All Perspectives
Points of ProgressAntismoking crusade has saved 8 million lives in 50 years, study saysThe surgeon general first warned of the dangers of smoking 50 years ago this month. The antismoking campaign that grew from that report has added 157 million years to lives that would otherwise have been cut short, a study says.
'Pay for success' social-impact bonds help train ex-convictsSocial-impact bonds offer investors a more direct connection between the dollars they invest and the impact they have on a social problem.
Seeing the news from the ground upThe spotlight of news usually falls on big, important issues -- "the rise of China," "the war on terror," "political conflict in Washington." But reporters gathering that news often find meaning in one-to-one relationships and small-scale incidents they encounter on the job. That's news too.
Iran: a door opensIran's culture is deep. Its people are complex. Its doors have for too long shut out the rest of the world. A Monitor reporter who returned to Iran after being barred for more than four years found Iranians eager to talk.
M-Pesa helps world's poorest go to the bank using mobile phonesIn Kenya, 43 percent of the GDP flows through M-Pesa, which gives 'unbanked' poor people access to basic financial services via mobile phones, fundamentally improving their lives.
Biogas fuel for schools eases pressure on Kenya's forestsBiogas plants, in which bacteria convert animal dung into methane gas, produce fuel for cooking and lighting, saving trees from being cut for firewood.
Increase crop diversity to boost nutritionLesser-known plants such as enset and amaranth can play an important role in improving nutrition while providing an alternative to the annual grains that need artificial fertilizers and costly pesticides and herbicides.
Difference MakerHamdy al-Azazy helps victims of human trafficking in EgyptThousands of refugees and asylum seekers attempt the hazardous trip through Egypt's Sinai trying to reach Israel. About a third die in the attempt and many are held for ransom. Hamdy al-Azazy helps as many as he can.
Woodblock Chocolate puts farmers firstWorking with small-scale farmers who grow cacao on just a few acres makes sense for Woodblock. Both sides benefit from having a relationship that keeps quality high.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Afghan women eager to learn; 'We the people' have other solutionsLetters to the Editor for the December 30, 2013 weekly magazine:I teach English to female students in Kandahar over Skype. These delightful women are not brainwashed but rather eager to learn 鈥� and they take great personal risks to do so.Frequently, when 'we the people' ask ourselves, 'What's the root problem?,' we come up with very different solutions from those offered by policymakers in Washington.
Andrew Cot茅 roams the world to teach the sweet science of beekeepingAndrew Cot茅 founded the nonprofit Beekeepers Without Borders to teach beekeeping as a way to fight poverty.
Teen Zach Bonner builds an impressive track record of helping othersAt the age of seven, Zach Bonner started a nonprofit group to aid poverty-stricken children. At age 13 he walked across the US to raise awareness of homelessness.
After Sister Lucy Kurien witnessed a woman鈥檚 murder, she saved thousands of othersAs India marks the first anniversary of the Delhi gang rape that rocked the nation, YES! talks with Sister Lucy Kurien 鈥� whose life was changed forever when she saw a young woman set on fire.- Readers RespondReaders Write: Teens can't really erase Internet regrets; A new era of colonialismLetters to the Editor for the December 23, 2013 weekly magazine:What is the use of an 'eraser law' such as California's that only allows teens to delete Internet activity that hasn't been retweeted, reposted, or otherwise dispersed online?Kenya has a right to question the ICC's 'fairness' toward Africa, because of the enduring history of colonialism. As US retirees move to Latin America, that history may just be repeating itself.聽
Faith matters for Middle East 海角大神sAny religious movement encounters resistance. That is, of course, true of 海角大神ity, which was born in the always-conflicted Middle East. The dire circumstances of Middle East 海角大神s in the 21st century has brought them back to the fundamental faith of the first 海角大神s.
Poverty 鈥� and giving 鈥� are changingThe good news: Millions of people in developing countries have moved out of abject poverty. They'll need a different kind of aid, centering on education. But millions more are trapped at the bottom and need help just to survive.
Difference MakerCorey Brooks camped on a rooftop to boost his Chicago neighborhoodPastor Corey Brooks spent nearly three months on the roof of run-down Chicago motel that was a hub of drug dealing and prostitution to shut it down.
Women provide 'spiritual security' in MoroccoMorocco has armed itself with a dramatically different weapon against terrorism 鈥� the power of Muslim women to quell violence before it happens.
Organic farming buds in LaosBoosting incomes in land-locked Laos means selling more value-added crops, such as organic fruits and vegetables.
Middle East youths tackle social problems by starting businessesYouths in the Middle East confront the world鈥檚 highest youth unemployment rates. Some are creating new businesses with a social purpose, such as battling illiteracy or environmental degradation, while also generating new jobs.
