Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

Fragility and Rule of law in Puerto Rico

Fragility and Rule of Law in Puerto Rico
Compared to other countries in North and Central America, Puerto Rico is unique in terms of its fragility and rule of law. Puerto Rico is considered a U.S. territory and is subject to U.S. laws, but also has its own government and constitution, which passed through Congress in 1952. Joe Biden stands as the president of Puerto Rico, but a governor elected by Puerto Ricans also rules over the territory. Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizen status, but cannot vote in presidential elections and have no representatives in Congress. These contradictions mean that Puerto Rico is neither a state nor a sovereign country. Understanding fragility and the rule of law in Puerto Rico provides insight into the importance of aid to the nation in times of crisis.

The Statehood Debate

Because it is a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico is included in the U.S. Census data. According to the most recent data from July 2021, the poverty rate in Puerto Rico stood at 40.5% and the median household income between 2016-2020 stood at a little over $21,000.

Mississippi, the poorest state in the U.S., had a median household income of $45,792 in 2021, an amount $20,000 less than the national average, and a poverty rate of 19.6%. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, yet its poverty rate is more than twice as high as the poorest state in the U.S.

The past few decades have seen debates about statehood and Puerto Rico’s admission into the Union as a state. Puerto Rico has held six referendums over the years regarding statehood, the most recent one occurring in 2020. The majority of citizens voted for statehood but Congress ultimately has the final say in determining statehood. Even if statehood is something that Puerto Rico wants, that decision is entirely out of its hands. This important fact and poverty statistics partly explain the fragility and rule of law in Puerto Rico.

The Economic Factors

The debate over statehood ties into some of Puerto Rico’s economic woes as well. Because of its status, Puerto Rico uses the U.S. dollar as its currency and U.S. laws and policies oversee its businesses and trade policy. Puerto Ricans enjoy tax exemptions, but they receive far fewer social welfare benefits than people living in the U.S. even though the U.S. government considers them U.S. citizens. Puerto Ricans challenged some of these lack of benefits in court, such as Supplemental Security Income, but, ultimately, the cases saw no success.

The country is also in the middle of an economic recession due to massive debt. According to an article from Vox on Puerto Rico’s situation, the debt crisis began in 2014 when Puerto Rico had accumulated $72 billion worth of bond debt. Data from the Council on Foreign Relations shows that the debt in 2020 stood at about $70 billion, which is about 68% of Puerto Rico’s GDP. Puerto Rico turned its budget over to an independent board in Washington in order to help control its debt.

Hurricane Recovery

Hurricanes and their lingering effects on people and the economy exacerbate the fragility of Puerto Rico. Hurricane Fiona is fresh on everyone’s minds but Hurricane Maria (2017) had a more significant impact on the country.

An Amnesty International article from 2018 reveals personal accounts and statistics on the state of Puerto Rico one year after Maria. According to the article, “tens of thousands in Puerto Rico are still living under blue tarps, designed as temporary roofs.” Additionally, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rejected about 62% of applications for home reconstruction aid at that time. Hurricane Maria also knocked out nearly 80% of the island’s energy grid and power had not been restored to the last house until a year later. Then, Hurricane Fiona hit in September 2022, dismantling much of the recovery process.

Many places on the island experienced flooding with some areas receiving as much as 30 inches of rain. In Puerto Rico, “overflowing waterways and the loss of power caused pumps to fail, leaving 70% of households and businesses that rely on the public water and sewer system without potable water,” The India Express says.

By September 2022, LUMA, the main power utility in Puerto Rico, restored power to more than 100,000 people out of the 1.5 million LUMA customers without power.

In addition, many facilities learned from the events of Hurricane Maria and employed generators — hospitals ran on backup generators during the storm. This is in stark contrast to the time of Hurricane Maria when many hospitals lost power during the storm and could not operate.

The United States Response

The White House is committed to helping Puerto Rico recover. During his speech in Puerto Rico on October 3, 2022, Biden promised that Puerto Rico will receive every dollar Congress approved in federal aid after Maria hit. In terms of aid, at the time of the speech, the U.S. sent $4 million to improve the resilience of Puerto Rico’s electricity grid.

During the first month of response since Biden declared the situation in Puerto Rico a disaster on September 21, 2022, FEMA provided more than $456 million in disaster relief to more than 600,000 families. In addition, Biden authorized FEMA to provide its services (Individual Assistance, Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation) to all municipalities in Puerto Rico. The agency had also hired Puerto Ricans as temporary employees to assist with recovery efforts in order to reduce unemployment.

