent in 2012 to 21.1 percent in 2015, although the rate of extreme poverty remains high at 12.1 percent. The nation’s future is looking bright, as plans are developed to upgrade aging infrastructure in the Philippines. Working toward creating more jobs, boosting competitiveness and attracting more foreign firms to influx its economy, this Southeast Asian country has received a lot of help and support to make these goals a reality.  

The 2015-2016 World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitiveness Report ranks the Philippines at 106 out of 140 countries in terms of infrastructure development. As part of the Infrastructure Initiative, with the Department of Commerce, this project is designed to help attract U.S. companies to participate in various infrastructure endeavors within the Philippines.

Between the countries high economic growth and rising population, its infrastructure has been strained and is in need of serious development.

In 2017, an interagency panel chaired by Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte approved four major infrastructure projects worth $7.5 billion, that included bridges, roads and the country’s first subway.

The Metro Manila Subway Project was the largest plan approved, funded by overseas aid from Japan. This major upgrade in infrastructure in the Philippines of its subway was urgently needed in order to solve the capitals notorious gridlock. Road expansions are also underway in the southern Philippines as well as the construction of bridges in Manila.

These major and important changes are all part of Duterte’s “golden age of infrastructure” six-year plan which will cost about $180 billion in modernizations of airports, roads, railways and ports.

Above all, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have played a critical role in financing infrastructure in the Philippines, aiding in road improvement, water and sanitation, transportation, solid waste management, flood management projects and even energy-related projects.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States of America also offered a “financing package for up to $1 billion in guaranteed loans and direct-dollar loans to finance U.S. exporters in renewable energy and liquefied natural gas facilities in the Philippines.” In 2017, TRIP, the three-year rolling infrastructure program, was reinstated which assures continuous government funding for three years.

With these major banks and organizations at work, the Philippines is well on its way to becoming the fastest growing economy, and the hope is strong that this economic growth will eliminate poverty altogether.

– Kailey Brennan

Photo: Flickr

Creating Sustainable Agriculture in the Dominican Republic

Sustainable Agriculture in the Dominican RepublicDespite being contested with a variety of obstacles, sustainable agriculture in the Dominican Republic is essential to the country’s overall success.

Located next to Haiti in the Caribbean Sea, the Dominican Republic is home to 10.6 million people who rely heavily upon its agriculture industry. The industry’s main exports are sugarcane and rice, products that employ 15 percent of the population and account for about 11 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

However, there are a variety of obstacles to overcome for sustainable agriculture in the Dominican Republic to become a reality.

Natural Disaster Relief Efforts

According to the World Food Program, one obstacle the country faces is the country’s natural disaster relief efforts, which are not enough to support small farms. Vulnerability to climate change in turn exposes the Dominican Republic to a high number of natural disasters. Droughts, along with frequent hurricanes, mudslides and floods, cause real problems for small-scale farmers who rely on their crop yield to feed their families who, according to the World Bank, make up 72 percent of farmers in the Dominican Republic. Many of these farmers have no access to insurance for their crops, leaving them nearly hopeless in the face of a hurricane.

However, as of 2013, the World Bank funded the Dominican government in providing disaster relief. The World Bank also created an insurance plan in 2007 for farmers facing crop destruction by natural disasters. The plan, Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), covers farmers for a short time period following a natural disaster and claims are paid based on the type of disaster.

Fruit Fly Outbreak

The Dominican Republic faces another threat to its agriculture besides natural disasters, but it’s much, much smaller. According to the United Nations, in 2015, an outbreak of fruit flies resulted in the loss of $40 million in exports after the U.S banned the imports of 18 different kinds of fruit.

Thankfully, for the Dominican Republic, the outbreak was contained and eradicated within 10 months with help from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA sterilized male flies using ionizing radiation, also known as Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) and released the sterile male flies, who were unable to reproduce. Despite these efforts, small-scale farmers continue to struggle.

Exportation Techniques

The most successful sustainable agriculture in the Dominican Republic comes from large, exporting plantations that have enough money to pay for new and more efficient farming technologies. Meanwhile, the other 72 percent of farmers struggle to combat natural disasters, sloping terrain and a variety of other issues.

