Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

,

Being Poor in Kashmir: How PDS Systems Improve Sustainability

Being Poor in KashmirThe Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir recently celebrated reaching a new milestone in tackling poverty. Results from Niti Yoga’s National MPI (Multi-dimensional Poverty Index) suggested a notable downsizing of poverty and improving the lives of those being poor in Kashmir.

Kashmir, a state located in India’s Northern mountainous terrain, is mostly a rural and remote region. Education and clean water are often a luxury for residents of Kashmir. Even in cities, unstable job opportunities and livelihoods result in constant struggles. However, over the last seven years, the region has recorded a considerable decline in poverty from 12.56% to 4.8% as per the most recent National MPI statistics. In 2025, the region suddenly saw experts’ focus on the credibility of this poverty decline and the MPI itself.

Being Poor in Kashmir & National MPI Controversy

Experts felt that the MPI did not effectively showcase the reality of life in Kashmir. This concern arose from the fact that nearly 50% of Kashmir’s population relied on the government’s Public Distribution Systems (PDS) for food and financial assistance.

PDS played the primary role of providing sustenance for these members who lacked stable means of livelihood. An August 2025 report from Kashmir’s Department of FCS&CA exhibits that 98.64 lakh beneficiaries receive food grains every month. Thus, social workers and national journalists felt that Kashmir’s citizens still lacked credible means to overcome poverty and mere survival.

The Multidimensional Poverty Index summed multiple life factors while measuring poverty. Additionally, the National MPI, which Niti Yoga has appropriated, includes two more factors, maternal health and financial inclusion. When keeping this in mind, social experts express concerns that Kashmir’s progress in declining poverty might be short-term. It is problematic because in the process of poverty reduction, dependency on PDS systems is peaking. But does it suffice to view this only as dependency?

Why Should One View PDS Optimistically?

While the experts’ concerns definitely are valid, should one view them in a negative light? Some leaders argue that the government is utilizing taxpayers’ money to help those residing below the poverty line. Although the PDS dependency numbers are staggering, giving people access to necessities such as food, housing and sanitation holds long-term benefits. For instance, families with children who previously focused only on survival are now expanding horizons towards education and other aspects of quality of life. Kashmir’s 2022-23 SDG reports showed that education enrollment increased to 88.65% from 71.73% in 2015-16.

Secondly, when looking at the statistics, the uplifting of 7.76% people from below the poverty line is an incredible achievement, according to government representatives. Moreover, the fact that government schemes facilitated this improvement adds to the positive momentum and a hope for those who are poor in Kashmir.

Finally, an important aspect is that a large part of the Jammu and Kashmir population is no longer starving. The lifestyle of the population has undergone major changes from the last five years, especially in regards to the experience of being poor in Kashmir. Dependency on PDS can be reduced by using the right strategies, but lives getting saved and hunger being eradicated are commendable feats.

Reducing PDS Dependency

Kashmir’s local and central leadership has made notable progress in eradicating poverty. The government is now focusing increasingly on employment and entrepreneurship. Representatives are turning their attention towards schemes which help increase the means of livelihood and income stability. 

Some of these schemes include the MUMKIN, a scheme for improving youth livelihood, PM SVANidhi for street vendors and others. Other schemes prioritizing women entrepreneurship and security for the elderly also exist.

The government plans to initiate multi-dimensional strategies, which on the one hand focus on the stability of PDS systems. On the other hand, it can work on improving people’s means of financial income, creating new jobs and educational opportunities. In doing so, the funds allocation can slowly shift more towards such schemes while reducing PDS dependency. Thus, leaders reinforce that it is important to view the PDS systems as factors improving sustainability rather than as a dependency for those being poor in Kashmir. Because schemes and systems like these eradicate the more impossible problems, such as food and shelter accessibility to rural areas and urban poverty, too.

Into the Future

By elevating people from the below poverty line social sector, their approach to life changes. Impoverished people slowly shift from survival modes to sustenance modes such as education, lifestyle, etc. Evidently, Kashmir’s tourism rates and infrastructure progress show considerable improvement. 

Kashmir is now well poised to utilize the funds from tourism for improving its citizens’ quality of life. Central and State Governments expect to see more of the population stepping out of being poor in Kashmir over the coming years. 

– Shafika Fathima

Shafika is based in Chennai, India and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Higher Education in Malta and Its Role in Reducing Poverty

Higher education in MaltaHigher education in Malta has expanded significantly over the past decade, placing the country above the European Union average for tertiary attainment, according to the European Commission’s Education and Training Monitor. However, unequal access to education continues to limit who benefits from this growth, directly affecting poverty outcomes.

