Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Music Stars Help Fight Global Poverty

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The long line of musicians joining the fight against global poverty has added a few more names to the roster. More than 70 artists, including Jay-Z, Beyonce, Pearl Jam, and Bruce Springsteen, have teamed up with the Global Poverty Project to turn their fans into advocates for global poverty.

The Global Citizen Tickets Initiative is the innovative way the Global Poverty Project has been using to further their cause. Artists have donated two tickets from each of their shows, totaling over 20,000 tickets to be won by their fans. To win the tickets, fans must earn points by signing petitions, pledging volunteer hours, writing to elected leaders, or donating money to aid organizations. The points they earn can either be used to enter a lottery, or, with enough points, redeemed for tickets directly.

Hugh Evans, the CEO and co-founder of the Global Poverty Project, told the New York Times, “It provides us with an opportunity to get really powerful activism worldwide.” Over the last year, Evans has collaborated with the two largest concert promoters, three major talent agencies, and dozens of band and festival managers to acquire the tickets.

The Global Poverty Project is no stranger to the music scene. The organization  has hosted the Global Citizen Festival twice in Central Park, featuring artists such as Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, the Foo Fighters, and Kings of Leon.

The initiative was created shortly after the first Global Citizen Festival, when Evans asked Kelly Curtis, the manager for Pearl Jam, to play at the festival. The concept caught on quickly with artists due to the small sacrifice, and lack of controversy about the cause.

The Global Poverty Project focuses on educating and advocating for those living in extreme poverty, as well as raising funds for their partners. Along with The End of Polio campaign, they have raised over $118 million in pledges towards the eradication of polio.

– David Smith

Sources: New York Times, Global Poverty Project
Photo: The Roosevelts

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What Is the Poverty Trap?

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In biology, there are two feedback loops – positive and negative. A negative feedback loop works by Effects which disrupt the Cause; for example, cold temperatures prompt the thermostat to activate heating, which raises the temperature and therefore requires the heat to be shut back off. A positive feedback loop works in exactly the opposite way – more Effect produces more Cause which produces more Effect, ad infinitum; this regulates the production of Oxytocin in a woman’s body during pregnancy, and is only ended by the expulsion of the fetus from the mother’s body. The mechanism commonly called the poverty trap is a social positive feedback loop. And this is why it is so difficult to eradicate.

Unlike pregnancy, there is no terminal event which can tell social institutions and infrastructure, “Enough!” Poverty can endure forever; it is a stable state. Many conditions of deprivation can be tolerated once a person is familiar with the new sensation, and poverty is one of these. Furthermore, the system of poverty is complemented by a system of affluence, which also operates by a positive feedback loop. The richer an individual becomes, the more opportunities there are to increase that affluence. This is not to suggest that rich cannot become poor and vice-versa; merely that in capitalist systems, wealth has a tendency to accumulate, like gravity pulling particles in a vacuum slowly toward one another.

If no forethought is given to this positive feedback loop, as has been the case in America over the last decades, it can become nearly impossible for those at the bottom of the socioeconomic pyramid to reach the top. School is the exemplary case of needing money to make money – without a college education, and increasingly, graduate-level education, many job opportunities are simply out of reach. Loans exist, but conditions are becoming less favorable, and the standard repayment plan on a Stafford Unsubsidized Loan adds nearly 50 percent of the principal in interest over the course of repayment.

A favorite ideology of Americans is that popularized in the 1980s: pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Indeed, this is a critical piece of the solution; a capacity and willingness to commit oneself to improvement is a prerequisite to improvement. However, it also turns a blind eye to the fact that institutions are, by design, resilient to the whims of individuals. An institution which is dysfunctional for one individual is often functional for another. Those for whom institutions function well are understandably reluctant to see them evolve into something less favorable.

That said, in theory, an institution does not answer to those in the ruling party, but operates under mechanisms which dictate it serve the greatest number of people in the best possible way. The  legislation pushed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the Great Depression (the New Deal) and by Harry Truman after World War II (the Marshall Plan, the attempt to temporarily nationalize steel and coal businesses in Europe) was responsible for putting millions to work.

Simply put, the poverty trap is human in operation and institutional in design. Both must evolve if the trap is to be disarmed.

– Alex Pusateri

Sources: A Better World, Prospect
Photo: Zionadventures

Tom Hiddleston: Movie Villain, Humanitarian Hero

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Tom Hiddleston is best known for playing Loki in the blockbuster hits Thor and The Avengers. Although he plays a despicable villain on-screen, his true persona is much more akin to that of the heroes his character so ardently despises. Since January 2013, Hiddleston has been an active and vocal supporter of UNICEF.

