Social Entrepreneurship

Bead for Life Participant: Don't Keep Your Money, Invest It

June 10, 2013

Bead for Life Participant: Don't Keep Your Money, Invest It

In Senegal, a Campaign of Education and Dialogue on a Painful Rite of Passage
May 9, 2013
Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from the West African nation of Senegal, where some advocates are working to discourage the widespread and painful traditional practice of female circumcision (or genital mutilation) through education and compassionate discussion.
Changing Minds in Senegal to Protect Girls From Genital Cutting
May 9, 2013
Molly Melching didn't think she had much more than curiosity -- and a love of the French language -- when she ventured off soon after college for Senegal.
Sleeping Bag Coat for the Homeless Finds Fans in the Fashion World
May 6, 2013
A few years ago, Veronika Scott, now 23, set up a coat manufacturing business in Detroit. She had a few sewing machines and a drive to help the homeless.
Maternal Health Hotline Helps Malawians Stay Connected
April 26, 2013
In Malawi, an estimated 60 percent of women report having serious problems accessing health care due to distance. But as mobile technology skyrockets across the African continent, the ministry of health and NGOs are collaborating with communities to use cell phones to address causes of poor health care for women and children.
How Cell Phones Are Helping Fight Malaria
April 25, 2013
Community health workers in Zambia receive new cell phones as incentives to continue their malaria rapid reporting. Zambia is home to the deadliest form of a parasite that causes malaria, with the disease affects more than 4 million people in country a year.
Pervasive Preference for Baby Boys Over Girls Prevails Among Parents in India
April 23, 2013
As part of the NewsHour's Agents for Change series, special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro returns to a story he first reported on 12 years ago about the skewed sex ratio of children born in India. Baby boys are seen as more favorable for both economic and cultural reasons, a perception activists are trying to combat.
A World Tour to Meet a Florist, a Barber and Other Microloan Entrepreneurs
April 2, 2013
They live continents apart -- Symon in Kenya and Bo in Cambodia -- but they have a common thread. Both started small businesses with microloans they received through the networking website Kiva.
An Awakening in India to Scourge of Violence Against Women
April 1, 2013
Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from India on the country's efforts to tackle the issue of violence against women. This response comes after the gang rape and murder of a female medical student in Delhi last year.
Deepa Gangwani: Fomenting Change for Indian Trash Collectors
March 21, 2013
A shocking incident involving her maid and a trash collector helped set Deepa Gangwani on her quest to help the poor communities near where she lived in India.
In Democratic Republic of Congo, Women Face Deep-Seated Bias
March 8, 2013
When Anonciata, a woman from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, refused to hand over one of her daughters to militiamen, they beat her and cut off her lips with a machete. NewsHour receives an update on her case in a part of the country where women face discrimination everyday.
In Turkey, Economic Opportunities for Women Coincide With More Domestic Abuse
Feb. 28, 2013
As the Turkish economy has grown and modernized, women have enjoyed more independence. But Turkey's domestic violence rate has also skyrocketed, leaving female victims feeling helpless to aspects of the culture that haven't caught up. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports in our Agents for Change series.
Donnel Baird Uses Community Power to Generate Green Energy Projects
Feb. 27, 2013
The rugged setting of Donnel Baird's youth helped shape his social entrepreneur goals later in life.
India Organizes One of Largest Citizen Registration Drives Ever to Issue IDs
Feb. 25, 2013
Indian authorities aim to issue all national citizens an official biometric identification card and number in order to combat crime and corruption. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro examines the effectiveness of this effort as part of our Agents for Change series.
Filipino Shopkeepers Get Help Breaking Into Mobile Phone Market
Feb. 12, 2013
Mark Ruiz, a young Filipino social entrepreneur we profiled last year in our Agents for Change series, is about to embark on the next chapter of his Hapinoy project by helping small shopkeepers in his home country adapt to the ever-growing mobile phone market.
