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INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM • E.W. SCRIPPS SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
VOLUME IX, ISSUE 3, 2016
G L BAL
SPOTLIGHT
Quaker Life in
Costa Rica
Pg. 4
The Rise of
Saudi Film
Pg. 5
The People vs.
The Police
Pg. 7
Transforming
India
Pg. 11
Volume 9, Issue 3 Global Spotlight | 1
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
Dear Readers,
As college students, it is easy for us to get bogged down by
work, making it hard to pay attention to the world around
us. In a time in our own country where elections and social
unrest dominate headlines, we do not pay enough attention
to situations beyond the United States. This spotlight truly
opened our eyes to a world that we were not aware of only
weeks before.
During the process of producing this issue, our reporters
looked into countries that we may know little about and dug
for a story that grabs our attention. Furthermore, we reached
out to citizens of those countries and worked through ob-
stacles like language barriers and time differences to conduct
interviews. To those who opened up their lives to complete
strangers or those who revisited painful memories for the sake
of the story, we thank you. This is the fruit of our labor for a
six-week period, the third edition of the Global Spotlight for
2016. May the stories that you read open your eyes as much
as it did ours.
Sincerely,
The Editors-In-Chief
GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT STAFF
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF IIJ BLOG PRODUCERS WRITERS
Brendon Embry Olivia Miltner Sydney Albert
Bianca Hillier Madeline Keener Dina Berliner
Emily McIntyre Sam Campbell Sam Campbell
Dina Berliner Charlie Hatch Spencer Cappelli
Alex Lumley Brendon Embry
Lucas Hakes-Rodriguez
Charlie Hatch
COPY EDITORS SUPERVISOR Bianca Hillier
Lucas Hakes-Rodriguez Dr. Yusuf Kalyango
Madeline Keener
Sydney Albert IIJ Director
Alex Lumley
Courtney Mihocik
Emily McIntyre
Spencer Cappelli
David Michael
David Michael
Courtney Mihocik
Olivia Miltner
2 | Global Spotlight Volume 9, Issue 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3: Saudi
1: Costa Rica 2: Denmark 4: U.A.E.
Arabia
Page 4 Page 4 Page 5
Page 5
5: Vietnam 8: South
6: Uruguay 7: Brazil
Page 6 Africa
Page 6 Page 7
Page 8
9: Haiti 10: Venezuela 11: Kenya 12: Botswana
Page 9 Page 9 Page 10 Page 10
13: India 14: Italy
Page 11 Page 11
Volume 9, Issue 3 Global Spotlight | 3
EDUCATION
quaker communit y c alls costa ric a home
By Madeline Keener
Nestled into the Tilaran Mountain
Range at 4,600 feet above sea level, Mon-
teverde is a hub for ecotourism thanks to
the conservation efforts inspired by a group
of expatriates.
In 1951, a group of Quakers and other
pacifists were looking for a way out of the
United States. The draft for the Korean War
was threatening their policy of nonviolence.
They began to look for a new home in
Costa Rica, which had disbanded its military
three years prior.
When the Quakers arrived, the lush,
green valley in the mountains caught the
eye of the scouts and Monteverde was born.
The land was purchased from the Guaci-
mal Land Company. Most of it was turned
into farmland, but the new inhabitants
didn’t just bring cows to the region; they
also brought harmony.
“When the Quakers arrived, as one older
Costa Rican told me, it brought peace to
the mountain,” says Kay Chornook, author
of Walking with Wolf, a book about the life
and times of one of the original Quakers
move to Monteverde, Wolf Guindon. “The
Quakers were non-drinkers, lived simply
and very cooperatively with each other,” she Dairy farming was brought to this region of Costa Rica, shown here in 2013, by a group of Quakers in
explains. the 1950s. (Photo by Madeline Keener)
“Rather than forming an isolated neigh-
borhood with a distinct closed circle, [the
Quakers] integrated with the culture of the farming. learn a thing or two. Despite the possible
locals,” says Marvin Acuña Ortega, a profes- Shortly after, thousands of people began threats from poachers or those looking to
sor at National University of Costa Rica.* flocking to Monteverde to drink in the illegally chop down trees for lumber, these
One of the largest impacts that the sights, sounds and splendor. Today, ecotour- rangers do not carry guns within the park.
Quakers have had on the town of Mon- ism attracts over 200,000 travelers each year. Guindon was one of the original rangers and
teverde has been their dedication to con- “I think [the Reserve] is a model in con- set the nonviolent standard for the park.
serving the environment and the beauty of servation of nature,” says Francisco Burgos, While on a trip in Monteverde, Professor
Costa Rica. the Director of the Center for Community Mary Little of the Center for Sustainable
In 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Initiatives at the Monteverde Institute. Development Studies had the opportunity
Reserve – land set aside by the Quakers Burgos—a Quaker for 14 years—joined the to speak with one of these rangers. Accord-
when they first moved in – was founded. Monteverde Quaker community after mov- ing to Little, “He said that Quakers see it as
The immigrants understood that keeping ing to the town five years ago. their responsibility to continually improve
the mountaintop clean, uninhabited and While walking the trails of the Mon- the community, the lives of those around
preserved was just as important to them as teverde Cloud Forest Reserve, visitors can them and the planet we live on.”
“lesson-less” childhood may
lead to danish happiness
empathy.
“Children are shown cards with faces on
them and get children to talk about what
By Bianca Hillier me know that they believed in me and emotion the faces may be exhibiting and
telling me that if I did my best, then it was why they might feel that way,” Sandahl said.
In March of 2016, the United Nations good enough,” Münsberg said. “They also “This helps build up a vocabulary for young
children around emotions and talking about
named Denmark the “Happiest Country always trusted me.”
in the World” for the fourth time in five These values are also largely emphasized in feeling for others.”
years. People attribute this to their Big the Danish daycare system. Despite the different settings of homes
Government and social-welfare states, but In Denmark, daycare is not just some- and daycares, the Scandinavian phenomenon
can government systems be the sole factor in where kids go while parents work, but rather “hygge” is a common thread between the
determining people’s happiness? At the end it is a fundamental part of their upbring- two.
of the day, the government is not the one ing. According to the Danish Ministry for “Hygge is a part of our identity—it’s
raising the children, teaching them manners Children, Education and Gender Equality about leaving stress, problems, judging and
or how to play: it’s the parents and ear- (MCEGE), 97 percent of kids go to day- complaining at the door for a period of time
ly-childhood educators who do so. care—even the children of the Royal Family. so that you can enjoy real quality connected
Danes “strive to treat children with “The Danish approach to child rearing moments,” Sandahl said.
respect first and foremost,” Iben Sandahl, highly values play, creativity and a child “You can’t describe hygge—it’s a sen-
Danish-raised mother and author of The perspective,” Ida Elbaek, member of the De- sation that we all get when we are around
Danish Way of Parenting said. “We don’t partment of Education and Daycare at the certain people, in certain circumstances,”
want blind obedience, but rather we listen MCEGE, said in an email. “Days are usually Andersson says. “We were just the first to
when our children have something to say or organized thematically, thus leaving time for have a word for it.”
question something.” following the children’s interests and mood Exact origins of Denmark’s coveted
22-year-old Dane Tine Meidahl Müns- of the day.” “happiest” title may never be clear; it’s at-
berg said self-confidence and trust were Aside from playing, empathy is the tribution, though, is not what matters. The
important in her upbringing. second most significant lesson taught in significance placed on these aspects of Dan-
“My parents taught me to be self-confi- daycare. As early as pre-school, national pro- ish culture—and the country’s dedication
dent and believe in myself by always letting grams facilitate understanding and discussing to them—is what makes Denmark the title’s
top contender for generations to come.
4 | Global Spotlight Volume 9, Issue 3
MODERN MIDDLE EAST
s audis enter international movie re alm
By Brendon Embry
One: the number of public cinemas in expose me to the Saudi film industry,” Isona
Admetlla, Cultural Manager for the World
and in late-October in London. Meanwhile,
the film has garnered rave reviews from
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In the city of
Khobar, there lies an IMAX theatre, the only Cinema Fund said. “We don’t get a lot of critics citing the humor and the willingness
cinema to open since the 1980s according to submissions from Saudi Arabia.” to challenge Saudi cultural norms. However,
Al Arabiya. This year a movie about dating has creat- Saudis may not embrace it as much.
If citizens want to watch a film, then ed a spotlight on the emerging Saudi film in- “The film industry is still in its infancy…
they go to video stores or watch movies on dustry. Barakah Meets Barakah tells the story it will create a debate inside Saudi Arabia
satellite channels. community,” Abu-Dawood said.
“As a kid living in Jeddah, there were One thing filmgoers might expect is
video stores with VHS tapes of [western] “The film industry is still in the chance to see Saudi Arabia in a differ-
ent light.
movies, but I don’t remember any movie
theatres,” Leigh Singer, a film journalist
its infancy... it will create a “It’s a huge opportunity to see Saudi
who also programs films for the British debate inside Saudi Arabia.” Arabia when it’s not newsworthy,” Singer
Film Institute’s London Film Festival said. — sumayah abu-dawood, lecturer at said. “People there live their daily rou-
“Regarding the movie industry and tines. On a personal level, it was interest-
king saud university ing to see Jeddah since I last lived there.”
Saudi culture, I believe [if] the movie
is not offensive to a particular person, Even with the recent success of Saudi
culture, group, it will be fine,” Sumayah films, the future of the film industry is still
Abu-Dawood, a Saudi native and lecturer at of a mild-mannered civil servant named up in the air.
King Saud University in Riyadh said. Barakah (portrayed by Hisham Fageeh) who “There must be a political will to change,
In 2012, Haifaa Al-Mansour directed dreams of becoming an actor. He meets and the people need to change,” Admetlla
Wadjda, one of the first Saudi films to be Bibi, an outspoken Instagram star (por- said. “That makes it difficult to make these
screened at international film festivals. The trayed by Fatima Al Banawi). The pair clicks, films international.”
film centers on the life of a Saudi girl who whilst defying social norms in Saudi Arabia “It is impossible to tell, there is always
dreams of getting her own bicycle entering a such as embracing in public and meeting a change,” Singer said. “But I hope. Once
Quran recital competition meant for boys. female without a guardian present. one or two films make a breakthrough, then
“I loved Wadjda, it was a great film to The film has been screened at interna- it could encourage others to participate. You
tional film festivals in Berlin and Toronto, live in hope.”
uncovering the u. a .e.’s sweet tooth
By Alex Lumley
The people of the United Arab Emir-
ates are growing sweet teeth at alarming
rates, as the chocolate market within the
country is expanding at a level that might
make even Willy Wonka crave something
sour for a change.
TechSciResearch published a report
in August of 2014 classifying chocolate
products into three different categories:
countlines, molded bars, and boxed choco-
lates. Countlines (chocolate bars containing
wafers or caramel) held UAE market domi-
nance in 2014. A second follow-up report
generated in February of 2016 by the same
research company projected the compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of the UAE’s
chocolate market between 2016 and 2021
would be eight percent.
The report attributes several factors for
the recent increase in all things chocolate.
Chief among them a rising number of
young people in the country, a growing per
capita income, and an improved national
standard of living that has served to make Chocolate products are gaining popularity within the United Arab Emirates. (Via CoCreatr on Flickr)
chocolate less of a luxury good and more of
a commodity available to all. While some might think that chocolate research report lists other problems the
The major chocolate companies engaged and other luxury items could be contrib- UAE market continues to face as ev-
in a battle for market dominance in the UAE uting to this perceived weight issue in er-changing raw material prices as well as a
include Mars GCC, Ferrero SpA, and Nestlé both countries, TechSci seem to disagree dependency on markets to supply materials
Middle East. TechSci’s research does not list with such a hypothesis. Demand for dark that aren’t always reliable.
Hershey as a player within the UAE market, chocolates in the nation is on the rise for Despite these challenges, it would seem
thus Hershey seems to be one of the only their richness in antioxidants. The research that the market for chocolate in the UAE is
American players that hasn’t yet penetrated conducted by TechSci asserts that the showing no signs of slowing down. What
the UAE market. antioxidants found in dark chocolate help to remains to be seen is whether or not the
Sarvy Geranpayeh wrote a report for the prevent cardiac diseases that could be onset market in the UAE can become as dominant
Gulf News last September that outlined the by problems related to weight. and prominent as it is in the United States,
problem of obesity within the United Arab Although dark chocolates are supposed and what other markets for goods previous-
Emirates. Geranpayeh based the story off of to be helpful towards those with cardiac ly considered “luxury items” may develop
a survey by Zurich International Life, which related health issues, TechSci’s reports still in the country as its population becomes
found that close to 50 percent of UAE resi- count those same issues as a challenge the younger, wealthier and more globalized.
dents were considered “overweight.” growing market will face in the UAE. The
Volume 9, Issue 3 Global Spotlight | 5
BORDER TENSIONS
GROWING PAINS IN VIETNAM
By Lucas Hakes-Rodriguez
The relationship between China and wouldn’t be so difficult
to abhor if relations with
Vietnam is difficult.
In 2014, tensions between the two coun- China weren’t so beneficial
tries over a Chinese national oil company to Vietnam’s development.
moving a platform into the South China Sea Vietnam News reported
resulted in protests and riots in Vietnam. that Chinese investment has
This ongoing conflict has recently grown increased dramatically, from
inflamed as China flexes superiority in the “$312 million in 2012 . . .
South China Sea. Yet Vietnam is also devel- [to] $7.9 billion in 2014.”
oping because of China, as much as it would The rush to modernize
like to think it’s doing so in spite of it. Vietnam through foreign
China consistently provides official devel- investment isn’t just a vio-
opment assistance to Vietnam, be it in the lation of sovereignty, argues
form of building factories, setting up compa- Lee, who requested to have
ny branches, or mining natural resources. his surname and occupation
Still, many laypersons in Vietnam take is- withheld. The Taiwanese
sue with the Chinese government’s behavior. company Formosa Plastics
caused an uproar in April Protesters rally against Chinese involvement in Vietnamese terri-
Phuong Do, a student in Ho Chi Minh City,
weighed in. 2016 when it illegally released torial waters. (Source: VOA News)
“One of the most strictly illegal actions toxic waste into the ocean in country much “stress,” and the talks with
that China has carried out in Vietnam may central Vietnam. China in the aftermath were “meaningless,”
be the violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of as they did not convince China to do much
over Hoang Sa and Truong Sa archipelago,” Vietnam, called Formosa’s 2016 toxic waste of anything.
she said. dump “the most serious environmental inci- Vietnam, though it’s growing, still has
“I do hate what China has done to Viet- dent Vietnam has faced.” The result of the barriers to break if it hopes to attain eco-
nam,” wrote Maily Dao, a software engineer Taiwanese company’s gross negligence was nomic stability, independence, and con-
from Hanoi, on the answer crowdsourcing widespread protest of foreign investment. geniality comparable to real players in the
website Quora. “To be exact, [I hate the ac- While the government of Vietnam has global market. As China continues to place
tions of] the Chinese government. However, some say over what happens on land, its pressure, the Vietnamese people’s sense of
as a person, I don’t hate the Chinese people, presence on sea has been riddled with issues. entrapment will only rise. As the govern-
[because] most of them seem [sic] to be From May to August of 2014, Vietnam had ment continues to allow Chinese money to
oblivious to what their government has done a tiff with the state-owned China National influence its decisions, it will continue to
to neighboring countries.” Offshore Oil Corporation, which built oil lose its grasp on an increasingly impatient
The Chinese government’s actions platforms in Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic population and a worldwide economic sys-
Zone. Lee claimed the situation caused his tem that’s indifferent to leaving it behind.
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Abortion in Uruguay and law 18.987
By Courtney Mihocik
There are many ways to voluntarily end abortion.
According to MYSU researcher San-
Labandera explained that it is preferred
that professionals who use conscientious ob-
a pregnancy. Women who seek out services
for unsafe, clandestine abortions, however, tiago Puyol, the law, otherwise known as jection do not work in sexual reproduction
normally do so because ending a pregnancy interrupción voluntaria del embarazo, or health or interruption of pregnancy services.
is illegal where they live. Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy, allows Otherwise, women may not receive the
This is the problem that confronts Uru- termination of pregnancy with no particular correct consultation and information needed
guayan women looking to end an unwanted reason in the first 12 weeks and the first 14 to make decision.
pregnancy. According to the World Health weeks in cases of sexual assault resulting in a Less than a year after the Voluntary
Organization, between 1990 and 2000, the pregnancy. Interruption of Pregnancy law, politicians
maternal mortality ratio in Uruguay hovered Puyol works in the organization’s Na- and pro-life conservatives began a campaign
in the 30s, only dropping slightly from 37 in tional Observatory on Gender and Sexual to gather enough signatures for a refer-
1990 to 36 in 1995 and then 31 in 2000. and Reproductive Health, one of the organi- endum of the law, Puyol said. With other
Mujer Y Salud en Uruguay, or “Women zation’s main areas of focus. Since the law’s pro-women’s health organizations, MYSU
and Health in Uruguay” in English, released approval, this department monitors women’s used campaigns like “Yo no voto. Y vos?,” “I
a video, “Abortion in Uruguay: Feminist health services -- abortions, prenatal care won’t vote [for the referendum]. And you?”
chronology of a fight.” In this video, the and reproductive and sexual health -- that to defend the law.
group reported that amidst the economic were installed due to the law’s approval. While many applaud the country for
crisis of 2001, four women died in clandes- MYSU defended the law against anti-abor- having voluntary interruption of pregnancies
tine abortions and two were prosecuted for tion conservatives and gynecologists who legalized, there is still room for improve-
abortion in Montevideo and Pando. The oppose the law through conscientious ment within the law, Puyol said.
video also reported there were 33,000 clan- objection. “Certainly, there are possibilities of
destine abortions in 2003. Conscientious objection is an ethical law improvement within the law,” Puyol said.
Law 18.987, approved Sept. 15, 2012, for professionals who practice medicine, “Even though the political climate isn’t as
decriminalized abortion. It also marked the according to midwife obstetrician and exec- favorable for progressive changes as it was
dawn of a new era in reproductive rights utive director of Iniciativas Sanitarias (health during the previous presidential term and
and women’s health in Uruguay, one of initiatives) in Montevideo, Ana Gladys legislative period.”
two Latin American countries with legalized Labandera.
6 | Global Spotlight Volume 9, Issue 3
GOVERNMENT UNREST
Crossfire: The Good, the Bad and the Innocent
of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas
By Sam Campbell
The UPP, or Pacifying Police Unit, is a to be suspicious characters, said Dayana Seib-
litz, a former resident of Copacabana. The
“People are afraid to
division of Rio de Janeiro’s police operating
in the city’s most treacherous neighbor- police “just pick up some persons and they suffer some kind of
hoods. It has two primary objectives: first, just threaten them to get information,” said
Seiblitz. “They are replacing the bad people violence in their day-
it must wrest control of the favelas from
known gangs and drug traffickers; second, it in the favelas.” to-day activities.”
must integrate the neighborhoods back into Amnesty International outlined definitive
society. proof of the targeting of black men by police — ILHA DO GOVERNADOR NATIVE,
“Some time ago it looked like every- in Rio. 99.5 percent of those killed by police Thaís Oliveira
thing [was] getting better because the UPP were men, and 79 percent were black.
According to the 2010 census, Over 50 Brazilians have heard waves of optimism, en-
seemed to be working well,” said John Teles, couraged by the government’s Public Secu-
a 26-year native of Santa Teresa. His opinion percent of Brazil’s population is of African
descent, which is perhaps the cause for its rity Institute (ISP). In its historical report on
changed due to the lingering criminal pres- “homicide by opposition to police interven-
ence. “The truth is, [the gangs] never left seemingly underserved reputation as being
one of the most color-blind societies. tion,” records show deaths peaked in 2007,
the favelas and the UPP never worked how falling just after UPP’s implementation.
they should,” he said. “I go there once in Despite bias from law enforcement,
however, perceived social discrimination is Local media readily adopted vindica-
every two weeks, and there is always one of tion of the UPP. The difference between
them, the outlaw guys or the police.” very low. “I mean, this is part of [American]
vocabulary now: ‘Oh, this black guy…this what is reported and what is actually felt by
Instability worsened after the UPP began inhabitants could be to blame on the lack of
operations. “When I lived there, we felt like white guy,’ you guys say it a lot,” Seiblitz
said. “But here, we don’t.” Brazilian media integrity. Reporters With-
something was about to happen,” Teles said. out Borders ranks Brazil 104 out of 180
Even now, “sometimes crossfires just happen The lack of verbal distinction between
races is a symbolic equality that makes the countries, partially due to very concentrated
out of the blue.” media ownership, “especially in the hands of
These crossfires result in casualties on actions of the police appear even stranger,
especially compared to an American public big industrial families that are often too close
both sides. But they leave in their wake with the political class.”
a slew of innocent ones that were never who sees verbal aggression towards blacks
every day. “I am sure we don’t know everything
involved. that happens,” Seiblitz said. “What we see
The presence of both powers Seiblitz, who now lives in the south zone
of Brazil, is quick to clarify the difference in in the news is just a little tiny part of what is
presents frightening volatility. “People are really going on in the favelas.”
afraid to suffer some kind of violence in their perspective, given her wealthy upbringing.
She admitted, “The police works for people But natives to the favelas know. They are
day-to-day activities,” said Thaís Oliveira, a stuck between the criminals they know they
native of Ilha do Governador. like me…not the poorest people.”
The UPP, developed in 2008, was meant shouldn’t trust, and the cops they feel they
Oliveira explained that there is a public
rejection of the police, created from “bar- as a permanent solution to decades of un- cannot.
barities committed by some police officers, successful police raids. Despite some positive
including torture and executions of [the] local news coverage claiming its effectiveness,
innocent.” public perception of the UPP is souring.
The police construe innocent casualties Since its installment eight years ago,
“Historical series of the murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants, Municipality of Rio de Janeiro.” (Graph via Brazil’s Institute
of Public Security)
Volume 9, Issue 3 Global Spotlight | 7
SPORTS
Incoming: The Youthful Revolution of South
African Soccer
By Charlie Hatch
After hosting the 2010 FIFA World feature in international competition.
The problem, though, is success is
ria. “That’s where football comes from.”
Ndia Magadela also lives outside Pre-
Cup, the South African national soccer
team, otherwise known as Bafana Bafana, judged at the senior level, where South Afri- toria, and said she’s interested in getting
has quietly become a byproduct on the ca still remains 64th in the world. her two young sons into soccer. Living in a
international scene. “In terms of competitiveness, we are in better community, however, has hurt chanc-
The latest FIFA world rankings have between,” said Phumzile Andries, a journal- es of finding a youth club. Soccer remains
the country placed 64th overall, and more ist for Soccer Laduma, the country’s largest the most popular sport in South Africa, but
alarmingly, 14th in Africa. With the conti- soccer publication. “We don’t know whether rugby remains a predominantly white sport.
nent only receiving five places to compete in we’re going forwards or backwards.” In schools with higher white student en-
the upcoming 2018 World Cup in Russia, Selecting youth talent is a complicated rollments, like the one Magadela’s children
the latest attend, the
rankings are emphasis on
a justifiable soccer weak-
concern. ens.
But Shawn “For the
Bishop said past couple of
there’s no rea- months, I’ve
son to panic. been trying to
“We’ve get them into
seen the a develop-
future,” he ment team,”
said. “It just Magadela said.
needed a bit “There’s not
of patience.” enough at
A heavy- lower levels
weight in for them to
South African grow up to be
youth soccer professional
development, soccer play-
Bishop serves ers.”
as assistant While
coach for there’s an ini-
Bafana Bafa- tiative to keep
na’s under-17 young talent
national playing in
team and is the domestic
the head of PSL league,
the youth Bishop said
First match of the FIFA World Cup - Mexico vs. South Africa in Soccer City, Johannesburg (Photo via Celso PSL clubs ac-
academy of
FLORES on Flickr) knowledge the
Mamelodi
Sundowns — importance of
one of the country’s biggest club teams. process, too. playing gaining experience abroad.
“From what I’m seeing on the ground The majority of talent comes from the “If we produce players in the nation-
level and grassroots level, there is a massive townships, the predominantly black cities al team that can play in Europe, then
boom of talent in this county,” he said. that were previously segregated under let’s go to Europe,” Bishop said. “We
The movement started as the interna- Apartheid. There, Bishop and other Premier encourage the boys to go. For them,
tional spotlight faded. As the World Cup Soccer League, or PSL, recruiters find outside of the white lines of football,
concluded, more investment in youth player communities rife with gifted players with it just makes you a worldly person.”
development was injected. Six years on, the stunning technically ability.
youth development has transformed into “It’s easier in the townships,” said God-
a new generation of talent beginning to frey Chauke, a doctor living outside Preto-
8 | Global Spotlight Volume 9, Issue 3
c orrup t io n a nd h u n ger HUNGER
i n t ert wi ne i n ve nezuel a
By Spencer Cappelli
As evening descends on buying-days, which limits when
consumers can do their shopping.
downtown Caracas, supermarkets Violators who break with sched-
and restaurants haul out the day’s ule have been severely punished.
garbage. Before the sanitation Furthermore, the military has
workers can get there, however, proven to be a politically selective
others arrive: men, women and distributor.
children. Driven by hunger, they “There are people who have
rifle through scraps of food waste been told, ‘you are in opposition
in the hope of salvaging a meal. [to the government], so you will
Liliana Ortega, a lawyer and not receive one bag,” Hernández
the president of a prominent said.
human rights group based in This has proved a steep price
Caracas, says she can see these to pay for many members of the
people scavenging every day political opposition who have
around 5 p.m. from her office in supported calls for a presiden-
the capital city, four blocks from tial referendum, which would
the presidential palace. attempt to revoke President
“I have worked 27 years in Maduro.
the public sector and I’ve never A survey from Caracas-based
seen a level of human suffering
this critical for want of medical Shoppers queue in a food line last month on Margarita Island, Venezuela. Datincorp said that 57 percent
of all Venezuelans wanted to leave
and food supplies,” Ortega said in (Photo by Antonio Torres*) the country, the Miami Herald
an email. recently reported. 1-in-5 Lat-
Historically low crude oil prices and the declining imports from inflation, falling oil
prices and governmental corruption and in Americans still live in poverty, despite
resulting devaluation of the Venezuelan regional economic growth in the first decade
currency, the Bolivar, have buckled this fecklessness. According to Febres, mili-
tary personnel, currently tasked with the of the 21st century.
formerly prosperous Latin American econ- José Jesús Milano Ferrer is a student and
omy, the upshot of which has been a grave distribution of food, are selling imports for a
huge profit on the black market. political activist for the opposition party
shortage of basic food and medical supplies group Voluntad Popular. A recent article of
for its ailing population. A study from Simón concede “Many of these government workers
a good part of (their imported his in the Caracas Chronicles detailed plans
Bolivar University found that 87 percent of food) to their friends, who turn around and to sell a family heirloom to fund his passage
Venezuelans reported not having enough sell it at ten times its value,” Febres said in to Argentina. There, he hopes to make a
money to buy food, according to a New an email. new life for himself.
York Times report. Alicia Hernández, a Spanish journalist,
Nicomedes Febres, a Venezuelan said that in an attempt to curtail inflation, *Name has been changed at request of source to
physician, said the supply shortages can be the government has resorted to tactics like protect identity
attributed to the nebulous intersection of price capping, food rationing and assigning
H u n g r y f o r s e l f - s u s ta i n a b i l i t y i n h a i t i
By Emily McIntyre
When a 7.0-magnitude earthquake “They were seeing not only kids who
were malnourished, but even just because
Ministère de l’Éducation Nationale et de
la Formation Professionnelle, agreed; she
struck Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince in
2010, the population was pushed deeper they were so hungry, they couldn’t learn,” thinks that instead of the U.S. and other
into its battle with poverty. Thousands of said COCINA communications director, countries shipping metric tons of food as a
people died, families were separated and the Anna Lile. form of aid, they should lend assistance in
country’s free market economy plunged. Aside from the wreckage following the helping to reform the nation’s economy.
Nonprofit organizations, charities and tragedy, Haiti has suffered from massive “I think the development of our country
relief efforts flooded into Haiti for support, deforestation. Part of the reason for this is must first go through projects … Agricultur-
and though six years have passed since the producing and relying on charcoal for fuel, al reform projects, projects that are taking
earthquake, the country is still picking up which requires cutting down trees. Defor- shape in the rural section, with farmers and
the pieces. estation has also forced farmers to abandon with communities in order to arrive at large-
Before the Children’s Nutrition Program or give up agri- scale develop-
of Haiti/Kore Timoun, which means caring culture.
“With
“They were seeing not only ment of our na-
tional economy,”
for, or supporting, children, was established
in 1998, the acute malnutrition rate was deforestation, kids who were malnourished, Bernard said.
an alarming 24 percent for the region of there’s more
malnutrition and
but even just because they The Haitian
population can
Léogâne, located in the Ouest Department
of Haiti. Today, that rate has dropped to … there’s often were so hungry, they couldn’t only hope to
approximately less than 3 percent, accord- no rain because learn.” make baby steps
ing to Taryn Silver, the country program there are often — COCINA communications director, toward becom-
director of CNP. droughts,*” said ing a more sus-
CNP program Anna Lile tainable nation
Malnutrition also affects Haitian children
to the point where oftentimes their hun- manager, Rose once their new
ger distracts them from learning at school. Elene Veillard. political leaders
In Ouanaminthe, located in the Nord-Est Silver explained that Haiti is frustrated take office.
Department of Haiti, is Institution Univers, with the food shipments that constantly “They want to have hope for their future.
one of the top schools in the country. pour in from other countries. They know that their country is broken, and
The Coalition of Children in Need As- “It puts a lot of people out of business,” they want to be able to take care of them-
sociation founder Hugues Bastien started a she said. “When you go to the market in selves,” Lile said. “They’ve almost created
farm to operate in tandem with the school’s Haiti to buy rice, you can buy a bag of this generation of ‘We live off of aid.’ The
lunch program. The local crops grown there American or Taiwanese rice for maybe half people don’t want that. They want to be a
include sweet potatoes, mangoes, coconuts, the cost of Haitian rice.” strong, proud country.”
cashews and limes, and they are harvested to Tania Bernard, accounting manager
and official of Haitian Ministry of National *Some quotes translated by the author.
feed more than 2,300 students ranging from
preschool to high school. Education and Professional Training, le
Volume 9, Issue 3 Global Spotlight | 9
UNEMPLOYMENT
kenyans grapple with possible ban on
seconhand clothing industry
By Dina Berliner
As a little girl growing up in Kenya, general manager of Kiboko Leisure Wear,
a Nairobi-based garment manufacturing
is good. Other officials and manufacturers
blame mitumba for the decline of Kenya’s
Carol Ciku can remember looking “like a
scarecrow” with oversized clothing hanging company, in an email. textile industry.
from her limbs. About 35,000 people in Kenya work During the 1990s, mitumba began to
To afford clothes, her parents bought within the mitumba industry, Abel Kamau, pick up steam as donated clothes flowed into
items two sizes larger than what fit, knowing liaison officer with the Kenya Association of the country. Organizations receive clothes
“eventually you grow into it,” she said. Manufacturers, said in an email. Domestic for charity and distribute those domestically
Nearly 30 years later that is no longer the textiles and exports of those items both before sending any excess to Africa. Once it
problem for most Kenyans, as arrives, individuals purchase the
a majority of its citizens rely on clothes in bulk and resell it for
second-hand clothing imported profit, according to Slate.
from abroad. The government has previ-
However, an abundance of ously attempted to ban mitumba,
mitumba — a Swahili word refer- according to The Daily Nation.
ring to second-hand clothing — The most recent effort was
has caused a rift between people pushed back to 2018 after Ken-
and the government. yan President Uhuru Kenyatta
That divide has been exac- met with leaders from neighbor-
erbated by recent efforts to ban ing countries.
the mitumba industry altogether. But as time goes on, the
Second-hand clothing and amount of mitumba and its
thrift shops have gained popular- worth continue to grow.
ity in Western culture in the past According to the Kenya
few years, but what is considered National Bureau of Statistics, the
to be trendy in the United States value of the industry has in-
is seen as a source of income for creased, now totaling the equiva-
thousands of people across East lent of about $98.6 million.
Africa. “There is a need for a win-win
“Mitumba tends to be good situation for both manufacturing
quality,” said Ben Muya, a Nai- and (mitumba) trade,” Kamau
robi-based high school teacher. said.
“The quality (of new clothing) wCiku said if mitumba is
has gone down and that’s why A seller at the secondhand market in Nairobi. (Via Colin Crowley on Flickr) banned it would strain her finan-
many people object to getting rid cially.
of mitumba.” directly and indirectly employ approximately “At the end of the day, I think the ad-
Both Muya and Ciku said mitumba also 190,000 individuals, he said. vantages of the mitumba industry are much
tends to be cheaper to purchase. Charles Kahuthu, CEO and regional higher than the other industries here,” Ciku
“Mitumba has also created thousands coordinator of the East African Chamber said. “Everyone is involved … it would be a
of jobs,” said Sabine Huester, founder and of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, a big thing to actually shut it down.”
pro-business lobbying group said the ban
Botswana sees higher r ate of unemployment
By David Michael
A group in graduation gowns gathered my course in the current job market.”
Thuso Mphela, a professor at UB, is
enough.
“It’s a good movement to say we need to
outside parliament in Gaborone, Botswa- make more jobs, but the government system
na early August. The young people were disheartened that students can’t get jobs in
their “prime productive years.” He said it’s isn’t working,” Moditswe said.
brought together by an organization known Other groups believe the societal values
as #UnemploymentMovement. They pro- becoming less about academic excellence
and more about the connections you make. of personal independence have turned to an
tested the continued unemployment of the overdependence on government.
youth by the government. Youths and organizations have also tar-
geted the spending on the country’s upcom- “It is enough that we already depend
Movements such as these are becoming ing 50th year of independence festival, the so much on government,” said Gorata
more frequent as the country’s unemploy- Golden Jubilee. The government is spending Keitseope, an employee at the UB Career
ment rate continues to grow and the youth close to $100 million on the celebrations. and Counseling Centre. “People should
become more disgruntled. “We have ministries pleading with the think of things that they can do to create the
The most recent unemployment rate in government for money,” said Segomotso jobs themselves rather than point fingers at
Botswana was 20 percent, as per the Botswa- Gomolemo Kgwatalala, a student at UB. government.”
na Aids Impact Survey in 2013. According “We have so many things that I feel like if The government supports some start up
to WorldBank.org, the unemployment rate $100 million could be divided among those businesses. The Ministry of Sports, Youth
for youth aged 15-24 is 33 percent. different ministries then things would be and Culture has funded growth-oriented
“At our university, if 7,000 graduate, better.” citizen-owned youth enterprises and other
only about 2,000 get jobs,” said Gonne For unemployed graduates, the govern- start-up projects through the Youth Devel-
Majwabe, a student at the University of ment developed a program called the Youth opment Fund.
Botswana. Empowerment Scheme, which gives money Those seeking to build their own busi-
A growing number of students are con- for salaries to businesses to hire graduates in nesses believe the protestors are putting too
cerned about whether seeking an education intern-esque positions. The jobs only offer much on the government. They encourage
is worthwhile. Boitumelo Mokoka, an intern minimum wage. the young people to instead create their own
at SADC Secretariat, is concerned over the After having spent time seeking an ed- industries.
recognition of her field. ucation, many are frustrated with this idea. “The country needs young people to rise
“Just from the tiresome process of seek- Gofaone Bornwell Moditswe is a student at and meet today’s challenges and provide
ing an organization to work in,” she said. UB and does not see the program as doing solutions even for unemployment.” Mphela
“It made me wonder about the relevance of said.
10 | Global Spotlight Volume 9, Issue 3TRANSFORMATION
Changing culture affects c are of india’s
tr ansgender communit y
By Olivia Miltner
When the nurse asked her patient Kumar said. “Trans men, if able to pass off
[are] okay, but when not able to pass off
are attracted to India’s holistic, transparent
and relatively inexpensive health care.
what she wanted to do after the operation
and what name she would claim, the patient [things] could be dangerous. It also depends However, trans people still often expe-
responded, “I’ll go lingerie shopping,” and upon which class the transman/woman rience inadequate medical care, said Souvik
“Nyra.” belongs to.” Ghosh, who works at the HIV and AIDS
Later, when the patient awoke after her A 2014 study from the International non-profit Saathi, in an article published by
surgery, Nyra D’souza was herself. Journal of Transgenderism found seven the The Guardian. “When they go to the
“The first thing I heard after the surgery Indian cities had almost no male to female government hospital... trans people are told
was, ‘Nyra, it’s over,’ and that was the most gender transition services in public hospitals, to leave or are treated like aliens,” Ghosh
assuring statement that anyone could have while “moral positions taken by health care said. “Doctors will say they only serve wow-
ever said to me,” D’souza said. providers might be partially accountable for wmen or men.”
India is becoming a friendlier place for the lack of gender transition services.” After going through her transition,
transgender people; the Indian Supreme Despite this, some people see India as an D’souza said other people looking to under-
Court recognized a third gender in 2014, advantageous location to undergo gender go gender affirmation surgery should plan
and this summer Indian politicians approved affirmation surgery, D’souza’s surgeon San- ahead. She also said they should expect high
a new law that purports to further protect jay Pandey said. Pandey works at a Mumbai medical expenses and the need for assistance
transgender people. hospital, and he said people from across Asia after the surgery.
However, conflicting sentiments toward
trans people are reflected in the care they
receive throughout the country.
When D’souza told her parents she want-
ed to have gender affirmation surgery, they
told her she’d have to do it alone. D’souza
included her friends in her transition process
but said she had to actively seek their help,
and was hurt when they didn’t visit her in
the hospital. After she recovered, her friends
made degrading statements.
Some people disagree with the lifestyles
of LGBT people, a sentiment reflected by
Indian actress Kavita Radheshyam when she
tweeted in June “Aren’t #LGBT Against
Nature? Whatever Is Against Nature,
Shouldn’t Live.” Various religious organi-
zations have opposed governmental efforts
meant to support LGBT people, particularly
regarding the decriminalization of gay sex.
The general attitude toward transgender
people can range from indifferent to fearful,
said University of Hyderabad sociology pro-
fessor Pushpesh Kumar, in an email.
“Phobia might translate into violence,” Transgender Indian women pose for a picture in New Delhi in 1994. (Via R Barraez D’Lucca on Flickr)
immigration may revitalize Italy’s ghost towns
By Sydney Albert
Thousands of ghost towns dot the from welcoming refugees. German director
Wim Wenders made a movie called “The
and social benefits.
However, refugees found a powerful ally
Italian landscape. As Italy struggles with a
stalling economy, young Italians from the Flight” based on how Riace and Badolato, in Pope Francis, who has preached accepting
poorer central and southern regions of the another southern Italian town, opened up to migrants and refugees is a moral issue. After
country are leaving en masse in search of refugees. a trip earlier this year, he took 12 Syrian
better opportunities and education. Even so, controversy and tension remain. refugees back to the Vatican. In addition,
Some of these towns have received a In 2010, the southern region of Calabria the Community of Sant’egidio has offered
breath of life from refugees. The town of hosted violent race riots in the town of Ro- resources and taught language skills to refu-
Riace had been suffering from emigration sarno. After the riots ended, local authorities gees in Italy as well as the rest of Europe.
for decades. The population had dropped were criticized for ignoring the use of illegal According to the International Organi-
by more than 80 percent when Domenico immigrant labor and the poor conditions the zation for Migration, more than 131,974
Lucano, a schoolteacher at the time, started immigrants were allowed to live in. Local migrants have arrived in Italy since the
welcoming refugees in 1998. Lucano pro- crime syndicates were pointed to as the start of 2016 alone. The Italian newspaper
posed that Kurdish refugees who had arrived primary exploitative parties. La Stampa has reported that 2,026 of the
by boat stay and take over the homes and Mafia in southern Italy have long relied country’s 8,000 municipalities have hosted
apartments left by former residents. on cheap foreign labor, and successful inte- migrants as of June this year.
Later elected mayor, Lucano is credited gration of immigrants threatens their access. With many young Italians seeking
with saving his small town. Mayor Lucano has reported he’s faced in- opportunities abroad, Italian journalist
“In 2000 our school was shut because we timidation for welcoming refugees, pointing Maurizio Ricci believes foreign labor and
had so few pupils,” Lucano once told BBC out bullet holes by his front door. the integration of foreign families is crucial
News, “Now it’s flourishing.” Xenophobia also exists, as the Northern to maintaining the economy, in spite of
The success of Riace has gained the League party is staunchly anti-immigration. an aging population. Though many of the
attention of other towns. Camini, a neigh- A Pew Research Center report shows 65 ghost towns need improvement, it may be
boring village, has seen similar benefits percent of Italians felt refugees were a bur- beneficial to renew old accommodations,
den on the country because they took jobs rather than build completely new ones.
Volume 9, Issue 3 Global Spotlight | 11This student-produced publication may contain a few
copyrighted photographic materials whose use has
not been specifically authorized in every case by the
copyright owner. Global Spotlight is a nonprofit educa-
tional production, constituting a ‘fair use’ of any such
copyright material as provided under section 107 of
the U.S. Copyright Law. Contact scrippsiij@ohio.edu
with questions.
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