Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

6 Facts About Child Poverty in India

Child Poverty in India
Millions of Indian children live in extreme poverty, putting their lives, as well as the development of their bodies and minds, at risk. Global efforts have made significant progress toward combating child poverty in India and further funding will allow this success to continue.

An Overview of Poverty in India

India is one of the most populated countries in the world, with a population of 1.366 billion. Second only to China, with a population of 1.398 billion (a mere 2.3% greater), India alone accounts for more than 17% of the world’s population. With a population of such magnitude, there are not enough resources to go around.

India has historically struggled with poverty, with 63.1% of its population living on less than $1.90 a day in 1977. Since then, this number has diminished drastically to 22.5% in 2011 – but this still equates to an astounding 296 million people living in extreme poverty.

Children in India feel the burden of extreme poverty the most. They are the most likely to endure impoverishment and to lose their lives due to poverty. Global efforts have made a substantial amount of progress in fighting child poverty, but child poverty is still not close to eradication. Here are six crucial facts about child poverty in India.

6 Facts About Child Poverty in India

  1. India accounts for 30% of all children living in extreme global poverty. South Asia accounts for 36% of children in extreme poverty, but India alone covers almost all of this. India is home to the greatest number of impoverished children on Earth.
  2. Children are more likely to live in extreme poverty than adults. A recent study that the World Bank Group and UNICEF conducted, titled “Ending Extreme Poverty: A Focus on Children,” found that extreme poverty disproportionately affects children. Despite making up only a third of the studied population, children accounted for half of the extremely impoverished. Children are roughly 50% more likely to live in extreme poverty than adults.
  3. Children are also most damaged by the effects of living in extreme poverty. The development of the body and mind is stunted when a child endures the deprivation of basic needs. Children in extreme poverty generally lack more resources than others in extreme poverty as well —  a deadly combination. As UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake puts it, “They are the worst off of the worst off.”
  4. The COVID-19 pandemic has plunged millions more Indian children into poverty. Globally, 150 million additional children have ended up in poverty since the start of the pandemic. Since India accounts for 30% of children in extreme global poverty, this means that as many as (or even greater than) 45 million more children in India are facing poverty in the last several months.
  5. The United States government is fighting child poverty in India. The United States Agency for International Development has made it a priority to fight child malnourishment and child mortality in India. In the last 30 years, USAID funding has helped save the lives of more than 2 million Indian children by providing resources for extremely impoverished children.
  6. NGOs around the world are saving the lives of Indian children as well. Save the Children, a nonprofit organization with an aim of ending extreme child poverty across the globe, is one organization that prevents poverty-related child mortality in India. Thanks to its efforts in providing resources to India’s impoverished, the organization has managed to lift more than 86,000 children out of poverty.

While extreme child poverty in India continues to cost Indian children their lives every day, the situation is improving significantly thanks to these global efforts. In order to continue these efforts and eradicate child poverty from India, further funding for poverty-fighting programs, both current and new, will be necessary.

– Asa Scott 
Photo: Flickr

,

5 Facts About the Health of Syrian Refugees in Turkey

Syrian Refugees in Turkey
The war in Syria is a long-standing conflict with severe consequences. Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions are still affected by the violence. Nearly 6.5 million people are displaced within Syria, while another 4.5 million have fled Syria since the conflict began. Turkey has received the largest number of refugees, a vast majority requiring medical attention and financial assistance. Here are five facts about the health of Syrian refugees in Turkey and what is being done to help them.

5 Facts About the Health of Syrian Refugees in Turkey

  1. Mental health services are in huge demand. Refugees of all ages are at a higher risk of common mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety PTSD. Dr. Jalal Nofel is a psychiatrist based at the Relief International Mental Health Center and has worked directly with a multitude of refugees. In an interview, Dr. Nofel noted the most frequently treated illness is PTSD. He noted that many “have lost family members and they face financial problems and a vague future.” Six mental health centers span the country, offering a variety of treatments from therapy and medications.
  2. Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are in need of prosthetics. According to Relief International, 1.5 million refugees have permanent impairments and over 80,000 of those have lost limbs. Just a mile from the Syrian border resides the National Syrian Project for Prosthetic Limbs (NSPPL), which specializes in building prosthetics and providing physical therapy. This center sees about 10 patients per day and creates nearly 500 personalized prosthetics a year. NSPPL is just the beginning for prosthetic care, however. With 12 centers across Turkey, 30,450 patients were treated by Relief International in 2018.
  3. Refugees face struggles in regards to nutrition and sanitation. 30-40% of hospitalized patients are classified as malnourished and these numbers rapidly increase in the elderly population. Clean water is also scarce for Syrian refugees. In an article from the Human Rights Watch, an aid worker disclosed that water trucking for camps along the Syria/Turkey border only provides for about 50% of the population. The quality of this water is also lower than pumped water.
  4. Diseases and epidemics, both chronic and viral, plague the population. According to a study by the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, not only are refugees fighting tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and brucellosis, but also gastrointestinal diseases and bacterial meningitis. COVID-19 has also increasingly made life difficult for Syrian refugees in Turkey, as most reside in dense living spaces which enables a rapid spread of the virus. The global pandemic has also had an effect on refugees’ role in the Turkish economy. According to a survey, about 69% of refugees have reported unemployment or suspension of business activity.
  5. Turkey is working to enable refugee recovery. In 2014, the country established a new ID system and temporary protection system, which gave legal immigrants access to the free healthcare system. Although these medical services are free, medicine is not always free. Most refugees are forced to forfeit a large portion of their limited income for medicine. To help further improve healthcare in Turkey, the WHO is working with local NGOs to train medical professionals to deal with the influx of patients.

As more media attention is given to this humanitarian crisis, the sooner aid and a sense of peace can be bestowed to these displaced people. Moving forward, it is essential that the government and other humanitarian organizations continue to prioritize the health of Syrian refugees in Turkey.

– Amanda J Godfrey
Photo: Flickr

,

Mental Health in Palestine: The Hidden Plague

Mental Health in Palestine
Palestinian refugees and citizens in the Occupied Territories are exposed to a great amount of violence and terror as a result of the Israeli occupation. This exposure has increased the prevalence of mental health disorders such as PTSD, insomnia and even schizophrenia. This article will provide some insight into the mental health issues that are prevalent among Palestinians, the healthcare system and the possible solutions to help facilitate a better mental health response.

The Conditions 

Palestinians in the Occupied Territories live in a very volatile and unstable region. Recently, there has been an increase in the awareness of the effects that living through decades of continuous political aggression and violence have on mental health. Mental health disorders amount to one of the largest – but the least acknowledged – health problems in Occupied Palestine. Almost a third of Palestinians are in dire need of mental health interventions. However, mental health services in Occupied Palestine are amidst the most under-resourced fields of healthcare provision.

Palestinians have experienced a series of traumatic events that range from imprisonment and torture to unemployment, house demolitions and land confiscation. All these experiences foster an environment of continuous instability, stress, uncertainty and anxiety, which can dangerously affect mental health. 

Mental health is a concern for both adults and children in the Occupied Territories. Adults who are exposed to house demolitions exhibit a higher level of anxiety, depression and paranoia. However, the psychological effects of the conditions in Occupied Palestine are especially traumatizing for children. Many injured children have developed severe psychological impairments. The prevalence of behavioral issues and psychopathic symptoms among children is incredibly high. About 32.7% of children in the Gaza Strip suffer from severe levels of PTSD, 49% of children suffer through moderate levels of PTSD and 16% of children suffer from low levels of PTSD.

The Healthcare System

As of now, mental health services in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are provided by both the government and the non-governmental sector. General services are provided by the Ministry of Health but the majority of the system is operated under and funded by humanitarian organizations like UNRWA. There are only 13 community mental health clinics in the West Bank, and one psychiatric hospital in Bethlehem. In 2013, the clinics with outpatient facilities treated over 2400 patients. Of the 2,400 patients, 24.2% were diagnosed with neurotic disorders (PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder and clinical depression) and 12.2 % were diagnosed with schizophrenia. 

Generally, mental health services in Gaza and the West Bank are difficult to come by and inconsistent in quality. There is no legislation that addresses mental health and no budget allocated by the Ministry of Health. The region does not have mental health policies or an overview plan to address ongoing care and services for the severely mentally ill and those directly affected by trauma and loss. 

What Needs to Be Done 

The healthcare system in Palestine relies heavily on humanitarian aid and assistance. However, this funding and aid could easily be subjected to budget cuts from countries like the United States. Currently, the Ministry of Health does not allocate any funds to mental health services.

To effectively address mental health in Palestine, the government must create a fund for mental health services. The government should also promote legislation that addresses mental health. This legislation could include the protection of employment rights for those mentally ill, the integration of mental illness within the education system as well as civil legislation to address the rights to vote or own property.

It is also important for the Ministry of Health and NGOs to work together to create a comprehensive plan that addresses mental health. In collaboration, these organizations can acquire more hospital beds and help hospitals accommodate a greater number of patients. If mental health is made a priority, it can be effectively addressed in the coming years.

– Nada Abuasi
Photo: Flickr

How the Green Shoots Foundation is Fighting Poverty

Green Shoots Foundation is Fighting Poverty
Founded in 2010, the Green Shoots Foundation has been working toward poverty relief through holistic and sustainable development programs. An additional focus on bolstering economies and education helps empower the areas of Africa and Asia the foundation specializes in. The Green Shoots Foundation is fighting poverty by using accountability and transparency to achieve its goals. It organizes its missions into three particular programming areas:

  • Education Loans & Social Entrepreneurship (ELSE): This programming area works to enhance children’s education by promoting education in urban slums, fighting against the gender education gap and promoting social enterprises and urban entrepreneurship.
  • Food, Agriculture & Social Entrepreneurship (FASE): The ultimate objective in this programming area is to revitalize rural communities through agricultural training, sustainable gardens and social enterprise missions.
  • Medical Assistance & Medical Education (MAME): This programming area combats HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. MAME works with HIV professionals to transfer medical knowledge to locals and improve treatment accessibility.

The Food, Agriculture & Social Entrepreneurship Sector (FASE)

The Food, Agriculture & Social Entrepreneurship sector (FASE) of the Green Shoots Foundation is fighting poverty by working to restimulate rural economies through teaching sustainable agricultural skills and supporting business development.

Specific objectives characterize the goals of FASE and how they plan on improving the development in rural areas. These include:

  • Addressing a lack of education in the countryside
  • Promoting sustainable farming techniques
  • Addressing a lack of social capital in the countryside
  • Promoting rural entrepreneurship

FASE in the Philippines and Cambodia

FASE has completed notable work in the Philippines and Cambodia. In the Philippines, it is working to promote business opportunities for food and agriculture, as well as implement social innovation platforms such as the Enchanted Farm. The Enchanted Farm works to stimulate economic growth in different areas and simultaneously fight against poverty and food insecurity. Work in the Philippines has resulted in six-month long volunteer missions to help two different businesses that the Enchanted Farm is developing. In Cambodia, work has focused around horticulture education and environmental sustainability; 2014 proved to be a prominent year in FASE’s work as it implemented the Agricultural Skills in Public Schools (ASPUS) Project. Then, in 2018, the Agri-tech Training Center took the spotlight as the primary location for rural development and certified horticulture education in northwest Cambodia.

The Agri-tech Training Center

The Agri-tech Training Center serves as a community learning center that offers both training areas and demonstrations connected to rural development. These lessons have the intention of benefitting the public’s knowledge on agriculture. The center offers workshops on microfinance, nutrition and food growing. The center hopes to provide access to sustainable farming practices, improve the application of rural development skills in an ecofriendly way and enhance the capacity of young farmers for enterprise development. The organization also partners with five different local companies in North West Cambodia to help bolster its economy and build meaningful connections in the community. Each year, the center targets to train at least 200 local, young students. The Agri-tech Training Center advocates that training these young people will lead to local problem solving and increase entrepreneurship in the rural area.

The Green Shoots Foundation is fighting poverty through its work helping rural communities develop their economies through food and agriculture, education and medical aid. FASE’s vocational training staff at the Agri-tech Training Center has been working tirelessly to educate those in North West Cambodia on how to better themselves and their communities. Through the work of this foundation, people living in impoverished areas are able to combat hunger and bring themselves out of generational poverty.

– Hope Shourd
Photo: Flickr

Valliwide Organic Farms: Using Fresh Fruit to Fight Poverty

Valliwide Organic Farms, Using Fresh Fruit to Fight PovertyValliwide Organic Farms is a California-based company focused on organic farming and produce. While it sells succulent mandarines, plums, nectarines and oranges, its vision is one of a bigger, more helpful mission: fighting extreme poverty. By partnering with When I Grow Up, a charity focused on addressing childhood poverty, Valliwide Organic Farms uses the profits of fresh fruit to fight poverty.

The Valliwide Organic Farms

Tod and Traci Parkinson have owned Valliwide since 1992, first as a produce marketing company. In 2010, they purchased their own organic farm as agricultural demand shifted in that direction. However, before their venture into organic farming and produce, the couple felt the pull to help others. They invested in a charity called When I Grow Up, and in 2010 when they bought their farm, the couple dedicated large portions of their profits to the charity. Valliwide was committed to using fresh fruit to fight poverty.

To provide futures for the next generation, Valliwide Organic Farms’ partnership with When I Grow Up seeks to create opportunities for those in disadvantaged communities. The founders’ motivation to grow matches their motivation to give back.

When I Grow Up’s Partnerships

When I Grow Up began in 2006 when, after a visit to a slum in Nairobi, Kenya, a group of U.S. citizens decided they needed to do something to help the thousands of children struggling with disease and a lack of resources. The newly-formed charitable group partnered with local Indigenous leaders who knew how to best manage and allocate the help provided. As its name suggests, this charity focuses on providing children with the means to create a brighter future.

The charity’s work in Nairobi has been in coordination with the Faruha Community Foundation (FCP), an organization working to provide an education to local children in situations of deprivation, many of whom are HIV positive. Its start as a tutoring support group has blossomed into a primary school of 500 children and, more recently, a high school of 150 students. Additionally, FCP provides health care, residential living assistance and microloans for those without resources. With funding from When I Grow Up, the FCP accommodates and supports many impoverished students while giving them the tools to create a successful future.

Other locations of need include Zone 18 in Guatemala, where crime and violence are widespread. When I Grow Up partners with Esperanza Para Guatemala, a local group working to provide sustenance and emotional support for local children and their families. The groups stock the local library with books and computers to learn essential vocational skills such as carpentry, baking, cosmetology and computers. More than 9,000 plates of food go toward feeding children and families monthly.

Feeding Children in Haiti

Furthermore, When I Grow Up’s recent work in Haiti is of paramount importance for Valliwide’s owners as Tod is the region’s field leader. Partnering with Lucson Dervilus, a native Haitian, Valliwide and When I Grow Up sought to provide support for the struggling, isolated communities of Palma and Jacob after the devastating earthquake of 2010. In October of that year, the groups created a feeding program for a local school intended to help local children escape poverty situations in the region.

In July 2012, the groups began building a new school to accommodate more children. Alongside the school, local families would receive grants to start trading to earn sufficient income to provide for their children. Over a couple of years, more than 250 students attended the school, with more teachers and staff to support their education. Additionally, the school received cattle and goats to begin an agricultural program to supplement the school’s income.

The work that When I Grow Up has accomplished is awe-inspiring. Moreover, Valliwide Organic Farms’ dedication and commitment allow the fresh fruit farm to help others on a global scale. While Valliwide has a U.S. base in California, its vision is to help children worldwide.

The Parkinsons use their fresh fruit products to do veritable good for the world. The juicy flavors of their mandarins, plums, nectarines and oranges pale in comparison to their ardent and steadfast dedication to providing for the next generation. By using fresh fruit to fight poverty, Valliwide Organic Farms is picking the commendable route to profitability and genuinely taking the fight against extreme poverty into its own hands.

– Eliza Cochran
Photo: Flickr

Progress for Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Albania 

Progress for Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Albania Located in the Balkan peninsula and nestled between the Adriatic Sea and Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece is the small country of Albania. Following World War II, the nation was a communist state until its transition to democracy succeeding the 1992 presidential election. The transition from a communist state to a democratic republic disrupted economic growth and the ways of life for many Albanian people. The country’s long-standing policy of isolationism contributed to Albania’s slow development, enduring poverty and lack of economic and political stability.

The Albanian Refugee Crisis

In the late 1990s, Albania became host to hundreds of thousands of people seeking asylum from violence and political unrest in the neighboring country of Kosovo. The rapid influx of refugees resulted in many Albanian regions becoming overcrowded and under-resourced. The country, already struggling to support its own people, barely coped with the increasingly dire refugee situation. During this time, Albania was recognized as one of the poorest countries in Europe. The percentage of the population living below the poverty line was estimated to be between 30% and 50%. Crime rates were high and social unrest pervaded.

Albania applied for membership in the European Union in 2009 and joined NATO later that same year. In response, the European Union invested $11 million dollars in emergency aid for Albanians, refugees from Kosovo and surrounding countries. Organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Children’s Fund further worked to improve conditions for all people affected by the crisis.

The effects of political upheavals and the refugee crisis impacted many aspects of life for Albanians. Specifically affected were Albania’s healthcare system and the state of maternal and child health in Albania.

Healthcare in Albania

Historically, Albanians have had limited access to healthcare and health services. Prior to World War II, Albania had few foreign-trained physicians and a small number of hospitals and health clinics based predominantly in urban regions. When the country shifted to a communist state, the Soviet model of health was adapted. Health institutions and hospitals were erected but the quality of medical care was poor.

Investments in the health sector decreased in the 1970s. Recurring political upheavals throughout the 1990s and early 2000s resulted in the destruction of numerous healthcare facilities and the loss of valuable medical equipment. Immunization programs halted and the quality of basic sanitation services decreased drastically in rural and urban areas of Albania.

Maternal and Child Health in Albania

As a result of inadequate health services, health outcomes are poor in Albania. Mortality rates for communicable, infectious diseases are high. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the region. Albania has also faced ongoing outbreaks of cholera, tuberculosis and hepatitis.

Health outcomes for women and children in Albania are similarly poor. Albania’s maternal and infant mortality rates are high. Analysis of mortality trends in Albania between 1989 and 1993 revealed that the infant mortality rate decreased from 9.8% in 1970 to 2.8% in 1990. Infant mortality rates subsequently began to rise steadily following the 1992 transition to democracy.

In rural areas, infant mortality rates are twice as high as those in urban regions of the country. Maternal mortality rates in Albania are four times as high as those in other parts of Europe as a result of poor prenatal care and abortion-related complications. Family planning practices are uncommon, as well as forms of birth control alternative to abortion.

Addressing the Issue

However, Albania has shown significant progress in improving its healthcare system as well as the state of maternal and child health outcomes. Albania’s government has shown initiative in restructuring the existing healthcare system to focus on addressing the leading causes of death and disease. The country has also adopted a progressive approach to improving the standards for the protection of women and children’s right to healthcare.

Albania has focused on increasing the accessibility and quality of neonatal and pediatric primary health care in an effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates. The nation has implemented additional staffing within women’s and children’s counseling centers and health centers. Albania’s government has partnered with the Ministry of Health to create innovative national health policies that address the needs of the healthcare system, health professionals and Albania’s population. Additional funding and resources have also been allocated to the nation’s health sector.

Further action taken by the Albanian government to improve the state of maternal and child health in Albania includes:

  • Albania signed and ratified the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child, a treaty outlining the cultural and health rights of children.
  • Albania has begun decentralizing the healthcare system and is ensuring that each village has access to updated and equipped health centers.
  • Albania’s government has adopted a new system of family planning that has improved women’s access to necessary reproductive services.
  • Albania implemented the National Action Plan for Children that increases access to essential health care for mothers and children, works to prevent malnutrition and weight-related disorders, stems the spread of preventable infectious diseases and reduces infection rates of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Moving Forward Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current COVID-19 pandemic further puts pressure on Albania’s government and budget to continue ongoing efforts to improve the nation’s healthcare system. International partners as well as Albania’s government continue to work to improve the country’s healthcare system and advocate for the promotion of the rights of women and children. In doing so, the health outcomes of Albanian women and children will progress and the quality of life for all of Albania’s population will better in the years to come.

– Alana Castle
Photo: Flickr

, ,

How the Disha Project Empowers Women in India

How the Disha Project Empowers Women in IndiaIn India — a country surging with sustained economic growth — more than two-thirds of women do not have a profession or are outside of the workforce. This level of engagement also varies between rural and urban areas due to a divide in, among other things, access to training and schooling. Despite the growth in the past few decades in terms of education rates, as well as a similarly important decline in birth rates, women in rural India are still not as able to pursue or secure jobs as their male counterparts are. The Disha Project was an international effort that acted as a catalyst for improvement and provided diverse resources and plans to empower underprivileged Indian women across the nation.

The Disha Project’s Mission

The Disha Project set out to be a three-year united effort between the United Nations Development Programme, the India Development Foundation and the IKEA Foundation. The three groups, together with their networks of experience and assets, came together to provide women in India with opportunities for income growth and management. Skills training remained the primary tool of the Disha Project and teaching women essential skills alongside separate enterprise teachings, participants could gain valuable and diverse knowledge that set them apart from other job seekers.

The original goals of the project included a target goal of introducing and linking a million women in India to a growing chain of economically independent job seekers and makers. Beyond applying skills that would greatly increase the possibilities for job acquisition, the Disha Project also marked replicability and scalability as its goals, which explains the strong focus on self-sustained community growth.

The Models Used

To fulfill the intentions the Disha Project laid out for itself, planning and execution were paramount. Clement Chauvet led the Disha Project and served as the United Nations Development Programme’s chief of skills and business development. In his capacity as Disha Project’s head, he outlined four principal models by which the project would take shape.

Chauvet detailed how model one is primarily educational, providing advice and direction for female job seekers. By surmounting this first barrier to self-sustainable economic growth, the program’s participants can begin to pursue their own aspirations much more aggressively.

The second and third models rely on the market and social networks, leading women seeking to fill these roles to established needs in professions. Additionally, by connecting mentors and those with guidance to women who wish to start with “micro-entrepreneurship,” the UNDP initiative directly provides resources and support. The final and fourth model is that of production and economic efficiency. This model seeks to unite women in India to make sure those producing salable products and practicing profitable skills can expand their reach and value as a part of the system.

Meaningful Success

For the Disha Project, countless personal stories of women in rural India initiating businesses, gaining greater social power and supporting their households and communities financially stand as testimony of success. On a larger scale, Chauvet reports, “With the support of IKEA Foundation, since 2015, 800,594 women in Delhi NCR, Haryana, Telangana, Karnataka and Maharashtra have been enabled with employable skills.”

These women in India also act as a greater example of societal change. Due to the sheer scale of the Disha Project’s impact, small systematic changes, carved in the footholds of agricultural villages and towns, will slowly become more noticeable. Each woman among the almost 900,000 participants carries within herself the tools to inform her family, engage her neighborhood and teach other women in the community.

Through the efforts of organizations like the Disha Project, women are becoming more empowered worldwide, which contributes to a more secure financial future for all and paves a way forward to a world that is more equally accessible, regardless of sex.

— Alan Mathew
Photo: Flickr

, ,

Solving Hunger in South Korea and the International Community

Solving Hunger in South Korea, From Its Own Borders to the International CommunitySouth Korea remains one of the most technologically and economically developed countries. Standing as the number one most educated country and the 14th largest economy, South Korea has a small rate of undernourishment and relatively low levels of poverty. The poverty rate in South Korea is 13% for the working-age population and 44% for the elderly, ages 66 and older. Additionally, the rate of hunger in South Korea is relatively low. As of 2019, South Korea ranks 29 on the Global Food Security Index and only 2.5% of South Korea is undernourished. Stunting in South Korea, which refers to a child who is too short for their age as a result of chronic malnutrition, is 3%. These low rates of undernourishment and stunting are due to the high presence and quality of South Korea’s Food Safety Net Programs.

Innovate Ways to Battling Hunger

South Korea has implemented excellent programs and initiatives for poverty and hunger-reduction. The South Korean government worked to alleviate hunger among the elderly by offering a retirement program where elderly individuals receive about $200 a month. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in South Korea also established a food safety management system to provide safer and healthier food. Foods that are made domestically go through a three-step process of manufacturing, distribution and consumption.

During the manufacturing stage, the business operator must submit a food and item report. Inspections are then conducted to ensure the safety of the products. In the distribution stage, food products are collected and inspected further to strengthen the safety of food distribution. The food is also traced through a system so that all distribution routes are tracked. Lastly, the program ensures that in the consumption stage, all false or over-exaggerated advertisements are monitored thoroughly and food standards are met. This three-step program is essential to ensure the food safety and nutritional needs are met.

Addressing Food Waste and Building Rice Self-Sufficiency

Today, the world produces enough food to sustain every single individual, but almost a third of all food produced every year never reaches consumption due to excessive food waste. To tackle this problem and maximize the efficiency of food distribution, South Korea has implemented food waste programs that recycle more than 95% of its food waste. Leftover food in major cities like Seoul is collected from residences, hotels and restaurants and deposited in sorting facilities. The food is then crushed and dried and used as fertilizer, animal feed and even used for generating electricity. This program has reduced food waste in districts by 30% and in restaurants by 40%.

One of the biggest contributions to hunger reduction in South Korea is the system of rice self-sufficiency, where rice consumption became a matter of “national duty.” In the late 1970s, South Korea grew self-sufficient in rice for the first time. Local consumers were prompted to buy local Korean produce through food campaigns that insisted on the consumption of rice as an important national responsibility. As a result of local rice production and consumption, the average rural income grew higher than the average urban income and South Korea became self-sufficient in its most essential food commodity: rice. This rice self-sufficiency contributed tremendously to food security in South Korea.

Helping Others

South Korea has come a long way since the Japanese colonization of Korea and the Korean War. The country has found innovative ways to strengthen its economy, reduce its poverty and establish food security and food safety net programs. These innovative programs and the resulting low rates of hunger have inspired the international community to take note of South Korea’s achievements and follow its lead. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), for instance, has joined forces with South Korea to encourage and strengthen its Zero-Hunger efforts in the Asia-Pacific region. South Korea has been working with FAO to help drought-stricken farmers in Afghanistan as well as provide training in rice production for farming communities in West Africa. In June of 2019, South Korea also responded to the severe food shortages afflicting 40% of North Korea by distributing $8 million in food aid to North Korea.

Today, the vast influence that South Korea has on the international community is clear. Not only did they create new critical ways to solve important issues such as poverty, hunger and food waste in their own country, but they also shared these strategies with other countries. South Korea continues to provide aid and assistance to countries like Afghanistan and communities in West Africa while ensuring that hunger in South Korea is managed.

—Nada Abuasi
Photo: Flickr

Before and After the Arab Spring in Egypt

The Arab Spring
On February 11, 2011, the chant of the people echoed throughout Tahrir Square. The screams of “Ash-shaʻb yurīd isqāṭ an-niẓām,” translated as “the people will topple the regime,” had inundated the despot. But the regime has proven more difficult to expunge. Today, the Arab Spring in Egypt has failed. Since the 2011 protests, the poverty rate in Egypt has risen from 25% to 33%. The state has fomented religious persecution in the name of antiterrorism and is discouraging private media.

The Arab Spring

In 2011, a series of uprisings known as the Arab Spring swept across the Middle East. In Tunisia, when authorities confiscated the cart of a street vendor named Mohammad Bouazizi, a video circulated of Bouazizi self-immolating in protest. According to authorities, Bouazizi lacked the proper paperwork. A female officer allegedly slapped him. Bouazizi’s plight was emblematic of a youth problem across the Arab world.

In Tunisia, the poverty rate was 14.7% and most of that number consisted of youths, many of whom had an education. After a visit from Ben Ali, the president of Tunisia, in which Ali feigned concern for Bouazizi’s grievances, the street vendor died. The death of Mohammad Bouazizi sparked a revolution across the Arab World. In Egypt, the situation was worse. Approximately 20% of Egyptians lived below the poverty line and another 20% lived near the poverty line.

In 2010, an Egyptian man named Khaled Said videotaped two policemen allegedly consuming the spoils of a drug bust. The policemen later found and mutilated him. His death sparked even more indignation toward repression in Egypt. He became a symbol of brutal government repression under Hosni Mubarak.

Hosni Mubarak

In his youth, Mubarak rose up the ranks of the military until he eventually became commander of the Egyptian Air Force in 1972. Subsequently, he became vice president of Egypt. During this time, Islamic extremists murdered President Anwar Sadat, and Mubarak witnessed his assassination. Sadat’s death made an indelible impression on Mubarak. It made him desire the preservation of power at all costs. He became president in 1981 and immediately issued an emergency law.

Mubarak would give the Egyptian police and the military sweeping powers to crack down on any perceived threats, including opposition from the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mubarak’s economic policies also encouraged major disparities between the rich and the poor in Egypt. Because of the government’s reliance on foreign aid, the IMF and the World Bank urged the Mubarak regime to adopt neoliberal principles based on privatization, subsidy cuts and deregulation. These policies encouraged severe inequality, which ignited massive protests consisting of hundreds of thousands.

On February 11, 2011, the recently appointed vice president of Egypt, Omar Suleiman, announced that Mubarak would willfully resign from his position as president. Many thousands celebrated in Tahrir Square. Today, however, a military strong man has once again wrested power from the people.

From Morsi to Sisi

By 2013, most people had become vehemently opposed to Mubarak’s replacement, Mohammad Morsi, for his 2012 constitutional declaration, which placed him and his edicts above judicial review. Thus, the military led a popularly supported coup against the first democratically elected Egyptian president; the man who would replace him was named Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi.

Sisi would brutally crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and liberal activists, accusing them of terrorism and libel. These actions have led to increasing numbers of political prisoners. In 2019, Egyptian businessmen Muhammad Ali accused the government of siphoning its resources for vanity projects and luxury lifestyles, including building palaces on state funds. Regardless of the validity of these accusations, government resources are not reaching the poorest in society, with a poverty rate of 33%.

Social Media

Although uprisings have been prevalent long before the advent of social media, social media is undoubtedly a potent weapon to expedite revolution. For men like Hosni Mubarak and Ben Ali, the unfettered voice of social media was insurmountable. Now, in the case of President Sisi, it is only a matter of time before the opposition becomes insurmountable. Whether this is reason to believe the regime will fall with him is another question. For now, various NGOs such as the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) are exposing the repression of civil society in Egypt. Such work could have immeasurable effects.

– Blake Dysinger
Photo: Flickr

,

First Fortnight Creatively Fights Mental Health Stigma

First FortnightIn the 2018 Health at a Glance report, Ireland tied third for the highest rates of mental health disorders in Europe. These include higher rates of anxiety, depression and other mental disorders, with 18.5% of the population having at least one of these disorders. First Fortnight is challenging this mental health statistic through creative means.

Mental Health Stigma

First Fortnight is a mental health charity organization based in Dublin. Tying together creative expression and awareness, the organization takes on the greatest challenge towards mental health: stigma.

The stigmatization of mental health prevents individuals from seeking the necessary help needed. Several factors impact the perception of mental health, such as personal experiences, media representation and culture. Portrayals of people with mental health disorders as dangerous or weak, hinders progress to creating a healthier world. Should this perception be negative, individuals become isolated and less inclined to seek proper treatment.

One of the main objectives of First Fortnight is to create an open environment for discussion about mental health. The space for these discussions allows perceptions towards mental health to be changed. Stigma can be dismantled through education and awareness, letting individuals be more than their defined diagnosis.

First Fortnight’s Mental Health Events and Initiatives

First Fortnight hosts annual festivals celebrating various art forms, and each year, the festivals grow in size. In 2020, the charity was able to organize over 60 events across Ireland with the help of more than 140 volunteers. Adapting to COVID-19, the organization will host its first virtual festival in January 2021. First Fortnight is hoping the change will allow it to reach a wider, global audience.

A proud achievement of the initiative is its Centre For Creative Therapies. This project utilizes art therapy to help the homeless populations. Working with a therapist, the client is given guidance and the ability to express themselves through art. This method allows individuals a safe and healthy outlet to process their emotions and share their experiences. Alongside art, the Centre For Creative Therapies also advocates for music therapy.

The organization’s work goes beyond Ireland. First Fortnight was one of 22 organizations to take part in the Network of European Festivals for Mental Health Life Enhancement (NEFELE). The NEFELE Project, founded by the European Union, aims to establish art festivals for mental health across Europe. In addition to its annual charity festivals, First Fortnight hosted the European Mental Health Arts and Cultural Festival. Taking place in January 2019, the festival saw over 12,000 in attendance.

First Fortnight has also been supportive of the Mental European Network of Sports (MENS) since 2017. MENS focuses on uplifting mental health through the encouragement of physical activity.

The Future of Mental Health in Ireland

First Fortnight recognizes the importance of policies put into place. As part of its mission, the organization develops research needed to implement effective change. With the charity’s help, the Irish Government is acknowledging the value of mental health services. The nation’s 2021 budget includes €38 million toward mental health funding.

– Kelli Hughes
Photo: Flickr