Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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PAHO’s Work in Haiti: Protecting the Country’s Health System

paho's work in haitiSeptember 2024 marks two years since Haiti’s humanitarian crisis reached critical levels due to the escalation of armed violence and territorial gang control. On February 29, 2024, a fresh wave of violence broke out. Gunmen targeted police stations and the international airport in what was regarded as a protest against unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Today, more than 200 gangs are operating in Haiti and the country’s health system has suffered greatly as a consequence. Many major hospitals, particularly in the capital Port-au-Prince, had to close, with no guarantee of safety for staff or patients amid the security crisis. Less than half of the health facilities in the country’s capital are operating at normal capacity, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and a UNICEF representative visiting the country heartbreakingly described its health system as being “on the verge of collapse.”

PAHO’s Work in Haiti

PAHO, however, has been working tirelessly to protect and support the health system in the region. Armed groups in Port-Au-Prince have drastically affected supply chains into Haiti. Cargo flights to the capital city’s airport suffered while the airport was in the hands of these groups, UNICEF reports. All hospitals in the country are struggling to obtain their usual supplies.

PAHO has donated a host of essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment to strained health facilities. These donations have played a crucial role in ensuring that these facilities remain open and operational. PAHO’s work in Haiti, supporting the Ministry of Health (MSPP), has also meant that more than 38 tons of medical supplies could be transported from a stockpile in Panama to care for internally displaced peoples, according to the PAHO website.

Containers filled with supplies were held up by armed groups, or even looted. They have now been able to reach Haitian residents, with PAHO taking this transportation over for Port-au-Prince – the main logistical hub of the country – whilst it is overwhelmed by violence.

Supporting Those in Shelters

The outbreak of violence has meant that more than 37,000 Haitians are now displaced and spread across 23 camps in the Port-au-Prince borough. PAHO workers are on the ground in Haiti, providing psychological support to those displaced as they face the stigma of living in shelters, and exist in fear of the outbreak of epidemics like cholera.

PAHO has also provided key health services to those living in these make-shift camps. Skin infections and diarrheal diseases are especially common, and workers are on hand to provide indispensable treatment. Treating these ailments at the root will also help to ease some pressure off of local health services. The high number of displaced families is placing additional demand on hospitals in the southern area of Haiti especially, according to UNICEF.

Hygiene and Sanitation Products

PAHO’s distribution of hygiene and sanitation products in shelters is a vital step in ensuring that disease does not spread. Cramped, closed conditions in emergency shelters leave those living in them particularly vulnerable to the outbreak of epidemics. The organization has carried out epidemiological surveillance and vaccinations to reduce this pressing risk. A surge in cases of any disease would place yet more strain on Port-au-Prince’s health systems. PAHO’s work in Haiti is vital now more than ever, according to its website.

In July 2024, PAHO supported Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population to vaccinate more than 230,000 children against diphtheria. This recent success mirrors the organization’s clear commitment to disease control in Haiti.

Delivering Blood

The smooth-running of blood testing activities in Haiti was directly affected by the outbreak of violence. Haiti has previously struggled to meet its need for safe blood bags, yet delivery of blood products is essential for Port-au-Prince’s strained health system. Without them, surgery cannot go ahead safely, and maternal mortality becomes a critical issue.

PAHO has stepped in during the security crisis to deliver blood supplies. Deliveries to the National Blood Transfusion Center have allowed for vital blood work to resume.

Fuelling Port-au-Prince Ambulances

Political instability in Haiti has affected nationwide access to essential goods and services. Access to fuel has been reduced because of this, posing problems for the transportation of patients. To facilitate the continuation of ambulance services in the particularly strained Port-au-Prince area, PAHO has supplied fuel to the National Ambulance Center so that their service can continue to function, according to its website.

PAHO’s work in Haiti has helped many people struggling in times of political crisis and violence. The organization stated that it will continue its work in Haiti, hoping to strengthen and improve the current situation.

– Maeve Relihan

Maeve is based in Birmingham, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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The World Food Program and Poverty in Liberia

The World Food Program: 3 Strategies Against Poverty in Liberia Liberia is a nation that leans greatly on foreign aid and investment. With 81% of Liberia’s population being food insecure and 93% unable to afford a healthy diet, malnutrition becomes a great threat. This especially goes for children under 5 years old in Liberia, who have the greatest Global Acute Malnutrition Rate in urban Montserrado. With high agricultural post-harvest losses and limited technology and knowledge, Liberia’s food insecurity is amplified. To help combat poverty and food insecurity in Liberia, the World Food Program (WFP) is aiding Liberia through three main strategies: resilience building, school meals and supply chain.

