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Build, flood, rebuild: flood insurance's expensive cycle

David Hunn Ryan Maye Handy James Osborne

December 09, 2017 |

Houston Chronicle |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

What was originally conceived of to help protect homes from flooding has instead trapped homeowners in an endless cycle of filing claims and rebuilding their homes. The National Flood Insurance Program was supposed to discourage development in flooding zones and ease the costs after disasters. With lobbying money and power from developers, realtors associations, and others with vested interests, any opportunity to redesign the system through Congress have haven’t gone far.

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Yachters Are Sailing to the Rescue of Hurricane-Ravaged Islands

Erica Cirino

November 16, 2017 |

News Deeply |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Anguilla

The 2017 hurricane season resulted in damage to the Caribbean. YachtAid and Superyacht Aid Coalition are comprised of people who volunteer their yachts to bring supplies and aid to these damaged regions.

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'Making war is easier than making peace': in conversation with Colombia's President Santos

Gabriela Jones Lucy Lamble

November 08, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Podcast |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Colombia

The rights of victims are at the center of Colombia’s peace agreement. These rights include those to reparations, justice, non-repetition, and truth. This choice - as well as investment in education, health, infrastructure, and technology - is helping the country recover from decades of armed conflict.

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Grit and the gridiron rescue a town

Carmen K. Sisson

October 17, 2017 |

The Christian Science Monitor |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Refugio, Texas

Refugio, Texas was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey, leaving behind damaged houses, schools and businesses and people who can not afford to rebuild their lives. However, this town has used its community and found strength in their love of football and their support of one another to keep moving forward.

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Meet the women combing through Puerto Rico, searching for veterans in need

Jasmine Garsd Andrea Crossan

October 12, 2017 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Multi-Media |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: Puerto Rico

One group of women roams shelters searching for Puerto Rican vets after Hurricane Maria, where there are “around 75,000 US Army veterans living.” “This is Americans helping Americans. These veterans were stationed in the US, went to war with the US. I think that’s the thing that people forget.”

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Abandoned at Burning Man, bicycles now head for Houston and the Caribbean

Jessica Lussenhop

September 25, 2017 |

BBC |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Black Rock City, Nevada

Many argue that the Burning Man festival has become an exclusive and wasteful indulgence for the wealthy - an opinion that was exacerbated this year when thousands of perfectly good bicycles were left among the debris in the desert. But a few enterprising individuals and organizations saw an opportunity to aid the victims of hurricanes Irma and Maria by rescuing, fixing, and transporting the abandoned bikes to communities where many people had lost all other forms of transportation, stifling their recovery efforts. Now hope is being restored for some, two wheels at a time.

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Innovative but dull: disaster insurance is starting to pay off

Stefan Dercon

September 11, 2017 |

The New Humanitarian (formerly IRIN) |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Mexico

When disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, strike the recovery can be very expensive. Insurance has been found to be key in order to quickly get funds to help relief efforts.

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Inside the Organization Helping Immigrant Communities Survive Hurricane Harvey

Francie Diep

September 01, 2017 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

Ethnically-specific disaster relief services are especially prudent in the city of Houston where more than one in five residents report speaking English less than "very well." An organization called Boat People SOS (formed in the 1980s to aid Vietnam War refugees coming by boat) is providing critical support to the Vietnamese population in the city, directing them to shelters, hospitals, food, and even FEMA funds later on. This article talks about the role the nonprofit played in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

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Rats are the world's best land mine hunters

Danika Fears

May 30, 2017 |

New York Post |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Cambodia, Phnom Penh

In countries like Cambodia, Angola, and Mozambique, rats are saving lives by detecting untriggered land mines. An international nonprofit, Apopo, provides funding a training and works with local organizations to operate at the local level. The rats are light enough that they don’t trigger the explosives and can cover up to 2,000 square feet in just 20 minutes – something that would take a human up to four days to complete.

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How do you solve half a century of bloodshed in Colombia?

Lucy Lamble Kary Stewart

April 27, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Colombia

Local civil society groups are at the forefront of rebuilding Colombia. With decades of armed conflict officially ended, efforts to support a lasting peace focus on inequality and land issues and work to advance sustainable rural development.

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