Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Why Is Sudan Poor?

In the midst of the Sahara Desert, Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world. South Sudan became the world’s newest economy in July 2011 after a referendum of self-determination which took place in January 2011. Poverty in South Sudan is more widespread as this area is affected by drought, conflict and famine. According to the Human Development Index, Sudan ranks 147 out of 177 countries. Why is Sudan poor?

Almost half of the population lives in poverty in Sudan. As of 2009, 46.5 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. Nine out of 10 people live on less than a dollar per day. About 40 percent of the population lacks access to safe drinking water. Sudan has the largest number of internally displaced people in the world. More than half a million breastfeeding mothers and children are in need of supplementary food.

According to the Human Development Index of 2000, 26.6 percent of the population will likely not live past the age of 40. Serious illnesses among children, caused by malnutrition and dehydration, cannot be treated because of limited medical supplies, facilities and ill-equipped services. As a result, half of Sudan’s children are not in school.

Hard climate conditions and lack of natural resources contribute to poverty in Sudan. The internal conflict and political instability have intensified the poor conditions. The civil unrest has cost the lives of about 1.5 million people.

Why is Sudan poor? Subsistence agriculture is the main source of livelihood, which includes crop cultivation, herding and fishing. However, food is scarce, increasing poverty in Sudan. The limited size of landholdings, low productivity rates and inability to increase incomes prevent farmers from food production. Poor rainfall and lack of domestic water supplies are other hindrances for crop cultivation. To avoid these conditions, people have fled from Sudan to the Nile river.

Isolation is one of the key factors of poverty in Sudan. People settling away from the main thoroughfares have no access to services and markets, making them vulnerable. Government corruption creates imbalances in the distribution of resources; a large part of the economy is spent on military security apparatus. This fiscal policy is another important consideration in answering the question ‘why is Sudan poor?’

To fight poverty in Sudan, the World Bank agreed to provide $100 million in order to establish development projects in Sudan until 2019. Sudan’s state minister predicted that the economy of Sudan would grow by only 0.2 percent per year.

– Aishwarya Bansal

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Children’s Education Worldwide


The Global Partnership for Education estimated that 264 million children were out of school during the 2015 school year. In low-to-middle-income countries around the world, one in four young people is illiterate. The quality of worldwide children’s education is not the only reason why 250 million kids either don’t make it past four years in school or have not learned basic math, reading or writing skills by grade four. So why aren’t children going to school?

  1. A country’s lack of funding for education contributes not only to the absence of actual schools and materials (400 million students worldwide do not have desks) but a low quantity and quality of teachers as well. Multiple education levels often make up one class, which impacts drop out rates and the overall quality of worldwide children’s education.
  2. Their families are poor. When a child’s parents are illiterate, unemployed or sick, all factors contributing to poverty, the risk of that child either dropping out of school or not going to school at all are doubled.
  3. Worldwide children’s education rates drop during times of war or conflict. According to UNICEF, about 48.5 million children do not attend school because they live in high conflict or war zones. In Syria, more than two million children are unable to attend school, with a quarter of schools no longer being used for educational purposes. About 50,000 education professionals have either fled the country or died in the fighting.
  4. Poor families often see no other option than to marry off their female children, a major cause of a lack of worldwide children’s education, particularly for girls. These victims of child marriage are restricted from education by immediate cultural obligations such as housework and pregnancy. A child with a literate mother is 50 percent more likely to live past five years old.
  5. School is too far away. Many children walk up to three hours to school each way. In an impoverished country where the children are hungry, disabled and responsible for working around the house, this is simply too much time to invest. Additionally, long and hazardous walks can be dangerous, especially for girls.
  6. There are 150 million disabled children around the world, with 80% in developing countries, and the rate is increasing. Nine out of 10 of these children are out of school. The reasons range from physical barriers to the negative attitudes of teachers to inadequate policies. ADD International based in the U.K. partners with and connects a network of disability activists around the world, providing tools, resources and support.
  7. They have to work. 11% of children are child-laborers, which comes to 168 million young people.
  8. They or their families are sick. Even in first-world countries, illness can be a huge barrier for worldwide children’s education. Developing countries have less accessible healthcare, making it more difficult to prevent and treat even the simplest conditions. When parents have access to healthcare, they have a higher chance of being able to work to provide for their families.
  9. They are female. Females account for 54% of the non-schooled population globally. This problem is particularly common in the Arab States and Asia, where cultural norms dictate a higher value in men than women. Especially for menstruating girls, a lack of bathroom privacy and sanitary supplies can lead to missing school. In Somalia, where 36% of girls go to school, the government implemented the Go To School initiative in order to give more girls access to education.
  10. They are hungry. According to the Global Citizen, “Being severely malnourished, to the point, it impacts on brain development, can be the same as losing four grades of schooling.” In developing countries, stunted children are 19% less likely to be able to read by age eight. This is a problem, as there are 171 million children stunted by age five in these countries.

From 2002 to 2014, the Global Partnership for Education helped 64 million children make it to primary school in its partner countries. The organization supports 65 developing countries to ensure that every child receives a quality basic education, prioritizing the poorest, most vulnerable and those living in countries affected by fragility and conflict.

The WE Movement partners with countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to redesign villages that encourage sustainable community change. They build schools, educate teachers, deliver school supplies, build wells and water pumps, provide medical clinics and health training, assist with agriculture and food production and offer parents educational services.

Although there has been much progress in global education, the barriers holding children back from reaching their full potential through quality education still exist. When educated, young people are more likely to have the self-confidence and knowledge to better both their communities and their own livelihoods. Worldwide children’s education is an important tool in the overall reduction of global poverty.

– Katherine Gallagher

Photo: Flickr

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Successful Improvement of Water Quality in Paraguay


As of March 2017, there have been vast improvements regarding the water quality in Paraguay. WaterAid named Paraguay a top-10 country in improving rural access to clean water. This came after the country implemented a multitude of successful policies and innovations. Government efforts, along with the volunteer work of citizens, helped Paraguay completely transform the way its people get water. It almost doubled the number of rural citizens with clean water access.

For its indigenous and rural populations, in particular, poor water quality in Paraguay used to be a large issue that affected the health and lives of its citizens. In 2000, over 50% of Paraguay’s population did not have access to clean water. Water could only be gathered through reservoirs that collected rainwater. These were extremely unreliable, unsanitary and likely to dry up during the hotter seasons. During times of drought, rural citizens often resorted to drinking from nearby rivers and other unsafe sources of water.

After addressing water quality as an issue of high importance, Paraguay achieved huge success to ameliorate this issue. Despite plentiful freshwater reserves, the country had difficulty providing all citizens with access to this resource. However, when access to clean water was named a priority Millennium Development Goal, the Paraguayan government began making ambitious changes. The original goal was for Latin American countries to halve the number of people that lacked access to safe drinking water. Paraguay vastly overachieved, and over 94% of its citizens now have access to clean water.

The majority of this progress began in 2007 when access to clean water was deemed a basic human right in the country. Law 3239, the Law on Water Resources, was a key piece of legislation in Paraguay, which states that “inhabitants [should] have access to drinking water…and every natural person has a right to access to a minimum quantity of drinking water per day that is sufficient for the satisfaction of their basic needs.”

Another important change was the re-arrangement of certain political institutions. For example, the National Service of Environmental Sanitation of Paraguay became part of the Department of Health. This made access to clean water an issue of public health services.

Additionally, citizen volunteer initiatives and community service agencies were imperative for this shift. Rural communities maintain water and sanitation boards. Families pay these boards a small fee, and in return, the boards set water tariffs to operate the water systems.

– Julia Morrison

Photo: Flickr

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10 Books About Nonprofits to Change Your Mind


Within the world of nonprofit work, many have incredible stories to share that expand others’ perspectives. Here is a list of books about nonprofits specifically focused on global poverty. Some are about what inspired certain organizations, some about the work that they do and some about behind-the-scenes logistics.

  1. “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World” by Tracy Kidder; Founder of Partners in Health, Paul Farmer is a believer in change when change seems impossible. This book describes Farmer’s pursuit of improving global health by working in places from Harvard to Peru and Haiti. His goal is to cure the world because “the only real nation is humanity.” For a list of books about nonprofits, this one is a must.
  2. “Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Rights and the New War on the Poor” by Paul Farmer; Paul Farmer’s own book details his personal experiences working in developing countries. He describes the social and economic injustice that the poorer citizens of the world face and explains why it should be among everyone’s priorities to help. He writes with optimism, believing that our sense of justice will evolve with medical and social technology.
  3. “The Blue Sweater” by Jacqueline Novogratz; By blending personal stories and theory, Jacqueline Novogratz’s memoir demonstrates her approach to ending world poverty. Moving from credit analysis to nonprofit work, she started the Acumen Fund, which invests in ideas and companies fighting against poverty. She illustrates the global reach of the need for this kind of work by using personal stories from her travels.
  4. “Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time” by Greg Mortenson; This is the story of one man’s journey from mountaineering to the school building in Pakistan. Mortenson’s 55 schools, many for girls, offer education in a dangerous place and illustrate the power one individual can have for change.
  5. “Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail” by Paul Polak; Polak focuses on a grassroots approach to ending poverty based on his 25 years of experience. He wants to help those who make less than a dollar per day stand on their own two feet rather than have developed countries swoop in and save them. His approach involves low-cost and innovative ways to implement change.
  6. “Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager’s Guide to Getting Results” by Alison Green and Jerry Hauser; Another highlight of management on the list of books about nonprofits, this one focuses on getting results through effective management skills. It reminds us that office work can be just as important as getting dirty on the ground.
  7. “Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits” by Leslie R. Crutchfield, Heather McLeod Grant and J. Gregory Dees; This book discusses the six characteristics that make 12 different nonprofits successful, especially when one looks at their levels of impact. Big or small, organizations can apply these six ideas to their own work, especially in the wake of the global recession.
  8. “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins; As the title suggests, this book outlines certain companies that were able to go from average to amazing. Collins and his research team list seven characteristics that helped these companies build strong and long-term foundations for success.
  9. “The Networked Nonprofit” by Beth Kanter and Allison H. Fine; In today’s society, businesses rely heavily on social media to engage consumers, and nonprofits are no exception. In terms of books about nonprofits, this is another that focuses on management. Social media can be a great tool for raising awareness as well as fundraising and reaching donors.
  10. “A Fistful of Rice: My Unexpected Quest to End Poverty Through Profitability” by Vikram Akula; This personal story about the intersection between philanthropy and capitalism shows how business ideas can be applied to global problems. Akula writes about using capitalism to transform many of India’s poor citizens first into first consumers and then into business owners.

Everyone has a book, movie or song that completely changed the way he or she sees the world. Perhaps it was a particularly inspiring character or a plot that defied imagination. Often the most amazing stories humans tell each other are true.

– Ellen Ray

Photo: Flickr

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Water Quality in Austria

Water Quality in Austria
Austria is a large European country with a population of more than 8.5 million people. The water quality in Austria is quite good compared to other places around Europe. It is a developed country with infrastructure that allows the nation access to clean drinking water.

The annual precipitation in Austria is around 1,100 mm making it one of the most water-wealthy countries in Europe and around the world. About half of the drinking water in Austria comes from groundwater resources while the other half comes from springs. Water consumption amounts to approximately 135 liters a day per person.

Having clean drinking water is the most important thing a country can have, it is essential for citizens living a healthy lifestyle. Using it for purposes such as showering, washing laundry, sanitation and personal hygiene is essential for allowing a household to run smoothly. Austria has no shortage of that availability.

Austria does not just look toward always improving their water situation, they are looking to help out countries that are still developing and don’t have the access to clean water. The Austrian Development Agency has supported developing countries in their efforts in setting up a water supply that is sustainable and is able to produce clean water. Austria is a country that is powerful enough to help the countries around it and prioritizes giving access to clean water and sanitation to people in Albania, Moldova, Mozambique, Palestine and Uganda. Aid of this nature is something that all developed countries with clean water can do to help out the countries where most live in poverty with no access.

The water quality in Austria is one of the best in the world. Not only are they constantly improving their own water systems, but they are also looking to help out other countries.

– Brendin Axtman

Photo: Flickr

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How to Help the Hungry

Help the Hungry

One of the U.N.’s sustainable development goals for ending poverty by 2030 is to end hunger, achieve food security, improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. The question raised from this information is how to help the hungry?  The answer is to support global works that engage in local communities and advocate for hunger-related issues.

Below are six ways to participate in the reduction of global hunger.

  1. Reduce food waste.
    Being more conscious of eating habits and not overbuying can ensure food does not go to waste.  Buying produce at a local farmer’s market that may be thrown out because of their size, shape, or color can also prevent food from going to waste.  One can also volunteer with a local gleaning group to pick up fruit and vegetables thrown away.
  2. Shop local.
    Shopping at local farmer’s markets can also improve an individual’s local economy. Many people earn their income by running local businesses, and by supporting them, one can help keep people employed and assist them in making a living.
  3. Support food banks.
    Since most food banks serve ready-to-eat foods, one can host a food drive in their local community.  After the drive is over, the donated food such as canned or shelf-stable foods then has the potential to feed the hungry. One can also give money to food banks and other nonprofits that fight hunger on top as being a volunteer.
  4. Elect officials who support alleviating starvation and contact Congress in support of bills that help the hungry.
    By electing officials who support ending hunger and contacting Congress, one can increase their country’s involvement in efforts fighting global hunger. Phone calls, sending emails, and letters to ones elected officials can also influence the national agenda. Once elected representatives begin to understand constituents care about ending global hunger, accomplishing this change is possible.
  5. Organize a meal packaging event with groups that one is involved with or join groups that support sustainable agriculture projects, clean water initiatives, or provide food aid.  Engaging in community-based efforts and advocacy has a substantial effect at fighting global hunger.
  6. Be an advocate.
    One can help the hungry by supporting hunger-related issues in their community and finding out how they can help. Through advocacy, one can create an informed public who will join the fight to end hunger.

According to the U.N., “A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish today’s 795 million hungry and the additional 2 billion people expected by 2050.”

– Sarah Dunlap

Photo: Flickr

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Facts and Figures in Uganda


Poverty reduction efforts depend on data. To improve lives in Uganda, it is important to know the facts and figures in Uganda that affect the population every day.

Commonly referred to as “the Pearl of Africa,” Uganda has a population of approximately 39 million people and borders Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. The following are important facts and figures in Uganda:

  1. The average fertility rate is 5.8 children per woman and results from a lack of sex education, family planning services and contraception use as well as the cultural support for large families.
  2. There is a high maternal mortality rate of 343 deaths per 1,000 live births due to a high number of births per woman, short birth intervals and early pregnancy Uganda’s infant mortality rate ranks twenty-first in the world at 57.6 deaths per 1,000 live births.
  3. Uganda has a high population of children. Newborns to those aged 14 make up almost half of the country. About 14.1% of children under five years old are underweight.
  4. The primary education gross enrollment rate is 101.1% but, during secondary school, significantly drops to 26%.
  5. About 7.1% of the adult population (ages 15 to 49) have HIV. Uganda ranks tenth in the world for the highest prevalence rate, seventh for most people living with HIV/AIDS, and tenth for most HIV/AIDS-related deaths.
  6. About 52% of Ugandans have mobile phone subscriptions, and 19.2% have internet access.
  7. In the labor force, 71.9% participate in agriculture, 4.4% in industry and 23.7% in services. However, agriculture accounts for 24.5% of the GDP, industry accounts for 21%, and services account for 54.4%.
  8. The Lord’s Resistance Army, active since 1987, continues to terrorize the country and hold children captive as child soldiers.
  9. About 19.1% of the population lives with improved sanitation facilities, and 79% has access to improved water sources. The rates are typically better in urban settings as oppose to rural areas.
  10. The life expectancy at birth is 59 years of age.

Many of these facts and figures in Uganda have improved over the years as Uganda has worked to meet Millennium Development Goals. For example, the United Nations reported that the percent of the rural population with access to improved drinking water increased from 52 percent in 2001/02 to 72 percent in 2012/13 and most recently to 79 percent. In addition, the country has reduced income poverty by two-thirds, an accomplishment that was five years ahead of schedule. But, Uganda is not stopping there; the country still has the opportunity and plans to make many more strides to aid poverty-reduction efforts.

– Francesca Montalto

Photo: Flickr

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Ghana’s Groundwater, USAID and Coca-Cola

Ghana's Groundwater
The Water and Development Alliance (WADA), a water management program designed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Coca-Cola, provides communities in Latin America, Middle East, Asia, and Africa with safe water access and sanitation. Since its conception in 2005, WADA has implemented 35 projects. After 10 years, WADA provided 600,000 people with reformed water access and 250,000 people with improved sanitation.

Between 2005 and 2014, WADA reached Uganda, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, and Ghana. WADA engages with these communities with several objectives. First, they establish participatory, sustainable water and watershed resources management to benefit people and ecosystems. Second, they increase access to community water supply and sanitation services. Third, WADA fosters improved behaviors and sanitation hygiene for positive health impacts. Finally, they promote efficient and sustainable productive use for water to protect the environment and provide economic benefits to communities.

WADA’s work in Ghana is a perfect example of the program’s endeavors. Ghana’s groundwater is the primary source of water for small rural towns, and it also has exceptionally high concentrations of fluoride. Fluoride affects calcium’s strength in the human body, a reaction that children are susceptible to. The reaction threatens the development of tooth enamel, resulting in decay, discoloration and severe pitting. The high fluoride content in Ghana’s groundwater is particularly dangerous for children. According to Water.org, “seventy percent of all diseases in Ghana are caused by unsafe water and sanitation.” The program directly improved water access for 4,000 families.

WADA also reformed five schools in Ghana’s Sekondi/ Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly. Schools often lack clean water for handwashing and latrines to properly dispose of waste. The program trained more than 40 teachers on hygiene behaviors and latrine facility maintenance. Furthermore, it created school hygiene clubs, installed 40 handwashing stations and 7 latrines. The project serviced approximately 5,400 students with safe water access and sanitation. Since 2007, WADA has serviced 8,000 schoolchildren.

Through the Water and Development Alliance, USAID and Coca-Cola has successfully changed thousands of lives around the world. This organization is a perfect example of how corporations and aid organizations can work together in order to reduce global poverty. Hopefully, other alliances such as this one can continue to improve the state of the world.

– Tiffany Santos

Photo: Flickr

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Top Water Quality in Switzerland

Water Quality in Switzerland
Switzerland is one of the more well-known countries in Europe that has a population of just over eight million people in 2015. There have been some issues in the past, but over the last 30 years, the water quality in Switzerland has improved big time. The chemical levels have fallen over the years and it has become some of the safest water to drink and interact with in Europe.

The water has been the subject of some very strict rules and standards over the years. There is a lot of water that is available and the water quality does change from region to region within the country. There is bottled water available to the citizens, yet the tap water is considered superior to the bottled water available. Around the world, it is rare for tap water to be considered better than bottled water.

The water quality in Switzerland has risen extensively over the years. With new wastewater treatments, as well as treatments across the board on all water quality, there have been massive reductions in the amount of water that is contaminated across the country. The lakes have been some of the most contaminated waters in the country with a lot of pollution and chemicals within the waters. It has now become very safe to drink from and swim in whereas in the past it was not.

Switzerland has a lot of reserves to fall back on, which differs from a lot of countries around Europe and around the world. Switzerland has about 100 different lakes within the country that provide a lot of reserves of water and the ever-improving water quality of these lakes has helped the overall quality in the country. Just 2% of the annual rainfall makes it back into the process of purifying and getting the water right to make it safe to drink.

The phosphorous levels in all of the major lakes and rivers in Switzerland have dropped off significantly from 1980. The majority of the bodies of water in 1980 were between 100 and 200. Today, they are all below 100. There are other contaminants finding their way into the waters that have officials more worried than what has been problematic over the years.

The water has become safer and safer over the years in Switzerland. They have become a country to look at and see how it has improved its situation with pollution and contaminants and overcame inadequate water.

– Brendin Axtman

Photo: Google

Mall for Africa App Brings E-Retailers to African Consumers

Mall for Africa
Mall for Africa is a patent-pending app, payment system, web service and platform that allows people from African nations to buy from U.S.- and U.K.-based e-commerce sites. This opens up local populations in Africa to products and stores they might not have access to otherwise. The app and site provide secure logins, delivery and accept local payment methods. Since its inception, Mall for Africa has joined forces with other companies and expanded its brand to give African shoppers even more options.

Chris Folayan is the CEO and founder of Mall for Africa. While studying for a business degree in marketing at San Jose State University, his family in Nigeria would send him detailed lists of things they wanted him to bring them when he visited. He started the business after he couldn’t board a plane because he had too much luggage with him. He recognized the demand and developed an app to bridge the gap.

The company works by shipping through the app and absorbing all the risks U.S. and U.K. e-retailers are wary of. The app takes care of payments in various currencies, security concerns and fraud, charge-backs, delivery confirmations and customs clearing. As a result, popular companies and brands —Amazon, eBay, Macy’s, Apple, Zara just to name a few—are now shipping to African countries.

Additionally, individuals can use the app for more than entertainment and commodities. In an interview with How We Made It In Africa, Folayan explains that it is also a tool of empowerment for the African people. It is how some schools get textbooks, computers and other supplies necessary for the academic year. Hospitals have ordered equipment that used to be unavailable to them. People have even started their own businesses now that they can gather the items they need.

Folayan went on to say that international brands are recognizing that the African consumer base is invaluable. This puts these consumers in a position to request stores to stock African brands. If this becomes the case, African designers will be able to use Mall for Africa to sell their goods abroad.

Since its humble beginnings in 2012, Mall for Africa has grown exponentially. GroceryDirect and FashionDirect connect African consumers to even more products and goods. These services are both powered by Mall for Africa. Even with these expansions, Folayan sees room for improvement in the app. Currently, it is available to people living in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. However, the founder hopes to include other countries in the future.

– Jada Haynes

Photo: Google