Resilience Building

Resilience-building activities in Liberia are used to target the most food-insecure people. WFP has a food assistance-for-assets (FFA) activity in which 1.8 million people participated in rehabilitation and asset creation projects. This included more than 62,000 hectares of land and 847 ponds that were rehabilitated and 172 new wells were raised. This inevitably benefited 3.15 million people as monitoring results of 2022 showed it decreased social conflict and instability between people over limited natural resources. Instead, it reinforced a stronger sense of community as the resilience programs promoted teamwork and acted as a foundation of support for many villages.

WFP also targets food insecurity and poverty by introducing savings practices. Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), is a strategy for people to borrow from their savings for needs and requirements. These can be health care, food, school fees and business support. By educating people on how to borrow savings, people in rural Liberia learn how to handle their money utilizing the best practices for saving. Through this strategy, Liberia can fight poverty by educating its people and promoting further household economic security.

School Meals

WFP intends to revise the National School Feeding Policy. By incorporating a school meal program into the schools of Liberia, children can have guaranteed meals every day. This is significant work in combating the food insecurity and malnutrition that young people, particularly children, suffer from. WFP aims to establish a budget of $5 million for this school meal program and by 2025, increase the coverage of the school meal program by 45%.

While also combating food insecurity, WFP has also begun a ‘Breaking Barriers to Girls Education’ initiative that promotes education for girls and young women. This is a significant aspect of fighting poverty in Liberia, as 51% of the population lives on $1 a day. By giving women proper education, they will learn skills that open further opportunities for them in the work industry. This will allow them to earn a wage and curb poverty and food insecurity in Liberia. The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF) has also benefited smallholder farmers as the program has increased their production, promoting economic stability for more people in the agricultural industry.

According to WFP, more than 5000 smallholder farmers now have a market to sell their produce and fight food insecurity with increased income levels. The increase in productivity in farmers also contributes to both the economic and food security of Liberia as their produce feeds children for free in schools, but they also get paid for their labor, meaning they can afford more food and fight food insecurity themselves.

Supply Chain

WFP and the Government of Liberia work together to deliver essential medical supplies and equipment to health care facilities. WFP transports health supplies to 13 county depots in Liberia, as well as 36 hospitals and 136 health centers. This is a vital aspect of reducing poverty in Liberia as it focuses on the health and well-being of the population. The necessary delivery of medical supplies and equipment allows the malnourished and injured to recover quickly, ensuring a healthy population. This leads to a greater number of healthy, able-bodied people in the workforce who can earn money to survive and help strengthen the economy.

Also in Liberia, WFP and CERFAM cooperated in a workshop that worked to assess the postharvest losses in the rice value chain. Following this, they led post-harvest management training to help reduce and prevent losses. This was carried out by the construction of post-harvest management facilities which not only allowed a chance for people to educate themselves and practice their skills through hands-on training but also offered new employment opportunities for building these facilities and teaching others in their community. This combats the poverty problem in the rural agricultural lands of Liberia that would be more limited in job opportunities, due to their isolated geography. As 70% of Liberia’s workforce is in the agricultural sector, knowledge and new equipment will help a large majority of the population, decreasing harvest losses and supporting farmers in crop production.

Looking Ahead

The WFP’s multi-faceted approach addresses Liberia’s food insecurity and poverty through resilience building, school meals and improved supply chains. These ongoing efforts provide immediate relief while also fostering long-term economic stability by educating communities and supporting agricultural growth. With nearly three-quarters of the population dependent on agriculture, WFP’s initiatives offer critical tools for enhancing productivity and reducing post-harvest losses, which directly benefits both farmers and their families.

– Chelsey Saya McLeod

Chelsey is based in Southampton, Hampshire, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Agricultural Subsidies: Mitigating Food Insecurity in Tunisia

Food Insecurity in TunisiaPersistent political and socio-economic challenges have led to social tensions and delayed economic recovery in Tunisia. This has caused high unemployment rates and regional conflicts, contributing to food insecurity in Tunisia. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 16.6% of Tunisians live below the poverty line, while 30% of children under 5 and pregnant and nursing women suffer from anemia. Furthermore, Tunisia’s high dependence on agricultural imports, exacerbated by economic challenges and a high inflation rate, has led to food shortages. The ongoing drought has strained agriculture, decreasing harvest and diminishing dairy production. Agricultural subsidies have been crucial in addressing these ongoing challenges, shaping the country’s food production landscape and influencing socioeconomic dynamics. 

Tunisia’s agricultural policies have evolved drastically since its independence in 1956. With an initial focus on self-sufficiency, the country gradually shifted toward an export-oriented approach which led to increased reliance on food imports. This has caused implications for Tunisia’s food security and has made it vulnerable to global market fluctuations. 

Types of Agricultural Subsidies

To assist in its agriculture, the Tunisian government has multiple subsidy mechanisms. These aim to boost domestic production, stabilize food prices and support rural livelihoods.

