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Why indigenous folklore can save animals' lives

Arnel Murga

July 28, 2020 |

BBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Philippines, Iloilo

Conservations in the Philippines are using indigenous beliefs known as “mariit” — which is the belief that nature is inhabited by unseen dwellers and should be respected and taken care of — to protect the country’s endangered species. The Mariit Wildlife and Conservation Park serves as a refuge for at least 62 animals and the Taklong Island Marine Natural Reserve is a breeding ground for fish species caught outside its boundary. Experts caution though that mariit can have a positive impact on the environment, sometimes the beliefs can undermine science-based conservation activities.

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The Warsaw Ghetto beat an epidemic. Scientists say they know how.

Eva Botkin-Kowacki

July 24, 2020 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Poland

In 1941 it was predicted that the Warsaw Ghetto would be overwhelmed with typhus cases due to the overcrowding of inmates, but instead this "oppressed community" established a series of health measures that largely kept the caseload much lower than expected. Although the community was arguably more behaviorally motivated to implement strict and aggressive measures due to the conditions they were living under, the case study indicates that "sheltering in place, promoting and enforcing hygiene, and practicing social distancing," does matter when containing a pandemic.

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Vietnam took drastic early action to fight the coronavirus — and has reported zero deaths

Christina Farr

July 23, 2020 |

CNBC |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Vietnam

Vietnam is home to 95 million people, yet the country has reported less than 450 cases of coronavirus and not a single death thanks to quick implementation of lessons the country learned from the 2003 SARS pandemic. Although not all went smoothly in the country's response and critics have called some measures "excessive," the overall use of contact tracing, quarantine, and both business and movement restrictions have seemingly successfully contained the spread of the virus.

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The hidden hand that uses money to reform troubled police departments

Kit Ramgopal Brenda Breslauer

July 19, 2020 |

NBC News |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Smaller cities that cannot afford costly payouts for civil settlements in police misconduct cases rely on liability insurance, which can act as a regulator when insurers demand reforms up to and including disbanding troubled departments. While police killings have decreased in large cities over the past six years, they have increased in the suburban and rural areas served by the vast majority of police departments. “Loss prevention” measures that require policy and personnel changes have been proven to work, but insurance that fails to police the police can also shield cities from accountability.

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Renters are rising up to unionise and take on dodgy landlords

Andrew Kersley

July 09, 2020 |

Wired |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom

Renters' unions in the United Kingdom have provided more aide recently because the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated problems facing renters. The Association of Community Organisations for Reform Now is one of the largest renters’ unions in the UK and has been helping members fight illegal evictions and stop landlords from breaking lockdown rules. The group fears a “glut of evictions” when the government lifts restrictions. There are many renters’ unions in the UK, which might dilute their effectiveness, and the combined membership in the thousands is just a small fraction of Britain’s 4.5 million renters.

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How one Seattle teacher kept his kindergartners engaged through the coronavirus closures

Hannah Furfaro

July 04, 2020 |

The Seattle Times |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

When many schools across the U.S. suspended in-person school and switched to virtual learning, a teacher was able to successfully keep his students motivated and hopeful despite the drastic decrease in physical interaction. Kevin Gallagher, a kindergarten teacher, recorded his lessons and uploaded them to YouTube where his students could watch at their convenience, and engaged his students through the use of fun props, as well as talking to them about the realities of living through the pandemic.

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Nuhu Bammali Maternity: Sustaining immunisation gains in Kano despite COVID-19

Bashar Abubakar

June 25, 2020 |

Nigeria Health Watch |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Nigeria, Kano

When COVID-19 cases began spreading in Kano, the local maternity hospital saw a decrease in patients coming for their appointments, so the hospital adapted and started seeing the women in their own homes. Using their already-established "network of Volunteer Community Mobilisers," the house visits were intended to inform the women about the new safety protocols in place in the facilities and encourage them to have their children receive their standard immunizations. The effort not only resulted in more children being immunized, but also improved the women's confidence of the facilities.

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There's No Cure for Covid-19 Loneliness, but Robots Can Help

Kate Knibbs

June 22, 2020 |

Wired |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Japan

Robot pet therapy, which uses a social robot designed to look like a small animal, weigh the same as an infant, and communicate in a socially comforting way, is helping isolated seniors find a sense of companionship during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although some have raised ethical concerns about "the role of robots in caretaking," others point to evidence indicating success such as "reduced reliance on psychotropic drugs, improved blood pressure and oxygenation levels, and stirred the emotions of patients who otherwise often appeared disconnected."

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Home alone yet connected: Casa Feliz equips seniors to be tech savvy

Renee Umsted

June 17, 2020 |

Dallas Free Press |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Dallas, Texas

Casa Feliz works with seniors to foster good health and emotional well-being. The staff took several measures to help seniors cope with COVID-19 stay at home orders. They organized opportunities for social interaction and activities over zoom, where the seniors exercised together, played games, and did other creative activities. Staff visited homes, sent fliers with tutorials and recorded videos to ensure all seniors could access Zoom. They also worked with a food bank to deliver groceries each week, where they would include any materials, like art supplies, that they would need for the Zoom activities.

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Teaching during a pandemic: Island educators use innovative methods to keep students engaged

Jessica Jones-Gorman

June 16, 2020 |

Staten Island Advance |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Staten Island, New York

Although the pandemic has set a serious tone, teachers in Staten Island are helping their students cope with at-home learning through laughter and unconventional methods. Two teachers recorded videos of themselves while wearing wigs and did their best Jersey accent to deliver grammar lessons. A biology teacher used Zoom to guide students through a dissection lesson on chicken legs. These teachers are proving that despite the challenges of teaching through a pandemic, there are also novel opportunities to seize.

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