Dämm- und Baumaterial aus dem Moor

A starting point for addressing the problem of small-business extinction - a description of possible solutions being enacted in New York City.

Although Nigeria "is arguably the worst-run of the world’s major countries," it's biggest city is providing a model for how to turn poor governance around. Lagos, a historically fragile city like the rest of Nigeria, has devolved more power to civilian rule, which has shown positive results for the health of the city.

Privately-held dōTERRA is a rapidly growing direct seller of essential oil-infused products with $1.2 billion in annual revenue.Three years ago, the company launched an effort to use its supply chain to reduce global poverty by creating economic opportunities for rural communities in developing countries like Nepal, Somaliland and Madagascar.

After the downturn of the coal industry, 8,000 jobs were lost in Central Appalachia. While some counties are renewed with the help of federal assistance, others find ways to help themselves.

Raton, a town once surrounded by eight coal mines, now has a main street of boarded-up buildings. There is reason for optimism as the town diversifies its local economy, betting on "a mix of small manufacturing businesses, health care and specialty services, and hospitality for travelers" to endure the sudden decline in mining revenue. Its calculated revitalization may hold lessons for other towns.

To increase renewable energy from wind, Texas is the site of many wind turbines across wind farms, which not only produce energy but also provide income to farmers who own the land. There are still some problems but by deregulating the electricity market, making use of the open lands of Texas, and the relaxed attitude of Texans toward living near turbines Texas is a major generator; while other states struggle behind.

Indonesia has a quickly growing digital market, yet there is a large proportion of the population that does not have digital access and those who do have access are all buying from businesses outside the country. Koperasi Digital Indonesia Mandiri is an Indonesian cooperative that has developed lower cost smartphones to help reach the underserved population.

Each year the brown waters of the Gumani river swell during the summer monsoon, creeping over the surrounding fields to flood Charbhangura, a village of 2,500 people in the Pabna district of northwest Bangladesh - when the fields flood, the farmers have no work. Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha trains locals to create floating farms and provide work, money, and food in all seasons.

Two Americans created a small start-up in rural India to help bring life-sustaining technologies to the poor. But they're not giving away solar lamps and low-power appliances: They're selling them.

A lack of bureaucratic services has kept people in poverty around the world by limiting the number of documents attainable by citizens who have a low-income, verifying proof of property ownership. "Capacity building" in the form of sending "tax inspectors without borders," book-keeping classes, and expanding bureaucratic services for places in need, allow people to make investments in their properties that can lift them above the poverty line.