Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Foreign Investment Through the Prosper Africa Campaign

Foreign Investment Through the Prosper Africa CampaignForeign assistance helps people living in poverty while also benefiting the donor nations. Foreign aid helps domestic business interests because investment abroad in emerging markets opens the doors for more consumers. Furthermore, it stimulates demand for those domestic goods and services.

A new U.S. government initiative, called the Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign, is aiming to do just that by encouraging investment in Africa. The campaign promises development for recipients and new opportunities in key emerging markets for donors.

Africa’s Emerging Markets

Across the continent, income levels are rising. Some predict that by 2030 global household consumption will reach well over $2 trillion. Opportunities abound with urbanization in countries such as Nigeria, which holds seven cities with populations of more than a million people. By 2030, a fifth of the world’s consumers will live in Africa — with an increasing number of people breaking into the middle class. As GDP per capita continues to rise, so will the buying power for consumers across the continent. Additionally, Africa’s citizens will look to purchase more goods, including luxury goods. Already, Africa is the fastest-growing market for telecommunications and the second biggest market for mobile phones.

Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign

The Biden Administration promises to “elevate and energize” trade and investment across Africa. The Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign is the vehicle to accomplish that task. The goal is to get U.S. government agencies, African governments and the private sector to coordinate together in order to invest in development projects.

USAID states priorities for projects include “clean energy and climate smart solutions, health, and digital technology.” The private sector is key in this campaign as U.S. relationships with African countries start to shift while these nations continue to develop. More and more, relationships will evolve from being focused on aid to relationships focused on trade and investment.

The Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign is one mechanism of the Build Back Better World Initiative. The campaign encourages private sector investment which can help “on a scale that could never be matched on foreign aid alone.”

Prosper Africa Early Results

So far, the two-pronged approach of facilitating transactions and shaping future opportunities seems to be working. Prosper Africa fostered 800 deals, spurring more than $50 billion in exports and investments in over 40 countries across Africa.

For example, one success story comes from Ghana. An investment saved Global Mamas, a small firm that sells unique handcrafted products. Because of the economic hardship associated with COVID-19, Global Mamas saw its domestic revenue decline by 90% and lost almost 50% of its global revenue. USAID’s West Africa Trade and Investment Hub helped to secure $2 million of private funding to save the company. Furthermore, it set Global Mamas up for a sustainable future post-pandemic with projections of over $1 million in exports. The investment will save more than 250 jobs and establish 85 new jobs within one year. Additionally, the jobs go primarily to women who will be the primary earners of their household.

Looking Forward

Fighting global poverty is not only the right thing to do, it has benefits for domestic interests. Investing in key emerging markets helps to grow new consumer bases and in the end, everyone can prosper together. The Prosper Africa Build Together Campaign imagines such a world where we can fight global poverty by encouraging sustainable growth. But, it also supports the investor’s economy at home and improves the domestic industry.

– Alex Muckenfuss
Photo: Flickr

Inside the International Visitors Leadership Program

Inside the International Visitors Leadership ProgramThe International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) was launched in 1940. Since then, it has helped the U.S. maintain and improve its relationship with other countries. Foreign leaders visit U.S. public and private sector organizations correlating to the project’s theme while partaking in cultural and social activities.

How it Works

Each year about 5,000 foreign leaders come to the United States. In addition, 200,000 international visitors come to interact with Americans through the International Visitor Leadership Program. They have the opportunity to meet more than 500 former or current chiefs of state or heads of government.

The brief visit usually lasts more than three weeks, taking place in four U.S. communities. But the themes the Embassy requests and other factors determine how long a program lasts. So, how does someone get to participate in the International Visitor Leadership Program? You can not simply apply for the position. A visitor must be nominated then selected by the U.S. Embassies global staff. To better understand how much of an impact the International Leadership Program has on foreign leaders, Here is the story of one woman who was allowed to travel for further development of her cause.

Inside the International Visitors Leadership Program

Angela Benedicto is a known civil society activist back in her country Mwanza, Tanzania. The International Leadership Program approved Benedicto to travel to Kalamazoo, Michigan, back in 2013. Although excited to get an American perspective of youth development, she had no idea what to expect on this journey. However, Benedicto knew that she wanted to build a community of people passionate about youth development. A passion that stems from her personal experience of being a child domestic worker. This sparked Benedicto’s nonprofit organization, Wotesawa Domestic Worker, to improve the rights of domestic workers. The International Visitors Leadership Program not only impacted Angela Benedicto’s life but nearly 5,000 international leaders each year.

Building Relationships

With the help of the International Visitor Leadership Program, Angela Benedicto was able to contact other nonprofit organizations generating professional U.S. connections. She gives her opinion of what makes the International Visitor Leadership Program project great saying, “It was the people!”

Benedicto highlighted her relationship with Global Ties Kalamazoo, a citizen diplomacy network located in Michigan. The network seeks to establish trust with world leaders and their communities at home. The nonprofit organization allows participants to visit the homes of local families as part of its programs.

For example, Benedicto ate dinner with the Potratz family who she met through Global Ties Kalamazoo connections. Quickly, they built a long-lasting relationship after talks about youth development. Later, this singular visit led to the Potratz family and Benedicto collaborating on a “Test of The World” auction, a project to raise funds for Tanzanian girls to receive scholarships. Items sold in this auction included handmade products and donated goods provided by local businesses.

COVID-19 and The International Leadership Program

COVID-19 did not stop the International Visitors Leadership Program members from continuing their work. Although the pandemic limited physical activity and travel, members like Angela Benedicto use zoom to connect with Kalamazoo and Tanzania organizations. The International Visitor Leadership Program allowed Benedicto to produce a team of leaders on a global scale to help youth development even during a pandemic.

The International Visitor Leadership Program creates a bridge for foreign leaders and American citizens to cross. It allows them to meet, discuss and develop new perspectives and solutions for a common interest on particular issues. Thus, making it easier for the international community to grow globally and keeping the U.S. involved with counterpart countries.

– Alexis Jones
Photo: Flickr

Youth Mobilization After the Beirut Blast

Beirut BlastOn August 4, 2020, a horrific explosion took place in Beirut, Lebanon, killing at least 214 people and injuring thousands of civilians. The Beirut blast “was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history” as it tore through the city. Estimations indicate that roughly “552 tonnes of ammonium nitrate exploded” at the port of Beirut. Since the explosion, Lebanon has experienced heightened civil unrest, economic hardship, increasing poverty and political deadlock.

In the face of the tragedy and adversity that continues to plague Lebanon, young people in Beirut are innovatively working to rebuild the Lebanese capital. Cash 4 Work, a program mobilized by UNICEF, is a youth network focused on helping reconnect homes to municipal and private water supplies along with prioritizing the cleaning and rehabilitation of Beirut.

Economic Impacts of the Beirut Blast

Lebanon was facing a severe economic crisis even before the Beirut blast. After the explosion, poverty levels rose further and the Lebanese economy essentially collapsed. According to the World Bank, the country’s GDP has decreased by a staggering 40% with more than 50% of the population pushed into the depths of poverty. Job prospects for youth are increasingly difficult to come by, placing young professionals in a tough position as they attempt to secure their futures amid a failing economy.

Participants of the recent UNICEF Cash 4 Work program are primarily the most vulnerable and impoverished youth who understand first-hand what living in poverty looks and feels like. According to UNICEF, “Cash 4 Work programs create earning opportunities that can temporarily stabilize people’s incomes following a disaster or a crisis.” Participants learn valuable skills, knowledge and training to improve their economic status and their ability to provide for their families. Furthermore, with the tools to positively impact their country, youth participants are able to use their skills to rebuild the nation and lift others out poverty.

The Role of the Youth

Immediately after the explosion, the youth of Beirut were among the first to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding their communities. At the time, UNICEF staff were on the ground working with more than 1,170 youth volunteers to sweep up debris, perform household repairs and deliver food and cloth masks to affected citizens. In an interview with Forbes, a teenager working on the ground said, “We will not lose hope. We are staying here on the ground.”

UNICEF staff “reconnected more than 60 buildings to the public water system” and handed out emergency supplies “including 1,600 hygiene kits and 400 baby kits to families in need.” UNICEF also helped “reunite children with their families” and supported child counseling efforts to address the trauma of the Beirut blast.

Exactly one year after the Beirut blast, youth mobilization continues with the support of UNICEF’s new Cash 4 Work program, which ensures new job opportunities in Lebanon. Cash 4 Work is not only playing an active role in shaping the job market for young professionals but it is also connecting people with the goal of shaping a more positive future for Beirut. A 24-year-old Cash 4 Work participant, Mohammad, describes his experience with the program. He tells UNICEF, “I am happy that I gained a skill and I am still learning. To work on my future and achieve my goals, especially in these difficult times, is something special.”

Programs and initiatives from humanitarian organizations such as UNICEF bring hope to a devastated country, allowing citizens a chance to continue to rebuild and recover more than a year after the Beirut blast.

– Alysha Mohamed
Photo: Flickr

Rio de Janeiro is Vaccinating Maré’s Favelas

Vaccinating Maré's favelasDespite Brazil’s largely successful vaccine program, it is only now that Maré, Rio de Janeiro’s largest complex of favelas, is experiencing mass vaccination against COVID-19. One thousand professionals vaccinated a significant portion of the population. In schools, “health centers” and other sites, these professionals look to vaccinate upwards of 30,000 people between 18 and 34 throughout the community. Organizer planned to give community members the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was produced by the Fiocruz institute.

Why the Vaccination Drive?

This effort is not permanent and cannot indefinitely supply vaccines. A primary goal of the effort is to conduct a study on the effects of mass vaccinations in such a large complex, which is home to widespread “poverty and violence” and often does not reap the same benefits as wealthier areas of Rio. In Maré, which contains 16 favelas, more than half of the inhabitants are under 30.

Maré has seen about 350 deaths since the pandemic began, but reporting difficulties in many other favelas often means that even official counts are artificially low. The study will utilize genomic sequencing to track variants and will seek to understand vaccine efficacy in the face of the virus evolving. Vaccinating Maré’s favelas stands as a novel move. The study’s uniqueness stems from its size, its target population and its location. Since rapid spreading can lead to a rise in variants, using a favela, rather than a hospital or health unit, is beneficial to research into variants.

Maré’s Social Mobilisation

Along with the program, Maré’s greatest strength in responding to the pandemic has been its social mobilization. Campaigns to reduce the number of deaths work through local media, social networks and word of mouth. The NGO Redes da Maré and the Mare Mobilization Front both work to inform and educate the public.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the COVID-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard recorded nearly 7,000 COVID-19-related deaths from nearly 100,000 cases. The dashboard focuses on the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. However, cases and deaths are both underreported, and the Unified Dashboard does not cover every favela, meaning that the actual death toll is doubtlessly much greater. For these reasons and more, vaccinating Maré’s favelas remains a key priority.

Understanding the Dashboard

The dashboard began in April 2020 “when grassroots organizations participating in projects organized by Catalytic Communities (CatComm) began to report cases and deaths in virtual meetings of the Sustainable Favela Network (SFN).” CatComm began a reporting initiative through newspapers and word of mouth from community groups themselves. Other methods included individual outreach for data collection, outreach to local health clinics or through WhatsApp, and analysis of available data when accessible.

The initiative gained traction because of a catalyzing unwillingness by the government to “survey favelas.” The dashboard was officially launched on July 7, 2020, according to its website, and has grown with each new press conference surrounding its progress. Campaigns like #VacinaPraFavelaJá have arisen to promote vaccination and have even enlisted figures like cartoonist Carlos Latuff.

Looking Forward

While the initiation of the vaccine process is a welcome one to many inhabitants of Maré, it has begun only after countless deaths and governmental neglect. The widespread nature and varied methods of the Unified Dashboard have meanwhile shown how collective action can keep communities afloat even in the absence of sufficient governmental intervention. Moreover, with strong community engagement and growing governmental support, vaccinating Maré’s favelas could lead to a more secure and safe future in due time.

– Augustus Bambridge-Sutton
Photo: Unsplash

Startup Zomato Opens New Opportunities in India

New opportunities in IndiaZomato is a food technology startup out of India. The startup’s stock just hit the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) and is already wildly successful. The company’s success and growth open opportunities in the food delivery industry, which has the major selling point of schedule self-determination. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is estimated that an additional 75 million people in India have been plunged into poverty. Zomato provides new opportunities in India and has the potential to stir up the economy and create jobs for those living in poverty.

Zomato as a Poverty Fighting Agent

Founded in 2010, Zomato challenges poverty in India from multiple angles. The platform connects potential customers with restaurants they might be interested in, and it also allows customers to review restaurants, reserve tables and order delivery through third-party services. Third-party food delivery serves as a new job market in India and is the most crucial aspect in terms of economic growth. Companies like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Seamless entice potential drivers with the appeal of creating their own schedule. They also allow a variety of delivery methods, from cars to bicycles. This can be a great aid in lifting people out of poverty because of the inherently accessible and flexible job opportunities.

Effect on Job Market

Forbes cited what it deemed a “well-founded argument” when it said, “[A]s the restaurants go, so goes the economy.” This goes far beyond the direct effects of job losses on the service industry. Forbes points to interconnected impacts, including impacts on delivery services, agricultural workers and various goods producers and refiners. In addition, restaurant failures also have a technological impact. The systems that uphold everything from sales to reservations become far more irrelevant if a restaurant cannot function properly. The scope of the service industry is much wider than many realize, and its success plays an imperative role in the economic success of an area. When restaurants are succeeding, job opportunities in multiple sectors become available and help to propel economic growth.

IPO Success and Economic Implications

When shares of Zomato hit the market at the end of July 2021, the initial public offering price was 91 rupees. However, the stock opened even higher at 116 rupees per share. At this price per share, the company’s valuation comes to approximately 910 billion rupees, equivalent to roughly $12.2 billion. Stock prices rose throughout the day on all trading markets where Zomato was available. Large-scale investors have held a stake in Zomato since as early as last year with Uber selling its food delivery business in India to Zomato in exchange for a stake in the company. Additionally, Ant Financial has also backed Zomato with a hefty agreement to invest upwards of $150 million.

These powerhouse corporations are fanning the flames of the food industry, creating opportunity in this new market in India and jump-starting economic growth. The predicted and continued success of this tech startup shows promise for cross-sectional economic development and subsequent poverty reduction.

– Michelle M. Schwab
Photo: Unsplash

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Gender Equality at the Tokyo Olympics

women in the Olympics

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was highly anticipated for many reasons. One of the most historic reasons is that it was the most “gender-balanced” Olympics in the history of the global competition. With all 206 National Olympic Committees sending “at least one female and one male” athlete from their country, women made up just under half of all competing athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. This Olympics produced many role models for children across the world, but young girls are seeing firsthand the empowerment of women in sports.

Women from across the world broke barriers and became the face of change for women in sports forever. These Olympians left a lasting legacy in their respective sports and represented progress toward gender equality for their home countries. Hundreds of women broke barriers at the 2020 Olympics, but Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Hend Zaza and Yulimar Rojas were three women whose stories are just as notable as the history they are making.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Earning the nickname “second-fastest woman in history” is no small feat, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has left her mark on the world by doing more than just running. Growing up in one of the poorest areas of Kingston, Jamaica, she first discovered the sport by running to primary school every day while barefoot. Fraser-Pryce dedicates her life to more than her sport and has a passion for working with underprivileged kids. Even with a silver medal in the women’s 100m and a gold medal in the women’s 4x100m relay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Fraser-Pryce’s legacy extends beyond the Olympic finish line.

Since 2010, she has served as a UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador for Jamaica. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she coordinated a fundraiser through her resource center, The Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Resource Centre in Waterhouse. As a result, the Centre supplied computers to allow education to continue during the pandemic for local children. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a role model to more than just girls hoping to run as fast as her one day. She also proves to underprivileged kids with upbringings similar to hers that anything is possible when it comes to achieving your dreams.

Hend Zaza

Hend Zaza was the youngest person competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was also the youngest since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. At 12 years old, the Syrian native left a mark on the world as a table tennis prodigy with invitations to train in China by the Chinese Olympic Committee. Zaza did not have a conventional upbringing, being born just two years before the civil war began in Syria.

Because of the conflict in Syria, it was difficult for Zaza to train or even travel between cities. Another barrier for Zaza was the lack of funding for competitions and equipment, like paddles and balls. This left her competition experience limited before her qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her training for the Olympics occurred primarily at the Al Faiha Club in Damascus. With little or no air conditioning and frequent power outages, Zaza defeated many odds to make strides at the Olympics. While Zaza did not receive an Olympic medal this time around, her mark on the sport of table tennis and the story of her determination and passion will last for many years.

Yulimar Rojas

Awarded Female Athlete of the Year by World Athletics, Yulimar Rojas makes history as the first Venezuelan woman to win this honor. Rojas won the gold medal while breaking the world record for the women’s triple jump at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Born in a rural and poorer region of Venezuela’s capital Caracas, Rojas grew up in a house known as a “ranchito.” Aside from her impoverished upbringing, Yulimar Rojas was originally not allowed to compete and travel to international competitions due to her father’s disapproval. The societal standard of women competing in sports is a hurdle athletes like Rojas fight to overcome. Venezuela has a long way to go when it comes to gender equality, but Rojas continues to push for her change through her life and impressive athletic career.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics brought the world together during an unprecedented time. The women on this global stage were not just sources of empowerment to girls who look up to them. They were also representatives of resilience, passion and drive for the world. Gender equality and women’s representation in the 2020 Olympics is just another reason these historic few weeks were something to remember for generations to come.

– Annaclaire Acosta
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

African Union Announces Historic Vaccine Rollout

historic vaccine rolloutThe African Union (AU) has announced a deal that will send up to 400 million vaccines to 55 member states. The vaccines will go across the African continent in monthly shipments in order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

On August 5, 2021, Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of the Republic of South Africa made this historic vaccine rollout public. He reported that the AU had purchased 220 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine in March. A possible 180 million additional vaccines can later be ordered.

How was the deal made?

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Union joined forces with the World Bank and other organizations to support The African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team. The team aims to provide rapid access to doses of the vaccine for the people of Africa. The team comprises ten members, including political leaders, health ministers, businessmen and philanthropists from all across Africa.

The World Bank will continue to support the AU in this historic vaccine rollout, supplying resources that will allow individual nations to purchase and distribute the vaccine. Additional assistance will come from the United Nations. UNICEF will assist with delivery and distribution management across the African continent.

Why Johnson & Johnson?

Each of the 400 million doses included in the deal will come from Johnson & Johnson.

The calculus behind this decision was thorough: Since the vaccine comes in a single dose, it is easier and cheaper to produce and administer. Moreover, the vaccine’s relatively long shelf life will ease logistical concerns. A recent study from South Africa reported high efficacy for the single-shot J&J vaccine, with up to 96.2 percent protection against death. The study also reported high protection against both the Delta and Beta variants of COVID-19 in Africa.

The most significant piece of the vaccine deal will take place right at home—part of the vaccine manufacturing process will occur in South Africa. Centralized at the Aspen Pharmacare facility in Gqeberha, South Africa, this insourcing of production will provide new jobs that will, in part, assist with post-pandemic economic recovery.

Where Africa Stands

As a continent, Africa lags behind in vaccination rates, which has placed economic stress on many nations. Vaccination rates also exemplify pandemic inequities that permeate the globe. As of July 23, 2021, only 2.2 percent of the African population has received a dose of any vaccine. In North America, more than half the population has received at least one shot.

These 400 million doses are enough to immunize more than one-third of the African population. At the same time, more work will need to take place in order for the continent to reach its 60% goal as it continues to adapt to and fight against the pandemic.

This new deal to bring in and produce vaccines provides hope that cases and deaths related to COVID-19 in Africa can decrease. It also helps cement the hope that even some of the most impoverished areas in Africa can recover from the pandemic.

– Sam Dils
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

5 Legal Organizations Addressing Global Poverty

the rule of lawIn many countries around the world, the judicial process comes with a hefty price tag. As a result, impoverished communities often lack access to the legal services and assistance necessary to achieve justice. To ensure these communities can access the judicial process, legal organizations are expanding their manpower internationally to provide legal tools and programs to people in need. Below are five legal organizations addressing global poverty by promoting the rule of law.

  1. Lawyers without Borders (LWOB) – This organization offers pro bono legal services to communities in need around the world. These services often include legal advice and assistance to promote the rule of law. Additionally, the organization helps train future members of the trial system through its “Support Through Trial Advocacy Training” (STTAT). This includes judges, prosecutors, magistrates and more. LWOB takes participants step-by-step through the trial process to better understand legal proceedings. To ensure as many communities benefit from STTAT training as possible, LWOB has translated course materials into a plethora of languages including “Swahili, Amharic, Creole, Nepali, French and Spanish.”
  2. Lawyers Against Poverty – This organization works to promote social justice in different countries. Composed of volunteer lawyers from around the world, Lawyers Against Poverty provides legal assistance and donations to communities in need. For example, in 2020 the organization donated 30,000 pounds to help women living in Jordan file legal proceedings for domestic violence during the pandemic. Additionally, the organization has donated 10,000 pounds to provide refugees in Greece with legal assistance filing asylum cases. To date, the organization has donated time and money to Pakistan, Nigeria, Kenya and Greece to broaden important access to judicial systems.
  3. TrustLaw (The Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Created in 2011, this program came into being as part of the Thomson Reuter Foundation’s aim to provide pro bono legal services to worldwide communities. By connecting non-governmental organizations with law firms, TrustLaw provides a plethora of communities with legal assistance and training courses. In fact, TrustLaw has supplied legal assistance worth about $172 million since its creation. Additionally, the program works on three “areas of impact” to promote the rule of law. First, TrustLaw encourages members to devise solutions to climate change. Next, TrustLaw works to end modern slavery by conducting legal research on the issue. Finally, TrustLaw works to ensure women’s rights are upheld and respected on the international stage.
  4. International Development Law Organization (IDLO) – In 1988, the International Development Law Organization was uniquely formed to serve as a global intergovernmental organization that promoted the rule of law. It has impacted more than 90 different countries worldwide. Additionally, IDLO works in regions like Latin America, Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. In addition to promoting the rule of law, the organization also focuses on women’s rights, economic sustainability, peace and democracy, public health, climate change and access to justice. The organization focuses on U.N. goals as well in its efforts toward sustainability.
  5. Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) – A nonprofit, the Global Legal Action Network dedicates itself to injustice and holding countries that violate human rights accountable. To gain international influence, the nonprofit partners with local grassroots organizations and civil society leaders in countries around the world. In addition to addressing human rights violators, the organization also deals with legal issues. These include issues tied to war, immigration and economic justice. More recently, GLAN has partnered with the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) to expose how the Chinese government mistreats Uyghurs in concentration camps.

The five legal organizations mentioned above address global poverty by offering donations, legal services and assistance to communities in need. This way, poor communities are not disadvantaged in terms of accessing different judicial systems around the world. Overall, these legal organizations ensure justice is available to everyone regardless of socioeconomic status, sex, ethnicity or nationality.

– Chloe Young
Photo: Unsplash

Poverty and Gang Violence in Haiti Today

Poverty and Gang Violence in Haiti TodayIn the months leading up to the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, plunged into chaos. Gang violence in Haiti gained ground in a climate of economic and political dissatisfaction. In the aftermath of both the shocking presidential assassination and the devastating earthquake of August 2021, Haiti’s gangs continue to seek ways to procure power. Human rights group Fondasyon Je Klere reports that more than 150 gangs currently exist in Haiti. Such a large number of gangs in a relatively small country begs the question: why are there so many gangs in Haiti?

The Short Answer: Poverty

The simple answer to this question is poverty. Poverty and gang violence in Haiti interconnect. There is mass discontent with the Haitian government and economy for failing to provide adequately for the Haitian people in the form of food and work. Food insecurity, job insecurity and unemployment ravage the country, which the natural disasters Haiti periodically experiences exacerbate. Thus, Haitian people, particularly young men, find what the government cannot provide for them in gangs.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. About 60% of Haiti’s 11 million people earning less than $2 a day and about 2.5 million Haitians earning less than $1.25 a day. According to the World Bank, the top 20% of the population holds more than 64% of the country’s income. This concentration of income is not well received among gangs that belong to poorer segments of Haitian society.

Poverty and Gang Violence

One particularly notable Haitian gang is G9, a federation of local gangs formed by Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier. G9 discourages gangs from fighting one another and instead focuses their efforts on targeting the ruling class. Cherizier’s G9 has given Haitian youth the opportunity to satisfy their need for resources, protection and higher status – all things that the Haitian government and economy fail to provide for the youth. While gangs like G9 are a result of poverty, they also force families deeper into poverty. They ignite house fires in opposition neighborhoods and kidnap for ransom. The U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti reports an increase in the number of reported kidnappings from 78 in 2019 to 234 in 2020. There has also been a 20% increase in killings during that same time.

As areas that the August 2021 earthquake affected struggle to recover, gangs continue to push the country further into the depths of poverty by siphoning off critical aid. Gangs block roads, hijack trucks and steal supplies that are to go to those in dire need. While relief efforts have adapted by delivering aid via aerial vehicles instead, this method of delivery slows down the process of response and recovery in post-earthquake Haiti. Thus, poverty and gang violence in Haiti interact in a cyclical motion where poverty begets gang violence and gang violence begets further poverty.

Education

Some of the underlying issues of poverty include a lack of education and a weak domestic economy. The Haitian government and international community may not be able to completely disarm armed groups. But through education they can disincentivize at-risk sections of the population from joining armed groups. More than 50% of Haitians lack access to quality education. The average Haitian age 25 and older has not received formal education for more than five years, and 39% of the adult population is illiterate. Sending young people to school lets them rely on education as the new tool for survival rather than guns.

USAID

USAID has been directly supporting 430 schools to improve literacy among students from grades one to four. It also created and distributed almost 500,000 books and workbooks, and approximately 24,000 teacher guides. Over the past 11 years, the agency has also provided for more than 60,000 students and 2,000 teachers with reading curricula that meet international standards for literacy and trained teachers on how to implement them.

Young adults also need an alternative source of revenue so that the prospect of joining a gang loses its luster. Approximately 40% of Haitians are unemployed and the economy is heavily reliant on foreign aid and remittances from abroad. USAID has been working to provide vocational training and practical skills training for business management. The agency provided $7.6 million to 47 small- and medium-sized enterprises allowing them to expand operations and hire more workers. As more jobs become available, more young men may join the workforce and avoid gang activity. This may shrink the power vacuum in Haitian society and decrease the number and/or strength of gangs like Cherizier’s G9.

– Savannah Algu
Photo: Flickr

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Mental Health in Slovenia

Mental Health in SloveniaSlovenia has made notable efforts to alleviate mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially remarkable considering the Slovenian government’s substantial battle in improving mental health in Slovenia over the past two decades.

Mental Health in Slovenia

In 2006, an HBSC survey provided some insight into the extent to which the population was coping with mental health difficulties. Notably, of girls aged 11-15, “only 39% estimated their mental health as excellent” while the percentage among boys of the same age was higher at 53%. Additionally concerning is that 16% of girls and 12% of boys surveyed expressed dissatisfaction with their lives. A more recent WHO-conducted Mental Health Atlas Country Profile report also sparks concerns as the WHO official estimate of Slovenia’s burden of mental disorders in 2014 is noteworthy. Particularly concerning is the fact that the figure of disability-adjusted life years due to mental disorders was 4.3 years and the age-standardized suicide rate was 12.4 suicides per 100,000 people.

Connection to Poverty

Slovenia’s fight to improve its population’s mental health cannot be disconnected from the issue of poverty, especially when it comes to mental health among adolescents. The evidence that best demonstrates this link to poverty comes from a 2014 mental health inequalities study. The principal finding was that adolescents in lower socioeconomic standings display poorer mental health outcomes than those in higher socioeconomic positions.

The study also demonstrates that the connection to poverty goes further, with results showing that the adolescent perception of an impoverished familial financial position will both decrease their “life satisfaction” and increase the risk of the adolescent enduring mental health problems. These extensive facts and figures demonstrate that mental health in Slovenia also constitutes a poverty issue and is representative of the byproducts of wealth inequalities.

Slovenia’s Past Mental Health Efforts

During the past two decades prior to the pandemic, Slovenia’s government progressively increased its commitment to addressing mental health in Slovenia with several services from newly formed institutions and programs. One of the nation’s key initiatives was outlining principal aims to strive for in its Programme for Children and Youth 2006-2016, which included ensuring children and young adults live a healthy life.

This involved not only improving the mental health of those targeted but also improving their financial and nutritional stability. Another massive initiative launched was a significant extension of the Slovene Network of Health Promoting Schools (SNHPS) in 1998 and 2008 to include more than 130 schools. The strategy aimed to promote health at schools in a more holistic manner and place greater emphasis on mental health. In addition, in recent years, the number of mental health-related seminars in school settings has also increased.

But, the country’s most notable act addressing mental health was the establishment in 2002 of health promotion centers (HPCs) within all of the country’s 61 primary healthcare centers. These HPCs function as the first-contact providers of mental health promotion services to the country’s population, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable communities.

Current Services and Solutions

Amid a global health pandemic with devastating effects on mental health in Slovenia, the Slovenian government is doing commendably in weathering the storm. At the height of the pandemic, 43 HPCs reported almost 1,500 telephonic calls between March 16 and May 24, 2020, with 67.4% of these calls stemming from “the psychological impact” of COVID-19. These statistics highlight the extent to which the pandemic exacerbated mental health conditions in the country.

Additionally, as the majority of the calls came from families and individuals with low incomes,  it is clear that the pandemic disproportionately impacts the impoverished. The brilliant work of HPCs, however, proved instrumental in minimizing the damage. Due to their phenomenal support, by the end of May 2020, calls to HPCs declined to a tenth of the number of calls made during the height of the pandemic two months before.

Another group that has done exceptional work in mitigating the country’s mental health difficulties during the pandemic is the Community Health Centre (CHC) Ljubljana. The WHO has praised CHC Ljubljana for its provision of strong primary mental health support during the pandemic, while also conducting research and development to ensure similar quality care is given long-term after the pandemic’s end. The CHC’s efforts include marginalized communities that are often overlooked in emergency relief efforts.

Overall, Slovenia is making significant efforts to address mental health afflictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of improving mental health in Slovenia as a whole.

– Gabriel Sylvan
Photo: Flickr