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The Wajukuu Art Project in Mukuru, Nairobi

Wajukuu Art ProjectMultidimensional poverty overwhelms the five senses. The smell takes in smoke- and the stench-saturated air. Hearing puts up with never-ending noise pollution. Taste feeds on bits of nutrient-scarce food. Touch is calloused by long working hours. Sight looks at its dilapidated world with agony. However, these senses often come together to reclaim creativity and make sense of their reality through art. The Wajukuu Art Project has pioneered the slum art form of Mukuru, Nairobi, Kenya. Its stunning visual art and commitment to uplifting its community have earned it acclaim locally and globally.

Mukuru’s Living Conditions

The Mukuru slum is situated on a hillside near the Kenyan capital’s major manufacturing industries. Job opportunities, however, are scant, so many subsist by scavenging for saleable items in the dumpsite that pollutes their locality. Most of the slum’s 700,000 residents live in suffocatingly tiny three-square-meter homes, sheltered only by roofs made of cardboard or plastic.

Diseases like malaria and tuberculosis are rampant, yet most medical facilities are priced out of residents’ reach. However, with the community’s involvement, the area has recently witnessed development, with 32 more miles of paved roads and significantly better access to flushing toilets.

The Slum Art Form’s Roots

In 2003, Lawrence “Shabu” Mwangi and a few other art school graduates from the Lumba-Lumba neighborhood of Mukuru formed an art collective. They wanted to avoid the criminal activities that many around them had succumbed to with the lack of fruitful employment opportunities.

Officially registering it in 2007, they named it “Wajukuu” or “grandchildren,” deriving from a Swahili proverb that says that younger generations feel the actions of parents and grandparents. Having borne the brunt of previous generations’ mistakes, they wanted to shape a happier future.

Bringing the Slum’s Art Form to Its Children

Noticing the many curious children intently looking in from the outside daily, they decided to start a Kids’ Club. This became their chance to find authentic self-expression, as also future employability, amid the deprivation that they were growing up with.

On a pleasant June day this year, perched upon large sheets of paper, the Kids’ Club started painting. Sitting beside the toxin-choked Ngong River, they used bright tangerine and vivid cobalt hues to breathe life into their self-portraits. They showed an intimate understanding of the problems that had broken their world and their dreams of transforming it. One child outlined his forearm and wrote “PEACE” in bold letters right next to it. Another depicted a man distributing bags of rice among locals.

So far, Wajukuu’s 27 members have nurtured more than 1,000 children through the Kids’ Club and art therapy. The team also manages a library that teaches close to 30 children daily. Wajukuu’s scholarship program has enabled 15 students to achieve a high school education. Wajukuu’s other initiatives include sustainable, organic farming and the twice-yearly Slum Art Festival, which hosts exhibitions and performances by well-known musicians and dancers.

Recognition for The Wajukuu Art Project

In 2022, Wajukuu was invited to take its distinctive slum art form to the Documenta Fifteen contemporary art exhibition in Kassel, Germany, which saw a footfall of more than 738,000. Indeed, Wajukuu interactive architectural displays were reminiscent of traditional Maasai homes and the construction patterns typical of its Mukuru, with its trembling corrugated metal walls.

Even after Documenta, Wajukuu was part of a minor core team working to promote collectivity and shared resource building across geographies. Furthermore, Wajukuu’s In The Absence exhibition at Nairobi’s African Arts Trust gallery in August 2024 startled visitors into self-reflection about the irresponsible use of technology and true freedom from colonialism.

– Shiveka Bakshi

Shiveka is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Youth Programs in Ghana

4 Youth Empowerment Programs in GhanaIn Ghana, youth aged 15 to 35 comprise 38% of the population, while children under 15 account for another 35%. These numbers reveal that younger people comprise a large portion of the population, drawing increased focus on their needs. Unfortunately, many young adults in Ghana struggle with high unemployment rates and limited access to education.

