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Lend Me Your Eyes

Nick Holland

February 05, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United Kingdom, Edinburgh, Scotland

New apps like Tap Tap See and Be My Eyes are helping blind people solve everyday problems by combining smartphone video technology with an army of volunteers. The app allows a blind individual to take a photo or video of an item that the person needs to "see"; it then either automatically interprets the photo and announces it aloud to the user, or, if the app itself cannot identify the object, sends it to a real person somewhere in the world who can.

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USPS Could Tackle Food Insecurity

Jen Kinney

January 27, 2017 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Los Angeles, California

While the USPS has seen a drastic decline in revenues and capacity in recent years due to growing competition from the private sector and social changes, First Class Meal is reimagining the role that this institution has to play: improving national access to healthy food. Using the existing USPS app to connect organizations and food banks that struggle to distribute donations, postal drivers out on their normal routes would pick up donations, deliver to food banks or pantries, and store food in post offices with excess capacity.

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Entrepreneurship Provides New Hope for Former Prisoners

Riva Richmond

January 19, 2017 |

The Story Exchange |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

People exiting incarceration often struggle to land jobs. But a growing number of organizations are promoting entrepreneurship as an alternative path to economic stability for former inmates and it's not a big stretch considering that many of these folks know how to hustle, think creatively and are resilient. Last year the U.S. Small Business Administration launched a pilot program with several funders to foster business ownership among former inmates but some programs have been around for years and have impressive track records.

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Kenya's booming digital sharing economy?

Harriet Constable

January 05, 2017 |

African Business Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Though the big players in the sharing economy like Uber and Airbnb are eyeing growing middle class markets like that of Kenya, the concept of shared access to goods and services is nothing new for Kenyan communities. Whereas in the West, the shared economy structure arose largely from a desire for flexibility, in Kenya, much of it arose from need. Now platforms like Lynk and Little Cabs are helping connect Kenyan customers to a broad range of service providers.

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Cloud Catchers In Peru

Sahar Zand

January 01, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Peru, Villa Lordes, Lima Metropolitan Area

Abel Cruz "catches" clouds on his fog net farm to help provide free water for his community in a slum on the outskirts of Lima, where access to water is very limited and costly. While this solution may never compete with large scale and traditional technologies, many argue there is enormous potential for this simple concept in certain, rural areas of the world.

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Costa Rica modernized without wrecking the environment. Here's how.

Nathanael Johnson

December 15, 2016 |

Grist |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Costa Rica, San Jose

Unlike other countries suffering with an impoverished population, Costa Rica has not destroyed the environment while modernizing its economy. Costa Rica has created a coffee alliance, a collective effort between the government and local farmers to grow and cultivate sustainable coffee agriculture through public policy and land distribution. The coffee alliance has given economic empowerment to the people, while being environmentally green.

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Panic button: how can safety apps for women curb sexual assaults in India?

Priyanka Borpujari

December 12, 2016 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: India

Sexual violence is a huge problem in India. The mobile apps and online maps created in response aren’t helping. Why? The tools are unreliable, not integrated with government services, and don’t address the cultural dynamics surrounding sexual harassment and assault.

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Big Bet Philanthropy: How More Givers Are Spending Big And Taking Risks To Solve Society's Problems

Kerry A. Dolan

November 30, 2016 |

Forbes |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Francisco, California

For the superrich and the biggest U.S. charitable foundations, donating to universities, hospitals and cultural institutions is the norm. Less common are donations targeted at "social change" such as alleviating poverty or tackling global warming - but that is beginning to change. An in-depth study from the Bridgespan Group is showing how big bets in philanthropy are paying off, as well as what factors - such as a close donor-recipient relationship - are key to success.

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Small-Scale Manufacturers See New Markets Tax Credits as Future Hope

Johnny Magdaleno

November 30, 2016 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Baltimore, Maryland

As major manufacturers keep "pulling the rug" from under urban areas, low skilled job loss increases. Nevertheless, small-scale businesses have instrumental in their ability to counteract job loss in improvised urban areas. Small businesses are using tactics such as creative tax cut regulation to cut corners to pay livable wages to low-income workers.

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Economics And Cannabis In Rural New Mexico

Sarah Gustavus Lim

November 18, 2016 |

KNME-PBS |

Broadcast TV Programs |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Las Vegas, New Mexico

In this episode of New Mexico in Focus, we examine the economic impact of medical cannabis in rural communities in our latest report for Small Towns, Big Change. Producer Sarah Gustavus also looks at the potential impact of legalizing recreational marijuana in New Mexico.

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