Profile: Rebecca van Bergen Gives Wings to Struggling Artisans
Jan. 31, 2013
Rebecca van Bergen's organization Nest helps artisans around the world with training and business development.
How Social Entrepreneurs Use Rice Husks to Fuel Micro Power Grids in India
Jan. 17, 2013
India suffers from chronic power interruptions and failures stemming from energy policies created to court voter blocs. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on efforts by social entrepreneurs to solve part of India's power problems by creating village-based micro grids.
Ben Berkowitz's Formula: Spot a Problem, Map It, Fix It
Jan. 11, 2013
Ben Berkowitz co-founded the software company SeeClickFix five years ago to help prevent small things, such as pot holes, graffiti and unlit overpasses, from becoming larger problems when left unattended.
On Mindanao, Protecting Civilians in a Conflict Zone With Eyes and Notepad
Dec. 25, 2012
Its lush, verdant fields act as food supplier for the Philippines, but Mindanao is also a tense, highly militarized place. Tens of thousands of residents have been forced to flee their homes for squalid camps. In our Agents for Change series, Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on a group of peacekeepers holding the fragile cease-fire.
In Haiti, a Mission of Religion and Medicine for Father Rick
Dec. 24, 2012
The Rev. Rick Frechette went to Haiti 25 years ago on a religious mission to shelter families "broken by tragedy." In his mid-40s, he decided to become a doctor and built a modern pediatric medicine facility. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports as part of our Agents for Change series on the challenges Frechette has faced.
In Tanzania, Powering Cell Phones and Shelling Corn with a Bicycle
Dec. 12, 2012
In 2009, Jodie Wu left the land of cubicles for Tanzania and started Global Cycle Solutions. Designed to be powered by the rider, her bicycle-mounted maize sheller was the foundation for what would become a profit driven, socially conscious start-up, providing affordable products for rural East Africa and creating jobs.
Fighting Cholera, A Dose at a Time
Dec. 12, 2012
As the death toll from cholera continues to mount in Haiti, results from a successful pilot project to vaccinate 100,000 Haitians for cholera are providing some hope for Haitians and international health officials. This story continues NewsHour's coverage about on-going efforts to treat cholera and improve sanitation in Haiti.
Long After Earthquake, Haiti Still Feels Devastating Effects of Cholera Epidemic
Dec. 4, 2012
Ten months after Haiti struggled to recover from a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake, the nation suffered a public health epidemic. Cholera appeared for the first time in 100 years, making 600,000 Haitians ill and leaving 7,500 dead so far. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.
Profile: Scharpf Seeks Affordable Solutions to Women's Hygiene
Nov. 28, 2012
Harvard Business School and Kennedy School of Government graduate Elizabeth Scharpf, 35, appears confident with a warm smile. These attributes no doubt come in handy when Scharpf travels the world to raise awareness about a subject that most people don't often discuss: menstruation.
Profile: Jessamyn Rodriguez Cooks Up Job Opportunities at Hot Bread Kitchen
Nov. 19, 2012
The smell of fresh baked bread is unmistakable at 1590 Park Avenue in New York City, but the kitchen has a social mission cooking as well.
How Can Human Trafficking Still Exist? Answers to Viewers' Questions
Oct. 31, 2012
Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro and Beth Klein, a Colorado lawyer who helps victims of human trafficking, answered your questions about the crime.

1
2
3
4
5

15 Young Go-getters You'll Want to Meet

May 29, 2013

Over the last six months, the PBS NewsHour's Agents for Change series has profiled the work of highly motivated social entrepreneurs, under the age of 40, who are starting to make their mark on the world. Find out who we're profiling next.

A High Tech Solution for a Neighborhood Problem

May 20, 2013

A High Tech Solution for a Neighborhood Problem

Coding Skills Combine With Civic Consciousness to Improve Government

May 20, 2013

Coding Skills Combine With Civic Consciousness to Improve Government

In India, Organization of Learning Centers Seeks to Spark Enthusiasm for School

May 14, 2013

In India, an educational group called Pratham aims to change the perception of school as a solemn enterprise and to offer instead a love of learning to the youngest -- and poorest -- students. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on what is possibly the world's largest campaign to improve remedial education.