Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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The IoT Revolution in Water Management in Africa

IoT Revolution
Water, that most vital of resources, is becoming alarmingly scarce across the sweeping landscapes of Africa. According to UNICEF, 418 million individuals are without basic drinking water facilities, 779 million do not have fundamental sanitation amenities — with 208 million still resorting to open defecation — and 839 million are deprived of elementary hygiene services.

Against the backdrop of challenges like prolonged droughts and erratic rainfall patterns due to changing weather patterns, Africa’s water crisis is accentuated. The rising population intensifies the strain on dwindling water sources, while industrial and agricultural pollutants further reduce the supply of clean water. In this context, the deficiencies in Africa’s water management facilities and systems become glaringly magnified. Outdated water supply and drainage systems lead to significant wastage. Coupled with a lack of proper maintenance due to financial constraints, many water facilities experience premature failure. Technologically, Africa lags in water treatment and reuse practices compared to developed nations.

Fortunately, the Internet of Things (IoT), an emerging technology, offers effective solutions to Africa’s water infrastructure challenges. Here is information about the IoT revolution.

Decoding the IoT Revolution

The Internet of Things, at its essence, is about connectivity. It is about everyday objects, from the mundane to the complex, communicating and sharing data. Here is what this means in tangible terms.

  • Smart Water Meters: Picture a household that can track its water consumption as easily as checking a smartphone notification. These meters do not just log water usage; they offer insights, analytics and even suggestions to optimize consumption patterns.
  • Leak Detection Systems: Far from the public eye, millions of liters of water are lost due to leaks in vast pipeline networks. With IoT sensors, these leaks can be detected in real-time, pinpointed to precise locations and rectified, saving invaluable water resources.
  • Water Quality Monitoring: Beyond just quantity, ensuring water’s potability is paramount. Advanced IoT devices can now monitor a plethora of parameters, from pH levels to microbial contaminants, ensuring consistent water quality and alerting authorities to any anomalies.

Where Theory Meets Practice

In Kenya, the technological landscape is witnessing a transformative collaboration between Safaricom, a leading telecommunications company, and the Kenya Water Institute (KEWI). The duo has embarked on deploying a “Smart Water Management System,” leveraging the power of the IoT. This system, set to be integrated at KEWI’s campuses in Nairobi and Kitui, represents a holistic approach to water management.

The core of this system revolves around smart water meters. These sophisticated devices are capable of collecting real-time utility consumption data online. They offer an eagle-eyed monitoring solution that detects water loss and leakage swiftly. Such real-time detection does not just ensure accurate billing but aids in enhancing revenue collection. In an economic context, this system also has the potential to improve operational efficiency, providing a two-fold advantage: cost-saving for institutions and accurate utility bills for consumers.

Safaricom’s Chief Executive Officer, Peter Ndegwa, encapsulates the essence of this initiative, emphasizing the pivotal role of IoT in modern water management. By harnessing IoT, Safaricom aims to redefine the process of water extraction, generation, dissemination and utilization. It is a digital transformation that holds promises of increased efficiency and reduced wastage.

Looking Ahead

The water crisis that Africa faces is undeniably daunting. However, by integrating the power of IoT into water management strategies, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Through the IoT revolution, Africa has a shot at ensuring water security for its teeming millions. In doing so, it does not just quench its physical thirst but also fosters a sustainable future and an enhanced quality of life for its inhabitants.

– Yudi Zhang
Photo: Unsplash

Unity Between Traditional Medicine and Healing in Ghana

Traditional MedicineIn Ghana, health care sees traditional and modern medicine solutions work together in an attempt to address a pressing issue. Currently, around 70% of Ghanaians lack sufficient access to health care. This gap becomes even more pronounced in rural areas, where the doctor-to-population ratio drops from one for every 20,000 people to just one for every 100,000 people.

Modern biomedical health care in Ghana is primarily administered through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which focuses on ensuring the treatment of the nation’s most prevalent illnesses, like HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. This coverage varies considerably by region, clustering around urban centers and leaving entire swaths of rural Ghana, especially northern regions without any access to health care, forcing people to travel long distances. 

Traditional healers step in where modern health care and insurance fail. They never charge in advance, accept small gifts as payment — usually only from those who successfully recover — and serve 80% of rural Ghana at a ratio of one healer for every 200 people. 

Rooted in centuries of accumulated indigenous knowledge and passed along from parent to child, African traditional medicine uses a variety of herbs, plants, animal parts and oils by themselves and in mixtures to treat conditions ranging from sickle-cell anemia to hypertension. In 1999, the discipline formally became the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Associations (GHAFTRAM), which provides selected healers with medical IDs and special cards for referring patients to biomedical facilities. 

