Rising Tensions in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region Pose Dangers for Millions

The East African country has recently been overrun by natural disasters, COVID-19 and internal violence.

A refugee camp in Ethiopia. Oberhaus. CC2.0

Rising tensions in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region pose a severe threat for the East African country and for stability across the Horn of Africa. Most urgently, the fighting places millions of people in danger and in dire need of humanitarian assistance.  

Map of Ethiopia’s regions, with Tigray in the far north. Jfblanc. CC4.0

An Overview of the Conflict in Tigray

Ethiopia, the largest and most populous country in the Horn of Africa region, is home to many different religions, languages and ethnic groups. The recent fighting is taking place in Tigray, Ethiopia’s northernmost region along the border with Eritrea. The conflict is between Ethiopia’s central government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The TPLF came to power in 1991 and established a coalition where Ethiopia was divided into 10 distinct regions that each had political autonomy, allowing the TPLF to become a key player in Ethiopian politics. The TPLF remained in power for 27 years until rising concerns of political corruption and human rights abuses resulted in nationwide protests. As a result, Abiy Ahmed was elected the prime minister of Ethiopia in 2018 and began to reduce the TPLF’s power. While Ahmed advocates for a strong federal government that unites all Ethiopians regardless of ethnicity, the TPLF wants more political autonomy and sees Ahmed’s central government as a hindrance to the TPLF’s political agenda. 

The current dispute began when the TPLF wanted to hold a regional election in September. Prime Minister Ahmed denied the request, since all national elections in Ethiopia were canceled due to COVID-19. Fighting began on Nov. 4 when Tigrayan forces were accused of attacking a military base belonging to Ahmed’s government. The violence in the region continues to escalate. 

Abiy Ahmed is widely recognized for brokering peace and ending a military conflict with neighboring Eritrea, an effort that resulted in Ahmed receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. However the current escalating violence is causing the international community to raise its eyebrows. According to Kjetil Tronvoll, a scholar of Ethiopian politics at Bjorknes University College in Norway, “The Nobel Peace Prize has until recently shielded Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed from international scrutiny and criticism. However, the warfare on Tigray has opened the eyes of many diplomats to the way political power is wielded in Ethiopia.”

Rwandan President Paul Kagame (left) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (right). Kagame. CC2.0

What is Happening Now? 

On Nov. 28, the Ethiopian army gained control of the Tigrayan regional capital of Mekelle, with Prime Minister Ahmed declaring victory shortly thereafter. However, Tigrayan forces have yet to surrender. Since the conflict began, telephone, internet and road access to the Tigray region has been suspended, making it difficult to know what is happening on the ground. Shortly after Ahmed declared victory, rockets were fired at the Eritrean capital of Asmara, where according to the U.S. embassy, “Six explosions occurred in the city at about 10:13 p.m.” The Ethiopian government has declared a six-month-long state of emergency in the Tigray region. There is concern that the conflict could exacerbate ethnic division in other parts of Ethiopia, or even spread to neighboring countries such as Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia. With the conflict having no end in sight, it is unclear to predict whether current military efforts are enough to end the fighting.

Refugee children in Ethiopia. United Nations Photo. CC2.0

Impact on Internally Displaced People and Refugees

Before the recent fighting broke out in Tigray, the region was already home to over 200,000 refugees, the majority coming from Eritrea. The current fighting is estimated to affect over 2 million people, with larger estimates of up to 9 million. As many as 43,000 have already fled to neighboring countries, with Sudan preparing to accept as many as 200,000 refugees. Thousands of people are internally displaced in Shire, near the border with Eritrea. Aid groups are urging the Ethiopian government to allow access to roads crucial to the Tigray region. This year has been especially difficult in Ethiopia, as a devastating locust outbreak, floods and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have ravaged the country. According to the International Rescue Committee, the most important thing that can be done by forces is to adhere to international law, ensure that schools, hospitals and homes are not targets, and allow humanitarian aid to get to where it is needed. 

To Get Involved:

Check out the International Rescue Committee, a global aid and development organization providing crucial humanitarian assistance to communities in Tigray, here. 


Click here to access the website of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is working to establish a new shelter site for Tigrayan refugees in Sudan.

Megan Gürer

Megan is a Turkish-American student at Wellesley College in Massachusetts studying Biological Sciences. Passionate about environmental issues and learning about other cultures, she dreams of exploring the globe. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, singing, and composing music.

Amid COVID-19, Garment Workers Are Asking Employers to #PayUp

While the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down many sectors of the economy, online sales have spiked—as well as the vulnerability of many laborers working with little to no safety net. 

Sweatshop workers mass producing fabrics for below average wages. Marissa Orton. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Since the beginning of COVID-19 lockdowns, e-commerce has reaped significant monetary benefits. In the United States alone, online sales rose 43% in September, totaling $60.4 billion. Though online shops gained countless new customers, not all in the industry were celebrating.

Since March, many frontline workers have been laid off. For example, the American startup company Everlane, a clothing line that promises “radical transparency,” came under fire for terminating workers who attempted to start a labor union amid the pandemic. Despite founder Michael Preysman’s statement that the layoffs were “the hardest decision we’ve ever had to make,” non-management employees called them out. Those who held leadership positions in the company retained most of their salaries.

Across the globe, COVID-19 has weakened both the bargaining power and socioeconomic mobility of garment workers. Its consequences have been especially devastating for those in developing nations. In India, the closure of schools has led around 80,000 children to begin working as laborers. If unaddressed, the pandemic could set the country back decades on child exploitation. With limited options, families are often strong-armed by traffickers into believing their children will lead better lives in the big city. Many never see their families again.   

As a European Trade Union Institute article reported, COVID-19 did not break labor rights; it only revealed how broken the system already was. In Leicester, England, predominantly female and migrant sweatshop workers from Eastern Europe, Bangladesh and Pakistan faced wages as low as $4.50 an hour, received threats and humiliation, and were even denied bathroom breaks.. A June report from Labour Behind the Label found that online fashion retailer Boohoo’s Leicester factory was operating at 100% capacity despite lockdown orders. In the same month, the company projected that its shares had increased by 22%.Some feel that fast-fashion workers are stuck in a lose-lose situation. A Bloomberg report found that the closure of roughly 1,090 garment factories in Bangladesh amounted to an economic loss of $1.5 billion. Workers were not entitled to unemployment benefits, rendering them even more vulnerable in the face of pandemic uncertainties. A Solidarity Center article found that because of social distancing measures, workers’ ability to unionize and collectively bargain for their rights was severely limited.

Not all hope is lost, however. COVID-19 has created opportunities for critical change. As online sales have gone up, so has social media usage. In March, after notable labels such as Nike, Gap and Levi’s had canceled billions of orders, the nonprofit organization Remake revealed the plight of garment workers through the #PayUp movement. Stores like H&M and Zara were pressured into compensating their suppliers for orders that had already been produced, passing that money on to workers. While the fight is far from over, garment workers’ future may become brighter as consumers take a longer glance at the fast-fashion industry

How To Get Involved:

  • The Awaj Foundation is a woman-led organization based on addressing gender-based violence in the garment industry. It supports workers from Bangladesh. For more information on ways to support it, click here.

  • Based in Los Angeles, the Garment Worker Center aims to restore agency and dignity back to workers currently strong-armed by sweatshop conditions. To learn more, visit its website here.

Rhiannon Koh

Rhiannon earned her B.A. in Urban Studies & Planning from UC San Diego. Her honors thesis was a speculative fiction piece exploring the aspects of surveillance technology, climate change, and the future of urbanized humanity. She is committed to expanding the stories we tell.

Throwing Tomatoes: Spain’s Festival of La Tomatina 

Sometimes organized chaos is just what a town needs to bring its residents together. Spain’s annual tomato-throwing festival of La Tomatina has certainly proven this true. 

Festivalgoers covered in tomatoes. dahon. CC BY-ND 2.0. 

Considered the world’s biggest food fight, Spain’s annual festival of La Tomatina draws countless residents and visitors to the streets. Held in the small town of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, the festival brings in over 20,000 people every year. The town, which is home to only 10,000 residents, doubles in size during La Tomatina.

The festival takes place on the last Wednesday of August, but has been canceled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

Over the past several years, the festival’s appeal to visitors has skyrocketed. What was once an informal celebration now requires tickets to limit the guests to the small space available; the town plaza comfortably fits 9,000 people but well over 20,000 take part. 

The origin of the festival dates back to 1945, when it is told that a group of rambunctious boys started this cherished tradition. It is said that during a town festival, one of the boys fell down in the chaos of the parade. He then knocked over a vegetable cart, causing anger among the other observers. People began throwing the tomatoes at each other, and thus this tradition was born. 

The festival tickets can only be purchased if you are 18 years or older, but there is still a place for young feisty participants. Another festival called Tomatina Infantil, or Tomatina Kids, is held for children between the ages of 4 and 14. It takes place on the last Saturday of August, a few days after the main celebration. 

The festival itself is a brief event lasting only one to two hours. Shopkeepers prepare for the mess by using large plastic covers to protect their shops being painted red. Large trucks pull into the town center and volunteers toss tomatoes to participants eager to load for battle. The beginning of the festival is marked by a cannon shot at noon, and an hour or so later, a second cannon is shot to mark the end of the festival. Over 300,000 pounds of tomatoes are tossed around. Additionally, participants are given quite a few rules to prevent injury and severe pummeling. These rules include no bottles or hard objects, no tearing or tugging on your own or others’ clothing, requiring all tomatoes to be squashed before throwing, and participants needing to stop throwing tomatoes once the second cannon is shot. 

Once the fight has concluded, helpers hose down the painted buildings while participants wash each other. Meanwhile, other participants take a dip in the Bunol River to wash off. 

Although chaotic, La Tomatina is a testament to the power of happy accidents bonding a town and its many welcomed visitors.

Ella Nguyen

is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.

Syria’s Allies Exploit the Nation’s Strife

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

A long road to recovery. Chaoyue Pan. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Bashar Assad didn’t survive his country’s civil war alone. Only with the help of Russia was he able to resist rebel forces and reestablish his grip on Syria. Now, his grip on power seems unshakable, and the question has moved from who will win to how Syria will rebuild. This challenge, however, Assad might have to do alone.

It will be a mighty task. Every aspect of Syria’s economy suffered in the almost decade long civil war. Oil, the country’s primary export, is being produced at one-sixth its prewar level, and last year’s wheat crop was half the prewar average. 60% of businesses have closed either permanently or temporarily. What savings citizens had are losing value fast, for the Syrian currency lost 70% of its value against the dollar. The forthcoming peace is preferable to war but far from easy. 

COVID-19 only adds to the country’s plight. The Assad regime has attempted to hide the extent of the devastation by blaming COVID-19 deaths on “pneumonia,” but the damage is clearly intense. Desperate for food and cash, many Syrians shirked lockdown measures. Other measures enforced in other countries are impossible to follow in a war zone. What little medical infrastructure existed has been swiftly overwhelmed. 

The ruins of Aleppo. Ihh Insani Yardim. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Syria’s allies and neighbors seem content to watch its slow death and profit where they can. Recently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov visited not to help with reconstruction efforts but to scope out energy and construction contracts. Russia knows it can depend on Syria’s loyalty because the Assad regime has nowhere else to turn. Turkish involvement in Syria, meanwhile, focused on supporting anti-Assad rebels along with limiting the influence of regional Kurds, an ethnic group with aspirations of a nation-state.

What’s left of Azaz. Christiaan Triebert. CC BY-NC 2.0.

The United States and Europe provide only humanitarian aid. The U.S. heaped sanctions on Assad’s government in an effort to force at least a semi-democratic settlement, but Assad drifts still further into authoritarianism. At one point, President Donald Trump entertained assassinating the Syrian leader after his use of chemical weapons in 2018. “I would have rather taken him out. I had him all set. Mattis didn’t want to do it,” Trump said, referring to former Secretary of Defense James Mattis. To switch from a desire for assassination to a respectful negotiation would be a stark, and unlikely, change. 

Rather than give aid, Russia seems content to exploit Syria’s weaknesses. As always, the decisions of Syria’s leaders and allies will mainly affect Syrian citizens. The Assad regime’s finances have been bled so dry that it is rumored that customs officers and generals impound trucks and confiscate goods just to charge hefty bribes for their return. 

The plight of Syrian mercenaries illustrates just how dire life the situation has become. Years of fighting created a generation of young men whose only marketable skill is waging war. With no fighting left to be done at home and hungry families to feed, these men have enlisted as mercenary soldiers for Turkey and Russia. Once on the fringe of Syrian life, brick and mortar offices now house recruiters who advertise on WhatsApp, often lying about the safety of certain deployments. Families have more or less accepted fighting as a necessary means to make a living. In the current economy, there are no other options. 

Nowhere left to run. a.anis. CC BY-ND 2.0.

What these fighters make can hardly be called a living. A soldier earns the equivalent of $1 a day, most of which has to be sent home to their family. Syrian mercenaries were deployed in 2019 to fight the conflict in Libya, and just recently, they were deployed to fight for Azerbaijan against Armenia in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Russia and Turkey have made pawns out of Syria’s most desperate citizens to support their foreign policy expansions. As one Syrian businessman loyal to Assad observed, “Our saviors have become vultures.”

Syria’s isolation will only intensify in the near future. The Netherlands recently announced that it is preparing a case for the International Criminal Court at The Hague for “gross human rights violations and torture in particular.” Russia repeatedly blocked efforts from the U.N. Security Council to refer such a case, but the Netherlands has bypassed the U.N. altogether. It is yet another thrust from the international community to move Assad in a more democratic direction., For the time being, however, Assad refuses to budge and the plight of Syrians is likely to continue. 

Michael McCarthy

Michael is an undergraduate student at Haverford College, dodging the pandemic by taking a gap year. He writes in a variety of genres, and his time in high school debate renders political writing an inevitable fascination. Writing at Catalyst and the Bi-Co News, a student-run newspaper, provides an outlet for this passion. In the future, he intends to keep writing in mediums both informative and creative.

Has South Africa’s Booze Ban Helped in the Fight Against COVID-19?

To slow the spread of COVID-19, the government banned alcohol sales. Now, the country asks, “Was it worth it?”

A South African enjoying a glass of wine. World Bank Photo Collection. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

South Africans woke up before dawn to line up in front of liquor stores. Since March 27, alcohol sales had been prohibited to curb the spread of COVID-19, but on June 1, nine long weeks of sobriety ended. With the threat of another surge in cases—and another prohibition on booze—looming over the country, drinkers nationwide stocked up while they had the chance.

The ban was a forceful and unprecedented measure for a country that has suffered the most cases of COVID-19 in Africa. The long lines demonstrated the important role alcohol plays in South African culture and social life, as does the annoyed reaction of many citizens. In a crowded country with many shared living spaces in urban areas, the ban on alcohol has often been viewed as an extraneous measure that has endangered innumerable small businesses and infantilized the South African people.

Alcohol figures into the country’s history in a variety of ways. Under apartheid, Black South Africans were forbidden from buying or consuming alcohol, so its consumption became an act of rebellion against racial injustice. For mixed-race workers in rural areas, many were paid in liquor rather than money, leading to dependency on the substance for thousands. In other areas, traditional methods of brewing beer have long provided locals with their own source. Under the ban, South Africans of every background, race and class have had to cut their consumption down to zero.

A South African woman brewing umqombothi, a traditional beer. GioRetti. CC-BY-NC-SA 2.0

The logic behind the ban was simple: limit alcohol use and more hospital beds will remain open. Though most abstain from drinking altogether, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies the majority of those who use alcohol as binge drinkers. As a result, drinking-related incidents account for 40% of all of South Africa’s emergency hospital admissions. In addition, crime fell by 29% over the course of the ban, including rates for domestic abuse and sexual assault. It is estimated that because the ban allowed more space for COVID-19 patients, 515 lives were saved.

A similar logic was used to implement a ban on cigarettes. Citing research from the WHO, the government has claimed that the ban is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19. Cigarette smoke can carry the virus in air molecules for longer distances, and smoking itself weakens the lungs and makes the body more susceptible to severe symptoms. While the ban on cigarettes was lifted on Aug. 18, its implications continue through a vibrant black market.

Smokers found numerous ways to buy cigarettes under the table, leading many to question whether the ban actually curtailed the spread of COVID-19. Cigarette dealers interact with dozens of clients a day, creating the potential to hasten the spread of the virus. 

The growth of the black market has been an unforeseen consequence of the alcohol and cigarette ban, but it will have lasting repercussions on South Africa’s economy. Illegal operators have gained a significant foothold by doing business with thousands of drinkers and smokers who previously had no interaction with South Africa’s criminal underworld. Reversing the growth of these criminal enterprises is predicted to take years.

Moreover, the South African revenue service lost out on a total of 12 billion rand, equal to $726 million, in taxes it would have collected had alcohol never been banned. This loss of revenue is all the more frustrating when the government has struggled to provide hospitals with the necessary supplies to handle COVID-19. On a smaller scale, too, the economy has been devastated. Innumerable businesses face financial ruin since restaurants derive roughly 60% of their profits from alcohol sales. 

A street party on Long Street in Cape Town. Flowcomm. CC BY 2.0.

It is impossible to say whether the alcohol ban will ever be implemented again; this largely depends on whether South Africa experiences another surge of cases. When cases spiked a second time this summer, the ban was reimplemented from July 12 to Sept. 20. There is no guarantee that the ban will not be needed again. 

If it does become necessary yet again, many have learned how to fulfill their desire for a drink without liquor stores. Homebrewing has enjoyed a resurgence because of the nationwide prohibition. City dwellers have begun experimenting with beers typically made only in rural areas. Online video guides for brewing pineapple beer and a traditional corn and sorghum beer known as “umqombothi” have garnered thousands of views. Try as the government might, South Africa’s thirst for alcohol will most likely prove insatiable.

Michael McCarthy

is an undergraduate student at Haverford College, dodging the pandemic by taking a gap year. He writes in a variety of genres, and his time in high school debate renders political writing an inevitable fascination. Writing at Catalyst and the Bi-Co News, a student-run newspaper, provides an outlet for this passion. In the future, he intends to keep writing in mediums both informative and creative.

Malaysian Princess Condemns Suicide Criminalization 

Malaysia is one of three Southeast Asian countries that still criminalizes suicide. To fight stigmas, mental health advocates have been pushing for reform and a more efficient health care system.

Pedestrians milling about a street market in Kuala Lumpur. Trey Ratcliff. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

On Sept. 10, World Suicide Prevention Day, Malaysian Princess Tengku Puteri Iman Afzan was appointed as the country’s international patron for World Mental Health Day 2020. This nomination was an encouraging sign for Malaysian mental health advocates for many reasons.

As a former British colony, Malaysia has codified an antiquated law criminalizing suicide. In Section 309 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, those who attempt and survive suicide must serve one year in prison, pay a fine, or both. Almost 60% of Malaysia’s population practices Islam, and suicide goes against the religion’s belief in the sanctity of life. Despite the stigma of suicide as a “sin,” a national study estimates that every day 10 people take their own lives. Subsequently, many human rights groups like the National Human Rights Society (HAKAM) and Minda are dedicated to raising mental health awareness and literacy. Activists hope that proper education will dispel the negative stereotypes that are preventing many from seeking the help they need.

Worshippers outside of a mosque in Malaysia. Firdaus Latif. CC BY-SA 2.0.

In an interview with The Guardian, chairman Justin Victor of emotional support hotline group Befrienders Kuala Lumpur, said that criminalization “is a deterrent to being able to speak about [suicide] openly.” Many individuals who survive are reluctant to seek help, fearing they could be charged again.

In the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown, the need for mental health care reform was made more apparent. Shahfirul Hakim Shahidan, 28, attempted suicide after facing unemployment. He was charged with “inconveniencing” others and fined 3,000 ringgit ($720). If Shahidan failed to pay, he would be jailed. The sentence was met with public outcry. Minds First, a youth group advocating for mental health awareness, organized a Change.org petition demanding the decriminalization of suicide. In its statement, the group argued that the “criminalization of suicide punishes those who need help and prevents them from getting the support they need.”

As of Oct. 11, the petition had gained nearly 19,000 signatures.

The skyline of Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. Salehi Hassan. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Quarantine isolation has exacerbated existing mental health challenges. Befrienders Kuala Lumpur reported an increase in calls when the government first enforced social distancing measures. Publicity director Ardy Ayadali explained, “Being in isolation increases the fear and helplessness that someone feels … when someone is isolated in crowded families or spaces, the environment can get toxic.”

During the pandemic, however, Malaysia also launched its first mental health helpline for children. Buddy Bear is a hotline that lets children discuss whatever social and emotional issues they have, and gives advice on how they can deal with them. With professionally trained volunteers, children learn how to articulate and understand their feelings with a healthy approach.

Accordingly, many felt that Iman’s appointment would aid Malaysia’s advocacy work in mental health care. The princess has also struggled with anxiety and shared that although she is no longer ashamed of her troubles, she also knows “what it’s like to feel disempowered.” Iman noted that stigma was one of the biggest hurdles and applauded Malaysians’ struggle to attain mental health rights. During her acceptance speech, the princess publicly called for the decriminalization of suicide.

Rhiannon Koh

earned her B.A. in Urban Studies & Planning from UC San Diego. Her honors thesis was a speculative fiction piece exploring the aspects of surveillance technology, climate change, and the future of urbanized humanity. She is committed to expanding the stories we tell.

10 Isolated Travel Destinations in the US 

Thinking about your next trip once the pandemic eases? This year, try one of these remote spots where isolation will be the theme. From Maine to Montana, explore nature free from crowds.

Read More

The Amazon Rainforest Was and Still Is On Fire

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the dangers that threaten the Amazon rainforest

The Amazon rainforest during “fire season.” diversityphotos. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

There are a multitude of dangers ranging from climate change to human destruction that threaten the fragility of the Amazon rainforest. The destruction of the Amazon is largely attributed to consumerism and the extraction of natural resources. Without the existence of the Amazon, the world loses a crucial contender in the fight against climate change along with the likely deaths of many Indignenous people and already endangered species.

Reports from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research recorded 2,248 fires last month, a 13-year high and a 20% increase over the norm. Last year around this time, there were about 1,880 fires. However, the worst is likely yet to come as burnings in the Amazon tend to increase until September, the end of “fire season.” 

In 2019, the greatest destruction of the fires correlated with the peak of fire season. The increase in the number of fires was likely fueled by President Jair Bolsonaro’s decision to decrease the fines for environmental violations. It gave more leeway for commercial groups and loggers to disregard regulations that help preserve the Amazon. Bolsonaro has been nicknamed “Captain Chainsaw” for his policies that prioritize development over conservation. In an interview, Bolsonaro stated that “the Amazon belongs to Brazil,” so it can do as it wishes with it. As a result, it was estimated last year that every minute, a portion of the Amazon equal to the size of a soccer field was lost due to deforestation. 

The process of deforestation results from loggers trying to clear land as quickly as possible. That includes the use of chainsaws to cut down lumber for manufacturing and development. Then, farmers burn the downed trees that remain to make room for crops and pastures. Fire season, then,is the mark of when farmers begin to set these fires. It is important to acknowledge this is not a new practice, but an unending cycle of extracting from the land without replenishing it. 

Another sign of deforestation in the Amazon. rosamariavidal. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A similar phenomenon is occurring this year due to the lack of authority in the Amazon. Just as with last year, many of the fires started so far have been due to illegal loggers. For instance, in the first four months of 2020, deforestation rose by 55% due to a lack of governmental enforcement as Brazil’s attention focused on combating COVID-19.

The spread of COVID-19 also caused many activists and field agents to pull out of the region. As a consequence of the lack of protection by field agents and thin numbers of police, loggers and miners have been able to overtake the Amazon. To show the magnitude of this problem, April’s extent of deforestation was 64% higher than that in April 2019. 

Due to international outcry last year over the fires, President Bolsonaro was forced to deploy enforcement to help monitor the fires and enforce regulations. Most new enforcement agents were unable to be deployed for this year’s fire season, though, due to COVID-19. And to make matters worse, the authority of troops currently in the Amazon expired on June 10, so there is currently no one monitoring fire conditions. 

Eva Ashbaugh

is a Political Science and Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies double major at the University of Pittsburgh. As a political science major concentrating on International Relations, she is passionate about human rights, foreign policy, and fighting for equality. She hopes to one day travel and help educate people to make the world a better place.









COVID-19 Further Complicates Kenya’s Health Care System

Kenya is facing a double burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases. Clustering of infections, such as HIV and tuberculosis, and noncommunicable diseases, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, renders Kenyans vulnerable to COVID-19. This has pressured an already overstretched health care system.

Hospital entrance sign in Kenya’s Rift Valley province. Melanie K Reed. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

In mid-March, shortly after Kenya’s first confirmed COVID-19 case, the word “corona” began circulating around western Kenya’s villages. Young people used the word as a novelty, and the overall population remained preoccupied with existing illnesses. “This is a disease for whites,” said Sylvanus, a local father of seven. When calling after white people on the street, children replaced their traditional “mzungu!” (white person) with “coronavirus!” At this point, Europe was the pandemic’s epicenter. Kenyans felt that this foreign virus was removed from their world. 

However, Kenya’s high prevalence of preexisting health conditions renders a significant portion of the population immunocompromised and therefore vulnerable to the coronavirus. In a country experiencing health issues such as HIV, tuberculosis, diabetes and malaria, the pandemic has posed a threat to an already fragmented health care system. Although less than 4% of Africa’s population is over the age of 65, countries such as Kenya have seen high coronavirus mortality rates. 

Global evidence shows that people with underlying medical conditions are at a greater risk from COVID-19. In 2019, half a million Kenyans were living with diabetes, and over half of accounted deaths were associated with noncommunicable diseases. Currently, Kenya’s health care system is structured to manage individual diseases, rather than multiple ones. Because patients frequently carry more than one health condition, the health care system has been overstretched and inadequate. HIV, tuberculosis and malaria treatments are easily accessible, but noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and cancer often go undiagnosed, and care is costly. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these shortcomings, as social distancing restrictions prevent Kenyans from accessing medical resources, and a surge of coronavirus cases imposes a double burden of disease. Additionally, front-line workers with undiagnosed, chronic illnesses have critically compromised their health, and hospitals have dealt with equipment shortages. 

Transcontinental travel has heavily contributed to the increase in COVID-19 cases across Africa. In order to minimize Kenya’s number of infections, President Uhuru Kenyatta stopped all flights from Europe. Kenyatta also imposed a national curfew and restricted movement between populated areas. Domestically, middle-class, urban dwellers have carried the virus into rural areas. On Kenyan television, villagers have urged educated, urban residents to remain in the city, instead of threatening the lives of others. 

In African countries, lockdowns are nearly impossible to implement because they would spur social and economic crises. Many people rely on cash earned daily to sustain themselves and their families. A strict lockdown would result in poverty and starvation. Kinship systems also play a crucial role in social welfare, as relatives care for one another. For people already barely getting by, cutting these social ties would be dangerous. Finally, a lockdown would interrupt the supply chains of essential drugs, preventing access to tuberculosis, HIV and malaria treatments. 

According to several African presidents, developed countries are failing to fulfill their pledges of financial support and debt relief. Throughout the pandemic, outside aid has not met the continent’s needs. While wealthy countries in the global north have funneled trillions of dollars into their own stimulus packages and health initiatives, the global south cannot afford such measures. With limited testing capacity, Africa has not confirmed many of the world’s COVID-19 cases, but the continent has been grossly affected by the economic crisis and global trade disruptions. Furthermore, the global shortage of testing kits, hygienic material and personal protective equipment has left developed countries vying for their own supplies, without consideration for underdeveloped nations. 

Anna Wood

is an Anthropology major and Global Health/Spanish double minor at Middlebury College. As an anthropology major with a focus in public health, she studies the intersection of health and sociocultural elements. She is also passionate about food systems and endurance sports.