This is a guest post composed as part of theNSF Science: Becoming the Messenger workshop, Lawrence KS January 28, 2011 Communities can solve their own problems. Hunger. Disparities. Access to clean drinking water. Youth substance abuse. You name it. We are reminded of the innovation of the human spirit and the power of people working together to bring about community change over and over again. Most recently, by the response to a recent Out of the Box Prize contest hosted by the Community Tool Box at the Work Group for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas. 309 communities submitted inspiring stories of change from 42 different countries around the world – from the Americas to Zambia. An international panel of judges selected ten finalists whose meaningful work ranged from an effort in India to prevent birth defects and disabilities by discouraging child marriage, delaying conception of the first child and promoting breast feeding, to a neighborhood project to foster citizen activism, to an effort to provide sanitary napkins to girls in Kenya who would otherwise stay home from school when menstruating. Learning from these innovations reminds us of the power inherent to each community to solve its own problems. And, for tips, tools, and inspiration, people from around the world can learn from one another by viewing each other’s ideas stories of change online. What needs are there in your community? What injustices do you see? What opportunities for improvement? There are many online resources that can help. For example, you can visit for guidance the Community Tool Box for access to more than 7,000 pages of free information on making positive and lasting change (available in both English and Spanish, and soon in Arabic). Remembering the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Look out, world. Today’s problems may very soon be a thing of the past. -- by Christina Holt (
Photo courtesy of Uhuru Child, www.uchild.com)
