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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Dubai Cares' Million Book Challenge invited school children aged 3-14 to participate in a nation-wide read-a-thon. The goal: to read one million books in two weeks. 1,323,218 books were read by 141,425 public and private primary school students from 159 schools. For each book a child read, Dubai Cares purchased a new book written in local languages which were distributed to school children in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, Laos, Zambia, South Africa and Sri Lanka, the Gaza Strip, and the United Arab Emirates in partnership with "Room to Read". To ensure the program's sustainability, libraries were constructed to house the books and teachers were trained in the administration of innovative pedagogic techniques.


Dr. Paul Spong presents audio recordings in Speaker's Corner event.
PORT McNEILL—Guests at last week's Speaker's Corner event at St. John Gualbert Church may not realize it, but they were treated to one of the most impressive sound editing performances since Pink Floyd released the album Dark Side of the Moon in 1973.
That album was released a year after Spong arrived on Hanson Island to found OrcaLab, which has since catalogued more than 20,000 hours of audio recordings of orcinus orca (killer whales) in their natural habitat in the waters off Vancouver Island.
A few of those calls were shared in a slide presentation last Wednesday evening as Spong and Helena Symonds gave a presentation on OrcaLab's worked to more than 30 guests in the monthly Speaker's Corner series.
Spong and Symonds, with the aid of slides, video and, of course, audio recordings — guided the audience through the spectrum of OrcaLab's work, from the identification of orca matrilines (female-oriented family groups) to the return of the orphaned celebrity Springer to Blackfish Sound, to working to return orcas from captivity, to the nuts and bolts of OrcaLab's operation, to concerns for and threats to the whales' future.
Nearly all of it revolved around the distinctive vocalizations of the animals and OrcaLab's efforts to learn about the species through a comprehensive record of those sounds.
The network has since grown to six hydrophones that can track the progress of the orcas as they traverse Blackfish Sound past Hanson Island, through Blackney Pass and into Johnstone Strait to the famed rubbing beach in the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve.
OrcaLab's work has proved so relevant and popular that volunteers — ranging from marine biology students to simply orca fans — have offered to spend time at OrcaLab helping to catalogue and share the research gathered at the remote facility.
In the late 1990s Spong and his ever-changing cast of assistants began placing cameras underwater, and now have a station at Cracroft Point that features video of orcas from underwater and from above the surface. Live video streams can be accessed, particularly "in-season", at www.orcalab.org.
The presentation ended with a caution of the challenges orcas face in the region, including dwindling food sources, a marked decrease in rubbing activity in the reserve and, particularly, increased boater traffic and other noise that may disrupt the animals' communication.


