All People Making a Difference
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Difference Maker Violence in a Rio slum turned a suburban pastor into an activist
Antônio Carlos Costa was happy as a pastor in suburban Rio de Janeiro. But violence in a city slum changed his life forever.
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Buried seed vault guards thousands of crop varieties
The remote, frozen Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores more than 740,000 sample of seeds that contain genetic treasures such as heat resistance, drought tolerance, or disease and pest resistance.
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Tunisians opened their homes and hearts to people fleeing Libya
The outpouring of generosity came spontaneously – people simply responded with compassion, a new report says.
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Three-wheeled carts, better septic tanks help clean up Jakarta
Mini 'sanitation trucks' that remove fecal sludge, and improved holding tanks, may help bring improved sanitation to millions of Indonesians without it.
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Pulling up pavement: from parking lots to 'paradise'
The nonprofit group Depave, in Portland, Ore., removes unused and unwanted pavement to fight water pollution and beautify the city.
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10 ways to build a close neighborhood
Neighborhoods can – and should – be more than just a cluster of houses.
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Difference Maker Family-to-Family links well-off families to others in need
Pam Koner started a nonprofit group that helps families who want to aid less-fortunate families.
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Thinking local and sustainable makes economic sense
Research ecologist argues a healthy economy and a healthy ecosystem go hand in hand.
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Irrigation expert crosses religious, political lines to win World Food Prize
Daniel Hillel developed a system called micro-irrigation, which has opened up dry regions to farming, revolutionizing agriculture worldwide. The Israeli scientist has worked closely with Arab friends in Jordan, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates.
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The goal: Help India's poorest of the poor brickmakers
Irish nonprofit GOAL teaches seasonal brickmakers in Kolkata to read and do math, a crucial step toward self-sufficiency.
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Country star switches from feudin' to healin'
Country music singer Toby Keith, once known for his acrimonious feud with the country trio the Dixie Chicks, now spends his time raising funds to build a center to improve the lives of children receiving medical treatment and their families.
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Beyond standardized tests – teaching empathy
More than ever children need skills in how to work with changing teams of collaborators and how to seek solutions rooted in the needs of others, the author says.
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Difference Maker India's feisty – and effective – environmental champion
Sunita Narain has learned that being an environmentalist in India means being an advocate for the poor – and for immediate action.
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Difference Maker China's Great Leap Forward: One man's quiet crusade to remember the disaster
Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward campaign aimed to launch China into a Communist utopia. It ended in famine that killed tens of millions – a disaster that Beijing is still reluctant to acknowledge.
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Versatile engines power up rural African villages
Multifunction platforms (MFPs), engines powered by diesel or local vegetable oil, can do everything from turning on the lights to milling grain and powering tools.
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Heat-absorbing ceramic stoves cut fuel use
In Malawi, a new kind of cooking stove made from local materials requires much less fuel than traditional stoves, cutting the need for firewood and benefiting families and the environment.
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Nigerian banker urges a businesslike approach to poverty in Africa
Tony Elumelu, who has become one of Africa’s most prominent philanthropists, calls his idea 'Africacapitalism' – an African-run effort that uses business concepts to fight poverty.
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Share (or rent) a cargo bike
Bike-sharing in Europe is spreading to so-called cargo bikes that can carry anything from products for customers to kids to school.
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Catchafire matches talented volunteers with opportunities to serve
Catchafire – with 10,000 volunteers and 2,500 organizations signed up – connects skilled professionals with meaningful volunteer projects.
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Difference Maker From the good life to digging up land mines in Cambodia
While living in Palm Springs, Calif., with retirement looming, Bill Morse chose to move to Cambodia to help activist Aki Ra rid the country of land mines that kill and maim.
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