By improving issues regarding fragility and the rule of law in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico can achieve stability in several critical areas.

– Matthew Wikfors
Photo: Flickr

Elderly Poverty in Bulgaria

Elderly Poverty in Bulgaria
“Alone, vulnerable and deprived” is how Galena Stoyanova, a pensioner and lifelong lawyer in Bulgaria, describes living conditions for elderly people in the country, in an interview with The Borgen Project. According to data from the Bulgarian National Social Security Institute (NSSI) in 2021, the total number of pensioners in Bulgaria stood at a little more than 2 million and the average pension was 566 BGN (roughly $300) per month. Data from 2022 shows that 590,000 pensioners receive a pension of 370 BGN (about $200) or less per month. Efforts are underway to address elderly poverty in Bulgaria.

Poverty Among Pensioners

The rising cost of living makes it hard for retirees to keep up and aggravates elderly poverty in Bulgaria. Stoyanova shares that the entirety of the average pensioner’s income goes toward basic needs like food, household bills and medication. Some pensioners have to compromise their health, buying only medicine of the greatest need and not everything prescribed in order to cope with the rising cost of living.

Data by Eurostat reveals that, across the EU, Bulgaria had the highest rates of severe material and social deprivation for people aged 65 and older in 2020. The rate stood at 25.7% compared to an average of 16.5% for those aged between 18 and 64 in Bulgaria.

Political Instability

Stoyanova also says that the asset ceiling of pensions continues to rise while the minimum pension has not budged in years. The political instability and economic uncertainty Bulgaria faces exacerbate living conditions for all, including the elderly.

In June 2022, a no-confidence vote dissolved Prime Minister Kiril Petkov’s government. The Petkov-led government stood in power for less than eight months, leading to a second parliamentary election in less than a year.

Bulgaria’s center-right GERB party, which has run the country for 12 years, assumed command once again but is the “target of widespread corruption accusations,” according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The shifts in the government lead to the economic instability that has an impact on elderly poverty in Bulgaria. The pension system is “fundamentally unstable” and recent pension reforms may worsen this. As an expert in the legal field, Stoyanova says elderly poverty in Bulgaria is an issue that politicians often overlook.

The Baba Residence

An initiative, the Baba Residence, which native Bulgarian Yani Taneva launched, aids isolated elderly people living in low-density villages by connecting them with urban youth. The project’s main goal is to engage young people’s entrepreneurial spirits and connect them with the traditional culture of the elderly by encouraging participants to spend a month living and learning in the villages. So far, the organization has managed to help more than 1,500 citizens across 36 villages.

In an interview with The Borgen Project, Militsa Dzhandzhova, manager of the Baba Residence project, shares that project participants created strong bonds with locals and developed original business ideas.

Baba Residence Initiatives

Some of the initiatives include transforming a dysfunctional school into a community center that hosts local photography exhibitions, cooking festivals and textile fairs. The renovation helped bring people to the villages and tackled the isolation that the elderly experience by giving them the opportunity to showcase their skills and even earn money while doing so.

The organization has also helped locals and brought income to pensioners through “a social enterprise for the export of woven products” made by elderly female villagers, a “professional studio recording of a CD with folklore songs… from the Rhodope Mountains” and “many cleaned and newly marked mountain eco-trails” that bring tourists to the rural communities.

The business enterprises present an opportunity to bring a sustainable economic boost into the villages and find new ways to meet urgent needs. All the income the enterprises generate is distributed among the elderly people involved and the initiators of the projects.

Additionally, the campaign “One Percent Change,” introduced by participants, helps meet the basic needs of elderly people living in poverty. The participants installed new window frames in residences to retain heat in homes during the colder months (a total of 25 households benefited from the campaign). Furthermore, about 40 senior villagers received dental prostheses and the upcoming Christmas campaign will provide electronic appliances to 27 homes in Salash village. Overall, the campaigns tackle elderly poverty in Bulgaria and raise awareness of the issue.

Solidarity Between Generations

According to Dzhandzhova, the lack of interaction and engagement between the younger Bulgarian generation and the elderly turns poor people into isolated people.

