Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Chad’s Food Shortage

Chad’s Food ShortageOn June 1, 2022, Chad declared a food emergency due to a dwindling supply of grain. A decrease in exports from Ukraine, as a result of their war with Russia, has caused food prices in Chad to skyrocket. Amid Chad’s food shortage, the country has asked the international community to provide aid as it is estimated that about one-third of the population of Chad will require humanitarian assistance this year.

Causes of Chad’s Food Shortage

While drought has ravaged Chad and surrounding countries for the past couple of years and undoubtedly plays a role, it is not the most significant factor causing Chad’s food shortage. Many factors have contributed to the severity of food insecurity in Chad.

In 2021, Chad experienced its second straight year of recession, with the country’s GDP dropping by 1.2% over the course of the year. Rising food prices, due to a combination of gradual inflation and rapid inflation sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have placed the final nail in the coffin. Internationally, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, global wheat prices have increased for the fourth month in a row, rising 5.6% in May 2022 alone. Rising prices combined with dropping income place the people of Chad in a difficult situation. The U.N. ranks Chad as the third most impoverished nation in the world in 2022, a status that the current food emergency does not ease.

Solutions and the Way Forward

Chad’s food shortage has prompted the country to request urgent aid from the international community. While at the moment it is unclear which countries will answer the call, one organization that is already helping is the World Food Programme (WFP).

The humanitarian organization aims to provide assistance to approximately 3 million people facing food insecurity in Chad in 2022. About 42% of the population of Chad falls below the poverty line, but the WFP plans to help in a few ways. The organization provides displaced people within Chad with cash-based transfers to purchase food. The WFP also works with the Ministry of Health to support government-backed nutrition programs, reaching “458,000 children and 235,400 pregnant and nursing women with specialized nutritious foods” in 2021.

Another measure the organization is taking is working to provide children within Chad with school lunches. These provided meals not only help with food insecurity but also encourage school enrollment in a country with low rates of education. These school meals reached 200,000 children in 2021.

Chad’s call to action came just days before a meeting between Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, and Macky Sall, the head of the African Union. On June 3, 2021, Sall met with Putin to discuss “freeing up stocks of cereals and fertilizers, the blockage of which particularly affects African countries.” The discussion did not spark any immediate change but there is cause for optimism as Putin said “We strive to develop humanitarian ties with African countries and will do everything in our power to make this process gain momentum.”

Whatever the outcome, Chad will need the support of numerous countries and organizations across the globe.

– Thomas Schneider
Photo: Flickr

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Renewable Energy in Ghana

Renewable Energy in GhanaTechnological innovation has always been an important determinant of economic growth. Now, renewable energy in Ghana is paving the way for a better nation. On May 25, 2022, the government of Ghana signed a grant agreement with the African Development Fund, as well as a financing agreement with the Swiss government, for the Ghana Mini-Grid and Solar Photovoltaic Net Metering project.

The Impact of the Agreement

In order to bring about renewable energy in Ghana, Ghana adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strives to fulfill Sustainable Development Goal 7, which ensures that the population has access to energy-related services that are modern, affordable, reliable and sustainable. In the recent decade, Ghana has seen a growth in energy demand that has surpassed that of supply. According to an article from Sage Journals, despite the fact that Ghana has adopted the U.N. SDGs, the country’s primary energy sources are still nonrenewable.

According to the World Bank, poverty in Ghana stood at 25.5% in 2020. Ghana can use energy to improve the quality of life for the population, however, Ghana has a vast renewable energy potential that is currently underutilized. According to the World Bank, in 2020, 85.9% of the population had access to electricity.

In order to help the remaining 14.1%, the nation is considering the role of renewable energy in meeting energy needs by replacing traditional fuels with clean and reliable energy sources. This push for renewable energy is geared toward enhancing economic growth. The project will help schools, health facilities and communities throughout Ghana as electricity will be readily accessible to people within the population.

Technological plan

The relevant parties will implement this project within three years beginning in May 2022 and ending in December 2025. The agreement calls for the construction of “35 mini-grids in the Volta Lake region and the deployment of 12,000 units of roof-mounted net-metered solar PV systems.”

These solar cells will convert sunlight into electricity directly. “The systems will power 750 small medium-sized enterprises, 400 schools, 200 health centers, and the energy service systems in 100 communities in the Volta Lake region and Northern region of Ghana.”

Overall, the project aims to “bring sustainable and affordable electricity to [more than] 6,000 small and medium-sized enterprises and almost 5,000 households, besides 1,100 public buildings.”

