http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu Tapping experts in climate, geology, oceanography, ecology, sustainable development, global health, energy, food and water, State of the Planet captures stories of how the Earth works and how we can sustainably make our lives better. Thu, 23 May 2013 21:18:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/11/01/mcis-signature-s2s-program-kicks-off-its-third-year-with-a-series-of-trainings/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/11/01/mcis-signature-s2s-program-kicks-off-its-third-year-with-a-series-of-trainings/#comments Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:37:10 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=31814 MCI’s signature School2School Connectivity Project (S2S), a partnership with global communications giants Ericsson and Airtel Ghana, the City of Kumasi, Ghana, the Kumasi Metropolitan Education Directorate, Columbia University Teachers College and selected New York City public and private schools to teach the uses of the computer and the Internet in the teaching of the STEM [...]]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/11/01/mcis-signature-s2s-program-kicks-off-its-third-year-with-a-series-of-trainings/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/10/21/millennium-city-and-millennium-village-students-stand-up-for-girls-on-international-day-of-the-girl/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/10/21/millennium-city-and-millennium-village-students-stand-up-for-girls-on-international-day-of-the-girl/#comments Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:26:19 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=31532 In sub-Saharan Africa, only 63 percent of girls complete their schooling, according to the World Bank. Yet our own research in the Millennium Cities indicates that girls who continue their education will have far greater opportunities, and they will be in a better position to care for themselves and their families. To celebrate the United Nations' International Day of the Girl, by “Standing Up for Girls” and their right to a quality education, a number of the Millennium Cities and Millennium Villages Project sites held rallies, marched and participated in debates on girls’ issues.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/10/21/millennium-city-and-millennium-village-students-stand-up-for-girls-on-international-day-of-the-girl/feed/ 1 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/10/08/mdp-students-map-kisumu-health-facilities/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/10/08/mdp-students-map-kisumu-health-facilities/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:03:46 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=31071 Two Masters in Development Practice students, Paloma Ruiz Gonzalez and Marianna Costa Checa, used their MDP practicum this past summer to assist the Millennium Cities Initiative in mapping and surveying all health facilities in the Millennium City of Kisumu, Kenya, at the request of the city government and local health officials.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/10/08/mdp-students-map-kisumu-health-facilities/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/08/15/mcis-mdg-based-multi-sector-household-survey-findings-well-received-by-kisumu-stakeholders/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/08/15/mcis-mdg-based-multi-sector-household-survey-findings-well-received-by-kisumu-stakeholders/#comments Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:37:08 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=29460 A new survey conducted in three informal settlements in Kisumu, Kenya, examined poverty at the household level, gleaning information on the quality of life experienced by individuals living in such settlements. A follow-up workshop gave researchers a chance to share the information with local residents and hear their thoughts on the needs of poor neighborhoods.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/08/15/mcis-mdg-based-multi-sector-household-survey-findings-well-received-by-kisumu-stakeholders/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/07/03/building-bloom-bud-an-educational-garden-in-kisumu-kenya/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/07/03/building-bloom-bud-an-educational-garden-in-kisumu-kenya/#comments Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:32:29 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=28525 The following is a guest blog, authored by Meagan HoChing, a Harvard University student and volunteer with the Millennium Cities Initiative. I have recently had the absolute pleasure of spending two weeks in beautiful Kisumu, Kenya. I am working with two other students to perfect what we would like to call “Bloom and Bud,” which involves urban farming with 100% recyclable materials, in an effort to provide food sustainability for those with minimal to no land or food security. ]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/07/03/building-bloom-bud-an-educational-garden-in-kisumu-kenya/feed/ 2 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/30/making-sanitary-pads-to-help-keep-girls-in-school/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/30/making-sanitary-pads-to-help-keep-girls-in-school/#comments Wed, 30 May 2012 19:55:29 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=27430 MCI is lucky enough to work with two amazing Ethiopian women from the region of Tigrai, in the north of the country where the Millennium City of Mekelle is located. Both women have gone abroad to become talented professionals and both have resolved to transform the lives of women and young girls in their native region, returning home, one permanently, in order to do so.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/30/making-sanitary-pads-to-help-keep-girls-in-school/feed/ 4 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/29/architecture-and-urban-design-students-present-innovative-upgrading-plans-for-a-millennium-city/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/29/architecture-and-urban-design-students-present-innovative-upgrading-plans-for-a-millennium-city/#comments Tue, 29 May 2012 15:02:50 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=27343 Graduate students in architecture and urban design recently presented their findings and design work issuing out of a collaboration between the Urban Design Lab (UDL) and MCI in the Millennium City of Kumasi, Ghana. At the city’s invitation, and with MCI's facilitation, the UDL came to Kumasi in early February, to devise solutions to revitalize the severely degraded and impoverished areas of Akrom, Adukrom and Sewabah and to design a comprehensive Women's and Girls' Center for the vibrant downtown commercial neighborhood of Bantama.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/29/architecture-and-urban-design-students-present-innovative-upgrading-plans-for-a-millennium-city/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/23/regional-partnership-promotes-trade-and-investment-in-three-sub-saharan-cities/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/23/regional-partnership-promotes-trade-and-investment-in-three-sub-saharan-cities/#comments Wed, 23 May 2012 19:43:36 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=27183 MCI's Regional Partnership to Promote Trade and Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa held its regional meeting May 7-9, in Mekelle, Ethiopia, where delegations from the three participating Millennium Cities were able to hold extended, frank discussions with their colleagues and with private sector investors, who did not hesitate to describe precisely what it is that local and foreign investors need and look for, in order for their businesses to grow and prosper.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/05/23/regional-partnership-promotes-trade-and-investment-in-three-sub-saharan-cities/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/03/22/making-connections-and-celebrating-literacy-millennium-city-and-american-students-honor-world-read-aloud-day/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/03/22/making-connections-and-celebrating-literacy-millennium-city-and-american-students-honor-world-read-aloud-day/#comments Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:59:04 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=24491 Across sub-Saharan Africa, where MCI is working to help selected secondary cities attain the Millennium Development Goals, more than 150 million adults, or 38% of the adult population, lack basic literacy skills. Fortunately, a number of organizations are working hard to change this. LitWorld, a NY-based NGO dedicated to improving global literacy and a long-time MCI partner, held its third annual World Read Aloud Day on March 7, which presented an opportunity to engage in literacy-building exercises and advocate for global learning opportunities. Students from several Millennium Cities participated, joining others around the world to honor learning and literacy.]]> http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/03/22/making-connections-and-celebrating-literacy-millennium-city-and-american-students-honor-world-read-aloud-day/feed/ 0 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/03/08/celebrating-international-womens-day-triumphs-and-challenges/ http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/03/08/celebrating-international-womens-day-triumphs-and-challenges/#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:00:19 +0000 Susan Blaustein http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/?p=23627 http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2012/03/08/celebrating-international-womens-day-triumphs-and-challenges/feed/ 0