Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 349 results  for your search.  View and Refine Your Search Terms

  • Can Coffee Kick-Start an Economy?

    April 06, 2012 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    Over 3000 Words

    Response Location: Uganda, Kasese, Western Region

    African coffee growers sell their raw beans cheaply to traders, earning very little for their work. The creator of Good African Coffee in Uganda was able to sell the first African roasted coffee internationally by selling consumers the story of the coffee.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Doing More Than Praying for Rain

    May 09, 2011 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Kenya, Nanyuki, Laikipia

    Most insurance companies avoid insuring poor farmers because the transaction costs are too high, but a non-profit in Kenya created a sustainable way to cover them.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • How to Grow a Social Business

    February 04, 2011 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: Guatemala, Antigua Guatemala

    Two columns on microconsignment, a new variation on microcredit that helps poor people living in developing countries - particularly women in rural villages - start small social businesses without taking on debt or requiring previous business skills. The organization, Soluciones Comunitarias, partners with a non-profit and a university student program to manage the supply chain and other components of the business necessary to support the social entrepreneurs in successful micro-ventures.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • When Microcredit Won't Do

    January 31, 2011 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Guatemala, Nebaj

    Microcredit can get people into debt when used poorly. A company in Guatemala is giving products to poor entrepreneurs on consignment and then charging a commission upon sale and in this way removing the entrepreneurs' risk.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Illuminating Thoughts on Power

    January 14, 2011 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: India, Tamkuha, Bihar

    A follow-up article on Husk Power Systems, which has created a scalable system to turn rice husks into electricity that is reliable, eco-friendly and affordable for families in India. The company bases their business model around local involvement, grassroots systems that cater to the immediate community, and continual accountability. This article fills in some information gaps from the initial piece, "Fixes: A Light in India."

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Filling the Gap Between Farm and Fair Trade

    October 25, 2010 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Nicaragua, Managua, Managua

    The non-profit Root Capital created a lending initiative in Mexico which helps mid-size rural farmers gain access to capital, skills, and consumer markets from which they would otherwise be excluded.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Health Care and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

    October 18, 2010 |

    The New York Times |

    Text |

    1500-3000 Words

    Response Location: Lesotho, Maseru

    In a mountainous region of Lesotho, a man named Tsepo Kotelo visits 20 villages every week on his new motorcycle to provide health care to local villagers. The Elton John AIDS Foundation gifted the motorcycles to Kotelo and his colleagues, allowing them to increase the number of patients they visit by 600 percent. An organization called Riders for Health helps maintain the bikes, ensuring that remote villages will continue to receive medical care.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Harnessing the Wind with Scrap

    May 08, 2009 |

    Science in Society |

    Text |

    800-1500 Words

    Response Location: Malawi, Mastala, Kusungu District

    A bright young man named William took it upon himself to bring electricity to his small, rural village in Malawi, despite having few resources at his disposal. William invented a windmill using recycled materials, and successfully generated power for his home. His incredible ingenuity attracted international attention, inspiring others as far away as Portsmouth University to design windmills that are financially and physically accessible for the world's rural poor living off the grid.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

  • Grocery cooperatives help keep small towns alive

    January 14, 2007 |

    The Spokesman-Review |

    Text |

    Under 800 Words

    Response Location: United States, Anita, Iowa

    Anita, Iowa faced many of the same challenges as other small towns when the last local grocer closed amid competition with large chains like Costco and Walmart. But when its residents realized the value of a local "mom-and-pop" food purveyor to the town's economy, they created the Anita Grocery Cooperative and a board to oversee it. The Coop marks a testament to collective action, resilience, and sustainable, locally-sourced solutions.

    Read More


    Go to Original Story

Go to All Solutions in Focus