Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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BRAC: Eliminating Extreme Poverty Through Innovation

Eliminating Extreme Poverty Through InnovationThe Bangladesh Rehabilitation Assistance Committee (BRAC) was formed in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. BRAC, the world’s largest NGO, is an excellent example of a nonprofit bringing transformation through strong business practices.

Today, BRAC reaches around 138 million poor spread over nine countries in Asia and Africa, and employs 125,000 people, primarily women. And yet, BRAC has remained quite unknown in the West. BRAC U.S. and BRAC U.K. were launched to spread awareness about its approach and mobilize its resources as well as raise funds for its fight to eliminate extreme poverty through innovation. It has created self-employment opportunity for 8.5 million people, educated over 3.8 million children from 66,000 of its schools, and given microloans to six million borrowers. Its approach is, “small is beautiful but big is necessary.”

What They Do

The following goals are listed on the official BRAC website:

  1. Improve well-being and resilience through disaster management and climate change, health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene.
  2. Assist economic development and social protection – agriculture and food security, microfinance, enterprises and investment, targeting the ultra-poor.
  3. Expand horizons of education, migration and skills development.
  4. Empower communities, women and disadvantaged, human rights and legal aid, with urban development.
  5. Support programs for governance, management and capacity building.

Social Innovation Lab (SIL)

BRAC believes in eliminating extreme poverty through innovation. SIL was formed to explore the best practices and ways of creating impact at scale and incubating new ideas. It began in the 1980s, when diarrhea was the biggest killer of children under the age of five. BRAC successfully made the most illiterate population in the world adopt oral rehydration therapy, teaching poor households to prepare homemade saline. Now, they continue to work toward bringing family planning to people despite social opposition.

BRAC has accomplished quite a lot through frugal innovation, making Bangladesh the fastest-growing mobile money market with 13 million users, and creating large-scale financial inclusion.

Current Efforts

Hundreds of Rohingya children are living in Cox’s Bazaar on the border of Bangladesh. BRAC has made initiatives to ensure prevention of widespread diseases, by providing 167,000 individuals with oral cholera vaccinations. 153,000 health services through 60 mobile health camps and 10 fixed camps have been provided to treat fever, pneumonia and diarrhea. BRAC is providing access to safe water, sanitation, child-friendly spaces and critical supplies.

The “poverty graduation” scheme offers a way of eliminating extreme poverty through innovation by tackling poverty as well as providing social confidence. Women are given an asset, usually livestock. In return, they must look after the animal, their children must be sent to school and they must save a small amount of income, along with a tiny stipend to cover their food needs. A BRAC member visits them regularly to assess improvements for two years, after which they are expected to “graduate,” or break the chain of ultra-poverty.

In the next five years, BRAC plans to empower 20 million people to gain access to resources. They are working toward completely eliminating extreme poverty through innovation by 2020 with integrated efforts.

– Tripti Sinha

Photo: Flickr

After Maria: Building a New Tech Infrastructure in Puerto Rico

New Tech InfrastructureThe recent ravaging of the island territory of Puerto Rico, first by Hurricane Irma, then by Maria, is a reminder of the sheer destructive mayhem Mother Nature can wield—but also of the ability of individuals, businesses and governments across the globe to come together to solve problems and help those in need. Although the storms undoubtedly caused major problems, they also offered opportunities for change and innovation.

One such possibility is the chance to build a new tech infrastructure from the ground up. Many U.S. companies are stepping up to join in on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Under the direction of Elon Musk, Tesla is sending its Powerpack battery system to Puerto Rico to help homes, businesses, hospitals and schools use their existing solar panels by providing energy storage. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is sending special balloons to help restore cell phone connectivity in areas where the infrastructure is down. Meanwhile, Facebook pledged $1.5 million in relief money to various charities and sent employees to Puerto Rico to work toward restoring internet connectivity to the island.

In an interview with USA Today, Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló spoke about talking with Elon Musk. He affirmed that they were looking into batteries and solar panels as a long-term solution to transform energy delivery and bring down costs for the island.