  • Input subsidies. Covers fertilizers, seeds and machinery.
  • Price support. Ensures minimum prices for specific crops and financially protects farmers against crop losses due to natural disasters, pests or other unforeseen events. 
  • Credit subsidies. Provides low-interest loans to farmers
  • Irrigation subsidies. Supports water management infrastructure.

Impact on Domestic Food Production

Agricultural subsidies have significantly influenced Tunisia’s food production patterns. While they have helped maintain production levels of certain crops, it has led to changes in crop choices which has implications for both food and environmental sustainability. It is clear that Tunisia’s agricultural model based on water-intensive hybrid seeds is unsustainable, thus farmers have moved to a more practical and sustainable approach of using local seed varieties known as “Mahmoudi seeds.” The seeds are better suited to the Tunisian climate and therefore are a necessity to adapt to climate change. Spreading awareness of the local seeds can increase the shift toward using said seeds, support the agriculture sector and reduce food insecurity in Tunisia

Benefits of Agricultural Subsidies

The primary benefits of Tunisia’s agricultural subsidy system include:

  • Price stabilization. Subsidies help support consumers from global price fluctuations, particularly for staple foods such as flour, vegetable oil, rice and sugar. 
  • Rural livelihood support or poverty reduction. By providing stable income for farmers, subsidies help maintain rural economies. A study by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung found that using Proxy Means Testing (PMT) in Tunisia results in significant errors in both excluding eligible recipients and including ineligible ones. This is due to infrequent household surveys and the large informal economy in Tunisia and similar developing countries. The research determined that food and energy subsidies are more effective at reducing poverty than the targeted cash transfers provided by Tunisia’s National Program of Assistance to Needy Families.
  • Food availability. Subsidies ensure a consistent food supply, even during periods of global market instability.

International Aid and Cooperation

International support plays a significant role in agricultural subsidies and Tunisia’s agricultural sector. 

  • European Investment Bank. As of 2022, the EIB has provided loans to finance the rehabilitation and construction of silos and cereal reserves in Tunisia. This aims to increase Tunisia’s cereal storage capacity and support permanent working capital. This responded to the grain supply shock caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This contributes to the country’s food security and ensures public health. 
  • World Bank. In 2022, the World Bank approved a $130 million loan for Tunisia to address food security issues. This was part of an emergency response package with other donors, supporting short-term importation of wheat, barley and agricultural inputs for domestic grain production. This aimed to strengthen Tunisia’s responses to potential future food crises and provide assistance to modernize the food subsidy system.
  • USAID. In 2023, USAID, alongside the World Bank, announced financing for the purchase of 25,000 metric tons of American durum wheat to help Tunisia weather multiple crises and ensure essential food supplies.

Moving Forward

Agricultural subsidies remain a critical tool in reducing food insecurity in Tunisia. The future of food security in the country potentially depends on the balance between the support for domestic production, management of import dependencies and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. By doing so, as well as creating climate-smart approaches, Tunisia could enhance food security and build a more resilient agricultural sector.

– Hannah Ravariere-Moakes

Hannah is based in London, UK and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Debanking in Nauru: Protecting Countries Amid Bank Closures

Debanking in Nauru: Protecting Countries Amid Bank Closures Debanking is threatening economic security and safety across Nauru and several other Pacific Island countries. This term describes the closure of banks or bank accounts when they pose economic or reputational risks to banking operations.

Debanking across Pacific Island Countries is becoming common. This has been onset by the small populations and remote locations of many of the islands, as well as concerns over organized crime in the region, making banking relatively unprofitable. Between 2011 and 2022 the Pacific Islands Region lost 60% of its correspondent banking relationships. A correspondent banking relationship allows financial institutions like banks to provide services abroad in foreign currencies, which can be crucial for trade and the provision of humanitarian assistance.

The closure of Western banks in Pacific Island Countries further limits their access to the global financial system, threatening the flows of trade, tourism and aid. The continued flow of disaster aid is significant for a region that is at high risk for natural hazards like cyclones, floods, volcanic eruptions and droughts. 

Debanking in Nauru

A World Bank data from 2023 shows Nauru’s population at 12,780, ranking it among the world’s smallest nations. A key challenge in Nauru is the inconsistent access to freshwater, making the region heavily reliant on rainwater collection which is unreliable and leads to frequent droughts. Furthermore, the country’s only bank, the Australian-based Bendigo Bank, initially planned to cease operations by Dec. 2024. This closure has been postponed to June 2025, but the impending withdrawal continues to pose significant economic risks, threatening the financial security of the country.

The World Bank’s $68 Million Fund

The World Bank recently approved a $68 million project to shield Pacific Island countries from economic instability. This initiative promises to sustain trade, aid and tourism by establishing a cross-border transactions service, should any country lose its final banking connection. Each Pacific Island country involved will receive $9 million. World Bank President Ajay Banga, highlighting the significance of this move during his historic visit to Fiji—the first by a World Bank president in 50 years—underscored the importance of maintaining these nations’ access to the global financial system. The project targets seven countries: Fiji, Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. It also supports members of the Pacific Islands Forum, which includes smaller island nations like Nauru and the Cook Islands.