Next Steps

It is clear to see that technology continues to influence Ghana to plan a more sustainable future that benefits the population. The authorities remain firm in their commitment to transition to renewable energy in Ghana. One of the country’s goals is to have 10% of renewable energy in the mix of electricity generation by 2025. According to an article from The Finder, the 12,000 units of roof-mounted net-metered solar PV will lead to the reduction of the public sector’s power debt and lower the costs of electricity for households and smaller businesses.

According to an article on Hindawi, Ghana has an undeniable potential to considerably increase local energy production and enhance the efficiency of energy distribution networks. Renewable energy in Ghana will provide energy access to the poor, which will improve their quality of life.

– Frema Mensah
Photo: Unsplash

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Senegal’s MADIBA Vaccine Facility

MADIBA Vaccine FacilityThe true scope of vaccine inequality in Africa proved evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of 2021, more than 92% of Africa’s 1.2 billion residents had not received full vaccinations against COVID-19. Furthermore, in 2021, low-income and developing nations received less than 2% of COVID-19 vaccines created by Moderna, Pfizer and BioNTech. Low vaccination rates have had far-reaching impacts, such as drops in school attendance. By May 2021, almost 750,000 children stopped attending school in South Africa alone. The establishment of the MADIBA vaccine facility in Senegal brings hope to Africa in terms of vaccine access.

As of 2020, 39% of Senegal’s population lives in poverty and 60% of the population is younger than 25 years old, according to the World Food Programme. Only 25% of families in Senegal do not suffer from chronic poverty. The MADIBA vaccine facility project offers a brighter future for Senegal’s younger generation and hope for those in need of vaccines throughout Africa.

MADIBA Vaccine Facility and Poverty

On June 2, 2022, the hope for higher vaccination rates in the future became a reality. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar is a “nonprofit association of public utility” in West Africa committed to improving public health and fighting deadly diseases. The Institut Pasteur de Dakar and the European Investment Bank (EIB) announced the close of a €75 million agreement to construct a vaccine manufacturing facility in Senegal.

The Manufacturing in Africa for Disease Immunisation and Building Autonomy project (MADIBA) aims to decentralize vaccine production and provide vaccines domestically to residents. With the production of vaccines in Africa, the Institut Pasteur de Dakar plans to distribute essential vaccines and improve public health in Senegal and other African countries in need.

Vaccine Production and Imports

Africa currently relies on imports for vital vaccines needed to combat endemic diseases. In fact, Africa imports 99% of its vaccines from other continents. Aspen, a South African vaccine manufacturer announced in May 2022 that it would pause its production of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines after producing 180 million doses. The MADIBA vaccine facility has the ability to produce 300 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines (or other vaccines) a year.

The MADIBA vaccine facility stands as the “first full-service vaccine production facility” in Africa. While Africa has vaccine plants in various countries, most are limited to packaging vaccines. Producing doses of vaccines in Africa would reduce the need for imports and create a new market for future generations.

Construction and Vaccine Production

On March 29, 2022, the creators of the vaccine manufacturing facility shipped it to Senegal. KeyPlants created and assembled the facility in Sweden, then disassembled it for shipment. The process took less than eight months. KeyPlants, a Swedish company, designs modular, “innovative life science facilities.” The facility is portable and can be scaled over time to meet the demand for production. The facility expects to begin the production of vaccines in Africa at the end of 2022.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the MADIBA vaccine facility will produce mRNA vaccines along with other life-saving vaccines, including yellow fever vaccines. Yellow fever is endemic in tropical locations of Africa and death rates range from 29,000 to 60,000 deaths each year in Africa. Along with standard vials of vaccines, the MADIBA vaccine facility will produce pouches of vaccines at the new facility. The facility can store each pouch, containing 200 doses each, in a refrigerator for about six days.

Looking Forward

The MADIBA vaccine facility project will continue to fight the imbalance of vaccines in Africa. To combat childhood deaths, the facility hopes to produce vaccines for polio, rubella and measles in the future. In sub-Saharan Africa, “pregnant women who were hospitalized with COVID-19 had double the risk of death compared to nonpregnant women with similarly severe cases” and five times the risk of expectant mothers without COVID-19.

With the MADIBA vaccine facility, more pregnant women would have access to vaccines, reducing the risk of death for themselves and their children. With these protections, maternal and child mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa would lower.

The facility will also offer job opportunities to young Africans, which will lower unemployment rates in Senegal and lead to economic growth. With increased access to vaccines, combating deadly but preventable diseases in Africa can become a reality without the need for imports.

