Projects Abroad shares how volunteers can help raise awareness about human rights and social justice year-round

A Projects Abroad intern assists a homeless man with his application for an ID card in Cordoba, Argentina

NEW YORK – January 13, 2016 – On January 18th, North America will remember the late Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrate his life and legacy. On this day, hundreds of people will choose to honor his memory through service and volunteer their time to make a difference. For those looking to make an impact beyond this day and raise awareness of human rights and social justice as volunteers, Projects Abroad facilitates a variety of Law & Human Rights internships in several destinations.

Across the globe, there is a growing awareness of the need to actively help marginalized communities and vulnerable individuals and educate them about their rights – particularly in developing countries. Liz Sims, a Program Advisor at Projects Abroad USA, agrees. “Our Law & Human Rights interns are determined to do as much as they can to uplift communities and individuals affected by human rights abuses and injustice. One of the best ways to achieve this is through education. By working alongside the Projects Abroad Human Rights Offices (PAHRO) and professional legal staff, they are able to empower others, share information, and start working toward long-term solutions. Their impact is invaluable, and our interns return home with the knowledge that they contributed to something greater than themselves.”

Projects Abroad offers internships for different levels of experience, from high school students with a strong interest in learning more about law and human rights, to college students seeking practical experience, as well as those who are already qualified and working in the field. Once at their placement, interns can work with staff to determine what they want to achieve with their internship. In many cases, interns choose to focus on specific areas where they feel their skills are best utilized. Emily, a Human Rights intern in Argentina, elected to do so when she saw the need for a specialized program at the placements she visited.

“Because of my background in working with victims of violence, I created a 3-week curriculum where we discussed violence. We worked with each female placement about physical, verbal and domestic violence and it was very effective,” Emily comments, adding “Working in these field can be very discouraging, but every once in a while you can see a light-bulb turn on, and you know that you’ve had some type of impact on their lives.”

Law & Human Rights internships are available throughout the year. Each program has different focuses, which could include any of the following: refugee rights, human trafficking, corporate law, women’s rights, child labor, and more. To learn more about the options offered by Projects Abroad, please visit www.projects-abroad.org/volunteer-projects/law-and-human-rights.

About Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad was founded in 1992 by Dr. Peter Slowe, a geography professor, as a program for students to travel and work while on break from full-time study. The program had its genesis in post-USSR Romania, where students were given the chance to teach conversational English. After a few years just sending volunteers to Eastern Europe for teaching, the company expanded to sending volunteers of all ages around the world on a wide range of projects.

Projects Abroad is a global leader in short-term international volunteer programs with projects in 30 countries and recruitment offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Holland, Hong Kong, Norway, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden and the United States.

For details on volunteering abroad, visit Projects Abroad’s web site at www.projects-abroad.org.

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NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT — January 12, 2016 — Yale School of Management today announced that Indra K. Nooyi ’80, chairman and chief executive officer of PepsiCo, Inc., has made a landmark gift to endow the deanship of the school and inaugurate the Fifth Decade Innovation Fund. With this gift, Nooyi becomes the most generous graduate of Yale School of Management in terms of lifetime giving to the school. She is the first woman to endow the deanship at a top business school.

“My experience at the Yale School of Management forever altered the course of my life,” said Nooyi. “My gift to this wonderful institution pales in comparison with the gift that Yale gave me—the fundamental understanding that leadership requires an expansive worldview and a deep appreciation of the many points of intersection between business and society. Business issues are never just business issues, and my most ardent hope is that this endowment will teach future generations of leaders that the most successful companies of tomorrow will do more than make money. They will make a difference and create shareholder value by improving the quality of life in every market in which they operate.”

Nooyi has served as chief executive officer of PepsiCo since 2006, and chairman since 2007. She is the chief architect of Performance with Purpose, the company’s promise to deliver top-tier financial performance over the long term by integrating sustainability into its business strategy and leaving a positive imprint on society. This vision has led PepsiCo to diversify its product portfolio to meet changing consumer needs. Today, less than 25 percent of PepsiCo’s global revenue is derived from carbonated soft drinks and approximately 20 percent comes from the company’s nutrition businesses. Under her leadership, PepsiCo has also been an industry leader in promoting environmental sustainability. For example, since 2006, the company has reduced its operational water use by 23 percent and improved the energy efficiency of its operations by 16 percent.

Before joining PepsiCo in 1994, Nooyi worked in senior roles at Asea Brown Boveri, Motorola, and the Boston Consulting Group. Nooyi serves as a member of the boards of U.S.-China Business Council, U.S.-India Business Council, the Consumer Goods Forum, Catalyst, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Tsinghua University. She is a past member of the Yale Corporation, the top governing board and policy-making body for the university. She is also a member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, and was appointed to the U.S.-India CEO Forum by President Obama.

Peter Salovey, Yale University president and the Chris Argyris Professor of Psychology, said, “Indra Nooyi’s sense of purpose, deep engagement with civic life, and pursuit of excellence exemplify the kind of leadership in service to society that we hope all Yale graduates will achieve. The world needs skillful, purposeful, and dedicated leaders in every field and every sector, and Indra’s name is synonymous with those core values of the university.”

As part of a long record of support for the Yale School of Management, Nooyi has previously made substantial contributions to the construction of Edward P. Evans Hall, including gifts to name the Nooyi Classroom and the Isaacson Classroom in memory of Professor Larry Isaacson.

Edward A. Snyder is the inaugural Indra K. Nooyi Dean. He has led the Yale School of Management since 2011 and was recently appointed to a second five-year term as dean. Snyder said, “Indra Nooyi has become a leading voice among Fortune 500 CEOs in no small part because of her willingness to take a stand on the broader purpose of the corporation, while delivering top-echelon performance. The Yale School of Management community has long been proud of Indra Nooyi’s accomplishments and tremendously grateful for her ongoing support for the school. Her generous support will enable us to pursue new opportunities and initiatives, in keeping with the spirit of innovation that has always been a hallmark of Yale SOM. Having the deanship named in her honor communicates to the world the school’s model of purposeful and broadminded leadership.”

The school’s founding dean, William H. Donaldson YC ’53, HON ’73, said, “Our original vision for the school was to educate leaders who could apply entrepreneurial effort to their work in any of three sectors—corporate, nonprofit, or government—while understanding the similarities, differences, and interconnections among these sectors. Indra Nooyi is an exemplar of this approach to leadership, and her career proves the enduring strength of that vision. It is more than fitting that her name be associated with the top leadership position at the school.”

The Fifth Decade Innovation Fund is named in recognition of the fact that the school is entering its fifth decade; the first class entered the Yale School of Management in 1976. The fund is an ambitious initiative designed to advance the school’s aim of developing leaders with the broad global mindset and multi-disciplinary approach to business that is needed to succeed in 21st century capitalism. The school has been innovative from the start, with its focus on the connections between the private and public sectors. In more recent years, the school revamped the core business curriculum to create the integrated curriculum, which teaches critical skills in a broader organizational context. Just since 2012, the school has played an essential role in the creation of the Global Network for Advanced Management, which now includes 28 top business schools around the world and enables a slate of enriching student programs; launched a new, one-year post-MBA degree, the Master of Advanced Management; and greatly increased support for entrepreneurship through the Program on Entrepreneurship. The Fifth Decade Innovation Fund will be open to additional substantial contributions that can help the school develop the technology and other infrastructure to support these and future initiatives.

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Free File Alliance members will demonstrate free tax software Thursday at HOPE Global Forums in Atlanta

ATLANTA, GA & WASHINGTON, DC (Jan. 13, 2016) – The Free File Alliance – a coalition of 13 industry-leading tax software companies partnered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to provide free federal tax services to low and moderate-income Americans – today announced a new partnership with Operation HOPE, a global non-profit organization providing financial literacy empowerment and economic education.

The new partnership with Operation HOPE will focus on raising awareness of the Free File program among low-to-middle-income and underserved communities nationwide. The Free File program – a partnership between the Free File Alliance and the IRS – offers 70 percent of taxpayers free access to brand name tax software to prepare and e-file their federal tax returns.

As part of the new partnership, Free File Alliance member companies will demonstrate their free tax software on Thursday, January 14, in Atlanta at the 2016 HOPE Global Forum, an annual event hosted by Operation HOPE.

“The Free File program has provided nearly $1.4 billion in free tax software over the last 13 years,” said Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance. “One of the Free File Alliance’s primary goals is to strengthen and grow our ground-breaking program in order to reach more taxpayers, especially low-income and underserved Americans who need our services the most. Operation HOPE has brought financial literacy to millions of people, and by joining together, we can reach even more Americans in need of free tax services.”

“Operation HOPE is pleased to partner with the Free File Alliance to make essential tax preparation resources and assistance available to underserved Americans across the country,” Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant said. “We’re excited to showcase these free taxpayer services that will help make filing tax returns faster, safer and easier.”

WHO: Operation HOPE and Free File Alliance
WHAT: Software Demonstration & Education Session
WHEN: Thursday, January 14 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
WHERE: 2016 HOPE Global Forum
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis (265 Peachtree Center Avenue; Atlanta, GA 30303)

About the Free File Alliance

The Free File Alliance, a coalition of 13 industry-leading tax software companies, has partnered with the IRS since 2003 to help low and middle-income Americans prepare, complete and e-file their federal tax returns online. Since 2003, the Alliance has provided over 46 million free returns to the U.S. taxpayers. The Free File Alliance is committed to giving 70 percent of taxpayers free access to industry-leading online tax preparation software. For more information, visit www.freefilealliance.org.

About Operation HOPE, Inc.

In 2015, Operation HOPE received a 4-star charity for transparency and accountability by the prestigious nonprofit evaluator, Charity Navigator, establishing it as a best-in-class organization. Since 1992, Operation HOPE has promoted financial dignity through financial literacy and educational tools in underserved communities. Through its core portfolios, the organization has provided youth and adult financial literacy, encouraged economic preparedness and digital empowerment, promoted homeownership, and assisted with foreclosure prevention to more than 2.6 million individuals, families, and small-business owners. It is currently focused on Project 5117, a multi-year initiative that will track and increase business role models for youth, boost credit scores for adults, and empower underserved communities, as a part of its “silver rights” mission to make free enterprise work for everyone.

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Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Rockefeller Foundation

NEW YORK (January 14, 2016) — Each year, more than $50 billion of economic value is lost due to poor fisheries management, depleting the oceans and affecting global seafood production. Today, Encourage Capital released the second installment of its comprehensive investment report, analyzing how investors can deploy capital in efforts to protect and restore global fisheries.

The report, “Investing for Sustainable Global Fisheries,” delivers a series of six blueprints about investments in fisheries in Brazil, Chile and the Philippines, which account for 7% of the global fish supply. The strategies are based on real-life examples and are available free of charge at investinvibrantoceans.org.

“More than 1 billion people globally rely on seafood as their primary source of protein, but 40% of fisheries are considered to be overexploited or collapsed,” said Jason Scott, Co-Managing Partner at Encourage Capital. “Encourage Capital’s Investment Blueprints demonstrate that there are ways to earn real profits through sustainable seafood investing strategies that improve seafood yield, enhance supply chain efficiency, and reduce supply volatility.”

The report is part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative and The Rockefeller Foundation’s Oceans & Fisheries Initiative. It is the first philanthropic effort to bring together investment specialists and marine conservation experts to analyze and describe in detail private capital financing strategies that support fishery reform efforts. Encourage Capital developed the Investment Blueprints in close collaboration with nonprofit conservation groups Oceana and Rare.

“Bloomberg Philanthropies launched the Vibrant Oceans Initiative to address the critical need to replenish fish populations across the world. By properly managing fisheries, we can increase the number of fish in the ocean by half,” said Michael R. Bloomberg. “But ensuring sustainable fisheries is a complex problem that requires cooperation by the public and private sectors. This partnership with Encourage Capital, along with Oceana and Rare, will develop a comprehensive approach to help both industrial fisheries and local communities transition to more sustainable fishing practices.”

“While food security economists project that we will need to increase seafood supplies by 70% over the next several decades to keep pace with economic and population growth, fisheries around the world are already overexploited,” said Ricardo Bayon, Partner and Co-Founder at Encourage Capital. “Encourage Capital created this report to show investors, entrepreneurs, NGOs, governments and fishers that through investment decisions, private capital can drive solutions that stabilize or even expand the global seafood supply.”

“To solve the complex problems facing our world today, like the health of Earth’s oceans, requires innovative thinking and, increasingly, more resources than philanthropy and government alone can provide—which is why it’s vital to surface new ways of unlocking private capital for public good,” said Judith Rodin, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “These investment blueprints demonstrate the important role for impact investors to play in increasing the health and productivity of coastal fisheries. These strategies deliver financial returns, while simultaneously preserving marine ecosystems, securing livelihoods for the poor and vulnerable, and building more inclusive economies around the world.”

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New York, NY – The New York Digital Health Accelerator (NYDHA) – an intense 5-month program run by the Partnership Fund for New York City (Partnership Fund) and the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) to foster New York’s growing health tech sector – will showcase six leading early- and growth-stage health tech companies that are developing cutting-edge technology products for healthcare providers and patients in the areas of care coordination, patient engagement, and workflow improvement on Thursday, January 21 from 9am – 12pm at the Alexandra Center, 450 East 29th Street.

Now in its third year, the accelerator has proven it is unlike any other program in that participants are given the unique opportunity to obtain direct access to major enterprise customers including large hospital systems and insurance companies, and receive direct feedback from senior-level executives representing leading healthcare providers in New York State. The program provides $100,000 in up-front funding per company from a syndicate of leading venture capital and strategic investors.

The NYDHA has already shown strong success. The 15 graduate companies have raised over $65 million in additional capital and created more than 150 new jobs in New York City. Two of the graduate companies were acquired within 6 months of finishing the program.

The six companies participating in this year’s Accelerator are:

Dorsata provides clinicians with the tools to build and share defined workflows – called care pathways – to improve decision-making, documentation, and order entry. Leveraging clinician-developed care pathways, Dorsata will transform healthcare, reducing costs and improving quality.

iVEDiX is an innovative leader in mobile analytics and workflow solutions focused on creating an extraordinary clinician and patient experience interacting with data. Its miVEDiX product is a highly configurable, intuitive and interactive platform providing unified & easy health information access, workflow optimization and clinical decision support. The result: time savings, increased revenue potential and improved patient experience/quality of care.

OffTheScale (OTS) is a chronic disease, affordable health management platform which has shown to slow, stop and reverse the progression of chronic diseases. OTS starts with a 12 week group intervention program called OTS-4-U that consists of a customized experience, delivered to the group but targeted to the individual. OTS achieves lifestyle change through its OTS-4-U intervention, and then continues life-long maintenance and sustainability with its’ OTS-4-LIFE program.

Wellth allows payers and ACOs to maximize the value of every dollar spent on the care of high cost chronic disease patients. By nudging patients towards evidence based care options and by motivating and tracking healthy habits, they can measurably improve population quality metrics like HbA1c in diabetics. They apply the principles of Value Based Insurance Design, which have been developed by Dr. Mark Fendrick of the University of Michigan, and are now being incorporated into numerous health plans and policies nationwide.

Parable provides tele-monitoring and analytics for wound care. Current processes in wound care, characterized by inconsistent assessments, a lack of standards, limited expertise, and poor care transitions lead to wasted resources and poor outcomes. Parable Health helps provide more effective measuring, monitoring, and managing of wound patients to improve outcomes and reduce cost.

TelaDietitian is the premier telehealth solution for nutrition counseling. Leveraging the nutrition care manuals of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the company makes medical nutrition therapy easy to deliver. It offers convenient, cost effective and high quality medical nutrition therapy consultations via a HIPAA compliant video, chat and phone portal. Through a simple sign up, a patient sees an expert Registered Dietitian and also receives a personalized nutrition guide with a custom meal plan, recipes, relevant nutrition information, shopping guide and information on food/drug interactions.

DATE: Thursday, January 21, 2016

TIME: 9am-12 Noon

PLACE: Alexandra Center
Apella, Event Space
450 East 29th Street (at 1st Avenue)
New York, NY

*Please RSVP directly to tzigo@rubenstein.com to guarantee seating.

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Outreach Training Institute is offering scholarships and job placement assistance for its Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) training program to those who qualify as low income and meet certain other criteria. Through a grant, unemployed or those earning less than $20,000 per year are able to enroll in the program located in Richmond Hill, Queens. In addition to free tuition, students receive career development guidance through services including resume-writing workshops, vocational assistance, internship and career placement, and much more.

The next cycle of classes begins on January 20th with other start dates to follow. Applications are strongly encouraged as there are limited scholarships remaining.

Since September 2014, OTI has also been providing skill-building workshops on study skills, clinical writing, and practice on electronic health records. These new workshops, all offered on the same campus, will not only prepare OTI students for the workforce, but help them keep and advance in the ever-changing field.

The scholarships are meant for low-income students and/or those with limited education, particularly those with a high school diploma or GED. Such candidates may be unemployed, working at low wage jobs, on public assistance or re-entering the workforce after a period of disability.

To date, more than two thousand people have taken advantage of the high quality training at Outreach. A large percentage have already graduated and moved on to jobs in the treatment field as substance abuse counselors.

To qualify, students have to meet the following criteria:

• Prior and current year annual income of $20,000 or less, or unemployed during that period (must be documented).
• A high school diploma or G.E.D (documentation required).
• Residency in the five boroughs of New York City.
• Other eligibility criteria

All applicants must also take a TABE reading/writing exam and participate in an interview.

The grant program will support scholarships for students with the following:

• 350 hours of classroom and hands-on training over tracks of 8- or 11- months, leading to fulfillment of all the course work required by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) for Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselors (CASAC).
• Introduction of new skill-building workshops, which include: basic writing and computer skills, clinical writing, and practice for Electronic Health Records
• Student advisement on attendance and course-related matters, and individual meetings with students on a monthly (or more often, if needed) basis.
• Ongoing Life Skills group counseling related to finding and keeping a job, etc.
• Comprehensive test-prep services to prepare graduates for the State CASAC Exam, including: regular study group sessions facilitated by senior faculty, one-day test prep courses on test-taking and study skills, etc.
• Internship and Job Placement Services and post-graduate follow-up assistance.

About Outreach

For more than 35 years, Outreach has been a premier provider of life-changing substance abuse treatment in New York City and Long Island. The organization is committed to making a difference in the lives of the people it serves. A non-profit organization licensed by the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) and operates in a safe, empowering and affirming environment.

For more information about Outreach, visit www.opiny.org.

For more information about scholarships, please visit http://opiny.org/outreach-training-institute

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Foundation’s mission is to fight poverty and social exclusion by establishing a forum to reinforce social dialogue and societal transformation

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI January 15, 2015 – The Honorable Laurent S. Lamothe, LSL World Initiative founder and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, today announced the establishment of The Dr. Louis G. Lamothe Foundation in honor of his late father. The Foundation’s mission is to fight exclusion in a socially divided Haiti by bringing citizens into community-based organizations where their voices can be heard. Further, by exposing the Haitian people to the power of knowledge and social responsibility, they can better make contributions to the social transformation of their own country.

The Foundation will officially launch on January 15, 2016 at the Cine Triomphe, Champ de Mars in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The day will begin with an exhibition of the works of Dr. Louis G. Lamothe, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until 4:30 p.m. A formal Foundation inauguration ceremony will commence at 5:30 p.m. and conclude at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature a documentary about the life of Dr. Lamothe and a cocktail reception.

During the event, Dr. Lamothe’s book, Alejandro Petion Ayuda Al Libertador Simon Bolivar & Los Mayored Poetas Latinoanericanos De 1850 a 1950, will be available for purchase. All revenue earned from the sale of the books will be donated to the Foundation to support its first social entrepreneurship project.

“The The Dr. Louis G Lamothe Foundation is an organization that aims to carry on my father’s work as a socially responsible activist in the fight for an inclusive and united Haitian society,” said Mr. Lamothe. “Decades of poverty, squalor, violence, economic insecurity and dictatorship have ravaged our country. As a result, Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere with a limited capacity to respond to the effects of political and social instability and natural crises. This Foundation is essential and long overdue as it will focus on providing the Haitian people with opportunities to transform their own country – something my father believed in and fought for.”

About Dr. Louis G. Lamothe

Dr. Louis G. Lamothe was a rare example of a Haitian intellectual who contributed to drawing Haiti and the Latin American countries closer together in order to advance social causes. His contribution was noteworthy in several different domains, including sport, higher education and particularly the teaching of the Spanish language and the works of great Latin American poets from 1850 to 1950.

After obtaining a degree in Spanish literature in Chile in November 1952, he completed a doctorate in literature in Madrid in 1956. He taught modern languages à the INAGHEI from 1975 to 1983 and at the Faculty of Ethnology from 1980 to 1995. In order to communicate his passion for the Hispanic culture to the younger Haitian generation and promote the language of Cervantès in the country, he founded the Lope de Vega Institute in 1962 and headed it until 1998. Lope de Vega allowed many Haitian executives to embrace the cultures of Latin America and Spain.

At the same time, he contributed to promoting the Haitian culture in Bolivia and Suriname. He remained a member of Suriname’s consular corps until his passing.

From 1956 to 1966, he published at least eight books with the goal of facilitating learning of the Spanish language and to provide insight into Latin American and Spanish cultures and literatures. During his career, he also received several prestigious distinctions, including:

• Caballero de la Orden de Isabel la Católica (Madrid, July 1975)
• Honneur et Mérite de la Orden Mexicana del derecho y de la cultura (Mexico, May 1964)

He married Ghislaine Fortuney, who gave him two sons, Ruben and Laurent Salvador, to whom he has passed along key values, including the modesty, humility and his passion for excellence. A keen football player, Dr. Louis G. Lamothe made a significant contribution to the development of this sport in Haiti, and he encouraged both of his sons to play sports.

Dr. Louis G. Lamothe passed away in 1999. The Louis G. Lamothe Foundation is an initiative that aims to honor his legacy and to carry on his work to create a more inclusive and united society.

About Laurent S. Lamothe

Laurent S. Lamothe successfully served as Prime Minister of Haiti between May 2012 and December 2014, the longest tenure of any Prime Minister in the last three decades. During his time in office, Lamothe presided over the design and implementation of an important social policy agenda that targeted the poorest sectors of the Haitian population. Mr. Lamothe also oversaw the largest infrastructure development in recent memory throughout Haiti, and served as co-chair of the Council for the Economic Development and Investment in Haiti in 2011 with United States President Bill Clinton.

Under Mr. Lamothe’s leadership, foreign direct investment increased to the highest level since the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship in the mid-1980s. Mr. Lamothe also pursued reforms that helped make Haiti more business-friendly, including the implementation of 15-year tax holidays and tax breaks to companies investing in the island nation, and increasing the police force by 30 percent.

Mr. Lamothe brought to the office of Prime Minister an entrepreneurial spirit and dynamism that earned him the title of “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst and Young in May 2008. More recently in November 2014, Latin Trade magazine recognized his innovative skills by naming him the year’s Innovative Leader of the Americas, noting that Mr. Lamothe “helped establish a paradigm shift for Haiti as a destination for investment, rather than simply for humanitarian aid.”

Having grown up in a country affected by poverty and lack of resources at all levels, this savvy businessman has developed a deep sense of social responsibility and a strong tendency to assist those in need. Mr. Lamothe is a pragmatist who, throughout his role serving in the public sector, emphasized practical solutions over partisan politics to address the urgent needs of Haiti.

Mr. Lamothe obtained a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Barry University in Miami and his MBA with honors from the University of St. Thomas.

About LSL World Initiative

The LSL World Initiative (LSLWI) is a global organization dedicated to the socio-economic empowerment of emerging countries founded by Laurent S. Lamothe, a visionary leader driven by a deep sense of global social responsibility. Mr. Lamothe successfully served as Prime Minister of Haiti between May 2012 and December 2014, the longest tenure of any Prime Minister in the last three decades.

Against the bleak background of the global economic crisis, traditional forms of financing for development are under pressure. Countries must find alternative sources of financing or face falling short of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). LSL World Initiative’s mission is to help governments achieve their SDGs by thinking outside the box of traditional foreign aid to bring proven solutions that identify new revenue sources through innovative financing development mechanisms.

Countries working with LSL World Initiative transparently determine the allocation of funds according to their priorities including vital needs such as clean water, housing development, health and education services. Ultimately, LSL World Initiative empowers countries toward a prosperous, sustainable future through economic self-sufficiency.

For more information, visit http://lslwi.com.

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SDSU offers tips for a safer and easier commute to campus when classes begin Jan. 20.

San Diego State University will welcome the campus community back for the spring 2016 semester on Wednesday, Jan. 20.

According to Parking Services, during the first few days of classes peak traffic congestion hours are 7:30 to 10 a.m. Those who arrive after 10 a.m. should consider Parking Structures 3 and 6 on the east side of campus, which are typically the last to fill.

Electronic and posted signs and staff will direct traffic with the intention of expediting vehicles toward the nearest available spaces between the hours of 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. and from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Tips for parking and traffic

Arrive early: When driving to campus, try to arrive as early as possible, especially for morning classes.

Take the trolley: Park for free at any of the trolley stops throughout San Diego and ride directly to campus. Trolley schedules, fares, maps and other information are available on the San Diego Commute website.

Take the bus: Another eco-friendly option is to ride the bus. Bus schedules, fares, maps and other information are available on the Metropolitan Transit System website.

