How solar can empower African youth

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This week, as we gather in Nairobi for the Africa Climate Summit which brings togetherblogs_solarpanels_090523.jpg policymakers from across the continent to talk about the climate challenges faced by African countries, I am encouraged by some of the stories of young Africans whose lives are being transformed by solar power – and the potential it has for the continent.

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The Promise and Peril of Online Gig Work in Developing Countries

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Good, inclusive jobs provide the surest path out of extreme poverty, while boosting shared prosperity for all. But as new technologies transform our global economies, we must expand our way of thinking about job opportunities in the developing world. 

The online gig economy, in which digital platforms match workers to tasks posted by clients already accounts for up to 12 percent of the global labor market. In developing countries gig platforms are opening unique avenues of employment, with significant potential for young people, women, and people in remote areas that may have been left out of more traditional job markets.  

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World Bank Statement on Morocco Earthquake

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WASHINGTON, September 9, 2023―The World Bank today issued the following statement in the wake of the Morocco earthquakes:

“Our hearts go out to the people of Morocco, who are suffering the effects of devastating earthquakes that have caused a tragic loss of life, injuries, and damages in the areas south of Marrakech. We have relayed our profoundest condolences to the Kingdom at the highest levels and offered our full support to the country in the wake of this catastrophe. Our sole focus at this stage is on the Moroccan people and the authorities who are dealing with this tragedy.” 

Contacts:

In Washington: Ashraf Al-Saeed, +1-202-473-1187, aalsaeed@worldbank.org

In Rabat: Meryam Benjelloun, +212659597046, mbenjelloun@worldbankgroup.org

Tackling Food Insecurity

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Stories of resilience from Madagascar, the Central African Republic, and Egypt

We couldn’t even figure out how to face the next day or find food for our children.”
Volatsarasoa is a mother of four who lives in the village of Malangy, near the southern tip of Madagascar in one of the poorest regions in the country. With a fifth child on the way, she spends a lot of time thinking about a prosperous future for her children by learning from the experiences of her recent past.

When the El Niño phenomenon hit during the 2015-16 rainy season, Madagascar recieved just 50-80% of its normal precipitation – triggering a drought and crop yields that were 90% below normal.

“Me, my husband, and my children suffered a lot because there was no food, and we were starving. We barely ate, most of the time just a cup of rice for all of us, and only in the evening. It was very hard, and we couldn’t even figure out how to face the next day or find food for our children with everything going on I was worried. I was panicked.”

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Building a better food system

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More people than ever before—828 million, according to the most recent estimates—dofood_security_market1140x500.jpg not know where their next meal will come from. Yet we are producing more food than ever, with cereal grain production at an all-time high. How did we get so far off track in ending hunger and how do we get back on course?

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