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Addressing Disability and Poverty in Lesotho

Disability and Poverty in LesothoThrough the mists, in the landlocked mountainous kingdom of Lesotho Africa, a social pandemic is still prevalent. Disability and poverty in Lesotho are still alive. 

Many inhabitants who live outside of the cities still rely on agriculture and farming animals to make a living, though soil erosion is prevalent. Those who move to the cities to create a new life for themselves and their families are met with unemployment and homelessness. In fact, 59% of the population lives under the poverty line.

A Shared Link

Disability and poverty in Lesotho seem to go hand in hand. A lack of stability and infrastructure foster these issues. High unemployment, food insecurity, political unrest, poor fossil fuel resources and a reliance on food imports from South Africa make it difficult to gain full economic independence.

Ties to South Africa could do more harm than good in this present economy. Not only does Lesotho rely on South Africa for electricity, but it also relies on it for food imports. The U.S. has imposed a 30% tariff on South Africa. This will ultimately trickle down to Lesotho furthering the food insecurities of that country.

Living in rural areas makes food insecurity harder to deal with as well. As of 2024, 69.1% of Lesotho’s population lived in rural areas and were especially susceptible to food insecurity. They rely on agriculture to grow food. The increase in droughts and floods threatens crops resulting in many having little to eat.

Disability Adds to the Fray

Adding disability into the fray makes matters worse. Poverty creates a lack of accessible infrastructure, a lack of special equipment needed for individuals with disabilities such as wheelchairs, walkers and technology like tablets. There is a lack of medicine, homecare and specialists for those who need it the most. As of 2020, the UN found that 3% of the population suffered from some form of disability. Many children are within that percentage. According to findings by the UN in 2020, 38.5% of children had a form of visual impairment. About 30.3% had an intellectual impairment and 7.5% had some form of  a physical disability.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities published its findings in March 2026 regarding the prejudice surrounding individuals with disabilities, particularly those who suffer from albinism. It found that there is a need to uphold human rights for all nationwide.

There is also a huge gap in education due to the lack of teachers and educational materials that are geared toward those with physical and intellectual disabilities. In fact, many who are disabled stay home because of the lack of help and the stigma surrounding disabilities.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also published its findings regarding the lack of education surrounding children with disabilities. It recommended the repeal of the Education Act of 2010 that upholds the discrimination of children by blocking education for all.

Disability and poverty in Lesotho is a cycle. Because of the poverty levels, there is not enough adequate help for those living with a disability.

There Is Hope

Though the cycle of disability and poverty seems bleak, there is hope. There are many organizations who are helping the people of Lesotho break that cycle of poverty and thus, are able to help those with disabilities. A lot of this is occurring through education and technology.

The Lesotho Basic Education Strengthening Project was an initiative that helped teachers enhance their teaching skills through online training courses, enhance their teaching skills. The project closed in 2025 but the World Bank continues to invest in the Lesotho Education Improvement Project that continues to help teachers and improve physical learning conditions.

Global partnerships focusing on AI  have also made a positive impact on inclusivity. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in alliance with Intel Corporation, has helped to bring AI technology and training to Lesotho. With the backing of the Lesotho government, AI will be accessible to all by 2030.

Lesotho already has 40 digital learning labs and 40 trained digital ambassadors throughout the country thus far. These ambassadors are teaching the people of Lesotho AI through storytelling, and interactive games helping the population to learn as easily as possible. The goal is to make sure no one is left behind.

Those with disabilities are not being left behind either as the Lesotho National Federation of Organisations of the Disabled (LNFOD) is taking initiatives to make sure of this. The umbrella organization helps enable individuals living with disabilities to live as independently as possible through the development of life skills and education.

Looking Ahead

Lesotho has ambitions for the future. Technology and AI hope to help make this happen. With improvements in agriculture, education, infrastructure and trade will help to create a more stable country thus improving the lives of all. 

– Lara Lewis

Lara is based in Wakefield, RI, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Innovate Health Africa’s DHLSAT

Man using a tablet in a bright room, Innovate Health Africa initiative. DHLSATDigital health literacy in Africa is becoming as essential as a stethoscope. As African health care rapidly adopts electronic health records, telemedicine and mobile health applications, frontline health workers increasingly need digital skills to provide effective care. A new tool developed by Innovate Health Africa is helping them find out exactly where they stand and what to do next.

A Continent Adopting Digital Tools

Africa carries approximately 25% of the world’s disease burden but accounts for only 3% of the global health care workforce, according to McKinsey. To bridge that gap, African health care has increasingly turned to digital health tools. However, this adoption has revealed a critical challenge: many health workers lack the digital literacy needed to use those tools effectively.

