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From Papyrus Waste to Sanitary Pads: MakaPads in Uganda

MakaPadsUganda produces large quantities of papyrus and other plants found in wetlands. However, for many years, their by-products were ignored while imported sanitary pads dominated the market. For many girls and women, especially in rural areas, those imported pads are too costly or hard to find, contributing to widespread unmet menstrual hygiene needs.

A national audit published in January 2025 found that 64% of female students miss school regularly because sanitary materials and proper water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities are lacking. In this context, MakaPads emerged as a social enterprise, through which local engineers and social entrepreneurs began producing sanitary pads from papyrus reeds and recycled paper. MakaPads’ aim was straightforward: create a hygiene product affordable enough for low-income families while relying on materials available in Uganda itself.

MakaPads Project

The manufacturing remains deliberately low-tech and locally based. Papyrus stems are harvested from wetlands, stripped into fibers or pulp, mixed with recycled paper and shaped into absorbent pads. The finished pads are reportedly up to 95% biodegradable, chemical-free and cost roughly half as much as many imported pads available on the Ugandan market.

MakaPads has also provided employment and economic opportunity, particularly for women from vulnerable backgrounds. According to the project’s own documentation, production at its peak involved as many as 225 people, including both skilled and unskilled workers, as well as refugees, across various factories and stages of production. In one refugee camp factory at Kyaka II, a 2015 report describes 76 women employed, producing more than 800 pads daily and scaling production from 30,000 pads in 2009 to more than one million in 2014.

Women involved in production reported earning enough to cover their children’s school fees or invest in small assets, such as land or motorcycles, illustrating the tangible economic benefits of the project.

Social Impact and Challenges

On the social side, users and distributors have reported that locally made pads have helped reduce reliance on improvised alternatives, such as cloth and rags, which are often uncomfortable, unhygienic and stigmatizing. One user in the camp, Evelyne Banyamisa, reported that access to MakaPads allowed her to maintain consistent school attendance and participate fully in daily activities during her menstrual cycle.

However, the initiative has faced challenges. The UNHCR contract to supply pads to refugee camps was discontinued in 2015 after a quality inspection by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) revealed deficiencies. Some users also noted limitations, including leakage on heavier flow days, narrow pad width and occasional odor issues, highlighting the ongoing need to balance affordability, accessibility and product quality.

Final Remarks

Despite these setbacks, MakaPads remains a rare example of a social enterprise that simultaneously addresses menstrual health, local employment and environmental sustainability through low-cost, biodegradable sanitary products. Nevertheless, MakaPads demonstrates what community-rooted, resource-aware innovation can achieve: a model that combines menstrual hygiene with local manufacturing, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity. In a country where period poverty affects the majority of schoolgirls, low-cost, biodegradable pads made from native plant waste stand out as a hopeful, home-grown solution.

– George Horberry

George is based in York, UK and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The IRC’s Use of AI in Crisis Zones

AI in Crisis ZonesArtificial intelligence (AI) is creating new solutions for communities living through instability and displacement. From Bangladesh’s ongoing political turmoil to Nigeria’s Boko Haram–related violence and Afghanistan’s post-2021 upheaval, millions continue to face barriers to basic services. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is applying AI in crisis zones to broaden access to education, trusted information and social support. This article explores how three IRC-supported innovations, aprendIA, Signpost and ALMA (AI for Life Mapping and Assistance), show the impact of AI in crisis zones on people rebuilding their lives.

How Crisis Disrupts Education

Education offers critical skills that support children’s safety, development and long-term well-being. For those living through conflict or disaster, the loss of stable schooling can limit future opportunities. Education Cannot Wait reports that by the end of 2024, an estimated 234 million school-aged children in crisis settings required urgent assistance to access quality learning. This figure represents an increase of about 35 million in three years. Of this total, 85 million children, around 37%, were not attending school at all. Ten countries with the largest crisis-affected student populations, including Nigeria, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, account for more than 60% of these children.

How Crisis Drives Displacement

Crisis often forces people to leave their homes, whether through internal displacement or by crossing borders as refugees, asylum seekers or migrants. Displacement brings loss of housing and community as well as reduced access to essential services such as food assistance, health care and social support. Language barriers and legal restrictions can further limit services for those who have fled.

According to the United Nations (U.N.) Refugee Agency, around 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2024 due to persecution, conflict, violence and human rights violations. This represents one in every 67 people across the globe. Furthermore, the global figure rose by 7 million in one year. The conflict in Sudan created the largest displacement crisis, with 14.3 million people displaced. Syria and Afghanistan followed with 13.5 million and 10.3 million displaced people, respectively.

