Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Everything to Know About Poverty in Greece

Poverty in Greece
Although many generally consider Greece a developed country and it ranks as number 28 for quality of life according to U.S. News, the recent rise in poverty rates is of increasing concern. Here is everything to know about poverty in Greece.

Current Poverty Statistics

The World Bank reported that the most recent poverty headcount ratio for those living below $2.15 a day in Greece was 0.7% in 2019. Moreover, the European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) report titled “Poverty Watch 2022 Greece” found that poverty rates in Greece are on the rise. In 2020, the EAPN reported that 17.7% of the population received wages below the poverty line, coined “income poverty” and rose to 19.6% in 2021. The Poverty Watch report listed three indicators of poverty: income deprivation/poverty, access to seven of 13 basic goods and the labor intensity of a household. The report found that 29.5% of the population (3,092,300 people) is at risk of poverty, 14.8% experience material deprivation of basic goods and 13.6% of adults (individuals aged 18 to 64 years old) live in low-employment households.

In the same report, the risk of poverty for children (individuals aged 0-17) was 23.7%, a 2.3 increase since 2020’s finding of 21.4%. Moreover, nearly every one out of four children lives in households at risk of poverty, suggesting that poverty in Greece affects children and is “severe, recurrent and worsening.”

While the pandemic can take the blame for just about any rise in poverty rates since 2020, Greece’s inflation is a recent growing catalyst of dangerous poverty rates. The World Bank estimates that for every single 1% increase in food prices, more than 10 million people end up in “extreme poverty.” In Greece, the EAPN reports that food prices were up by a startling 30% in May 2022. Furthermore, the cost of wheat, a staple grain, rose by 50%. This means that not only do the increasing food prices in Greece imply expensive groceries but with a 30% growth, as many as 30 million people could be facing extreme poverty.

Relief Programs

Here are some influential relief programs currently operating in Greece to reduce poverty.

  1. Diotima: The Diotima Centre is a nonprofit that focuses on supporting and empowering women through free services. Diotima specifically focuses on equipping “vulnerable” women with support and skills to prevent and cope with gender-based violence. In supporting such groups, Diotima helps unlock an entire working class, effectively helping women find independence in every aspect, including financially. 
  2. Terre des hommes (Tdh): Terre des hommes is an organization that provides child protective services to deliver justice to children. Focusing on asylum seekers and refugees, a large portion of Greece’s poor, Tdh provides essential needs, such as food and clothing, as well as legal and psychosocial support to child victims.
  3. Emfasis Foundation: The Emfasis Foundation is a nonprofit humanitarian organization that aims to support and relieve homeless people. Emfasis helps individuals through counseling, humanitarian help, support of specialists and more. Essentially, Emfasis’ priority is to build relationships with individuals in need, while accommodating their needs and equipping them with a skill set to succeed.

Conclusion

While Greece may not have the most startling poverty rates, there are still many people at risk of extreme poverty. However, with continued support from organizations like the ones mentioned above, poverty in Greece is on track to reduce.

– Micaella Balderrama
Photo: Flickr

Female Genital Mutilation in Thailand

Female Genital Mutilation in Thailand
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the practice of partially cutting or eliminating a female individual’s genitalia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this tradition does not present any beneficial effects for women and can put them in danger due to unsanitary-cutting practices.

Muslim communities in Thailand (5-8% of the total population) consider FGM a ritual practice for female newborns after birth. Thailand’s health ministry turns a blind eye to cutting and relates the practice to culture; thus, it does not emphasize the harm that FGM causes.

Type IV Female Genital Mutilation in Thailand

Female genital mutilation in Thailand falls under type IV of the WHO classifications system. It is the least dangerous invasive process; it still involves cutting, incising and piercing of flesh, but it does not remove the clitoris.

Other types, I and II, involve partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia. Type III involves the vulva being sutured closed, meaning that during intercourse and childbirth, women must be cut open, creating life-threatening scenarios.

Practitioners argue that the consequences of type IV FGM are the least severe and that people should not consider it mutilation. However, Nawal Nour, the director of the Global Women’s Health Center at Harvard Medical School, argues that type IV can still create short and long-term consequences, from excessive bleeding and difficulty urinating to infertility.

Understanding the Risks

An issue Thailand faces is that practitioners believe smaller cuts are less harmful. In reality, they are just as dangerous; even a smaller cut inflicts pain and carries a high risk of infection. Botched jobs can lead to hemorrhage, infection, sepsis and death.

WHO has stated that invasive intervention of the female body violates the human rights of girls and women. Additionally, FGM reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes and the violation of minors. In Southern Thailand’s Yala, hospitals have nurses and doctors who regularly cut the genitals of newborn Muslim girls.

Since no one documents cutting in Thailand and the procedures occur during infancy, some women do not know they have experienced FGM until much later in life. Thus, most women who have undergone the procedure do not see consequences, leading some women to think that it is not harmful and helps reduce sexual desire.

Women and girls remain the most vulnerable populations worldwide, partly due to gender inequity and sexual and gender-based violence. Although the practice is against WHO guidelines, Thailand’s government has not prioritized prosecuting FGM.

Solutions

The Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW) is fighting to end female genital mutilation. ARROW’s goal is to engage with religious scholars who can influence communities positively and urge governments, including Thailand’s government, to end FGM. Advocating for change should help stop girls in Thailand and across Asia from undergoing the procedure. The global focus of FGM has ignored Asia; ARROW’s work to eliminate FGM can change this and cause fewer women to be victims of cutting.

People across the globe practice FGM every day, both secretly and openly which results in women suffering painful consequences. Although people have traditionally thought of FGM as a practice that occurs in African countries, women in Asia are subject to the same pain. However, with the help of NGOs like ARROW, female genital mutilation in Thailand should disappear.

 – Yv Maciel
Photo: Flickr

How Electric Vehicles Could Save Mexico

Electric Vehicles
The electric vehicle market has grown fast. With more people opting to purchase environmentally friendly modes of transport. According to IEA, electric vehicle sales “reached a record high in 2021.” In 2021, around the world, there were up to 6.5 million electric vehicles sold. Sales nearly doubled the numbers set in 2020. J.P. Morgen has estimated that by 2025, “30% of all vehicle sales will be electric vehicles.” The shift from combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles is becoming more of a reality every year. General Motors has announced its plan to “exclusively offer electric vehicles by 2035.” The growing electric vehicle market may appear like a victory for consumers and even car manufacturers. However, the real winner may just be Mexico. This is how Mexico may gain from the exploding electric vehicle market.

How “White Gold” Could Be a Potential Savior

Often referred to as “white gold,” lithium is an essential material for the production of electric vehicle batteries. With the increase in the manufacturing of electric vehicles, Investing News (INN) has stated that lithium has caught the eye of Elon Musk, CEO of the electric car manufacturer Tesla. As lithium becomes an increasing priority for car manufacturers, its prices have hit an all-time high.

Fortunately for Mexico, it has the ninth-largest lithium reserve in the world. The country estimates its Sonora lithium deposits value at more than $600 billion. Mexico’s total national debt amounted to $838 billion in 2022. According to Mexico Business News, the country could benefit from the growing demand for lithium.

With the demand for lithium only growing, Mexico could potentially change its fortune. The revenue gained from extracting lithium and selling it could hugely boost Mexico’s “stagnant economy.”

Potential Problems

Mexico has nationalized lithium. The reform effectively bans “all direct private investment and production in the lithium sector and creates a state-owned entity to extract, process and sell lithium.” The Mexican government was divided over the nationalization of lithium, some believing that the country would be unable to successfully extract and commercialize the metal itself.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has suggested private investment may be necessary due to the huge cost it will take. However, investors seem to show more interest in already established lithium markets, Reuters reports.

Whilst lithium prices have risen to $70,000 per tonne, Reuters understands that the clay deposits have largely trapped lithium in Mexico, making it difficult and expensive to mine. As a result, the lithium in Sonora has yet to see mining on a commercial scale.

Mexico in Crisis

Mexico is a country with high levels of corruption and drug trafficking. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) states that the drug cartels in Mexico are “fuelling the rampant corruption and violence in Mexico.”

According to a 2023 article, roughly 52% of Mexican citizens live in poverty. This amounts to 57 million people. This largely attributes to a “lack of access to education, health care and well-paying jobs.”

As a result, some of the public in Mexico resort to joining drug cartels or engaging in corruption to improve their lives. Since 2006, CFR believes there to have been more than 360,000 homicides in Mexico, many of which link to cartel activity.

If Mexico can capitalize on its lithium reserves, the financial gain could help fund improved access to education and health care, and improve the availability of well-paying jobs. By doing so, Mexico could start to improve its large poverty issues.

Benefits to Mexico

El Pais suggests the Mexican administration has taken steps to take over control of lithium in the country. By nationalizing lithium, the objective is to make it a strategic resource such as oil.

If the Mexican government can invest and learn how to efficiently mine lithium, the revenue it generates from the sale of lithium would be part of the national revenue. Therefore, benefiting the entire country by being able to redistribute a larger source of income to the areas most important.

The government could use the revenue to improve access to education. There is a clear link between “increased educational provision and decreased poverty.”

There is also a link between poverty and crime. “In Mexico, 27% of people between the age of 25 and 34 had a tertiary qualification in 2021, compared with 47% on average in OECD countries,” OECD reports. In 2019, the country spent a total of “$3,577 per full-time student through primary to tertiary institutions compared to $11,990 on average in OECD countries.” By improving access to education, Mexico may begin to decrease the levels of rampant crime and corruption in the country.

Foreign Investments

Mexico has allowed China’s Ganfeng Lithium to massively increase its lithium mining operation in Mexico. Ganfeng Lithium, a major supplier of Tesla’s lithium, is one of the world’s biggest miners of lithium, accounting for 24% of global output. With this increase in investment in Mexico, there is a chance for long-term sustainable jobs for many in Mexico.

The increased investment could help improve the average wage within Mexico with a larger amount of well-payed jobs on offer. Thus, reducing the desire for many to join illegal drug cartels that fuel the extreme levels of corruption in Mexico. According to Quartz, 5% of Mexico’s GDP is lost to corruption, this amounts to $53 billion. The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness stated that this would cover three times the amount Mexico spends on its Department of Education.

The Future

Whilst it is clear that Mexico’s troubles will not vanish overnight, the discovery of an in-demand material such as lithium in Mexico could be a glimmer of hope. The link between poverty and the ongoing corruption and violent crime in Mexico is apparent. Should Mexico start to exploit the significant amount of lithium the country possesses, the government has the ability to make real change to the lives of many Mexicans who lack access to education, health care and the ability to find a well-payed job. Doing so potentially limits the power of drug cartels who continue to make life in Mexico insufferable for many.

– Josef Whitehead
Photo: Unsplash

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Philanthropists Help Address COVID-19’s Impact on Nigeria

Covid-19’s Impact on Nigeria
Philanthropists in Nigeria have played a pivotal role in addressing national emergencies, but the scope of their partnership widened beyond expectations during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when families increasingly struggle to buy food due to low economic activities during the pandemic, such efforts are significantly crucial. Private sector institutions and wealthy individuals have donated large sums of money in an effort to mitigate COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria. The initiative, named Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) is one such endeavor, which raised well above N25.8 billion (approximately $620,192,307.6 at the time) as additional financial resources to complement the government’s effort.

Furthermore, Nigerians in the diaspora and other international donors contributed considerable money to support the government’s effort to address COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria. They made their contributions noticeable through a nonprofit organization called Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF). The NSSF, created in 2020 as a “multi-donor institutional mechanism” for raising funds for interventions in the health sector, uses its funds to target vulnerable groups and re-skilling the youths for post-COVID-19. The NSSF has been actively involved in vaccine advocacy campaigns and training health care workers in Nigeria.

Motivation

In Nigeria, charitable giving has strong ties to religious and cultural traditions. Both Christian and Islamic beliefs emphasize the importance of helping others. The glaring negative impact of the pandemic on individuals and households has invited the private sector to provide assistance in curbing the large-scale impact of COVID-19. This includes the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 CACOVID Fund, which delivers effective assistance to improving the public and private health sectors. Funds that CACOVID collected totaled $55.7 million, 5.1 million of which have been received via donations from the Central Bank.

According to a World Bank report on COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria, the strict measures adopted by the government to contain the virus, coupled with the declining prices of petroleum products, a significant earner of national income by 60%, brought hardship to most households. The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2022, also reported that about 133 million Nigerians, or 63%,  are multi-dimensionally poor, compared to the pre-COVID period figure of about 80 million before the pandemic.

Implementation and Accountability

The government of Nigeria introduced a regulatory measure titled, Framework for the Management of COVID-19 Funds in Nigeria under the Treasury Single Account. The aim of this framework is to support adequate transparency pertaining to COVID-19 funds. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation containing $1 million, also supported Nigerians rebuilding and addressing the ramifications following COVID-19.

The public-private partnership model to address national emergencies is emerging as a regular pattern in Nigeria. In the second half of 2022, widespread flooding took place across the country, particularly in Benue state. The Dangote Flood Committee, which Mr. Aliko Dangote heads, helps flood victims across the country. During the late 2022 flooding incident, the committee raised a significant amount of money totaling N1.5 billion from philanthropists to provide relief and food resources to flood victims in the country. Such relief efforts are of particular significance, as UNICEF reports the destruction of 82,000 homes. This was in addition to the government’s efforts and the $21.4 million aid from the United States.

Public spiritedness, charity or philanthropy are emerging as extra tiers of solutions to national and global challenges. While citizens expect that governments assume primary responsibility, philanthropist partnerships with the government contribute hugely in relation to financial assistance to address COVID-19’s impact on Nigeria. This intervention brought immense relief to larger sections of the population beyond the scope that the government provided.

– Friday Okai
Photo: Flickr

Upholding the Rights of Fashion Industry Workers

Fashion Industry Workers
Shopping retail can be overwhelming due to the options available. When making shopping choices, many might forget about fashion industry workers. Many fashion industry workers across the world face exploitation and violations of human rights, which often pushes them into poverty. Several organizations aim to uphold the rights of fashion industry workers through fair pay, safe working environments, reasonable working hours and more. 

The Fashion Industry

The fashion industry had a 2019 estimate of $2.5 trillion global value. Yet, many fashion brands exploit and take advantage of fashion industry workers in developing nations.

The “minimum wage” in many manufacturing counties only covers a fraction of living costs. Furthermore, many workers do not receive the inadequate “minimum wage.” Workers have to endure 14 to 16 hours of work seven days a week. Additionally, the actual workplace conditions are unsafe and hazardous. It is common for there to be toxic matter present, fiber dust in the air, no ventilation and unsafe building structure.

These circumstances are not humane and prevent workers from breaking cycles of poverty. In 2018, the majority of the 75 million garment workers are women ages 18 to 35 who already face disadvantages due to gender inequality.

Trade

Global trade can help developing countries improve their economic growth. In 2017, estimates determined that the fast fashion industry would grow by 5.91% and reach $1,652.73 billion by 2020. This billion-dollar industry could make a difference in low-income countries since there is such value for the market. If companies begin to invest in second-hand items and create sustainable clothing designs by 2030, they could make a $192 billion profit. This would impact the global economy and potentially allow fashion industry workers in low-income countries to boost their economies.

Consuming Thoughtfully

Many know the fashion industry for its exploitation of workers through unsafe labor and low wages. One solution to this problem is through purchasing from companies that want to work with people who have historically experienced exploitation by unfair work practices in the fashion industry.

Pura Utz

This fair trade business has an emphasis on empowering women and breaking the cycle of poverty by employing women in Guatemala to create handmade jewelry in safe conditions and with a livable wage. The directors of Pura Utz created the business in 2018 and now have a staff of more than 50 women in Guatemala working full-time. They wanted to empower their employees and pay the women four times the market standard in Guatemala and the women receive bonuses twice a year. The directors also created safe standards by allowing flexibility in how much the women want to work since some employees might have other responsibilities. Furthermore, they can all work from home, which is especially helpful for women with domestic responsibilities. The work week is Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Pura Utz adopted a business strategy that upholds the rights of fashion industry workers.

Change Starts Now

This company works to create items for the fashion industry while still upholding the rights of fashion industry workers. Through these efforts, the workers receive the empowerment to break cycles of poverty. The workers are able to work with rights and in conditions that are safe while receiving an opportunity to rise out of poverty through fair wages and fair working policies.

– Ann Shick
Photo: Flickr

Countries Show How Stipends Can Reduce Poverty

Stipends Can Reduce Poverty
One of the best ways to aid populations in financial need is using stipends. Niger, the Philippines and Kenya are three countries working to set an example of how stipends can reduce poverty and improve people’s financial status and general well-being.

Niger

The government of Niger has been giving money to those with the most economic need since 2012 and has seen the program change lives. Since the 1990s, researchers have tried to find the most effective way to relieve poverty for those in developing nations. Researchers conducted trials in Niger in which some participants received aid and others did not. The researchers gave benefactors different types of aid in the form of subsidizing materials or direct funds. Through the study, researchers found that stipends can reduce poverty. In the years after the 2012 program, approximately 100,000 households have been given 24 monthly payments of about $16. This money “more than doubled [the citizens’] typical spending power.”

The Philippines

In the Philippines, the government started a program in 2008 called the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, or 4Ps. Only certain groups are eligible for the stipends, but in 2019, more than 4 million households benefited. One of the requirements of the program is that the beneficiary household’s children must be enrolled in school and attend school 85% of the time. The stipends can reduce poverty, but these educational requirements help individuals as well. Although families can only be eligible for the program for seven years, many see it as extremely helpful in the Philippines.

Kenya

Kenya implemented a program similar to the stipend program in Niger and saw visible success. There is often a fear that when people in poverty receive stipends, they will choose not to work or use the increased income to purchase vices like alcohol instead of necessities. The research that occurred in Kenya showed that stipends gave citizens more free time. From 2011 to 2013, groups of 250 people received about $400 in one payment or through nine equal allotments. Economists found that those who had the payment upfront typically used it for durable goods and the smaller payments often went toward food. The economic activity and overall well-being of both groups increased.

Moreover, research that occurred from 2011 to 2013 found that when more than 10,500 households received $1,000 stipends across 653 randomized villages, the economic benefits helped everyone, including those who did not receive the stipend. This research is limited in scale but shows that stipends can also indirectly reduce poverty.

Economic Value

Overall, the economic value of stipends has been very successful. The examples of Niger, the Philippines and Kenya show how the simple concept of stipends opens up the possibility for a better future. Because stipends can reduce poverty, countries can expand these programs through further research and extend accessibility so more people receive benefits. In the Philippines, families are limited to receiving cash transfers for seven years and it can be hard to qualify. In Kenya, research needs to keep happening on larger scales to show the multitude of benefits. Ultimately, these three examples show the success of stipends in helping those struggling amid poverty.

– Ann Shick
Photo: Flickr

How Baby Grubz is Combating Malnutrition in Nigeria

Combating Malnutrition in Nigeria
Baby Grubz is a Nigerian baby food company that produces food inspired by traditional Nigerian flavors while using local ingredients. Nigerian computer scientist Seun Sangoleye founded Baby Grubz while seeking more nutritious food for her son. Although it may produce a small footprint in combating malnutrition in Nigeria, Baby Grubz is an example of the impact small businesses can have on poverty in their communities.

Malnutrition in Nigeria

According to UNICEF, approximately “2 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).” SAM is especially prevalent in the northeastern regions of Nigeria, which have faced food insecurity due to the regional “rampage” of Boko Haram, according to Al Jazeera. The conflict, which has persisted since 2009, remains to have an effect on food stockpiles in the area, which has led to malnutrition among children in the area — and the problem is only getting worse. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Association (FAO) found that 42.1% of households in three northeastern Nigerian states have “insufficient food intake,” compared to 37.8% in 2021.

A Small Business Solution

Sangoleye founded Baby Grubz upon learning that there were limited options for locally produced, nutritious baby food. She sought to create a “new and nutritious, pocket and family-friendly” alternative to imported baby food products.

“I started Baby Grubz out of a desire for good health for my son but my discoveries about the alarming malnutrition crisis pushed me to continue,” as reported on the Baby Grubz website. She also said that her experience of living in a rural neighborhood opened her eyes to the common struggle and that she decided that her business would “alleviate poverty and provide maximum nutrition at the best prices for the masses.” Her product achieves this by using locally sourced ingredients that are high in malnutrition-tackling vitamins. By using local ingredients, her product also has a small yet positive impact on the local economy.

Infrastructure and COVID-19’s Effects

Baby Grubz’s journey to achieving Sangoleye’s goals of combating malnutrition in Nigeria has faced significant hurdles, however. Infrastructure instability in Nigeria is proving a tricky factor in succeeding as a business. Sangoleye explained to How We Made It in Africa that it is difficult to transport her product throughout the country and that her business uses diesel-powered generators in order to avoid power shortages — a quite costly solution.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Nigerian businesses hard, with “at least two-thirds” of Nigerian businesses closing down as a result, according to the UNDP. Baby Grubz experienced these effects too, with Sangoleye having to lay off some of her employees. The company’s workforce comprises 95% women, a population that has seen a dropping labor participation rate in the last decade. In Nigeria, 48% of women were part of the national workforce in 2021, compared to a peak of 57% that was reached between 1993-2011.

A Bright Future

Despite these hurdles, Sangoleye continues to pursue her fight against child malnutrition in Nigeria, as well as female empowerment. As economies around the world continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Sangoleye has started hiring again and has no plans to stop, according to How We Made It in Africa. While international organizations like the U.N. and numerous NGOs work on combating malnutrition in Nigeria, Baby Grubz presents a small yet effective solution to combating malnutrition on a local level, while boosting the economy by using locally grown ingredients and hiring workers from the surrounding community.

– Mohammad Samhouri
Photo: Flickr

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Drought-Resistant Grains Boost Food Production in Zimbabwe

Food Production in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in south-eastern Africa, frequently suffers from the effects of seasonal droughts. For example, during the 2019 agricultural season, Zimbabwe endured a particularly devastating drought resulting in more than 5 million rural Zimbabweans experiencing food insecurity and nearly 4 million requiring food assistance. On top of issues of food insecurity that lower yields caused, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate rose to rates above 190% in June 2021, resulting in a higher overall cost of living throughout the country. Additionally, the price of maize has risen by more than 50% since the beginning of 2021. Luckily, drought-resistant grains are boosting food production in Zimbabwe.

How the Zimbabwean Government is Assisting Farmers

To solve the problem of lower yield due to maize not being able to withstand drought conditions, the Zimbabwean government has begun assisting farmers in the transition to farming smaller drought-resistant grains like sorghum and millet. This transition has resulted in food production increases in Zimbabwe, though it has not been easy for many farmers, as these smaller grains require more work to keep up. The small-grain crops attract birds, making a protection system essential to guard their crops. Moreover, when harvested, small-grain crops require more labor-intensive processing. Additionally, because the farmers have stopped farming as much maize, they have subsequently become unable to produce the corn necessary to make many staple Zimbabwean foods.

Responsive Drip Irrigation

Responsive Drip Irrigation is aiding farmers with an innovative irrigation system that helps crop production in drought conditions. It developed an irrigation system that reacts to the crops’ chemicals to determine when the plants need water. Of course, innovative technology such as Responsive Drip Irrigation is expensive and therefore difficult to make available to many Zimbabwean farmers. Nevertheless, in August 2021, Responsive Drip Irrigation began working with smallholder farms to help encourage food production increases in Zimbabwe.

The CAWEP Program

Additionally, in December 2022, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced the implementation of a new three-year initiative to make water more accessible throughout rural Zimbabwe. The CAWEP program allocated $14.8 million to increase access to water for various household uses, improve access to clean and affordable energy, and refurbish current irrigation systems. CAWEP should eventually connect as many as 12,500 people to electricity, assist 150,000 people with accessing water and establish more than 100 hectares of land as workable agricultural property. By making water more accessible to these rural Zimbabwean farmers, the UNDP hopes to increase food production in Zimbabwe.

The World Food Programme (WFP)

Finally, the World Food Programme (WFP) has also worked to provide support for rural Zimbabwean farmers in the face of probable climate shocks such as prevalent droughts. as of November 2022, the WFP has provided nearly 10,000 metric tons of food, more than $420,000 worth of cash-based transfers and has reached close to 500,000 people with these cash transfers. As of December 2022, the WFP provided more than 550,000 people with emergency food assistance.

The Road Ahead

Though frequently facing the brunt of powerful droughts and an ever-growing inflation rate, food production is slowly increasing in Zimbabwe as farmers shift to more sustainable crops and receive help from humanitarian organizations such as the WFP and the UNDP.

– Chris Dickinson
Photo: Flickr

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Drop Access Brings Sustainable Solutions to Kenya

Solutions to Kenya
Addressing the world’s most pressing needs through sustainable solutions is one of the greatest challenges human beings currently face as a collective species. Drop Access, a Kenyan-based women and youth-led NGO that legally incorporated in 2019, works to spark change in rural and grassroots communities by improving access to renewable energy and educational programs. The co-founder and CEO of Drop Access Norah Magero and her team conceptualize and manufacture many of the organization’s solutions in-house. Here is some information about the sustainable solutions that Drop Access is bringing to Kenya.

Challenges with Medical Access

Across Southeast Kenya, rural areas like Kamboo and Yindilani are positioned far from the nearest town and electricity grid, with poor roads for connection. Without a steady supply of electricity, the health facilities across these areas face limits in the services providable, and as such, many residents struggle to meet their basic medical needs.

Media outlet Nigeria Health Watch reported in late 2022 an instance where a facility could not offer maternity services due to the inability to store oxytocin, a peptide hormone administered during labor, because of the low temperatures the drug requires in storage and the lack of cold storage facilities on the premises.

This inadequacy was extremely significant during the COVID-19 pandemic when immunization efforts fell below average as facilities could not store enough vaccines to administer to the population on demand. According to data from the World Bank, in 2019, Kenya spent 4.59% of its GDP on health services, a significant decline from 6.12%, not even a decade earlier in 2010, perhaps offering a reason why medical facilities across rural areas of the country endure shortages and inadequacies.

The VacciBox

In response to these challenges, Magero, through Drop Access, tested the VacciBox, a solar-powered portable fridge. With solar panels on the lid, one can mount the box on a motorcycle, bike or boat for transport while the panels harness solar power along the journey. The design includes an integrated digital feature, gathering data and tracking the supply and dispensation of the contents stored, ensuring more informed and effective immunization efforts.

Drop Access ran a pilot project with Usungu Dispensary, a fully off-grid health facility in Makueni County. Initially, the health facility ran biweekly vaccine transports to the dispensary and returned the supplies to the county hospital at the end of the day. The VacciBox has enabled the dispensary to store more than 1,000 vaccines onsite, a development associated with an exceptional growth of 45% in immunization rates across the area.

Agricultural Efforts

The remote struggle extends beyond the lack of access to basic health care resources. Initially, Magero and the team modeled the VacciBox in response to farmers’ concerns regarding supply chain issues. The prototype emerged to enable more reliable transport of perishable goods, particularly milk, with the cold storage allowing for longer travel periods without the milk spoiling. Each VacciBox can carry up to 50 liters of product, preventing food waste in crucial areas and ensuring an overall more efficient supply chain system that offers safer delivery and consumption of food.

In August 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a $123.7 million appeal to tackle the food crisis in the greater Horn of Africa. Seven nations in the region, including Kenya, are experiencing food insecurity on an unprecedented scale.

As of June 2022, more than 37 million people are experiencing levels of food insecurity so severe that people are forgoing essential livelihood assets and turning to other crisis-coping strategies to feed their families as malnutrition is prevalent. Low income, high prices as a result of shortages, drought and supply chain issues contribute to these crisis levels of hunger.

Drop Access hosts workshops to develop and enhance agricultural practices across Kenya. Extremely impactful work, targeting what PricewaterhouseCoopers calls the “the backbone of Kenya’s economy,” agriculture makes up 80% of Kenya’s workforce. Through educational programs informing farmers on innovative and sustainable solutions, the aim is to sustainably increase production levels. The organization aims to educate and inform agricultural workers on the technological developments in the sector and how best to integrate these into their practices.

Education

Education initiatives extend beyond agricultural training and innovation. Drop Access aims to provide renewable energy to marginalized and remote communities through hosted training sessions outlining solar-powered systems, where community members can learn how to use readily available and locally sourced materials to build personal solar-powered systems.

Drop Access provides further guidance and technical support to institutions such as schools, health care clinics and community centers to install such systems. The success of the initiatives has seen increased outreach by Drop Access, which now targets individuals and households to help them integrate renewable energy sources into their day-to-day lives. As an organization, Drop Access’ efforts and initiatives are broad, yet all draw lifeblood from a common denominator: sustainability.

The work of Drop Access and Magero represents far more than an NGO offering environmentally conscious solutions to the most pressing problems communities can face. The efforts toward sustainable solutions are a testament to the environmental awareness of the younger generation and their commitment to playing a role in addressing global issues through innovation.

– Bojan Ivancic
Photo: Flickr

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The 3 Deadliest Noncommunicable Diseases

Noncommunicable Diseases
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) occur due to “genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors.” They are not diseases you can get after touching or being in close contact with someone, but they occur after getting a communicable virus or illness that develops. Common NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. In developing nations, NCDs cause 41 million deaths (74% of all deaths globally) per year. NCDs affect all people, but primarily those who have unhealthy diets, are physically inactive, smoke or excessively drink alcohol. The risks are higher in developing nations where unhealthy lifestyles such as high blood pressure, glucose, fat in the blood and obesity have become more prominent.

3 Deadliest Noncommunicable Diseases

  1. Cardiovascular Disease: This is the deadliest noncommunicable disease. Poor diet and a lack of physical activity are the leading causes of this disease. One can also inherit cardiovascular disease. This can lead to an increase in blood pressure, glucose and weight gain. When not treated, cardiovascular disease can progress into heart attacks and strokes, along with diseases that affect one’s arteries, and blood flow such as coronary artery disease and congenital heart disease.
  2. Cancer: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people can avoid up to 50% of cancers with a healthier lifestyle, such as reducing their intake of tobacco and alcohol and getting immunizations for infections that could cause cancer. Cancer is the second deadliest noncommunicable disease, and lung, liver, stomach, colorectal, prostate, cervical and breast are the most common cancers.
  3. Chronic Respiratory Diseases: These diseases affect the airways and lungs, causing breathing difficulty. Besides inheriting, unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking, also lead to chronic respiratory diseases. Environmental factors play a huge part too. Exposure to air pollution and poor air quality and ventilation can increase the chances of contracting a respiratory disease. Without proper treatment, people can develop more severe diseases such as cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypotension, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Looking Ahead

While people can treat these deadliest noncommunicable diseases, many developing nations cannot afford treatment and lack adequate professional health services. Noncommunicable diseases are long-lasting and can cause suffering with symptoms constantly worsening. According to WHO, every two seconds, a noncommunicable disease kills someone under the age of 70. Currently, 14 of 194 countries that NCDs affect are on target to reach “sustainable development goals” and decrease mortality rates by 2030, preventing nearly 30 million deaths. However, only 5% of outside support goes toward preventing and controlling NCDs, where they are often “overlooked and underfunded.”

To detect, screen and treat NCDs, professional health care services need a drastic improvement. The Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030 focuses on the role of governments and stakeholders in reducing and monitoring risk factors and building policies accordingly. For instance, many sectors, such as finance, education and agriculture, need improvement to prevent and control NCDs. In 2019, WHO extended the Global Action Plan from 2013 to 2030 and set nine global targets.

NCDs Around the World

According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), 550 million people globally are reported to suffer from cardiovascular disease (CVD) as of 2019. Asia and Australasia account for 310 million of these cases, with Uzbekistan recording the highest mortality rate. WHO has a focused plan on all NCDs affecting Uzbekistan. As part of its cost-effective preventative measures, the government has tightened laws regarding the use of tobacco as well as salt and alcohol consumption. In addition, there are campaigns to encourage people to become more physically active. Screenings for CVD and diabetes will see an improvement as well as treatment for those who are high risk, new cases and ongoing cases.

In 2020, there were 18,094,716 cancer cases across the globe, with Denmark topping the list in terms of the number of cases. However, the highest mortality rates were in Mongolia. WHO’s 2020 to 2024 plan for decreasing cervical cancer has three primary targets: to vaccinate 90% of girls aged 15 against HPV, to screen 70% of women twice by 35 to 45 with 90% of treatment and support managing 90% of women who have invasive cervical cancer.

Possible Solutions

Globally, 545 million people suffered from a chronic respiratory disease in 2017, according to The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, which has seen an increase of 39.8% compared to 1990. COPD and asthma are the leading causes of mortality rates, especially in South Asia.

In order to diagnose NCDs, the fundamental factors require improvement first. For example, improving NCD data, research capacity and funding such as collaborating with other countries and organizations to produce better services, creating factually-correct strategies, and improving health technology. While there is no treatment-based plan, following SDG Target 3.4 could reduce one-third of premature deaths by 2030.

– Deanna Barratt
Photo: Flickr