The fastest way to change society is to mobilize the women of the world.
Charles Malik, Lebanese philosopher and diplomat (via halftheskymovement)
Education against all odds in Afghanistan – audio slideshow
As they say, education is light.
Every member of society should have knowledge.
Through knowledge we can solve all our problems.(via Toni Greaves/Mercycorps)
Thanks to The Atlantic, PBS Newshour, Poptech and all who’ve reblogged this slideshow featuring our INVEST vocational training center in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Learn more about these incredible, courageous women.
(via theatlantic)
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Mercy Corps is training women to lead land conflict mediations and empower other indigenous women to find their voice in negotiations. See three of the mediators in action, helping women in Guatemala cultivate a living from their land.
Guatemala’s economy depends on agriculture. Yet 70% of cultivable land belongs to only 2% of the population. Historical inequalities and the lack of official land-registration mechanisms have led to thousands of current property disputes, which sometimes turn violent. Mercy Corps has been at the forefront of a movement to resolve these land conflicts through productive dialogue. Today we’re working to ensure women have a seat at the mediation table. Learn more.
Photos by Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps
Printable solar cells could turn anything into an energy source.
A team at MIT has developed a process to ‘print’ solar cells onto almost any surface. Using chemical vapour deposition, the process uses “abundant organic molecules” to convert about 2 percent of the available energy into light. Typical solar panels are around 12-17% efficient, but the team thinks 10% efficiency is achievable.
The cost of installing panels keeps many people from adopting solar power, Barr says. By integrating it into ordinary materials, he thinks he can clear that hurdle. “You’re already hanging a curtain in your house,” he says. “Why not add some energy to that?”
Advances in solar power could greatly help rural communities in developing countries. Here’s a look at how solar energy is making a big difference for small business owners in Uganda.
(via 8bitfuture)
The Internet’s Population Doubled Over the Last Five Years
Royal Pingdom susses out some interesting trends about the world’s 2.27 billion Internet users:
- Africa has gone from 34 million to 140 million, a 317% increase.
- Asia has gone from 418 million to over 1 billion, a 143% increase.
- Europe has gone from 322 million to 501 million, a 56% increase.
- The Middle East has gone from 20 to 77 million, a 294% increase.
- North America has gone from 233 to 273 million, a 17% increase.
- Latin America (South & Central America) has gone from 110 to 236 million, a 114% increase.
- Oceania (including Australia) has gone from 19 to 24 million, a 27% increase.
They also note that Asia’s Internet population is almost double the entire Internet population was in 2007.
(via newshour)
Children in Colombia are at a high risk of leaving school for dangerous and illegal low-paying work to support their desperate families who have fled violence from the country’s drawn-out internal conflict. Girls are particularly vulnerable. Our Spaces to Grow program uses education to fight child labor in Bogotá’s most impoverished neighborhoods. Learn more.
Haiti’s female entrepreneurs are more protected from losing their livelihood in natural disasters thanks to Mercy Corps and Fonkoze’s MiCRO program. Find out how the innovative insurance helped Josette rebuild her business after last June’s floods wiped out nearly her entire inventory.
Villagers in southwestern Nepal gather to tell Mercy Corps staff about their needs and how they make use of their surrounding environment — land, plants, water. The work is part of an assessment to figure out how to reduce natural resource-based conflict in the area.
Learn more about our work strengthening rural communities in Nepal.
