One Year Into The COVID-19 Pandemic, Six Stories That Inspire Hope

March 11 marksone year since COVID-19 was officially declareda pandemic. While the past year has beentremendously challenging,there have been remarkable stories of human resilience, ingenuity, and creativity.

On this grim anniversary,we wanted to bring youstoriesfrom around the worldthatinspire.The following six stories are not billion-dollarprojects, but the tales of everydayentrepreneurship and innovation happening ona small scalewithabig impact. The World Bank Groupis continuing to support the poorest countries as they look to a buildasustainable, resilient,and inclusiverecovery.

Vorachith Keoxayavong

The village ofPhailomis situated about an hours drive outside the capital, Vientiane. In recent years villages network of talented woodworking artisans have become renowned suppliers of souvenirs to tourists wishing to remember their visit to the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic.

Among these artisans isVorachithKeoxayayong, who has been continuing this villages long tradition of wood sculpture since he was a child.

His art is not just a hobby, however. His company,VorachithWood Carving, employees 23 people providing meaningful and sustainable employment in his community. Small enterprises, like his, as well as medium-sized enterprises account for more than 80 percent of employment and some 94 percent of all registered firms in Lao PDR, according to theLao StatisticsBureau.

With the onset of COVID-19 and decreased tourism, the artisans ofPhailom like other small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Lao PDR have been hit hard.

The pandemic has created new challenges for these enterprises, many of which were already struggling for other reasons. Despite theirhighly-refinedskills and popularity with tourists, Mr.Vorachithand other entrepreneurs behind SMEs across the country struggle to access credit, and this limits their ability to expand operations and grow their employee base.

The situation has started to change, however. The World Bank GroupsSME Access to Finance Projecthas unlocked formal funding that was once out of reach for many of these firms.

In the past, expanding was tough as we had to take out informal loans with very high interest rates. I feel much more at ease borrowing money from a bank, explained Mr.Vorachith.

While their economic recovery will be a long process, the World Bank and the Lao government are building on the success of the SME Access to Finance project, forging pathways to help small companies weather the effects of the pandemic and get their firms back on solid financial ground as travel restrictions are gradually lifted.

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Melissa Aviles, a forest brigadista from Costa Rica. Photo: Courtesy of FONAFIFO/MINAE

As Costa Rica like countries the world over looksto mount a sustainable, resilient recovery after COVID-19, the countrysbrigadistaswillbe on the frontlines.

These female firefighters aregaining increasing recognition for fighting stereotypes just as effectively as they fight the countrys pervasive forest fires.Protectingthe country's forests is a central to Costa Rica's efforts to promote sustainabilityand tackle climate change.

There is always that myth or macho thought that a woman cannot grab a machete, a back pump, a leaf blower, that she can't go up a big hill, says onebrigadista, Ana Luz Diaz.

Women in Costa Ricaplay key roles inconservation andthesustainabilityofforests and farmland. But they as is the case in many countriesface gender stereotypes and disproportionately burdensomecaregiving responsibilities. These factorscanlimit their ability toplay bigger roles in green activities and projects.

However, efforts are underway to address these disparities, and better recognize the unique ways that men and womencontribute to efforts related to the environment, forestry, and climate action.

I want to be someone, to be seen, not be invisible. I want both men and women to see each other and the support that we too can give, said anotherbrigadista, Melissa Aviles.

In 2019, Costa Rica, with funding from the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), a World Bank Groupprogram, developeda Gender Action Plan (GAP)that supports the countrys efforts to reduceemissionsstemming from forestdegradationand deforestation.

The GAPwill play a central role in shaping CostaRicas recovery into one that is not just sustainable and resilient, but inclusive as well, and the country issharing its experience and knowledgewith others so that they may benefit as well.

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Pakistans rural population, like so many people around the world, struggles to find affordable access to health services. Journeys into populated cities to seek care are costly especially when multiple trips are required.And when the pandemic struck these problems were magnified.

But whatif healthcarecould be made moreaccessible? What if routine services could be conducted by phone?

Thats where Pakistani entrepreneur Maliha Khalid enters the story. She and her team runDoctory, a hotline service that helps patients avoid the multiple referrals often required for treatment by connecting people to the right doctor immediately. The innovative company,alongside six others, beat out 2,400 other applicants to win the World Bank GroupsSDGs & Hercompetition last year.

When the pandemic reached Pakistan, theDoctoryteam sprang into action, launching Pakistans National COVID-19 Helpline, connecting people across the country to fast, high-quality care saving them countless amounts of time and money.

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Panoramic view of Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: Shutterstock.com

When the Kenyan government implemented lockdown measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19, the economic side effects were felt especially by poor communities.

Finding opportunity in crisis, the government created theNational Hygiene Program known colloquially asKaziMtaani(loosely translated as jobs in our hood) which finds meaningful employment for the most vulnerable, especially youth, in jobs that improve their environments.

These programs include bush clearance, fumigation, disinfection, street cleaning, garbage collection, and drainage clearance.

Byron Mashu, a resident of the Kibera settlement, express his gratitude for the program, saying that it allowed youth to fend for our families and settle our bills, but it is also ensuring that young people are less idle as they are engaged at work during the day which has significantly minimized crime rates in our area.

The program was kickstarted through World Bank Groups Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project, which has seen jobs created across 27 settlements in eight counties across the country.

Don Dante, a youth leader in theMukuruKwa Njenga settlement, told the Bank that as a result of the program, We have seen the reduction of petty crimes and dependency on other people and our environs are clean.

Given the projects success and popularity, the Kenyan government is working to expand it using its own financing extending jobs to 283,210 workers across 47 counties.

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MelinaTaprantziarguably has more experience with economic crises than most.

The Greek entrepreneurlived through the Greek Financial crisis,witnessing suffering and rising poverty. From those experiences she decided to dedicate her work towards addressing social needs.

Her business, Wise Greece,connects small-scale food producers with those in needbyproviding asix kilogramboxof basic food and supplies. Melinawon the SDGs and Her competition in 2020.

When COVID-19entered the scene, Wise Greece didnt sit idly by. Instead, they moved quickly to partnerwith multinational companies to provide these boxes not just to those in need, but also to the elderly and vulnerable who cant leave their homes.

Since 2013, thecompany has contributed some 50 tons of food supplies. During the pandemic alone, it has made at least 6 tons available to vulnerable communities.

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The government response to global shortage of hand sanitizer was to decide to use existing local structures to launch national production of hand sanitizers. Edmond Dingamhoudou, World Bank

With the pandemic sparking unprecedented demand for sanitizing products, supply chains around the world were hammered.

People waited in line sometimes for hours to procure the alcohol-based sanitizer, reported the World Banks EdmondDingamhoudouin Chads capital,NDjamena. Some went so far as to cross the border to stock up inKousseri, a Cameroonian city some 20 kilometers from NDjamena on the opposite bank of theLogoneRiver.

With these critical supplies difficult to find, officials and scientists came together in record time. A laboratory constructed with support of the International DevelopmentAssocationwas repurposed for the quick and effective manufacturing of gel hand sanitizer launching Chads first ever local production of the product.

As of mid-April 2020,the facility was able to produce approximately 900 liters of hand sanitizer per day, with 20 to 25technicians overseeingproduction, quality control, and packaging.

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One Year Into The COVID-19 Pandemic, Six Stories That Inspire Hope