Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Period Poverty in Mozambique

Period Poverty in Mozambique
Period poverty is an issue that affects many women and girls around the globe. In the Southeast African country of Mozambique, females are at increased risk of facing this issue — in 2014, about 63% of the population, or 16.7 million people, lived under the international poverty line, the World Bank reports. In response, several organizations are taking action to address period poverty in Mozambique.

What is Period Poverty?

Menstruation is a natural part of the female biological process. However, due to the grand cost of menstrual products, including underwear, sanitary pads/tampons and pain relief medication, many impoverished women and girls cannot afford to properly manage their menstruation.

Though little data and statistics exist regarding period poverty in Mozambique, the cost of pads and tampons in neighboring African countries gives a relative indication of the costs in Mozambique. In Zimbabwe, it would cost about $2 for a pack of the most affordable sanitary pads. To put things into perspective, the average monthly wage for a Mozambican is $11.84 in 2023. Considering that many people need more than one pack of pads during a menstrual cycle, this purchase can interfere with other necessary expenses.

The Impact of Poverty

From 2002 to 2014, Mozambique experienced progress in reducing multidimensional poverty. However, data reveals that between 2019 and 2020, that progress reversed. Households in Mozambique suffering from multidimensional poverty increased from 32% to 46% during this time. Due to rising rates of poverty, menstruating girls and women struggle to afford basic hygiene products required for the maintenance of their period. “Without proper menstrual hygiene in place, particularly in warm, humid climates throughout Mozambique, girls and women are at greater risk of infections with impacts on their physical and mental health and well-being,” the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says.

The Solutions

In the fight to resolve period poverty in Mozambique, in 2019, the Government of Mozambique and UNFPA provided “dignity kits” to more than 16,500 girls and women in Mozambique who cannot fund these resources themselves, according to UNFPA. A “dignity kit” includes menstrual pads, bath soap, multiple pairs of underwear, detergent powder, sanitary napkins, a flashlight, toothpaste, a toothbrush and a comb. UNFPA reports that it distributed 484,000 dignity kits across 18 countries in 2017. 

Additionally, HELVETAS Mozambique has attempted to address menstrual stigma in the country. HELVETAS arranged a campaign in May 2022 called “Social and Behavioral Change for the Adoption of Good Management Practices for Menstrual Hygiene.” In collaboration with the Chiúre District Government, the event raised awareness of this topic in local communities. The initiative is important considering that “Poor menstrual hygiene management affects the dignity, mobility and confidence of girls and women, thus compromising access to education, health, hygiene and economic development and ultimately overall progress toward achieving gender equity and equality,” HELVETAS says.

Period poverty is a global issue affecting women and girls everywhere. And a vital component of positive progression is education. Hence, if all people, regardless of gender, are educated in every country about the issues arising from period poverty, the taboo and stigma surrounding it could decrease.

– Katerina Petrou
Photo: Flickr

Food Systems in Tasmania

Food Systems in TasmaniaTasmania, an island state of Australia situated 240 kilometers from the mainland, faces significant challenges in terms of poverty and food insecurity. With a poverty rate of 17.7%, Tasmania surpasses other Australian states, highlighting the extent of the issue. Alarmingly, 30% of households in Tasmania are marked as food insecure, a figure that is higher than in other states. The COVID-19 pandemic, frequent natural disasters, and rising living costs have all contributed to this situation. These factors have led to one in two Tasmanians experiencing food insecurity, impacting the lives of more than 550,000 residents.

These factors have exhausted local food systems in Tasmania, despite the island being a global choice for fresh, premium food products. In a regional study, the University of Tasmania found that “Quality food is too expensive to afford.” According to the Department of State Growth, Tasmania exports 82% of its food to outside nations or other Australian states.

Due to the island’s temperate maritime climate and biosecurity advantage, Tasmania boasts ideal growing conditions, opening substantial opportunities for local food systems to thrive. With more than a quarter of the land committed to agriculture, Tasmania prospects a robust and viable market for feeding its own. And through additional support, residents could benefit from healthy, nutrient-dense local foods, advancing the island’s food security and independence.

Tasmanian Food Security Council

In partnership with several organizations, the Tasmanian Government has outlined the insecurities of food systems in Tasmania, combining efforts to approach and reinvent the island’s food systems. The “Food Relief to Food Resilience Action Plan” and “Food for all Tasmanians” plans set forth strategies to address the island’s food systems, offering funding and programs to ensure “…every Tasmanian has access to sufficient, quality and nutritious food.” Since the initiatives began in 2018, the Tasmanian Government has committed $9 million toward the delivery of food relief across the State.

