Author: Sydney Missigman

DHAKA — Climate change has not been a friend to those in Bangladesh trying to provide for their families. Each year, monsoons come and destroy major crops that farmers have worked so hard to prepare. The resulting flooded and infertile land force the Bangladeshis to either move from the riverbanks or struggle to find food for the upcoming season. In response, nongovernmental organization Practical Action stepped in with its project, “Pumpkins Against Poverty.” This group uses technology to allow “poor communities to build on their skills and knowledge to produce sustainable and practical solutions.” The Pumpkins Against Poverty project is training…

SEATTLE — Ever heard of a Zeer Pot cooler? Most likely, the answer is no. This device, uncommon in the United States, is making big strides in poverty-stricken countries like Sudan. A Zeer pot is a “clay evaporative cooler,” or a refrigerator that does not require electricity. This natural chiller has proven effective in helping produce and other foodstuffs stay fresher longer, a big step in working to end global hunger. The creator of this tool is an organization called Practical Action. Based out of the U.K., Practical Action is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that works toward technological solutions to…

SEATTLE — There are positives and negatives to living in a place with fewer than 60 inhabitants on a tiny island. For those living on the Pitcairn Islands, however, most everyday experiences have not proved favorable, especially in regards to their economy. Poverty in the Pitcairn Islands is the inevitable result of a minuscule population–57 as of 2014. In fact, the Pitcairn Islands is the smallest representative democracy in existence. A British colony since 1838, the Pitcairn Islands is a remote group of islands situated in the South Pacific Ocean, about 3,300 miles away from New Zealand, where its governor…