Our Stories

Reforestation project brings life and growth to Haitian communities

“Reforestation, that’s life. By reforesting the mountains, water sources will be protected and that will prevent landslides,” says Troimène Siméon, a member of a group of women working for the reforestation of the town of Aquin. “We had problems sending our kids to school. The reforestation project more

Coping with environmental change in Ethiopia

Climate change has hit hard in the Afar Region of Eastern Ethiopia. Ali Hamadu has lost all his livestock as a result of five years of drought. Once a thriving pastoralist, today Ali and his wife and three children rely on food aid from the government and humanitarian organizations. “I was previousl more

Transforming ecosystems and livelihoods in Cambodia

The Northern Plains of Cambodia are exceptionally important for global biodiversity. Overexploitation, particularly from uncontrolled commercial hunting of large mammals, logging of forests and destructive fishing practices, has posed a significant threat to this biodiversity. The loss of this biodi more

Burundi: Reclaiming forest reserve while improving livelihoods

During Burundi’s civil war, thousands of people sought refuge in the Kibira forest reserve near the capital Bujumbura. But since the war ended in 2002, damage to the forest has been exacerbated as internally displaced persons and nearby communities cut down trees to clear land for farming, and use t more

In Bolivia, microloans lift thousands of women from poverty

Linet Claros Yevara, a resident of Mizque, a municipality in Bolivia with an 85 percent rate of extreme poverty rate, has seen her situation improve a lot lately. “My family eats better," she says. "Every day I give them fruit.” These improvements are thanks to the Semilla, or Seed, prog more

In Myanmar, communities use water to power the future

For the 47 families of Thicong village, going on two-night expeditions into the forest 12 km away to collect wood was part of a routine. They needed wood to cook, to keep warm and to light their homes. Collecting enough wood to last a family two weeks took time and effort. But this is how life had a more

Nicaragua: Electricity empowers rural communities

Maribel Ubeda’s is among the 4,400 families from eight rural communities in Nicaragua who gained access to electricity when a new 300 kilowatt micro-hydropower plants was inaugurated by local authorities in her village. “When they first told us about this project, people in my community didn’t belie more

Building a brighter future for rice farmers in Cambodia

Farmers in the small community of Tuol Sdey, in the Svay Rieng province of southeastern Cambodia, have reason to be happy. For the first time in decades they can rejoice in having two harvests in one season. This is largely due to the construction of a new water dam which stores rain in a near more

Uzbekistan: Newly-trained nurses provide relief for people living with HIV

In Uzbekistan, Rano Isaeva has taken time from her job as a healthcare worker to attend a training that will teach her how to provide palliative care services to people living with HIV and train their families on how to provide home-based care. “Patronage nurses bring relief to the patients and educ more

Women bring solutions to waste management in Burundi

In the northwest province of Cibitoke in Burundi, Peruth Ndayiramye wakes up every morning to fetch food and water for her family, and to take her goat out to graze. “After that I wash myself, I entrust my children the house work to be done, and I’m going to work,” Peruth says. One member of a tea more

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