Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

How the United Kingdom’s Heatwave is affecting Poverty

United Kingdom’s HeatwaveDuring the second half of July 2022, record-high temperatures became a global scourge. Specifically, the United Kingdom has been experiencing an influx of media attention to a very intense heatwave. On July 19th, the national temperature record was broken with a reported 104.5 Fahrenheit. An entire three degrees higher than its previous record of 101.6 degrees Fahrenheit set in 2019. The negative consequences of this U.K. heatwave include a loss of productivity, over 800 casualties and the lack of protection against the heat added to the United Kingdom’s impoverishment.

Impact on the Impoverish

Poverty in the U.K. remains an issue. As of 2021, the Department for Work and Pensions’ data states that roughly 20% of U.K. citizens are living below the poverty line after factoring in their housing costs.

The heat wave is taking a huge hit on those living in low-income urban housing. Urban houses are more likely to be surrounded by other apartments, roads and a lack of green space which contribute to the challenges of these homes for losing heat.

In many instances, cooling systems such as ACs and fans remain unaffordable for people living in these neighborhoods. During the summer months, it is estimated that 6 million people live in these neighborhoods. An analysis from BBC conducted by satellite data and poverty figures suggests that people living in poverty in the U.K. are more than twice as likely to live in these hotter neighborhoods.

“If you’re in a top floor flat, if you’re homeless if you work outside and you have to do a lot of physical exertion, you are very vulnerable,” says Anthony Costello, a professor of global health at University College London, according to BBC.

Current Solutions

While there is no clear-cut solution, there have been many efforts on a smaller scale to alleviate and support the impoverished during these hot times.

London, which has the highest poverty rate in the U.K., has been taking action in creative ways to help. London’s mayor’s office has designated a digital map that shows areas of the city with shaded spots and indoor public areas. This method can help the poor find cooler areas.

The Museum of Homelessness, a U.K. group that advocates for homelessness, has made efforts for measures for museums to open their doors to London’s homeless, providing them with air conditioners, Bloomberg reports. Many U.K. charities are also providing amenities such as ice-cold water, showers and ice cream to homeless people who may be vulnerable to the country’s heat at the moment.

Going Forward

London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has called for a change in the country’s climate “We must future-proof our cities to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis,” Bloomberg reports. Even with the recognition, the Climate Change Commission concluded in its 2021 evaluation that the U.K. government was failing to protect people from heat risk.

Here are some recommendations on how the U.K. can take larger measures to protect their civilians, including the impoverished, from extreme heat.

By taking recommendations like these seriously, United Kingdom’s Heatwave could have less of an impact on those living in poverty.

–Luke Sherrill
Photo: Flickr

Elderly Poverty in Afghanistan

elderly-poverty-in-afghanistanAfghanistan has one of the world’s smallest percentages of older people. Only 2.6% of the country’s population is 65 years or older and the average life expectancy stands at just 64.8 years old. Still, the crisis of elderly poverty in Afghanistan continues to deepen as a result of political instability and other lingering crises.

The War

The war in Afghanistan lasted over 20 years and had devastating effects on Afghans. Many Afghans have had to seek refuge, sometimes using methods that were physically and mentally straining. Some fled on commercial or military aircraft, while others had to find their way on foot. Unfortunately, high levels of fragility and low levels of mobility forced many older people to stay put, where they remained at risk of becoming victims of violent acts. Additionally, as a result of these factors, older individuals often lacked access to basic needs, such as water and shelter.

Severe Economic Drought

Due to the country’s long history of political unrest, Afghanistan is currently facing a severe economic drought. According to the International Labour Organization, “following the change in administration in August 2021 [totaled] more than half a million in the third quarter and may reach 900,000 by mid-2022.”

This crisis has worsened the issue of elderly poverty in Afghanistan, as many who rely on younger members of their family to take care of them financially are lacking sufficient resources, such as food and transportation. For those elderly people who do hold jobs of their own, they are overworked and the first to be let go as a result of economic instability.

Efforts to Solve the Problem

While the issue of elderly poverty in Afghanistan is one that often does not get enough attention, there are organizations that are acknowledging the problem, and trying hard to solve it. At the start of 2022, the UNDP announcd plans for a program that would provide temporary basic income to children, those with disabilities and senior citizens via monthly cash transfers.

For Afghan elders who have left everything in Afghanistan and currently reside in the Bay Area, the Afghan Elderly Association (AEA) offers support in a number of ways. Because many elders suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety, fleeing Afghanistan may mean that they are currently homeless, with an inability to access services based on language barriers and lack of transportation. The AEA provides services such as disease and cancer screenings, vaccine administration, social outings and cultural recognitions. It educates Afghan elders about remaining vigilant when it comes to personal health and offers appointments for both physical and mental check-ins.

Elderly poverty in Afghanistan does not only affect the elderly. Those who are still in Afghanistan are struggling to earn enough income for themselves and to help the older members of their families and the elders who still have a job are severely overworking.

Elders who have managed to flee Afghanistan are stuck in almost the same conditions as they were at home, unable to find shelter or proper medical and financial resources and turning to others to help them. It is important to remain aware of the problem and do everything possible to help Afghan elders who are unfairly suffering.

– Ava Lombardi
Photo: Flickr

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International Organizations Fund School Feeding in West Africa

School Feeding in West AfricaThe COVID-19 pandemic forced schools across West Africa to shutter their doors. These widespread school closures had a deleterious effect on the education and well-being of western Africa’s most vulnerable children. Youth were not only deprived of an education but also a chance to receive a meal through their country’s school feeding program. As schools gradually reopened as COVID-19 rates subsided, school feeding in West Africa provided an avenue for children to receive nutritious food, a commodity that some children only attain through their educational institution.

What is School Feeding?

School feeding refers to a meal provided at a child’s school at no cost to the child’s family. According to the World Bank, it is “most frequently designed as a social protection measure for poor and vulnerable communities with the key outcome being an improvement in education through increased enrolment, reduced absenteeism and enhanced gender equality.”

With a full stomach, school feeding often leads to children’s increased ability to concentrate and learn. Additionally, per the World Food Programme (WFP), “every $1 invested in school meals has a $9 return on investment.” Finally, school feeding provides incentives for families to send girls to school instead of keeping them at home or marrying them off early.

Thus, initiatives to support school feeding in West Africa are crucial because of their remedial effects on the harmful repercussions of school closures. Fortunately, international organizations are partnering with government authorities to provide increased funding and efficacious implementation for school feeding in West Africa. Specifically, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Liberia have benefited from foreign assistance.

Home-Grown School Feeding in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is an impoverished West African nation bordered by Guinea and Liberia. According to the WFP, in 2022, more than 65% of residents living on less than $1.25 per day.

As food prices skyrocket across the nation, school feeding programs remain essential for children and their families. In 2021, the government of Sierra Leone launched an initiative to transition the nation to a home-grown model, according to the WFP. This novel type of school feeding allows local agricultural workers to directly supply schools with fresh produce.

Of note, the WFP is assisting the government by launching a pilot program in the town of Tawuya. The pilot initiative has been a blessing to local female farmers. Adama, a Tawuya resident and mother of seven, told a representative of the organization that the “WFP created a means for us women to earn money regularly.” Overall, the WFP’s intervention in Tawuya has enabled many families to overcome food insecurity.

The McGovern-Dole Program in Senegal

Currently, 751,000 Sengalese citizens are food insecure and 17% of children younger than 5 are malnourished. In response to the food security crisis in Senegal, Counterpart International, an organization focused on establishing enduring relationships with at-risk communities, announced in October 2021, that the nation would be the recipient of a $25 million McGovern-Dole program award. The McGovern-Dole program is an initiative by the United States Department of Agriculture to curtail childhood hunger by providing food and financial assistance to developing nations.

The new initiative seeks to bolster school attendance, literacy and community health through school feeding and enhance the Senegalese government’s ability to implement the program. In a 2021 article in Counterpart International, Brian Dotson, Director of Food Security at Counterpart International, commented “…this project will provide a vital safety net for food-insecure families living in poverty in Senegal…”

Save the Children’s $25 Million Project in Liberia

According to the 2021 Global Hunger Index, Liberia ranks 110th out of 116 countries. In an effort to ameliorate hunger in Liberia, Save the Children launched a $25 million school feeding program on June 2, 2022

The funds from Save the Children will help the Liberian government implement its “Liberia Empowerment Through Attendance, Reading, and Nutrition (LEARN) Project.” Although this is a program implemented by both the government and NGOs, the majority of its funds are supplied through donors. Thus, Save the Children revitalized the LEARN program which has distributed more than 10 million school meals to more than 45,000 Liberian children.

