Palestinian students building technology skills. Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy Corps

Eight years ago Microsoft hosted the first Imagine Cup, a year long contest that challenges students to use technology to come up with solutions to the world's toughest problems. This year's Imagine Cup challenged teams to come up with ways to help developing countries achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs consist of eight goals aimed at reducing global poverty by 2015. Teams from over 100 countries submitted their concepts and the finalists earned a trip to Cairo for a shot at one of the $25,000 prizes.

The winner for software category was a Romanian team that designed a program to help people connect with government agencies that the team hope to implement back in their hometown. An Indian team won a special award for developing a computer game that educates children about malaria. One of the more imaginative offerings came from a South Korean team that developed a means to help farmers more successfully breed insects for food.

A man cooks over a wood-burning fire in Kibera. Over 1 million working poor live in Kibera, with few opportunities to make a comfortable living. Photo: Crissy Olson (flickr)

Even UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was surprised by the large number of people who greeted him in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya. But his surprise quickly became concern when he was told so many young people came to see him because they couldn't find work.

Inspired to act, Ban donated $100,000 of his own money to a UN-sponsored program that helps unemployed youth acquire vocational skills like carpentry, masonry, electrical wiring, plumbing and management. It's called the Youth Empowerment Program (YEP).

Students learn their trade through hands-on activities as they build a training facility that will allow YEP to expand its participant ranks. After graduation, many of the youth are placed in jobs or apprenticeships with private companies or UN-sponsored construction projects in Kibera.

The training program is part of a greater state- and UN-sponsored initiative to upgrade services and infrastructure in Nairobi's slums. Youth skills training also complements another UN-funded effort, the Urban Entrepreneurship Program, that helps to establish construction collectives and aid them in bidding on contracts.

Linus Sijenji, a youth coordinator in Kibera, notes that the combined efforts of the two programs are inspiring the youth and have opened up opportunities for them.

Our aim is to form our own companies that could competitively bid for such contracts on equal level with big companies. Much as this might seem far fetched, the idea is viable, especially with more training opportunities and resources like bank loans.

If these programs work as advertised, Ban will get an even bigger reception next time he comes to Kibera.

Schools are feeling the pressure to help the growing number of homeless students. Photo: oldohioschools (flickr)

As families across the U.S. face job losses and foreclosures, there's new pressure on schools to serve a rapidly-growing homeless student population.

Many of these recently-homeless students come from large families where both parents have lost their jobs — situations where unemployment income or minimum-wage options don't come close to providing enough cash to feed their children. Foreclosures and evictions have forced families to split up among relatives and friends.

For some families, this is the first time they've needed to rely on government assistance to get by. A bulk of this burden is falling on schools to provide relief to homeless students, including meals, transportation and immunizations. But tight budgets and scarce federal funding have school districts scrambling to meet the growing demand for support services.

In many cases, the stigma of homelessness keeps parents and kids from acknowledging their status, preventing access to the help that is available. Homeless youth often fall behind grade level and are 50 percent less likely to graduate from high school than their peers, according to the National Center on Family Homelessness. Ellen Bassuk, the Center's president, shared her concerns with MSNBC:

Homeless children are confronted daily by extremely stressful and traumatic experiences that have profound effects on their cognitive development and ability to learn. They tend to have high rates of developmental delays, learning difficulties and emotional problems as a product of precarious living situations and extreme poverty.

Unfortunately, the rise in homelessness is a national trend. California has seen some of the highest numbers: In the Vista school district north of San Diego, homeless students make up nine percent of the population — 10 times what it was in 2007. In Chicago’s suburbs, the homeless student population has jumped 67 percent over the last two years. A Dallas school district saw its homeless student numbers soar 185 percent this year.

Educators and homeless advocates are holding out hope for the new federal stimulus package, which has budgeted $70 million in grants for state services for homeless youth.

As homeless students scrape by, some may continue to dream of one day finishing high school and going on to college but for now, their more immediate goal is clear: to have a house and a room of their own.

Global Citizen Corps leaders host a fundraiser for World AIDS Day. Photo: jessicaphansen (flickr)

On last year's World AIDS Day, Sam held an afterschool open-mic event to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. Rachel got 200 people to sign a letter asking for more government attention on AIDS — and sent it to Barack Obama. Lily had a candlelight ceremony in memory of those who have died from the disease.

So who are these youth?

They're all members of the Global Citizen Corps leadership program — a national network of high school students that are committed to ending global poverty.

Global Citizen Corps leaders build awareness in their communities by organizing informative events at their schools that focus on issues like climate change, HIV/AIDS, world hunger, and access to education.

Dozens of teens are making a difference. Jaime wrote an article her high-school newspaper to raise awareness about global poverty. Kate hosted a "blackout" at her school, cutting off the water to show students how climate change can impact people's lives.

Global Citizen Corps is looking for more dedicated and compassionate youth to join the program. Students gain access to Mercy Corps resources and agree to host informative events at their school or in the community. Leaders will also have the opportunity to lobby for access to education in Washington D.C. and participate in the annual leadership summit in New York City.

The 2009-2010 High School Leadership Program is now accepting applications. The deadline is April 15, so apply today.

A young girl working in Guatemala. Photo: noesnjoc (flickr)

According to Unicef estimates, one in six children (158 million) aged 5-14 are engaged in child labor. These kids aren't working at the local shopping center. Rather, they sell goods on the street, clean houses, or work in small factories and stay away from the watchful eye of local law enforcement or inspectors.

Despite being considered exploitative by many organizations and countries, child labor is still common and occurs in countries like India and Guatemala, as well as the United States and the U.K.

The problem of child labor is complex and stems from adult poverty. For many poor families, working children contribute much needed income that prevents their family from falling deeper into poverty. Product boycotts and factory raids over child labor can sometimes prove more harmful as children turn to more dangerous jobs like mining and prostitution to earn money.

Slate Magazine's Today in Pictures captures images of working children dating back to 1942. What's most striking to me is how young and tiny some of the children are in the photos. I'm used to seeing adults performing the jobs that these small children are doing.

The New York Times reported yesterday on India's primary school shortage. Recent changes to admissions rules intended to be more fair and transparent, are giving parents anxiety attacks as they try and secure placement in a reputable school for their prekindergarten-aged children.

Kenya’s economy, troubled even before the recently disputed election, is suffering from a “youth bulge” which may have helped increase the acceleration into violence the country saw hours after the votes were counted. According to Stephanie Hanson of the Council on Foreign Relations, “research shows that countries with a “youth bulge” are particularly vulnerable to civil conflict.” The country suffers from high unemployment rates, especially among these young people, who make up a majority of the population. Nevertheless, the youth should not be written off altogether. Their “potential to lead positive political change” suggests that “policymakers should spur job creation and education opportunities.” In other words, given the chance to lead productive lives, the population will be more likely to thrive, and perhaps help mitigate rather than escalate crises.