Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Uncommon Cocoa Farmers in Latin America

Cocoa Farmers in Latin AmericaThe world’s cocoa (cacao) market is enormous and lucrative, with a worth of over $100 billion and over 4.8 million metric tons of cocoa being produced in 2012 alone. The majority of the world’s cocoa comes from smallholder farmers in Africa, although 15 percent of the industry’s production comes out of Latin America. Yet, despite the size and wealth of the industry, the average cocoa farmer lives on less than $2 a day. Thi is largely due to its complex value chain, with various different middlemen involved that ultimately soak up the profits, causing the actual farmers themselves to be left solely with the economic scraps from the system.

This systemic exploitation of smallholder farmers has caused many to become deeply entrenched in the cycle of poverty while the middlemen profit immensely from the hard labor of the farmers. Farmers can expect to receive no more than 6 percent of the final value of a chocolate bar containing their cocoa, while middlemen like processors will receive 40 percent of the final value of the same bar. Consequently, the economic impact on smallholder farmers is catastrophic, and has ultimately been creating a global decrease in the number of cocoa farmers despite an increase in demand for the product.

In 2010, a local social enterprise in Belize called Maya Mountain Cacao was founded in order to fight this system of exploitation. Maya Mountain Cacao cuts out the middlemen, partnering over 300 smallholder cocoa farmers directly with the fine chocolate industry. They start by purchasing the cocoa beans directly from the farmers themselves, and they do so at a higher rate than the farmers could receive from a purchaser involved in the traditional cocoa supply chain. After that, Maya Mountain Cacao ferments and dries the beans, finishing the whole process by selling them directly to exporters that cater to the fine chocolate industry.

Within two years, those farmers within the Maya Mountain Cacao network experienced an income increase of 20 percent, which allowed for an 85 percent increase in school attendance for their children. Maya Mountain Cacao had so much success that it ended up expanding its model to include nations outside of Belize, ultimately culminating in the creation of Uncommon Cacao, a transnational company serving smallholder cocoa farmers in Latin America.

Today, Uncommon Cacao farmers increase their income by over 100 percent, simply by eliminating the middlemen and connecting directly with the global fine chocolate industry. In an industry that is growing at an average of 3.1 percent per year, the need for sustainable value chain practices, such as those developed by Uncommon Cacao and its cocoa farmers in Latin America, is beyond significant; it is necessary.

– Kailee Nardi

Photo: Flickr

Addressing Malnutrition in Kenya with Local Grains

Malnutrition in KenyaThe issue of malnutrition is one that plagues nations all over the world. It contributes to almost half of all child deaths each year. Studies show that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception to its second year of life, are critical in its development. This time period creates the foundation on which a child’s further development will be based and is consequently the most harmful time for a child to be malnourished.

This understanding is especially important to note when looking at the issue of malnutrition in Kenya specifically, where 40 percent of children below the critical age of two are considered “stunted” (too short for their age), a condition which arises as a direct result of malnutrition. Malnutrition essentially holds a child’s body hostage by inhibiting its growth and development. Further, children that suffer from chronic malnutrition also run the risk of brain damage, as their brains typically underdevelop.

In the thick of the effort to combat malnutrition in Kenya is an organization called Insta Products. Insta creates micronutrient-rich instant porridge packets that are specifically designed to combat malnutrition. The products also provide all nine of the human body’s essential amino acids, which is extremely important when considering the rarity of animal products that would typically provide said acids. The porridge contains grains and soybeans, the majority of which are sourced locally from Ugandan and Kenyan farmers in an effort to contribute to local economies, working to combat malnutrition by combating poverty.

The organization’s product has become so successful that it is purchased on an extremely wide scale. Approximately 89 million servings of the product have been sold by major aid organizations such as UNICEF and the United Nations World Food Programme. Insta has been given the honor of being one of seven suppliers recognized by UNICEF, an incredible feat for a company who focuses on sourcing local goods in order to holistically tackle the issue of malnutrition.