According to Agrilinks, a United States Agency of International Development (USAID) funded program called, Farmer-to-Farmer, works toward introducing new techniques to Dominican farmers. New techniques such as ridge farming, utilizing soil testing kits and using grasses for ground cover all aim toward creating sustainable agriculture in the Dominican Republic.

By adopting more efficient techniques, farmers can improve soil conservation, and cut back on deforestation — efforts that, in turn, reduce the amount of pollution in rivers and streams.

Reliance on Imports

Another dilemma related to the agriculture industry in the Dominican Republic is its reliance on imports for a balanced diet. According to the Canadian government’s agriculture profile of the Dominican Republic, local agriculture only meets about 60 percent of the countries demand for food.

This leaves a large gap in the food demand and explains the chronic malnutrition that 7 percent of children under 5 face, according to the World Food Program. With 40 percent of children living in poverty and 10.4 percent in extreme poverty, malnutrition is a real obstacle for the Dominican Republic.

To combat these food deficiencies, the World Food Program worked with the Dominican government to supply nutritious foods to more than 1,300 health care centers. Looking ahead, the World Food Program’s 2018 projections include targeting malnourished areas and improving the availability of nutritious foods by 2025. It also includes assisting Disaster Risk Management in strengthening their readiness to natural disasters by 2030.

Despite undergoing natural disasters, poor farming techniques and infestations, in 2016 the Dominican Republic has still been able to export $111,726,338 to the United States. However, even with great exporting success, the small-scale farmer continues to face adversity.

– Austin Stoltzfus

Photo: Flickr

The Continued Hope for Improvement of Infrastructure in Belize

Hope for Improvement of Infrastructure in BelizeBelize is a Central American nation home to about 360,000 people. Over the years, more and more people have sought to the nation for vacation and leisure, a trend that’s caused the tourist industry to spike since 2015.

Infrastructure

In 1988, renovation began on the Southern Highway, which runs from Dangria to Punta Gorda, and cost $14.7 million. Although this highway is in better shape opposed to other infrastructure, the rest of the nation still seeks assistance.

Of the 1,594 roads in Belize, only 303 are paved, a fact that indicates how infrastructure in Belize could receive some attention. Other highways not apart of the Southern Highway are in dire need; with vulnerability to damage or closure during rainy seasons, the country has not been fully prepared to support the substantial incline of tourist or travel that’s occurred since the late 1990s. Thankfully, though, the early 2000s look much more optimistic.

USAID assisted with funding for improvement to access rural roads despite closing their physical office in Belize after 13 years in 1996. Through assistance like this, Belize has become more accessible to not only locals, but visitors as well. In March 2007, research showed more roads became paved, “and even the gravel or limestone byways seem[ed] to be scraped more frequently.”

Flash forward to 2013 when The Belize Road Safety Demonstration Corridor Project was launched — not only did the project cover resealing until June 2015, but it also saw the installation of safety barriers, pedestrian crossing and road markings.

There are 10 ports of entry to Belize, including the airport that houses three international carriers: United, American and Avianca. With the steady increase of tourists being easily able to visit Belize over the years, one can physically see how infrastructure in Belize is on the rise.

Technology

Belize’s telecommunication network is also growing — Belize Telemedia Limited is the largest nationalized telecommunications company in Belize. Their efficiency, quality and advanced technology make their products and services of distinguished quality. They currently provide telecommunications for government officials, businesses and residents.

Internet access is also available but very expensive for locals to acquire. Satellite internet costs $120 a month but grants unlimited internet use. DSL is also offered, but the price is excessive:  “The maximum speed available is 1 Megabytes up by 16 Megabytes down and this costs a whopping $350 a month.” In terms of broadcasting, Belize has over 10 radio stations in the nation, with 5 operating in all districts. Television is quite popular in Belize as well, with standard programming stemming from North America (CNN, Fox, ABC, NBC and CBS).

Although infrastructure in Belize is not at its peak, it’s indisputable that progress has been made overall. Over time, the island will continue to get closer to being a modernized structure as a whole, but until then, every inch of progress is a mile of development.

– Tara Jackson

Photo: Flickr

Libyan Social Media: Saving Lives and Informing Citizens

Desperate citizens of Libya, especially in the country’s capital Tripoli, are using Libyan social media in a unique way. The people of Libya send helpful information that might say something like, “red light,” to signal an area where militia is fighting or perhaps even taking people for ransom.

