“This story is ultimately about how small acts of kindness can bring a little humanity, even in a tragedy that defies all imagination.” It’s an account of what a retired undertaker has achieved in Kamaishi, Japan. Atsushi Chiba took it upon himself to clean and tend to the dead bodies of hundreds of last year’s earthquake and […]
Today, as reported by the BBC, Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to deliver a campaign message and even to criticize her country’s political system. A clear sign that things are changing positively in Burma, she was able to speak for 15 minutes on national television and radio as part of a […]
This story has been reported by several news channels in the last few days, but it’s worth repeating. The UN has reached one of the millennium development goals ahead of schedule. Goal number 7 is to “Ensure environmental sustainability.” Within that goal, target 7C is to “Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without […]
Yes! It’s time to rejoice and congratulate all those who contributed to an entire year without polio in India! Do so here.
Here’s a message from the Geneva-based World Economic Forum: “In case of a major humanitarian disaster, the primary mechanism for coordinating humanitarian assistance is the Cluster system – unique cooperation involving key UN and non-UN humanitarian partners. The Logistics Emergency Teams (LET) developed by the World Economic Forum and partner companies are the first example […]
India Gate, Mumbai Having just returned from a trip to India, visiting Mumbai and Kolkata, the good news to report is that India seems to be on the rise, with more and more people climbing out of abject poverty. There’s been a huge increase in the size of the middle class. Sure there are still […]
Who is building a world in which every child: Is loved and respected regardless of race, religion or caste Is fed and clothed and housed within a caring family environment Has free access to quality education and training in line with his or her abilities Has free access to quality health care Has free access to […]
The Good Times is back. After a short absence, during which time it seemed there was no good news to report (the Euro crisis, the lack of world leadership, human rights abuses worldwide, crazy weather across the globe, just to mention a few), The Good Times has surfaced much that’s good to profile. So stay […]
John ‘Jody’ Kretzmann and John McKnight are the directors of Assets Based Community Development Institute (ABCD Institute) at Northwestern University in the US. ABCD mobilizes struggling communities using resources already at hand and shows them how to work toward positive change. “Challenging the traditional approach to solving urban problems, which focuses service providers and funding agencies on the […]
Many of you in the US will no doubt have heard about KaBOOM! Elsewhere, though, little is known about this non-profit organization, “dedicated to saving play for America’s children.” What is KaBOOM!? In their own words, “We are peppy, purple-adorned people who passionately promote the power of play!” It’s clear that children are more sendentary […]