– Kailee Nardi

Photo: Flickr

, ,

African Development Bank Group’s Global Strategies

African Development Bank Group's Global StrategiesA large part of poverty strategies is implementing some kind of spur in economic growth. This kick-start can be a gateway to social and economic reform in some of the poorest countries in the world, eventually leading to self-sustainability. The African Development Bank Group has made it their mission to place poverty reduction back into the hands of Africans and to create a stimulus that can enable the extremely poor in reducing their poverty scores.

The African Development Bank Group was born out of three different economic groups in Africa. It has set a plan that began in 2013, targeted to reach major benchmarks by 2022. The group has recognized that Africa has begun a transformative journey and progressed greatly over the last decade, yet this progress remains markedly uneven in some areas of the continent. This particular organization relies on a few major objectives to help lift regional member countries out of poverty, while staying congruent with ideals and values. The group first aids by mobilizing and allocating a country’s resources, then provides advice and guidance on technical aspects for development efforts. The African Development Bank Group has also laid out 17 sustainable development goals in order to achieve its mission. These goals include food security measures, sanitation, healthcare, sustainable energy use and procurement, social equality across gender and age gaps, economic growth and stability and ecological preservation plans.

The holistic approach to poverty reduction through economic growth and sustainability is what sets apart the African Development Bank Group. While taking advantage of models such as the World Bank and Multilateral Development Banks, The African Development Bank Group is able to remain primarily domestically-reliant and position itself in such a way as to gain more traction as the 2022 goal nears. Balance sheet optimizations have been a key focus in doing so, as projects continue to be carried out in both the private and public sectors through multilateral funds involving developed countries. The group’s procurement procedures – unlike other bank methods – involve strict standards. These include investments in member countries whose approval processes ensure that procurements are in line with the values and mission of The African Development Bank Group.

– Casey Hess

Photo: Flickr

UNDP Supports Universal Immunization Program in India

UNDP Supports Universal Immunization Program in IndiaWith high risks of communicable diseases like bacterial diarrhea, malaria, hepatitis A and E and typhoid, there’s a rising necessity for a proper immunization program in India. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered with the Indian government and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to design and put into effect an Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN). This project, known as Improving Efficiency of Vaccination Systems in Multiple States, has already run since 2014 and is to run until 2021 to strengthen the evidence base for policy-making related to vaccine delivery, procurement and planning, and ensure equity in availability.

As the world’s largest immunization program, eVIN technology has already shown results in enabling real time information on cold chain temperatures and vaccine stocks and flows in all 371 implementing districts in India. It has managed to achieve over a 98 percent reporting rate from vaccine storage areas, with over 2 million transactions logged each month, and developed the skills of over 17,000 government staff in store keeping, data operating or cold chain handling in over 550 batches of training programs.

The eVIN is setup on a mobile application that easily allows cold chain handlers to log stock positions at the end of each routine immunization day, which is then relayed immediately onto a web interface for assessment by health officials. In India, this can come to play an important role as geography and communications can pose an issue, like in the small hill-state of Manipur, where vaccine vials are carried over extensive distances to session sites by auxiliary nurses and midwives. Instances of stock-outs have decreased by more than six times here, and eVIN has enabled staff to learn how to use a smartphone and other technology, improving quality of work and management in the process.

This immunization program in India has also significantly empowered women health workers, giving them the opportunity to work with technology after attending regional and district eVIN training sessions. This allows them to manage stocks and temperatures themselves, bridges the digital divide in rural parts of India and ensures transparency alongside accuracy. Over 50 percent of cold chain handlers are women, and many are from older age groups.

EVin has taken India out of the unproductive days of delayed decision making, shortages and expirations, and has created an efficient health system that allows for valuable state-wide geographic, stock-out or excess stock and temperature overviews on each district’s centers. It also allows for large savings by reducing vaccine wastage and allowing for timely and quality injections, as in Rewa, where around $70,000 was saved after six months of eVIN activation.

Though led by the UNDP and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in India, the Universal Immunization Program is largely supported by GAVI, a global vaccine alliance established in 2000. With support from GAVI and the Indian government, the Universal Immunization Program in India has immunized at least 65 percent of India‘s children and expects to immunize 27 million more each oncoming year.

– Zar-Tashiya Khan

Photo: Flickr

,

10 Facts About the Turkey-ISIL Conflict

Turkey-ISIL ConflictSince Turkey declared war on the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) in 2014, the Middle Eastern country accomplished great strides in aiding the world’s poor, while struggling with both internal and external challenges. These 10 facts about the Turkey-ISIL conflict explore two sides of the same issue.

  1. Turkey’s economy struggled before the country declared war
    During the twenty-first century, Turkey utilized rapid urbanization and increasing trade to become an upper-middle-class country. As growth slowed in 2013, critics accused President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of being soft on terrorism. Time Magazine suggests that Erdoğan declared war on ISIL to distract his populace and boost the economy.
  2. In recent years, Turkey has discovered economic success
    The World Bank reports that exports and growth in Turkey will strengthen overall in 2017. In the midst of a turbulent time, the country continues decreasing its poverty rate past 9.3 percent, compared to 27.3 percent in the 2000s.
  3. Turkey has also found new economic hardships
    In spite of Turkey’s accomplishments fighting poverty, unemployment reached 12.1 percent in November 2016, rising from 11.1 percent a year earlier. The employment rate is even worse among men and women aged 15-24.
  4. Turkey shows incredible generosity to immigrants
    In 2015, Turkey provided a place to live for two million Syrian refugees. That number has since increased to three million. The 2015 Turkish Development Assistance Report named Turkey the second-largest donor country in the world.
  5. Turkey’s generosity comes with costs
    The increase in transport and food expenses drove core inflation up to 10.2 percent in 2017. This is the first time in a decade for such numbers to reach double digits in Turkey. Combined with a poor harvest and increasing gas prices, it’s uncertain how long Turkey will allow its refugees to stay. No one can put a price on human life, but these 10 facts about the Turkey-ISIL conflict reveal that fighting global poverty is more than a moral issue.
  6. Syrian refugees are uncertain if they’ll ever return home
    Many Turkish neighborhoods packed with Syrians in the past three years. As Middle Eastern conflict continues, these un-integrated communities reveal that caring for migrants is more than a short-term solution.
  7. Refugees are gaining more access to social services
    When Syrian refugees first entered Turkey in 2011, the government gave migrants a special protection status in lieu of work permits. The country also granted their guests temporary accommodation centers and permission to enroll in universities without passports. Turkey has since rolled out work permits in response to complaints.
  8. Not all refugees can use services
    Due to the length and cost of providing work permits and social security for Syrian workers, most Turkish companies risk minor fines to hire illegal workers. Such practices do not comfort Turkish anxieties. Labor lawyer Mehmet Ata Sarikaripoglu notes “a public concern that Turkish people would be unemployed because of… Syrians… employed with lower fees.”
  9. ISIL terrorists are retreating
    As of Oct. 4, 2017, Iraqi forces have retaken Hawija, a major Islamic State stronghold. Though Iraq routinely declares victory before fighting has finished, this latest strike continues a trend that has greatly reduced ISIL territory.
  10. Turkey’s conflicts with Kurds continue
    Turkish forces bombed more Kurdish separatists than ISIL targets during the war. The arrests of Kurdistan Workers Party members outnumber the amount of detained ISIL fighters. The Kurdistan Regional Government claimed territory close to Hawija, signaling that conflict in the region will continue for the foreseeable future.

These 10 facts about the Turkey-ISIL conflict reveal the inseparable relationships between war, economy and global poverty.

— Nick Edinger

Photo: Google

,

Addressing Dropout Rates for Education in Norway

Education in Norway

Ranked twenty-first on the list of leading education systems in performance, graduation rates, and funding, Norway is among the many countries in Northern Europe that places education as a priority for all youth regardless of their financial or ethnic background. In 2016, Norway provided higher education to more than 200,000 students, more than tripling the student count from 2010. Education in Norway is highly valued, however, student drop-out rates are a continuing issue.

