World May 06 Why immigration is a focal issue in South African election In South Africa, voters will go to the polls Wednesday in an election that could present the strongest challenge to date for the ruling African National Congress. A recent wave of xenophobic attacks has put the issue of immigration front…
Agents for Change Apr 19 How a volunteer surgical team in Rwanda chooses which patients to save Rheumatic heart disease develops when strep throat goes untreated. It causes an estimated 275,000 premature deaths per year, mostly youth in developing countries like Rwanda, where antibiotics are rarely available. Surgery is the only treatment option for advanced cases. Special…
Health Apr 16 How drones are delivering lifesaving medical supplies in Rwanda Getting medical supplies to where they are needed fast can mean the difference between life and death outcomes, but moving them efficiently across long distances to remote and rural areas can be difficult for traditional transportation. Special correspondent Fred de…
Science Mar 20 Can Uganda block Ebola’s spread from neighboring Congo? Eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo are suffering from the second-worst outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history, with more than 500 dead so far. Neighboring Uganda is watching with concern as the crisis unfolds, wary of allowing…
Agents for Change Feb 21 Wisconsin nonprofit seeks to better connect U.S. farmers with their Mexican employees Mexicans who come to the U.S. seeking employment often leave their loved ones and culture behind. In Wisconsin, a nonprofit helps connect American farmers with their migrant employees through language and cultural education. Some of the farmers travel to Mexico…
Agents for Change Feb 06 How this Thai educational movement empowers rural students More and more in Thailand, rural students learn in traditional classrooms, but with an emphasis on hands-on activities. The idea is to empower young villagers to bring economic development to their communities, as well as learn leadership, empathy and compassion.
Agents for Change Jan 23 In Thailand, tracking animal health to prevent outbreaks of human disease Viruses like avian flu, Ebola and Marburg often fester in animals before moving into human populations. Animals in regions that are geographically remote present particular challenges for disease containment. But in Thailand, local residents are using technology, including digital scanning,…
Health Jan 11 Fighting malaria in the remote reaches of Cambodia Malaria causes nearly half a million deaths worldwide every year. Ninety percent of them are in sub-Saharan Africa, where poor infrastructure limits delivery of drugs. But now there is worry that those drugs are losing effectiveness as disease strains become…
Agents for Change Jan 08 This scholarship program gives students more than money The success of college scholarship recipients across the country varies widely. A program in Minnesota boasts a four-year graduation rate one and a half times better than the national average. Recipients come from the most economically disadvantaged families in Minnesota,…
Agents for Change Jan 01 Water crisis may make Gaza Strip uninhabitable by 2020 In the Gaza Strip, 97 percent of freshwater is unsuitable for human consumption, and raw sewage pours into the Mediterranean Sea. Facilities for desalinating and treating water function on only a limited basis, as Israel controls the flow of fuel…