The British actor first became involved with UNICEF when he went on a trip to Guinea in West Africa to see the work that the organization is doing. While there, he met with children and members of the communities to see how UNICEF has impacted their lives. Hiddleston wrote six blog posts about his experiences there, ranging in topic from the various projects that have been implemented to playing soccer with local children.

As a ‘high profile’ supporter of the cause, much of his role is to raise awareness of UNICEF’s work and make their efforts known to a wider audience. His efforts have found resounding success: social media sites are rife with groups eager to support Hiddleston and his efforts. One group, called Hiddlestoners Have Heart, started an online fundraising event to support UNICEF UK with the goal of raising £14,000. To date, they have more than doubled that sum, raising a total of £32,771.34 (about $52,522 USD).

To further his advocacy efforts, Hiddleston also took part in 2013’s Live Below the Line Challenge. This annual campaign raises awareness of global poverty by challenging its participants to “live on the equivalent of the extreme poverty line for 5 days.”  That means living off of £1 or $1.50 per day. As one would expect, he found the challenge to be extremely difficult, but ultimately very enlightening.  He again wrote about it for the UNICEF blog, saying that the challenge taught him to think about food differently, to be less wasteful, and that it instilled in him a sincere sense of gratitude that he has never faced such hunger.

Tom Hiddleston’s involvement with UNICEF stands as an important reminder of the need to be active participants in the fight against global hunger and poverty. If the villainous Loki can find it in his heart to become a global citizen and to help those less fortunate, then certainly anyone can.

– Rebecca Beyer
Feature Writer

Sources: UNICEF, Live Below The Line, Hiddlestoners Have Heart
Photo: BuzzLamp

What is ColaLife and How Does it Affect the World?

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In every corner of the world, people know the famous Coca-Cola logo. There are few places on the entire planet that a person might venture to and find Coke products scarce and in low supply, including underdeveloped nations. If the Coca-Cola Company has access to these distant regions and manages to vend their products, why do these nations go without vital medications and health treatments?

Simon Berry, a worker for UK Aid, originally had this question which led to the birth of an organization: ColaLife. ColaLife began on the Internet in 2008, and since, has gained thousands of online-based supporters. Running on a staff primarily composed of volunteers, ColaLife utilizes the same means that the Coca-Cola Company and other worldwide producers use to put their products in every place they can. The organization accomplishes these goals by making use of innovations and networks, like those at Coca-Cola, and opening supply chains and distribution channels for simple medications to reach those in need.

The statistics speak for themselves – in many of these developing areas of the world, 1 in 9 children die at very young ages to preventable diseases, such as diarrhea, the second largest killer of children. Statistics such as this one are what prompted Simon and others to put the plans for ColaLife in motion and provide assistance and medicine in areas where they were previously inaccessible.

Aside from donations and sponsorships, ColaLife has also taken to the internet and social media to bring awareness to these preventable deaths and their mission to end them. The independent non-profit group can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and they also maintain YouTube and SoundCloud channels.

– Ryan Miller

Sources: ColaLife, Product Design of The Year 2013
Photo: The Dieline

Belize Accuses Wealthy Nations of Abandoning Goal 8

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On September 30, Foreign Minister Wilfred Erlington of Belize reprimanded developed countries for abandoning goal eight of the Millennium Development Goals– a global partnership for development. The Millennium Development Goals were agreed upon by world leaders at a UN Summit in 2000, aiming to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty through eight different steps by 2015. The United Nations and many developed countries have been criticized for their apparent slack in achievement.

“We note with disappointment, that the rich countries have not even been able to bring themselves to honor their commitment to contribute even the 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product as official domestic assistance to poor countries,” said Mr. Erlington.

In terms of other assistance, the resources being provided by the international community, other financial institutions and private donors are not nearly enough of what is needed by poor countries to attain the Millennium Development Goals. Now, 13 years later, only a minority of countries are proving successful in attaining the Goals. Unfortunately, the vast majority shows very few signs of development.

Pressure has continually been put on the developed countries to finally step up, once and for all, and put their best foot forward. The battle against global poverty cannot be fought without their leadership, and it is a constant source of frustration for many of the developing nations.

