UPDATE: Kidnapping children, from Nigeria to Uganda
News continues to come from Nigeria in regards to the story of 234 schoolgirls (a number that was originally thought to be closer to 100) abducted and taken as ‘wives’ for Boko Haram militants. There have been reports of the abductors firing celebratory gunshots following scenes of mass marriages, with the young women being […]
State of the [interactive] Union
I love politics almost as much as I love technology but I’d be naive if I said either were perfect. If you watched last year’s presidential debates, or have seen the disturbing amount of cat videos on YouTube, you know exactly what I’m talking about. However, both play a crucial role in our society and in the […]
Lessons in life from a nine-year-old
Driving home from Little League practice one day, 9-year-old Will Lourcey saw a homeless man with a cardboard sign that read “Need a meal.” So he told his mom he wanted to do something. And do something he did. Taking on the issue of hunger in his community, Will started FROGS: Friends Reaching Our Goals. […]
Opening doors to a brighter future
Jam-packed with world-changers and innovative humanitarians, every year CNN hosts an event to recognize 10 individuals who are helping others by improving communities around the globe called CNN’s Heroes. After highlighting heroes for their inspirational contribution, CNN announces its Hero of the Year. This year the honor went to Pushpa Basnet, awarding her with an additional $250,000 (in addition […]
Game of her life // an underdog story
Ugandan teenager Phiona Mutesi is the ultimate underdog. She grew up in one of the poorest spots on earth, couldn’t read or write, and scrounged for food each day for herself, her mother, and her brother. Phiona heard that a missionary and refugee of Uganda’s civil war named Robert Katende had started a chess program […]
Come together to work together
In 2002, Marie Da Silva wanted to make a difference in the lives of children who had been orphaned by AIDS in her native country of Malawi. At the time, she was working as a nanny in Los Angeles, so with limited resources she did what anyone else would do—she started a school. The Jacaranada School was created […]
Everyday heroes
When I think of a hero, I tend to think of someone who can fly or someone who owns a batmobile. But that was before I learned about CNN Heroes. Since 2007, everyday people are nominated as heroes for their extraordinary efforts to help change the world. These are some of the people voted as the top […]
Reaching the finish line
CNN iReport is always incredibly reliable at bringing those work-hour doses of raw humanity. One of this week’s features continues the trend of blatant emotion – it’s a touching story from Florida’s Sea Turtle Tri-Kids Triathlon. A young boy who was struggling to finish the race was picked up and helped to the finish line […]
Study: who is best at using the internet?
Interesting article from CNN about a recent study: Which country is the best at putting the Web to use? That would be Sweden, according to a new report spearheaded by Tim Berners-Lee, the guy who basically invented the World Wide Web (and who had a role in the opening ceremony of the London Olympics). The […]
The life of an African child
A new World Bank report has found a sharp decline in the child mortality rate of African countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana. CNN made this infographic to show what life is like for children growing up on the world’s youngest continent.