All People Making a Difference
- 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 coats
A 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 Congo
A 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 ear
Patrick 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.
- Difference MakerDogs need this South African woman. People need her even more.
Cora Bailey is the founder of an animal shelter in Johannesburg, South Africa. Many of its neighbors are undocumented migrants who rely on the shelter for services they cannot – or are too afraid to – seek out from the government.
- In India, low-caste Dalit women take up journalism, have different focus
An 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 drive
Clare 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.
- In Latin America, women code a better future
Laboratoria is a web development and coding academy for underprivileged women in Peru, Mexico, and Chile. Once they graduate, the women can be considered for jobs at Laboratoria’s tech partners, which include Google and Microsoft.
- Difference MakerAlmost all girls were cut in her Ethiopian village. Not anymore, thanks to her.
Bogaletch Gebre cofounded an organization that’s credited with virtually eliminating female genital mutilation in the part of southern Ethiopia where she grew up. A key reason for the organization’s success has been its focus on ‘community conversations.’
- In Brazil, a new tool to cut illegal wood from supply chains
A digital platform analyzes data to make sure companies have the correct permits and aims to follow the timber from forests to sawmills and export markets.
- During repairs, this restaurant kept employees and encouraged them to volunteer
Part of El Moro Spirits & Tavern in Durango, Colo., was damaged by a fire in October. The restaurant's management urged its workers to give back to a community that has supported the business since its opening 3-1/2 years ago.
- How bots can help fight online trolls
Twitch, the platform that allows people to play video games and stream their activity, has implemented one of the most recent efforts to combat trolling. But in general, the use of such bots raises some larger questions.
- How Russian pensioners are teaching foreign students their language
LinguaLink of Generations was launched by three individuals who’ve studied at a school in Moscow. The program pairs retirees and students for language lessons using Skype.
- Difference MakerShe’s turning schools around, at high speeds
Tiffany Anderson, who arrived in Topeka, Kan., in July to be superintendent of the public schools, is making a name for herself as one of the best at standing up for the neediest students.
- From legislation to technology, five key tools to combat trafficking in 2017
As pressure and awareness builds, some say this year could be the tipping point in the global battle against human trafficking.
- In Asheville, volunteer computer programmers seek to help the most vulnerable
Among other projects in the past year, members of Code for Asheville have lent their expertise to address issues involving formerly incarcerated people and homeless individuals.
- From a former sex slave to a climate poet: five unsung heroes of 2016
Thousands of people around the world work to defend human rights – risking their lives to expose abuses against women, children, minority groups, and others.
- Difference MakerHow can dangerous speech be neutralized? This woman has some ideas.
Rachel Brown headed to Kenya ahead of sensitive elections and an atmosphere of potential hate and violence. After a positive outcome there, she worked on a guidebook for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum called ‘Defusing Hate.’
- One nonprofit’s answer to a ‘food desert’ in Denver
The GrowHaus – an innovative indoor farm, marketplace, and educational center – emphasizes the importance of access to healthy food, and the potential of food to transform.
- In Qatar, World Cup construction workers to get 'cooling' hats
Scientists at Qatar University designed the solar-powered hard hats to improve conditions for 2022 World Cup laborers. Qatar's desert heat can approach 120 degrees F.