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Fighting Malnutrition in Refugee Camps With Microgreens

Malnutrition in Refugee CampsIn many parts of the world, malnutrition in refugee camps remains a persistent and deadly challenge. Refugee families often lack access to nutrient-rich foods due to limited agricultural space, inconsistent supply chains and poor infrastructure. Yet, a promising solution is emerging, one that requires minimal space, water or sunlight: microgreens.

The Power of Microgreens

Microgreens are tender, immature greens harvested just after sprouting, typically within seven to 21 days. Though small in size, they hold quite a bit of nutritional value. According to the Cleveland Clinic, microgreens are rich in vitamins C, E and K and beta-carotene and antioxidants that support heart health, reduce inflammation and may help fight chronic disease. Their concentrated nutrient content makes them an effective dietary supplement, especially in low-resource settings.

Since microgreens grow quickly and require minimal space, water and equipment, they are well-suited for refugee camps where access to fresh produce is limited. They can thrive in shallow trays with basic soil or growing mats, using only sunlight or low-energy lights. This makes them an efficient, low-cost solution for improving food security and nutrition in overcrowded and under-resourced environments.

Growing Health at Home

Families in refugee settlements across Lebanon and Jordan are improving their nutrition through small-scale gardening initiatives. Supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and local partners, refugees are adopting keyhole gardens. This includes circular raised beds that use compost and greywater to grow various vegetables in spaces of limit and restriction. These gardens are built using readily available, recycled materials, making them affordable and sustainable for displaced households.

UNHCR reports that such gardens help increase access to fresh produce and empower families to participate actively in food production. By cultivating vegetables at home, refugees can supplement their diets with fresh, nutritious ingredients while reducing reliance on food aid.

Growing Solutions Across Africa

Refugees are improving their food security and nutrition in parts of sub-Saharan Africa through sustainable gardening practices. In Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, programs like the permagarden initiative have trained residents to grow vegetables using climate-resilient techniques that conserve water and enhance soil health. These small plots can be built with locally available materials and thrive in limited space, making them ideal for approaching malnutrition in refugee camps.

According to Devex, participants in the permagarden program reported increased access to diverse vegetables and greater household nutrition. Beyond physical health, gardening has also helped reduce stress and build a sense of purpose among participants. However, as the Humanitarian Practice Network notes, efforts like these face challenges from environmental extremes, such as drought and flooding, which threaten the fragile resilience systems in Kakuma.

Organizations Making an Impact

The Lemon Tree Trust is transforming how displaced communities interact with their environments by promoting gardening as a tool for resilience, dignity and self-reliance. Working primarily across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in fighting malnutrition in refugee camps, the organization helps residents reclaim unused spaces for growing food and flowers. Through initiatives like garden competitions, community garden spaces and the distribution of seeds and plants, the Lemon Tree Trust supports displaced families in creating green spaces that nourish both body and spirit. These gardens improve access to fresh produce and foster community cohesion, mental well-being and a sense of home in uncertain settings.

Mercy Corps is also taking bold steps to support refugee self-reliance by integrating food security initiatives like microgreen farming into broader economic and social development programs. Its approach goes beyond immediate relief, aiming to unlock the long-term potential of displaced individuals. For example, Mercy Corps has significantly invested in job training, agricultural innovation and women-led entrepreneurship. These efforts are helping refugees transition from reliance on aid to lead productive, independent lives. Through partnerships and strategic funding, the organization is scaling initiatives offering nutritional and economic benefits, enabling communities to thrive even in the most challenging environments.

A Path Toward Self-Reliance

Microgreens are not a complete solution to malnutrition in refugee camps, but they offer an affordable, fast-growing and scalable way to improve health outcomes. More importantly, they place the power of food production back into the hands of the people who need it most. As international aid agencies look for sustainable ways to enhance food security, microgreens represent a small but mighty innovation with the potential to transform lives.

– Vasara Mikulevicius

Vasara is based in West Bloomfield, MI, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Social Safety Net Programs Are Fighting Poverty in Bangladesh

Fighting Poverty in BangladeshMillions of Bangladeshi citizens live in abject poverty. As of 2022, the overall poverty rate was approximately 19%. However, the country has made significant improvements in decreasing poverty over the past few decades, mainly due to the country’s Social Safety Net Programs (SSNPs).

