“I did not know I was being radicalized”: understanding violent extremism

“I did not know I was being radicalized”: understanding violent extremism Preventing violent extremism must be led by local voices. The solutions cannot from the outside, but from the same people who would become the extremists This article originally appeared in Thomson Reuters Foundation News.Written by Selline Korir, Global Communities Those words were spoken to…

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Global Communities Liberia Receives Golden Image Award

Global Communities Liberia Receives Golden Image Award This article first appeared on Reuters Alertnet On July 21st, the Global Communities Liberia team was honored by the Government of Liberia to be a recipient of the Golden Image Award (GIA). First envisioned in 2010 and endorsed by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the GIA is premised on…

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Why the Global Food Security Act Matters

Participants in the Ejo Heza program show off their improved crop yields Why the Global Food Security Act Matters Originally published on Medium By Elizabeth Adams, Global Communities Technical Specialist for Agriculture In today’s polarized political environment, even issues that once received broad bipartisan support have become divisive flashpoints. So the recent passage of the Global…

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Strengthening Conflict-affected Communities in Colombia

Strengthening Conflict-affected Communities in Colombia Through the ANDA program, Global Communities has been helping conflicted-affected communities in Northern Colombia implement practical solutions to help them achieve greater economic and social stability.  These video highlight some of the successes achieved under the ANDA program and demonstarte how communities are becoming empowered to take control and direction of…

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Turning on the Lights in Al Sarhan

Turning on the Lights in Al Sarhan The Al Sarhan municipality, located in the governorate of Mafraq, is made up of nine widely dispersed villages. It is located 20 kilometers to the west of Mafraq city, close to the Syrian border. It is one of the Jordanian communities most affected by the recent influx of…

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New Play Center Puts Smiles on Children’s Faces

Al Khansa’a Puts Smiles on Children’s Faces If childhood is the foundation upon which adulthood rests, then carefree play is one of its most important pillars. Providing children with a safe place to play, explore, and interact with others only enhances a child’s feeling of belonging, but also contributes to her healthy development. With a…

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Volunteers add color to Floreciente neighborhood

Photo by John Schultz, Quad-City Times Grab a brush and lend a hand: Volunteers add color to Floreciente neighborhood This article originally appeared in the Quad-City Times Written by Amanda Hancock Ask anybody here if a few buckets of paint can make a difference in the Floreciente neighborhood of Moline, and they won’t hesitate. They’ll…

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Harvest Losses High in Rwanda: How to turn post-harvest loss into income generation and food security

Harvest Losses High in Rwanda: How to turn post-harvest loss into income generation and food security By Emile Nsengumuremyi, Senior Program Officer & Agronomist, EMIRGE / Rwanda This article originally appeared in Global Cooperative Development Learning Platform. A cooperative farmer in Rwanda demonstrates post-harvest handling for maize. Post-harvest losses are food losses. Each step of…

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World Humanitarian Summit: Turning Agreements into Action

World Humanitarian Summit: Turning Agreements into Action By David Weiss, President and CEO, Global Communities This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Last month, the UN held the first-ever World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. A huge array of commitments, totaling over 1,500 in number, were made by governments, the UN, and NGOs. Among the most important…

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A Community-led Approach to Addressing the Roots of Violence in Nairobi

A Community-led Approach to Addressing the Roots of Violence in Nairobi Violence and conflict have always threatened communities, but in a world defined by globalization, urbanization, mass media, and other trends fueling the rapid movement of people and information across the world, community conflict has the potential to escalate into global crises. Poorer areas often experience disproportionate violence fueled…

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Efforts Unite Neighbors in Floreciente

Efforts Unite Neighbors in Floreciente By Jennifer DeWitt [email protected] This article originally appeared in the Quad City Times. Moline’s Floreciente neighborhood has long been a place for new beginnings. In the early days, Belgians and Swedes settled into the city’s west end to begin their new lives in America. The neighborhood later became central to the…

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USAID Ejo Heza: A Brighter Future for Rural Rwandans (video)

USAID Ejo Heza: A Brighter Future for Rural Rwandans  A healthy, prosperous, and bright future. That is what most people want for themselves, families, friends and community. The USAID Ejo Heza program aimed to achieve just that by helping Rwandans reach their full potential. In Kinyarwanda, the language of Rwanda, “Ejo Heza” means “A Brighter…

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Sowing Futures Through Volunteerism in Horizontina, Brazil (video)

Sowing Futures Through Volunteerism in Horizontina, Brazil Global Communities is working with communities, youth and local institutions in Horizontina, Brazil through a participatory approach that empowers these groups to drive their own development. Through the Sowing Futures program, these groups are more aware of the positive impacts of volunteering. They are learning how volunteerism can contribute…

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A Community Approach to Better Public Health in Rural Liberia

A Community Approach to Better Public Health in Rural Liberia By Russell Sticklor This artilce originally appeared in USAID’s Global Waters. Residents of Lofa County’s Vahun district in Liberia gather to discuss strategy for sustaining recent local sanitation improvements. Photo Credit: Global Communities Liberia is no stranger to difficult times, having weathered a devastating Ebola…

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Improving Livelihoods Through Poultry Farming

Improving Livelihoods Through Poultry Farming For more than two years, 17 farmers and entrepreneurs of Association of Entrepreneur Women (OAMES) in the town of Marañonal have spent their days around the pens in which they raise and sell their chickens. The ANDA Program selected this group of women because of their organizational capacity and provided…

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