Stories & Blogs
ZAMBIA A tale of two schools
The school motto, printed on the white board in the little school office, is simple: “Education is a necessity”. It is appropriate. A firm belief in that simple truth led the people of this community in Chipata, Zambia, to establish the Mchini Basic School for orphans and vulnerable children.
Read moreRWANDA Building a life from scratch
Canizius Ukurikiyimana was only 19-years-old when he was forced to leave Tanzania and resettle in Rugeyo, a small village in Rwanda’s eastern province. He is one of many thousands of Rwandans who were expelled from Tanzania in late 2006, leaving almost everything he worked for and loved behind. For Canizius, ...
Read moreFinancial crisis threatens human rights and gains made fighting poverty in poor countries
Last week the US government provided another bail-out of $37.8 billion to the giant insurance company, AIG, bringing the total of rescue loans to that one company in the last two weeks to nearly $123 billion.
Read moreAFGHANISTAN Womens rights after fall of Taliban
"It is shameful for us Afghans to allow our sister or daughter to go to school" was the response that “Nasrin” got from her brother when she wanted to pursue her studies.
Read moreNEPAL Saving the Koirala family
It was still raining heavily when the 16-member Koirala family went to bed on the night of September 19. Just before retiring, Laxmi Koirala silently prayed to the rain gods. Incessant rain at this time of the year only meant two things – flooding and ruined rice fields, just before ...
Read moreHAITI A firm-handed woman
Moving energetically, she hoists big cans of cooking oil, passing them to women who divide them among themselves, along with the food distributions they’ve received. Sylvie Clermont is dripping with sweat. It is 40°C and today the distribution is taking place in the open, not a shady spot in sight. ...
Read moreHAITI The courage to save herself and others
Islande Bonne Joseph is sitting in front of me wearing a pretty checked dress, her hair carefully tied back. Her huge smile is warm and heartfelt. Dressed in her Sunday clothes Islande may look timid, but this young woman is anything but. When Hurricane Ike hit Gonaives in Haiti, Islande ...
Read moreZAMBIA A COMACO success story
Matteo Zulu points out over his fields. They don’t look like much now, still dry and barren from the cold season, but come the rains these fields will flood and become ideal for growing four acres of the best rice you’ve ever tasted. Matteo is a walking profile of success ...
Read moreZAMBIA Overcoming HIV AIDS Christines story
The road to Kabiya village, in the eastern province of Zambia, is red and dusty. Tobacco fields stretch off in either direction. Christine Jere sits on the ground outside her mud-and-thatch hut in Kabiya and tells the story of how she nearly died of AIDS.
Read moreINDIA In times of flooding life goes on
“I have never experienced such fear as I did in the last few days,” says the very soft-spoken Sarita Devi, a resident of Majura village, in the flooded district of Supaul, Bihar state. “I was full-term pregnant when the waters began to rise.”
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