Dengue fever has become widespread in the tropical world, causing as many as 390 million infections per year in 128 different countries. Researchers at the University of Malaya (UM) have devised an LED street lamp to capture mosquitoes to curb the spread of dengue and other mosquito-borne illnesses.
Rising a bicycle offers unending benefits to both personal health and our environmental footprint. Some cities, like Helsinki, are stepping up to make cycling a key component of urban architecture and development.
Established in 2013, The Real Junk Food Project is a network of cafes that diverts food waste and uses it to create delicious, healthy meals on a pay-as-you-feel model. Every day volunteers go out to intercept surplus food from supermarkets, food banks, allotments, wholesalers—wherever it can be found—and deliver it straight to those who need it.
In North America, teens and young adults are the most at-risk for dealing with mental health issues. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide is the cause of death for 24% of people between the ages of 15 and 24. Stigmas surrounding mental health often stop people from seeking help, but one organization, Art With Impact, is working towards breaking down these barriers.
For many women, playing volleyball or going for a jog are beneficial, stress-relieving pursuits. It is hard to imagine that in some parts of the world, females are banned from participating in sports because of religious, gender, and ethnic discrimination. The non-profit organization Free to Run is changing that by bringing athletics to women in hard-to-reach parts of the globe.
A child in the developing world dies every three seconds because of a lack of basic access to health care and medicines. Public health systems in many developing countries are critically underfunded, understocked, and understaffed. However, one organization is taking an idea from the Avon Lady to help solve this problem.
Sierra Leone finally reopened classroom doors after a nine-month school closure during the Ebola outbreak. Unfortunately, the government also announced a ban on all visibly pregnant girls in the classroom. An initiative has since been launched in collaboration with the government to encourage new and expecting teenage mothers to return to school, in response to the spike in pregnancies observed during the Ebola crisis.
The UNHCR has introduced and promoted the use of mud stoves and biomass briquettes in the Nakivale refugee camps in Uganda through its Briquette-Making Project, a simple innovation that is having a major impact for women and children in the camp.
ColaLife is a non-profit organization independent from Coca Cola that uses the drink company’s international distribution networks to get humanitarian health kits to remote communities in Zambia.
South Africa has one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world. Although breastfeeding is the single best way to nourish a child and provide immunity, many South African children continue to die of malnutrition. Now, several initiatives are using new techniques to promote and encourage breastfeeding in the country.
