Author: Taylor Elgarten

SEATTLE — In the country of Djibouti, adolescents under 25 make up 50 percent of the population. Despite this, 59 percent of 13-18-year-olds remain uneducated. This leads to an increased risk of exposure to drug abuse, alcoholism and STIs–particularly HIV. HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular diseases such as tuberculosis and other infectious diseases such as cholera and malaria are common in Djibouti. There have been many efforts to improve healthcare in Djibouti, especially when it comes to HIV prevention. Initiatives began in 2008 when Family Health International proposed using transport corridors to supply the then war-ravaged area with social services. A more recent step…

MANILA — Since the end of its economic boom, the Philippines has been one of the poorest countries in the world. A poverty incidence report done in 2015 showed that 26.3 percent of the Filipino population lived in poverty. This was reported by the Philippine Statistic Authority and based on the minimum income required for food. On top of that, the study showed that 12.1 percent, or 12.1 million people, lived in extreme poverty. These numbers are a slight improvement from the 27.9 percent recorded in 2012. Although this is a general statistic, poverty is prevalent throughout the Philippines. For example,…

DUBLIN — Ireland is one of the countries most abundant in rainwater, and having enough water has never been an issue. Not having enough money is what made water quality in Ireland almost nil. For the past decade, a massive decay of infrastructure and policy building around clean water issues has caused many of the water shortages in Ireland. It’s one thing to have poor government funding. It’s a completely different story when it means undrinkable water. The lack of investment in water sanitation facilities has left more than 120 public water systems exposed to easily treatable bacteria. Potential infections or…

SEATTLE — It has become a well-known fact that factory farming is harmful to the animals. Less well-known is that factory farming of animals is also detrimental to human health. An open letter signed by more than 200 scientists, global experts and environmental activists outlines the negative impact the growing industrial farming industry has on global health. The letter highlights the antibiotics with which production facilities inject their animals to keep them “healthy” and to increase growth in a short amount of time. These injections have produced antibiotic-resistant microbes, causing increasing numbers of infections globally. These infections are mainly impacting middle…

LONDON — “A just world free of poverty.” This is the tagline of the nonprofit Comic Relief, a U.K. organization that deals in helping impoverished youth get an education, medical assistance and much more. Using celebrity appeal, Comic Relief has raised more than $1.2 billion since it was founded in 1985 by Richard Curtis. His goal was to “use comedy to raise money and change lives in Africa and the U.K.” With this concept in mind, the Red Nose Day benefit came into being. Red Nose Day is a day when celebrities across the globe come together to raise awareness…

SEATTLE — Many have heard the myth that more people die of infectious diseases in developing countries, while richer countries are more plagued by chronic diseases. This myth is far from the truth. In fact, according to a study by the Council of Foreign Relations, more than 50 percent of deaths in low and middle-income countries are from chronic diseases. The prevalence of chronic diseases in developing countries is in part due to substantial efforts made in decreasing infectious diseases that were once widespread, such as malaria and tuberculosis. Large improvements in healthcare and sanitation have increased life expectancy and…

SEATTLE — The leading causes of death in developing countries are severe poverty and pollution. Between 50 and 60 percent of all deaths in the poorest developing countries occur before a child reaches the age of five. This means that for every 1,000 births, there are 100 to 150 deaths in the first year and an additional 100 to 150 deaths before the age of five. Severe poverty is one of the two leading causes of death in developing countries. Poverty results in malnutrition, poor living conditions, overcrowding, inadequate sanitation and unclean drinking water. With environments prone to infection and disease,…

NEW DELHI — Plastic makes up a large part of consumer goods. From water bottles to phones, almost all products have plastic in them. This is due to plastic’s flexibility, durability, versatility, low weight, moisture resistance and low cost. The downside to the use of plastic is its slow breakdown process — it can take up to 450 years for plastic to fully degrade. The slow process and the over-consumption of plastic worldwide have created large landfills and increased plastic waste within the ocean, killing marine life. Roughly 300 million tons of plastic is produced and wasted each year. Out…

SEATTLE — The Thirst Project is an organization that works to bring clean water to impoverished areas. In 2012, it committed to a goal of bringing clean water to Swaziland by 2022. Clean water is the key to reducing, and ultimately eradicating, the rampant HIV within the country, where 19 percent of the population is affected. Connor Franta, a YouTuber with more than 5.5 million subscribers, recognized this and decided to take initiative. For both his 22nd and 23rd birthdays, he launched a fundraising campaign to raise awareness for The Thirst Project and help it build wells to provide clean, safe…

SEATTLE — A leading cause of food spoilage is poor refrigeration, especially in developing countries where up to 40 percent of food is wasted each year. As much as 50 percent of perishable food loss in developing countries is caused by spoilage during post-harvest transportation. Other factors that contribute to the immense food waste are poor harvesting practices, poor infrastructure, unreliable roads or electricity and unhelpful government systems. Developed countries have combated this through the use of cold chain technology. Cold chains are temperature controlled supply chains of uninterrupted refrigeration to maintain desired low-temperature range, which keeps food as fresh…