Grateful News December 2015

This month’s Grateful News focuses on a surprisingly effective gratitude practice, a surprising energy source, a simple way to help many kids thrive, a long-awaited new law for women, and a dance class that is an oasis of peace.

How Faking Gratitude Can Make you Genuinely Grateful – and Happier

Expressing gratitude makes a difference even when we don’t really mean it. It works in much the same way that when we force ourselves to smile or listen to happy music when we’re feeling sad: it stimulates the part of the brain associated with positive emotions.  » Full Story

Changing Climate Change: Solutions

Tackling climate change is a global issue and in the run up to the UN climate change conference in Paris most of the world’s countries have put forward proposals to do their bit.  One innovation: Charge your phone with a mud oven. » See Video

Transforming a Child’s Life With Glasses

ChildSight, run by Helen Keller International, screens up to 100,000 middle school and high school children each year in poor communities throughout the country and provides glasses to those who need them.  » Full Story

History Has Been Made. Female Genital Mutilation Banned In Nigeria.

Now with the new law criminalizing this procedure, the hope is the ban will fully eliminate this practice and be strongly enforced to combat any existing societal pressures.  » Full Story

A Picture of Pirouettes and Pink at Gaza’s Only Ballet School

Amid the chaos and destruction that has shattered Gaza so often over the past five years, with repeated wars between Israel and Hamas, the school is a haven of calm and order, one many parents are eager for their children to enjoy.
» Full Story