The country has been hit with turmoil and danger, as they are three years into their civil war, and is fraught with economic collapse and militia violence. The country is mostly ungoverned, and without safety or regulations being taken, human trafficking and poor treatment of migrants is becoming common.

The citizens on Libyan social media have created groups on Facebook to exchange helpful information on things like where to find petrol stations containing supplies, banks with currency and medicine. The posts also let people know occurrences of danger and violence, and areas of caution.

The militia recently shut off water valves that pump water to the city from the large underground reservoirs in the Sahara; as a result, the residents are desperately looking for water bottles, drawing water from ancient wells and drilling through pavement to get access to water. This can be contaminated water and could potentially cause an outbreak of waterborne diseases. Thankfully, though, social media has been a resource outlet for people to find places with safe drinking water.

With all of the complications and fears the country faces, Libyan social media has become a successful way to quickly spread crucial information about the current situation. Many migrants look to the Facebook groups to warn them of certain areas where it is more likely to become subject to sexual abuse or sold as slaves.

Help came to the country through the installation of the International Organization for Migration, an organization that plans to carry out numerous strategies for evacuating migrants. The effort of relocating people safely is dangerous and difficult due to the lack of government safety, but the use of Libyan social media has played a significant role in successfully aiding others in the meantime.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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5 of the Most Influential Development Projects in Zimbabwe

development projects in zimbabwe
Droughts, land reform and a decrease in production have plagued Zimbabwe since the turn of the century in 2000. But despite these economic challenges, there are five development projects in Zimbabwe that hope to alleviate some of the current struggles that common residents of the country face.

Zimbabwe Rural School Development Programme

Beginning in 2001, the charity Zimbabwe Rural School Development Programme (ZRSDP) was created as a means to counteract the lack of education that affects many children in the country. In 2016, the most recent accomplishment of the ZRSDP included the Peace and Good Hope Primary School in Bulawayo.

This school had grown to a student population of 200 since its foundation in 2002; however, it functioned with six desks, five benches and four toilets that served for not only the students but also two teachers. Devoting over 40,000 GBP ZRSDP helped create proper classrooms, toilets and teacher accommodations at Peace and Good Hope Primary School. Due to this increase in facilities, the school now holds 240 students and a full teaching staff.

Youth and Women Empowerment Project

The African Development Fund plans to create targeted employment opportunities and increase the value of sales in horticulture products for targeted youth and women. Running from 2017 to 2019, this project will cost UA 3.79 million. Through this project, the Fund aims to address fragility risk that threatens Zimbabwe’s development, which includes gender inequality, regional development imbalances, poor governance and technician skills shortages. Development projects in Zimbabwe via these efforts will really lay the foundation for future gain.

Integrated Urban Water Management

The government of Zimbabwe expressed interest in the African Water Facility’s program, “Cities of the Future,” in November of 2013. The project will handle the important water and sanitation infrastructure needs, and “the Municipality of Marondera with a population of 65,000 inhabitants was selected by the Government of Zimbabwe to receive support to develop an integrated water and wastewater Master Plan that will in part present detailed prioritized investments.”

Transport Sector Plan

A plan for sustainable development of the transport infrastructure could get implemented into development through this proposed study, “The target area is the entire population of Zimbabwe and transit transport that will benefit from reduced cost of movement of goods, persons and services as a result of improved transport infrastructure in the country upon implementation of the recommendations of the Transport Sector Master Plan.”

Lake Harvest Aquaculture Expansion

Lake Harvest Aquaculture is the largest integrated tilapia fish farm in sub-Saharan Africa. Expansion of the farm would offer more job opportunities, improved food security through low-cost protein access and increase government revenue.

Change is slowly but surely coming to Zimbabwe through each of these endeavors. These development projects in Zimbabwe are just the beginning of empowerment to the people, but in time they will serve as the catalyst for larger, more sustained change.

– Tara Jackson

Photo: Flickr

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Humanitarian Aid to Jamaica Improving Safety and Security

Humanitarian Aid to JamaicaDespite its upper middle-income status, Jamaica is one of the slowest growing developing countries in the world. With high public debt and many external shocks, limited energy access and the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, Jamaica has a lot to improve in order to eliminate poverty and fast-track its economic growth. Successful humanitarian aid to Jamaica has addressed many of the concerning issues that will help the island move in the right direction.

A serious economic restriction for Caribbean island nations such as Jamaica is a lack of energy security. Jamaica relies on imported oil and even though prices have gone down in recent years, electricity prices are still among the highest in the Western hemisphere. Outdated power grid infrastructure, underutilized renewable energy resources and unmet potential of energy efficiency are just a few of the problems created by this energy deficient.

The USAID Caribbean Clean Energy Program is a five-year development project aimed at promoting investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency for the future. Through regional partnerships, this humanitarian aid to Jamaica works to optimize variable renewable energy integration, work with private sectors to drive investments in clean energy development and improve the environment for clean energy advancement.

Upgrading infrastructure, especially in urban areas, can mean a world of difference in enhancing community safety. The Jamaica Integrated Community Development Project helps economically and socially vulnerable communities by improving basic services like waste management, street lighting, paved roads and drainage, as well as introducing violence interrupters and school-based violence prevention. Created by a partnership with the government of Jamaica and the World Bank, this humanitarian aid to Jamaica strives to end the violence and danger that has grown as youth unemployment levels have risen.

USAID is also involved with the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. This U.S. government initiative works with civil society organizations to help those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. In Jamaica, there are currently an estimated 29,000 people living with HIV. The goal of the program is to ensure HIV prevention care and treatment are being addressed across the island. Humanitarian aid to Jamaica focusing on health is vital to the country’s goal of becoming a developed nation, as HIV/AIDS is most prevalent among the poor and poverty-stricken.

There is still a lot of improvement that needs to be made in Jamaica in order for it to gain developed country status. However, these humanitarian initiatives show that there is hope and potential for this island nation.

– Kailey Brennan

Photo: Flickr

Microfinance Expansion Increases Credit Access in Costa Rica

Credit Access in Costa RicaAccording to the World Bank’s financial inclusion data in 2014, 65 percent of Costa Rica’s adult population had some form of bank account, indicating that banking was available to a strong majority of the population. However, only 13 percent of Costa Rica’s adult population has borrowed from a financial institution at all, and only 6 percent have formally borrowed to “start, operate, or expand a farm or business.” The Alliance for Financial Inclusion interprets these facts to mean that credit access in Costa Rica is not so much an issue of access to financial services, but a problem with the types of financial products offered by traditional banks.

The World Bank describes Costa Rica as an upper middle-income country, and the nation is widely seen as a success story for development. However, despite a relatively stable economy and steady growth, one in five Costa Ricans still fall below the poverty line, and Costa Rica lags behind other nations in financial inclusion and modern small business practices. Despite widespread access to banks, traditional loan products remain out of reach or unfamiliar to most people, and increased credit access in Costa Rica could assist the poor in raising their standard of living.

In response to this untapped market, new products targeted at small-scale borrowers began to expand in Costa Rica in the past decade. One leading microfinance company’s loan portfolio expanded by 25 percent per year from 2010 to 2015. By 2015, microfinance-specific institutions held a combined portfolio of at least $81 million in loans in Costa Rica. A forum hosted by Costa Rica’s General Superintendency of Financial Institutions in 2016 provided government and industry officials there with background information on microcredit products, and aimed to increase assistance to the burgeoning sector.

During these same years, younger and smaller firms in Costa Rica grew at a faster rate than larger, more established firms and the general economy grew at around 3.5 percent per year. A 2017 report by the International Monetary Fund stated that credit growth in Costa Rica is healthy, along with other macroeconomic trends.

Costa Rica often tops lists of the happiest nations on Earth. The small Central American country of five million has no national military. The people enjoy a robust social safety net including universal basic healthcare, and about a quarter of its territory is dedicated to protected nature reserves. With the success of microfinance programs, credit access in Costa Rica is expanding along with its rapidly developing economy. As a result, Costa Ricans can look forward to reduced poverty levels in the near future, an outcome that should keep happiness levels near the top of global rankings.

– Paul Robertson

Photo: Flickr