In accordance with Dzhandzhova’s views, Stoyanova says that the elderly have been forgotten as most of Bulgaria’s youth have moved away from the country, causing demographic issues and leaving behind their compatriots to tackle corruption, injustice, inequality and poverty.

In 2022, the total number of elderly people living in poverty in Bulgaria is more than 306,000. For most of them, pensions play a key part in maintaining a good living standard and are their only source of income. Although initiatives like the Baba Residence certainly make an impact, lasting and significant improvements in the rates of elderly poverty in Bulgaria can only occur through comprehensive governmental policies and social programs that provide adequate support.

– Ralitsa Pashkuleva
Photo: Flickr

Devastation of the 2022 Earthquake in Indonesia

Earthquake in Indonesia
On November 21, 2022, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Cianjur region, located on the west coast of Indonesia’s Java Island. The earthquake was particularly deadly with a shallow epicenter of 6.2 miles deep. Records showed a minimum of 140 aftershocks by November 23. Search and rescue attempts have occurred so that people can locate their loved ones. This is an earthquake that will undoubtedly have an immense effect on poverty for Indonesia already has 9.5% of its population living in poverty as of March 2022. This article will be laying out what the effects of the earthquake in Indonesia are presently and will be in the future as well as the initiatives already in place to help mitigate the damage.

The Damage

As a result of the earthquake in Indonesia, more than 73,800 people have experienced displacement due to the destruction of more than 22,000 buildings. Many of the people displaced have been moved to shelters, providing temporary medical assistance, food, water and a place to stay. On the other hand, some are staying outside near their homes as they look for missing loved ones. The earthquake damaged 63,219 houses in Cianjur, and of that number, the earthquake seriously damaged 26,237. Due to this, citizens will not have a secure place to call home nor have a stable income with unemployment since the earthquake destroyed workplaces or caused injuries.

Furthermore, children have accounted for a third of the approximate 310 killed. Many children were in lessons when the earthquake hit leading to questions about the best way to reconstruct schools so they can withstand earthquakes. University of Indonesia Engineering professor Widjojo Prakoso stated that “School buildings should get special attention because they are not only supposed to withstand earthquakes, but they should also act as temporary shelter during disasters.” Indonesia’s biggest challenge regarding education has been to improve quality instead of access, with the Indonesian Government hoping to develop a world-class education system by 2025. However, the Indonesia earthquake is likely to halt, or at least delay these efforts. The earthquake damaged 142 school buildings, resulting in the need for repairs so that people can access them.

The Impact of the Earthquake on Poverty

A natural disaster as severe as the Indonesia earthquake will undoubtedly have a long-term impact on poverty in the country. As aforementioned, poverty is at 9.5% based on the national poverty line, which means that a significant proportion of the country lives in impoverished circumstances. Indonesia’s location as a hotspot for natural disasters has an impact on poverty as infrastructure is very difficult to build and maintain. This earthquake will add to the already high amounts of economic pressure facing the country.

Places that are more economically stable are able to prepare and build infrastructure according to their geography in relation to vulnerability to natural hazards, but for nations such as Indonesia, this proves to be harder. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has committed to ensuring that all damaged homes are rebuilt so they are earthquake-resistant. However, considering that 43% of Indonesia’s population live in rural areas and in poorly constructed homes, this is a huge feat to tackle. 

The earthquake has affected stability, both economically and mentally. Yayasan CARE Peduli Humanitarian and Emergency Response Manager Renee Manoppo stated that “The community remains traumatized and fearful of reentering their homes – they will require a lot of support in the coming weeks, months and years.” 

Initiatives to Help

Victims of the Indonesia earthquake are already experiencing help through the implementation of numerous emergency funds, deployment of emergency response teams and the provision of resources. It has been proven time and time again that help from external nations at a time of crisis is vital in a country’s recovery and the need for this help is even more prominent in developing nations. Emergency funds collect donations to help damaged communities rebuild and recover. Immediate needs require monetary support from organizations for things such as medical supplies, food, water, tents and other temporary shelters, fuel and personnel. In order to help the rescue efforts, the Indonesian Red Cross has already mobilized items including 13 personnel, 800 hygiene kits, 20,000 medical masks and 300 mattresses 

Looking Ahead

The earthquake in Indonesia will likely have long-term effects. However, it is the above efforts that will help them along this long road to recovery.

