Archive for E-Magazine Issue 4

Sanitation: no one likes to talk about it. It’s gross, make us uncomfortable, and is considered impolite. But, in honor of World Toilet Day on November 19, we dedicated this issue of Beyond Profit to talking openly about sanitation—and all that goes with it. Although it might not be everyone’s favorite topic to talk about, it is important. Nearly half the world’s population does not have access to proper sanitation, and diarrhea—never considered a serious threat in developed countries—kills 5,000 children a day.

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This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Health Policy and Planning: Health in our hands, but not in our heads: Understanding hygiene motivation in Ghana, 2007.
An interesting paper to gain further perspective on hygiene motivation.

JAMA: Effect of Intensive Handwashing Promotion on Childhood Diarrhea in High-Risk Communities in Pakistan, 2004
Diarrheal diseases are a real concern in Pakistan now in the wake of the massive flooding experienced this year. This paper could not be more timely in outlining the importance of hygiene.

Tropical Medicine and International Health: Handwashing with soap – a new way to prevent ARIs?, 2003.
Another good paper on the importance of handwashing.

UNICEF, WHO: Diarrhoea: Why children are still dying and what can be done, 2009.
An important paper on how to tackle diarrheal disease in the developing world.

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Sometimes the only way to truly describe the effects of a program, investment, or enterprise is not through any amount of explanation, but rather through a visual medium. This is especially true in development work—a project just doesn’t click until you see the beneficiaries, and it is only then that you understand what is at stake.

If you’ve been reading Beyond Profit lately, you may have noticed that we’ve been writing about affordable private school education in developing countries. We have talked about entrepreneurs and policy and scale, but there is nothing like actually understanding who the students—the beneficiaries of this work—are. That’s why we’re proud to share with you the winners of the SNAPS Photo Contest.

The aim of SNAPS has been to capture the diversity and breadth of affordable private schooling around the world.  Eighty photos were submitted, and if you need to be inspired, we suggest you view the entire slideshow. We were struck by the passion communicated through the images; these children clearly want to learn, and the teachers are unmistakably committed.

But, there were a few that spoke to the larger effects of APS. The winning photos (pictured here) demonstrate the larger effect that good schools have on students’ lives. Our grand prize winner shows the bud of leadership through student government—one day this young woman could be a school principal, a state representative, or even prime minister. Our other winners demonstrate that schools are not just places to learn math and reading, but also channels to teach teamwork, to feed children who may not get proper nutrition at home, and to provide children with an escape from the struggles of daily life.

It is only by understanding the integral role that schools play in a young person’s life that we will be able to support this burgeoning sector. We hope that by sharing these winning images with you, you’ll educate others about the existence and impact of APS.

A jury of six evaluated each photo entry on two broad parameters: Quality and Concept. The photos had to be technically sound, but more importantly, they needed to illustrate a story or concept. We believe that the winning photographs do this incredibly well.

Each winner received a branded flip video camera, and the winning photos will be highlighted on EnterprisingSchools.com, and will be featured in the 2011 Enterprising Schools Calendar.
“Student Goverment Elections”

Student Government elections being conducted at APS Grace Model School with the Escuela Nueva Service Provider, coordinated by Deepti Doshi. Photo by Shabnam Aggarwal.

“Forming Que”

Students of private school in Paipa, Colombia, forming queue before godfather plan. Photo by Deepti Doshi.

“School Mealtime”

A student in a participating school in the IDP Rising Schools Program enjoys a healthy meal prepared by the school caterer. Through the Program, caterers are trained in nutrition and sanitation. Photo by Brooke Ramsey.

“Falling to Win”

To win the competition trying hard and falling down. Held in front of school during republic day. Photo by Ayesha Siddiqua.

“Enlightened Chakras”

IQRA Mission High School partners with the Art of Living Organization to help upper class students cope with the stresses of school/life via Yoga. Students engage in a free 1 hour session that combines breathing exercises, team building activities, and meditation. Students described their experience as “fun”,”relaxing”, and “helpful.” Photo by Jasmine Porter.

View the complete slideshow of entries here.

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

• 1 billion: Estimated number of people in the world who currently lack access to safe drinking water – that is practically 1 in 8 people (UNDP)
• 2.6 billion: People in the world who currently lack adequate sanitation (UNDP)
• 50 liters: Recommended daily water requirement for household needs while 1 billion people use less than 6 liters per day (WHO)
• 5 – 10 times: How much more poor people in slums pay per liter of water than the wealthy living in the same city (UNDP)
• 8 times: On average, how much more water a US household uses compared to that of an Indian household (charity: water) » Continue reading “By the Numbers: The Polarized Issue of Water Privatization”

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

No one likes to talk about it. It makes us uncomfortable, it’s impolite, and culturally taboo. But, we’re bringing it out in the open. When an issue affects not millions, but billions of people, someone has to talk about it. What is it? Brace yourself for some frank talk about sanitation.

In two weeks, it’s all anyone will be talking about. November 19th is World Toilet Day, and getting people to talk openly about sanitation is one of the goals of this relatively new addition to the calendar of “globally recognized days.” As well it should be. Nearly half the world’s population does not have access to proper sanitation, and diarrhea kills 5,000 children a day. » Continue reading “Taking Stock of Cultural Bias”

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

A UN report states that Indians have easier access to a mobile phone than to a toilet: there is only 31% sanitation coverage in India. To promote awareness of World Toilet Day on November 19^th, here are the profiles of five organizations operating in India and working on improving sanitation for the masses.

WaterAid India

Since 1986, WaterAid operates in 10 states across India and works with local partners to implement sustainable sanitation projects. Their objectives are to change sanitation behavior, to work with their partners in efficiently utilizing government funds, and to promote urban sanitation through “child-friendly” toilets, community-managed services and washing/bathing complexes in slums. A recent success of the organization and its partners was in 2004 and 2005, when almost 325,000 people gained access to improved water and sanitation services. The organization’s current strategic goal is to help at least 200,000 people gain access to improved sanitation each year from 2006 through 2010. » Continue reading “5 Organizations Tackling Sanitation Issues in India”

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Jack Sim, the charismatic founder of the World Toilet Organization (WTO), created the organization to get people to talk about an unpleasant subject—sanitation. It makes people uncomfortable, but it’s extremely important: nearly half the world’s population lacks access to proper sanitation.

The WTO started World Toilet Day, celebrated on November 19th each year, to bring awareness to the essential, but nose-wrinkling, topic of access to proper sanitation. The best part is, it’s easy for everyone to take part. » Continue reading “What To Do on World Toilet Day”

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

In the developed world, diarrhea is generally not considered a fatal disease. It is an unpleasant, uncomfortable nuisance, but nothing a regimen of fluids and over-the-counter medication cannot remedy. However, diarrhea is the second largest cause of child mortality in the world. Every year, diarrhea and upper respiratory infections claim the lives of 3.5 million children under the age of five. Perhaps the single most important and cost-effective prevention is hygiene promotion. Something as simple as the washing of hands can considerably diminish these fatalities. It is estimated that hand-washing with soap can reduce diarrheal disease by 45%, upper respiratory infections by 23%, and neonatal mortality by 40-45%. » Continue reading “Report Review: Sharing Experiences: Effective Hygiene Promotion in South-East Asia and the Pacific”

This story originally appeared in our November 5, 2010 e-magazine. Click here to subscribe.

Developed countries can afford to be clean, and it can be argued that they benefit economically from doing so. But, it costs money to be clean. Can developing countries boost their economies by investing in sanitation?

In America, many office buildings are dotted with stand-up Purell kiosks next to elevator banks. Fastidious mothers “wetwipe” babies’ fingers every 20 minutes. Signs in bathrooms order restaurant employees to wash their hands before returning to work. A habit of hygiene borders on the obsessive.

Most developing countries have much less sanitation infrastructure. But, it’s not because citizens care less about being clean. The real issue is one of economics: it costs money to increase access to sanitation. » Continue reading “The Cost of Sanitation”