IRC Solutions in Action

The IRC began in 1933 as the International Relief Association, formed at the request of Albert Einstein to support people fleeing persecution. Today, the IRC assists communities affected by humanitarian crises. In recent years, the organization has expanded its efforts by integrating artificial intelligence tools such as aprendIA, Signpost and the newly launched ALMA. These innovations aim to strengthen access to information. Additionally, they improve service delivery and support people in crisis zones with faster and more reliable assistance.

  • AprendIA. AprendIA is an AI-supported chatbot platform that delivers learning content through mobile messaging apps, allowing children to access education at any time and on any device. The IRC aims for the tool to reach more than 1 million learners by the end of 2026. The IRC has adapted aprendIA to support learning facilitators in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe in northeast Nigeria. In Bangladesh, where students face severe disruption from natural disasters, aprendIA provides lesson plans, activities, community tools and quizzes to help schools continue learning during climate-related emergencies.
  • Signpost. Signpost, launched in 2015, is a digital information platform that provides people affected by a crisis with reliable, localized guidance. The project uses service mapping, community-led content and two-way communication that allows users to ask questions and receive answers in less than 24 hours. Signpost now reaches communities in 20 countries and operates in 25 language. The long-term goal is to support half of the world’s displaced population. According to the IRC, Signpost played a vital role for Maryam, who fled Afghanistan with her family and arrived in Italy in 2021. Through Italy’s Signpost platform, she accessed timely information that helped her family navigate essential services.
  • ALMA. On Nov. 10, 2025, the IRC introduced ALMA. The multilingual virtual assistant is designed to support refugees, Special Immigrant Visa holders and other newcomers in the United States. ALMA operates through WhatsApp and provides round-the-clock guidance on social services, employment, financial literacy, local resources and information about rights and responsibilities in the U.S. Furthermore, the tool currently offers support in Dari/Farsi, English, Spanish and Swahili.

Toward Safer Futures

The IRC’s use of AI in crisis zones shows how technology can strengthen humanitarian responses. Indeed, tools like aprendIA, Signpost and ALMA help crisis-affected communities access education, information and essential services more quickly and reliably. With continued collaboration and refinement, AI in crisis zones can play an even greater role in supporting people working toward safer and more stable futures.

– Sammi Li

Sammi is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How Upcycling Plastic Feeds People in India

How Upcycling Plastic Feeds People in India Hunger is a persistent issue in cities like Ambikapur, Central India, but the hungry population of India has been presented with a solution. In a population of people suffering from food insecurity, upcycling is a means of nourishing vulnerable populations. As of 2025, people in Ambikapur embrace upcycling by using plastic as a form of currency that is exchanged for food. The plastic material is recycled to make new products. From an economic standpoint, impoverished people go hungry because they have little to no income, so they do not have the means to purchase food. In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Rashmi Mondal shares how upcycling plastic addresses hunger: “I can get food for my family in exchange for the plastic I collect. It makes all the difference in our lives.”

Strategic Investment in Food Insecurity Initiatives

At the government level, the Ambikapur Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) sanitation budget allocated funds toward a service called the Garbage Café. In 2019, this café served as a vehicle for reducing excessive plastic waste and serving food to homeless people in the city of Ambikapur. Government intervention has reduced the level of plastic waste in the country.

Over the past decade, the government has focused its efforts on the high level of plastic waste, ultimately implementing programs that inspire change in communities. Ambikapur had 226 tons of plastic pollution in 2024. As of 2025, the city has recycled almost all plastic waste in the area. According to The Economic Times, 170 nations approved the international treaty to end plastic pollution in 2023, making progress at the international level.

Current Climate Toward Upcycling Plastic

Millions of citizens have participated in giving away recyclable items. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR) center initiatives include “The three-week campaign imaginatively named, ‘Meri LiFE, Mera Swachh Sheher,’ is marked by significant mass mobilization, including the youth, SHGs, NGOs, market bodies, RWAs, startups, voluntary groups and celebrities.” Both NGOs and businesses have effectively mobilized people to participate in tackling the excessive plastic waste in the subcontinent.

India successfully engages the homeless population to clean up the plastic waste in cities, creating a solution for two major problems: hunger and pollution. Hungry people in India eat hot meals in exchange for their plastic at places like the Garbage Café, which feeds more than 20 people per day. While upcycling plastic waste, including water bottles and bags, is recycled to make material for new roads or brought to plastic waste facilities. In turn, it makes government income.

Upcycling Plastics Initiatives in India

India prioritized the LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement, which addresses sustainability, resource management and climate change. Similarly, Swachh Bharat made an impact by expanding public sanitation. “The natural and mutually beneficial nexus between SBM and mission LiFE is unmistakable. Both are anchored to RRR – reduce, reuse and recycle – to achieve their objectives: clean cities and sustainable development, while providing a mainstay to the circular economy.” The BBC reports that the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban has seen plastic in landfills reach two tons per year in 2024.

How Repurposing Plastic Cleans Up Communities

A variety of people from different backgrounds reduce their community pollution levels by bringing plastic waste to collection centers, while government organizations like the Garbage Café distribute upcycled plastic to be made into new products. Recycling efforts reduce plastic waste in cities and landfills, making local communities a cleaner place to live, and most importantly, preventing low-income populations from experiencing malnutrition.

Another by-product of these services is the creation of jobs in India. Collection centers employ hundreds of women to separate waste for processing. India is actively improving its environment by reducing plastic in landfills through controlled consumption, thus releasing lower amounts of waste into the disposal system. Environmental conditions in Indian communities improved with the addition of RRR centers, inspiring similar initiatives, including zero-waste events.

Since employees at collection centers manage waste without hygiene support, processing surplus plastic presents health and safety challenges to staff. Standard supplies are not enough to prevent health complications caused by exposure to toxic waste. Professor Minal Pathak observed that staff may come in direct contact with bacteria without standard protective gear.

The Ambikapur Mission City Level Federation emphasized the significance of the women’s work at the waste facility, stating, “The centers have collected and recycled approximately 50,000 tons of dry waste such as plastic, paper/cardboard, metals and e-waste since they began in 2016.” The state of Chhattisgarh scaled the process of upcycling plastic through door-to-door collection of discarded plastic materials throughout the state.

Looking Ahead

While efforts to eliminate plastic waste have created a positive chain of events, Siliguri in West Bengal, India, provides meals for people who bring plastic. Adding to the upcycling plastic trend, Mulugu in Telangana state trades rice for a kilogram of plastic, while state-funded organizations serve free breakfast. The expansion of upcycling plastic programs designed to supply food to people living in poverty has resulted in additional Garbage Cafés in New Delhi. When campaigns shift public perception, collaboration between private citizens, government and NGOs increases community engagement, pushing India closer to combating hunger and waste with its continued support.

– Lala McCullough

Lala is based in Brentwood, CA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Paws for Progress: Commercialization of Voluntary Services

Commercialization of Voluntary ServicesThe bustling energy of Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley, is famous for its tech hubs, vibrant culture and increasingly, its love for pets. As urban life accelerates, demanding long hours and challenging commutes, the city’s pet parents are searching for reliable, loving care for their canine companions. Consequently, new service-based markets emerge, providing unique avenues for employment, particularly for marginalized youth and women. The professionalization of pet care, notably dog walking, illustrates this phenomenon by transforming a casual chore into a formalized, skill-based livelihood and the commercialization of voluntary services

The Rise of the Professional Pet Care Economy

India’s burgeoning pet ownership, especially in Tier 1 cities, has created a significant market demand for reliable and professional pet services. With high-pressure work schedules and long commutes being common in cities like Bangalore, pet parents are increasingly seeking structured, trustworthy care for their dogs. This demand for safe and consistent dog walking services has professionalized the field, moving it beyond a purely informal arrangement to one supported by tech-enabled platforms and service quality standards.

This emerging pet care economy is highly compatible with the needs of the underemployed, including youth and women who may lack formal education credentials for traditional white-collar jobs. Numerous platforms and service providers now actively recruit and train individuals, often requiring minimal educational qualifications, sometimes even less than a 10th-grade completion, but emphasizing traits like reliability, punctuality and a genuine love for animals.

By offering flexible working hours, especially in the high-demand morning and evening slots, this employment model caters to students seeking part-time income or women looking for work that can be balanced with household responsibilities.

Professionalization Through Structured Training

The success of this unconventional livelihood relies on converting an informal activity into a reputable profession, primarily through systematic training and certification. Training programs instituted by service providers focus on three key areas to ensure a high-quality, trustworthy service. Trainees receive instruction on essential aspects of dog behavior, handling diverse breeds and basic pet first aid. This knowledge is critical for managing emergencies and building confidence in both the walker and the pet owner. There is emphasis on professional conduct, including adherence to scheduled walk times, clear communication with clients (often via app-based live updates and GPS tracking) and responsible clean-up of dog waste, which elevates the service’s perceived value. Workers are often paid commission-based or monthly salaries, with earnings potentially ranging from ₹10,000 to more than ₹30,000 per month, depending on commitment and location.

Social and Economic Empowerment

The impact of this phenomenon extends beyond mere financial transactions, offering a path to holistic empowerment for its workforce. Firstly, it offers an economic safety net; the high-demand, non-traditional nature of the work often results in hourly wages that are substantially better than those for comparable unskilled or manual labor jobs. Secondly, it provides a crucial boost to social capital and self-respect. The designation as a ‘certified’ or ‘professional’ dog walker, coupled with branded gear, gives workers a formal identity and status within the community. This recognition helps to dismantle pre-existing social barriers and instills a sense of pride in their contribution to the modern urban service sector.

Looking Ahead

The commercialization of voluntary services to a formalized profession—complete with training in canine behavior, safety protocols, and certified credentials—bestows a new sense of dignity and respect upon the workforce. These ‘professional dog walkers’ engage with the affluent urban society not as casual labor, but as skilled, reliable service providers, enhancing their self-esteem and public standing. For women, this employment not only provides a source of income but also an acceptable and safe avenue to move outside the home, build a professional identity and contribute visibly to the household’s financial well-being, thereby challenging traditional gender roles and fostering genuine empowerment.

– Syam Kumar

Syam is based in Bangalore, India and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Digital Sovereignty in Africa

Digital Sovereignty in AfricaNew inventions within the 21st century have pushed the world into the digital age. Access to technological devices, the internet and social media offers a new set of information for those privileged enough to have it. First-world countries generally control the data centers that power the exchange of information within their territories. This is through tech giants like Google and Microsoft that have asserted their dominance in internet web browsers. Up until now, however, the African continent has been forced to depend on the data centers and internet protocols outside of its borders to send messages between itself. On September 1, 2025, the African continent introduced its own Continental Internet Exchange (CIX), a game-changer towards its digital sovereignty in Africa.

Essentially, if someone sends a message from Lagos to Kenya, the processing would take place in the European continent or in the United States before it returns to the African continent. This would cause high bandwidth costs and the possibility of outside access to personal or government information. The continent’s yearly expense on outside digital services topped $50 billion because of this. The Continental Internal Exchange offers data centers and local search engines for use across the 54 nations within Africa. This implementation could potentially halve the continent’s expense on digital devices, which could offer more finances to benefit people in poverty or in digital blackout areas.

Rural Challenges

More than 200 million people have switched to using CIX within the first three days of its launch. In addition, Cape Town, Nairobi and Lagos are the current early data center locations with coverage across the continent expected by 2027, according to Eurweb. There are some challenges to be met with, however. Rural areas in Central Africa are facing gaps in coverage and high expenses to have access to data in general.

According to the United Nations, 23 of the 28 countries that live in extreme poverty are in the African continent. In addition, the rate of poverty in rural areas within the African continent is 17.2%. There are gaps in coverage within rural areas because of the lack of infrastructure available. In addition, people in poverty do not have the finances to pay monthly fees for data coverage and internet access. On the continent, people in urban areas are 36% more likely to have access to regular internet. Poverty also largely affects internet access. Only 28% of people who live in extreme poverty are able to access the internet.

Extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is meant to remain in the double digits by 2030. Poverty has an impact on digital accessibility and media literacy. New skills that have impacts in the digital age are not accessible to people in Africa due to the lack of mobile and internet access. A large factor in decreased internet access is education and age as well. According to Afrobarometer in 2021, 81% of people with little to no education in 34 countries in Africa did not use the internet frequently. This is lower for people with higher education, as 17% did not use the internet frequently.

Outreach International

One organization that aims to repair internet access in Africa is Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA). PDAA is an organization that aims to achieve 1 billion Africans having internet access by 2030. They work with nonprofits, policymakers, and global organizations to create plans and initiatives that introduce access to the internet in areas of limited connectivity and lower internet costs for users. Its overall aim through this organization is to improve digital skills and media literacy across the continent’s 54 countries. The organization’s leadership team consists of policymakers within Africa and business leaders dedicated to the cause. Its website also highlights positive stories in relation to internet access from other news organizations, such as Brookings and Business Insider Africa.

The Future of Digital Sovereignty in Africa

The CIX offers digital sovereignty in Africa. It provides data centers and local search engines within its borders to lower bandwidth costs and decrease dependence on foreign digital devices. With the potential for halving these expenses, there is an opportunity for African countries to reinvest in their digital infrastructure. There stands to be challenges to reach populations in rural areas, for example. What was once necessary to spend on foreign digital services can help establish data centers within these rural areas, widen internet access and provide technological devices to households.

– Nickaylia Anderson

Nickaylia is based in Bronx, NY, USA and focuses on Good News, Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Evaluating the Success of UK Rail for Ukraine

U.K. Rail for UkraineBy 2022, Ukraine impressively boasted Europe’s fourth-largest network of railways. Ukrainian Railways (UZ), aligning with the national government, contributed a staggering 2.34% of the national GDP and employed around 270,000 citizens who worked along its expansive and well-connected routes. The socioeconomic success of UZ showcased by these figures, highlights the importance of infrastructure to a territorially large nation in need of interconnectedness.

When Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the progress of UZ came to an abrupt halt. Russian attacks destroyed border railway crossings, forced thousands of staff to mobilize for war and damaged train tracks caught in the crossfire. International eyes were on Ukraine, with the United Kingdom (U.K.) playing a role in the humanitarian effort to rescue Ukraine’s railways.

U.K. Rail for Ukraine

Rebuilding infrastructure in times of military crisis became an essential way for humanitarian aid to enter Ukraine. With Ukrainian airspace closed to non-combatant aircraft, moving aid, resources and people relied on train networks throughout Europe. Established in 2023, U.K. Network Rail and partners created U.K. Rail for Ukraine, a cohesive partnership that supplied repair parts for UZ networks.

U.K. Rail for Ukraine supplied the Ukrainian front line with eight railway bridges and 30 bridge support towers later that year. The response was quick, direct and efficient in the wake of the devastating violence that intensified in 2022.

Covering the Distance: European Partnerships

For U.K. Rail for Ukraine to transport large infrastructural supports into Eastern Europe, the wider network of European railway systems played a major role in covering the distance. Deutsche Bahn (DB), the German national rail operator, transported the goods to Poland. The train carried the livery #WeStandWithUkraine, highlighting a collective European sense of solidarity with the Ukrainians suffering.

Poland also made a significant contribution to supporting its neighboring Ukraine. Polish (PKP) cargo trains carried humanitarian aid from across Europe, making up a large share of the 1,600 aid vehicles reported by Ukrainian Railways. U.K. donors sent 7,500 food parcels, which were packaged and later distributed among Ukrainian rail workers. The main partners behind this donation were the U.K.-based companies Arriva Trains and First Rail. Both recognized the importance of Ukrainian railroads in transporting lifesaving packages to those most in need. In addition, U.K. rail businesses raised £65,000 to fund protective armor for frontline drivers.

Driving Away from Danger and Toward Safety

Beginning in Poland, many Ukrainian refugees took the long journey into mainland Europe by train. By March 2022, more than 1,000 Polish State Railway services operated to transport refugees. Having already undergone an arduous journey, displaced migrants arriving in the U.K. received special privileges for rail travel across the country. The Rail Delivery Group introduced a scheme in 2022 that granted Ukrainian refugees free travel on British transport services, including National Rail and the London Underground.

Outlook for 2025

Transportation during the Russo-Ukrainian War has remained vital. U.K. Rail for Ukraine continues to provide infrastructural support from a humanitarian standpoint, with railways serving as the primary channel for aid packages reaching soldiers and civilians on the front line. Looking forward, the extensive repair work needed on UZ railways in a post-conflict world will require the same level of foreign support and commitment to rebuild a once very successful rail system.

By 2025, 223,000 Ukrainian people had arrived in the U.K. The well-connected structure of European railroads allowed the safe transfer of refugees across borders. Those who completed their journey to the U.K. continue to benefit from measures that preserve their right to free travel.

Looking Ahead

The partnerships forged between the U.K., Europe and Ukraine show that railways can do more than move people and goods; they can carry hope and resilience through the hardest of times.

– Ash Fowkes-Gajan

Ash is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Using Climate Data to Map and Fight Poverty in Ethiopia

Fight Poverty in EthiopiaEthiopia faces rising poverty risks as climate shocks intensify, yet traditional surveys capture these struggles years too late. A new approach using machine learning and climate data offers a faster, more cost-effective way to map poverty and guide timely interventions.

Using Climate Data to Fight Poverty in Ethiopia

Poverty surveys in Ethiopia are costly and infrequent, leaving policymakers with outdated information. A novel machine-learning method uses temperature and satellite imagery to predict poverty at a fraction of the cost and with much faster turnaround. This innovation promises to sharpen targeting of resources and improve climate resilience.

Ethiopia’s economy is agriculture-heavy, with more than 70% of livelihoods tied to climate-sensitive farming. Yet, poverty measurements rely on household surveys conducted every five to 10 years, which tend to fail to capture sudden crises like droughts. These long intervals and high costs mean that aid often misses emerging hotspots of need.

Machine Learning and Climate Data

The process involves a two-step transfer learning model: it first trains a neural network to predict surface temperature from satellite images, then extracts image features useful for predicting household consumption as an indicator of poverty. The model achieves 80% accuracy in temperature prediction and offers poverty estimates on par with traditional surveys.

By using widely available satellite and climate data, this approach enables real-time, scalable poverty estimation. It can detect early signs of distress like crop failure or environmental degradation, enabling preemptive aid distribution before crises deepen.

In order to be effective, the model must be embedded within Ethiopia’s early-warning systems, development plans and social protection strategies. Integrating these data-driven poverty maps could bolster infrastructure planning, health and education targeting and climate adaptation investments. Collaboration with agencies like the World Bank or the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) could support institutionalization.

Challenges and Equity Considerations

Despite signs of promise, machine models depend on high-quality data, satellite and survey data whose coverage may be uneven, especially in rural or conflict-affected regions. There is also the risk of excluding marginalized groups such as pastoralists or internally displaced populations. Transparent methods and participatory feedback loops are essential to ensure equitable representation.

This modeling aligns with U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty) and Goal 13 (Climate Action). By pushing “beyond surveys,” Ethiopia can pioneer scalable, climate-informed interventions, a model that could inspire other nations in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Looking Ahead

The use of satellite and climate data with machine learning marks a breakthrough in the fight against poverty in Ethiopia. This method enables timely, cost-effective responses tailored to environmental vulnerabilities. With continued partnerships and ethical oversight, Ethiopia could lead a shift toward climate-smart, data-driven poverty reduction.

– DeMarlo Jon Gray

DeMarlo is based in Long Beach, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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The Silicon Valleys of Africa: The Burgeoning Tech Hubs in Africa

Tech Hubs in AfricaThe media often depicts Africa as a deeply impoverished continent, where governments struggle to provide basic resources for their populations and rely heavily on Western aid. While Africa does suffer from some of the highest rates of poverty in the world, the entire picture is multifaceted.

It is an incredibly resource-rich continent that has been the victim of colonial exploitation. While the imagery of malnourished children with bloated stomachs draws sympathy, it does not tell the whole story. In truth, there are many thriving industries and burgeoning hubs in Africa.

Africa is the fastest-growing continent in terms of population and aid creates a pathway for future profitable trade relations. Aid should not focus only on short-term fixes but also on long-term paths to autonomy for African nations. Many cities are already prosperous markets that foster innovation. Here are three burgeoning tech hubs in Africa:

Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos has already established itself as one of the leading tech hubs of the future, not just in Africa, but globally. It ranked first in the Rising Stars category of Dealroom.co’s 2025 Tech Ecosystem Index, with a 1100% growth rate since 2017. There are five unicorns, private companies with valuations of more than $1 billion, based in Lagos.

The city provides a centralized market, as most industries are focused on the neighborhoods of Marina and Victoria Island, as opposed to the split markets of Johannesburg and Cape Town. Infrastructure currently poses a challenge to expansion in Lagos. It is difficult to “find anywhere in Lagos that would take 3,000 people in one go.” In response, Tech entrepreneur Iyin Aboyeji is building a 72,000-square-foot business park near the metro area.

Education is one of the foundations of upward mobility. Providing equal access to education is a way to improve the lives of those suffering and ensure that a nation’s best talent is placed in the proper roles. The Global Partnership for Education grant is a partnership between the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Nigeria’s Ministry of Education that provides funding for education initiatives within Nigeria.

The program has pledged $100 million in funding from 2024 to 2027. Some of its priorities include improving school infrastructure and teacher training in various facets of education.

Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi, also known as Silicon Savannah, is one of the burgeoning tech hubs in Africa and has cemented itself as East Africa’s center of innovation. The international community is taking notice of Nairobi, as Microsoft has just invested $1 billion in a data center in Kenya. This will provide cloud computing through Microsoft Azure to East Africa.

M-Pesa, a mobile payment enterprise, is largely responsible for Nairobi’s rise as a tech hub. In 2007, it pioneered a secure platform that enabled people to transfer money using only their cellphones. The fintech sector has continued to expand, with other companies, such as M-Kopa, Lendable and Tala, basing their operations in Nairobi.

Incubators have also found a foothold in Silicon Savannah. The U.S. Embassy operates tech hubs for entrepreneurs who may not have proper access to technology. Both founded in 2010, iHub and Nailab are two incubators intended to accelerate African innovation and improve Kenya’s economic prosperity by bringing together creative thinkers and providing proper mentorship.

Programs that foster innovation will help maintain Nairobi’s growth and its status as one of the burgeoning tech hubs in Africa.

Kigali, Rwanda

Although currently a smaller market than the previous two cities, Kigali remains one of the burgeoning tech hubs in Africa. Unlike Nairobi’s private enterprise-driven expansion, Kigali maintains substantial support from Rwanda’s government. There has been a state-led effort for “digital transformation.” 4G or 5G currently enables 95% of the city.

The Kigali Innovation City is a business hub that houses universities, incubators and office spaces for emerging tech companies. Additionally, the city hosts the Africa Tech Summit. However, the city faces challenges like the infamous “brain drain.”

Because Kigali’s innovation efforts are public endeavors, salaries remain more lucrative in cities such as Nairobi and much of Kigali’s top talent is being lured out of Rwanda. The solution, once again, lies in education. In conjunction with Andela’s coding boot camp, institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and African Leadership University produce approximately 2,600 tech graduates annually.

The Timbuktu Fund, sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aims to foster startups around Africa. Programs like these help drive up wages and economic growth in places like Kigali, which in turn helps the city maintain its workforce.

Conclusion

Lagos, Nairobi, and Kigali show that Africa is redefining its story, from dependency to innovation. With growing investment, talent and education initiatives, these hubs are positioning the continent as a rising force in global technology.

– Patrick Feeney

Patrick is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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5 Oxfam Innovations Fighting Poverty

Oxfam is a global organization focused on ending poverty and inequality. It provides emergency relief during crises, like natural disasters or conflicts, while also working on long-term solutions such as fair wages, gender equality and climate action. For more than 80 years, Oxfam has partnered with communities around the world to promote dignity and opportunity, while also pressing governments, corporations and financial institutions to create fairer systems. Here are 5 Oxfam innovations fighting poverty:

SuperAdobe

Oxfam introduced a new type of shelter, called SuperAdobe, in Jordan’s Za’atari refugee camp. Built from basic, low-cost resources like sand-filled bags and barbed wire, these structures provide a practical alternative to the metal caravans many refugees currently live in. SuperAdobe homes are built to stay cool during scorching summers and retain heat through the cold winter months.

The construction method behind SuperAdobe relies on layering sand-filled bags, stacked in either circular or elongated forms. Between each row, barbed wire is laid to strengthen the walls and hold them in place. To improve durability, materials like lime, cement or asphalt can be blended into the soil. The technique mirrors the way clay coils are shaped together in pottery; only here is it used on a larger scale to form entire buildings.

This versatile system can be adapted to create rounded designs such as domes, arches and vaults, as well as traditional rectangular structures. Beyond housing, the approach is also suited for practical applications, including silos, water storage systems, erosion control and even infrastructure projects like roads or bridges.

BlocRice

In Cambodia, an Oxfam initiative called BlocRice is changing how rice farmers engage with global markets. The program is designed to strengthen farmers’ ability to advocate for fair compensation by giving them a stronger voice in price negotiations. At its core, the project introduces digital contracts that directly link members of farming cooperatives with international exporters and European buyers.

By formalizing these agreements through technology, the system not only ensures transparency but also provides farmers with tools that enhance both their economic security and their social standing. Through the BlocRice system, buyers agree to purchase rice at the going market rate with an additional premium, giving farmers both a steady outlet for their harvest and greater financial predictability.

The program also establishes a shared digital platform where all parties involved can track agreements in real time. For some farmers, the additional premium translated into close to $100 in extra income.

TWB Glossary App

In Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, where close to a million Rohingya refugees have sought safety, aid workers struggled to overcome language barriers. Although the Rohingya language shares similarities with local dialects, the differences often made communication difficult, especially when it comes to ensuring refugees could voice their own concerns.

To bridge the gap, a multilingual Glossary App was developed through a collaboration between Oxfam, Translators Without Borders and UNICEF. Covering five languages spoken in the camps, Bangla, Burmese, Chittagonian, English and Rohingya, the tool is now helping humanitarian organizations improve outreach and better respond to community needs.

Hydroponics

Survival in the Algerian Sahara is a daily battle against extreme conditions; temperatures soar past 122 degrees, sandstorms sweep the land and farming is virtually impossible. Sahrawi refugees have endured life in five camps near Tindouf, where one in four struggles with chronic malnutrition.

While international food aid provides some relief, it cannot solve the crisis alone. Oxfam innovations in fighting poverty created a more sustainable option through a hydroponics initiative. By cultivating plants without soil, the program supplies feed for the goats that many families rely on for meat, milk and income. Each greenhouse produces around 132 pounds of fresh feed daily, enough to sustain 20 goats, marking a promising step toward greater food security in the camps.

Led by Sahrawi refugee and Oxfam engineer Taleb Brahim, the initiative turns simple structures, like mud-built domes or repurposed shipping containers, into small-scale greenhouses for livestock feed. Inside, rows of shelves hold shallow trays where barley seeds are spread and kept moist until they sprout. They are then transferred into larger tubs and irrigated daily through a solar-powered pumping system. This low-cost, sustainable method transforms barren spaces into reliable sources of fresh feed.

Sanitation

Oxfam faced a pressing challenge in Bangladesh: how to manage human waste when a sudden surge of people in temporary shelters overwhelmed existing latrines. Rohingya camps experienced outbreaks of severe diarrhea, alongside respiratory illnesses and skin conditions such as scabies, all stemming from inadequate hygiene and sanitation.

To address the growing problem, the Oxfam team established a large-scale centralized sanitation facility capable of safely handling the waste of up to 150,000 individuals. The system operates with zero environmental harm, marking the first successful implementation of such a large-scale waste management solution in a refugee camp.

Final Remarks

Oxfam innovations are fighting poverty. From sustainable housing, effective communication and the cultivation of small-scale greenhouses, Oxfam is empowering communities to build a better future. With continued support and innovation, a more equitable world is within reach.

– Gabriella Luneau

Gabriella is based in Raleigh, NC, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Nigeria’s Promise of Plastic Bottle Bricks

Plastic Bottle BricksNigeria faces a critical housing deficit, estimated at more than 20 million units. As the population exceeds 220 million and continues to grow, the demand for affordable and adequate housing far outpaces supply. This shortage has led to overcrowded urban areas, substandard living conditions and increased socioeconomic stress on low-income households.

A Parallel Plastic Waste Problem

Traditional construction methods, reliant on expensive materials like cement and concrete, remain out of reach for much of the population. At the same time, Nigeria is also battling a major plastic waste crisis. The country is the world’s second-largest plastic polluter and inadequate waste management services mean that plastic often accumulates in public spaces or is burned, creating further environmental hazards.

The Rise of Plastic Bottle Bricks

In response to these pressing challenges, several communities, engineers and social enterprises are exploring an unconventional but promising solution: building homes using plastic bottle bricks. This method involves filling discarded plastic bottles with sand or other materials and using them in construction as a substitute for conventional bricks.

Research and field trials have shown that these bottle bricks are cost-effective, up to 30–50% cheaper than traditional bricks and structurally sound. Compacted sand inside the bottles is nearly 20 times stronger than regular bricks. Additionally, these structures offer thermal insulation, making them well-suited to Nigeria’s hot climate.

One notable example is the work of Yahaya Ahmed from Nigeria’s Development Association for Renewable Energies. According to Ahmed, homes made from bottle bricks cost only a third of traditional concrete structures. These homes also help reduce plastic waste, a significant environmental benefit given Nigeria’s growing consumption of bottled water.

Pilot Projects Showing Promise

Pilot projects across Nigeria, including in Yelwa village and Paipe community, have shown successful implementation of this technology. In Paipe, a prototype home was built at 35% of the cost of a standard house and integrated renewable energy and water systems. These projects address the housing and waste crises and provide employment and technical training for young engineers and local workers.

Social enterprises like Brickify are also contributing to this movement. Founded in 2019, Brickify recycles plastic waste into interlocking “Lego-style” bricks for building low-cost homes, schools and public toilets. The organization has recycled more than 50,000 tons of plastic waste and engages local communities by offering incentives, such as school fees or meals, for collecting plastic waste. Its water, fire and wind-resistant bricks significantly reduce construction time and material costs.

Barriers and the Path Forward

Despite its promise, bottle brick technology faces several challenges, including a lack of skilled labor, insufficient government incentives and limited research funding. For wider adoption, sustained collaboration between government bodies, private investors and environmental organizations will be necessary.

Ultimately, while plastic bottle brick homes are not a complete solution to Nigeria’s housing crisis, they offer a practical and sustainable model that addresses multiple issues at once: housing, waste, unemployment and environmental degradation.

– Sriya Regulapati

Sriya is based in Vancouver, Canada and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr