April 2024: Fearless, Nervous and Human

[ssandino]

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Fearless, Nervous and Human

written by Aurélie with guest editor Kabelo Ruffo

TEDx Talk

Remember how I always mention my love for TED Talks? Last weekend, a dream came true and I gave a TEDx Talk about how technology and empowerment can lead the way in a new era of development aid, specifically through NGOs like Social Income. Was I nervous? Absolutely, but it was an incredible experience. I'll share a video once it's published.

Universal Basic Food

Why does our food system value only one thing—profit? The paradox is that people go hungry because they cannot afford food, while globally, 40% of food is wasted. A community-led program in Denver declares access to food a human right and offers staple foods for free. This program is certainly food for thought (pun intended).

Travel report by Kabelo Ruffo

Two weeks after returning to Zurich from Sierra Leone, my mind is still there. I miss the people, their smiles, the orchestra of sounds that permeate the city, jollof and plantain from a dimly lit restaurant in Waterloo, and exhilarating keke rides through the city.

Be a good human

Sierra Leoneans are fearless, warm, and beaming people who make so much with so little. I’ve met so many good people who have survived, continue to endure, and will surely blossom. They remind me that being a good human is a very compelling idea.

When women gather

A group of 300 women from coastal communities has created an informal loan club for mutual benefit, and to aid those who are not (yet) enrolled in Social Income. These women are strengthening their communities, the local economy and emboldening a sense of agency among each other. This is empowerment.

One plus one equals more than two

We met with our partner NGOs to emphasize the importance of capacity building, and the value in leveraging each other’s offerings to create a network of opportunities for recipients. There is power in unity.

A story about a young man

A young man with epilepsy was unable to afford medication. Frequent seizures forced him out of school. After enrolling with us, he began using Social Income to cover his medical costs, which significantly improved his quality of life. Fast forward, and he is now a pharmacy student. This demonstrates the direct human-to-human impact of your contributions.

My World in Data

Stat of the month

43%

In 2021, around 600 million people in Africa - approximately 43% of the continent's population - lacked access to electricity. Of these, 590 million resided in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite global progress in expanding electricity access, the number of people without electricity in sub-Saharan Africa actually increased by 4% from 2019 to 2021.

Power of knowledge

The Swiss population has consistently expressed concern about global poverty, with around 65% worried about it over the past three years. But here's something that really hit me: when they find out that over half of the world's population is living on less than $10 a day, that concern shoots up to 72%. It's hard not to feel the weight of those numbers, isn't it?

My World in News

• Sierra Leone remains in the dark for weeks due to massive debt. (BBC)
• Julius Maada Bio called out a national state of emergency due to the rise of kush. (Reuters)
• The first female mayor of Sierra Leone is planting trees against climate change. (BBC)
• A new program is giving cash to teens in New Orleans. (Next City)
• For many returning Sierra Leonean migrants, debt is the most pressing concern. (IOM)
• Is Effective Altruism dead? (Wired)

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