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July 22, 2017
22 Jul 2017

Indian Economic Growth Passes China


India, with a population of more than one billion people, is one of the biggest countries in the world. With a population so big, poverty is inevitable. Fortunately for those living in poverty, there is a silver lining on the horizon: Indian economic growth.

In 2015, the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects reported that India has the fastest-growing economy. Senior vice president of the World Bank Kaushik Basu explains that “with an expected growth of 7.5 percent [in 2015], Indian economic growth is, for the first time, leading the World Bank’s growth chart of major economies.” In 2017, India officially passed China as the fastest-growing economy in the world.

According to the Harvard University’s Center for International Development (CID), there are a few major reasons for India’s rise to the top. India expanded its exports to include more chemicals, vehicles and electronics. It has also garnered new capabilities and resources that will allow for more complex production. So what does this mean for the citizens of India who continue to live in poverty?

More production means more jobs and opportunities for those that are unemployed or need another job to supplement their income. In the past few years, with Indian economic growth surpassing other countries, the poverty rate is already going down.

The World Bank reports that poverty in India is down to 12.4 percent, from 21 percent in 2011/2012. This reduction in poverty is linked to the increased production and industrialization in India’s most rural areas. “Rural Electrification in India has caused changes in consumption and earnings, with increases in the labor supply of both men and women,” the report states.

The report goes on to say that access to public transportation helped reduce agriculture prices, famine and mortality risks. With finance minister Arun Jaitley allocating $15 billion to improve railroad safety, India seems to be on track to develop a thriving economy. Beyond that, it is on track to becoming a self-sustainable country that will eliminate poverty while it stays on the top as the fastest-growing economy in the world.

– Vicente Vera

Photo: Flickr

in China, Development, Economics, Global Poverty, India /by /#permalink
July 21, 2017
21 Jul 2017

How the Poverty Alleviation Scheme in Mining, China Worked

Poverty-Alleviation SchemeMining, a model town set up by Xi Jinping, China’s president, has paved the way for new poverty alleviation plans focused on poor individuals and the skills they can bring to the table. For many years, aid for the poor has grouped individuals together to streamline aid processing. However, this type of aid does not take into account the individual and can actually end up costing more for the sake of simplicity.

This new method focuses on the interests, skills, environment and situation of every individual. Personalized poverty alleviation plans ensure that the poor will be helped better than assisting with the general development of poor areas in the hopes that wealth will trickle down to the poorest.

In Mining, without help, around 400 citizens would live under the poverty line, which is listed as 2,300 yuan a year. The poverty alleviation scheme worked through a complex system where Mining listed all the problems and requirements for all the poor. The government used this to determine the most efficient way to approach and help these citizens. Skills were taken into account to best match individuals with jobs in order to reduce frictional unemployment and provide the poor with jobs.

Although 46 percent of the poor in Mining have mental or physical disabilities, creating personalized plans allows for individuals to be supported by the government, rather than be lost or ignored by individual hiring practices resulting in unemployment and poverty.

China has been known as a leader in poverty reduction. Since 1980, about 700 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty. The country has been able to reduce poverty in cities and decrease the number of rural people living below the poverty line.

China has also incurred successful economic growth based on job generation through the poorest citizens, and the poverty alleviation scheme has allowed for China’s poorest towns to flourish.

Mining is an example of one method of government intervention-based poverty alleviation that the rest of the world can learn from. This project also preaches the value of each citizen and individuality.

World leaders may not be aware that personalized projects like this cost more time than money. Individualizing poverty reduction efforts on a massive scale can lead to higher employment and less poverty on a smaller budget.

China’s poverty alleviation scheme is an impressive example of poverty reduction and shows that large-scale personalization could be key to reducing poverty around the globe.

– Francis Hurtado Rodriguez

Photo: Flickr

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July 18, 2017
18 Jul 2017

Chinese Investment in Cambodian Rice Storage Facility

Rice Storage Facility
Local Cambodian millers will be able to boost rice production through increased storage capacity. The progress is possible through the investment of two Chinese investors in a proposed rice storage facility.

The Phnom Penh Post reported on July 3 that two Chinese investors are interested in building a large rice storage facility. The investors, Jilin Province Investment Group Co. Ltd. and Jilin Ianzhong Agricultural Development Co. Ltd., are from the northern Chinese province of Jilin.

The Jilin province is a major food producer, specializing in rice, corn, grain sorghum, millet and beans. Unlike Cambodia, the region is also very industrialized.

According to the World Bank, the agricultural industry in Cambodia is experiencing a deceleration from its prior growth, decreasing from 5.3 percent between 2004 and 2012 to less than two percent between 2013 and 2014. At the same time, poverty rates in the country also decreased, at least partly fueled by positive developments in agriculture. The World Bank reported it at 18 percent in 2012.

With 14 percent of the population living below the poverty line, Cambodia has a higher poverty rate than some of its neighbors. For example, in Indonesia only 10.9 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line, and in Vietnam the percentage is seven.

The Asian Development Bank emphasized the importance of the agricultural industry in sustaining the economy in Cambodia.

The World Bank reported that “since 2013, Cambodia’s rice production has flattened. This was due to the deceleration in land expansion, bad weather, failing global rice prices, and the tightening of completion among rice partners.”

The World Bank also recommended a policy of developing the agricultural business and agro-processing industry in Cambodia. Structural innovations like a rice storage facility in Cambodia would be able to contribute to a boost in the country’s economy.

In addition to boosting Cambodia’s rice exports, the new rice storage facility also has the potential to allow local millers to operate year-round. With safe, dry storage, the rice will also be less likely to absorb water from the humid environment.

By increasing the number of rice storage facilities, rice farmers will be able to protect their harvested rice from the weather and increase their crop production to offset lower global rice prices.

– Hannah Pickering

Photo: Google

in Cambodia, China, Food & Hunger, Global Poverty, Investment /by /#permalink
July 13, 2017
13 Jul 2017

How to Help People in China

How to Help People in ChinaDespite the rapid economic growth that China has experienced in the last few decades, 400 million Chinese people still suffer from poverty, especially in rural areas. The following paragraphs provide detailed information on how to help people in China:

1. Teach for China

Formerly known as the China Education Initiative, Teach for China is a program founded in 2008. Teach for China works to reduce the gap in education level between rural and urban China. To deal with the shortage of teachers in rural areas, Teach for China hires top university graduates from both the United States and China for two years to work as teachers in primary and secondary schools in Yunnan and Guangdong provinces. The American volunteers are responsible for teaching English, while the Chinese volunteers focus on other core subjects, including math, science and Chinese literature. As of today, approximately two-thirds of the volunteers are Chinese, while the remaining one-third are from the U.S.

2. UNDP’s programs

Another example of how to help people in China is through the United Nations Development Programme’s various programs aimed at mitigating poverty and inequality in China. The organization focus on tackling the root causes of poverty in China. Additionally, the UNDP emphasizes sustainability and ensures that its actions are in line with China’s values and cultural identity. The specific programs include partnering with leading national institutions in China to support their policy research and provide policy recommendations, and an initiative that focuses on inclusive development for ethnic minorities.

3. Donations to NGOs

Another way to reduce poverty in China is to donate to NGOs dedicated to helping the rural poor in China.

Save the Children, one of the world’s largest NGOs, focuses on raising the quality of educating Chinese children in impoverished communities. Since 1992, it has established child-friendly spaces in rural communities and schools where children can safely learn, play and socialize. Immediately after the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, it established a permanent office in Chengdu and has helped millions of homeless children and families affected by the earthquake ever since.

Another nonprofit organization that aims at ending the poverty crisis in rural China is Project Partner. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that while even the largest charities operating in other developing countries cannot work in China, it can, because of close relationships it has established with its partners since 1982. The organization accepts donations to various projects it carries out, as identified by its Chinese partners.

To provide clean water, for example, Project Partner digs wells and builds water storage systems. To improve health care, it builds clinics and trains doctors. Project Partner also offers scholarships and trains teachers in order to bring education into rural areas. Project Partner also organizes regular trips to China to work directly with the people it supports through donations and fundraising. The participants can either help facilitate medical clinics, teach English, join youth soccer camps or visit rural Chinese villages.