The nation has implemented these initiatives to help low-income Bangladeshis and give vulnerable communities long-term economic stability. With programs that provide food assistance, cash transfers and skills development, Bangladesh’s SSNPs aim to create a pathway for success for many struggling citizens.

The Vulnerable Group Development Program

One of the most impactful initiatives, the Vulnerable Group Development (VGD) program, primarily helps women suffering extreme food insecurity. Due to gender disparities in the country, women often suffer the most when it comes to poverty and hunger. Originally started as the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) program in 1975, it changed to the VGD in 1982, shifting priorities from emergency relief to long-term development. The program distributes nutritious food over a specific period.

However, the program goes beyond that. Through a partnership with BRAC, Bangladesh’s largest nongovernmental organization (NGO), it educates individuals in basic reading, writing and nutrition skills, giving people the tools to lead a healthier and more successful life. By providing both food and education, the program helps vulnerable women break the vicious cycle of poverty as opposed to short-term help.

The Old Age Allowance Program

As the country is experiencing an aging population, the government has acted on the need to protect older citizens, with many lacking retirement savings. Before the program started in 1998, only retired government workers had pensions. The Old Age Allowance provides essential monthly cash transfers of BDT 500 (about $4) to older people.

The program helps nearly four million elderly citizens afford basic human necessities such as food, medicine and shelter, improving their quality of life and fighting poverty in Bangladesh. The program’s financial assistance also eases the burden on young family members who might be struggling financially to support them.

Income Generating for Vulnerable Group Development

The Income Generating for Vulnerable Group Development (IGVGD) program is another initiative that builds on the VGD program. The government designed IGVGD as a two-step poverty-reduction model. It helps low-income women develop from needing food aid through the VGD program to becoming self-sufficient workers earning a stable income.

Women in the program learn essential job skills, such as poultry farming and tailoring, which are crucial for future success. They may also receive small loans or grants to help them start their own businesses. Encouraging self-reliance and assisting women to secure employment empowers them to impact society and contribute to a growing economy. Over time, these efforts give women more control over their lives and strengthen the economy of local communities.

The Impact of the Social Safety Initiatives

These social safety initiatives have proven successful in fighting poverty in Bangladesh. There has been a major national decline in poverty rates in the past two decades. Poverty fell significantly between 2010 and 2016; in urban areas, it declined from 21.3% to 18.9%, while in rural areas it declined from 35.2% to 26.4%. Additionally, helping women develop vocational skills shows the program’s commitment to women’s empowerment in a country that historically offered them limited opportunities.

Recently, the government has decided to expand its social safety initiatives. It is working toward using technology to improve targeting mechanisms. Many international development organizations, such as the World Bank and the United Nations (U.N.), have also supported Bangladesh’s effort to improve the country’s SSNPs.

Final Remarks

Overall, Bangladesh’s Social Safety Net Programs show how time and investment in often overlooked groups of people can have a tremendous impact in reducing long-term poverty. It shows the effectiveness of targeted intervention in reducing poverty and creating long-term economic stability. By supporting at-risk groups, such as women and older people, with food assistance, cash transfers and vocational training skills development, the programs address major societal problems while creating a path for long-term success.

– Rafe Photopoulos

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

Photo: Pixabay

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USAID in Angola: Impacting Poverty

USAID in AngolaAngola is not inherently an impoverished country; however, it has been significantly affected by a tumultuous history marked by slavery and civil conflict. These historical injustices have led to widespread inequality and left a substantial portion of the population living in precarious conditions. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the principal government agency responsible for international development and humanitarian assistance. USAID plays a vital role in Angola by providing support aimed at fostering sustainable development, improving health outcomes and enhancing economic opportunities for its citizens.

Historical Background

Since 1992, USAID has been engaged in relief and development programs in Angola, initially focusing on immediate health interventions like immunization campaigns and emergency feeding. Following the end of the civil war in 2002, Angola made strides in rebuilding its infrastructure and economy. However, challenges such as poverty, inadequate health care and limited education remain. In response, USAID expanded its efforts to address these critical areas for recovery. By 2011, USAID celebrated its 50th anniversary and 15 years in Angola, providing support across agriculture, economic growth, health and governance.

Health Care Assistance

USAID’s health programs in Angola focus on improving health care services and addressing high maternal and child mortality rates. Collaborating with the Government of Angola (GRA) and various stakeholders, USAID supports initiatives like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) to combat malaria, HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in the nation.

Despite these efforts, Angola faces significant health challenges, with nearly one in five children dying before age 5 and a maternal mortality ratio of 199 deaths per 100,000 live births. The country also has a high fertility rate of 5.8 births per woman, straining health care resources. The Angolan National Health Development Plan (2012-2025) aims to reduce malaria morbidity from 21% to 12%, maintain HIV/AIDS prevalence at 2%, triple the number of doctors per 10,000 citizens, improve skilled birth attendance from 49% to 70% and increase access to family planning services from 6% to 45%.

Food Assistance

​​Angola is highly vulnerable to recurring climatic shocks, such as droughts and floods, which have severely limited agricultural production and exacerbated food insecurity. Moreover, inadequate access to safe drinking water and essential health care services has led to increased morbidity and mortality rates. According to the World Food Program (WFP), as of September 2021, more than 1.3 million people in the Cunene, Huíla and Namibe provinces required emergency food assistance.

In response to this crisis, U.S. Ambassador Tulinabo S. Mushingi issued a redeclaration of humanitarian needs on November 29, 2022, highlighting the widespread food insecurity affecting the country. In light of these challenges, USAID continues to provide critical support in food, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance to improve food security and nutrition outcomes for at-risk populations in Angola.

Environmental Protection

USAID’s Regional Environmental Activities prioritize the conservation and sustainable management of the Cubango-Okavango Basin, one of Africa’s most biodiverse ecosystems, which supports more than one million people who depend on its water for drinking, fishing, agriculture and tourism. However, changes in land use, water diversion and urbanization threaten these unique ecosystems and their vital resources. In response, the Ecosystems, Communities and Climate – Cubango-Okavango (ECCO) initiative has been launched, funded by USAID and bolstered by private sector support.

This initiative focuses on enhancing community governance of water and sanitation services while promoting cross-sector collaboration for biodiversity conservation. USAID’s efforts in Angola also include supporting national forest inventories, implementing community forestry pilot projects, conducting fire management capacity assessments and evaluating Angola’s protected area network. These initiatives complement regional programs aimed at safeguarding Angola’s natural resources, enhancing economic opportunities and promoting sustainable development across Angola, Namibia and Botswana.

Economic Development

Furthermore, USAID has developed a five-year Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) that acknowledges Angola’s growing economy, rising regional status and ongoing development challenges. This strategy aims to transition Angola from a donor-recipient relationship to a partnership model, where the country will take the lead in financing and managing its economic and social development with targeted technical assistance from USAID.

Recognizing agriculture as the backbone of the economy, USAID fosters economic growth and trade by mobilizing private sector investments. Collaborating with companies like ExxonMobil and Azule Energy, USAID supports rural women farmers through initiatives that enhance land rights, literacy and agricultural productivity, such as the Women in Angola Farming project. Additionally, USAID’s Africa Trade and Investment program under the Prosper Africa initiative boosts trade and investment between Africa and the U.S., addressing energy poverty and promoting sustainable innovation.

Conclusion

The USAID program in Angola represents a commitment to supporting the country’s development journey. Through targeted interventions in health care and food assistance, environmental protection and economic development, USAID has made a positive impact on the lives of many Angolans. Continued collaboration between the U.S. government, Angolan authorities and local communities will be essential to address ongoing challenges and promote sustainable development in the years to come.

– Hoi Ieng Chao

Hoi Ieng Chao is based in Macau and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project..

Photo: Flickr

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Yellow River Soup Kitchen: Transforming Lives in Xi’an

Yellow River Soup KitchenYellow River Soup Kitchen, also known as Yellow River Charity, is a nonprofit organization based in Xi’an, China. It was founded by Tony Day in December 2005 after a homeless woman in Xi’an asked him for financial help. The woman inspired him to establish support for the city’s homeless community. With growing support from global donors, Yellow River Soup Kitchen had mobilized 13,700 volunteers by 2021 to complete 2,580 charity projects. Here is how the organization’s major initiatives have profoundly improved the lives of vulnerable people in Xi’an and nearby provinces.

The Founding of Yellow River Soup Kitchen

The woman remained on Day’s mind as he meditated for two hours that night. “I suddenly had a sense this was a much greater problem and being unable to find any (with very few) voluntary projects available in China. I had decided the night before that if I learned nothing from the old lady, I would start buying food,” he said to the Lancashire Evening Post. The following day, Day returned to St. Francis Cathedral on Wuxing Street, where he had met the woman. He asked Father Chen if he could distribute food to the homeless at the church.

