This week kicks off with Indonesia seeing its poverty rates hit an all-time low, the UK Labour party’s ambitious plan for a ‘rooftop revolution’ bringing solar power to millions of homes, and an Oxford brewery making a positive impact by training ex-convicts to brew ale and reduce reoffending rates.
Indonesian poverty rate hits record low as inequality narrows
Indonesia’s poverty rate has reached a historic low this year, dropping to 9.03% in March, surpassing the previous record of 9.22% in 2019. At the same time, the Gini coefficient – a measure of inequality – has also hit its lowest point in over a decade.
Labour’s ‘rooftop revolution’ to deliver solar power to millions of UK homes
The plans will see millions more homes fitted with solar panels in order to bring down domestic energy bills and tackle the climate crisis. The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, also took the decision to approve three massive solar farms in the east of England that had been blocked by Tory ministers.
The Colombian mosquito factory battling dengue and misinformation
For nearly a decade, the World Mosquito Program has been fighting the deadly Aedes aegypti mosquito with an interesting approach: instead of resorting to harmful insecticides, they’re deploying biologically modified mosquitoes. The living bacterium uses the mosquito’s own biology to prevent the spread of the virus.
How grassroots activism transformed child abuse laws across the US
While policymaking typically involves collaboration among various groups, sometimes it takes a single person to drive real change. Erin Merryn, a social worker from suburban Chicago who herself survived childhood abuse, became that catalyst. Her advocacy has led to the passage of Erin’s Law in 38 states, mandating child abuse prevention education in schools.
While ultrasound services are normal practice in many countries, software being tested in Uganda will allow a scan without the need for specialists, providing an incentive for pregnant women to visit health services early on.
President Joseph Boakai of Liberia has decided to slash his annual salary by 40%, dropping it from $13,400 to $8,000. This decision follows increasing criticism of government pay rates and widespread dissatisfaction with the high cost of living across Liberia.
In June, thirteen young plaintiffs in Hawaii successfully sued the Department of Transportation, pushing for urgent action on climate change. The settlement mandates rapid expansion of public transit, new bike lanes, and electric vehicles – with discussions now taking place on the future of clean transportation in Hawaii.
Oaxaca’s Indigenous women reclaim farming to safeguard Mexico’s water
In drought-hit Oaxaca, with water scarcity jeopardising their way of life, Indigenous women are rediscovering traditional agriculture techniques to cultivate their ancestral crops.
The Happy Cafés changing lives through inclusive employment
Around the globe, millions of people living with autism or Down syndrome face limited opportunities for paid work. However, cafés are proving to be spaces where individuals with learning disabilities can gain a sense of purpose and positively influence those around them.
Oxford brewery helps cut reoffending rates by training jail-leavers to make ale
The innovative social movement is a potential tool in solving the UK prison crisis by helping ex-convicts learn new skills and readjust to life outside.