Archive for category: Innovations

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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Poverty surveys in Ethiopia are costly and infrequent, leaving policymakers with outdated information.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

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Argentina

Poverty Eradication in ArgentinaArgentina, located in South America with a population of 45.7 million, has faced persistent economic instability, with 38% of the population living in poverty at the end of 2024. Although the number of people experiencing poverty in Argentina is alarming, this percentage has decreased from 53% in the first half of 2024 with President Milei’s attempts to grow Argentina’s economy. However, despite these improved figures, there is still a long way to go, and organizations and the government are continuing to work to get more people out of poverty. Here are three key innovations in poverty eradication in Argentina.

IDB Group Financial Support Package 

Last month, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) outlined a three-year strategy to support the transformation of Argentina. This plan, developed with the government, focuses on implementing reforms to ‘promote sustainability and efficient public spending.’ As part of this strategy, the IDB Group allocated $10 billion to grow Argentina’s economy and reduce poverty faced by the country. Both the private and public sectors will receive this financial support package. About $3 billion will be focused on private investment, with the remaining $7 billion focused on initiatives in the public sector. Furthermore, the plan also focuses on addressing poverty directly by ensuring the health care and education systems are improved, as well as living conditions for the most vulnerable populations.

Early Childhood Strategy 

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted Argentina’s poor early childhood care system and existing inequality, as 2.7 million children are part of a vulnerable group. In response to this, the UN’s early childhood and sustainable development programme worked with the Argentine government to address this ‘care crisis.’ This strategy focuses on improving the childcare system across the country and has trained almost 3,000 workers on the effects of COVID-19 and social isolation on children. These improvements have worked to narrow the inequality gaps between children and are integral innovations in eradicating poverty in Argentina.

Income Transfer Programmes 

Income Transfer Programmes have been a key method in alleviating poverty. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government expanded cash transfers to 9 million workers, subsidizing the income of the most vulnerable in Argentina. However, while Income Transfer Programmes are not a new method of eradicating poverty as one that has been in place for 20 years, recent developments have increased their impact. For example, the Universal Child Allowance, since it became the most prominent programme, led to a 3% decrease in Argentina’s overall poverty and a nearly 30% decrease in extreme poverty.

Looking Forward 

While the innovations in poverty eradication in Argentina outlined here have been crucial in lowering poverty rates and will continue to be, the fight to truly eliminate poverty in the country is far from over. The complex and structural issues leading to Argentina’s high poverty rate persist. However, the various innovations in poverty reduction outlined here represent a holistic approach to tackling Argentina’s issues and, therefore, offer hope for eradicating poverty in the country.

– Victoria Adrados

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

Photo: Flickr

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Solutions to Rapid Urbanization in Wetlands

Rapid Urbanization in WetlandsRapid urbanization in wetlands is an increasing problem for multiple cities throughout sub-Saharan Africa and is often driven by population growth, economic development, infrastructure development and migration. Rapid urbanization in wetlands affects biodiversity loss, flooding and altered hydrology, water quality degradation and loss of livelihood. Some patterns identified with rapid urbanization affecting wetlands are informal settlements, fragmented urbanization and densification.

Lagos, Nigeria and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) experience some of these issues. However, they’ve developed sustainable solutions that help control and maintain livelihoods and infrastructures.

Lagos

Lagos, Nigeria, is a wetland area heavily affected by rapid urbanization. Housing and informal settlements, transportation infrastructures, solid waste management, environmental pollution and unemployment are all problems throughout the city.

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has previously stated that it is committed to constructing more than 10,000 housing units nationwide, including Lagos, with the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Program. This opportunity also created 252,800 jobs for Nigerians, contributing to the country’s economic landscape. The workers also received wages significantly above the national minimum wage.

Waste-to-energy plants offer sustainable solutions to water disposal and energy generation, many of which can be seen in Lagos. Harvest Waste Consortium has formalized a partnership with Lagos to construct a waste-to-energy plant using advanced technology to create clean energy from the state’s solid, commercial and industrial waste. Around 40,000 homes will be taken off the national electricity grid due to clean energy.

Kinshasa

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is another wetland area that is impacted by rapid urbanization. Increased risk of flooding continues throughout the city due to population growth and improper drainage systems. Informal settlements also affect the quality of life in Kinshasa, making strategic urban planning essential to manage the city’s growth and transformation.