Research conducted across sub-Saharan Africa found that low digital literacy levels and limited access to technology represent key challenges for health workers and patients alike when adopting and embracing digital health tools. In Ethiopia, studies found that only around half of health care workers demonstrated sufficient digital literacy levels, with gaps widening in rural and lower-income areas.

The consequences are significant. Addressing the health care worker shortage in sub-Saharan Africa could reduce the region’s disease burden by 35% and increase its GDP by an estimated $22 billion a year, except if those workers are equipped with the skills to operate in an increasingly digital health landscape.

What Is the DHLSAT?

Innovate Health Africa is an organization advancing equitable health care in Africa through innovation, research and workforce capacity development. It developed the Digital Health Literacy Self-Assessment Tool (DHLSAT) to address this gap.

The DHLSAT is a scientifically validated diagnostic framework developed to align with continental health workforce digital readiness efforts. It empowers frontline health care professionals across Africa to precisely map their digital competencies, identify critical literacy gaps and access tailored recommendations to accelerate digital readiness at the frontline.

How It Works

Health care professionals complete the DHLSAT assessment online and receive a personalized digital health literacy profile based on four proficiency tiers: Practitioner, Explorer, Innovator and Expert. Each tier reflects a different level of digital health competency ranging from foundational awareness to advanced innovation capability.

Following the assessment, the tool generates personalized recommendations and scientifically validated insights to guide each user’s digital health literacy growth. Users can download their digital health literacy profile report and share it with employers, recruiters, academic institutions or other relevant organizations.

The DHLSAT covers key areas of digital health competency, including data governance, bioinformatics, digital health’s role in climate change and the broader digital health landscape across Africa, giving health workers a comprehensive view of both their strengths and the areas that require development.

DHLSAT’s Impact

The response from health care professionals who have used the tool reflects its practical value. One user, Dr. Alex O., described the experience as opening a new perspective on developing digital skills. Another user, Kofo Kola O., described the profile as clearly articulating both strengths and weaknesses in a way that felt comforting, exciting and inspiring. A community health worker, Sarah T.S., noted that with Innovate Health Africa’s guidance, her community health project now reaches more than 10,000 people monthly.

Building the Foundation for Digital Readiness

The DHLSAT does not operate alone. Innovate Health Africa works with more than 30 trusted partners in more than six countries and operates across three core portfolios: workforce capacity development, implementation research and innovation. Furthermore, the organization designs and delivers competency-based training in digital health, generates scientific evidence on how digital health is being experienced across African health systems and works with public and private health institutions to design and implement community-shaped digital health solutions.

The DHLSAT fits within a broader strategy to ensure that Africa’s digital health transformation is led by informed, capable health workers instead of being undermined by a skills gap that goes undiagnosed and unaddressed.

Looking Ahead

Africa’s digital health sector is growing rapidly, and the need for a skilled, digitally literate health workforce has never been more necessary. By giving health care professionals the ability to assess their own digital readiness, receive personalized guidance and track their progress, the DHLSAT represents a practical, scalable solution to one of the continent’s most pressing workforce challenges.

– Joy Kohol

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

Photo: Unsplash

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Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan: Solving Poverty with Technology

Digital Family Card in KazakhstanKazakhstan has made strong progress in reducing poverty, but some families still face more difficulties than others. The World Bank reported that Kazakhstan’s poverty rate fell from 49.5% to 8.5% between 2006 and 2021. These advancements helped 5.9 million people leave poverty. However, poverty in rural areas remained higher than in cities, with 11.4% of the rural population living in poverty compared with 6.6% of residents in urban areas. The same report also found that children made up 40% of poor people in Kazakhstan in 2021. These gaps demonstrate why the Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan matters for families that may need faster and direct support.

How the Digital Family Card Works

The Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan is a government technology tool that helps identify families who may qualify for social support. The project emerged from joint work between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Instead of making every family search for programs on their own, the system uses official data to help the government understand which families may be at risk.

UNDP says the Digital Family Card offers more than 30 services that people can access automatically, without needing to apply. This is important because vulnerable families may not always know what support exists or how to request it. UNDP also says the project focuses on groups such as single mothers raising more than three children, families with disabled members and orphaned children.

A System Built Around Family Needs

The Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan does not work like a regular plastic card. It functions more like a digital profile that helps the government understand a family’s situation. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says the system uses a scoring model of family well-being with 120 parameters from more than 20 data sources. These include areas such as social and economic conditions, education, health and housing.

This kind of system can make social assistance more targeted. For example, a family may need help because of low income, disability, unemployment or another difficult situation. The Digital Family Card can help the government see these risks earlier and connect people to support. ITU also explains that the system uses anonymized data for analytics, which helps protect personal information while still allowing the government to make decisions based on strong data.

From Pilot Program to Social Support Tool

Kazakhstan started testing the Digital Family Card in 2022. According to the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Labor launched the card in pilot mode for nine types of benefits and social payments. The plan included using the card to provide state guarantees in social protection, health care and education.

The Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan later became part of the country’s wider social policy. UNDP says Kazakhstan included the project in its Social Code. The system now has information on more than 6 million families. This information helps the government plan spending and deliver social assistance more accurately, using real-time data.

Making Benefits Easier to Access

One major goal of the Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan is to make government support easier to receive. UNDP explains that the system can assess family vulnerability without citizens needing to take the first step. If a person may qualify for support, the system can send an SMS asking for consent. If the person agrees, the social benefit, payment or other type of support can go directly to the person’s bank account.

This matters for people who may not have strong access to government internet platforms. Some families may live far from public offices, lack digital skills or not know which benefits match their situation. A text-message system can reduce confusion and make the process easier. It also helps the government reach people before their problems become more serious.

Recognized as a GovTech Solution

The Digital Family Card has received some recognition. In February 2024, the project won the 2024 GovTech Prize at the World Government Summit in Dubai. It won in the “Inclusive Digital Transformation” category. UNDP says the award recognized the card as a tool that improves access to government support for vulnerable people.

Kazakhstan has continued to use the card as part of its social support system. In July 2024, the Prime Minister’s official website reported that the government planned to use the Digital Family Card platform to monitor the well-being of families in five categories, from emergency and crisis levels to satisfactory and prosperous levels. This helps local officials track whether families’ living conditions improve or worsen.

Looking Ahead

The Digital Family Card in Kazakhstan does not solve poverty. Families still face problems linked to rural inequality, children’s poverty and access to services. However, the card helps address one important issue: accessibility of families to know programs. By using data, SMS notifications and automatic services, Kazakhstan is making social support easier to access. For vulnerable families, this digital tool can address many of their issues instantly.

– Mateo Alcocer

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

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Sustainable Heating Solutions with Mat Zero

Sustainable Heating SolutionsAccording to the latest U.N. reports, there were approximately 42.5 million refugees worldwide as of June 2025. Many have sought shelter in refugee camps or informal settlements where basic needs are scarcely secured and new challenges constantly arise. While many have fled their homes, others remain in armed conflict zones where livelihoods are under threat. Amid this turmoil, humanitarian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide continue to work with vulnerable communities to restore hope by working directly on the ground, securing funds, pressuring governments to take action and developing innovative and cost-effective solutions and technologies to save and improve the lives of refugees.

Innovative, Sustainable Heating Solutions

In 2025, Sri Hollema, a graduate student from Loughborough University, won the Women in Innovation award by Innovate U.K. for her work with Mat Zero, which is revolutionizing humanitarian heating through sustainable energy. What started as a university project, Mat Zero is now a growing global movement with products commercially available. With a humanitarian mission to provide warmth for all, Mat Zero donates a heating unit to a family in need for every product sold.

The UNHCR previously shared stories highlighting how much warmth can impact the lives of those living as refugees, in conflict zones or in informal settlements.

  • Warmth and Shelter: For many people, warmth means shelter. Many displaced families endure cold temperatures without adequate heating or shelter. Access to both can provide some comfort amid a life full of uncertainties.
  • Human Connection: Warmth nurtures human connection, especially for those in war zones where homes are damaged and exposed to harsh weather. Access to warmth can create space for community as people are more likely to visit.
  • A Slice of Hope: In many settlements, significant temperature drops during winter add to the challenges displaced communities face daily. Providing warmth during cold winter months can offer a slice of hope, which can go a long way.

The impact of having access to adequate heating extends beyond health concerns and many communities continue to be underserved in this area. With this in mind, Hollema founded Mat Zero.

Mat Zero

Mat Zero is a startup working on sustainable heating solutions to help the world’s vulnerable communities who have been forcibly displaced and continue to face challenges in meeting basic rights and needs, including access to warmth. Temporary settlements are heavily affected by severe weather conditions due to poor infrastructure. During winter, many communities face the cold, harsh winds and storms.

Founder Hollema developed the project with a simple belief: “Warmth is a human right, not a luxury.” Since its inception, Mat Zero has won and been shortlisted for multiple awards, including The Conduit’s Young Innovator Awards, the Santander X U.K. Awards in 2024 and Innovative U.K.’s Women in Innovation in 2025.

Its mission to “heat the person not the space” ensures underserved communities are kept warm in a safe and sustainable way. The mat comes with an energy hub and solar panels and relies on sustainable technology using carbon fiber heating, usable in all kinds of shelter. The group’s product ensures warmth comes in a safe form with no toxic fumes or risk of fires, an extremely important factor for crowded spaces.

The team continuously tests and improves the product’s effectiveness and recent field trials in Nepal showed 87% of users felt more comfortable at night. It does not stop there. Having tested the product’s effectiveness on the ground with clean, sustainable energy, Mat Zero can also benefit other humanitarian organizations.

Cost-Effective Solution for Humanitarian NGOs

Heating a household requires a lot of energy and can be costly. With its innovative heating solution, Mat Zero can potentially reduce the amount spent on providing heating by NGOs. Additionally, the heating mats are designed to last up to five years before the battery needs replacement.

Designed to offer clean and sustainable heating technology, Mat Zero provides a promising solution to ensure the world’s vulnerable communities stay warm and safe.

– Marine Baume

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

Photo: Flickr

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Technology for Smallholder Farmers in India

Technology for Smallholder Farmers in IndiaA trader pulls up to a field in rural Maharashtra. He names a price for the onion harvest. The farmer, who has no way to check if it is fair, has always accepted. That is how it has worked for generations.

Not anymore.

Before the trader has finished talking, the farmer’s phone buzzes. A message in a WhatsApp group — 2,000 members, all onion growers in the same region — has just circulated today’s wholesale rate from the nearest mandi market. The trader’s offer is 30% below it. The farmer tells him to leave.

This single exchange captures what the technology for smallholder farmers in India revolution looks like. Not a Silicon Valley app. Not a government scheme. A free messaging platform, a few thousand farmers and information that was always available — just never to them.

The Middleman’s Greatest Weapon Was Ignorance

India’s agriculture sector employs 42% of the country’s workforce.

Yet the people doing that work have historically been the most informationally isolated. Smallholder and marginal farmers — those with less than two hectares of land — account for 86.2% of all farmers in India, but own just 47.3% of the arable land. They grow the country’s food from a position of almost zero leverage.

The trader knew the mandi price. The farmer did not. That single information gap — replicated across millions of transactions every harvest season — has quietly transferred billions of rupees from the people who grew the food to the people who simply moved it. WhatsApp groups are closing that gap in real time.

500,000 Farmers, Two Friends From Sangli

In 2012, two friends in Sangli, Maharashtra — Dr. Ankush Chormule and Amol Patil — noticed something simple: farmers around them had endless questions about pests, soil, crop timing and market prices and nowhere fast to get answers. WhatsApp had just launched. They started a group.

Seven years later, that group had grown into a network of more than 500,000 farmers across seven states. Their sugarcane group alone has 230,000 members from Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Farmers report getting answers to crop questions within five to 15 minutes. Farmers in the network detected the arrival of fall armyworm pests in Maharashtra before it became a regional epidemic — weeks before any government alert.

“If something as simple as a video helps a farmer, it means his income goes up and his faith in the occupation is restored,” Patil told The Better India.

No funding. No offices. No staff. Just a phone and a willingness to answer messages.

One farmer in the network, Ramesh Jadhav of Nashik district, told local reporters that the group helped him identify a fungal infection in his tomato crop within hours of posting a photo — saving an estimated ₹80,000 (approximately $841) worth of produce he would otherwise have lost. Cases like his are now common across the network.

What the Data Says

The anecdotes are compelling. The data backs them up. Research from the GSMA found that 75% of active users of mobile agricultural services made measurable improvements to their farming practices — translating to 1.5 million farmers globally reporting better productivity outcomes.

The annual financing gap for smallholder farmers worldwide sits at $170 billion — a number that better market access directly chips away at.

Meanwhile, the infrastructure for scaling this further is already in place. India crossed 958 million active internet users in 2025, with rural India now accounting for 57% of that base — around 548 million people.

Rural internet users are growing at 16% annually, twice the pace of urban areas. By 2026, India is projected to have one billion smartphone users, with rural areas driving the majority of that growth. The phones are there. The farmers are using them. The question is whether anyone in power is paying attention.

The Problem With Official Solutions

For decades, governments and development organizations have tried to close the agricultural information gap through extension officers, radio broadcasts and expensive digital platforms. Many have produced modest results at enormous cost. WhatsApp groups are producing comparable — often greater — impact for free.

The reason is trust. A price update from a government portal is data. The same update forwarded by a cousin farming the same crop two villages over is intelligence. Technology for smallholder farmers in India works when it moves through existing social networks, not around them.

India’s farmers are not waiting for a solution to be designed for them. In Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, they have already built one — on a platform that was never intended for agriculture, using nothing more than the collective knowledge of people who have worked the same land for generations.

The middleman still shows up. He just does not get the same answer he used to.

– Parthivee Mukherji

Parthivee is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Understanding Poverty in South Sudan with Poverty Simulations

poverty in south sudanPoverty in South Sudan is among the worst in the world. More than 70% of the population is on or below the poverty line, and only around 30% of the population is literate. This intense poverty is a result of national fragility, prolonged conflict, economic collapse and the inability of the government to provide for its citizens. More than two-thirds of the South Sudanese people need to rely on humanitarian aid for their survival. And though the amount of aid sent to South Sudan is an inspiring metric, things will not change without stronger efforts. And efforts won’t be strengthened unless the people of the world band together in support of poverty eradication.

Poverty Simulations

Now, Poverty Simulations are taking effect all across the U.S. and are enlightening the general public to the candid realities of poverty. Poverty simulations are simulations that imitate what real people in poverty go through. They are garnering more and more support for poverty relief efforts across the globe by educating the public

Poverty simulations are the exact thing that is necessary to help increase support for South Sudan. Most people know about poverty, but few truly understand it. Understanding poverty in South Sudan more deeply is now possible with poverty simulations.

What it is Like to Live in South Sudan

South Sudan is the world’s newest country, having gained independence from Sudan in 2011, less than two decades ago. This youth comes with significant struggles for the population. First of all, the population of the nation is very young. More than 70% of the population is below 18 years old. The young, inexperienced government of the country has struggled since its birth to provide for its people and manage conflict. This has led to a nation overrun by food insecurity and division.

There are few large towns in South Sudan, and most people live in compact, makeshift houses in very small villages. In some regions, people do not even use money for transactions; instead, farming and harvesting are the main sources of sustenance. Sources of aid, like schools, churches and social services, are near nonexistent. Civil conflict is rampant as well. Daily violence often prevents people from going about their daily lives

This level of poverty can be difficult to comprehend, but there is now an accessible way to begin understanding what it’s like on a deeper level.

What are Poverty Simulations and How do They Work?

Poverty simulations are group activities mostly for schools, nonprofit workers, nurses or other individuals who may encounter poverty in their field of work. They aim to help people who live in developed countries, like the U.S., understand and sympathize with people who live in extreme poverty. The activities themselves are comparable to role-play games.

Jason Morrow, an internist and an ethics professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, was responsible for running a poverty simulation for his medical students to help them empathize with patients who are living in poverty. According to Morrow, “The (poverty) simulation is an immersive experience where students play a role within a family.” “In the exercise, they have to survive and try to thrive with low income and limited resources.”

Individuals are put into groups or families, and each is assigned a particular role. The individual must perform that role as best they can. Resources are also set throughout the setting of the simulation, like social services, the grocery store, the church, and others, where the participants can go for help and amenities. However, the participants can not always receive exactly what they need to thrive. Often, they’re turned away from the help they need; this mirrors the reality that most people in poverty face.

Morrow claims that poverty simulations bestow participants with an understanding of poverty beyond just reading about it: “It’s one thing to read about how poverty strains cognition. It’s another thing to spend two hours running from one side of the room to the other so you can try to pay your utility bills, not get evicted, and make sure your child has some sort of supervision.”

These simulations are extremely valuable for understanding any kind of economic struggle, but this fictional poverty doesn’t even come close to some of the things that people in South Sudan go through. Many live a life without money altogether. They must grow their own food and trade for resources. However, that does not mean poverty simulations don’t help people sympathize with the struggle for wellness. On a fundamental level, all who live in poverty go through a similar mental strain of not knowing how they will make it to tomorrow.

Hope for the Future of South Sudan

With a better understanding of South Sudan’s immense hardships, it’s also important to understand that hope is still there. There are organizations working hard in and around South Sudan to bring relief to those suffering from extreme poverty. Here are a few examples:

Global Care has partnered with the Diocese of Wau to put more than 50 students through educational training to become teachers for the children of South Sudan. Global Care has also established several other schools in the region, which have helped hundreds of children receive an education who would not otherwise have received it.

The United Nations has an ongoing peacekeeping operation in South Sudan. It has established camps to protect civilians from conflict and stationed officials around the country to respond to violent incidents, according to CFR.

Hopeland has partnered with Medair to manufacture and distribute shelter kits in South Sudan to communities affected by severe flooding. Shelter kits are packages made from recycled materials that can be used to create makeshift shelters to shield from harsh weather conditions.

South Sudan has some of the worst poverty rates in the world, but if developed countries are consistently sympathizing more and more with poverty thanks to poverty simulations, then support for relief efforts in South Sudan will remain strong and grow even stronger.

– Lucas Cain

Lucas is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Tech Hubs and Youth Economic Empowerment in Iraq

Youth Economic Empowerment in IraqYouth in Iraq are no longer looking towards the oil fields for their future; they are looking toward the cloud. In a country where more than 90% of government revenue relies on the fluctuating oil market, a new generation is staging a digital alternative.

Background

The urgency for youth economic empowerment in Iraq is driven by demographics, with roughly 60% of the population under the age of 25. The private work sector finds itself limited in size and scope while trying to accommodate this influx of talent. While the public sector remains the traditional anchor of the economy, it has become a room with no remaining seats; today’s graduates are stepping into a workspace that is already at capacity.

As a result, Iraq records a higher percentage of 13.5% unemployment and lower labor force participation rates of 38% than the regional average. This highlights why digital hubs have become the primary engine for youth economic empowerment in Iraq. As of 2026, in an economy where petroleum still anchors over 90% of the national budget, these hubs are carving out a non-oil economy and growing steadily since last year.

Digital Leap

By providing high-speed internet infrastructure, resources often unavailable in private homes, these centers enable a “digital leap” for a generation entering the job market. Through courses in high-demand fields like AI data labeling and cybersecurity, the internet could connect young Iraqis to the global “gig economy.” This could allow graduates to bypass a stagnant local labor market and earn stable, international-level wages.

This decoupling is a critical lifeline, ensuring the financial future of Iraqi youth is no longer tied to global oil prices. Furthermore, these hubs could help narrow the gender gap; by 2024, targeted outreach has begun to raise the historically low female labor participation rate by offering remote work pathways that respect local cultural contexts.

Silicon Valley of Baghdad

The “Silicon Valley of Baghdad” narrative finds its blueprint in the south, within a specific Public Youth Center.

Souq Al-Shoyukh Community and Climate Hub (SSCH) is Iraq’s very first government-based community innovation center. With the efforts and partnership of UNDP-Iraq, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Nahr Al-Uloom Foundation, this shared space now harnesses local knowledge into real solutions and ventures.

While most tech hubs cluster in northern cities like Erbil or Mosul, the South has historically lacked opportunities for technical development. Indeed, the SSCH model addresses this gap by creating a government-supported infrastructure that bypasses the short lifespans of private, donor-dependent hubs. By providing reliable electricity and industrial-grade equipment, hubs like this act as a safe space for digital creation and a rescue from existing infrastructure gaps.

Looking Ahead

The expansion of these digital hubs signals a fundamental shift in Iraq’s social contract. By 2026, the success of centers like the SSCH proves that the future of youth economic empowerment lies in a high-tech synergy between public infrastructure and private initiative.

Rather than replacing traditional sectors, these hubs could act as a bridge, equipping a new generation to modernize Iraq’s economy from within.

By connecting local talent to the global digital frontier, Iraq is repositioning its most valuable resource: the intellectual capital of its youth.

– Celine Dib

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

Photo: Flickr

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From Seeds to Market With the DeHaat App

dehaatFounded in 2012 by university graduates Shashank Kumar, Amrendra Singh, Adarsh Srivastav and Shyam Sundar Singh, DeHaat is a digital platform designed to support farmers across India. Today, it serves more than 1.4 million users by offering a range of services including: “frequent crop reminders, voice calls in regional languages, crop advisories, weather reports, and local mandi (market) rates.”

By combining technology with agriculture, DeHaat is helping to modernize the farming sector through modern agrotech solutions for farmers, making information and resources far more accessible. In doing so, the app is simultaneously helping farmers increase crop productivity and secure better prices for their produce.

The following sections outline the key features of the app and how each one of them contributes to reducing poverty and promoting long-term economic stability.

Crop Insurance

One of the most significant advantages of this app is its provision of crop insurance, which plays a critical role in alleviating poverty among farmers. A major challenge in the Indian agricultural sector is the impact of extreme weather events on harvests.  In India, since 2020, floods, storms or hailstorms have damaged“[…] 1.32 million acres – nearly seven times the size of New York City.”

Such losses could be devastating and force farmers to restart from the beginning, wiping out their income and pushing them deeper into financial insecurity. However, through integrated insurance services, DeHaat provides a vital financial safety net. This support ensures that farmers are not left without resources in times of crisis, helping them recover quickly and stabilise their income.

Therefore, by protecting farmers against unpredictable losses, the platform not only strengthens agricultural resistance but also promotes long-term economic security, making it a potent tool in the broader effort to reduce rural poverty.

Weather Alerts

Similar to its insurance feature, the app’s frequent weather alerts also play a key role in alleviating poverty. By providing timely meteorological updates and guidance for different stages of the growing season, farmers are able to plan ahead more effectively. This allows them to choose the right crops for specific conditions, allowing them to plant produce at optimal times.

For instance, if a storm is forecast to reach their farmland, farmers can prepare by fortifying crops or adjusting their harvesting schedule to minimize damage. These proactive decisions could help reduce crop losses, ensuring the farmer retains more of their income and produce.

Consequently, these agritech solutions for farmers could help lower the risks associated with unpredictable weather. DeHaat helps farmers to maintain more consistent earnings, reducing farmers’ vulnerability to condition-induced poverty over time.

Farm Tagging and Connect with Experts

A third significant feature of the app is its ability to directly and swiftly connect rural farmers with expert agriculture advice. Through the Dehaat platform, farmers can access guidance on critical aspects of farming such as pest control, irrigation techniques and the appropriate use of fertilizers. This immediate access to professional knowledge helps address one of the key challenges faced by smallholder farmers: the lack of reliable support.

By creating a more informed and responsive farming environment, the platform enables farmers to make better decisions and manage their land more thoroughly. Rather than relying on trial-and-error procedures, farmers can instead implement reliable and proven science-based solutions.

From a poverty-alleviation perspective, such expertise could be truly transformative because it could reduce the likelihood of crop failures, which would subsequently lead to lower production yields. In the long term, this intellectual exchange between farmers and experts empowers farmers to cultivate a secure and stable farming career, which could increase their ability to make money.

Market Linkage

The final, and most significant, feature of the app is its ability to connect farmers directly to local markets and facilitate the sale of their produce. Historically, the Indian agricultural sector has faced challenges related to corruption and exploitation. For example, findings from the BBC and Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) identified that, “90,000 farmers between April 2011 and March 2012 found serious irregularities,” underscoring the vulnerability of small holders within traditional market systems.

By enabling direct access to institutional buyers, DeHaat could help reduce farmers’ reliance on intermediaries who may exploit information systems, helping ensure fairer pricing and more secure transactions, which helps farmers to avoid falling into debt traps. This greater financial independence contributes to a more equitable farmer experience that plays a role in reducing declines into rural poverty.

Conclusion

Ultimately, this app is an extraordinary example of how technology can provide effective solutions to reduce rural poverty by strengthening every stage of the farming process. From crop insurance to weather alerts to formal market guidelines, DeHaat agritech solutions for farmers help foster a proper, long-term, stable economic future for many individuals.

– Sophia Lupo

Sophia is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Are Smartphones Driving Financial Inclusion in South Asia?

Financial Inclusion in South AsiaA silent revolution is taking place in South Asia’s markets and rural areas, where the digital gender gap is being challenged significantly. Recent studies show that despite women being 32% less likely than men to use mobile internet in South Asia, those who have access use smartphones as an all-in-one financial and educational hub, effectively avoiding traditional banking systems that have historically excluded them. Here is some information about how smartphones are driving financial inclusion in South Asia.

‎The Rise of the “Portable Bank Branch”

In South Asia, women in rural areas often face challenges in accessing physical banks. Women are compelled to rely on cash, which increases the risk of theft and prevents them from building a credit history. This lack of formal financial access traps women in a cycle of poverty. Women cannot access the capital required to grow a small business or save for investments.

In countries like India and Pakistan, the smartphone has transitioned from a communication device to a portable bank. The rise of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has become essential for women entrepreneurs as it processes more than 20 billion transactions per month. In Bangladesh, women manage their earnings using digital wallets such as PhonePe or bKash, without needing to visit a bank in person. Visiting a bank was a significant hurdle for women in remote areas where social norms or distance often restricts mobility.

‎This shift helped the rise of the micro- entrepreneur. In Pakistan, initiatives like Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) have successfully migrated to digital wallets such as JazzCash to ensure that the aid and business earnings reach women directly. This digital advancement enables women to maintain control over their financial assets, often using their savings for critical life improvement areas such as their children’s education or their own growth.

Financial Inclusion and the Poverty Gap

Poverty disproportionately affects women in South Asia. In Pakistan, the poverty rate among women is often higher because of a lack of property ownership and formal employment. Women are restricted to the household and often face hurdles to achieving financial freedom. Women with no control over income and finances are more likely to have less influence over household spending.

Cultural, economic and systemic barriers often constrain women’s autonomy in South Asia. In many rural areas, women require permission to leave home, and in some regions, women are restricted from stepping out of their homes. Women in rural areas are often dependent on male relatives for basic needs. People in those areas often see financial independence as rebellion.

Lack of access to technology does not limit digital inclusion; it is more about autonomy, according to the GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report. The research findings indicate that while the overall gender gap in South Asia remains wide, the frequency of use among connected women is rapidly increasing. Women in this region are increasingly tech savvy, as they are not using these devices for just entertainment but to increase their awareness, access property rights information and health services. Utilization of mobile internet for e-learning is also becoming very popular.

Organizations are further working to improve women’s experience by creating safe, digital-first spaces where women can learn to invest and save. Organizations like India’s LXME, founded in 2018, further accelerate this trend. LXME created a women-only digital community. Women can learn about mutual funds, insurance, saving in a jargon-free environment and in local languages. Since its establishment, LXME has empowered more than 1000,000 women to decide their financial future. Making financial literacy accessible in local languages and easy-to-manage interfaces is bridging the gap between having a phone and having financial power.

‎Closing the Final Gap

‎While this silent transition is improving, challenges persist. Significant efforts are required to improve the situation, as 60% of the world’s unconnected women live in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of women risk being left behind in a rapidly digitalizing global economy, and aggressive investment in digital literacy and affordable information and communication can mitigate the risk.

‎As access to mobile internet is increasing, South Asian women’s situation is moving from helplessness to innovation. Financial inclusion in South Asia has improved as millions of women can make transactions via QR codes and manage business from their palms. A smartphone is not just a gadget; it is a new factor contributing to an equitable economy.

‎– Noor Ul Ain Ameer

Noor is based in Islamabad, Pakistan and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Caribbean Health Systems: Lab Training and AMR in Barbados

AMR in BarbadosIn Barbados, laboratory professionals are helping lead one of the Caribbean’s most important public health efforts: strengthening the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through regional training workshops focused on advanced diagnostic technologies, laboratory information systems and shared surveillance strategies, Barbados is emerging as a key hub for Caribbean cooperation against drug-resistant infections. As AMR continues to threaten health systems worldwide, Barbados offers a model for how regional investment in public health infrastructure can improve long-term development outcomes.

Why AMR Matters

AMR happens when bacteria and other microorganisms evolve, making antibiotics and other medicines less effective. The result is infections that are harder to treat, longer hospital stays and a higher risk of severe illness or death. For smaller island nations, the challenge extends beyond medicine into development itself. 

Limited diagnostic infrastructure can delay treatment decisions, raise health care costs and place greater strain on already stretched public health systems. For Caribbean countries with limited standard laboratories and uneven access to advanced testing equipment, these delays can weaken infection control efforts and reduce the quality of data needed for policy decisions. This is especially significant in lower-resource settings, where preventable illness can deepen poverty by increasing medical expenses and reducing workforce productivity.

How Barbados Is Strengthening Regional Laboratory Capacity

At the center of this effort is the Best-dos-Santos Public Health Laboratory in Bridgetown, where regional training sessions have brought together laboratory professionals from across the Caribbean. Recent workshops organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) focused on Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), AMR characterization and new diagnostic technologies, including Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and infrared spectrometry. These tools allow laboratories to move more quickly from identifying pathogens to determining which antibiotics will work. 

Just as importantly, digital systems such as WHONET and SEDRI-LIMS help countries standardize data collection and share reliable surveillance information across borders. This regional interoperability strengthens the Caribbean’s ability to track resistant infections and coordinate public health responses more efficiently. Barbados’ growing leadership in this space reflects years of capacity-building support through PAHO and the U.K. Fleming Fund. 

According to PAHO, the Best-dos-Santos laboratory has improved microbiology workflows, reporting systems and regional coordination. This positions the country as an emerging reference center for AMR surveillance in the Eastern Caribbean.

The Link Between Stronger Labs and Global Development

Stronger laboratories do more than improve diagnostics. Faster, more accurate testing reduces unnecessary antibiotic use, supports better patient recovery and lowers the long-term costs associated with resistant infections. In practical terms, this means fewer preventable deaths, shorter disruptions to employment and less financial pressure on households already vulnerable to health-related poverty.

For the Caribbean, this also represents a broader investment in resilience. Over the past year, PAHO-supported initiatives delivered 34 critical pieces of laboratory equipment to 14 laboratories in nine Caribbean countries, helping expand the region’s diagnostic capacity and data quality. These improvements strengthen not only clinical care but also national action plans and regional health security.

A Model for Regional Public Health Cooperation

Barbados’ leadership points to a larger shift toward regional self-sufficiency in health infrastructure. As AMR grows into one of the century’s most serious public health threats, Barbados is showing how regional cooperation can turn limited resources into collective strength. By sharing technology, expertise and surveillance systems, Caribbean countries are building a collective response to a problem that no single nation can solve alone. 

Investments in laboratory systems today are helping the region build healthier, more resilient futures tomorrow.

– Angela “Phoenix” Garrett

Angela is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr