Archive for category: Technology

Information and stories about technology news.

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eAgrar: The Digital Platform for Small Farms in Serbia

digital platform for small farms in SerbiaAccording to the World Bank, Serbia’s economy grew by only 2% in 2025, a notable decline from 3.9% the year before. Poor weather conditions were a major factor, particularly affecting farm output and dragging down overall growth. The poverty rate held steady at about 7.8% in 2025, and while further decreases are expected, they will likely come slowly. Many of those still living in poverty face long-term unemployment, which makes it difficult for them to share in the benefits of economic recovery. On a more hopeful note, Serbia’s gross domestic product (GDP) per person stood at $15,262 in 2025, and the economy is projected to pick up in 2026 as consumer spending and investment strengthen.

Farming remains vital to rural communities across the country, yet the sector struggles with ongoing challenges that contribute to these poverty trends. Even so, the government continues to invest heavily in agricultural support. A report from the National Alliance for Local Economic Development (NALED) in April 2026 found that Serbia allocates more than 100 billion Serbian dinars (RSD), about $920 million each year to farm subsidies, with roughly 280,000 to 300,000 farmers submitting applications annually. In 2023, to make this system more open and user-friendly, the Ministry of Agriculture introduced a digital platform for small farms in Serbia named eAgrar.

What Is eAgrar?

eAgrar is an online platform designed to modernize how farmers register their agricultural properties and apply for government subsidies. Before this system existed, farmers had to register in person at government offices, filling out paperwork by hand and spending hours waiting in lines. The platform allows farm owners to handle the entire process online from home, on a computer or a device such as a smartphone or tablet. In its first year, more than 330,000 farms were registered through the system, showing how quickly Serbian farmers embraced the change.

eAgrar helps farmers update records faster and with fewer issues, while the system keeps a history of all past changes. Farmers can also view their own registration information and subsidy applications at any time, and the platform’s connection with other government databases simplifies verification without extra documents. Overall, this digital platform for small farms in Serbia is helping small-scale farmers access financial support more easily. One reported estimate suggests that farmers who keep their registration current and use available subsidies earn 15% to 20% more than those who do not, supporting incomes and Serbia’s rural economy.

eAgrar’s Reach

According to an article published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the platform has made a difference for farmers like Milivoje Ćosić, a smallholder from the village of Mionica who took over family land passed down through generations. Before eAgrar, applying for subsidies was a slow process that could stretch over a week. Now, Ćosić uses the platform to request financial support from home using just his smartphone. He says going digital has made farm registration easier and simplified the steps for getting aid, making agriculture more appealing to the younger generation. His daughter Irina shares this outlook, viewing the platform as part of a modern farming landscape that gives people her age the chance to start their own agricultural businesses on family land.

What eAgrar Means for Serbia

eAgrar stands as a pivotal digital platform for small farms in Serbia, changing how farmers access financial support. This easier access to subsidies and registration can help lift farming families out of poverty and support a more resilient agricultural economy. In a country where agriculture plays an important role in economic output, platforms like eAgrar show how modernization can help address rural poverty.

– Melody Ruiz

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

Photo: Flickr

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Female Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Women in eHealth

Two women in a hospital setting discussing healthcare, representing female empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa. Female Empowerment in Sub-Saharan AfricaThe population of sub-Saharan Africa is growing rapidly. According to a recent analysis, the region is expected to account for 37% of the world’s population by 2100 due to a decline in infant mortality and an increase in life expectancy. With an average of 4.2 births per woman, sub-Saharan Africa continues to have one of the highest birth rates in the world.

As the study highlights, a high birth rate indicates that much work remains in the fight against poverty. The World Bank reports that 43.3% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa lives in poverty. Poverty disproportionately affects women: 74% of all women living in poverty are from sub-Saharan Africa. They continue to face structural barriers, low levels of education and a lack of adequate health care.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working with women in eHealth in sub-Saharan Africa have set goals to combat poverty through a strategy focused on female empowerment in the health care sector. These organizations have recognized the potential of the female workforce when women in digital health receive proper training and support—with benefits for economic growth across the region and globe.

Downsizing Female Poverty

To reduce the negative effects of high birth rates in sub-Saharan Africa, women’s health and female empowerment play major roles. Research found that female educational levels and fertility rates in that region strongly correlate, in a study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, the University of Vienna and the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital. The more educational opportunities women have, the greater their chances of pursuing better careers in higher-income groups. Statistically, these women have smaller families and longer intervals between births.

The positive impact of education and health initiatives on individual women also extends to the broader society. The study analyzed data from 39 sub-Saharan African countries between 1986 and 2022. The research found that education for women positively influences the demographic development of the region. It also points out that women in communities who receive education and change their fertility behavior often influence less educated women in their community.

Telemedicine and apps can provide women with valuable health information, reaching even the most remote areas. This support helps with the use of contraceptives and improving maternal health. When the number of infant deaths is high, families in sub-Saharan Africa tend to have more children to compensate. Due to a decline in infant mortality, birth rates have also dropped in developing regions.