A Participatory Slum Upgrading Program works in Kinshasa to improve slum conditions while preventing the possibility of creating new slums. The program aims to ensure access to safe, adequate, affordable housing and basic services to upgrade the slums.

As rapid urbanization in wetlands continues, Kinshasa has developed nature-based solutions. These solutions help to build urban climate resilience, lower carbon emissions and provide socioeconomic benefits. Proper drainage systems that can handle channel runoff from heavy rains were developed and restoring soil fertility, creating jobs and providing food for locals are also possible because of these solutions.

Conclusion

Rapid urbanization in wetlands presents serious challenges for cities like Lagos and Kinshasa. Yet, both cities demonstrate that these impacts can be managed with strategic planning and sustainable solutions, such as housing initiatives, waste-to-energy projects and nature-based approaches.

Addressing rapid wetland urbanization requires long-term investment, innovative policies and community participation to balance urban growth with environmental protection and improved quality of life.

– Eva Wakelin

Eva is based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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How Telemedicine in Sudan is Supporting Health care Workers

Telemedicine in SudanThe people of Sudan are enduring one of the most severe humanitarian catastrophes of modern times. After two years of a brutal war, this article explores how telemedicine initiatives in Sudan support health care workers at a time of untold struggle.

The Forgotten War

Following a legacy of colonialism, deep fragmentation and internal conflict, numerous disasters and political insecurities have ravaged Sudan’s public health infrastructures.

Despite being the second-largest producer of gold in Africa, the systemic leveling of homes, schools and hospitals, alongside climate shocks and desertification, are creating a complex crisis where 30.4 million Sudanese civilians are now in dire need of aid.

Here, overseas arms flows perpetuate networks of geopolitical competition and the extraction of natural resources at the cost of innocent human lives, all while Sudan’s health care system is on the verge of collapse.

In the shadows of ethnic cleansing in Darfur and the fall of Al-Bashir’s 30-year dictatorship, the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) emerged as a fatal and multi-dimensional struggle.

Reports estimate that up to 150,000 civilians may have died directly or indirectly due to the conflict. As famine spreads, 12 million people had to flee their homes resulting in the largest displacement emergency of the 21st century.

A Health care System in Disarray

At a time when RSF allegedly targets doctors and medical workers for providing care for opposition soldiers, around 80% of health care facilities are out of service in the areas most impacted by the war.

According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), a child died of hunger or malnutrition every two hours in the Zamzam refugee camp in North Darfur last year. These immense challenges have left a struggling health care system overburdened by the conflict, with patients in need of assistance.

Further restrictions and bureaucratic impediments imposed on Sudanese hospitals also highlight the need for rapid interventions and more robust long-term solutions, particularly due to the dramatic increase in reports of sexual and gender-based violence since the conflict began.

In the face of these intersecting challenges, Telemedicine initiatives are helping to support Sudan’s health care systems at a time of growing struggle.

Educast and Telemedicine Initiatives in Sudan

Today, telemedicine offers a wide range of practices such as consultations, triaging, prescriptions, counselling and other referrals. Initiatives like Educast facilitate virtual consultations through hotlines that are accessible to people living across the country.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a network of remote doctors provided consultations for displaced populations, as well as disease surveillance support for clinics in war-affected areas. They also use WhatsApp to help provide information on patient health and well-being through the exchange of medical reports and analysis.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Sudanese government focuses on expanding its telemedicine capabilities, while recognizing its growing potential to revolutionise and sustain healthcare delivery, particularly during moments of crisis.

The Future of Telemedicine

While there is still an existential need for aid intervention from the international community, the Sudanese government has taken proactive measures to implement programmes like the Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP).

The GFMP project trained qualified family physicians to provide accessible health care services by utilising E-Learning platforms. A two-year curriculum aims to train students to provide service provision within their communities.

Despite the progress of Telemedicine programmes, the people of Sudan are still facing untold challenges. Greater attention now goes to address the inequalities that inhibit access to online services, narrowing the digital divide in a nation with one of the lowest rates of mobile access on the planet.

In spite of these obstacles, the early implementation of telemedicine in Sudan is laying foundations for future initiatives, showing promising signs that it can assist health care professionals, facilitate future training and digital campaigns that can support Sudan’s struggling health care system at a time of great need.

Conclusion

While the survival of a nation hangs in the balance, telemedicine initiatives in Sudan offer a small step towards the integration of new and innovative health developments that can improve its emergency response mechanisms, while fostering a more resilient public health system for a people ravaged by war, instability and corruption.

– Gabriel John Gunn

Gabriel is based in Paisley, Scotland and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Climate-Resilient Farming in Vietnam

Climate-Resilient Farming in VietnamIn Vietnam’s low-lying Mekong Delta, saltwater intrusion, soil erosion and desertification threaten rice yields, the main income source for millions of smallholder farmers. This reality affects more than 15 million smallholder farmers, 59% living on less than $3.10 per day.

This situation underscores the urgent need for this simple, native and accessible innovation: natural cultivation of coastal mangroves acting as natural barriers against storms and saltwater, protecting valuable clay-rich soils.

Battling Climate Threats in the Mekong Delta

In the low-lying Mekong Delta of Vietnam, climate-resilient farming initiatives use nature-based solutions (NbS) to stabilize and enrich farmland. These include restoring coastal mangroves and planting legume-rich forest strips. Coastal mangroves form a natural barrier against storms and saltwater, preventing the loss of the clay-rich soils that rice plants require.

Inland, reforestation with legumes replenishes nitrogen in the soil and slows desertification, ensuring farmland stays fertile over time. Together, these measures create a more stable agricultural environment without reliance on expensive chemical inputs.

Harnessing the Power of Mangroves and Agroforestry

Climate-resilient farming in Vietnam tackles two linked problems. On farmland, agroforestry and legume plantings improve soil structure and nitrogen availability, helping rehabilitate degraded plots and reverse early stages of desertification. These practices keep soils fertile without relying solely on expensive chemical fertilizers.

A meta-analysis found that flower strips increase natural pest control services by about 16% on average in adjacent cropped fields. Compared with other integrated measures, broader agroecological approaches reduce disease and pest incidence. These effects are typically more substantial where habitat patches are larger and better connected.

Rodents cause significant pre-harvest losses in Southeast Asian rice; conservative estimates put regional losses at around 5% or roughly 16 million tonnes. Studies show that complex landscapes with more non-crop habitats like hedgerows, wetlands and forests support natural predators, boosting pest control in rice fields.

Coastal mangroves and wetlands create habitats that support native predators, like waterbirds, snakes and carnivores, which help control rodent populations. Studies show that preserving or restoring these habitats reduces rodent outbreaks compared to simplified landscapes. In addition, the high-energy biomass of the mangrove forests is often seen as native animal feed. This is a perfect symbiosis, since more than 50% of the farmers, in addition to rice cultivation, also conduct livestock farming.

Real-Life Success Stories From Coastal Communities

In southern Vietnam, mangrove restoration has been used to alleviate poverty and diversify income sources. Approximately 8,000 households received land leases and improved access to infrastructure such as schools, roads and health care services. The restoration led to a 209–789% increase in yields of mussels and oysters per hectare. The direct economic benefit for selected communities ranged between approximately $344,000 and $6.7 million.

Furthermore, mangrove restoration reduced dike damage from similar typhoons by approximately $80,000 to $295,000, demonstrating mangroves’ important role in protecting rural areas. While exact studies on poverty reduction are still lacking, the proven effectiveness of this technology is clear. Mangrove restoration offers accessible, practical benefits that directly support vulnerable communities facing extreme poverty and climate risks. This freely available solution holds great promise to improve lives where needed most.

Scaling Up NbS for a Resilient Future

Between 1999 and 2013, nearly 9,000 hectares of mangroves were planted and protected across almost 100 Vietnam coastal communities. This effort directly benefited 350,000 people, with indirect benefits reaching another 2 million along Vietnam’s coast.

From 1978 to 1998, Vietnam restored about 1,500 km² (150,000 ha) of mangrove forests in the Mekong Delta. Also, between 2015 and 2020, approximately 27,322 hectares (around 34.1%) of mangroves were successfully restored through state- and NGO-funded projects. This restoration increased the total mangrove area from 79,593 hectares to 90,777 hectares.

Despite challenges like funding and climate pressures, mangrove restoration offers tremendous opportunities for ecological and community benefits. With growing awareness and collaborative efforts, more sustainable and resilient projects are emerging. These initiatives showcase the powerful potential of NbS to protect both people and the environment for the long term. This project is now serving as a model for similar programs across Southeast Asia.

– Alexander Broermann

Alexander is based in Frankfurt, Germany and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Moldova

Innovations in Poverty Eradication in MoldovaMoldova is undertaking a wide, yet quiet approach toward transforming its delivery of care and support to its most vulnerable by going digital. UNICEF, the UNDP and the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection worked in collaboration to create the project, which aims to create a digital and unified social protection program to improve access to the services, as well as transparency and long-term stability of the infrastructure. These innovations in poverty eradication in Moldova mark a critical shift in the country: from fragmented paper-based services toward a human-centered, data-driven welfare system which puts equity, inclusion and efficiency at the core of Moldovan social protection systems.

Moldova’s Financial and Social Challenges

Moldova, considered Europe’s poorest country, faces deep economic fragility and rising poverty. In 2024, 33.6 % of its people lived in absolute poverty and 15.4% in extreme poverty. Rural areas suffer disproportionately with inflation worsening inequality, energy price shocks and spillover from the war in Ukraine. Reliance on remittances and outdated welfare mechanisms leaves many without timely support. Fragmented, paper-based assistance systems struggle to protect vulnerable families. Strengthening and unifying social protection is essential—not only to reduce poverty but to improve resilience against economic shocks, safeguard children and ensure inclusive growth.

From a Fragmented System to Integrated Support

Until recently, the Moldovan government distributed social assistance programs across more than 60 disconnected initiatives. For citizens, especially those in low-income or remote areas, these systems were largely inaccessible. Meanwhile, social workers on the frontline were also constrained by these circumstances, relying upon manual processes to track cases.

To address these systemic issues, in 2025, Moldova, through the Ministry of Labor and Social protection and with the support of UNDP, launched eSocial. This new digital system is a unified digital platform which aims to centralize access to welfare benefits, child protection, disability support and other critical services. Alongside this rollout, the country established the Digital Centre for Social Innovation, a hub which supports system design, piloting and workforce training.

Unifying Services onto One Platform

The digital innovations in poverty eradication currently underway in Moldova spans multiple agencies, with the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection spearheading changes across social services (RESTART), the National Employment Agency, the State Labor Inspectorate and the National Council for Determination of Disability and Work Capacity.

The Digital Transformation of Social Protection Project, supported by UNDP, is the binding force. It ensures that digital tools improve efficiency and coordination across all reforms, linking social benefits, employment programs and energy subsidies into a single accessible framework.

To complete the digital shift, the project also plans to redesign up to two regional social offices, creating physical one-stop-shops to mirror the streamlined experience online. Together, these changes aim to make Moldova’s welfare system not only modern, but also more human-focused and integrated.

Empowering Workers, Supporting Families

One of the most visible changes has been in the day-to-day lives of Moldova’s social workers. In 2024, UNICEF distributed more than 1,900 digital devices among staff, enabling them to manage cases in real time, coordinate services across agencies and spend more time working directly with families.

Beyond equipment, the reform focuses on system-wide functionality, such as digital referrals, case tracking and early warning indications. This allows social workers to shift from reactive crisis response to preventive, individually-focused care. 

UNICEF’s design approach emphasizes the need for simplicity, accessibility and inclusion. Families with children, those with disabilities and elderly individuals now face fewer bureaucratic hurdles when seeking access to social protection and care. The program and its developers are creating and implementing digital tools for users, ensuring that even those with low digital literacy can participate.

Inclusion at its Core

The decision to digitize social protection is as much about values as it is about infrastructure. UNICEF and UNDP are embedding human rights principles into every facet of the system: ensuring service equity, targeting rural-urban disparities and focusing on those whom the system previously excluded, especially children in institutional care and families living within extreme poverty. 

The shift toward proactive service delivery means identifying vulnerable groups and responding prior to escalation. This not only improves outcomes but also reduces long-term costs for the state. 

As UNICEF stated in a press release from 2024, its decision to digitize is an effort to strengthen the social protection system, not only empowering the frontline workers, but also preventing and addressing urgent risks faced by children in a more efficient way.

A Blueprint for Welfare in the Digital Age

The innovations in poverty eradication in Moldova, a move toward a digitized social protection system, signals a quiet yet profound shift in how the state supports its people. What began as a technical reform is quickly becoming a reimagining of care, one rooted in access, accountability and modern infrastructure. As the country continues to roll out new systems and strengthen its frontline services, its experience could serve as a blueprint for other nations navigating similar challenges. For now, Moldova is still progressing the digital welfare reformation, however, the path forward is clearer and more unified than ever before.

– Elizabeth Occleston

Elizabeth is based in Southport, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Transforming Waste Into Opportunity: Recycling Startups in Africa

Recycling Startups in AfricaRecycling startups transforming waste into opportunity are not just a concept; it is a growing movement across Africa tackling plastic pollution while creating jobs and fostering economic resilience. Since 2019, innovative and locally led enterprises have proved that waste can become valuable resources. These startups transform discarded plastic into sustainable products, reducing environmental damage and creating livelihoods for underprivileged communities.

The United Nations Development Project (UNDP) reports that if circular economic models scale up, global employment could increase by 0.1% by 2030, potentially generating millions of new jobs worldwide. This work demonstrates that the fight against plastic pollution can go hand-in-hand with poverty reduction and community development.

EcoPost in Kenya

The circular economy comes to life through EcoPost in Kenya, where the company converts plastic waste into durable lumber. EcoPost replaces plastic waste with recycled fencing posts and paving blocks. Since 2019, EcoPost has recycled more than 13 million kilograms of plastic, creating 102 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect income opportunities for local waste collectors and suppliers.

These jobs targeted marginalized groups, especially women and youth, who face high unemployment. Using plastic waste as a resource, EcoPost has protected 4,300 acres of forest, supporting rural livelihoods that depend on forest ecosystems for food, water and climate stability. Thus, replacing timber has reduced deforestation while giving locals a stable income. Job creation reduces poverty as families are guaranteed stable incomes, while forest protection sustains rural livelihoods dependent on natural resources.

Gjenge Makers: Innovation Turning Waste Into Building Materials

Another stellar example of circular economy in action is Gjenge Makers, led by Kenyan engineer Nzambi Matee. Gjenge Makers turns plastic waste into strong, affordable paving blocks. This lowers infrastructure costs for small businesses and community projects. Since 2019, it has recycled 20 tonnes of plastic and produced blocks cheaper than regular bricks.

Cheaper, high-quality building materials help underserved communities afford improvements that attract investment, generate commerce and create ripple effects in local economies. Moreover, Gjenge Makers employs more than 110 people, mostly women and youth from marginalized backgrounds. This, in turn, strengthens local economies through jobs and economic resilience.

Innovative Recycling in Nigeria: Salubata

In Nigeria, Salubata, founded in 2018, repurposes plastic waste into customizable, modular shoes. This illustrates how the circular economy can spark social and environmental transformation. By transforming plastic pollution into stylish footwear, Salubata extends the concept of sustainable products from plastic beyond utility into everyday fashion. The brand also directs some of its profits to uplift vulnerable groups, combining entrepreneurial innovation with poverty reduction.

Since its founding, Salubata has developed unique, patented shoe designs from recycled plastic. The company donates 5% of profits from every sale to programs that feed children and empower women in underprivileged communities. Additionally, Salubata collaborates with about 50 waste collectors, many women, to source recycled plastic. By turning pollution into profit, Salubata creates job opportunities for women and youth, channels resources back to the community and fights poverty with style and purpose.

Conclusion

The circular economy demonstrates that environmental solutions and economic development can work together effectively. Recycling startups in Africa like EcoPost and Salubata show this by converting waste materials into valuable products while creating jobs for disadvantaged communities. These examples prove that addressing environmental problems and reducing poverty do not have to be separate efforts, but can be achieved simultaneously through well-designed initiatives.

We can accelerate progress toward environmental sustainability and economic opportunity by supporting and expanding these community-based enterprises. We can create a future where environmental responsibility and shared economic prosperity support each other.

– Anagha Rajithkumar

Anagha is based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada and focuses on Business and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels