Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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5 Charities Fighting Food Insecurity in Palestine

Food Insecurity in Palestine
For nearly 80 years, Palestine has faced a complex humanitarian crisis connected to both internal and external political conflict that has caused unrest, instability and the loss of many lives. The exacerbation of the already dire situation — especially in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip — has led to economic instability, the loss of homes, restricted trade and access to essential resources and high unemployment rates, all of which have resulted in rising poverty rates. Currently, achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 regarding food security is the greatest challenge, giving rise to initiatives that focus on fighting food insecurity in Palestine. 

Food Insecurity in Palestine in Numbers

As it stands, 33.6% of the population (about 1.8 million people) are moderately or severely food-insecure. However, this national average does not highlight the significant differences within the country, with 24% of the 1.8 million people residing on the West Bank and 75% in the Gaza Strip. 

An overwhelming 51% of food-insecure people are children, while 49% are adults and 1% are elderly. An important fact to note is that 76% of food-insecure people are refugees, while 24% are non-refugees.

The Main Causes 

While several factors are contributing to food insecurity in Palestine, here are some of the primary causes:

  • Prolonged conflict
  • Economic stagnation
  • Restriction on trade and access to resources
  • High unemployment rate
  • High poverty rate

After decades of turbulence and violence, there are, fortunately, several organizations dedicated to fighting food insecurity in Palestine. Here is some information about them.

Action Against Hunger

Founded in 2002, Action Against Hunger is a global humanitarian organization taking action against the causes and effects of hunger. Currently, it is aiding Palestinian families by supporting small businesses as well as promoting economic empowerment for women and young people. This is primarily achieved through providing food, money and mental health services, whilst also improving access to clean water, good hygiene and safe sanitation. In 2022, the organization was able to help 525,314 people – 519,000 people were reached by the Water, Sanitation & Hygiene Programs and 6,000 people’s lives were improved due to the Food Security and Livelihoods Programs. 

SKT Welfare

SKT Welfare, which provides urgent aid and sustainable relief to millions of disadvantaged people around the world, has been aiding Gaza in Palestine since the conflict in Gaza erupted in 2014. The Muslim charity is fighting food insecurity in Palestine through hand-delivering food packages to families in need. Each food parcel provides a family with enough food for an entire month and contains basmati rice, groats, red lentils, brown lentils, cooking oil, white bean, salt, salsa, jam, sugar; dates, olive oil, tea, feta cheese and soap. The majority of the food distributions are carried out in Khuza’a, a beautiful Palestinian community that the surrounding conflict has unfortunately hit very hard. 

Muslim Hands

Originating in Nottingham, Muslim Hands is another Muslim international aid organization that has been running since 1993 and helping Palestine since 2007. It provides food, medical care and education to families and over the past 10 years, has raised more than £1 million for children in Gaza and reached 2,500 orphans in the region. Additionally, last year Muslim Hands provided Qurbani (the religious sacrifice of an animal during the Eid Al Adha) that fed nearly 315 Palestinian families. Also addressing the root of poverty in the region, Muslim Hands helped create 25 sustainable jobs and its agricultural production helped 100 families. 

World Food Program USA

An American organization dedicated to tackling global hunger, World Food Program USA (WFP) has been fighting food insecurity in Palestine by providing life-saving food assistance to the most vulnerable and food-insecure non-refugee Palestinians. The organization places a large focus on starting projects that, in time, offer people some financial stability during turbulent times. For example, WFP carries out a range of resilience-building activities, such as vegetable farms, greenhouses, poultry and sheep, alongside technical and vocational training for young people and people with disabilities. In turn, these activities not only provide food sources, but they also generate an income for several people.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Finally, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is also fighting food insecurity in Palestine during a crucial time of need. The UNRWA zakat program provides both food and money to Palestinian refugees, helping them get a meal on the table. In this time of crisis, access to not only food but also psychological and medical care and support are urgently needed and provided by UNRWA. 

For as long as the conflict is prevalent in Palestine, hopefully, the innocent people affected continue to receive the help they so desperately need, and in turn, over time, the poverty rates will decrease.

– Sheherazade Al Shahry
Photo: Flickr

The Unprecedented Impact of Laos’ Economic Crisis

Laos' Economic Crisis
In Summer 2022, Laos’ economic crisis hit a breaking point. The national debt rose to more than 10% of the GDP of the country. Two-thirds of workers had their pay either decrease or remain the same. Food insecurity increased to dangerous levels, with 35% of households reporting regularly not eating a meal for an entire day. However, despite these worrying statistics, the economy has shown signs of rejuvenation in the past year; major international organizations have worked to aid the Asian nation. To grasp the scope of this issue affecting millions, a breakdown of the key issues, people and possibilities is necessary.

What Caused the Crisis?

Similar to much of the world’s economic shortcomings over the past three years, the main cause of this crisis is the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that is not the only cause of the issue. Laos relies heavily on trade with China which has also seen a slowdown in the growth of their economy. Also, the war in Ukraine has proved to be an additional factor that has severely affected worldwide trade and commerce.

Public and publicly guaranteed debt (PPG) is the main issue that Laos faces. Laos owes most of this debt to its main trading partner – China. As China has not had the GDP growth it would have wanted, the pressure to recoup some of the money owed from Laos increased. Public debt dwarfed government revenues in 2022, with 966% more debt than revenue. The Lao currency, the kip, has currently lost 90% of its value in comparison with the U.S. dollar. 

As is the case with many developing countries, the economy is incredibly fragile and subject to the international climate. Increased global prices for items such as fuel have caused inflation to peak at around 23%, the highest rate in Laos since 2000 and almost three times larger than the global average. 

In August 2022, Fitch, a New York-based capital company, rated Laos’ Foreign Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at a ‘CCC-’, meaning ‘substantial credit risk.’ Fitch has described this rating as a “very low margin for safety, default is a real possibility.” Laos’ economic crisis has caused the nation to receive a rank in the bottom 15 across the globe for financial security. 

Who Does Laos’ Economic Crisis Affect?

The poorest in Laos are on the front lines of this crisis. A report by World Vision International (WVI) highlighted the precarious position of food security. Out of 217 households surveyed across 38 communities, 62% stated they experienced severe food insecurity, ranging from skipping meals to going over a day without eating. 

Even more worrying, it was reported that 46% of households used personal savings to be able to afford food, 26% took out loans, and 14% had to take on additional daily labor. One in three households began to sell assets to be able to eat, such as livestock, transportation and mobile devices. 

Fortunately, the citizens of Laos often rely on their own agriculture for their food production so the crisis has not impacted as many families as severely as first feared. However, some households in rural areas that were not adequately equipped to maintain agricultural production had to resort to growing their own food, resulting in a poorer diet and increased risks of health conditions. 

Laos’ economic crisis caused a major decrease in public spending on crucial services and infrastructure. Low-income households had to reduce health care spending, and 7% of children dropped out of school due to not being able to afford to keep their children enrolled. 

Laos’ citizens had to take drastic measures in an attempt to secure work. Farmers who could no longer afford fuel for their machinery abandoned their professions and homes and immigrated to other countries to seek out jobs, an incredible risk to their safety and stability. 

What is the Hope for Laos?

Despite the hardships millions are currently facing there is hope for the future. The World Bank published ‘The Vital Five’, a five-step plan to secure macroeconomic stability. These goals are:

  • Cut costly tax exemptions to raise public revenue
  • Improve the governance of public and public-private investment
  • Restructure public debt through negotiations
  • Strengthen financial sector stability through legal and regulatory tools
  • Enhance the business environment through regulatory reforms

Laos was also one of the quickest developing economies in Southeast Asia before a slowdown caused firstly by natural disasters towards the end of the 2010s, and then the COVID-19 pandemic. The rate at which Laos’ economy was growing before 2018 is a good sign for future progression; the foundation was already laid out and saw great success. 

Investments in newly constructed sectors such as hydropower are also great opportunities to boost trade and commerce in the nation. About 21% of the economy was directly contributed by hydropower and mining in 2021, despite only accounting for 1% of all jobs. Further expansion into these avenues will create sustained opportunities for job security for thousands of the Lao people. 

The UNDP, the United Nations International Development Agency, stated that “The future of the country must be built of its current and future assets: its natural capital, its young population and its revitalized links to its neighbors and to the world. Now is the time to increase spending on health and education to establish a workforce that is ready for the future, and to pave a pathway for all Lao to prosper.”

Looking Ahead

Laos’ economic crisis is a matter that will continue to affect the most vulnerable for years to come. However, with the work of international organizations such as the World Bank and the UN, Laos has the structure in place to attain the goals set and ensure security and prosperity for its people. The government of Laos must adapt quickly and invest in its citizens to steer away from this crisis and towards a more equal, developed nation. 

– Oliver Rayner
Photo: Flickr

The Economic Crisis in Haiti

Economic Crisis in Haiti
Haiti is undergoing significant economic turmoil. The economic crisis in Haiti has posed challenges for families in affording essential items like food and has also affected their ability to sell crops in local markets. Political instability, natural disasters and social unrest have worsened these challenges, further affecting the country’s capacity to attain sustainable economic growth and improve the well-being of its impoverished population.

Haiti’s Turbulent Economic History

During the past few years, Haiti’s economy has been under pressure due to several factors such as natural disasters, diseases, political instability, mishandling of humanitarian assistance and the devaluation of its national currency. The country’s previously thriving tourism industry has declined as well. In contrast to the peak of 1.3 million tourists in 2018, which brought in $620 million in revenue, Haiti only received 938,000 visitors in 2019. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic also significantly curtailed travel and economic activity.

After an earthquake in 2010, international lenders canceled Haiti’s debt; however, its borrowing has increased to around $3.57 billion since then. Additional turmoil, such as the growing protest movement, the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, consecutive natural disasters in July and August of the same year and widespread gang-related violence, has further strained the nation’s economic circumstances. 

In 2022, armed gangs fueled the economic crisis in Haiti with their actions, including blocking the southern entry to the nation’s capital, which isolated four departments from the rest of the country. These areas produce consumer goods supplied to Pourt-au-Prince, and the blockade affected the country’s economy during a severe nationwide fuel shortage. This also exacerbated the hunger crisis in Haiti, with a total of 4.9 million people in Haiti experiencing food insecurity. 

Solutions

The United States is the largest contributor of humanitarian aid to Haiti. The U.S. prioritizes fostering economic growth, reducing poverty, upholding human rights and strengthening democratic institutions. To combat poverty and address persistent unemployment by creating jobs, the U.S. promotes bilateral trade and investment in Haiti. The substantial Haitian diaspora in the U.S. presents a potential influential partner in the endeavor to expand business prospects and capitalize on the numerous connections that bind Haitian and American communities.

The International Development Association (IDA) supports the government of Haiti to address the ongoing economic crisis in Haiti. They participate in supporting private secret actors and removing infrastructure barriers to market access. IDA’s support centers around enhancing human capital by expanding access to education in health care. Simultaneously, the IDA assists the government in enhancing transparency, accountability and efficacy in public investment This effort also involves strengthening institutional capabilities to generate crucial data, manage sectors, establish evidence-based policy priorities and cultivate fiscal sustainability.

Looking Ahead

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), achieving lasting economic security will rely on increasing investment levels in both the public and private sectors to foster rapid and more inclusive growth. Developing infrastructure, enhancing productivity on farms, increasing manufacturing and ensuring the provision of fundamental services will have the potential to create connections that will establish are more lawful development cycle.

– Marisa Del Vecchio
Photo: Flickr

Keep IT Cool: A Solution for Fisherfolk in Kenya

Fisherfolk in KenyaPastoralism, also known as animal husbandry, serves as a prime economic activity in Kenya, with 90% of the youth workforce involved in this venture. In fact, around 95% of families in rural locations earn their incomes from pastoral labor, which emphasizes the financial importance of this activity. However, a long-standing drought has displaced many pastoralists who rely on migrating with their animals seasonally. With the inability to migrate to new lands, coupled with the death of 439,400 livestock, Kenyan pastoralists have suffered from rising rates of food insecurity and lowered incomes. 

In particular, Kenya’s Lake Turkana, which boasts a lively pastoralist population, now faces the threat of food insecurity more than ever, with 60% of the area’s people going without the standard three meals a day. Since the government only devotes 6% of its budget to health care, those experiencing food insecurity may not receive the proper aid and nourishment they need, leading to rising rates of sickness, especially for those in extreme poverty. 

Recently, pastoralists have turned to commercial fishing — an entirely new line of work for them — to receive an income. As Lake Turkana pastoralists have embraced the fisherfolk lifestyle, however, they have struggled to securely adjust to this new venture. Keep IT Cool, a business based in Nairobi, entered this dire situation as a helpful hand, supplying tools, technology and financial advice to provide a solution for fisherfolk in Kenya. 

Keep IT Cool’s Objective

This new business started its journey in 2019 and has received an award from the Good Food Innovation Fund, which celebrates efforts to revolutionize the food supply chain. With time, Keep IT Cool received a grant from The Rockefeller Foundation as well as Intellecorp. 

The grants ultimately funded Keep IT Cool’s ventures on Lake Victoria and in Nairobi, where the team prioritized the expansion of the fish market. With a focus on this lucrative market, the business then moved its efforts to Kenya’s Lake Turkana, where food insecurity continues to grow at a high rate. 