Ride a bike: Students who live close enough can get to class by bike. There are bike racks dispersed across campus.

Use Zipcar or Car2Go: SDSU has partnered with car-share services Zipcar and Car2Go. For more information visit the Parking Services website.

Use alternative traffic routes: During peak hours from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., consider using these alternatives to the College Avenue exit off Interstate 8:

• From Interstate 8, take the 70th Street exit south to El Cajon Boulevard; turn right onto El Cajon Boulevard and right onto Montezuma Road to the access roads for Parking Structures 3 and 6.
• Use State Route 94 and exit at College Avenue.  Take College Avenue north to Montezuma Road and turn right or left, depending on your destination.
• From Interstate 8, take the Fairmount Avenue exit. Take Fairmount Avenue south to merge onto Montezuma Road. Turn left on 55th Street to access the west side parking lots.

Plan ahead: Plan your trip to campus ahead of time in order to make the fewest trips to and from campus. If driving, figure out which lot and traffic route will be the most convenient and efficient. If using public transportation, examine alternative schedules for the best departure time.

Parking permits: Parking permits are required to park on campus and can be purchased from the Aztec Parking Portal. A limited amount of permits are available at the bookstore at the beginning of the semester. A student semester commuter pass is $162 for day use only and $256 for day/overnight and a motorcycle permit is $34.

Students may only park in areas that have a “S” or “N” symbol. Faculty/Staff may only park in areas that have a “FS”, “S” or “N.” Special permit areas require a “SP” permit in addition to a paid permit. Visitors may only park in areas that have a “P” or “S” symbol and must purchase a pay machine permit from that location.

Parking pay stations are located at the Parking Information Booth, Lots M, Q & R and Structures 4, 5 & 6. These stations offer hourly and daily permits which include 1 to 4 hours for $2 per hour, 5 or more hours for $10, overnight for $15 and a weekend permit for $25.

Areas to avoid

Some areas and parking lots are closed due to campus construction:

• The W Lot near Storm and Nasatir Halls will still be used as a construction lay down area.
• The A Lot on the corner of College Avenue and Canyon Crest Drive is being used as a construction laydown site.
• College Avenue at Lindo Paseo is fenced off and will be closed for the South Campus Plaza project.

Visit SDSU Police’s Facebook and Twitter pages for updates on locations for parking.

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ATLANTA … Only 22 cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide in 2015, an 83 percent reduction from the 126 cases reported in 2014, the greatest single percentage reduction in human cases in the history of the global campaign. These provisional numbers are reported by the ministries of health in remaining endemic countries and compiled by The Carter Center. When the Center began leading the international campaign to eradicate the parasitic disease in 1986, there were an estimated 3.5 million Guinea worm cases occurring annually in Africa and Asia.

“As we get closer to zero, each case takes on increasing importance. Full surveillance must continue in the few remaining endemic nations and neighboring countries until no cases remain to ensure the disease does not return,” said former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. “The Carter Center and our partners are committed to seeing that this horrible parasitic disease never afflicts future generations.”

As of the end of 2015, there were only 20 endemic Guinea worm villages in four countries — all in Africa, compared to 23,735 villages in 21 countries across two continents in 1991. The 22 indigenous Guinea worm cases were reported in isolated areas of Chad (9), Ethiopia (3), Mali (5), and South Sudan (5).

Although Mali and South Sudan each experienced an outbreak in 2014, both programs achieved more than an 85 percent reduction by redoubling their surveillance and response efforts.

“Guinea worm reductions in South Sudan and Mali in 2015 are even more remarkable because both countries have significant insecurity or civil unrest and had the largest number of cases in 2014. For these nations to make this much progress against disease under such dire circumstances is heroic by any measure,” said Dr. Ernesto Ruiz-Tiben, director of the Carter Center’s Guinea Worm Eradication Program.

Considered a neglected tropical disease, Guinea worm disease (Dracunculiasis) is contracted when people consume water contaminated with Guinea worm larvae. After a year, a meter-long worm slowly emerges from the body through a painful blister in the skin. Guinea worm incapacitates people for weeks or months, making them unable to care for themselves, work, grow food for their families, or attend school.

Without a vaccine or medical treatment, the ancient disease is being wiped out mainly through community-based interventions to educate and change behavior, such as teaching people to filter all drinking water and preventing contamination by keeping anyone with an emerging worm from entering water sources. Guinea worm will be the first parasitic disease to be eradicated and the first disease to be eradicated without the use of vaccine or curative treatment.

REMAINING COUNTRIES

“We believe that with adequate commitments by the governments of Chad, Ethiopia, Mali, and South Sudan and continued donor support, cases of Guinea worm disease can be reduced to zero worldwide in the near future,” said Dr. Donald Hopkins, Carter Center special adviser for Guinea worm eradication. “While occurrence of Guinea worm in dogs in Chad presents a new challenge, we have successfully addressed unexpected developments throughout this 30-year eradication campaign and have put measures in place to tackle this one as well.”

Chad – The appearance of Guinea worm in hundreds of domestic dogs in Chad has emerged as a recent challenge. Dogs are not the parasite’s natural host. This is an unusual epidemiology not seen at this level in other nations currently or formerly endemic for Guinea worm disease. Human cases in 2014 (13) and 2015 (9) have been found in remote villages spread over hundreds of miles along the Chari River. At those locations, during the annual fish harvest, dogs have been eating raw fish or fish guts carrying Guinea worm larvae. The program continues to expand health education messages, surveillance, and research, with a specific focus on preventing the consumption of inadequately cooked or raw fish by both dogs and humans.

Ethiopia – In 2015, Ethiopia reported three cases from Gog district in the Gambella region, which remains the nation’s only Guinea worm-endemic area. Ethiopia is well positioned to stop transmission in 2016. It also reported three cases in 2014. Political will, security, and sensitive surveillance are critical to stopping Guinea worm disease in Ethiopia.

Mali – Since 1992, the Mali Guinea Worm Eradication Program has reduced the number of cases from 16,024 to just five reported in 2015. However, insecurity that began in April 2012 has hindered interruption of Guinea worm disease transmission because the national program has not been able to operate fully and consistently in all of its Guinea worm-endemic regions. In 2015, security improved, and the program reduced cases by a notable 88 percent (five cases in 2015, compared to 40 in 2014). Additionally, the program expanded the total number of villages under active surveillance to 581.

South Sudan – The South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program reported five cases in 2015 compared to 70 cases in 2014, a reduction of 93 percent. The program also maintained seven consecutive months (November 2014-May 2015) reporting zero Guinea worm disease cases. This success is noteworthy in light of continued political turbulence, and the program continues to function effectively. Since 2006, the number of Guinea worm cases in South Sudan (20,582), has been reduced by 99 percent.

“Tens of thousands of community-based health workers have shown daily acts of courage to improve the lives of their families and neighbors over three decades, often under very dangerous circumstances. Because of them, the end is in sight,” said Craig Withers, acting vice president of Carter Center Health Programs.

STEPS TO ERADICATION

The Carter Center leads the international Guinea worm eradication campaign and works in close partnership with national programs, the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, and many other partners. The Carter Center provides technical and financial assistance to national Guinea worm eradication programs to interrupt transmission of the disease. When transmission is interrupted, the Center provides continued assistance in developing or strengthening surveillance in Guinea worm-free areas and prepares nations for official certification by the WHO. CDC provides technical assistance and verifies that worms from these final patients are truly Guinea worms. The presence of Guinea worm disease in a geographic area indicates abject poverty, including the absence of safe drinking water; UNICEF mainly assists countries by helping governments to provide safe sources of drinking water to priority areas identified by the national Guinea Worm Eradication Programs. The WHO is responsible for certifying countries as Guinea worm-free and is the only organization that can officially certify the eradication of a disease.

For a disease to be eradicated, every country must be certified, even if transmission has never taken place there.

Many generous foundations, corporations, governments, and individuals have made the Carter Center’s work to eradicate Guinea worm disease possible, including major support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID); Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) – United Kingdom; the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation; and His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in the name of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The DuPont Corporation and Precision Fabrics Group donated nylon filter cloth early in the campaign; Vestergaard donated pipe and household cloth filters in recent years. Abate® larvicide (temephos) has been donated for many years by BASF. Key implementing partners include the ministries of health in endemic countries, The Carter Center, WHO, CDC, and UNICEF.

• Get up-to-date Guinea worm resources including monthly case reporting, graphs, news articles, and human interest stories.
• Download the Guinea worm app

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Spectators cheered on as 32 teams raised funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City, as part of National Mentoring Month

NEW YORK, January 14, 2016 – Thousands of spectators today cheered on New York City’s most prestigious corporations, hedge funds and financial institutions at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, as thirty-two teams battled in the ultimate table tennis showdown to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS of NYC) during the Eighth Annual Tournament of Champions Pong.

The nation’s first and New York’s largest youth mentoring organization partnered with The J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, the USA’s premier professional squash tournament, to present “ToC Pong.” Part of National Mentoring Month, the tournament raised funds to support BBBS of NYC’s volunteer mentoring programs, which currently serve more than 5,000 young people throughout the five boroughs each year. To date, ToC Pong has raised more than $500,000 for the organization.

“Year after year, the ToC Pong Tournament is a demonstration of the profound impact we can have when New Yorkers come together,” said BBBS of NYC trustee and event co-founder, Andrew Lipman. “This is an incredible event that brings together industry leaders from the city’s corporate sector for an exciting competition, with a common goal of improving the lives of at-risk youth throughout the five boroughs. Thanks to the support of these executives and the thousands of spectators passing through Grand Central, we will be able to identify more caring adult role models for hundreds of children across our city.”

Participating teams from a wide range of corporate supporters competed inside the all-glass show court in Vanderbilt Hall to win one-year table tennis memberships donated by SPiN.

“ToC Pong is the only event where you will find dozens of top executives taking time out of their busy schedules to face off in a ping pong tournament, and that is a testament to the power of mentoring and the countless lives it touches every day,” said Hector Batista, chief executive officer of BBBS of NYC. “The funds raised during today’s ToC Pong event will allow our organization to serve hundreds of children throughout the five boroughs who currently are waiting for mentors, and we are grateful to the Wall Street community and those passing through Grand Central for their tremendous support.”

In addition to the support from the finance industry, the 2016 Tournament of Champions Pong was sponsored by Jolla, SPiN New York, and The Weston New York Grand Central.

This year’s tournament drew tens of thousands spectators throughout the day, including 500 reserved audience seats, casual passersby and additional Grand Central foot traffic.

The ToC Pong took place from noon to 6:00 pm. Awards were presented at a cocktail reception at 6:30pm, just after the ToC Squash final. For more information on ToC Pong, Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC, or becoming a volunteer mentor, visit www.bigsnyc.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City

Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BBBS of NYC), the nation’s first and NYC’s largest youth mentoring organization, has served the changing needs of New York City’s most at-risk youth since 1904. The volunteer- and donor-based organization offers a variety of specialized mentoring programs to help children facing more complex challenges – including immigrant youth, teen mothers and children of incarcerated parents – as well as the Workplace Mentoring Center, which helps businesses throughout New York City positively impact the lives of young people and build a foundation for professional success. Additionally, since 1992 BBBS of NYC has worked through its Center for Training and Professional Development to equip non-profit professionals throughout New York City to develop and enhance their own mentoring and youth-development programs and organizations.

Through the support of individuals, foundations and corporations, this not-for-profit agency has been able to change the lives of the city’s most disadvantaged children, matching them with caring adult role models – dependable friends who can help to expand their horizons, realize their potential and enrich their futures. To learn more, become a mentor and/or offer support, please visit www.bigsnyc.org.

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International Medical Charity to Intensify Surgical Training Efforts to Support Health Care Targets of the Newly Adopted Sustainable Development Goals

VIRGINIA, January 13, 2016 – Operation Smile today announced its new global strategy to expand efforts to improve access to safe, effective surgical care. It is estimated that more than two billion people worldwide lack access to any surgical care, often due to economic constraints, the lack of medical personnel and surgical equipment, or because they reside in remote locations far away from surgical sites. Widely known for providing free surgeries to children who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities, Operation Smile is now investing $250 million over the next five years to increase efforts to transfer medical expertise to improve surgical capacity in 40 countries, eradicate the backlog of hard-to-access cleft patients and provide life-changing surgeries to countless children and young adults.

“This is an incredibly formative time for Operation Smile. We have an opportunity to play a significant role in the Post-2015 Agenda to ensure safe, timely and effective surgery for everyone around the globe,” said Dr. William Magee, Co-Founder and CEO of Operation Smile. “With three decades of experience behind us, we are well positioned to help reshape health care systems worldwide through increased access to surgical care,” he added.

In 2015, Operation Smile conducted 161 medical missions across 112 sites in 29 countries, including new sites in Morocco, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Ghana. In the first three months of 2016, Operation Smile medical volunteers will perform 3,000 surgeries over the course of 39 medical missions in 19 countries. To enhance the level of care provided, Operation Smile will conduct several multi-site programs, as well as add three new care centers in Ecuador, Nicaragua and Paraguay, to its 25 existing centers in 2016. The objective will not only be to change the lives of children and their families through a 45-minute corrective surgery, but to also provide training to local medical personnel that will help to transform the healthcare systems in these countries. Ten of the upcoming missions will focus specifically on surgical training and educational programs to improve surgical capacity and overall healthcare services locally.

The newly adopted United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Three (SDG3) shines a spotlight on the urgent need to improve essential healthcare services to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” Operation Smile will continue to increase efforts to advocate for patients who have no access to care through its critical work in low- and middle-income countries and its global awareness efforts to ensure surgical care is prioritized as part of the sustainable development agenda.

“Operation Smile believes that safe surgical care is an essential component of healthcare and a universal human right,” said Kathleen Magee, Co-Founder and President of Operation Smile. “We are making a significant investment to support the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals because this fits squarely into the vision and mission of Operation Smile to create a world where no child or adult suffers from lack of access to care.”

In addition to its continued surgical programs, Operation Smile will work with governments, hospitals and ministries of health in low- and middle-income countries to educate and train local medical personnel, while establishing crucial partnerships that build long-term capacity, improve surgical standards and transform healthcare systems over time. Utilizing the organization’s patient-centered approach, Operation Smile plans to employ new strategies to help individuals overcome the geographic, economic and social barriers to care, to research the causes of cleft conditions, and donate essential supplies and medical equipment to surgical sites around the world.

About Operation Smile

Operation Smile is an international medical charity, which provides free surgeries to children in developing countries who are born with cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities. It is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based organizations dedicated to improving the health and lives of children worldwide through access to surgical care. Since it was founded in 1982, Operation Smile has developed expertise in mobilizing volunteer medical teams to conduct surgical missions in resource-poor environments while adhering to the highest standards of care and safety. Operation Smile helps to fill the gap in providing access to safe, well-timed surgeries by partnering with hospitals, governments and ministries of health, training local medical personnel, and donating much-needed supplies and equipment to surgical sites around the world. Founded and based in Virginia, Operation Smile has a presence in more than 60 countries and a global network of credentialed surgeons, pediatricians, doctors, nurses, and student volunteers.

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Watch TV star Mayim Bialik introduce the event, Jan. 29-31: https://youtu.be/jqzBIvn9RK0

PASADENA, Calif., Jan. 18 – Some 700 Russian-speaking Jews have sold out the first-ever Limmud FSU West Coast conference, which takes places this Jan. 29-31 at the Westin Hotel in Pasadena. A dynamic and pluralistic Jewish festival of learning, culture and creativity, Limmud FSU West Coast will feature an array of prominent speakers, including Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.

Simmons will speak about the Jewish response to Islamophobia, along with Jerusalem Post Editor Steve Linde and Rabbi Marc Schneier, founder and president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding. Simmons is chairman the N.Y.-based nonprofit that focuses on improving Muslim–Jewish and black-Jewish relations.

Other major participants will include Jewish Agency Chair and Soviet Jewry hero Natan Sharansky; Israeli film star Tamara Klingon; LA City Councilor Zev Yaraslovsky; Limmud FSU Chair Matthew Bronfman; Russian rock star Andrey Makarevich; Russian satirist and author Victor Shenderovich; Russian-Israeli singer Irene Talia Rosenfeld; jazz musician Leonid Ptashka; Jewish Women’s Renaissance Founder Lori Palatnik; former Israel Defense Forces Maj. Gen. Uzi Dayan; Reut Institute President Gidi Grinstein; Rabbi David Wolpe; Hillel International President and CEO Eric Fingerhut; and LA Jewish Journal/TRIBE Media President David Suissa.

Co-chairing Limmud FSU West Coast are Sasha Shteyn of LA and Leo Hmelnitsky of San Francisco. Honorary chairs include Limmud FSU Board members and philanthropists Michal Grayevsky and Diane Wohl and philanthropist Ada Horwich.

“Limmud FSU has revolutionized how we strengthen the Russian-speaking Jewish community worldwide, and Limmud FSU West Coast offers a historic opportunity to engage and inspire this emerging community for generations to come,” said Limmud FSU Founder Chaim Chesler.

“We are thrilled to be bringing the premier Limmud FSU experience to the West Coast, with its fascinating Jewish history and growing Russian-speaking population,” said Limmud FSU Co-Founder Sandra Cahn.

Limmud FSU West Coast will feature an eclectic lineup, from a concert by Makarevich to spiritually stirring Shabbat and Havdalah (end of Shabbat) ceremonies, to interactive improv, and film screenings. The conference will also offer over 60 fascinating sessions on such issues as Russian-Jewish identity, the Russian-Jewish community in LA and Jewish perspectives on relationships. There are an estimated 80,000 Russian-speaking Jews in the greater LA area, with other large Russian-speaking Jewish communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere in California. There are some 700,000 Russian-speaking Jews in the U.S. altogether.

To learn more about the conference and see the full program, please visit: http://westcoast.limmudfsuus.org.

About Limmud FSU:

Limmud FSU is a nonprofit founded 10 years ago by Chaim Chesler, former treasurer of the Jewish Agency, and Sandra Cahn, a philanthropist from New York, to serve young Russian-speaking Jews around the world. Limmud FSU brings together and empowers young Jewish adults who are revitalizing Jewish communities and culture in the countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as in countries with Russian speakers around the world. The organization operates in Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, the U.S., Canada, Australia and Israel. Some 35,000 participants have taken part in its conferences, projects and festivals. Key partners include the Claims Conference, JDC, philanthropist Matthew Bronfman, Aaron Frankel, Diane Wohl, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, the Jewish National Fund (KKL), the Jewish Agency and others. For additional details: www.limmudfsu.org.

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National request for proposal launched for annual volunteering and industry giving event.

Canton, MA / Jan. 18, 2016 — Tourism Cares, the travel industry nonprofit with a mission to preserve and enhance the travel experience for future generations, is launching a new request for proposal process to select the destination to be highlighted at its 2017 volunteer summit. First proposals from interested destinations in North America are due by February 29, 2016. Interested destinations can visit the Request for Proposal packet to learn more about host roles and responsibilities, as well as the benefits.

This annual event carries on the 13 year tradition of Tourism Cares bringing the entire travel and tourism industry to a special destination to volunteer, learn about its history and community spirit, and connect with like-minded, like-hearted peers.

“Our annual volunteer program is an amazing way to build connections to travel-related destinations and other professionals in our industry,” said Jessica Ahern, Director of Destination Volunteering & Investments, Tourism Cares. “What sets this program apart is the networking opportunities – taking our business outside of the convention center or conference room and building relationships in a new way – all while truly making a big impact on a tourism community.”

Tourism Cares unites the travel, tourism and hospitality industries through volunteerism and other programs. Through partnership with destinations, the broader tourism community has the opportunity to come together, learn from one another and provide a lasting impact on the places important for generations to enjoy.

Since 2003, more than 40,000 volunteer hours have been donated at a value of almost $1M to dozens of sites in the United States. Beginning on Ellis Island in 2003, the Tourism Cares for America volunteering series has helped sites from the most iconic to the lesser-known. Places like Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, Angel Island in San Francisco and Biscayne Bay in Miami have experienced the care and stewardship of the industry and realized the benefits of hosting.

The annual volunteer summit has been reimagined to become bigger and better – not only mobilizing industry professionals for a full-day of hands on volunteering (landscaping, painting, building simple structures, etc.), but also includes peer learning opportunities, sessions on best practices in CSR, community awards and hosted networking receptions the day before the work begins. Dubbed a “powerfully inspiring fam trip, and so much more”, the program invites an influential group of travel peers to the destination and shares its story to a broader audience through connections with both trade and local media.

The Tourism Cares give back program is all about place, people and fun – and most importantly, collaboration. Taking on a project of this size requires coordination and commitment from both Tourism Cares and the host committee. Interested destinations can visit the Request for Proposal packet to learn more about host roles and responsibilities, as well as the benefits. The application period is now open through Monday, February 15. The 2017 destination will be announced May 25, 2016.

About Tourism Cares

Tourism Cares, Inc., a US 501(c)(3) public charity, preserves and enriches the travel experience for future generations. Founded and supported by leading associations and companies in the travel industry, the Tourism Cares community invests its resources, talent and influence in three areas: we support underappreciated and at-risk destinations and communities; we invest in those entering the industry and professional development for emerging leaders; and we share travel corporate social responsibility knowledge and best practices so that individual businesses can best support their own causes. Learn more at www.TourismCares.org and @TourismCares.

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(18 January, 2016) Without more careful planning, species extinctions and basin-wide declines in fisheries will accompany new hydropower development in the world’s major tropical rivers says a report published in Science Magazine co-authored by WorldFish, Senior Scientist, Eric Baran.

837 dams already exist in the Amazon, Congo, and Mekong rivers, and over 450 additional dams are planned. Together, these three rivers are home to roughly one third of the world’s fresh water fish and many unique fish species. Fish are a vital source of nutrition and livelihoods for the millions that live near the rivers. In the Lower Mekong basin alone, freshwater capture fisheries provide up to 80% of the animal protein consumed by those who live there.

Dams are usually built where rapids and waterfalls boost hydropower potential. Unfortunately, these areas are also home to high fish biodiversity. Large dams reduce fish diversity but also block fish migration that connects populations and enables species to complete their life cycles. Dams can reduce fish access to floodplain habitats that are essential nursery areas and feeding grounds. Model simulations of proposed dams in the lower Mekong Basin predict major reductions of migratory stocks.

Eric Baran, Senior Scientist, WorldFish: “In tropical countries, the impact of dams on biodiversity and fisheries has been seriously overlooked. Funders are not being given the full picture when it comes to assessing dam proposals, and dam development is not planned and coordinated at the relevant scale. In the Mekong for instance, there is currently no planning process beyond the national level, although most dams have an environmental and social impact at the regional scale.”

The report’s authors call for a more sophisticated and holistic planning process that takes into account the cumulative effects of dams planned for the future. They highlight increased spatial data availability that can be used to support better analysis of the trade off between hydropower potential and the sustainability of key natural resources. It is also possible to build on new spatial analysis tools in which the cumulative benefit, in terms of hydropower production, of a combination of dams is weighted against their cumulative impact on fish biodiversity and production.

Additional resources for reporters:

Mekong fisheries and mainstream dams: Fisheries sections – http://www.worldfishcenter.org/content/mekong-fisheries-and-mainstream-dams-fisheries-sections

How much of the Mekong fish catch is at risk from mainstream dam development – http://www.worldfishcenter.org/content/how-much-mekong-fish-catch-risk-mainstream-dam-development

Fish migration, dams, and loss of ecosystem services in the Mekong basin – http://www.worldfishcenter.org/content/fish-migration-dams-and-loss-ecosystem-services-mekong-basin

For more information or to request an interview contact:

Web: worldfishcenter.org

Photography: flickr.com/photos/theworldfishcenter/

About WorldFish

WorldFish is an international, nonprofit research organization that harnesses the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce hunger and poverty. Globally, more than one billion poor people obtain most of their animal protein from fish and 800 million depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods. WorldFish is a member of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

About CGIAR

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research Centers that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partners.

The post Dams Threaten Biodiversity In World’s Great River Systems Says New Report appeared first on My Social Good News.

“Sustainable Banking for a Sustainable Economy”

Geneva, 18 January 2016: Today, YES BANK, India’s fifth largest private sector bank, joins nearly 200 forward-thinking companies across the globe as the newest member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). YES BANK is the first Indian bank to become a member of this prestigious global business community which includes foreign multinationals.

Now in its 12th year of operations, YES BANK is one of the fastest growing banks in India.

Since its inception, the bank has adopted Responsible Banking as one of its six strategic pillars, along with Growth, Trust, Human Capital, Innovation & Technology and Transparency. YES BANK’s mission is to use innovative business solutions to create stakeholder value and integrate sustainability principles into its core business strategies and processes.

The bank has demonstrated a leadership role in climate finance in India, and has recently announced a series of commitments towards clean energy and social responsibility, in line with Sustainable Development Goals and COP21 outcomes. This is the kind of commitment that is necessary in India and throughout the world.

As a WBCSD member, YES BANK will focus on engaging with global business leadership across sectors, geographies and value chains to explore, develop and scale up business solutions that address the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rana Kapoor, Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK, said, “We are proud to be associated with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and fully support its global developmental agenda. YES BANK is committed to ‘Building the Finest Quality Bank of the World in India by 2020’ in which its social and environmental responsibilities are seamlessly integrated with business objectives. As a member of WBCSD, YES BANK will be in a great position to further mainstream sustainable development and accelerate the WBCSD’s agenda in India and globally.”

Mr. Peter Bakker, WBCSD’s President and CEO stated, “It’s great to have YES BANK on board. They are doing great work in sustainability already – and we are excited to find opportunities to do more together. The financial sector is critical for global sustainability and India will be a key player in economic growth and development over the next century. In this context, it’s good to know that YES BANK is committed to building a better world and WBCSD is looking forward to supporting them in their efforts.”

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Taxpayers with a 2015 AGI of $62,000 or Less Can Visit IRS.gov/FreeFile to Prepare and E-File Federal Tax Returns; Also New for 2016 – More Free State Filing Options Available

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2016) – Free federal tax preparation and e-filing software is now available at www.IRS.gov/FreeFile to all Americans with a 2015 adjusted gross income (AGI) of $62,000 or less. Powered by The Free File Alliance, a coalition of 13 industry-leading tax software companies partnered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Free File program gives eligible taxpayers free access to the industry’s most innovative and secure tax software in order to easily prepare and e-file their federal tax returns.

More than 70 percent of all taxpayers — 100 million people — are eligible to use Free File, which is available now at www.IRS.gov/FreeFile. Not only is the Free File income limitation $2,000 higher than last year for free federal tax services, but there are also more options for free state tax return preparation. Taxpayers can now visit www.IRS.gov/FreeFile and utilize the “Help Me Find Free File Software” tool to identify software options for both free federal and free state returns.

“If your income is $62,000 or less, Free File is there to take the guesswork out of doing your federal tax returns,” said Tim Hugo, executive director of the Free File Alliance. “Our software offers step-by-step help to get your federal taxes done quickly, safely and at absolutely no cost, and we now offer more free state tax services than ever. Just visit www.IRS.gov/FreeFile and click ‘Help Me Find Free File Software’ to see what options are available to you.”

Free File also helps taxpayers with the new health care requirements. Using Free File, most taxpayers will simply have to check a box to report health care coverage for the entire year.

Hugo continued, “The Free File program has provided almost $1.4 billion in free tax software over the last 13 years, and we hope to see even more taxpayers take advantage of the service in 2016. IRS.gov/FreeFile is the one place where taxpayers can choose from a variety of the industry’s most innovative and secure tax software options.”

Starting January 19, basic federal e-filing services, called Free File Fillable Forms, will also be available regardless of income level. Free File Fillable Forms allows taxpayers who are familiar with tax law and need no preparation assistance to complete and file their federal income tax electronically.

Also new this year is a partnership between the Free File Alliance and Operation HOPE, a global non-profit organization providing financial literacy empowerment and economic education. The new partnership will focus on raising awareness of the Free File program among low-to-middle-income and underserved communities nationwide.

“Operation HOPE has brought financial literacy to millions of people,” said Steve Ryan, Operation HOPE board member and general counsel for the Free File Alliance. “The partnership between Free File and Operation HOPE will help free tax services reach more taxpayers, especially low-income and underserved Americans who need them the most.”

By making industry-leading tax software available at no cost, Free File has introduced millions of Americans, many of whom could not otherwise afford tax software, to the efficiency and ease of e-filing. The program has continually advanced the IRS’ e-filing initiative, while meeting a critical need for affordable, quality tax software options. Responding to a recent IRS survey, 96 percent of users said they found Free File easy to use, while 98 percent said they would recommend the program to others.

About the Free File Alliance

The Free File Alliance, a coalition of 13 industry-leading tax software companies, has partnered with the IRS since 2003 to help low and middle-income Americans prepare, complete and e-file their federal tax returns online. The Free File Alliance is committed to giving 70 percent of taxpayers free access to the industry’s top online tax preparation software. More than 46 million returns have been filed through Free File since its inception. For more information, visit www.freefilealliance.org.

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A SOCENT’S EXPERIENCE AT IMPACT BAZAAR

I recently attended Impact Bazaar, the first of its kind by Impact Hub in New York City. I wasn’t sure what sort of conference I was signing up for, exactly. There wasn’t much information online and the event was scheduled to last over two months. But not only did I find the experience to be useful, engaging and fun, I also found it difficult to leave at the end of my two weeks there!

ABOUT IMPACT HUB NYC

Impact Hub NYC is a subsidiary of MissionHUB, the organization responsible for the hugely popular SOCAP series. Over time, MissionHUB has established Impact Hubs in San Francisco, Berkeley, New York, DC and Philadelphia, and they exist to “support social entrepreneurs and impact investors in building sustainable businesses that drive long-term social and environmental change.”

Impact Hub NYC is a certified B Corporation. It’s “a coworking & events space for a community of entrepreneurs, activists, creatives, and professionals taking action to drive positive social and environmental change.”

IMPACT BAZAAR: THE EVENT

Impact Hub NYC’s Impact Bazaar was well attended. There were organizations big and small, from around the country and a few from further away. It was a close and informal setting for the most part. And it was always cheerful. But what really set Impact Bazaar apart from other such conferences is the fact that it was so accessible. Admission was only $10/day and it bought access to most events, the work space, and good, fair-trade, coffee. Lunches, a range of ethically made products, and specialized engagements were available for sale.

Throughout the event, there were a variety of meetings, presentations and workshops by experienced, committed professionals. In general, there was this unmistakable sense of camaraderie. Everyone involved seemed genuinely dedicated to being helpful. Certainly, the opportunities for intimate networking were impressive.

My own favorite part of the conference was the people. I met (and learned much from) some great people at Impact Bazaar. These people were full of helpful expertise, contagious energy, and promise for the future we have the power to create, together.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Since this was the first such conference, I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I suspect this will become an annual thing, where lessons learned along the way will be applied for bigger and better events. Over time, I have no doubt that more participants and impressive names will join the roster. What I’d love though, is for this unique, open and accessible culture of Impact Hub NYC’s to thrive.

-Shivani

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Core Directives include Voter Registration, Healthcare Enrollment and Fair Housing Advocacy

BALTIMORE, MD – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the National Head Start Association (NHSA) have announced an historic joint initiative aimed at empowering the country’s most vulnerable families by facilitating voter registration, health care enrollment and fair housing advocacy at Head Start centers across the county.

Since its creation in 1965, Head Start has improved the lives of 32 million at-risk children and their families, laying the foundation for lifelong success. As the outstanding model for quality early learning, Head Start’s comprehensive, two-generation approach, including services such as home visits, health screenings, and improved nutrition, gets children ready for kindergarten and sets families on a path toward self-sufficiency.

NAACP President and Head Start alumnus Cornell William Brooks revealed the Memorandum of Understanding, which focuses on three core directives:

• Voter Registration: Organize voter registration drives at Head Start centers to provide Head Start parents with crucial tools and information to bridge gaps in the voting process, including helpful resources such as voter guides with state-specific information on how to register and vote.
• Healthcare / Affordable Care Act: Educate families and provide resources to the Head Start community to help families enroll for health care coverage and access critical medical care.
• Housing Advocacy: Provide Head Start families with fair housing advocacy tools to help build a foundation for stabilizing the family and home, and ensuring the entire family is prepared and invested in their own lifelong success.

“Head Start has long been the center of community and learning in neighborhoods across the country, providing the required resources to strengthen families, communities and the well-being of our children,” said NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks. “This new partnership with Head Start is a natural extension of their commitment to educating and empowering families and the communities they serve.”

Head Start’s benefits to building communities include central center locations in the poorest neighborhoods where young parents can meet, socialize, and see one another. Through its programs and community support, Head Start provides:

• Early knowledge, nurturing and stability for children that readies them for kindergarten, instills love of reading, and phenomenal socialization skill development that hopefully expands beyond the walls of the center.
• Opportunity/access to community services for parents and children. Parents are able to gain training, set family and community goals, participate in councils at centers, and grow into positions of empowerment.
• Social Justice Imperatives – In modern society, child care and Pre-K are considered basic needs for children, and often out of reach for struggling parents. Head Start and other programs help create a more stable and peaceful world that values education, self-direction and community that we must continue to cultivate.

“We are proud to partner with the NAACP to open up the democratic process for Head Start families, and ensure access to critical health and housing opportunities,” said NHSA Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “Head Start has always emphasized that parents are their children’s first teachers and a program’s most important partner. Expanding access to these resources is a crucial part of breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering families to achieve their own goals for education, employment, stability, and success.”

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CytoDyn to file an additional Phase 3 Protocol for HIV Monotherapy Investment Community Conference Call Scheduled for January 21, 2016

VANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CytoDyn Inc. (OTC.QB:CYDY), a biotechnology company focused on the development of new therapies for combating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, today announced that its ongoing extension study of PRO 140 monotherapy in a cohort of HIV-infected patients has shown complete viral-load suppression for well over a year with some patients approaching 17 months. The Company believes that complete virologic suppression through treatment with a single agent, PRO 140, a safe and efficacious antibody, rather than through the widely used HAART combination therapy, could present a significant opportunity to treat HIV patients. Based on these monotherapy results, the Company plans to file a second Phase 3 protocol for PRO 140 monotherapy with the FDA. CytoDyn is currently conducting a pivotal Phase 3 trial for PRO 140 as an adjunct therapy with expected commercialization in 2017.

Dr. Nader Pourhassan, CytoDyn’s President and CEO commented that: “We believe PRO 140 can effectively address adherence to a complex therapeutic regimen, which is a major challenge in today’s HIV world. Only about 25% of HIV patients in the U.S. have a completely suppressed viral load. A large contributor to this problem is due to patients’ inability to adhere to a highly structured schedule to take their medications on a specific timetable every day of their lives (Anti-Retroviral Therapy or ART). PRO 140 is administered as a simple, weekly subcutaneous injection and could be the solution to this very serious adherence problem. Moreover, our clinical trials to date have clearly indicated that PRO 140 is safe and efficacious without the side effects and toxicities experienced in the current ART therapeutic regimen. We are optimistic about our current and upcoming trials of PRO 140 and believe our antibody presents a compelling alternative or adjunct therapy to ART for HIV patients.”

Management will hold an investment community conference call on Thursday, January 21, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. PT to discuss the Company’s current developments and future plans for PRO 140 (see details for the call below).

Conference Call and Webcast Instructions

CytoDyn’s management team will host a conference call and live audio webcast on January 21, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. PT.

Interested participants and investors may access this conference call by dialing 877-407-2986 (U.S./Canada) or 201-378-4916 (international).

A live audio webcast may also be accessed via the Investors section of CytoDyn’s corporate web site at www.cytodyn.com, and will be archived for 60 days. Web participants are encouraged to go to the web site 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register, download and install any necessary software.

A replay of the conference call will be available until March 21, 2016. To access the replay, interested parties may dial 877-660-6853 (U.S./Canada) or 201-612-7415 (international); Conference ID: 13578723.

About CytoDyn

CytoDyn is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. The Company has one of the leading monoclonal antibodies under development for HIV infection, PRO 140, which has finished Phase 2 clinical trials with demonstrated antiviral activity in man and is currently in Phase 3. PRO 140 blocks the HIV co-receptor CCR5 on T-cells which prevents viral entry. Clinical trial results thus far indicate that PRO 140 does not negatively affect the normal immune functions that are mediated by CCR5. Results from six Phase 1 and Phase 2 human clinical trials have shown that PRO 140 can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV. A recent Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that PRO 140 can prevent viral escape in patients during several weeks of interruption from conventional drug therapy. CytoDyn intends to continue to develop PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in persons infected with HIV and to pursue non HIV indications where CCR5 and its ligand CCL5 may be involved. For more information on the Company, please visit www.cytodyn.com.

About PRO 140

PRO 140 belongs to a new class of HIV/AIDS therapeutics — viral-entry inhibitors — that are intended to protect healthy cells from viral infection. PRO 140 is a fully humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody directed against CCR5, a molecular portal that HIV uses to enter T-cells. PRO 140 blocks the predominant HIV (R5) subtype entry into T-cells by masking this required co-receptor, CCR5. Importantly PRO 140 does not appear to interfere with the normal function of CCR5 in mediating immune responses. PRO 140 does not have agonist activity towards CCR5 but does have antagonist activity to CCL5 which is a central mediator in inflammatory diseases. PRO 140 has been the subject of seven clinical trials, each demonstrating efficacy by significantly reducing or controlling HIV viral load in human test subjects. PRO 140 has been designated a “fast track” product candidate by the FDA. The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements as compared to daily drug therapies currently in use.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of United States securities laws, including statements regarding the Company’s Phase 3 and other current and proposed studies and their results and completion. These statements and information represent CytoDyn’s intentions, plans, expectations, and beliefs and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many beyond CytoDyn’s control. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements or information. The words “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “attempt,” “anticipate,” “foresee,” “plan,” and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date on which they are made.

CytoDyn disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. While it is impossible to identify or predict all such matters, these differences may result from, among other things, the inherent uncertainty of the timing and success of and expense associated with research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of CytoDyn’s products and product candidates, including the risks that clinical trials will not commence or proceed as planned; products appearing promising in early trials will not demonstrate efficacy or safety in larger-scale trials; future clinical trial data on CytoDyn’s products and product candidates will be unfavorable; funding for additional clinical trials may not be available; CytoDyn’s products may not receive marketing approval from regulators or, if approved, may fail to gain sufficient market acceptance to justify development and commercialization costs; competing products currently on the market or in development may reduce the commercial potential of CytoDyn’s products; CytoDyn, its collaborators or others may identify side effects after the product is on the market; or efficacy or safety concerns regarding marketed products, whether or not scientifically justified, may lead to product recalls, withdrawals of marketing approval, reformulation of the product, additional pre-clinical testing or clinical trials, changes in labeling of the product, the need for additional marketing applications, or other adverse events.

CytoDyn is also subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with the actions of its corporate, academic, and other collaborators and government regulatory agencies; risks from market forces and trends; potential product liability; intellectual property litigation; environmental and other risks; and risks that current and pending patent protection for its products may be invalid, unenforceable, or challenged or fail to provide adequate market exclusivity. There are also substantial risks arising out of CytoDyn’s need to raise additional capital to develop its products and satisfy its financial obligations; the highly regulated nature of its business, including government cost-containment initiatives and restrictions on third-party payments for its products; the highly competitive nature of its industry; and other factors set forth in CytoDyn’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2015 and other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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CITYPAK and exclusive manufacturing partners High Sierra, Together with local partners Don’t Walk By and Covenant House, will distribute 600 PAKs Throughout the city this February/March, bringing the total number of PAKs delivered to NYC to 3100, with over 24,000 PAKs distributed throughout the US and Canada since 2012.

Watch a new video on The CITYPAK Project HERE.

Chicago, IL – The CITYPAK Project, a not-for-profit organization that works to distribute custom-designed backpack to homeless throughout the United States and Canada, returns to New York City this winter. Working again with local partners Don’t Walk By and Covenant House, 600 PAKs will be distributed to local homeless in need. Distributions will hit a different area of Manhattan every Saturday in February and distribution at the Covenant House will be hosted on March 4, 2016. This upcoming distribution will bring the total number of PAKs circulated in NYC so far to 3100. View a video from CITYPAK’s 2015 NYC distribution HERE.

Designed by CITYPAK’s exclusive manufacturing partners High Sierra, the custom backpacks provide a secure place for displaced citizens to hold their belongings, and feature a spacious main compartment for a large amount of items, a hide-away poncho designed to keep both the bag and its wearer dry, a ballistic nylon outer shell strong enough to combat the elements, a synch-top closure for extra waterproofing and anti-theft measures.

Recognized by media including Inc. Magazine, CNN “New Day”,  MSNBC, San Francisco Chronicle, Toronto Star, Chicago Tribune, and many others, The CITYPAK Project has distributed over 24,000 backpacks in 60+ cities nationwide since its inception in 2012, with additional communities being added each month. Recent Fall 2015 distributions included Los Angeles, Detroit, San Francisco/Oakland/Berkeley, St. Louis, a fourth-time return to CITYPAKs home base of Chicago, and a debut international distribution in Toronto, Canada.

CITYPAK Founder Ron Kaplan says, “Giving away backpacks isn’t the solution to the complex issue of homelessness facing our country, but it’s something we can do to make a small difference for people in this difficult situation.”

Today, The CITYPAK Project encourages its local distribution partners in each city to create programs that use the donated CITYPAKs as incentives for their homeless clients. These programs often use a voucher system that trades program participation for a CITYPAK, thus encouraging homeless in need to more fully engage with organizations and better utilize the resources available to them.

The public can donate at www.citypak.org to provide a CITYPAK to a neighbor in need. Those who would like to get involved and help a homeless person in their neighborhood, can share their story using the hashtag #OnePakAtATime on Instagram or Twitter. CITYPAK will send them a CITYPAK to give to that person to make make life on the streets just a little bit easier for them.

Connect with CITYPAK:
www.citypak.org
facebook.com/citypak
https://instagram.com/citypakproject
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3oThGDxI_9xFLij3r2tvmA
twitter.com/citypakproject

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