– Sara Sweitzer
Photo: WikiCommons

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USAID’s $331 Million Initiative

USAID's $331 Million Initiative
On June 9, 2022, during the Ninth Summit of the Americas, Samantha Power, administrator for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that USAID will allocate $331 million to help bolster “medium-to-long-term food security and resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.” USAID’s $331 million initiative to address food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean also includes direct emergency food assistance to vulnerable populations in the region. In addition to emergency food assistance, USAID will allocate more than $198 million in related assistance including sanitation and hygiene intervention. Subject to congressional approval, USAID will also spend more than $132 million on resources for smallholder farmers.

Powers explained, “The food crisis in the Americas will not be solved solely through emergency food assistance — far from it. It requires a long-term solution, one that sees Latin and Central American communities as partners rather than recipients.”

How Food Insecurity Impacted Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean

Food insecurity has negatively affected the livelihood of families and individuals in Latin America and the Caribbean. For instance, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) reported that more than 3.9 million Guatemalans “experienced high levels of food insecurity” between March and May 2022. Furthermore, the IPC also predicts that the number could increase to 4.6 million from June to September 2022. In addition, a 2022 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and United Nations World Food Programme survey found that 40% of the English-speaking Caribbean population suffers from food insecurity. That is a sharp increase from 2020. USAID’s $331 million initiative aims to reverse this trend.

On-the-Ground USAID Operations to Help Smallholder Farmers

USAID’s $331 million initiative also includes on-the-ground operations to tackle the issue head-on. A model for this type of support was the Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation program in Guatemala, which helped smallholder farmers access new and commercially-viable agricultural technology. From 2015 to 2018, the Feed the Future program helped more than 1,400 Guatemalan producers improve access to quality potato seeds. This illustrates the type of assistance USAID will be conducting in its effort to help Latin American and Caribbean countries tackle food insecurity with its $331 million initiative.

On-the-Ground USAID Operations to Help Households

USAID also has programs to support households in Latin America and the Caribbean struggling with food insecurity. For instance, USAID supported the 2015 – 2018 Más Riego program in Guatemala which aimed to improve smallholder family nutrition and income through training youth, smallholder businesses and families. Specifically, this project helped Guatemalan households and youth by training them on how to use low-pressure drip irrigation. This is the type of program USAID will support with the new $331 million initiative.

Looking Ahead

The influx of USAID funding for operations in Latin America and the Caribbean highlights an increasing prioritization of international development in U.S. foreign policy. As the Biden administration commented during the summit, the new USAID initiative “will result in big deliverables on issues for Latin America and the Caribbean such as migration, democracy, economic recovery and climate change.”

– Abdullah Dowaihy
Photo: Flickr

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HIV/Aids in the Democratic Republic of Congo

HIV/Aids in the Democratic Republic of CongoHIV/Aids in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most prevalent diseases in the country as well as sub-Saharan Africa. However, several organizations are stepping up to try and eliminate HIV and provide better lives for African citizens.

The Problem

HIV/Aids is a problematic virus infecting Sub-Saharan Africa. According to statistics on the African Mission Healthcare website, around 66% of new HIV-related infections come from Sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, 520,000 people are living with HIV/Aids in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

There is also a gender disparity between those in the Democratic Republic of Congo living with the virus and those receiving treatment for it. Among the Congolese citizens living with the virus, more than 60% of them are women. Also, only 57% of people living with HIV in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being treated with antiretroviral therapy. Men are receiving the most treatment at more than 72%.

There is also an issue among children in the nation where 68,000 people under the age of 14 have HIV and only 25% have antiretroviral therapy treatments.

The Solution

Several organizations around the world recognize this issue amongst Congolese and Africans as a whole and are working in multiple ways to help fight the struggles that come from this virus.

African Mission Healthcare is one organization at the forefront of combating HIV and other health-related issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. The organization was founded by Dr. Jon Fielder with his friend and entrepreneur Mark Gerson. It has taken steps to change the lives of African citizens by focusing on Mission hospitals around the continent.

Fielder and Gerson recognized that Mission hospitals provide one-third of all medical care in Africa and play a big part in training the next generation of health care professionals on the continent. From this, African Mission Healthcare invests financially into these institutions to provide accessible and friendly healthcare for those in Africa along with adequate training to have many professional workers in the future. Since its inception in 2010, African Mission Healthcare has invested more than $30 million into healthcare functions in Africa such as training, clinical care, and infrastructure projects with more than 45 mission hospital partners. These investments have enabled care for almost 700,000 patients in Africa and will be able to hold almost 10 million future patient visits.

