Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Using Microfranchising to Reduce Poverty

Using Microfranchising to Reduce PovertyThe World Bank estimates that one-third of the global population resides at the base of the economic pyramid (BOP), meaning they have an income of less than $3,000 in relative purchasing power. To put this into perspective, the median household income in the U.S. was $70,748 in 2021, meaning one-third of the population earns 95% less than the average family in the US. To combat this, businesses and community organizations around the world are turning to microfranchising to bolster household incomes in developing nations.

How Microfranchising Works

According to AllBusiness, a company that provides resources to small businesses, “Microfranchising is a business model that applies traditional franchising to very small businesses.” The microfranchising model involves two parties: the franchisor and the franchisee. The franchisor owns an established business and then creates a contract with the franchisee. The franchisee is paid by the franchisor in exchange for the franchisee’s work in distributing the franchisor’s services.

The Benefits of Microfranchising

In regions with high rates of unemployment, such as South Africa and Sudan, microfranchising is invaluable. Microfranchising not only allows individuals living in these areas the opportunity to earn money, but it also teaches soft and hard skills that can be used in their own future business ventures. Coined as a “short-cut to self-employment” by Thiruchelvam at Raconteur, this opportunity is the perfect way for those who do not usually have access to information on running a business to gain experience first-hand.

Microfranchising Successes

One successful company that has utilized microenterprising is The Clothing Bank (TCB). Having been established in 2011 in Cape Town, South Africa, the company has successfully made its way onto the list of Top 100 social impact companies. The company’s model has granted over 1,000 women and men in South Africa the opportunity to buy merchandise from various retailers operating in South Africa at a discounted price in order for them to then sell this for a profit. Along with the monetary benefit of the job, individuals will receive over 1,000 hours of training over a two-year period, teaching them how to run their own businesses.

Across the Atlantic Ocean in Haiti, similar tactics are being deployed. The Social Ventures Foundation (SVF), is attempting to improve the general quality of life of Haitians with the V’ice Haiti project. With over 6 million Haitians living below the poverty line, SVF considers all aspects of livelihood. Through providing donations to V’ice, your money will go towards funding equipment that Haitians will be able to use in order to become a franchisee. For example, V’ice’s “V’ike” scheme provides self-employment to young, at-risk males by supplying them with a bike and an attached food cooler. With this, the individuals are able to distribute clean water, vitamin-infused shaved ice and much more. This is consequently decreasing the unemployment rate while simultaneously reducing the number of Haitians who are vitamin deficient — which is currently standing at a staggering 80%.

Using Microfranchising to Reduce Poverty

Many charities are now following the example set by these impressive organizations to break the cycle of poverty. With ending poverty by 2030 in the number one spot of the UN Sustainable Development goals, it will be important that more charities implement this tried and tested method for improving lives across the planet.

– Christian Vince
Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts about Water Scarcity in Burkina Faso

Water Scarcity in Burkina FasoWater scarcity in Burkina Faso is a defining development challenge facing the region. Despite strong economic improvement in recent years, Burkinabè people still face many issues of poverty and water access.

Here are 10 things you need to know about water scarcity in Burkina Faso.