– Ruby Wallace
Photo: Flickr

Guinea-Bissau’s Polio Vaccination Campaign

Polio Vaccination Campaign
In October 2021, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative reported two polio cases in Bissau and one in Biombo, a region neighboring the capital of Guinea-Bissau. The Ministry of Public Health, with assistance from UNICEF, WHO and partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative commenced two polio vaccination campaigns in 2022. “Polio Never Again” vaccinated hundreds of thousands of children in April and June 2022, successfully preventing the spread of the disease, and ensuring that no child in Guinea-Bissau will suffer from polio in the future.

The Vaccination Process in the Polio Vaccination Campaign

Guinea-Bissau’s vaccination campaign involved 3,385 volunteers, split into 677 teams, who traveled door to door in rural communities during the first round of the campaign. UNICEF reports that the campaign began in front of Guinea-Bissau’s Ministry of Public Health on April 27 and decentralized from there. In addition to administering the polio vaccine, teams also administered Vitamin A and Mebendazole.

Upon receiving their vaccinations, vaccination teams marked the children with blue for identification and counted and registered the number of children per household. Purchasing 907,000 doses of polio vaccines and five refrigerators for storage beforehand, the Ministry of Health ensured that the vaccination teams possessed sufficient vaccines when traveling across neighborhoods and villages. Furthermore, Guinea-Bissau’s Community Health Workers (CHWs) strategically planned the targeted households before the start of the campaign, guaranteeing that every child would receive a dose of the polio vaccine.

Succeeding in Spite of Obstacles

Despite the campaign’s eventual success, Guinea-Bissau’s polio vaccination campaign faced several issues throughout the two vaccination rounds. For instance, since Guinea-Bissau contains multiple islands, such as in the Bijagos archipelago which consists of 88 islands, many families frequently traveled between the islands and to the mainland and were hard to track. Coupled with limited transportation methods, vaccination teams often experienced time-consuming routes to vaccinate all children. Fortunately, by frequently interacting with each other, the vaccination teams were able to track down the vast majority of households in Guinea-Bissau.

Another problem that arose during the campaign occurred due to the cashew harvest season, which forced many children to travel to cashew nut fields with their parents. Considering the fact that cashews are among Guinea-Bissau’s top exports, many households rely on cashew harvesting for money, forcing both parents and children alike to take advantage of the short season. Luckily, by consistently interacting and providing updates to one another, the vaccination teams and CHWs were able to track down the majority of households for polio vaccination.

A Brighter Future

By the end of the second vaccination round in June 2022, Guinea-Bissau successfully vaccinated 340,462 children in the nation. With 99.2% of children under 5 vaccinated, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative considered Guinea-Bissau’s polio vaccination campaign a success, with the coordinator of the organization labeling Guinea-Bissau a “pioneer” for reaping such positive results. Furthermore, the vaccination campaign’s strategy also helped create the framework for successive national measles campaigns. Overall, because of such results of its polio vaccination campaign, one can say that Guinea-Bissau has successfully eradicated polio in children for the foreseeable future.

– Emma He
Photo: Flickr

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Tackling Child Poverty in Mali

Child Poverty in Mali
With a population of more than 21.6 million people, the average Malian woman gives birth to 5.7 children in her lifetime, according to World Bank data from 2020. Children between the ages of 0 and 14 accounted for 47% of the population in Mali in 2020. Because children stand as Mali’s future leaders and changemakers, it is important to address child poverty in Mali. According to the World Bank, in 2016, 41% of Malian children aged 0-17 lived in multidimensional poverty.

The United Nations describes child poverty as multi-faceted. According to this definition, child poverty involves deprivations of “nutrition, water and sanitation facilities, access to basic health care services, shelter,
[and] education.” While poverty hurts every group of people, regardless of age, poverty disproportionately impacts children as it affects children’s ability “to reach their full potential and to participate as full members of the society.”

Poor health care, inadequate nutrition, inaccessible education and nationwide conflict impact the well-being of children in Mali.

Child poverty remains a global crisis because childhood is a consequential stage of a person’s life. During childhood, the availability of basic resources such as access to good health care services, education, shelter, food and clean water determines the ability to survive, develop and thrive.

Facets of Child Poverty in Mali

  • Health. The poor health care system in Mali, especially in rural areas, affects children more than adults as preventable and treatable diseases such as malaria, measles, polio and diarrhea, pose serious threats to children living in poverty. Yet, “only 45[%]of children in Mali receive all basic vaccinations and 14[%]receive no vaccination at all, depriving them [of] protection from common childhood illnesses,” UNICEF reports. The lack of childhood vaccinations contributes to one in every 10 Malian children dying before reaching their fifth year of life. Inadequate health care also contributed to one of out every 30 newborn babies dying within the first month. UNICEF works with the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Gavi and the World Health Organization to “provide critical vaccines for children, improve routine vaccination and support complementary vaccination.” UNICEF has led vaccination efforts in Mali, ensuring 387,422 children receive vaccinations against measles in 2022.
  • Nutrition. In Mali, undernutrition is responsible for almost 50% of deaths among children under 5. The acute malnutrition rate in Mali is one of the highest in the world. In 2018, 27% of children under the age of 5 had stunted growth (low height-for-age) and 9% suffered wasting (low weight-for-height), according to USAID data. However, as of September 2022, 94,681 children aged between 6-59 months with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) received treatment through the help of UNICEF.
  • Education. The shortage of trained teachers, lack of easily accessible schools, the prevalence of child marriage and conflict and insecurity across Mali contribute to poor education and child poverty in Mali. In the past 10 years, education in Mali has progressed, but more than 2 million Malian children between 5 and 17 still do not attend school. Furthermore, UNICEF reports that more than 50% of Mali’s youth aged 15 to 24 are illiterate. To tackle this, UNICEF and partners support the Government of Mali in providing out-of-school children with formal and informal education to enable them to reach their full potential. As of September 2022, slightly more than 16,000 Malian children can now access formal and non-formal education services, “including early learning,” and 19,939 children are benefiting from “individual learning materials.”
  • Conflicts. Ongoing violence and conflict impact children the most. Children miss out on education, risk displacement, exploitation and abuse and are unable to access essential services. Conflict and instability as well as funding shortages have led to the shutdowns of 1,700 schools in Mali as of March 2022. The European Union has given Mali more than €446 million worth of humanitarian aid since 2012. These funds go toward the provision of food, emergency shelter, access to health care services, protection and psychosocial services as well as children’s education.

The action of various groups helps to tackle the issue of child poverty in Mali. Through continued efforts, the international community can safeguard the rights of children in Mali.

– Oluwagbohunmi Bajela
Photo: Flickr

The War Crime of Sexual Violence in Ukraine 

Sexual Violence in Ukraine 
Sexual violence is a disturbing result of war and genocide because of its use as a form of torture and ethnic cleansing. Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, sexual violence against Ukrainian citizens has dramatically increased. The nature of the sexual violence that Russian military personnel has inflicted justifies its status as a war crime.

Sexual Violence in Ukraine

Sexual violence during times of war is systematic. Russian military personnel systematically use sexual violence as a way to further oppression in Ukraine. Pramila Patten, a U.N. special representative on sexual violence, denounced rape and sexual violence at the hands of Russian troops by calling it a “military strategy” and a “deliberate tactic to dehumanize the victims.”

Under certain circumstances, rape and other different types of sexual violence can be considered war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute.

Gita Sahgal of Amnesty International told BBC News, “Rape is often used in ethnic conflicts as a way for attackers to perpetuate their social control.” This seems to be what Russian troops are doing by sexually abusing Ukrainians. Russian troops want to establish their dominance as well as amplify Russian culture throughout Ukraine. A U.N. report has revealed that victims of sexual violence in Ukraine are between the ages of four and 80 years old. There are also reports that family members had to watch as Russian troops sexually assaulted their loved ones. The UN has confirmed that there are “more than a hundred cases of rape or sexual assault.”

Moreover, there are allegations that Russian commanders knew about sexual violence taking place and that some commanders even ordered their soldiers to rape Ukrainians. In the same vein, it is also important to acknowledge the white rag tactic. Russian soldiers told some women to hang a white rag outside their homes. The soldiers would leave and later return to the homes that had the white rags to rape the women.

A young Chechen soldier took Anna, who is 50 years old, from her home and raped her in a house close by while soldiers shot her husband who died a few days later. Anna told the BBC in an interview “They would get high and they were often drunk. Most of them are killers, rapists and looters. Only a few are OK.”

Sexual violence during a time of conflict is extremely traumatizing and can cause severe psychological issues for surviving victims. It is imperative that sexual violence victims in Ukraine have access to medical treatment and psychological support. Due to displacement because of the ongoing war, however, it has been extremely difficult for victims to get access to these resources.

