by Rebecca Laes-Kushner | Aug 19, 2026 | development, humanitarian, policy, poverty, SDGs
Rebecca Laes-Kushner, Bawoke Tesfaye and Belayneh Tilahun “When a village water system fails, we step in to fix it. Restoring clean water and seeing the community’s joy makes me proud. Thanks to Helvetas for giving me the skills to make this possible.” — Hareg...
by Rebecca Laes-Kushner | Mar 15, 2026 | grantmaking, policy, poverty, social services
by Rebecca Laes-Kushner and Roy Córdova All too often, NGOs work in bubbles, unaware of similar or complementary work happening nearby . Donors fall into similar silos, funding projects in isolation rather than collaborating with peers who fund similar services in...
by Rebecca Laes-Kushner | Feb 20, 2026 | policy, poverty, Sustainable Development Goals
How do you raise people out of poverty? How do you improve economic conditions in a low-income region or country? Private sector development (#PSD) has been a long-standing answer. Donors support micro, small and medium enterprises (#MSMEs) by providing training in...
by Rebecca Laes-Kushner | Nov 10, 2025 | health, policy, poverty, public health, social determinants of health
Children’s exposure to lead causes 1.5 million deaths every year as well as health impacts, including lower IQs and behavioral problems, which ultimately impact adults’ ability to earn sufficient wages. Lead exposure is tied to US$1.4 trillion in...
by Rebecca Laes-Kushner | Jun 7, 2024 | policy, poverty, SDGs
Poverty – i.e., financial poverty – is exacerbated by other poverties. Food poverty, including hunger and malnutrition, lead to health problems that impact a person’s potential earnings. Similarly, inadequate schooling hinders a person’s...
by Rebecca Laes-Kushner | Mar 5, 2024 | development, policy, poverty, public health
The importance of small farmersMicro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a critical role in the food system in developing countries. Worldwide, SME farms produce approximately 50% of calories, over 85% of fruits and vegetables and about 80% of meat and...
