Author: Kimberly Quitzon

SEATTLE — When poor countries experience natural disasters it is hard to recover from losing the little resources they have. Countries in South America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East suffer from climate change, which can destroy their crops and homes. These events increase poverty and make it hard for people in developing nations to continue their daily lives. Luckily, many programs and projects have been developed to help those in need of assistance from the affects of natural disasters. The World Bank has recently approved a $125 million project to restore buildings in Pakistan affected by flooding. “Pakistan is…

LOS ANGELES — In some of the world’s poorest countries, girls are being forced to marry at a young age. In fact, “about one in four girls is married before the age of 18,” according to UNICEF. The violation of human rights these girls face has become a focus for many organizations fighting to bring this to an end. Organizations like ONE and Girls Not Brides have tackled this issue and found that the leading cause of child marriages is poverty and a lack of education. In the most rural areas of the world like Niger, Bangladesh and Uganda, girls…

SEATTLE — As technology continues to advance, people in poor countries are finding that mobile banking can help them better manage their money. By using a mobile banking system they have the opportunity to secure their money and manage it more effectively. Many organizations have researched this new take on helping developing countries and are finding ways to bring more phones to people living in poverty. Half of the world currently lives with less than one dollar a day, and while they find ways to make money they do not always have a steady income. Without a banking system they…

SEATTLE — Global poverty has been cut in half since the 1980s; yet, there are still billions of people living with little food and unsanitary water. In fact, poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa has increased. Despite this, World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim believes the end to world poverty can be achieved by the year 2030. While he understands how intimidating this goal is, his passion to create a world free of poverty remains. In 1990, the U.N. set a goal to cut poverty in half by 2015. This goal was met five years ahead of its deadline. Focusing on…

LOS ANGELES — In a world where 58 million children are out of school, there are a few organizations fighting to bring more education around the world. The U.N. and U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, better known as UNESCO, has understood the importance of how education can minimize poverty and sustain development. The U.N.’s Millennium Development Goals have prioritized education as their second goal, with the target that children everywhere will finish primary school. The U.N. has implemented the Global Education First Initiative to focus on putting every child in school, improving the quality of learning, and foster global…

NEW YORK — The U.S. is the world’s largest economy, importing and exporting the most goods and services. With 98 percent of its consumers residing outside of the country, one would think the contribution to foreign aid is a top priority of the government’s budget. Investing in foreign aid creates jobs and improves national security. It is common misconception that the U.S. is doing enough to help the world’s poor. The reality is, the U.S. utilizes less than one percent of its budget for foreign aid. The World Trade Organization has conducted studies on the benefits of international trade. As countries develop, growth can…

SEATTLE — Over the past 20 years, global poverty has been cut in half as economies grow and develop. Many researchers have been trying to understand how this progress has been made and what can be done to continue this success. According to The Economist, there is a direct correlation between the poverty rates and the growth of a country’s economy: “Fast-growing economies in the developing world have done most of the work. Between 1981 and 2001 China lifted 680m people out of poverty.” Initiatives such as Feed the Future and U.N. Millennium Development Goals continue to help developing countries…

SEATTLE — As poverty rates fall around the globe, the government looks for more ways to properly distribute resources among the world’s poor. Poverty mapping has become a successful way to locate exactly where these goods should be going. Studies in scholarly journals are looking at how this poverty allocation can help hone in on smaller provinces to ensure resources are given to the right people. David Bigman author of the study on Geographical Targeting for Poverty Alleviation has said “in the face of rising public deficits and shrinking public resources, geographical targeting may be a viable way to allocate…

SEATTLE — Bono’s organization ONE has composed a letter addressed to two world leaders to bring awareness of sexism in poverty. The letter has been signed by 36 influential women from different fields, including actresses Meryl Streep and Charlize Theron, artists Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, as well as female CEOs and authors. The organization has written the letter for “German Chancellor Angela Merkel and African Union Commission Chairperson Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma,” both women will be addressing female empowerment as chairs in this year’s key summit. The letter acts as a voice for the women and girls who face challenges with education, forced marriage,…

SEATTLE — In recent years, 3D printing has shown us how easy it is to manufacture items from action figures to jewelry. Although this is a fun new invention, it is an excellent resource for people in developing countries. As the contraption becomes more advanced, it is easier to build cheaper versions of the printer. Therefore, it can alleviate the need to ship items across seas and allow individuals to create exactly what they need at a lower cost. CNN says, “3D printers deposit material layer by layer to create a solid object … the process is also known as additive manufacturing.”…