Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Prevention of Waterborne Diseases in Developing Countries


Water is an easy traveling venue for many small particles and microorganisms. Many developing countries suffer from poor prevention of waterborne diseases. Much of the water in areas with poor water filtration is filled with particles ranging from natural silt and oils to human waste and animal feces. These particles infiltrate a community’s water system, including the drinking water, leading to easy infection. Eighty percent of all diseases in developing countries are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions. Within developing countries, 1.8 million people die each year from waterborne diseases. Of these deaths, over 90 percent are children under the age of five.

Waterborne diseases are easily transmitted through unclean hands, uncovered food and contaminated water. The bacteria and worms that live in the contaminated water can easily be prevented. However, in a low-income country where health care is dismal, infections become detrimental to a person’s life. On top of living in an area with poor sanitation facilities, children living in these areas usually suffer from malnutrition. This leads to a weakened immune system, leaving them unable to fight off the infections caused by waterborne diseases.

Many steps are taken to aid in the prevention of waterborne diseases in developing countries. The easiest way to prevent diarrhea diseases is simple sanitation actions. This includes boiling water to disinfect it, washing hands frequently and cleaning dishes. On a small scale, these actions are incredibly helpful to reduce the risk of infection. On a large scale, much more must be done to prevent waterborne diseases. However, most developing countries do not have access to the necessary sanitation products such as soap. They also lack access to water systems that can easily filter out bacteria and waste.

Organizations such as Clean the World and The Water Project have dedicated their resources to make it possible to prevent waterborne diseases in low-income areas and provide access to soap, clean water and sanitation facilities. Clean the World distributes hygiene products, especially soap, to low-income areas that normally do not have access to such goods. This is done through recycling old, barely-used hotel soap and re-purposing them to developing countries. The Water Project combats diarrhea diseases by going directly to the source. It is an organization that brings clean water filtration to developing countries by building wells, rainwater catchment systems and spring protections. Clean water and sanitation is the key to preventing waterborne diseases.

– Taylor Elgarten

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Refugees in Malawi


Situated in southeastern Africa, Malawi is landlocked between Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Over the last few decades, this largely agrarian nation experienced turbulent times. Despite inflation, corruption, HIV/AIDS and underdevelopment, Malawians are tenacious and remain incredibly friendly people. Here are 10 facts about refugees in Malawi:

  1. There are two camps for refugees in Malawi: Luwani (in the south) and Dzaleka (to the north). Luwani was reopened by the Malawian government in March 2016 to cope with refugees from Mozambique in the wake of conflicts between the government and opposition groups.
  2. At the end of March of this year, 3,073 Mozambican nationals who fled the Tete Province resided in the southern Luwani camp, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This was a reduction of 382 refugees in Malawi from the end of February.
  3. The Dzaleka encampment, near Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, houses refugees and asylum-seekers from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Somalia. Most stay a few weeks before heading to South Africa.
  4. In a March 2017 press release, the UNHCR officially claimed the “Dzaleka refugee camp, originally built for a population of some 9,000 people now has more than tripled in size to nearly 28,000 people.”
  5. According to Monique Ekoko, UNHCR’s Representative to Malawi, “The new arrivals of refugees in Malawi has been at a steady rate of between 400 to 700 people per month over the past two years.”
  6. More than one million Mozambican refugees fled to the Luwani Camp during the nation’s civil war from 1977 to 1992.
  7. Due to weather-related events, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) suggests that 39 percent of the population (6,491,847 people out of a total population of 16,832,910) will not receive the minimum food requirement for 2016 and 2017. This is an increase of 129 percent since the previous year, a fact which makes it difficult to feed increasing numbers of refugees in Malawi.
  8. Mozambican officials pressure the Malawian government to refrain from recognizing every individual who crosses the nation’s borders as a refugee.
  9. Malaria, water shortages, dwindling food rations and respiratory infections are rampant in the encampments. Without proper funding, these and many other problems will persist.
  10. The Dzaleka camp’s health center serves a combination of 65,000 refugees and Malawians. Nearly 60 percent of the individuals cared for are Malawians.

The pressing problem of food insecurity – due to unpredictable weather and rising food prices – will be a major hurdle in the region’s recovery. Among its key planning figures for 2017, the U.N. expects to distribute an average of 2,100 calories to each refugee in Malawi and construct 920 latrines in the Dzaleka camp to meet sanitation standards. To reach long-term goals of peace and security, the UNHCR cites a 30 percent primary school enrollment figure for refugee children. With help of the international community, these activities should improve the lives of individuals in Malawi and promote regional prosperity.

— JG Federman

Photo: Flickr

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Low Levels of Hunger in Belarus Thanks to Government Intervention


Belarus is an Eastern European country that was previously one of the founding republics of the defunct Soviet Union. Like many former Soviet states, Belarus struggles from residual problems left behind by the USSR’s past influence, such as a poor human rights record and institutionalized authoritarianism. Despite the country’s rooted issues, it displays encouraging signs of development in food security. Unlike many other troubled countries, there are very low levels of hunger in Belarus.

Since 1997, Belarus has boasted an impressive Global Hunger Index score of less than five, indicating that the country as a whole does not suffer from prolonged food shortages and famine. Additionally, Belarus enjoys falling mortality rates as well as a marked decline in stunting and wasting in children younger than five years of age.

Overall, hunger and related issues are not widespread in Belarus, even though it remains a developing country. Much of the success in ending hunger in Belarus is attributable to the government’s prioritization of food security. The 1998 National Food Security Program developed standards for food security as well as measures to achieve hunger-prevention goals.

While Belarus benefits from commendably low hunger statistics, the country’s continued growth is limited by persisting Soviet-era practices in numerous economic sectors, especially agriculture. Foreign aid and development institutions such as the United Staties Agency for International Development have provided and continue to provide assistance towards privatization and free-market reforms intended to stimulate growth throughout the Belarusian economy.

Although Belarus does not struggle from significant food shortages, the country continues to face the consequences of the infamous 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor meltdown, in which nearly 70 percent of the radioactive fallout from the compromised plant landed in Belarus. Radiation contaminates about one-fifth of the nation’s farmland, and many Belarusians in the surrounding areas eat food that comes from these contaminated areas. Many Belarusians suffer from health issues caused by or related to exposure to radioactive fallout or contaminated food.

Fortunately, many organizations work to improve conditions for Belarus and its people by continuing to provide aid. One nonprofit, Overflowing Hands, brings Belarusian youth to the U.S. for six weeks every summer to provide access to clean food and a healthy environment, counteracting the detrimental effects of radiation exposure. According to Overflowing Hands, health care professionals estimate that for every six weeks they are kept away from radiation exposure, children and teens gain two years back to their lifespans. Overflowing Hands even teaches the Belarusian youth compassion by getting them involved in food aid and community service programs.

Hopefully, organizations such as Overflowing Hands will be successful in providing meaningful support by minimizing the already low levels of hunger in Belarus and finding solutions for Belarusians exposed to radioactivity. Similarly to Overflowing Hands’ youth summer program, perhaps these organizations will even succeed in empowering vulnerable Belarusians to help others.

– Isidro Rafael Santa Maria

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Education in Thailand


In Thailand, a Southeast Asian country boasting scenic coastlines and rich religious history, literacy soars while achievement rates remain comparatively low.

Though the government invests generously in public education, the nation at large fails to measure up to global academic standards. Many citizens attribute this phenomenon to governmental bias and call for structural changes.

Education advocates have garnered the attention of public officials, but some obstructions still riddle the path to successful reform. Below are 10 facts about education in Thailand, including recent efforts to revitalize the system.

  1. Access to education in Thailand has risen consistently over the past two decades. All Thai children are guaranteed an education under the 1999 Education Act, and children of other nationalities living in Thailand gained the same right in 2005. A 2009 decision increased free education from 12 to 15 years. Between 2000 and 2009, primary and secondary school enrollment increased by nine percent and 17 percent, respectively.
  2. Despite Thailand’s universal access to education and 96.7 percent literacy rate, Thai students scored below the global average on PISA tests in 2014, ranking 35th out of 40 countries. Recent reports from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) also indicate that the country has fallen behind.
  3. In 2015, the government spent 19.35 percent of its yearly budget on education, a greater portion than was spent on anything else. However, Thailand has yet to see cumulative improvements in its schools.
  4. The lack of success might be the result of poorly divided funds. Instead of distributing it equally, the government funnels a large proportion of money toward schools where students already have a high likelihood to succeed and gives less to smaller and more rural schools.
  5. As a result, schools in poor areas must stretch their resources thin. Individual teachers often teach multiple grades and subjects.
  6. Due to these inequalities, students in city schools demonstrate higher rates of improvement than students at rural schools, according to the PISA test.
  7. While funding inequality puts small, rural schools at a particular disadvantage, the outdated curriculum does a disservice to all Thai schools. The system has used the same curriculum since 2008, which itself is only a slightly edited version of curriculum from 2001.
  8. The Asian Correspondent predicts economic problems in Thailand, as this curriculum focuses on outdated industries and skills. Unless the curriculum is updated to better fit the demands of the modern world, the Thai education system runs the risk of producing an unemployable generation.
  9. In 2014, the National Council for Peace and Order resolved to reconstruct the education system but has taken no discernible actions yet.
  10. Tutor schools and “shadow education” systems have emerged at the hands of parents, as there is a widespread distrust of the public education system. However, many continue the fight for better public education, as low-income families have fewer options to teach their children independently.

The future of education in Thailand may appear a bit rocky, but there is potential for improvement. With national attention on schools, and many families so passionate that they’ve come up with ways to combat the issue in their own homes, opportunities for students are bound to continue multiplying.

– Madeline Forwerck

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Senegalese Refugees


Located on the northwestern coast of Africa, Senegal is lauded as one of the most stable democracies in Africa. It is the only country in post-colonial Africa that has avoided a military coup against its democratic government. However, the democracy of Senegal still experiences lapses in its democratic process, a common ailment of African nations establishing independence post-colonization.

2004 marked the beginning of the most significant violent conflict in Senegal’s recent history. Located in the southwestern corner of Senegal lies Casamance, a province which has been vying for independence from the Senegalese government since 1982. Civil unrest in Casamance came to a head in 2004, with instances of violent conflict being documented well into 2014. The conflict between the Casamance rebels, known as the Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (MFDC), and the official Senegalese military has displaced thousands and taken a serious toll on civilian life.

While a ceasefire was signed by both warring factions in 2014, fighting between the Senegalese army and the MFDC continues today, albeit at a much smaller scale. Little has been done to reincorporate internally displaced Senegalese people into the state and remediate the living conditions of those affected by the civil strife of the separatist movement. Below are 10 facts about Senegalese refugees and their status as liminal bodies in a warring state.

  1. Sixty percent of Senegal’s population lives on less $3.10 a day, making it extremely difficult for them to obtain even the most basic human necessities such as food, water, shelter and vaccines.
  2. The richest 20 percent of Senegal hold 46.9 percent of the country’s wealth, illustrating that those displaced by conflict have limited economic resources to rebuild their lives.
  3. The most recent data concerning casualties resulting from the conflict states that approximately 14 civilians, including persons of refugee and internally displaced status, have been killed since February. The continued destruction of human life despite the three-year-old cease-fire illustrates that the conflict still seriously threatens the stability of the nation.
  4. The Senegalese government reports that the MFDC has repeatedly looted local villages to fund its military campaigns. However, the only official report on this comes from a readily biased Senegalese account, illustrating that the control of information is perhaps detrimental to the nation’s democracy.
  5. According to the most recently conducted study, there are an estimated 62,638 internally displaced people (IDP) in and around Senegal as a result of this civil strife.
  6. While physical displacement is the most severe form of displacement, less extreme forms of displacement, including the postponing of infrastructure development, has decreased post-war job opportunities and caused economic stagnation.
  7. Stigmatization of the entire Casamance region has also had impacted civilian life and citizens’ ability to relocate and establish themselves within the larger Senegalese economy.
  8. Humanitarian efforts to aid IDPs have largely focused on conflict resolution and the rebuilding of infrastructure and have not necessarily addressed the most basic and urgent needs of returning IDPs.
  9. The number of non-military landmine deaths was estimated to be around 748 as of December 2008. Efforts to remove landmines exist but are typically run by the Senegalese government, which is more or less unresponsive to the needs of Senegalese refugees and IDPs located in war-torn areas.
  10. Corruption within the MFDC led to a largely war-based economy, which has since devolved into drug trafficking and has initiated a new wave of terror for the people of Casamance. Drug trafficking is especially heavy between Casamance and Guinea-Bissau, and some Senegalese refugees in this area have looked to the notoriously violent narco-trafficking trade for work.

While the recovery statuses of the Casamance region and the Senegalese refugees’ areas are problematic, political and social stability is slowly being reinstated. Approximately one-third of IDPs have returned home in recent years, and the worst of the bloodshed has subsided. Further international intervention seems to be required for complete resolution.

– Spencer Linford

Photo: Flickr

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Water Quality in Kazakhstan


The water quality in Kazakhstan is poor, despite the nation’s access to other natural resources. Unsanitary conditions in water supply systems contribute to poor quality, which leads to a rise in illnesses including gastroenteritis and hepatitis.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) adviser Zhanar Sagimbayeva stated, “The population [often] use[s] water which doesn’t meet bacteriological standards. This is related to bad conditions of our water infrastructure. It has a direct effect on the health of the population.”

Furthermore, the situation is worse for those living in rural Kazakhstan. As the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) stated, “Many villagers use surface water and groundwater of poor quality.” However, urban regions in Kazakhstan are also not free from water pollution.

Water availability is unevenly distributed throughout the nation. According to a U.N. report, only three percent of Kazakhstan’s water was available to those living in the central region in 2004.

Even more concerning, is the country’s access to water as a whole. A report by Anatoly Ryabtsev, the Chairman of the Committee on Water Resources in Kazakhstan, wrote that “Kazakhstan is one of the most water-scarce countries on the Eurasian continent.”

It is unsurprising then that approximately half of Kazakhstan’s available water passes through its neighbors, according to the UNDP. Controlling the quality of water would involve regional negotiations in addition to stronger sanitation policies.

Ryabtsev warns that if provisions are not put into effect soon, Kazakhstan will face dire consequences. Not only will disease continue, but the economic and social development of the nation will be hindered.

Fortunately, the government of Kazakhstan has taken initiatives to improve the nation’s water system. Most recently, the Development Strategy of Kazakhstan up to 2030 was finalized. This establishes the government’s commitment to better water quality and conservation.

Assuming the government of Kazakhstan follows through on its strategy, the water quality in Kazakhstan is likely to improve in the near future.

– Gigi DeLorenzo

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About the FAO


The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), of the U.N. is dedicated to providing food security for all. The organization has three main goals found on it’s website that guide its initiatives and strategies: “the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.”

Here are 10 facts about the FAO that you should know:

  1. Talks about the organization first began in 1943 in Hot Springs, Virginia, where various governments were committed to the creation of an organization solely dedicated to food and agriculture. It was not until 1945 that the FAO became a specialized U.N. branch. It is the oldest indefinite specialized agency of the U.N.
  2. The organization is comprised of 194 Member Nations, two associate members and one member organization, which is the European Union. The organization is currently present in more than 130 countries.
  3. To help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, the FAO supports policies and political commitments focused on promoting food security and good nutrition while keeping information on issues like hunger and malnutrition problems and solutions up-to-date and easily accessible.
  4. To reduce rural poverty, the FAO helps smallholders increase farm productivity, find employment off of the farm and assist communities in finding ways to manage high-risk issues prone to their environment.
  5. The FAO partners with member countries’ governments to devise agricultural policy, support planning, draft effective legislation and create national strategies.
  6. The organization responds to crisis situations by partnering with humanitarian agencies, such as the World Food Programme, to protect people’s livelihoods and help them rebuild their lives.
  7. Just recently, the FAO has reached a milestone in its Famine Prevention and Drought Response Plan by treating more than 12 million animals with diseases whose meat and milk are consumed by hundreds of thousands of families in Somalia. Animals are also a source of livelihood for many of these families.
  8. The organization provides a platform where rich and poor nations can come together to fight global issues that affect everyone. Experts from around the globe come together at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy on a regular basis to fashion agreements on major food and agriculture issues.
  9. The World Bank and FAO have recently decided to strengthen their partnership to incorporate more cooperation in hopes of making the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development even more attainable. The signed agreement includes providing the FAO with technical expertise to assist governments in projects funded by the World Bank.
  10. FAO is 39 percent funded by the contributions of member countries and 61 percent funded by voluntary contributions made by various partners.

The FAO is an especially important organization for the world’s poor because it prioritizes those who are deprived of the basic human rights of food and water while mobilizing the world’s nations to work together.

– Emily Arnold

Photo: Flickr

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World Bank Launches Philippines Urbanization Review


On May 29, Mara Warwick, Country Director of the World Bank office in the Philippines, announced the Philippines Urbanization Review. This framework was created to help the nation’s leaders make decisions about urbanization using diagnostic tools provided by the World Bank to help analyze investment priorities.

“As one of the fastest urbanizing countries in the region, urbanization presents a great opportunity for economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction for the Philippines,” Warwick said during her opening remarks.

Last year, the Philippines was one of the fastest growing countries in the world, and currently, its cities generate more than 70 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

Warwick noted that at the moment, about 45 percent of Filipinos live in cities. She added that by 2050, 65 percent — or 102 million people — will live in Filipino cities if rates of urbanization continue as they are today.

However, the desired speed and scale of urbanization brings obstacles. Cities are struggling to keep up with demands for housing, basic services, transportation, and jobs, as well as increasing income inequality between the wealthiest and poorest segments of society.

“Decisions made now will affect how cities grow and how people benefit from urbanization through economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction,” says the Philippines Urbanization Review. According to the World Bank’s report, cities need “more affordable mass transport, such as metro rail transit and bus rapid transit systems, to raise productivity and improve the welfare of commuters.” Another recommendation is that government create more simple licensing requirements to attract more businesses and housing.

The World Bank published the Philippines Urbanization Review in the hopes that the country will take their recommended steps to cut down traffic and simplify licensing so that cities can thrive and the lives of millions of Filipino people can be improved. The decisions must be made now to ensure a prosperous future.

– Kelsey Jackson

Photo: Flickr

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One Product Poverty in Developing Countries


There is an inextricable link between the commodity dependence of developing countries and their susceptibility to poverty. The tie to poverty in nations that heavily rely on one or two products to boost their export revenue may be closer than current research demonstrates. This phenomenon, which will hereafter be referred to as “one product poverty,” needs additional study.

The extreme reliance on select commodities is especially harmful at the household level. This is in large part due to price volatility. Price volatility refers to fluctuations in worth resulting from unanticipated supply and demand that is reflected in a commodity’s price. In recent years, commodity price volatility has increased as a partial consequence of the 2008 global financial crisis.

Some of the effects of price volatility must be taken as a given. In a free market, supply and demand are the driving mechanisms that affect commodity prices. However, price volatility is especially harmful to one product countries. It creates barriers in economic markets and discourages entrepreneurship by heightening the risk of investment. Commodity dependency and price volatility, then, are a recipe for one product poverty.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s 2014 State of Commodity Dependence report shows that high commodity dependence is concentrated in impoverished regions of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Asia, for instance, have the highest percentage of commodity exports in relation to gross domestic product (GDP). Some of the poorest countries in the world, such as Mozambique, have some of the highest percentages of commodity exports as a percentage of GDP.

The instinctual solution to one product poverty is variance in commodities. In other words, developing countries should strive to increase their revenue-making operations from one commodity to two and then three. These countries should stay away from over-specialization.

By doing so, developing countries can lessen the vulnerability of their commodities to fluctuating markets, which would benefit their economies and encourage individual initiative and entrepreneurship. Households can then take a final step out of poverty as self-sustaining business owners.

The role of developed countries in this equation is to encourage sustainable development. Policies that promote the broader production of commodities, stabilize prices and increase exports must be considered as solutions for one product poverty.

– Rebeca Ilisoi

Photo: Flickr

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How S’well Bottles Serve the World

How S'well Bottles Serve the World
Sarah Kauss, the CEO and Founder of S’well, launched the company in 2010 with the primary goal of ridding the world of plastic water bottles and doing some good for the environment. S’well grew immensely in popularity since its creation. It now partners with UNICEF, American Forests, Drink Up and (RED) to serve global needs.

S’well bottles serve the world through the company’s partnership with UNICEF USA, contributing $800,000 since 2015 to help provide clean and safe water to the world’s most vulnerable communities. S’well is dedicated to supporting water programs across Madagascar through 2018, where nearly 50 percent of the population lacks access to clean drinking water. The company aims to assist in building infrastructure, educating families on water-borne diseases and promoting national reform to make long-lasting change.

In addition to UNICEF, S’well also supports (RED), an organization paving the way toward an AIDS-free generation. Through its global impact and the help of many partners, (RED) raised $465 million over the past decade. This year, S’well introduced the (RED) Water Bottle to fight HIV, after an eye-opening and hopeful visit to Kenya to witness (RED)’s efforts firsthand. Since 1990, Kenya successfully halved both the number of child deaths and HIV prevalence in adults. To continue down this road of achievements, S’well supports education, treatment and awareness-building efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Twenty percent of the retail price for every (RED) bottle is donated to the cause.

The fact that S’well bottles serve the world with such an embedded purpose contributes to the company’s success. The product is marketable by its listed description as “… the only reusable bottle that looks great and does good. It keeps your drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 while giving back to those in need.” S’well’s social mission is best outlined by Kauss, “… it’s just the right thing to do… It’s part of our DNA, it’s part of our mission statement and part of everything that we do.” S’well has expanded rapidly through its ties with Starbucks. It is launching its products at the bustling business around the world – with thousands of locations in North America, Brazil, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and South Africa.

The thought of how the purchase of a single water bottle can make a difference in developing areas is inspiring and certainly worth reflecting on. S’well bottles serve the world in more ways than one. They benefit the environment and charitable causes in America, while reaching out on a global scale.

– Mikaela Frigillana

Photo: Flickr