Western African Governments Take the Lead

As these three programs demonstrate, school feeding in West Africa is indispensable. While international organizations have largely funded and implemented these programs, western African governments have also taken action to strengthen school feeding.

According to Brookings, 27 countries from across Africa voiced approval for a United Nations school meals coalition that aims to exceed pre-pandemic school feeding levels. Specifically, President Patrice Talon of Benin and President Macky Sall of Senegal have allocated additional funds for their nation’s respective school-feeding programs. Additionally, the African Union, a collective organization of 55 nations, endorsed home-grown school feeding and marked 2022 as the “Year of Nutrition.”

– Alexander Portner
Photo: Flickr

How Mobile Clinics are Increasing Access to Health Care

Mobile Clinics“The clinic is 30 kilometers away, the bus runs only once a day, but even in town there is no cardiologist to consult with. I cannot afford medicines. We have not received proper health care for more than two years since the conflict started. Without the support provided by the mobile team, I cannot imagine how I would survive,” said Haylna, a 70-year-old woman from Synykha Village, Ukraine.

COVID-19 & Access to Health Care

Prior to 2020, health care metrics including life expectancy were increasing on a global scale. Nonetheless, lower-income and lower-middle-income countries showed slower progress than upper-middle-income and high-income countries. The impact of this disparity became very clear during the pandemic as only 12% of people in lower-income countries and 51% of people in lower-middle-income countries had been fully vaccinated by April 2022. On the other hand, 74% of people in high-income and upper-middle-income countries had been vaccinated in the same period.

The source of the disparity lay in access to health care services. This refers to how many existing health facilities could continue running, the availability of staff, the availability of diagnostic tools, the supply of medicine and the overall capacity of health infrastructure. In every category, lower-income and lower-middle-income countries fall behind. During the pandemic, there was such severe disruption of their health care systems, that even the treatment of common illnesses became an issue, according to a WHO report. This has also been true in other crises such as conflict and natural disasters and it is in these cases that mobile clinics have made their impact.

Mobile Clinics & Crisis Response

Some common features of crises include population displacement, damaged health infrastructure and restricted or completely cut-off access to health care services. As a result, the deployment of mobile clinics has become a common strategy used to improve access to health care during humanitarian crises. Mobile clinics primarily provide vaccination, health screenings and health promotion services.

Some of the countries in which mobile clinics have been deployed include Haiti to promote antenatal care, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to improve the health of gender-based violence victims and Afghanistan where rural and internally displaced people can access health services.

Mobile Clinics Extending Access to Health Care

Mobile clinics are a necessary extension of health care services in remote areas where health care infrastructure may be sparse. In these areas, the demand is rising due to the flexibilty offered and potential reach. For example in 2018, non-governmental organizations in Syria leveraged 44 mobile clinics, providing care for residents in isolated locations.

In addition to health services such as outpatient counseling, health education as well as the management of non-communicable diseases, there are other potential services mobile clinics can provide such as water and sanitation services, nutritional services in food insecure places and early warning and system response to disease outbreaks.

Beyond Zero

Launched in 2014, the main goal of the Beyond Zero campaign is to provide affordable access to health care to vulnerable groups in Kenya, focusing on maternal health and the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission. It is an initiative that combines the efforts of the government and the private sector through advocacy and mobilization.

Between 2014 and 2017, the campaign donated a minimum of one mobile clinic to each of the 47 counties in Kenya. The mobile clinics also serve as a base for outreach to even more isolated areas specifically to the nomadic communities of the northern region. Some of the services provided include antenatal care, immunization, cervical cancer screening, minor surgery services and the treatment of minor illnesses.

Growing demand has inspired research and development in order to improve the effectiveness of mobile clinics. Various public and private organizations have emerged across the world viewing mobile clinics not just as crisis response tools but as the innovation of an alternative health care model. As a business venture, it provides a potential solution to achieving universal access to health care at an affordable financial cost both to the patient and to the investor.

– Kena Irungu
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Pandemic Preparedness: The World Bank’s Investment in the Africa CDC

Investment in the Africa CDCIn July 2022, the World Bank announced a new $100 million support program for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). It aims to increase African governments’ preparedness to handle future disease outbreaks. This funding is vital since there are approximately 140 disease outbreaks annually across the continent. “The project will help to cultivate regional capabilities critical to ensuring a resilient and prepared continent. It will do this by helping to build and maintain a robust public health workforce across countries’ health systems,” said the World Bank.

The Program’s Aim

An important aspect of the program and its investment in the Africa CDC is to “increase the number of epidemiologists and outbreak responders” to better deal with diseases at their initial outbreak. Along with a more immediate response, an aim of the World Bank is to reinforce Africa’s already existing public health infrastructure. The International Development Association, a branch of the World Bank focused on providing financial support for development programs in the world’s most impoverished countries, finances the project.

The Africa CDC was formerly directly associated with the African Union (AU), but recently, the AU granted the Africa CDC autonomy to increase its efficiency when dealing with health emergencies. The World Bank cites the health organization’s newfound autonomy as a great opportunity for investment in the Africa CDC to help its growth and further increase its future efficiency when handling health emergencies across the continent.

Other Recent Investments

This recent investment in the Africa CDC comes on the heels of a $100 million investment project in October 2020, also initiated by the World Bank, titled the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative (Africa PGI). However, this investment includes contributions from the U.S. CDC in addition to private entities such as Illumina, Oxford Nanopore, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft. The focus of this project is on pathogen genomics, namely to expand access to “next-generation genomic sequencing tools and expertise designed to strengthen public health surveillance and laboratory networks across Africa.” The Africa CDC asserts that this program will help “to develop new vaccines, diagnostics and treatments for current and emerging infectious diseases.”

Africa PGI will form part of the Institute of Pathogen Genomics that the Africa CDC established in 2019. The Africa PGI partnership will last for four years. These investments show an increased emphasis on public health in Africa from the states and organizations located outside of the continent.

Future Outlook

The goal of these investments in the Africa CDC is to increase preventative capability. The Africa CDC is looking to advance its ability to “nip diseases in the bud” before they become full-fledged outbreaks.

If the Africa CDC can be better prepared to detect and handle potential outbreaks before they occur, then it can save lives, time and funds. Africa’s past Ebola outbreaks present an illustration of inadequate disease control measures.

The Africa CDC cites these initiatives, namely the most recent $100 million from the World Bank, as holding the potential to increase efficient collaboration between institutions across the continent when it comes to outbreak preparedness.

Those that are likely to benefit most from these investments are those living in extreme poverty. Recent assessments of African states’ preparedness capacities have found that those most at risk of becoming affected by potential health emergencies are those living in the poorest conditions and those who are most marginalized. In sub-Saharan Africa, about 40% of the population lived in extreme poverty in 2018, equating to about two-thirds of the world’s extremely impoverished population.

The World Bank cites the emphasis on public health in the AU’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want, as a pivotal reason behind its recent investment initiatives. As Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, the acting director of the Africa CDC, eloquently stated, “Africa is changing the dynamic in its journey of realizing a New Public Health Order.”

– Devin Welsh
Photo: Flickr

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The State of Renewable Energy in France

Renewable Energy in FranceIn 2015, nearly 200 countries signed off on the Paris Agreement to combat changing weather patterns. Since then, the agreement’s host nation, France, has made considerable, yet, insufficient progress towards its goals. The issue of climate has become a common topic of discussion in recent years. Changing weather can have various effects on the planet such as natural disasters. In an effort to confront the matter, the Treaty of Paris originated to get countries around the globe to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Interestingly, France, the country in which the treaty emerged, has fallen behind in trying to reach this goal. Here is some information about the state of renewable energy in France as well as the types of energy France uses in addition to it.

Sources of Power in France

In order for most nations to reduce their carbon emissions, they had to first reduce their use of fossil fuels. A large majority of greenhouse gasses come from the burning of these resources. France, on the other hand, does not really have this issue.

While renewable energy in France did not make up a large portion of power production, the country had another option to look to. For decades, France has primarily relied on nuclear energy for its power. In fact, in the year 2000, more than 70% of the country’s power came from nuclear energy, which emits much fewer greenhouse gasses than burning fossil fuels.

