All Change Agent
How one man found his calling as a peacemaker, especially in prisonsDouglas Noll was a trial lawyer for 22 years, but since leaving the courtroom, he has taught mediation techniques to inmates through the organization he cofounded, Prison of Peace.
How a book club for middle school girls is giving them the chance to growA high school senior came up with the idea of the book club as a way to mentor younger girls using literature. Now, some of the girls who were in the club its first year are returning four years later as mentors.
Innovations in online learning for refugees, slum children earn UN prizeThe JAAGO Foundation, which operates for disadvantaged children in Bangladesh, and Kiron, which provides refugees with free access to higher education, are joint recipients of a $25,000 UN award.
Jews and Arabs come together for backgammon championship in JerusalemThe gathering was part of a series of events organized by Double Yerushalmi, a group trying to build closer ties between Arabs and Jews through cultural activities.
How one man is fighting graffiti in his townAlan Erickson keeps supplies in his truck so he can remove graffiti as soon as he sees it when he’s out. He encourages others to join the fight, saying a relatively small time commitment would make a big difference.
A father starts 'The Kindness Challenge' to honor his late son's compassionDennis Vassallo launched a Facebook page to share stories of kindness and urge people to do good deeds. Some say the page, which has attracted 44,000-plus followers, has inspired them to spend more time helping others.
By migrants for migrants: the new faces of Italian media'Nois' is the first video news show in Italy to be developed by migrants. It's one of a growing number of migrant-led media projects across Europe that offer refugees' perspectives and explore the challenges they face.
Want to volunteer? Three things to ask.The answers will help you use your time well and get the most out of your experience.
With laundry service, a group for disabled people benefits the communityThe Marion County Disability Action Center in West Virginia has launched the Feel Good Laundry service, which also gives opportunities to the group's clients.
Girls in Africa: one way that more of them are attending schoolAfter learning that family poverty was the reason many girls didn’t go to school, Ann Cotton founded Camfed, which has supported the education of 1.6 million girls.
In new book, Vermont woman shares how the arts can help abuse victimsThe author, Tracy Penfield, is the founder of SafeArt in Chelsea, Vt., which recognizes how nonverbal communication, including in the performing and visual arts, can aid people who have endured abuse.
Afghan girls fight prejudice with martial artsGirls of the Shaolin Wushu club practice the flowing movements of Wushu. A 20-year-old trainer for the sport says it teaches self-defense – and is 'really effective for body and soul.'
How farmers in Africa are finding ways to sustainably use wetlandsA range of organizations in Africa have recognized the way in which wetlands can be important for poverty reduction, improved livelihoods, and resilience in the face of climate change.
In Rome, a pensioner feeds 250 people in need four days a weekDino Impagliazzo's charity uses ingredients that are close to their expiration dates, supplied by grocery stores and wholesalers that would otherwise throw them away.
An author troubled by war invites veterans to ‘Write Peace’Maxine Hong Kingston came up with the idea for The Veteran Writers Group after she had a devastating month herself in 1991. More than 800 people have answered her call.
Amid a tough winter for refugees, charity turns old blankets into coatsA Greek-German charity called Naomi has collected blankets from a refugee and migrant encampment that's now closed. Volunteers in a northern Greek city are using sewing machines to repurpose the items.
How we discovered the world’s largest tropical peatland, deep in CongoA team of three scientists and five assistants found 33 billion tons of carbon locked up in a Congo ecosystem – the equivalent of 20 years of current US fossil fuel emissions. The discovery is a key step in ensuring this carbon-storing area is protected.
For seniors fighting grief or depression, Friendship Line is a listening earPatrick Arbore saw a need to give older people an alternative to traditional suicide prevention hotlines – one that offers a conversation rather than potentially a confrontation.
In India, low-caste Dalit women take up journalism, have different focusAn all-women, all-Dalit team works for Khabar Lahariya (News Wave), a regional-language weekly that reports from disadvantaged areas that do not generally make the news.
A high school junior in Indiana takes the initiative to hold prom dress driveClare Mangin says it would be 'awesome' to simply make one girl happy by giving her a prom dress. Clare's enthusiasm and attention to detail have impressed the school employee she's partnered with.
