Adamawa Communities Mobilise Against Rising 'Shila Boys' Violence

The gang-driven violence in Honduras has caused thousands to migrate to the United States. In the last three years, with emergency international aid from the United States, Honduras has experienced a 62 percent drop in homicides and has witnessed a decrease in the number of migrants entering the United States. The aid has gone toward community improvement projects and outreach centers, such as providing items for soccer games and other activities that dissuade gangsters from fighting each other. It also has supported more effective prosecution of homicides.

Women in Jos, Nigeria formed cross-religious peace networks and vigilante patrols that eliminated conflict deaths between 2014-2023 in their communities, restored inter-faith relationships, and reduced crime through nighttime security operations, though they face ongoing challenges from lack of police support and systemic justice failures.

The community networks of women defenders in Piura are organized structures that, since 2018, have provided accompaniment, training, and inter-institutional coordination to victims of gender-based violence, combining psychological support, legal pathways, and economic empowerment. Since their founding, more women have reported violence, coordination between public institutions such as police and prosecutor's offices have improved, and survivors have transformed into leaders who break cycles of violence in their communities. Read this story in Spanish here: https://solu.news/mvw1

Lansing, Michigan built an ecosystem of community violence intervention programs (anchored by Advance Peace and the Lansing Empowerment Network) that reduced shootings by 38% between 2022 and 2025. Their relationship-based outreach, mentorship, and victim support continue to prove effective despite federal funding cuts.

The Laudato Si' Leadership Training program, a collaboration between the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, uses church teachings on the environment to facilitate actions that address climate change and other socio-ecological issues in the region.

In response to public safety concerns and understaffed police departments, community ambassadors are working to improve public safety by building relationships with local business owners and residents, mitigating conflict without force or violence, providing support to people in crisis and keeping the city clean. Since community ambassadors began patrolling the area, local business owners have reported noticing fewer robberies and crime in general.

A University of Pennsylvania project cleaned up vacant lots and planted greenery, and it made community members feel safer, decreased gun violence, and decreased nuisance calls.

The best way to grow generational wealth in the United States is by owning a home, so the Portland-based collective Taking Ownership is fighting the effects of gentrification in Black neighborhoods by helping homeowners do necessary home improvement work. Volunteers and licensed contractors do the work, and the projects are funded with donations from mostly White and wealthy donors.

The Advocacy for Alleged Witches is working to make all of Nigerian society witch-hunting-free. Advocates in the organization report incidents of witchcraft branding and arrange to help the accused individual by moving them away from the danger, providing medical services, and working with lawyers, police, and government agencies to take legal action against the issue.

Baltimore has dramatically reduced homicides through a multi-pronged approach involving a data-driven Group Violence Reduction Strategy, credible-messenger intervention programs, and aggressive prosecution of illegal gun possession. This has resulted in a record-low murder rate in 2026, with 60 killings recorded through August compared to roughly 220 at the same point four years prior.