Unfortunately, nuclear energy comes with its own dangers. While nuclear power reduces the quantity of greenhouse gasses that release into the atmosphere, it produces nuclear waste that can prove to be harmful to the environment. Additionally, more nuclear energy means a higher risk of a nuclear meltdown which can have even more detrimental environmental effects. Overall, many countries, including France, have decided that renewable energy is the best option.

New Environmental Policies

France has implemented various laws and policies to help the country reach its Paris Agreement objectives. For example, the country’s environmental program, EN MARCHE, intends to close multiple coal based power plants, provide more funding for renewable energy and create a new recycling model. Also, the Environmental Transition Law (ETL) allows more renewable energy project funding to local authorities and single-use permits for wind energy, biogas and hydropower, and creates more than 35 million smart meters.

On top of this, France also has various future projects planned. In 2020, the French Energy Ministry created 1.7 gigawatts of renewable energy projects. Total, an energy company, will have its largest solar power plant located in Valenciennes. Overall, France expects 40% of all of the nation’s power to come from renewable energy by the year 2030.

Renewable Energy in France

According to the general delegate of the Renewable Energy Trade Administration, Alexandre Roesch, renewable resources generate 25% of France’s power. Hydropower supplies most of this energy. Out of all the nations in the European Union, France produces the most hydropower.

 Behind that is wind power, although that may not be the case for much longer. Wind power has progressed rapidly in France and the country has planned various projects for the future as well. Wind power could overtake hydropower by 2030 and could be key for France in meeting its renewable energy objectives.

 Like wind energy, solar power generation has also increased in France. While many do not expect it to surpass hydropower anytime soon, it could still significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions.

Falling Behind

While France has increased its renewable energy production and has various renewable energy projects in the works, the country is still at risk of not reaching its Paris Agreement goals. Much of this is due to internal debates that are slowing the process of constructing renewable power stations.

For example, creating new wind farms could greatly boost renewable power production in France, but there are other factors that French citizens are concerned with. Wind farms drastically increase noise pollution and many believe that their construction could eradicate biodiversity.

While the citizens continue to debate over these and various other issues, France is unable to complete its projects because of these internal disagreements. France could end up falling behind its fellow European nations in its own treaty if it cannot develop its renewable energy at a faster rate.

Renewable Energy’s Impact on Poverty

Energy poverty is an issue that impacts many countries in Europe, including France. In 2019, 12% of France’s population did not have adequate access to energy. Much of this is due to high energy prices and low incomes. This has resulted in many French citizens being unable to warm their homes during cold winters or cool their homes during increasingly hot summers.

The implementation of additional renewable energy in France could mitigate this issue in a couple of ways. Firstly, the cost of renewable energy has dropped significantly over time and is actually more affordable than nonrenewable energy now. This will make it easier for poorer citizens to have access to the power they need. Also, many of the households experiencing energy poverty are located along France’s coastal regions, which also happens to be where many wind power stations will undergo construction. The price and proximity of renewable energy could be helpful in lifting France out of energy poverty.

In addition to lowering energy poverty, more renewable energy could lower unemployment as well. Currently, France sits at an unemployment rate of 7.3%. France’s various renewable energies account for about 60,000 full-time jobs. If France’s future renewable projects come to fruition, it could create thousands of new jobs and lower the unemployment rate drastically.

Overall, renewable energy in France has become more prominent in recent years albeit, not at the rate they hoped for. Unfortunately, if the country wants to reach its ultimate goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, they have to pick up the pace exponentially. There is time and potential for France to become an even more renewable nation as long as the government and its citizens can reach an agreement that will yield positive results in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

– Tyshon Johnson
Photo: Flickr

Save Soil: Fighting Soil Degradation

Soil DegradationAn environmental problem that needs addressing in today’s world is soil degradation. This fundamental element that provides food and other resources to society for generations is in danger. More than half the world’s soil is degraded, leading to hunger and poverty issues for future generations. However, organizations similar to Conscious Planet and Sadhguru are taking strides to eliminate soil degradation through the Save Soil movement.

What is Save Soil?

It is a movement that started 24 years ago, intent on revitalizing the world’s depleting soil to leave a better life for future generations. A mystic named Sadhguru started the movement when he noticed that soil degradation was rapid in India and theorized that within the next quarter-century most of the agricultural land in Tamil would become a desert. This would lead to food and water shortages for the children of the future.

