All People Making a Difference
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.
Former child workers in India bang the drum for educationThe musicians, who performed this week at one of India's top arts centers, use every platform they can to talk about their journey and have become an inspiration to local families.
Three years after damaging Colo. flood, teens help with river restorationAs part of a project to rehabilitate part of a river near Drake, Colo., a crew of teens planted vegetation. The project overall aims to make the river and surrounding habitat better able to survive a future flood.
This former inmate's prison rehab program goes beyond drug treatment鈥�Yusef Wiley created the Timelist Group to help fill gaps in California鈥檚 rehabilitation offerings. It has shown success in keeping parolees from going back to prison.
Difference MakerHow a headmaster is trying to save an ancient languageIn Greece鈥檚 Peloponnesus, Panagiotis Tsagouris has involved schoolchildren in his effort to preserve the Tsakonian language, considered the only descendant of Doric Greek.
A cooperative in Mexico takes on food system challenges 鈥� with chocolateThree friends formed the cooperative C.A.C.A.O. in their efforts to return to locally produced foods and to address problems such as food insecurity.
To fight wildfires in Pa., a time-tested tool makes a comeback: fire towersThe move to make fire towers operational again stems from the high cost of using airplanes to monitor forests during the fire season. Towers were once considered the best line of defense against forest fires.
In Kenya's drylands, farmers deal with climate shifts by turning to catfishSmall-scale farmers use 'home dams' that capture rainwater, helping them cope with water scarcity. And sales of the fish are providing income.
Difference MakerShe lives with, and takes an inclusive approach to, those with special needsIn 2000, Hannah Schwartz helped establish Heartbeet farm to offer care and opportunities for growth for adults with developmental disabilities.
She creates quilts with a messageNedra Bonds started quilting at age 6, never expecting it to be her lifework after retirement. One of her quilts helped stop the building of a landfill near a historical site.
Postcard program tracks education of children in India's migrant familiesMore than 10 million children are estimated to migrate with their families to different parts of India every year. As part of the postcard program, they send confirmation that they're back in school when they go home.
How beneficial are 'one-to-one' laptop programs in schools?Drawing on 15 years of observations, two researchers find that test scores improved significantly and that students exhibited a variety of other skills when they used laptops.
Difference MakerOn a walk with Michael Dukakis as he picks up litterThe former governor and 1988 Democratic presidential nominee says it makes his day when somebody says, 鈥楴ow you got me doin鈥� it.鈥�
Indonesian 'maid detectives' on mission to save women from traffickingA small team from the rights group Migrant Care tries to identify potential victims of human trafficking at Jakarta's airport and offer advice to others leaving of their own free will on how to look after themselves.
An Illinois church's furniture-refurbishing ministry helps single momsDouglas Avenue United Methodist Church wanted to try a different approach to helping single mothers who are in poverty or are healing from drug abuse, or both.