Alva Romanus Baptise, Minister of external fairs of Saint Lucia stressed that global interdependence demands that “the strong help the weak so that everyone gets strong.” Belize’s expression of this omnipresent issue serves as just one voice for the hundreds of abandoned nations.

– Sonia Aviv

Sources: UN News Centre, Scoop
Photo: Caribbean 360

Malala Interviewed on The Daily Show


Malala Yousafzai was interviewed on The Daily Show with John Stewart. Malala become a public figure after being shot by the Taliban.

 

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Pressure on Developed Nations to Contribute More Aid

Leaders have begun to discuss what will replace the Millennium Development Goals once they reach expiration in 2015. Mukhisa Kituyi, the new secretary general of UNCTAD, the UN Trade and Development body, stated that aid-flows from wealthy nations were drying up and that developing economies must contribute more in order to assist the poorer nations.

Kituyi, who took office last month, urged Brazil, China, and other emerging economies to take responsibility for the fight against extreme poverty. “From Brazil to China, while they have shown a willingness to invest in economic infrastructure – the construction of roads, railways, and ports – that capacity should also extend to the construction of social infrastructure,” he said.

There has been constant pressure on developed nations to contribute more aid in both reaching the Millennium Development Goals and ending extreme poverty; however, Kituyi’s call for action represents one of the rare voices asking the developing nations to pay tribute as well.

UNCTAD, which was formed in 1964, is seen as the intellectual counterweight to the World Bank and the IMF, urging even more liberalized trade and deregulated finance. However, in recent years, some of the organization’s staff members are increasingly concerned about Unctad’s future. Kituyi claims that he is determined to boost the organization’s reputation, and is especially concerned in taking part in the formation of what follows the Millennium Development Goals.

– Sonia Aviv

Sources: The Guardian, International Development News, News 168
Photo: The Habari Network

Village Financial Services Private Limited

Village Financial Services Private Limited India Bangladesh Microfinance
Formerly known as “Village Welfare Society,” Village Financial Services Private Limited (VFSPL) began in 1978. The state of West Bengal had just experienced a horrendous flood that devastated the area and several young people banded together in order to help save the lives of those affected by the flood. It was soon registered as a grant-based nonprofit organization.

The organization was officially established on January 23, 2006 and is a micro-finance operations program based in India, with its head office in Kolkata, located in the state of West Bengal.

A micro-finance organization is one that offers financial services to low income populations, like those present in several parts of urban and rural India. Various types of institutions offer this service, and some strictly focus on this one area of financial services. VFSPL focuses on mainly loan disbursement – as well as micro-finance – plus services like healthcare, which are accessed through the organization’s partner, Parinaam Foundation.

The program provides credit to poor and economically disadvantaged Indians. This credit is intended to be used for income-generating activities, as well as assistance in becoming self-sufficient in regards to finances. The organization also brings to light the burden of women in many families and promotes female empowerment in order to bring about positive change in the community. This self-sufficiency will help to build up economic health in the area and improve living conditions for those in poverty in India in the long run.

With over 100 branches all over the country, VFSPL is able to reach out to over one million people (specifically women) in the country, mostly in the areas of West Bengal and Bihar.

The mission of VFSPL is simple: “To strengthen the socio-economic condition of the society by providing financial and other support services mainly to the poor and women in a sustainable manner.” Hence, the organization reaches out to these people in order to achieve a greater good and to help families help themselves in the long run.

Part of what makes VFSPL unique is that the organization only lends to economically disadvantaged females. Catering only to females offers a supposed benefit; according to several studies in social development, females are better borrowers “in terms of repayment and utilization. They are much more likely to reinvest income into the household, for the benefit of the entire family.”

A shining example of VFSPL’s success resides within the success of client Archana Jana, a 44-year-old married woman with three children: two sons and a daughter. “Sukumar use to be karigar (labour) in making sholapith (shola) products used in decorating Hindu idols, in home décor and in creating the headgears of brides and grooms for a traditional Bengali wedding. Most of families in that area are into making these items. These items have a niche market but the karigars were paid low and it was very difficult for them to run their family. The condition of Jana family was also the same. Archana used to share the workload. After some years, Sukumars’s health condition became such that the Doctor at the Howrah Hospital advised him not to stress himself and not to do heavy work. Archana then decided to carry on the work of her own, while her husband was under treatment. She started her own business, taking loans from VFS and buying the raw materials directly. At that time her loan was Rs.2000. She is now having a loan cycle of Rs.12000 and she has now employed karigars under her. Her income is now more than Rs.200 per day. She found [her] lifeline during tough times and thanked VFS for the service provided to [her].”

