Before we changed the name, we went on our Facebook page and asked for story ideas. Some of you suggested that we talk about ICT, information and communication technology.Well, the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency, released its latest ICT Facts and Figures report in October. Since two thousand five, the number of Internet …
Author: dangtuanthien
Hunger Rates Fall, but the Decrease Slows
The latest Global Hunger Index report says the number of hungry people worldwide has fallen twenty-five percent since ninety ninety. Last year the estimate topped one billion people for the first time. But this year’s report says the number of people not getting enough to eat has fallen to nine hundred twenty-five million. Still, many …
Nations and Groups Promise $12 Billion to Fight AIDS, TB & Malaria
International donors have promised almost twelve billion dollars to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.The Global Fund held a two-day conference in October in New York City. This is the largest pledge the eight-year-old organization has ever received. Stefan Emblad is the director of resource mobilization. He said the fund received a …
Calling Attention to Mental Health as a ‘Neglected Issue’
Sunday, October tenth, was World Mental Health Day. This year’s observance centered on the relationship between mental health and chronic physical conditions like diabetes and cancer. The World Health Organization says more than four hundred fifty million people suffer from poor mental health. The most common disorders are depression and schizophrenia. Mental health experts also …
Project Seeks to Cut Deaths, Build Market for Clean Cookstoves
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced a plan to get cleaner-burning cooking stoves into developing countries. The plan aims to reduce deaths caused by smoke from the traditional use of solid fuels and open fires. Almost half the world’s people breathe smoke from coal and biomass fuels like wood, dung and crop waste. The …
Why Development Projects Fail: One Size Does Not Fit All
Last week we told you about FAILFaire, an event where people talk about international development projects that failed. Many of these projects started as good ideas. Others had some level of success, but not enough to have a measurable effect on the lives of people in developing countries.A nonprofit group in New York City called …
Getting NGOs to Celebrate Failure, So They Can Learn From Others’ Mistakes
Week after week, we bring you stories about projects to improve lives in the developing world. Projects like banking by mobile phone or low-cost lighting systems or even a toilet bag that recycles itself into fertilizer. But for every success story, there are countless other projects that fail. These are the stories that people talk …
Do-It-Yourself: How to Dry or Smoke Fish, Part 2
Today we have the second of two reports explaining how to prepare fish by drying or smoking them.We talked last week about the first steps of cleaning and salting freshly caught fish. The directions can be found on our website, voaspecialenglish.com. To dry fish, you will need either a drying table or a place to …
Do-It-Yourself: Preparing Fish for Drying or Smoking
I’m Alex Villarreal with the VOA Special English Development Report. There are different ways to store fish. Two ways to keep fish for future use are canning and freezing. Two other methods are drying and smoking. Today we have the first of two reports describing, step by step, how to prepare dried or smoked fish. …
Imported Foods Raise Obesity, Health Issues for Pacific Islanders
The World Health Organization says obesity rates are rising in Pacific island countries. So, too, are health problems linked to being overweight. The WHO says a major reason for the rising obesity rates is an increase in imported foods. It says many Pacific islanders have replaced their traditional diets of vegetables and fruits with imported …
Killing of 10 Aid Workers ‘Horrific’ but Not Uncommon
Humanitarian aid groups have promised to continue their work in Afghanistan after militants murdered ten medical aid workers August fifth. Officials say the seven men and three women worked for the Christian aid group, International Assistance Mission. They were returning to Kabul after a trip to Nuristan province to provide medical care and supplies. Those …
A Simple Operation Can Cure Tragic Condition in Mothers With Fistula
A medical aid program in Kenya offers hope to women and girls suffering from a condition known as fistula. About two million women and girls worldwide have the condition. There are about one thousand new cases of fistula each year in Kenya and as many as one hundred thousand worldwide. Most cases of fistula are …
Bringing Color to Life (and Tears to Eyes) With a Natural Dye
Dye can bring a little color to life. Most clothing is colored with dyes. Modern, manufactured dyes can be costly. Natural dyes from plant and animal products have been used since ancient times. So this week, we describe a natural way to dye wool.The advice comes from information written by Jenny Dean of the Intermediate …
Film Captures Risky Work of Doctors Without Borders
“Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors Without Borders” is a documentary film by director Mark Hopkins. It tells the story of four doctors and their volunteer work in Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.The award-winning film was first shown at the two thousand eight Venice Film Festival. It opened in the United States in …
Staying Safe: Food Safety After a Flood
Food that has come in contact with floodwaters can sicken anyone who eats it. Water from floods may contain animal and human waste. It can also contain other pollutants like chemicals from agriculture and industry. After a flood, food safety specialists at the United States Department of Agriculture have this advice:Throw away anything that is …
Rift Valley Fever Hits South Africa
Rift Valley fever mainly affects farm animals. But the virus can also infect humans, and South Africa has been experiencing an outbreak. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases reported two hundred twenty-five confirmed human cases as of July second. Twenty-five of the people died. South Africa launched an expanded program to watch for public health …
An American Cowboy Aims to Help Russia’s Beef Herd
Twenty years ago, when the Soviet Union collapsed, so did beef production in Russia. Breeding and management programs for beef cattle fell apart. Today, Russia imports much of its beef. Cattle are raised mostly for dairy. Instead of beef, Russians have expanded poultry and pork operations. These are faster and less costly to start. But …
Study Links Climate Change to Changes in Crop Yields
A new study says climate change has reduced the world’s wheat and maize production. The study says rice and soybean yields have also decreased in some places — but increased in others. In the words of the researchers: “For soybeans and rice, winners and losers largely balanced out.”The researchers studied climate trends and global crop …
In Africa, the Greening of the Sahel
Niger is located in the Sahel area south of the Sahara. The west African country is largely hot, dry desert. But since the nineteen eighties Niger has gotten a lot greener. Around the world, trees are often cut down to clear land for bigger farms or more homes for growing populations. But in Niger many …
Much of Africa Not Investing Enough in Agricultural Research
Investing in agricultural research and development can help poor countries fight hunger and poverty. A new study says investments in sub-Saharan Africa increased by more than twenty percent between two thousand one and two thousand eight. But the study also found that just a few countries were responsible for most of that growth. Nigeria was …