This popular saying suggests that wealth automatically brings happiness. But when we look globally, the story is far more complex.
Despite decades of economic development efforts, money alone explains only about 20% of the variation in happiness across countries (World Happiness Report, 2024). Several social, political, and health-related factors strongly shape whether people truly feel fulfilled.
Despite intense focus on economic development, money is only part of the happiness equation.
Several social, political, and health-related factors shape whether people truly feel fulfilled.
The Problem…
Despite global economic growth, more than 30% of the world’s population still reports low happiness scores.
For instance, according to the World Happiness Report 2024:
Burundi, Yemen, and Tanzania scored below 4.0, highlighting deep dissatisfaction despite international aid and development programs.
These nations face overlapping challenges, including weak governance, limited healthcare access, and fragile social support systems.
Problem Evidence: What the Data Showed
Our global visualisations revealed striking patterns:
Northern Europe dominates the top happiness rankings (Finland, Denmark, Iceland).
Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Latin America consistently reported the lowest happiness scores.
However, some surprising insights emerged:
Surprisingly Happy:
Bangladesh — Despite average monthly salaries being below $250 USD, Bangladesh ranked mid-tier in happiness, supported by strong family networks, sustainable living, and gradual democratic reforms.
Uzbekistan — Similarly, Uzbekistan outperformed wealthier nations in life satisfaction due to tight-knit communities and recent political reforms.
Surprisingly Unhappy:
China and Venezuela — countries with relatively strong cultural identities or past economic power now ranking among the unhappiest, driven by political instability and erosion of basic freedoms.
Our scatterplots and choropleth maps confirmed: Wealth alone is not a reliable predictor of happiness.
Potential Solution: What Drives True Happiness?
By drawing on the impact of key predictors in the world health report such as corruption, freedom, health and social support on the happiness score in the graph below along with the World Happiness Report, 2 key pillars stand out:
Healthy Life Expectancy: Countries with higher life expectancy (above 75 years) showed, on average, happiness scores 20–30% higher than countries with life expectancy below 60 years.
Social Support: Individuals who reported having “someone to rely on in times of trouble” scored up to 2 points higher on happiness scales.
To foster national happiness, countries should therefore:
Prioritise healthy living:
Focus on preventive healthcare and wellness initiatives.
Not just extend life, but ensure those years are lived meaningfully.
Integrate mental health into national strategies:
Mental health conditions account for 15% of the global disease burden, yet remain under-addressed in many countries.
Expand social safety nets:
Public investments in healthcare, education, and social protection must become pillars of development — not afterthoughts.
Strengthen community support systems:
Programs that encourage family cohesion, volunteerism, and social capital have been linked to higher resilience and subjective wellbeing.
For instance, countries like Finland, Denmark, and Iceland (happiness scores >7.5) consistently showcase:
Strong democratic institutions
Robust social support networks
Exceptional healthcare systems
High levels of personal freedom and trust
In our global charts, these elements had far stronger relationships with happiness than income did.
Moreover, to truly thrive in the 21st century, policymakers, global leaders, and development agencies must redefine progress beyond economic indicators like GDP. National strategies should invest directly in the pillars that matter most to human flourishing:
Strengthen social support systems: Create environments where individuals feel supported by their communities and governments.
Prioritise health: Invest not just in lifespan, but in healthy, meaningful lives.
A happier world is not just a dream — it is a measurable, actionable goal. By focusing on what truly drives well-being, we can move toward nations that are not only richer but also more compassionate, resilient, and fulfilled.
According to the world bank, 100% of Lebanon’s people have access to electricity Lebanon (World Bank, 2023). What does “access” really mean — do a few hours of power for the poor count as accessible?
Lebanese people, especially those in Beirut, have long relied on diesel generators to fill gaps in Électricité du Liban’s supply; after 2019’s hyperinflation, private subscription-based generators ran as the primary source of electricity for roughly 20 hours a day. Operated by only a few with the capital to invest, these generators became the only source of power for the many. Today, this illegal yet indispensable industry is our shadow grid—households depend on it not by choice but because decades of under-investment and mismanagement at Électricité du Liban have abandoned any duty to provide safe, affordable power.
Lebanon’s electricity crisis is rooted in a deep structural flaw: the country imports nearly all its fuel, subsidizes it for years without building any resilience in return, making energy supply unpredictable and leaving the state exposed to price shocks it cannot absorb.
Private diesel generators, once a temporary fix, have become a permanent feature of daily life but remain neither fair nor regulated. A small number of generator owners now hold disproportionate power, setting prices and availability with no oversight, so people pay whatever is demanded or go without.
Without completely disregarding the drastic environmental harm that these generators produce, which routinely exceed WHO guidelines by 5× in particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller (World Health Organization, 2021), let’s focus on what it means, financially, for households in Lebanon.
Since 2019, my family paid between LL 1,000,000 and LL 2,000,000 monthly for a flat-fee subscription that often failed to reflect true consumption. It covered a limited number of amperes, not usage, and even then power cuts remained frequent when the generator overheated or required maintenance. Our neighbors with fewer means faced a harsher choice: go without electricity or fall deeper into debt. In 2023, generator bills accounted for 44 % of monthly household income—88% for the poorest—while others went without any subscription (Human Rights Watch, 2023)
The state has long lost control over electricity provision, and every reform attempt stumbles. The government even decreased the Energy Ministry’s budget as it’s overshadowed by private generators.
Hyperinflation, the pandemic, and rising fuel costs reduced imports, prioritizing the remaining fuel for private generators. Electricity demand fell by 52% because over half the population could no longer afford it.
…see that golden section that is slowly getting bigger? That’s decentralized solar energy demand.
This growth is a promising solution, but as of 2022, 44% of Lebanese citizens lived in poverty (World Bank, 2024). For many, affording a generator subscription is already a struggle—investing in solar remains out of reach. How do we amplify this momentum to conventionally adopt this new renewable energy resource?
Restore full funding and authority to the Energy Ministry, enforce mandatory metering with penalties, and publish a transparent, fuel-cost–linked tariff formula.
Launch grants and low-interest loans for rooftop PV and battery storage and expand net-metering so every home and business can sell surplus clean energy back to the grid.
Encourage Lebanese citizens to invest in independent energy infrastructure they can maintain to reduce future dependency on government action.
Decentralized solar capacity in Lebanon grew from just 0.33 MW in 2010 to over 1,500 MW by 2023, proving the readiness of citizens to embrace alternatives.
This was facilitated mainly by proactivepublicintervention; solar systems currently offer a payback period of just 3–4 years, making them cleaner but more economically sound than generator usage (Albawaba, 2021). Even capital issues are slowly being remedied through initiatives such as solar loan schemes launched in 2022 (PV Magazine, 2022)
Despite the increase in solar capacity, there is still untapped potential!
Beyond solar loans, the most notable governmental intervention was in September 2021, when the government sought to require generator owners to install meters and charge based on real usage. Like many attempts before it, it failed, proving that Lebanon remains at the mercy of a government that urgently needs to act on both a threat to livelihood and an opportunity for sustainable economic and social renewal.
Although Lebanon officially boasts 100% electricity access, true access remains unreliable, unaffordable, and monopolized by private diesel generators that force families to devote up to 44% of their income just to keep the lights on. Public investment has collapsed, exposing citizens to unregulated, exploitative practices.
The surge of decentralized solar was driven by necessity as people reclaimed what the state abandoned.
To seize this moment, the government must empower the Energy Ministry, enforce robust regulations, and bolster households with grants and solar financing. Retraining generator owners to operate solar microgrids under strict anti-monopoly rules can turn today’s crisis into tomorrow’s clean-energy solution.