In addition, the 2023-2025 plan strengthens the previous budget, adding another $2 million toward “delivering food relief to Tasmanians who need it most, and this is alongside building food resilience for a sustainable future.” The Action Plan involves three main areas of support: sustainable relief, growing systems and building resilience. Through collaborative coalitions between the government, community organizations, and the food relief sector, various proposed and established programs detail the State’s efforts to institute sustainable and resilient food systems.

The school lunch pilot program “School Food Matters” exemplifies the council’s successful pursuit to support food insecure students, having committed an additional $400,000 to the $1.87 million. With the support of the Tasmanian Government, the program assists “school communities to promote and provide a school food service that is nutritious, affordable, safe and where possible, locally sourced and prepared by the school.” In the 2022 school year, the program provided 78,832 lunches, serving more than 1,600 students with healthy, nutritious lunches, according to a 2023 report. The program continues to develop and grow, relying on local food systems in Tasmania to ensure every student eats lunch.

Eat Well Tasmania

Eat Well Tasmania is a nonprofit organization working alongside the Tasmanian Government to build a sustainable and resilient food system through creative campaigns, advocacy and robust research. The organization champions local procurement as the principal solution, transitioning the State to be more self-reliant on its own food, which could inadvertently protect the island State against future threats or disasters.

Localizing food systems eliminates the island’s dependency on outside imports, improving food security by increasing access to local, healthy food. Studies also show that “every $1 million invested in buying Tasmanian-produced food could create up to $3 million of economic activity in Tasmania.” Pivoting to locally grown and produced food generates jobs while better equipping local communities to cope with future challenges.

In combination with the Tasmanian Government’s efforts and collaboration with local organizations, support for local food systems in Tasmania blossoms and aids positive food environments. Such measures and programs promote food grown and processed regionally, thus minimizing the transport distance and sustaining a local economy that provides a market for food to sell where it is grown. As the State continues to prioritize and invest in its food systems, Tasmanians could garner greater access to affordable local food that is nutrient-dense, thereby creating a positive economic impact and building resourcefulness and resilience in local communities.

– Emmalyn Meyer
Photo: Flickr

How the Government Is Working To Improve Mental Health Care in Croatia

Mental Health in CroatiaSince declaring independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, the Central European nation of Croatia has faced numerous difficulties, including a devastating war from 1991 to 1995, that have contributed to a rise in mental health issues among its population. However, since joining the European Union in 2013, the Government of Croatia has focused on implementing community-based solutions and other health care reforms to address the problem.

The State of Mental Health in Croatia

Statistics show that mental health in Croatia has declined since the end of the war in 1995. For example, a 2009 study noted that the period of transition following the war was marked by “a dramatic rise in the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, especially among soldiers.” Similarly, a 2010 comparative study of patients suffering from mental illness in Germany and Croatia revealed that the prevalence of war trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was significantly higher among Croatian patients, with 78% reporting experiences of war trauma and nearly 62% exhibiting PTSD. By contrast, only 6.8% of the study’s German participants reported experiences of war trauma and only 30% exhibited PTSD.

More recent statistics indicate that Croatia has continued to witness a significant rise in mental health conditions. For instance, a 2019 study by scholars at the Croatian Public Health Association and the University of Zagreb School of Medicine estimated that some 30% of the Croatian population was struggling with one or more mental health issues, with 50% of those conditions developing at 14 years of age. The study stated, “Mental disorders account for the largest and fastest-growing categories of the burden of disease in Croatia,” making clear that mental health is a key concern in improving overall health within the nation. However, in 2019, just 6% of Croatian females and 5% of Croatian males over the age of 15 reported consulting with a mental health professional.

Though significant, the figures from these studies highlight a need for even more effort toward ensuring the effective detection, diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in Croatia.

Community Care

On the bright side, the Croatian government has been introducing reforms that target the growing national epidemic of mental health conditions. Noting that factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and recent earthquakes have exacerbated the problem, in 2022, the government adopted the Strategic Framework for Mental Health. Outlining plans of action to be implemented between 2022 and 2030, the framework prioritizes mental health as a public health concern. It focuses on early detection and prevention of mental health conditions, increasing access to mental health care and improving the effectiveness of treatment.

Implementing community-based treatment and support programs is a key component of the framework. Furthermore, it emphasizes developing telemedicine services and providing care through “mobile multidisciplinary teams.” These initiatives are part of a larger effort, outlined in Croatia’s National Health Development Plan for 2021-2027, to make the country’s health care system more accessible, affordable and effective.

Croatia’s Young People

While community care is a focus of Croatia’s mental health care reforms, the Croatian government and the Ministry of Health have also recognized the need to focus on youth mental health services.