The new tech infrastructure is direly needed. As The New York Times notes, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) was already $9 billion in debt before the two hurricanes hit. PREPA declared itself insolvent in 2014 and ceased making debt payments, forcing a debt restructuring deal that has yet to be finalized. To make matters worse, PREPA has been at the center of a corruption scandal, making it harder to unify the public behind its mission and importance.

But, according to Puerto Rico resident Gabriel Rodriguez, tech company aid to the island has been very polarizing. In his words, “People are really for it or against it. There are the people that say that of course it’s going to be a great improvement for us… but then there’s a lot of people that are very mad because they say we are selling the island to outside interests.”

Ina Fried of Axios speculates that the American companies currently volunteering side-by-side on the island will eventually compete with each other for larger-scale rebuilding contracts. The heavy lifting won’t come free, and this is likely the source of some Puerto Rican worries.

One of the challenges of rebuilding will be to do it in a way that respects Puerto Ricans’ autonomy and independent identity. These fears of selling out to foreign interests are similar to the ones that inspired the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s that toppled Fulgencio Batista and put Fidel Castro in power.

While the two situations are not politically analogous, the tales of government corruption and fears of foreign influence are, and those U.S. companies interested in helping would do well to approach the situation with sensitivity. There is room for all parties to share in the profits and rewards that a new tech infrastructure in Puerto Rico can yield.

– Chuck Hasenauer

Photo: Flickr

Addressing the Main Causes of Poverty in Montenegro

Causes of Poverty in Montenegro

A Mediterranean nation located in the Balkan peninsula, Montenegro is a country with an average poverty rate of approximately 8.6 percent. The economy in the nation relies heavily upon energy industries, but it is considered to be one of the most inefficient users of energy and water. Although the country integrated into the European Union (EU) in 2012, which promoted the introduction of more rural and agricultural development and maintenance, environmental and economic strife still remain rampant.

Here are three main causes of poverty in Montenegro:

  1. Political and Economic Crises
    Wars in Montenegro, coupled with international isolation, has led to a decline in production levels in recent years. Between 1987 and 1992, the collapse of the Yugoslav federation directly implicated the nation in a series of conflicts—namely, the Bosnian and Serbian wars—that held serious ramifications for the economic opportunities in the country. As a direct product of conflict in the region, the GDP as of 2002 was approximately 63 percent of its 1989 rate. Reciprocally, unemployment skyrocketed by approximately 50 percent, and exports reduced by 65 percent. Although some improvement has been made since the start of the war, the long-lasting ramifications of the conflict linger as an ever-present reminder of the impact that the war had on the region.
  2. Energy Inefficiency
    Because it remains highly dependent on energy intensive industries, increasing resource prices contribute to the main causes of poverty in Montenegro. Due to a lack of information, awareness and financial means, the nation has not been able to make the transition toward renewable, efficient energy sources. As a result, they have continued to rely upon extremely expensive resources, limiting their capability to expand their economic resources.
  3. Ethnic Differentiation
    A 2005 study conducted by Christian Bodewig and Akshay Sethi shows that the majority of those living in poverty in Montenegro are within the Roma population. Both income and non-income determinants, such as social isolation, limited access to education and “othering,” contribute tremendously to this socioeconomic disparity.

The nation has recently been progressing in terms of its poverty reduction. Developing the success of their original Montenegro Institutional Development and Agriculture Strengthening Project (MIDAS), for example, the World Bank provided Montenegro with $3.5 million to assist the restoration of rural areas.

Still, though, the causes of poverty in Montenegro maintain a hold over the country’s economic development, limiting the opportunities, growth and progress that the country can undergo. It therefore is necessary for world powers to provide assistance to Montenegro to help combat some of these significantly influential contributors to poverty in order to ensure that the problems stemming from them do not metastasize.

– Emily Chazen

Photo: Flickr

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Philanthropic Powerhouse Warren Buffett on Poverty Reduction

Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett is known for being on the top of the world’s most wealthy list. Today, he sits at number two on Forbes 2017 Billionaires List and runs the multinational Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate. While he may be most recognizable for his wealth, Buffett is a proven philanthropic powerhouse as well. He utilizes his status around the globe as a platform to promote his philanthropic movements and build support for global aid.

In 2006, Warren Buffett made the “the biggest single gift anyone ever gave anybody for anything” when he donated $30 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2010, Buffett coupled with Bill Gates to build The Giving Pledge, which asks wealthy individuals around the world to join them in “publicly dedicating the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.”

This year, Buffett made his largest summer donation yet of nearly $3.2 billion in one day. Buffett is one of the most philanthropic individuals in the United States and his reputation amongst the wealthy serves to boost the motivation of others to donate.

On October 3, 2017, Warren Buffett spoke about the national poverty epidemic at the Purpose Built Communities conference in Omaha. At the meeting, Buffett called on the “government and philanthropists (to) do more to ensure that poverty doesn’t remain a barrier success.”

Buffett’s call to action is not lost on the global poverty front. As part of the 1 percent of the world that owns more than the other 99 percent, Buffett’s words reverberate around the world. His recognition of the importance of government and philanthropist involvement is something that should spark action worldwide, leading to global changes in poverty reduction efforts.

Reducing poverty is a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional and cross-sectional goal that requires the support of all able members of societies. Buffett’s involvement with the Gates Foundation and The Giving Pledge exemplify his understanding of the collective power. Buffett has pledged to give more than 99 percent of his fortune to charity and has garnered similar pledges from over 170 donors in 21 countries.

With the promises of other wealthy individuals, Gates and Buffett have collected funds for humanitarian efforts around the world. His partnership with Bill Gates augments the publicity for their mutual missions to combat global issues such as poverty, hunger and human rights.

By funding and creating charity-focused endeavors, Buffett has proven his status as a powerhouse in the philanthropy sector. Buffett’s notoriety and wealth bring attention to his actions and put a global spotlight on his philanthropic efforts, to garner support for poverty reduction and encourage global humanitarian movements.

– Eliza Gresh

Photo: Flickr

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The Putting Children First Conference: Fighting Child Poverty

Putting Children First Conference1 billion children worldwide are living in poverty, with 22,000 children reportedly dying each day because of it. The Putting Children First Conference was a 3-day conference from October 23-25, 2017, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia meant to “engage policymakers, practitioners and researchers in identifying solutions for fighting child poverty and inequality in Africa.”

Africa currently faces extreme poverty. It is estimated that 233 million people in sub-Saharan Africa where undernourished in 2014 to 2016. Forty-seven percent of the population in Africa is living on less than $1.90 a day, which is the current global poverty line.

Organizations around the world recognize the issue of child poverty. As such, the Putting Children First Conference was held and attended by End Child Poverty, The Impact Initiative, U.K. Aid, the Comparative Research Programme on Poverty (CROP), the Economic and Social Research Council, the Ethiopian Research Development Institute, the United Nations and Ethiopia Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

The objectives of the conference included:

  • Identifying, discussing and advocating for solutions to child poverty
  • Discussing research on who these impoverished children are, where they live, and why they are poor
  • Discussing policy and program changes
  • Networking between different researchers and policymakers
  • Teaching skills that will help move research into action

The speakers at the event included Demitu Hambisa (Minister of the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs), Leila Pakkala (Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa-UNICEF), Agnes Akosua Aidoo (International Board of Trustees-ACPF),  and Jane Kabubo-Mariara (Executive Director-PEP) among others.

The conference resulted in a call to action written collaboratively by the people in attendance. The call to action states six steps that should be taken to benefit children who are the most likely to be living in extreme poverty.

The Six Steps to Eradicate Extreme Child Poverty

  1. Recognize child poverty as a priority issue
  2. Create programs that specifically target poverty elimination for boys and girls at all stages of childhood
  3. Measure child poverty from all angles
  4. Strengthen existing systems to end child poverty
  5. Strengthen research on child poverty
  6. Establish an African Child Poverty Center led by African researchers

This conference allowed people to network and take steps towards creating a better world for children living in poverty.

– Téa Franco

Photo: Google

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Counteracting Hunger in Paraguay

Hunger in ParaguayA small country in Latin America with a population of approximately seven million people, Paraguay is located between Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil. Paraguay falls under the Latin American average when it comes to poverty and wellness. Furthermore, hunger in Paraguay is a large problem that needs to be addressed.

