Joseph Wong

Mexico Assessing the impact of Mexico’s Welfare Bank: Reaching the hardest-to-reach populations

India Improving Access to Government Benefits for Internal Seasonal Migrant Workers in India

Hard to Reach Seasonal migrant workers and their families in India. Key Takeaways Indian civil society organizations and Migrant Resource Centres have stepped in to connect migrant workers with their social benefit entitlements. Many have developed several strategies to facilitate access for migrant workers to social benefits including: Acknowledgments We extend our deepest gratitude to […]

Kenya Mangrove Conservation and Blue Carbon Initiatives in Coastal Kenya

Hard to Reach Remote coastal villages in Kenya that are geographically and socioeconomically hard to reach and vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Key Takeaways Mikoko Pamoja (MP) and the Vanga Blue Forest (VBF) projects are among the first carbon credit projects, with the MP pilot being the first in the world, to leverage […]

Canada Operation Remote Immunity: Providing Vaccines in Remote Indigenous Communities

Hard to Reach Indigenous communities in remote Northern Ontario that lack access to medical care facilities and are especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of the spread of COVID-19. Key Takeaways Operation Remote Immunity (ORI) provides valuable insights into developing and implementing more inclusive public health campaigns, and specifically for remote Indigenous communities. These include:

Guatemala Bridging the Maternal Care Gap: Mobile Antenatal Care in Rural and Indigenous Guatemalan Communities

Maternal mortality is disproportionately prevalent in low-income countries. Of the 295,000 women who died of complications from pregnancy or childbirth worldwide in 2017, 94 per cent lived in low-income and resource-limited settings. Guatemala’s Alta Verapaz region, where 78 per cent of the population lives in rural areas and 48 per cent live in extreme poverty, reported a maternal mortality rate of 273 in 2012. The EHAS Foundation (Hispanic American Health Link) is combating the issue of maternal mortality in rural Guatemala with the Healthy Pregnancy Project (HPP), a portable prenatal care kit that is designed specifically for use in remote areas. EHAS trains and equips local health personnel with a backpack that includes a computer, a portable ultrasound scanner – powered by a foldable solar panel – and, blood and urine analysis systems that use immediate test strips. Local health personnel organize days in their respective communities where women can come and be tested for possible pregnancy-related complications. Test results and ultrasound images are examined by local health personnel for any possible complications and health risks.

Thailand M Fund – a migrant micro insurance program

While Thailand is one of the few countries to have made concrete efforts to include undocumented migrants in their national insurance coverage, there exist barriers to access for up to two thirds of the estimated migrant population. Supported by UNICEF, European Union and the Global Fund, Thailand created the Migration-Fund (M-Fund) Health Insurance Program, which is a voluntary, low-cost and non-profit health insurance scheme for migrants operating along the Thailand-Myanmar border in Thailand. The M-Fund aims to protect the health of migrants uncovered by existing government insurance schemes.
As of November 2019, a total of 13,383 people have enrolled in the program. Reach researchers are examining best practices, challenges and the value of a voluntary health scheme for vulnerable and stigmatized undocumented migrants in Thailand.

Tanzania Reaching the Last Mile: Tanzania’s Medical Supply Chain

Tanzania has gradually and purposefully improved its system for distributing medical commodities. The use of GPS technologies and geo-mapping software to optimize delivery routes has made logistics and information management platforms more precise and efficient. Today, the Medical Stores Department is responsible for delivering all medical commodities directly to over 7,500 public and faith-based health facilities across the country.

Mexico Guadalajara, Mexico: Digital Upskilling in a Conflict Zone

Cerro del Cuatro in Guadalajara, Mexico, is a community experiencing significant amounts of gang violence. As a result, the youth social fabric and economic opportunities are considered weak. ITESO Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara, collaborating with a local church, Parroquia Nueva Santa Maria, established a digital fabrication laboratory (FabLab) to provide digital upskilling opportunities to younger members of the community as an alternative to gang-activity.

Tunisia Neighbourhood Upgrading in Tunisia: Connecting Informal Housing with Basic Services

As a result of illegal subdivision of land by landowners, people in Tunisia continue to self-construct homes on plots of land that are not designated for residential buildings. In response to these informal neighborhoods, Tunisia looked to upgrade the neighborhoods by adding access to basic services like water and sanitation.

Thailand Eliminating Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV

The mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) rate of HIV in Thailand, at its worst, was over 20 per cent. Between 2000–2015, the MTCT rate decreased by over 90 per cent through improved antenatal care, antiretroviral therapy, service delivery and, monitoring and surveillance. Civil society organizations played a critical role in advocating for health services to reach everyone, everywhere.

Jordan UNHCR Jordan’s Biometric Cash Assistance Program for Syrian Refugees

In partnership with a local bank, and with support from a range of stakeholders, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) developed the world’s first iris-scanning cash-assistance program for refugees in Jordan. Via an established network of iris-scanning enabled ATMs, the program provides monthly income support to the most vulnerable refugee families living in urban areas to help them meet their basic needs such as rent, food, utilities and health. Approximately 33,000 families have received support since 2012 with thousands more on the waitlist.

India Aadhaar Identification Program: Providing Proof of Identity to a Billion

India sought to provide a unique, non-duplicable and fraud-resistant proof of identity to every resident (population 1.3 billion). Starting in 2009, India centralized digital identification through the Aadhaar program. The federal government navigated reaching all of India’s diverse populations through partnerships and contracts with other government agencies and private businesses.

South Africa Reaching the Hard to Reach: A Case Study of Birth Registration in South Africa

Since 2007, the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme organizes mobile provision of social services to South Africans living in less accessible areas. Internet-connected mobile units provide integrated services such as birth registration, distribution of birth certificates and distribution of grants for hard to reach populations.

Brazil Reaching the Hard to Reach: A Case Study of Brazil’s Bolsa Família Program

As the largest conditional cash transfer program in the world, the Bolsa Família Program, launched in 2003, currently provides income assistance to more than 14.28 million families through direct government-to-person electronic money transfers via the Caixa Econômica Federal. The program is impressive in its capacity to effectively reach families in the lowest income quintile through its active search (busca ativa) strategy.