Author: Kristen Guyler

SEATTLE, Washington — Cuba, an island roughly 90 miles off the coast of Florida, is most often talked about for its time under the strong arm of Fidel Castro. Undoubtedly, his tenure was one of the harshest and unjust regimes. His policies, which lead to a crumbling economy and a suppression of human rights, lad many citizens to flee the country. Under Castro, however, the government invested heavily in areas like education and healthcare. Castro’s decision to invest in education was uncommon for a communist regime and is an aspect of Cuban life that the global community may not realize.…

ABUJA, Nigeria — In recent years, Nigeria has made headlines due to political, economic and social instability. Ongoing upheaval has made it difficult for children and young adults to receive a proper education in Nigeria. Further instability is expected as the population rises from its present 186 million to an estimated 392 million in 2050. While NGOs and local groups have worked to increase these opportunities, the 2014 Boko Haram kidnappings have complicated prospects for education in Nigeria. Of Nigeria’s current population, 70 percent are living below the poverty line. As a result of these circumstances, many Nigerians join violent groups in…

MARLBORO, New Jersey — After having enormous success with Microsoft, billionaire Bill Gates changed his work efforts from business to humanitarian. In 2000, he and his wife Melinda established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the mission of helping “all people lead healthy, productive lives”. Almost two decades on, it has been described as “probably the most powerful charity in the world.” The Gates’ also began their Gates Millennium Scholars program in 2000, whereby they granted $1 billion to help more than 20,000 people afford college until 2020. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation began when the couple learned about the millions…

Amidst endless armed conflicts in the Middle East, Yemen is often times overlooked as its issues are internal rather than external. But ongoing clashes between clans and tribes has destabilized almost all aspects of Yemeni life. Education in Yemen is one of the disrupted sectors. In an effort to encourage students to attend school despite the internal conflicts, the Yemeni government, which controls all educational systems, provides free education to those in primary school. Despite this, in 2013 UNICEF reported that two million children between the ages of six and nine were not attending school. The crisis and conflict are the reasons…

WASHINGTON, D.C. — California Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Lee is a prominent leader in the fight against global poverty. Her success as a political figure began when she was elected into office in 1990. During her tenure as a Congresswoman, Lee has authored 67 bills, all of which have passed. She is currently a member of the Budget Committee and the powerful Appropriations Committee, as well as subcommittees on State and Foreign Operations, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. Beyond these committees, her legislative work to end global poverty goes much further. In collaboration with other…

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a globalized world, congressmen and representatives have enormous responsibilities in serving people locally, domestically and internationally. Their duties as political leaders, in many instances, are their only focus. U.S. Representative for Washington’s 8th Congressional District Dave Reichert (R-DC), however, extends himself beyond his political responsibilities by serving as a member of The Borgen Project’s Board of Directors. Since 1971, Reichert has been a public servant. Before being elected representative in 2006, Reichert served in the King County Sheriff’s Office, where he was successful in reducing crime and participating in what his website describes as, “Green River Task Force…

With more than one billion people living in India, providing education to everyone has proven to be an everlasting challenge, particularly to girls. There are more than 26 million children in India, of which nearly 18 million are literate. Even though this rate is high, there is still a 20 percent disparity between boys’ and girls’ literacy. In 2008, 62 percent of children out of school were girls, numbering 2.3 million, and girls comprised two-thirds of illiterate children between 15 and 24. The Right to Education Act, enacted in 2010, provides free education for all children between six and 14. This…

MARLBORO, New Jersey — New Jersey Republican Representative Chris Smith is a prominent figure in transforming the world into a better place. Having served as Representative for 18 terms, Smith has been successful in sponsoring and passing over 20 resolutions, a small portion of his accomplishments. Smith earned his position as a senior member in the Foreign Affairs Committee, and is defined on his governmental website as, “chairman of Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organization Subcommittee.” On the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) and on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Smith is “Chairman and the highest…

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina — In the United States and abroad, First Lady Michelle Obama has impacted millions of girls worldwide. In 2015, the First Lady launched her campaign, #62MillionGirls which escalated to her organization, Let Girls Learn. Let Girls Learn addresses the variety of challenges young girls face when pursuing their education. In overcoming these challenges, girls are provided more opportunities and their surrounding communities are taught how to further these programs. First Lady strongly believes in this organization. People Magazine quoted First Lady Michelle Obama in June 2016, “Those 62 million girls who are not being educated about the world…

SEATTLE — U.S. representatives and senators all have specific causes they support for reasons of personal, district or global interest. Democratic Sen. Christopher Coons of Delaware focuses on foreign policy and humanitarian aid. According to Coons’ website, his philosophy on foreign aid is “deeply rooted in the notion that we should be helping the world’s most vulnerable by providing the tools that eradicate poverty and promote economic independence.” Thus far, Coons has advocated for the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act, the Electrify Africa Act, the Global Food Security Act and the Reach Every Mother and Child Act. In an interview with…