Iceland review - 2012, Qupperneq 63

ICELAND REVIEW 61
traveling through wooded areas to remote
places, difficult to reach even by car, which
most of the locals don’t have. In one of
them, we had supported the building of a
maternity ward, and listening to descriptions
of how it previously didn’t have electricity,
proper equipment, or trained professionals
was quite poignant,” she recalls.
“We also visited two schools that Iceland
has supported. It was wonderful to see the
children being able to attend school, espe-
cially the girls. Unfortunately, in the poorest
households, they sometimes need to quit
school to work or help their families, while
their brothers continue to go to school.”
In addition, the delegation visited a local
water well in Nankumba in Mangogh dis-
trict and learned about the effect that clean
water, which Iceland had helped provide, has
on people’s general health. “Statistics show
that the incidence rate of cholera and diar-
rhoea in the area has decreased significantly
due to the construction of wells and sanita-
tion facilities which Iceland has supported.”
María Erla points out that the Ministry
constantly monitors the results of their
undertakings and how the funds are spent.
“After all, this is taxpayers’ money,” she says.
“And we are definitely getting results. In
addition to contributing to international
funds, we earmark money for particular proj-
ects, for example pertaining to geothermal
energy and gender equality. Currently we
are sponsoring a joint project of UNICEF
and UNFPA, which fights female geni-
tal mutilation/cutting in sixteen countries.
Thanks to the effort, the number of cases has
been dropping substantially. Also, through
UNFPA’s project, we’ve been working on
decreasing cases of, and helping the victims
of obstetric fistula, a horrific condition that
afflicts young women and girls whose bod-
ies are not ready to give birth to a child.
The condition even sometimes makes them
outcasts of their communities. All they
need is surgery and they can resume a
normal life. Moreover, the project aims
for decreasing the cases of obstetric fistula,
through education and access to maternal
care and family planning.”
When it comes to lending developing
countries a helping hand, Iceland is mak-
ing the most of its expertise. As part of the
United Nations University (UNU), it hosts
the UNU Geothermal Training Programme,
the UNU Fisheries Training Programme,
and the UNU Land Restoration Programme.
Postgraduate students from developing
countries are invited to Iceland where they
study how to make the most of their coun-
tries’ natural resources. “In Malawi, I met
with alumni of the fisheries training pro-
gramme and could really see how valuable
this know-how has been for the community.
In addition to these three programmes, there
is a studies and training programme on
Gender Equality (GEST).”
Last but not least, Iceland is building a
unique collaboration with the World Bank
regarding utilizing geothermal resources
in East Africa. “Being able to access and
use sustainable energy is important on so
many levels, but fundamentally, it helps
decrease and prevent poverty. The African
Rift Valley comprises thirteen different
countries. There, a staggering 585 million
people do not have access to electricity
and 653 million have no access to modern
The African Rift Valley.