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The Missing Maps

Charlotte Pritchard

November 07, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Malawi

In Malawi and other countries around the world, thousands of towns are not mapped. There is often no financial incentive to do so. However, unmapped areas face many challenges, especially because they are harder to reach after a natural disaster. Missing Maps is trying to help. The project holds map-a-thons in cities such as Beirut and London, and these events use the power of communities to map the world on a massive scale. Over 45,000 volunteers have mapped the homes of over 50 million people in less than three years.

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A Smarter Smart City

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

November 07, 2017 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is one of the poorest cities. Its poverty is a huge concern and feeds into many of the negative aspects of the city. The city is now looking to Smart Cities technology such as smart streetlights, to provide information to various government sectors, which helps them implement new strategies to tackle this problem.

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For Karachi's poorest patients, this hospital makes high-quality care accessible

Fred de Sam Lazaro

November 02, 2017 |

PBS NewsHour |

Broadcast TV Programs |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Pakistan, Karachi

In Karachi, Pakistan’s Jinnah hospital, a private-public partnership between the government and the business sector have brought in over $35 million in donations. Those donations have led to new equipment, buildings, and systems infrastructure to make sure the patients – nearly 5,000 per day – are receiving modern medical care. While the partnership is underscored by the risk of one party backing out, both sides have clear roles and responsibilities to make sure the regions residents receive the care they need.

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What Philly-area CEOs think about hiring ex-inmates

Jane M. Von Bergen

November 02, 2017 |

The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Media Network) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Connecting people coming out of incarceration with employment is crucial to helping them integrate back into society and not return to prison, but employers are often skittish about hiring people with records. Some argue the nature of their work is too sensitive to risk it, especially if employees work with sensitive data or law enforcement agencies. But employers in the Philadelphia metro region who have gone down this path often find it's worth it because the workers tend to be more loyal and stay longer in jobs, making for less turnover.

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In Haiti, A Building That Heals

John Cary

November 01, 2017 |

Bright Magazine |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Haiti, Port-au-Prince

A collaboration between architectural designers and medical providers created a cholera treatment clinic in Port-au-Prince where the design of the building itself supports treatment. The building is well ventilated and filled with natural light, provides an open space for providers to see many patients and be able to respond in case of crisis, and has the ability to collect and treat water.

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The Town Where Public Toilets Are Everywhere

Harriet Noble

October 31, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Germany, Bremen

In cities all around the world, locals as well as tourists struggle to find adequate public restrooms. In Bremen, Germany, a creative partnership is solving the public restroom problem. “The Nice Toilet” initiative allows the local government to pay small businesses a stipend in exchange for putting a sign in their window notifying visitors of their public toilets. The government saves money, businesses make money, and visitors are happier.

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From ‘hallway' to artery, a town rebuilds Main Street

John Miller

October 31, 2017 |

High Country News |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Farmington, New Mexico

Small towns like Farmington, New Mexico take advantage of federal funds from Main Street America and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Act in order to revitalize their town centers and boost their local economies. Farmington, which saw an economic decline surrounding the coal & mining industry, has been able to use money to repair store fronts, replace water systems, and more.

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When federal health care falls short, tribes improvise

Ed Williams

October 27, 2017 |

KUNM |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New Mexico

Indian Health Service, the Native American Health federal agency, has not always been an ideal health program due to lack of funding and lack of flexibility to each tribe. More tribes are opening their own clinics in order to tailor health care to their needs and create more jobs, or taking over the behavioural health programs only.

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Three Underrated Ideas for Preventing Wildfire Devastation

Francie Diep

October 25, 2017 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, California

As wildfires grow more intense and deadly in California, some experts say previous strategies to save lives and property need to be revamped and they're pushing for changes in policies. Agencies are studying the deadly Tubbs Fire to redraw fire risk maps that take into account the safety of older homes that weren't previously included and pushing for more restrictions on where people can build. Some are also calling for rethinking brush clearance of native plants like chaparral.

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Code for Cancer

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

October 25, 2017 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Launched in September 2017, Cognoma is a database of information regarding the genetic makeup of cancerous tumors developed in collaboration between University of Pennsylvania researchers and Philadelphia’s tech community. Looking for a way to help their community and convinced of the value of the project, people donated their time and coding talents and built the database piece by piece. The database—as well as the programming behind it—are publicly available for researchers to utilize and adapt to other ends.

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