All People Making a Difference
Changing the face of aid, literallyOxfam America wants to depict aid recipients as potential entrepreneurs and 'job creators,' not victims. But visuals of people suffering still pull in more donations.
Indian-American looks homeward to help the needyRakesh Agarwal, a successful businessman, has a track record of philanthropy in western North Carolina. Now he's extending his work to include his home country of India.
As aid to Haiti slows, a private coffee co-op scores loans and turns headsCOOPCAB, a Haitian coffee co-op that now includes 5,000 members, markets its products internationally while investing money in local reforestation efforts.
Difference MakerRodney Jackson hikes high into the Himalayas to help snow leopardsRodney Jackson and his team take 20 to 30 yaks, each loaded with 250 to 300 pounds of gear, into the Himalayas to study snow leopards, which take the word 'elusive' to an extreme.
Maasai herders breed fewer, stronger cattle to resist climate changeTo withstand more-intense droughts herders in Tanzania cut the size of their herds and cross-breed for resilience and resistance to disease.
Removing Colombia's landmines, one by oneSince 1990, more than 10,000 Colombians have been wounded or killed by landmines, including 982 children. Britain's Halo Trust expects to be one of the first NGOs to start clearing mines in the next several months.
To tackle polluted runoff, cities turn to 'green' strategiesUrban stormwater runoff is a serious problem, overloading sewage treatment plants and polluting waterways. Now, many US cities are creating innovative green projects 鈥� such as rain gardens and roadside plantings 鈥� that mimic the way nature collects and cleanses water.
The man who stopped the desertFor decades Yacouba Sawadogo has been using a traditional method to replant trees and help stop the Sahara Desert from overtaking Burkina Faso.
Difference MakerRachel Goble helps stop sex trafficking of impoverished childrenThe SOLD Project helps young girls in Thailand avoid becoming prostitutes through mentoring and education.
'Solar Mamas': Barefoot College women turn on the lights in off-grid villagesBesides learned to install and repair solar equipment, rural women at India's Barefoot College can learn about clean water, health care, handicrafts, communication, and more.
A new approach to suicide prevention: promote happinessInstead of talking about death and depression, Samaritans, a Boston-based suicide-prevention group, is focusing on the opposite 鈥� life and happiness 鈥� in a publicity campaign.
'Jollywood' film school shines spotlight on HaitiFollowing the lead of 'Bollywood' in India and 'Nollywood' in Nigeria, 'Jollywood' hopes to become a center for filmmaking and film education in Haiti.
National Day of Service calls on Americans to help othersOn Saturday Jan. 19 in Washington, D.C., as well as around the United States, a National Day of Service will find Americans volunteering in myriad ways to serve others.
Difference MakerRandy Grim and Stray Rescue reshape a city's approach to animal controlGrim, a passionate dog lover, and thousands of his Stray Rescue volunteers rehabilitate stray dogs in St. Louis and place them in loving homes.
Using Hollywood to teach people about disaster givingMike Rea latched onto the release of a Hollywood film on the 2004 tsunamis in Asia to help spread his message about how to effectively support charities engaged in disaster relief.
Nonprofits respond to the Delhi gang-rape caseGroups are using blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and in-person events to marshal resources and stand up for women's rights.
In India, SELCO brings solar power to the peopleSELCO founder Harish Hande set out to dispel the myths that poor people can't afford or maintain solar technologies.
Reviving Europe鈥檚 biodiversity with exotic animalsScientists are bringing back long-lost species, such as water buffalo, to encourage the spread of native plants that fare poorly in Europe鈥檚 human-dominated landscape.
SOCCKET energy-generating soccer ball powers up poor villagesUncharted Play has designed a soccer ball called the SOCCKET, which generates electricity for an LED light. One minute of kicking produces around six minutes of light to read, do homework, or help illuminate a home.
Difference MakerEric Schwarz and Citizen Schools give inner-city kids a leg upCitizen Schools helps level the playing field for students who grow up in low-income households by extending and enriching the school day with hands-on projects and citizen mentors.
