Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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How Solar Backpacks in Botswana Help Students

Solar Backpacks in BotswanaBotswana is a country in sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated population of 2.5 million people, one-third of whom live in rural areas. The nation has a power supply problem and still imports power from other Southern African countries to meet its needs. Although 77% of people living in the urban area of Botswana have access to power supply, 63% of those in rural areas still find it difficult to access electricity. To ease the impact of a lack of electricity on the nation’s rural schoolchildren, a local electrical engineer developed solar backpacks in Botswana.

Inadequate Power Impacts Academic Performance in Botswana

Across various African countries, academic performance tends to be higher among children living in urban areas compared to those in rural areas, often due to differences in access to social amenities, such as electricity. Many students in rural areas face long commutes to and from school, often resulting in limited time to complete assignments and study. Additionally, inadequate access to reliable sources of light, such as electricity, can further exacerbate this challenge. The consequence of this is that students in rural areas are not able to compete with their urban counterparts on a level playing field.

Solar Backpacks to the Rescue

Harnessing the potential of solar power in Botswana, Kedumetse Liphi, an electronic engineer and entrepreneur from Botswana, developed the Chedza solar backpack. Liphi recognized the impact of poverty on accessing resources and studying in rural areas. The idea for the solar backpack came after meeting a student from a low socio-economic background and realizing the potential of the abundant sunlight available during the day.

The durable backpack is made out of waterproof canvas and features a solar panel that absorbs light. It also includes an LED light and a USB port for charging small devices. The solar panel can store up to six hours of energy from the sun, making it possible to power digital devices for online learning.

Each backpack sells for $54, and as of March 2023, Liphi has sold more than 100 backpacks. While this price may be high for impoverished individuals in rural areas, efforts are underway to make the backpack more accessible through donations and partnerships with government and non-governmental organizations. One such organization, Botswana-based Dare to Dream, has already purchased 33 bags for its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program for girls.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development together with the Botswana Power Corporation and the First National Bank joined forces in launching a solar-powered backpack initiative in 2019. The initiative officially launched in August 2019 at the Ramonaka Primary School in the Kgatlend district. The initiative is also targeting other rural areas in Botswana. The solar backpacks in Botswana will support the educational activities of children at home and allow them to complete homework after daylight.

Hope for the Future

Solar backpacks in Botswana will not only help underserved schoolchildren pursue academic excellence but will also positively impact the environment by relying on renewable energy sources.

Botswana’s solar backpack initiative aims to improve educational outcomes among rural school students. By providing access to an alternative power source, educational success can become a possibility for these students. Overall, Botswana is working toward a brighter, more sustainable future for its youth.

– Chidinma Nwoha
Photo: Flickr

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Women’s Empowerment in Kakuma Refugee Camp

Women’s Empowerment in Kakuma Refugee CampThe Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in Kenya, was originally established for young children who escaped war in Sudan and Ethiopia. Today, the camp is home to about 200,000 people and facilitates access to education, health care and housing. The efforts of organizations enable and empower women in the camp to learn skills and secure income-generating activities. The women in the camp are pushing against stereotypical gender norms while working to support their families. Their stories and success are a reflection of the progress toward women’s empowerment in Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Breaking Stereotypes

CARE tells the story of Jackiline Amina who has lived in the Kakuma Refugee camp since she fled her home in Tanzania and sought refuge in Kenya in 2013. Amina now works as an auto mechanic in the camp. Before she became an auto mechanic, she would work small jobs, including providing laundry services to other refugees and fetching water for people in the camp, to make ends meet. After the father of her youngest child left the family, Amina had to find a sustainable and profitable job to enable her to care for her children. To achieve this, she knew she had to learn a new skill.

Prior to becoming an auto mechanic, Amina tried her hands at welding but did not make much progress as the men in the trade refused to train her, saying “the work was not appropriate for women,” according to the CARE website. Eventually, she got in touch with the owner of a small garage that agreed to train her as a mechanic.

In Amina’s current line of work, she regularly faces gender discrimination and many males undermine a female’s ability to be a competent mechanic. Her fellow male auto mechanics, however, have accepted her into the auto mechanic community and treat her “like one of the guys.” Amina has aspirations of enrolling in an official training program or mechanics school so she can secure higher-paying jobs in the future.

Entering a Male-Dominated Field

In another CARE story, Lucy Nyanga Joseph left Sudan in 2019 and joined her sister, nieces and nephews at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. In 2022, she learned of an opportunity to become a solar engineer in the camp. She was one of three women who enrolled in the program and the only woman to begin working after completion.