Ensuring Future Economic Stability in the Region

Debanking in Nauru and other Pacific Island Countries has created financial uncertainty and risks the flows of humanitarian aid in a region where natural disasters are common. The World Bank’s approval of a $68 Million project to protect cross-border transactions is a crucial first step. While Nauru will benefit from the funds allocated to the Pacific Islands Forum, securing direct funding for other Pacific Island Countries in future projects is equally vital. Moreover, developing a permanent solution to keep Pacific Island countries connected to the international financial system continues to be a priority.

– Joshua Marriott

Joshua is based in Cardiff, Wales and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in Pakistan: Ongoing Reduction Efforts

Poverty in PakistanAffected by political turmoil, Pakistan has faced numerous socioeconomic challenges. By 2018, these issues culminated in record levels of poverty, with more than 39% of Pakistan living below the poverty line. Amid widespread unemployment, the government has also grappled with nutritional poverty, particularly affecting the youth. This has led to significant issues, such as nationwide stunting in growth, which is directly linked to these dietary deficiencies. Here are some of the initiatives that are tackling these problems:

Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Program

This initiative, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, offers vocational training in various industries, helping young people haul themselves out of poverty and find work. With more than 25,000 youths trained nationwide, the program has played a crucial role in decreasing national poverty. Most notably, the focal point concentrating on an intake of 35% girls has ensured that the marginalized remain a focus. Ultimately, these efforts have contributed to the limitation of poverty and increased job prospects among the youth.

The Sehat Sahulat Program

Initially launched in 2015, the Sehat Sahulat Program is a social health insurance initiative providing free health care services for Pakistan’s underprivileged groups. As a result of the program, the most disadvantaged are supported by free health care. The initiative covers a range of conditions, including cancer and diabetes. Ultimately, the scheme provides financial protection and access to sustainable, quality health care to those most in need.

UNICEF Nutrition Counseling

With more than a third of children suffering from severe food poverty, the country faces an endemic in which its young are at a heightened risk of malnutrition and an unbalanced, scarce diet. The United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) initiative develops cooking demonstrations tailored to new and soon-to-be mothers, ensuring their children can be fed and energized correctly.

Alongside nutritional education, the sessions aim to educate women about the importance of hygiene and its strict relationship with food, with a particular emphasis placed on washing hands before and after preparing food. This focus has been adopted worldwide and in 2022, UNICEF counseling reached 79.3 million people globally.

Combat Against Nationwide Stunting

In Pakistan, more than 40% of children younger than 5 are stunted. A product of long-term malnutrition, stunting “impairs cognitive and physical development, which in turn impacts a child’s potential and productivity.’’ With a large proportion of pregnant women living below the poverty line, many children experience stunted growth in the womb due to their mothers’ poor diet, leading to inhibited development.

The government has launched several initiatives to fight malnutrition to address this issue, with the Ehsaas Nashonuma Program being the most prominent. The program provides nutritional education and cash transfers to pregnant or nursing women. The quarterly stipend is about $5 for mothers and boys and $7 for girls. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have also played a crucial role in the fight against stunting. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Services (WASH) initiatives have thrived with the support of NGOs like HANDS. In 2022-23, HANDS conducted 16 WASH projects in 34 districts and nearly 2,000 villages in Pakistan, benefiting more than 1.8 million people.

Nutritional awareness is fundamental to the resurgence of the health of the next generation in Pakistan, pulling them out of poverty. The government has guaranteed that various schemes are in place to tackle widespread poverty. Additionally, it has ensured that the health and hygiene of the population of Pakistan are also addressed. It’s both transparent and reassuring that while the government recognizes this importance, various NGOs share the same concern.

– Jonny Wilkinson

Jonny is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Overview of Poverty in Mali

Poverty in MaliMali, a country of 22.9 million, faces some of the highest poverty rates in the world. The country’s extreme poverty rate, defined as making less than $2.15 per day, has only increased since COVID-19, hitting 19.1% in 2022. The most vulnerable populations have continued to lose purchasing power as prices climb higher and economic growth dwindles. Yet the economy itself has continued to grow, raising 3.5% in 2022. This article outlines quick facts about poverty in Mali.

Poverty in Mali: Political Context and Basic Needs

Mali has had five military coups since gaining its independence from France in 1960, the most recent being in 2021. The coup in 1991 was relatively successful, but the country has faced instability since the coup in 2012. There was another government breakdown in 2020 and a Head of State was named in 2021, but that was quickly overthrown by the original coup leaders. This has led to further government instability and a lack of access to public services, contributing to poverty in Mali.

In 2020, 2021, and 2022 only 45% of Malians had access to basic sanitation, 48% had access to electricity, and 40% had access to clean drinking water, respectively, according to the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI). Access to these basic needs is unequal between regions, with access being the worst in the northern region and sparse rural areas.

Unemployment and Children’s Rights

Agriculture makes up 80% of Mali’s employment, yet 65% of the country’s land is a total desert or semi-desert area. This forces most agriculture to stay along the Niger River, making the sector much more vulnerable to natural disasters. The country also faces land degradation, a lack of fertilizer, and post-harvest losses from poor storage and processing capacity, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). All of this contributes to smallholder farmers having higher-than-average poverty rates.

“More than 2 million children between 5 and 17 do not go to school,” according to UNICEF,  despite national efforts to improve education over the last decade. More than half of Mali’s young people are still not literate. Children in Mali often have to drop out of school to work, enter child marriages or because of school closures. Besides dropout rates, Malian schools also struggle to find enough qualified teachers and textbooks for students. Only 73.8% of girls and 85.5% of boys are enrolled in primary school and only 15% of girls and 21% of boys continue to secondary school, UNICEF reports.

Every year of education can increase an individual’s income by up to 10%. Education provides people with the skills and knowledge they need to secure employment and become financially independent. It is considered to be one of the most effective ways to combat poverty in Mali, yet so many Malians still cannot access it.

Conflict and Displacement

Many of the poorest in Mali struggle with internal displacement. At the end of 2023, internal displacement affected around 344,000 people in Mali due to conflict and violence or natural disasters such as flooding. Many people lose their income due to displacement, plunging them into poverty. Almost two-thirds of internally displaced households lacked a stable income source in 2023, compared to less than 20% of non-displaced households, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC).

A combination of the above issues, armed conflict and restricted humanitarian access are pushing nearly 1 million Malian children under 5 into acute malnutrition. Close to 5 million children are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in Mali and at least 200,000 are at risk of dying of hunger if they do not receive aid. In Northern Mali, the Sahara desert is quickly expanding and encroaching on farmlands, directly leading to food shortages in the country.

Addressing Poverty in Mali

Many international organizations are working to address the complex web of issues contributing to poverty in Mali. UNICEF, for example, has programs aiming to strengthen and spread access to education in Mali. UNICEF supports Mali’s Ministry of National Education, the Ministry of Vocational Training and the Ministry of Higher Learning and Scientific Research to support education at all levels, according to its website. It also works with in-country partners to offer education opportunities to out-of-school children. The organization works to build up the capacity of school management committees, train more teachers and increase access to school materials for teachers and students.

USAID currently has eight active programs in Mali fighting to eradicate malnutrition. Mali is one of USAID’s 12 “Feed the Future” target countries for focused investment under the U.S. Government’s Global Food Security Strategy. The U.S. has made strategic investments in 113 communities addressing malnutrition, low dietary diversity, improving agricultural trade and investment, and bullying capacity among farmers, the private sector, civil society and public institutions. These programs are a part of the five-year USAID/Mali Health Strategy, which “seeks to achieve sustained improvements in health and facilitate Mali’s journey toward self-reliance.”

– Anna Thibodeau

Anna is based in Omaha, NE, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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HAUP and CORA Supporting The Haitian Community

HAUPHaiti is a low-income Caribbean country with a population of more than 11 million people. More than half of the population lives below the poverty line with little access to necessities. A major historical period that hindered Haiti’s growth was the Duvalier regime from 1957 to 1986. François Duvalier’s and Jean-Claude Duvalier’s corruption drained Haiti of its financial and economic profits. Their extreme violence against many citizens of the Haitian community caused an estimated 30,000 people to die or go missing.

The Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP) played a major role in supporting Haitian refugees and the Haitian-American community during the horrors of the Duvalier regime and continues to help immigrants and migrants, whether they are Haitian or not. Coalition for the Recovery of L’Anse-à-Veau (CORA), on the other hand, focuses on directly helping the community of Anse-à-Veau (Ansavo), one of Haiti’s municipalities located in the Nippes department.

HAUP

HAUP is a nonprofit organization based in Queens and Brooklyn, New York, U.S., that was initially established as a volunteer-based organization to help Haitian immigrants and refugees in 1975. In the ’80s, HAUP helped hundreds of Haitian refugees obtain food, shelter, clothing, and employment. Since then, HAUP has expanded into a community center that provides immigration, educational, and health services for refugees and immigrants in New York City, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The nonprofit has distributed 71 baby bags and infant car seats, 20 brand-new strollers for newborn mothers, 47 baby monitors, 30 blood pressure monitors, and more than 400 boxes of diapers and wipes.

Advocating for Immigrants and Migrants

In 1979, HAUP organized a konbit (rally) to gather materials and visit prisons to support Haitian refugees. By 1981, it held a march in Washington, D.C., protesting the U.S. government’s treatment of Haitian refugees and opposing Haiti’s dictatorship. In an interview with The Borgen Project, Mrs. Marie Fouche, recalled her role in organizing these protests: “The political situation in Haiti pushed us to march. I remember horses charging at us while we demanded our rights as Haitians. We said, ‘We don’t want a dictator anymore!'” Fouche also shared how HAUP advocated for Haitian refugees sent to Guantanamo Bay, fighting for their rights and offering assistance.

Events to Unify the Haitian Community

In 1978, HAUP held its first summer camp at P.S. 147 and later hosted camps at Andrew Jackson, Elmhurst, and Sacred Heart Church. In 1985, HAUP officially opened its Information Center. Fouche, a HAUP executive board member for 20 years, reflected on the center: “We had conferences, we had people come from Canada, from Haiti, from everywhere. They delivered a workshop or talked about their books about what was happening in the country. . . And we had books from Haiti, people could come and see them, even foreigners who didn’t know about Haiti could find resources there. So for me, that was a moment of pride.”

HAUP established a senior citizens club and a children’s cultural dance program and provided services for kids with intellectual disabilities. It also sponsored cultural events for the Haitian-American community, allowing them to express their culture and for children to learn more about Haiti. These events included Carnival parties, fundraising galas, children’s festivals, film showings like Gouverneur de la Rosée at Hillcrest High School, and plays such as Filibé by Mercedes Guignard and Bwat Lamayòt by Marika Roumain, produced by Fouche in 1985 and 1995.

CORA

In 2009, Kora, Cosa, and ARCA united to mobilize Anse-à-Velais and supporters of Anse-à-Veau in promoting the development of Anse-à-Veau and its neighboring areas. These groups merged to form CORA. CORA has helped clean the gutters in the lower area of Ansavo after the 2010 flood and provided $1,000 for the committee in charge of the works. It has also supported repairing the city’s electrical network by financially supporting maintenance from Port-au-Prince technicians and using $2,700 to buy two transformers. The nonprofit has also donated resources to institutions in Ansavo, such as 10 wheelchairs to the local hospital and nearby dispensaries and wireless microphones to the Ansavo cathedral.

Educational Programs

CORA’s RenesAnsavo Hospitality and Tourism project, launched in the summer of 2014 and led by Fouche, provided four weeks of training for 30 young adults from Ansavo. Inspired by Ansavo’s upcoming 300th anniversary in 2021, the students were divided into five groups focused on tourism, transportation, food, housing, and more. They attended workshops in the mornings and did fieldwork in the afternoons, such as assessing local restaurants and hotels for tourism opportunities. The project continued in 2015, with CORA following up on the participants’ progress through 2017.

CORA also advocated for school gardens by surveying schools in Petit Goave, leading to the start of a garden in the 2023-2024 academic year. Fouche discussed her work with the program and how her experience gardening for a soup kitchen in Arbor Hill, Albany, helped her with the Ansavo garden. She shared, “I learned from a woman at the soup kitchen… I researched gardening online and taught the children about fruits and vegetables in French, Creole, and English.” Her local and international volunteer work highlights how domestic and foreign aid initiatives can complement each other.

Conclusion

Fouche’s work with HAUP, CORA, and the Albany soup kitchen exemplifies how one can balance helping those in need both locally and abroad. HAUP highlights the importance of community-building and how immigrants in places like America can still influence their home countries, as seen in their protests against Haiti’s dictatorship. It also shows how immigrants can stay connected to their culture by organizing cultural events, such as plays, and creating educational spaces like the Information Center.

CORA exemplifies how to directly assist vulnerable communities abroad by prioritizing education, as seen with the school garden initiative. While both CORA and HAUP have made strides in uplifting the Haitian community, much work remains, and both organizations could benefit from additional support.

– Elisabeth Nwaoskwa

Elisabeth is based in Bellerose, NY, USA and focuses on Good News and World in Focus for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Suniti Solomon: Pioneering HIV/AIDS Researcher and Activist

suniti solomonSuniti Solomon neatly laid out photographs of prospective brides and grooms on her small desk, carefully tucking them under a stainless-steel cup and saucer and away from the force of the wind. Over filter coffee, and with her colleagues’ help, she was going to play matchmaker.

But what was evolving in this unassuming house on a quiet street in Chennai’s otherwise bustling T. Nagar was far from an ordinary arranged marriage. It was a result of Dr. Solomon’s affection for everyone who knocked on the door of her NGO. Deeply involved with her patients’ lives, she understood how their suffering was compounded by social stigma. She was working hard to remedy their lack of matrimonial opportunities by matching them with each other.

Suniti Solomon’s Discovery of HIV in India

Dr. Solomon joined the Madras Medical College in 1971 for her postgraduate degree in microbiology, after having trained in London and Chicago. As a member of its faculty in the early 1980s, she read papers across international medical journals detailing the quick spread of what many considered a mysterious disease then: HIV, according to The Hindu.

