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Rats are the world's best land mine hunters

Danika Fears

May 30, 2017 |

New York Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Cambodia, Phnom Penh

In countries like Cambodia, Angola, and Mozambique, rats are saving lives by detecting untriggered land mines. An international nonprofit, Apopo, provides funding a training and works with local organizations to operate at the local level. The rats are light enough that they don’t trigger the explosives and can cover up to 2,000 square feet in just 20 minutes – something that would take a human up to four days to complete.

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How do you solve half a century of bloodshed in Colombia?

Lucy Lamble Kary Stewart

April 27, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Colombia

Local civil society groups are at the forefront of rebuilding Colombia. With decades of armed conflict officially ended, efforts to support a lasting peace focus on inequality and land issues and work to advance sustainable rural development.

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Entrepreneurs help rebuild Nepal amid quake recovery delays

Deepak Adhikari

November 02, 2016 |

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) International |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Nepal, Kathmandu

After an earthquake hit Nepal, the government and NGOs struggled to respond fast enough, so local entrepreneurs stepped up to respond in efficient, creative ways. A Nepalese architect designed homes that would withstand future earthquakes. An engineer made a solar light that could help year-round.

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Earthbags Are Harnessing Soil to House the Nepalese

Temma Ehrenfeld

September 20, 2016 |

Garden Collage |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nepal, Kathmandu

In an effort to rebuild after Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake, Earthbags have become a growing method of sustainable, affordable construction. These bags are carefully filled with soil, and stacked on one another to build structures like homes and schools. Across the country, officials, local residents, and non-profits like Good Earth Nepal have embraced the method in a grassroots push to rebuild the country for and by themselves.

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The City That Unpoisoned Its Pipes

Anna Clark

August 08, 2016 |

Next City |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Lansing, Michigan

The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, has left the city in dire straits without funds or political will to replace its lead pipes. Less than fifty-miles away, the city of Lansing has managed to replace almost all of its pipes, even during the Great Recession. Between Flint and Lansing, divergent approaches to management of utilities, funds, and citizen health provide extraordinary lessons about what worked and what caused the failures.

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A Tale of Two Leaks: Fixed in California, Ignored in Alabama

Neela Banerjee

March 17, 2016 |

Inside Climate News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Eight Mile, Alabama

Eight years after a mercaptan spill in Eight Mile, Alabama, its mostly black and working class residents still suffer from respiratory issues, rashes and headaches.

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After the floods: York and Nijmegen - a tale of two cities

Allan Urry

February 09, 2016 |

BBC |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United Kingdom, York

After record-breaking rainfall and flooding, the city of York was at a loss for relief and reconstruction ideas. They turned to the Dutch city of Nijmegen, which had experienced similar flooding and found a solution in building a relief channel.

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Meet the Giant Rats That Are Sniffing out Landmines

Rachel A. Becker

October 07, 2015 |

National Geographic |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Belgium

APOPO, an international nonprofit, has trained Gambian pouched rats to sniff out landmines in countries across the world. These rats have terrible vision, but an amazing sense of smell and have cleared over 13,000 mines since 1997. Training the rats takes about nine months, and includes socializing, teaching them how to walk on a rope in the field, and of course, how to sniff out miniscule amounts of TNT.

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In Cambodia, Rats Are Being Trained To Sniff Out Land Mines And Save Lives

Michael Sullivan

July 31, 2015 |

NPR |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Cambodia, Krong Siem Reap

In Cambodia, demining rats have been trained to detect TNT in the ground, effectively identifying unexploded materials like landmines, bombs, and grenades. These two-feet-long Gambian pouched rats have an excellent sense of smell and are trained by Apopo – an international nonprofit – using bananas as a reward for finding TNT. While they are highly effective, they are just one way the region, hit hard by conflict, is attempting to demine its land.

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Scrooges of the World, Begone!

Nicholas Kristof

December 24, 2014 |

The New York Times |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Haiti, Port-au-Prince

Haiti suffered tremendous losses after the 2010 earthquake, exacerbating the devastation in an already impoverished country. In 2015, agriculture in Haiti is a growing business backed by the United States’ Feed the Future Initiative. Nourishment and health of mothers and babies has also improved with the encouragement of breastfeeding and sweet potatoes.

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