text:
New York|New Parking Rules Receive a Wary Welcome
New Parking Rules Receive a Wary Welcome
By Michael Wilson and Elizabeth Stanton
History may recall it as P-A Day as it approaches in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the start of some sort of new world, a place with new laws, new codes of human conduct, as primitive and mysterious as the Planet of the Apes.
Park-Anywhere Day arrives Monday, with the indefinite suspension of alternate-side parking rules in Park Slope, and no one knows just what to expect, with bring-it-on bravado and it-can't-get-any-worse resignation meeting just-you-wait-and-see predictions of the worst. The city announced the suspension in Park Slope this week, to give workers time to change 9,200 parking signs. In the meantime, drivers may park along the curbs of Park Slope without being forced to move their cars as they did up until now, often twice a week for three hours at a stretch.
Rosemary Fine, 47, a coffee shop owner born in Limerick, Ireland, plans to greet the new day in high style.
"I'm going to pop open a bottle of Champagne, sit in my car and celebrate!" she said on Thursday. "What if that's what all the Park Slopers did on Monday, we went into the streets with Champagne?"
But elsewhere, outrage.
Another seasoned immigrant, Marlyse Henchoz, who did not give her age, stopped sweeping in front of her home and said, "Terrible."
"Whoever thinks up these schemes, I don't know what they are thinking," she said. "That's why I want to move back to Switzerland. They couldn't do this. We have referendums and we vote."
Her neighbor Bob Wolfe agreed.
"We're supposed to keep it clean, and we aren't going to be able to clean because the cars are going to be there," he said. "People aren't going to clean and they aren't going to move their cars. It's the worst thing they could have done."
He said he was also mystified why it will take so long to replace the signs: "Is it that hard? It's going up and down and unscrewing and screwing them back."
Such vitriol would come as a surprise to the architects of the plan, namely Community Board 6 and the Department of Sanitation.
"We've been lobbying for literally 20 years now" for a relaxation of alternate-side parking days and times, said Craig R. Hammerman, district manager of the community board, in an interview on Wednesday. He said his office was creating a list of answers to frequently asked questions to offset some of the confusion and frustration.
As for the street cleaning during the suspension, the motorized sweepers will continue to work the streets with the same frequency, said Michael Bellew, chief of cleaning operations at the Department of Sanitation.
Alternate-side parking was in effect Thursday on Eighth Street between Third and Fourth Avenues in Brooklyn.Credit...Josh Haner/The New York Times
"They try the best they can, up and down the streets," he said. "Certain areas, the sweeper will come out and do some corner caps that are dirty, time permitting that he has on the route. Normally that district's very clean. They really maintain it, the people there."
The Department of Transportation estimates that the suspension will last a few months. So after the Champagne is gone, there will be several lingering questions about what people are and are not allowed to do with their vehicles.
City law prohibits "street storage" of vehicles: "When parking is not otherwise restricted by posted signs, no person shall park any vehicle in any area, including a residential area, in excess of seven consecutive days."
The police said Thursday that they did not have records of how often such a ticket was written, or how such a violation could even be tracked, short of cumbersome surveillance of every vehicle.
Not to mention the effect of a long storage on the vehicle itself.
"If he's not going to use it, he should park it in a parking lot and disconnect the cables of the battery," said Sami — who gave only that name — of Sami's Service Station at Broadway and 182nd Street in Manhattan, describing a representative if fictional Park Slope driver. "Otherwise, every few days, at least once a week, twice a week, you should turn it on and run it at least 15 minutes, 20 minutes. The car must run for the alternator to have enough energy to feed the battery."
As unlikely as the allure of Park Slope as a giant parking lot for the surrounding city seems, some residents nevertheless fear the worst.
"The people I'd be worried about are the outsiders," said Cynthia Arenson, 67, who has lived on Fourth Street for 40 years. "But I can't imagine people driving from that far away to park here."
Ms. Henchoz, from Switzerland, was not so sure. "I'm sure with nice weather, people not from the neighborhood will come and park," she said. "Ten blocks away isn't that far to park, and especially in good weather."
Those people might be interested to learn that there are not, and never have been, alternate-side parking rules in parts of Queens, including Ozone Park, Howard Beach and Little Neck, and on all of Staten Island. And those neighborhoods are not known around the city as places where anyone can park a car and forget about it.
One benefit of the new signs in Park Slope will be that alternate-side rules will now be in force only 90 minutes once a week, down from three hours and twice a week.
But even that concept seemed to backfire with some residents, like Barat Ellman, 49, a university Bible instructor.
"I work out and plan my work schedule based on car parking," she said. "Ninety minutes may be too short of a time to be able to get things done and move the car. We'll see."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When I was writing my new book, The Stranger in My Genes – about the DNA test I took that shockingly suggested my father wasn't really my father – I thought my story was unusual, if not unique. Boy, was I wrong.
After the ebook version was released on August 23, I almost immediately heard from several friends who told me about people they knew with similar stories.
There was the one about the man who received a DNA testing kit for Christmas one year, and – long story short – discovered a daughter he didn't know he had. Merry Christmas.
I also heard about a man who took a DNA test, and when the results came back he contacted an older gentleman listed on the DNA lab's website who matched him to a T. This man turned out to be his biological father, which was news to the father who raised him.
I heard from several friends, asking if I had heard what happened to Tom.
And there were other stories. The one that touched me the most involved a friend I will call Tom. I heard from several friends, asking if I had heard what happened to Tom. I had not, so I reached out to him. Tom and his wife, whom I will call Betty, are in their early 80s. I have known them my whole life; I grew up with their children. I knew Tom and Betty's widowed mothers. And they all knew my parents.
Tom retired in the early 90s and, like me, he developed a passion for genealogy. Tom and Betty traveled around the country visiting places where their ancestors lived, just as my wife Cindy and I have done. After interviewing several cousins, Tom wrote a book about his family's history, just like I did. Tom's book was self-published. Mine, called By Faith Alone: One Family's Epic Journey Through 400 Years of American Protestantism, was released in 2008.
Then Tom took a DNA test. Just like I did. And, oddly, he also didn't match any family members. Finally, a 96-year-old cousin stepped forward with the truth, and at the tender age of 78 my friend Tom learned that he was adopted. The cousin happened to be present the day Tom's mother brought Tom home from the adoption agency, when she made everyone swear that they would never tell Tom that he was adopted. And so all of the cousins patiently answered Tom's questions about the family's history and allowed him to write his book, all the while keeping one tiny detail from him. Since then, Tom has self-published a second book, sort of his version of The Stranger in My Genes. I can't wait to read it.
So apparently my story is not all that unusual. And I think it's safe to say that as the DNA testing business grows, more family secrets will be revealed. And won't that be fun.
By the way, Cindy and I are having lunch with Tom and Betty in a few weeks. I'll report back after that.
That really is quite an interesting story. I know I need to get my families tested to see what known & unknown surprises we have in store. I know I want to know what area of the world besides Germany & Ireland I come from.
Something that has crossed my mind many times. Won't that be a kick-in-the-pants for many when they discover they aren't who they thought they were?
And, then too, as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is.
I grew up knowing I was adopted, and having my DNA tested has helped me connect to my "bio" family. One side was happy we found each other, the other side not so much. Definitely worth it, and now my found family is doing more DNA to further our mutual genealogy! I can't wait to read your book!
I have purchased your book and am waiting to read it..My story is similar to the others. Purchased kit back in 2012 and lo and behold, contact from a first cousin whom I did not know, nor recognize the surname. Her family and my mother's lived 3 blocks from one another according to the 1920 Census within a tight Italian community in Denver, Co. Apparently we share Y-DNA through her grandfather, who was my mother's father. I am now searching for the birth mother who may or not be the mother who raised my mother. More testing and checking out the FAN of the community.
There will be many discoveries for us all. I found a first cousin, once removed, a daughter of my cousin who never knew of her existence – in fact, no-one in the family knew of her. I wasn't looking for her but when her name (which I didn't recognize) and face popped up as such a close match, I was compelled to contact her and find out who she was. Within the space of a day, really, I figured out who she was, broke the news to her father, and they made contact. They are both really happy and so am I.
I am a little confused on the DNA testing. My relatives would have to do the DNA too, in order for them to show up on my test, right?
Anyone related to you, whether you know who they are or how they are related may come up as a match. Having close relatives test helps narrow down where the new relationship comes from.
Great book and entertaining read. My parents grew up in the next county in Kansas and an aunt and uncle lived in Manhattan. Spent several summers in the area and have been back to do research in the last few years.
Thank you for sharing your journey with me and so many others. After I finished reading your book I went into my home office and looked at the 15 foot printout of my family tree that I have been working on for about 15 years. All I could think was how many untold stories are attached to those people that I will never know. It brought an entirely new perspective to my family research. Another thank you for your openness, sensitivity, honesty and willingness to share your journey.
I read The Stranger in My Genes in one setting. Excellent! It was a page turner for me. I wish you could tell us Tom's real name and the title of his upcoming book. I'd love to read it too.
Can't wait to read the book! I was recently contacted by a person on the West Coast who was descended from slaves in Georgia — I am white and my ancestors are all from the Northeast, but we had shared DNA and a common surname in our trees. I helped him find our common ancestor (we are 9th cousins) and that his 8th great grandfather was a president of Yale! I also found out through my DNA test that I am part Jewish — and then found my Jewish ancestors. DNA can unlock a whole new world — and I believe can help us find more common ground with humanity.
My brother and I both took Ancestry.com DNA tests. To whom should I go to determine if there are discrepancies? We think there may be some, but neither knows much about DNA.
You could try a professional like Roberta Estes at DNA Xplained.
Can't wait to read your book! My husband did DNA testing at Ancestry, 23andMe and FamilyTreeDNA to try to find his birth parents. His birth mother had used a fake name and did not list the birth father. It took us a few years, but we were able to find them. Birth mother had passed away in 2001 but birth father was still living and had no idea about my husband. Not exactly a happy ending, but my husband is satisfied knowing who they are and why he was given up for adoption.
Hi Bill, I, too took an Ancestry.com kit as I have always been interested in genealogy. Results came back and low and behold I have different father. I have known for over a year now but hadn't a clue even though I was the youngest of four girls, born with blonde hair when all of my sisters were born with very dark hair. Additionally, I am 3 inches taller than my tallest sister and a dimple in my chin that no one else in my family has. However, still NEVER a clue and the news hit me like a ton of bricks.
I connected so much with you when I saw you in an interview yesterday and you gave me hope as sometimes I feel as though I have reached the acceptance phase but yet still have days where I could cry at anything that is sad.
A person does truly see the character of people when you go through something such as this. Some are incredibly genuine while others couldn't be bothered. Then your own sister is upset with you that you didn't tell her right away! My mother was not transparent as she was "taking it to her grave" and it was like pulling teeth for any information. However, my supportive husband of 20 years has listened to me patiently as I work through this.
I think I am incredibly humbled by the process and I do accept the situation as it is. My biological father is living. He is 76 and I am 46. He has hung up on me the couple of times I called to see if I can connect with him. I live in the Boston area and he is a 4 hour plane ride away. On the other hand, my father who raised me is an amazing man who suspected it since the day I was born but raised me just like I was his. What an amazing man my dad is and it has bonded us on a deeper level now. I did give him the news last October 2015 and he went through a grieving process as well as he never knew 100% for sure. I am so thankful and lucky for my dad.
My apologies this is so long! I think it is some type of therapy I didn't have to pay for! I can't wait to read your book!
I purchased this book for my husband, who discovered last year (2015) that the man who raised him was in fact not his biological father. Similar situation, I was doing the family tree research and thought the DNA route would enhance our paper trails. My husbands DNA showed he was only a half sibling to his brother and they had a different YDNA result. Since his mom and dad are deceased we ask the eldest family member, who had been holding onto this secret for 57 years. The elder revealed the truth, but the bio father had passed away in 1989. This book had helped my husband and myself. Bills struggle with this new info was the same as my husbands. Thank you for a great book. I think Bill should connect with his half siblings!
I sent both my husband's DNA and mine to Ancestry in hopes of it helping in my genealogy research. Now, I've had a scary thought. In the 1980's my husband's brother was a medical student who donated sperm to a sperm bank……..
Hi Bill. My result was similar. My male cousins and I did not match any other people with our surname. My extensive research strongly suggests the NPE (non parental event) ocurred in 1804 when my 4th great grandmother 15 years old. One of 5 neighborhood brothers was probably the source of my Y DNA. It has been a remarkable research journey.
After working on my family tree, I turned DNA to enhance my research. My husband Glenn and I did our DNA. Mine was simple and straightforward. My husbands results were shocking and revealed that his dad was not his real bio father. This secret was known by several family members and this secret was taken to the grave by his parents and most of the people who knew. The truth was finally revealed ( 58 yrs later) and we are still trying to rewrite his family tree. You book was something we could totally relate to.
It turns out that Bill did leave enough clues in his book to discern who his apparent biological father was. It does take a bit of work however to connect the dots.


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text:
Ex-con nephew named person of interest in woman's disappearance
05/05/2016 6:35 am PDT
Patricia Myers
via WPIX:
THE BRONX, N.Y. -- (WPIX) -- Friends fear the worst as police continue to investigate the disappearance of a 69-year-old Bronx woman who was reported missing last Wednesday.
Patricia Myers, a former nurse, was last seen at 3 p.m. at her apartment on Grand Concourse in the Bronx. NYPD detectives have been collecting evidence and searching her home throughout Wednesday for any clues that will lead them to her.
Investigators have named Myers' nephew as a person of interest into her disappearance. He is described as a convicted felon who just finished a prison sentence and was living with Myers after when she disappeared, according to police.
FULL STORY: Ex-con nephew named person of interest in woman's disappearance - WPIX


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text:
Rafi Ali (born 11 December 1972) is a former Singaporean footballer and coach. He is part of the Singapore national football team that won the 1998 Tiger Cup. He started his career with Geylang United. His preferred playing position is either as sweeper or playmaker.

Rafi Ali is now working on the Rafi Ali Soccer School for kids.
He is also coaching Republic Polytechnic's Male football IG team.

On 27 April 2014, Rafi was appointed head coach of Tampines Rovers following the resignation of Salim Moin. He led the team as interim head coach until the end of the season.

Honours

Domestic
League
 S.League: 2
 2004, 2005

Cups
 Singapore Cup: 2
 2004, 2006

ASEAN competition
 ASEAN Club Championship: 1
 2005

International
Singapore
ASEAN Football Championship: 1998
Malaysia Premier League: 1994
Malaysia Cup: 1994

References

External links
https://web.archive.org/web/20101223090328/http://www.fas.org.sg/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1065
Rafi Ali Soccer School

Singaporean footballers
Singapore international footballers
1972 births
Living people
Singapore FA players
Geylang International FC players
Tampines Rovers FC players
Tampines Rovers FC head coaches
Singaporean football managers
Singapore Premier League head coaches
Warriors FC players
Association football midfielders
Singapore Premier League players
Southeast Asian Games bronze medalists for Singapore
Southeast Asian Games medalists in football
Competitors at the 1993 Southeast Asian Games

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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We are looking for a UX leader who will settle for nothing less than owning the delivery of digital products for our clients in a truly user-center way. You'll both lead and be a hands-on contributor to user research, experience strategy, concepting, client workshops, interaction design, user journeys, personas, site maps, wireframes, prototyping and testing/validating with users.
You'll lead a passionate product design team within a culture that values human-insights-lead strategy and client empathy over big surprise reveals. You'll work seamlessly with content strategists, junior UX designers, visual designers, product managers, developers and clients on enterprise-level products and apps that impact business, win awards and leave every user feeling loved.
Own the quality, planning and completion of all UX deliverables on projects.
Partner with clients to define the vision and prioritize requirements and functional needs; ensuring the UX vision is communicated and understood by the client and team (product, creative, technology, accounts, etc.).
Manage information architects, UX/interaction designers and occasional visual designers on the projects you lead.
Organize and lead client and internal presentations.
Define and execute correct research and testing processes, and work with outside research team members as needed.
Has 6+ years of experience in the field of UX Design or product development, working with large-scale and complex digital experiences or applications.
Is a strategic thinker; you know how to distill user insights and business goals into a completing experience vision.
Is a seasoned team leader; able to drive a cross-functional team to plan any project and complete key task and deliverables that are on strategy.
Is an optimist; always finding creative ways "we can do"; instead of thinking about what "we can't do".
Has a full understanding of how to apply the methodologies of interaction design and research to specific engagements.
This is a full–time, on–site position at an award–winning company with a passion for smart design and fulfilling user experiences.
Send a resume and a cover letter indicating experience, why you're interested, and notable project samples to careers@cakeandarrow.com with subject: Associate Experience Director & UX Lead.


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Мондові () — місто () в США, в окрузі Баффало штату Вісконсин. Населення —  осіб (2010).

Географія
Мондові розташоване за координатами  (44.570255, -91.666851).  За даними Бюро перепису населення США в 2010 році місто мало площу 10,12 км², з яких 9,90 км² — суходіл та 0,22 км² — водойми.

Демографія

Згідно з переписом 2010 року, у місті мешкало  осіб у  домогосподарствах у складі 722 родин. Густота населення становила 274 особи/км².  Було 1303 помешкання (129/км²).

Расовий склад населення:

До двох чи більше рас належало 1,4 %. Частка іспаномовних становила 1,4 % від усіх жителів.

За віковим діапазоном населення розподілялося таким чином: 24,2 % — особи молодші 18 років, 55,8 % — особи у віці 18—64 років, 20,0 % — особи у віці 65 років та старші. Медіана віку мешканця становила 39,9 року. На 100 осіб жіночої статі у місті припадало 86,4 чоловіків;  на 100 жінок у віці від 18 років та старших — 85,1 чоловіків також старших 18 років.

Середній дохід на одне домашнє господарство  становив  долари США (медіана — ), а середній дохід на одну сім'ю —  доларів (медіана — ). За межею бідності перебувало 18,3 % осіб, у тому числі 21,0 % дітей у віці до 18 років та 23,2 % осіб у віці 65 років та старших.

Цивільне працевлаштоване населення становило  осіб. Основні галузі зайнятості: освіта, охорона здоров'я та соціальна допомога — 29,0 %, будівництво — 13,1 %, мистецтво, розваги та відпочинок — 12,5 %.

Джерела

Міста Вісконсину
Населені пункти округу Баффало (Вісконсин)


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Enbridge entered the offshore wind energy market in 2015 and obviously liked what it found.
A new partnership with energy Giant EnBW extends the company's wind energy footprint to offshore Germany.
Enbridge's renewable portfolio already generates over 1.9-GW of clean energy.
As a result, Enbridge is an emerging wind energy giant. Long-term wind energy PPAs will increase ENB's base of secure and stable EBITDA streams.
100% of the power generated effectively receive long-term fixed pricing by 20-year power-purchase-agreements, or PPAs.
The project has achieved all key regulatory approvals.
Fixed-price engineering, procurement, construction and installation contracts have been secured with key suppliers representing ~90% of all the project's capital costs.
On the Q4 conference call, management said it would not be excited about the project if the returns were "in the high single digits." That statement implies low- to mid-teens returns. In other words, HoHe See is a low-risk project that will deliver very attractive returns for two decades. Construction is scheduled to start in August and the project is expected to reach full service by the second half of 2019.
Enbridge expects to spend $600 million on the project this year, while the total investment is expected to be $1.7 billion. The project has been pre-funded, in part, by a $750 million preferred share offering last November. Enbridge has an option to participate in a future 112-MW planned expansion project. That would increase the Hohe See Wind Project's total capacity by 22.5% and is an attractive organic growth opportunity for ENB going forward.
Previous article Why Not More Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines?


Adoration Home Health, LLC was recognized and certified in 2011 by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as one of modern home-health care agencies which are scientifically measured and assessed to have high-quality home-health care services for promoting health and improving the quality of life. Adoration Home Health, LLC is located at 545 Mainstream Drive, Suite 411 Nashville, TN 37228 and can be contacted via phone number (615) 733-3600. Home Health Services being offerred by Adoration Home Health, LLC includes nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, medical social, home health aide.


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MLA: George Heyman – Vancouver-Fairview (Demo)
Home PrayBC MLA: George Heyman – Vancouver-Fairview (Demo)
Lord, we are grateful for MLA: George Heyman and the experience he brings to his various roles in our legislature. May the skills and experience he has developed over the years especially in the areas of multi-party negotiations and collaborative decision-making be used to make our province an even better place in which to live and work. Bless him and his family this Christmas season with good health and good times. In Jesus' name, Amen.
George Heyman was elected as the MLA for Vancouver-Fairview in May 2013. Born and raised in Vancouver, George has lived and worked in Vancouver and throughout northwest B.C.
George serves as Opposition Critic for Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services, responsible for green jobs, TransLink, and for film and television.
George was the executive director of Sierra Club BC, one of the province's oldest environmental advocacy and education organizations. He also served three terms as president of the BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU). In both organizations, George was a respected negotiator and a strong fiscal manager, running consistent budget surpluses.
George has been a faculty member of Simon Fraser University's Dialogue and Negotiation program, teaching courses in multi-party negotiations and collaborative decision-making. He has guest lectured at a number of universities in B.C. and abroad, and served on advisory committees for post-graduate and undergraduate degree programs at three B.C. universities.
George is a passionate advocate in Victoria for issues facing his constituents, including education, health care, the arts, child care, workers' rights, transit and affordable housing.
MLA: Linda Reimer – Port Moody-Coquitlam (Demo)
Precious Lord, please protect Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA: Linda Reimer, her husband, and their two sons as they enjoy summer. We recognize Ms. Reimer's service, and…
MLA: Vicki Huntington – Delta South (Demo)
Heavenly Father, our united prayers go out to MLA: Vicki Huntington today. We pray You will grant her favour, wisdom and a voice that deserves…
MLA Rich Coleman, Langley East (Demo)
Father we hold Rich Coleman up in Prayer in Jesus Name. Ephesians 1:16 "… I pray for you constantly." We pray for Rich for his…
MLA: Judy Darcy – New Westminster (Demo)
Precious Lord, we thank you for New Westminster MLA: Judy Darcy as she serves the province and her community, and carries out the role of Opposition…
MLA: Hon. Bill Bennett – Kootenay East – Minister of Energy and Mines; Minister Responsible for Core Review (Demo)
Father, thank You for the heart of a servant that MLA: Honourable Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review,…
MLA Simon Gibson, Abbotsford-Mission (Demo)
Today, Lord, we pray for Simon Gibson as he serves for a second term as MLA representing the people of Abbotsford & Mission. Lord, we…
God we thank you for Scott Fraser. As he leads Alberni-Pacific Rim riding, please continue to guide him and allow him to feel your presence…
MLA Dr. Andrew Weaver, Oak Bay – Gordon Head (Demo)
We pause to pray today, Lord, for Dr. Andrew Weaver, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon, and also official leader of the Green Party in BC, as…
Father, we humbly approach Your throne of grace on behalf of MLA: Kathy Corrigan and pray especially for Your leading and sound direction for her…
MLA: Mike Morris – Prince George-Mackenzie (Demo)
God thank you for MLA Mike Morris Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. We ask your blessing on him in his Prince George riding…
MLA: Hon. Peter Fassbender – Surrey-Fleetwood – Minister of Education (Demo)
Father God, great is Your wisdom and understanding and we thank You that You have chosen the Honourable Peter Fassbender to serve in the legislature…
MLA: Jane Thornthwaite – North Vancouver-Seymour (Demo)
As we start our day Lord we want to lift up Jane Thornthwaite to you. We pray for strength, energy and wisdom as she works…
Hon George Heyman, Vancouver – Fairview (Demo)
Lord God, we give you thanks for Vancouver-Fairview MLA Hon. George Heyman and his family as they begin this new year. Continue to lead and…
MLA Laurie Throness, Chilliwack-Kent (Demo)
Our prayers go out to MLA Throness, as he establishes and gives clarity of purpose to the new riding of Kent. We thank You for…
MLA: John Martin – Chilliwack (Demo)
We lift up MLA: John Martin to You God and thank You for his commitment to serve in our legislature. As he works and rests,…


10 years ago the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas indicated that just over 150 million people had diabetes worldwide. Now, less than 10 years later the survey shows 285 million worldwide cases, more than half of those aged between 20 and 60.
To put this rise in perspective in 1985 it was estimated there were 30 million worldwide cases. India and China lead the way in cases but are followed closely by the US. About 9% of the US population is found to have been diagnosed with diabetes (26.8 million) at a rate of $198 billion a year. This is 52.7% of worldwide spending on diabetes, an incredible number!
At this growth rate the number should reach above 435 million by 2030 (US population today is 303 million). As I've said before, if we really want to cut down on health expenditures this is a major area of public health we have to target and not just by paying it lip service. Since a majority of cases are type II (insulin resistance with obesity and diet as contributors) we need to target the food and food services industries and the way the consumer is informed of their decision.
Of course a huge problem is getting people to realize the long term health affects of diet and exercise which is very difficult. Incremental weight loss and an abstract number like fasting glucose levels are difficult means to motivate people into life altering habits. This has been proven with the massive diet industry which peddles unnecessary measures to lose weight. This is easily seen by the yo-yo effect from people losing weight off of a diet and then gaining the weight back, only to have to find another diet. I've seen family members go from diet program to diet program to find one which will "keep the weight off" but the only way to keep the weight off is to change your eating and exercise habits, dirty secret the industry wishes to keep from you.


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Tag Archive for: Rwanda
Children, Developing Countries, Early Childhood Development, Families, Gender-Based Violence, Global Poverty, Rwanda
Sugira Muryango Program in Rwanda
Around the world, the effects of poverty negatively impact childhood development in more than 200 million children. Child development outcomes play a key part in a country's advancement and the state of the economy. The U.S. National Library of Medicine explains, "Children living in compounded adversity face increased risks of poor child development outcomes and emotional and behavioral problems that can perpetuate a cycle of poverty and violence." However, in 2016, the implementation of an innovative home-visiting intervention program in Rwanda called Sugira Muryango is fighting to break these cycles.
Violence and Intergenerational Poverty
In past studies, social programs aimed toward child development have been more focused on mothers of the households. However, the developers of Sugira Muryango (researchers at Boston College's School of Social Work and the nonprofit FXB Rwanda) chose to implement this program to focus more on the father's role within the household and child's life.
Rwanda is a key place to evaluate this program due to the persistent household violence and gender roles within Rwandan society. Traditionally, Rwandan society has held few expectations for fathers within the household. However, a positive male figure plays an important role in a child's developmental outcomes.
The data of some surveys taken in Rwanda by Promundo and the Rwanda Men's Resource Centre on masculinity and gender-based violence convey shocking truths. The surveys reported that 73% of men and 82% of women agreed with the statement, "a woman's most important role is to take care of her home" and 44% of men and 54% of women agreed that "a woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together." Lastly, 45% of men saw their dads beat their moms in childhood and 38% of those men became violent toward their own partners in adulthood. Men who witnessed violence at home as children were more likely to perpetuate it, indicating that children emulate behavior, both positive and negative.
Methods Used in the Sugira Muryango Program
As a response to this violence, Sugira Muryango was implemented as a home-visiting intervention program that targets the poorest households with young children (aged between 6 months and 26 months) in Rwanda. The program offers coaching to caregivers of the household in order to teach parents, specifically fathers, positive caregiving practices, nutrition skills, hygiene skills and basic involvement.
The program uses methods of home visits and caregiving coaching in order to improve family relations. The family-based model aims to encourage responsive and positive interactions as well as discourage violence and harsh punishment. In providing this coaching through these methods, it is possible to improve not only parent-child relations but also child development outcomes. With these improved outcomes, Rwanda should see improvements as the children reach adulthood and in breaking the cyclical poverty which should then improve Rwanda's general development as a country.
The Impacts of the Program in Rwanda
Not only did the results of the program aid in the decrease of violence within Rwandan homes but it also helped improve mental health rates among Rwandan fathers. Furthermore, reports indicate changes in parents' behaviors towards the child, including responsive care and play, dietary diversity, care-seeking for child health problems and reduced family violence.
Potential Global Impacts
The Sugira Muryango program is playing an important role in breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty within Rwanda. Although the lasting effects of this program need to be studied as the children grow, the immediate effects have aided in reducing violence and improving family relationships. If integrated into other low to middle-income communities and countries, the overall effects should be promising in breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty on a global scale.
– Caroline Dunn
January 6, 2021 /by Lynsey Alexander
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg 0 0 Lynsey Alexander https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg Lynsey Alexander2021-01-06 04:15:022021-01-06 04:15:01Sugira Muryango Program in Rwanda
Africa, Child Poverty, Children, Developing Countries, Global Poverty
Alleviating Child Poverty in Rwanda
Rwanda, an East African country, has a population of about 12.3 million. Around 45% of the country's population, roughly 5.4 million, are under the age of 18. The rate of poverty has decreased from 59% to 40% since 2000. Additionally, the rate of extreme poverty was reduced to 16% from 40%. While the country achieved its Millennium Development Goals, child poverty in Rwanda continues to be a significant issue faced by the population. Therefore, Rwanda aims to end child poverty with one of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets focusing on reducing the number of impoverished children by half by 2030.
The Effects of Child Poverty in Rwanda
The rate of impoverished Rwandan children ages 0 to 17 is 39%. Children disproportionately undergo the struggles of poverty and it significantly impacts their well-being since they lack basic needs. Impoverished families in Rwanda, especially in rural areas, experience high rates of mortality among children under the age of 5. About 50 children out of 1,000 births in the country do not live past the age of 5 years old..
Impoverished children also struggle greatly with malnutrition. As a result, many children face low birth weight and infections. Malnutrition creates lasting effects on children, specifically in terms of cognitive development and physical growth. Furthermore, Rwandan children struggle with the impact of poor sanitation. A clean and safe source of water within 500 meters of a house is only accessible to 47% of Rwandan households. Additionally, 64% of households own a latrine. Lack of access to quality sanitation and water sources contributes to 38% of Rwandan children being stunted.
Child Poverty in Rural and Urban Areas
In terms of deprivation of sanitation, water, housing, education and health due to poverty, there is a gap between children living in rural areas and children residing in urban areas. Moreover, 83.5% of the rural population in Rwanda consists of children. In urban areas, 38% of children ages 0 to 23 months undergo multiple deprivations as opposed to 61% of children in rural areas. Additionally, in urban areas, 22% of children ages 15 to 17 are considered "multidimensionally poor" with a deprivation rate of 16% among children ages 5 to 14. On the other hand, in rural areas, the deprivation rate of children ages 5 to 14 is 32% and 50% of children ages 15 to 17 are "multidimensionally poor".
The Rwandan Government has worked toward further developing its Vision Umurenge Social Protection (VUP) program by including child-sensitive social protection. In 2011, the government passed Law N.54 to protect children's rights but there is inequality in the law's implementation, which prevents children from receiving its full benefits.
While Rwanda has witnessed a recent decrease in child poverty, through a Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA), UNICEF provides recommendations to further efforts to eradicate poverty among children. UNICEF suggests increasing the support provided by the Rwandan Government's social protection program, VUP, to give children greater access to social services and to decrease the number of deprivations due to poverty. Furthermore, UNICEF recommends that the social protection program considers overlapping deprivations when providing services. UNICEF also emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the most vulnerable groups of children, especially those living in rural areas and children ages 0 to 23 months.
– Zoë Nichols
December 11, 2020 /by Scott Boyce
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg 0 0 Scott Boyce https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg Scott Boyce2020-12-11 02:29:432020-12-11 02:29:43Alleviating Child Poverty in Rwanda
Africa, Global Poverty, Nigeria, Overpopulation, Rwanda
How Infrastructure Addresses Urban Overpopulation in Africa
Africa's urbanization has been rapidly increasing. For example, sub-Saharan Africa is regarded as the world's fastest urbanizing region. This increase in urbanization is related to the increase in people migrating into urban areas. However, urbanization often leads to overpopulation. Here is how urban overpopulation impacts sub-Saharan Africa and what African countries are doing to solve it through infrastructure development.
Rural-Urban Migration
African cities have fast-growing population growth. The UN reports that urban population growth has evolved "from about 27% in 1950 to 40% in 2015 and is projected to reach 60% by 2050." This pressure has led to the over-exploitation of infrastructural resources like roads and markets. Many rural areas in Africa are remote, and they have fewer job opportunities. Accordingly, many people move from these regions to urban areas where they can find jobs easily. This problem causes a migration influx that leads to urban overpopulation in many African cities. Because urban areas also have advanced, easily accessible social services and facilities, people who may need or want better medical care or educational services have to move to urban areas. This kind of migration leads to increased population growth and urban overpopulation.
Urban Overpopulation
Increased population automatically increases urban areas' population density, or the measurement of population per unit area. Overpopulation occurs when urban areas contain more people than the optimal proportion of population to land. When urban areas become overcrowded, people start building slums, the roads become very busy with high traffic, public markets and malls consistently become overcrowded and the competition for resources increases. This leads to increased pollution and the destruction of much infrastructure.
African governments have started investing in solutions to accommodate this growing urban population through infrastructure. One way in which they are doing so is through urban planning. Many African nations have begun to provide urban planning education facilities and resources. This solution started preparing people who were equipped to design and plan for the overpopulated cities in Africa. For example, Nigeria established the Town Planners Registration Council. This council is in charge of determining who is capable of being the town's planner and setting the basic requirements for people who want to enter the profession of urban planning. In 2013, Kigali City in Rwanda established the city's master plan. This plan represented a vision the country had for organizing settlement in the city. The Building Permit Management Information System reports that this master plan is a "comprehensive long term plan intended to guide growth and development of Kigali City."
Most African countries have a complex topography. Some cities are hilly or close to forested areas. These natural features become a big challenge to companies seeking to build roads and skyscrapers in the most environmentally friendly ways possible. Despite these challenges, African nations are investing in building new infrastructure to support urban areas. GlobeNewswire reports that in 2019, all projects in Africa invested in building new and upgrading "54,110 km for roads, 55,345 km for railway and 599 km for bridges" in total. To include the environment in these developing cities, some countries introduced green belts in urban regions. For example, Kenya and Rwanda have started reserving some areas in cities for planting trees.
Africa's population is growing fast. However, countries are investing in sectors that will manage to accommodate this urban population. Infrastructure has been one of the sectors that have helped cities plan for the population and the cities' activities.
– Renova Uwingabire
September 18, 2020 /by Kim Thelwell
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg 0 0 Kim Thelwell https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg Kim Thelwell2020-09-18 07:38:142020-09-18 07:38:14How Infrastructure Addresses Urban Overpopulation in Africa
COVID 19, Ghana, Global Poverty, Rwanda
Pool Testing Helping Rwanda Control COVID-19
Some developing countries are using a forgotten testing method called pool testing to control COVID-19 spread. This method requires fewer tests, costs less and provides a quicker turnaround time than the traditional method of testing each person individually. This article will explain three main points about this form of testing:
How Pool Testing Works
The basic principle behind pool testing is as follows: between five and 50 samples are collected from different individuals. These samples are then all mixed together and tested as one big pool. If the pool results are negative, it can be safely assumed that none of the individuals are COVID positive. If the pool results are positive, each individual's sample must be tested separately to determine which sample contained the positive test.
In regions expected to have generally low rates of positive tests, this method saves an enormous amount of materials, as well as reduces cost for individuals and government agencies. A recent paper that details the optimal algorithms behind the testing hypothesizes that this method could reduce costs by a factor of "ten to a hundred or more." The paper also recorded data from real-world settings. They took 1,280 real samples from Rwanda, and found only 1 positive test. It only took 64 total tests rather than the 1,280 it otherwise would have taken.
Pool testing was originally developed in the 1940s to test US army drafts for syphilis, by Robert Dorfman. Developing countries such as Rwanda and Ghana have been the first to implement this strategy in response to COVID-19. This form of testing is most effective, though, in regions with an expected low density of positive tests. In an area where lots of positive tests are expected, such as New York City, a large pool would more often come back positive, requiring more tests. This would mitigate much of the benefits that this form of testing provides.
Rwanda and Ghana's Success With Pool Testing
Rwanda has responded quickly and effectively to COVID-19, partially due to recent experiences with other outbreaks, but also in part because of pool testing. The country is home to 12.3 million people, but has only reported five deaths. Similarly, Ghana has seen impressive results. As of July 22, the country, with 30 million people, has only had 153 deaths.
The Chinese city of Wuhan, the former epicenter of the pandemic, was able to conduct over 6.5 million tests in only nine days due to the utilization of pool testing.
Applications for developing countries in the future
As was mentioned earlier, pool testing is far more effective in areas with a lower density of positive cases. Most of Africa, home to lots of poor and developing countries, has yet to see the cases spike as they have in Western Europe and the United States. Since pandemics have the potential to cause far more damage to economically fragile countries, implementation of pool testing as early as possible would be incredibly beneficial for developing countries. Since costs are a particularly pressing issue for poor countries, pool testing's reduction in costs would help immensely. Beyond mere financials, the logistical problem of the raw number of tests is aided through pool testing.
Novel solutions to the COVID-19 crisis exist. Strategies such as preemptive pool testing in developing countries could save millions of dollars and, more importantly, thousands upon thousands of lives. Developing countries should implement pool testing whenever possible, and continue to search for unique solutions to help minimize the negative impacts of COVID-19.
– Evan Kuo
Photo: Department of Defense
August 17, 2020 /by Kim Thelwell
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg 0 0 Kim Thelwell https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/The_Borgen_Project_Logo_small.jpg Kim Thelwell2020-08-17 12:35:072020-08-18 05:36:00Pool Testing Helping Rwanda Control COVID-19
Africa, Education, Global Poverty, Rwanda, South Africa, Theater
International Theatre Project Inspires Children
Education is an essential tool to guide the next generation and prepare them for success. In South Africa and Rwanda, education is vital, and a good portion of government spending goes toward education. In 2013, South Africa invested 19.7% of its national budgets toward education, while Rwanda invested 11%. Both South Africa and Rwanda recognize that education impacts the success of their citizens. A mode of education that can transform the way children learn is through theater. The International Theatre Project aspires to teach children in South Africa and Rwanda the building blocks of theater to ignite their confidence. Teaching theater in Africa can produce a new generation of leaders who are passionate about their heritage.
What is the International Theatre Project?
The International Theatre Project began as a test to see how new programs would impact students. In 2005, two professionals experienced in theater arts, Stephen DiMenna and Marianna Houston, decided to conduct their project in Tanzania with 21 pupils. DiMenna and Houston had the students write a play in English and perform the piece for their community. The play reflected the students' aspirations for the future. Producing the piece had a profound impact on the students. The 21 pupils who worked on the project tended to score higher on English exams than their peers. Seeing the positive impact of theater on young students, DiMenna and Houston returned the following year, thereby founding the International Theatre Project.
Since then, the International Theatre Project has held programs in Ethiopia, Indonesia, Rwanda, South Africa and India. The students who participate in the programs often lack opportunities in education, and poverty presents even more barriers. According to the International Theatre company, 90% of their students continue their education into college, 80% of students have job opportunities after graduating high school, 100% score higher on their English exams and 100% are inspired to educate others in their communities. The company's most recent accomplishment is having students perform their original piece in Cape Town, South Africa. A former ITP alumnus, Calvin from Tanzania, states how his experience with ITP, "…gave me the confidence to be more than I think I can be. I can deliver and I never knew that before."
Programs Offered by ITP
Since its founding, the International Theatre Company has developed several unique programs. For instance, Rising Voices is a program specifically for teaching theater in Africa. Students in this program have the opportunity to write and perform their own pieces. If a student has been with the program for more than four years, they can participate in Leading Acts, where they become mentors for other students. The International Theatre Project also has two opportunities based in New York. Open Doors is a program where recent immigrants can develop the skills necessary to adjust to a new way of life. Alternatively, the Stefan Nowicki Camp Treetops Scholarship Program provides two ITP students from South Africa or Rwanda to participate in a seven-week summer camp held in upstate New York. All four of these programs create ways for children to learn theater as well as develop their leadership skills.
Why Theater Education is Beneficial
Theater emphasizes freedom of expression, and through that expression, one can benefit immensely. According to a psychological study written by Sydney Walker, there are many advantages students gain by participating in theater. For one, students improve their self-esteem through participation and self-expression. When interacting with others in the theater, students can connect on a deeper level and create an outlet for their emotions. Theatre also allows students to identify conflicts and create resolutions.
Teaching theater in Africa presents students with a new way to learn and participate in their communities. Furthermore, it allows students to create relationships with one another and communicate their own emotions. Organizations like the International Theatre Project create ways for theater to be shared and taught to anyone, regardless of their circumstances.
– Brooke Young
Photo: Unsplash
July 23, 2020 /by Jennifer Philipp
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Africa, COVID 19, Drones, East Africa, Ghana, Global Poverty, Rwanda, West Africa, Zipline
Drones in Africa Help Fight Coronavirus by Airdropping Medical Supplies
The mission of Zipline, a company started in 2014 and based in San Francisco, is to "provide every human on Earth with instant access to vital medical supplies." To accomplish this goal, the company has created a drone delivery service where drones in Africa distribute lifesaving medical supplies to remote clinics in Ghana and Rwanda. More recently Zipline has expanded to other locations across the globe, including the U.S.
Poverty in Rwanda and Ghana
Rwanda is a rural East African country that relies heavily on farming. Although the country has made improvements in recent years, the 1994 Rwandan genocide damaged the economy and forced many people into poverty, particularly women. As of 2015, 39% of the population lived below the poverty line and Rwanda was ranked 208th out of 228 countries in terms of GDP per capita. On top of this, Rwanda only has 0.13 physicians per 1,000 people, which is insufficient to meet health care needs according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Ghana, located in West Africa, has fewer economic problems than neighboring countries in the region. However, debt, high costs of electricity and a lack of a stable domestic revenue continue to pose a threat to the economy. The GDP per capita was $4,700 as of 2017, with 24.2% of the population living below the poverty line. Although Ghana has a higher ratio of physicians per 1,000 people than Rwanda, with 0.18 physicians, it still falls below the WHO recommendation of at least 2.3 physicians per 1,000.
Benefits of Drone Delivery Services
On-demand delivery, such as drone delivery services, are typically only available to wealthy nations. However, Zipline evens the playing field by ensuring that those living in poorer and more remote regions also have access to the medical supplies they need. Zipline has made over 37,000 deliveries. In Rwanda, the drones provide deliveries across the country, bypassing the problems of dangerous routes, traffic and vehicle breakdowns, speeding up delivery and therefore minimizing waste. Additionally, Zipline's drones in Africa do not use gasoline but, instead, on battery power.
Drone Delivery Services and COVID-19
Zipline's services have been especially crucial during the COVID-19 response. Zipline has partnered with various nonprofit organizations (NGOs) and governments to complement traditional means of delivery of medical supplies on an international scale. This has helped to keep delivery drivers at home and minimize face-to-face interactions. As there are advances in treatments for COVID-19, delivery by drones in Africa has the potential to provide access to the vulnerable populations who are most at risk. At the same time, it can help vulnerable people stay at home by delivering medications directly to them or to nearby clinics, minimizing travel and reducing the chance of exposure. Zipline distribution centers have the capability to make thousands of deliveries a week across 8,000 square miles. Doctors and clinics simply use an app to order the supplies they need, receiving the supplies in 15 to 20 minutes. The drones are equipped for any weather conditions.
New means of providing medical equipment are helping to ensure that the world's poor have access to the supplies they need. A company called Zipline has been using drones to deliver medical supplies to Africa, specifically in Rwanda and Ghana. During the COVID-19 pandemic, drones have been crucial in providing people and clinics with the medical supplies they need.
– Elizabeth Davis
July 22, 2020 /by Jessie
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Bangladesh, Brazil, Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica, Global Poverty, Imad Najib Fakhoury, India, Malawi, Moving Windmill Project, Rwanda, Strategic Climate Fund Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program Grant, William Kamkwamba
5 Countries Combating Poverty with Renewable Energy
In the modern era, more than a billion people around the world live without power. Energy poverty is an ongoing problem in nations like Liberia where only about 2 percent of the population has regular access to electricity. The World Bank explains that "poor people are the least likely to have access to power, and they are more likely to remain poor if they stay unconnected."
With the new global threat of climate change, ending poverty means developing renewable energy that will power the world without harming it. Here are five countries combating poverty with renewable energy.
India plans to generate 160 gigawatts of power using solar panels by 2022. According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water and the Natural Resources Defense Council India must create an estimated 330,000 jobs to achieve this goal. With this new effort to expand access to renewable energy, East Asia is now responsible for 42 percent of the new renewable energy generated throughout the world.
Rwanda is another nation combating poverty with renewable energy. The country received a Strategic Climate Fund Scaling Up Renewable Energy Program Grant of $21.4 million in 2017 to bring off-grid electricity to villages across the country. Mzee Vedaste Hagiriryayo, 62, is one of the many residents who have already benefited from this initiative. While previously the only energy Hagiriryayo knew was wood and kerosene, he gained access to solar power in June of 2017. He told the New Times, "Police brought the sun to my house and my village; the sun that shines at night." Other residents say it has allowed children to do their homework at night and entrepreneurs to build grocery stores for the village.
Malawi's relationship with windmills started in 2002 when William Kamkwamba, famous for the book and Netflix film "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind," built his first windmill from scrap materials following a drought that killed his family's crops for the season. Kamkwamba founded the Moving Windmill Project in 2008 with the motto, "African Solutions to African Problems." Today the organization has provided solar water pumps to power water taps that save residents the time they had once spent gathering water. Additionally, it has added solar power internet and electricity to local high schools in order to combat poverty with renewable energy.
Brazil has turned to an energy auction system for converting their energy sources over to renewable energy. Contracts are distributed to the lowest bidders with a goal of operation by the end of six years. Brazilian agency Empresa de Pesquisa Energetica (EPE) auctioned off 100.8 GW worth of energy on September 26, 2019. EPE accepted 1,829 solar, wind, hydro and biomass projects to be auctioned off at the lowest prices yet.
Bangladesh is turning to small-scale solar power in order to drastically improve their access to energy. These low-cost home systems are bringing electricity to low-income families who would otherwise be living in the dark. The nation now has the largest off-grid energy program in the world, connecting about 5.2 million households to solar power every year, roughly 12 percent of the population.
With one in seven people living without electricity around the world, ending energy poverty could be the key to ending world poverty. The story of renewable energy around the world is one that is not only tackling climate change but also thirst, hunger and the income gap. According to Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Imad Najib Fakhoury, "Our story is one of resilience and turning challenges into opportunities. With all honesty it was a question of survival, almost of life and death." With lower costs and larger access, renewable energy is not only the future of environmental solutions but the future of development for countries all around the world.
– Maura Byrne
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Development, Global Poverty, North Korea, Poverty Reduction
Five Incredible Memoirs About Overcoming Poverty
The problems in developing countries are often viewed as too big to find solutions. Because of this, many people are deterred from putting in seemingly futile efforts to alleviate a problem. But, they are more likely to join the fight when they learn the individual names and faces of those living under such conditions. These five memoirs about overcoming poverty highlight success stories and seek to mobilize people with a renewed sense of hope.
5 Memoirs About Overcoming Poverty
Masaji Ishikawa recalls escaping from North Korea in "A River in Darkness." With Japanese heritage from his mother and Korean from his father, he found himself caught between two worlds. When his father realized he could no longer tolerate the discrimination he faced in Japan, the family moved to North Korea. They arrived with the promise of paradise and found, simply put, quite the opposite. Ishikawa was only thirteen years old.In this memoir, he describes atrocious living conditions with graphic detail, unparalleled by any other nation in the world. The regime controls every aspect of its citizens' lives, and Ishikawa tells readers that "the penalty for thinking was death." More than any of the five memoirs about overcoming poverty, "A River in Darkness" highlights an ongoing crisis.Since North Korea remains untouched by the rest of the world, it's difficult to extend support to those still living under the dictatorship. But Ishikawa's story is one of many that prove North Koreans are waking up to the reality of their oppression. Gradually, more people are choosing to gain control over their destinies.
When Jacqueline Novogratz donated a sweater to Goodwill, she never expected to encounter a young boy wearing it on the streets of Rwanda. It ended up being the namesake for her book entitled "The Blue Sweater." She holds onto this memory as an important message of interconnectivity and the responsibility to help people in need.Her travels to various countries revealed economic injustice along with a lack of credit access for those with low incomes. This led her to help open the first bank in Rwanda available to women. Along with numerous other initiatives through The Acumen Fund, Novogratz learned that charity is fleeting compared to the sustainability of helping innovators launch businesses to benefit millions of people.
Several reporters sought to overcome poverty by being a voice for untold stories in developing countries. Maya Ajmera, joined by co-authors Sarah Strunk and Olateju Omolodun, wrote "Extraordinary Girls" about what girlhood looks like across the world. Despite cultural differences, the authors work to prove that all girls can find common ground in the desire to make their dreams come true.Their book showcases girls such as Alexandra Nechita from Romania, an exceptional painter whose work was published in a collection by the age of eleven. Through this and many other success stories, the book's purpose is to encourage girls to be active in their communities rather than feel as if their only option is to fulfill traditional gender roles.
Katherine Boo sheds light on the ramshackle town of Annawadi in "Behind the Beautiful Forevers.". This book illustrates how members of this community responded to India's promise for renewed economic prosperity amid a global recession. A young man named Abdul discovered the value of reselling possessions thrown out by the wealthy. Others sought to change the course of politics by climbing the social ranks, like the Annawadi community member who became the first woman in that settlement to be a college graduate. These stories are about relying on pure grit to succeed in life when the economic system favors only the rich.
The last of these five memoirs about overcoming poverty is "Teach a Woman to Fish" by Ritu Sharma. It's a reinterpretation of the gendered language in this saying: "Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." She argues that if women are taught the same thing, everyone will be fed too.Sharma helped found a business run by women in Honduras, giving them a chance to break free from the household sphere and gain financial independence. Other countries she visited include Sri Lanka, Nicaragua and Burkina Faso. In the book, readers can also find tips for shopping in ways that support female entrepreneurs and email templates if they feel inspired to speak with their members of Congress about this important cause.
All the authors in these five memoirs about overcoming poverty have discovered important lessons about global issues through real-life experiences. They write about them in the hopes that people will no longer be complacent in the face of a problem that, contrary to what some might believe, can be solved.
– Sabrina Dubbert
September 22, 2018 /by Borgen Project
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Children, Global Poverty, Mali, Malnutirion
Child Malnutrition in Mali Must Be Addressed Immediately
Africa is the only continent in the world in which poverty and malnutrition are on the rise. In a vast country with an undiversified economy, Malian households are especially vulnerable to poverty food insecurity.
Recently, Mali has faced "shocks" to its economic profile, including from a partial drought and internal strife. A 2013 World Bank study found that a 25 percent increase in cereal prices and 25 percent decrease in cereal production would push over 600,000 individuals to food insecurity levels in Mali. In addition, sustainably high population growth rates have risen the number of malnourished individuals in the country.
Effects of Child Malnutrition in Mali
While millions of Malians of all ages are affected by food insecurity, malnutrition is the second highest cause of death of children under the age of five. Almost 900,000 Mali children are at risk of global acute malnutrition in Mali, including 274,000 facing severe malnutrition and at risk of imminent death, according to UNICEF and the World Bank. To put this in the context of the country's population, a 2013 World Bank study found that 44 percent of Malian households have at least one chronically malnutritioned child.
Malnutrition leads to devastating, long-lasting effects on young people. Research by an associate professor at the Federal University of São Paulo, Ana Lydia Saway, shows that malnutrition is linked to higher susceptibility to gain central fat, lower energy expenditure, higher blood pressure and disruptions in insulin production. These are all factors which heighten the risk of other chronic diseases later in life.
How Mali is Combatting the Issue
Child malnutrition in Mali is a significant concern, requiring action and deserving worldwide attention. But a major problem limiting international assistance comes in the form of funding for aid.
In May, UNICEF reported that limited donor interest in the region has made it increasingly difficult for the organization to provide children with therapeutic food necessary to combat malnutrition. Funding for humanitarian organizations is low, as nearly 80 percent of UNICEF's $37 million call for humanitarian aid for the year 2018 has not been raised.
"The children of Mali are suffering in silence, away from the world's attention," UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore said during a visit to the country this year. "Amid increasing violence, more children are going hungry, missing out on learning and dying in the first days of life."
Still, community and international-based organizations are working to mitigate the effects of child malnutrition in Mali. For example, in the capital of Ségou Centre, the local population, with the help of the World Bank and Swiss Corporation agency, is working to provide necessary social services to its commune.
The third phase of this project involved the decentralizing of health facilities, which were starchly underequipped. The commune recently constructed a community health center, showing promising bottom-up action within Mali. Other organizations are helping out to create sustainable progress in development, including Groundswell International.
Furthermore, farmers and processors in Mali have been working together to increase the presence of Misola flour to combat malnutrition. During processing, vitamins and minerals are added to the flour, targeting those with nutritional deficiencies.
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism found that Misola can help rehabilitate undernourished children and help those with depressed immune systems. "The porridge made from the flour allows for a nutritional transition from breast milk to traditional solid food," Fernand Rolet, co-President of the Misola Association, said.
Overcoming Child Malnutrition Globally
Rwanda provides a prime example that overcoming child malnutrition is possible. The nation, which has a similar wealth level to Mali, has made progress in lowering malnutrition levels. A 2015 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Access Report found that the level of stunting in young children dropped seven percent from three years prior. In Rwanda, the World Food Programme has been largely active, supplying food assistance such as providing meals for thousands of primary school children.
Combating malnutrition is an ongoing struggle, especially in Africa. Due to poor economic conditions and food scarcity, malnutrition continues to take the lives of thousands of children in Mali each year. Although citizens have founded programs to improve child nutrition and the issue is on humanitarian aid organizations' radars, it is clear that more effort is needed to eradicate the problem. With continued efforts, child malnutrition in Mali will begin to decline.
– Isabel Bysiewicz
June 14, 2018 /by Borgen Project
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Genocide, Global Poverty, Rwanda
Post-Genocide Reconstruction in Rwanda
After the three-month-long genocide in 1994 that claimed the lives of approximately 800,000 predominantly Tutsi and moderate-Hutu citizens, Rwanda has been working to rebuild, reconstruct and promote lasting peace and stability.
Poverty in the post-genocide years is still a prevalent issue, even after 23 years of reconstruction in Rwanda. More than 60 percent of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day, and the nation failed to meet the U.N. Millennium Development Goal of halving the 1990 poverty rate by 2015. However, the current state of poverty must be considered in the context of the conflict and upheaval Rwanda has experienced and the progress it has made since its brutal setback.
Between 2000 and 2010, there was a 23.8 percent reduction in poverty. Rwanda has also become one of the fastest-growing economies in Central Africa. It had four straight years, between 2011 and 2014, of GDP growth at eight percent. These are all positive signs for Rwanda's future.
Since the genocide and the preceding civil war, under the leadership of former-RPF leader Paul Kagame, the government, local NGOs and the international community have worked toward reconstruction in Rwanda.
On the federal level, economic reform has led to rapid and sustainable economic growth which has lifted many people out of poverty. Privatization and liberalization have been the core tenets of this economic growth. More specifically, it has been achieved by increasing opportunities for employment outside of the agricultural sector, increasing agricultural productivity and increasing entrepreneurship and small business ownership.
Women have been central to reconstruction in Rwanda. Women make up 57 percent of the adult working population and they produce nearly 70 percent of the country's overall agricultural output. Women have also organized themselves into socio-professional associations, development associations and cooperative groups, thereby taking control of and exercising agency over the reconstruction process.
Outside of the economy, gender equality has still been a focus, especially in politics. Women make up 64 percent of the Rwandan parliament, which is three times the worldwide average of 22 percent.
Interpersonal social reconstruction has also been a necessity, since the conflict exploited ethnic divides and hatreds. On the federal level, Rwanda adopted a policy of de-ethnicization wherein they "erased" ethnicity, stating that there were no longer Hutu and Tutsis, only unified Rwandans. On the local level, communities implemented Gacaca community courts to relieve the judicial burden of the International Criminal Tribunal of Rwanda and foster accountability and reconciliation.
Local organizations and initiatives have had a crucial role to play in reform and reconstruction. These groups have worked on both the community empowerment and economic empowerment levels, as well as on many other fronts.
The Pro-Femmes Twese Hamwe's Action Peace Campaign works to empower women to realize the need to live in peace, give them the tools to live together peacefully and organize "dialogue clubs" to address underlying tensions. Another initiative, TO THE MARKET, is an online sales platform where genocide survivors can sell homemade goods globally. This harnesses local entrepreneurship and economically empowers the artisans.
Regarding the government, Kagame's leadership has been strong and authoritative. While this has allowed him to mandate many economic reforms, it has also squashed political dissidence and limited freedom of the press.
The needs of women continually need to be met. The Rwandan Genocide was the first time in which mass rape was recognized as a tool of genocide. The prevalence of rape during the conflict means that today there are thousands of survivors who need unique support from the government and from society.
Finally, Rwanda is still very dependent on foreign aid. Approximately 35 percent of its budget comes from foreign aid. The next step in reconstruction should be to increase independence and make sustainable economic advancements so Rwanda can support itself with less support from the international community.
– Olivia Bradley
December 6, 2017 /by Borgen Project
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We all know technology is evolving fast, but we rarely stop and think about how things have changed – and how quickly. Since the first personal computers were used for keeping simple household records in the 1980s we now have sophisticated solutions and developed artificial intelligence while storage has moved to cloud-based services.
One of the very first steps toward our technology-based society was taken already in 1725, when the first ever punch card was developed. The punched holes represented a 'sequence of instructions' and the punch cards were the first ever effort at data storage in machine language from before the computers were even developed! In 1950, punch cards were an integral part of most industries and governments around the globe and they were used until the mid-1980s.
In the 1960s, "magnetic storage" gradually replaced punch cards and by 1990 the use of cassette tapes as well as the combination of affordable personal computers and "magnetic disk storage" made punch cards nearly obsolete. IBM is primarily responsible for driving the early evolution of the magnetic disk storage as they invented both the floppy disk drive and the hard disk drive. The floppy disks were easily removed (and installed) portable storage devises made from magnetic film encased in plastic – on the downside, they were very easy to damage.
The floppy disks were replaced by optical discs and in 2000, small portable flash drives appeared on the market. Unlike a traditional hard drive, or an optical drive, it has no moving parts, but instead combines chips and transistors for maximum functionality.
With the fast development of the Internet came big data and finding a good solution for data storing got even more important. Improved bandwidth, a continuously higher demand for availability and security plus the desire for endless capacity made 'cloud-based' the perfect solution for data storage. As an extra benefit, cloud-based storage offers easy access and sharing wherever you are and for companies, the new technology has heavily reduced the amount of hardware. The new technology even makes it possible for businesses to attract and retain customers by using e.g. a Customer Data Platform. Since data is easy to access when authority has been granted, a Customer Data Platform can now grab and connect all types of data from different sources such as websites, mobile apps and call centers, and unify this data into a single customer view.
Take a trip down memory lane with this video… and imagine traveling back in time and telling Jane Ashton what the future will bring!


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Ronan Ferguson
Ronan Ferguson is the Senior Manager for the Private Sector & Investment team. Based in London, UK, he joins the Clean Cooking Alliance after more than six years at Accenture, a global management consulting firm, where he worked in their Strategy & Consulting practice serving commercial oil, gas, and utilities clients. Most recently, Ronan was a core team member of Accenture Development Partnerships, a team dedicated to delivering projects that have a positive social impact. He has worked on issues pertinent to Sustainable Development Goal 7 across sub-Saharan Africa and Europe, using Human-Centered Design and experiences in data visualization to shape and drive projects. Prior to Accenture, Ronan worked in the oil and gas industry and UK Government to improve operational, environmental, and health and safety standards and performance. Ronan holds a BSc in Biological Sciences from Oxford University.
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Making a Difference: Student Charity Albums
As the end of the year approaches, our students are preparing for this year's charity album launch! Producing and recording a charity album has been a major aspect of the second year of our full time Sound Engineering & Live Sound courses. Students take control of all aspects of the album from concept and choice of charity to artist recruitment and recording, album art, PR, fundraising, artist liaison, showcase promotion and more. It's a very involved process! It's a highlight of the course for a lot of students, because not only to they get to be involved with some amazingly talented
New Music Monday – 15th May 2017
Paramore – After Laughter New album from the pop-punk rockers, and this release shows them drift to a more pop oriented album. Swapping their distorted guitars for disco type beats. Check out : Fake Happy & Hard Times The National – The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness After announcing a world tour and new album "Sleep Well Beast" for September, The National dropped their newest single off the upcoming album. The single just goes to show no matter how many albums they put out The National have still got IT and IT doesn't seem to be going anywhere.
Dublin Gig Guide : 8th – 14th May
Dublin Gig Guide 8th – 14th May As the sun sets on the best week of the year so far (weather wise) it's a small reminder that when it's nice and sunny outside this is the best country in the world! So with that in mind, let's crack on with this weeks Dublin Gig Guide! A couple of very special shows throughout the week, covering pop, metal, blues and a gig for the fantastic charity Aware! Anyway without further ado, let's crack on! Monday night sees The Vamps take the stage at the 3 Arena, the young English four-piece began out


Our quadruple room is perfect for families or small groups. It can be arranged with a double bed and two single bunk beds or four single beds, two of them bunk. Perfect and convenient if you are traveling with friends, it is also the best solution for families with small children. We are waiting for you to give you the best of Rhodes's atmosphere!