All People Making a Difference
Difference MakerHow is Germany handling so many refugees? With volunteers like 鈥楩rau Anja.鈥�Anja Reefschl盲ger responded to an emergency call last year to help as refugees arrived in Berlin. Since then, she has become a second mother to many of them as they try to settle in.
In India, first internet hotline launched to tackle surge in child pornographyThe public, police, internet companies, and victims can access the hotline's form in Hindi or English.
This college student started mowing lawns for older residents free of chargeRodney Smith Jr. founded Raising Men Lawn Care Service in Huntsville, Ala. It enlists young volunteers whose parents want them to learn about giving back.
Innovative water storage helps Kenyans thrive in droughtRock catchment systems take advantage of the area's hilly, rocky geography. The systems are even generating income for the community groups that build them.
For those with intellectual disabilities, help getting a jobA married couple saw a need in Bulgaria and created Maria鈥檚 World Foundation. Participants in the organization can develop work skills in preparation for the job market.
Difference MakerShe鈥檚 helped change the prospects of women affected by the Bosnian warNadira Mingasson started the weaving enterprise Udru啪ene in Bosnia-Herzegovina. It鈥檚 given women participants a sense of community 鈥� and a source of income.
Growing number of colleges offer food pantries to help studentsCollege officials cite several reasons the pantries are needed, including more low-income students and a higher cost of living. 'We want our students to be successful ...,' explains one official.
The scrap of paper that brings peace to Tanzania's small farmersMost farmers in the country do not have documented evidence to prove the land is theirs. But now, Farm Africa's Land Mapping Project has resolved several land-related disputes.
She attended a STEM school in Egypt 鈥� and her invention won a competitionYasmine Yehia Moustafa devised a system to produce clean water and biodiesel using rice straw. Her school is part of a new network aimed at giving students the skills they'll need to address the country鈥檚 'grand challenges.'
Her granola business helps families in CongoLisa Cherbuliez launched FUNdamentally Nuts after serving in the Peace Corps. A portion of its proceeds goes to people she knows in the village where she lived and worked.
Difference MakerAs retiring servicewomen enter the business world, this career coach can helpCarole Hyatt founded the nonprofit Mission: Getting to Next after meeting a retired female general who was struggling to find employment. To not allow such women to use their skills 鈥榠s a crime,鈥� she says.
How this woman became 鈥楳aMa鈥� to ex-gang membersConstance Caruso was already in her 80s when she decided to volunteer for Homeboy Industries, a gang rehabilitation program. She draws on challenges she鈥檚 had herself as she supports others.
She's helping save tigers with bioacoustics researchCourtney Dunn is working to monitor the social vocal communications of tigers, which could aid in tracking the animals. Her work won an Oxford prize and is now the basis of a nonprofit.
In India, demand grows for ethical supply chains in textile industryIndia is among the biggest manufacturers of textiles and apparel in the world. The sector is dominated by small and medium-sized firms that are under enormous pressure to reduce costs and produce garments quickly.
Difference MakerHe teaches rock 鈥檔鈥� roll to disadvantaged children in CambodiaWith music, Timon Seibel gives the children a chance to express themselves and gain self-confidence. One heavy-metal band he manages recently won a grand prize in a contest.
How this NGO strives to 'make a difference in the lives of the poorest'Helvetas operates in 32 countries to address rural poverty, reaching some 3.6 million people last year. Its mission is personal to Rupa Mukerji, who works in the organization's Swiss hub.
Efficient cookstoves save trees 鈥� and chickens 鈥� in KenyaA wood-saving ceramic stove that doubles as a chicken brooder is raising incomes and reducing deforestation.
Time to harvest and weed? Crop mobs can help.As people have become interested in restoring vitality to rural areas, 'crop mobbing' has arisen as a way to build community. And the extra hands can be a boon to small farms during the busy seasons.
Difference MakerThe man behind the Smithsonian鈥檚 new African-American history museumLonnie Bunch shares his love of history as the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opens in Washington Sept. 24.
Seaweed helps bring food security to Latin AmericaIn Chile, the seaweed industry also provides a livelihood for 30,000 people. The country has 750 species of seaweed.