One of Sadhguru’s most influential movements was Project Greenhands. For this movement, Sadhguru educated locals on environmental protection as a large national campaign and encouraged locals in areas around India to plant trees and other green life in otherwise deserted areas. In 2006, this movement set a Guinness record for the most saplings planted in 3 days.

Since the start of the movement other organizations, such as Conscious Planet are stepping in as well to educate the public on soil degradation and take measures to revitalize the soil.

Agricultural Problems in Tamil

According to a study, there is an issue of soil degradation in Tamil and an increase in Salinity in agricultural areas. This is drying out lands leading to further degradation.

What is even more concerning is that there doesn’t seem to be much of an interest to restore local agricultural areas leading to higher chances of poverty and hunger in the future. One of the government’s 2021 disaster management plans doesn’t identify clear policies to contain the increasing salinity in Tamil soil.

Some improvements have been made like the Tamil Nadu government passing the Protected Agricultural Zone Development Act, which prohibits industries from expanding onto agricultural land.

Conscious Planet

In its own words, Conscious Planet is trying to align societal activities towards eco-friendly means of life. The organization hopes to see a society in the future acting more environmentally conscious and to see world governments doing the same with environmental issues being key election points.

It wants to achieve these goals through the Save Soil movement by drawing public attention to dying soil, mobilizing others to support soil saving policy and driving policies in approximately 193 nations to raise and maintain the contents of soil by 3-6%.

A Journey to Save Soil

One of the biggest campaigns the Save Soil movement has is the Save Soil Journey. This event is a 100-day motorcycle trek from the United Kingdom to India where Sadhguru and several others in the movement travel from nation to nation speaking with leaders of government about the environment and how to better preserve soil. This movement has the goal to raise environmental awareness of soil degradation to more than three billion people and garner support from government leaders for stronger soil-saving policies. At home, you can become an “Earth Buddy” by listening to the teachings and resources of Sadhguru while he is on his journey.

A Look Ahead

Through movements such as these, awareness can be raised around environmental issues and take strides to revitalize soil to eliminate world hunger for future generations.

– Alex Havardansky
Photo: Flickr

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Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Slovakia

Impact of COVID-19 on poverty in SlovakiaWhile the COVID-19 pandemic severely exacerbated poverty in Slovakia, further investigation reveals that the damage was not as terrible as it could have been, due to generous monetary assistance and the valuable, effective work of several NGOs. This work has mitigated the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Slovakia, specifically in the Roma community.

About the Slovak Economy

The Slovak economy was already struggling before the COVID-19 pandemic. In Slovakia’s post-communist era, in which it transitioned to a Western economy, it faced several challenges. Additionally, Slovakia’s adoption of the euro, which unfortunately coincided with the timing of the recession and the euro crisis, further weakened its economy and thus worsened the issue of poverty in the state.

However, funding and monetary assistance from the EU have proven beneficial in providing support to small businesses that the crisis affected. This funding also focused on preserving employment and supporting self-employed individuals. Overall, economic activity in Slovakia is beginning to rebound and recover from the pandemic. This is, in part, due to lockdowns that helped prevent the virus’ spread. Slovakia’s economy, in comparison to other European countries, contracted less severely.

Slovakia’s GDP and Inflation

However, this should not allow for the overlooking of the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Slovakia, as well as Slovakia’s general economy. Slovakia’s GDP has grown since 2019, but not as quickly as in the quarters recorded before the pandemic. Economists expect inflation to be around 7% in 2022 due to the emergence of new COVID-19 variants, changes in energy prices or wage expectations, and other COVID-related externalities that cause dramatic price increases.

Slovakia’s most important economic sectors are the industrial and automotive industries, meaning that relief aid primarily focused on supporting these two sectors. However, this also means that other sectors, such as the tourism and service industries, did not receive as much relief – and these sectors rely on the work of people in high-risk groups, such as youth workers and members of the Roma community. Slovakia’s poverty rate is approximately 11.4%. It has decreased in recent years, but not as much as it could have if it were not for the pandemic. This is partly because relief aid did not target the most vulnerable economic sectors in which high-risk groups, such as the Roma community, work.