Relief Efforts

There are many organizations and networks working tirelessly to aid sexual violence victims in Ukraine. Sylini is one network that is working to help sexual violence victims get access to proper medical treatment by covering medical costs. Since Russia first invaded Ukraine, Sylini has helped eight anonymous women by paying for the cost of medical resources such as STD tests, psychological support, and even dental surgery. At least 18 surviving victims have contacted Sylini from May to June 2022 for assistance and support.

SEMA Ukraine is another organization helping sexual violence victims in different parts of the country. This network consists of former sexual assault survivors; Russian military personnel made some of them victims in 2014. One of the main duties of SEMA Ukraine is to travel to small villages to meet with sexual violence victims to hear their stories and provide counseling.

Many often overlook sexual violence during times of war and it rarely gets as much attention as it should, however, the war in Ukraine is bringing more attention to the issue. Additionally, the efforts of Sylini and SEMA Ukraine are ensuring that victims receive the help they need in the aftermath.

– Yonina Anglin
Photo: Flickr

Elderly Poverty in Nigeria

Elderly Poverty in Nigeria
In 2018, older persons constituted 3.1% or 5.9 million of the population in Nigeria. A percentage of the elderly were dependent on the youths trying to survive in a country with a declining economy. The number of older persons in poverty has inevitably increased, as the World Bank projected the number of impoverished people in Nigeria to hit 95.1 million in 2022. This is an addition of 5 million people post-pandemic.

Problems of Elderly Poverty in Nigeria

In past years, many have referred to Nigeria as the Giant of Africa, a Giant that the poor inhabit. A majority of elderly people belong to this group. This stems from the inability of the government to pay pensions regularly to the retired workforce. As a result of the delay in pension payments, some elderly persons still engage in “mental and manual work.”

Some elderly persons resort to begging to survive, while others expect support from their friends, relatives and children. However, their children struggle to make end means for themselves due to the declining economy, so most shirk the responsibility or expectations of their parents.

Inadequate social services, health facilities and nonexistent social security are reasons why the elderly in Nigeria are vulnerable to poverty and diseases, according to an African Health Sciences article. They suffer hardship in an increasingly hostile, competitive and intolerant society. Alleviating old­-age poverty requires full hands involvement from other age groups.

Solutions

Premium Times Nigeria has proposed that the pending bill, Older Persons (Rights and Privileges), would address several social and economic challenges the elderly face. The policy sets to create an advisory council at the federal, state and local levels of government on matters about aging.

For the total eradication of elderly poverty in Nigeria, support has to come from family members and the Federal Government of Nigeria. Building affordable and sustainable health centers across communities and regions is a solution to alleviating elderly poverty in Nigeria. Centers that address ailment irrespective of the financial endowment could lessen the burden of various health changes attributed to aging, according to BellaNaija.

NGOs are at the forefront of eradicating elderly poverty in Nigeria, an example being DewDrop Foundation. DewDrop Foundation seeks to end elder abuse. The NGO provides caregivers to administer professional care to elderly persons who live away from family. The organization also encourages the older generation to form associations to help members in need. It encourages the general population of Nigeria to join the fight against elderly poverty in Nigeria.

In conclusion, other age groups and the government of Nigeria need to work together to eradicate elderly poverty. The masses influencing the government to review policies and bills concerning older persons is a solution to elderly poverty. Implementing this policy not only empowers the older people in Nigeria but also empowers their communities.

– Chinwendu Mgbeahuru
Photo: Flickr

Lymphedema in Ethiopia: Tackling Podoconiosis

Lymphedema in EthiopiaPodoconiosis is a non-infectious and non-filarial skin disease that causes swelling of the feet and legs. It is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) that is prevalent in rural regions of Ethiopia. Podoconiosis is one of the causes of lymphedema in Ethiopia, affecting almost 1.5 million people, and, in 345 districts, around 35 million people are at risk.

The cause of the disease is direct contact with the red clay soil. After people have prolonged contact with the soil on their feet, they start to suffer from itching and burning of their feet, followed by swelling if left untreated. Other causes include misunderstanding of the disease, lack of proper shoes, soap and water and moisturizer.

Treatment usually includes minimizing exposure to irritant soils by wearing shoes, washing feet with antiseptic soap and water to remove the soil, moisturizing skin and applying compression bandages as needed. Wearing proper footwear consistently is the best and most cost-effective prevention method.

Burden on People’s Health

Individuals with the disease experience physical disability, emotional distress and poor quality of life. Increased size and weight of legs make it difficult for the person to do daily activities, such as standing or walking. It also prevents the individual from working or finding employment. After lymphedema and skin change becomes chronic, stigmatization occurs. Affected people often cannot attend school, religious events or local meetings.

Impact on Poverty

It is tough for the poor and barefooted farmers of Ethiopia to defeat the disease because they are often unable to afford protective shoes. Research about early prevention of the disease relating to Ethiopian children indicated that high-income families are likely to have larger numbers of protective footwear, and thus less likely to contract the disease than low-income families.

The disease keeps people from working, and that puts the already afflicted rural farmers unable to create income. A study conducted in one of the southern areas of Ethiopia showed that the cost of podoconiosis is more than $16 million per year due to acute inflammation and swelling of the legs. Also, each affected person loses 45% of their working days per year.

The Latest Progress

Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health has been working on ending this illness via the “National Neglected Tropical Diseases Master Plan,” updating the initiative every five years since 2012. Organizations, such as Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute and the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, collaborated with WHO to map the disease, covering 1,304 communities in Ethiopia. Overall, the partnership was also responsible for finding resources, as well as monitoring and controlling the disease. Among 345 targeted districts for Podoconiosis control, 150 have received treatment and prevention services and the country managed 67,588 lymphedema cases from 2016 to 2020. 

Potential Partners

Mossy Foot Project is an NGO that has been supporting people with Podoconiosis since 2000. They provide protective shoes including oversized ones without charge. They also perform foot washing and bandaging treatment for lymphedema at several clinics in the country.

Soles 4 Souls, The Shoe That Grows and Samaritan’s Feet are nonprofit organizations providing free shoes for the poor. They could be prospective donors for Ethiopian farmers. The Shoe That Grows program is specifically for children who need shoes but cannot afford a new pair every time their feet grow. Their shoes can expand in 5 sizes, so a kid can wear them for a longer time.

Podoconiosis, neglected tropical lymphedema in Ethiopia, has been an issue for the health and economy, especially those in underserved rural areas. Yet, the effort in fighting the disease has been growing as well. Continued support, such as providing shoes and foot hygiene, will result in the elimination of this disease and poverty reduction in rural Ethiopia.

– Naomi Kang
Photo: Flickr

Efforts to Boost Youth Employment in The Gambia

Youth employment in GambiaTekki Fii translates to “Make it in The Gambia.” In collaboration with The Gambian government, The Tekki Fii Project recently completed a project to boost employment opportunities for Gambian youth. Funding for the project came from the European Union’s Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, the International Trade Center, a German organization called Deutsche Gesellschaft and a Portuguese organization called Instituto Marqués de Valle Flòr. Furthermore, the project also collaborated with an agency within the Belgian government called Enable and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs in the Government of The Gambia.

Migration and the Impact on Youth Employment in The Gambia

The latest statistics available from The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBoS) indicate that the youth unemployment rate increased to 41.5% in 2018. A lack of employment opportunities for young people in The Gambia has led to increases in crime as well as the rate of migration. This makes the work of initiatives such as Tekki Fii critical to improving the well-being of Gambians across the country.

While Tekki Fii aimed to provide skills training for entrepreneurship in areas such as agriculture and tourism, the overall goal was to bring future opportunities for youth employment in The Gambia and raise awareness about economic opportunities. The Instituto Marqués de Valle Flòr (IMVF) also emphasized the importance of focusing on women and children as part of the initiative. Additionally, the IMVF targeted domestic economic development programs as a means to tackle high rates of youth migration.

The IMVF also concentrated on the accessibility of skills development for returning migrants, some of whom were denied asylum in other countries. The target geographical locations were the Central River, North Bank, Lower River and Upper River regions of The Gambia.

The International Trade Center (ITC) worked with the Tekki Fii Project as part of its Youth Employment Project. Both initiatives operated from 2017 to 2022. The Youth Employment Project began in 2017 in The Gambia to work with Gambian youths and returning migrants. While it focused on long-standing industries such as agriculture, the ITC also supported newer sectors such as digital services.

Successes of the Initiative

Overall, the Tekki Fii project helped to decrease poverty and boost youth employment in The Gambia. The program created more than 9,500 employment opportunities and provided training for almost 7,500 individuals. After five years of work, the closing ceremony for the program under the ITC took place on November 18, 2022, in Banjul.

Following Tekki Fii, The Gambia will now implement the New National Employment Policy and Action Plan from 2022 to 2026. The national plan continues similar initiatives of the Tekki Fii Project such as skill development for entrepreneurship and businesses, opportunities for women and youth and the creation of 150,000 jobs by the end of the plan.

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs affirms the goals of the National Employment Policy and Action Plan with its National Development Plan. The plan proposes eight broad priorities such as the stabilization of the economy and building infrastructure. The plan also emphasizes seven more specific steps that contribute to the eight priorities including environmental sustainability and digitalization.

Youth employment in Gambia improved due to worldwide collaborators such as the European Union and the International Trade Center. More Gambian youth will continue to realize the country’s potential through the government’s new development and employment plans.

– Kaylee Messick
Photo: Flickr

Yemen’s Lasting Crisis: Causes for Concern and Hope

Yemen’s Lasting Crisis
Few modern conflicts have been as destructive or long-lasting as Yemen’s. In 2014, Houthi rebels called for the removal of President Ali Abdullah Saleh and seized the capital, Sanaa, proclaiming a new government and attacking regions still loyal to Saleh’s regime. The conflict, protracted by mutual suspicion, involvement by Iran and Saudi Arabia and grotesque human rights violations enters its eighth year with no long-term solutions in sight. More than three-quarters of the population lives in poverty, with high levels of disease and 4 million Yemenis requiring humanitarian assistance. The U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Yemen, David Gressly, emphasized that the country’s ongoing crisis is something the whole world must “urgently address.”

Troubles and Truces

Although significant, temporary ceasefires brokered by both sides have only made a conclusive deal more elusive. Diplomacy regarding Yemen’s lasting crisis has focused on containment, not lasting solutions, with on-and-off truces being agreed upon since 2016. In 2018, an agreement between the government and the Houthis ended hostilities in the large cities of Sanaa, Hodeidah and Taiz, but broke down after the Houthis failed to live up to other agreements. Houthi rebels failed to renew a six-month truce signed in April 2022, causing fears of further violence.

This should not detract from the importance of the truces in preventing further bloodshed. The most recent ceasefire decreased violence by 60%, allowing nearly 30,000 Yemenis to receive urgent medical care. U.N.-backed efforts in 2018 achieved a two-month truce that averted a major conflict in Yemen’s third-largest city. Although temporary and worrying for Yemen’s long-term stability, these “confidence building” solutions keep both sides open to more lasting discussions.

Poverty in Yemen

Unfortunately, this type of diplomacy leaves much to be desired, with little being done for actual conflict resolution. As Yemen’s civil war continues to drag on, those most at risk are people living under the constant threat of renewed violence. Almost a fifth of the country lives in extreme poverty, and huge swathes of the population do not have access to food or clean water. With the Houthis and the Yemeni government more focused on each other than the people of Yemen, little hope of institutional aid exists.

In this context, it is essential to acknowledge the unsung work of the many extra-governmental organizations providing aid in Yemen. The Red Cross gave more than 6 million Yemenis access to potable water, while more than a million benefited from financial or food assistance in 2021. Operating out of four cities, The Red Cross adapted itself to the multifaceted challenges of the conflict, providing medical consultations, livestock vaccinations and assistance to detainees. The U.N. currently provides humanitarian assistance to more than 10 million Yemenis.

Beyond day-to-day services, the U.N. has taken center stage in dealing with Yemen’s lasting crisis. Beginning in 2012, the U.N. created the Development Assistance Framework to improve access to social services and government management. Additionally, both the U.N. special envoy to Yemen and Secretary-General António Guterres called for the Houthi rebels to renew the April truce, to no avail.

The Road Ahead

Yemen’s lasting crisis represents a failure of the international community to decisively end one of the longest and bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century. However, this does not take away from the heroic work of the many individuals and groups assisting the Yemeni people. The breakdown of truce negotiations in October is justifiably a cause for alarm and necessitates a powerful response from international actors. In the meantime, acknowledging and promoting the toil of those looking to improve day-to-day conditions in Yemen will have to suffice.

– Samuel Bowles
Photo: Flickr