Blog Archives
Photos from Burma’s ongoing conflict
March 26, 2013 by Juan Frausto
Burmese president, Thein Sein, declared a state of emergency and deployed army troops on March 22 after sectarian violence between a Buddhist mob and local Muslims broke out in the town of Meikhtila. Anti-Muslim mobs destroyed mosques and burned down dozens of homes in three other towns over the weekend. At least 32 people have been killed [...] Read More
Feeding a generation with hope, literally & figuratively
March 15, 2013 by Juan Frausto
If the success of social enterprises in the past decade is any indication of what the future of commerce looks like, the possibilities of social change is endless. It’s a step toward shifting the idea of what commercial-based businesses could be built upon. Within our own social enterprise, Mend, we work directly with women affected by the LRA, providing [...] Read More
Nesting a community of hope for artisans
February 5, 2013 by Juan Frausto
so·cial en·ter·prise - noun: an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being, rather than maximizing profits for external shareholders. We believe in cultivating a culturally rich world so we invest in social programs that help sustain communities. While you may think we’re talking about our favorite social enterprises MEND and VSLA (and we are) but we recently stumbled upon a similar [...] Read More
Breaking bread to turn a page
January 31, 2013 by Juan Frausto
In less than a year, El Salvador’s culture has socially and economically transformed because of a truce that has carried on since March 2012 between two of it’s largest gangs—Bario 18 and MS-13. With 50,000 active gang members and 10,000 in prison, the region is considered one of the dangerous places in the world. In a collaborated effort [...] Read More
Images from India’s Maha Kumbh Mela
January 21, 2013 by Juan Frausto
In what’s being considered the “largest single gathering of humanity,” at least 100 million people will come together over the next month where the Yamuna, Ganges and Saraswati Rivers converge (the Sangam) in the northern Indian city of Allahabad to partake in the ancient Hindu festival Maha Kumbh Mela. The pilgrimage, which is particularly holy because it takes place every [...] Read More
Poaching meets its worst enemy
December 27, 2012 by Juan Frausto
In 2012, 618 rhinos have been poached in South Africa alone, almost doubling the amount killed in the region during 2010. Home to nearly 85% of Africa’s 25,000 rhinos, South Africa has become a battleground between poacher and animal. Because of their high-valued horns in Asia (at times higher than gold), Rhinos have been increasingly hunted with [...] Read More
Opening doors to a brighter future
December 21, 2012 by Juan Frausto
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 [...] Read More
Who is M23?
December 5, 2012 by Invisible Children
For the past eight months, a rebel group called M23 has been causing trouble in the Eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They claim to be fighting to improve Congo’s struggling democracy, though reports claim that they are being led by none other than Bosco Ntaganda, who has been indicted by [...] Read More
UN recognizes Palestinian state
December 3, 2012 by Juan Frausto
On Nov. 29, the UN General Assembly voted on recognizing Palestine as a non-member observer state. Although met with hesitation from a few key countries, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas moved forward, stating it was the “last chance to save the two-state solution” with Israel. The U.S. and Israel agreed the resolution would place further obstacles between the Palestinian and Israeli peace process. 138 nations voted [...] Read More
A historic visit to Burma
November 28, 2012 by Juan Frausto
On his first foreign visit since his re-election, U.S. President Barack Obama touched down in Burma on Nov. 19, making him the first sitting U.S. president to visit the once isolated country. President Obama validated the continuous efforts of Burmese President Thein Sein and the other leaders who took power in March 2011 and have [...] Read More