There is so much potential and capacity for solar power in Lebanon, specifically in Beirut! For those that live in Beirut or in its outskirts, look for your city and street!
Check how much energy your neighborhood can harness with PV!
Children’s Survival Shouldn’t Depend on Where They Are Born
Over the past 25 years, the world has made great progress in reducing child mortality. However, millions of children still die before their fifth birthday. The main reason is where they are born and the economic status of their countries and families.
Children born in wealthier nations have a much higher chance of survival than those in poverty, conflict zones, or rural areas. While some low-income countries like Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have made significant progress, others like Somalia, Niger, and Chad continue to struggle.
The Reality of Child Mortality in 2022 4.9 million children under five died, mostly from preventable causes.
5 countries with the highest under-five mortality rates:
1- Niger
2- Nigeria
3- Somalia
4- Chad
5- Sierra Leone
5 countries with the lowest under-five mortality rates:
1- Iceland
2- Japan
3- Norway
4- Singapore
5- Estonia
These numbers highlight a widening gap-low-income and fragile states are falling behind.
Global Progress in Reducing Under-Five Mortality
Since 1990, the global under-five mortality rate has dropped by more than 50%. However, progress has been uneven. Children in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia still face the highest risk of early death. A child born in Somalia is 80 times more likely to die before age five than a child born in Iceland.
Who Gets to Survive?
• Low-income countries face child mortality rates up to 15 times higher than high-income countries.
• The highest rates are in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central & Southern Asia.
• Children from low-income families are less likely to survive than those from wealthier backgrounds.
To close this gap, countries struggling with high child mortality should learn from success stories like Bangladesh and Ethiopia, which have significantly reduced their child mortality rates.
Comparison of Under-5 Mortality Reduction: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have reduced child mortality at a much higher rate than Niger, Chad, and Somalia, despite facing similar economic challenges and having sharing same geographical locations
Lessons from Bangladesh and Ethiopia
Bangladesh has cut its child mortality rate by over 75% since 1990—one of the world’s best improvements.
Ethiopia has reduced child mortality by over 60% since 2000, thanks to major healthcare investments and community health programs.
How did they succeed?
• Investing in maternal and child healthcare
• Expanding vaccination coverage
• Improving nutrition programs
• Training community health workers
Under-5 Mortality and Mother’s Education
Education is key to child survival.
• Mothers with higher education levels are more likely to seek healthcare, provide proper nutrition, and recognize early illness signs.
• Countries with higher dropout rates (like Niger, Chad, and Somalia) have higher child mortality rates.
The Impact of Communicable Diseases
Countries with high child mortality also face high rates of communicable diseases and maternal nutrition deficiencies.
• Bangladesh and Ethiopia have strong vaccination programs, leading to major mortality reductions.
• Niger, Chad, and Somalia still struggle with widespread diseases, worsening child survival rates.
What Needs to Be Done?
1️-Strengthen education and prevent school dropouts, especially for girls.
2️-Implement strong vaccination programs, like those in Bangladesh and Ethiopia.
3️-Improve maternal and child nutrition to prevent early deaths.
4️-Combat communicable diseases through improved sanitation and healthcare access.
The Potential Impact
If other struggling countries follow the same path, they could reduce child mortality at similar rates:
• Ethiopia: Reduced mortality 5.5 times, from 200 deaths per 1,000 in 1990 to 46 in 2023.
• Bangladesh: Reduced mortality 5 times, from 146 in 1990 to 29 in 2023.
Applying these strategies in Niger, Chad, and Somalia could achieve similar progress.
Recommendations
• Expand healthcare access in low-income and rural areas.
• Improve maternal education and nutrition programs.
• Invest in clean water and sanitation.
• Scale up vaccination programs and community health services.
• Provide financial aid and international support to struggling nations.
If fully implemented, these interventions could save 9 million children under five by 2030.
Further steps could be taken to narrow the economical gap between high-income and low-income countries
1- Increase Global Investment in Health & Education
2- Enhance Technology Transfer & Innovation : Bridge the digital divide by providing access to technology, telemedicine, and AI-driven education
3- Develop Sustainable Job Creation Programs: Support entrepreneurship, vocational training
References:
1- World Bank World Development Indicators: “https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world-development-indicators”
2- UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, 2024: “https://data.unicef.org/resources/un-inter-agency-group-for-child-mortality-estimation-unigme/”
3- Child Mortality, Still Birth and Causes of Death Estimates,April, 2024 : “https://childmortality.org”
In 2013, a significant number of children in Syria dropped out of primary school. School closures, displacement, and safety concerns prevented children from accessing education.
2. Problem Evidence
Increase in Out-of-School Children: The number of primary-aged children out of school surged from 20,288 in 2011 to 845,091 in 2013.
Destroyed Infrastructure: Many schools were damaged or repurposed as shelters, further limiting access to education.
3. Potential Solution
A collaboration between UNICEF and the Syrian Ministry of Education focused on reintegrating out-of-school children through alternative education programs.
4. Solution Details
Self-Learning Program (2015): Designed for children aged 6-19 with no access to formal education. It provided self-paced learning to help children re-enter schools.
Curriculum B: An accelerated learning program allowing students to catch up on lost school years. It was particularly effective in summer learning programs.
Reopening Schools: UNICEF facilitated the reopening of 23 primary schools in Aleppo, allowing nearly 6,500 children to return to school.
5. Solution Validation
Increased school attendance in areas where these programs were implemented.
Positive feedback from students and teachers on the effectiveness of accelerated learning programs.
Gradual restoration of school infrastructure in conflict-affected areas.
As shown in the figure below, students are getting back to school gradually from year 2022 to 2023, and expected to follow the same trend in the upcoming years, if the program will continue.
6. Findings and Recommendations
Findings: The education programs have successfully helped children return to school, but challenges remain ongoing.
Recommendations:
Expand UNICEF’s programs to more regions, ensuring all children can access education.
Increase funding and support for rebuilding schools and teacher training.
Commit to a three-year goal of reintegrating all out-of-school children into the education system.
For years, Rwanda faced the challenge of low economic growth, struggling as a low-income nation. One of the primary obstacles holding back progress was limited access to quality education. Without proper schooling, the workforce lacked the skills necessary to drive economic expansion, leaving the country in a cycle of slow development and limited opportunities.
In the mid-2000s, Rwanda made a bold decision to prioritize education. School enrollment rates surged as the government introduced policies to increase accessibility and improve quality. More schools were built, teachers were better trained, and initiatives like free primary education ensured that more children, especially in rural areas, had access to learning. The investment wasn’t just in basic education—vocational training programs and skill-based learning were also emphasized to align with the demands of the evolving job market.
The impact of this shift soon became evident. Data from the World Development Index shows a steady increase in school enrollment starting in 2007, and in the following years, Rwanda’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita also began to rise. Alongside this, Rwanda’s literacy rate improved significantly, indicating that more individuals were gaining essential reading and writing skills. This increase in literacy directly contributed to economic progress, as a more skilled workforce led to greater productivity, higher wages, and new opportunities for economic participation. While Rwanda still lags behind middle-income countries, its upward trajectory signals promising long-term growth potential.
This transformation highlights the power of education in driving economic mobility. However, investment in schools alone is not enough—there must be a corresponding increase in job opportunities to absorb the growing number of educated individuals. Continuous monitoring of educational outcomes and labor market trends will be essential to sustaining this progress. Looking ahead, expanding access to higher education and specialized training will be critical in propelling Rwanda toward even greater economic stability.
By prioritizing education, Rwanda has laid a strong foundation for its future. The path forward requires ongoing efforts, but the country’s experience serves as a compelling case study on how knowledge and learning can reshape an economy, proving that investing in human capital is one of the most effective ways to drive national prosperity.
Do any of you know a small business owner?
If you do, you probably know how incredibly difficult it is to run a small business.
Now, let’s imagine opening and running a small business in Lebanon where we are hit by both economic and political instability.
Let us introduce you to Ghassan Beyrouthy. A proud owner of a small Hotel Bel Azur, it is a family run business in Jounieh.
Bel Azur is facing several issues and challenges. These issues are common within the Hotel industry; however, the repercussions of these challenges are heightened due to Lebanon current economic crisis and its political instability.
Bel Azur Beach Club thrives during the summer, attracting citizens, expats and foreigners who flock to Jounieh to enjoy the beautiful Lebanese summers and shores.
However, operating as a Beach Club poses great challenges with revenues during the winter season. The demand season of beach clubs, the current Lebanese economic and political climate make operations for Bel Azur unsustainable.
The challenges of low revenue are also attributed to the winter’s high number of cancellations of premium rooms. The premium rooms are a major revenue stream of hotels allowing Bel Azure to make nice profit margins.
While in the summer, Bel Azur is able to book premium rooms with a low cancellation risk rate. During the winter season, demand severely drops and cancellations rise widening the revenue gap. Each cancellation represents the opportunity cost of an empty room. Furthermore, it causes an increased operational cost, wasted resources and a disruption in staff schedules.
Over the years, hotels in the industry have been investing more technologically. In the industry, the dominant way to secure reservations is online through a strong digital presence.
Unlike many of its competitors in Jounieh, Bel Azur, has struggled to manage and push its digital presence. The lack of a strong digital presence puts Bel Azur at a significant disadvantage.
Competitor’s in Jounieh have strong connections with online booking platforms, a strong social media team and push targeted marketing strategies. Thus, competitors are able to capture a larger share of reservations during the low demand in the winter season.
For Bel Azur, its low online presence impacts its revenue particularly in the winter months when every booking counts.
By concentrating on drawing in business travelers, Bel Azur can greatly increase its revenue and occupancy rates. The corporate segment exhibits the lowest cancellation rates.
Bel Azur can establish itself as the perfect location for business gatherings and events by making investments in conference spaces and business facilities. In addition to drawing a consistent flow of business travelers, this calculated action will lessen the effects of seasonal variations, especially in the off-peak months.
We leveraged our close personal relationship with the owners of the event planning company to connect them with Bel Azur Hotel. We were aware of their struggle to expand beyond their existing customer base, which was primarily located in the Matn area. They were exclusively hosting events in that region and were looking for ways to grow. Recognizing the opportunity, we introduced them to Bel Azur’s owner and proposed a strategic partnership: making Bel Azur their go-to venue for events. This would not only give the event planning company a strong presence in Jounieh but also allow them to extend their reach into the Keserwan area. As part of the deal, they would receive exclusive access to the venue, ensuring no competition, as well as marketing support through the hotel’s channels to boost their visibility. The event planning company would also benefit from discounted rates for their clients, along with priority access to the venue during peak seasons. Both parties saw the mutual benefits, and the deal was agreed upon, setting the stage for a promising collaboration that would help both businesses thrive.
Meet the Event Planning Team
Small businesses face great challenges especially currently in Lebanon plagued by economic crisis and political instability making it a challenging environment for entrepreneurs to navigate. Through simple data exploration, we identified a struggling family business, Bel Azur Hotel.
By connecting Bel Azur with an event planning company, we created a partnership that tackled the seasonal revenue dips and cancellations. Furthermore, the partnership allowed the event planning company to expand its reach to new markets. Hence, the partnership we assisted in creating is mutually beneficial for two small business in Lebanon.
The impact we created as four university students with limited work experience proves that simple, organized and concise efforts can lead to big positive changes.
If we could help not one but two small business in this extremely tough environment, imagine the difference you could do in your own community!
The question is not if you can do it, it’s will do you it?