According to the Ghana Youth Barometer 2024 Report, around 42.9% of youth reported the system has begun to worsen, as 88.1% reported issues with limited financial resources. The Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa (YOTA) conducted a report that analyzes the perceptions and experiences of Ghanaian youth. Shining light to amplify the voices of the next generation. Restrictions and halts, like COVID-19, have caused issues slowing economic growth leading to job loss and a lack of opportunities. Fortunately, youth programs and organizations are empowering the next generation and lending a hand to strengthen their futures. Here are four youth programs in Ghana. 

Youth Employment Agency  

The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) was formed to tackle the country’s youth unemployment issues and relieve stress from those struggling. Starting as the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in 2005, it transformed into GYEEDA in 2012 and became the YEA in 2015. The Agency aims to open up employment opportunities for youth through various programs like job placement programs and skills training. The YEA created Job Centre Ghana, an initiative to address youth unemployment and open up job placements. The center targets undergraduates and low-skilled workers while aiming to build and enhance those looking for work.

Youth Empowerment For Life – Ghana

The Youth Empowerment For Life officially became a nongovernmental organization in Jan. 2010. Its mission addresses the needs of the youth in Ghana through developmental and intellectual activities. It operates a variety of 22 youth projects reaching around 40,000 people with 10 youth centers. Some of its projects include Youth LIFE, which aims to provide vulnerable out-of-school youth in urban and peri-urban areas with opportunities for social and economic development. The project offers training and assistance so the youth can succeed. Some other projects include Youth Entrepreneurship and Youth Speak along with many others. Its Youth Centres are a tool for social empowerment and a space to share and learn information with one another. As the projects continue to make an impact, so do the youth involved.

Child Research and Resource Centre

Founded in 2004, the Child Research and Resource Centre  (CRRECENT) is a civil society organization focused on child and youth initiatives. Its mission is to create a focused foundation for vulnerable children and young adults to have tools and an environment where they can thrive. Its target population is children (0 to 18 years), challenged youth (19 to 24 years) and adults working with children. It works to meet its goals by researching and implementing. CRRECENT current projects include Girls’ Empowerment and Child and Youth Policy. The projects strive not only to teach but also to make an impact on girls and children from different backgrounds. CRRECENT works with Child Protection Committees, developing School Performance and Improvement Plans (SPIP) and implementing activities that work toward improving school conditions. Asserting that education is key to change.

Youth Bridge Foundation

Committed to youth development, the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) is a nonprofit organization focused on providing resources to the youth. YBF has a variety of projects and programs aimed to enhance young adults’ lives and careers. Started in 2017, the Educate to Innovate with STEM was funded by Tullow Oil Ghana Limited. A program aimed at helping students improve their performance in math and science. YBF launched and implemented this initiative to address specific educational challenges. The Initiative not only promotes the project but also a handful of others like Youth Vote and the Duapa Youth Reforestation Project.

Looking Ahead

By 2030, African youth will constitute 42% of the global youth population. The support from these organizations and programs offers hope for the next generation. These youth programs in Ghana not only aim to nurture the youth but also help them achieve their fullest potential.

– Savannah Garza

Savannah is based in New York, NY, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The UN Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program

The Early Childhood and Sustainable Development ProgramThe United Nations’ (U.N.) joint program, the Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program, was a key part of the COVID-19 recovery plan, running from March 2020 to February 2022. With an investment of $2.6 million for more than 24 months, the program aimed to address significant challenges in early childhood care. The pandemic exacerbated existing disparities in access to early child care services across different regions and income levels in Argentina, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to support the most vulnerable communities.

Overview

The goal and impact of the Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program are noteworthy since it has worked toward breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty and inequalities for the most vulnerable groups: women, children, girls, people with disabilities, Indigenous groups and migrants. Promoting access to equitable childhood care services would provide an opportunity for children to get the proper intervention and education needed for their development, leading to a higher possibility of economic mobility. Additionally, child care services could allow parents to work or continue their education, enhancing the families’ economic stability.

In collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office (RCO), the United Nations Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (U.N. ECLAC), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program has benefited 5.2 million children aged 0-6, including 2.7 million from low-income backgrounds. The program aimed to reduce inequality gaps through strategies such as policy enforcement, funding and training for child care workers.

Impact in Argentina

The program supported the Argentine government to initiate the national early childhood strategy (ENPI) at regional and national levels. The government’s ongoing commitment is anticipated to guarantee that child care services remain well-distributed and accessible across the country, even beyond the duration of the U.N.’s joint program.

Another initiative of the U.N.’s Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program in Argentina was the creation of the Federal Care Map. This tool collects and monitors data on child care services using geo-referenced information. It helps assess which regions require funding most urgently. It also ensures the effective allocation of resources, particularly for Indigenous children in rural areas.

Lastly, the Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program trained 3,000 early childhood education and service care workers across Argentina. The program provided tools to address the psychosocial effects and developmental issues in children caused by the pandemic. It also supported the implementation of a new curriculum that emphasizes child care centers as places of belonging, care and comfort.

Moving Forward

The U.N.’s Early Childhood and Sustainable Development Program in Argentina is a remarkable example of an effort to confront the root cause of continued poverty. It is anticipated that the long-lasting poverty can be overcome with national and sub-national efforts and active participation from the residents.

– Sein Kim

Sein is based in Bellevue, WA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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3 Organizations Providing Education for Children in Malaysia

Education for Children in MalaysiaMalaysia, located just south of Thailand in Southeast Asia, is home to more than 35 million people. Major cities include Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru. Recently, Malaysia’s education system was ranked second in the region based on test scores. However, it also placed last in Southeast Asia. While some families can afford quality education for their children, others living below the poverty line struggle to prioritize education. It is difficult for families with lower incomes to spend money on education when they have so many other needs that they need to tend to. Organizations like Dignity for Children Foundation, Teach For Malaysia and Budimas Education Charity Fund are dedicated to providing educational opportunities for children from impoverished families in Malaysia.

Dignity for Children Foundation

Founded in 1998, the Dignity for Children Foundation aims to provide quality education to impoverished children. Its mission includes support programs, education initiatives, a farm academy and various enterprises designed to offer a well-rounded education that prepares children for employment.

Through donations, child sponsorships and the efforts of many volunteers, the foundation has significantly impacted the lives of impoverished children. Starting with 20 students in 1998, the foundation now supports 2,300 students aged 2 to 19 as of 2024. In addition to offering free quality education, the foundation also provides meals.

Teach For Malaysia

Established in 2010, Teach For Malaysia aims to reduce educational inequality across the country. The organization recruits and trains individuals to work in under-resourced schools, ensuring that all children have access to quality education regardless of their family’s financial situation. Partnering with the Ministry of Education, Teach For Malaysia addresses impoverished students’ challenges and advocates for systemic change.

Students taught by Teach For Malaysia’s fellows experienced 36% more academic growth than their peers. By training and placing new teachers in schools with high needs, the organization significantly impacts education in Malaysia.

Budimas Education Charity Fund

Founded in 2001, the Budimas Education Charity Fund is dedicated to making education more accessible for all. In Malaysia, where many children would have to travel more than 40 kilometers to reach school, the organization works to bring education closer to those in poverty.

The Budimas Education Charity Fund has established 12 libraries in underprivileged areas, providing thousands of books and spaces for children to complete schoolwork and engage in educational activities. By offering free books and educational resources in regions with limited school access, the organization is committed to enhancing education for less privileged children in Malaysia.

Final Note

While accessing quality education in Malaysia can be extremely challenging for underprivileged children, organizations like the Dignity for Children Foundation, Teach For Malaysia and Budimas Education Charity Fund are making significant strides to address educational inequality. These three organizations have positively impacted many lives by improving access to education and resources. Although the statistics and rankings regarding education in Malaysia may raise concerns, efforts by these organizations offer hope for a brighter future.

– Poppy Duggal

Poppy is based in Chevy Chase, MD, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Slum Art Form: Rap in Dharavi, Mumbai

Slum Art FormsThere are diverse ways in which we, as spectators, characterize poverty. However, it is worth asking how those living in abject poverty themselves view their situations. People in different parts of the world are not just passive recipients of their circumstances and our interventions. They have active ways to cope with, speak up about and change their realities, including art and creativity. In Dharavi, Mumbai, India, the rap culture constitutes a unique kind of slum art form, expressing anger, aspiration and ambition all at once.

Dharavi’s Living Conditions

Dharavi is situated in front of Mumbai’s upscale and prosperous central business district, the Bandra-Kurla Complex. However, its material conditions render it nearly unlivable. The cramped quarters of its estimated 1 million residents line its dim, narrow alleyways, some of the most densely populated in the world. Close to 3,000 people share every single toilet here. The open sewers drain into the heavily polluted Mahim Creek adjacent to the slum. This creates fertile grounds for the rampant spread of contagious diseases.

Rap as Dharavi’s Slum Art Form

Hip-hop and rap music come from the streets or “gullies” – starting from The Bronx in New York City in the ’70s, it is the creation of people whose everyday struggles are not reflected in mainstream art forms. And indeed, far away from the romantic balladry and opulent consumerism of nearby Bollywood lies the heart of Dharavi’s music, its slum art form. Every beat brings catharsis and individual expression to its people.

Dharavi is dotted with many such musicians, from individual acts to crews. Such artists have been around for very long – but they were smaller in number, scattered and lacked access to streaming and production platforms. Rap culture truly took off around 2010, when some artists started releasing music albums independently, thanks to YouTube.

It has also created local employment. The acclaimed group SlumGods, for example, quickly expanded from two to 40-50 core members in four years. It also regularly organizes tours of Dharavi that highlight the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of its people, thus bringing recognition to the community.

The songs, written in peculiar Mumbai slang, potently combine frustration at piercing social realities with hope for a better tomorrow. DIVINE’s 38 million views-strong collaborative track “Mere Gully Mein” (In My Gully) highlights widespread political corruption and hypocrisy. However, it also focuses on Dharavi’s secular attitude and its residents’ generosity and sense of community. Bombay Lokal sings about the “darkness” of deprivation but also the “sunshine” experienced by those who take the risk of “standing beneath the clouds” and fighting for change.

Artists like these two are immensely popular now, performing in metropolitan venues across the country. However, what they still have in common with Dharavi’s smaller up-and-coming acts is a strong attachment to their grassroots identities and willingness to speak up about socioeconomic woes.

Taking the Slum’s Art Form to Its Children

Many nonprofits also encourage skill development and recreation among Dharavi’s children by teaching them the art of rap and breakdance. These safe spaces help them deal with their immediate circumstances and find their voices. Dharavi Rocks is a percussion band operated by the ACORN Foundation, aiming to enhance waste collection and management. Its 20 young members, all drawn from Dharavi, make music out of junk and clutter, earning the appreciation of India’s most well-known production companies. Additionally, the Dharavi Dream Project, established in 2014, offers free after-school hip-hop classes to more than 150 students and has trained more than 1,500 children in total.

– Shiveka Bakshi

Shiveka is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Widening Access to Vaccines in Mali

Vaccines in MaliAccess to vaccines in Mali has been an issue for many years, with 14% of children having received no vaccinations at all. Ensuring that everyone globally has access to health care, including vaccinations, is essential to downsizing poverty. Furthermore, it is also key to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target 3. Yet, conflict in the country has limited access to vaccines in Mali. After a military coup in 2012, political instability has impacted access to basic health care, preventing people from getting vaccinated.

Why Are Vaccines Needed?

Infant mortality is a real issue in Mali, with one in 10 children dying before the age of 5. Only 45% of children receive basic vaccines in Mali. This leaves a significant proportion of the population vulnerable to dangerous and life-threatening diseases. This has been worsened by health centers being destroyed or badly damaged in the conflict. Vaccinations can help downsize poverty and so a lack of access to them exacerbates poverty. In Mali, the rate of poverty is at 90%, with much of this concentrated in the rural south. In 2022, 19.1% of the population were in extreme poverty. By increasing access to vaccines in Mali, this can be reduced.

Vaccinations help improve livelihoods by increasing life expectancy, reducing the spread of disease and minimizing infant mortality. It also decreases the possibility that a person will require more expensive health care later in their life if they contract a preventable disease. Many in Mali cannot afford the health care that would be needed to treat diseases such as polio, hepatitis and meningitis, which can all be vaccinated against. Moreover, there is a need, to stall population growth; reducing infant mortality has been proven to reduce the number of children parents are likely to have, therefore halting population growth.

What Has Been Done to Help?

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is working with the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, Gavi and the World Health Organization to increase access to vaccines in Mali. UNICEF, alongside these stated organizations, are creating digital registers of those who have been vaccinated. Hence, there is sufficient information available to medical professionals.

UNICEF is also setting up mobile and accessible services. These are situated in places like markets, schools, mosques and even bus stations so people can easily and receive vaccinations. In 2019 alone, UNICEF vaccinated nearly four million children against measles. Vaccines often require cool temperatures, which is usually difficult as Mali does not always have a reliable source of energy. Hence, UNICEF is using solar-powered refrigerators to make sure vaccines do not go to waste, due to incorrect storage.

Furthermore, in 2022, the United States (U.S.) government invested $95 million to “improve the health and well-being of more than 17 million Malians,” launching the “PROPEL Adapt” scheme that aims to increase access to affordable health care. This is part of a wider goal to achieve health and water security. On a more local level, in Yirimadio, located in the south of Mali, free doctors were sent door to door to offer free health care. This resulted in infant mortality rates falling very dramatically from 154 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to only seven in 2015. This shows that access to free health care and vaccines can greatly benefit people and save many, many lives.

Looking to the Future

Overall, Mali has seen a significant drop in infant mortality rates from 61 per 1,000 live births in 2021 to 56 in 2024. However, there is much more to do to ensure that access to vaccines in Mali is widespread. Investment in health care infrastructure and innovative thinking can transform the lives of the Mali population for the better. Vaccines play a vital role in downsizing poverty and improving the livelihoods of millions.

– Eryn Greenaway

Eryn is based in the UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Save the Children in Ethiopia

How Save the Children Helps Ethiopian ChildrenThe Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, landlocked in Eastern Africa, is bordered by Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti. The country is located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali peninsula, in the easternmost part of Africa. As of 2023, it has a population of approximately 127 million. Ethiopia is the second most populated country in Africa, behind Nigeria. Despite its large population, Ethiopia remains one of the continent’s poorest countries, with a per capita gross national income of $1,020, according to the World Bank. This region is currently experiencing its worst drought on record. According to Save the Children, more than 21 million children are affected. Since 2020, the severe lack of rain has devastated agriculture. The ongoing drought has made it impossible for millions to grow crops or raise livestock, leaving many facing severe hunger.

Save the Children’s Role and Response

Save the Children, a major nonprofit organization founded in the United Kingdom in 1919, aims to aid children in dire situations worldwide. With programs and members in 113 countries, the organization prioritizes support for children in the most resource-deprived nations.

In 2022, the Save the Children Ethiopia Country Office initiated a Category 1 humanitarian response plan across most of the country. This comprehensive plan encompasses the Northern Ethiopia Complex Response, the Hunger and Drought Response and the Forced Displacement Response. These initiatives aim to protect Ethiopian children, sustain their livelihoods and enhance food security. Save the Children operates in several regions, including Somali, Tigray, Amhara, Afar, Oromia, Gambela and the Southern, Central and Western Ethiopian regions, along with Sidama.

In 2023, Save the Children provided support to 6.8 million people in Ethiopia, including 3.9 million children. While the organization primarily focuses on aiding children, its efforts benefit the entire community.

Educational Initiatives and Health Focus

Save the Children focuses on providing educational resources to children. Approximately 13 million children in Ethiopia are not enrolled in school, nearly half of whom are girls, according to UNICEF. Many children who begin schooling often drop out before reaching secondary education. To counter this, Save the Children leads extensive programs with support from various stakeholders, concentrating on essential early childhood education in areas like math and literacy.

Save the Children also emphasizes children’s health and nutrition. Decades ago, many children died before the age of 5 from preventable causes. Significant progress has been made. Mortality rates have dropped from 123 per 1,000 births in 2005 to 59 per 1,000 in 2019, representing an overall decrease of about 15%. Despite these gains, nutrition remains a critical challenge, as malnutrition contributes to approximately 45% of children’s deaths. To reduce this rate, Save the Children integrates primary health care to ensure children receive necessary interventions, such as immunizations. The organization also spearheaded the Growth through Nutrition initiative from 2016 to 2023, which aimed to enhance nutrition and health care services.

Looking Ahead

Ethiopia’s severe drought has left millions of children facing hunger and hardship. Save the Children’s humanitarian efforts have been crucial in providing relief and support to affected communities. Its focus on education and health initiatives aims to address long-term challenges, such as malnutrition and school dropout rates. Ongoing efforts and support can potentially improve the lives of Ethiopia’s most vulnerable children and ensure a more stable future for the nation.

– Sabrina Betterly

Sabrina is based in Drums, PA, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Increasing Access to Child Care in South Africa Supports Women

Child Care in South AfricaIn South Africa, women are disproportionately affected by unemployment, with the rate for women at 35.1% in 2023, compared to 31% for men. However, progress is being made in areas such as child care. Around 70% of care in Africa is provided by female relatives, with just 3% of care involving paid work. Africa has the highest amount of unpaid care work globally. This unpaid care work is a barrier to women’s participation in the labor force. Approximately 34% of women in Africa reported that unpaid care work prevented them from having a paid job, compared to 3.9% of men.

In South Africa, many waste pickers and domestic workers leave their children with neighbors as a form of child care. In Durban, a group of waste pickers collectively pays an elderly couple for child care, choosing this option for its affordability and flexibility in payment terms. The female caregiver accepts materials collected by the waste pickers as part of the payment. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, 68% of child care workers in South Africa said they were in danger of closing permanently due to rising costs. This threatened to decrease the number of child care options available further. However, different initiatives are addressing child care in South Africa.

Child Care South Africa

Child Care South Africa is one initiative aiming to provide quality child care in the country. Between 2017 and 2019, the Cash Plus Care (Qhawekazi) project was established to empower women aged 19 to 24. A total of 5,087 young women completed all 12 Cash Plus Care Empowerment sessions, highlighting the project’s extensive impact on their lives.

SmartStart

Furthermore, SmartStart provides communities in South Africa with access to high-quality early learning programs for children aged 3 to 4. About 80% of lower-income families in South Africa lack access to early learning for children younger than 5, making child care crucial not only for mothers but also for children’s futures.

One of SmartStart’s goals is to create a women-led care economy by empowering them to become early learning practitioners. Since 2015, a community of 9,000 practitioners has emerged. These Early Learning Practitioners are trained to secure government funding as microentrepreneurs.

South Africa’s Expanded Public Works Program

Started in 2004, South Africa’s Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP) trains unemployed beneficiaries, mostly women, in areas such as day care activities. By 2015, approximately 20,000 care practitioners had been trained. Reports indicated that this scheme contributed to income growth more than any other similar project. Women particularly benefited from paid care work, as they represented 90% of the home-based care workers who participated in the program.

The ECCE Program

By 2030, the government in South Africa aims for all children aged 0 to 5 able to access an early childhood care and education (ECCE) program. The National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy (ECD) allows more women to have paid jobs because it alleviates the need for women to be responsible for child care during working hours. The following three benefits arise from supporting ECCE services:

  • More paid jobs in the care economy.
  • More women can form part of the labor force.
  • More assistance for children’s development.

The Future

The highlighted initiatives aim to increase the amount and quality of child care in South Africa. The additional support enables women to engage with the economy. This will improve the position of women while also benefiting the wider community and combating poverty by raising household income levels.

– Amy Fox

Amy is based in Birmingham, UK. and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Cafeterias Address Child Poverty in Japan

Children’s Cafeterias in JapanWhile Japan is one of the most developed countries in the world, the country has a pressing issue to solve — child poverty. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2017, Japan’s child income poverty rate stood at 16.3%, 2.9% greater than other OECD countries. To tackle this issue and meet the needs of children, some Japanese volunteers have set up children’s cafeterias in Japan, also known as Kodomo-Shokudo.

3 Facts About Child Poverty in Japan

  1. Single mothers face higher rates of household poverty. There is a link between child poverty and single parenting. In Japan, children from single-parent households tend to live in poverty because household incomes are relatively lower for this demographic and particularly low for single mothers. While this phenomenon is not exclusive to Japan, the country’s notable gender inequality between men and women is unusual for a developed country. In the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report of 2022, Japan did not make it into the top 100 — it ranked 116th out of 146 countries. In terms of the gender pay gap, the average monthly income for female full-time employees stood at 251,800 yen in 2020 ($2,359) in contrast to 338,800 yen ($3,174) for male employees.
  2. Education links to poverty. There is a correlation between child poverty, parents’ economic status and education. Research shows that the lower a household’s income is, the less likely the parents are to prioritize and value the education of their children. This trickles down, and as a result, these children feel less motivated to continue their education. This continues the cycle of poverty as education is a proven path out of poverty.
  3. Child poverty is an invisible issue. In Japan, child poverty is an obscured problem. In fact, anything related to poverty tends to be hidden. “Fear of being seen as disadvantaged in a society that values the appearance of financial security means poverty in Japan is largely hidden from view,” The Guardian reports. As a result of the stigma associated with poverty, many impoverished families ensure in every way possible that their children have a well-to-do appearance. Consequently, this misleads others into thinking poverty is not a reality in Japan and has led to the government’s underestimation of the seriousness of child poverty.

A Solution: Children’s Cafeterias

To address the issue of child poverty in Japan, a vegetable shop owner, Hiroko Kondo, came up with a practical solution – children’s cafeterias. Kondo established the first cafeteria in 2012. The story goes: a primary school teacher told Kondo that a particular student “had only a banana to eat for the day besides school lunch because his single mother was sick.” After hearing this, Kondo decided to open a cafeteria for disadvantaged children in her neighborhood and offered them low-cost but nutritious dinners twice a month.

The Impact

Kondo’s initiative has inspired many volunteers in Japan, leading to an uptick in children’s cafeterias in the country. By 2019, Japan noted 3,718 children’s cafeterias, a 62% increase from 2018. Interestingly, every children’s canteen operates differently. For instance, while one canteen opens between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. every Monday, giving free meals for children, another “opens from 5.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesday each month,” offering 300 yen ($2.07) dinners for children and adults.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children’s cafeterias were able to keep their doors open. Some volunteers, however, changed the style of operation. Instead of providing meals in cafeterias, they made boxed lunches for children to collect.

Overall, child poverty is an issue in Japan that authorities often neglect. To tackle the problem, individuals like Hiroko Kondo took the initiative in 2012 by opening the first children’s cafeterias in Japan to offer needy children nutritious meals at discounted prices. More importantly, Kondo’s action has created a ripple effect — helping to address child poverty in Japan on a broader scale.

– Mimosa Ngai
Photo: Flickr

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Human Trafficking in Angola

Human Trafficking in AngolaAngola is a country of origin and destination for men, women and children who are victims of trafficking, for the purpose of forced prostitution and forced labor. Domestically, victims of trafficking end up working in agriculture, construction, households and artisanal diamond mines. Women and children are often victims of human trafficking in Angola, with many women coming from Vietnam, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Namibia, and traffickers sending many Angolan women and children to Namibia, South Africa and some European countries like Portugal. Since traffickers often lure victims with the promise of employment and a better life, Angola can implement several measures to improve the lives of its citizens. Here is some information about some of the challenges that Angola is facing that may play into the prevalence of human trafficking in Angola.

The Right to Form Unions

The law indicates that workers, except those that the armed forces or police employ, have the right to form and join independent trade unions. However, an issue is that authorities in Angola do not always enforce its laws adequately. The law states that for a union to form, at least 30% of workers in an industry or province must go through a registration process and receive approval from the authorities. The law also provides for the right to collective bargaining but excludes public sector workers. However, the country has prohibited strikes by members of the armed forces, police, prosecutors and judges, prison staff, firefighters, public sector workers and oil workers. 

Employment

The Angolan government enforced the Minimum Wage Act in the formal labor sector. In 2019, the national minimum wage was Kwanzas 16,503 ($52.60 USD) and the aim was for it to reach Kwanzas 21,454 ($68.30 USD) for the agricultural sector, Kwanzas 26,817 ($85.50 USD) for the trade and manufacturing sector and Kwanzas 32,181 ($102.50 USD) for the extractive industries sector. Furthermore, while the law guarantees a safe working environment for all sectors of the economy, labor protection standards do not protect most workers in the informal sector.   

Discrimination and Working Labor

The Constitution and the law prohibit discrimination in employment based on race, sex, religion, disability or language, and the government has generally enforced these laws effectively in the formal sector. The law provides for equal pay for equal work, and women often hold at least some high-level positions in state industry and the private sector. However, many women tend to hold low-level positions, especially in the informal sector. The law prohibits all forms of forced or compulsory labor too.

The government reportedly does not enforce this law effectively, partly because there are not enough labor inspectors. Penalties are reportedly inadequate to deter violations. Children under 14 are prohibited from working too. To obtain a work contract, children must prove that they are at least 14 years old and that the work does not interfere with their formal education or cause them physical or mental harm. Between the ages of 14 and 16, parental consent to work is necessary. Tuition is free and compulsory for children up to sixth grade.

NGOs and Immigration Policies

There are several hundred non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working for transparency, human rights and political reform regarding human trafficking in Angola. Organizations critical of the government are often subject to state interference and can experience the threat of legal action or closure. In 2017, the Constitutional Court ruled that a 2015 decree requiring NGOs to register with the government and subjecting NGOs receiving donations to further scrutiny was no longer constitutional due to criticism from civil society. This criticism openly described the decree as restrictive and intrusive, as it required NGOs to obtain government approval before engaging in activities and allowed the government to monitor the organizations.

One of the best-known NGOs in Angola that is working on human rights is Missio, which has the main objective to support the Catholic Church in missionary dioceses around the world. The organization changes lives by listening to local needs and aiding in the creation of infrastructure, such as chapels, schools, orphanages, clinics and dispensaries and centers where young church members can thrive and grow. All this support is most tangible in the funds that it collects and distributes, but even more tangible in the spiritual and pastoral unity it creates. Therefore, the organization has two main areas of activity: mission animation and education and fundraising. It was registered in April 1996 and has raised more than £7 million to date and may have an impact on reducing human trafficking in Angola.

Several obstacles exist that prevent refugees and migrants from finding employment. Regulation 273/13 prevents refugees from obtaining a compulsory business license, which is necessary to own and operate a business. Refugees have also reported that they often have difficulty working in the formal sector because they cannot obtain legal documents. The government is making significant efforts to combat human trafficking in Angola. It has educated the public about the dangers of trafficking, amended the constitution to explicitly prohibit trafficking and maintained anti-trafficking funding despite a significant decline in government revenue and subsequent cuts to the national budget.   

– Manos S. Karousos
Photo: Flickr