PrintAlleviating the suffering in third-world countries is definitely a daunting task. Yet, Columbia University’s Jeffrey Sachs may have found a solution (thus adding to his rock star status). Through his project, Millennium Villages, which acts in concert with Columbia’s Earth Institute, he aims to take on the problems of hunger, health, and education in order to make countries self-sufficient and end the cycle of poverty.
The Millennium Villages project works with villages in Rwanda, specifically ones in the Mayange sector. This area is plagued with harsh natural conditions, from extreme drought to diminishing soil fertility. This region is also separated from any major markets that could bring trade and potentially boast the economy. With all of these difficult conditions, it is no surprise that Mayange is stricken with extreme poverty, health issues, and malnutrition. By applying proven technology and maximizing community leadership, however, it has been transformed from what was previously one of the poorest places in Rwanda to one that is on the verge of economic transformation.
Although the project cannot combat natural obstacles such as inconsistent rainfall and poor soil, it seeks to modify the preexisting ineffective farming practices. Seed and fertilizer is provided through a loan program, distributed by the Urwego Opportunity Microfinance Bank. The project has introduced high-value crops such as avocado, mango, moringa, orange, and guava, generating income for these villages by selling them in major markets. In addition to fertilizer, the farmers learn about terracing, line planting, irrigation, and weeding. Ashley Bush, BC ’11, who visited the villages, commented that the “Millennium Villages project literally takes on every aspect of a village in order to make that village sustainable. We met a family and they happily showed us their livestock and farmland. It was truly amazing to see this family showing all of their wonderful tools they now have for sustainable development. They eat what they grow. All of this was new to the family and they expressed how lucky they were.”
Due to Mayange’s remote location, high fees, and insufficient transport, it is difficult for its inhabitants to access the health center. Seventy-five percent of the population could not afford the $2 to enroll in the country’s national health insurance plan. Millennium Villages ensures that subsidies are provided to families who cannot afford health care. Within the clinic, contraception is provided, which has increased the amount of users by 219 percent, as well as HIV testing, prenatal care, delivery, and TB testing. In addition, the project has supplied insecticide-treated bed nets to each household to prevent malaria infections, resulting in a 542 percent decrease in outpatient malaria consultations.
The project also deals with community building within these villages. It aids in the formation of committees to discuss resource mapping, distribution, and problem analysis. Millennium Villages provides clean water and electricity to the health center and the schools, and builds wells to serve those too far from the district’s pipeline. At a recent FEED banquet, Sachs commented on the incredible progress Millennium Villages is making: “I think it would be a terrible situation if there was nothing we could do about it—but there is, there’s a lot we can do. And the cost actually works out to only about $60 per person, per year.”