Laughter helps heal traumatized survivors of Cameroon’s simmering conflict.
Laughter helps heal traumatized survivors of Cameroon’s simmering conflict
In Harlem, An Effort to End Gun Violence Keeps Hope Alive
All throughout the New York City, across the country and around the world, community organizers are building personal relationships and holding interventions to keep their neighborhoods safe. They are part of a public health initiative called Cure Violence that is changing the way governments and community organizations are dealing with gun violence.
Kenyan Man Breaks Taboo, Builds Pit Latrines for Villagers
From childhood until a few years ago, John Yegon believe that digging a hole in the ground, be it for a latrine or a grave, was taboo. Last year, Yegon learned from a public health officer that most diseases are caused by poor hygiene and sanitation practices and mainly by open defecation. He then embarked on a mission to construct pit latrines from metal sheets and wood for his neighbors at no cost.
Women in Kenya work to keep girls in school by supplying reusable sanitary pads
A women’s organization in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, called Women Development Centre (WODEC) decided last year to start making reusable sanitary towels from locally available materials. WODEC is one of several non-profit groups that are responding to an issue that marginalizes many women and girls.
Fighting to get justice for rape victims in Kenya’s north
In Wajir, a consortium of non-profit groups and government agencies have come together to work against rape and the traditional Maslah system that denies justice to those affected.
Native American Women: “Original Resisters and Ultimate Survivors”
Native American women participated in the Women’s March on Jan. 21, wrapping blue silk scarves around their shoulders. Their attendance was a moment of resiliency, but more than that, it was a show of expertise in the ways of resistance.
Transgender Community Works to Overcome Identity Document Barriers
While updating identity documents is an arduous and expensive legal process, many non-binary (those who don’t identify as a man or woman) and transgender people have been motivated by November’s election results and are undertaking the process of updating their names, gender markers or both.
Mexican Community Addresses Domestic Violence, Celebrates Migrant Women
A mural in Brooklyn shows a woman with deep-set eyes standing poised between coffee groves and New York City’s tall buildings. Featuring domestic violence survivor Leticia Reyes Garcia, the mural is part of a larger effort to address domestic violence affecting Mexican immigrant women in New York.
New conversations about mental health in an Ethiopian church
A group, comprised of members of the Medhani Alem Ethiopian Orthodox Church of New York, gathered in November to discuss a seldom-talked about issue in the Ethiopian American community—mental health.
With Help from Nonprofits and Volunteers, Athletes with Disabilities Enter the Race
Athletes with disabilities are competing in mainstream running events thanks to individuals like Peter Kline and nonprofit organizations like Achilles International and Athletes Serving Athletes. Their participation is part of a trend towards including disabled athletes in sporting events once restricted to able-bodied athletes.
CIVIC IDEAS 