Paraguay is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. The poverty rate is around forty percent. U.N. Special Rapporteur, Hilal Elver, visited the country in 2016. She said, “Paraguay has struggled to address inequalities -higher than in most neighboring countries- and important segments of society are still excluded from the country’s economic development and suffer from food insecurity.”

Overall, ten percent of the population live in extreme poverty, while the number grows for people living in rural areas. Over fifty percent of indigenous peoples live in extreme poverty. The people in the rural areas suffering from poverty rely heavily on agriculture for their livelihood.

The inequalities between elite landholders and the rural poor only exacerbate the consequences of poverty. After conducting her report, the U.N. Special Rapporteur reported that 10 percent of people in Paraguay face hunger and malnutrition. This is despite the impressive economic growth and the fact that Paraguay produces food for almost nine times its population.

While other issues are to blame for the underlying causes of poverty and hunger, the outlook is a hopeful one. A lot is being done to counteract hunger in Paraguay. The country is on track to reach its goal of ending undernourishment by 2020.

Organizations such as the World Food Programme are instituting plans and projects to help fight hunger in Paraguay. Their current programs partner with other organizations, specifically those operating locally in Paraguay, to ensure food security.

Working with these vulnerable communities who not only suffer from economic inequality, but also hunger, will help the current situation in Paraguay. It is imperative that a country with vast food resources feed its people. Hunger in Paraguay should not be a problem, especially with its growing economy.

– Emilia Beuger

Photo: Flickr

Building Economic Capacity With Savings Clubs

Building Economic Capacity With Savings ClubsThe U.S. economy depends on savings, yet when funding international development, donors prioritize giving money to the poor and measuring the effects. This method promotes accountability for programs, but it does not equip the beneficiaries to eventually be able to support themselves. The administrator at USAID, Mark Green, believes that ” the purpose of foreign assistance is to end the need for its existence.” This thinking has prompted a shift in microfinance from lending to helping the poor save. Local savings clubs effectively exert peer pressure on individuals to contribute their share to a group fund, which is used to provide members with loans or invest in their community.

An estimated 10 million people are involved in savings groups worldwide. By saving as a group, small sums of individual contributions add up which gives the the group significant lending power. These groups keep interest rates lower than formal banks and can help a member who is struggling to contribute rather than punish them. Many groups use funds to construct a school, clinic or well. This model allows locals to take charge of their own community’s development.

Judy, a mother of seven in Kenya, applied to Care International to become a promoter of their Group Savings & Loans programs. She understood the value of owning a business from opening a bookshop more than 20 years prior. Judy was selected to be trained as a franchisee in western Kenya. The franchise model offers benefits for both Care International and franchisees, and the model has rapidly expanded into rural communities. In 18 months, Judy has mobilized 7,552 people to join over 200 savings clubs. These groups manage a total of $193,705.

These clubs have become popular in many places including Vietnam, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Eritrea and Ethiopia. A major motivator for this type of money management is to save up for expensive cultural events. In South Africa, a funeral can cost a year’s worth of income, so four out of five people are members of savings groups focused on funding funerals. When a woman gets married in Bangladesh, a lavish celebration and dowry is expected, which requires the bride’s family to save a significant amount of money.

An assumption that many people make is that the poor cannot afford to save money. Actually, smart management of money is crucial when there is no room for error. In addition to the lack of money, the poor must provide for themselves with an unpredictable, inconsistent income. Savings clubs have proven to be an effective strategy for utilizing the power of community and money management to improve the financial situation of the poor.

– Kristen Nixon

Photo: Flickr

How to Become a Representative for Congress

How to Become a Representative for Congress
How does one become a representative for Congress? The journey to becoming a Member can be difficult and demanding. However, the privilege to represent one’s country can be very rewarding.

The U.S. Congress is divided into two chambers. The requirements vary by chamber, as do the roles they serve. To become a member of Congress one must first decide whether one wants to serve in the House of Representatives or in the Senate. Once having made this decision, one must meet certain specifications to qualify for office.

