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eradicating poverty

The Gift that Keeps Giving

Posted on June 24, 2008 by Kaitlin Bruno
Topics: Agriculture, Climate and Environment, Economic Development, Food, Humanitarian Aid
Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Photo: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/swissfrog/632096066/">Swiss.frog's photostream (flickr)</a>
Photo: Swiss.frog's photostream (flickr)

Working Villages International (WVI) is an NGO with a unique take on how to eliminate poverty in Africa. Their new initiative, Village Reliance, aims to combat poverty directly, rather than dealing only with its effects. They want to give people the skills and tools to take control of their own lives and bring themselves out of poverty.

The goal of this program is to build a village that will be environmentally and economically self-sustainable for people living in the Ruzizi Valley of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

They are building from scratch a model village which will have full employment, private ownership of small farms and businesses, zero carbon footprint and total 100 percent recycling. This project is a practical demonstration that it’s possible to profoundly increase living standards in rural Africa without hampering local culture and ingenuity.

In the future, WVI hopes to spread these villages across the DRC and the entire continent.

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Keywords: Sustainable Development, eradicating poverty, community, Africa

From the Archives

Investing in the Poor

Posted on March 1, 2007
Previously filed under: Opinions and Editorials
A fresh idea, drawn on old principles, is offered for helping the poor save for the future.
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Keywords: eradicating poverty, philanthropy, financing the poor, Peter Tufano

From the Archives

The Future of Microfinance and the World Bank's Role

Posted on February 27, 2007
Previously filed under: Interviews
The director of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor discusses what is and isn't needed to help the poor.
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Keywords: World Bank, microfinance, eradicating poverty, Elizabeth Littlefield, CGAP

Breaking News
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First Major Utility Company Invests in Solar Energy

OneWorld Daily Headlines - Tue, 08/19/2008 - 10:28
For the first time, a big, American utility company is investing in large-scale solar energy. Pacific Gas & Electric has decided that solar is part of the answer for California's energy needs.

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International Herald Tribune - Wed, 08/20/2008 - 06:15
Vietnam is suffering its first serious economic downturn since it moved from a command economy to an open market nearly two decades ago.

Mobilizing Against Hunger in Haiti

OneWorld Daily Headlines - Mon, 08/18/2008 - 13:37
In notoriously hunger-stricken Haiti, a grassroots movement is revitalizing deforested land, conserving rainwater, and leading discussions on the root causes of the ongoing food crisis.
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