Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

AidData and China’s Foreign Aid Policy

AidData and China's Foreign Aid Policy
In the past decade, China has committed at least $75 billion to aid and development in Africa. Since 2000, there has been up to 1,700 projects, and China’s commitment to development in Africa stands as one of the strongest of any donor country. Research in the U.S. has created a large public database of these projects, named AidData, in order to analyze China’s efforts.

While this ongoing data collection could create debate over China’s interests in Africa, it is clear that Chinese engagement in the continent strengthened infrastructure, energy generation, and supply and communications. The ability to measure this aid will allow for transparency in China’s aid processes and strategies. Chinese aid is performed through direct investment “without state involvement and NGO aid” so that there is no middleman and the money can go directly where it is needed. However, this makes it more difficult to track where the money goes, and how it is used.

Ghana, Nigeria, and Sudan are the biggest aid recipients, receiving a quarter of a trillion dollars over the past 10 years. As was earlier mentioned, the biggest priority for Chinese aid is infrastructure. This means that empowering women, providing food aid, and creating education systems rank much lower on the priority list. AidData has suggested that because these are areas that the West tends to focus on the most, China has taken a different route.

In spite of this reasoning, according to AidData, China has backed hundreds of health, transport, and agricultural projects. Doctors and teachers have been sent into Africa as well, while African students have been encouraged to study in China. Some insist that China is only interested in the continent for its natural resources, yet it is clear that China is interested in supporting Africa for the future.

– Sarah Rybak

Sources: The Guardian, ONE
Photo: China Daily

6 U.S. States That Give The Most

States That Give The Most
Last year The Chronicle of Philanthropy published a list of the most charitable U.S. states based on total donations, but another way to find the states that give the most is through tax deductions. The Tax Foundation did just that with more recent tax data from 2011 to see how the numbers compare with the Chronicle‘s study.

1. Maryland: This was the state that gave back the most, according to the Tax Foundation’s study, with 40.1% of tax returns in Maryland including a charitable deduction. The total state donations amounted to $3.9 billion, or approximately $2,969 per taxpayer.

2. New Jersey: 36% of taxpayers in this state deducted a donation to charity in 2011, creating a total of $4.5 billion of donations and a median amount of $2,181.

3. Connecticut: In a very close third place, this state had 35.9% of their taxpayers deduct charity donations on their tax returns, which amounted to $2.3 billion and a median of $1,916 per person.

4. Utah: 33.1% of Utah resident taxpayers donated to charity, giving back a total of $2.4 billion, which is a whopping $5,255 median contribution per taxpayer.

5. Minnesota: In this state, 32.7% of taxpayers noted a deduction for charity on their returns, creating a total of $2.6 billion of donations and a median contribution amount of $2,213.

6. Virginia: In another close rank, 32.5% of Virginia taxpayers deducted a donation for charity, totaling $4.2 billion and a median amount of $2,790 per taxpayer.

There are a few things to note after viewing this short list of the states that give the most. One is that the list is compiled based on the percentage of people who donate even a small amount, not the amount that the state donates as a total. Another is that the numbers in this list include donations from companies as well, and a third consideration is that the only money counted was that from itemized deductions, not standard deductions, which could affect the total amounts.

Of the six states in this list, only two of them (Utah and Maryland) also made to The Chronicle of Philanthropy‘s top ten list of states that donate the most.

– Katie Brockman

Sources Daily Finance, The Chronicle of Philanthropy

BRAC: Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee

BRAC
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, BRAC, is an international NGO from the global south. It started off with meek beginnings, trying out various methods and putting them to the test in Bangladesh before implementing them in other developing countries. Today, BRAC exists for 11 countries reaching out to approximately 130 million people in rural and urban areas. According to Soraya Auer, journalist and communications and global advocacy specialist for BRAC, Bangladesh, BRAC has been called the “best aid group you’ve never heard of.”

Established during the Bangladesh independence war in 1972 as a mere “relief and rehabilitation project to help returning war refugees,” BRAC is now a leading organization in fighting global poverty. Soraya says BRAC recognizes that changing how women view themselves is the answer to many global poverty-related injustices. It focuses on women empowerment. She lists examples of women who lifted themselves out of poverty by being community leaders; one woman brought healthcare into her community, and another “raised awareness through theater.”