How to Become a Representative

  1. Meet the Qualifications
    The U.S. Constitution requires Members of the House be at least 25 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years, and live in the state–though not necessarily the same district–they represent. Article VI, clause 3 requires that all Members take an oath to support the Constitution before they exercise the duties of their office.The Constitution was deliberately written to make becoming a Member of the House more accessible, to making this chamber closest to the people. Founders wanted it to be possible for ordinary citizens to obtain office and for elections to be frequent.To be eligible for the Senate, candidates must be at least 30 years old, have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years and reside in the state they plan to represent at the time of election.
  2. Identify Key Issues 
    Members of Congress are representatives of their constituents. To become a representative for Congress, potential candidates need to determine and articulate issues that are relevant and important to voters. One must have strong knowledge of current political affairs and one’s stance on current and future policies.
  3. Build a Network
    Connections and relationships are key to running a successful campaign. According to Business Insider, this factor is causing many hopeful millennials to lose congressional races. In a blog post by hopeful House Member Erin Schrode, a 24-year-old activist from Northern California who hoped to be the youngest woman elected to the House, told readers a man told her after voting he would have voted for her instead of the incumbent–had he known who she was. Name recognition is an essential component of a successful campaign.
  4. Fundraise
    Money matters in elections. Funds pay for advertisement, media exposure, branding, letters to potential voters and commercials. While there is no minimum amount required to run for office, more funds equate to better efficiency and exposure.
    Wendy Carillo, a thirty-six-year-old who arrived in America as an undocumented immigrant recently launched a race for Congress. In an interview with Medium, she suggested a candidate should raise at least $100,000 to pay for the “mini enterprise” one creates when running for office.
  5. File Paperwork
    According to BallotPedia, federal law requires all candidates to file a statement of candidacy within 15 days of receiving donations or funding costs for their campaign that exceed $5,000. This is the only part of ballot access that is mandated by federal law. To have one’s name printed on an election ballot, a congressional candidate must do one or both of the following: collect and file petition signatures and/or pay registration fees. Once this is satisfied, requirements vary from state to state.
  6. Campaign
    The final and most crucial task is to campaign. Talk to voters. Learn what matters to them. Appeal to their desires in your language and actions. Congressional candidates can spend up to 18 hours a day campaigning. A successful candidate must know and act on what matters to voters.

Still want to become a representative for Congress after having read up on how to? Stay grounded in the fact that campaigning does not have to be difficult or tiresome. Listening to the needs of constituents and turning them into policies make the work rewarding and gratifying. Our country truly becomes a nation for the people, run by the people when members of Congress remember this principle.

– Jeanine Thomas

Photo: Flickr

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John McCain Against Ethnic Cleansing in Burma

Senator John McCain Takes a Stand Against Ethnic Cleansing in BurmaOn September 12, 2017, Arizona Senator John McCain spoke out against the treatment of the Rohingya population of the Rakhine State of Burma, also known as Myanmar. The Rohingya people are mostly Muslim-practicing individuals, and according to the United Nations, they are under attack. Specifically, the U.N. stated that the situation, which is characterized by a series of “cruel military operations,” is a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”

In his address, Senator McCain withdrew his support of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (NDAA), which sought to expand a military relationship between the United States and Burma. Specifically, Senator McCain criticized Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her lack of interference with the ethnic cleansing in Burma, stating, “I can no longer support expanding military-to-military cooperation given the worsening humanitarian crisis […] against the Rohingya people.”

According to Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow for Southeast Asia Joshua Kurlantzick, Suu Kyi, who is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient for her work with democracy and human rights, “has never demonstrated much sympathy” to the Rohingya people. Suu Kyi has remained mostly silent throughout the humanitarian crisis; however, she has claimed that the ethnic cleansing in Burma was burdened by an “iceberg of misinformation,” which has further enabled the country’s continuous Buddhist nationalist movement.

The Rohingya people, a minority group within Burma‘s largely Buddhist population, are not recognized as an official ethnic group by the country’s government. The attacks against the Rohingya people escalated on August 25, 2017, when the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) targeted multiple Burmese police and military officials.

Approximately 270,000 Rohingya people have fled Burma in order to find safety and solace in Bangladesh. Additionally, tens of thousands of Rohingya people remain displaced throughout Burma. However, the Burmese government has suspended all foreign aid to the Rakhine State, which has left all of the Rohingya people without necessities like food or health services.

Human Rights Watch has called upon the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to place pressure on the Burmese government in order to allow access to foreign aid for the Rohingya people. Suu Kyi’s silence has had a significantly negative impact on the attacks against the Rohingya people, but she can help stabilize the situation by allowing foreign aid to reach the misplaced Rohingya people.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is an organization that has provided approximately 580,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh with food, which is particularly important for pregnant women and young children. Also, the WFP’s nutritious food has slightly lessened the risk for disease outbreaks among the Rohingya refugees, as nutritious foods help to strengthen the immune system.

The Rohingya people still remain displaced throughout Bangladesh with no shelter; however, the WFP’s food delivery to the Rohingya people, and Senator McCain’s address, are important beginning steps to helping the refugees obtain better lives.

– Emily Santora

Photo: Flickr

10 Facts About the Aardakh Genocide

Aardakh GenocideOn February 23, 1944, the Soviet Union launched a mass deportation operation of its Chechen and Ingush populations. Although two distinct ethnicities, the Chechens and Ingush have been historically linked due to their linguistic similarity and persecution by the Russian government. The Chechen-Russian rivalry is one the oldest and most drawn-out conflicts in modern history, stretching across three centuries. The struggle came to a head during World War II amid numerous ethnic cleanses being carried out by Joseph Stalin. Although many minority groups were targeted and seen as threats to the Soviet Union, the treatment of Chechen people is largely thought to be the worst among the those beset—resulting in the event being referred to as the Aardakh genocide. To gain more insight into the nature of this “relocation operation,” here are ten facts about the Aardakh genocide.

  1. The deportation began on a day of celebration. Since 1919, February 23 has been a day for Russia to celebrate the Red Army. In 1944, NKVD officers invited Chechen and Ingush people to participate in the festivities in a gesture of solidarity. When the Chechens arrived, however, they were met with armed soldiers and were told that they must leave the country. Often families were given little more than a half hour to collect their things before being driven out of the country.
  2. At least a quarter of those who were deported died in transit. Of the 493,000 Chechen and Ingush people that were captured, 123,000 of them perished or were killed during the round-ups and early years in which they were exiled from the country.
  3. The exile lasted for 13 years. Survivors were not able to return to their homeland until 1957, when the Soviet Union came under new leadership. Nikita Khrushchev, who replaced Stalin, reversed many policies put in place by the former premier, including the exile of the Chechen and Ingush peoples.
  4. The Chechens lost a significant portion of their population. Between 1944 and 1952, the Chechens lost roughly 54 percent of their people. It was routine for soldiers to eliminate anyone “unfit” for travel. Those who were ill or protested the expulsion were systematically executed on the spot.
  5. The Chechens were accused of colluding with the Nazis. This false narrative was fueled by the Soviet government and used as propaganda to demonize the Chechen population. Despite this, records from the time prove that many Chechens served in the Red Army and were decorated war heroes.
  6. February 23 is respected as a day of tragedy. The Chechen and Ingush people have not forgotten their treatment at the hands of Soviet soldiers. February 23 is remembered by many in these cultures as a solemn day to remember the brutal maltreatment.
  7. The operation was classified as a genocide in 2004. It was not until half a century passed that the European Parliament finally declared the treatment of the Chechen and Ingush as a genocide.
  8. Aardakh is a Chechen word which roughly translates to “the exodus” or “lead out.” During the time of the operation, the Chechens referred to it as the “aardakh.”
  9. The Aardakh genocide was a defining moment for the Chechens. Among other socio-political factors following the exile, the Aardakh was a significant force that moved the people to declare their independence in 1991.
  10. Chechens were forbidden from discussing the deportation. After the exile ended, the Soviet regime placed a ban on discussing the events of the deportation. This did not stop the Chechens from sharing stories and quietly passing along their histories to their children in the years that followed. This oral history laid the groundwork for the surge of Chechen nationalism that followed in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Aardakh genocide permanently marred the legacy of the Chechen people. It is considered by some historians to have been the greatest ethnic trauma of the Soviet Union’s reign. Some Chechens continue to fear deportation to this day, especially as tensions with Russia continue to increase.

– Micaela Fischer

Photo: Google