These disparities matter because education remains one of the strongest predictors of long-term economic security. In small, service-based economies such as Malta’s, higher education often determines access to stable employment, higher wages and upward social mobility.

Public institutions such as the University of Malta and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology have driven much of the growth in higher education in Malta, supported by a growing private higher education sector. Despite broader access, participation and outcomes remain uneven across socio-economic groups.

Education Attainment and Poverty Risk

Data from Eurostat shows a clear relationship between education level and poverty risk in Malta. Individuals with tertiary education face a significantly lower risk of poverty than those with only secondary or post-secondary, non-tertiary qualifications.

This gap illustrates the protective role higher education plays against poverty. University graduates are more likely to secure stable employment and higher wages, particularly in sectors such as finance, health care, education and information technology. Workers without tertiary credentials often face low wages, job insecurity and limited career mobility. 

Despite high public investment, outcomes remain polarized. Roughly 40% of adults in Malta still have less than upper secondary education, which limits access to higher education in Malta and reinforces intergenerational inequality.

Barriers To Higher Education Access

Early educational attainment plays a decisive role in determining who reaches university. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Malta underperform in literacy and numeracy, reducing their likelihood of completing secondary education and progressing to tertiary studies.

Socio-economic background further shapes educational trajectories. While public universities charge no tuition for Maltese and EU citizens, indirect costs such as housing, transportation, study materials and foregone income discourage students from low-income households from pursuing higher education.

Adult learning participation reflects similar inequality. Lifelong learning programs in Malta primarily attract individuals who already hold higher qualifications, while adults with lower education levels participate far less, limiting reskilling opportunities and increasing long-term poverty risk.

Labor Market Mismatches and Inequality

Even among graduates, outcomes remain uneven. Malta faces shortages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, while some graduates experience underemployment due to skills mismatches. Weak alignment between education outcomes and labor market needs can undermine the poverty-reducing potential of higher education in Malta.

 To address these gaps, policymakers emphasize closer coordination between tertiary institutions and labor market demand. Strengthening vocational and technical pathways alongside traditional university degrees can broaden access to stable, well-paid employment.

Higher Education as an Anti-Poverty Strategy

The Maltese government introduced initiatives to improve access to higher education. The Get Qualified Scheme provides tax credits to individuals pursuing higher education or vocational training, reducing financial barriers and encouraging workforce upskilling.

The government also provides monthly student stipends to help cover living costs, which supports retention and reduces dropout rates among full-time students from lower-income households.

International research consistently identifies education as one of the most effective long-term strategies for reducing poverty. Tertiary education increases lifetime earnings, improves health outcomes and strengthens civic participation.

Conclusion

Higher education in Malta reduces poverty risk by improving employment stability and income potential. However, unequal access, early educational disparities and labor market mismatches continue to limit its full impact.

Expanding financial support, strengthening adult learning opportunities and aligning education with workforce needs would allow higher education in Malta to function as a true engine of social mobility and long-term poverty reduction.

– Sean Leung

Sean is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Reclaiming Health Care for Indigenous Communities in Canada

Indigenous Communities in CanadaIn Canada, health care is socially determined. More precisely, health care for Indigenous communities faces several barriers that generate disproportionate health statistics compared to non-Indigenous Canadians. Indigenous people have a lower life expectancy and are at a greater risk of developing chronic and infectious diseases.

They also experience higher rates of mental health issues, as well as substance abuse and are more likely to be discriminated against by health care professionals.

The Barriers

One of the greatest barriers for Indigenous communities seeking health care is geography, especially for those living off-reserve and in remote areas. In a survey conducted by Statistics Canada, more than half of Inuit respondents reported having to travel more than 1,500 kilometers to access health care. In that same survey, one in five Indigenous people reported experiencing discrimination and racism by health care professionals.

In some cases, this prejudice would lead to inadequate care, misdiagnoses and negatively impact mental health. Health care for Indigenous communities also falls short when it comes to diseases. Indigenous peoples have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes. cardiovascular diseases and respiratory illnesses compared to non-Indigenous Canadians.

This is partially due to the aforementioned health care barriers and can also be attributed to intergenerational trauma and forced erasure of traditional medicinal practices.

The Case of Joyce Echaquan

Joyce Echaquan’s death on September 28, 2020, at the Joliette Hospital Center in Quebec is one fatal instance of racial discrimination against Indigenous peoples by health care professionals. Echaquan, a 37-year-old Atikamekw woman and mother of seven, went to the hospital for severe stomach pain. She recorded hospital staff verbally berating her on her phone and passed away shortly after posting the video to social media.

Her case received widespread media attention and prompted protests, marches and vigils in Montreal and surrounding Quebec cities to bring hospital staff to justice. A call to action in her name, the Joyce’s Principle, “aims to guarantee to all Indigenous people the right of equitable action, without any discrimination, to all social and health services.” The Joyce Principle has since been adopted by the federal government and by universities such as McGill.

