Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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Air Pollution in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley

Air Pollution in Nepal's Kathmandu ValleyLocated in a bowl-shaped region enclosed by four mountain ranges, the Kathmandu Valley is Nepal’s most populous and developed metropolitan area. However, with the valley’s population density, level of industrialization and geographic location, a host of problems afflicts the region. In recent years, the international and domestic communities have paid increasing attention to the worsening issue of air pollution in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley. In Nepal, air contains five times more pollutants than the amount considered safe by the World Health Organization (WHO); the air in the Kathmandu Valley contains ten times the pollutant concentration set forth by WHO guidelines.

Causes of Air Pollution

The Urban Health Initiative (UHI), an on-the-ground pilot program initiated by the WHO, has identified four primary sources of air pollution worldwide:

  • Solid waste
  • Transport
  • Industry/brick kilns
  • Household energy sectors

The geographical location of the Kathmandu Valley exacerbates all four sources of pollution. Since tall mountain ranges enclose the region, the valley does not get enough wind to disperse air pollutants. Furthermore, Nepal’s location between China and India means that the contaminants from both countries flood into Nepal and vice versa.

Effects of Air Pollution in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley

Air pollution has had a massive impact on Nepalese people. Every year, 35,000 people in Nepal die from illnesses related to air contaminants. Air pollution frequently causes osteoporosis, heart attacks, dementia and kidney diseases. Furthermore, the life expectancy in the Kathmandu Valley is four years less than that of other Nepalese regions.

While the government has taken little action to reduce the region’s concentration of air pollutants, the Nepalese people have taken matters into their own hands. People have started to wear face masks day-to-day, cancel outdoor activities and frequently monitor air pollution levels. Although individuals have shown an admirable degree of agency in protecting themselves, the Nepalese government must take greater action to reduce the risk of air contaminants for its people.

Action Items So Far

To address air pollution in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley, the Nepalese government has released a National Plan for Electric Mobility (NPEM) that contains several time-oriented goals. The NPEM includes several objectives: increasing the share of electric vehicles to 20% by the end of 2020, cutting fossil fuel use in the transport sector 50% by 2050 and developing a hydroelectric powered rail network by 2040. The NPEM focuses on pollution caused by transportation, and this emphasis has shown promising results.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, automobile use has decreased significantly in Nepal. The air quality index in April 2020 showed a noteworthy improvement compared to April 2019: the air on April 30, 2020, contained about 50% fewer contaminants than the air the year prior. Therefore, the government should be able to achieve significant improvements in air quality by targeting automobile emissions.

Efforts by USAID

In 2015, USAID launched the five-year, nearly $10 billion Nepal Hydropower Development Project (NHDP). With this project, USAID aimed to assist in the development of hydroelectric power services. Nepal has impressive hydroelectric capabilities and, if the country harnesses its full hydroelectric potential, it could even have an energy surplus to export to neighboring countries and gain additional revenue.

Working in tandem with various Nepalese governmental organizations, the NHDP focuses on private sector development and investment in hydroelectricity. By creating viable power services, the NHDP hopes to permanently transform Nepal’s energy sector to include more sustainable sources.

Moving Forward

As Nepal and international organizations improve the country’s air quality, a successful continued response will require cooperation. Given Nepal’s landlocked location, collaboration with other countries such as India and China is also necessary. However, in light of the efforts of the Nepalese government and USAID, Nepal is taking steps in the right direction to improve its air quality for the benefit of everyone in the region—especially those in the vulnerable area of Kathmandu Valley. Ultimately, there is hope to combat air pollution in Nepal’s Kathmandu Valley and protect the health and safety of thousands. 

– Alanna Jaffee
Photo: Wikimedia

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Highlights of Women’s Month in South Africa

Women's Month in South AfricaIn August 2020, South African women celebrated their 65th Women’s Month. The 30-day event originally celebrated for one day on August 9, 2020, commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20,000 women who protested against the newly enacted laws. These laws required black, South Africans to carry an internal passport and they are part of the legacy of Women’s Month in South Africa.

The legislation, known as the Population Registration Act, perpetuated apartheid by controlling urbanization and maintaining population segregation. Girls and women across the country came together in Pretoria, non-violently congregating in its Union buildings for 30 minutes of silent protest. They also brought a petition against the law, which included 100,000 signatures. This powerful display of strength and unity continues to inspire South African women. Here are a few highlights from this year’s Women’s Month in South Africa.

“This is Gold” Awareness Campaign

Several South African gold producers, including AngloGold Ashanti and Sibanye-Stillwater, used Women’s Month to pivot attention to the key role women play in the mining industry. Specifically, they called for an end to gender-based violence and sexism. The lockdowns caused by the spread of COVID-19 have increased violence against women, an issue already prevalent in South Africa. For instance, sexual assault increased by 10% in 2019 alone and national femicide rates ranked five times the world’s average.

The gold-mining companies sought to help alleviate these issues by appointing more women to higher job positions. Also by demanding accountability from male leadership in their treatment of women and establishing a Women in Mining forum. This forum’s purpose would be to encourage interested women to join the industry. Lastly, these companies called on their stakeholders to use their funds to take action against gender-based violence by reporting these incidents.

Girls Skate South Africa

The organization Girls Skate South Africa hosted an event in Johannesburg, one of the nation’s largest cities. More than 30 girls attended, engaging in activities such as skating and skateboarding at Tighy Park. Because skating is typically considered a masculine sport, Girls Skate South Africa aimed to acknowledge skating’s growing popularity among girls. In this way, they aim to break gender norms by organizing a girls’ skating day during Women’s Month.

Nubian Music Festival

Bonang Matheba, a premier South African television personality, partnered with the Nubian Music Festival to host a virtual concert for Women’s Month. Hosted by Matheba, the event featured a group of talented female performers in the country, including jazz singer Judith Sephuma and singer Lady Zamar. The show was broadcasted live from Sun City — a city within Matheba’s home province — and fans could stream it online. Mpho Mathope, the founder of the Nubian Music Festival, praised the event for promoting social unity to a broad audience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All-Female Shakespeare Festival

James Ncgobo, the artistic director of the famous Market Theatre in Johannesburg, enacted an all-female theater event. He noted that COVID-19 did not stifle theater, but simply adjusted it. He chose to highlight speeches by Shakespeare originally meant for male actors but called upon women to perform them. The 44-year-old theater, with more than 300 awards, is famous for producing work that centralizes African voices. This recent production was dubbed “Chilling with the Bard,” and is available on YouTube.

In 1956, thousands of South African women rallied against an unjust law, armed with staggering amounts of signatures and sheer will. Decades later, women in the nation continue to channel their strength, talent and resilience to honor Women’s Month in South Africa and the legacy of generations past.

– Faven Woldetatyos
Photo: Wikimedia

Jamaicans For Justice Protects Citizens

Jamaicans for JusticeJamaica had major countrywide riots during the spring of 1999. As a result, a small group of Jamaican citizens made a decision for the good of the country. It needed the presence of an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of every citizen. It also needed a committee dedicated to preserving individual liberties regardless of class, sex or skin color. This group soon emerged as Jamaicans for Justice. Less than two months after its inception, the country recognized it as a legal entity. From the conception of the group, the organization toiled arduously to maintain their principles and to fight for the protection of all Jamaicans.

The Goals of the Group

The goals and values of Jamaicans for Justice appear clearly on their official website. The group prioritizes truth, transparency, honesty and empathy, among other morals. The stated mission expands on each of these as the organization combats political injustice. They fight alongside the large population of the country’s impoverished, a group unable to represent themselves. Jamaicans for Justice also states their vision. The vision is to have a Jamaican society where every citizen holds an equal opportunity to succeed and to meet their potential. In this civilization, the group argues mutual respect and cultural enhancement would reign supreme.

In the eyes of the organization, this change starts with the country’s political management. Jamaicans for Justice is prepared to pressure the government or directly combat it if they see it does not meet the needs of the people. Over the past two decades, they’ve done exactly that.

In one instance last May, JFJ succeeded in filing a legal challenge to the highest national court, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. This is regarding the promotion of a known human rights violator to a highly senior position. The challenge established that cops must undergo full investigations into misconduct prior to a promotion. In a nation where police allegedly killed 3,000 people between 2000 and 2010, the decision could provide justice for those who need it.

What This Means for Jamaica’s Poor

Nevertheless, Jamaicans for Justice focuses on far more than political issues. When addressing the plethora of problems plaguing the country’s systems, the organization takes a broad approach. Alongside their national legal challenges, they tackle issues regarding education and judicial matters.

Jamaicans for Justice hosts several workshops for Jamaican citizens annually. Each workshop focuses on educating the citizens about human rights economically and socially. In the organization’s view, people are far more inclined to speak out against injustice if they know exactly what to look out for. These workshops educate the most vulnerable about those indicators.

For most Jamaicans, long, drawn-out legal battles can cost families small fortunes. They can also delay the justice and closure they seek. These legal fees can add up in other ways as well. Poor Jamaicans are disadvantaged in judicial affairs despite a progressive government plan to combat this. JFJ offers legal assistance to citizens in need, providing the assistance required by these people. With less injustice to worry about, the one-in-eight Jamaicans living in poverty can utilize opportunities to reach their full potential, just like the goal of JFJ states.

What the Future Holds

With progress being made since the organization’s inception such as an 8% increase in literacy among Jamaicans 15 or older, the group aims to continue its successes. Following a groundbreaking partnership with UNICEF in mid-2018, Jamaicans for Justice is turning its attention towards the protection of children in state care. It researches thousands of documents pertaining to the well-being of these disadvantaged children. The investments going into JFJ for this project will bring results that flow right back out to the disadvantaged Jamaicans who require them so desperately.

– Joe Clark
Photo: Flickr

Emerging Markets in Bangladesh

Emerging Markets in BangladeshBangladesh is a South Asian country bordered by India, Burma and Myanmar. The country boasts stunning natural views, including the world’s largest natural sea beach. Over 162 million people call Bangladesh home and share 56,980 square feet of land, making it the eighth-most populous country in the world and one of the most densely populated. Although about 25% of Bangladeshis still live below the poverty line, the country has made remarkable progress in increasing the standard of living for its people. From 1991 to 2017, Bangladesh achieved a decrease in poverty of a little under 30%. This was achieved through marked political stability and sustained economic growth in emerging markets in Bangladesh through the garment/textile, service and ICT sectors.

A Booming Textile Industry

Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest clothing manufacturer behind China. The garment sector employs about 15% of the total population. It produces roughly 30% of the GDP for the entire country. Since the 60’s, the country has been reaping the economic rewards of this thriving industry. This is seen clearly as Bangladesh currently holds the title for the fastest growing economy in the Asia Pacific region, averaging a 7% growth rate per year. Significant developments in the garment sector, service sector and ICT have led to increased economic prosperity for residents. They have also led to new, emerging markets in Bangladesh and relationships with other countries, including the United States.

New Markets for the U.S.

Additionally, U.S. exports to Bangladesh significantly increased between 2010 and 2011, growing by over half a billion dollars, or 98%. These exports include the raw materials needed to feed the garment sector’s growing appetite. They also include cotton, wheat, petroleum and electrical and mechanical equipment. More Bangladeshis reap the benefits of a secure income and a rapidly improving economy. Consequently, emerging markets in Bangladesh have opened for other countries as well. The Huesges Group is a powerful German business company. It sees this potential and is planning to invest 50 to 70 million euros in Bangladesh, mostly in the tourism, hospitality and ICT sectors.

Some major US companies already doing business in Bangladesh include Boeing, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Wells Fargo and 3M. Global investment is encouraged and welcomed by the government of Bangladesh. Foreign investments bring billions of dollars and lots of jobs into the economy. This is a mutually beneficial relationship, as new markets of consumers help companies all over the world become more successful.

Emerging Opportunities in ICT

Furthermore, Bangladesh is continuing to grow and prosper. It has a significant focus on developing new markets in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. Although it is a relatively new sector, it holds a lot of promise for future economic development. In fact, the current government of Bangladesh has named ICT as an important sector for the continued economic growth of the country. It even plans to invest financially and through programming to support its growth. This makes sense because people in South Asia are using the internet more and more.

In addition, research shows that over the past 18 years, the number of internet users in Bangladesh soared from 0.1 million users to 80 million users. This shows that there are increasingly voracious, emerging markets in Bangladesh for digital products and ICT. The Prime Minister’s office is championing the concept of “Digital Bangladesh.” It aims to have 8.5 million students learning from multimedia content developed by 100,000 teachers. It also aims to provide $28.15 million in earnings for Digital Center Entrepreneurs and perks like Software park, which facilitates high-speed internet connection trade facilities. These along with programs like Digital World, ICT Expo, National Hackathon and Connecting Startups Bangladesh help connect and educate people to the internet. They have provided countless jobs for Bangladeshi youth as well as many opportunity and promise for the future of Bangladesh.

– Noelle Nelson
Photo: Flickr

The Success of the UBI System in Kenya Amid COVID-19

UBI in KenyaIn 2019, former Presidential candidate Andrew Yang proposed a universal basic income and introduced many Americans to the concept. For the developing nation of Kenya, UBI has been an ongoing research project for years.

Universal basic income is a system in which the citizens of a country receive a recurring payment from the federal government for basic necessities such as food, housing and medicine. The goal is to lessen wealth inequality while fostering a higher standard of life regardless of one’s status in society.

Universal basic income in Kenya started in 2017 as a study to map the effectiveness of supplying money to individual villages. In each village, a different stipend was doled out with varying degrees of frequency. The $30 million UBI program was created with the help of GiveDirectly, a non-governmental organization dedicated to addressing global poverty through direct payments. In both 2019 and 2020, researchers followed up with more than 8,000 people involved in the study. What they found proves the success of universal basic income programs to improve food security, health, and mental and emotional well-being.

How the Cash is Distributed

For this study, it is important to note how the payments were allotted to the 14,474 households that participated. The researchers split counties in rural Kenya into four groups. The people in the first set of villages received $0.75 per day for 12 years. The second group received the same stipend but for only two years and was therefore never surveyed during COVID-19. The third group received a one-time lump sum of $500. Finally, the last division of villages was given nothing to act as a comparison.

Food Insecurity

The comparison group, which received no UBI, reported only 32% food security in the last few years. The three UBI groups who received payments reported a notable decrease in hunger between 5-11 percentage points. The study shows that the first group, which received a recurring amount during 12 years, experienced the smallest hunger levels. This suggests that UBI in Kenya can alleviate hunger, especially when provided in smaller payments over time.

Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being

Universal basic income in Kenya also affects physical health. About a third of respondents without a stipend said they sought medical attention in the last month. However, those in the UBI groups were healthier, with fewer respondents reporting clinical visits or sick family members. Given the lack of COVID-19 cases in the respective villages, the pandemic did not change the findings.

The researchers also found that degrees of depression varied by the method in which the income was distributed over time. Mental health was considered low in the cashless group. Not all UBI groups benefited; however, the group provided with the $500 lump sum reported high levels of depression. Some researchers speculate that receiving a cash payment in regular increments is more beneficial to one’s mental and emotional well-being.

During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has brought to light how beneficial a universal basic income program can be when faced with unforeseen financial setbacks like a pandemic. When the study researchers checked in with Kenya in 2020, the pandemic struck the world. Only 12 cases existed in Siaya and Bomet, where the study was being conducted. Kenya underwent a strict lockdown in March, pushing vulnerable people living in rural communities into even more precarious situations. The study showed that UBI recipients were less likely to engage in social activities or visit a clinic, both of which increase the likelihood of catching the virus.

While the study is new and not fully complete, good signs point toward a permanent UBI in Kenya because of the proven benefits. Universal basic income has the ability to offer financial assistance and stability to lessen the blow of the pandemic for Kenyans. With UBI, Kenya has the potential to help those in desperation and foster a higher standard of living for all.

– Zachary Sherry
Photo: Flickr

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The Impact of Feed the Future Program in Nigeria 

Feed the Future Program in Nigeria 
Nigeria is a nation burdened with poverty and an unemployment rate of about 50% for Nigerians under 25-years old. It also relies heavily on agriculture in its economy as this employs about 75%of people in the country. The U.S. Feed the Future program began with the mission to help those in economic need meet their hunger needs on an international level. This article will discuss how the Feed the Future program in Nigeria is making an impact on the nation.

Feed the Future

Launched in 2010, Feed the Future is a U.S. government program aiming to combat global hunger and ensure food security, worldwide. The program focuses mainly on its partnerships with the nations it works in and innovative solutions to work towards its goal. The program is currently focusing its efforts in 12 nations. This ensures the organization can properly allocate the money to be as efficient as possible. Overall, between 2011 and 2018, the program has spent more than 3 billion dollars to fund its mission.

Feed the Future Program Impact in Nigeria

Nigeria is one of the few nations Feed the Future focuses its initiatives on. The  program partners with Nigeria’s agricultural fund and supplies it with about 20 million dollars a year. These funds go towards improving Nigeria’s agricultural sector and proving economic help to create food security.

The Feed the Future program utilizes innovation to solve hunger. In 2018 alone, the organization had 38,000 people applying new practices to Nigeria’s agriculture sector. These innovations improved approximately 26,000 hectares of land throughout the same year. On top of these innovations, the program improves economic conditions by uplifting business development organizations in agribusiness. In this same vein, these efforts invest in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, directly.

As a result of the Feed the Future program, 79,000 children under the age of five received assistance regarding their nutrition needs in 2018. However, the Feed the Future program does more than just solve the problem; the organization creates a sustainable cycle to relieve the issue. For instance, in 2018, Feed the Future educated 236,000 individuals in nutritional, professional training to multiply the impact of relief.

Feed the Future in Nigeria: Outlook

The Feed the Future program’s success has been noticed as there is still a great amount of support for it. Thus, in 2018, the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act was signed to ensure the continuation of the program through 2023.

However, despite the success, there are still changes occurring with the program. For instance, the Center for Strategic & International Studies recommends that the future of the Feed the Future program should shift focus “to strengthen resilience across all zones of influence”.  There is also a push for the program to make itself more sustainable. This is so that fragile areas will continue to show success in the program.

In the coming years, the Feed the Future program and its investments are expected to make major impacts in Nigeria. The Center for Strategic & International Studies anticipates the program to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in agricultural finance and investments. This funding will cause more innovation and more people to be food secure.

In the past decade, the Feed the Future program has become a major success that has drawn many people into a more stable future. The program’s future is secured until at least 2023 with recommended adjustments being taken into account to ensure the program’s efficiency.

– Erica Burns
Photo: Flickr

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5 FIFA Soccer Players Practicing Philanthropy 

soccer players practicing philanthropy
Soccer, or football players to most of the world, are most often recognized for their impressive work on the field. However, professional soccer players have a lot of potential for impactful good off the field. This, due to their status, influence and financial capabilities. Listed here are five soccer players (part of FIFA) who have a powerful impact on the lives of impoverished peoples. Importantly, their reach extends throughout the world. These are great examples of professional soccer players practicing philanthropy.

5 FIFA Soccer Players Practicing Philanthropy

  1. Lionel Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays forward and captains La Liga club, Barcelona and the Argentinian national team. In response to COVID-19, Messi has made a wide variety of contributions through his organization, The Leo Messi Foundation. He began his foundation in 2007. Its mission focuses on helping kids and teenagers using health, education and sports initiatives. Messi has donated €1 million, split between Hospital Clinic in Catalunya and a health center in Argentina. Additionally, he gave €200,000 to UNICEF projects in Kenya. As a result, more than 2,000 citizens gained access to clean water.
  2. Mohammed Salah is a winger for the English Premier League club, Liverpool and the Egyptian national team. Salah has donated thousands of tons of food and fresh meat to his hometown in Egypt, to help families who have been impacted by COVID-19. Also, Salah donated to the Bassioun General Hospital. Moreover, he (along with his father) gave land to establish a sewage treatment plant in his hometown. With this effort, he hopes to provide a stable source of clean water to the region. Furthermore, Salah has been selected as the first ambassador for the U.N. Instant Network Schools, which connects refugees and host countries’ students with online education opportunities.
  3. Sadio Mane is a forward for the English Premier League club, Liverpool. Mane is funding the construction of a hospital for the village of Bambali, Senegal, where he was born. He took inspiration to do so after losing his father to a stomach illness, with no hospital in the village available to help him. Considering Senegal’s inhabitants, 33% are below the poverty line and Mane’s contributions to schools, hospitals and mosques in his home village are helping improve the quality of life for individuals living there.
  4. Mesut Ozil is a German footballer who plays as a midfielder for the English Premier League club, Arsenal. It is reported that he has paid for more than 1,000 operations for children across the world, food for 100,000 refugees in Turkey and Syria and is an ambassador for the children’s charity — Rays of Sunshine, in England.
  5. Jermain Defoe is currently a striker for the Scottish Premiership club, Rangers. He created the Jermain Defoe Foundation in 2013 to support at-risk youth in his family’s hometown, Caribbean, St. Lucia. His foundation’s mission is to help kids who are vulnerable and in need in the U.K., the Caribbean Islands and Northern Island. His grandparents grew up in St. Lucia and his foundation has worked on several projects in St. Lucia. The foundation’s work includes the refurbishment of the Soufriere Primary School after a hurricane,  donation of shoes to the Daigen School and the financial backing of The Rainbow Children’s Home.

Good Work: On and Off the Pitch

In addition to their work on the football pitch, these soccer players practicing philanthropy are doing excellent work for humanitarian missions and initiatives.  The contributions of these soccer players in healthcare, education and nutrition are improving the lives of the individuals affected by their initiatives worldwide.

– Hannah Bratton
Photo: Flickr

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Addressing Childhood Blindness

Childhood BlindnessFounded by West Virginian Doctor VK Raju, the Eye Foundation of America responds to the ubiquity of childhood blindness. Though less common in industrialized nations, blindness affects many societies throughout the world. Globally, 2.2 billion people cope with cases of vision impairment or blindness, 12 million of which are preventable. According to the foundation, combating childhood blindness may be the most cost-effective health intervention.

Eye Foundation of America

Most instances of vision impairment result from eye conditions. When eye conditions obstruct the visual system and one or more of its functions, if not treated quickly and effectively, vision impairment leads to permanent blindness.

Dr. Raju, the creator of Eye Foundation of America (EFA), grew up in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India. His medical career in ophthalmology brought him to his current residence of Morgantown, West Virginia. Following his journey from east to west, Dr. Raju strengthened his ties to India and other developing countries through EFA.

Childhood vision impairments have an impact on education as learning is done 80% through vision. Therefore, EFA revolves around a singular mission: eradicating childhood blindness. The principles of service, teaching and research, underscore operations of the foundation. EFA sets up medical clinics across the world focused on training staff on ophthalmological procedures, screening local populations for eye conditions and maintaining a functional vision for the youth.

In four decades, EFA made notable strides in combating childhood blindness and overall blindness. In 30 countries across the world, EFA trained and educated more than 700 doctors and medical staff, conducted three million vision screenings and saved the vision of more than 350,000 people through essential procedures.

Early Intervention Prevents Blindness

In an interview with The Borgen Project, Dr. Raju affirms the importance of proper sight for children, without which “the child becomes a problem to themselves, a problem to the family and a problem to society.”

Reducing childhood blindness requires early intervention. If health care personnel identify eye conditions in a child’s first two years of life, the visual cortex still has time to develop and function properly. Conversely, if doctors neglect vision problems during this critical period of growth, the brain cells may never learn to see.

Disparities Between Access and Affordability

Dr. Raju traces the pervasiveness of childhood blindness to accessibility and affordability rather than incidence. He offers his home state of West Virginia as an example. In 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau documented the West Virginia poverty rate at 17.8%, which is 6% above the national rate of 11.8%. Despite relative poverty, Dr. Raju asserts that West Virginia residents enjoy excellent health care and ophthalmological treatment, regardless of whether they have insurance.

Two-thirds of the 1.4 million cases of childhood blindness occur in developing countries where Dr. Raju sets up the majority of EFA’s clinics. Accordingly, The World Health Organization (WHO) reports, “The burden of visual impairments and eye conditions tends to be greater in low and middle-income countries and underserved populations, such as women, migrants, indigenous peoples, persons with certain kinds of disability and rural communities.”

Vision Impacts Global Poverty

Mahatma Gandhi once famously declared, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” For Dr. Raju, the change is to see. Though often taken for granted, vision enables children to read, write and learn through seeing. Vision impacts education and education impacts poverty. Dr. Raju’s foundation addresses overall global poverty by addressing childhood blindness.

– Maya Gonzales
Photo: Flickr

Refugees in Jordan: NGOs Helping During COVID-19

Refugees in JordanAs of 2019, 83% of the refugee population in Jordan lives in cities, not camps. Many of the refugees in Jordan survive on low-paid work in the informal sector, picking up odd-jobs when they can. Considering the substantial number of refugees living in Jordan, nearly 750,000 registered refugees and almost two million Palestinians, the Jordanian government has protective stipulations in place to preserve jobs for Jordanian citizens.

However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, the informal working sector shut down. Most refugees did not have savings to fall back on while roughly 80% of Syrian refugees in Jordan live below the poverty line. When Jordan began to reopen in late April, the government mandated that businesses first give employment preferences to Jordanians.

The International Labor Organization recently published a survey confirming that of all the vulnerable working populations, refugees have been hit the hardest amid the pandemic. Nearly all refugees are ineligible for governmental aid. Moreover, only about 30,000 refugee families receive cash assistance from UNHCR. The NGOs in Jordan were non-essential, and many shut down in the spring. However, with easing restrictions, NGOs are reopening and providing necessary assistance again.

Collateral Repair Project

Collateral Repair Project (CRP) is a nonprofit in Amman that provides many services. These services include a community center with programs for refugee children, women and men. Additionally, CRP runs a Basic-Needs Assistance program. It is essentially a food voucher program for refugees to trade in coupons for fresh produce. CRP know how essential this program is for refugees. As a result, it found a way to operate during the shutdown. By partnering with local markets, CRP managed to keep over 700 refugee families fed throughout the lockdown.

Reclaim Childhood

Reclaim Childhood provides sport and leadership training to refugee girls ages six to 18 in Amman and Zarqa. While it had to stop programming during the lockdown, its return is significant. Reclaim Childhood employs nine female coaches, some refugees, some Jordanians and has nearly 300 girls play each season. Refugee children are suffering from the effects of the pandemic. Girls in particular are hurt with schools shutting down. Children from families facing increased poverty are more likely to be forced into child labor or early marriage. Reclaim Childhood, beyond providing these girls with a meal each day, reminds them that they are strong, capable and surrounded by girls and women who support them. Even amid poverty and pandemics, children should always have the right to play, learn and grow.

Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger (AAH) is an organization that operates in Jordan. It provides water, sanitation, hygiene, food security and livelihoods and mental health services to both host communities and refugee populations. In 2019 alone, it reached 86,522 people with water, sanitation and hygiene programs. Additionally, the organization offers cash-assistance programs for refugees. During the height of the Jordanian lockdown, it became clear to AAH that the majority of people receiving its services also desired a way to access more information about the pandemic and preventative measures. In response to this need, AAH launched a free telephone hotline that offers updated information about the risks associated with the pandemic. They currently have 38 operators managing phone lines, communicating essential information.

Overall, the work of these organizations is essential to the livelihood and safety of many refugees in Jordan, especially during this global pandemic.

– Grace Harlan
Photo: Pixabay

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The EU Farm to Fork Strategy

Farm to ForkRecently, the European Union Green Deal created a new food security strategy called the “Farm to Fork Strategy.” The European Union Green deal aims to make Europe the most climate-neutral continent and the Farm to Fork strategy is at the heart of this goal. Farm to Fork is a directive designed to “ensure food security, nutrition and public health, making sure that everyone has access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food.” The EU particularly noted that global food systems cannot be resilient during times of crisis such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, unless food systems are sustainable. The EU further noted that food systems need to be redesigned in order to reduce negative impacts on the environment.

The Farm to Fork Strategy

On June 2, 2020, The EU dedicated €10 billion towards developing the start of the program by donating towards “the research and innovation of food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and the environment” along with developing new technology to find a nature-based solution for naturally grown food, that is also sustainable year-round and throughout multiple years, by growing annuals in the farms of European countries. This trial run, done exclusively in Europe, hopes to be a pioneer in agriculture, destined to help millions globally once the project receives more traction.

The Farm to Fork Strategy stands in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and not only plans to provide more sustainable food sources but will also provide aid to issues such as global warming, pollution, deforestation and overfishing. The overall goal is to “ensure food security and create a safe food environment” globally.

The Main Goals of Farm to Fork:

  • Ensuring sustainable food production;
  • Ensuring food security;
  • Stimulating sustainable food processing, wholesale, retail, hospitality and food services practices;
  • Promoting sustainable food consumption and facilitating the shift to healthy, sustainable diets;
  • Reducing food loss and waste;
  • Combating food fraud along the food supply chain.

This detailed plan, if executed properly, is estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and global food shortages. Targets that are essential to meet in order to reach the environmental and food safety goals of Farm to Fork are:

  • a reduction by 50% in the use of chemical and hazardous pesticides by 2030;
  • a reduction of nutrient losses by at least 50% while ensuring that there is no deterioration in soil fertility;
  • a reduction in the use of fertilizers by at least 20% by 2030;
  • a reduction of overall EU sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and aquaculture of 50% by 2030;
  • reaching 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030.

The Potential Impact of Farm to Fork

With the use of the Farm to Fork Strategy, the entire world could be more self-sustaining. The initiative could help millions around the world who struggle with food scarcity, making sustainable agriculture one of the most important fields in society. Farm to Fork helps not only food scarcity but the environment as a whole as well. Farm to Fork aims to do more than just curb global hunger, ultimately, aiming to make the planet a better place as a whole.

– Alexis LeBaron
Photo: Flickr