Author: Staff Reports

SEATTLE – The World Bank has discovered a new approach to helping the 124 million people currently affected by severe levels of food insecurity: Artificial Intelligence. Three international organizations, The World Bank, The United Nations and The International Committee of The Red Cross, have partnered with three of the world’s largest tech giants, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, in a joint initiative to address world hunger. The result? It’s called the Famine Action Mechanism (FAM). What is FAM? Launched in New York by U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on September 23, 2018, The Famine Action Mechanism seeks to improve international food aid…

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SEATTLE — In colonial Africa, the propagandist theater was an integral part of colonizers’ efforts to “civilize” African cultures or assimilate those cultures to their own. Far removed from the colonialist implementation, the use of theater for development in Africa has become an effective means of bettering lives across the continent since its resurgence in the latter half of the 1900s. In this context, activists use theater to convey information and portray situations that shed light on issues such as health or equality. The aim of this is to improve the overall wellbeing of the target community and its constituents.…

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SEATTLE — In 2015, The United Nations launched The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to expand upon the progress of The Millennium Development Goals from 2000 to 2015. Comprised of 17 goals, the SDGs address issues such as poverty, education and health, with the overall aim of reducing worldwide poverty to less than 3 percent by 2030. Now, three years into the initiative, reports on the outlook for sustainable development express skepticism that these goals could be reached at the current rate of progress. Poverty and Sustainable Development According to The World Bank, the rate of poverty reduction — which had…

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CAPE TOWN — Ecotourism in South Africa promotes a brand of tourism based on natural biodiversity and conservation efforts. By supporting efforts to conserve and enhance the ecological natural resources of South Africa, the government seeks to create jobs, leading to greater economic growth and reducing poverty. The Benefits of Ecotourism Ecotourism helps the economy grow by generating jobs and involving local people in the maintenance of the industry. It directly benefits the political and economic empowerment of the local community. Every year, ecotourism in South Africa generates $8.4 billion and creates 5000 jobs in the local regions. The benefits…

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SEATTLE — August 29th, 2018 marked the 60th birthday of the late, great King of Pop, Michael Jackson. A celebration of this event, entitled ‘The Diamond Celebration,’ took place at The Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas after a special performance of the Cirque Du Soleil show ‘One’. Prior to the celebration, The Michael Jackson Estate announced a partnership with an organization known as The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) for the event in order to honor Michael Jackson’s humanitarian legacy. While most Jackson fans know of his strong friendship with the late actress Elizabeth Taylor, many might not know of…

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RABAT – For girls in the developing world, education is a gateway to taking control of their lives. In Morocco, girls access to education has been steadily improving over the years. These top 10 facts about girls’ education in Morocco demonstrate the progress Morocco has made. Top 10 Facts About Girls’ Education in Morocco There is a serious gender gap in literacy – Two-thirds of all women in Morocco are illiterate, suggesting a structural issue in girls’ access to education. However, in youth specifically, the statistics are becoming more promising; although, there remains a notable gender gap. Between 2008 and…

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HAVANA – Cuba’s education systems is one of the best in the developing world. With the Cuban government focusing on improving the quality of education and making it accessible to everyone, they boast high gender parity. Here are the top 10 facts about girls’ education in Cuba. Top 10 Facts About Girls’ Education in Cuba There is no inequality shown in enrolment rates. In 2008, 98 percent of females and males enrolled in public school, which reflects equal access to and participation in education for both genders. Articles 42 and 43 of the Constitution of The Republic of Cuba ensure…

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KIGALI – More than 20 years ago, Rwanda faced one of the bloodiest conflicts of the decade. Today, however, it enjoys political and economic stability. This small African nation has recently attracted the investment of one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturers: Volkswagen. The hope behind this investment is that it will help attract even more investments and possibly create new jobs in Rwanda. Rwanda at a Glance According to the CIA, 39 percent of the Rwandan population was living below the poverty line in 2015. Although these levels are still high, they are at almost half of what they were…

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SEATTLE – Iced coffee on the way to work, take-out dinner and grocery store trips: these routine activities have one thing in common — they all use single-use plastic. Since 1964, the production of plastic has increased twentyfold, now reaching a rate of 8 million metric tons a year. To put it in perspective, this is the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic entering the ocean every minute. Unfortunately, the demand for plastic is still growing, expecting to quadruple in production by 2050. This growth has been especially problematic in developing countries, where recycling facilities are either inefficient or unavailable and…

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