Every year, thousands of children in India run away from home, boarding trains in search of safety and a better future. Fleeing poverty, abuse or neglect, many have no destination in mind, only hope that life elsewhere will be better. Unsure of what lies ahead, many children use trains in search of refuge. In India, a child goes missing every eight minutes.
Many of these children eventually become known as “runaways” or “street-connected youth,” though they leave home for a variety of reasons. Often, they seek escape from difficult circumstances and board trains without a specific destination. Children who experience forced labor, domestic violence, neglect, accidental separation or extreme poverty often see no alternative but to leave home. Although many leave without knowing where they will end up, they board trains hoping to find safety and opportunity as the number of missing and street-connected children continues to grow.
Behind these statistics are children like 15-year-old Raju, whose experience illustrates why so many minors leave home. One December morning, Raju, born in Madhya Pradesh, decided to flee his home and travel by rail to another state because of abuse from his father. Forced to endure grueling work or face severe consequences, Raju saw no other choice when considering his future. Raju told FairPlanet, “He used to mercilessly beat me up if I did not accompany him to work. My parents stopped sending me to school after the eighth grade because I was the oldest child, and I had to start earning money.” Raju’s story mirrors the experiences of thousands of children in similar situations.
For children like Raju, trains are often the most affordable and accessible way to reach safety, with more than 400 trains serving Delhi daily. However, the number of children going missing is alarmingly high. In 2024, the National Crime Records Bureau reported 98,375 missing children, or 269 children every day. A total of 22,768 male and 75,603 female children went missing, an increase of 7.8% from 91,296 the previous year. Despite this, there is reason for hope: recovery efforts have successfully located more than 98,800 children, providing futures for street-connected youth in India.
Railway Children Foundation
The Railway Children Foundation, established in 1995, is an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) whose mission is grounded in the belief that every child can thrive free from life on the streets. Collaborating with governments, communities and transport companies, it aims to identify vulnerable children and offer vital support. Over the past year, the organization reached and safeguarded more than 3,308 children in India across eight train stations, located more than 1,700 children, and trained 3,935 railway officials on child rights and protection.
The organization highlights the dangers children face when arriving alone at busy railway stations, where many remain lost, frightened and preyed upon by traffickers. Large stations attract traffickers because of their anonymity and the high influx of unaccompanied children from across India.
With more than 25 million daily passengers, railway stations have become key hubs for human trafficking. In India, trafficking is a widespread internal issue affecting boys and girls, with more than 13,000 cases reported thus far in 2026 and only about two-thirds of the children recovered. Odisha, Bihar, Telangana and Maharashtra have the highest number of cases, driven by socioeconomic vulnerabilities and by forced marriage, labor and sexual exploitation.
To help prevent a life filled with violence and exploitation, trained workers identify vulnerable children arriving alone and coordinate with transport staff and police to escort them to a foundation shelter, where they can receive crisis support. Additionally, child help desks at stations are set up to help children find someone trustworthy and receive care.
Childline India Foundation
The Childline India Foundation partners with Indian Railways to rescue children in transit. Railway personnel are trained to recognize signs of trafficking to save children before it is too late. During one railway intervention, Childline staff intercepted four boys deceived by a trafficker promising employment. Instead, investigators found they were being taken to perform forced labor for 12-14 hours a day under abusive conditions. The foundation encounters similar cases every day, rescuing an average of more than 90 vulnerable children through its railway intervention program.
The foundation also raises public awareness about vulnerable children traveling by train, adorning trains and platforms with 200,000 signs advertising its initiative and contact information. Announcements on PA systems also draw attention, encouraging passengers to stay alert, and child kiosks, staffed 24 hours a day at more than 83 stations, facilitate swift action. These efforts account for 48,000 rescued children since 2015.
The outcomes have been encouraging, with hundreds of calls from passengers who believe children are trafficking victims. To afford futures for street-connected children in India, once rescued, they receive shelter, counseling and support as they begin rebuilding their lives.
Looking Ahead
Every child boarding trains to find a better future deserves the opportunity to thrive in a safe environment where education, stability and safety replace uncertainty and fear. For thousands of runaway children in India, a train ride begins as an escape from abuse but can lead to worse outcomes without effective intervention. While the challenges remain immense, expanding railway intervention programs, increasing public awareness and strengthening child protection systems offer hope that fewer children will fall victim to exploitation. Goals proposed by organizations such as Railway Children include family reunification and care, immediate protection and care, systemic policy, long-term empowerment and futures for street-connected children in India. With continued cooperation and awareness, children will have a chance at reconciliation with their families, the safety to thrive and an opportunity to look toward a brighter future.
– Elora Gunn
Elora is based in Louisville, KY, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
Indigenous Communities and the Digital Divide in Guyana
Geographic Isolation and the Digital Divide in Guyana
Historically, Indigenous communities are disproportionately represented among those living in poverty due to geographic isolation, limited infrastructure, and reduced access to education, health care and digital services. Guyana’s persistent digital divide is one of many barriers preventing the hinterland regions from fully participating in the country’s economic progress. Approximately 10% of Guyana’s population identifies as Indigenous, with Amerindian communities residing in regions 1, 7, 8 and 9. These regions are characterized by dense rainforests, rivers and mountainous terrain that make transportation and infrastructure development particularly difficult. As a result, many villages remain isolated from technological resources essential to modern life.
Geographic isolation perpetuates poverty by restricting access to economic opportunities more readily available in urban areas with better connectivity. To bridge the digital divide, Guyana’s government launched Information and Communication Technology (ICT) hubs. These hubs provide internet access, computers and digital skills training to thousands of residents across the hinterland regions. They enable community members to complete online training, search for employment, communicate with government agencies and develop small businesses that reach customers beyond their villages.
Expanding Digital Infrastructure Across the Hinterland
Several organizations are working together to close Guyana’s digital divide. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) partners with the Government of Guyana, the National Data Management Authority and the office of the Prime Minister to expand broadband access in Indigenous communities. Through these partnerships, more than 250 ICT hubs have been established in Amerindian villages, providing internet access, computers, digital literacy training and public services. These hubs also support entrepreneurs, students and local leaders by improving access to education, financial services and government programs.
According to the Government of Guyana, internet connectivity has now reached 253 Amerindian communities, marking one of the country’s largest investments in digital inclusion to date. As additional satellite technology and renewable-energy-powered infrastructure are deployed, more remote villages are expected to gain reliable internet access.
Digital Inclusion Can Reduce Poverty
Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) acknowledges digital infrastructure as a fundamental element of sustainable development. Reducing the digital divide in Guyana generates opportunities that extend beyond communication. Enhanced connectivity enables students to pursue online education, entrepreneurs to access broader markets, health care providers to expand medical services, and governments to deliver public resources more efficiently. Digital literacy prepares future generations to join a workforce increasingly reliant on technology. As Guyana invests oil revenues in national development, ensuring that Indigenous communities have equitable access to digital resources is essential for reducing long-term poverty and fostering inclusive growth.
Guyana’s economic success presents a historic opportunity to ensure prosperity reaches every community. Continued investment in broadband infrastructure, digital literacy and community technology centers can help reduce long-standing inequalities experienced by many Indigenous populations. Partnership between the Government of Guyana, UNDP and additional community agencies is already demonstrating that expanding digital access creates meaningful opportunities in both education and economic participation.
Looking Ahead
As internet connectivity continues to expand across the hinterland, more families will gain the tools needed to improve their livelihoods, strengthen local businesses and participate fully in Guyana’s rapidly growing economy. Bridging the digital divide is not simply about technology; it is an investment in sustainable poverty reduction and a more inclusive future for all Guyanese.
– Rayonna M. Sanders
Photo: Flickr
The Benefits of Expanding Solar Power in Nigeria
Bringing Electricity to Underserved Communities
Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) leads many of the country’s renewable energy initiatives. Established to increase electricity access in underserved communities, the agency works with private companies to develop solar mini-grids, standalone solar home systems and other renewable energy projects. Rather than relying solely on expanding the national power grid, the REA focuses on decentralized energy systems that can provide reliable electricity to remote communities more quickly. The agency states that its mission is to improve quality of life and create economic opportunities by expanding access to affordable and sustainable electricity. Its work also encourages private-sector investment in renewable energy, helping to make projects financially sustainable.
The Nigeria Electrification Programme
One of Nigeria’s largest renewable energy initiatives is the Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP). Launched in 2018 with support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank, the program seeks to increase electricity access for households, small businesses, schools and health facilities through renewable energy technologies. According to the program, it supports solar home systems, mini-grids and productive-use appliances while encouraging private-sector participation.
Since its launch, the NEP has provided electricity access to more than 7.8 million Nigerians, including 1.1 million households and approximately 470,000 female-headed households. The program has also supported more than 11,400 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and installed 94 megawatts of solar capacity. These projects help businesses remain open longer, reduce dependence on expensive diesel generators and improve access to essential services.
Supporting Education and Economic Growth
The use of solar power in Nigeria has benefits that extend beyond powering homes. Schools with dependable electricity can improve classroom learning through lighting, computers and internet access. Health clinics can refrigerate vaccines, operate medical equipment and provide care after sunset.
Solar energy also supports local economies. Small businesses can keep shops open later, power equipment and reduce operating costs associated with fuel-powered generators. According to the Rural Electrification Agency, many of its programs are designed specifically to improve productivity in sectors such as education, agriculture and small business development while creating an environment that encourages private investment.
Expanding Opportunities Through Partnerships
Public-private partnerships have played a major role in Nigeria’s solar expansion. Through the NEP, the government works with private developers to install solar home systems and mini-grids in communities that previously lacked reliable electricity. The REA also administers programs such as the Rural Electrification Fund and Solar Power Naija, which support companies that expand renewable energy access throughout the country.
Organizations such as Solar Sister have complemented these efforts by training women entrepreneurs to distribute clean energy products in underserved communities. These initiatives not only improve access to electricity but also create income-generating opportunities for local business owners.
Looking Ahead
Although challenges remain, including the need to expand electricity access to millions more Nigerians, solar power in Nigeria has become an increasingly important part of the country’s energy strategy. Government initiatives, international partnerships and private-sector investment continue to increase access to reliable electricity while supporting education, health care and economic development.
As Nigeria expands renewable energy infrastructure, solar technology is helping communities overcome longstanding barriers to electricity access. By powering homes, businesses, schools and health facilities, these investments demonstrate how renewable energy can contribute to poverty reduction and create new opportunities for long-term development.
– Camille Utter
Photo: Flickr
Railway Children Foundation for Street-Connected Youth In India
Many of these children eventually become known as “runaways” or “street-connected youth,” though they leave home for a variety of reasons. Often, they seek escape from difficult circumstances and board trains without a specific destination. Children who experience forced labor, domestic violence, neglect, accidental separation or extreme poverty often see no alternative but to leave home. Although many leave without knowing where they will end up, they board trains hoping to find safety and opportunity as the number of missing and street-connected children continues to grow.
Behind these statistics are children like 15-year-old Raju, whose experience illustrates why so many minors leave home. One December morning, Raju, born in Madhya Pradesh, decided to flee his home and travel by rail to another state because of abuse from his father. Forced to endure grueling work or face severe consequences, Raju saw no other choice when considering his future. Raju told FairPlanet, “He used to mercilessly beat me up if I did not accompany him to work. My parents stopped sending me to school after the eighth grade because I was the oldest child, and I had to start earning money.” Raju’s story mirrors the experiences of thousands of children in similar situations.
For children like Raju, trains are often the most affordable and accessible way to reach safety, with more than 400 trains serving Delhi daily. However, the number of children going missing is alarmingly high. In 2024, the National Crime Records Bureau reported 98,375 missing children, or 269 children every day. A total of 22,768 male and 75,603 female children went missing, an increase of 7.8% from 91,296 the previous year. Despite this, there is reason for hope: recovery efforts have successfully located more than 98,800 children, providing futures for street-connected youth in India.
Railway Children Foundation
The Railway Children Foundation, established in 1995, is an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) whose mission is grounded in the belief that every child can thrive free from life on the streets. Collaborating with governments, communities and transport companies, it aims to identify vulnerable children and offer vital support. Over the past year, the organization reached and safeguarded more than 3,308 children in India across eight train stations, located more than 1,700 children, and trained 3,935 railway officials on child rights and protection.
The organization highlights the dangers children face when arriving alone at busy railway stations, where many remain lost, frightened and preyed upon by traffickers. Large stations attract traffickers because of their anonymity and the high influx of unaccompanied children from across India.
With more than 25 million daily passengers, railway stations have become key hubs for human trafficking. In India, trafficking is a widespread internal issue affecting boys and girls, with more than 13,000 cases reported thus far in 2026 and only about two-thirds of the children recovered. Odisha, Bihar, Telangana and Maharashtra have the highest number of cases, driven by socioeconomic vulnerabilities and by forced marriage, labor and sexual exploitation.
To help prevent a life filled with violence and exploitation, trained workers identify vulnerable children arriving alone and coordinate with transport staff and police to escort them to a foundation shelter, where they can receive crisis support. Additionally, child help desks at stations are set up to help children find someone trustworthy and receive care.
Childline India Foundation
The Childline India Foundation partners with Indian Railways to rescue children in transit. Railway personnel are trained to recognize signs of trafficking to save children before it is too late. During one railway intervention, Childline staff intercepted four boys deceived by a trafficker promising employment. Instead, investigators found they were being taken to perform forced labor for 12-14 hours a day under abusive conditions. The foundation encounters similar cases every day, rescuing an average of more than 90 vulnerable children through its railway intervention program.
The foundation also raises public awareness about vulnerable children traveling by train, adorning trains and platforms with 200,000 signs advertising its initiative and contact information. Announcements on PA systems also draw attention, encouraging passengers to stay alert, and child kiosks, staffed 24 hours a day at more than 83 stations, facilitate swift action. These efforts account for 48,000 rescued children since 2015.
The outcomes have been encouraging, with hundreds of calls from passengers who believe children are trafficking victims. To afford futures for street-connected children in India, once rescued, they receive shelter, counseling and support as they begin rebuilding their lives.
Looking Ahead
Every child boarding trains to find a better future deserves the opportunity to thrive in a safe environment where education, stability and safety replace uncertainty and fear. For thousands of runaway children in India, a train ride begins as an escape from abuse but can lead to worse outcomes without effective intervention. While the challenges remain immense, expanding railway intervention programs, increasing public awareness and strengthening child protection systems offer hope that fewer children will fall victim to exploitation. Goals proposed by organizations such as Railway Children include family reunification and care, immediate protection and care, systemic policy, long-term empowerment and futures for street-connected children in India. With continued cooperation and awareness, children will have a chance at reconciliation with their families, the safety to thrive and an opportunity to look toward a brighter future.
– Elora Gunn
Photo: Flickr
3 Ways ‘Moving The Goalposts’ is Empowering Girls in Kenya
To address these challenges, the nonprofit organization Moving The Goalposts (MTG) has been using football as a tool for social change since 2001. Founded in Kilifi County, MTG describes itself as “a movement powered by sport, community and purpose.” Through its sports, education and health programs, the organization has reached over 50,000 girls and young women ages 9 to 25 across Kenya. Here are three ways Moving The Goalposts is empowering girls in Kenya.
Building Female Leadership Skills
Moving The Goalposts empowers girls by developing them into leaders within their own communities. The football program trains girls as peer mentors, referees and coaches, giving them the opportunities to develop leadership and communication skills on and off the pitch. There are 6,000 women in the program serving as mentors, supporting younger girls and acting as role models in their communities. These leadership abilities build confidence and encourage girls to use their voice to advocate for their rights in education and community development, as well as improving their future employment opportunities.
This is especially important as gender inequality persists in Kenya. Women’s opportunities take a hit after an early marriage or pregnancy, closing the door to higher education. A lack of affordable, quality child care worsens this cycle. The World Bank states that about 31% of 19-year-old girls are already married or have children, a figure that jumps to 49% among the poorest. Helping girls stay engaged in education is therefore key to MTG’s mission.
Supporting Education and School Retention
Education is one of the most effective ways to reduce poverty, yet in Kenya many women leave school without completing their education. According to the World Bank, in Kenya’s poorest areas, 51.3% of women have no education, compared to a national average of 17%. The MTG education program aims to reduce the number of girls who drop out by supporting their educational development, from primary to secondary school and even through vocational training. MTG has a 90% transition rate from primary to secondary school through its academic program and has supported the education of more than 5,000 girls.
To achieve this, MTG provides essential resources such as school fees and learning materials, allowing girls from low-income backgrounds to continue their education. This also gives them the opportunity to increase their future earning potential and improve outcomes for their families, helping break the cycle of poverty.
Improving Health Knowledge
The program considers access to health care and knowledge a fundamental right and trains peer mentors to educate girls on women’s health. MTG has provided these services to more than 50,000 girls and young women. This support is particularly important as teenage pregnancy remains common among girls living in poorer communities; in Kenya, 21% of women living in the poorest communities reported having experienced a teenage pregnancy. By providing accurate health information and peer support, MTG allows girls to make informed decisions about their futures. Better health outcomes can help girls stay in school, pursue employment opportunities and improve their long-term economic prospects.
Empowering Girls in Kenya
As Kenya continues working toward greater gender equality, organizations such as Moving The Goalposts demonstrate how sport can serve as a powerful tool for social and economic development. By helping girls develop leadership qualities, stay in school and make informed choices about their health and futures, the organization is creating opportunities that extend far beyond the football field. In doing so, MTG is helping thousands of young women in Kenya build brighter futures while contributing to the long-term fight against poverty.
– Emma Wheeler
Photo: Flickr
Alleviating Poverty: Water Kiosks in Cambodia
Community members partner with businesses to maintain these stations, using low-cost innovative designs built from easily attainable parts. Recognizing this important need, Teuk Saat 1001, a nongovernmental organization (NGO), teaches rural Cambodians to operate water kiosks, protecting their health and economic opportunities. This organization seeks to help rural citizens find viable employment, participate in local markets and amplify their voices through sustainable entrepreneurship.
Protecting Communities
The water kiosk model uses simple technologies that match a rural community’s resources. Helping small, impoverished villages, Teuk Saat 1001 teaches interested citizens to refine water and manage these facilities. The program not only helps communities secure clean water, but it also instills essential fiscal and business skills to uplift local economies. Trainees become proficient in technical, maintenance and business practices. Nearly 1,000 Cambodian entrepreneurs and delivery staff participate in the program, and 343 operational water kiosks spread across rural villages. It is important to note that these stations also receive foundational grants to help get started, which push economic momentum to launch the small businesses.
Teuk Saat 1001 invites all community members to participate, from advanced operators to beginners, no matter their age. These scalable platforms target regions with limited infrastructure, where less than a third of the population has access to a safely managed water supply. Serving as a small-scale alternative to large-scale infrastructure, these operators learn, bond and grow as empowered leaders. They personally understand the unique challenges facing their own homes.
Preserving Resources
Deploying water kiosks in Cambodia helps provide developing countries with low-cost initiatives. They avoid any additional expensive infrastructure costs while simultaneously bringing clean water to those who need it. Beyond Cambodia, water kiosks are a popular sustainable development technique for other countries struggling with water scarcity. Community operators pass down technical techniques, formulating unique distribution pathways based on regional location and community need. Kiosks provide both economic growth and water cleanliness, eliminating harmful bacteria and waterborne pathogens to create high-quality drinking water that protects the health of rural communities.
Teuk Saat 1001 preserves key communal health in the process. According to the U.N., surface water or other attempts at purification face the risk of severe contamination due to a lack of filtration infrastructure. Rapidly changing climate patterns and pollution from farm pesticides also play a role in contamination. Teuk Saat 1001 empowers these communities to commercialize their water products.
Helping Cambodia
Teuk Saat 1001’s program transforms a basic daily necessity into a powerful monetary asset, tackling systemic poverty in an innovative way. Together, these compact stations produce more than 877,000 liters of safe drinking water every day, providing affordable access to more than 800,000 people. Because communities pass down unique forms of operational knowledge from operator to operator, teaching young generations these sustainable practices allows rural households to secure independent incomes while keeping local villages healthy. With the continued deployment of water kiosks, rural families learn key skills and receive essential monetary support to combat local poverty, moving communities closer to true economic gain, stability and a brighter future for all.
– Maya Tung
Photo: Pixabay
Safe Houses Amid Growing Sexual Violence in Haiti
The Situation in Haiti
Around 300 paramilitary gangs have dominated the void left by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, imposing violent rule. Haiti is in crisis, with only 20% of the capital city not under complete gang control. This has resulted in record levels of internal displacement, with over 1.4 million forced from their homes by the violence, pushing many into displacement sites and leaving women and girls even more vulnerable to sexual violence.
Gangs have weaponized sexual violence in Haiti, with a recorded 1,000% increase in sexual violence against children from 2023 to 2024. The drive to displacement sites has also pushed many women and families into poverty, with more than 80% of women living in these sites now unemployed. That trend is reflected in national poverty figures: 86% of the population lives on less than $6.85 a day, and 36.4% falls within the extreme poverty threshold, on less than $2 a day.
The national effect is compounded by the fact that most women were previously the primary income generators in their households. As a result, around 1 million female-dependent households are experiencing acute food insecurity. Sexual violence continues to impact women and girls disproportionately in Haiti, pushing families further into poverty. However, the opening of safe houses for survivors, along with efforts from the Pan-American Health Organization, an international health agency for the Americas, points to a more hopeful direction in the response.
The First State-Supported Safe Houses
Alongside U.N. Women, Haiti’s Ministry of Women’s Welfare and Women’s Rights led a significant step in addressing sexual violence in Haiti by opening the country’s first state-supported safe houses. These houses are set to provide survivors with a space to receive protection and support as they rebuild their lives and recover from the trauma of escalating gang violence. While this is a new initiative with no outcome metrics yet published, the concept aims to help victims regain their autonomy and safety by prioritizing survivors amid their vulnerability to political violence.
By focusing on women and girls, the initiative could also help address poverty by supporting the rebuilding of family incomes, as these havens aim to provide the assistance survivors need for recovery. The program is intended to offer immediate shelter from further gang violence, providing an escape from the gender-based violence that U.N. Women found was reported in all 22 displacement sites surveyed, underscoring the scale of the crisis.
Efforts from the PAHO/WHO
Alongside this state-led effort, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), is providing psychosocial and health care support to combat sexual violence in Haiti. PAHO, made up of 35 member states, works across its regional offices to improve health, fight disease and provide emergency response. For decades, it has supported Haiti by promoting healthy lives through more effective health services and by prioritizing risk reduction.
To support displaced survivors of sexual violence, funding has allowed PAHO/WHO to improve psychosocial services at displacement sites, deploying 11 psychologists and 11 social workers to provide professional assistance. The organizations have also equipped nine health facilities with specialized tools to treat survivors, including rape care kits, and trained 50 health professionals to provide more sensitive, high-quality care.
Combined with the opening of state-supported safe houses, these efforts represent important steps toward helping survivors return to stable lives and providing an opportunity to escape poverty.
Looking Ahead
The crisis of sexual violence in Haiti demands continued attention, as more victims fall into poverty. Still, the opening of safe houses marks a milestone in the response, establishing new protection and recovery pathways for women and children.
– Amy Carpenter
Photo: Pexels
Refugee Art Initiatives Creating Change Across Borders
Art and Identity in Long-Term Exile
With the average refugee exile lasting around 20 years, creating environments that encourage creativity, expression and education is essential. Refugee art initiatives help ensure that the 6.6 million people living in refugee camps not only survive but also develop socially and emotionally.
Placing art at the center of therapeutic support helps refugees understand their feelings, thoughts and actions. Art allows displaced people to access activism, gain autonomy and influence the world around them, even after their lives have been drastically disrupted. For many refugees, artistic expression becomes a way to reclaim agency in environments where personal choice is often restricted.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), art-based interventions now serve as psychosocial services that improve mental well-being, reduce stress and support emotional stability among displaced populations. These initiatives show how art strengthens identity and improves mental health outcomes among refugees.
Fabric of Women’s Resilience
Through collaboration between Artolution, the United Nations (U.N.) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bangladeshi, Greek, Jordanian and Ugandan refugee women created the Fabric of Women’s Resilience mural. This project stands as a clear example of refugee art initiatives that unite communities through shared experiences. The mural highlights how women use creativity to challenge social norms, advocate for rights and share stories that are often overlooked in humanitarian narratives.
Each group contributed artwork to express their experiences as displaced women and to advocate for equality. The key themes throughout the mural include promoting maternal health care in Bangladesh, challenging gender stereotypes in Jordan, sharing personal experiences in Greece and highlighting connections to communities in Uganda.
Created by 12 refugee women, the mural is a clear example of how art unites and connects communities through shared experiences. It amplifies women’s voices and demonstrates the impact these projects can have on community cohesion. By showcasing diverse cultural perspectives, the mural encourages viewers to recognize the shared humanity within refugee experiences.
Out of Place: Testimony From Refugee Camps
The Out of Place exhibition documents life in 18 of the world’s largest refugee camps through photography, video, installations and research. Featuring the work of 264 artists, the project shows how refugee experiences defy borders and challenges the tendency for displaced people to be forgotten.
The exhibition humanizes the people within the camps who often risk being forgotten. Displaced persons gain the opportunity to express themselves and provide detailed, intimate accounts of their experiences. Humanitarian groups use art to tell refugees’ stories in a way that empowers them and gives them autonomy.
With a population of 220,000 people, Dadaab is Kenya’s largest refugee camp. Ten artists from Dadaab contributed to the exhibition, but their initial shipment of artwork arrived blank, likely due to damage during transit. Determined to share their stories, the artists recreated their pieces to ensure their message reached international audiences. Their persistence shows how these projects empower refugees to reclaim their narratives.
Exile Voices: Photography as Education
Art is increasingly encouraged in refugee camps, particularly through photography. In December 2013, photographer Reza Deghati launched a photography training program for children ages 11 to 15 in a camp in Iraqi Kurdistan. The initiative was successful and led to the creation of the Exile Voices project.
In collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Exile Voices has operated for more than five years, providing art-based education to refugee youth across multiple camps. Photography workshops equip children with practical skills, confidence and creative expression, giving them tools that can support their futures. With 43.3 million displaced children worldwide, access to education through creative programs offers young people a way to build skills despite the disruption of exile.
The Future of Art Initiatives in Refugee Camps
Investment and focus on art-based education and therapeutic programs is increasing. These initiatives have gained recognition as essential tools to help support displaced persons. With new attention placed on using art as a therapeutic tool, these programs are essential to supporting students and youth through life in refugee camps. As they expand, they will continue strengthening resilience among refugees and connecting communities across borders.
These programs not only foster healing and identity but also ensure that displaced people’s stories gain attention.
– Flora De Leeuw
Photo: Flickr
Poverty in Madagascar: Photo Essay Inspired Social Change
Poverty in Madagascar
Madagascar, an African island praised for its biodiversity and remarkably distinct natural landscape, is one of the poorest countries in the world. The World Bank reported that 80% of the country’s population lives below the international extreme poverty line ($2.15 per day) as of 2024. One of the most jarring manifestations of this poverty in Madagascar is the Andralanitra dumpsite.
Andralanitra is a dumpsite located just outside of Antananarivo, the country’s capital. It has been operational since the 1960s and receives more than 600 tons of trash each day. The 50 acres of gray waste are visible in satellite imagery. For years, the Malagasy government did not provide a population count for Andralanitra, saying no one inhabited the dumpsite. In 2015, however, Riccardo Bononi confirmed the existence of 3,000 people living and working at the dumpsite, a finding that inspired social change within the Madagascan government.
Riccardo Bononi’s Work in Andralanitra
Riccardo Bononi is a visual anthropologist from Padua, Italy. He traveled to Madagascar in 2006 as a field researcher and journalist, initially intending to focus on the plague, which remains present on the island today. Locals informed him of an area with the highest number of cases of the disease in the entire country: Andralanitra.
Upon arriving at the dumpsite, Bononi was struck not by the prevalence of disease but by the dire circumstances in which residents lived. He spent four years learning about and documenting the lives of the people of Andralanitra. His photographs and interviews became the photo essay and documentary “City of Flies.”
“City of Flies” was one of the first published works to document the demographics and living conditions of Andralanitra’s residents, giving visibility to some of the most extreme cases of poverty in Madagascar. Most residents are orphans; even adults living at the site were abandoned there as infants by mothers who could not afford to keep them. Residents make a living by sorting through waste to recover metals and plastics that can be sold in town.
A small collection of Bononi’s photos was first published in VICE magazine in 2016. Two years later, Irfoss published Bononi’s complete photobook, “Une Belle Vie, Une Belle Mort” (“A Beautiful Life, a Beautiful Death”). The combination of a photo essay, documentary and photobook drew international attention and became an example of how journalism can inspire social change.
How “City of Flies” Inspired Social Change
In June 2026, Bononi spoke as a guest lecturer for Boston University’s Conflict & Crisis Reporting summer class in Padua, Italy. Speaking to a group of 10 journalism students, Bononi described his work in Andralanitra as his greatest success, saying its value lay not in money or awards but in the change it brought about in Madagascar.
According to Bononi, his documentary’s proof of 3,000 people living in the dumpsite forced the Madagascan government to acknowledge that the site was inhabited, and that the community was made up largely of children. His work also motivated local and international groups to pressure the government to address the humanitarian conditions in which people were working, living and sleeping among waste.
The most significant change, Bononi said, came when he returned to the dumpsite years after his work was published and found it had no residents. The Madagascan government had reintegrated the community, providing residents with jobs within the country’s broader society.
Looking Ahead
Poverty in Madagascar as a whole remains far from resolved, and numerous nonprofit organizations continue working to address the country’s economic and environmental hardships. Still, Bononi’s “City of Flies” illustrates the impact that can come from documenting injustice and giving voice to communities that are otherwise overlooked.
– Mia Puleo
Photo: Flickr
Project Waterfall and Clean Water in Ethiopia
Changes in Climate Threaten Clean Water
The changing climate, prolonged droughts, shifting rainfall patterns and seasonal flooding continue to strain Ethiopia’s water resources, placing increasing pressure on rivers, groundwater supplies and aging water infrastructure. Many rural families travel long distances to collect unsafe drinking water, increasing their risk of diarrhea and other waterborne diseases. According to the World Bank, 38.6% of Ethiopians live below the international poverty line of $4 per day (2021 purchasing power parity, or PPP), making it especially difficult for low-income households to afford medical treatment for waterborne illnesses. Children, particularly girls, often miss school because they spend hours fetching water or attend schools without safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities. These conditions reduce household productivity, limit educational opportunities and make it more difficult for families to escape poverty.
Despite recording a historic $3 billion in coffee exports this year, coffee-growing communities face unique challenges. Ethiopia is Africa’s largest coffee producer and the world’s fifth-largest coffee exporter, with approximately 15 million people depending on coffee production for their livelihoods. Yet many of the same communities that produce one of the country’s most valuable exports still struggle to access safe water and sanitation services.
Project Waterfall Invests in Sustainable Clean Water
Founded in 2011, Project Waterfall unites the global coffee industry to fund sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects in coffee-growing regions worldwide. Rather than providing temporary relief, the organization works with experienced delivery partners, including Splash and WaterAid, to build systems that communities can maintain long after construction ends. Today, Project Waterfall has funded 34 projects, reached more than 80,000 people across seven countries and continues expanding its work where water insecurity remains most severe.
Project Waterfall began working in Ethiopia in 2014, investing in projects that install clean water systems, improve sanitation facilities, provide hygiene education and train local leaders to maintain water infrastructure. The organization also partners with schools to establish WASH clubs to teach students healthy hygiene practices while helping protect new facilities for future generations.
Clean Water Creates Better Health and Better Schools
One of Project Waterfall’s newest initiatives, Project WISE (WASH in Schools for Everyone), demonstrates how clean water can transform everyday life for students. Working with Splash, the program aims to bring safe drinking water, sanitation facilities and hygiene education to every public school in Addis Ababa, serving nearly 1 million children. According to Splash, the program reached 94% of government schools in Addis Ababa while securing $11.4 million in co-investment from the Ethiopian government.
The impact extends beyond access to drinking water, with schools receiving child-friendly water stations, improved toilets, menstrual health education and behavior-change programs that encourage lifelong hygiene habits. According to Splash, WASH service improvements have contributed to a 17% reduction in respiratory illness among students, while menstrual hygiene facilities are helping girls attend school more consistently. In addition to Project Waterfall’s work, the World Bank reports that Ethiopia’s national One WASH Program, spearheaded by the World Bank and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has constructed or rehabilitated more than 10,000 WASH facilities in schools, including 575 schools that now have improved water supplies and 428 schools with menstrual hygiene management facilities, increasing regular attendance and reducing dropout rates among girls. By the end of 2024, Project WISE had upgraded two schools in Addis Ababa, directly benefiting roughly 1,200 daytime students, 1,000 evening students and 170 staff members.
Building a More Resilient Future
Project Waterfall’s partnerships with local governments and organizations demonstrate how community-led solutions can produce lasting results rather than temporary fixes. As these programs expand to additional schools and drought-affected communities, more Ethiopians will gain opportunities to pursue education, improve their livelihoods and build healthier futures. Continued investment in clean water infrastructure will not only strengthen communities today but also help create lasting pathways out of poverty for future generations.
– Ashley Belling
Photo: Flickr
The Clooney Foundation: Waging Justice for Women
Waging Justice for Women
In their program, Waging Justice for Women, launched in 2022, the foundation aims to:
Global Variations in Women’s Rights
Government action on women’s rights varies across the world. Norway and Sweden grant parents 13 months of paid parental leave, whilst in the United States, paid maternity leave is not federally mandated. Access to fundamental rights, whether parental leave or protections against violence, varies tremendously depending on where a woman lives.
Challenges Facing Young Girls
More than 12 million young girls worldwide find themselves in situations of abuse, discrimination, economic disparity and child marriage, according to Time magazine. Many women face these situations due to economic, educational and cultural systems that limit their choices and opportunities. The Clooney Foundation has teamed up with the Gates Foundation and Michelle and Barack Obama to help end child marriage and secure fundamental rights for women, with education access as its primary course of action. Research shows that access to education significantly increases women’s odds of avoiding child marriage, poverty, unintended pregnancies and early death.
Nicholas Burnett makes a similar case in his study, writing that education gives people the knowledge and tools needed to break the cycle of poverty. He notes that one in five adults globally, some 781 million people, cannot read a simple sentence with understanding, and that two-thirds of these illiterate adults are women, with illiteracy concentrated in low-income countries where severe poverty is widespread.
Impact of the Clooney Foundation
The Clooney Foundation has already changed the lives of many. It represents survivors and victims of rape and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has initiated a judicial investigation against the group that committed these crimes, holding those responsible accountable and granting thousands of women greater safety and protection in their homeland.
The foundation has also worked with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Obamas to help lower the child marriage rate in Malawi by 20%. While there is still much progress to be made, this work with the Malawian government has improved quality of life and expanded access to rights for young girls in the country.
Broader Impacts of Women’s Rights
Access to women’s rights positively impacts not only the woman herself but also the community around her. Rhonda E. Howard-Hassmann discusses how the more autonomy women gain, the more they devote themselves to their families and communities. Howard-Hassmann also cites a study from the Ivory Coast and Indonesia that found positive patterns of social connection, responsibility and trust within communities after women gained greater autonomy and rights.
The Clooney Foundation has made several important changes in the lives of countless women in over 40 countries, and it plans to continue this work for years to come.
– Sadie Lopez
Photo: Wikimedia Commons