  1. Wealth inequality in Burkina Faso means water inequality. Burkina Faso has a Gini Index of 47, meaning there is high wealth inequality nationally. Additionally, the poverty rate in rural communities is double that of cities. Thus, public health ills like open defecation and nonexistent hygiene practices are far more common for poor farmers and villagers than their wealthy counterparts.
  2. National water provision is messy. Two national organizations officially govern water in Burkina Faso. The Ministry of Water and Sanitation (MWS) and its regional dismemberments oversee national sanitation infrastructure, as well as rural water provision. ONEA, the Office national de l’eau et de l’assainissement (National Office of Water and Sanitation) is the country’s private urban water utility. ONEA only contracts with the MWS to provide water in cities, and the government very clearly differentiates between cities and rural communities. This leaves over 15 million people in agricultural communes and villages throughout the country outside of ONEA’s service area, which means local committees or NGOs must provide supporting infrastructure across the country.
  3. Water access is critical to protecting Burkinabè farmers. Experts in the WASH space estimate more than 15 million Burkinabè citizens work in agriculture. This means protecting irrigation systems is critical to preventing causes of poverty like unemployment, low agricultural productivity and food insecurity.
  4. Refugees fleeing conflict desperately need water. Water scarcity in Burkina Faso is being exacerbated by extremist violence from jihadist groups like Ansaroul Islam. Dozens of water points have been destroyed in recent months, and more than 200,000 people living in northern settlements like Djibo, face the risk of being caught in the crossfire if they try to fetch available water.
  5. Hospitals and health facilities suffer from a lack of water access. Lack of proper sanitation and hygiene in Burkinabè hospitals puts patients at an increased risk of nosocomial infection (an infection that originates in a hospital). Research has found that 61% of health workers don’t practice proper handwashing techniques—not because they don’t want to, but because piped water is often absent from their workplaces.
  6. Burkina Faso mainly faces economic water scarcity. While barriers like infrastructure, maintenance and startup capital fall under the umbrella of ‘economic’ causes of water scarcity in Burkina Faso, ‘physical’ causes such as climate change are still a threat in some areas.
  7. Climate change is putting water infrastructure at risk. Burkina Faso has experienced nearly two dozen climate and water-cycle-related disasters since 2000, affecting millions of people. Additionally, water scarcity in Burkina Faso contributes to the country being one of the most climate-vulnerable on Earth, making environmental crises like flooding, drought and erratic wet/dry seasons devastating to farms and existing drinking water sources.
  8. Structural challenges can impede progress. Ethnic groups like the Gourmantché and Fulani are habitually self-segregated in communes outside Burkina Faso’s major cities, making it difficult to connect them to urban water infrastructure. Additionally, the costs of implementation projects can quickly become insurmountable for working-class citizens, making international aid crucial to getting people access to adequate health care and hygiene education and resources.
  9. Green technology is leading the charge. Sustainable solutions like solar-powered pumps and easy-to-install hand pumps help NGOs reduce water scarcity in Burkina Faso’s health sector and villages. Furthermore, sanitation experts have suggested treating wastewater as a resource, rather than a problem: Methane-rich sanitation waste can be treated and used to generate energy.
  10. Many NGOs are making good progress. Initiative: Eau, Water and Sanitation for All and End Water Poverty are some of the NGOs leading the charge. Many of their investments in WASH projects in some regions have shown to generate an eight-fold return. NGOs in the water-access space meet at the biannual High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and use their regional expertise to advise world leaders on how to address development problems like water scarcity in Burkina Faso.

Though there’s still a lot of work to be done, international NGOs and governments alike have stepped up to the challenge of reducing water scarcity in Burkina Faso.

– Finneas Sensiba
Photo: Pixabay

Health care in the Marshall Islands: Tackling Obesity

Health care in the Marshall IslandsThe Marshall Islands is a set of beautiful islands and atolls, but this dispersed nature can make it difficult for residents to receive health care. As pictured above, Health Fairs are a way for the population to receive equitable health care.

The Marshall Islands houses just two hospitals and 56 smaller health care centers scattered around its array of islands. This dispersed health care system limits the Islands’ ability to provide quality health care, and its .46 doctors for every 1,000 people — below the worldwide standard of 1.5 — worsens that. This disunion in the health care system and high poverty rates make it extremely difficult to treat non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

The Problem

People commonly view obesity as a disease plaguing wealthy people and often associate it with developed countries. However, there is a strong link between poverty and nutritional health care challenges. A lack of adequate nutrition because of poverty in developing countries leads to a prolonged unhealthy diet, driving up obesity rates. One example is the nutritional concerns in the Marshall Islands: 60% of adult women and 50% of adult men suffer from obesity. Additionally, 30% of the Islands’ urban population — double that in rural atolls — living below the national poverty line displays a stinging link between obesity and poverty.

The primary cause of obesity in the Marshall Islands is poverty. A lack of resources infringes on the population’s ability to sustain a healthy diet. Because of this, residents have replaced their traditional diets with cheap imports and canned goods, high in salt content, which increases the risk of obesity. Even worse is obesity’s alarming comorbidities, like heart and diabetes-related issues. Fortunately, the Marshall Islands has implemented efforts to fight obesity.

World Bank Helps Future Generations

Developing poor eating habits early in life is a gateway to obesity as an adult. The Marshall Islands government found that most children’s diets consisted of heavily processed sugar and junk, because of financial hurdles to access nutritious food. To combat this issue, the World Bank donated $12 million to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into Marshallese diets in 2019. The government approved plans for further funding to reduce unhealthy eating habits, but it has been backlogged due to border closings amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, health care in the Marshall Islands is fully aware of its obesity crisis and is doing its best to stop it from spreading to future generations.

Blue Foods

Blue foods are food from an aquatic source. Unfortunately, nuclear radiation from nuclear testing during the WWII era has damaged some of the Marshall Islands’ blue food sources. In an effort to make a profit while simultaneously conserving the Islands’ rich sea resources, they drew up the Vessel Day Scheme at the UN Food Summit. To promote a sustainable food system by 2030, The Marshall Islands set limits on when people can fish, generating up to $30 Million and preserving their tuna populations for future use.

While the economic stride may seem unrelated to health care in the Marshall Islands, this conscious effort to grow blue foods provides healthy alternatives to the sugar-filled canned imports people rely on that cause obesity. Additionally, the solution directly addresses poverty in the Marshall Islands by aiming to improve the economy. A key pillar to reducing the Marshall Islands’ obesity and poverty rates lies within a strong and sustainable fishing scene.

A Community Effort

A successful method to prevent any disease is education, and obesity is no exception to that. To achieve educated citizenship, the World Diabetes Foundation created the Majuro Youth Lifetime Program, with a mission to reduce diabetes and obesity through a community-based approach. They approached the issue by surveying primary schools and pinpointing issues. As a result, they were able to educate 216 teachers across eight schools on healthy eating habits and lifestyle choices. They were also able to plant gardens at each of the schools, providing nutritious food for malnourished students impacted by poverty. The project ran from 2017 to 2020 and is a powerful example of how people work towards better health education and health care in the Marshall Islands.

One cannot understate the impact poverty has on developing countries. The efforts of the Marshall Islands provide hope for a future where everyone living there has access to healthy and nutritious food. As the efforts to reduce poverty and improve nutrition continue, the resilience and health of the Marshall Islands and its people, no doubt, grow stronger.

– Aditya Arora
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Drinking Water in Bangladesh

Drinking Water in BangladeshWater Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is an acronym often used by NGOs and aid agencies working in public health. As experts deem the quality of a country’s WASH systems to directly influence public health and educational attainment — factors that directly affect the development and creation of a skilled workforce for a country.

The World Bank claims Bangladesh has made significant progress in improving its WASH systems. This includes strides in water supply quality through the extensive installation of tube-wells from which close to 90% of the population obtain their drinking water. Tube-wells extract water with far fewer contaminants than untreated surface water but contaminants such as arsenic remain and are believed to be consumed on a regular and widespread basis by many in the country.

Arsenic Contamination

Arsenic is naturally present in the groundwater of several countries such as Bangladesh, Chile, Argentina and Nepal. Experts know exposure to arsenic is a cause of a range of illnesses such as cancers, diarrhea and skin lesions. While arsenic exposure can also be attributed to industrial and food sources, consumption of contaminated groundwater is the primary source of exposure. Moreover, ‘inorganic’ arsenic that is found in groundwater is known to be more harmful than the “organic” type that is found in seafood.

Drinking Water in Bangladesh

In past decades, the Bangladeshi government had installed many tube-wells to combat the spread of waterborne diseases without performing any form of testing of arsenic content. This act of negligence in what would have otherwise seemed an overwhelmingly positive action would come back to bite.

Arsenic contamination of groundwater was first recognized as a problem in 1987 but it was not until the nationwide screening program between 1999 and 2006 that the government performed any significant action regarding the matter. That program found that approximately 20% of tube-wells in the country contained water above Bangladesh’s national standard of 50mg/l.

What Has Been Done?

  • Installation of deeper tube wells that extract water of better quality
  • Testing arsenic content of tube-wells and marking suitable and unsuitable tube-wells in green and red respectively
  • Water filtration to reduce arsenic levels to a healthy level
  • Educating people about the risks associated with consuming contaminated water
  • Distribution of arsenic testing kits to enable people to check their water supplies

However, on the larger scale of things since the 1999-2006 screening program, mitigation measures have been few and far between and a Human Rights Watch report in 2016 found a severe lack of resources to deal with arsenic-related illnesses at rural levels. It also identified the application of deep tube-wells in areas where they were not necessarily required as opposed to areas with known high concentrations of arsenic. Additionally, the study found evidence of political bias in determining the location of the installation of deep tube-wells.

What Needs to Be Done?

Alongside testing of tube-well water and installation of deep tube-wells a greater understanding of the magnitude and severity of the public health impact is required. Due to widespread inattention surrounding the topic within the country’s medical circles, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding of the topic. Like with many poverty-aggravated health issues, a lack of funds can be attributed to this, in an interview with The Daily Star, Quazi Quamruzzaman, a doctor who has been studying the health impacts of arsenic since the 90s said, “We are dependent on donors’ fund for research.”

Social entrepreneurship schemes such as Drinkwell may also provide a sustainable and long-term solution to the problem of drinking water in Bangladesh. Drinkwell mobilizes local business people by providing water purification facilities that they can use to sell purified water. Alongside increased sustainability from reduced aid dependency, schemes such as this can give locals the basic human right of clean drinking water at an affordable price. Khairul Islam, Country Director for Water Aid in Bangladesh believes that “social entrepreneurs have got a role to play in resolving the problem of arsenic.”

In Conclusion

Unfortunately, the issues surrounding drinking water in Bangladesh lie dormant in the attention of the local government and the international community for many years at a time. A greater amount of funding will certainly be required to enable the country’s health system to better deal with arsenic-related illnesses and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. Alongside the building of deep tube-wells and continued water testing the uncompromising geography of the country also means water purification facilities will be required especially for areas with groundwater of high arsenic concentration. All this being said, through undertaking a diverse set of actions that make use of innovative solutions such as social entrepreneurship the problem may be altogether rectifiable.

– Sabique Sadique
Photo: Flickr

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Human Trafficking in ST. MAARTEN

Human Trafficking in St. MaartenHuman Trafficking is a threat affecting millions worldwide, with 2021 figures estimating annual revenues of more than $150 billion worldwide. St. Maarten is no exception to the allure of this illicit enterprise. This article gives voice to the dangers of Human Trafficking in St. Maarten and what efforts are in place to combat it.

Trafficking in Persons Report

Estimates show that Human Trafficking affects more than 24.9 million people around the world today. States with ineffective political structures, weak government and amplified poverty and crime levels typically show the most noticeable effects of the Human Trafficking trade. As a means of evaluation, the Department of State for the U.S. designed the Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report), a report used internationally to measure the efficiency of practice and response to Human Trafficking in different countries around the world. The report assigns countries to a Tier Ranking according to their capacity to meet the minimum standards for addressing the Human Trafficking trade for the previous year, operating on a hierarchical system.

The ranking system consists of three tiers:

  • Tier 1: Optimal. Governments fully comply with the minimum standards.
  • Tier 2: Falling just short of expectation but demonstrating promising efforts for improvement.
    • Tier 2 Watchlist: Falling just short of expectation but demonstrating promising efforts for improvement, although victim rates are at, or on the verge of, critical status and proportional efforts are not being made.
  • Tier 3: Fail to meet minimum standards and show little sign of improvement efforts.

Human Trafficking in St. Maarten – Under Review

In 2022 the TIP Report downgraded St. Maarten to Tier 3, labeled as “failing to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and making no significant effort to do so,” and has maintained this verdict in the 2023 report. This gives for bleak reading when considering St. Maarten’s ongoing battle with Human Trafficking in terms of protection, prosecution and prevention measures.

The government maintained the decreased minimal prosecution charges for trafficking in 2022, where incidents involving persons aged 16 or older could face up to nine years imprisonment or a fine, while those affecting children aged under 16 can be penalized for up to 12 years imprisonment or a fine. For the fifth consecutive year, St. Maarten failed to submit any reports of providing protection services to victims. For the third consecutive year, authorities identified no trafficking victims. No reported efforts have been made to screen regions and industries particularly exposed to the effects of trafficking. Government funding for protective measures such as care services, shelters and financial support is considerably lacking, with an NGO-run shelter for victims of domestic violence carrying much of the burden. (U.S. Department of State, 2023).

Trapped and Exploited

In St. Maarten, human traffickers use a host of tactics to manipulate their victims, with local accounts suggesting migrants seeking passage to the United States or Canada are most vulnerable. One common tool for manipulating victims is selling the idea of the “American Dream” under false pretenses. Typically migrants coming from poverty-stricken conditions in places such as Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti and the Dominican Republic are seeking a better life. Desperate, uneducated and undernourished, they are especially susceptible to the false promises of human traffickers. Human traffickers then employ intricate debt coercion schemes to pressure victims into sex work, forced labor and domestic servitude.

Captors maintain their control over victims by invoking themes of fear, violence, shame, isolation and debt. Traffickers frequently employ tactics to subdue victim rebellion, such as indoctrinating captives to believe government authorities are corrupt, confiscating means of travel vis a vis documentation, physical torture and rape. These conditions are applied mercilessly until the notion of escape becomes incomprehensible to the victim.

The Effort for Change

Human Trafficking in St. Maarten looked set to improve in 2022. They instigated a poster campaign focused on raising public awareness of trafficking and those who are vulnerable. They drafted a new National Action Plan (NAP) which set out important guidelines, including establishing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for victim identification and referral and creating a national anti-trafficking hotline. However, St. Maarten did not implement this plan, and measures for change continue to fall short of national expectations.

The more local government proves lackluster, the greater the reliance on international aid. NGOs have become imperative to the country’s preservation from further collapse. Organizations like Lifeline Network International, the West Indee Committee and the Society of Mediators are playing an indispensable role in protecting even the most basic of human rights, establishing the platform for social, economic and agrarian education and facilitating the means for long-term sustainability.

The U.S. Department of State has articulated basic actions St. Maarten can take to revive this effort. These efforts include the re-adopting and implementing of the 2022 NAP, appropriate funding for protective and preventive services, educating authorities to be proactive in trafficking identification and informing the public, migrants and potential victims of their rights. Applying these basic actions sets the precedent for change and the foundations for a better future.

– Ruairi Greene
Photo: Flickr

How 3D Printing is Transforming Sub-Saharan Africa

3D PrintingFor many, having a place to call home is something we’ve known since birth, but the reality is that there are many regions around the world that do not have this luxury. In Nigeria, for example, the housing crisis has been one of the major concerns when discussing poverty in this country. It’s estimated that in Nigeria alone there is a shortfall of 17 million housing units. Unfortunately, Nigeria has one of the fastest-growing cities with a relocation of 40,000 every day. With such a high amount of relocation, this is far exceeding the housing units that can be provided for every person. However, there is hope, with 3D printing.

3D Printing

Though it is a relatively new technology, 3D printing has made a difference. Beginning with designing a model on a computer, designers begin “printing” the materials, usually using concrete, to place over a built foundation. Often referred to as additive manufacturing, the whole process essentially starts from scratch laying down thin layers of various materials in liquid/powder form to fuse together. In this case with house building, the 3D printers used are much larger than regular printers as they extrude concrete and/or other materials to build up the 3D model.

Africa’s Urbanization

Because of the lack of development in the house-building industry, the country has been forced to figure out other streamlined methods for these housing structures. The company 14Trees began these operations in Kenya Kalaw, with construction finished at about 12 hours and just under $10,000.

Aside from the lower costs, 3D printing has reduced carbon emissions by 70% compared to traditional building techniques. This is a plus because, in recent years, Africa has suffered tremendously from rapid urbanization. The peak began in 2015 when an estimated 50% of Africa’s population was living in one of 7,627 urban agglomerations. Though this will not reverse all the damage that has already been caused by these agglomerations, 3D printing will help to plan wider access to transportation and more importantly an increase in housing density.

14Trees’ Work in Africa

This group has helped to build more than just residential homes — 14Trees provided a school building for the capital city of Malawi. The managing director of the CDC in Africa, Tenbite Ermiasa, described 14Trees as “cutting-edge technology is going to have a tremendous developmental impact on Malawi and the wider region.” Given the housing crisis, remaining as cost-effective as possible was one of the main draws to incorporating 3D printing. It promises to cut down costs and time by around 15%. With 100 million homeless people today, 14Trees’ project is mostly centered around the construction of single-family housing.

Hope for the People of Africa

3D printing, though it is an advanced technology, is not enough on its own to solve the crisis — it needs workers to help operate it. In addition to helping house millions of citizens in Africa, the 14Trees project also comes with thousands of positions available for full-time employment. Losing jobs is a common fear when integrating new technology, especially with so many bricklayers who rely on their work to survive. However, 14Trees believes it can create more jobs than it might eliminate. Additionally, 14Trees has given the CDC their word that, for employment, they will only be working with skilled job creation for hiring and upskilling locals in job titles such as 3D machine operator to material specialists.

As with any innovative idea, there are benefits and doubts, yet the goal remains the same. In the midst of the housing crisis, countries may benefit from taking a chance on the emerging technologies of the future.

– Isabella Polo
Photo: Flickr

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How Poverty Shapes Schooling in Zimbabwe

Schooling in Zimbabwe
Poverty shapes schooling in Zimbabwe, determining aspects ranging from the quality of education to the duration of study. In essence, students with greater wealth are more likely to attain secondary education and experience transformative outcomes compared to their less affluent peers.

Wealth Inequality Between Urban and Rural Children

Urban Zimbabwean households typically possess more wealth than their rural counterparts. In 2021, according to the World Bank, 55.5% of rural Zimbabweans lived below the national food poverty line in contrast to only 15.5% of urban Zimbabweans. This stark 40% contrast underscores significant wealth inequality, a gap evident in the disparity between urban and rural education.

How Wealth Inequality Affects Schooling in Zimbabwe

Poor communities do not have the infrastructure, staff or resources to maintain quality learning facilities. Families within these communities grapple with daily hardships stemming from living below the poverty line, rendering tasks like funding teacher salaries, constructing safe schools and providing essential amenities such as water and electricity difficult. Put simply, the quality of rural Zimbabwe’s education pales in comparison to its urban counterpart due to the extreme poverty prevalent in rural areas.

Educational Inequalities

Given that rural regions hold the highest poverty rates, rural Zimbabweans disproportionately bear the brunt of educational disadvantages.

For instance, urban children are more likely to successfully complete all educational levels compared to their rural counterparts. In Zimbabwe, urban children achieve a primary school completion rate of 97% whereas rural children achieve a rate of only 86%, falling below the national average, according to UNICEF’s MICS-EAGLE (Education Analysis for Global Learning and Equity) Zimbabwe Fact Sheet of 2021.

Throughout secondary school, rural students consistently lag nearly 10% or more behind the national average in terms of completion rates while urban students consistently surpass the national average.

Completion rates for each individual school level remain consistently low for rural students. Of all students failing to complete a specific educational level, two-thirds are from rural backgrounds, the 2021 MICS-EAGLE Zimbabwe Education Fact Sheet notes.

According to Teach for Zimbabwe, unfortunately, even the rural children who do complete school typically achieve lower academic results compared to children in urban areas. More than two-thirds of Zimbabwean children lack access to quality and comprehensive education, and as a result, there are “tens of thousands of students who cannot even read, write, or speak English after seven years of primary education,” Teach for Zimbabwe says on its website. A lack of trained educators, unideal learning environments and insufficient resources and funding impact the quality of education.

Teach for Zimbabwe’s Role in Schooling in Zimbabwe

Founded in 2018, Teach for Zimbabwe is a branch of the global nonprofit, Teach for All, that focuses on bringing diverse, innovative education to disadvantaged children in Zimbabwe. The organization accomplishes this mission through educators: qualified teachers from diverse backgrounds are trained, compensated and stationed in needy local districts. These educators commit to a two-year term at the school, a period during which both teachers and students become better equipped to navigate Zimbabwe’s education system.

Given that many rural, impoverished regions lack the means to hire and sustain teachers, numerous rural school districts lack educators in general or lack qualified educators. In June 2022, Zimbabwe faced a shortage of more than 25,000 teachers. Having highly qualified teachers in rural schools will elevate the quality of education for rural students, potentially impacting their academic outcomes and education completion rates.

Looking Ahead

The educational inequalities stemming from poverty significantly influence Zimbabwe’s schooling landscape. Two students who both complete primary school may experience vastly different outcomes as a result of the urban-rural divide. Organizations like Teach for Zimbabwe are paving the way for transformative change in rural Zimbabwean schools to allow for quality education that will enable students to reach their highest academic potential.

– Suzanne Ackley
Photo: Flickr

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Everything you need to know about the Marburg Virus Outbreak in Tanzania

Marburg Virus Outbreak in TanzaniaThe Ministry of Health (MOH) of the United Republic of Tanzania declared the end to its first documented Marburg virus outbreak on June 2, 2023. Over a 10-week period, there were a total of nine confirmed cases and six deaths.

History of the Marburg Virus

The first documented cases of the Marburg virus were in 1967 when laboratory workers in Germany and Yugoslavia (now Serbia) were exposed to African green monkeys imported from Uganda. The disease is also found in cave-dwelling Egyptian rousette bats, often infecting miners. Marburg is in a group of diseases called viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) and can also be passed from person to person.

Effect and Response

According to the International Trade Association, Tanzania has some of the lowest rates of access to health personnel in the world, and over 60% of its health care facilities are government-run. According to a journal by the National Library of Medicine, the Marburg virus outbreak has been a wake-up call to some things that Tanzania needs to improve regarding its health care system.

Improvements such as a more thorough screening process and stricter quarantine strategies are necessary to stop the spread of the virus. The journal also states that educational campaigns and programs must be implemented in Tanzania as a preventative measure.

Tanzania has initiated quarantines in the one district reporting Marburg cases. They need to obtain more protective gear for the safety of health care workers, who are the first exposed to such outbreaks.

In a Gavi article, Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, states that re-emerging infectious diseases are a signal to improve the health care industry and strengthen their coping mechanisms. The MOH has detected a few weak links in the national response to the virus: The financial resources to combat the Marburg virus outbreak are insufficient, the health care industry is understaffed and inadequate tools to aid those affected.

Although efforts are being made to improve the health of those affected by Marburg virus, Tanzania is struggling to combat the repercussions because of its struggling health care system and largely impoverished population.

In 2019, 14 million people in Tanzania were living in poverty, up from 13 million in 2007. According to an Abbott article, around half the population is below the poverty line, making $1.90 a day. They have limited health care resources and only around three doctors for every 100,000 people.

Treatment

Although there is not yet a vaccine to treat Marburg, it is important to receive hospital therapy. Temporary remedies include rehydration and blood cell replacement. Replenishing electrolytes and making sure that oxygen and blood pressure levels are at a normal and stable level are also fundamental to the healing process.

The virus is contained for now, and there are a few medications that can be used to mediate pain and nausea such as acetaminophen and ondansetron.

– Alex Hasenkamp
Photo: Flickr

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Progress in Addressing Poverty in Myanmar

After a military takeover on February 1, 2021, Myanmar was thrown into a position that undid years of reforms and growth throughout the nation. The military in Myanmar overtook the democratically-elected governing body after its political party did poorly in an election held months earlier. The takeover exacerbated poverty and sparked a humanitarian crisis in Myanmar in 2022, with 40% of the country’s population living below the national poverty line. The conflicts are also expected to leave 2.7 million people in Myanmar displaced by the end of 2023.

In order to improve the struggling economy and humanitarian crisis, many global organizations and international partners have developed plans and initiatives to provide support for addressing poverty in Myanmar.

Difficulties in providing aid

In May 2023, Myanmar was hit by the powerful storm Cyclone Mocha, exacerbating the plight of the country’s most vulnerable populations. Unfortunately, restrictions imposed by the military have hindered the delivery of support to these affected groups. By June 2023, the U.N. had already sounded the alarm, suggesting that the military’s actions might be in violation of international human rights and humanitarian laws, as they seem to intentionally obstruct aid efforts.

As the country remains mired in conflict and devastation, recent estimates from the U.N. reveal that the military has been responsible for the destruction of around 60,000 civilian structures since the onset of the military takeover. Adding to the tragedy, the military’s actions have resulted in the deaths of at least 3,452 people and the imprisonment of over 20,000 individuals between the start of the takeover and April 2023.

Disturbingly, the U.N. issues a stern warning that if the impediments to humanitarian aid persist—blocking essentials like food, water and shelter—it could give rise to further war crimes, including instances of starvation and collective punishment.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

Despite the challenges, the United Nations Refugee Agency increased its presence throughout Myanmar in 2022. During the year, the UNHCR helped 325,200 internally displaced persons (IDPs) to return back to their place of origin in the Rakhine region of the country.

Additionally, the UNHCR provided in-kind support to 500,000 IDPs, shelter support to 100,000 and cash assistance to 51,500. The organization worked to bring this much-needed assistance with the help of partnerships with NGOs, civil societies and faith-based organizations.

The UNHCR also collaborated with other nearby nations such as Indonesia, to provide a safe place for refugees leaving Myanmar to find aid. In 2022, Indonesia accepted more than 700 refugees into the Aceh province.

In 2022, Bangladesh collaborated extensively with the UNHCR to modify refugee education programs to suit refugees from Myanmar. These educational initiatives have benefited more than 40,000 children who relocated to Bangladesh following the military takeover in Myanmar. Given that education is a well-established route out of poverty, ensuring the continuity of education for displaced individuals becomes paramount.

In 2023, UNHCR continued to work closely alongside Bangladesh to continue supporting more than 900,000 Myanmar refugees living in the country. UNHCR will provide production kits to support livelihood creation and skills building for 72,000 households and will continue increasing Myanmar education to an additional 12,280 pre-primary children.

Looking Ahead

Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis continues to persist. Thousands in the country remain displaced and live below the poverty line. However, organizations like the UN Refugee Agency have paired with partners to continue addressing poverty in Myanmar.

– Tristan Weisenbach

Photo: Flickr

Liter of Light

Liter of LightLiter of Light is an affordable initiative that offers sustainable lighting solutions to areas where power is scarce. The project was founded by Illac Diaz in 2011 through the MyShelter Foundation in the Philippines. It is a do-it-yourself (DIY) project that was invented by Alfredo Moser in 2002 to provide indoor lighting using sunlight.

Why This Project Was Needed

In the Philippines, almost 20 million people live below the poverty line and work low-paying jobs without basic amenities like adequate housing. Many homes are small and lack windows, which limits natural light. The cost of electricity is also high, at $0.181 per KWH, making it difficult for those below the poverty line to afford it. Additionally, natural disasters such as typhoons, landslides, cyclones and floods are common, which can leave people without power for months. Given these challenges, people are seeking affordable solutions to help them manage power outages.

How It Works

Liter of Light is a DIY project that involves using recycled plastic water bottles filled with a mixture of distilled water and bleach. It’s a climate-friendly project that doesn’t emit any carbon emissions, making it a completely green option. The bottles are installed on steel roofs and can reflect up to 55 watts of brightness with direct sunlight. To maximize the project’s benefits at night, it can be upgraded with solar panels, which can store approximately 10 hours of energy and power LED lights.

The organization encourages the women cooperatives to create this project from scratch, to generate job opportunities by selling the final product in local markets at reasonable prices. The purchasing kits include all the necessary installation details and instructions and these are also available on social media platforms such as YouTube.

Impact on the World

This initiative is active in 15 countries, including Columbia, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Italy, among others. In the Philippines alone, the project has brought light to 145,200 households, benefiting a total of 353,600 globally. Thanks to this innovation, people no longer need to use hazardous kerosene lamps that pose a risk of fire and respiratory problems. Additionally, these cost-effective lamps help households save money on their electricity bills. The project has also installed streetlights that are affordable and visually appealing within communities. The government encourages women and individuals with disabilities to participate in training programs, empowering them to produce products for public use and earn a living.

In 2014, following the devastating typhoon Haiyan, two companies, Roche and Pepsi, generously provided a grant of $57,000 to fund training and equipment for this project. Roche continued to donate funding for equipment in subsequent years, which enabled the Liter of Light to generate sales of $15,230 by selling kits to other organizations.

In December 2018, the organization collaborated with Peace Boat to embark on a world journey from Japan to various parts of Asia, South America and Africa. This initiative, named Voyage of Light, aimed to spread awareness of effective projects to indigenous island communities in Madagascar, Samoa, Brazil, Tahiti and beyond. To achieve this, they organized educational training programs, community visits and practical training camps to help people understand the project’s significance. This journey concluded in March 2019. With all these initiatives, this project is spreading the light in millions of people’s lives.

– Gurjot Kaur
Photo: Flickr