Social Entrepreneurship

Southern Malawi’s dry, crusty fields used to be waist-high with corn. But two consecutive years of low rainfall have meant scarce harvests and have forced farmers to change just about everything they know about farming. Continue reading →

Founded by freed American slaves, Liberia has a past marred in recent years by civil war and Ebola. The country’s public education system is ineffective, and in an effort to rebuild it, the government has reached across the Atlantic for assistance — hiring a U.S.-based for-profit company whose model is “school in a box.” Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports on the controversial plan. Continue reading →

WASHINGTON – Lelia Parker grew up on a farm in rural Virginia and moved to the U.S. capital 30 years ago for a more urban environment. But she still gets the gardening itch. Continue reading →

Aisha (not her real name), 17, was living with her mother in Nigeria when Boko Haram took over the town. Continue reading →

In a world struggling with anti-immigrant sentiment, Uganda provides a rare hospitable welcome for those seeking asylum. Refugees live in settlements where they are able to run small businesses, attend mosques and children attend school. The country’s support system is possible mainly because of its unilateral political structure. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Uganda. Continue reading →

Heat can have deadly consequences. But despite complaints, few studies exist on how hot people’s apartments become, especially in public housing. A new citizen health initiative, the Harlem Health Project, is trying to help the low-income residents who are most affected by the scorching summer heat. Continue reading →

A former banana plantation in Costa Rica is now a school — but the curriculum still involves growing fruit. EARTH University, founded in 1992, trains students from developing nations in responsible, sustainable agriculture. Graduates then apply their knowledge in their own countries, hoping to improve both the economy and the environment. Special Correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports. Continue reading →

In a classroom in Herat, Afghanistan, a group of girls is working on a mobile phone application that would help tourists coming to their country. Continue reading →

Jada was 12 years old and living in New Jersey when her father sent her to Saudi Arabia to be married. With the U.S. government unable to intervene, her astonished family at home took up the challenge of bringing her back. Jada is not alone in her experience, and not everyone has the same happy outcome. Special correspondent Gayle Tzemach Lemmon reports. Continue reading →

When it comes to forced marriage and child marriage, few think of the United States. But in a new two-part series airing this week, PBS NewsHour special correspondent Gayle Tzemach Lemmon reports the stories of several women in the United States who have experienced the issue firsthand. Continue reading →