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

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  • For Refugee Children, Reading Helps Heal Trauma

    We Love Reading, an organization backed by UNICEF and USAID, works with all of Jordan's Syrian refugee camps and one of Ethiopia's South Sudanese camps to use storytelling as a tool for psychological healing. It started in 2006 out of Amman, Jordan, and has since gained respect with children specialists and international aid organizations. We Love Reading works on the premise that story time boosts healthy development by giving children the courage and language to speak about what they are going through.

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  • Upcycling Guns

    Giving guns a nonviolent afterlife can also increase economic opportunity for struggling communities. In El Salvador, IM Swedish Development Partner, a nongovernmental organization, is addressing the issue of guns and violence by creating new partnerships and opportunities. Through the Humanium Metal program, confiscated guns are recycled into raw material and then sold to companies that produce finished products like watches, jewelry—and even toys. The funds from the project go back into funding efforts to further reduce violence in El Salvador’s communities.

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  • In the Aftermath of Civil War, a Writing Workshop Aims for Peace

    The Sri Lankan Civil War lasted from 1983 to 2009 and bitterly divided the country into two sides between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Years later in 2012, a literary program called Write to Reconcile was created by Sri Lankan-Canadian novelist Shyam Selvadurai to use creative writing as a tool to open up dialogue between the two sides that still have misconceptions and prejudices against each other. Many participants in the workshop, which ended in 2017, testify to how much the program changed their perspectives.

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  • Fleeing Honduras and what's being done for those left behind

    Residents of Rivera Hernandez, Honduras are trying to improve their community in a district that’s under gang control. One such effort is a vocational school to train children and adults in electricity and solar energy. The city – subject to extreme poverty – has also received aid from the United States to fund community policing and day camps for a small number of children, although some of that money has bolstered corruption in the region.

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  • As Alabama grapples with solitary confinement, other states offer blueprints for change

    The use of solitary confinement, or administrative segregation, in prisons is facing pushback across the country. In Alabama, a federal judge tasked the Department of Corrections to investigate how other states are reforming their use of solitary confinement – especially for those with mental health concerns. Recognizing that isolation often leads to increased bad behavior, states such as North Dakota and Colorado have placed stronger limitations on the use and deployment of administrative segregation.

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  • In Uganda, a unique urban experiment is under way

    Uganda has some of the most progressive refugee policies in the world, and as a result it is now home to the second largest refugee camp in the world. Bidibidi houses a quarter million people, many of whom come from the South Sudan, and as such is on its way to becoming a permanent city. While there is still progress to be made, especially economic, many residents of Bidibidi are optimistic settling into the daily routines and connections that make up a functioning city.

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  • Banned: 'We are doing the president's work: cleansing the community of gays”

    The Access to Health and Rights Development Initiative (AHRDI) in Lagos, Nigeria has offered health services to over 2,000 LGBTI men since 2013 despite the nation's widespread homophobia. Because it is still dangerous to identify as or ally with homosexuality following the 2014 passage of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, all AHRDI's clients come from word-of-mouth referrals to receive condoms, lube, HIV testing, and more.

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  • Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal - Three African Countries Providing Solutions in Fight Against Genital Cutting of Girls

    This cross-border story, which takes place in Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, examines 3 different approaches to address the still-widespread practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). In Nigeria, a short film about FGM has prompted the passing of a new law and gathered a new wave of survivors speaking up. In Kenya, a group called Dayaa Women's Group actively involves the traditionalists (cutters) and religious/community institutions in the fight against FGM along with widespread trainings. In Sengal, women lead the fight with a radio program for girls and providing financial incentives to prior cutters.

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  • Nigeria, Kenya and Senegal: Three African countries providing solutions in fight against FGM

    To combat the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Africa, communities band together to spread awareness through film, religious outlets, community gatherings, and other creative means of education. While FGM is still prevalent in areas that believe it to be an important traditional practice, individuals and groups across Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal have reduced the practice of FGM in their areas.

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  • The Battle Over Teaching Chicago's Schools About Police Torture and Reparations

    In response to the discovery that Chicago police officer Jon Burge led a "Midnight Crew" torturing mostly Black men to coerce criminal confessions, the city council's agreement to make cash reparations to the victims included a mandated curriculum in public schools to teach high school students the truth of what happened. Critics called the curriculum, "Reparations Won," anti-police propaganda. But a rare and lengthy observation of one class' experience showed its effects on youth. Not only did they learn the history, but they also learned the possibility of change in the face of systemic injustice.

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