Folded Arms

These two disciplines are separated not only by their differing methodologies but also by a cloud of miscommunication, prejudice and changing economic circumstances. A 2017 survey of local healers, medical staff and patients in Ghana’s northern region identified a glut of medical staff unfamiliar with local healing practices, values and languages. Biomedical professionals sometimes view traditional medicine as “backward,” a prejudice so acute in some facilities that patients found to have used traditional medicine are turned away. 

The expanding framework of industrial health care and the globalized need for cash also have a way of discouraging young people from pursuing traditional medicine, especially traditional birth attending, largely because they are not lucrative by modern standards, and are governed by a medicinal philosophy couched in selfless community service that considers charging patients for care immoral. For instance, none of the healers interviewed in the 2017 survey made their living through traditional medicine, all of them practicing part-time and surviving by subsistence farming. 

Helping Hands

Despite these problems, there does seem to be a general attitude toward cooperation amongst medical caretakers in Ghana and a sense of the urgent need for integration. Several initiatives are underway to foster this collaboration. Communication and referral between traditional healers and biomedical professionals are supported by the efforts of the Association of Church-Based Development Projects, which distributes mobile phones to traditional healers and birth attendants. GHAFTRAM introduces its healers to the managers of their local hospitals, reaching out to unassociated healers through radio commercials and encouraging them to join and publicly declare their expertise.

An exciting example of this collaboration in action is Enoch Keitu, a young medical herbalist in Ghana who has combined his mother’s training as a traditional birth attendant with his scientific training in herbal medicine at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to ensure Ghanaians have access to quality-assured herbal remedies. His experiences seeing patients die from preventable, often unreported illnesses first inspired him to create a mobile health clinic that provided free health screenings and referrals, as well as herbal medical care at a subsidized rate. 

Then, starting from prototype compounds synthesized in his own kitchen, he gradually built his own production facility for herbal medicines — Kenoch HG Herbal — with a grant from the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP) and help from his friend and fellow medical herbalist Edmund Amu. The facility, now operating in the cities of Techiman and Accra, provides herbal remedies certified by Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections and to strengthen immunity. It also distributes its products to government health clinics and more than 50 pharmacies throughout the country.

Future Unity

The integration of traditional healing with modern biomedical health care represents a tremendous resource for healing in Ghana. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes it as an important step toward universal health coverage and has taken its own steps to ensure that Africans have access to safe and accessible herbal remedies. A total of 40 African nations have already integrated traditional medicine into their health care and legal systems. Given the ongoing trends, there is hope for a future where all Africans have access to care that is accessible and effective.

– John Merino
Photo: Flickr

Young Farmers in Zimbabwe contribute to poverty reduction 

Young Farmers in Zimbabwe
Prosper Bvunzawabaya, a graduate in finance has planted 300 mango trees that belong to a species called “Tommy Atkins”, which he hopes to be able to export after discovering its market potential overseas. Milton Zhakata is resorting to innovation by mixing Boer goats, originally from neighboring South Africa, with native goats. Boer goats’ meat is a money-printing machine. The goats are prolific breeders. These are just a few examples of the progress of young farmers in Zimbabwe.

Overall, youth contributes to 62% of the country’s population today and young farmers in Zimbabwe are increasingly engaged in contributing to the economy in recent years. More than 55% of women are between the ages 20 and 31 and >45% of men in the same age bracket grow fruits and rear livestock in the country.

Agricultural productivity has received recognition as one of the key factors that can help reduce poverty in Zimbabwe, especially in the post-COVID era.

The country has 10.2 million acres of arable land, although it lacks modern equipment and sustainable irrigation practices in several regions. Partnership with U.S. companies (e.g. John Deere) has steered the country in a positive direction towards adopting sustainable farming practices in these areas.

How Government Support and Innovations Help Young Farmers in Zimbabwe

President Emerson Mnangagwa, gaining office in 2017, was quick to adopt policies that would attract the youth to embrace agricultural best practices.

