HIGHLIGHTS
Helping students in Sierra Leone stick with school
The pandemic disrupted learning for all students in ways large and small, but for some children, it threatened to permanently derail their education. A recent UN report estimated that when public schools in Liberia reopened in December 2020, for instance, 43% of students did not return.A one-stop center for survivors of gender-based violence in South Africa
Gender-based violence is a pervasive problem around the globe, but South Africa faces special challenges.For seriously unwell kids, a palliative care nurse can be key—if the position can be filled
Nurses like Lucy, who provide skilled and compassionate care, can make a huge difference in the lives of people in need of medical support and their families. But the pandemic has exacerbated a preexisting nursing shortage, leaving too many patients without the attention they deserve.Performing arts help people in Missouri reenter society after incarceration
"Doing this is fun because it's different. I love working with this group of women. We work hard together to make something amazing happen," said one participant in Prison Performing Arts (PPA) programming at the Women’s Eastern Reception Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Vandalia, Missouri.An orchestra where musicians with and without disabilities pursue excellence
“I’d been like part of a choir previously, but because I was undiagnosed at the time, there was like this consistent disconnect,” says saxophonist Jamie. “I wasn’t sure how to voice my needs and I distanced myself from like a lot of musical performance groups.”A map of the Athens that lies beneath
If you stop for a moment in Syntagma Square, at the heart of Athens, you’ll see kids skateboarding, commuters rushing for the metro, buskers performing on the street, and tourists taking it all in.Helping keep kids safe by broaching a difficult topic: Unsafe touch
Their cheeks are pinched, their hair is stroked, their backs are patted, and their foreheads are kissed. It’s not always easy for a child to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touch by others, to voice concern, or to seek help—even when the stakes can be devastating.Progetto Arca’s food box distributions in Italy: “It is enough not to be ashamed to ask for help”
“The fridge started to empty; sometimes at dinner I prepared milk and chocolate for the children, an apple for me,” wrote Lisa, a 27-year-old beautician in Rome.Direct cash assistance helps people in Rwanda’s Gakenke district plan for successful futures
In December 2020, on top of the punishing effects of the pandemic, residents of the Janja and Mataba sectors in Northern Rwanda’s Gakenke district faced devastating floods and the resulting landslides washed away homes, crops, and livelihoods.