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) covered her story in its historical and ethical review report and apology to Indigenous peoples released in 2023.

Indigenous-Led Initiatives

Indigenous representatives across Canada are calling for more initiatives led by their own communities to ensure that health care is delivered in a culturally safe way. The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) in British Columbia is one such initiative. It is the only health authority in Canada to operate on a provincial scale and its mission is to establish culturally safe care by managing and funding health programs.

It has been successful in operating clinics and health centers across the province and in encouraging respectful collaboration with Indigenous people since 2013. Similar initiatives, such as the Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin (KIM) in Manitoba and the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority (SLFNHA) in Ontario, aim to provide culturally safe health care at the provincial level, on par with the FNHA.

– Brittany Buscio

Brittany is based in Montreal, Canada and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

,

Pakistan’s Lady Health Worker Program & Poverty Reduction

Lady Health Worker ProgramFor a low-income family living on the edge of poverty in rural Pakistan, even a minor illness can become a life-altering crisis. One medical emergency can push them deeper into systemic poverty, force children out of school and trap the family in debt they may never escape. A large majority of the Pakistani rural population falls under this socioeconomic category, where they remain “clustered just above the poverty line.”

Lacking access to quality health care, education and secure land or housing, they struggle to establish themselves within the middle class and remain constantly at risk of slipping back into poverty. At the same time, rising public debt and fiscal constraints have limited government investment in infrastructure, resulting in uneven service delivery and reduced access to essential health and education services. According to the World Bank, these domestic challenges disproportionately affect women and girls.

For example, if the journey to a school is more than five kilometres, the likelihood of girls being out of school is 76% higher than for boys.

Gendered Impacts of Poverty and Weak Health Systems in Pakistan

Furthermore, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Pakistan, particularly in rural areas, the provision of appropriate antenatal care is constrained by limited health infrastructure and a shortage of skilled medical professionals. To provide vital services to children who are most difficult to reach, community health systems are crucial. Failing social structures expose the “gendered face of poverty,” where deprivation is not only economic but also social and deeply politicized.

Women are the most excluded from public services, yet they bear the greatest burden of inadequate care. Gender-disaggregated data show that although about 45% of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line, more than 75% of those in poverty are women and girls. This inequality is further reflected in the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, where Pakistan ranks last out of 148 countries, underscoring persistent disparities in economic opportunity, political representation, health and education.

As a result, the country forfeits significant productive potential, as women’s labor force participation remains among the lowest in South Asia at just 21% in 2019. In Pakistan, women remain disproportionately poor due to deeply entrenched patriarchal practices, discriminatory laws and restrictive social norms.

Pakistan’s Lady Health Worker Program

As part of its national public health strategy, Pakistan’s Lady Health Worker (LHWs) program was launched in the mid-1990s to support families with limited access to formal health care. The initiative trains local women to deliver basic health services within their communities, particularly in low-income and rural areas where clinics and hospitals are scarce. LHWs provide prenatal and postnatal care, childhood immunizations, family planning guidance and basic health education.

Because they live and work in the communities they serve, they are often the first point of contact for families with health concerns. This accessibility allows health issues to be identified and addressed early, reducing the risk of complications that would otherwise require costly emergency care. Pakistan’s maternal mortality ratio has improved significantly, falling from 432 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1985 to 155 in 2023, highlighting the importance of expanded maternal health services.

Earlier high mortality rates were largely driven by high fertility levels and limited access to health care, with only 15% of women reporting at least one antenatal care visit during their most recent pregnancy. Social and cultural constraints, such as women’s restricted mobility outside the home without an escort, further limit access to health treatment in Pakistan.

Pathways Out of Poverty

For the LHWs themselves, the position represents a significant opportunity and a pathway out of poverty. The paid role advances their education through training and practical work experience, enhancing social mobility and helping to break down class and gender barriers. After three months of classroom training, LHWs undergo a year of on-the-job training.

Although training patterns vary across provinces, this typically includes 15 days of refresher training annually, plus one week of training each month over 12 months. Because they are required to build relationships across caste and class boundaries, some LHWs have gone on to become leaders within their communities. The project also aligns with Pakistan’s broader socioeconomic transformation, including rapid urbanization, increased media exposure, growing acceptance of female education and a rising desire among women to work, particularly after gaining access to schooling.

The program is state-backed, giving participants the status of holding a “government job.” As provincial funding has increased to offset earlier federal shortfalls, the programs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh are now adequately resourced, following a period of severe financial constraints across regions.