  1. The government’s pro-farming mindset revels in the program called “Pfumvudza” (meaning “Master Farmers’ Revolution”), which weathers all climatic conditions and involves tillage reduction, organic mulch-based soli cover and crop rotations. Pfumvudza provides financing subsidies to young farmers and is backed by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
  2. The president has launched Provincial Integrated Youths Skills Development Centres (PIYSDC) for the country’s 10 provinces where youths are recruited at each center annually. The government provides training and support to youths to boost productivity. As of September 2022, 3,000 youths underwent training based at PIYSDC, which involved government allocation of 1,235 acres of land to institute these training centers, and distributing 700 heifers (female cows) to the rural district youths towards promoting interests in practicing agriculture.
  3. New land policies and government efforts empower more youths. In May 2023, 21 out of 74 (qualified) youths got farms in the province of Mashonaland through the presidential 10ha scheme. This is part of land allocation efforts that the government has undertaken to integrate youth into mainstream agricultural practices.
  4. Agritech private businesses promote better networking of farmers to help small-business owners in agriculture through their platforms. For example, Zimbabwe’s Econet Wireless communications group opened up its platform to recruit developers that bring innovations to agribusinesses.

Challenges in Agricultural Practices

Rural, agrarian parts of Zimbabwe are faced with specific challenges that cannot be undermined.

  • Lack of Land Deeds: Title deeds play a critical role in getting the financial support farmers need to kickstart their projects, and banks may be willing to support (albeit rarely) for very high interest rates, which are normally not affordable for rural youths. A Tobacco Control research study found in 2020 that more than 50% of Zimbabwean tobacco farmers were in debt. The government is in discussions with local financial institutions to accept the 99-year leases as collateral security.
  • Droughts: Most drought-prone regions of the country experience severe drought once every two years on average. With hardly 1% of the land accessible for irrigation, access to cultivable land is at a premium, even in rainfed areas.
  • Market Preferences: Local supermarkets prefer imported foods sometimes and this exacerbates the trust and livelihood of local farmers.
  • Storage: Lack of proper storage of surplus foods results in wastage and loss of income to these local farmers.
  • Other Risks: Smallholder farmers also face other risks such as flooding, pests and diseases. The lack of well-developed financial markets results in losses without insurance for the localities.

The Path Forward 

The World Bank assessment in October 2022 affirms several opportunities to promote Zimbabwe’s agricultural productivity. Access to irrigation methods, climate-smart farming, diversification of high-value crops and sustained partnerships for reliable machinery are some of the critical factors that are expected to propel both the government and the private sectors forward.

Given the challenges faced, innovations and market orientation of small-scale farming carry a promising future for young farmers in Zimbabwe to invest in this sector for economic growth, both at the personal as well as the national level.

– Sudha Krishnaswami
Photo: Flickr

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Equity Index in Nepal Transforms Education for the Disadvantaged

Equity Index in Nepal Equitable access to school increased significantly in Nepal between 2006 and 2016. The gender gap in school enrollments reduced by 2.8% during this 10-year period. However, the government noticed that other disparities limited access to quality education for children.

The government created the Consolidated Equity Strategy for the School Education Sector in 2014 to strengthen equity in education, primarily through measuring existing disparities and taking action to address them. Nepal’s Equity Index was launched in 2017 to operationalize the equity strategy and target the most disadvantaged school districts.

An Innovative Financing Tool for the Education Sector

The Ministry of Education developed the Equity Index with support from UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), World Bank. It is an innovative tool that enables the Ministry to rank the prevalence of disparities in educational outcomes, access and participation in schools and allocate resources to schools based on data that calls out specific needs. It exists within the Education Management Information System (EMIS) in the Department of Education.

The Equity Index uses data on gender, geography, socio-economic status, ethnicity and caste, and disability to create an “equity score” for each district. The planners and policy-makers rank districts according to their respective index scores. The data and the index are shared at all levels in the education sector to ensure the inclusion of district-specific disparities. This data sharing helps the government allocate resources as part of budget planning activity and considers the outcomes for further planning.

Indicators of Education Outcomes

A few critical components or indicators were needed to measure the efficacy of the Equity Index in Nepal. These include the percentage of children not enrolled in schools, survival rates (children repeating levels and/or dropping out), learning outcomes and levels of education: Basic (Grades 1-8) and Secondary (Grades 9-12).

Nepal’s Equity Index Piloted in 2017

Nepal’s basic education sector encompasses over 30,000 schools and approximately 8 million students between Grades 1 and 10. In 2017, more than 700,000 children of school age were not in primary or secondary school across the country.

Schools are allocated a budget annually based on the number of students enrolled. However, the needs of these schools could be different. For example, a school that needs some sort of food scheme for students may be in a community that cannot afford school supplies. In such cases, the Equity Index could aid in helping decision-makers allocate the extra funds needed to procure school supplies.

Using the Equity Index, the government identified five districts as part of the initial scope for targeted interventions in 2017. The interventions are usually proposed by the district stakeholders (which could include parents and guardians), including communication campaigns and community mobilization for children who are out of school. The Equity Index observed that out of 109,500 children who were out of school in these five districts, approximately 22% enrolled due to these interventions.

Reaching the Disadvantaged Made Feasible

Nepal’s Equity Index resulted in remarkable progress, increasing coverage from 6% (5 out of 75 districts chosen in 2017) to 20% by 2019, enabling the government to allocate additional budget for targeted interventions in these districts.

In 2019, the U.N. verified that there was more than a 50% reduction in out-of-school children in these targeted districts.

Understanding the nature of barriers to access and learning is critical to ensuring inclusion and equity in the education sector. The Equity Index in Nepal enables its government to compare severities in disparities across districts and take the necessary actions to guarantee targeted interventions where they are most needed.

– Sudha Krishnaswami
Photo: Flickr

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Organizations Addressing Child Poverty in Saint Lucia

Child Poverty in Saint Lucia
Although the population of St Lucia stands at about 180,000 people as of 2021, UNICEF found that one in three children lives in poverty on the small island in the Caribbean. The poverty rate for children is higher than that of the adult population in St Lucia, despite children representing only 22% of the population. These individuals are at a higher risk of violence because children living in poverty are more prone to experience high rates of crime and inadequate and unsanitary housing. 

The Impact of the Pandemic

In its study to evaluate the well-being of young people in Saint Lucia, UNICEF predicted a dramatic increase in the number of children living in severe poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with rates climbing from 2% pre-pandemic to 28%. The pandemic disrupted young people’s education, employment and mental health, resulting in an increased burden of long-term economic and social consequences. 

The Jermain Defoe Foundation

The Jermain Defoe Foundation is a charity that the famous English footballer Jermain Defoe founded, who saw that poverty was rife among the children living in his family’s home country but often went unnoticed due to the island’s popularity as a paradisiacal holiday destination.

Since its launch in 2013, the foundation has hosted multiple events to help the children living in poverty in St. Lucia. The same year, it hosted a gala dinner, which raised more than £80,000 to go towards a new children’s home. In 2017, the foundation completed the Rainbow Children’s Home in one of the poorer areas on the south of the island and equipped it to help children in need.

The foundation has hosted multiple charity football tournaments with Defoe to get children socializing and involved in the sport while also raising money to help the children in need in St. Lucia.

In 2016 and 2017, the organization rallied the public to contribute to the Christmas Shoebox Appeal and was able to deliver 181 boxes to children living in poverty in 2016. The organization filled these boxes with donated toys, clothing, sweet treats and activity packs, distributing them among Daigen School in St. Lucia. In 2017, the foundation gave 178 Shoeboxes to students, which were needed more than ever following the devastating Hurricane Maria a few months prior.

Food For The Poor

Food For The Poor (FFTP) focused on disaster relief when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, distributing goods to those in need. To help with the strain put on agriculture, health care, livelihoods and education in 2021, the charity shipped 29 tractor loads of aid to the island filled with agricultural tools, medical equipment, clothing, furniture and food.

FFTP also initiated multiple projects to promote sustainable economic solutions. It built 20 greenhouses to assist schools with feeding programs while educating children about the benefits of agriculture, plant life and reforestation.

The organization also formed the St. Lucia’s Home Food Production Project, which created self-sustaining chicken farms and vegetable gardens among the communities to improve nutrition and generate income with fewer operational costs. It also designed the Pastoral Centre Bee Farm Project to provide employment and learning opportunities and revenue from the sale of honey. 

Irie Kids Inc.

Irie Kids Inc. is a registered nonprofit that works exclusively in Saint Lucia and is dedicated to improving the lives and opportunities available to impoverished children on the island.

Volunteers solely run its programs, with 100% of donations going straight toward the organization’s efforts. Irie Kids seeks to impact children’s lives through education and resources through activities such as tutoring, one-to-one coaching and group talking therapy in a “Tea Party For Teens.”

The programs have free registration for all children, and Irie Kids Inc. designed them to foster creativity and grant new opportunities and a future-orientated outlook. Programs have included a Pet Care Program, which teaches children about animal care and the basics of veterinary medicine, and included a trip to the local animal shelter. Another impactful event was the First Period Preparedness Program, which Irie Kids Inc. formed to promote a celebration of womanhood and incite open conversations. This process involved a tea party alongside a Q&A with a certified instructor to answer any queries and, most importantly, the distribution of a period kit to each student. 

While child poverty in Saint Lucia persists, numerous organizations are working to make a difference. The Jermain Defoe Foundation, Food For the Poor and Irie Kids Inc. are three examples of NGOs that are active in the nation. Their support goes a long way to secure brighter future for the next generation of youth in the island nation. 

– Maia Winter
Photo: Flickr

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Tackling Hunger by Reducing Food Waste in Pakistan

Food Waste in PakistanPakistan faces the dual challenges of food insecurity and food loss waste. Ongoing poverty, frequent natural disasters and instability in politics and the economy have contributed to undernutrition and a lack of reliable access to food for some people in Pakistan. According to the World Food Program, more than 20% of the total population in Pakistan suffers from undernourishment. Additionally, nearly 45% of children under 5 years old in the country experience stunting due to chronic malnutrition. 

The issues of poverty, disasters, political changes and economic uncertainty have made it difficult for many Pakistanis to obtain or produce enough nutritious food consistently, especially impacting children’s development and growth. Addressing food insecurity and malnutrition will require strategies that deal with their complex underlying causes. At the same time, significant amounts of food are wasted across the supply chain and at the consumer level. Bridging this gap between surplus production and food scarcity is critical for tackling hunger in the country. 

The Issue of Food Loss in Pakistan

Pakistan is facing an unprecedented food crisis marked by severe wheat shortages. According to reports, the shortage has left many citizens struggling with soaring food prices and inadequate nutrition. Experts warn that if food insecurity continues unaddressed, it could lead to anarchy and instability. The most vulnerable populations in Pakistan are bearing the brunt of the crisis as low-income families battle inflation and critical food shortages without substantial government support. Resolving the complex factors driving the food crisis requires urgent and coordinated efforts by policymakers and stakeholders at all levels.

Efforts To Reduce Waste and Redistribute Surpluses

Individuals, charities and policymakers in Pakistan are working to address hunger and food insecurity through initiatives to reduce food waste and divert excesses to the hungry. A prime example is the Robin Hood Army (RHA), a volunteer-based food charity operating in 145 cities globally. In Pakistan alone, RHA has served over 1.37 million meals to the underprivileged over the last five years. They collect surplus and unused food from restaurants, food companies and events that would otherwise go to waste. RHA’s volunteers, called “Robins,” distribute recovered food to underserved communities, including slums, orphanages, shelters, hospitals and those affected by natural disasters. 

In addition to tackling hunger, the Robin Hood Army also aims to provide educational opportunities to disadvantaged children through its Robin Hood Academy programs. Through recovering and redirecting excess edible food to the vulnerable, charities like RHA play a crucial role in the fight against hunger and food insecurity in Pakistan.

Government Initiatives on Food Waste

To cut down on food waste, the Punjab Food Authority in Pakistan has implemented the Disposal of Excess Food Regulation 2019. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan initiated the Ehsaas program associated with this regulation. All food-related organizations must donate their extra edible food to charity instead of wasting it. The key goal is to provide excess food to people safely experiencing poverty. 

In practice, the Punjab Food Authority coordinates with NGOs to gather surplus food from food businesses and deliver it to vulnerable groups. While other provinces in Pakistan have regulations around food safety and standards, Punjab is the only one so far to establish formal procedures for reducing food wastage. The other provinces could follow Punjab’s lead on this initiative. Implementing similar regulations could assist Pakistan in reaching the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger, which is a critical part of the country’s 2017 National Food Policy.

– Asia Jamil
Photo: Flickr

Organizations Working for Child Education in Sri Lanka

Child Education in Sri Lanka 
Sri Lanka is considered a developing nation, as its GDP per capita in 2021 stood at $1,973. The quality of life in Sri Lanka also remains low, with 13% of the population living on less than $3.65 a day in 2016. Despite the setbacks that Sri Lanka faces, the country has made many strides regarding child education. Currently, the literacy rate in Sri Lanka stands at 93%. According to Sri Lankan laws, education is free and mandatory for all children until the ninth grade. Afterward, the child can choose to continue their education or take on a job. Many organizations are continuing to work to improve child education in Sri Lanka. 

ChildFund Sri Lanka

ChildFund Sri Lanka is a nonprofit organization working to improve child education in Sri Lanka. The organization implements “child protection, humanitarian assistance, early childhood development, education and youth empowerment” programs. According to UNICEF, preschool education in Sri Lanka is poor. Only 39% of preschool teachers received at least one year of professional training. There is an insufficient focus on the stimulation of motor, cognitive and socio-emotional skills. ChildFund Sri Lanka implemented the Eat, Play, Love – Early Childhood Development program. The program aims to improve health, nutrition and early learning experiences for children. ChildFund Sri Lanka is on track to reach 1 million people by 2024. 

SOS Children’s Villages

Another organization working for child education in Sri Lanka is SOS Children’s Villages. SOS Children’s Villages estimates that 15,000 children are growing up without parental care and 14,000 children are not in school due to financial difficulties. SOS Children’s Villages is working to ensure that all children in Sri Lanka grow up in a caring and financially secure family. The organization strengthens and supports children’s families but also provides solutions for children who are unable to grow up with their biological parents. After 41 years of service, SOS Children’s Villages have impacted 17,000 lives of youth and put 4,000 children under financially secure care.  

Sri Lankan Children Foundation

Another nonprofit organization working for child education in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan Children Foundation (SLCF). The mission of the SLCF is “to improve life chances for underprivileged children in Sri Lanka.” In the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed 14,000 children, damaged 183 schools and impacted about 100,000 children. The SLCF is working to find ways to help Sri Lankan children, particularly orphans, whom epidemics, poverty and natural disasters like the tsunami of 2004 impacted. In 2021, the SLCF implemented a successful program in which they renovated the playground and washroom of a children’s primary school and also provided educational materials to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown. 

ChildFund Sri Lanka, SOS Children’s Villages and the Sri Lankan Children Foundation are just three of the many organizations working to improve education for children in Sri Lanka. Each is making a significant impact in ensuring children in Sri Lanka have access to quality education, equipping them to find the path to a brighter future.

– Yana Gupta
Photo: Flickr

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The Programs Addressing Learning Poverty

Learning Poverty
Poverty and illiteracy are closely intertwined. In impoverished areas, access to education can often be financially out of reach, exacerbating other related issues such as hunger and limited resources. Globally, there are at least 763 million adults who lack basic literacy skills, with two-thirds of this population being women. Moreover, in low-income countries, approximately 60% of 10-year-olds struggle with learning poverty, preventing them from reading or comprehending simple stories.

Why Pursue Literacy?

Literacy often bridges the barrier between being financially destitute and successfully independent. After age 5, a child’s survival can increase up to 31% when their mother has some level of education. Furthermore, global studies indicate a 9% increase in hourly earnings for every extra year of schooling a child receives. 

Literacy is a tool to battle the inequalities of poverty. It allows chances for social mobility and economic growth, which fosters both community and individual development, as well as equality. Marginalized groups such as women and girls have even less access to education than others and coupled with poverty, sexism is exasperated through a myriad of societal factors. When impoverished women are provided with more opportunities for literacy, they have greater life choices for themselves and go on to positively impact the health and education of their families. 

COVID-19

With the onset of the COVID-19 virus, worldwide literacy programs struggled to accommodate new, unknown challenges. Prolonged school closures and varying management strategies led to an increase in learning poverty among children around the world. 

In low and middle-income countries worldwide, the incidence of learning challenges has risen by 13%. Before the pandemic, 57% of the global population faced educational difficulties, but this number has since surged to 70%. In Latin America and the Caribbean, 80% of primary school-aged children currently struggle to comprehend basic written text, a stark increase from the pre-pandemic rate of approximately 50%. Similarly, in South Asia, 78% of children struggle with reading, up from the pre-pandemic rate of 60%.

In response to the learning crises presented by COVID-19, a number of countries have implemented the RAPID framework, a guide to “tackle learning losses caused by the pandemic and build forward better that is based on five evidence-based policy actions.” The policy responses focus on 60 low and middle-income countries, with reports paying special attention to Cambodia, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, India, Mongolia, Romania and Zambia.

The acronym RAPID stands for:

  • Reach every child and keep them in school.
  • Assess learning levels regularly.
  • Prioritize teaching the fundamentals.
  • Increase the efficiency of instruction, including through catch-up learning.
  • Develop psychosocial health and well-being.

Only one-fifth of the 60 countries had comprehensive strategies to accelerate literacy and education. Still, there is room for more work.

Programs Fighting That Aim to Alleviate Learning Poverty

Around the world, there are programs that exist to promote universal literacy. 

  • The World Literacy Foundation — This global nonprofit gathers global literacy leaders and organizations to work together in a variety of different sectors. It provides free books and other resources to children in Australia, South America, the United Kingdom (U.K.), the United States (U.S.) and Africa. 
  • The International Literacy Association (ILA) — Formerly the International Reading Association, this group is a membership organization of more than 300,000 literacy educators, researchers and experts across 128 countries. The ILA advocates for children’s rights to read and for “excellent literacy instruction in reading, writing, communicating and critical thinking” around the world. It also publishes peer-reviewed research and provides professional development and support for teachers everywhere. 
  • The Malala Fund — This literacy organization is devoted to uplifting girls in the quest for universal literacy. Through its Education Champion Network, it supports local educators and advocates in low-income regions where women and girls lack opportunities to attend secondary school. The organization focuses on addressing the factors that contribute to the educational disadvantages faced by girls. These factors include poverty, conflict and gender discrimination, which can result in child labor. Many girls work for extremely low wages, sometimes as little as one cent per day, making it difficult for them to access educational opportunities. Additionally, the organization highlights the challenges faced by girls affected by conflict who often reside in refugee camps with limited access to education. To address these issues, the organization invests in promoting universal literacy through advocates and activists in various regions, including Turkey, Tanzania and Pakistan, among others.  
  • The Literacy and Community Development Programme (LCDP) — This program helps poor and marginalized groups, such as ethnic minorities, prison inmates, people with disabilities and women, in remote areas learn to read. It is unique in that it targets adults 15 and up, as opposed to children. These people who had little to no formal education in their youths are presented with opportunities to attain literacy. It also champions REFLECT, an acronym for Regenerated Freirean Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques, introduced first in 1997. It provides students with resources beyond “primers and other predetermined reading materials,” instead using tools such as maps, calendars, matrices and diagrams. 

Going Forward

The need for educational resources for the global poor has always been pressing, but in the wake of the changing, post-pandemic world, it is vital to consider the future. A world of economic liberty and human rights is impossible to achieve without universal literacy. Learning to read is just one step toward progress, but a vital one. By supporting the myriad of programs that look to instate that, people around the world can participate in steps toward a new future and eliminate learning poverty.

– Char Nieberding
Photo: Flickr

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Unpacking the Humanitarian Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh

Humanitarian Crisis in Nagorno-KarabakhNagorno-Karabakh, also known as “Artsakh,” was home to 120,000 people, most of whom were ethnic Armenians. Artsakh functioned as a de-facto breakaway Armenian state yet was long claimed by Azerbaijan. The territory dispute escalated quickly in mid-September when Azerbaijan invaded the land, displacing 120,000 ethnic Armenians. Limited access to food, water and electricity has created a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Lachin Blockade

Prior to the invasion, Nagorno-Karabakh slowly plunged into poverty and insecurity with dramatically lowering human rights standards. In December 2022, Azerbaijani protestors blockaded the Lachin corridor, the only connecting road between Artsakh and the Republic of Armenia. This effectively ceased any movement by Artsakh’s residents. Both nations set up checkpoints at their borders.

As a result, food and medical supply deliveries were nearly halted. The main food markets in the villages within Nagorno-Karabakh were closed. Some locals did not see fresh produce like fruits and vegetables for months. Armenian authorities began rationing supplies.

Access to medical supplies in the region was also significantly restricted. People could not access necessary supplies for infant care, like diapers. The Red Cross brought medicine and necessities such as baby formula across the corridor, but this was only a short-term solution. Armenian authorities in Artsakh became so desperate, that they asked for an airbridge to bring supplies to the region.

The blockade of the Lachin corridor undoubtedly lowered the quality of life of Armenians residing in the area. The hospitals within Stepanakert and the other villages in the area ran out of supplies. Children had to be treated with medication meant for adults. Grocery store aisles were empty. Gas and electricity were only sporadically available. Prices for mundane goods skyrocketed.

The low quality of life in Artsakh due to the lack of access to basic necessities made it increasingly difficult for Armenians residing in the area to carry out their daily lives.

Artsakh’s Progressive Isolation

While the blockade stopped supply lines, Russian peacekeepers set up opposing checkpoints. They barred entry to any who attempted to access the region, even for humanitarian purposes. In one instance, they stopped a man attempting to bring toys to Artsakh from Armenia.

The U.S. Department of State condemned Azerbaijan for Artsakh’s progressive isolation. Azerbaijan entirely cut off Artsakh from the rest of Armenia in July 2023, barring even the Red Cross from entering the territory after accusing the Armenian branch of the Red Cross of smuggling unauthorized materials into the region. As living conditions in Artsakh became unbearable, the 120,000 Armenians residing in the region sought refuge in Armenia.

In September 2023, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) sent nearly 70 metric tons of humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh, including critical food aid. Russia delivered fifty tons of humanitarian supplies to Stepanakert, the region’s capital. Around the same time, the United States offered $11.5 million in humanitarian assistance to address the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a September 2023 press release, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “We encourage the sides to engage in direct talks and focus on ways to increase the flow of humanitarian supplies to the population of the region. The United States remains committed to supporting efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve long-standing issues and achieve a dignified and durable peace.”

Looking Ahead

Samvel Shahramanyan, the head of Artsakh’s local government, signed a decree according to which all of the republic’s state institutions will be inactive by January 2024. Some have called for international intervention and retribution in the wake of Azerbaijan’s actions to reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh.

While the current conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia does not appear to be approaching resolve, international groups and nations have rallied together to provide aid. Border and cultural conflicts are difficult to resolve. Thus, providing humanitarian protection and aid to address the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh is paramount for the foreseeable future.

– Tatiana Gnuva
Photo: Flickr

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Why Child Poverty In Azerbaijan Is Still An Issue 

Child Poverty in Azerbaijan
In the last two decades, child poverty in Azerbaijan has shown improvement amid economic expansion. However, this economic growth has also led to increased inequality. The benefits of this growth are primarily in urban areas, while rural regions face diminishing opportunities, resulting in a notable rise in child poverty among affected communities.

The Causes

Despite its increasing wealth and growing influence in wider regions, poverty and corruption still overshadow much of the development occurring in Azerbaijan. 

More than 90% of Azerbaijan’s exports come from the concentrated area of Greater Baku, located near the offshore oil and gas reserves of the Caspian Sea. This means that the money earned from exports often only reaches a relatively small area. According to the 2021 World Bank report, Azerbaijan exhibits more than two times the inequality of any other country in Europe and Asia. While More than 40% of the population works in agriculture, it only accounts for 5.7% of exports. More than 60% of Azerbaijan’s poor live in rural areas that depend on agriculture as their primary source of income, highlighting the large divide between the different regions of the country. 

The Effects 

There are currently around 20,000 children without parental care in Azerbaijan. Though many of their parents are still alive, extenuating circumstances like poor treatment and abuse can lead to children in poverty becoming ‘social orphans.’ Faced with unbearable living conditions out on the streets or in underfunded orphanages, these children often find themselves victimized emotionally and physically with little to no avenues out of this situation many children find themselves victimized emotionally and physically. These unaccompanied minors also have limited access to education, making the poverty trap even harder to escape.

Around 11% of girls marry before the age of 18. Different factors such as religion, education or social status can exacerbate child marriage, but often poverty is the driving force behind it. Child marriage rates are highest in the more rural areas of Azerbaijan, where many families marry off their daughters in the hope of securing a more prosperous life for them. 

Azerbaijan currently considers child marriage a significant issue, but the prevalence of children born out of wedlock suggests that the practice might be more common than officially reported. Each year, thousands of unmarried mothers give birth to children. One contributing factor is the occurrence of illegal marriages involving girls under the age of 15. These underage brides are unable to legally marry until they are older, so their children are classified as born out of wedlock until they can marry within the legal framework.

The Issue of Child Labor

There has been minimal advancement in eliminating child labor in recent years. A 2001 study revealed that at least 70,000 children aged 5 to 14 were performing some form of child labor. Many struggling families use child labor to augment their income, and many children without families use it simply to survive. The agricultural sector employs the majority of child laborers, while street children and those from marginalized communities often find themselves in more perilous situations. These “worst forms of child labor” encompass activities like forced labor, involvement in the drug trade, begging under coercion and engagement in prostitution.

Ongoing Efforts and Solutions

One way to tackle child poverty in Azerbaijan is through education, and the country has made remarkable progress in this field in recent years, with its public spending on education increasing by more than 5% since 2018.

The 2022 update of the human capital index even recognized Azerbaijan as one of the top 10 global improvers with respect to progress in health and education between 2010 and 2020. Still, there are vast differences between the quality of schooling for children in and out of poverty. Standardized testing shows that students from wealthier families scored 96 points – the equivalent of three school years – above students from poorer families. There was also a divide seen between urban and rural areas, where rural students scored 48 points lower on average. To target these inequalities, there is a need for Azerbaijan to continue to invest in educational access, particularly in poorer regions.

One NGO making strides in tackling child poverty with education is United Aid for Azerbaijan (UAFA). Founded in 1988 with a goal to ‘aid long-term development of life in Azerbaijan, with particular focus on children, health and education’, the organization now operates from 21 different regions of the country and has helped more than 13,000 children by developing social services for those in need of special protection and reducing the number of young people in state care. The country has also seen support from other organizations such as the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), which rehabilitated and furnished 33 schools across Azerbaijan between 2021 and 2022.

Looking Ahead

While there are still significant issues with child poverty in Azerbaijan, the country has also seen significant improvements. UNICEF reports that in the last two decades, child mortality rates have fallen (going from 54.172 to 18.746), poverty rates have drastically decreased as a whole and primary school enrolment has improved. As Azerbaijan’s economy expands, the country could also benefit from increasing its investment in the nation’s most promising asset – its youth. This commitment is crucial to continually improving the quality of life for all young individuals who require support.

– Jodie Donovan
Photo: Flickr