About one month ago, Bangladesh experienced a fire in one of its buildings, which housed 5 garment factories, costing over 1,100 lives. Soraya says how the community and the BRAC group all pitched in during this tragedy, “bringing food, water, oxygen cylinders, [and] blood donations” to the site, and BRAC medical teams went to aid hospitals. She states how some of the victims and the survivors are BRAC members, and she hopes that the “next time [she] mentions BRAC… it [is] to be recognized for what it is — a growing family, always learning, today mourning its losses…but always moving forward.”

– Leen Abdallah

Source: Huffington Post
Photo: Google

Should the Government Demand Transparency?

Transparency
In John Tyler’s book “Transparency in Philanthropy,” the author discusses the idea of allowing the government to demand transparency among charities and other philanthropic organizations, and whether or not it would be beneficial to the charities and the people who support them. Tyler draws the seemingly paradoxical conclusion that “transparency is complicated” in his book, because even though transparency in charities can help make business processes simpler by removing secrets, it can also prove to be a challenge, especially if it is mandated and not voluntary.

Many organizations choose to be transparent in their work, and some philanthropic groups will readily supply all the numbers about how much they donated, received, paid in salaries, etc. This is a good thing because it 1) ensures that there are no secrets being kept behind closed doors about the donations, and 2) encourages trust. If people know where their money is going when they donate to a charity, they may be more likely to give and give more often. Tyler also mentions that foundations with stakeholders are legally obligated to share their information with them, but there is a difference between legal and social transparency.

There is a down-side to demanding transparency in the philanthropic sector, though. If the government demands a charity to be transparent, that means people can easily research to find these companies’ tax returns. While this may not seem like much of a problem, “in countries with weak rule of law, such information could be used to harass and pressure donors.” Then, because of these pressures, people are frightened away and donations dramatically decrease, which hurts everyone.

Philanthropic foundations are necessary to organize donations and charity around the world, and sometimes transparency is a good thing, especially when it’s voluntary. But at other times, it can lead to results that don’t help anyone.

– Katie Brockman

Source: Forbes
Photo: FDA

Self-Sustaining Agriculture for Nigeria?

Niger_farmer_man_crop_yield_infrastructure_africa_crops_poverty_international_Aid_government_opt
In a country where 60% of the population are employed as farmers, it is a disheartening fact that Nigeria is not agriculturally self-sustainable. Not only does the country lack the level of food production needed to feed its growing population, but the shortfall is so great that Nigeria is the world’s largest importer of rice, spending $11 billion a year on food importation.

Despite some 100 million farmers, out of a population of 167 million, the majority practice subsistence farming. Less than half of Nigeria’s arable land is currently being used for food production, and some sources claim less than 10% is used optimally. Additionally, many of these farmers still aren’t employing modern methods and tools.

Without government intervention, this is unlikely to change soon. For one, the farming population is aging, despite 70% of Nigeria’s total population being under the age of 30. Youth are moving to the cities rather than remaining in rural areas, and this demographic shift takes a toll on farms as the potential workforce is depleted. Additionally, banks are reluctant to lend money to farmers, as returns on investments are slow. A system of government aid or microcredit may be necessary to allow farmers to update their equipment and buy fertilizer, and so increase their yields.

However, it is a lack of infrastructure in the country that might be the biggest contributor to the constant shortcomings in food production. Roads are often unsuitable for transportation, and water and electricity provision are inconsistent. The lack of suitable roads leads to a huge amount of waste as crops are unable to be transported in a timely manner. According to Nigeria’s Farms Minister, Akinwumi Adesina, 45% of the country’s tomato crop is lost every day, simply because farmers are unable to get them to the market.

The problems in agriculture stems partly from the discovery of oil in Nigeria in the 70s, and the subsequent shift away from farming. But more often it appears to be inefficient methods and insufficient workers. Crops often go unharvested, or yields simply aren’t high enough to provide a surplus.

Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, has targeted 2015 to eliminate the need to import rice. With Nigeria’s population quickly swelling, though, it will take more than a simple increase in yields to meet the demand. Infrastructure will need to be improved, and a modernization of the industry must take place.

With the country set to surpass the population of the United States before 2050, this revitalization will be crucial to its future success.

– David Wilson

Sources: The Economist
Photo: IFAD

Italy’s Economy is Taking a Beating

Immigration. Poverty. Men eating. Free meal from Caritas

With the global recession lasting over two years now, many countries have been highly affected by the current state of the global economy. One of the countries that has been hit the hardest is Italy. Many people do not think of Italy as a poor country by any means. However, the number of people that live in seriously deprived families in Italy has soared up to 8.6 million.

The unemployment rate in Italy for the younger generation has recently hit 40 percent. Italians’ purchasing power fell by 4.8 percent in this last year.

To put the drastic rate at which the poverty level in Italy is increasing into perspective, here are a few figures: The percentage of families that could not afford to eat a protein based meal such as meat every two days, rose to 16.6 percent in 2012. The year before, this percentage was only at 12.4 percent. In 2010 this percentage was at 6.7 percent. In two years, the percentage of families that could not eat a nutritious meal for a period longer than two days rose by 9.9 percent.

While all of this may seem grim, there is still hope for Italy. Prime Minister Enrico Letta stated that he believes Italy can stage an economic recovery without increasing its huge public debt. After meeting with his advisors, he concluded Italy’s economy may get slightly worse before there is improvement, but in the next few years improvements are expected in Italy’s fiscal state.

– Matthew Jackoski

Sources: Huffington Post, Reuters
Photo: Didier Ruef

,

Student Documentary Sheds Light On Poverty

chris_temple_Zach_ingrasci_claremont_mckenna_college_Economics_international_Development_college_documentary_opt

For Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci, students at Claremont McKenna College studying economics and international development, the daily struggle that over a billion people living on one dollar per day face is more personal than it is for the average westerner. After a visit to Guatemala with a microfinance group, Temple began to lay the foundation for what some might call a radical experiment. Along with two filmmakers, Temple and Ingrasci set out to shine a light on global poverty in a bold way: by living it themselves.

For 56 days in the rural village of Pena Blanca, each of the four young men vowed to live on just one dollar per day. Because many people who live in such poverty must take work as it is given, the quartet paid itself random dollar amounts (often $0) each day to make the experience more realistic. The film even takes a pragmatic turn as the students investigate the powerful impact of microloans on the lives of people in the region. They do all of this while battling chronic hunger and parasitic infections.

Although the documentary, which was available on Hulu for a limited time, began as a small project with only four crew members, it eventually drew the attention of big names such as Jeff Klein, the former general manager for the L.A. Times, David Doss, the former executive producer of Anderson Cooper 360, and Mike Lange, who was the former CEO of Miremax.

Currently, the filmmakers are travelling to promote the film. Those interested in watching the film can find a screening in their area or even host one themselves via the organization’s website.

– Samantha Mauney

Source: Huffington Post
Photo: My Northwest

, , , , , , , ,

Afghan Child Refugees Flee to Europe

afghanistan-refugees
As citizens of the United States, we hear a lot about the war in Afghanistan. We hear about what the U.S. is doing, our withdrawal timeline, attacks and progress. What we don’t hear about is how the war has affected Afghan citizens, and what life has been like for them.

Right now in Afghanistan, there is a mass exodus of teenage boys who are fleeing Afghanistan. These Afghan child refugees are headed on a 10,000-mile journey towards Europe, where, if they are lucky enough to live and arrive in Europe, they may be able to seek asylum. Teens are forced to trust in smugglers who transport them in secret compartments in vans and truck, or take them on dangerous water crossings with low survival rates.  Many of the boys who take on this journey die in the process, with estimates as low as 35% of boys making it to Europe.

Additionally, Afghan boys are at risk for sex trafficking on their journey. Many of the boys are sexually abused, or turned into sex slaves by their smugglers. They are powerless to the smugglers, who control their livelihood and safety. Many children may also be diverted into menial jobs as they try to save money to pay smugglers for future legs of their jouney. Boys disappear often, and anonymously. They are incredibly vulnerable and very susceptible to kidnappers.

The deaths and disappearances of these boys are, in part, a result of their vulnerability and poverty. The poorer and less educated the boys, the bigger risk they may suffer. Additionally, some of the children may be experiencing post-traumatic stress from the war-related events that they may have witnessed in Afghanistan. The children are also subject to the constant threat of deportation, as most of them do not have legal status or documentation.

The lack of legal status can have many implications on the children. They could be exposed to organized crime, physical abuse, and child labor, as well as the previously mentioned sex trafficking. In several of the countries through which the boys travel, such as Greece, unaccompanied children are not guaranteed asylum or refugee status. Those children who are caught, deported, and sent back to Afghanistan may be at an even greater risk if returned. The plight of young Afghans is undoubtedly a serious human rights violation and one that should be more widely covered by mainstream media.

– Caitlin Zusy 

Sources: 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes, UNHRC
Photo: The National

Frontiers in Development

Frontiers in Development

“Frontiers in Development is designed to encourage forward-looking, provocative discussion and debate and to strengthen the analysis, design, and implementation of development programs.” – Rajiv Shah (Administrator) & Steven Radelet (Chief Economist), U.S. Agency for International Development, May 2012

In international development, there have been 60 years of dedicated experience in frontiers. The milestones set out before us by the UN’s Millenium Development Goals have shown the development community that more can be accomplished than the skeptics would have us believe. However, several of the goals have fallen far short of their targets. Both successes and failures shed light on the efficacy of the current development models, techniques, and technology. As the world changes, international development must change too.

“Frontiers in Development” is a USAID initiative with both private and public partners aimed at monitoring and evaluating the efficacy of international development projects. The project aims at drawing on the best and brightest to create a new model for achieving development. As USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah stated, “Never before have we had the opportunity to achieve so much together in global development.” Shah noted that the opportunity relies on using a new partnership model, including a larger slice of American society, and utilizing cutting edge technology.

The USAID e-book “Frontiers in Development” details the approaches, innovative models, new technology, and approaches suggested by the ongoing dialogue between practitioners, recipients and academics of international development. In 265 pages, the book details international development in four sections: Democracy and Security, Pressure on the Planet, Technology and Service Delivery, and Development Assistance in a Changing World.

The new partnership model alluded to in Shah’s opening speech involves a heavier reliance on local partners, as well as a stronger partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Hewlett Foundation and MacArthur Foundation. Furthermore, the involvement of a number of high-ranking global politicians will broaden the base of knowledge. The cutting edge technology involves taking risks and trying out new concepts, processes, and devices. Most importantly, the purpose of the initiative is to determine how to better deliver results.

– Katherine Zobre

Sources: USAID , USAID eBook

2 Reasons Urbanization Helps Curb Poverty

2 Reasons Urbanization Helps Curb Poverty

In light of the U.N.’s Millenium Development Goals ending in two years and its own goal to end global poverty by 2030, the World Bank has published its annual report on the issue: the Global Monitoring Report 2013. In it, urbanization is strongly linked to alleviation of poverty. Jos Verbeek, the leading economist on the report, cites the following reasons.

  1.  “[Cities],” he says, “are centers of economic activity, growth and job creation; consequently, poverty is significantly lower in urban centers than in rural areas.”
  2. Due to their superior infrastructure, he says urban areas are also better at service delivery. For example, access to sanitation [such as toilets] is about 80 percent in urban areas and about 50 percent in rural ones. In Africa, about 40 percent of the population in urban areas have access to a toilet, while only half that amount have access in rural areas. Verbeek also states that due to their size, it is easier for urban areas to extend services such as health care, education, and clean water.

Verbeek does warn, however, that unchecked development can lead to slums. He implies that the institutions within a developing region are just as important as the cities themselves. For instance, urban planning is vital to increase the efficiency of buying and selling land. He says, “If there is uncertainty [over land ownership], then public providers will not come in and extend water pipes into the slums – because no one knows for sure if the slums will still be there a year from now. Government might [decide to] empty them out, which in certain countries has happened in the past.”

– Samantha Mauney

Source: Voice of America
Photo: Goway