All People Making a Difference
- Difference MakerAlbrecht Matthaei fell in love with Pompeii. Now he works to preserve it.
Unabashedly enthusiastic about the ancient city, the German archaeologist fights environmental threats and structural collapses that threaten this historical jewel.
- Classical Indian dance helps trafficking victims to heal
Dance movement therapy helped ease anxiety, depression, anger, and post-traumatic stress, says a study from an Indian charity.
- Beyond the Autobahn: Germany's new bike highways
With the recent opening of a 'bike highway,' Germany is starting to build a network of wide, dedicated bicycle thoroughfares designed to lure commuters out of their cars.
- Circling the globe, powered only by the sun
The Solar Impulse 2 is making aviation history as it wings its way around the world.
- Young Japanese sing in New York to remember Fukushima
A choral extravaganza in late March will include visiting Japanese students affected by the 2011 nuclear disaster and tsunami.
- 'Feed and Read' offers Nigerian boys an alternative to Boko Haram
Some 10 million children in northern Nigeria are in danger of being recruited by the Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram. The 'Feed and Read' program offers another path.
- Free shoes from TOMS: Can such philanthropy hurt more than help?
An Oscars ad will highlight TOMS, the company whose sustainable-philanthropy program has given away 50 million shoes. But critics say that what 'free' philanthropy sustains is poverty itself.
- Difference MakerKaryn Parsons tells inspiring true stories of little-known African-Americans
She founded Sweet Blackberry to make films that introduce new historical figures to children of all ethnic backgrounds.
- 'It's a Wonderful Life' actress shares the film's uplifting message
Karolyn Grimes played little Zuzu Bailey in the classic 1946 movie. Today, she travels the country talking about its message of hope and healing – and sometimes her own story, too.
- Difference MakerVewiser Dixon's ambitious vision: make inner-city Kansas City a 'black Silicon Valley'
The African-American entrepreneur is applying his brand of 'marketplace ministry' to create a climate for minority-owned technology start-up companies.
- Uganda's anti-child trafficking campaign goes to schools
An American charity, Books for Africa, is part of anti-human-trafficking task force reaching out to poor communities vulnerable to child trafficking by promoting literacy.
- Youths in Brooklyn create jobs and community roots through compost program
This New York City neighborhood makes gardens out of vacant lots to tackle gentrification and high youth unemployment.
- Women in Zanzibar learn the law to keep control of their land
The government and several NGOs have embarked on a series of awareness campaigns to help women understand their rights of land ownership.
- KaBOOM! moves beyond the playground
The nonprofit has led more than 16,000 projects to build or improve playgrounds using local volunteers. Now it's broadening its mission to encourage more child play everywhere.
- Difference MakerIan Anand Forber-Pratt returned to India to put every child in a loving family
Adopted by an American couple he's gone back to the country of his birth to found Foster Care India with a goal of placing every unwanted child in a caring family.
- Historic deal protects Canada's Pacific forest 'jewel'
About 85 percent of forest in The Great Bear Rainforest, one of the world's largest temperate rain forests that stores high levels of captured carbon, will be preserved.
- How a prize for water innovators could save billions of gallons
The competition, called Dreampipe, looks for innovative ways to reduce the huge amount of water lost through leaks, theft, or inaccurate meters in developing countries.
- 'Natural geoengineering’ could slow global warming
An overlooked tool in fighting climate change is enhancing biodiversity – especially the top predators – to maximize the ability of ecosystems to store carbon.
- Robotics classes in Nigeria inspire a new generation
Project 10,000 Kids provides tech education to young people and plans to create the first STEM high school in the country by 2017.
- Volunteering for Lifewater International: 'I was hooked'
Sally Scholl travels across Africa and Asia teaching local communities better sanitation and hygiene practices. She's just embarked on her 21st trip.