All People Making a Difference
To store renewable electricity, utilities turn to pumped waterUtilities from Spain to China are increasingly relying on pumped storage hydroelectricity 鈥� first used in the 1890s 鈥� to overcome the intermittent nature of wind and solar power.
A forgotten burying ground becomes a park that honors and remembersVernis Jackson led a coalition to create the Portsmouth African Burying Ground memorial park, which honors those buried there and educates visitors about the site's history.
In a dry region, crowd-funding comes to a lake's rescueAn innovative citizen-led action in India has become a model for what's possible to protect water supplies, backers say.
From hairdresser to hero, a Syrian woman forges a new path for womenOm Khaled has emerged as an inspirational leader, running five centers in northern Syria that provide education and hope to thousands of women.
A lawyer leads a life on the wild side 鈥� rescuing those sold into slaveryVan Ngoc Ta rescues Vietnamese women and girls trafficked to China for the sex trade as well as victims of forced labor.
A Better Chance gives city kids a suburban educationStudents from New York City live at the ABC House and attend Glastonbury (Conn.) High School. It's a learning experience for both the students and their host families.
Difference MakerFoster Andersen provides outdoor adventures to those with disabilities (like him)His Shared Adventures brings recreational and social activities to people living with disabilities.
Website helpfulpeeps connects willing helpers with those in need'Our vision is to build a global community with millions of people helping each other every day' by doing good deeds, says the website's cofounder.
Army staff sergeant leads a double life as a super volunteerLeo Gruba, who sees his 'duty' as a 24/7 commitment, volunteers with scouts, schools, fund-raisers 鈥� wherever he can help his community.
A picture of pirouettes and pink at Gaza's only ballet schoolAmid the chaos and destruction that has shattered Gaza so often, with repeated wars between Israel and Hamas, the school is a haven of calm and order.
First Look$500,000 donation to Salvation Army by Minnesota couple$500,000 donation: An anonymous Salvation Army red kettle donation offers a warm start to a generous holiday season.
Difference MakerYakzan Shishakly offers refugees from Syria鈥檚 civil war a safe spaceAn American born in Syria, he's moved to the Turkey-Syria border to provide aid to families, especially women and children, who have fled for their lives.
First LookHoliday surprise: Woman donates entire toy store to New York's homeless kidsA New York philanthropist bought and donated the contents of a West End toy store. Thousands of toys, stuffed animals, and school supplies were given to children in time for the Holidays.
Qatar slavery museum aims to address modern exploitationThe Bin Jelmood house is the first museum to focus on slavery in the Arab world amid concerns by rights groups that migrant workers are modern-day slaves.
Difference MakerEitay Mack wants Israel to reveal its secret arms salesMack, a gadfly and lawyer, says he believes his country is selling arms to governments that abuse human rights.
Truckers join a drive on US highways to tackle sex traffickingTruckers Against Trafficking has trained some 170,000 drivers and truck stop workers to look out for possible instances of sex trafficking.
Fairphone answers the call for more ethical smartphonesThe Dutch company started in 2010 by raising awareness of the links between electronics and minerals mined in conflict zones, then decided to make an ethical smartphone of its own.
Interactive maps help secure land rights for indigenous peoplesA global interactive map called LandMark helps indigenous peoples worldwide prove that their land is not vacant, idle, or available for outside exploitation.
Philanthropist couple expand its refugee rescue mission to Aegean, AsiaChristopher and Regina Catrambone set up the Migrant Offshore Aid Station to save refugees trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Now they are expanding their efforts.
Difference MakerT.Mac Howard opened a school for disadvantaged youths in a small Southern citySupporters say the Delta Streets Academy is playing an important role in moving Greenwood, Miss., toward being better race relations.