All People Making a Difference
Difference MakerAn advocate for refugees trying to find their footing in HungaryWhen Babak Arzani fled Iran and reached Hungary in 2010, he found himself in a foreign land where he didn't speak the language. He helped found a group that supports the rights of refugees and asylum-seekers.
As Colombia peace talks advance, groups clear land mines one at a timeGetting rid of mines in Colombia 鈥� a land of mountains and jungle terrain 鈥� is a key challenge for the nation and is crucial for rural development and tackling poverty.
How one 15-year-old is helping West Virginia flood victimsKaitlyn Hoffman, a sophomore in聽Berkeley Springs, W.Va., collected enough donations to load up a small trailer plus a 53-foot tractor-trailer.
She helps visitors enjoy the treasures of Prague CastleHana Hrdinov谩 is committed to the preservation and maintenance of Prague Castle, which is both a space of immense historical and cultural significance and a functioning government complex.
In Illinois, some food pantry users are taught to grow own vegetablesLee Jennings, a township supervisor, thought the well-mowed grass outside his office in Crystal Lake, Ill., could be put to better use.
Difference MakerShe takes in children in Thailand, sometimes because others won鈥檛Sunanta 鈥楴ong鈥� Kaewmuangpech opened a children's shelter with no sponsors or resources whatsoever. Here鈥檚 how she did it.
A critic of schools gets a new view as a tutor in ClevelandLarry Jemison was a self-described complainer about poor schools. But after he retired, he saw a chance to actually do something. Now, three days a week, he helps children learn to read.
One nonprofit's way of responding to natural disasters 鈥� more than 60 of themAll Hands Volunteers has enabled more than 35,000 people to bring aid to places ranging from post-Sandy Brooklyn to Ofunato, Japan, after the 2011 tsunami.
In drought-hit India, some villages restore century-old irrigation canalsResidents see the traditional system as a prime example of how communities can work together to overcome the challenges of their environment. But how widely it could be used remains a question.
At this library, story time doesn鈥檛 end because a parent is in prisonTeleStory, a program run by the Brooklyn Public Library, makes it possible for the incarcerated to read to their children. It is one of 14 winners of the Knight News Challenge on Libraries.
Difference MakerShe鈥檚 been instrumental in CVS taking a stand against tobaccoEileen Howard Boone is both a mother of six and an executive at CVS Health. Her work is indicative of how many businesses are putting more emphasis on philanthropy.
In Mass., Habitat for Humanity affiliate takes on its first 'veterans build'Veterans builds have become a popular facet of Habitat for Humanity nationwide, supporting veterans by providing housing and employment opportunities for those who have served.
For kids with loss or addiction in their families, these camps offer comfortFormer major league pitcher Jamie Moyer and his wife started a foundation that puts on free, three-day camps for children across the country, helping 4,000 kids last year alone.
With men gone, women shake up farming in rural NepalAs Nepali men migrate to find work, women are taking over in the fields 鈥� earning them more money and respect.
Sun-powered phone charger helps migrants in GreeceA team of students from Edinburgh University designed the charging station, keeping in mind that Greece gets plenty of sun.
Difference MakerThis tribesman planted a forest in India that鈥檚 bigger than Central ParkJadav 鈥楳olai鈥� Payeng began planting seedlings in 1979, and the forest has grown so big that it has sheltered tigers and elephants.
Global standard to measure food waste aims to put more on platesCompanies and countries often lack details about the food that disappears from the supply chain. The new standard is the first set of international definitions and reporting requirements for the problem.
At senior living facilities, 'students in residence' programs catch onSenior living centers are providing college students housing for free or reduced rates in exchange for them hanging out with the residents. One program just launched in Iowa.
In one Cincinnati neighborhood, a start-up gives local entrepreneurs a chanceWhen neighborhoods develop, longtime residents are often left out of the boom. MORTAR is designed to provide the information and resources that residents need to start businesses.
Amid Venezuela food shortages, tropical fruits provide lifelineWith many people saying they cannot afford three meals a day, they're turning to Venezuela's lush mango, coconut, and papaya trees.