Despite many people saying her career path is ill-suited for women, she has gone on to inspire 20 of her friends in the camp to enroll in training for traditionally male-dominated fields. Before becoming a solar technician, Joseph relied on aid from the U.N. Refugee Agency, receiving a total of $11.75 per month. This was barely enough to afford the quality of care she desired for her children. Her new job, however, enables her to provide better for her children.

Stepping out of Gender Roles

In 2019, U.N. Women told the story of Nyamam Gai Gatluak. At the time, Gatluak was a student of the Angelina Jolie Primary School in Kakuma Refugee Camp and a member of the IT club that has participated in several events aiming to empower girl children. She is one of 60 girls who received a place in the boarding school out of nearly 500 who applied. Gatluak has aspirations of becoming a software engineer as a result of the school and IT club empowering women within the refugee community.

She and other young women still face great challenges in pursuing education and career paths. In some cases, these women are not even able to attend school. Even for those who are able to attend, gender-prescribed household duties often prevent girls from fully concentrating on their studies. Typically, household and caretaking responsibilities do not affect young men as society considers this a female role.

Despite the challenges, Gatluak aspires to develop an app that can teach young girls, including those in refugee camps around the world, how to code. She also dreams of developing another app that teaches parents and young women their rights in different local languages. Gatluak understands that many parents and young girls do not know their rights and, as a result, are taken advantage of — a problem that Gatluak aims to alleviate.

Women Empowerment in Kenya (WEIKE)

Women Empowerment in Kenya (WEIKE) is a nonprofit in Kenya that helps vulnerable young women access education and funding to secure a better future for their families. Founded in 2017, WEIKE runs several women’s empowerment initiatives, including a soap-making project, economic education for women and agriculture projects. About 20 women participate in the soap-making project, producing multi-purpose soap for their personal use and selling the rest to bring in an income.

Looking Ahead

Organizations like WEIKE contribute to women’s empowerment, education and economic security in Kenya. Women’s empowerment in the Kakuma Refugee Camp enables them to work toward educating themselves, learning new skills and obtaining high-paying, in-demand jobs to support themselves and their families. The efforts in the camp and results so far help to pave the path to a future of freedom, equity and equality for the next generation of women.

– Ronni Winter
Photo: Flickr

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5 Charities Operating in Kazakhstan

Charities Operating in KazakhstanHuman Rights Watch (HRW) calls attention to major issues affecting low-income families and disabled children in Kazakhstan. While it is access to state benefits for the former, the latter face barriers that exclude them from education. Child-focused charities continue playing a crucial role in alleviating these issues and addressing the needs of those affected. Here are five charities operating in Kazakhstan, acting as agents of change. 

5 Charities Operating in Kazakhstan

  1. Niyet: Niyet is a private nonprofit organization working to improve the living conditions of all children experiencing adversity, including orphans, children with disabilities and children from impoverished families. In 2018, Kazakhstan had about 26,000 orphans and children living without parental supervision. Meeting child support needs can play a significant role in helping to prevent family separations. Sourced from a comprehensive database of underprivileged children, the recipients receive donations from Niyet in the form of cashless support or personalized certificates. Two implemented programs, Food Basket and Road to School, offer these certificates in exchange for food and school supplies at partnered markets and shops. Magnum Cash & Carry is one of the accessible partnered retail stores, with more than 50 outlets in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan.
  2. ITeachMe: This is a public charity and development center based in Almaty that fights for the labor rights of disabled and vulnerable people. Created in March 2020, the organization teaches digital skills to boost the employability of its beneficiaries and help them better integrate into society. ITeachMe helps in placing young, disadvantaged people on the path to better economic opportunities. With multiple programs and 45 professional courses, the organization asserts that 90% of its graduates go on to secure employment. It delivers its free ITeachMe Program 6.0 in Russian, Kazakh and sign language. Under expert supervision, the educational course delves into programming, project management and more. The OrleTECH Program comprises more than 150 video tutorials and is available to individuals between the ages of 18 and 40 who are interested in learning how to design websites or test software. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ITeachMe provided emergency assistance. Through the support of the U.S. Urgent Action Fund, ITeachMe provided humanitarian aid to 80 underserved people living in cities and rural areas and supplied “life-saving medicines” to 26 people. ITeachMe also provided legal and psychological counsel through chatbots and instant messaging apps, which continue to function to this day.
  3. Botashym: Botashym is an organization with a focus on medical aid. Established in 2017, its goal is to raise funds to aid orphans, children with cerebral palsy, disadvantaged families and veterans. It provides its services both inside and outside Almaty. Children up to 13 years of age make up the priority demographic for rehabilitation. Whatever the disability, Botsashym informs parents of the latest clinics or treatment methods. Botashym helps to raise the treatment costs for selected children by creating individual profiles with targeted fundraising goals. In 2022, the nonprofit raised enough money to rehabilitate 16 children with different diseases of varying severity. The organization does not require the family of beneficiaries to bear any costs. Through treatment, children can improve both mobility and speech. Botashym is currently developing an Orphans Assistance program.
  4. Kasietti Zhol Foundation. This Astana-based nonprofit offers free rehabilitation services. Kasietti Zhol’s mission is to provide high-quality rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy without requiring overseas travel. To accomplish this, the organization holds a worldwide School of Mentors initiative and organizes seminars aimed at educating and training professionals, social workers and parents on the latest rehabilitation methods. As part of its Healthy Children Project, more than 1,000 children received comprehensive rehabilitation at no cost in 2021. The #KazakhstanDoGood project brings awareness to the lack of rehabilitation for disabled children. In 2021, Kazakhstan had only 40 medical rehabilitation centers that were equipped to treat children with disabilities. More than 26,000 children are living with cerebral palsy in the country, yet only 20% manage to access rehabilitation. Families below the poverty line struggle to find treatment and usually have to wait for openings. In some cases, parents opt to leave their children in orphanages. For this reason, Kasietti Zhol opened rehabilitation centers in nine orphanages in Kazakhstan. Four children with special needs found adoptive families after treatment. The #KazakstanDoGood project aims to open 14 rehabilitation centers for children with cerebral palsy. Kasietti Zhol’s president, Gulmira Abeldinova, disclosed that from October 2022 to January 2023, the charity’s rehabilitation center took in 183 children for free rehabilitation. In 2023, it will concentrate on developing ways to address neuro-orthopedic disorders in children.
  5. Dara Foundation: Dosaeva Gulnar Yesengeldinovna established the Dara Foundation with the aim of enhancing the quality of life for underprivileged children through the creation of more efficient support systems. The foundation seeks to provide better assistance to those in need. The Mentors program offers three levels of mentoring: individual, corporate and coaching. At the corporate level, 34 organizations partner with Dara Foundation to introduce at-risk youth to various professions and offer workshops, internships and scholarships. Currently, there are 15 cities in Kazakhstan hosting the Mentors program and more than 200 orphans have partnered with mentors since 2014. Today, 138 children have finished internships and higher education courses through the Dara Foundation and more than 100 children have received individual coaching.

Looking Ahead

Many Kazakh children and families still face hardships but ongoing efforts of charities operating in Kazakhstan and the government of Kazakhstan bode signs of better opportunities and progress for the young generation. The results so far are encouraging and paint a positive outlook for the future.

– Clare Calzada
Photo: Flickr

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The Fight Against Human Trafficking in North Korea

Human Trafficking in North Korea
Human trafficking in North Korea is a cause of concern. According to the 2022 Trafficking in Persons report by the U.S. Department of State (DOS), North Korea does not meet the “minimum requirements for the elimination of trafficking.” North Korea ranks as a Tier 3 country in terms of efforts to end trafficking, which is the lowest rank possible.

Prison Camps

According to the  2022 TIP report, North Korea holds between 80,000 and 120,000 people in political prison camps and an “undetermined number of persons” reside in other types of confinement facilities, like re-education camps.

There are no official charges against many of these prisoners and authorities have not undertaken fair sentencing processes. All prisoners in these camps, including children, endure extreme working conditions through forced labor in areas such as mining, agriculture and logging for excessive amounts of time.

“In many cases, the government also detains all family members if one member is accused or arrested,” the report says. Children in the camps also undertake forced labor for as much as 12 hours daily and lack access to proper education. Conditions in these prisons are dire and prisoners face physical abuse, torture, hunger and inadequate medical care. The report highlights that “many prisoners do not survive.”

Child Labor in North Korea

From a tender age, North Korean children are forced into labor, including “agricultural labor support, item collection and construction work,” according to PSCORE. Children residing in prison camps, orphanages and relief shelters also engage in forced child labor.

The types of child labor typically vary according to season. In spring, children plant corn, sow seeds and collect certain beans and sunflower seeds. During summer, children must “remove grass and lay rocks to build railways,” use soil to mold bricks and collect certain nuts. Autumn’s activities involve agricultural support and collecting scrap iron and scrap paper. In winter, children work in mines and transport soil.