Education in Norway is implemented in three parts: primary school, lower secondary school and upper secondary school, the first two of which are mandatory to complete. Students must go to school between the ages of six and 16, but after graduation from lower secondary school, students are given the option to either pursue upper secondary school or discontinue education to enter the job market. Upper secondary school is a three-year program that incorporates either general or vocational studies.
 
As of 2015, the completion rate of the 64,000 students enrolled in upper secondary school starting in 2010 was 59 percent. Norwegian schools are tuition-free, and Norway continually supports equality in education. So the question is: why do students drop out of upper secondary education?

The answer to this question may have little to do with Norway’s philosophy on education. In fact, it could lie in the background of each student. One major factor influencing the decision to finish schooling is grade point average in lower secondary school. If a student is presented with poorer grades in early education, their likelihood of receiving good grades or seeing their higher education through is low. While 59 percent of the student population in 2015 graduated within the given time span of their schooling, 7 percent failed final exams and 15 percent dropped out before or during their final year.

Obtaining a quality lower secondary education in Norway is an essential factor to the success in upper secondary school. Since lower secondary school occurs during the development ages of 10 to 16, it is imperative for teachers to provide students with engaging and effective curriculum specifically tailored to that age group. The focus is on basic knowledge concepts, such as reading and math, then upper secondary school is a more advanced approach that offers career-specific courses, like business or nursing.

New ideas like the Transition Project focus on low-performing students in lower secondary school to increase their reading, writing and numeracy competencies. This project provides students with follow-up workshops, homework assistance and surveys for teachers to complete and keep track of their lower-scoring students.

Reforms like the Transition Project provide students and teachers alike with cohesive learning. Teachers are able to lecture with more clarity and students are able to grasp the curriculum with more ease. Those students needing more assistance have outlets to spend more time on specific concepts. As a result, students are less likely to fall behind in their classes and will gain a better overall understanding of the curriculum based on the increase in involvement and participation with their teachers.

With an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent for students with education below upper secondary school and only 3.4 percent for students with upper secondary education, it is vital to emphasize the importance of finishing school. Norway has seen the underlying problem, and its efforts in decreasing dropout rates in upper secondary school are just beginning.

– Brianna Summ

Photo: Flickr

Drought and Hunger in Cabo Verde

Hunger in Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde is no stranger to the widespread hardships of famine. Ever since its establishment, hunger in Cabo Verde has been one of many trials and tribulations the country has faced.

Cabo Verde’s ongoing history with droughts, the first recorded in 1747, is one of the main causes of its hunger problem. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, there were three major droughts that resulted in the deaths of at least 100,000 people. It was not always that way. When Cabo Vervde was first discovered by the Portuguese in 1456, it was lush in vegetation. It even got its name from the green landscape it had upon discovery.

Portugal’s failure to assist those in Cabo Verde during these droughts only added to the problem. While being part of the Portuguese empire starting in 1495 and remaining one of its territories up until 1975, Cabo Verde had received little help during its droughts. The droughts and lack of government assistance continued into the twentieth century, where thousands more died of starvation.

Drought still plagues Cabo Verde to this day. There was a 65 percent decrease in rainfall in 2013 and 2014, which caused the loss of crops for 30,000 people. This drought led to the lowest corn production on record for 2014. However, there has been much greater initiative currently than there was in the past to find solutions to the issue of hunger in Cabo Verde. From the years 1991 to 2015, the total percentage of hunger in Cabo Verde decreased from 16 percent to 9 percent.

In an effort to address the problems caused by the 2013-2014 drought, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supplied 7,015 households with a 17-kilogram kit containing bean, corn and cowpea seeds. The FAO also supplied 554 households with tomato, cabbage and onion seeds along with drip-irrigation kits in response to Cabo Verde’s lack of reliable water resources.

Cabo Verde has taken it into its own hands to ensure the proper nourishment of its citizens. The country was chosen to share its story in successfully feeding its young children to the 2015 Global Child Nutrition Forum. Proper nutrition is highly valued and is considered to be correlated to the strong development of a country, according to minister of education and sport Fernanda Marques.

The U.N. declared that the nation had met the Millennium Development Goal with 98.7 percent of its children enrolled in school, meaning that the majority of kids received the benefits of this program. These benefits include meals based on what the population likes to eat like the cachupa, which is a traditional dish made with vegetables, meat, fish and corn.

“My philosophy is that the purpose of foreign assistance must be to end the need of its existence – that we not only have to minister to immediate needs, but we have to help people take care of themselves,” USAID administrator Mark Green said in his speech at the World Food Program USA’s McGovern-Dole Leadership Award Ceremony.

Hunger in Cabo Verde may still persist, but Green’s words of aid being key to solve the problem holds true, as the nation is seeing improvement little by little.

– Blake Chambers

Photo: Flickr

,

Education in Libya During and After Gaddafi

Education in LibyaEducation in Libya was faced with the tall task of rebuilding the war-torn infrastructure following the 2011 fall of former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi.

The Libyan regime under Gaddafi saw education centralized. This meant that schoolchildren learned a skewed geography, used symbols and units of measurement that did not match international norms and the curriculum was tightly controlled for the purposes of indoctrination.

After years of conflict and the fall of the Gaddafi regime in Libya, the international community was tasked with rebuilding the country. Now, two million children under the age of 15 have seen a drastic overhaul of their formal education. Working alongside Libyan authorities, organizations such as UNICEF made great strides to jumpstart the educational system. Within months, schools were operational and steps were being made to reinvent the curriculum.

Educational experts are now in a position to correct the impacts of Gaddafi’s influence. Libyan schoolchildren are now using accurate maps and standardized symbols. Of more cultural importance, Libya’s children are able to openly discuss their country’s history, including the events that led to Gaddafi’s rise to power and subsequent fall.

Despite the newly revamped curriculum, higher education comes at a cost. During the Gaddafi era, education was compulsory but completely free of charge. Indeed, the government funded study abroad if certain educational programs could not be accessed within the country. Students in tertiary, or higher education programs are widely accessible in Libya today but are no longer funded by the government.

In spite of Gaddafi’s infamous legacy, his reign was also marked by irrefutable gains in the educational system. Libya’s citizens enjoyed unparalleled access to education and the literacy rate increased from 25 percent to 87 percent.

However, education in Libya has improved dramatically since 2011. Gaddafi’s fall opened the country to a much-needed overhaul of the curriculum. Libya and the international community continue to make strides to solve factual inadequacies while maintaining its access to education. Furthermore, the literacy rate of 15-24-year-olds in Libya is a staggering 99.9 percent.

While it may not be a perfect system, the educational system in Libya can serve as a guide to countries tasked with rebuilding their infrastructure.

– Eric Paulsen

Photo: Flickr

Three Causes of Poverty in Wallis and Futuna

Three Fundamental Causes of Poverty in Wallis and Futuna

Wallis and Futuna, formally known as the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands, is a self-governed French territory in the western Pacific Ocean consisting of two island groups. The Horne Islands include the islands of Futuna and Alofi. In contrast, the Wallis Islands include Uvea Island and its surrounding reefs and islets. The economy of the nation is quickly deteriorating and the leading causes of poverty in Wallis and Futuna are similar to that of most Pacific island states; that is, they are vulnerable to a range of factors that individuals living on larger land masses are not. Listed below are three primary causes of poverty in Wallis and Futuna.

Population Decline

In recent years, the decline in the island’s population has been drastic. In 2015, the population was estimated to be roughly 18,000. According to a CIA World Factbook report, that number has dropped to 15,964. The historical trends do not paint a positive picture either. In 1955, the island’s population growth rate was 2.15%. Currently, it is 0.22% and is expected to be -.34% by 2100.

Additionally, the population is disproportionately old, causing concern for a relatively large aging population and a lack of people ages 18-30 who could fill the widening void in the territory’s labor force. As of 2013, 42.2% of the population was aged 24 or younger and 8.6% were above the age of 65. This is significant because it reflects that just more than half of the country’s population is either slightly too young or too old to contribute substantially to the island’s economy.

Environmental Problems

The worst of all causes of poverty in Wallis and Futuna are environmental issues. Like many other islands, Wallis and Futuna are suffering from a declining supply of natural resources, in this case, due to deforestation. Since its origins, the island’s main source of fuel has been wood. Today, there are few trees left to cut down, with the only remaining substantial natural forests located on Alofi Island and a small section of Uvea Island. This level of deforestation has also left the mountainous terrain on the island far more vulnerable to erosion.

The islands are also becoming increasingly susceptible to climate events such as tropical storms, hurricanes and tsunamis. There are also no permanent settlements on Alofi Island because the island needs access to clean drinking water. Another environmental factor that has negatively impacted agricultural productivity is a lack of soil fertility on the islands of Uvea and Futuna, which have a mere 7.1% of arable land. As of 2012, the country was ranked 215th out of 218 in terms of government-protected land, at just 0.166%.

Limited Economic Diversification

As previously mentioned, the environment of Wallis and Futuna is not particularly suited to agriculture and in the past and present, citizens of the territory have relied excessively on the practice as a means of sustainability. As of 2001, 80% of the economy depended on agricultural revenue, 16% was dependent on service industry jobs and 4% on industrial jobs. As of 2013, the unemployment rate was estimated to be 8.8%. At the time, this was more than 1,000 people out of the country’s approximate population of 16,000.

A recurring trend among island states worldwide is that they typically lack long-term economic and environmental sustainability. History has shown that inhabitants of islands like Wallis and Futuna not only face constant threats of climate-related catastrophes and other problems, such as isolation from the global community but that their ultimate demise seems to occur after they have harvested all available natural resources.

Final Remark

The government of Wallis and Futuna has taken several steps to reduce poverty and improve the lives of its citizens. One such step is implementing the Wallis and Futuna Islands Convergence Strategy 2019-2030 in partnership with the European Union (EU). This initiative aims to develop the island’s tourism sector, diversify local production and contribute to food security. These efforts demonstrate the government’s commitment to addressing poverty and fostering sustainable development in Wallis and Futuna.

– Hunter McFerrin

Photo: Flickr
Updated: June 06, 2024

, ,

Education in Vatican City: A Library for the World

Education in Vatican CityLocated in the heart of Rome, Italy, Vatican City is the smallest independent nation-state in the world. Its borders surround an area of just under 110 acres, and a majority of the nation’s citizens are members of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church. There are roughly 800 people living in Vatican City, and because of the religious practices of the Roman Catholic clergy, there is no annual birth rate. There is no primary education in Vatican City; however, the governing body runs over 15 institutions of higher education. Most of these schools are located outside of the walls of the Vatican, the Ethiopian College being the only exception. Operating within Vatican City, the Ethiopian College guides young African men towards priesthood. One of the largest Vatican-run schools in Rome is Gregorian University, a school which boasts 16 popes and over 19 canonized saints as graduates. Gregorian University was founded in 1551, and the university offers religious educations in topics like canon law and theology.

One cannot discuss education in Vatican City without mentioning the library. The Vatican Library represents one of the largest existing sources of information on the development of the Western world. In 1548, Pope Paul III became the first Cardinal Librarian of the Vatican Library, and it has since served as a tool in the education of thousands of patrons. The American Friends of the Vatican Library was started in 1981, and since then they have raised money and awareness for the treasure trove of information that is the Vatican Library. The American Friends of the Vatican Library is based in Orchard Lake, Michigan, and funds projects like restorations and repairs of the Vatican Library.

Vatican City is by no means a conventional country; however, it is undeniable that education is and has always been something highly regarded by the Vatican City government. Poverty and poor education go hand and hand, and the Roman Catholic Church operating in Vatican City has provided the tools for the education of millions of people since its conception.

– Tyler Troped

Photo: Flickr