The 2017 French election was watched with great nervousness by millions across Francophone Africa. That’s because the French president remains a pivotal figure in about 20 former French colonies on the continent. Over the past 60 years France has maintained disproportionate influence over its former African colonies. This has included control over their military and currencies. Despite being…
BULACAN, Philippines — In 2013, flash floods inundated Lourdes Ijan’s home, here in northern Bulacan province, forcing her and her family to seek refuge with an aunt. When the water subsided, she had no savings to help rebuild her life. “I had to take out loans with high interest rates,” she recalled. “Some people…
Children are more often simply seen as the recipients of assistance designed by others rather than as agents of change who can help shape how their needs are responded to. It is quite rare, especially in a conflict affected country to ask children directly what their problems are and what change they want to see,…