Agricultural Labor, Item Collection and Construction

Agricultural labor support is a term that describes compulsory farm work, such as harvesting, sowing, planting and weeding. “The government mobilizes children through the education system and sends them to local farms [that partner with schools]. Farm work is considered an essential component of the school curriculum and the work is unpaid,” PSCORE highlights.

The government also obligates students to collect specific items, such as scrap iron. Scrap iron is almost non-existent in the country yet failures to meet item quotas result in beatings and verbal abuse.

Students must also participate in building projects and performances on national holidays, such as the birthdays of the country’s leaders. Performances for Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un require the work of 50,000 children for six to 12 months. The children are tasked with flipping cards to create a colorful and dynamic site in honor of the leaders. The children practice the routine in extreme heat, which results in “casualties among the children.”

Students must also take part in construction products regarding “municipal infrastructure, school buildings, railroad repair and even private housing of school personnel.” The children engage in hazardous labor and, at times, “must also make or bring the materials necessary for construction at their own expense,” PSCORE says.

Forced Labor Abroad

North Korea does not only subject victims to exploitation within the country but also abroad. In 2015, the government had more than 50,000 citizens working abroad in Russia, China, Africa and the Middle East. The purpose of these workers is to earn money overseas to counteract the international sanctions countries impose on North Korea. The North Koreans abroad work for as many as 10 to 12 hours, six days a week. The government takes a bulk of their pay, 90%, which garners around $1.2 billion to $2.3 billion a year for North Korea, Reuters reported in 2016.

Help for North Koreans

Liberty in North Korea is an organization that provides support to North Koreans seeking refuge in other countries, such as South Korea. It also provides help to victims of human trafficking. The organization’s website tells the story of Joy. Via a broker, Joy left North Korea in search of a better life in China. The broker turned out to be a trafficker who sold her as a bride for $3,000. After some years, Joy safely made it to South Korea in 2013 with the help of Liberty in North Korea. Joy is currently studying social work and endeavors to help other North Korean women in situations of trafficking.

Though limited efforts are underway to address human trafficking in North Korea, the work of organizations like Liberty in North Korea is making a difference. By advocating and mobilizing to end human trafficking in North Korea, organizations can uphold the rights of North Koreans.

– David Keenan
Photo: Unsplash

The Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Kenya

ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN KENYAKenya is among the African countries that are moving toward using electric vehicles, the introduction of which could positively benefit the economy and environment. Kenya currently has 671 electric motor vehicles in total with two-wheelers accounting for about 50% of this number. A recent Mckinsey study says the demand for electric vehicles is increasing and Kenya will make this transition quicker than many other African countries, “with electric vehicles accounting for 60 to 75[%] of all two-wheeler sales by 2040.” This projection considers several factors, including a better power supply in Kenya and an increase in the number of e-mobile companies operating in Kenya.

Kenya’s rapidly growing economy has earned it the status of a lower middle-income country, but it still struggles with a wide gap between the wealthy and the impoverished. This economic inequality is illustrated by the fact that two-thirds of Kenyans earn less than $3.20 per day, according to USAID. Moreso, the level of extreme poverty in Kenya is expected to stand at 25.3% in 2023.

Benefits of Electric Vehicles in Kenya

In Kenya, 75% of rural residents are farmers who typically lack access to cars, making it challenging for them to obtain fertilizers and seeds for planting. While some of them walk to their farms, motorcycles and bicycles are the popular modes of transportation.

Given the widespread use of two-wheeled vehicles in both urban and rural areas of Kenya, shifting to electric motorbikes can potentially increase mobility for residents while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and bringing other socio-economic advantages. Kenya will benefit from reduced air pollution when using electric vehicles. Nairobi, the capital city, has a pollution level of 70%, and this results in 19,000 deaths per year.

Ian Mbote, a staff member of Ampersand, an e-mobile company established in 2020 that has operated in Kenya since May 2022, spoke to African News about the cost efficiency of electric motorcycles. According to Mbote, swapping a full battery of an electric motorcycle costs 185 shillings and covers a distance of about 100 kilometers. In comparison, the cost of fuel for a fossil-fueled vehicle is 180 shillings per liter, which only covers a distance of 30 to 40 kilometers.

Electric Vehicles Initiatives in Kenya

One drawback of using electric vehicles in low and middle-income countries is the high cost of purchase, which may make the vehicles unaffordable for people living in poverty.

Several African governments are taking measures to make electric vehicles more affordable to their citizens. In Kenya, for example, the national treasury has lowered the excise duty for fully electric cars from 20% to 10%, making the vehicles more accessible. The government’s target is for electric vehicles to account for 5% of total imports by 2025, which would result in the importation of more than 15,000 such vehicles per year.

In addition to these measures, the Kenyan government plans to convert 2,000 cars and trucks to electric power over the next four years. According to CleanTechnica, “Kenya has an installed electricity generation capacity of 3,321 MW [and] the peak demand is 2,132MW. It is the low overnight off-peak demand of 1,100MW that Kenya Power wants to exploit initially to power Kenya’s transition to electric mobility.”

Looking Ahead

The high cost of electric vehicles is still an issue for many Kenyans living in poverty. But, there is still hope as efforts by the government are ongoing to make electric vehicles more accessible. These measures aim to bridge the gap between the high cost of electric vehicles and the need for sustainable transportation options in Kenya.

– Chidinma Nwoha
Photo: Flickr

Elderly Poverty in Moldova and the Role of Social Security

Elderly Poverty in Moldova
The Republic of Moldova’s share of the aging population is growing. In 2022, persons aged 60 and older accounted for 22.8% of the total population, and, by 2040, this demographic is projected to account for about 33% of the total population. The dynamics of such a change in the population demographic foreshadow an increased risk of financial deprivation for Moldova’s aging population. Though the government last recorded the rate of elderly poverty in Moldova at 13.8% in the 2014 census, the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) found that, in 2020, only about a fifth of persons older than 60 felt that their income afforded them the economic security to live comfortably. While acknowledging that the elderly poverty experience reaches beyond just low-income levels, one of the mainstays of elderly poverty in Moldova is the challenge of the pension system’s sustainability to provide sufficient income to current and future generations of pensioners.

Moldova’s Pension System

In the past, Moldova’s pension system could not provide a sufficient safety net to allow beneficiaries to maintain a decent standard of living, with average replacement rates amounting to a mere 25% before the latest pension system reform in 2017. This is alarming considering that the European Code of Social Security recommended in Convention No. 102 that the minimum replacement rate should stand at 40%. However, even a 40% replacement rate may not be enough to prevent persons from falling into poverty if the benefits stand as the person’s sole income.

The Borgen Project had the opportunity to interview Elizaveta Covalciuc, a retired teacher from Micleuseni, Moldova, who noted the financial struggles she faced after contributing to the country’s social fund. In 1998, her pension only amounted to 114 MDL or $28. “I was disappointed that I had not been able to make a decent living after many years of contributing to the pension fund,” notes Covalciuc who had to return to work after reaching retirement age to make ends meet.

Fortunately, the system has increased in its efficiency and raised indexation over the years. As of October 2021, the current minimum state pension that a beneficiary can receive is 2,000 MDL, equal to $430.28. However, shortcomings remain. With the recent major shocks such as the strain on Moldova’s economy via the influx of refugees from Ukraine and the consumer price inflation of basic goods, pensions cannot sufficiently cover the current costs of living. Indeed, the Minister of Labour and Social Protection Marcel Spatari confirmed in November 2022 that the government could not afford to match the indexation rate of pensions to the current rate of inflation of 30%.

Challenges for Future Pensioners

A pension system is reliant upon the sustainable contributions that the current workforce is capable of contributing and is an integral cornerstone of a country’s social cohesion.

There is a great burden upon Moldova’s current workforce to support the social services that pensioners depend on for their livelihoods. To illustrate, the age dependency ratio had a rating of 50% in 2019 and stood at 6% higher than the EU’s. This strain upon contribution levels to the pension fund is exacerbated by factors such as high emigration, low employment rates and the prevalence of undeclared work. Such factors threaten the possibility of decreased social security coverage over time. The government must address these issues to ensure the current pension system is able to distribute sufficient income for pensioners.

It is important to acknowledge that the Moldovan government is taking steps to introduce policies and programs that aim to ease the strain of pension fund contributions placed on individuals. One notable example is the introduction of Law No.242 in July 2022. Before this law, there was no minimum contribution requirement for employers toward social security. Now, the compulsory contribution rate stands at 25% of each of their employee’s minimum salary, guaranteeing at least 875 MDL ($47) contributed per employee. While the legislation only had legal force in October 2022, this is a great first step to ensuring the security of future pensioners.

Additionally, the government has signed social security agreements with 16 countries in Europe to ensure the pension rights of citizens who have emigrated from Moldova to work in those countries. While the results from such agreements are currently unknown, this is another positive sign of improvements toward ensuring security for Moldova’s elderly citizens.

Looking forward, the path toward eliminating elderly poverty in Moldova is certainly not without challenges but with the government making it a priority to implement policies sensitive to the needs of the elderly and to strengthen demographic resilience, further progress is on its way.

– Lucy Gebbie
Photo: Flickr

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How the Star Homes Project is Fighting Malaria in Tanzania

Malaria in Tanzania
Tanzania ranks among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest reported malaria cases and deaths. A survey by the Severe Malaria Observatory (SMO) revealed that 93% of Tanzania’s population lives in areas that are at high risk of malaria outbreaks. Transmission rates of malaria in Tanzania vary between regions and the country goes through seasons where it expects large spikes in the number of cases. The Star Homes Project is fighting malaria in Tanzania through improved housing.

Malaria in Tanzania

The U.N. describes malaria as a disease that “impoverishes families, households and national economies.” The economic impact of malaria is especially evident in Africa where an annual spend of $12 billion goes into addressing malaria outbreaks. Plasmodium falciparum, a unicellular protozoan parasite, is responsible for 96% of malaria cases in Tanzania. Vector mosquitoes transmit malaria to the human population by carrying the parasite.

Tanzania experiences three distinct malaria transmission seasons: stable perennial transmission, stable malaria transmission and unstable seasonal malaria transmission. Stable perennial transmission impacts 60% of the country, whereas stable malaria transmission and unstable seasonal malaria transmission impact 20% of the country at any given time in a year. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines perennial transmission as “transmission that occurs throughout the year with no great variation in intensity.”

Tanzania’s Malaria Burden

The WHO’s World Malaria Report 2021 identified that Tanzania accounted for 4.1% of global malaria-related deaths in 2020. The report also outlined that malaria in Tanzania accounted for 12.8% of reported cases in East and Southern Africa in 2020. The country adopted the Malaria National Strategic Plan (MNSP) in 2020 and the scheme is due to continue until 2025. The MNSP hopes to diagnose malaria more effectively and extend medical services to disadvantaged groups in the rural areas of Tanzania.

The Star Homes Project

The Star Homes Project began in 2018 under the management of the company Ingvartsen Artikekter. Ingvarsten oversees a cross-functional team of architects, physicians, entomologists and members of Tanzania’s local communities. The Star Home Project is fighting malaria in Tanzania by providing affordable and improved housing with effective ventilation and physical protective barriers that stop mosquitoes from entering Tanzanian homes and infecting inhabitants.

As of November 2022, the Star Homes Project built 110 homes across 55 villages in Mtwara, a rural settlement in Tanzania. The company’s homes feature a two-story structure and “permeable facades of sea green screening mesh” that blocks mosquito access. The design also includes self-closing doors that control ventilation and helps the house to maintain cool temperatures throughout the day. From 2022 to 2024, the Star Homes Project will complete trials that compare the health of children living in the Star Home to those living in their usual residences.

Estimates predict that sub-Saharan Africa will have a population of 1.1 billion people by 2050. Following these predictions, the Star Homes Project has identified the need to implement better health measures so that Tanzania’s current and future residents can safeguard themselves against highly transmittable diseases and respiratory infections.

Looking Ahead

Malaria continues to be a prevalent issue in Tanzania requiring extensive efforts to decrease the risk of infection during peak transmission seasons. However, the Star Homes Project offers an innovative housing solution that could assist Tanzania in reducing its high malaria rates and usher Tanzanians into a safer, disease-free era.

– Jennifer Preece
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Water Security in Tanzania

Water Security in Tanzania
Tanzania’s economy, health and food security rely on the sustainable management of water resources. The United Nations has entrenched access to clean water and proper sanitation as a fundamental human right. However, this has not prevented the lack of water security in Tanzania, particularly in rural areas, from negatively impacting sectors like education and health care. On the positive side, efforts are ongoing to improve water security in the country.

5 Issues Affecting Water Security in Tanzania

  1. Changing Weather Patterns: According to forecasts, the average temperature in Southwest Tanzania could increase by 3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, leading to higher evaporation rates and significantly affecting water availability.
  2. Mismanagement of Water Resources: Economic growth in Tanzania has prompted a growing demand for water. Yet, water management services fail to match this high level of demand, leaving 21 million citizens unable to access improved drinking water in 2017. In particular, this issue disproportionately affects poor rural districts.
  3. Poor Infrastructure: An estimated 80% of rural Tanzanians in rural areas use outmoded water and sanitation infrastructure such as pit toilets. A pit toilet is a type of toilet that collects human feces in a ground hole. These toilets typically do not have any lids to prevent groundwater pollution, thereby increasing the prevalence of water-related diseases. This lack of adequate toilet facilities also affects schools in the country. According to USAID in 2021, around 10% of menstruating girls in Tanzania drop out of school due to a lack of hygiene and sanitation facilities to properly and privately manage their menstruation.
  4. Health Impacts. Diarrhea-related diseases account for around 26,000 deaths due to the pathogen-infested water supply. Illnesses from the contaminated water have dire effects on education as school children lose as many as 33 million school days per annum. In 2015, only 17% of rural districts had access to sanitary water services. Additionally, according to reports, approximately 40% of the Tanzanian population has access to sanitary water services.
  5. Poor Hygiene: Tanzania only has a handful of public or private places where people can maintain proper hygiene practices, such as handwashing. While some places have handwashing areas, there is often no wash soap and non-contaminated water. Poor water, hygiene and sanitation services in Tanzania also significantly impact the health of school children as 84% of schools in the country lack access to handwashing facilities.

Improvement Efforts

From Jan. 4, 2016, to April 30, 2021, the U.S.-aided Water Resources Integration Development Initiative (WARIDI) intervened to combat the interconnected issues concerning water security in Tanzania. It collaborated with 20 local government authorities between the Wami-River and Rufiji River basins to drive the sustainable management of water resources. This included increased access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services. Basin water officers received training on interpreting data regarding sustainable and resilient water management. WARIDI used modern equipment that monitors the flow of water in various streams supplying major rivers.

WARIDI’s efforts created a succinct study of climate vulnerability that could be incorporated into its model for the efficient allocation of water resources. The organization aided in the establishment and development of 50 water infrastructure projects for 500,000 inhabitants across the Morogoro and Iringa regions of Tanzania in May 2021. The project provides access to potable water in rural regions, negating the need for 255,000 women to undertake perilous journeys to collect water.

Looking Ahead

Overall, WARID’s comprehensive approach to recognizing the importance of water conservation and maintenance of water infrastructure has played a significant role in alleviating issues related to water security in Tanzania. It has enhanced the living standards of many inhabitants through a variety of advanced water supply resources, including submergible pumps, solar panels, chlorine treatment divisions and valve chambers. The work is not yet complete as many Tanzanians still face significant challenges with accessing water. However, many positive results are visible from ongoing work and the situation continues to improve.

– Dami Kalejaiye
Photo: Flickr

5 Facts About Renewable Energy in Chile

Renewable Energy in ChileWhile fossil fuels and copper mining once stood as the foundation of Chile’s energy sector, the country is now a global leader in innovative renewable energy strategies. A shift in focus toward solar power, wind energy and green hydrogen will diminish the number of remaining households impacted by energy poverty over the next 25 years. As the implementation of renewable energy in Chile grows, so does the country’s economic potential.

5 Facts About Renewable Energy in Chile

  1. Renewable energy sources are reducing energy poverty. Energy poverty takes shape in many ways, such as limited access to heating, air conditioning and hot water, inability to afford electricity bills and frequent power outages that disrupt both educational and business activities as well as access to essential services. Chile’s energy sector relies in part on coal-fired power generation, but the country’s Long-Term Energy Policy now aims to generate 70% of all electricity through renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2050. Among other benefits, this plan will provide quality energy services to all vulnerable households, reduce total electricity outages to one hour per year and offer significantly lower average residential electricity prices.
  2. Chile is now a world leader in renewable energy. The 2022 updates to the Long-Term Energy Policy additionally pledged carbon neutrality by 2050 through strategic decarbonization of the economy. Previous efforts to address changing weather patterns forged partnerships with powerhouses like Germany, but the promise of these updates solidify Chile’s status as a global leader in sustainable energy, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Other countries including the U.S., Spain and Canada are now vying to learn about renewable energy in Chile and invest in the cause.
  3. Green hydrogen exports will benefit the economy. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) foresees a significant increase in Chile’s GDP as the country expands into “green” hydrogen, a source used in zero-emission fuel cells, synthetic ammonia and gasoline substitute. According to government officials, exports of green hydrogen should generate $30 billion per year by 2050. Given the nation’s access to both the Atacama Desert and the winds of Patagonia, Chile has a stark advantage over other countries to produce hydrogen with the renewable energy generated by wind and solar power. Chile hopes to be one of the top three exporters of green hydrogen by 2040, creating jobs and further reducing poverty.
  4. Eliminating coal plants will not reduce jobs. Chile intends on eliminating all coal-fired power stations by 2040 and focusing fully on renewable energy efforts. However, guidance from the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) suggests that the closures will not negatively impact job opportunities. Germany has partnered with Chile since 2008, collaborating on renewable energy agreements and training seminars. Under Germany’s recommendations, the abandoned coal plants will become renewable power plants, such as water desalination plants. This ensures jobs stay intact throughout the transition.
  5. Renewable energy in Chile creates more jobs for women. Implementing renewable energy plants opens a new job market for Chilean women. Energy+Women is a program initially founded in 2018 that focuses on gender equality and inclusion efforts in the male-dominated energy sector. The program now offers women mentorship, among other professional opportunities. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has additionally given a $300 million loan to Chile for renewable energy efforts with a focus on promoting equal pay.

Looking Ahead

Only 52% of all Chilean households had access to electricity in 1970, but today, 100% of the population has electricity access. Now, the country is pursuing goals that eliminate even a minor power outage. This dissolution of energy poverty would not be possible without the implementation of renewable energy as both a source and commodity. The nation is paving the way for sustainability initiatives. With these exciting developments, Chile is on track to become one of the first developing countries to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

– Rachel Smith
Photo: Flickr

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Child Poverty in South Sudan

Child Poverty in South Sudan
South Sudan, a North African nation that joined the U.N. in 2011, is one of the poorest and most conflict-ridden countries in the world with a GDP of 12 billion in 2015 and about 67% of the population living in extreme poverty in 2017. The younger population of South Sudan is particularly vulnerable, with around two-thirds of children requiring humanitarian assistance due to poverty, environmental risks and conflict. Child poverty in South Sudan remains an issue, but several initiatives are providing aid.

Leading Causes of Child Poverty in Sudan

  1. Conflict: Two civil wars in 2013 and 2016 have significantly contributed to the increase in child poverty in South Sudan. Displacement due to conflict has left several thousand children homeless and armed militias have recruited approximately 19,000 child soldiers since the conflict started. The violence caused by the civil wars has been a leading cause of internal displacement, with a total of 472,452 children affected.
  2. Education: In South Sudan, education rates contribute significantly to child poverty. Three out of five children have either never attended school or dropped out, which equates to one of the highest rates globally. The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened the situation by reducing school attendance rates.
  3. Climate: Extreme climatic conditions in the country also impact child poverty. Severe floods and droughts have affected the country in recent years, leaving 390,000 children without access to basic services and affecting 846 schools. Long droughts have led to child hunger, with more than 17,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
  4. COVID-19: The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to increasing child poverty issues in South Sudan. It also forced school closures and further aggravated the challenges in the education system. Reduction in global aid and humanitarian assistance due to the pandemic led to an economic crisis in the already struggling nation.

Taking Action

In recent years, South Sudan has taken action domestically. In 2018, the nation resorted to a peace agreement and implemented government reform to improve political stability. The leaders ackowledged establishing a stable government as the first step in securing a brighter future for the children of South Sudan.

Charities, volunteers and missionaries on the ground have played a crucial role in alleviating child poverty in South Sudan. For example, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) plans to vaccinate 2.7 million South Sudanese children against measles and provide 1.4 million children with access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation facilities in schools by the end of 2023. UNICEF also aims to treat almost 300,000 children in South Sudan for severe wasting on top of efforts to provide 75,000 children and guardians with “mental health and psychosocial support.”

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has partnered with South Sudan since 2012 and runs initiatives to enhance the education system in South Sudan by offering financial aid through UNICEF grants and providing on-the-ground support. UNICEF provided a COVID-19 response grant of $7 million for 2020 to 2022 to secure “self-learning materials” for learners, create custom radio broadcasted learning programs for students of certain grades and launch a “back-to-school campaign” to motivate students to resume school attendance, among other efforts.

With financial support from the international community, efforts are ongoing to gradually end child poverty in South Sudan.

Looking Ahead

South Sudan’s children have endured years of hardship since the country’s independence from all spheres of life. Whether that be conflict, climate disasters or a lack of education, these children have lived through harsh realities and poor conditions. With the government and international charity organizations working to solve the issues of child poverty, South Sudan continues to see positive change. The government reforms have led to notable reductions in conflict incidents.

While there is still room for progress, ongoing efforts have seen success and present the children of South Sudan with hopes of a brighter future.

– Max Steventon
Photo: Flickr