International Aid from Kristof

Nicholas Kristof
Many of you might have known who Nicholas Kristof was for years, but for me, I just discovered him a couple of months ago when I started reading his book, "Half the Sky."
The two time Pulitzer Prize winner and op-ed writer for the New York Times is my new deity. 

Bill Clinton said in September 2009: "There is no one in journalism who has done anything like the work he has done to figure out how poor people are actually living around the world, and what their potential is....So every American citizen who cares about this should be profoundly grateful that someone in our press establishment cares enough about this to haul himself all around the world to figure out what's going on....I am personally in his debt, as are we all."

Below are some recent and not so recent postings of his.

 
What Haiti Needs Most
from New York Times
Nicholas Kristof on what we need most in Haiti is business investors to create jobs.


I've Seen The Future (in Haiti)
from  New York Times
 Nicholas Kristof on the importance of cell phone technology in aiding poverty areas.


In Kenya, Huts Far Off the Grid Harness the Sun 
from New York Times
Not from Kristof, but recent article on the impact proving electricity, via solar panels, has on impoverished communities, not the least of which is being able to charge their cell phone, which ties into the importance of cell phones mentioned in the above article by Kristof.


Women's Crusade 
from New York Times
This is from a special section published in Aug 2009 discussing the experiences leading him to write "Half the Sky."  If you every feel down on your life, reading this book will make you realize how incredibly blessed you are and what amazing things people are doing to make an impact.


A School Bus for Shamsia
from New York Times
From this same section on "Saving the World's Women".  This story gives you not only good insight into just how challenging is it for girls to gain access to education under the Taliban, but the culture issues we face in trying to help them even with money available. It starts, "Even before the men with acid came..."


The Daughter Deficit
from New York Times
A final selection from "Saving the World's Women" and another one that shows western interest in helping is not as simple as it looks.  This article discusses how development seems to have not only failed to help many Indian girls but to have made things worse.


Women Fighting Sex Slavery Names CNN Hero of the Year
from CNN
I was in denial that sex slavery still exists, but Kristof pretty much enlightened me to my ignorance.  This recent award by CNN is only further proof of the still existing issue.