Working against the government’s HIV-denying narrative at the time, Dr. Solomon, along with her student Selleppan Nirmala, collected blood samples from 100 members of the sex worker community in Chennai in 1986. As she had anticipated, six samples tested positive for HIV. This was possibly indicative of a much larger epidemic across the country, given the size of India’s population.

This shocking finding catapulted the government into action. It braced for a crisis like no other, given the prevalence of poverty and lack of access to quality health care in the country. However, remarkably enough, this disaster was averted: India’s incidence rate has remained below 0.3%. The annual number of people newly infected with HIV declined by close to half between 2010 and 2021 in India.

This progress is thanks to the successful control of contagion in India. This has been achieved with free antiretroviral therapy, awareness initiatives and effective engagement with civil society. But it is also due, at least in part, to Dr. Solomon’s efforts.

Treating the Disease and Healing the Individual

Thoroughly attuned to patients’ stories of struggle – from the case of an infected 13-year-old to a family whose members died by suicide when news of their diagnosis spread, Dr. Solomon opened India’s very first voluntary HIV testing and counseling center at Madras Medical College. She transitioned to independently running her own NGO in 1993, the Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE).

With this, Dr. Solomon built a safe and nurturing space for every person living with HIV who had fallen through the cracks in public health care. YRG CARE started with just three employees. However, it now has a 1,000-member-strong workforce, spread throughout India’s 28 states, according to the American Society for Microbiology. It pioneered HIV awareness programs in schools and colleges. It has provided care to nearly 2 million people living with HIV, from easier access to specialized pharmaceutical drugs to recuperation facilities at in-patient centers.

Suniti Solomon: Legacy

Dr. Suniti Solomon received many accolades when she was alive, from an honorary Doctor of Medical Science degree from Brown University to a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Society. She passed away in 2015, at the age of 76. Many people, including The New Yorker’s Michael Specter, remember her as warm, empathetic and soft-spoken. Old interviews reflect her feistily unorthodox and good-humoured spirit. Colleagues recall that she inspired hope and courage in them. The government of India posthumously awarded her with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, in 2017.

– Shiveka Bakshi

Shiveka is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News, Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The Ehsaas Program: Empowering Women and Fighting Poverty

The Ehsaas ProgramThe Ehsaas Program, launched by the Government of Pakistan, has become one of the world’s most recognized social protection initiatives. Ehsaas is a word in the Urdu language meaning “to feel,” representing empathy and a commitment to helping those in need. It is the Government of Pakistan’s comprehensive initiative to tackle poverty and inequality. Launched to mitigate the socioeconomic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ehsaas has provided financial relief to millions of vulnerable households, particularly women, through direct cash transfers. The program, led by Dr. Sania Nishtar (currently serving as the CEO of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance), continues to be a model for innovative and scalable poverty alleviation.

Global Recognition and Impact

In a 2021 report by the World Bank, Pakistan’s Ehsaas Emergency Cash Program was highlighted for its remarkable reach, ranking fourth globally in terms of the number of people covered and third in terms of the percentage of the population served. The Ehsaas Emergency Cash initiative disbursed stipends of PKR 12,000 ($48) to nearly 15 million households, benefiting more than 100 million people—almost half of Pakistan’s population. The World Bank praised the program for its rapid rollout and extensive coverage, calling it one of the most impressive large-scale social protection measures worldwide.

Economic Empowerment Through Targeted Initiatives

A significant aspect of the Ehsaas Program is its emphasis on women’s empowerment. More than 50% of its initiatives focus on providing financial security to women. By targeting women for poverty alleviation and supporting the United Nations (U.N.) SDG 5 on gender equality, Ehsaas is empowering women economically and socially.

The Ehsaas Kafaalat Program provides direct cash transfers to low-income women, ensuring that they have the financial support needed for necessities such as food, health care and education. Women have been the focal point of the Ehsaas Interest-Free Loan Scheme, which enables them to start small businesses and gain financial independence. Nishtar highlighted how the empowerment of women is beneficial for society and the economy and that the “government is determined to lift seven million poorest women in Pakistan out of poverty and help them achieve their potential.”

Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods

The Ehsaas Aamdan Program provides sustainable assets such as sewing machines, shops, livestock and vehicles to help individuals generate long-term income. This asset-based approach empowers women to contribute to their families’ economic stability while fostering entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

Similarly, the Ehsaas Nashonuma Program promotes gender-sensitive financial support for nutrition. Families receive $7.18 for girls and $5.39 for boys younger than 2 years of age, which not only provides vital nutrition for children but also encourages a shift in societal attitudes toward gender equality. By offering higher financial incentives for female children, the program aims to combat cultural practices like female feticide and emphasize the value of female children.

Final Remark

Ehsaas’ implementation provides valuable lessons for other nations, especially in light of the recent crises that have highlighted the need to redefine the role of the welfare state. This presents a unique chance to create a pivotal moment in advancing global social welfare. Moreover, its emphasis on gender equality mirrors the development strategies of economically advanced countries, which have leveraged the potential of their female populations to achieve sustainable growth.

This realization is paving the way for Pakistan’s future economic, social and political development, with women playing a crucial role in these advancements. By empowering women, the Ehsaas Program is driving Pakistan closer to achieving its national development goals while addressing the pressing issues of poverty and inequality.

– Irtija Ahmad

Irtija is based in Slough, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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26 Letters School – A Lesson on Empowerment

26 Letters School
The economic collapse of Lebanon has severely impacted the country’s education system. These unprecedented challenges have affected the Lebanese children and refugee children present in the country. The World Food Programme (WFP) has stated that more than half of the Syrian refugee children in Lebanon are unable to access primary education as a result of economic hardships and other factors. 

A study by the Center for Lebanese Studies has indicated poor academic performance and depletion in psychological well-being due to the Lebanese crisis. Children no longer attend schools and face potential exposure to different forms of abuse and exploitation. Children from low-income households, those living in rural areas, migrants and refugees are the most impacted. Fortunately, 26 Letters School is making a difference by providing education to Lebanese children.

About 26 Letters School

26 Letters School is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in Beirut, Lebanon. The purpose of the school is to offer free quality education for all children and teenagers who live in Beirut. It recognizes that its pupils come from different economic, social and religious backgrounds. Keeping this in mind, the school emphasizes the importance of plurality and respect for all individuals. Here are 10 reasons why the 26 Letters School is a phenomenal initiative to change students’ lives beyond education and literacy. 

10 Ways 26 Letters School is Making a Difference

  1. Power of the Alphabet: In 2015, Janira, a 19-year-old Spanish exchange student, met Salah, a 13-year-old boy in Beirut, Lebanon. The harsh realities of war pushed Salah into child labor. Salah planted the seed for the 26 Letters School when he asked Janira for English Classes. These improvised English lessons led to the creation of a safe space for lifelong learning.
  2. A Safe Space: The 26 Letters School is no longer just about improvised English lessons. These English lessons became a safe and inviting space for many more children—a space free of discrimination on one’s background, identity, religion or orientation.
  3. Holistic Development: Lessons in Ethics, History, Geography and Math ensure holistic development by integrating critical thinking and creativity into the students’ educational framework. Most importantly, the 26 Letters School believes in free quality education for all.
  4. Representation and Inclusivity: The school carefully crafts its books to guarantee that students feel representation and inclusivity when learning from these books. Open conversations and workshops about conflict, racism, sexism and other issues help the students grow into well-rounded individuals. These conversations help to break the glass ceiling on these issues.
  5. Humanitarian Aid: It also recognizes the importance of humanitarian aid for the people of Lebanon. In Lebanon, more than 75% of its population lives below the poverty line. The increase in food prices by 400% in the past years and salaries having lost 80% of their value highlights the need for the people of Lebanon to have that additional support. The institute provides baby products, food, hygiene products and medicines to more than 450 families comprising 2,529 people.
  6. Physical and Mental Health: It conducts workshops to encourage physical health hygiene. The school provides financial medical care, medicines and accompaniments for doctor appointments. The school prioritizes mental health with equal importance. The impacts of daily discrimination, economic struggle, migration and war bring about the need to have psychological support. Therefore, the 26 Letters School has a psychologist who helps ensure students’ well-being. These psychological services are available to the parents and relatives.
  7. Women Empowerment: The 26 Letters School recognizes the need to empower both the students and members of its community. The school provides mothers of these students with access to practical and vocational education. Women have access to empowerment, health, hygiene and rights lessons. There are self-organized literacy classes. Mothers who can read teach the others who cannot do so.
  8. Big Sibling System: The 26 Letters School considers its students siblings. The educators undertake the position of being friends, role models and siblings. This creates an atmosphere of friendship, encouraging the students to partake in the lessons. An educator can have a maximum of four students assigned to them. This enables the educator to give systematic attention, care and energy to their team of students. The school inculcates the need for learning about plurality, respect and a supportive atmosphere.
  9. Target Group: This free quality education is accessible to every child or teenager in Beirut, Lebanon. Those who need educational, emotional or vocational support can access the school services. There is no discrimination based on economic, social or religious backgrounds.
  10. Democracy: In 2021, the 26 Letters School became a democratic school. The school’s main team comprises six teenagers. The students and parents are the ultimate decision-makers of the school. This ensures a platform to listen, shape and transform into what it is today.

Looking Ahead

The organization 26 Letters School is a unique educational initiative offering personalized learning experiences and a creative curriculum tailored to every individual student. 26 Letters School’s commitment to inclusive and creative educational practices and community involvement sets it apart as a forward-thinking institution.

– Caren Thomas

Caren Thomas is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and focuses on Good News, Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr