HO, GHANA–Evelyn Sewodey, 25, used to sell fried yams in her village of Tanyigbe, a job that really wasn’t going anywhere. Two years ago she heard about a new free program that taught electrical and solar energy skills to disadvantaged young women (and a few men as well). Read more

NAIROBI, Kenya — As thick white smoke from a huge garbage dump billowed into the sky and the smell fell over the audience, the brass section took deep breaths, the woodwind players pursed their lips and the string performers gripped their bows. Brian Kepher, the 21-year-old conductor of the Ghetto Classics orchestra, lifted his baton, gave a slight nod and cued the teenagers to begin. Read more

LONDON—Every four years, U.S. expats hear the same story: that this U.S. presidential election will be a tight one, and that it is crucial for registered voters to get out and vote—and for those who are not registered, to do so soon, because every vote counts. Read more

DAKAR, SENEGAL: Tracking down Molly Melching is not an easy task. The Texas-born, Illinois-raised, Senegal-based 66-year-old is constantly on the move. She’s the founder and executive director of Tostan, a Dakar-based NGO that helps bring education programs, including human rights and reproductive health, to local communities. Tostan celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Read more

LONDON–**For Olivia Matabata, 2007 was a devastating year.     Her middle son was sick at home with AIDS, and Ms. Matabata, who has five grandchildren, was desperate for information on how to help him.    A neighbor encouraged her to attend a four-day workshop at Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS (GAPA), a local community and education center in the Khayelitsha Township near Cape Town. Read more