Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Improving Health care Access in Rural Mali Via Mobile Clinics

Health care Access in Rural Mali
In a major stride towards improving health care access and combating poverty in rural Mali, a groundbreaking initiative featuring mobile clinics and telemedicine has taken center stage. Rural Mali has long faced the challenges of limited health care infrastructure, scarcity of medical professionals and inadequate resources. For years, these barriers have hindered communities from receiving timely medical attention, leading to preventable illnesses, lost productivity and a cycle of poverty that has been difficult to break.  

Mobile Clinics Reach Remote Villages

Mobile clinics have done miracles for health care access in rural Mali. In the regions of Gao and Mopti, where access to medical facilities was limited, Première Urgence Internationale, a local NGO partnered with the Malian government to deploy mobile clinics. These clinics, staffed with medical professionals, traversed difficult terrains to reach isolated villages that were previously cut off from health care services.  

The impact was evident as villagers received critical medical attention for conditions like malaria and respiratory infections. In addition to treating acute illnesses, the clinics focused on preventive measures, such as vaccinations and health education. This approach led to a decrease in preventable diseases, resulting in a healthier and more productive population. 

Furthermore, mobile clinics’ regular visits ensured better nutrition and early detection of health issues among children. This in turn leads to better school attendance rates which allows parents to devote more time to economic activities, breaking the cycle of poverty. 

Telemedicine Bridges the Gap

Telemedicine has played a pivotal role in providing specialized care to remote regions, reducing the burden on urban health care centers and providing essential health care access in rural Mali. In Kayes, a city with limited medical facilities, a telemedicine network was established to connect local clinics with medical experts in the capital city of Bamako. 

Expectant mothers in Kayes, who previously had to travel long distances for prenatal care, could now receive remote consultations with obstetricians. Complications during pregnancy were swiftly identified and early interventions saved lives. 

Moreover, telemedicine enabled the management of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. UNDP-led project SanDi has helped patients with virtual check-ups in regions like Sikasso which has its challenges accessing regular health care. Improved disease management means fewer medical emergencies and reduced health care expenses, freeing up resources for other essential needs. 

The Nexus Between Improved Health Care and Poverty Alleviation

The marriage of mobile clinics and telemedicine is proving to be a powerful tool in the fight against poverty. Here is how this solution-oriented approach is making a tangible difference:

  1. A Healthier Workforce: By receiving timely medical attention, villagers can stay healthy and productive. A healthier workforce translates into increased productivity, higher income levels and a reduced reliance on government aid. 
  2. Reduced Medical Expenses: Access to free or affordable health care in rural areas helps families save on medical expenses. Reduced health care costs mean more money can be channeled toward education, nutrition and other basic needs. 
  3. Improved Maternal and Child Health: Mobile clinics and telemedicine have significantly improved maternal and child health outcomes. Timely prenatal care and medical support during childbirth have reduced infant mortality rates, ensuring a brighter future for the next generation. 
  4. Enhanced Economic Opportunities: As health care improves, communities become more attractive to businesses and investments. Improved health infrastructure can pave the way for economic development, leading to more job opportunities and higher standards of living. 
  5. Empowering Women: With better health care access, women in rural areas can actively participate in the workforce, gain financial independence and contribute to their families’ well-being. 

Looking Forward

The success of improving health care access in rural Mali through mobile clinics and telemedicine is a testament to the power of innovation and collective action. With continued support from governments, non-governmental organizations and global partners, this initiative can be scaled up to bring lasting change and create a healthier, more prosperous future for all Malians. 

– Valentin Lyazov
Photo: Flickr

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5 Anti-Poverty Charities Operating in Colombia

Charities Operating in Colombia
Anti-poverty improving health care or the education system, or simply building infrastructure and low-cost housing for people living below the poverty line. The World Bank reports that 19.6 million (or roughly 39.3%) of the Colombian population lives below the national poverty line. 

This shows the importance of the nonprofit organizations working within the country; they contribute heavily to improving the Colombian way of life. Here are five charities operating in Colombia.

5 Anti-Poverty Charities Operating in Colombia

  1. Fundación OCMAES – The OCMAES foundation is a nonprofit working to improve academic standards and encourage academic pursuits domestically in Colombia. The organization operates on the principle that a “positive transformation of a country” is simply impossible without education; in its eyes, it is the key to breaking inequality. It helps realize this by offering renewable scholarships every six months and maintaining academic agreements with a host of universities and educational institutions within Colombia, including Rosario University and the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Bogotá. 
  2. Fundación Juanfe – “La Juanfe” is an organization working towards the betterment of children in many different parts of the Spanish-speaking world. In Colombia, it operates in the city of Cartagena. Primarily a health care organizer, the organization provides therapeutic care for young mothers and others below the poverty line. In 2023, it renewed its Inspira de la Juanfe program, a collaborative effort with JCT4 Education focused on teaching young individuals the power of social entrepreneurship and encouraging a passion for improving their communities. 
  3. Fundación Barco – The Fundación Antonio Restrepo Barco is an organization focused on those living in crisis areas. The foundation operates with the idea that those living in these areas are far more susceptible to social and poverty shortcomings. It operates directly with the government and international donors and maintains an investment portfolio to remain sustainable in the region. It helps to bring projects related to education, regional development and health care benefits to fruition. In the last year, it has been able to provide benefits to 48,816 students and to 286 individual educational institutions. 
  4. Fundación Niños de los Andes – The Children of the Andes Foundation is an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of children, especially those living on the streets and those living below the poverty line. The organization operates programs in five boarding schools hosting more than 1,510 children a year and provides direct access to educational and health care-related services in the region. It strives to impart to children that they have rights as citizens, and encourages them in their social, physical and mental development as they mature. 
  5. Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC) – An organization dedicated to improving the standard of life for rural Colombian coffee farmers, FNC institutes export standards and helps optimize production costs in the region. Beyond being apolitical and operating entirely as a nonprofit entity, the organization is also notable for being one of the largest rural non-governmental organizations in the world. 

Looking Ahead

The above anti-poverty charities operating in Colombia have all worked to eliminate poverty in numerous ways. Through their continued work, one can expect to see further improvements in education access, health care and more in Colombia.

– Marc Federici
Photo: Flickr

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Facts About Child Poverty in Uzbekistan 

Child Poverty in UzbekistanUzbekistan has made remarkable strides in reducing poverty and improving child welfare. Despite these gains, child poverty in Uzbekistan remains a pressing issue, with many children living in disadvantaged conditions. 

Declining Child Mortality Rate 

Uzbekistan has significantly reduced the infant and under-5 mortality rates over the past four decades. According to World Bank data, the infant mortality rate fell drastically from 98 per 1,000 live births in 1980 to just 13 per 1,000 live births in 2021. Likewise, the under-5 mortality rate reached an all-time low of 14 per 1,000 live births in 2021. 

Child Poverty in Uzbekistan

Nonetheless, child poverty remains a pressing issue in Uzbekistan. UNICEF’s 2019 report, “Building a Better Future: A Child-sensitive Social Protection System for Uzbekistan,” stated that 30% of young children and 24% of children between five to 14 years old belong to the poorest quintile of Uzbekistan. While the general poverty in Uzbekistan is 21%, the child poverty rate stood higher at 24%. 

As of 2019, 57% of children in the country lived on less than 10,000 UZS per day, approximately 1.5 times the minimum wage. The minimum wage in Uzbekistan also serves as the income eligibility threshold for families to receive child benefits. The prevailing circumstances signified that many children lived in households struggling to provide adequate child care. 

UNICEF currently estimates that children in Uzbekistan are one and a half times more likely to be poor than adults.

Malnutrition

Many young children in Uzbekistan experience undernutrition. Another 2019 UNICEF report, “Building a National Social Protection System Fit For Uzbekistan’s Children and Youth,” reported that 9% of children are stunted, causing irreversible damage to the children’s cognitive development. The report also highlighted that stunted children were likely to earn 26% less as adults than their non-stunted peers, further exacerbating a cycle of poverty and inequality. 

However, from 2002 to 2017, the stunting rate in Uzbekistan dropped from 21% to 8.7%, thanks to Uzbekistan’s immense strides in reducing malnutrition and expanding social welfare.  

Children With Disabilities 

In 2019, 13% of children with disabilities between the ages of 7 and 15 were not enrolled in school. Nearly one-third of young people with disabilities could not attain any diploma, limiting their educational and employment opportunities.

Moreover, UNICEF also determined that 52% of children with severe disabilities lacked access to services from the Child Disability Benefits program, indicating the limited reach of social support for vulnerable children and their families in Uzbekistan.

Social Insecurity 

52% of Uzbekistan’s impoverished households are excluded from any support by the national social protection system, leaving many families with children without benefits and social services. Subsequently, only 17% of children living in households have access to child benefits, only 23% of children under two gain Child Allowance, and only 10% of children between 2 to 14 years old collect the Family Allowance.

Ongoing Efforts by UNICEF

Currently, UNICEF’s global interventions emphasize child-sensitive social protection programs and investing in early childhood and adolescent development. For example, UNICEF is helping Uzbekistan develop a cash benefits program to address household income poverty. The organization plans to further invest in childhood education, health care access, clean water and sanitation to provide impoverished children with the needed care, security and nutrition. The organization hopes to establish sustainable social investments and integrate child-poverty-reduction policies into government budgets. 

Addressing child poverty, improving social security systems and ensuring better access to education and health care for children with disabilities are crucial areas that require concerted efforts from the government, civil society and international organizations to improve the well-being of children in Uzbekistan. 

– Freya Ngo
Photo: Flickr

Organizations Working to End Child Marriage in Nepal

Child Marriage in Nepal
The global organization Girls Not Brides defines child marriage as an issue “rooted in gender inequality,” which is ultimately “made worse by poverty, lack of education, harmful social norms and practices, and insecurity.” The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal has one of the highest rates of child marriage in South Asia, and Plan International suggests that “37% of Nepali women aged 20-24 years are married by the age of 18 and 10% of those are married before 15.”

Reasons for the Prevalence of Child Marriage in Nepal

Child marriage in Nepal, as well as across the globe, is a clear violation of a child’s human rights. There are many factors that contribute to the prevalence of child marriage, and poverty is one of those significant factors. In some countries, deeply entrenched cultural and social traditions stand as a reason for child marriage. For instance, some families marry their daughters off young in order to preserve their “purity”—a girl who marries young will be less likely to engage in sexual relations outside of marriage and bring shame to the family.

Families experiencing extreme poverty see child marriage as a way of relieving their economic burdens, as the girl’s husband will take on the financial burden of care. Additionally, the child bride’s parents may receive money or gifts that will bring relief to their economic struggle.

Champions of Change

Plan International is a humanitarian organization that advocates for the advancement of “children’s rights and equality for girls.” Plan International implements several girl-led and youth-centered campaigns to promote gender quality in the country. For example, through Plan International’s Champions of Change, the organization aims to utilize youth engagement to advance gender equality and address issues that disproportionately impact females in the country, such as child marriage. Child marriage is, in fact, one of the main focuses of the Champions of Change program.

Asha is a 22-year-old female who is a facilitator for Plan International’s Champions of Change program in Nepal. Having avoided child marriage herself, Asha aims to help young girls understand their right to make decisions regarding their futures and bodies. On weekends, Asha facilitates training sessions on gender equality for young girls in Nepal between the ages of 10 and 24. “I want all the participants to learn about their bodies and their choices. This will help them to understand why child marriage is a harmful traditional practice,” Asha says to Plan International.

Looking Ahead

Unfortunately, child marriage is not uncommon. Young girls who find themselves in this situation face a threat to their futures and well-being. UNICEF recognizes that in order to find a lasting solution to child marriage, the world must address the factors that enable it. Campaigning for gender equality remains the most effective way to transform the lives of girls across the globe. Educating younger generations about the harmful nature of child marriage should be a necessary requirement for all schools. Organizations continue to promote the significance of education around this topic, for both young girls and boys, while also running campaigns with the aim of helping young females understand their rights.

– Olivia Taylor
Photo: Flickr

Access to Electricity in Bangladesh Now at 100%

Electricity in Bangladesh
Sharing a border with eastern India, Bangladesh is a fraction of its size but highly populous nonetheless. Thanks to recent initiatives by its government and the World Bank, access to electricity in Bangladesh is now available to all of its citizens.

Electricity in Bangladesh: Where it Comes From

Gas is the predominant source of electrical energy in Bangladesh. A 2020 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) adds that “wind, hydropower and solar PV shares are growing.”

Shares of alternative electricity sources are not the only things growing in Bangladesh. A 2020 issue brief by the Atlantic Council shows that Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) has steadily increased since 2010, increasing the demand for electricity and pressuring gas resources in the country.

Energy Poverty and Access to Electricity in Bangladesh

Given that poverty is a broad term, a narrow dimension of poverty must be defined here. Energy poverty, according to a 2015 World Bank Blog entry, means that poor people are least likely to be able to access energy.

Historically, Bangladesh has struggled to provide electricity for its residents. A 2011 study by Barnes et al. found that energy poverty is found in more than half of rural Bangladeshi households, a higher number than those that are income-poor.

Energizing News

Thanks to recent initiatives, the numbers above are set to decrease. In 2022, a bill was signed that would not only expand access to electricity in Bangladesh; it would also aid the environment.

A World Bank press release from 2022 explains that the financing agreement that it signed along with the Bangladeshi government will bring electricity within reach for 9 million citizens of the country and help Bangladesh transition to clean energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 41,400 tons per year.

The initiative called the Electricity Distribution Modernization Program seeks to achieve results in three areas, according to an overview by the World Bank. First, the program looks to deliver electricity to more citizens, reduce the country’s carbon footprint, and digitalize Bangladesh’s electricity supply.

Second, the program looks to prepare Bangladesh to integrate distributed energy resources. Lastly, the program looks to expand the “institutional and regulatory capacity” of Bangladesh’s electricity sector.

Encouraging results have already been shown. A 2023 article by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) states that Bangladesh has achieved electricity access for 100% of its population. Bangladesh has reached its goal of power security.

Future Development

The IEEFA’s article, while providing encouraging news, also points to work that can be done to ensure secure access to electricity in Bangladesh going forward. Proposed solutions include providing more funding to the energy sector, repurposing the country’s older, less efficient power plants and providing incentives for Bangladeshis to switch to rooftop solar power.

The sustainability and future success of the Electricity Distribution Modernization Program remain in question. However, 100% access to electricity in Bangladesh, just over a decade removed from findings that more than half of the nation’s rural households were energy-poor, inspires hope.

– Noel Teter
Photo: Flickr

How Edhi Foundation’s Innovative Baby Cradles Are Saving Babies

Baby Cradles
The Edhi Foundation, Pakistan’s largest social welfare organization, runs an unconventional service that has saved more than 25,000 unwanted babies since its inception — baby cradles. Inspired by humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi’s compassion for helpless infants, these baby cradles offer desperate parents a haven to leave babies they cannot care for.

The Cradle System to Save Unwanted Babies 

The first cradle was set up in Karachi in the 1970s by Bilquis Edhi, wife of humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi, who founded the Edhi Foundation. Bilquis aimed to tackle the alarming rate of infanticide and baby dumping in Pakistan. Today, around 300 Edhi cradles operate in cities across Pakistan, providing desperate mothers with a safe way to give up unwanted infants anonymously. The cradles have signs urging, “Don’t kill your baby; leave them here.”

Once someone gently lays an infant in the cot lined with soft fabric, the parent can close the door and walk away. It triggers an alarm to alert Edhi staff, who swiftly come to collect the baby and provide care. The anonymity saves mothers from stigma and prosecution while ensuring their babies get saved instead of killed or abandoned unsafely. Edhi Cradles receives an estimated 20 abandoned infants every month. Though the project initially faced backlash, it has saved many precious lives. 

Inspirational Stories of Babies That Edhi Saved

Over the decades, the Edhi Foundation has raised thousands of abandoned babies in their orphanages. Many heartwarming stories have emerged, like that of Rabia Bano Osman. As an orphaned newborn, she was left in a cradle outside an Edhi center in Karachi 29 years ago. An American couple adopted Rabia at six months old. She recently paid tribute to Bilquis Edhi, crediting her for the opportunities that allowed Rabia to become an accomplished lawyer in the U.S. 

Stories of Life-Changing Bonds

Other inspirational stories include Geeta, a deaf and mute Indian girl who accidentally crossed into Pakistan around age 10. Bilquis Edhi raised her as her daughter at an Edhi center, even setting up a small Hindu temple for her. DNA tests in 2015 helped reunite Geeta with her birth mother in India, though she maintained her bond with Bilquis.

Each child saved represents a life profoundly impacted thanks to the Edhis’ dedication. These stories showcase the deep human connections and family ties that transcend borders, disabilities and circumstances.

Providing Care and Hope for Society’s Most Vulnerable

At Edhi orphanages, abandoned babies receive dedicated care often until adoption. The Foundation’s orphanages have cared for many, like Geeta — the Indian girl Bilquis raised despite her disability. The Edhi Foundation’s work even helped babies born out of wedlock, countering stigma in conservative Pakistan. Its humanitarian work has received praise for providing an essential social service. 

Today, Abdul Sattar Edhi’s son Faisal heads the organization, continuing his parents’ legacy. By providing care for infants given up due to poverty, the Edhi Foundation helps reduce the cycle of poverty passing to the next generation.

The Edhi cradle offers hope for the innocent lives of society’s voiceless and unwanted. Through a simple box with a silent alarm, these baby cradles saved more than 25,000 babies and counting.

– Asia Jamil
Photo: Flickr

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How Technology is Reducing Poverty in Mozambique

Reducing Poverty in Mozambique
The southern African nation Mozambique stretches across the Indian Ocean coastline, hosting picturesque beaches and crystal-clear waters. Yet, despite the beautiful nature of this country, the extreme poverty rate is prevalent in Mozambique. Roughly 62% of the population is multidimensionally poor, about 21 million people. However, there is hope, with the extreme poverty rate projected to decrease to 57% by 2025. The assistance of technology is making reducing poverty in Mozambique a reality.

The Situation

Over the past five years, there has been an obvious increase in poverty rates in Mozambique. With a crisis generated by decreasing foreign direct investment, military attacks and natural disasters, it is not hard to see why Mozambique is struggling. The discovery of hidden debts incurred by the government in 2013 led to a retraction of foreign aid, food price spikes and a reduction in household consumption. This multiplier effect has led to the number of Mozambicans living in extreme poverty increasing by 55% to 60%. 

How Mozambique’s Digital Transformation Has Helped

Mozambique’s digital transformation has developed hugely since 2020, yet still only 21.7% of the population are internet users as of 2021. However, the percentage of people who have internet access has more than doubled from 15 to 32% between 2015 and 2021. COVID-19 aided companies to move to these online platforms and remain sustainable, being further supported by the World Bank, which offered Mozambique a $150 million grant to support the Digital Governance and Economy Project. The project intends to improve digital business opportunities and public services to provide job opportunities and increase the quality of life for Mozambicans. This is just one of the examples of the many initiatives using technology to reduce poverty in Mozambique. 

Another impressive initiative using technology to aid poverty in Mozambique is the Mozambique Digital Acceleration Project. The project is a collaboration between the Government of Mozambique and the World Bank Group to ensure Mozambicans are able to access the internet and increase their earning potential. The goals include the expansion of mobile broadband networks to cover more than 2 million people in deeply rural areas, free public Wi-Fi access points, policy reforms in the telecom sector and investments in the core digital infrastructure. 

Barriers to Reducing Poverty in Mozambique

However, there are major barriers to technology reducing poverty in Mozambique. The high cost of devices, unfamiliarity with the Internet and a low (48%) literacy rate obstruct Mozambicans from achieving technological advancement. Limited access to electricity and financial services alongside the emerging mining projects that continue to drive ICT infrastructure investments disadvantage many rural areas. 

Ultimately, these technological improvements will be life-changing for many Mozambicans. Increased digitization of the economy will pave the way for a more empowered and resilient country. The International Telecommunications Union estimates that every 10% increase in mobile broadband penetration in Africa leads to an additional 2.5% growth in GDP per capita. The positive multiplier effects of implementing technology will be endless, helping to move the economy away from natural resource extraction, expanding opportunities for business development and even providing better warnings of natural disasters. 

– Gracie Gobat
Photo: Flickr

Innovations in Agriculture in Tanzania

Agriculture in Tanzania
Over the past several decades, the United Republic of Tanzania, founded in 1964 following full independence from the United Kingdom, has undergone various economic reforms and agreements to seek international aid in order to improve opportunity and reduce widespread poverty. The East African nation, which remains substantially diverse and faces uneven poverty rates across disparate regions, promulgated a new constitution in 1992 and has since sought to enhance social and economic opportunity following decades of marginal gains. As a component of these reforms and initiatives, agriculture has assumed a prominent role in the development of strategies to reduce poverty and increase food security. Agriculture, which employs about 40% of the nation’s workforce, is largely composed of cereal plants, such as millet and barley as well as cash crops such as coffee plants. Here is more information about agriculture in Tanzania.

Farming in Tanzania

Tanzania’s farms, largely composed of individually operated small and medium-sized farms and smallholders, are a resource to the Tanzanian economy through export and domestic food security. 

However, though agriculture has become progressively more important to the economy, productivity has not substantially increased. As a result, the country has experienced an increase in the amount of land used and uneven mechanization, such as the use of tractors, to increase productivity. Through the first 20 years of independence, challenges in establishing essential services such as supplies delivery, resources and market regulations kept productivity and revenue from farming low. 

Reforms in Agriculture in Tanzania

Beginning in the 1980s, various reforms reversed the decline in agriculture, though the sector still proved unable to improve the overall poverty and food security situation. Over the past decade, the Tanzanian Government has developed a series of new strategies to overcome this relative stagnation. The new approach places agriculture, farming and the local sale of food at the core of the poverty reduction strategy. This strategy also provides state funding for investment in new farming practices, the development of essential infrastructure and education. This entrepreneurship approach has recently assumed a larger role in successful strategies in sub-Saharan Africa to counter strife in access to food and limited economic opportunity. 

Agriculture investments that improve prospects as a means of advancing food security and socioeconomic opportunity for disadvantaged populations have attracted international attention, with various multinational organizations engaging in such initiatives as efforts to expand upon initial success. 

The United Nations Initiative to Help Women Farmers

Beginning in 2022, the United Nations began a joint initiative targeting women farmers to improve education in water management, crop storage and enhancing resilience to extreme weather conditions. Only 8% of women, who face historic social and economic disadvantages and prejudice, own land independently and represent among the most vulnerable demographics in rural Tanzania. The scheme has proven effective with those who participated, with income often doubling for those participating, thereabouts 300 female farmers. 

Global EverGreening

Similarly, Global EverGreening, an international coalition of aid organizations overseen by Oxfam and several other aid organizations, will provide technical assistance and job opportunities to farmers in several East African nations, including Tanzania, in order to revitalize land depleted by inefficient land management. These plans will also emphasize enhancing opportunities for women in agriculture. 

The World Bank is also investing in improving resilience and resources for East Africa, with substantial investments taking place in Tanzania. As part of an array of financial aid, the World Bank pledged support for programs aimed at improving farming productivity by investing in improved infrastructure to ensure the delivery of seeds and locally-grown food to local markets and providing fiscal guidance and aid to allow reinvestment.

Such expanding programs aim to permit farmers in Tanzania to invest in resources and agricultural technologies that work to ensure more consistent food supplies. Additional investments in novel ways of developing means of supplying domestic markets, such as cooperative markets, are also intended to reduce local deprivation.

Looking Ahead

In brief, while agriculture has taken on increasing importance in the United Republic of Tanzania’s work against continued poverty and food insecurity, other structural challenges, such as limited resources for female farmers, mixed infrastructure and inefficient farming practices remain hurdles. 

The cohesive approach of recent aid programs and the Tanzanian Government’s interest in improving agriculture in Tanzania offers an expanding entrepreneurial approach that may offer a means to both correct longstanding barriers to those most in need of opportunity and improve food security in unstable times. Efforts involve facilitating investments in novel farming techniques, such as new technologies to detect water levels and supply chains for rural food delivery.

– Cormac Sullivan
Photo: Flickr

Helping LAC During Hurricane Season

Hurricane Season
The Atlantic hurricane season is entering what has historically been its period of peak intensity, and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), year in and year out, have been caught in the middle of it. More than 300 storms swept through the region between 2000 and 2019 at an average of 17 per year, and the cumulative human and economic cost of this almost 20-year onslaught is staggering, with 29 million people in Haiti, Cuba and Mexico absorbing the impact of 110 storms that killed 5,000 of them and destroyed $39 billion worth of homes and infrastructure.

Many of the nations in this region are still developing, and the continual reset required after multiple disasters has severely impacted their growth, with some storms engulfing entire economies. Developing island nations often suffer the worst. Hurricane Maria took 225% of Dominica’s GDP in 2017. Hurricane Ivan took over 200% of Grenada’s in 2004. As for Latin America, disaster risk management expert Joaquin Toro, speaking with The World Bank in 2017, cites 30 years of decreased development in Honduras and Nicaragua since Hurricane Mitch struck in 1998. Here are five ways to help Latin America and the Caribbean not only survive but thrive during hurricane season.

Sovereign Parametric Insurance 

In 2007, 19 Caribbean and three Central American nations formed the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRF SPC), a network of mutual relief based on an innovative form of disaster insurance known as sovereign parametric insurance. Financial payouts from this sort of insurance are much quicker because they are based not on damage assessments once a disaster has already occurred, but as soon as people experience certain weather conditions (rainfall, modeled damage, wind speed). While not adequate by itself to protect vulnerable countries during hurricane season, the World Resources Institute sees them as a valuable tool when combined with other forms of financial assistance. 

For instance, when Hurricane Irma struck the Caribbean in 2017, CCRF SPC automatically paid roughly $15.6 million in relief to the nations of Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla and St. Kitts & Nevis.

Advanced Weather Forecasting 

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) not only collaborates with weather experts in vulnerable countries to help predict disasters using advanced prediction models like the Flash Flood Guidance System but also helps those nations develop their own methods for advanced warning, allowing them to rally the necessary resources and evacuate people in time. In collaboration with NOAA, it is currently helping Barbados, Curacao and the Dominican Republic develop their own automated weather systems using low-cost methods like 3-D printing. 

Emergency Stockpiles and Effective Donations 

When disaster strikes, USAID can quickly airlift essential supplies like blankets and hygiene kits to affected nations, drawing upon emergency stockpiles in Miami and the Caribbean. 17,000 Central Americans were provided with shelter in the aftermath of Hurricanes Eta and Iota in 2020, thanks to heavy-duty plastic sheeting provided from these stockpiles. The agency’s Center for International Disaster Information also helps the public make donations through the proper channels so that affected countries do not turn supplies away and so that no one prevents them from leaving the U.S. entirely because of the high cost of transporting them.

Resilient Systems of Infrastructure 

Building an infrastructure that is resilient in the face of disaster is as much a problem of information as it is of materials. When Hurricane Katrina flooded nearly all of New Orleans in 2005, it was able to recover largely because of a robust system of public knowledge (cadaster maps, identity documents, urban plans) that allowed the city, its financial institutions and utility companies to properly assess the damage and rebuild successfully. 

Luis Trevino and Klaus Deininger, in a 2016 piece for the World Bank blog, stressed the importance of this “knowledge infrastructure” for the developing world, where official records often only represent a small minority of property owners, and many buildings are informally constructed. They put it in no uncertain terms: “Improving the management of public assets could yield returns greater than the world’s combined investment in housing, transport, power, water, and communications.”

Education 

Disaster education provided to children in the Philippines helped save lives during the flooding that devastated Liloan and San Francisco villages in 2006. In 2007, 7-year-old Bangladeshi student Lamia Aktar, after being educated in disaster preparedness, alerted her neighbors about approaching Cyclone Sidr, advising them to seek shelter and store food, saving many of their lives as well as her family’s. 

Education is an essential, life-saving resource for any developing nation, and Latin America and the Caribbean need it desperately during hurricane season. Thankfully, USAID currently operates the Youth Emergency Action Committees program in these regions, starting in Jamaica and eventually expanding to The Dominican Republic, Grenada and Santa Lucia. It provides young people with the skills they need to guide themselves and their communities through hurricane season, giving classes on emergency shelter building, first aid and mapping evacuation routes. 

None of these strategies alone is a panacea for hurricane season, but, in combination, they might be able to break the cycle of destruction and underdevelopment that it fuels, enabling these regions to thrive and grow instead of just recover. 

– John Merino
Photo: Flickr

Fighting Poverty and Mother Nature with Solutions to Flooding

Solutions to Flooding
Flooding — it is one of the ways nature humbles humanity with its destructive prowess. Roaring water and rushing waves seem universal in their destruction, but underneath the surface, there lies a high-risk population: those in poverty. According to a study investigating floods and poverty in 188 countries, “170 million people [are] facing flood risk and extreme poverty (living on under $1.90 a day).” Solutions to flooding are necessary to combat global poverty. 

In efforts to further understand the link between flooding and poverty, The Disaster Poverty House Survey, founded in 2017, examined five countries to explore the impacts of flooding. It found that people with low incomes experienced far more flood episodes than people with high incomes, and areas much more prone to floods had lower rents by margins of up to 56%, attracting low-income residents. This data conveys a close relationship between flooding and poverty, worsened by developing countries’ poor infrastructure, leading to issues with water drainage and water damage. More so, floods’ ability to wreak havoc in dwellings, roads and other structures in areas without disposable income reveals a startling connection: Flooding intensifies poverty. Thankfully, innovators are pioneering solutions to fight Mother Nature and help those struggling by mitigating the impacts of flooding. Below are three of them. 

Nature Based Solutions 

There is an age-old saying, “Fight fire with fire,” and that is what the Philippines is working towards as a solution to flooding. It aims to tackle this natural issue with natural responses. The United Nations Environment Assembly defines nature-based solutions as actions to “protect, conserve, restore, sustainably use and manage” natural resources and ecosystems. The Philippines, with funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has been implementing green structures to manage flood risk; these include growing and maintaining mangroves, creating connections between rivers, promoting and restoring natural river meandering and reducing erosion with vegetation strips. These green concentrated works reduce erosion by increasing riverbed stability- reducing the risk and severity of floods. 

An added benefit of natural solutions is the effect on the economy and population. Green solutions create green jobs, which provide steady salaries to many. Additionally, the implementation of native flora as solutions to flooding bolsters the national food supply. Added stability to food sources is massive, considering one in 10 households in the Philippines suffers from food insecurity. The approach to tackling flooding is sustainable long-term and fights poverty — uplifting the 18.1% of the Philippine population who live below the national poverty line. 

Hydroseeding 

Hydroseeding is a process of planting that sprays a flurry of seeds across large areas. Hydroseeding is used with vetiver grass to secure riverbeds; vetiver is a long, thin type of grass that can improve soil quality with its long roots, typically 2-4 meters. Large quantities of vetiver grass can reduce soil erosion by 90% and reduce run-off by 70%, stabilizing riverbeds and mitigating flooding damage. While introducing a new species en masse brings up concerns of competition and invasive species, ecologists state the plant is not invasive and does not outcompete for resources, adding to its utility. Vetiver and hydroseeding present themselves as valuable solutions to flooding. 

Water Filters

A staggering 91 million people in India do not have access to clean water. Frequent floods combine with animal waste, dirt and other pollutants to contaminate the water, inhibiting access to clean water. Poor drainage infrastructure also leaves this hazardous water roaming on the streets, which causes further damage. In response, Harjeet Nath, a scientist and assistant professor at Tripura University, invented a water purifier. The filter is around the size of a suitcase and can produce water at a rate of less than half an Indian rupee (around seven cents) per liter. This invention provides more affordable access to water compared to bottled water, which has risen 500% to 100 Indian rupees per liter. Moreover, using the filter reduces the quantity of contaminated water pooling in the streets, which can harbor pathogens and diseases. Nath’s innovative solutions to flooding will no doubt improve the infrastructure and water security of those struggling in India. 

Flooding is an issue that is not disappearing anytime soon. Due to a changing climate, flood-related disasters have risen 134% since 2000. While flooding is a pressing issue with roots in larger systemic problems such as climate change and global poverty, the efforts of many resilient people have provided many solutions to flooding and improved the lives of countless people across the globe. 

– Aditya Arora
Photo: Flickr