Why Japan is paying single mothers to move to the countryside

The Girl Generation (TGG) practices intergenerational healing and provides trauma-informed support to women who have survived female genital mutilation (FGM). TGG aims for FGM to be recognized as a form of sexual violence rather than a cultural practice and does so by hosting mother-daughter forums for generations to cope and heal from their traumas together. TGG estimates they’ve reached about 300 women and girls so far, with hopes to expand the group to other communities.

The Achievers Foundation distributes free sanitary pads to those experiencing period poverty. The Foundation also hosts lectures on sexual and menstrual health and works to fight the stigma surrounding periods in some communities.

University-based retirement communities help to foster intergenerational connections between younger and older generations. Some of these facilities are simply developments near colleges, while others are physically on-campus. Along with building connections, these programs help fight feelings of loneliness among the older population and break down stigmas young people may hold about the elderly.

Women and mothers experiencing addiction often face obstacles when seeking help and care. Several groups like M.I.R.A.C.L.E Mamas and Women Strong Recovery and Wellness among many others, provide safe spaces for women and mothers to seek recovery care and empowerment while also forming a sense of community.

Arise for Girls is an organization designed to educate young girls about menstrual hygiene, as period poverty and stigma are very apparent in rural areas. The organization provides educational resources, sanitary pads, and provides a sense of community by encouraging girls to connect with each other via WhatsApp. Since May 2021, the organization has helped over 1,400 girls in neighboring areas.

The Bashir Fistula Foundation (BFF) provides free surgeries to remedy obstetric fistula, as well as rehabilitation services to integrate patients back into society. Since the organization was formed in 2018, approximately 98 women have benefitted from free surgical intervention.

Nursing homes adapted to COVID-19 so that they could protect residents’ physical well-being while also preserving their social and emotional health. Staff at Belknap County Nursing Home modified popular activities to make them safe, like hallway bingo, where numbers were called from hallways so that residents could stay in or near their rooms. Participation jumped 30% from pre-pandemic levels. An adaptation to another popular game, “Price is Right,” had staff bringing items, like snacks and toiletries, room-to-room so that residents could guess the price, with the person coming closest winning the item.

In Kenya's Siaya County, community-selected individuals known as nyamrerwa are trained "to address healthcare issues of individuals and communities in their respective localities." The initiative is part of a larger strategy that is helping to localize care and empower community members to "take control and responsibility of their own health achievement efforts."

Since 2002, aging neighbors in Boston have been creating networks, known as villages, of supportive services that allow them to remain in their homes rather than leave to live in a senior center or nursing home. Now, there are 350 villages throughout the U.S., including one in Buffalo, NY known as Canopy. Staffed with volunteers, the program has not always been the most financially viable, but it has grown to serve senior citizens in seven zip codes.

To better serve patients struggling with dementia, a hospital in Berlin established a department of geriatrics and began screening "patients for cognitive impairments upon admission, providing them with trained volunteers for personal support and non-pharmacological interventions to prevent delirium." This course of action has helped the hospital to diagnose cases earlier and offer dementia-specific care for patients, which consequently has reduced the prescribing of drugs for these patients.