Global Communities Archives
Liberia Honors Cremated Ebola Victims
Liberia Honors Cremated Ebola Victims By Alice Urban, Global Communities Chief Zanzan Karwa (center), chairman of the National Council of Chiefs and Elders, leads a group of traditional leaders processing with the ashes of some 3,000 Ebola vicitims who were cremated at the height of the crisis. Disco Hill, Liberia – A solemn line of…
Read MoreAfraid of the Dark (VIDEO)
Afraid of the Dark It has been four years since the crisis started in Syria, and the crisis continues to deepen, and the human suffering is greater than ever before. Satellite images show that 83% of Syria’s lights have gone out over the last four years – plunging streets, homes, schools and hospitals into darkness, and…
Read MoreLiberia: Fostering Economic Development
Liberia: Fostering Economic Development Since last year, Global Communities and its staff have been on the front lines of the fight against Ebola in Liberia. Working directly with communities on education and prevention practices, in addition to coordinating burial teams and a cemetery for victims of the disease, our work played an important role in…
Read MoreA Year of Response: Liberia Country Director Piet deVries Reflects on Global Communities’ Fight Against Ebola
A Year of Response: Liberia Country Director Piet deVries Reflects on Global Communities’ Fight Against Ebola By Alice Urban, Global Communities Global Communities Liberia Country Director Piet deVries, 57, has managed relief and development programs in eight countries. He has implemented health programming in Liberia since 2013. Monrovia, Liberia – For Global Communities Liberia Country…
Read MoreMENA Youth Empowerment Strategy: Preparing Yemeni Youth for the Labor Market
MENA Youth Empowerment Strategy: Preparing Yemeni Youth for the Labor Market Through the MENA Youth Empowerment Strategy (MENA-YES), Global Communities, in partnership with the Caterpillar Foundation, has launched a three-year, $4.4 million program to target youth aged 15 to 29 in Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen to prepare them for the labor market and job placement.…
Read MoreReclaiming their Communities – Stories from Colombia Responde
Reclaiming their Communities – Stories from Colombia Responde Residents of Montes de Maria share their stories on living in the shadow of drug trafficking and guerilla and paramilitary violence. Colombia’s rural communities have lived for decades in the traumatic shadow of drug trafficking and guerilla and paramilitary violence. This vicious triangle of rivals forced millions…
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day 2015: Recognizing Our Teams Around the World
In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Global Communities is highlighting some of the staff from our country offices and microfinance institutions around the world. Here we profile some of our staff from Colombia, Liberia, Jordan and Gaza. Each of these women work in very different environments, facing unique challenges and obstacles. What…
Read MoreYemen Food for Asset Development (YFAD) Factsheet
Yemen Food for Asset Development (YFAD) Factsheet Funded by the USAID Office of Food for Peace, the Emergency Food Security Program called Yemen Food for Asset Development (YFAD) is a $15 million initiative designed to support and strengthen Yemen safety net systems. It uses a participatory approach to ensure trust and support from key stakeholders, ranging…
Read MoreInternational Women’s Day 2015
International Women’s Day 2015 International Women’s Day, marked on March 8th each year, is a global day to celebrate the achievements of women worldwide. On this day, Global Communities is proud to salute and honor the millions of women around the world striving each day to improve the social, economic, and environmental conditions of their…
Read MoreProfiles of Global Communities ACSI Staff in Iraq
Profiles of Global Communities ACSI Staff in Iraq In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Global Communities is highlighting some of the staff from our country offices and microfinance institutions around the world. Here we profile some of the staff at the Access to Credit Services Initiative (ACSI) in Iraq. Since its creation…
Read MoreGlobal Communities Supports Liberia’s Border Opening with Ebola Screening and Triage Centers
Global Communities Supports Liberia’s Border Opening with Ebola Screening and Triage Centers By Alice Urban, Global Communities Bo Waterside, Liberia – Liberia’s main border crossings officially opened Feb. 22, bringing to an end six months of prohibited international foot and vehicle traffic necessitated by the Ebola crisis. An IOM staff member uses an infrared thermometer…
Read MoreHis Story: Ghaleb Alwan from Kusuma, Yemen
His Story: Ghaleb Alwan from Kusuma Ghaleb Alwan attends the WASH and nutrition training. My name is Ghaleb Alwan. I live with my father, my wife and seven children in Kusuma, a district in the Rayma Governorate in Yemen. Rayma is situated on high mountains, offering stunning views and hosting tropical vegetation and wildlife. But…
Read MoreMicrofinance – Why transparency is not enough and what to do about it
Microfinance – Why transparency is not enough and what to do about it By Cristian Jurma, General Manager, Vitas Romania The topic of transparency is front and center in development today, and nowhere has that caused more soul-searching than the microfinance industry. Fallout from the global financial meltdown brought waves of over-indebtedness to many saturated…
Read MoreBuilding More Resilient Communities in Ethiopia
Building More Resilient Communities in Ethiopia  Redirecting Ethiopian Communities to Overcome Vulnerability and Enhance Resilience (RECOVER) Global Communities implemented the RECOVER program, funded by USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, from 2011-14 to respond to the emergency needs in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Using an integrated approach, RECOVER combined disaster risk reduction strategies…
Read MoreSafe and Dignified Burials in Liberia (VIDEO)
Safe and Dignified Burials in Liberia (VIDEO) As cases of Ebola Virus Disease continue to decline in Liberia, safe and dignified burials have become crucial in reaching the goal of zero infections.  Working with the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, Global Communities opened a safe burial site from Ebola victims outside of Monrovia, Liberia last…
Read MoreKenya Tuna Uwezo Video by Henry Tenenbaum
Kenya Tuna Uwezo Video by Henry Tenenbaum Funded by USAID, Kenya Tuna Uwezo (“We Have the Power” in Kiswahili) aims to reduce politically-motivated conflict in informal settlements in Nairobi and prevent the type of ethnic violence that erupted after the 2007 national elections. Working with local partners, PeaceNet, Youth Banner and Kituo Cha Sheria, the program is bringing…
Read MoreBack-to-School Lists Include More Than Pencils, Notebooks in Liberia
Back-to-School Lists Include More Than Pencils, Notebooks in Liberia By Alice Urban, Global Communities Sanniquellie, Liberia – Three infrared thermometers, 4.5 kilos chlorine, six pairs of heavy-duty rubber gloves, gum boots, and at least one isolation room – these are not items on an average back-to-school list. But as Liberian schools gradually open after a…
Read MoreConsidering Options for Livelihood Interventions in Northern Ghana
Considering Options for Livelihood Interventions in Northern Ghana Chenyan Lu, Cassia O. Moraes, Miks Muizarajs, Matthew J. Smith and Raul A. Soto contribute to Global Communities’ program research             Communities in northern Ghana face harsh and unpredictable climate which negatively affects local agricultural systems as well as…
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