Lockdown Measures and the Slovak Roma Community

While lockdown measures may have benefited Slovakia’s economy, they were controversial in that they targeted vulnerable Roma populations. These lockdown measures sparked accusations of discrimination; the government “sealed” off the minority Roma population in order to stop COVID-19 from spreading even more. Roma people are more susceptible to diseases like COVID-19 because they live in segregated settlements with poverty, overcrowding, limited infrastructure and poor hygiene. Because of this environment, they have a greater susceptibility to infectious diseases.

As the pandemic began to grow in severity, the Slovak government announced its plans to test Roma communities after one Roma man broke a self-quarantine rule. As a result, the government contained 6,000 Roma people in five separate settlements in eastern Slovakia, where they identified the first infections. The government justified this harsh, extreme lockdown by citing specific issues with actually enforcing quarantine in the first place.

Non-governmental organizations and local Roma organizations feared that this would place the Roma people at even greater risk of COVID-19 exposure, infection and spread because the extreme containment measures had jurisdiction over environments and settlements conducive to the spread of infectious disease. Additionally, some argued that these policies were discriminatory because of the great risk they would cause for Roma people. The three main tenets of COVID-19 mitigation advice are wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and washing hands regularly; unfortunately, these are hard to implement and maintain in communities that are crowded and lack access to running water, such as those in which Roma people live.

People in Need Slovakia

Several NGOs saw an opportunity to work with government agencies and prevent higher infection rates for the Roma population (at least when compared with the rest of the Slovak population). In 1999, a group of journalists documenting the war in Kosovo founded People in Need Slovakia, an NGO that is helping the Slovak Roma community survive the pandemic. It has focused on providing emergency aid by handing out masks, disinfectants, soap and jerry cans to supplement water access. It also fundraises and provides emergency food provisions for the poorest Roma families in these settlements. The second phase of its relief plan involves organizing summer schools to compensate for issues in education access – due to school closures and the lack of wifi and laptops necessary for distance learning.

Zdrave Regiony

A second NGO, Zdrave Regiony, has been training health mediators. These mediators are local community members who lack medical qualifications but work with medical professionals as a bridge between community members and medical staff. Specifically, throughout the pandemic, it has liaised with health professionals, assisted in recognizing and tagging COVID-19 symptoms and coordinated testing and vaccination sites in Roma communities where trust in governmental authorities and mandates is low.

Overall, the assistance of these two organizations has led to positive results, as incidences of COVID-19 within the Slovak Roma community are no greater than in the rest of Slovak society. This means that the organizations, in cooperation with local community members and government officials, were able to mitigate the effects of the living conditions that characterize Slovak Roma settlements. Perhaps, this necessary step will open the door to more work and assistance that ensures Roma communities receive better care in times of crisis.

Though there have been many impacts of COVID-19 on poverty in Slovakia and, though the general Slovak economy has certainly suffered as a result of COVID-19, it is encouraging to see that organizations and communities are working together to counter the already-existing effects of poverty and spread of disease, especially for those who are at greater risk.

– Shiloh Harrill
Photo: Flickr

5 Trending Approaches to Alleviating Global Poverty

five-trending-approaches-to-alleviate-global-povertyAlthough global poverty has been trending downwards over the past century, the COVID-19 pandemic caused an unparalleled setback to nations’ efforts to improve the well-being of their citizens. However, governments, NGOs and IGOs alike have created new strategies to get incomes back on track. Here are five trending approaches to alleviating global poverty:

5 Trending Approaches to Alleviating Global Poverty

  1. Expanding purchasing power through cash payments. The government of Niger attempted this approach for citizens living below the poverty line. A mere 24 monthly payments of $16 caused household spending power to double. This increase in spending money also allowed beneficiaries to gain more free time. Economists in this experimental trial noticed that the households tended to utilize this free time for increased productivity instead of leisure, which caused a greater increase in economic activity.
  2. Cash transfers with a larger purpose. Burundi’s cash transfer program also teaches citizens living in poverty to manage budgets, create financial goals and execute entrepreneurial goals. The cash transfers have allowed-for beneficiaries to reap the rewards of higher schooling, agricultural entrepreneurship and reduced rates of malnutrition.
  3. Trade agreements for a better-connected world. The proposed African Continental Free Trade Area is projected to raise wages by 9% and remove many barriers to trade that cause a reduction in economic activity. By 2035 this trade agreement could bring 18 million new jobs and a 32% raise in African exports.
  4. Promoting sustainability through aid. The Swiss government pledged $155 million to the United Nations Development Program’s fight to promote sustainability and alleviate global poverty. This funding allows for an increase in democratization, civic engagement and income equality.
  5. Encouraging gender equality in education. The World Bank estimates that the education gap between men and women has cost $30 trillion in lost economic activity that would have occurred if education levels were equal. Since women with a secondary education earn twice as much on average as those with no education, the correlation between wealth and education is both strong and convincing. The Malala Fund aims to utilize political advocacy to ensure that all girls across the globe can access 12 years of free education. By closing this education gap, economic activity will increase in developing nations where girls do not have access to schooling.

The economies of both developing and industrialized nations took a significant hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many developing nations lacked the capabilities to remotely learn and work, which caused these nations to face even more economic turmoil than their industrialized counterparts. For example, U.S. internet penetration rates are approximately 89%, compared to developing nations such as Zimbabwe, where only 21% of citizens have access to the internet. Although there was an unprecedented upswing in poverty rates during the pandemic, strategic approaches to education equality, entrepreneurship and international aid can prevent further setbacks in the fight against global poverty.

– Salvatore Brancato
Photo: Flickr

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Demining in Libya: How Communities are Protecting Themselves

Demining in LibyaCivilians across Libya face a unique challenge in their daily lives: avoiding landmines. Both the United States and the European Union remain committed to building a safe community for Libyan civilians by working with groups pursuing demining in Libya.

How We Got Here

Libya is a coastal city in northern Africa. The Government of Libyan National Unity (GNU) was established in March 2021 and a group led by warlord Khalifa Haftar controls the country politically. States surrounding Libya began independently supporting the two competing groups, with countries such as Egypt supporting Hafter and Turkey supporting the GNU. Another power that joined in aiding Haftar is Russia and a Russian organization called the Wagner Group.

Currently, the Wagner Group continues to occupy and influence parts of Libya, especially in the east. It continues to assist the Libyan National Army (LNA) under Haftar despite the ongoing war that Russia faces in Ukraine.

In 2020, the Wagner Group withdrew from Tripoli, the capital of the country located along the coast in western Libya. According to several sources, the organization left landmines in the area in the process of withdrawing, leaving Libyan civilians in a dangerous situation. The remaining landmines resulted in more than 300 innocent deaths or injuries in the past two years.

Through partnerships with the United States, European Union and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the present dangers mobilized communities in Libya to come together and address the issue.

Communities Unite – Free Fields Foundation (3F)

Present dangers in Libya include landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and unexploded ordnance (UXO). Not only are these weapons remaining from the Wagner Group in the ongoing Libyan civil war, but there are still weapons from wars dating back to World War II. Three organizations that specialize in demining in Libya receive funding from the United States and represent a significant impact in eliminating the risk of more than 60,000 explosives in the last 11 years.

The European Union similarly coordinates three demining projects with several organizations including 3F, also known as Free Fields Foundation. Rabie al-Jawashi started 3F in 2012 in Tripoli. The organization now has 60 working members and received accreditation from the Libyan Mine Action Center. Rabie’s organization primarily focuses on areas near the coast and is making a large impact on the safety of families returning home after the war. In a mere eight months in 2020, 3F destroyed over 1,050 explosives in their focus area.

Many success stories arose from the Free Fields Foundation since its establishment. One example is the case of Saud Abdel Rahman and his family located in Sirte, Libya. After seeking refuge in a neighboring city during the war, Rahman’s family returned to find their farm in ruins. After seeing phone numbers for 3F on local billboards, Rahman contacted the organization, which removed landmines from his farm. This allowed the family to continue farming. Rahman also noted that his children personally experienced mine safety education in their school, thus illustrating the real-world impact that 3F creates.

A Safer Future

Apart from demining field work, 3F also works to educate Libyan civilians on mine safety. Members of the organization inform families on the correct steps to take if families locate explosives and collaborate with regional groups to instruct children in local schools.

The United States government also strives to inform civilians on the proper contacts and risk prevention to safely eliminate explosive risks. Further, the United States promotes the GNU’s humanitarian and economic development endeavors by offering support to the Libyan government.

With landmine education and renewed funding from the United States, European Union and other critical partnerships, demining in Libya continues to embody a community effort for the safety of Libyan civilians.

– Kaylee Messick
Photo: Flickr