Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Artificial Intelligence Teaching Robot Improves Education in Vietnam

Artificial Intelligence Teaching Robot
Robotics using artificial intelligence have become increasingly prolific over the past decade. Usually, the programs power the execution of rudimentary tasks such as walking or holding items, and the robots often have sensors that make them aware of their surroundings. Additionally, the actual programming software that developers use for AI robots is a simulation of human intelligence. This allows the robot to process and analyze information and data, as well as “think,” communicate with and respond to humans. AI robots can also accumulate experience through special algorithms which allow them to learn rapidly. Here is some information about Vietnam’s artificial intelligence teaching robot.

Vietnam’s Artificial Intelligence Teaching Robot 

EdTech startup Open Classroom recently developed Vietnam’s first artificial intelligence teaching robot, Tri Nhan. In addition to the typical features and functions of traditional artificial intelligence robots, Tri Nhan stands at 1.8 meters tall and has synthetic human organs such as lungs, a heart, a simulated DNA double-helix structure and “good” and “evil” circuits, making it seem even more human-like. 

Tri Nhan means both “artificial intelligence” and “wise man,” and the world’s first robot, Sophia, meaning wisdom, inspired it.

Tri Nhan is also equipped with five “senses” — vision via cameras in its eyes, hearing via long-range microphones, smell via air quality sensors, touch via temperature and pressure sensors and taste via a meter attached to an anti-toxic device. These artificial “senses” have merged with a Google search engine, allowing the robot to conduct various tasks. 

Additionally, Tri Nhan has also been equipped with an artificial “personality,” which is almost human-like, according to Pham Thanh Nam, the AI expert who developed the robot. Tri Nhan has a certain level of emotional intelligence and even tells jokes. 

How Does This Improve Education? 

Tri Nhan can recognize voices speaking both Vietnamese and English and process natural human conversation, as well as translate sentences from other languages. Currently, Tri Nhan’s main purpose is for teaching assistance. It can answer questions from teachers and students and cater to many different subject areas, as it recognizes a question and then searches for the information online using search engines. This artificial intelligence teaching robot can also solve mathematical equations and read poetry, making it a useful tool in any classroom. Using its high-level programming, Tri Nhan helps to actively teach children, as well as give them assessments and correct their mistakes. It can also help students learn from their mistakes and use the skills they have learned in lessons. Parents can also receive reports and track their children’s grades via an app linked to Tri Nhan. 

This helps both students and teachers in Vietnam significantly, as teachers are often overworked due to the shortage of teaching staff in the country, and students lack a high level of personalized attention from the overworked teachers. The Vietnamese education authority stated in 2022 that Vietnam needed more than 94,700 teachers across all levels of education. Many areas that lack teachers are remote, but even high schools in Ho Chi Minh City are suffering from overcrowding and staff shortages.

Innovations such as artificial intelligence teaching robots have improved the quality of teaching for many students and teachers who have had the opportunity to use them, which is a welcome advantage in less developed countries such as Vietnam. 

Education and Poverty

Lack of education is one of the main factors perpetuating poverty and impeding economic development in many countries. Inadequate education prevents people from acquiring the fundamental skills and knowledge to obtain meaningful employment and financial stability. Higher levels of education can break cycles of poverty and improve people’s standard of living. 

Although there is still a certain amount of technological development required to produce a fully-functional teacher in Tri Nhan, it is highly feasible that an AI-teaching robot such as Tri Nhan could be educating children in the future, and it is clear that the Vietnamese EdTech sector has established a solid foundation in this sphere.

– Molly Wallace
Photo: Flickr

Informal Education in India

Informal Education in India
India has 28.7 million illiterate adults, the most in the world. According to the U.N. Population Division, approximately 50.3% of India’s population is under 25 years old, accounting for more than 40%of India’s population. Meanwhile, literacy rates improved to 77.7% in 2020. The lack of literacy could hinder the country’s prospects. The demand for education has increased, but as noted by Karthik Muralidharan, an assistant professor at the University of California, India’s problem relates more to the lack of supply than the lack of demand.

The lack of supply can result from several factors, including inadequate funding for public schools, a shortage of qualified teachers, insufficient infrastructure and a lack of accountability and transparency in the education system. The rising demand, faced with the shortcomings of state education, has created a market for low-budget private schools, for-profit enterprises and small entrepreneurs to charge small sums to poor parents.

Low-Budget Private Schools

James Tooley, a professor who people know for his work on low-cost private education in India, has pointed out that the government has been underestimating the number of low-cost private schools in the country, as many are not formally registered. His recent research has led him to find 1,224 private schools in the city of Patna, where the government had listed only 40.

The low-budget private slum schools, which legislation requires to operate as charities, have not been part of government schemes to help maintain small businesses afloat during the pandemic. Consequently, many of the schools closed down after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the absence of more formal education, there appears to be a need for the emergence of solutions to maintain and expand private schools in slum areas. For instance, in Mumbai, the Doorstep School, a mobile classroom, found an innovative way to reward its most hardworking students by naming streets after them. These lanes, which are often not found on maps, become well-known, particularly among slum dwellers, providing students with a sense of pride and much-needed encouragement.

Solutions to Help Slum Education Initiative Survive and Strive

Owners of private schools in slums have very low chances of obtaining government loans. One way to support these schools could be to provide small loans to individual private schools to facilitate the upgrade of the facilities required for pupils to learn effectively, both in terms of study and sanitation. Investments could also help the schools improve teacher training programs, ensuring meeting and hearing to required standards.

Partnering with local NGOs such as the School-in-a-Box Project, the Ashraya Initiative for Children, the Barefoot College, the Balwadi School and the Snehalaya Shelter along with many others, do remarkable work in adapting to the needs of each community. These organizations provide education at various levels, and this is alongside health care and other essential services for children and women living in impoverished neighborhoods and slums across various Indian cities.

Improving Education

Education in Indian slums is a domestic issue with global implications. India, the world’s second-most populous country, has a significant portion of its population living in slums. The current generation of young people needs better education to acquire the skills and knowledge required to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy. This could potentially have ripple effects on the global economy, workforce, as well as international development and poverty reduction efforts.

Apart from benefitting India, improving education in Indian slums could also benefit the United States (U.S.). Increased economic growth in India could create new opportunities for investment and trade, potentially benefiting both countries.

What is Next?

Education is not a luxury but a fundamental human right. Improving access to education for underprivileged communities is crucial for achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a set of 17 goals adopted by the U.N. to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure peace and prosperity for all. SDG4 aims to ensure the provision of inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

– Hanna Bernard
Photo: Flickr

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Poverty Eradication in Democratic Republic of Congo 

poverty eradication in Democratic Republic of CongoThe Democratic Republic of Congo boasts a generous supply of natural resources and opportunities, including the ability to use hydropower, but the country’s history of political instability and economic turmoil prevents its citizens from utilizing these assets. In fact, it ranks as one of the top five poorest countries and around 60 million, or 62% of its population, Congolese lived on less than $2.15 a day in 2022. Despite these statistics, the government seeks to help its citizens through efforts to further poverty eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Digital Aid Program

During the pandemic, Togo launched the Novissi program. This initiative was partly led by Joshua Blumenstock, co-director of the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), with an aim to identify those affected by poverty using “machine learning combined with mobile phone records and satellite data.” Novissi provided Togo’s poorest with cash transfers as a form of aid as the pandemic ravaged the nation.

Modeling this example, in December 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government also initiated a COVID-19 relief program. With financial help from the World Bank and technical assistance from GiveDirectly, Congolese citizens receive access to $25 online payments over a period of six months. The transfer of cash and the aspects of financial independence play significant roles in poverty eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

National Development Plan

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) National Development Plan (NDP) for 2022-2026 seeks to create “wealth upstream, in order to have, downstream, the necessary levers to deal with the country’s problems.” By focusing on strengthening the country’s economy and enlisting help from foreign aid, this program aims to resolve its most glaring poverty difficulties. It operates on six pillars:

  1. Agriculture – The growth of the agricultural sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo could not only provide a stable source of healthy food for a nation that experiences food insecurity but also expand the economy and increase national growth.
  2. Industry – Similar to the development of agriculture, the growth of an industrial sector could transform the economy by creating new jobs and increasing entrepreneurship.
  3. Special Economic Zones (SEZs) – SEZs “contribute to the intensification of industrial development.” The SEZs could allow the DRC to appear competitive on an international level, thereby increasing the number of exports received while also building domestic entrepreneurship.
  4. Tourism – The tourism sector could attract international attraction by utilizing the country’s natural resources for development. This also includes moving away from the country’s reliance on oil to diversify the economy. Expanding the national economy and implementing new resources serve as essential innovations in poverty eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  5. Digital Economy – The growth of a digital economy could place the country on the global market, allowing it to experience relative productivity. Digitalization could also provide young individuals with access to new jobs and financial opportunities.
  6. Real Estate Development – The Democratic Republic of Congo’s need for housing and office and business buildings calls for an intensive reconstructive focus on updating real estate properties.

Opportunity International’s Programs

Around 10 million hectares of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 80 million hectares of plowable land are currently under cultivation, leaving a vast amount of fertile soil bare and untouched. Because of this discrepancy, which leaves families without a stable food supply, Opportunity International, a nonprofit organization that assists individuals in starting businesses, attending school, cultivating farms and reducing poverty, spearheaded the Agriculture Finance program across Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This initiative focuses on the market research of crops and collaborating with cooperatives to provide people with financial and agricultural training. Agricultural Finance also opens banking services for farmers and provides them with ready-to-use seeds and fertilizers in addition to enlisting a market of buyers. Positively, this program aided more than 540,000 farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Looking Ahead

These crucial developments to further poverty eradication in the Democratic Republic of Congo signal hope for a better future. As things stand, the trends suggest that focusing on technology-based solutions in the financial and industrial markets expands opportunity and paves the path for stability.

– Maddy Grieco
Photo: Flickr

Period Poverty in Argentina

Period Poverty in ArgentinaIn many Latin American countries, lack of access to menstrual hygiene products serves as a major barrier to people who experience periods. In many circumstances, people who menstruate lack the resources to easily and properly manage their cycle. Like other countries within the region, period poverty in Argentina has increased as a result of supply chain issues caused by COVID-19. Here is what you need to know about Argentina’s period inequality problem and the groups working to combat it.

The Context

Argentina is home to more than 10 million menstruating individuals with many unable to afford sanitary products for themselves. The country currently taxes menstrual products at 21%, leaving these essential products out of reach for many, especially lower-income women.

According to research conducted by the anti-poverty group La Poderosa, six out of 10 women living within the country have had to deprioritize the purchase of menstrual products in order to afford food.

Another issue with access to period products relates to the heavy stigma surrounding menstruation; the shamefulness of the topic means there is a lack of proper menstrual education and people struggle to voice the issues regarding period inequality. Despite this, a number of groups focus on combating menstrual stigmas and taboos and finding solutions to address the issue of period poverty in Argentina.

#MenstruAcción

This campaign, #MenstruAcción, led by the feminist group EcoFeminita, advocates for the free distribution of menstrual products and protections and education for people who menstruate. Since its origin in 2017, the campaign has tracked legislation promoting the dissemination of sanitary products or the elimination of tax on menstrual products.

Along with this, the organization offers educational resources for the classroom, helping to better inform the population and destigmatize menstruation. So far, the campaign has achieved notable success. It contributed to the passing of bills for tax reduction and/or free distribution of menstrual products within Argentina’s municipalities and provinces.

Pro Mujer

This Latin American organization focuses on providing health, education and career-related resources to women in the region. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pro Mujer launched the Una Para Vos, Una Para Todos Campaign, working with Johnson & Johnson to help combat period poverty in Argentina, according to its website.

By the end of 2020, the organization was able to deliver both education and sanitary products to more than 21,000 people. In total, Pro Mujer was able to distribute around 26,000 menstrual products.

Argentinian Red Cross

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Red Cross has worked to reduce the impacts of period poverty in Argentina. The organization’s outreach particularly focuses on the struggle that individuals face in gaining access to menstrual hygiene products.

The Argentine Red Cross provided napkins, tampons and menstrual cups to those most in need of supplies. The organization also worked to provide educational material on the use of period products.

Why it Matters

The work of these organizations has made a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of Argentinian women. By increasing education and access to sanitary products, these groups have the potential to make a long-term difference in reducing period poverty in Argentina.

On top of this, legal protections and benefits that initiatives like MenstruAcción support have already begun to minimize these inequalities. While there is still more work to do, the future seems to hold promise for those struggling with period inequality.

– Mary Burke
Photo: Flickr

HIV/AIDS in Colombia

HIV/AIDS in ColombiaAcross Latin America, Colombia has the fourth-largest infection rate of HIV/AIDS, according to a 2021 BMC Public Health article. The incidence of HIV/AIDS in Colombia started increasing notably in the 1980s. As of 2021, 170,000 people are HIV/AIDS positive in Colombia. Fortunately, the Colombian government’s efforts and the expansion of advanced medical technology have strengthened the support system in order to reduce cases of HIV/AIDS in Colombia.

HIV Self-Testing Kits

In 2020, Colombia developed initiatives for advancing HIV self-testing policies. Some other Latin American countries implemented the same actions. Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) helped strategize these efforts to combat the limitations of health care services once the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted the availability of testing and treatment services.

Earlier on, PAHO reported that Latin America’s HIV infection rate rose to 21% within the last decade, proving that support was going to be essential in terms of preventing the COVID-19 pandemic from weakening burdened health care systems and therefore escalating human suffering due to AIDS-related illnesses. Prevention and awareness surrounding HIV/AIDS in Colombia during the pandemic appeared to be isolated even further with health care facilities providing limited support options as the pandemic worsened. As a result, PAHO and UNAIDS got to work on promoting the self-testing kits.

Although HIV/AIDS testing had decreased at the beginning of 2020, PAHO, WHO and UNAIDS still recommend the self-testing strategy. According to PAHO, the kits play a vital role in moving toward the goal of “having 90% of people with HIV know their status” while also allowing for more privacy and autonomy for patients, a key objective in deconstructing the stigma around HIV/AIDS and reaching out to more people who could not receive HIV/AIDS testing before.

Health Sector PEPFAR Donations

Vulnerable populations in Colombia including Venezuelan migrants and refugees have been able to receive crucial HIV/AIDS health care services, bettering resources with the support of both Colombia and the United States (U.S.). In 2019, The Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia prioritized life-saving treatment to decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS in Colombia by giving antiretroviral treatment to 1,000 Venezuelan refugees and migrants for one year, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia reports.

Many migrants and refugees would have previously not been able to receive clinical services for HIV/AIDS because of their exclusion from Colombia’s national health care system. The formalized letter of intent signed in August 2019 by the U.S. and Colombia has expanded efforts on behalf of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), an initiative originally established by the Bush administration in 2003.

Colombian regions that have benefited from the 2019 PEPFAR agreement include Cúcuta, Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Arauca, according to the U.S. Embassy in Colombia.

Resolution 881

Resolution 881 by the Ministry of Health Of Colombia has been set for 2023, according to UNAIDS. The goal of this resolution is to issue affordable pricing on Dolutegravir (DTG)–an oral antiretroviral treatment–by having the World Trade Organization (WTO) supply a compulsory license. As a result, DTG could have more than an 80% price drop.

Access to medication such as DTG for HIV/AIDS in Colombia has been pivotal for expanding health care services and creating more protection for public health in Colombia. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized DTG as a primary treatment option for HIV/AIDS due to a lower rate of resistance development and adverse drug reactions, according to UNAIDS.

For people living with HIV/AIDS in Colombia, community-based organizations could provide greater support to manage their condition. And for the general populace, increased HIV testing presents hope for success in preventing future infections.

– Lucy Cosme Vera
Photo: Flickr

How Start-ups Are Driving Growth in Africa

Considered to be the fastest-growing continental economy in the world, Africa’s socio-economic and political climate has fostered a culture of entrepreneurship and enterprise. The surge in successful African start-up businesses has become a driving force behind the continent’s economic growth with favorable business conditions encouraging increased investment in the region. With a wealth of natural resources and a “young, urbanizing population“, Africa has become the global focal point for developing business and innovation.

A Formidable Market

Africa’s relatively young and growing population constitutes a growing market of consumers ready to engage in innovative goods and services. The young population also delivers plentiful labor for new businesses. The continent is rich in natural resources, a further advantage for the development of lucrative businesses. The goal of attracting increased foreign direct investment (FDI) encourages the authorities within Africa to invest in policies that will decrease investment risk such as tackling corruption, improving education and boosting technological innovation. The wave of start-up businesses emerging into the economy, alongside government strategies to encourage FDI, could improve the quality of life and reduce poverty across Africa.

New businesses create jobs, diversify the economy, attract FDI and encourage the development of new infrastructure.

Successful Startups

In the midst of global economic turmoil, many African businesses saw impressive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic by adapting to changing global market conditions to become more dynamic and innovative. Existing companies and startups in various sectors successfully transitioned to online operations.

Startups dominate Africa’s fastest-growing companies, with Nigerian trade finance services company, AFEX Commodities Exchange, holding the top position. The company generated impressively high revenues of $102 million in 2021.

Other companies featured on the top 100 list include the e-commerce company Wasoko in Kenya and the Egyptian company Globe Medex, established in 2017, which distributes ophthalmology equipment.

Female entrepreneur Talash Huijbers from Kenya founded InsectiPro, a company harvesting insects as a more sustainable and cost-efficient source of protein that is used for animal feed as well as crickets for human consumption. Elements of the harvested insects are also used for fertilizers and pharmaceutical production, minimizing waste. The innovation from InsectiPro has provided a possible solution to improve food security and nutrition in Kenya and beyond.

The African health care sector is also evolving through innovation from start-up businesses such as Jamii Life. The company developed a technology platform providing a virtual health care system aimed at increasing “accessibility, transparency, quality care and peace of mind” across South Africa, particularly benefitting low-income communities.

Promoting Development

In April, the NewSpace Africa Conference aimed to promote continued investment and development in the African space and satellite industry. The 2021 valuation of the African space industry was $19.49 billion and it could grow over the coming years, driven by pioneering startups and creating the potential for further economic growth, innovation and sustainability in Africa.

Alongside this conference, GMES & Africa launched a Startups Development program to support research and development in the African NewSpace sector, where it chose 15 businesses to showcase their innovation in the sector and encourage further investment.

The Africa Startup Initiative is a program supporting new businesses in various technological sectors such as AgriTech and Digital Health. The program connects startups with corporate partners, investors and the media. Startups in the program get access to workshops, mentoring and the opportunity to showcase their innovations to industry associates.

Attracting Investment

African start-up businesses are attracting increasing levels of investment from within Africa and across the globe. These startups raised more than $4 billion in funds in 2021, and investment remains on the rise, particularly within Africa’s developing technology industry. According to the U.N., “Africa is the most profitable region in the world,” generating the highest rate of return on inflows of FDI between 2006 and 2011.

However, business venture capital is not evenly distributed across the continent, and around 80% of the continent’s FDI goes to the “Big Four” African countries: Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. Sizeable populations, strong GDP growth, and eager innovation, particularly in tech-based industries, make the ‘Big Four’ countries more attractive to investors.

Global venture capital firms investing in Africa include New York-based Tiger Global, which has invested in various African businesses – one being Wasoko –  from industries such as software and financial technology. Y Combinator, a Silicon Valley company accelerating technology businesses, invested in more than 95 African startups between 2015 and 2022, according to Benjamindada.com.

On the Right Track

In recent years, Africa has been forging a new development path, harnessing the potential of its human and natural resources to drive a new era of business. The growth of investment in African startups has opened up the realms of innovation in the continent to provide solutions for its biggest problems. Successful investment in startups is also helping to drive economic growth, improve quality of life and move toward eradicating poverty across Africa.

– Sophie Sadera

Photo: Unsplash

Reducing Poverty With Innovations in Niger

Innovations in Niger
For the past few decades, Niger has been working to reduce poverty and improve economic growth within the country. For the past 20 years, the economy has grown by more than 5%, with poverty reducing from 50% to 41%. At the same time, the rapid population growth in the country has increased the number of poor people overall. On the bright side, some innovations in Niger are making a difference.

The World Bank has acknowledged the economic potential in Niger, which is why it is implementing various strategies to amplify its financial strengths and help decrease poverty rates. As of March 2023, the organization has supported the country in funding more than 30 operations to boost innovations in Niger in sectors such as agriculture, energy, education and social protection.

Advanced Irrigation

Around 40% of Niger’s GDP growth comes from agriculture, which is what the country mostly depends on. However, the country is facing “devastating effects of food insecurity” due to the inconsistent rainy seasons and frequent droughts. According to the World Bank, the implementation of agro-technologies to electrify agricultural production or “solar pumps” has aided in promoting stable, irrigation techniques and providing increasing food security. With funding from the World Bank, the Niger Solar Access Electricity Project (NESAP) has enabled Nigerien rural farmers to buy solar power pumps.

Moreover, NESAP was able to acquire $50 million in funding from the International Development Association (IDA) and offer credit to private companies selling solar-powered machines. Since 2017, 800 solar pumps have been sold and used to increase crop production and irrigation landscape in Niger.

Energy Boost

In addition to steady irrigation in rural areas, the incorporation of solar energy has also increased access to electricity for rural citizens. In the upcoming summer of 2023, NESAP will work to offer various solar-powered systems like “grid power, mini-grids and off-grid solutions,” according to the World Bank.

The program was approved funding for $800 million through NESAP to offer cleaner energy for better sanitary cooking. Ideally, this initiative will assist rural families and female-dominant households, as well as over 10,000 farmers and local businesses.

Innovations in Niger to Empower the Rural Youth

Another World Bank-funded innovation is the “Youth Employment and Productive Inclusion Project” which promotes “income-generating activities” for rural youth in Niger. The group empowers young individuals, especially girls and women, to train in job and life skills and entrepreneurship, support groups and mentorships. Currently, the program has been beneficial to around 24,000 youth and counting.

The program has had positive evaluations for women and youth by providing a sense of belonging and psychological well-being while offering a space to learn and feel empowered in unison.

Future Prospects

Working with new agricultural practices and implementing strong, sustainable management systems, Niger can look to the possibility of securing economic and human development. Moreover, with more innovation programs in Niger tailored for better work prospects and support for youth and women in poverty and other human developments, there is hope for a future of better economic stability.

– Alessandra Amati
Photo: Flickr

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Mental Health Support for Venezuelan Migrants

Venezuelan Migrants
As of June 2023, a humanitarian crisis forced more than 7 million Venezuelans to flee and seek refuge in other countries. Around 70% migrated to neighboring countries in Latin America such as Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Most Venezuelans have been forced to leave their life and country behind, resulting in an increase in mental health issues among the refugees. Fortunately, some efforts are in place to provide mental health support to Venezuelan migrants.

Rise of Mental Health Problems

Refugees often struggle with a loss of identity. This occurs when someone must adapt to a new society but does not feel a sense of belonging. Due to this disconnect, there tends to be a rise in mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Displaced Venezuelans have been experiencing these same struggles.

Neighboring countries have made efforts to accommodate and sympathize with the difficult situation in Venezuela. Local organizations in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru have been working to improve and enhance mental health services for resettling Venezuelans.

Mental Health Services in Colombia

Many Venezuelan refugees have moved into La Guajira, Columbia, due to the city’s close proximity to the border. They arrive with anxiety, hunger and trauma from their harrowing journeys. In 2021, Malteser International Americas successfully worked with health ministries and other international organizations to open the first mental health clinic in La Guajira to help refugees.

Although La Guajira is known to be the most impoverished area in Colombia, the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration has provided humanitarian aid to increase support for migrants and other vulnerable communities. These efforts resulted in more than 5,000 Venezuelan migrants acquiring mental health support in 2021.

The Heartland Alliance International (HAI) in Colombia has initiated various mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programs tailored to assisting vulnerable populations and training community professionals. These include Acople, Mas Resiliencia and Protection, Social Support and Safe Transit for Migrants. HAI has helped around 8,500 Venezuelan migrants with humanitarian needs and trained 130 professionals for psychosocial support and intervention.

Social and Economic Integration Efforts in Peru

Peru has welcomed more than 860,000 Venezuelans in search of social and economic stability, making it the second-largest recipient of Venezuelan immigrants. The Peruvian government’s effort to ease integration, such as easier border access and temporary work visas, has helped Venezuelans to adapt. Researchers have found that this support has helped alleviate mental health stressors during their resettlement.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), it is important for migrants to receive support in the early stage of their integration process because it will influence a better outcome for their stability in the host country.

Additionally, acquiring a legal status and work permits improves mental health, as this promotes the chance for permanent residency in the long term. USAID has invested more than $1.9 billion in organizations in Peru to attain economic security and psychological support for the Venezuelans. The partners involved are Against Hunger, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), Unión Venezolana en Perú and the World Council of Credit Unions.

Long-term Stability in Ecuador

Similar to Peru, Ecuador focused on the longevity of integration that will uplift the “emotional stability” of Venezuelans residing in the country. Ecuador’s government has worked on improving the visa process for Venezuelans to receive legal papers for social security, health care, job opportunities, etc. As of February 2023, more than 41,000 have been able to achieve a temporary visa.

Looking Ahead

Mental health support for Venezuelan immigrants has become a major concern. Fortunately, neighboring countries have been able to help improve the livelihoods of Venezuelans within their nation’s borders. With better integration processes and strong mental health programs, there is hope that migrants can begin to live comfortably and stress-free.

– Alessandra Amati
Photo: Flickr

Initiatives to Fight Global Malnutrition

Global MalnutritionGlobal malnutrition and poverty usually coexist. Poverty can cause malnutrition through food insecurity and malnutrition can cause poverty by reducing a population’s potential economic output. Oftentimes, malnutrition is adversely associated with an individual’s susceptibility to disease and physiological development. However, malnutrition’s harm to an individual’s mental capacity and intellectual development is equally as important. When someone lacks crucial nutrients to nourish their physical and cognitive health, their abilities to achieve individual prosperity and contribute to their community face exposure to significant risk.

While social and fiscal development across the world has eased the devastating effects of malnutrition, nearly 800 million people still lack adequate nutrition. According to a Frontiers in Public Health article, the majority of that population resides in low-to-middle-income nations, largely within South Asia and Southern Africa. Fortunately, social entrepreneurs, food scientists and advocacy workers have been collaborating and innovating to resolve the issue.

Fighting Global Malnutrition with The Life-Saving Dot

Some of the most effective poverty solutions establish synergistic partnerships with existing cultures; The Life Saving Dot provides an excellent paradigm for this type of success.

Many Indian women wear a bindi—a small decorative dot on their forehead—for religious purposes or to show marital status. Grey for Good, a humanitarian organization under Grey Advertising agency, wanted to find a way to use the bindi to solve iodine deficiency, a major issue in rural India.

Iodine is typically found in salt, seafood and soil. It is a critical mineral for managing thyroid hormone release alongside physical and intellectual development and women are at particularly high risk for deficiency. Iodine also plays a key role in healthy pregnancies. In India, the prominence of vegetarianism and the contents of the soil makes it very difficult to get the necessary levels of the mineral, according to TIME. About 350 million Indians are at high risk for iodine deficiency, The Index Project reports.

The solution? A wearable iodine patch in the form of a bindi. The Life-Saving Dot delivers about 200 micrograms of iodine each day to women who wear it and it only costs 16 cents for a packet of 30 bindis. The product, which the Life Saving Dot initially distributed to women in rural Maharashtra, is now available at clinics throughout rural India. Furthermore, the project has also partnered with Talwar, a major bindi distributor across India, to promote the product.

Fighting Global Malnutrition with The Lucky Iron Fish

Around 15 years ago, Canadian student Christopher Charles was sitting in his stilted house in a rural part of Cambodia wondering how to best distribute iron tablets to fight local malnutrition. Charles had been researching the prominence of parasitic illnesses and anemia in the region and linked it to the critical iron deficiency that nearly half of Cambodia suffers from. He knew of existing iron tablets to help deliver nutrition, but also knew that compliance rates were poor; thus, he embarked on a mission to create a product people would actually use.

He drew on the significance of fish as a symbol of luck and prosperity in rural Cambodian culture and designed The Lucky Iron Fish, a small fish-shaped block for villagers to drop in their cooking pots. According to NPR, the block slowly releases iron into villagers’ food as their water boils.

In the product’s initial clinical trial, which consisted of 230 people, there was a promising 50% decrease in anemia after nine months.

Sot Mot, a 60-year-old woman living near Phnom Penh attested to the efficacy of the Lucky Iron Fish in an interview with NPR. “Before, I felt tired and lazy and my chest shook when I was tired,” Mot shared “But after I use the fish, I have strength and energy to work and I sleep well, too.”

Fighting Global Malnutrition with Plumpy’Sup

Rather than focusing on a singular mineral, Plumpy’Sup tackles global malnutrition from a holistic perspective, aiming to deliver a variety of crucial nutrients to infants and those suffering acute malnutrition.

Children in developing nations are at the highest risk for nutritional deficiencies and Plumpy’Sup has proven to be a powerful on-the-ground solution. The product is a lipid-centric nutritional supplement that has exceeded the nutritional benefits of popular fortified flour blends. It contains key levels of fatty acids, calcium, phosphorus and potassium, as well as Vitamins A, B, C, D and E.

Conveniently, children can also consume Plumpy’Sup directly from the package with no cooking or dilution necessary. The product’s design is child-friendly, so young children can open and consume it independently.

Since 2005, Plumpy’Sup’s developing company, Nutriset, has been organizing a global network of Plumpy producers to oversee the quality and accessibility of the product. Currently, countries that are locally making the nutritional supplement include Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, the U.S., Madagascar, Niger and Sudan.

Moving Forward in the Fight Against Global Malnutrition

Overall, ongoing efforts to fight nutritional deficiencies utilize innovation, cultural synergy and the promotion of self-sufficiency. These initiatives provide a compelling success model for combatting nutritional deficiencies, inspiring hope for subsequent success stories.

– Elena Unger
Photo: Flickr

Volunteers for GIVE Are Making a Difference

GIVE VolunteersWhile traveling abroad is a favorite pastime of college students for the views, food and fun, GIVE Volunteers works to engage travelers for a different reason. This service organization gives young people the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture of five international destinations where they offer programs. On these trips, volunteers work alongside community members on conservation, restoration and education projects. The Borgen Project spoke to one former volunteer and chapter president, Logan Falk, about her eye-opening experience in Thailand and Laos.

GIVE Programs

GIVE Volunteers offers a diverse array of programs in North America, Tanzania, Thailand and Laos. Program itineraries vary by country, but overall the organization focuses on combining cultural immersion, tourism and service. The trips are an alternative to traditional study abroad programs, emphasizing hands-on service projects instead of classroom education. 

Most volunteers are recruited on college campuses. GIVE often exists as a student-led club on U.S. campuses, offering students the opportunity to volunteer locally in their university towns while fundraising for their potential trips abroad. Some of the trips focus on conservation and restoration efforts, while others place volunteers in impoverished communities to assist with construction, farming and education. 

The Borgen Project spoke with a GIVE member who participated in one of these poverty-focused programs in Thailand and Laos. Falk was an executive member of James Madison University’s GIVE chapter in Virginia. On her 5-week trip through Thailand and Laos in the summer of 2022, she worked in local schools teaching English, assisted craftsmen and women and used her “tourist dollar to support local businesses.” For the people living in these areas, such efforts can make a world of difference.

Poverty in Thailand

According to a 2022 report by Thailand’s primary economic agency, The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), approximately 8.1 million Thai people live in poverty. Many of these individuals are children. Of the overall population, the poverty rate among children was 9.9% in 2021. UNICEF reports that this is a lasting effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which raised food and energy costs. Inflation hit its highest rate in 14 years at 7.66% in June of 2022. Households with children were especially impacted, forcing many students out of school.

The effects of poverty forced more than 280,000 children to drop out of school in 2021, the NESDC reports. According to the UNICEF Representative for Thailand, Kyungsun Kim, reversing these effects is imperative to the country’s lasting recovery. In a 2022 UNICEF press release, she emphasized the need for building human capital in Thailand. With the population “rapidly aging,” ensuring children receive protection and the means to grow into active members of society is of the utmost importance. 

Poverty in Laos

The issue of poverty is similarly prevalent in Laos. About 23% of the overall population lives below the poverty line, surviving on less than $1.25 per day. Considering that more than 30% of the population is under the age of 14, children suffer significant impacts.

Laos is primarily an agricultural country, with 80% of families working in agriculture. However, the rural areas that house them are prone to food insecurity as a result of extreme floods and droughts. Estimates suggest that 33% of children under the age of 5 face stunted growth due to malnutrition. Of every 22 Laotian children, one dies before they reach their 5th birthday. This is seven times the U.S. infant mortality rate. 

For those that do survive, an estimated 28% are forced into child labor to support their families. GIVE Volunteers makes it its mission to get these children back in school and support them with life-changing education.  

Expanding Perspectives

On her trip, Falk worked one-on-one with children from rural communities in Thailand and Laos, engaging them in activities and teaching them English. She told The Borgen Project that her time volunteering was full of “authentic experiences” in a program that was “constantly creating open learning environments.” Rather than going in with a specific agenda, Falk liked that the trip let volunteers get involved by “asking where [they] can help rather than taking the lead.”

This collaborative approach aligns with Falk’s idea of being a global citizen, one of her biggest takeaways from the program. For her, global citizenship is a reminder “that we all share the same home, so no matter where we are, there are ways for us to be giving back and supporting one another.” On her trip, she learned that the key to being a global citizen and an “ethical and sustainable volunteer” is “supporting the community that is welcoming us with no intention to ‘fix’ it. We went in to learn without judgment.”

After learning from, bonding with and seeing the struggles of people in Thailand and Laos, Falk left GIVE Volunteers with an inspiring realization: “There are so many large and small, intentional social, political, environmental, and economic actions we can take to make a difference on this planet that never ceases to amaze me… We can use our voices, our art, our activism, our knowledge, our money, and our VOTE to support communities within and outside of just our own.”

– Rachel Rebecca Smith
Photo: Unsplash