Our Stories

In the DRC, community centres help people learn to live again

In 2004, a 34-year-old widow in Congo named Maman Miriam* was raped by three armed men who slashed her genitals with a knife, leaving her with physical and emotional scars. She felt completely abandoned and unable to care for her three children. In 2010, she became one of the first people to benefit more

Fighting sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Gisèle* sits in the relative safety of a clinic for victims of sexual violence in the district of Ituri. The mother of three, whose husband was killed during recent fighting, tells a harrowing but sadly typical story about her experience in the conflict in this part of eastern DRC. “I took refuge in more

Through small businesses, Haitian women anchor economic reboot

Ninite Eltêbe, 56, is a resilient Haitian woman who lost her business after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Three years later, she is the leader of a cooperative of 25 women who raise and sell chickens locally. “I enrolled in a three-month skills development training programme on chicken rear more

Legal aid helps vulnerable in Darfur protect their rights

In the small town of Garssila in Central Darfur, 13-year-old Aisha had her childhood cut short when she was brutally raped by a man while on the way to the market. Unfortunately, Aisha’s case is not an isolated one. As law enforcement agencies in Darfur have insufficient resources and incentives to more

In Uruguay, programme helps parents keep children healthy

Cecilia Correa smiles as she watches her daughter sleep in her arms. At times, she sings her the same songs that she herself heard as a child. Today, she is filled with pride that she is better prepared to take care of her daughter and to ensure that she grows into a healthy young woman. Such an out more

Indonesia: Fighting for Social Justice

Three years ago, Indonesian housewife Ibu Odah had little knowledge of legal affairs. Now, the mother of two is at the forefront of a legal fight against domestic violence in the remote island of Ternate, in the North Moluccas province of Indonesia. With the knowledge and expertise that she has acqu more

Classrooms promote peace in Sudan

In Mazmoom in Sennar State, things are tense. The normally quiet village in the south-east corner of Sudan has been the scene of conflict in recent months. More than 3,800 returnee Sudanese, including some 1,800 ex-fighters, are trying to establish new homes and farms in the small community. M more

In Nicaragua, programme helps youth create businesses

As a child in Nicaragua, Leyli Siles studied, ran and played hide-and-seek just like any other little girl, even though she was deaf and born into a poor family. But by adolescence she began to feel that her hearing impairment was checking her aspirations. As the years went by, Siles became desponde more

In Montenegro, legal aid services make justice accessible for all

A.S.,* a middle-aged housewife and mother of two in Montenegro, was divorced and on her own. For three years, she received no support from her ex-husband and lacked the means to raise her children. But through a new legal aid program Montenegro rolled out in 2011, she was able to access legal aid, a more

Farmers' cooperatives increase food security in Cuba

Yudiel Mojena Guerra, a young farmer from eastern Cuba, was given land from the government as part of a strategy to increase domestic food production. So he started working at a run-down dairy farm, refurbished it, and bought some livestock. But like most workers in the non-state sector, he soon fou more

In Georgia, vocational training equips youth for job market

By Sophie Tchitchinadze, a finalist in UNDP's second annual storytelling contest Last year, 19-year-old Nino Narmania learnt she needed computer skills to do her favourite job—sewing and making clothes. Intrigued and excited by the project, she enrolled in a college-level professional tailoring prog more

Legal Aid Clinics in Gaza help people get protection of the law

Asma* lived in Jabalia Camp in the Gaza Strip where she attempted to raise a family whilst trapped within a violent marriage. Aggression and attacks were part of her daily life; bruises and physical scars a recurring reminder of her predicament. Her husband often prevented Asma from seeing her more

Local governance in Rwanda

Murengerantwari Syldio is a farmer in Rwanda’s Rulindo district. Until recently, had no way of selling his crops because poor roads restricted his access to neighbouring districts. Fortunately, however, a United Nations (UN) initiative, supported in part by the United Nations Development Pro more

Supporting democratic elections in the new Tunisia

by Jamel Haouas, first place winner, UNDP's storytelling contest Sumaya Al Arounony, a second year student of informatics from the coastal town of Ben Arous in Tunisia, had never voted before. But, on the morning of 23 October 2011 that was not the only reason for her eagerness to vote. more

Chinese farmers plant seed for a chemical-free future

By Adam Pitt, third-place winner of UNDP's second annual storytelling contest Seventy-year-old Dang Jiuru dreamed of sending his grandson to university, but until recently his lifelong ambition seemed destined to remain unfulfilled. His apple orchard in Luochuan County, Shaanxi Province, simply did more

Eco-stoves empower indigenous women in Brazil

By Daniel De Castro and Jacob Said, winners of UNDP's second annual storytelling contest The sun was still rising and Delma Gonçalves, 41, had already spent two hours trekking to the place where she and the rest of her settlement collected firewood. The return trip was even worse: under the hot sun, more

In Gaza, safe water supply changes lives

By Dania Darwish, finalist in UNDP's second annual storytelling contest Water is scarce in the occupied Palestinian territory and supplies barely meet the needs of the Palestinian people. More than 13 percent of the population currently has no access to running water, and many of the existing water more

AIDS in Gaza: “I know, so I am not afraid”

Fifty-year-old Um Mohammad, a mother of nine, has been living with HIV for 16 years in the Gaza Strip in the occupied Palestinian territory. She was nursing her baby girl when tests revealed she was HIV positive. “We found out that I got the HIV while I was still breastfeeding my youngest. I got it more

In Benin, women cotton growers embrace organic agriculture

Each year, on average, Benin produces 220,000 tons of cotton, representing 45 percent of its fiscal income and 13 percent of its Gross National Product. Yet, in the northern municipality of Banikoara - Benin’s top cotton-producing region - the excessive use of chemical fertilizers by some cotton gro more

In Venezuela, music provides hope for impoverished youth

Nehyda Alas, a teacher and director of Venezuela’s Teresa Carreño Youth Symphony Orchestra, believes that when children are exposed to music their behaviour improves. He should know. Alas has been teaching music education to at-risk youth from Caracas’ poor communities, where children and teens are more

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