Education funding in Paraguay has been interrupted by corruption and inequality in budget distribution to schools in need. Due to this, Paraguay initiated a $90 million National Fund for Public Investment and Development (FONACIDE) in 2012, designating funds for infrastructure to schools in need on an annual basis. However, critics have called the program unreliable noting that FONACIDE’s complexity has displayed a lack of understanding of how schools receive funding.

Since 2008, a student-led organization based in Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, reAcciòn, has made it a consistent priority to increase government responsibility and awareness toward educational spending. A major part of its work involved analyzing FONACIDE functions to better comprehend its intricate processes. With that, reAcciòn’s focus has also been on community engagement and data collection, aimed to provide students, school officials and parents a better understanding of how education spending is distributed towards infrastructure. 

Through a web-based app, FOCO, reAcciòn has been able to give a voice to the community and make sure that education spending is being evenly conveyed sufficiently. 

What is FOCO? 

FOCO in Paraguay is a “community monitoring tool” that seeks to monitor and showcase FONACIDE education spending through “government data” within municipalities in Paraguay. Implemented in 2014, the innovative app allows students and teachers to post photos of damages and make inquiries on funding repairs for issues at hand. It offers insight into how FONACIDE’s spending is distributed to each school, especially to the neediest schools in poorer communities. 

Along with these efforts, the organization has worked with various political figures, government and Ministry of Education officials, to familiarize them with FOCO and increase accountability. Every year, through the increased awareness of this project and involvement by students, reAcciòn has offered community-led activities to learn more on the subject of anti-corruption and research in effective policy regarding FONACIDE. 

FOCO’s Achievements 

In 2015 and 2017, FOCO was able to allocate a 350% increase of an equally funded distribution by FONACIDE. In other words, over five times more underprivileged schools needing the most education funds were distributed by FONACIDE. As of 2020, FOCO in Paraguay has been able to collaborate with the “Ministry Directors of Educational Planning and Infrastructure,” which has helped to create better ways for data collection and what resources to prioritize for school essentials. Important education leaders and the government of Paraguay have relied more on FOCO to understand the data collection and are involved in reAcciòns community-based work to ameliorate the investment process by FONACIDE. 

A Continuing Future

As FOCO continues to strive, the team continues to work on prospective projects to improve the application of funds and evaluate how funds are invested in education spending. Ideally, the next steps for FOCO in Paraguay are to be implemented in other areas of development, such as healthcare and potentially expand on a global scale. 

– Alessandra Amati
Photo: Flickr

Period poverty, the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and resources, is a global issue affecting millions of women and girls. It hampers their education, health and dignity. However, numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are leading the charge in addressing period poverty, working tirelessly to provide menstrual hygiene products, education and support to those in need. This article will highlight the remarkable efforts of NGOs fighting period poverty, showcasing their innovative approaches and inspiring impact.

5 NGOs Fighting Period Poverty

1. The Pad Project – The Pad Project is a global nonprofit organization focused on breaking the barriers of period poverty. It tackles the issue by establishing sustainable pad-making businesses in communities where access to affordable menstrual products is limited. To date, it has employed 87 women in five countries, Afghanistan, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Through its documentary “Period. End of Sentence.” and grassroots initiatives, it raises awareness, advocates for policy changes and empowers women with economic opportunities. It has also reached more than 106,500 women and girls through menstrual health education workshops.
2. Days for Girls International – Days for Girls International is another organization fighting period poverty. It focuses on ensuring that women and girls have access to sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions. It produces and distributes washable, reusable menstrual kits that include cloth pads and soap, promoting environmentally friendly options. The organization also conducts menstrual health education programs to debunk myths, provide accurate information and empower girls to manage their periods with confidence. It began in Kenya but has reached several more countries in Africa and now operates globally. In its 2021 report, Days for Girls reported that it has reached 2.5 million women and girls in 145 countries with its menstrual kits and education.
3. Femme International – Femme International focuses on menstrual health and hygiene education in Tanzania and Kenya. Through the Twaweza Program, which means ‘we can’ in Swahili, the organization deliver workshops and training sessions to address the lack of knowledge and break the stigma surrounding menstruation. Femme International also distributes reusable menstrual pads and offers support networks to girls and women, enabling them to maintain their health, dignity and uninterrupted access to education. Thanks to its efforts, 71.8% of schoolgirls in the program reported that they did not miss out on any parts of their lives as a result of menstruation.
4. ZanaAfrica Foundation – ZanaAfrica Foundation focuses on menstrual health management and the empowerment of girls in Kenya. It provides adolescent girls with access to sanitary pads, along with comprehensive reproductive health education. Since 2013, ZanaAfrica has supported more than 50,000 girls by providing necessary menstrual health and hygiene products.
5. Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE) – Sustainable Health Enterprises (SHE) is another organization fighting period poverty. In Rwanda, 18% of women and girls report missing school or work because they cannot afford to buy period products. SHE operates by empowering women to produce and distribute affordable, eco-friendly menstrual pads made from locally sourced materials. SHE focuses on creating economic opportunities for women while addressing the lack of access to menstrual products and health education. Over 60,000 girls and women now have access to SHE’s period products.

Breaking the Silence

Across the globe, NGOs are fighting period poverty. Through their initiatives, these organizations are breaking the silence, addressing the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products and empowering women and girls to manage their periods with dignity and confidence. By combining advocacy, education and sustainable solutions, these NGOs are making a significant impact and paving the way for a world where period poverty is a thing of the past.

– Eva O’Donovan
Photo: Flickr

Macadamia nuts, a popular food that people enjoy all over the world, contain shells that often end up as waste. However, there are initiatives aiming to transform these shells into eco-friendly briquettes that drive sustainability and also advance efforts to alleviate poverty in many developing countries.

What Are Macadamia Shell Briquettes

As biomass waste products, macadamia nut shells can serve as a renewable energy source. By drying and pressing the shells into variously sized compact fuel blocks, the resulting briquettes can fuel cooking and heating systems or power boilers.

The Benefits of Macadamia Shell Briquettes

1. Environmentally sustainable: As macadamia shells serve no other purpose, their reuse in the form of briquettes reduces the amount of waste in the environment. Also, this prevents deforestation and lowers carbon emissions by providing an alternative to traditional wood-and charcoal-burning methods. The burgeoning industry has seen success in South Africa, the world’s largest macadamia nut producer, with many shells to spare. Shisa Eco-briquettes is just one of the companies working to counteract the more than 2 billion tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions from forest degradation. Additionally, the organization is working to preserve natural resources for future generations with its macadamia shell briquette business.
2. Income generation: With new industries, come new opportunities for employment and income for families living in poverty. Michael Duncan of Shisa Eco-briquettes works alongside four fully trained employees and documents the strong relationship between his company and their local community. “We try to uplift them in every way we can,” he said. Eyoh Alder Ventures, a company run by Muthoni Ndung’u in Kenya, also sells macadamia shell briquettes. Its aim is to “reduce hunger and poverty among rural farmers who are mainly women.” Ndung’u is just one of over 200 women empowered by The Charcoal Project, a nonprofit organization that supports “clean burning technologies.”
3. Cost-effective and energy-efficient: Macadamia shell briquettes also save money for consumers. The shells are more affordable for people living in poverty. It allows people to save more and allocate their income to other needs. Ziwa Hillington of Ugandan company, Green Bio Energy noted that eco-friendly briquettes can be between 20% and 40% cheaper than other cooking fuels like charcoal. Macadamia shell briquettes also burn just as well as charcoal, in terms of both duration and temperature. This dispels any concerns about cost and energy efficiency.
4. Health benefits: In 2022, the World Health Organization reported that almost 2.5 billion people worldwide lacked access to clean cooking material. Women and children in low-income and middle-income countries often succumb to diseases such as cancer, stroke and chronic lung disease. Charcoal and kerosene cooking materials were significant contributors to this crisis. Eco-waste briquettes are healthier alternatives, as the shells do not produce smoke or soot. Healthier families are more likely to be able to stay in education or employment and save what money would otherwise be spent on health care or treatment, and this strengthens both familial and local economies.

Positive Change