As of June 2023, UNICEF estimated that some 11.5% of Croatian young people between 10 and 19 years of age are struggling with mental health issues, and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 75% of mental illnesses in Croatia develop by the time individuals reach their mid-20s. To tackle this issue, Croatia’s Strategic Framework for Mental Health 2022-2030 emphasizes introducing mental health education and treatment into schools. This includes developing social-emotional learning programs to help young people better understand and express their feelings, as well as implementing peer support and counseling programs. Such reforms are part of the government’s initiative to destigmatize mental health in Croatia, ensure treatment for those who need it and reduce the development of mental health conditions.

Visible Progress

Evincing the Croatian government’s commitment to improving mental health care in the country, Croatia’s suicide rate per 100,000 people had already fallen from 12.31 in 2013 to 11.01 in 2019, according to the WHO’s Mental Health Atlas 2020 report. Additionally, the number of mental health workers per 100,000 people rose from 59.86 in 2017 to 67.84 in 2020. Such statistics demonstrate the visible success of early government interventions aimed at improving mental health care in Croatia. With the Croatian government’s continued efforts to develop the country’s mental health system, expand its services and reach more of the population, mental health care in Croatia can record more progress in the years to come.

– Matilda Davey
Photo: Flickr

,

Vocational Education Training in India 

Vocational Education Training in IndiaVocational education training in India is different from formal education in some ways. It is “skill-based,” as it involves learning real-life expertise. This type of training or education prepares individuals for specific skills involving crafts, trade and other practical activities.  Vocational training can qualify as “teaching procedural knowledge” as it teaches technical skills and abilities compared to formal education.

Why is Vocational Education Training Important?

Many skills that individuals need to compete in the modern work industry are technical and vocational abilities. Vocational skills could be especially impactful in impoverished communities, offering a more affordable or cost-efficient path to education. Specifically, individuals do not need to attend college to obtain vocational skills. In fact, vocational training is quite accessible in most local settings. The accessibility and affordability make it especially important, as it could lead to a path of stable income for participants.

As of April 2023, India’s unemployment rate went up to 8.11%, which considering the country’s high population, results in many Indians having no jobs. With vocational education in India, there is a potential to reduce the unemployment rate. Moreover, more Indians could receive not just access to employment, but also skills that could increase their chance of remaining employed.

History of Vocational Education Training in India 

In 1950, India established Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) to provide vocational training at full capacity. After this establishment, more than 13,000 ITIs opened across the country. The Standing Committee on Labour noted that around 64% of trainees in ITIs were employed, which is significant as more than 40% of individuals enrolled in ITIs are below the poverty line. This was a significant leap of progress for India’s labor and employment rates.

STRIVE Program

The Skills Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement Operation (STRIVE) Program is a five-year government-aided organization that aims to improve the quality of vocational education training, according to the World Bank. Specifically, STRIVE aims to improve the quality of vocational education training that is provided in ITIs and other apprenticeships in India. The program intends to increase government support, improve teaching methods and expand apprenticeships nationwide. As of 2017, STRIVE has supported 300 ITIs and 100 industrial apprenticeships nationwide.

Impact of Vocational Training on Women

In India, 30% of the population lives in extreme poverty, with women and children being “the weakest members” of Indian society. This evident gender disparity combines old Indian tradition and female access to education. While the bias against women working and gaining education is gradually subsiding, there is still room to make education more accessible for women.

By emphasizing the importance and adequately funding vocational education training, the gender disparity could decrease significantly. Not only would this allow poverty rates to decrease, but it could also provide women with the basic skills they need to make a living. For example, vocational education training in India can teach women the skills to become receptionists, carpenters, cosmetologists, clothesmakers, cooks and other positions that can provide a steady income. 

India’s labor force could experience increased productivity by significantly raising the rate of female employment, which currently stands at only 31%. Shockingly, more than 50 million women in India neither attend school nor participate in the workforce, as reported by the World Bank. Additionally, women constitute less than 9% of the enrollment in Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). Studies indicate that women are less inclined to pursue training due to concerns about family responsibilities.

Varthana’s Help

Steve Hardgrave and Brajesh Kumar Mishra founded Varthana in 2013. It is a private company that provides financial assistance to students interested in vocational education training in India. It specifically provides aid through loans. The National Skill Development Center (NDSC) partnered with Varthana to lessen the gap between low-income families and enrollment in education. While vocational training is rather accessible and does not require prior education, it can still be costly for many individuals. There are many that avoid vocational training because of financial obligations. With Varthana’s help, vocational education can be even more accessible with supplied funds and support. 

Particularly, Varthana has funded approximately 4,500 private schools, providing education for more than 3 million students. Additionally, Varthana has partnered with more than 500 institutions helping fund 5,000 financially challenged students. Varthana made an inspiring and motivational goal to make education in India accessible to more than 10 million students by 2025.

Looking to the Future

In India, vocational education training holds immense potential to address unemployment and poverty rates, providing individuals with practical skills that can lead to stable employment. Initiatives like the STRIVE program and organizations like Varthana are actively working to improve the quality and accessibility of vocational training across the country, benefiting both men and women. By expanding vocational education opportunities and reducing financial barriers, India can empower its workforce and uplift communities, ultimately fostering economic growth and reducing inequality.

– Samsara Shrivastava
Photo: Unsplash

Inequality in Brazil threatens to prevent further poverty reduction 

Inequality in BrazilThe first decade of the 2000s held great success for Brazil, with the total poverty rate falling from 41.7% to 17.7% between 2003 and 2014. However, since then the country’s reduction in poverty has come to a standstill. By 2019, the poverty rate had risen to 19.4%, and following this, the COVID-19 pandemic caused Brazil’s economy to suffer, with the country’s GDP per capita falling to a new all-time record of 4.7%.

Extreme levels of inequality in Brazil stand in the way of further economic development, with the country’s richest six men owning as much wealth as the poorest 50% of the population. Furthermore, the World Bank estimates that up to 3.6 million people in Brazil could fall back below the poverty line in 2023, signaling the need for the government to focus on reducing the wealth gap to reduce the number of people living in poverty or at risk of falling below the poverty line in both the short and long term.

Reforming the Tax System

The Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) recommends that Brazil’s government reforms the tax collection methods. Currently, Brazil collects a large amount of its taxes indirectly. If direct taxes collected a larger proportion of the country’s total taxes, including income taxes for individuals and businesses, it could reduce the proportionate burden of taxes on the poor and the government could instead raise a lot more money from the wealthy individuals and businesses. This money could then be more equally distributed throughout the country’s population via social spending targeting improving the lives of those living in poverty.

So far, there has been little progress in many aspects of the tax system, but in December 2022, there was a release of Provisional Measure No.1152. If approved, Provisional Measure No.1152 could change the rules on Transfer Pricing for corporations and also limit tax deductions available for spending on royalties such as patents and trademarks. Whilst this law will solely focus on changing how corporations pay their taxes, and may not directly impact individuals, it is a notable start and could be vital for reducing inequality in Brazil by making it more difficult for businesses to avoid paying taxes.

Ensuring Fair Access to Equal Education

According to the OECD, increasing the opportunities for and quality of early childhood education is another method for reducing inequality in Brazil. High-quality and consistent education from a young age is essential for increasing job opportunities for future generations. It also increases the likelihood of young adults obtaining higher-paid jobs which can break generational cycles of poverty. Removing barriers to disadvantaged students would enable equal access to education for all, as currently there is a large gap in grades between students who can pay to attend private schools compared to those who attend public schools.

There is a clear lack of investment in public schools from Brazil’s government, which is creating significant disparities in education levels between wealthier and poorer states; in 2015, 33% of young adults had received tertiary education in the Distrito Federal (DF), the capital state of Brazil, compared to just 8% of young adults in Maranhão, a poor state located in the northeast of the country, according to Social Protection.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the provision and quality of education in schools suffered significantly and inequalities between regions widened, the World Bank has delivered a loan of $250 million as part of the Recovering Learning Losses from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Brazil program. The main aim of the project is to address the increased school dropout rates as a result of the pandemic. And the strategy involves implementing precautionary measures and identifying students that are at high risk of dropping out. Improving educational resources in public schools is another key aim, which will help reduce the discrepancies in schooling between different regions of Brazil while ensuring that future disease outbreaks don’t disrupt education.

More Investment in Public Health Care

Despite a universal public health care system that is available to all legally living in Brazil, the lack of adequate funding has created long waiting times and difficulty with obtaining appropriate care in many cases. In turn, this causes inequalities in health care between those who can afford private health care and those who cannot. Providing the means for good health throughout the population represents a vital step in decreasing the higher prevalence of non-communicable diseases which are evident amongst the majority of Brazil’s population who cannot afford to pay for subsidiary private health insurance. A healthier population goes hand in hand with faster economic growth and a greater GDP per capita.

UNICEF’s 2022 Country Office Annual Report for Brazil highlighted some specific issues in health care amongst children and adolescents, with a clear trend in a reduction of routine vaccinations and an increase in the number of underweight children by more than 50% between March 2020 and November 2021. Additionally, a UNICEF survey revealed that approximately 50% of 7,700 participating adolescents and young people thought they required mental health support yet did not know how to access it.

Since these findings, the organization has launched the Papei campaign to encourage breastfeeding and nutritious diets for children, and over 2,500 professionals were newly trained on the importance of healthy eating. Additionally, UNICEF assisted the Immunization Society of Brazil to train more than 38,000 health professionals to increase the provision of vaccinations.

Prosperity for All

To achieve long-term and sustainable economic growth and development, ongoing trends suggest that Brazil has to overcome the current vast discrepancies which threaten to undo the progress made so far. As things stand, organizations such as the World Bank and UNICEF continue working hard to implement positive changes across the country and ensure the alleviation of inequality in Brazil.

– Hannah Naylor
Photo: Flickr

COVID-19’s Impact on Poverty in the Bahamas

COVID-19's Impact on Poverty in the BahamasA tourism-dependent country, the Bahamas was hit hard by international travel restrictions and lockdown policies put in place due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic, the island nation has recorded an estimated $9.5 billion in losses between 2020 and 2023, according to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Furthermore, a recent report published by the IDB and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) shows that the pandemic continues to have a lasting impact on the Bahamian tourism sector and the overall economy.

With many Bahamians still experiencing heightened financial hardship and diminished access to vital necessities, the World Bank estimated that the country’s poverty rate could rise to more than 13%, returning the poverty rate to roughly what it was in 2013. Fortunately, the Government of the Bahamas has been working to mitigate the pandemic’s social and economic impacts and speed progress toward recovery.

Dwindling Tourism, Employment Rates and Incomes

Tourism accounts for about 50% of the Bahamas’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and about 70% of jobs in the country. With an estimated $7.9 billion of the country’s total losses for 2020-2023 occurring in the tourism sector, the sharp decline in tourism had a detrimental impact on employment and livelihoods, driving many families into poverty. For instance, between 2019 and 2020, the country’s unemployment rate rose from 10.7% to 25.6%. Additionally, “The fraction of households reporting earnings below the minimum wage more than doubled between January and April 2020,” according to the IDB. The IDB anticipated that “aggregated losses in wages of employees and workers” would “reach $2.4 billion for 2020-2023, or 4.9% of GDP per year on average.” This has coincided with an estimated loss of about 30,000 jobs or about 14.7% of the labor force.

The joint IDB-ECLAC report also highlights that COVID-19’s impact on poverty in the Bahamas has been particularly noticeable among rural and marginalized communities, exacerbating already-restricted access to health care, education and other vital services. Moreover, a lack of dependable internet connectivity and digital infrastructure has hampered remote learning and access to online employment opportunities.

Government Action

COVID-19’s impact on poverty in the Bahamas prompted government action. In 2020, the Government of the Bahamas partnered with local non-governmental organizations to address pandemic-induced hunger and establish the National Food Distribution Task Force. The emergency task force distributed food vouchers and packages to endangered households throughout the country, delivering critical assistance to more than 76,000 Bahamians in need by June 2020.

Social Protection Programs

The Bahamian government also introduced the Unemployment Assistance Program (UEA), which the National Insurance Board (NIB) of the Bahamas adopted in April 2020, to supply social protection for informal workers. The UEA provided targeted aid for three particularly vulnerable groups:

  1. Government-registered self-employed individuals.
  2. Public transport drivers who had no business license but did have “a public service drivers’ badge.”
  3. Self-employed individuals in the tourism sector who had no business license but “could provide proof of work.”

Members of these groups received weekly payments of BSD200, equivalent to about $200, for 13 weeks to alleviate income loss during the lockdown. In July 2020, the UEA was extended to also provide lost income subsidies for self-employed individuals in the tourism sector who were not able to work due to the decline in tourism.

Looking Ahead

While, as a result of COVID-19, the Bahamian tourism sector recorded losses of around 61.22% in 2021, this number is expected to drop to 1.35% by 2024. As the country’s economy continues to recover, the government’s efforts to alleviate COVID-19’s impact on poverty in the Bahamas remain significant. Looking ahead, there is equally hope for further investment in diversifying the country’s economy, building resilience and creating new sustainable livelihood opportunities.

– Nathaniel Scandore
Photo: Flickr

,

Improvements in Neonatal Health Care

Improvements in Neonatal Health Care
Neonatal mortality is a pressing global epidemic that claims the lives of approximately 6,400 infants under one-month-old every day worldwide. Reducing the number of global neonatal deaths is possible through improvements in neonatal health care.

The prominence of neonatal mortality closely aligns with fiscal poverty and access to adequate health care. In 2019, BMC Pregnancy Childbirth published a study by Yousra A. Mohamoud and others revealing that in high-poverty nations, children are 38% more likely to die during their first month of life. Underfunded hospital systems in developing nations often lack the necessary personnel and resources to provide quality neonatal and maternal care. This leads to a higher number of home births without proper sanitation in low-income areas, along with difficulty acquiring crucial vaccinations for newborns.

Improvements in Neonatal Health Care: Chlorhexidine Gel

Few physicians could have anticipated that an ingredient in mouthwash would be a key player in improving neonatal health care, but oftentimes solutions present themselves in unexpected ways. Over the past decade, chlorhexidine, an antiseptic used in store-bought mouthwashes, has become a revolutionary agent in newborn health care.

In developed nations, it is typical to cut a baby’s umbilical cord and allow the stump to fall off without any special treatment. However, in developing nations, where birth conditions often lack proper sanitation, bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli can enter the stump and cause fatal infections.

In 2012, the United Nations released a report encouraging the use of chlorhexidine to clean newborns’ umbilical cords, claiming it could save nearly half a million children’s lives within 5 years. It sounded like a cut-and-dry solution to umbilical infections, yet, there was a catch; liquid chlorhexidine was not widely available in impoverished areas.

Responding to this challenge, scientists at GSK Pharmaceuticals formulated a chlorhexidine gel that could be easily applied and transported. The gel was designed to withstand the high temperatures of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and it has reached more than 30,000 newborns so far. A study that occurred in Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan suggests that the use of chlorhexidine gel reduces neonatal mortality by an impressive 23%.

The Brilliance Lamp

Another common health threat that infants face is untreated jaundice. Every year, 6 million newborns suffer from jaundice, which is a build-up of bilirubin in the bloodstream, without receiving sufficient treatment.

Typically, jaundice is treated with specially-engineered phototherapy lamps, but in low-income areas, hospitals rely on expensive, inefficient and difficult-to-replace fluorescent lightbulbs. About 95% of global phototherapy technology in low-income health care systems fails to meet basic performance standards.

D-Rev, a California nonprofit focusing on medical innovation, noticed this gap in health care technology and began to formulate a solution called the Brilliance Jaundice Lamp.

The Brilliance Jaundice Lamp is a phototherapy machine that replaces traditional light bulbs with long-lasting LEDs. While a typical bulb can treat 50 babies, an LED bulb can treat 1,000, making it a cost-effective and low-maintenance model for health care systems.

As of 2020, health care workers have used the Brilliance Lamp to treat more than 500,000 babies and the lamp has saved 7,500 lives. D-Rev has distributed the lamp to developing countries and rural hospital systems worldwide and is currently dominating the Indian neonatal health market.

PeriGen AI Software

Low-income hospitals often struggle with low nurse-to-patient ratios, making it nearly impossible to continuously monitor infants for health issues. However, with PeriGen AI, overworked nurses have one less task on their plate.

PeriGen’s fetal monitoring technology scans infants’ vitals without interruption, transmitting data to PeriGen’s Houston, Texas headquarters for assessment and sending data back instantly, notifying doctors if there is any change in regularity. This allows a single remote command center to monitor multiple facilities in rural or understaffed hospitals.

Dziwenji Makombe, head nurse matron at the Area 25 Hospital in Malawi, shared, “Adopting the use of artificial intelligence to inform health care providers about the fetal condition has proven to be the best quality improvement strategy in preventing birth asphyxia and stillbirths in this setting.”

PeriGen’s groundbreaking use of artificial intelligence has allowed for detailed neonatal monitoring and timely treatment, saving countless lives. Thousands of health professionals across the world currently use it.

Improvements in Neonatal Health Care Through Scientific Ingenuity

From 1990 to 2020, the number of neonatal deaths across the globe decreased from 5 million to 2.4 million, with scientific innovation playing a massive role. Using chlorhexidine as a post-birth treatment, the Brilliance lamp and PeriGen’s AI are just a slim sampling of the creativity and dedication to change that is transforming the neonatal health care field.

– Elena Unger
Photo: Flickr

, ,

How Morocco is Ending Learning Poverty  

Learning Poverty
Within the past decade, the Moroccan government has begun working to improve the nation’s education system. Its goal is to minimize learning poverty by 2030. This looks to be a challenging feat, as Morocco consistently ranks among the worst countries for education.

In 2019, a World Bank study found that 66% of Moroccan 10-year-olds have trouble with simple reading comprehension. This is partially due to ineffective schooling methods. In 10 years of schooling, Moroccan students only complete approximately six years of effective learning. COVID-19 has pushed Morocco’s learning poverty to the edge, with educational progress decreasing to only five years.

Learning poverty leads children into a cycle of intergenerational poverty. Children with poor reading skills are more likely to fall behind in education and eventually drop out. This results in poverty, limited job opportunities and emotional strain.

In 2019, Morocco passed the Education Act to pursue education reforms to address the primary causes of the learning crisis. With the help of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank, Morocco comes a step closer to achieving its goal by 2030.

USAID’s Work with the Moroccan Ministry of Education

USAID is an organization leading “the U.S. Government’s international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people emerge from humanitarian crises and progress beyond assistance.”

As early as 2015, USAID worked with the Moroccan Ministry of Education (MOE) to incorporate ways to improve reading instruction and language teaching in a national teaching preparation program. Together, the two organizations launched a five-year Higher Education Partnership to improve pre-service training for teachers in hopes of sustaining a large supply of well-qualified, highly-trained educators. The Reading for Success program develops and tests effective methods to increase students’ reading and comprehension skills.

In addition, USAID signed a memorandum of understanding that lays the groundwork to formally recognize Moroccan Sign Language as a real language. This aims to strengthen Deaf education in primary schools in order to make education even more accessible and inclusive.

The World Bank’s Moroccan Education Support Program

In 2019, the World Bank created the Moroccan Education Support Program by loaning $500 million to the nation’s 2015-2030 Educational Sector Vision initiative. The program’s goal is to better support Morocco’s efforts in improving the lives of children.

The first component of the plan is to create an environment for quality pre-primary education. This means providing educators with the necessary training, set standards and incentivizing early childhood education both regionally and provincially. Secondly, the initiative aims to enhance teacher training by upgrading teachers’ training and creating solid career paths to ensure that they are well-equipped to teach children positively. And lastly, it aims to have a better system set up to deal with educational and operational issues by strengthening sector professionals’ capabilities in leadership and management at the financial and human resource levels.

Looking Forward

So far, with the World Bank, the quality of early childhood education has seen some improvements. Also, the support for the primary and secondary teaching workforce has grown and schools have maintained higher operational capacity. In March 2023, the World Bank allocated an additional $250 million to the Program, which is to aid in alleviating pandemic-induced burdens as well as to achieve more ambitious results.

With these programs ongoing, the resulting achievements in the educational system could be of great benefit to Moroccan children and the future of Morocco. Overall, putting an end to learning poverty carries the potential to end the cycle of intergenerational poverty affecting many people in the country.

– Kenzie Nguyen
Photo: Flickr

,

Everything About Inequality And Poverty In South Africa

inequality and poverty in South AfricaSouth Africa is a popular tourist destination for adventure seekers and safari lovers of the world. Its expansive national parks and gorgeous coastal settlements like Cape Town offer travelers countless activities and scenic views. But despite its stunning exterior, extreme, seemingly inescapable inequality and poverty ransack the country, with 18.9% of the population living below the international poverty line.

In 2020, the United Nations (U.N.) and the World Bank ranked South Africa as the most financially unequal country in the world. The following is a look into poverty in South Africa.

Apartheid

Apartheid is the leading factor behind the inequality and poverty in South Africa. This era saw the forced physical and social separation of all racial groups. Black South Africans could not live with or marry white people. They could also not attend the same schools, live in the same neighborhoods or even walk on the same side of the street.

White South Africans experienced better schools, safer homes and superior health care compared to other South Africans. Although Apartheid is no longer an official policy, the effects have left Black South Africans severely disadvantaged socially and economically. At the end of the era of segregation, white South Africans had more than 90% of land ownership in the entire country, leaving the rest of South Africans with little wealth and a direct route to extreme, cyclical poverty.

Even though no laws directly prevent the social or economic advancement of the poor, this type of poverty is difficult to overcome.

Regional Poverty

Extreme poverty in South Africa is mainly concentrated in the eastern and northern regions of the country. Eastern Cape is the poorest municipality in South Africa with a poverty rate of 12.7% and 878,000 impoverished people. However, many other municipalities in these regions experience poverty at rates as high as 11.5% and no lower than around 5%. These same areas have poverty numbers above 600,000 people.

Female-Led Households

Households that females lead experience higher and more severe rates of poverty. In fact, female-led households experience poverty at a rate almost 17% higher than male-headed households. Female-headed households tend to be farther below the poverty line than their male-headed counterparts, meaning that these households have less access to education, clean water and sanitation.

High Rates of Unemployment

As of June 2023, unemployment in South Africa stood at 32.9%, one of the highest rates in the world. Nearly 5% of unemployed people qualify as time-related unemployed, meaning that they are available to and desire to work more hours than they currently do. In other words, many employed South Africans still feel, to a certain degree, unemployed. While one in three South Africans is unemployed and living off of federal grants, some employed individuals still require a higher income to truly survive.

This feeling of hopelessness and desire for more leads to a sense of poverty whether or not one technically qualifies as “impoverished.”

Below Average Health and Safety

South Africa is below average in terms of health and safety. More than one-quarter of people are unsatisfied with the quality of water. South Africa has massive amounts of air pollution and a life expectancy of 64 years old.

Unsafe communities exacerbate these factors. The country has a homicide rate of nearly 14% and more than 50% of people do not feel comfortable walking alone at night.

Overall, living conditions in South Africa range greatly from high-quality housing in wealthy neighborhoods to unsafe and impoverished communities that provide residents with little chance to escape cyclical poverty.

Future Outlook

Although some of these statistics seem daunting, there is good news. The South African government is proving its dedication to reducing poverty through huge amounts of spending on social grants. About 60% of federal spending goes toward social welfare programs that reach 16.6 million people every year. This welfare program includes old age grants for persons 60 years or older, who have a disability, veterans and different forms of child support, including foster child grants and care-dependency grants.

The social welfare program took off in the 1990s during the country’s early years of democracy as a temporary way to ease the inequality and pain caused by Apartheid. However, the program has become permanent and crucial to South African life. An estimated one-quarter of South Africans receive federal aid through this program, making it essential to maintaining a functioning economy and fighting poverty within South Africa.

Poverty in South Africa is more than a lack of sanitation, potable water and healthy food. Apartheid has created a rift in South Africa’s society. The nation is now characterized by unemployment, gender inequality and racism. However, continued government action, foreign aid and time may be enough to significantly reduce inequality and poverty in South Africa.

– Suzanne Ackley
Photo: Flickr

Leket Food Rescue Tackles Food Waste in Israel

Food Waste in IsraelEven though Israel is a developed country, citizens experience hunger every day. More than 25% of Israelis experience food insecurity, and of those people, more than 40% live with acute hunger. That means an estimated 252,000 families face the risk of severe nutritional deficiencies because they cannot afford balanced nutrition. These deficiencies not only jeopardize Israelis’ physical health and development but stunt their intellectual growth and economic potential.

The Hidden Potential in Israeli Food Waste

Every year in Israel, multiple billion pounds of food go to waste because of minor imperfections or overproduction issues. In 2021, a prominent Israeli NGO fighting food insecurity, Leket, reported that the nation wasted an estimated $6.1 billion on food, amounting to a significant 37% of the Israeli food production industry’s total worth.

This waste is not only a significant economic detriment to the nation but closes off a potential avenue for alleviating hunger in Israel. Of the 4 billion pounds of annual food waste, 2 billion pounds is suitable for human consumption. This compelling set of data inspired Leket to take action with a new food rescue program. 

Leket’s Food Rescue Program Targets Food Waste in Israel

The success of Leket’s food rescue operation is contingent on an elaborate labyrinth of logistics. The organization must source excess food, transport it according to the Ministry of Health guidelines, store it and sort it as necessary and distribute it to those in need. To do so, Leket relies on more than two dozen refrigerated trucks operated and loaded by both staff members and volunteers. 

Thousands of tons of food have been rescued across Israel through Leket’s program, brought to cold storage facilities and prepped for distribution with one of the organization’s 330 nonprofit partners. Other rescued items are stored overnight and reheated the following morning for hot lunch service. 

A Look at the Program’s Benefits

“The food I receive from Leket Israel fills our stomachs, our hearts and our home,” stated Netanela, a single mother in Israel, in an interview with Leket.

Netanela is unable to provide adequate nutrition for herself or her son using her salary as a caregiver. For the past few months, she has been receiving rescued meals through Leket, allowing her and her son to have reliable, daily hot meals. 

Julieta Radovitzki is another single mother who has benefited from Leket’s greater mission of reducing hunger in Israel. Radovitzki works at a factory in Haifa and lives with her daughter. For six months, she and her coworkers received nutrient-packed frozen soups as an extra meal to bring home. 

 “The soups from Leket Israel, which I take home, are nourishing and full of fresh ingredients and make me feel like I’m looked after,” Radovitzki. “It’s so clear that it comes from the heart. It makes me feel good that there are people who care about us.”

Leket’s Food Rescue by the Numbers

In 2021 alone, Leket rescued 40,758,000 lbs of fresh produce from domestic farms and storage houses. The organization also reported saving 1,710,000 prepared meals from “catering halls, hotels, hi-tech company cafeterias, events and Israel Defense Forces and Israel Police bases.” 

The 330 nonprofit partnerships that Leket Israel works with for food distribution include low-income work institutions, homeless shelters, elderly homes, soup kitchens, domestic abuse centers, community organizations and after-school programs for at-risk youth. These NGOs serve meals to nearly 223,000 Israelis in need every week.

Continuing the Fight Against Hunger in Israel

Leket Israel’s food rescue has made remarkable strides forward in reducing national food insecurity. In doing so, the organization has helped protect Israel’s environmental resources, social welfare and economic potential. 

In the words of Israeli Chief Economist Chen Herzog, “The cost of food waste comes out of the consumers’ pocket and greatly impacts the cost of living in Israel, causing an 11% rise in food prices. Developing a plan to rescue and distribute surplus food is imperative.”

Leket Israel’s program may be only one part of Herzog’s proposed national plan, but it is making a lot of notable progress.   

– Elena Unger
Photo: Pixabay