Two young Samoans are helping to make environmentally friendly sanitary napkins available to girls and women in their community who need them. The two change-makers were finalists in the Commonwealth Youth Awards 2019. Maisy Bentley, 19 years old,a Correspondent from Wellington, New Zealand has been following their story. The Pacific Islands are known for beautiful …
Eyeglasses are no longer out of reach for many Ugandans because of the work of Brenda Katwesigye, CEO and founder of Wazi Vision and her team. Wazi Vision makes eyeglasses from recycled plastic and uses virtual reality eye-testing technology to make eye health more affordable. The social enterprise also does mobile eye tests in schools …
Vaccines have saved many lives and mark an important milestone in early childhood healthcare. But in a new trend, more people are refusing to get vaccinated, despite the wide availability of vaccines, writes Commonwealth Correspondent Omer Fayshal Pavel, 25, from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Vaccines appeared as early as the year 1000, but it was only hundreds …
International Women’s Day was observed recently and Ashlee Burnett, a 22-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Trinidad and Tobago argues that despite recent developments, much more needs to be done to protect women and girls from gender-based violence. Women are dying at the hands of their partners in domestic disputes at an alarming rate in Trinidad and …
It’s Independence Day in Bangladesh. But instead of the usual March 26 celebrations, the government is stepping up measures to control the spread of the coronavirus. It has declared a national holiday which begins today and will last until Saturday, April 4, 2020. Over the 10-day period, public and private businesses are to be closed …
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland writes about meeting inspirational young health innovator Rayvon Stewart at the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM) in Geneva last year in this blog. Rayvon was among the finalists shortlisted for last year’s Commonwealth Health Innovation Awards. Five years ago more than 40 babies born in Jamaican hospitals became infected with lethal bacteria – …
Young Jamaican’s invention could help tackle the spread of viruses like COVID-19 Read More »
Stay home, stay safe, stay alive. That is the global message as the coronavirus pandemic claims more lives. While many of us can practice social distancing, spare a thought for refugees, forced migrants and displaced persons who have no choice about how and where they live. Bismark Akoto, a 24-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Accra, Ghana …
Responses by leaders across the world to the coronavirus pandemic have ranged from efficient to questionable. As Canadian writer Robin Sharma eloquently put it: “Anyone can lead when the plan is working. The best lead when the plan falls apart.” Munguongeyo Ivan, a 27-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Kampala, Uganda, looks at various interventions to a crisis that …
As governments attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in local communities and countries, it is vital that they communicate to citizens in languages that people in different segments of the society speak and understand. Metolo Foyet, a 23-year-old Commonwealth Correspondent from Cotonou, Benin, shares her experience with language learning when she was growing …
As the coronavirus continues to spread globally, what opportunities are there for creators and innovators? Jacob Masenga, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Zambia, talks to Zanga Musakuzi, a Zambian health tech innovator making it easier for people to find health services. Most great solutions came about through creativity and innovation during challenging situations. Here’s an example of how a …