Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

An Initiative to Reforest Haiti

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One of the primary causes of poverty in Haiti is deforestation. Only 2% of the Haitian side of the island is covered by forest, one of the lowest rates in the world and less than a fifth of the global average. Satellite images show a striking contrast between the forested Dominican Republic and the barren Haiti. Severe deforestation leads to poor soil quality and water scarcity, both of which reduce agricultural yields. Additionally, natural disasters are worsened with the instability of bare soil, increasing the threat of mudslides and the damage caused by earthquakes.

This issue is not a new one in Haiti. Deforestation began on a massive scale in colonial times, when land was cleared for sugar plantations. Since then though it has continued, with as many as 40 million trees felled annually for cooking fuel. However, a recent government initiative marks a turning point. The government of President Michel Martelly is beginning a push to reforest Haiti, committing to planting 50 million trees a year. The goal is to double forest cover by 2016, and then to continue to improve on that gain. Until now, reforestation programs have all been carried out by non-government organizations, the majority of which are foreign operated.

To further the actual planting of trees, the campaign will include various methods of educating the populace. The initiative’s success requires readjusting the view all Haitians have towards deforestation. Radio programs will be used as educational tools, as well as pamphlets and the addition of environmental studies to the school curriculum. Gas-powered stoves will be promoted as efficient alternatives to the burning of wood and charcoal for cooking.

In order to be successful, this initiative will require a lot of effort from the government. In addition to education and the actual reforestation process, a concerted effort will need to be made to enforce legislation and prevent illegal logging in protected areas. The project is only just beginning, but if it is successful, we will see significant benefits in just a few years.

– David M. Wilson

Sources: The Guardian, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Photo: UNDP 

Empathy for the Poor in Religious Practice

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With the lunar calendar entering its ninth month, marked by the crescent moon, Muslims around the world begin fasting rituals in reverence of the holy month of Ramadan. For an entire month—this year Monday July 8th through Wednesday August 7th—the Muslim world spend the daylight hours abstaining from food, water, smoking, swearing, and sex. As part of the Islamic tradition, and one of the five pillars of Islam, the month is reserved as a time for spiritual introspection, self-improvement, and greater devotion to the teachings of Mohammad. Notably, the holiday urges the believer into pursuing the Zakat, or, providing alms for the poor.

A principal tenet of the Ramadan fasting practice, or Sawm, is to inspire empathy for the poor. The ascetic practice of not eating food allows the faster to be able to internalize the plight of those who do not have access to basic foodstuffs.

In the Islamic tradition, the tenet of the Zakat requires all Muslims that are able to give alms to the poor and do their part in eliminating poverty. Simply put, the practice of fasting compels the Muslim world to become philanthropists. The Qu’ran at [17:26-29] instructs, “You shall give the due alms to the relatives, the needy, the poor, and the traveling alien, but do not be excessive, extravagant.”

Hamzi Wanis, an Egyptian Businessman addressed the philanthropic properties of the holiday saying, “the concept of abstaining from eating from sunrise to sunset makes us feel the daily suffering of poor people who really cannot afford food to eat every day as they are poor. It’s the time when we should stand hand-in-hand with poor people and make them smile by offering them food and donating money to them,” The Gulf Times reported.

Despite intense heat and even hotter political turmoil in parts of the Muslim world, the Islamic tradition continues undisturbed.

– Thomas van der List

Sources: Global Times, Gulf Today, Progressive Muslim, Just Zakat
Photo: Denver Post

The Truth Behind Poverty in Japan

Poverty in Japan
According to The Economist, poverty in Japan is rarely visible. There is little begging and little evidence that the homeless exist. The poor are quietly hidden in shadows away from what appears of economic homogeneity in Japan. They are hidden from sight and very difficult to measure.

However, the truth of the matter is that poverty is increasing at alarming rates in Japan. After years of economic stagnation, now statistics show that nearly one in six Japanese lived in poverty in 2007. This accounts for nearly 20 million people within the population.

 

Poverty in Japan

 

Yet the popular perception of Japan is one of a nation of prosperity and centenarians. Even many Japanese themselves were horrified to find out that Japan’s poverty rate was in recent years as high as 15.7%, nearly as high as the figure for the United States. The Japanese government has admitted that it had been keeping poverty statistics hidden since 1998. Aya Abe, a researcher at the National Institute of Population and Social Security in Tokyo has stated, “it is very unpopular for the Japanese media to say anything about Japanese poverty.” By denying the existence of increasing poverty, Japan has failed to support its growing impoverished population.

The results of this lack of support are visible in the plight of single parents in Japan. The poverty rate of single parents is now the highest of the all of the nations that are part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Furthermore, statistics show that now one in seven children in Japan lives in poverty. According to Japan Times, more and more children are now unable to afford schoolbooks and basic materials for education.

Despite these grim facts, few impoverished Japanese are even willing to admit that they are poor. Poverty experts in Japan say that 80% of the poor in Japan are “working poor.” That is to say that these poor may be working temporary jobs with few benefits but they unable to or even unwilling to reveal the true condition of their financial or living situation.

Furthermore, years of deregulated labor and competition with China have created a wide market of low paying jobs. For a nation that is accustomed to lifetime jobs, there are few social safety nets for the unemployed. Thus, while the poor in Japan may fair considerably better than those in developing nations, they face a social taboo that attempts to cover up poverty. Thus the climb upwards is a difficult and lonely challenge.

– Grace Zhao 

Sources: New York Times, Japan Times, The Economist

How is Farming in Developing Countries Different?

Farming in Developing Countries
The story of farming in the developing world is a completely different one. In the US, agricultural workers make up a very small portion of the population, but agriculture employs anywhere between 50 percent and 90 percent of the population for farming in developing countries. Of this percentage, small farmers are the most prevalent form of producers, making up 70-90 percent of those working in agriculture. According to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s website “Three-quarters of the world’s poorest people get their food and income by farming small plots of land about the size of a football field.”

 

Improving Farming in Developing Countries

 

As such, helping these small farmers in developing countries increase production and sell more crops is the best way to combat global hunger and poverty. The difficulties in increasing production for these farmers include unproductive soil, plant diseases, pests, and drought. In many cases these small farmers trek miles to the nearest water source and are only able to bring enough water back to produce small amounts of crops. Lack of access to improved seeds or fertilizers and pesticides further add to their hardships, in addition to a lack of reliable markets and little available pricing information.

One important aspect of furthering agricultural production in developing countries is pushing for empowerment and equality of women in these nations. In Asia, women produce 60 percent of agricultural products, and in Africa that figure is 80 percent. However, these same women also are not given equal access to credit which could enable them to afford quality seeds, fertilzers, and water pumps, increasing their production and providing more food to their communities. If women farmers were given equal access to resources, developing countries would see significant increases in agricultural productivity.

Other ways to aid these small farmers include investment in technological innovations, such as cheap solar-powered water pumps, and giving farmers better access to information about the markets they are selling to. Thanks to new information technologies, farming knowledge can now be transferred across regions through radio, internet, and mobile phones.

The important thing to note about farming in developing countries is that such a large portion—up to 90 percent—of the economy is made up of agriculture workers. If innovations and policies can improve their standard of living then the majority of the poor in many developing countries would be lifted out of poverty. Out of their rise from poverty comes new consumers and contributors to the global economy, benefitting not just developing countries, but developed ones as well.

– Martin Drake

Sources: Gates Foundation, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Photo: World Crunch

Malnutrition Killing Children in Cameroon

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A growing number of children in Cameroon are falling victim to malnutrition. A hospital in Garoua confirmed that in June alone, thirty-one cases of childhood malnutrition came through and six died.

Cameroon conducted a study in 2011 to gauge malnutrition levels within in the country. The study found that of children under five years old, thirty three percent of them suffered from chronic malnutrition and fourteen percent of them were severely malnourished.

There are several theories as to why Cameroon experiences such high malnutrition rates. Cameroon’s ministry of public health believes that malnutrition is linked to Cameroon’s complex climate. They cite certain regions with dry, semi-arid climates having higher rates of nutritional deterioration in children than in other regions. Additionally, it is believed that the influx of refugees from Chad and the Central African Republic has added an increased strain to Cameroon.

The northern and far northern regions of Cameroon experience the highest rates of childhood malnutrition. Unfortunately, however, malnutrition exists throughout the entire country and not just in the north. This is believed to be due to the lack of food in certain seasons, and in certain regions as previously explained. Cameroon also has a lack of food variety, creating a deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals in many children’s diets.

However, Cameroon’s problem is not food insecurity. The country is capable and does produce enough food to sustain its population, and does not need to import food. Unfortunately, however, poverty is a severe roadblock to battling malnutrition. Poverty keeps a large portion of Cameroon from having access to a varied and balanced diet.

UNICEF has estimated that 57,616 children under the age of five are at risk of severe acute malnutrition in the North and Far North regions of Cameroon. Additionally, UNICEF believes 145,000 children under the age of five will experience stunted growth. Very few children in Cameroon are breastfed after birth, which leads to such inflated statistics.

UNICEF has partnered with the government of Cameroon to increase prevention efforts. They have increased their presence at nineteen feeding centers in the country to prevent complications associated with malnutrition. They are working to educate mothers to recognize the signs of malnutrition and to seek medical help when they are noticed. Despite limited medical staff in many regions in Cameroon, it is hoped that the increased effort in prevention programs will work to effectively decrease malnutrition and death rates in the country.

– Caitlin Zusy

Sources: Inter Press Service, All Africa
Photo: Healthcare Volunteer

Do You Know the Definition of Poverty?

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Although poverty is an international issue, there is no internationally agreed-upon definition of poverty.

The most common definition of poverty is the World Bank’s threshold:  living at $2 a day, and its definition of extreme poverty at $1.25 a day. This figure that was created by averaging the poverty line in the world’s 15 poorest countries. These are definitions of absolute poverty, in which a certain amount of income is set, and anyone making below that income is considered poor. Under these definitions, around 3 billion people live in poverty, and 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty.

However, poverty can also be defined in relative terms. In many countries, poverty is simply defined by the threshold of income for the bottom 10 percent of the population, or taking into account cost of living into account when setting a poverty line.

Both of these definitions, however, deal almost exclusively with income and consumption, and ignore the social and political aspects of poverty. The United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) contends that there are three perspectives which need to be taken into account when conceptualizing poverty: the income perspective indicates that a person is poor only if his or her income is below the country’s poverty line; the basic needs includes the need for the provision by a community of the basic social services necessary to prevent individuals from falling into poverty; and finally, the empowerment perspective suggests that poverty signify a lack of some basic capability to function.

Something to consider is that although the global definition of extreme poverty is $1.25 dollars a day, the US sets its poverty line at $11,490 of income per year, which comes out to roughly $30 a day. If we held the whole world to that standard, almost everyone would be in poverty; 80 percent of the world’s population lives on less than $10 a day.

Poverty undermines basic political, economic, social, and cultural rights. As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Poverty is the worst form of violence.” As a country with the economic capabilities to lift everyone in the world out of extreme poverty (it would cost around $30 billion), the United States should be the leaders in poverty eradication efforts. Not only this, but it is important to remember how much lower the standard o poverty is set for the rest of the world, and how most in the developed world could never consider living on $1.25 a day.

– Martin Drake

Sources: UNESCO, DoSomething.org, The Economist
Photo: WordPress

What is the NCBA?

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One of the most intriguing business ideas is that of a co-op.  It can be like a corporation, only it’s governing body is chosen democratically by it’s members, not shareholders.  From a business standpoint, the co-op isn’t profit motivated but exists to serve it’s members.  When a surplus is realized by the co-op, the excess is divided among members by individual use of the organization and not by how much was initially invested.  Members can be essentially anyone, from sole proprietors to nonprofit organizations.

Among the many benefits of co-op membership, knowledge may be the most important.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the developing world, specifically in the nations of Senegal, Zambia, and Mozambique. In their efforts to alleviate poverty, increase income and food production, and provide a higher standard of living for their people, farmers there have partnered with the National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA) in the United States.

Initially founded in 1916, the NCBA has existed as the soundboard for all co-ops in the U.S., touting the benefits and successes of this business framework.  Known today as NCBA CLUSA International, their focus also includes advocacy, cross-sector support and education, and co-op community advancement in a total of 15 different nations.

NCBA CLUSA International maintains a strong presence in Senegal and Zambia through the USAID’s “Farmer-to-Farmer” initiative.  The co-op organization calls on it’s extensive volunteer base, culling professionals from the agricultural, development, technological, and even financial fields.  However, most volunteers for the program are American farmers and agribusiness people who are directly involved with teaching and sharing techniques with farmers in Zambia and Senegal.  Everything from business development, soil fertility, and crop processing is all covered.  NCBA CLUSA International provides transportation, logistical support, and translators for its volunteers.

Recently, USAID acknowledged the NCBA’s efforts in Niger.  Backed by USAID funding, the group’s volunteers have been working with farmers and people in the nation for several years teaching them the best way to grow highly nutritious moringa.  Areas of southwest Niger have transformed from drought-stricken to fields of lush vegetation suited for the climate.

In Mozambique, the NCBA has been granted a contract worth $14 million by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  In a press release dated in December 2012, the NCBA reports their mission is to:

“…boost agriculture production by 20% and increase household resilience by 30%, helping these small farmers progress from the subsistence level, to income generation… This program will train 54,000 farmers and 50 emerging commercial farmers in proven Conservation Agriculture (CA) techniques and nutrition, benefitting more than 140,000 individuals. The practice of Conservation Agriculture is a method of farming that, when adhered to, achieves high and sustained production levels, while concurrently conserving the environment.”

An empowering facet of the program is that half of those 54,000 farmers are women.  This move no doubt increases community capacity and women’s efficacy as they are literally equal partners.

The NCBA is living proof that the co-op model can be successful in myriad ways and is especially helpful in the developing world.  By connecting impoverished farmers and communities with learned volunteers, they’re fostering inclusive, sustainable and economically robust communities.

– David Smith

Sources: NCBA, USAID Frontlines
Photo: TechnoServe

World Hepatitis Day

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July 28th is World Hepatitis Day, a time meant for people to learn and think about the wide-spread impact of hepatitis and how they can help combat its prevalence. Throughout the world, more people are living with hepatitis than are living with HIV or any kind of cancer, yet hepatitis lacks the large amount of public awareness that these other diseases receive. World Hepatitis Day was established to help bring a larger discussion about hepatitis and how the disease impacts global health.

Over 500 million people live chronically with either Hepatitis B or C. This translates to roughly 1 out of 12 people in the world living with a chronic form of the illness. An additional 2 billion people suffer from Hepatitis B and 150 million from Hepatitis C. Of those infected with the disease, nearly one million will die each year.

Hepatitis B and C are both transmitted through contact with infected body fluids. Hepatitis B can be spread during unsafe sex, when using unsterilized needles, or from mother to baby during birth. Hepatitis C is spread through direct contact with infected blood. In both forms of hepatitis, the infected patient will experience a swelling of the liver and will be at extreme risk of developing other liver problems. Those contracting hepatitis have a greater chance of having liver damage or developing liver cancer in the future.

One of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of hepatitis and to encourage that infected patients seek treatment for the disease is through education. World Hepatitis Day works to educate the public by encouraging that people practice safe sex, are vaccinated against the disease, and avoid sharing razors, toothbrushes, or equipment for injecting drugs with one another. It also encourages healthcare providers to ensure that their equipment is adequately sterilized between patients to eliminate the virus from their tools.

Symptoms of hepatitis are very similar to symptoms of the flu. Those experiencing flu-like symptoms are encouraged to seek care from a medical professional for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

World Hepatitis Day events will be taking place all over the world on July 28th. The World Health Organization is hoping that the day will help raise hepatitis awareness and lead to increased availability of resources to help prevent the spread of the disease.

– Jordan Kline

Sources: Medical News Today, World Hepatitis Alliance Azerbaijan News
Photo: GEO

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint by Celebrating Ramadan

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This year, the United Arab Emirates will connect the religious period of Ramadan with the theme of World Environment Day, “reduce your footprint”. Traditionally a time of introspection, fasting, and prayer, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is an important time of  year, and the impact of an environmental movement during this time could be very powerful.

The Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi has partnered with charitable organizations to donate 250 meals of untouched leftover food to homeless. The agency is committed to this goal for the next 5 years. The program will be introduced at the beginning of Ramadan and launched at the end of the month around August 7.

Organic waste accounts for nearly 395 of all total household waste in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This organic waste actually increases the percentage of waste in landfills and leads to the increase in carbon emissions as well. According to UN experts, this type of waste in landfills emits large amounts of greenhouse gases. To combat this environmental issue, The Environmental Agency will use the month of Ramadan as a moral incentive to protect the environment by reducing food waste. Using a quote from the Quran, the agency encourages people to make only enough food for the guests at the table and to measure portions amongst other environmentally friendly actions.

By reducing food waste, more meals can be delivered to the poor.  Quattro Group, a food service company, will provide restaurants with 250 uneaten meals from cafes and restaurants. These meals will be given to the Saving Grace Project, which will then hand them over to low-income communities. The food-handling team has established a timetable to collect and distribute meals efficiently, as well as ensuring that health and safety are top priorities.

In addition to the food donation program, the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi has launched its own awareness campaign to encourage people throughout the country to consider waste when making food decisions. Fozeya Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, director of the agency’s environmental outreach division, has stated that waste reduction is vital for a nation with limited food and water resources. To Mahmoud and other, Ramadan is the ideal time to begin to instill a new culture of reducing food waste.

The campaign incorporates religious values with 10 tips on reducing your carbon footprint. Tips range from planning meals, avoiding grocery shopping when hungry, composting organic waste, to donating food to those in need.

– Grace Zhao

Sources: Muslim Village, The National
Photo: Washington Post

What is the LRA?

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The Lord’s Resistance Army is a rebel group led by Joseph Kony that was formed in 1989 in Northern Uganda to fight the Ugandan government. The LRA is widely regarded as one of the most violent and brutal groups in the world as it regularly, murders, rapes and plunders villages. At the very height of the group’s power, 2 million people in northern Uganda were displaced.

The Lord’s Resistance Army began as a religious movement led by Alice Lakwena. Lakwena claimed the Holy Spirit was leading her to overthrow the Ugandan government. At the time, popular resentment of the government helped to intensify support for her Holy Spirit Movement. However, soon the government was able to depose of Lakwena and push back the rebel group into the bush.

However, the movement did not end with Lakwena. A man named Joseph Kony, who claimed to be Lakwena’s cousin, revitalized the group and unleashed a new reign of terror. Kony rechristened the group as the Lord’s Resistance Army. Claiming to follow the 10 commandments, Kony’s LRA gained a cult-like following and pursued its original goal of overthrowing the Ugandan government. However, Kony quickly began to lose support for his rebel group so he was forced to resort to abducting thousands of children to serve as soldiers.

The LRA has become notorious for utilizing child soldiers. Rebels often disguise themselves as Ugandan military forces and attack villagers. The LRA has slaughtered thousands. Others they mutilate to serve as warnings to the government and villages. Any captives, many of which are children, are violently indoctrinated and forced into slavery as soldiers, cooks, or sex slaves. To keep captives from escaping, the LRA often forces them to kill their own family members. Those who do not do so are killed off.

Today the LRA continues to dwindle in size due to military pressure and defection.

The UN Security Council has condemned the LRA repeatedly. In 2005, the International Criminal Court also issued arrest warrants for the LRA’s top leaders for crimes against humanity, including Joseph Kony. Many attempts have been made to reach a peace agreement between the LRA and the Ugandan government. However, Joseph Kony has avoided such meetings each time. Thus today the Ugandan government continues to battle the LRA. In October 2011, the 100 U.S. military advisors from Army Special Forces were deployed to Uganda with the intention of  providing training and assistance to fight the LRA.

Currently, the LRA remains one of the most elusive and least understood rebel groups in the world. Yet its crimes hardly go unnoticed. However, with increasing foreign pressure and foreign aid, the LRA faces a bleaker future.

– Grace Zhao

Sources: LRA Crisis tracker, FAS, Department of State, Enough Project
Photo: TCON