Author: Ron Singh

SEATTLE — In May 2016, 50,000 Croatians protested against the country’s education reforms, not wanting their children to be influenced by politics. In addition to education and politics being virtually inseparable in Croatian education, few of the country’s children leave primary school with a basic knowledge of Croatian grammar and are often unmotivated to read. However, work is being done to improve education for children in Croatia. More Organizations Aid Croatia’s Education Reform Initiative In June 2016, the initiative to reform Croatia’s education system attracted more than 200 organizations to help organize protests across the country. Various designers, singers and…

SEATTLE — In July 2017, Nigeria’s Ministry of Education secretary Adamu Hussaini reported that 10.5 million Nigerian children were not in school. While cultural factors have been blamed for the dilemma, the true problem is that many Nigerian schools lack the funding needed to function. However, providing education to Nigeria’s children has been an ongoing campaign for UNICEF and other entities. How Slum2School Helps Nigeria’s Children Founded in 2012 by retired banker Otto Orondaam, Slum2School is an organization that helps disadvantaged Nigerian children and others attend school. In August 2017, Slum2School had enrolled 650 children in schools over a four-year…

SEATTLE — On December 26, 2004, a 9.3 magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami in Sri Lanka and neighboring countries. With schools and other infrastructure destroyed, many of Sri Lanka’s children were impeded from education opportunities. Many years later, efforts to help school children in Sri Lanka have greatly improved. How TSEP Helps School Children in Sri Lanka In March 2016, Sri Lanka had 4 million children with 215,000 teachers and 10,000 schools. A project called Transforming the School Education System as the Foundation of a Knowledge Hub Project (TSEP) was designed to help students access primary and secondary education. TSEP…

SEATTLE — On September 19, 2017, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, Mexico’s deadliest since 1985, toppled dozens of buildings and killed 225 people in the country’s central territory. This followed an earthquake on February 16, 2017, that damaged dozens of homes and killed 13 people. However, many entities have stepped in to help earthquake victims in Mexico. IDF, ZAKA Mexico and IsraAID’s Help Following the September earthquake, Israel sent a team of 50 members from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Search and Rescue Unit. IDF’s team arrived in Mexico with a planeload of equipment and was assisted by ZAKA Mexico, a…

SEATTLE — China’s one-child policy in 1978 meant that if a family had one child who happened to be a girl, they would have to invest in her education. However, China’s decision to end this policy in 2015 meant that families with two children would be more likely to invest in educating their sons instead. Because of this change, providing education to girls in China has become a priority for many entities.[hr_invisible] How EGRC Educates Girls in Rural China In April 2015, the Educating Girls in Rural China (EGRC) organization had helped more than 500 girls from the rural areas…

SEATTLE — Despite impressive gains in recent years, many concerns remain regarding Bangladesh’s food security. In October 2016, the World Food Programme (WFP) found that one in three children are still affected by stunted growth and that climate change threatens food security. However, efforts are being made to improve food security in Bangladesh. Farming Assistance from ActionAid Bangladesh’s soaring temperatures often cause farmers’ chickens to die before they can be sold. In April 2016, the organization ActionAid helped Bangladesh’s women farmers find new ways of preserving the chickens. The organization enlisted the help of local scientists to breed a “climate-resilient…

SEATTLE — Access to education has remained a challenge for many Haitian children, especially since the devastation of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. More than 100,000 Haitian children were left without schooling, and the country received minimal educational aid two weeks after the hurricane’s impact. However, restoring and improving education in Haiti has become a priority for many entities. In December 2016, USAID awarded a $6.3 million grant to the University of Notre Dame that aims to improve Haiti’s early-grade literacy. The grant is part of a broader national campaign, Read Haiti, that will serve Haiti’s poorest children and build…

SEATTLE — Sustainable agriculture in Benin has become increasingly challenging for many of the country’s farmers. Northern Benin in particular is vulnerable to floods, erratic rainfall patterns and droughts. Many Beninese farmers have emigrated to other African countries as a result. However, efforts are being made to improve Beninese agricultural yields. Many of Benin’s women farmers are part of an organization called the Mialebouni Association that specializes in cassava farming. In 2012, the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) gave Mialebouni a $150,000 capacity-building grant, followed by a $240,000 enterprise expansion grant in 2016. Mialebouni used the funds to purchase mobile…

SEATTLE — As a spread out island nation, the Marshall Islands is known as an exclusive economic zone that is less than 800,000 square miles. The country’s economic future depends on its rich, vast and pristine lagoons and ocean access. However, there is still room for efforts to better the livelihoods of the country’s people. Since 2014, several development projects in the Marshall Islands have been proposed. The Marshall Islands have limited groundwater supplies and heavily rely on rainfall for freshwater. Because of this, the islands’ people are at constant risk of drought, storm surges and flooding. Majuro uses the airport…

SEATTLE — Education has been a priority for Tanzanians since the country’s independence in 1961. However, millions of Tanzanian children are left without secondary education or vocational training. This leaves many children with no choice but to work in exploitive, abusive or hazardous environments in order to support their families. However, progress is being made to improve education opportunities in Tanzania. Since 2015, Halotel Telecom Company (HTC) has provided free and fast internet services to 450 Tanzanian schools. Joseph Julius, a student at Lugoba High School, said that HTC has helped him and other students have access to downloadable textbooks,…