Contribution to Poverty Reduction

The LHW program contributes to poverty reduction by addressing one of the most common causes of financial instability in low-income households: preventable illness. In rural areas, many families depend on daily wages, meaning even a short illness can result in lost income. When health care is delayed or unavailable, minor health issues can quickly escalate into crises that require costly treatment or long trips to distant hospitals.

LHWs help families avoid these financial shocks by delivering preventive care at the household level. Early treatment of common illnesses, childhood immunizations and prenatal checkups all reduce the likelihood of expensive medical interventions. The program’s core objective is to provide basic preventive, promotive and curative health services within communities, particularly for women and children living in marginalized rural areas and urban slums.

Through this model, approximately 90,000 LHWs deliver primary health care to an estimated 115 million people who would otherwise have limited or no access to health services. National Vision Action Planning documents highlight the critical role of LHWs in improving the quality and accessibility of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCH) services. Their work strengthens community-based care, ensures continuity of treatment in rural districts and urban slums and helps remove financial barriers that prevent families from seeking timely care.

Final Remarks

Pakistan’s Lady Health Worker program demonstrates how poverty reduction in Pakistan is closely linked to access to basic, preventive health care. By delivering essential services directly to underserved communities, the initiative helps families avoid medical expenses and income losses that often deepen poverty. Its emphasis on early intervention shows that health care can function not only as a social service but also as an economic safety net for low-income households.

Community-based health care offers a practical, affordable and sustainable response to Pakistan’s widespread poverty. Long-term funding for initiatives like these may improve public health, promote home and help end intergenerational cycles of poverty, demonstrating that significant development often starts at the community level.

– Prubleen Bhogal

Prubleen is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixnio

, ,

The Laufey Foundation: Uplifting Young Musicians

The Laufey FoundationIcelandic Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Laufey has given back to young musicians from all backgrounds across the world through The Laufey Foundation, a nonprofit that supports youth music programs worldwide.

Background

Known for her musical style that fuses classical, bossa nova and jazz pop, Laufey blends the vintage richness of jazz with modern pop.

She has become admired by Gen Z for her tranquil voice alongside traditional instruments, creating a dreamy, nostalgic feel through her uniquely romantic songs that center around her experience in love, self-identity and more.

She first made her debut with the EP, Typical of Me, in 2021. Since then, she rose as the world’s top streaming jazz artist and won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop vocal for her 2023 album Bewitched.

The Laufey Foundation

The newly formed Laufey Foundation is a nonprofit that gives youth music programs worldwide access to high quality instruments and equipment and offers financial grants. The foundation’s mission is to uplift youth from all backgrounds by allowing them the opportunities to grow their musical abilities in orchestra programs.

Throughout her life, Laufey has been given the invaluable opportunities of musical education that allowed her to excel and thrive as the celebrated artist that she is today. She credits much of her success to the youth orchestra programs that equipped her with the skills to follow her passion in music.

It was a Presidential Scholarship that allowed her to further her education as a cellist at the Berklee College of Music. With The Laufey Foundation, she intends to give back to young musicians to provide them with the support that once helped her. ”My goal is to bring jazz and classical music to my generation through a more accessible road,” Laufey shared.

These youth orchestra programs provide hundreds of children as young as 5-years-old and as old as 18 with accessible top-quality music education and training that hones their musical talent, no matter where they come from.

Partners

The organization’s website shared that their goal is to “make sure all aspiring musicians have the resources they need, especially through youth orchestras, to reach their full potential.”

So far, The Laufey Foundation’s brand partners include AEG Presents, AWAL, Steinway and Sons, Catbird, Gibson and Warner Chappell Music and continue to grow.

Established in 2025, its mission has only just begun. To create a global impact, the organization seeks to expand beyond U.S. programs to reach youth orchestras across the world as they grow and evolve. The Laufey Foundation’s development will not only be through donors, but Laufey’s charitable efforts.

The organization has since partnered with five youth orchestras after its recent 2025 launch:

  • The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO)
  • The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra
  • The Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA)
  • Global Arts
  • Carnegie Hall’s NYO2 and NYO Jazz

The programs selected have global recognition for its gifted students or aim to support young musicians who lack the resources to nurture their growth. As The Laufey Foundation advances its reach, it will partner with more youth orchestra programs worldwide.

Charitable Efforts

In the early beginnings of The Laufey Foundation, the artist made an initial donation of $100,000 to go toward her “commitment to making a meaningful impact across different sectors of society and culture.”

Laufey dropped her album, A Matter of Time, and championed The Laufey Foundation following its release in August 2025.

In July 2025, she announced a sweepstake for two VIP tickets to Laufey’s Los Angeles show, an exclusive soundcheck experience with Laufey, a signed Gibson guitar and more, travel and hotel included. Every entry went towards The Laufey Foundation.

Additionally, when selling tickets for her A Matter of Time Tour in August 2025, a $1 per ticket donation from the UK, U.S. and European countries raised over $275,000 for The Laufey Foundation.

Art Pieces

She has partnered with Soundwaves Art Foundation and signed art pieces that depict a visual of soundwaves from her famous chart-topping song, “From The Start.” The exclusive hand-signed art collection supported The Laufey Foundation with its profits. What’s more, $1 was donated with each sale of Laufey’s original plushie, Mei Mei. Laufey’s first children’s picture book, Mei Mei The Bunny, had $1 from each book sold go towards the foundation. Everlane has also collaborated with Laufey for a limited edition clothing collection that benefits The Laufey Foundation.

Laufey does not only raise funding for youth orchestra programs but serves as a mentor herself. Throughout her tour, Laufey invited her partnered youth orchestras to several soundchecks. At the soundchecks, the young musicians watched her performances and asked her questions surrounding being a musician.

Global Impact on Young Musicians

Laufey has inspired fans across the world and brought upon a resurgence of traditional jazz and classical music. She sends listeners into a lovesick nostalgia with touching lyrics that warms the heart. Through her passion for music and devotion to sharing it to the future generation of musicians, Laufey is dedicated to expanding access to music opportunities and supporting young artists in any way she can through her platform and influence.

– Caydie Tampac

Caydie is based in Las Vegas, NV, USA and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

,

Waste-to-Fuel Microfactories in Lagos

Waste-to-Fuel Microfactories in LagosLagos faces two interconnected challenges that disproportionately affect low-income communities: mounting waste accumulation and unreliable access to affordable energy. The city generates 13,000 metric tons of waste every day, including plastics, organics and other refuse, and waste management systems struggle to keep up with rapid urban growth. This inconsistency contributes to environmental degradation and heightened health risks in densely populated neighborhoods. Waste-to-fuel microfactories in Lagos offer a community-level approach to this dual challenge by proposing systems that convert solid waste into usable fuels and energy products. By turning discarded materials into resources, these systems expand clean energy access while creating income opportunities and reducing landfill pressure.

Lagos’s shift toward circular waste strategies seeks to move beyond disposal toward resource recovery, allowing communities to benefit economically from materials previously considered waste. Waste-to-fuel microfactories in Lagos could function as decentralized hubs where plastic waste, agricultural scraps and organics become fuels like briquettes, biogas or process heat for local use.

Local Waste Processing Reduces Environmental Burden

Lagos is advancing circular waste economy and energy recovery partnerships that aim to harness the inherent value of solid waste rather than burden landfills. For example, the state is actively working to replace its linear waste model with one focusing on energy recovery and material reuse, reflecting a broader strategy to transform waste into resources.

The Lagos State Government has signed a partnership with Harvest Waste Consortium, a Dutch company that will build a waste-to-energy plant at the Epe landfill using advanced technology to convert municipal, commercial and industrial waste into clean energy. This facility could generate usable electrical power and provide a model for how waste-to-fuel microfactories might function at smaller, community scales.

Additionally, collaboration between Lagos State and Lafarge Africa aims to convert non-recyclable combustible waste into alternative fuel for industrial use, an initiative that demonstrates how waste can become fuel for energy and production rather than end up in dumpsites.

Public Health, Jobs and Economic Opportunities

Beyond large waste-to-energy facilities, Lagos is positioning waste as a source of economic value. A recent forum on waste management emphasized that waste should be seen as “wealth we recover,” highlighting the potential for new jobs in waste collection, sorting, processing and energy conversion. This shift toward circular strategies supports livelihoods and provides training and employment for local residents, demonstrating how waste-to-fuel microfactories could create income streams at community level.

Traditional solid fuels like charcoal and kerosene contribute to indoor air pollution and respiratory illness, particularly among low-income households. Waste-derived energy products, including briquettes or biogas, burn more cleanly and could reduce harmful emissions when adopted at household or community levels. Research on waste-to-energy technologies in Nigeria notes the potential public health gains when municipal solid waste is converted to usable energy rather than left to decompose in open dumps.

Circular Economy Models Strengthen Urban Resilience

Lagos officials have acknowledged that waste is an untapped economic opportunity, and strategic circular economy plans aim to build systems that treat waste as a resource. Experts say that sustainable energy recovery strategies — including pyrolysis and other waste conversion technologies, offer a pathway toward economic growth, reduced environmental impact and enhanced energy security in Nigeria’s largest city.

Waste-to-fuel microfactories in Lagos, though still emerging, fit within a larger movement toward circular waste management, energy recovery and community-focused economic opportunity. By transforming waste into usable fuels and energy products, these systems could reduce landfill burdens, create jobs and expand access to cleaner energy for underserved communities. With continued investment, supportive policy frameworks and community engagement, Lagos’s approach to waste-to-fuel technologies can play a meaningful role in addressing both environmental and socioeconomic challenges in the city.

– Shahzeb Khan

Shahzeb is based in San Ramon, CA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Humanitarian Efforts To Address Elderly Poverty in Tonga

Elderly Poverty in TongaElderly poverty in Tonga has long been a concern due to limited formal employment opportunities, reliance on subsistence livelihoods and traditional family-based care systems. As of 2021, the overall elderly poverty rate was 22.1% in Tonga, with rural and outer islander communities being affected more than urban communities. In recent years, Tonga has taken meaningful steps to improve the economic security and well-being of its older population through social protection initiatives, policy development and partnerships with regional and international organizations.

Improving Health Care Access for Older Adults

One of the most significant developments in addressing elderly poverty in Tonga has been the expansion of social welfare and health care programs for older adults. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Tonga has strengthened its social protection framework to support vulnerable populations, including seniors. In December 2023, the government and ADB signed a $16.18 million USD grant to improve safe and high-quality health care services for older individuals and their caregivers.

In November 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the Health Enhancement and Resiliency in Tonga (HEART) Project, which granted $30 million USD towards non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Improved health care access plays a critical role in reducing elderly poverty, as untreated illness often leads to increased financial strain and dependence.

Regional and Community-Based Support Initiatives

Regional organizations have also contributed to reducing elderly poverty. According to HelpAge International, Tonga has increasingly participated in age-inclusive policy discussions within the Asia-Pacific region. These efforts promote the rights of older people and encourage governments to integrate aging considerations into national development strategies.

At the community level, local organizations and churches continue to play an important role in supporting elderly Tongans. While family-based care remains central to Tongan culture, these community networks provide additional assistance such as food support, social engagement and caregiving for seniors who lack immediate family support. Organizations include Her Majesty Queen Nanasipau’u Charity and Tongan Health Society.

Financial Plans and Social Security

Financial plans are an effective way to reduce elderly poverty in Tonga, given that the majority of jobs are labor-intensive. Tonga established the National Retirement Benefits Fund (NRBF) under the National Retirement Benefits Scheme (NRBS) Act of 2010 to provide financial security for Tongans in old age. The fund offers benefits related to retirement between the ages of 60 and 70, as well as support in cases of permanent total disability, early release or death.

In addition to providing retirement benefits, the NRBF promotes national savings and investment, helping working Tongans build long-term financial stability for old age. Complementing this system, Tonga introduced a Social Welfare Scheme in September 2012, which provides monthly financial assistance of $65 TOP to elderly citizens aged 75 and older. This offers direct income support to some of the country’s most vulnerable seniors.

Overall, elderly poverty in Tonga is improving through expanded social protection, health care investment and age-inclusive policy development supported by regional and international aid. While the elderly population makes up approximately 3% of Tonga’s population, the goal is to ensure they have access to funds whenever they need them. Through local and regional organizations and government grants, the road to ending elderly poverty in Tonga is near. 

– Simran Dev

Simran is based in Caledon, ON, Canada and focuses on Global Health and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Child Soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Child Soldiers in the Democratic Republic of CongoThe issue of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has direct ties to violence, poverty and exploitation, as armed conflict continues to destabilize communities across the country. Widespread poverty and prolonged war push children into militarized groups, where they face abuse, coercion and life-threatening conditions. The recruitment of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo highlights the devastating human cost of conflict and the urgent need for international attention and intervention.

Military Presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Armed groups operate throughout eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in North and South Kivu. One of the most prominent groups, the March 23 Movement (M23), has maintained a strong presence in these areas for years. The group challenges the Congolese government over security and political control and seeks to expand its territorial influence.

According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), M23 has capitalized on regional instability to strengthen its military capabilities and territorial control.

In January 2025, M23 captured the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu. The group also seized control of coltan-rich regions, a resource critical to global electronics manufacturing. Access to these minerals provides M23 with a steady source of revenue, increasing its military power and influence. As fighting intensified, violence displaced approximately 350,000 people, according to the United Nations refugee agency. This mass displacement further deepened poverty and exposed children to exploitation and forced recruitment.

War and Poverty

The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranks among the poorest countries in the world. As of recent estimates, more than 77% of the population lives on less than $1.90 per day. Chronic poverty severely affects children, with 46% suffering from stunted growth due to malnutrition. Armed conflict exacerbates these conditions by destroying livelihoods, separating families and forcing communities to flee their homes.