Female Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa

By offering specific educational programs exclusively for women in digital health, eHealth Africa (eHA) aims to provide the necessary IT and business management skills. The training encourages women to build businesses and relationships with the organization. This way, women have an easier transition into professional life in the health care sector. Women represent 33.3% of eHealth Africa’s workforce and 34.7% of leadership positions.

For eHealth Africa, the inclusion of women as decision-makers in the health care sector is a strategic investment. Gender-conscious recruitment practices, leadership development opportunities, mentorship programs, flexible work arrangements and family-friendly policies open opportunities for female careers. In collaboration with EHA Impact Ventures (EIV), eHealth Africa recently trained 213 women from 11 Nigerian states to acquire the necessary operational skills and meet compliance requirements. This helps overcome structural barriers and improves their chances of securing institutional procurement contracts.

African Women in Digital Health (AWiDH) is an organization focused on promoting career paths for women in sub-Saharan Africa. AWiDH’s education and development programs are specifically designed to strengthen the presence of women in the African health care sector to provide customized services necessary for improving women’s health.

African Women in Digital Health advocates for the systematic integration of gender perspectives and strives for greater representation of women in the African health care sector. To this end, the organization offers training sessions, workshops and webinars that develop leadership and IT skills and cultivate the mindset and self-confidence needed to take on leadership roles.

Conclusion

The demographic development in Africa in the upcoming years is decisive for countries’ economic growth and a positive development of the poverty rate in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, women’s health and their overrepresentation in the health care sector play key roles in reducing fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa and utilizing the full potential of women in eHealth in the workforce.

Closing the women’s health gap could boost the global economy by at least $1 trillion annually by 2040, as the World Economic Forum reports. To continue the successful work of NGOs in health care in sub-Saharan Africa, they depend on foreign aid and assistance policies.

– Oliwia Kowalak

Oliwia is based in Berlin, Germany and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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The New Chengdu-Kunming Railway

Chengdu-Kunming RailwayThe original Chengdu-Kunming Railway was built to reach people who were being left behind. For the first time, the railway linked remote mountain communities with the wider world, cutting across some of the most difficult terrain in southwest China. Its purpose was always to move people, not just out of rural areas, but also out of poverty.

Built to Last — and Rebuilt to Go Further

The original line stretched 681 miles, and traveling from one end to the other took about 19 hours. In 2010, China Railway Chengdu Bureau Group decided to modernize the route. Engineers introduced new alignments, longer tunnels and a two-track operation. These upgrades shortened the route to 569 miles, increased speeds from 50 to 99 mph, and cut journey times to just 7.5 hours. The rebuilt corridor now has 11 major bridges and seven tunnels. Crews added 30 new stations and upgraded 18 existing ones. The entire modernization project finished on Dec. 26, 2022.

The Slow Train That Changed Everything

Even after the rollout of the upgraded, high-speed train system, the railway continued running its well-known “slow trains.” One of these, the No. 5633 train, has fares as low as 2 yuan (about 30 cents), a price rural villagers could manage. The train runs 353 kilometers through the Daliang Mountain area, home to some of China’s largest communities of the Yi ethnic group, and connects 26 stations to the villages nearby. For mountain communities without highway access, the slow trains became the main way to move crops, building materials and goods to market. This access to public transportation not only helps reduce poverty by giving people the chance to reach government services and marketplaces, but also supports tourism growth and local jobs. Today the line offers daily morning, mid-morning and afternoon services, an extensive station network and substantial goods capacity.

A Conductor’s View From the Slow Train

Axi Aga began working as a train attendant on the No. 5633 train in 1996, at age 21. About 90% of her passengers come from the Yi ethnic group, and she has watched their lives change over nearly three decades. In the past, passengers carried potatoes, maize-flour pastry and radish soup; even instant noodles were considered a luxury. As poverty-alleviation policies took hold, Yi families began building new homes. The train became the way to move in building materials for people without highway access. Axi remembers using spare carriages to carry timber, bricks, tiles, steel bars and doors.

More recently, she has noticed a shift toward education. Families once thought it more practical to send children, especially girls, to work early rather than to school. Now she sees the train filled with students in uniforms every Friday and Sunday, commuting to schools in nearby counties. Passengers have started calling the train “the train to markets,” “the train to schools” and “the train to wealth.”

More Than a Train

The Chengdu-Kunming Railway did not just move people and goods. It moved communities forward by connecting those who were isolated to the wider world. It opened doors to markets, education and opportunities that had long been out of reach. That is a rare result for any infrastructure project, and it is why this railway remains one of the most significant in China.

The Chengdu-Kunming line is only one part of a much larger effort. China Railway, the state-owned operator, runs parallel poverty-alleviation programs across the country, including in Henan, Shaanxi, Ningxia and Xinjiang provinces. These programs operate separately from this specific corridor, but they reflect the same broader strategy: using railway infrastructure and company-led local investment to help isolated communities escape poverty.

– Debra Pierre

Debra is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Space Technology is Reducing Food Insecurity

Space Technology is Reducing Food InsecurityThe concept of space technology is almost always associated with astronauts and exploration; however, some of the most important impacts are actually occurring on Earth. World hunger is becoming an increasing risk, particularly to developing nations, under the influence of the changing climate. An estimated 266 million people across 47 countries are facing acute food insecurity. Space technology is helping vulnerable countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh and Ethiopia predict climate risks, improve agricultural productivity and distribute aid more effectively. In Bangladesh, extreme poverty is projected at 9.3%, though nearly one-third of the population remains vulnerable. Kenya’s overall poverty rate sits at nearly 40%. Ethiopia projects an increase to 43%.

Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, space technology is reducing food insecurity by improving flood prediction and disaster management. Google has created its own platform called Flood Hub, an interactive map that satellite technology continuously monitors and updates. This platform allows individuals worldwide to check the expected risk severity of floods. It is particularly useful for farmers because it provides a high-resolution and accessible platform, transforming flood disaster management from reactive to anticipatory. This allows farmers to protect agriculture and food supplies, since its warnings incentivize them to harvest earlier and prevent large-scale crop losses.

A more recent and unique adaptation in Bangladesh to severe flooding and prolonged waterlogged land is the creation of “Floating Vegetable Gardens,” or dhap. Humanitarian agencies use satellite terrain data and historical inundation mapping to identify areas that remain flooded for months. This data guides the calculated placement of the dhaps to utilize wetland resources. As a result, communities gain up to 40% more arable land to grow nutrient-dense food, even when the landscape is underwater.

Kenya

In Kenya, 4.4 million people struggle to feed themselves. Space technology is reducing food insecurity by improving drought prediction and climate-smart farming. It does this by providing detailed information on the strength, location, spatial extent and duration of droughts. Satellites such as Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) can map soil moisture, since a stronger signal indicates a higher concentration of water in the soil. Another method that helps forecast droughts is the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), which measures how green the vegetation in a specific area is compared to the past. Satellites photograph the land, allowing scientists to compare differences in wavelength bands across images and track how vegetation conditions change. This method can detect canopy moisture loss and thermal stress before visible signs of wilting appear, meaning experts can spot natural droughts weeks before they manifest on the ground.

Satellite technology can combat widespread hunger through smart farming. One example is where space data is paired with the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence tools on platforms such as Synnefa. Synnefa is a Kenyan agritech company founded in 2014 that operates across 13 African countries. It helps more than 32,000 farmers optimize operations through its FarmCloud platform and smart hardware. The platform gives farmers access to sensor data such as temperature, soil moisture and nitrogen levels in the soil. This access lets them make informed decisions about when to irrigate or fertilize their crops, which maximizes crop yield and reduces vegetation death.

Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, researchers are testing predictive machine learning models that use satellite data to help predict crop yields, forecast droughts and optimize harvests. These models scan the Earth using multispectral imagery combined with live vegetation index, historical weather patterns, soil health registries and temperature grids. The models then process this dense geospatial data and translate it for farmers through text messages, automated voice calls or interactive chat channels in native languages like Amharic or Oromo. Early research from Eastern Ethiopia shows these models can meaningfully improve crop yield forecasting accuracy. However, results vary by crop and region, and researchers say further work is needed before the technology can be deployed at scale across Ethiopian farms.

Although space technology may seem far removed from the daily realities of poverty and hunger, its impact is increasingly being felt in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. From improving flood forecasting in Bangladesh to enabling climate-smart farming in Kenya and AI-powered crop prediction research in Ethiopia, satellite technology is helping farmers make better decisions, protect livelihoods and increase food production in the face of climate change. As food insecurity continues to affect millions across the globe, investment in innovative technologies such as these could play an important role in building more resilient agricultural systems and advancing progress toward ending hunger.

– Sumi Shrestha

Sumi is based in Tonbridge, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Digitizing Antenatal Care in Sierra Leone

Digitizing Antenatal Care in Sierra LeoneIn June 2026, Sierra Leone’s minister of health, Dr. Austin Demby, announced a 31% drop in maternal mortality following the first 100 days of the government’s 300 Days of Activism campaign. It marks the latest effort to improve health care for pregnant women and newborns in the country, which has consistently reported the highest rates of maternal mortality worldwide. In 2000, there were 1,682 deaths per 100,000 live births. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported this figure declining significantly in the years since. Digitizing antenatal care in Sierra Leone is a significant factor in this national success story.

Maternal Mortality in Sierra Leone

Maternal mortality in Sierra Leone is primarily caused by hemorrhaging, hypertension, obstructed labor and sepsis, conditions that can be prevented if caught early enough. Around 79% of maternal deaths in 2017 occurred within a health care facility.

Efforts by the Sierra Leone government to address antenatal care have significantly reduced deaths during pregnancy or childbirth. In 2010, it provided free health care to pregnant women and children to improve access to medical attention. In March 2025, it increased the number of skilled medical professionals and improved the availability of medication and treatment.

Paper-based systems previously made it difficult to track high-risk pregnancies and allow health care professionals to intervene before situations became critical. The World Health Organization recommends pregnant women attend eight antenatal contacts. In 2019, two-thirds of expectant mothers attended only four.

Rural areas experience a disproportionate lack of access to medical resources compared to their urban counterparts. In 2017, researchers reported that 90% of pregnant women in rural areas did not receive health care due to costs or distance to facilities. This compared to 59% of women living in urban centers. This highlights the urgency of digitizing antenatal care in Sierra Leone.

Digitizing Antenatal Care in Sierra Leone

In 2024, UNICEF collaborated with Sierra Leone’s Ministry for Health and Ministry for Communication, Technology and Innovation to adopt the World Health Organization’s SMART Guidelines for antenatal care. This is part of the Digital Adoption Kit process, which aims to create a digital medical system to address national health priorities. Creating a uniform, digitized administration network allows medical personnel and patients to stay informed, communicate effectively and receive care when needed.

The government launched the Pregnancy Registration and Service Tracking Application, known as PReSTrack, in July 2024. This allows expectant mothers to log their pregnancy on a centralized system and provides up-to-date tracking and monitoring of conditions that may arise. The system can partially function offline, and GPS technology enables health care providers to reach the entire country, even remote areas. PReSTrack, also referred to as the Kombra App, represents a historic development in improving access to health care for pregnant women and newborns. Digitizing antenatal care in Sierra Leone has educated women and girls on warning signs, enabling medical professionals to respond quickly to emergencies. Above all, preventable deaths are being avoided.

The 2025 Code4Health Hackathon

The work did not stop there. In 2025, the Code4Health Hackathon launched as part of digitizing antenatal care in Sierra Leone. Funded by the German Digital Innovation Pandemic Control project and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, it tasked 22 young engineers with developing online applications to reduce maternal mortality. The project lasted nine months and culminated with the top teams receiving guidance to develop their applications and integrate fully with PReSTrack.

  • Team Geneline-X created an all-in-one platform that connects patients, doctors and administrators to improve care coordination.
  • Team MediLink developed the Healthy Mother App, which provides weekly health tips, emergency support and features that allow pregnant women to report symptoms and issues.
  • Team Medikated focused on access to pharmacies, creating a system for online consultations and e-prescriptions.
  • Team Peer Pay used Digital Health ID to build a centralized system that would enable seamless referrals, patient tracking and one-tap ambulance dispatch for emergencies.
  • Team Next Wave Innovators constructed Mama Care, which also seeks to reduce maternal mortality through up-to-date monitoring, centralized records and emergency call support.

Key themes of these tools are centralized systems, better information for pregnant women, the ability to track symptoms and accessibility to health care in emergencies. These features will monitor vulnerable pregnancies and react to issues quickly, helping to reduce the number of deaths from preventable causes, such as hemorrhaging.

Looking Ahead

Digitizing antenatal care in Sierra Leone still has challenges to overcome. Accessing rural areas and addressing workforce shortages remain considerable obstacles. Recent cuts in global funding have also hindered improvement. Despite being renewed in 2023, the United Kingdom government has reduced the Saving Lives in Sierra Leone program from £35 million to £1 million. The United States historically provided 14% of the funding for Sierra Leone’s reproductive health, but this has been eliminated as part of the stop-work order that significantly reduced United States Agency for International Development (USAID) projects.

Despite this, the government aims to integrate recent developments in the Electronic Medical Record rollout planned for 2026. Further steps to digitize antenatal care in Sierra Leone will help work toward reducing preventable maternal and child deaths, part of a broader national push, including the Digital Adoption Kit’s planned expansion to other national health issues, such as immunization and combating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), while strengthening infrastructure to ensure these initiatives are long-term.

– Louise Nethercott

Louise is based in Derby, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Digital Skills in Cabo Verde: Remote Work for Youth

Digital Skills in Cabo VerdeFor many young people in Cabo Verde, finding stable work can be difficult. The country consists of small islands with limited local job markets. Tourism, services and migration have shaped many opportunities, but not every young person can access a steady job through those paths. In 2026, the government launched Skodji Digital, a national program focused on digital skills in Cabo Verde. The program aims to help young Cabo Verdeans learn practical digital skills, prepare for remote work and take part in the global gig economy.

Why Youth Employment Matters

Youth unemployment and lack of training remain important issues in Cabo Verde. According to the U.N. Global Accelerator, 27% of young people in Cabo Verde are not in education, employment or training (NEET). This means many young people are outside school and the labor market at the same time. For families living with low income, this can make poverty harder to escape. Young people may not have the skills, job contacts or work experience needed to earn regular income. The connection to poverty is still clear in the country’s recent data. The World Bank reported that poverty in Cabo Verde dropped from 53.8% in 2024 to 51.2% in 2025. That figure uses the upper-middle-income poverty line of $8.30 per day. The same report said youth unemployment remained above 15%, even though the national unemployment rate fell to 6.2%. This shows that economic growth has helped Cabo Verde, but many low-income families and young people still need better access to stable jobs.

Cabo Verde has made progress in reducing poverty, but many households still depend on informal work and have limited access to social protection. The ILO reported that social protection coverage reached 60.3% in 2023, compared with 43.6% in 2016. However, the same source says Cabo Verde is still trying to expand coverage by connecting social protection with the formalization of the economy. During COVID-19, the government created a solidarity grant for informal workers. It also provided food assistance for 22,500 families and emergency income support for 14,000 of the poorest families. These examples show why job training matters, because some families still depend on informal or unstable work and need better paths toward formal income. In this situation, job training is not only about education. It can also become a path for income, stability and more independence for young people.

What Skodji Digital Does

The government of Cabo Verde launched Skodji Digital on Jan. 27, 2026. The program’s first phase opened 1,050 places. Its eventual goal is to benefit up to 3,000 young Cabo Verdeans by training them in skills connected to the global digital labor market. It also promotes access to remote work, the gig economy and digital micro-businesses. The program’s training phase lasts between two and six months, depending on the path each participant chooses. According to Special Projects Management Unit (UGPE), the program offers structured digital skills training and access to international digital work platforms. It also provides career paths in emerging digital sectors and support for digital entrepreneurship. This makes the program different from regular training because it connects learning with ways young people may earn money online.

Skodji Digital also fits into Cabo Verde’s larger digital plans. The program operates under the Digital Cabo Verde Project and has support from the World Bank. The goal is to build skills that match today’s labor market. That marks a shift from only preparing young people for local jobs that may not exist in large numbers. Through digital skills in Cabo Verde, young people can learn tools that may help them work with clients and companies outside their own island or country.

Connecting Training to Poverty Reduction

Digital training can help young people build more flexible income opportunities. Remote work can be especially useful in island countries because it does not always require a person to move to a larger city or leave the country. A young person with digital skills may find work in areas such as online services, digital marketing, data tasks, customer support, design or small online businesses. These jobs still require strong training and internet access, but they can open doors beyond the local economy.

The World Bank also announced the SIRA program in 2026, which will support Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea. In Cabo Verde, the program will help youth ages 15 to 35 gain job-relevant skills and improve access to certification. It also aims to expand employment opportunities in growth sectors. The World Bank expects the Cabo Verde part of SIRA to directly benefit about 50,000 young women and men. This shows that Skodji Digital is part of a bigger push to connect youth training with real jobs.

A Larger National Effort

Other programs also support Cabo Verde’s focus on jobs and poverty reduction. The Joint Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Fund supports a program that helps Cabo Verde prepare a roadmap to reduce extreme poverty through decent jobs and social protection. The program focuses on vulnerable groups, especially women and youth who are not in education, employment or training. It also aims to reach 12,000 households living in extreme poverty. Another Joint SDG Fund program focuses directly on economic inclusion for extremely poor households, especially women heads of households and NEET youth. It also supports rural micro-businesses, self-employment activities and micro businesses in the informal sector so they can move toward formal work. This connects well with Skodji Digital because both efforts focus on giving vulnerable people skills that can lead to income.

These efforts show how the government and international partners are trying to connect poverty reduction with employment. Cash support and social protection can help families survive difficult periods, but skills and jobs can help families move toward long-term stability. By focusing on digital skills in Cabo Verde, Skodji Digital gives young people another option in a changing economy.

Looking Ahead

Skodji Digital does not solve every barrier young people face. Internet access, equipment, language skills and job placement support still matter. However, the program gives Cabo Verde a modern way to respond to youth unemployment. Instead of only depending on traditional jobs, young people can prepare for work that reaches beyond the islands.

The program’s goal of training up to 3,000 young people is a strong step toward more digital inclusion. Skodji Digital could help more young Cabo Verdeans participate in the global economy while supporting poverty reduction at home, if it continues to connect training with real income. For a small island country with big ambitions, digital skills may become one of the most important tools for youth opportunity.

– Mateo Alcocer

Mateo is based in West Hills, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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AI Is Fighting Gaps in Maternal Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

Maternal Health in Sub-Saharan AfricaAI innovations in maternal health care are closing a dangerous information gap for millions of expectant mothers, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Inadequate financing, weak governance, health workforce shortages and recurring shocks, including disease outbreaks and conflicts, are among the key barriers disrupting maternal and child health services. Up to 94% of maternal deaths occur in low-resource settings, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, which account for a substantial share of global stillbirths and newborn deaths. The region is projected to record a neonatal mortality rate roughly twice the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. These numbers could decrease thanks to a Kenyan nonprofit that has built an artificial intelligence (AI) powered solution, putting trustworthy health information directly into mothers’ hands using a simple mobile phone.

A Lifeline Built on Simple Technology

Founded in 2016, Jacaranda Health is a nonprofit organization that uses AI-powered solutions to address maternal health gaps within government health systems. The organization developed PROMPTS, which stands for Promoting Mothers in Pregnancy and Postpartum. Through SMS, an AI-enabled maternal health messaging platform that delivers timely, accurate pregnancy and newborn health care information directly to mothers’ phones.

Initially a one-way push notification service, it quickly evolved. Parents receiving the reminders started texting back with questions, prompting Jacaranda Health to build a help desk to respond. As demand grew far beyond what a small team could manage manually, the organization integrated artificial intelligence to prioritize and answer incoming messages, shifting human intelligence to focus on urgent clinical cases.

From Hundreds to Thousands of Questions a Day

The scale of the shift has been significant. PROMPTS now answers between 10,000 and 12,000 health questions daily, with AI responding to approximately 70% of those questions, drawing on a database of more than 1 million health questions and answers.

According to Jacaranda Health’s cloud technology partner, the platform has reached 3.8 million mothers across Kenya, and the results extend beyond simple access to information. The organization reports a 20% increase in attendance at prenatal health visits and a 1.85-times increase in postpartum family planning among PROMPTS users.

This platform is deliberately designed for low-resource settings. PROMPTS operates as an SMS-based service specifically to avoid the limitations of internet access, ensuring that women without smartphones or reliable data connections can still receive support.

Designed for Equity and Local Context

PROMPTS supports women throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period by providing personalized health information aligned with national clinical protocols, in local languages mothers understand. Jacaranda Health has trained PROMPTS in Swahili, and the platform now operates in multiple sub-Saharan African countries, including Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.

In March 2026, Jacaranda Health partnered with eHealth Africa, a Nigeria-based nonprofit, to launch PROMPTS in Kano State, Nigeria, with an initial target of reaching 25,000 mothers. The platform delivers maternal health information in both Hausa and English, and eHealth Africa leads the local adaptation and operational rollout, drawing on its extensive experience implementing data-driven health programs across Nigeria.

A Life-Changing Impact

The human impact behind these AI numbers is significant. In one case documented by Jacaranda Health’s cloud technology partner, PROMPTS flagged a message from a mother with a history of stillbirth describing severe headaches and blurred vision as urgent. Help desk agents reached out immediately and encouraged her to seek medical attention. She went to the hospital right away and weeks later gave birth to a healthy baby.

In Ghana, where PROMPTS is personified as “Nurse Mary,” the platform has assisted 36,500 mothers across 435 health facilities since launching in the Greater Accra Region. A public health nurse at Ashaiman Municipal Hospital described how mothers now arrive at the clinic discussing the text messages they received, sparking deeper conversations during routine health talks. The nurse called for the program to expand to other facilities to help ensure positive health outcomes for more mothers.

Closing the Gap Between Poverty and Survival

Maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa remains deeply tied to poverty, distance from care and lack of access to reliable health information. For women in rural or underserved communities, a text message offering accurate guidance can mean the difference between recognizing a danger sign in time or missing it altogether. By harnessing AI in maternal health care to scale trustworthy health information at low cost, Jacaranda Health and its partners are demonstrating how even simple technology, paired with the right design, can help break the link between poverty and preventable maternal death.

As PROMPTS continues expanding across the continent, it offers a model for how digital innovation can strengthen rather than replace the health systems that vulnerable mothers depend on most.

– Joy Kohol

Joy is based in Muncie, IN, USA and focuses on Good News, Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Women in India’s Cybersecurity Workforce

A diverse group of women collaborating on computers in an office. women in India's Cybersecurity WorkforceIndia is one of its biggest sources of tech talent globally and therefore more prone to cyberattacks. CERT-In, the government’s cyber emergency response team, logged more than 2.9 million cybersecurity incidents in 2025 alone, and the country now needs an estimated 3 million cybersecurity professionals against fewer than 200,000 trained practitioners, according to industry estimates. As the country and the global economy push deeper into digital banking, e-governance, and cloud infrastructure, closing the gender gap in its cybersecurity workforce is shifting from a diversity talking point to a national necessity.

Cybersecurity as an Economic Pillar

Cybersecurity is a pillar of economic stability, national security and a source of public trust, according to UN Women. However, women are largely excluded from the field, which is particularly striking given that women make up 48% of India’s population, with current estimates placing the population at approximately 702 million, according to United Nations population data.

How Big the Problem Is in India

The demand for professionals working in cybersecurity in India has increased by roughly 215% between the first and second half of fiscal year 2024 (FY24) alone, according to Quess Corp. Recruitment firm TeamLease Digital projects that women’s participation across India’s tech workforce as a whole will only reach 14.9% by 2027, up from 10.8% in 2022, with roughly 1.92 million women currently working in Indian tech. Within cybersecurity specifically, industry body NASSCOM has noted that women make up only around 25% of the global workforce, and that women in India’s cybersecurity workforce has stayed largely the same even as job openings have multiplied.

There are other promising signs to note. Deloitte India’s Megha Goyal has pointed to roughly a 10 percentage point rise in women’s share of the country’s cybersecurity workforce over the past five to six years. Policies that are more parental-friendly and flexible aid in this. This issue highlights many challenges such as patchy access to technical education, bias in hiring and promotion, workplace discrimination, and a disproportionate share of unpaid caregiving. In India, geographical factors exacerbate these issues. Much of the country’s engineering talent, including a large share of its women graduates, comes from smaller tier II and tier III cities where exposure to cybersecurity as a career path is limited.

The Poverty Cost of the Gap

The cost of leaving women out of cybersecurity is not just a workforce statistic. It shows up in the bank accounts of India’s poorest households. Indians lost an estimated ₹22,495 crore (about $2.7 billion) to cyber fraud in 2025, with complaints rising 24% to roughly 2.81 million cases, according to government data. Research on victim patterns consistently finds that rural users, first-time digital adopters, and lower-income, lower-education households are the most vulnerable, targeted through UPI PIN scams, fake QR codes and task-based fraud schemes that exploit gaps in digital literacy rather than technical sophistication.

That vulnerability compounds existing poverty. A single scam can wipe out a family’s monthly income or the savings set aside for school fees or medical care, and the resulting distrust of digital tools can push already marginalized households away from the banking and government services meant to include them. A cybersecurity workforce that reflects the population it protects, including the rural and semi-urban communities many women technologists come from, is better positioned to design fraud protections and awareness campaigns that actually reach those communities. Bringing more women into the field, in other words, is a poverty-reduction strategy as much as a diversity one.

Why Different Teams Make Better Defenses

Cybersecurity researchers, in studies cited by ISC2 and UN Women, consistently find that mixed teams are better at spotting and responding to threats, and that systems built with women involved tend to serve a broader range of users well. This matters more given how disproportionately women and girls experience online harassment, cyberstalking and digital abuse.

Sarba Roy, a cybersecurity professional with 13 years of experience across India, Europe and the United States, has described a real shift in how companies think about this. Writing for ISC2’s Insights series, she pointed to a growing recognition that diverse teams make organizations more creative, improve decision-making and sharpen risk judgment. “Diverse teams improve creativity, decision making and risk mitigation,” she wrote, adding that an inclusive and diverse cybersecurity workforce “is not an option but a necessity given the multitude of attack vectors from across the world.”

India’s Own Pipeline: CyberShikshaa

CyberShikshaa is a joint program run by Microsoft and the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) that has been in operation since 2018. One of its core initiatives is to train women engineering graduates from tier II and tier III cities and rural areas, in a four-month, full-time cybersecurity curriculum covering cryptography, network security, application security and digital forensics, backed by India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT.

The program’s eligibility rules tie it directly to poverty reduction: candidates must come from families earning below ₹7 lakh a year, or roughly $10,000, meaning it specifically targets women who would otherwise have the least access to a field that pays well above that threshold.

Since launch, more than 800 women from over 90 cities have completed the flagship training, with a placement rate of around 60% into roles across large technology firms, financial institutions, startups and law enforcement. Separately, NASSCOM Foundation has partnered with NortonLifeLock on a similar skills initiative, graduating 232 women engineers into the field.

The human impact behind these numbers is real. One graduate traveled more than 1,000 kilometers from her hometown to train at the program’s Noida center and landed a job at a multinational IT risk-management firm in Mumbai four months later. Another put it simply: “CyberShikshaa not only trained me for my career, but also instilled the belief in me that with the right direction I can reach great heights.”

A Safer Digital India

UN Women’s broader argument is that excluding women from cybersecurity leadership makes it harder for the world to respond to digital threats collectively. For India, where financial systems, health care infrastructure and government services are all rapidly digitizing, that argument carries particular weight.

Bringing more women into India’s cybersecurity workforce is not simply a fairness goal. It is one of the more practical steps the country can take to secure the systems its economy and its citizens increasingly depend on. Programs like CyberShikshaa show what that looks like in practice, and are worth scaling further.

– Jamie Noone

Jamie is based in Dublin and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How a Solar Project is Reducing Poverty in Cali, Colombia

poverty in CaliFor years, residents of Santiago de Cali have faced high electricity bills, carefully managing their appliance usage to avoid spikes in expenses.

In 2025, President Gustavo Petro’s government took action to lower their bills by implementing renewable energy as a cost-effective solution, and it is working. To address increasing household expenses in Colombia’s third-largest metropolitan area, Cali, the government collaborated with local utility program EMCALI to push the Hogares Energéticamente Sostenibles (Energy-Sustainable Homes) initiative, or Colombia Solar. The project’s goal extended beyond implementing sustainable energy infrastructure; it aimed to lift 2,000 low-income families in Cali out of poverty by reducing energy bills.

Simultaneously, it sought to lessen the government’s reliance on subsidization by reallocating money from energy subsidies to the solar initiative. This Cali-specific investment comprised COP 8.35 trillion (approximately US$2.22 billion).

Implementation and Impact

As of August 2025, Colombia Solar successfully installed photovoltaic systems in 1,860 low-income households in the Potrero Grande and Llano Verde neighborhoods, according to Minister of Mines and Energy Edwin Palma. In September of the same year, these programs urged the solar project to continue reducing poverty in Cali, aiming for their goal of 2,000 households.

The results have been significant. Increased solar energy usage has reduced most sustainable households’ electric bills by 40% to 60%, with some reporting no charges at all. “This program is a blessing. Before, I had to stop using the fan or blender because the energy consumption skyrocketed. We were paying up to 230,000 pesos a month; now the bill is down 100,000 pesos. It is a huge help for my family,” beneficiary Bellanira Guzmán said.

The Bigger Picture

Colombia Reports indicates that while extreme poverty has decreased in the last 10 years, urban poverty was still at 30% in 2022. Disparities have worsened in areas like food and housing deficiency in the last five years.

The city organizes its social classes in categories one through six, with six being the highest class and one the lowest. Neighborhoods are organized according to these metrics. This recent program, aimed at Cali’s three lowest social strata, relieved significant financial burdens on thousands of people dealing with these disparities.

Colombia Solar’s program has shown that measures of equity and renewability can have real, sustainable impacts on well-being. Aiming this initiative at Cali’s three lowest social strata has relieved significant financial burdens, allowing them to narrow the wealth gap with higher economic strata.

Beyond poverty reduction, Colombia Solar has impacted the country’s energy industry. From 2025 to 2026, Colombia’s solar energy market grew by 0.7%, showing its effect on larger markets as well as locally. The report estimates additional growth up to 8% by 2031.

This economic growth could potentially create 25,000 jobs in Colombia’s renewable energy industry nationwide as the broader Colombia Solar program, backed by a separate 8.35 trillion COP (about $2.2 billion) national investment, expands to more than 1 million low-income households between 2026 and 2030. The government already provides tax breaks and subsidies for businesses using renewable energy resources, covering installation costs.

While installations can be expensive, results clearly show that long-term savings on bills are worthwhile.

Why Cali’s Case Matters

The advantages of this solar project in Cali are abundant. It has brought prosperity to impoverished populations and positively impacted larger economic markets with job creation and the growth of renewable energy industries.

The use of renewable energy in Cali demonstrates that sustainability, poverty reduction and market prosperity can work together.

– Aren Lau

Aren is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Rising Incomes in Vietnam: New Businesses Opportunities

investment opportunities in VietnamEconomic growth in Vietnam has lifted millions of people out of poverty over several decades. As household incomes rise and the country’s middle class expands, consumer demand for goods and services continues to increase. These changes are creating new opportunities for international trade and investment, including U.S. companies seeking access to one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing markets.

Rising Incomes in Vietnam

Vietnam reduced the share of its population living in extreme poverty from more than 70% in the early 1990s to less than 1% in recent years, a feat widely recognized as one of the world’s “development miracles.” Strong export growth, industrial development and investment in education have contributed to rising living standards across the country. As more Vietnamese households gain purchasing power, businesses around the world are benefiting from a larger consumer market.

Vietnam’s middle class has grown rapidly alongside the country’s economic development. The World Bank projects that the middle class will expand from approximately 13% of the population to roughly 26% by 2026, making it the fastest-growing middle class in Southeast Asia. Rising incomes in Vietnam have increased demand for consumer goods, health care services, technology products and educational opportunities.

This shift has transformed Vietnam from a low-income economy into an increasingly important consumer market. Families that once focused primarily on basic necessities are now spending more on electronics, household products, travel and financial services. As a result, companies from the United States and other countries have expanded their presence in Vietnam to meet growing demand.

The growth of the middle class also supports broader economic stability. Increased consumer spending helps create jobs, encourages entrepreneurship and strengthens domestic markets. These trends contribute to continued poverty reduction while attracting foreign investment. However, challenges remain: nearly 40% of middle-class individuals have fallen back into lower income brackets within just two years, and housing costs remain a significant burden.

Growing Opportunities for US Businesses

The United States and Vietnam have strengthened economic ties in recent years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, bilateral trade between the two countries has increased significantly over the past decade, making Vietnam one of America’s largest trading partners in Southeast Asia. In Hai Phong alone, a major port city, exports to the U.S. reached approximately $2.14 billion in the first five months of 2026, a 23.20% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

U.S. companies have invested in a variety of sectors including technology, renewable energy, health care and consumer products. Vietnam’s growing population and expanding middle class provide opportunities for American businesses to reach new customers while supporting jobs in the United States. As of June 2026, U.S. investors had 35 active FDI projects in Hai Phong alone, totaling over $965.34 million in registered capital.

Technology companies, for example, have benefited from increased demand for smartphones, software and digital services. U.S. agricultural exporters have also gained access to a larger market as rising incomes increase demand for higher-quality food products. The Vietnamese government has specifically encouraged U.S. businesses to expand investment in high-tech, innovation and semiconductor industries.

Investment Supports Long-Term Growth

Foreign investment continues to play an important role in Vietnam’s development. International companies contribute capital, technology and expertise that support economic expansion and job creation. In turn, a stronger Vietnamese economy creates additional opportunities for trade and investment.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has partnered with Vietnam since 1991, investing in programs that have improved the lives of approximately 1 million persons with disabilities, spurred over $300 million in solar and wind investments, and helped modernize higher education. USAID has also supported Vietnam’s Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI), which encourages provinces to improve governance and economic competitiveness.

Vietnam has also invested heavily in infrastructure, education and workforce development. Improvements in transportation networks, digital connectivity and manufacturing capacity have helped attract multinational companies seeking reliable production and distribution hubs. The World Bank projects Vietnam’s economy will continue growing at 7% to 8% annually, considerably higher than other ASEAN economies.

These investments support Sustainable Development Goal 1 by creating employment opportunities and increasing household incomes. They also help build a larger consumer base that can participate more actively in the global economy.

Looking Ahead

Vietnam’s progress in reducing poverty demonstrates how economic development can create mutual benefits for countries around the world. Rising incomes have improved living standards for millions of Vietnamese citizens while opening new markets for international businesses. A recent upgrade to upper-middle-income status reflects this remarkable transformation and rising incomes in Vietnam.

As Vietnam’s middle class continues to expand, opportunities for U.S. companies are likely to grow as well. The U.S. private sector, which spends nearly $1 trillion annually on research and development, is well-positioned to partner with Vietnam on technology, energy and digital infrastructure. Increased trade, investment and consumer demand highlight the connection between poverty reduction and economic opportunity. By supporting development and economic growth, countries can help create stronger markets that benefit businesses, workers and communities on both sides of the partnership.

– Angela Qi

Angela is based in Beijing, China and focuses on Business and New Markets for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr