Latest

Uganda Suffering Severe Economic Disruption Uganda like many countries has experienced severe economic disruption and instability as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the country, as of June 2020, had a relatively low number of reported coronavirus cases, the virus has most severely impacted the business environment. In particular, Uganda’s dairy industry, including companies…

Hospitals in northern Uganda are woefully under-equipped to fight COVID-19. Most personnel work on the frontlines in public hospitals without any personal protective equipment. An insufficient number of disposable medical masks are the staff’s only protection as they treat patients. Paige Balcom and Peter Okwoko are co-founders of Takataka Plastics, a social impact enterprise that…

The coronavirus is hitting Uganda hard. The country’s coronavirus lockdown, one of the most strict in the world, has thus far limited the spread of the virus – but at an extremely high cost. With a nightly curfew and a ban on passenger vehicles, people are unable to get to town centers or travel to…

Setting goals and measuring impact! When targets are set, we are able to determine if we are hitting the mark or missing it. The same is true for economic development goal setting.  The 17 long-term “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) cast a vision for changing our world. They are a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity…

Have you ever worried about money? Perhaps the more appropriate question is, “when was the last time that you worried about money?” According to a recent study by the American Psychology Association, 72% of Americans reported feeling anxious about their finances in the past month. In addition, 64% of Americans felt that money was a…

Uganda’s recent population growth presents real opportunities as well as challenges.  Thanks to its youthful population and the decline in birth and death rates, Uganda has the possibility to accelerate economic growth and reap the associated benefits such as improving health care and education. Economists refer to this as a “demographic dividend.” Others describe it…

“Every woman’s journey into and out of being trafficked is unique,” says Dorothy Taft, executive director of The Market Project, “However, one thing is certain — trafficking belittles, betrays, and dehumanizes.” For survivors of human trafficking, aftercare can be a long and challenging process. Feeling safe and supported is crucial, yet many women struggle to…

Challenges Facing Survivors The US Department of State in June released its annual report on Trafficking in Persons. The Myanmar government was given the State Department’s lowest ranking due to its poor record to combat trafficking. Myanmar now is ranked – along with North Korea, South Sudan, China, and Syria – among those doing the…