Displaced children often become “street children,” lacking protection, education and access to basic necessities. These children face extreme vulnerability and frequently experience exploitation through hazardous labor, abuse and military recruitment. Poverty strips children of alternatives, leaving armed groups free to manipulate and coerce them into violence.

Child Soldiers

Armed groups actively recruit and abduct children from the streets and displacement camps. M23 and other militias forcibly recruit children as young as eight years old and transport them to training camps. In one M23 camp, children made up at least 20% of the 1,000 trainees. Militias target children because they lack power, protection and agency.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, child soldiers are often referred to as “kadogos,” meaning “little ones” in Swahili. Armed groups force these children into dangerous roles as fighters, porters and lookouts. Militias frequently use child soldiers as cannon fodder, assigning them the riskiest tasks due to their perceived expendability. Girls face additional risks, including sexual violence and exploitation, both within armed groups and while living on the streets.

A former child soldier named Constance, living in a displacement camp near Goma in late 2024, told The Guardian, “I went to war… it was a nightmare.” Poverty pushed her to join a militia opposing M23, where she carried rocket-propelled grenades into combat. Her experience reflects a broader pattern, as UNICEF estimates that children make up approximately 30% of armed group members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Reintegration and Support Efforts

Despite the scale of the crisis, organizations continue to support former child soldiers and displaced children. War Child began operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2004, focusing on education, child protection and psychosocial support. The organization works to reintegrate former child soldiers into their communities by providing trauma-informed mental health care, access to education and family reunification services.

In eastern DRC, War Child has provided more than 14,900 children with education and protective services and delivered psychosocial support to more than 17,000 displaced children affected by conflict. These programs help children rebuild their lives and reduce the risk of re-recruitment into armed groups.

Conclusion

The persistence of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo demonstrates how violence, poverty and exploitation intersect during prolonged conflict. Armed groups continue to prey on vulnerable children, using war and economic desperation to sustain their ranks. While humanitarian organizations like War Child offer pathways toward recovery and reintegration, lasting solutions require sustained international engagement, poverty reduction and protection for children caught in conflict. Addressing the root causes of recruitment remains essential to ending the cycle of exploitation and violence.

– Alice Morris

Alice is based in Bristol, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

, ,

Yoga Alleviates Poverty in Africa

Yoga Alleviates Poverty in AfricaAfrica faces a deep employment crisis shaped not only by unemployment but also by low wages, irregular work and a lack of labor protections. For many families, work exists, but stability does not. In response, an unlikely tool is emerging: yoga.

Communities and organizations now adapt yoga, once associated mainly with wellness studios in the Global North, into skills-based programs that generate income, create employment and build economic resilience in vulnerable communities. Yoga alleviates poverty in Africa by addressing the barriers that prevent people from securing stable livelihoods.

Africa’s Employment Crisis

Africa’s unemployment rate, at 7.9%, exceeds the global rate of 5.6%. Within the region, Northern Africa has the world’s highest unemployment rate (11.7%) and sub-Saharan Africa’s rate (7.2%) is also above the world average. 

Although unemployment rates remain high, they capture only one dimension of Africa’s employment crisis. In many countries, such as South Africa and Eswatini, the prevalence of low wages, casual and irregular work, uncertain hours and a lack of workplace protections prevents employment from guaranteeing economic security. This structural challenge leaves millions working without stability or a reliable pathway out of poverty.

Young people feel this crisis most sharply. African youth aged 15-35 have extremely high unemployment rates: 33% in Egypt, 43% in Mali and 54.2% in South Africa. Many analysts attribute these figures to a youth skills deficit, which drives structural unemployment and underemployment.

Africa Yoga Project

Africa Yoga Project (AYP) educates, empowers and expands employability among African youth through yoga-based training programs. Its mission is to create opportunities for young people to become self-sustaining leaders within their communities by combining physical and mental well-being with practical, income-generating skills. AYP offers yoga teacher training, leadership development and mentorship programs that equip participants with marketable skills to earn a living.

Graduates work as yoga instructors, often teaching in schools or online since the COVID-19 pandemic. These opportunities are particularly significant in regions where formal employment is limited and youth unemployment remains high. By transforming yoga into a viable livelihood, AYP addresses both economic insecurity and community well-being.

Its programs demonstrate how yoga alleviates poverty in Africa by developing skills and improving mental health, resilience and social cohesion in underserved communities.

Project Air

Project Air shows how yoga can support poverty alleviation by meeting people where they are, emotionally, physically and socially. The initiative works with HIV-positive survivors of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, many of whom carry deep trauma that makes daily life and economic participation feel out of reach. Through gentle, trauma-informed yoga, Project Air helps participants rebuild strength, regulate stress and reconnect with their bodies in ways that support stability and self-reliance.

By working alongside local survivor associations, the Rwandan Ministry of Health and UNICEF, Project Air creates safe, supportive spaces rooted in trust and community. The program also provides food, clothing and shared care, easing daily pressures so women and children can focus on healing and rebuilding their futures. These practical and emotional supports allow participants to reengage with their communities and begin imagining long-term livelihood opportunities.

As the first yoga initiative to receive United Nations (U.N.) endorsement, Project Air illustrates how yoga alleviates poverty in Africa by restoring dignity, well-being and economic participation in post-conflict societies. For some participants, the most profound outcome was simple but transformative: they slept peacefully for the first time since the genocide.

Yoga as a Tool for Poverty Reduction

The work of initiatives such as AYP and Project Air shows that poverty reduction in Africa requires more than job creation alone. By addressing skills gaps, trauma and mental well-being, yoga-based programs remove barriers that prevent young people and survivors of conflict from fully participating in economic life. While yoga does not replace large-scale employment policy, these community-led efforts demonstrate how low-cost, integrated interventions can build resilience and self-reliance.

Together, they show how yoga alleviates poverty in Africa by linking well-being with economic empowerment and placing human dignity at the center of development.

– Iona Gethin

Iona is based in Exeter, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

, ,

Everything To Know About Hunger in Iran

Hunger In IranHunger in Iran has been a significant national and international concern since the early 1900s. Long-term policy failures rooted in historical experiences have shaped the country’s food security challenges. Major famines during the World Wars created a lasting fear of hunger, which led political leaders after the 1979 Revolution to prioritize food self-sufficiency. To achieve this goal, the government introduced heavy subsidies, guaranteed crop prices and high tariffs on food imports to protect domestic agriculture. While these measures increased food production, they distorted markets and failed to keep pace with population growth. Iran continued to rely on imports for key staples such as wheat, rice and corn, leaving the country vulnerable to sanctions and inflation.

Roots of Hunger

According to the 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI), Iran ranks 40th out of 123 countries, reflecting moderate hunger levels rather than extreme deprivation. Although the number of people experiencing hunger has declined, food security has become increasingly unstable. Western sanctions linked to Iran’s human rights record and nuclear program have worsened this deterioration by restricting food imports and driving unprecedented food inflation. At the same time, reduced rainfall has weakened agricultural production and intensified existing vulnerabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced household incomes and increased unemployment, which limited access to affordable food. These economic pressures placed low-income families at particular risk and made it difficult for many households to obtain even basic nutrition.

Environmental mismanagement has also played a major role, particularly poor water governance. Agriculture consumes the majority of Iran’s water resources because the government heavily subsidizes water.

As a result, farmers have little incentive to conserve water and often rely on inefficient irrigation practices that drive excessive water consumption. These policies have pushed Iran into severe water stress and weakened the country’s ability to ensure stable and affordable food supplies.

Consequences of Hunger and Malnutrition

Rising food prices have made nutritious foods such as meat and dairy increasingly unaffordable. Iran’s Deputy Health Minister, Alireza Raisi, has reported that Iranians consume less than half of the recommended levels of meat and dairy.

Malnutrition does not only appear as undernourishment due to nutrient deficiencies; it also appears as abdominal obesity driven by reliance on starchy, low-quality foods. This dietary pattern has fueled rising obesity rates across Iran and increased the risk of cardiovascular disease and other life-threatening illnesses.

Addressing the Crisis

In present-day Iran, hunger involves more than empty plates. Poor-quality diets, declining health and rising rates of diet-related diseases all reflect the depth of the crisis. Hunger persists because existing systems fail to ensure that all Iranians can access nutritious food at affordable prices. Changing weather patterns, ineffective policies, international sanctions, prolonged drought and economic instability continue to intensify the problem.

Despite these challenges, international organizations and nonprofit groups continue to operate programs that address hunger and support vulnerable populations in Iran.

One of the most significant ongoing efforts in Iran comes from the World Food Programme (WFP), which has supported refugees in the country for decades. Iran hosts approximately 3.4 million refugees, many of whom face severe food insecurity. Through school feeding programs and direct food assistance, WFP reduces pressure on the Iranian government and its limited resources. These programs improve food access for refugees and promote integration into host communities through supporting livelihood and income-generating activities that strengthen economic independence among refugee populations.

Smaller-scale nonprofit organizations also play a critical role in addressing hunger at the community level. Moms Against Poverty, for example, has delivered approximately 2.6 million meals as of 2024 to thousands of Iranian children and families experiencing food insecurity.

Even though the hunger in Iran still requires attention, international organizations and nonprofit groups continue to push forward, working toward a future free from hunger.

– Ameena Khan

Ameena is based in Canberra, Australia, and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash