“For Indigenous communities, land rights are not just a legal issue, but the very foundation of their cultures, livelihoods, and futures,” said the 36-year-old founder of Land Rights Defenders, a non-profit organization that advocates for Indigenous property rights. 

Bonsu argues that Indigenous people and communities have a deeply rooted cultural and spiritual connection to the land. That connection affects their livelihood and subsistence, self-determination and governance, and their determination to protect the environment. What’s more, it also shapes their response to historical injustices, or the systemic and enduring wrongs committed against Indigenous peoples throughout history. These often stem from colonization, dispossession, and forced assimilation.

Bonsu fled his native Ghana for fear of persecution and torture stemming from a land rights dispute. Last year, the United States Department of Homeland Security granted him humanitarian parole. 

As a youth leader and voice of the Benimasi-Boadi people, Bonsu said he was arbitrarily arrested, subjected to six days of agonizing pain, and threatened with death for exercising his rights. Fearing for his life and safety, he was forced to flee Ghana. The United States government recognized the credible threat he faced and allowed him to resettle in the United States.

“After breaking through the cycle of oppression and fleeing my homeland to escape persecution and torture, I felt the calling to institute a global movement that will impact the upcoming generations with the spirit of resilience, courage, and determination,” Bonsu said, describing his decision to start a nonprofit.

It’s a long-term fight

Based in Columbus, Ohio, where Bonsu has made a new home, the nonprofit works to build a world where Indigenous communities thrive on their ancestral lands with their rights fully recognized and protected.

“We believe secure land rights are the cornerstone of a just and sustainable future for these communities,” he said, arguing that this can only be done by empowering communities, raising awareness, building solidarity, and influencing policy.” 

“It’s a long-term fight,” he added. “But by working on these fronts, we aim to create a future where Indigenous communities can live on their lands with dignity, security, and the ability to determine their own destinies.”

Land Rights Defenders empowers communities through educational workshops on land rights, leadership training, and sustainable development projects.

A new home for activism

Bonsu, who moved to Ohio in February 2023. He says he finds solace and strength in his work with Land Rights Defenders. Bonsu spoke before the United Nations on Indigenous land rights. He emphasized the struggle for rights in Ghana and calling for international action to address human rights violations.

“Since arriving [in the U.S.], I have been fortunate to build a strong support network, particularly through my marriage to a U.S. citizen,” he said. “However, the adaptation process has been bittersweet. While I am grateful for the safety and opportunities this country offers, the separation from my community and homeland is a constant source of heartache.”

Bonsu says that everyday people worldwide can get involved in the fight for Indigenous land rights. One way is through a new campaign his organization launched called Art Meets Activism.

“Art can be a powerful way to connect with people on an emotional level, making the issue more relatable and sparking interest,” Bonsu said. “By combining artistic expression with activism, the Land Rights Defenders hope to create a powerful movement that raises awareness, shifts public perception, and ultimately leads to a future where Indigenous land rights are respected.”

Kristi Eaton is a journalist and communications consultant.

The post Indigenous Land Rights Are Under Attack. One Man Is Fighting To Change That first appeared on Lazo Magazine.

“I read books, but a lot of information came in at once, so I felt more confused and stressed,” Ngoc said. “Luckily, with the support of the doctor and my family, I overcame this period.”  

Three years later, Ngoc decided to help other mothers and fathers who may have questions about childbirth, delivery, and raising young children. She created an app called Momby, a play on the words mommy and baby, for parents in Vietnam. 

Ngoc built the app with the support of the nonprofit Alive & Thrive and the Innovation Incubator at FHI 360 Global Nutrition, which promotes technologies to improve nutritional outcomes worldwide. 

“I saw that it was necessary to have personalized content so the parent doesn’t need to look at all the resources,” she said. 

Now Ngoc hopes parents will turn to just one source for personalized advice: the Momby app.  

The Momby app includes information on breastfeeding, nutrition, and healthy development for babies, as well as the health and well-being of the mother. The app also has a version for fathers to help them understand what the mother may be going through during childbirth.  

 “The parent can find almost any topic related to pregnancy,” Ngoc said.  

The app includes a digital assistant, Doti, who answers questions, provides evidence-based information on child nutrition developed by a team of pediatricians and obstetricians, and recommends good practices. If there are questions that Doti cannot answer, users can speak directly to experts who can answer them.  

Instead of Googling an answer to a question, users have a one-stop shop to find reliable and trustworthy information they need to make informed decisions. That easy access could become especially important as the worldwide shortage of healthcare workers grows.  

The World Health Organization estimates that there will be 10 million fewer healthcare workers than needed by 2030, mostly in lower-middle-income countries like Vietnam. 

Reaching rural families in Vietnam

Meanwhile, the Momby app has the added benefit of reaching rural areas where people are more likely to struggle to access adequate healthcare and information about nutrition. 

Ngoc is now introducing the app to more families across Vietnam with the help of the country’s National Targeted Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas – a government-funding program that aims to improve people’s lives in minority or remote mountainous communities. 

According to data from the Alive & Thrive Initiative, ethnic minority populations in Vietnam are more than twice as likely to experience stunting than the Kinh, the ethnic majority population. 

The initiative will connect parents in these rural communities with nutritional counseling services and improve the nutrition of pregnant mothers and young children there. Nutrition counseling centers, called Little Sun clinics, will provide support groups to promote childhood nutrition in more remote villages, particularly those far from communal health centers. 

With the establishment of Little Sun clinics, Momby can assist local healthcare staff in better connecting with mothers for check-ups and consultations. Momby also introduced the initiative to provincial healthcare authorities.  

Around  1,200 Little Sun clinics that provide nutrition counseling will use the app. 

All about breastmilk

Momby also has strict rules about promoting formula and breastmilk substitutes.  

Parents in Vietnam – like in many places around the globe – are besieged by advertisements for breastmilk substitutes. These ads have been undermining trust in the role of breastfeeding. Advertisements appear on various platforms, including apps or online articles, claiming to provide advice and information on maternal and child health.  

Momby, on the other hand, does not sell products or promote advertisements. Ngoc and her team are committed to providing accurate and objective information, not selling breastmilk substitutes. 

The app also lowers the cost of fact-based advice for parents. By obtaining free counseling via Doti, Momby allows users to receive information without the financial burden of seeking a healthcare professional. 

Currently, Momby has around 40,000 users, Ngoc said. But that number will likely grow because Internet use is widespread in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with over 400 million users. 

Dr. Phuong Huynh, head of the Division of Scientific Management at the National Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam, said that smartphone usage is high in the country, even in rural areas.  

“The smartphone is used a lot in Vietnam, and especially during the COVID time when direct contact was impossible,” she said.  

Huynh said she hopes that more rural, minority residents use the app, not just people in the cities. 

“I hope that women in that community can use that app to learn,” she said. “And even to connect with the health provider in their area to get the right support.” 

Kristi Eaton is a journalist and communications consultant.

The post A New App Teaches Parents in Vietnam To Care for Babies first appeared on Lazo Magazine.