Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 806 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

Liter by Liter, Indians Get Cleaner Water

Amy Yee

March 21, 2012 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India, New Delhi

Low-cost filtration plants are finding their place in some of the most underserved areas of India. Making a cultural shift from drinking well water to filtered water isn't well-received by all villages in the country, however. Thanks in part to word of mouth as well as a noted difference in health outcomes, there is still hope in fighting the fight to persuade local communities to pay for and drink clean water.

Read More
Go to Original Story
From Young Adult Book Fans to Wizards of Change

Courtney E. Martin

March 21, 2012 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

Global social and economic problems are difficult to change. However, fan-activism fuels the interests of fans of popular young adult fiction. Books such as Harry Potter and the Hunger Games have inspired activist groups that raise awareness of global hunger, reading, and relief supplies to impoverished nations, among others. Being a fan has served as a bridge to become politically active and solve the world’s problems.

Read More
Go to Original Story
In the Fight Against Poverty, It's Time for a Revolution

David Bornstein

January 12, 2012 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

LIFT, founded in 1988 by college students, employs an approach to poverty alleviation grounded in building relationships with communities. LIFT finds volunteers who have demonstrated empathy and then employs them to meet with local families in need, helping them set goals, monitor their progress, and access services.

Read More
Go to Original Story
In a Second Career, Working to Make a Difference

Tina Rosenberg

January 05, 2012 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Some inner city schools, nonprofits, and businesses in New York lack the staff to make their organizations function for the people they serve. ReServe is a program that links retired professionals with part-time jobs in schools, libraries, hospitals and other city agencies to help fil this gap.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Health Payoffs of Time Banks

Tina Rosenberg

September 20, 2011 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Vancouver, Washington

Two columns on Time Banks, where people swap services – teach calligraphy to one neighbor, and get computer repair from another neighbor. Time Banks create community and make people healthier – which is why hospitals and clinics are now starting them.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Slashing the Price of Health With Common Sense

David Bornstein

August 02, 2011 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Organizations are mobilizing volunteers in hospitals to connect low-income families with human services which address social factors like poor housing, nutrition, etc. so patients are able to work and thus afford healthier lives.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Out of Poverty, Family-Style

David Bornstein

July 14, 2011 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

A non-traditional program called the Family Independence Initiative (F.I.I.), uses a radically different approach from the traditional American social service model to empower entire families alleviate themselves from poverty. The results in multiple states thus far have been so striking, that this model of self-sufficiency may be able to have a significant impact reducing poverty nationwide.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The Path From Charity to Profit

Tina Rosenberg

May 26, 2011 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Indonesia, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta

In Jakarta’s slums, families can’t buy their children nutritious food. So Mercy Corps started a for-profit chain of food carts selling healthy kids’ meals. A second column highlights the challenges NGOs face when they try to start for-profit businesses.

Read More
Go to Original Story
A Book in Every Home, and Then Some

David Bornstein

May 16, 2011 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Lack of reading material is not only a third-world problem – many poor families in the United States lack access to and funds for books. A program that helps get books to into the homes of low-income families can boost literacy, and help publishers, too.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Save the Poor by Selling Them Stuff — Cheap

Vince Beiser

April 25, 2011 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Stanford, California

Despite the trillions of dollars of aid money, donations, and goods gifted to impoverished nations each year, the cycle of poverty fails to break, and conventional thinking has shifted to believing that the poor are best served through opportunity, rather than charity. The concept of "marketing to the base of the pyramid' - creating goods and services catered to the wants and needs of the poor that they purchase at an accessible price - started out as somewhat controversial, but is proving in many cases to be more sustainable and empowering than traditional methods of philanthropy.

Read More
Go to Original Story