Other Assistance

Other organizations including UNAIDS provide funding for projects such as The Observatory Project, which is designed to guide future national policies to support better healthcare access against HIV and other diseases. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime created the Observatory. It is a vessel of information to provide better resources for controlling and eliminating HIV in vulnerable areas. For the Democratic Republic of Congo, the goal is to provide more antiretroviral therapy. To take action, the Democratic Republic of Congo made its catch-up plan in 2016, with the goal to more than double the number of citizens receiving antiretroviral therapy from 80,000 to 200,000. The country also had an HIV testing campaign to determine the statuses of two million citizens in the country for essential need of antiretroviral therapy.

The United Nations also sets up fundraising pages to aid those in need in crisis locations. One page was made for the Democratic Republic of Congo for a variety of anti-disease and poverty issues to improve the lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This benefits both medical access for those living in the country while also helping the United Nations humanitarian partners provide food services to the malnourished affected by disease epidemics. According to the central African humanitarian fund in 2021, the United Nations received $34.3 million, and 1.3 million people received food and medical assistance.

A Look Ahead

HIV/AIDS in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sub-Saharan Africa is a serious problem. However, through actions similar to fundraising, providing care programs and extensive research steps, work is being done to eliminate HIV/Aids and help millions to prosper.

– Alex Havardansky
Photo: Flickr

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5 Causes of Human Trafficking in Malawi

Human Trafficking in Malawi“After feeling pity with my situation, my friend asked [me] to go where she works. Upon reaching there, I was disturbed to see that it was sex work. I could not object because I needed money.” According to the Voice of America (VOA), that was the reason 17-year-old Hilda became a victim of sex trafficking after the death of her parents. Unfortunately, the wish to escape poverty fuels human trafficking in Malawi.

Five Reasons for Human Trafficking in Malawi

Located in Southeastern Africa, Malawi spans over 45,000 square miles and has an estimated population of 19 million. Although the government passed the Trafficking in Persons Act in 2015, human trafficking in Malawi remains rampant for many reasons, including Malawi’s extreme poverty, cultural practices and lack of law enforcement. Of course, the effects of COVID-19 also exacerbate this problem. Here are five reasons why Malawi is a source of trafficking:

  1. Poverty fuels human trafficking. According to the World Bank, more than half of the Malawi population lives below the national poverty rate. In fact, as one of the poorest countries in the world, Malawi ranks 174 out of 189 countries on the United Nations’ Human Development Index. This is partly because, as a developing nation, Malawi’s main business and export continues to be agricultural products, making the nation particularly susceptible to weather shocks and climate changes.
  2. Food insecurity plagues Malawi. Despite record harvests, 1.1 million Malawians faced high-level acute food insecurity in 2021. The agricultural sector struggles with productivity, and there are few economic opportunities beyond farming. Together, this creates extensive rural unemployment. It also makes rural residents exceptionally vulnerable to promises of good work and pay in bigger cities—the most common ruse used for human trafficking.
  3. Cultural practices put girls at risk. Despite the fact it banned child marriage in 2017, Malawi still has a high child marriage rate. Long-established cultural practices drive the continuation of child marriage and sex trafficking. For example, families marry off young girls as payment for repaying debts or dowries. Another common custom called “kutomera” involves an older (and often wealthy) man choosing a young girl to be his future wife. After negotiating payment, the girl waits until she is sexually mature and then they take her to her designated husband. Also, sex traffickers recruit girls for “domestic service” but instead force the girls into marriages in which their husbands then force them into sex trafficking.
  4. Laws are often not enforced. In a giant step towards ending human trafficking in Malawi, the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Act criminalized human trafficking and prescribed punishments of up to 14 or 21 years in prison. The government also endorsed several international human rights treaties. These include the Maputo Protocol which obligates the government to protect women and girls from sex trafficking. Unfortunately, according to Equality Now, the Malawian government often fails to adequately enforce these laws. Furthermore, poverty fuels the high levels of corruption that still exist among numerous local officials. This means many human trafficking organizations operate without fear of the law.  Even in the rare case perpetrators are apprehended, many are not held accountable through prosecution.
  5. The effects of COVID-19. Human trafficking in Malawi has worsened since the start of the pandemic. Before COVID-19, PSGR saw around two to three cases a week. During the pandemic, the number increased to seven cases a week, with some weeks seeing up to 10 or 15. This is because the economic downturns created by COVID-19 have exacerbated unemployment. This, in turn, makes people even more desperate to escape chronic poverty and vulnerable to sex traffickers.

PSGR:  Combatting Human Trafficking

Although human trafficking in Malawi continues to be a huge issue, numerous social organizations are on the ground attempting to tackle the problem. In 2020, People Serving Girls at Risk (PSGR), a local NGO helping trafficking survivors, handled more than 600 cases of sex trafficking. Yet the Malawi Police Services only reported the arrest of 48 suspects and convicted only 30 of them. That’s one reason PSGR recently launched a six-year project to mentor sex workers to learn income-generating skills so they will become less vulnerable to sex trafficking. PSGR Team Leader Caleb Ng’omba said, “Our core purpose is to empower them with vocational and other skills that they could use to generate income to reduce their vulnerability to sex work, early marriages or child labour.”

The five causes of human trafficking listed above are no doubt serious hurdles that the Malawian government face, but the continuous effort of both the administration and the NGOs could result in significant progress in the near future.

-Emilie Zhang
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Human Trafficking in Panama

Human Trafficking in PanamaIn 2019, in Panama, a country in Central America, authorities identified 61 potential human trafficking victims. Out of the 61 victims, sex trafficking victims accounted for 33, labor trafficking victims accounted for 26 and the remaining two victims endured exploitation in “other forms of trafficking.” In comparison, in 2020, authorities identified only six victims —  three sex trafficking victims, one labor trafficking victim and two victims of “slavery.” The U.S. Department of State provides insight into the steps the Panamanian government is taking to address human trafficking in Panama.

How Panama Compares to Other Countries

In 2016, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that there were 24.9 million victims of human trafficking across the world.  Since then, the ILO has not followed up with new estimates, but it is likely that the number has increased, especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased people’s economic vulnerabilities, resulting in higher susceptibility to exploitation. Traffickers target victims of all ages and genders for many reasons but the three most common types of human trafficking are for the purpose of sex work, debt bondage and forced labor.

The U.S. Department of State produces annual country-specific Trafficking in Persons Reports to assess the progress of countries in eliminating human trafficking. Countries that completely meet the minimum standards of the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) are classified as Tier 1 countries. The standards assess steps taken to protect victims of trafficking, prevent instances of trafficking and prosecute traffickers.

The 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report on Panama classifies Panama as a Tier 2 country, meaning it is not completely meeting the minimum standards of the TVPA but is actively working toward that goal.

According to trafficking reports from the U.S. Department of State, human trafficking in Panama is most common in bars and brothels. However, official reports note an increase in human trafficking offenses taking place in beauty salons and spas as well as private residences and rented homes.

It is also very common for other Central Americans to be trafficked into Panama when passing through the Panama Canal. As of 2020, foreign women accounted for most identified human trafficking victims in Panama.

Panama’s Shortcomings

The most significant obstacles that prevent Panama from becoming a Tier 1 country in terms of human trafficking are Panama’s lack of prosecution against human traffickers and inadequate protection of trafficking victims. Article 456 of Panama’s Penal Code states that human trafficking is punishable by 15-20 years in jail and 20-30 years if the victim is a minor.

However, Panama’s human trafficking investigations can at times lack efficiency. In 2020, Panamanian authorities initiated 29 trafficking cases but only convicted three traffickers. Whereas, in 2019, authorities only initiated five investigations but convicted 13 traffickers. The rate at which Panama convicts human traffickers is not on par with Tier 1 countries.

In addition, after courts in Panama reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic, many trafficking cases proceeded at an even slower rate than before. Restrictions, such as closing commercial establishments, have hindered police from solving trafficking cases.

Panama is also not performing at its full potential in terms of victim protection. In 2020, “the government did not allocate funding specific to the anti-trafficking commission or victim services.” And, the government did not establish shelters for victims of human trafficking specifically.

Child victims are sometimes placed in designated shelters. However, within these shelters, there have been reported and confirmed cases of sexual abuse and mistreatment against children with disabilities.

Panama’s Fight against Human Trafficking

In terms of the three Ps, Panama has been the most effective in its prevention efforts for trafficking. Panama’s Anti-Trafficking Commission has focused its efforts on bringing awareness to human trafficking by organizing an anti-trafficking drawing contest for schoolchildren, raising awareness about trafficking through flyers, radio and television and running a trafficking hotline. The Commission is also conducting anti-trafficking seminars and held an awareness walk for human trafficking in Panama back in 2019.  In 2020, a victim who attended a seminar later called a hotline to identify as a human trafficking victim.

CONAPREDES

Panama’s National Commission for the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Crimes (CONAPREDES), a governing body founded in 2004, aims to prevent sexual exploitation in Panama. A notable accomplishment of CONAPREDES is enacting the “National Plan for the Prevention of Elimination of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Boys, Girls and Adolescents” in 2008. The plan has four main focal points: “prevention, attention to victims, investigations and sanctions for offenders.”

Funding for the National Plan under CONAPREDES comes from the government and a Sexual Exploitation Fund. The Fund’s finances come from taxes on foreigners leaving the Tocumen National Airport and taxes placed on film rental shops and theatres regarding the “sale, rental or exhibition of legal pornographic movies.”

Since early 2019, CONAPREDES has collaborated with the University of Panama to open an Observatory of Sexual Exploitation of Boys, Girls and Adolescents. The observatory allows for further research into the sexual exploitation of minors to assist CONAPREDES in its design of policies to combat these crimes and related human trafficking offenses.

Panama’s Tier 2 placement is promising. With more focus on the prosecution of traffickers and protection of human trafficking victims, Panama can reach the goal of Tier 1 placement.

– Luke Sherrill
Photo: Unsplash

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Renewable Energy in the Philippines

Renewable Energy in the PhilippinesAs demand for electricity grows in the Philippines, so does the occurrence of power outages. Renewable energy in the Philippines presents itself as a potential solution to this issue that affects its citizens so often, especially with 23.7% of its population living in poverty. A future with fewer power outages means better access to sanitation, healthcare, education and many other elements necessary for a country to grow its economy and continue to develop.

The State of Electricity Access in the Philippines

The Philippines historically has relatively lower rates of energy consumption. However, demand is growing as the government works to expand electricity access to the whole nation. As of 2020, 96.8% of people in the Philippines have access to electricity, an increase of 20% over the last two decades. This has paid for itself through the benefits that it has brought to the Filipino economy. For instance, there is an annual welfare gain of $616 in electrified households. This, when taking the cost of electricity into account, is roughly the same increase in welfare that comes from conditional cash transfers that the government runs.

Despite the benefits that increased access to electricity has brought, its stability often falls into question, especially because of the impacts of climate change. Electricity outages affect every sector of the Filipino economy and just one hour of an outage has been demonstrated to deal a heavy blow to its GDP. Not only do these outages harm the economy, but dozens of peer-reviewed articles have pointed to evidence that they also lead to negative health outcomes in both the short and long term.

How Renewable Energy Can Help Improve the Situation

With the drastic consequences of power outages playing themselves out so often, it has become apparent that in order for the development of the Philippines to be sustainable, the energy it uses must be as well. A grid powered by renewables has been shown in models to provide stability at a cheaper price point. Not only is it possible, but some also claim it is preferable. The money and time invested into short-term energy supplies, such as kerosene, stands in the way of more productive economic activities that can fuel growth. Harnessing readily available resources, such as water or the sun, can quickly supply remote villages with long-term electricity.

Luckily, the Philippines is home to an abundant supply of renewable energy resources that can provide low-cost solutions to a lack of reliable energy. Considering the number of fossil fuels that the Philippines currently imports to keep the lights on, investment in homegrown solar, wind, hydro and geothermal power sources could save everyday Filipinos money while bolstering the country’s economy.

Where Renewable Energy in the Philippines Stands Right Now

With over 47% of its energy coming from renewables, the Philippines has been a leader in the expansion of these technologies. Though there has been an uptick in the use of renewable energy, it still has a long way to go before it unleashes its full potential. The government has set a goal of 15.3 GW of renewable power capacity by 2030, according to Energy Tracker Asia.

Currently, the majority of renewable energy in the Philippines comes from geothermal sources as it has some of the greatest stores of geothermal power capacity on the planet. Much of the government’s plans for expanding renewable energy are centered around increasing its geothermal capacity. Greater use of hydropower, wind and solar also factor heavily into the government’s plans, Energy Tracker Asia reports.

Solutions

The Philippine government has worked vigorously to expand the use of renewables. One of the key factors to its success has been shaping a marketplace that incentivizes renewable energy in the Philippines under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008. Some of these incentives include tax breaks, renewable energy sourcing mandates for suppliers and the Green Energy Option Plan which allows users to switch to a renewable energy supplier.

Along with government action, a number of businesses and NGOs are helping the Philippines along the way in its renewable energy transition. One of these organizations is Okra Solar, a company that supplies mesh grids to villages that they can quickly attach to rooftops of households and organizations to generate energy which is quicker than waiting to get a permit for a large-scale project. Once these grids are set up, they can be linked to other grids in the same system over time to provide a whole population with shared electricity access.

This has been especially beneficial for remote islands of the Philippines that often rely on importing diesel for electricity needs. The company’s systems could create a 30% increase in income through jobs in management and upkeep of the panels. Okra Solar has received a loan of $500,000 to supply 30,000 pods over the next few years.

 The Philippines has come a long way in its mission of providing electricity access to all of its population. As demand grows, a key way to avoid power outages and reduce the costs of electricity is further to invest in renewables. Companies like Okra Solar and policies such as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 will help the Philippines reach a sustainable and electrified future.

– Joey Harris
Photo: Flickr

How Cellphones are Ending Rural Poverty in Vietnam

Rural Poverty in VietnamVietnam has had incredible success in lifting a significant proportion of its population out of poverty. In fact, the poverty rate has plummeted from 58% in 1992 to approximately 5% in 2020. Vietnam even reached the Millennium Development Goal of reducing its poverty rate by 50% a full decade before the target date established by the United Nations. This widespread alleviation of suffering is the result of a systematic overhaul of government and economic structures, a program known as Doi Moi or “open door.” Even with all this progress, there is still room for new programs to continue the fight against poverty in Vietnam. One such program involves the use of cellphones and targets vulnerable ethnic minority populations, with the aim of reducing rural poverty in Vietnam.

Rural Poverty in Vietnam

Sprinkled along the rolling, verdant rice paddies of Vietnam are communities of rural families. These rural areas are concentrated with the remaining households that struggle in poverty. Ethnic minorities in these communities are particularly at risk of poverty. In fact, 57% of ethnic minorities in high mountain rural communities are impoverished.

However, one can still note visible progress in these communities. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Phan An, a local resident, recalls reading by oil lamp and bathing in flooded rice fields as a child. He and his family lived in Danang in a single room with no electricity or water. By his 20s, An had a computer, washing machine, flat-screen TV and refrigerator.

Cellphones, in particular, have been on the rise in rural communities. In the 1990s, Vietnam had “one telephone per 544 people.” A 2018/19 report shows that 89% of the population in rural Vietnam have a cellphone, and of this percentage, 68% own a smartphone. The popularity of this technology could be a key tool in tackling rural poverty in Vietnam.

A New Technological Solution

As part of the continuing work to end poverty in the country, Vietnam’s Ministry of Labor Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) and the Cao Bang Provincial People Committee worked together with the World Bank to implement a new technology that specifically targets these vulnerable populations. In January 2019, the partners piloted the technology in specific provinces of the country where 90% of the population are ethnic minorities.

The new technology is an electronic payment program for social assistance benefits. Before the pilot program, Vietnam made assistance payments through an onerous cash system. The dispersal of the cash would occur on only two days of the month. This meant that those looking to collect their benefits would have to wait until the next month to receive their payment if they happened to be unavailable or otherwise ran into an emergency that kept them from getting to the local government office.

Not only was this ineffective for beneficiaries, but also for local officials. The process required that the relevant department make a payment list, call communal officials to collect the money and only then would the officials disseminate the cash directly to recipients.

The Benefits of the Program

The new program allows individuals to receive electronic payments directly to their cellphones. Local payment officials assist beneficiaries in setting up an electronic payment account. From then on, social assistance payments are deposited directly into the account and the beneficiary receives a notification on their cellphone that payment has taken place. From there, the beneficiary can either go to payment agents in their commune to make cash withdrawals from the account or the beneficiary can pay electricity, internet and phone bills directly from their phone. Beneficiaries can also transfer money to family members.

This pilot program eases the workload of government administrators. It also facilitates a quicker, more secure and much more convenient transfer of essential benefits to more than 3,000 citizens, most of whom are ethnic minorities. As a lack of financial capital is a key driver of continued rural poverty in Vietnam, getting benefits to those most vulnerable in these communities could be a catapult to even more dazzling success in reducing poverty in Vietnam.

– Grace Ramsey
Photo: Unsplash

Novel Threats to Elderly Poverty in Spain

Elderly poverty in SpainMillions of tourists visit Spain each year, experiencing the country’s rich culture and beautiful architecture. On the surface, Spain might seem like a perfect place, an escape from everyday hardship. But, deeper down, the country is not immune from economic troubles as poverty marches through Spain. The nation’s problem with poverty is especially relevant for the country’s senior citizens. Elderly poverty in Spain threatens the well-being of the nation’s seniors, and recent events might exacerbate this problem.

The Current Problem

Most recently, people in Spain are experiencing higher poverty rates due to the unforeseen circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. Although the nation’s pension system works to keep millions of older people out of poverty, it is still critical to recognize poverty’s impact on the most vulnerable elders.

Even though state-provided pensions help curtail old-age poverty, 20.5% of Spanish seniors are at risk of poverty and exclusion. Many elders receive incomes below the poverty threshold, which leads to unnecessary hardship for the aging population. Spain’s social safety net is a helpful tool in the war against poverty. However, many elders still lack adequate resources to thwart economic hardship completely.

It is worth noting that Spain is doing relatively well compared to the rest of the world. The Global AgeWatch Index ranked Spain as the 25th best nation for elders’ social and economic well-being in 2015. Additionally, only 9.4% of individuals aged over 65 live in relative income poverty in Spain compared to 13.5% for the average OECD nation.

Gender Inequities

Spain’s problem with old-age poverty might appear relatively better off than many other nations. However, there are entrenched inequities, particularly those based on gender.

There are 10.6% of older Spanish women with income poverty rate. Compared to 7.8% of men, this gender gap persists despite any progress to reduce elderly poverty. Two primary contributors to this discrepancy are women’s, on average, lower lifetime earnings and higher life expectancy, according to OECD.

Changing Demographics

Interestingly, elderly poverty in Spain is lower than the poverty rate for the total population, which stands at 15.5%, according to the OECD. In this case, while one might think that Madrid may shift its attention to the poverty facing young adults, the well-being of elders faces a precarious trajectory given changes in demographics.

Spain’s life expectancy is on the rise with an average of 84 years, three years higher than the OECD average. Its fertility rate is also reaching new lows with only 1.2 births per woman. The nation’s high life expectancy and low fertility rates work in tandem to spell out a disaster for old-age poverty. A growing population of elders threatens the stability of old-age pensions since fewer workers will be supporting the elder safety net. With a lower ratio of workers to retirees, the Spanish economy will suffer trying to keep up with the burden of paying for more expensive social insurance.

These changing demographics will have a disproportionate impact on its rural residents. With more elders in Spain’s rural towns and villages, the fight to eliminate old-age poverty tackles a new obstacle: an isolated aging population.

Rural areas already have reduced access to stable health infrastructure and as senior residents get older, many Spaniards will be unable to drive to necessary facilities, according to the European Anti Poverty Network. This inequity in access forewarns higher poverty rates, lower well-being and increased social isolation for vulnerable elders. Without easily accessible resources, rural Spanish elders will suffer.

Novel Threats

The COVID-19 pandemic pinpointed the weaknesses in Spain’s care for the elderly. Notably, many hospitals refused to provide care for seniors and many nursing homes lacked the resources to navigate the pandemic.

Even though COVID-19 cases have fallen from their peak, pandemic-related issues may aggravate elderly poverty in Spain. The resulting economic instability risks growing inflation, diluting the purchasing power of elders.

Spain’s inflation reached 10.2% in June 2022 and this high number does not bode well for senior citizens. Higher inflation weakens the purchasing power of government-paid pensions for the elderly, which may reverse the tide in reducing old-age poverty.

Crafting Solutions

The news on Spain’s poverty rate may seem bleak, however, the public and private sectors could help present new solutions to continue mitigating old-age poverty. Reducing elderly poverty in Spain could emerge from a wide array of tactics. For instance, the government could increase investments in the social safety net, ensuring higher purchasing power for elders receiving pensions.

Additionally, new independent initiatives could target increasing accessibility to proper resources by bridging the digital divide and expanding access to high-quality health infrastructure to safeguard elders from falling into poverty. The next steps in this fight could aim to combat inequities in elderly poverty, especially for women and rural residents.

The work of non-governmental organizations like United Way Spain offers hope for Spain’s impoverished elderly. Starting in 2016, United Way Spain aids the country’s most vulnerable citizens with projects focused on education, health and employability. The organization’s MENCÍA Program operates to combat elder loneliness, bringing in volunteers to accompany seniors, assist in daily tasks and foster intergenerational connections.

Working exclusively on the local level, United Way Spain is bettering the lives of its most vulnerable elders by crafting new initiatives to advance the prosperity of its elders.

Even though Spain may already be ahead of most of the world in tackling elderly poverty, many efforts are still needed to eradicate global poverty. Supporting the work of an NGO like United Way Spain showcases one of the many ways to get involved in the fight against elderly poverty.

– Michael Cardamone
Photo: Unsplash