That Sunday, he served 25 meals of baozi and soup. By 2015, a budget of more than $2,000 allowed him to provide food for 5,000 people. As of 2019, Yellow River Soup Kitchen has served around 200,000 meals, averaging 1,800 meals per month. The organization serves food every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night, even on Lunar New Year and Christmas, with additional volunteers delivering food to those who cannot attend.

The English Summer School Initiative

In the summer of 2006, Yellow River Soup Kitchen organized a group of foreign teachers to teach English in Li Quan, an impoverished mountain village two hours from Xi’an. There were three classrooms with a maximum capacity of 20 students. The organization utilized three teachers, each taught six hours per day. The programs lasted six weeks and accommodated 180 students.

Annual Christmas Party

The anniversary of Yellow River Soup Kitchen coincides with Christmas and to celebrate, the organization hosts an annual Christmas Party for people without homes at St. Francis Cathedral. A volunteer dresses up as Santa, distributing meat, dumplings, fruits and cakes. The celebration includes live music, dancing, karaoke and festive decorations. “At 9:30 p.m., when the party ended, all the homeless were back on the freezing streets of Xi’an with nothing but full bellies and warm memories,” Day says. In preparation for Christmas and New Year, the organization also gathers 45 people for showers and haircuts.

Looking Ahead

In 2020, Yellow River Soup Kitchen faced significant challenges due to COVID-19, as St. Francis Cathedral and many other venues where the organization hosted events were closed. However, despite these setbacks, the organization adapted by providing 14,047 face masks to people experiencing homelessness. The nonprofit organization continues to be vital, offering support to the vulnerable and providing a platform for people to participate in helping others.

– Jimmy Nguyen

Jimmy is based in Savannah, GA, USA and focuses on Good News, Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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The World Food Program and Poverty in Liberia

The World Food Program: 3 Strategies Against Poverty in Liberia Liberia is a nation that leans greatly on foreign aid and investment. With 81% of Liberia’s population being food insecure and 93% unable to afford a healthy diet, malnutrition becomes a great threat. This especially goes for children under 5 years old in Liberia, who have the greatest Global Acute Malnutrition Rate in urban Montserrado. With high agricultural post-harvest losses and limited technology and knowledge, Liberia’s food insecurity is amplified. To help combat poverty and food insecurity in Liberia, the World Food Program (WFP) is aiding Liberia through three main strategies: resilience building, school meals and supply chain.

Resilience Building

Resilience-building activities in Liberia are used to target the most food-insecure people. WFP has a food assistance-for-assets (FFA) activity in which 1.8 million people participated in rehabilitation and asset creation projects. This included more than 62,000 hectares of land and 847 ponds that were rehabilitated and 172 new wells were raised. This inevitably benefited 3.15 million people as monitoring results of 2022 showed it decreased social conflict and instability between people over limited natural resources. Instead, it reinforced a stronger sense of community as the resilience programs promoted teamwork and acted as a foundation of support for many villages.

WFP also targets food insecurity and poverty by introducing savings practices. Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), is a strategy for people to borrow from their savings for needs and requirements. These can be health care, food, school fees and business support. By educating people on how to borrow savings, people in rural Liberia learn how to handle their money utilizing the best practices for saving. Through this strategy, Liberia can fight poverty by educating its people and promoting further household economic security.

School Meals

WFP intends to revise the National School Feeding Policy. By incorporating a school meal program into the schools of Liberia, children can have guaranteed meals every day. This is significant work in combating the food insecurity and malnutrition that young people, particularly children, suffer from. WFP aims to establish a budget of $5 million for this school meal program and by 2025, increase the coverage of the school meal program by 45%.

While also combating food insecurity, WFP has also begun a ‘Breaking Barriers to Girls Education’ initiative that promotes education for girls and young women. This is a significant aspect of fighting poverty in Liberia, as 51% of the population lives on $1 a day. By giving women proper education, they will learn skills that open further opportunities for them in the work industry. This will allow them to earn a wage and curb poverty and food insecurity in Liberia. The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF) has also benefited smallholder farmers as the program has increased their production, promoting economic stability for more people in the agricultural industry.

According to WFP, more than 5000 smallholder farmers now have a market to sell their produce and fight food insecurity with increased income levels. The increase in productivity in farmers also contributes to both the economic and food security of Liberia as their produce feeds children for free in schools, but they also get paid for their labor, meaning they can afford more food and fight food insecurity themselves.

Supply Chain

WFP and the Government of Liberia work together to deliver essential medical supplies and equipment to health care facilities. WFP transports health supplies to 13 county depots in Liberia, as well as 36 hospitals and 136 health centers. This is a vital aspect of reducing poverty in Liberia as it focuses on the health and well-being of the population. The necessary delivery of medical supplies and equipment allows the malnourished and injured to recover quickly, ensuring a healthy population. This leads to a greater number of healthy, able-bodied people in the workforce who can earn money to survive and help strengthen the economy.

Also in Liberia, WFP and CERFAM cooperated in a workshop that worked to assess the postharvest losses in the rice value chain. Following this, they led post-harvest management training to help reduce and prevent losses. This was carried out by the construction of post-harvest management facilities which not only allowed a chance for people to educate themselves and practice their skills through hands-on training but also offered new employment opportunities for building these facilities and teaching others in their community. This combats the poverty problem in the rural agricultural lands of Liberia that would be more limited in job opportunities, due to their isolated geography. As 70% of Liberia’s workforce is in the agricultural sector, knowledge and new equipment will help a large majority of the population, decreasing harvest losses and supporting farmers in crop production.

Looking Ahead

The WFP’s multi-faceted approach addresses Liberia’s food insecurity and poverty through resilience building, school meals and improved supply chains. These ongoing efforts provide immediate relief while also fostering long-term economic stability by educating communities and supporting agricultural growth. With nearly three-quarters of the population dependent on agriculture, WFP’s initiatives offer critical tools for enhancing productivity and reducing post-harvest losses, which directly benefits both farmers and their families.

– Chelsey Saya McLeod

Chelsey is based in Southampton, Hampshire, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Ready to Use Therapeutic Food and Childhood Malnutrition

ready to use therapeutic foodChildhood malnutrition is a global crisis affecting millions of children younger than the age of 5. The side effects of childhood malnutrition are devastating, such as lower IQs, poor socioemotional skills, weaker immune systems and many more.

Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) has a significant impact on treating this condition. This life-saving superfood transforms how severe acute malnutrition is treated, allowing children to recover quickly and regain their health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), well-nourished children are more capable of escaping poverty as adults during the first two years of life.

Why RUTF?

Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food is a revolutionary food treatment that’s giving hope to millions of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), the deadliest form of hunger. The WHO estimated in 2007 that severe acute malnutrition (SAM) accounts for around one million child deaths annually. Approximately 20 million children worldwide suffer from SAM and those affected have a mortality risk of more than nine times greater than their well-nourished peers.

RUTF is an energy-dense, micronutrient paste designed to treat severe wasting in children younger than 5. Wasting is characterized by low weight-for-height and occurs when a child does not receive enough food or adequate quality. If untreated, it significantly increases the risk of death.

History of RUTF

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the concept of RUTF was pioneered by pediatric nutritionist André Briend and food processing engineer Michel Lescanne 25 years ago. RUTF is made from powdered milk, peanuts, butter, vegetable oil, sugar and vitamins and minerals. Each sachet of RUTF provides 500 calories and essential micronutrients, allowing malnourished children to gain weight rapidly.

The invention of RUTF marked a revolution in malnutrition treatment, shifting from the traditional therapeutic feeding centers (TFCs) to home-based care. Previously, children with severe acute malnutrition needed round-the-clock care at TFCs, which were scarce and often located far from the communities they served.

This setup required mothers to leave their homes for weeks, causing lost wages and incomplete treatments. The crowded conditions at TFCs also posed infection risks and in conflict areas like Sudan, they were vulnerable to attacks. Recognizing these challenges, Briend aimed to develop a home-administered solution. His goal was to revolutionize the management of severe acute malnutrition, allowing children to receive treatment safely at home.

RUTF’s Role in Community-Based Management

RUTF is vital for community-based management of children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition who still have an appetite. Its two-year shelf life makes it convenient for storage and distribution. The appealing taste and easy digestibility ensure that children readily consume it. Most importantly, RUTF requires no preparation. Children can directly have this nutrient-dense food from the packet, making it safe and reducing the risk of contamination.

According to UNICEF, the treatment of children with severe acute malnutrition was traditionally in facilities where they received specialized therapeutic milk under strict regimens. However, many children arrived too late or could not access these centers due to distance, cost and lengthy treatment durations. RUTF has enabled community-based management and transformed it into a home-based treatment. Its single-dose foil sachets do not require refrigeration or mixing with water, making it practical and safe for home use. This innovation has significantly improved treatment outcomes and accessibility.

Success of RUTF

RUTF and the community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) have proven to be powerful. In emergencies like famine, child mortality rates typically range from 20% to 30%. However, with the combined use of CMAM and RUTF, these rates have dropped to 4.5%, saving countless lives. A notable pilot program in Darfur, Sudan, treated 25,000 acutely malnourished children with similarly positive results.

From 2002 to 2006, Concern Worldwide implemented a large-scale pilot in Malawi, yielding excellent treatment, coverage, community acceptance and cost-effectiveness outcomes. This success led to the publication of the CTC field manual in 2006 and a joint recognition by WHO, UNICEF and the World Food Programme in 2007, establishing CMAM as a global best practice. Today, millions of acutely malnourished children have been successfully treated with RUTF through the CMAM approach. In South Sudan, UNICEF and partners treat nearly a quarter of a million children annually with RUTF, achieving a treatment recovery rate of 95% and averting potential deaths.

Challenges in Distributing RUTF

UNICEF plays a pivotal role in the global distribution of RUTF, procuring and delivering 75-80% of the world’s supply. It ensures that RUTF reaches the most vulnerable children, even in challenging environments. Large-scale operations by UNICEF have saved countless lives during emergencies.

Despite its success, RUTF is not universally available. Many countries do not include RUTF in their essential medicines lists and treatment for severe wasting is often poorly integrated into routine health services. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts have increased the cost of RUTF, further limiting its availability.

Conclusion

Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food has proven to be a lifesaving superfood, transforming the treatment of severe acute malnutrition and saving millions of children’s lives. Its success underscores the need for increased global efforts to ensure all children have access to this essential treatment.

– Sumaiya Sultana

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

Photo: Flickr

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Food Systems in the Bahamas

Food Systems in the BahamasCountries in the Caribbean, such as the Bahamas, are located in a part of the world where problems induced by varying climatic conditions, such as extreme droughts, destructive flooding and ocean acidification, could negatively affect food systems in the Bahamas.

Reliance on Imported Goods and Health Impacts

Like most Caribbean nations, the Bahamas has little access to land and relies heavily upon imported goods. The Bahamas imports more than 90% of its food needs. Many of these imported goods are processed and contain large amounts of salts and sugar, which negatively impact the health of the Bahamian population.

Food Insecurity and Health Concerns

Between 2019 and 2021, it was estimated that 17% of the Bahamian population faced modest to extreme levels of food insecurity. Although this statistic is considerably below the global average of 33% and the regional average of 38%, there are other concerns. Specifically, 32% of the adult population is obese compared to the global average of 21%. The problem of obesity can be attributed to the country’s reliance on imported goods that are often lacking in nutritional value and unhealthy. Diabetes is also another major health problem in the Bahamas.

Food Accessibility and Government Support Programs

In terms of overall access to food in the country, food is readily available in urban areas; however, the accessibility of food in rural communities remains uncertain. The government aids in making food more accessible by providing grants and financial assistance to impoverished residents, allowing them to purchase food. The National School Feeding Programme supplies meals for young students from low-income families and the government also subsidizes certain foods. Despite these efforts, the National School Feeding Program and subsidy program struggle to provide nutritious options for these underprivileged communities.

In light of these challenges, the Bahamian government is looking to make changes to create a more sophisticated and responsive food system. Notably, the Bahamian government aims to reduce the country’s reliance on imported food by 25% by 2025. Prime Minister Davis explained that this will require increased agricultural output locally, with an emphasis on growing and cultivating healthier options for the population.

In addition, in 2021, the Bahamas became a member of the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative, which focuses on promoting sustainability in developing countries like the Bahamas. Through this program, the Bahamas will work on developing sustainably, working with local farmers to utilize more environmentally safe farming methods. Furthermore, it will put effort into research and development of new agricultural techniques meant to minimize environmental impact and increase output.

Summary

Like other countries in the Caribbean, the Bahamas has little arable land. Therefore, it imports almost 100% of its food needs. However, the government is working to increase local food production in an effort to combat food insecurity and unhealthy diets, whilst improving food systems in the Bahamas.

– Brendan Sheehan

Brendan is based in San Rafael, CA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Mercy for Haiti

Mercy for HaitiHaiti is the second-largest island in the Caribbean, situated southeast of Cuba. Despite its beauty, Haiti is not only the poorest country in the Americas but one of the poorest countries in the world. In fact, in 2012, the official poverty estimates showed that more than 6 million people in Haiti lived below the poverty line. Additionally, more than 2 million were in extreme poverty.

In 2022, the population was reported to be 11.58 million people. This suggests that more than half of the Haitian population lives in poverty. Statistics also show that about one in five kids die before the age of 6 and that more than 400,000 children are orphans because of the country’s circumstances. However, the people of Haiti are being led to change with the help of a nonprofit organization.

The Mighty Fall

Instability can be blamed for Haiti’s fall from the top. Haiti constantly finds itself in a battle with instability caused by weather, political, social and developmental instability. Examples of this can be seen in its misplaced use of disaster aid and in its lack of access to work services. These actions have caused the country to rely on external revenue and farming. However, with the loss of value in its currency, not even this is enough to keep the nation afloat.

Political and social instability is another thing that Haiti has seen time and time again. Examples are the assassination of the nation’s president in July of 2021 and the population continuing to face tragedy with the inability to support themselves and family. Haiti is also home to gangs that prevent its people from leading their lives. These gangs have ruined many homes and families.

And so, between its unfavorable weather conditions from being placed on a fault line, facing debt with currency deflation and a lack of suitable income and gang violence, Haiti has found itself stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Mercy for Haiti

Despite the odds against it, Haiti has been shown grace by a nonprofit organization called Mercy International. Mercy International was founded by Dr. John Leigner, who felt “led” to aid the people of Haiti after he visited the country in 1974. With more than 100 visits and more than 50 years of work, Leigner and Mercy International are making great impacts.

Mercy International aims to rebuild the community with a helping hand from the gospel. This aim is followed through projects for medical facilities, housing and much more. The movement of this trajectory is nothing short of great for Haiti, considering the mass amounts of poverty, homelessness and orphans in the country.

Mercy’s Impacts in Haiti

Mercy International has established at least three villages in Haiti. This has enabled many residents to move from tent cities into permanent homes. In response to the devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2020, as well as the 2016 hurricane, Mercy International has been deeply committed to addressing the urgent needs of the Haitian people.

Following these catastrophes, Mercy International built its first village in 2010, providing housing for around 700 people. Despite the subsequent storms, Mercy International persisted, establishing two more villages in southern Haiti. These villages offer more than just housing; they support residents with churches, educational programs and food initiatives.

The initiative’s educational programs in these villages have been particularly successful, resulting in many college graduates. This has been made possible through the dedication of volunteers, sponsorship and donations.

A Good Change

The work of Mercy International is crucial in a country like Haiti, where approximately 1,300 tent cities house an estimated 1.5 million people. Additionally, less than 60% of children attend primary school and 80% do not attend secondary school. The villages, education and supportive community provided by Mercy International are incredibly needed and impactful for the people.

Thanks to Mercy International, Haiti now has three new villages. This is in addition to education, housing, health care and food to support its citizens. As Mercy International continues to lead change in Haiti, more lives will be touched and more change will be seen.

– Yeliz Turkdil

Yeliz is based in Norman, OK, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Fickr

Efforts to Address Child Poverty in Slovenia

Child Poverty in SloveniaChild poverty is one of the most pressing issues that humanity faces. Children who do not have access to essential human needs like a stable food source or access to medical care have a far greater chance of disease and death than a child with access to those fundamental rights. Although it has made significant strides in the last decade in reducing child poverty and providing health care to its people, roughly 10.5% of children born in Slovenia are born into poverty, according to the World Bank. Fortunately, strategies are in place to alleviate the poverty rate among children in Slovenia.

Government Initiatives to Address Child Poverty in Slovenia

In 2021 each member of the European Union vowed to implement initiatives that would drive down the rate of poverty among its citizens. Slovenia, like every other EU nation, came up with its own strategies to help alleviate the child poverty rate in their country. Despite the significant number of people in Slovenia and Europe who have access to good health care, a stable food source and places to live, the EU still values Child Poverty as a pressing issue that must be eliminated.

One of the initiatives taken by the Slovenian government is implementing more accessible health services for children who may not otherwise have access to them. In particular, there has been a steady effort since 2018 to make mental health care a priority among Slovenian youth. Studies show that 50% of mental health disorders develop by age 15 in teenagers. By the age of 25, that number has increased to 75%. With the implementation of a National Mental Health Program, Slovenia hopes to build 25 mental health centers by 2028. Nineteen of these have already been constructed. The plan underscores suicide prevention and the prevention of all mental illness in children as a critical component of their overall strategy to fight child poverty in Slovenia.

Another initiative that aims to help curtail child poverty in Slovenia is the availability of beds specifically for marginalized groups who are left homeless due to forces outside their control. All in all, 1,280 beds are available to those who need them most. These houses give people a place to live when they otherwise would have been turned away for a litany of reasons. Whether they come from an abusive household or came to Slovenia from another country, this program aims to temporarily resolve housing issues and help children have one less thing to worry about.

Food Aid for Children in Slovenia

In 2021, 20.14% of all the people in Slovenia who required food aid were children 15 years and younger. The “Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived” is one such program that deals with this exact issue. In 2019 the EU conducted a mid-term evaluation of what their FEAD program had done since 2014. They had assisted over 1.2 million people with aid for food, clothing and other essentials.  Thirty percent of the recipients of aid were children. That equates to close to 360,00 children who received aid from this program in the years of 2014-2017. This program’s goal is “to eliminate the most severe forms of poverty by providing non-financial assistance to the most deprived in the form of food” and to “eliminate the most severe forms of poverty by providing non-financial assistance to the most deprived.” As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, additional food was made available via the EU, giving the commission more money to get this program off the ground. All these goals that the Slovenian Government has put forward aim to reduce child poverty by the year 2030.

Final Thoughts

Despite the vast majority of people in Slovenia having access to necessities, there is still a minority that needs assistance from their government. Whether through housing provided until they find their footing, mental health facilities designed to help diagnose and treat mental illness in children, or food aid programs that make it so people don’t have to worry about their next meal. The Slovenian government has shown that it is ready and committed to ending child poverty in Slovenia.

– Calder Miller
Photo: Flickr

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Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program

Productive Safety Net ProgramAccess to safe and adequate food is a basic human right under Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, food insecurity has been a persistent issue around the world for decades. One key country that has suffered from high rates of food-insecurity is Ethiopia, with around 32 million people living in a state of hunger or malnourishment. However, in 2005, the Ethiopian Government implemented a new way to help meet the needs of vulnerable households through the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP).

Food Insecurity and its Effects on Health

Food security is a vital aspect of health and well-being. The main causes of food insecurity can be attributed to many influences such as low rates of agricultural production, shortage of water and poor sanitation, climate change and natural disasters, among a plethora of other factors.

Furthermore, food insecurity can have significant consequences on communities both in economic terms and in the effect of the physical health of individual members of the community. Research has shown that food insecurity is associated with increased health risks such as cognitive development problems in children, general malnutrition, higher incidents of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression and many other ailments.

The Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP)

As rates of food insecurity grew across sub-Saharan Africa, the Ethiopian Government created the PSNP in 2005 in order to provide a more productive and systematic approach to aid vulnerable populations. As explained by the World Bank report on the program, “The PSNP incorporates a number of interesting features, such as public works activities geared towards improving climate resiliency; a risk financing facility to help poor households and communities to better cope with transitory shocks and the use of targeting methods that assist the most climate-vulnerable community members to obtain the full benefits of consumption smoothing and asset protection.”

Results and Impacts of the Program

The Ethiopian Government faced many challenges in implementing this program, such as difficulties in balancing female participation in public work programs and household responsibilities. However, PSNP has shown a positive impact on Ethiopia’s food-insecurity rates and therefore further expanded efforts from 2010 to 2014 with improved strategies and implementation tactics.

As a result of these efforts, the PSNP is credited with the reduction of poverty rates in Ethiopia by two percentage points as of 2014. Furthermore, the program successfully benefited more than one million participants as well as their families. Research shows that the program improved both food security rates and led to a reduced number of months households went without sufficient food. Not only did the program positively affect food insecurity rates throughout Ethiopia, but the PSNP also aided in the improvement of the general health and well-being of many individuals.

The Promise of PSNP for the Future

As recognized around the world, Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program has been widely successful in aiding the country’s impoverished population and improving Ethiopia’s food security rates. Because this program targets food insecurity through agricultural aid, financial aid and structural aid, these strategies have helped to create a strong foundation for these vulnerable populations. Although this program has encountered obstacles in its execution, the PSNP continues to show promise in combatting extreme poverty and food insecurity throughout Ethiopia.

– Caroline Dunn
Photo: Flickr