When the team arrived on Lake Turkana, they sought to revolutionize the ways in which the new fisherfolk in Kenya approach commercial fishing. Despite the arid climate, Lake Turkana is home to 52 species of fish, thus providing pastoralists with opportunities to begin this new business venture. Keep IT Cool’s efforts in directing the new fisherfolk’s attention toward the fish market served as a useful and transformative step that aided the financial growth of the region. 

Keep IT Cool’s Work on Lake Turkana 

To begin this new process, Keep IT Cool provided a technologically driven way to export the fish from Lake Turkana. Prior to Keep IT Cool’s involvement, the fisherfolk on Lake Turkana, lacking the technological tools to help simplify the production and transportation process, witnessed spoilage quite frequently. Additionally, the markets in Nairobi offered prices that did not support the lifestyle needs of the fisherfolk in Kenya lifestyles. 

Keep IT Cool transformed this unfortunate scene. By providing the fisherfolk on Lake Turkana with higher offers than the general asking price, Keep IT Cool helped stabilize their incomes. With the ability to earn more money, fisherfolk can provide a steady source of food for their families, therefore limiting the extent of food insecurity in Lake Turkana. 

Reliable Service 

As Keep IT Cool revolutionized the fisherfolk’s wages, they also innovated the production and transportation of fish from Lake Turkana to external markets. The company provided truck drivers with coolers, an essential tool for keeping the fish fresh during the 425-mile ride from Lake Turkana to Nairobi. 

Keep IT Cool further aids the fisherfolk during the intermediate step between transportation and delivery to consumers. The members of the factory team help prepare the fish for consumption seamlessly. Keep IT Cool’s drivers are in use once again for the delivery process, and as a further source of protection, the company provides local vendors with the ability to rent coolers to maintain the freshness of the fish. 

Keep IT Cool ensures reliable service for fisherfolk in Kenya while also focusing on green alternatives. The organization has effectively limited waste with its cooled trucks, clean production process and supply of fresh fish. As a further incentive, Keep IT Cool uses solar-powered coolers as well as hybrid trucks for delivery. 

Growth and Future Expansions 

With great emphasis on the Lake Turkana region, Keep IT Cool has ensured the stabilization of pay and the delivery of fresh fish — with new technological tools to aid the process. As a further commitment to aiding the region and limiting food insecurity, Keep IT Cool created an ice manufacturing plant on Lake Turkana, an essential addition for the fisherfolk who need ice for transport and for additional endeavors, including selling beverages to earn extra money. 

The development of a factory on Lake Turkana is especially useful, as this will save drivers the trip to the processing factories in Nairobi and also increase the amount of fish that can be transported for delivery. 

Looking Ahead 

Keep IT Cool’s investment in the Lake Turkana region has single-handedly expanded the commercial fishing market and provided fisherfolk in Kenya with a new, exciting and stable career path. As commercial fishing continues to serve as the main source of income for the fisherfolk, the growing rates of food insecurity will continue to decline, bringing families together for three meals a day. 

– Maddy Grieco
Photo: Unsplash

Tiyeni: Eliminating Poverty Through Deep Bed Farming in Malawi

Deep Bed FarmingMany African countries are home to arid soil, creating an environment that makes it difficult for crops to grow without significant help. Although many African countries pivot their focus and instead dedicate their resources to industries like mining or manufacturing, Malawi is one of many countries that has continued to focus on agriculture. Because of Malawi’s heat, many areas of the country have endured extremely harsh soil erosion, with some areas of the country losing as much as 39 tons of soil per hectare per year. Tiyeni wants to help provide a solution to this issue.

What is Tiyeni?

Tiyeni is a nonprofit that seeks to provide a solution for severe topsoil loss to farmers across Malawi for free. This technique is called deep bed farming. Tiyeni can do this thanks to donors, primarily from the U.K., and from around the world. Although the nonprofit is based in the U.K., its headquarters are in Malawi, and all operations are run by local Malawians, meaning that the U.K. simply acts as a funding arm for Tiyeni. 

The nonprofit started in 2004 and, by 2012, it had successfully implemented deep bed farming in Malawi across several villages. Since then, the nonprofit has taken the approach of teaching at least one farmer in every community its farming techniques so they can spread them around their community. In the long term, it hopes to spread the benefits of deep bed farming all across Southern Africa.

Deep Bed Farming

Deep bed farming, as described on Tiyeni’s website, is an advanced and highly effective form of conservation agriculture. The process has three main steps, the first of which is breaking up the compacted hard layer of soil underground with a pickaxe. After this is step two, which involves physically creating the deep beds. This requires the farmer to create a 100 cm bed of crops followed by a 50 cm ditch, meant to catch water and keep the soil moist. This allows farmers to take full advantage of the scarce rainfall that happens in the area by catching every drop within the ditches and using that water to continue watering the crops. Finally, the third step is to choose the correct crops to make the best use of the technique. 

Tiyeni recommends that farmers plant maize as a staple crop with beans, pumpkin, kale, soya, ground nuts and other types of local crops mixed in between. Using this intercropping technique, farmers across Malawi have noted significantly higher crop yields compared to using other farming techniques.

Tiyeni’s Impact

Tiyeni’s spread of deep bed farming across Malawi has proven to be a significant step toward lifting Malawian farmers and communities across the country out of poverty. An independent research study shows that, since implementing this technique, one Malawian community went from yielding 839 kg of maize in 2021 to 2,480 kg of maize in 2023. 

That study also showed that the same community went from earning 67,500 Malawian Kwacha from agriculture in 2020 to 192,8000 Malawian Kwacha in 2022. By using this technique, Malawian communities have nearly tripled their crop yields and incomes earned from agriculture. 

On top of this, deep bed farming in Malawi has played a direct role in addressing food insecurity. According to another independent study conducted in 2020, families that use deep bed farming consumed an extra meal every day. This shows that deep bed farming has had significant beneficial impacts on farming communities across Malawi. This is especially important in Malawi, where, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, 9.8 million people face mild to severe food insecurity.

Although deep bed farming in Malawi has been successful, Tiyeni acknowledges that there are still obstacles preventing it from being able to spread the technique to farmers across the country. The nonprofit has used “trial and error” methods of group training to ensure that people are still encouraged to use this method of farming even after the Tiyeni team leaves the community. Additionally, Tiyeni is looking for ways to ensure that people who hear about deep bed farming from other farmers get the full technique and don’t miss crucial steps in the farming process. Although these obstacles are present, Tiyeni has still managed to make a significant impact on the communities that have picked up deep bed farming and is helping families across the country to lift themselves out of poverty. 

– Aidan Johnstone
Photo: Flickr

The Cost of Living Crisis in Australia

Cost of Living Crisis in AustraliaAustralia is experiencing a cost of living crisis. With housing, food, utilities and other everyday essentials rising disproportionately to wage growth, Australian households are struggling to make ends meet. According to a report by the Salvation Army, the crisis has pushed tens of thousands of Australians below the poverty line: approximately 3.3 million Australians, including 700,000 children, now live below the poverty line. The most marginalized and disadvantaged groups are most harshly impacted by the cost of living crisis.

Rising Costs

High inflation rates, coupled with income level, primarily instigated recent increases in the cost of living in Australia. The Consumer Price Index, which measures household inflation, increased by 5.1% in 2022, the highest since the goods and services tax was introduced to Australia 20 years ago. This stubbornly high inflation, likely prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, resulted in food, rent, petrol and gas prices skyrocketing — in 2022, housing and food and non-alcoholic drinks stood as the first and second highest household expenses respectively.

A surge in migration to Australia further contributes to the cost of living crisis. From July 2022 to March 2023, the Department of Home Affairs reported the following statistics regarding the number of approved visas: permanent skilled workers increased by 111.7% to 144,040 from 68,055; student visas rose 154.4% to 511,149 from 200,941 and visitors increased by 449.2% to 3,195,988 from 581,888.

The Struggle in Numbers

A survey of 1,700 Australians found that 93% of responders struggled to afford basic items. A poll conducted by the Guardian revealed that 70% of Australian households are not able to comfortably afford housing expenses; 68% are not able to comfortably afford childcare, school education and insurance and 51% cannot afford groceries and food. A survey conducted by the Salvation Army found that more than half of respondents skipped meals and could not afford essential health care. Indigenous people in remote areas of the country are hit particularly hard by the surge in freight prices, making every day a struggle to secure food and other necessities.

Efforts Underway

However, Australia is slowly addressing economic issues with the help of several organizations and policies. Among these, in the year 2021-2022, the Salvation Army’s annual Red Shield Appeal distributed $32.6 million to Australians in need of financial assistance and is open to donations for the next period’s funding. The Red Shield Appeal funds also support marginalized groups, such as women and child refugees in crisis. Tony Burke, the Minister for Industrial Relations of Australia, is working to increase the minimum wage and pay for labor hours and contractors. The cost of living crisis in Australia reminds the world that even developed countries are not exempt from facing poverty. Global efforts to alleviate poverty must prioritize the most marginalized and disadvantaged groups, even in developed countries.

– Lauren Liu
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

4 Facts About Mental Health in Turkey

Mental Health in TurkeyTurkey, a land of diverse cultures and traditions, serves as a bridge connecting Europe and Asia. With a profound history that shapes its very core, Turkey has undergone substantial recent transformations, marked by modernization and urbanization. This evolution has propelled economic growth and infrastructure development to new heights. Nonetheless, alongside these encouraging advancements, there have been noticeable challenges, particularly in the realm of mental health. While common mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are prevalent in Turkey, as they are in numerous other nations, the country has experienced a comparatively higher rate of psychiatric hospitalizations in recent times.

The Prevalence of Common Disorders

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the population of Turkey has confronted a surge in mental health challenges over recent years, with individuals grappling with anxiety and depression, stemming from factors like natural disasters, economic downturns and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO’s findings indicate a staggering 3.2 million people affected by depression, accompanied by an over 50% escalation in the usage of antidepressants during the past five years. With an increasing number of individuals in Turkey seeking medical support for their mental well-being, the prevalence of these issues underscores the significance of global education regarding the essential understanding of the mind on par with the physical body.

UOSSM

The Union of Medical Relief and Care Organizations (UOSSM), established in 2012 in France, is a collaborative effort of member organizations from countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and Turkey. Together, these members pool resources and coordinate projects to deliver relief and medical assistance to victims of war in Syria. Amid the complex relationship between Turkey and Syria, Turkey has extended aid to refugees seeking refuge within its borders. Throughout the past decade of the Syrian crisis, mental health has emerged as an enduring concern, growing even more pronounced due to the ongoing exposure to traumatic experiences. In response, Turkey has instituted an array of mental health programs and provided medications, aiming to alleviate the profound psychological distress endured by the affected population.

Psychiatric Hospitalization

Amidst the pandemic lockdown, notable trends have emerged in the realm of psychiatric conditions. While it is widely acknowledged that rates of patients grappling with anxiety and depression tend to surge during lockdown periods, a distinct rise in the diagnosis of bipolar disorders has also been observed subsequent to the pandemic quarantine. This uptick in psychiatric hospitalizations serves as a clear signal for policymakers to redirect their focus toward enhancing mental health services and implementing preventative measures to effectively manage the mental well-being landscape in Turkey before the situation gets worse.

Stigma and Awareness

As various nations grapple with distinct stigmas and societal expectations, these diverse social dynamics present barriers for individuals dealing with physical and mental illnesses. A social study has unveiled a correlation between supernatural causal beliefs and heightened stigma surrounding mental health. Conversely, the recognition of one’s ongoing stress levels has demonstrated a capacity to diminish this stigma.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Turkey’s intricate tapestry of diverse cultures stands as a testament to its remarkable evolution over the years. Turkey’s journey through economic, social and political changes has led to an elevation in the rates of common mental health issues within the population. Nevertheless, Turkey is dedicated to alleviating societal pressures by offering robust mental health services and resources for its citizens to rely on.

– Sandy Kang
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty and Immunity: An Inextricable Correlation

Poverty and Immunity
Poverty emerges as a relentless enemy across nations, holding millions of lives at its mercy. While the implications of poverty on basic necessities have been studied, a consequence lies hidden within the fine lines of public health — the impact of poverty on the immune system. This article delves into the relationship between poverty and immunity in developing countries, exploring the lack of health measures, and how they intertwine to shape the vulnerability of populations. 

Poor Sanitation Leads to Poor Immunity

Two billion people across the world lack access to clean water and proper sanitation measures, while 10% of the world’s population does not have latrines or means of disposing of waste. The outright lack of sanitation in almost all cases results in pollution of water and food resources due to frequent open defecation and improper treatment. Then begins the vicious cycle of illness, as the constant presence of bacteria in communities can be fatal.

With the constant onslaught of diseases due to substandard sanitation, the bodies of impoverished people can grow weaker without nutrients to strengthen them. A study that Parasite Immunology published states that parasites known as helminths modify the immune system of the host, which results in a damaged immune response to vaccinations and other pathogens. 

Malnutrition and Immunity

Nourishing oneself is vital to provide nutrients to the body in order for several different organ and body functions to perform as normal. When a person does not ingest enough proper food, this can cause an entire host of issues for the body. 

Nutrients that the body needs in small amounts are known as micronutrients. They are small portions of vitamins and minerals that produce substances necessary for the development of the body. Deficiencies in these nutrients are common in low-income countries due to the lack of proper nutrition, which can have damaging effects. 

When there is a lack of nutrients in the body, infections that are contracted can prompt an immune reaction, showing another link between poverty and immunity. These infections can cause fever and bodily irregularities. Malnutrition is a major player in how severe an infection is — it is much more severe in those who have a lack of nutrients in their bodies to support the immune system’s counterattack. 

Limited Access to Health Care 

Without money, it is impossible to access health care across the world, especially as treatments evolve and become increasingly complicated. As a result, poor health restricts workers in developing nations from working properly — and this creates a merciless cycle, limiting one’s capacity to work to earn and to help themselves. Furthermore, several studies display that the wealthiest percentage of people are most often in good health because they are able to finance their health care while working. 

Another grave issue that lack of health care poses in developing nations is an absence of treatments for chronic and incurable diseases. Diseases such as HIV/AIDS are extremely common in poor nations, as they often spread unchecked without a timely preventative response. This results in unbridled death rates and a weakening population that cannot take care of themselves. 

With incurable diseases such as coronary heart disease and HIV/AIDS reigning at the top of prevalent diseases in developing countries, a lack of health care can cause the condition of populations to deteriorate. Both of these diseases gradually tear down the defenses of the immune system, and in the long term, carriers will be more susceptible to falling fatally ill from any disease in their path. 

Making a Change

Though the situation may seem bleak regarding the link between poverty and immunity, there are millions of people working to turn it around. Detailed below are three programs that aim to combat the lack of sanitation, widespread malnutrition and lack of health care that so many poverty-stricken people face. 

  • Sanitation: USAID uses the “Global Water Strategy” to reach people in need across all walks of life. The goal of this program is to increase access to sanitation measures and enhance the care of freshwater across the world. Thus far, the program has been able to provide 65 million people with sanitary drinking water, while 51 million people now have access to sanitation services for everyday excrement.
  • Malnutrition: In response to food insecurity crises across the world, USAID congregated to expend billions of dollars of aid to the countries that were most in need. This program, which was officially dubbed “Food for Peace,” provided millions of people who were severely affected by chronic and generational poverty with food during difficult times — whether they were climate-, conflict- or health-related.
  • Health Care: To combat diseases impairing the potential of impoverished populations, the Bridge of Life Foundation aims to build up global health care through programs that eradicate and treat chronic diseases. Since 2006, the organization has trained community health workers to treat their populations, distributed necessary equipment and improved treatment measures across 15 developing countries.

Looking Ahead 

With organizations such as USAID working to allocate funds and resources to populations in need of food and water and The Bridge of Life providing life-saving health care to struggling populations, the state of these populations will improve extraordinarily over time. By empowering communities and providing necessities, it is possible to break down health care disparities and ensure a thriving future for people in developing countries. 

– Divya Shankar
Photo: Pixabay

Combating Gun Violence in the DRC

Gun Violence in the DRCDespite having the fourth-largest population in Africa and one of the richest supplies of natural resources anywhere on the planet, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been a perpetual human rights catastrophe for decades. Due to fractured internal violence, the DRC’s economy has struggled to progress, and the nation is now among the five poorest on earth. This violence is due to a complicated mix of ethnic tensions, national interests and competition over local resources. However, the widespread availability of weapons fuels it and allows it to continue unabated. For reformers to reduce gun violence in the DRC and develop the broken economy, it is vital that the nation mitigates weapons trafficking and confronts the sea of weapons within its own borders. 

The Disastrous Impact of Gun Violence in the DRC

The DRC has a long history of extreme violence and instability, extending from Belgium’s brutal colonial reign in the nation. But, following the Rwandan genocide and the influx of Hutu and Tutsi immigrants into the DRC, this violence greatly escalated and has utterly undermined the nation’s development – resulting in a poverty rate of more than 80%. 

Gun violence in the DRC between rebels and pro-government forces has displaced around 6 million individuals and killed a similar number; mass rapes and massacres have grown tragically common. As a result of this destruction, currently, more than 4 million people suffer from malnutrition, and the education system is in shatters. This violence has shown no signs of stopping, as more than 100 armed groups are actively fighting in the Eastern part of the country over territory, natural resources and ethnic disputes. 

Attempted Solutions

The DRC government has passed reforms and worked with international actors to address firearms. A product of the DRC’s limited governance is that the nation’s borders are extremely porous, meaning criminals easily traffic guns into the country. The DRC has participated in numerous workshops and forums with other nations to analyze flaws in their border security, strengthen cooperation with bordering countries and create action plans for reform. However, the DRC has struggled to implement meaningful border control legislation and still cannot realistically patrol most of its borders. 

Even without the influx of new firearms, though, the country possesses enough weapons internally to maintain perpetual violence. The most recent comprehensive study from 2010 estimated there were more than 300,000 guns in the hands of civilians in the east of the country alone. As a member of the Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA), a coalition of near-bye states that agreed to work together to reduce the number of small arms and light weapons, the DRC has taken steps to reduce the grip weapons have over the country. They have attempted voluntary gun collections to take firearms out of circulation, taken measures to protect state-owned stockpiles of guns from porous mismanagement and embarked on education campaigns to reduce the DRC’s cultural normalization of guns. 

Additional Work Needed

While the DRC can embark on any number of avenues for firearm policy reform, enforcing real change has been challenging. Thus, as groups like the African Union have argued, the DRC must strengthen its government and crack down on corruption if it hopes to truly deal with the firearm issue. Moreover, given the weakness of its state, the DRC must willingly cooperate with other countries to crack down on guns (and vice versa). 

For instance, NGOs have called on the DRC to join the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), an international treaty that the UN adopted. The treaty would help the DRC gain external assistance in fighting the illegal distribution of guns to local militias within its borders. If the DRC can strengthen its own government and work successfully with international actors, then it could pass more ambitious reforms. For example, critics have argued that a more effectively run DRC could help demobilize fighters, trace guns and destroy a larger number of old firearms.

Conclusion

Gun violence in the DRC has submerged the nation under a perpetual downpour of blood. This violence has utterly destroyed the country’s ability to prosper and left its population trapped in unthinkable poverty. While many aspects of the DRC need drastic reform, at its core, the widespread prevalence of firearms enables this carnage and promulgates widespread poverty. The DRC has implemented moderate reforms and worked with outside actors to investigate the issue. However, the weak nature of the nation’s government means reformers have a long way to go.

– David Newman
Photo: Unsplash

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The Support Program Reducing Child Poverty in Mongolia

Child poverty in Mongolia
Mongolia is an Asian country known for its vast landscapes and dry climate and is one of the world’s highest countries in terms of elevation. However, the country also suffers from a high rate of child poverty. Poverty is concentrated heavily in rural regions, often hours away from the nearest city. However, child poverty does still exist in cities like the capital, Ulaanbaatar, too. Recent investments by the government of Mongolia, however, have increased support for children. Here is some information about child poverty in Mongolia and what some are doing to resolve it.

Child Poverty Statistics

In Mongolia, the percentage of children living in poverty is higher than the percentage of the total population living in poverty (38.5% compared to 29.6%, respectively). Although poverty levels in rural regions have slightly declined in recent years, it has increased in urban centers.

Much of the economic growth in Mongolia has centered around the mining sector, whereas many of those living at or below the poverty line are low-skilled wage workers with lower levels of education. 

Most poor children in Mongolia do not complete school through the secondary level and only 10% attend university, despite Mongolia having an overall high education attainment level in the region. This is because most of the children and young adults who receive high levels of education fall in the top 20% of income earners in the country. About half of individuals in this income level have obtained a university-level education.

Many poor people in Mongolia, specifically children, often lack basic services or needs such as clean water, heat and sanitation. In 2018, 70% of those living in poverty struggled to receive at least one of these basic services. 

Efforts to Reduce Child Poverty in Mongolia

Those working in the herding industry have seen huge reductions in poverty levels in recent years. What was once one of the most impoverished professions in the country, only about a third of herders live below the poverty line today. Market connectivity, government support and more employment opportunities have contributed to this improvement.

In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF recommended to the Mongolian government that the most effective way to reduce poverty levels, which the pandemic exacerbated, was to increase funding for the country’s Child Money Program. This program provides monetary support to children across the nation. In response, the government provided an additional $300 million via the program, which helped more than two-thirds of all households.

Overall, despite the grim statistics, the country’s government has shown that it is willing and able to take steps towards reducing child poverty in Mongolia. With this continued support, as well as that from organizations like UNICEF, more children can have a better opportunity to receive a full education.

– Tristan Weisenbach
Photo: Wikipedia Commons