For more information on microfinance and what VFSPL does, please take a look at their website: https://www.village.net.in/

– Samantha Davis

Sources: Village.net, Mix Market
Photo: The Guardian

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Michael J. Fox: Race to Find Parkinson’s Disease Cure

Michael J Fox Back To The Future Marty McFly Parkinson's Disease Cure
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system. The disease commonly affects the brain and motor functions. It causes difficulty and rigidity in simple motor functions and activities such as walking, sitting, thinking, and balancing. Often it occurs in older people, but some cases include people in their early forties. If the disease is left untreated, it can lead to more severe maladies such as dementia and immobility.

The disease often develops slowly and can go unnoticed. Initial symptoms include a noticeable tremor in just one hand, stiffness of the body, and slow movements. According to Mayo Clinic, during the early stages of the disease, patients may notice that the face shows little to no expression, and that their arms may not swing when walking. Other symptoms include impaired balance, speech changes, blurred vision, writing changes and an impaired sense of smell.  These symptoms can worsen over time. Although the disease can’t be cured, there is a wide array of medications that can help treat it.

Michael J. Fox, a world renowned actor, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when he was just 37 years old. Since then, he has been advocating nationally and internationally for a cure. He predicted that he would find a cure by the time he was 50 years old. However, he is still far from his goal.

He is often praised for his advocacy towards a cure for the disease, and often helps report symptoms and side effects related to the disease. According to WebMD, the actor first reported a “rolling pin tremor on his right hand,” which was later followed by stiffness in his limbs and face. Today, Fox reports that the disease now affects the left hemisphere of his body. Michael J. Fox said he is in the “late-mild” stage of the disease.

Fox wanted to go public about his condition to raise public awareness and funding for Parkinson’s disease, WebMD reports. He has raised awareness via his foundation Web site, which is dedicated to fundraising and finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease. Fox’s foundation is also dedicated to finding innovative research for Parkinson’s Disease patients. Fox’s advocacy can be summarized with his powerful motto, “The cures we want aren’t going to fall from the sky. We have to get ladders and climb up and get them.”

– Stephanie Olaya

Sources: Michael J. Fox Foundation, Mayo Clinic, Medicine Net, USA Today
Photo: Blastr

National Geographic’s Big Cat Initiative

National Geographic Big Cat Initiative Lion Cheetah Snow Leopard Panther Poacher Endangered Species
Throughout Africa, the fate of the world’s dwindling big cat populations remains uncertain. A once prolific and wide-ranging group of animals, the big cat family–lions, cheetahs, leopards, and jaguars–used to range from the depths of Africa to regions as far as Israel, Syria, Pakistan, Iran, and even India. Just 2,000 years ago, there were over a million big cats in the world. Now, estimates show that there could be as few as 20,000 cats remaining, all of whom face grave danger.

The diminishing population of big cats in Africa has a variety of explanations, though all seem to circle around notions of modernity and urbanization. Perhaps the most tangible reason for big cat endangerment is the omnipotent danger of poachers, who ruthlessly search for big cats in order to sell their pelts and other body parts on the very lucrative international black market.

On a broader scale, the increase in urbanization–and the subsequent loss of forests and jungles–has greatly threatened the lives of the big cats. Without their natural habitats, the cats suffer from a loss of protection and heightened difficulty in finding their prey. Slash-and-burn techniques also contribute to habitat loss, as non-sustainable farming practices are perpetuated in order to gain a quick return on crops.

Sadly, the combination of these threats has created an environment that is fairly hostile to the once prolific big cat family. Population declines have thus been rapid, and the world remains on the brink of losing these graceful and significant animals.

Naturally, the big cat family encapsulates many of the majestic wonders of animal life. From the incredible celerity of a cheetah racing through the jungle to the absolutely powerful roar of the quintessential African lion, the astonishing diversity of the big cat family is undeniable. If populations of big cats ultimately disappear, however, the environment will suffer an enormous loss that it cannot recover.

In response to this incredible danger, National Geographic’s Big Cat Initiative is actively attempting to stop the irreparable destruction being done to the big cat family, a population loss that would deleteriously diminish the world’s fragile biodiversity. To begin, the initiative has focused its goals on the cats most in danger today: lions. By 2015, the initiative hopes to have halted decreases in lion populations, and then, ultimately to restore populations to their original levels.

– Anna Purcell

Sources: Mother Nature Network
Photo: Flickr