These are the most typical examples of how to help people in China. Through these direct channels, it will be easier to alleviate poverty in rural China. This will help the nation achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

– Minh Joo Yi

Photo: Flickr

in Aid, Charity, China, Global Poverty /by /#permalink
July 11, 2017
11 Jul 2017

Common Diseases in China


China is becoming an increasingly significant global presence, boasting a population of over 1.37 billion and maintaining the second largest national land area. Both the enormous population and the abundant geographical diversity make China a particularly interesting case study on diseases. These are four of the most common diseases in China:

  1. Hepatitis A virus: Transmitted through contaminated food or water, hepatitis A has seen several large outbreaks in China, most notably those in the southern and northwestern regions of the country in 2006. The U.S. National Library of Medicine has calculated that the epidemic rate of hepatitis A in China hovers around 80.9 percent. Hepatitis A is a common disease in developing countries and has the potential to cause death.
  2. Bacterial diarrhea: Diarrhea is a formidable global health issue, and is the second-highest death risk for children in developing nations. China is no exception. The risk for contraction is high in low-income regions. In a year, approximately 70 million individuals in China suffer from bacterial diarrhea, and about 10,000 children die from it. Dehydration and impaired gastrointestinal function are characteristic of bacterial diarrhea.
  3. Typhoid fever: Similar to bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A, typhoid fever is commonly contracted through the consumption of contaminated food or water. Twenty-two million people around the globe are infected annually, but most deaths from typhoid occur in Asia. The World Health Organization began intensive typhoid vaccination and surveillance efforts in Southeast Asia and the West Pacific between 2009 and 2013. Symptoms include high fever, weakness, stomach pain and, in rare cases, death.
  4. Diabetes: With around 10 percent of the population affected, diabetes is one of the most common diseases in China. Over half of the population has been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, meaning they are at high risk for developing either Type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease. Diets high in both sodium and fat, as well as little to no physical activity, put people at high risk for diabetes. Diabetes is responsible for one million deaths in China each year.

The path to a healthier China requires changes in both diet and lifestyle, as well as safer food and water sources. The Chinese government and organizations such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are continuing their efforts in controlling and preventing these common diseases in China.

– Kailey Dubinsky

Photo: Flickr

in China, Disease, Global Poverty, Public health /by /#permalink
July 8, 2017
08 Jul 2017

American Aerial Booms & China’s Power Consumption


China’s growing population demands quick productivity, which is evident in its rising power consumption. China’s power consumption is currently at a peak, and the country is looking outside their borders for ways to keep up.

The consumption of power in China is steadily increasing. In 2013, it stood at 5342.3 TWh (terawatt-hours). It grew to  5960 TWh in 2015 and in 2016, households consumed 800 TWh and industry consumed 4211 TWh, with an overall five percent increase.

To match such outstanding electricity generation, China has amplified its efforts to go green. By the end of 2016, 77 GW (gigawatts) of solar power capacity and 149 GW of solar-wind power capacity were installed.

The State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) facilitates most of China’s electricity generation, providing electricity to 80 percent of China. In 2013 the SGCC capacity reached 55 GW. China’s dependency on the SGCC requires that its grids are capable of supporting China’s power consumption. Grids undergoing repairs are often shut off, causing blackouts in the areas that they serve, resulting in counter-productivity rather than the efficiency China needs.

Line workers in the U.S. are able to work without shutting down segments of the grid because of aerial booms. Terex Utilities, a materials lifting and handling company in Watertown, South Dakota, is providing SGCC with aerial booms. The aerial booms will lift line workers to power lines and allow them to perform maintenance while the power lines are live.

The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) sponsored a reverse trade mission (RTM) in July 2016 bringing 15 delegates from SGCC to tour Terex Utilities’ factory, learning about their supplies and productivity. The RTM also gave other U.S. suppliers of safety equipment such as 3M, Utility Solutions, Cummins, Altec, and Enercon America the opportunity to expand business relations with SGCC. At the Southeast Lineman Training Center, USTDA provided a training program on proper procedures when working with live power transmissions.

Creating business relations with SGCC has escalated manufacturing jobs for Terex Utilities as the demand for China’s power consumption calls for equipment such as aerial booms, hot sticks and rubber gloves. By learning from U.S. workers, China will soon be able to work on its power lines live rather than being forced to shut them down for maintenance.

– Tiffany Santos

Photo: Flickr

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July 4, 2017
04 Jul 2017

Countries That Still Have Slavery

Countries That Still Have Slavery
Although modern slavery is not always easy to recognize, it continues to exist in nearly every country. In total, there are 167 countries that still have slavery and around 46 million slaves today, according to the 2016 Global Slavery Index.

The U.S. Department of State defines modern slavery as “the act of recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for compelled labor or commercial sex acts through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.”

India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and North Korea are at the top of the list for countries that still have slavery. Here are some facts about what slavery is like in each of these countries.

The Highest Numbers: 6 Countries That Still Have Slavery

  1. India (18.4 Million) India has the highest number of slaves in the world. Like many other countries, modern slavery in India can take the shape of domestic service, forced begging, commercial sexual exploitation, forced marriage and forced recruitment for armed services. Because of India’s growing economy, many modern slaves work in factories that export goods to other countries. Consequently, men, women and children work long hours without proper compensation or even basic rights.
  2. China (3.4 Million) The Chinese government relies on exports of goods and raw materials even more than India. According to a CNN report, people in China are forced into labor across many different industries. The migration of poor families from rural to urban areas in search of jobs often leads to opportunities for traffickers. Although families travel together, many eventually split up. Individuals sell young boys to other families who lack sons, and girls often face sex slavery or forced marriage.
  3. Pakistan (2.1 Million) Modern slavery in Pakistan, like India, centers on debt bondage, or bonded labor. Brick-making employs around 10 million people in Pakistan. Children and families often work 10 hours each day in brick kilns and are denied basic rights or laws to protect them. Without this protection, workers face torture and sexual exploitation.
  4. Bangladesh (1.5 Million) Contemporary slavery in Bangladesh is accounted for through 80 percent forced labor and 20 percent forced marriage, according to the Global Slavery Index. Poverty, natural disasters and government corruption have made Bangladesh the 11th most vulnerable country to slavery within Asia.
  5. Uzbekistan (1.2 Million) The main cash crop of Uzbekistan is cotton. Each fall, when cotton crops are booming, the government forces millions of people out of their jobs to work in the cotton fields. International organizations monitor the process, however, the government still does not compensate these people. They also do not enforce proper safety precautions.
  6. North Korea (1.1 Million) The government of North Korea has done little to criminalize modern slavery. People of all ages are subject to forced labor while their government says they are “living in a socialist paradise.” One in twenty North Koreans is enslaved. Although the country does not have the highest total number of slaves, it does have the highest concentration of forced labor.

While many countries have taken steps toward banning and criminalizing slavery, there is still much to do. Countries that still have slavery are facing many problems that we all must address. “Improving the rights of 45.8 million human beings is both wise and urgent for all leaders of countries and organizations,” said Andrew Forrest, Founder and Chairman of the Walk Free Foundation. “Eradicating slavery makes sense; morally, politically, logically and economically.”

– Madeline Boeding

Photo: Flickr

in Developing Countries, Global Poverty, Human Rights, Slavery /by /#permalink
June 20, 2017
20 Jun 2017

Countries with the Most Hurricanes


While natural disasters always leave devastation in their paths, the recovery is always harder for the world’s poor. The countries with the most hurricanes are, in increasing order, Cuba, Madagascar, Vietnam, Taiwan, Australia, the U.S., Mexico, Japan, the Philippines and China.

The storms may be unbiased when they hit, but the work to recover is nowhere near equal. This is why it is detrimental that the countries with the most hurricanes are also those with the least amount of preparation for them. This is evident because of events such as Hurricane Matthew. Although it created damage to the southeastern portion of the U.S., the devastation in Haiti was unparalleled.

Between 1996 and 2015, more than a million people were killed by natural disasters. Ninety percent of the deaths occurred in low and medium income countries.

In countries such as the Philippines, which can expect between eight and nine hurricanes a year, the population isn’t prepared for the devastation these storms bring. The majority live in homes that are weakly constructed and do not stand a chance against nature’s wrath. With a population of 96 million, of whom 19.2 percent fall below the poverty line, it is impossible to recover from one storm before the next strikes.

Behind Mexico’s brightly decorated resorts and tourist destinations, there is a population of more than 40 percent living in poverty. Although preventive measures lessened the blow from Hurricane Patricia in 2015, the nation is still recovering from its wake.

Global organizations are quick to respond to disasters all over the world. The U.N. and the Red Cross work to have people on the ground in the affected country immediately.

UNICEF takes the preventative path to these problems and works with some of the countries with the most hurricanes to improve emergency response strategies and prepare them for the natural disasters that are sure to come.

The organization also works to develop indications for the decision-makers in the least developed countries to follow when assessing the needs of children during disasters.

– Emily Trosclair

Photo: Flickr

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June 16, 2017
16 Jun 2017

China Holds International Poverty Forum to Promote Innovation


On May 26, 2017, Beijing was host to the 2017 China Poverty Reduction International Forum. Politicians, scholars, business leaders and NGO workers from seven countries participated in this international poverty forum. The goal of the forum was to discuss China’s recent successes in poverty alleviation and to understand how other countries can implement similar solutions.

The program was co-hosted by global organizations including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., China Internet Information Center and World Bank. These organizations are looking to China, as a world leader in fighting poverty, to discuss strategy.

In past years, China has been able to substantially alleviate urban poverty through government subsidies. Since 1978 alone, 800 million Chinese citizens have been raised above the poverty line, making them the world leader in poverty alleviation. At last year’s forum, many Chinese organizations worked with the World Bank to create the Global Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Growth Portal (GPIG) in order to organize information and communications from all over the world.

After one year, the GPIG program is now being used to classify case studies of poverty alleviation from China and beyond. This year’s forum looked both at the development of GPIG and previously successful techniques, along with recent technological developments.

A highlight of the international poverty forum was a video titled “Think Innovatively for Poverty Reduction.” The video primarily discussed how the internet age can be beneficial in alleviating global poverty. The video suggested that online forums, storytelling sessions and other online communications can help spread innovation among communities.

Previously, China had focused its efforts on relieving urban poverty. At this year’s forum, speakers and presenters focused more on developing the rural economy, particularly the agricultural sector.

As of 2015, many rural households were earning under $347 USD per year. In response, President Xi Jinping has begun to address this through efforts such as promoting rural tourism and giving small loans to impoverished households.

Combining these already-existing efforts with the new technological innovations seen at the international poverty forum could potentially bring new ideas and solutions to China’s rural poor.

– Julia Morrison

Photo: Flickr

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April 11, 2017
11 Apr 2017

President Xi Jinping Aims to Alleviate Poverty in China by 2020


Over the last 35 years, 800 million people have successfully been lifted out of poverty in China. In such a short amount of time, no other country has ever been able to compare to the success and impact of China’s poverty reduction efforts. In 2016, the country lifted 12.4 million people above the poverty line. China is hoping to fully alleviate the poverty throughout its country by 2020.

To reach this goal, 230 billion yuan (33.5 billion dollars) has been allocated to help fight poverty throughout the country. China’s financial institutions have issued 818 billion yuan of loans, bringing the outstanding loan total to 2.49 trillion yuan.

With these financial aids, China plans to lift at least 10 million people out of poverty annually. Having exceeded its 2016 goal, China shows strong and promising results in achieving its goal for 2017. Chinese President Xi Jinping states that the fight against poverty is important in order to further develop the Communist Party and strengthen China’s economic, demographic and political structures.

In 2015, China made the pledge to alleviate poverty to the United Nations, striving to create a lasting impact on millions of lives throughout their country. Although progress has been made, over the last 35 years, the rate of progress has slowed while costs have risen.

For example, in 2000, in order to successfully lift a person out of poverty in China, it cost the central government 48 dollars. In 2010, the cost rose to 150 dollars. These costs continue to rise, especially in reaching those living in remote locations, deprived of electricity and clean water. Currently, the cost to lift these people out of poverty is greater than 200 dollars per year.

Although costs have risen, China’s strategies continue to indicate hopeful results for years to follow, especially as their 2017 budget shows a substantial 30 percent increase in poverty-reduction efforts. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China boosted the annual income of rural residents living in poor areas up to 8,452 yuan, an 8.4 percent increase year-on-year.

Alongside these results, 1.58 million struggling families who lived in devastating conditions have had their homes renovated or rebuilt, while 2.49 million residents have been relocated from poor, harmful conditions to developed areas as part of a program led by the National Development and Reform Commission.

The China Daily newspaper states that there are still 43.35 million people living on annual incomes below 2,300 yuan (335 dollars).

As the world’s second largest economy and most populated country, rural poverty has been a major challenge for the country. However, with help from the central government and many poverty-reduction programs and organizations, China has made massive jumps in its goal to alleviate poverty by 2020.

– Brandon Johnson

Photo: Flickr

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