Stories

Popular Story Collections

Take a deeper look at our stories from around the world.

41 stories

Video

Watch our videos to learn how AJWS is supporting people around the world who are fighting to improve the lives of millions.

22 stories

Sexual Health and Rights

We support women, girls and LGBTQI+ people, as they organize to end discrimination, stop violence and live with dignity, safety and health.

8 stories

Ruth Messinger

A tribute to a truly extraordinary leader, AJWS’s former President and its first Global Ambassador.

63 stories

Robert Bank

Get to know Robert Bank! Robert joined AJWS in 2009 as our Executive Vice President. As of July 1, 2016, Robert became the President and CEO of AJWS.

14 stories

Photos

A look at the work we do to end poverty and promote human rights in the developing world.

23 stories

Land Water and Climate Justice

We aid communities and movements organizing to protect the land, water and natural resources that people depend on for their survival.

14 stories

Ending Child Marriage

Each year, 15 million girls worldwide are married before the age of 18—sometimes against their will. AJWS supports efforts to end child marriage by bringing girls and young women together to define their own futures.

19 stories

Civil and Political Rights

We aid communities and movements that speak out against injustice, hold governments accountable to respect the rights of all people, and work to recover from civil wars and other conflicts.

4 stories

Activists Up Close

Witness social change up close through these videos from around the globe. You'll watch a day in the life of an activist AJWS supports and learn how they change lives and build social movements for justice.

27 stories

30 at 30

In celebration of AJWS’s 30th anniversary, we profiled 30 global leaders who have partnered with AJWS to build a better world.

All Stories

Masafu’s Story: “I had to do something — this cannot pass.”

These days, Masafu Okwara’s sense of pride is as vibrant as the rainbow walls of NGLHRC’s Nairobi offices. But her journey here was long and painful. As one of the of NGLHRC’s program officers, Masafu provides free legal counsel, guidance and often representation to LGBTQI+ people who are unjustly arrested, persecuted or have their rights …

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Alpha

Alpha’s Story: “Even if I call at midnight, they always pick up.”

Alpha lost their parents as a child and began living on the streets of Machakos county, Kenya. Thankfully, they were informally adopted by a teacher who noticed they’d stopped attending school — an opportunity that changed their lives. But challenges persisted. In high school, Alpha was subjected to conversion therapy after a friend outed them …

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Kika’s journey from early marriage to college student

Juanita ‘Kika’ Antelis Juan is the oldest Juan sister, at 26. For Kika, Muñecas Negras inspired an extraordinary change in her life. She grew up in a family of 10 and was married when she turned 15 (In the Dominican Republic, marriage is often forced upon adolescent girls by families struggling financially, to lessen her …

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Across two generations — a family transformed

It was Yanilda Juan, 23, who brought her family to Muñecas Negras. Today, her sisters and their daughters joined: seven Juan women in all. “This project doesn’t just teach us to stitch dolls. It teaches us to love ourselves, our roots, our ancestors, our hair, our skin. To understand that everything we have is gold, …

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Stitching together a strong sense of identity

The Muñecas Negras initiative brings together women and girls, largely from communities of Haitian descent, in rural areas across the Dominican Republic — giving them a safe space to connect, take pride in their identity and learn about their history, all while creating dolls that share their skin color. Below, step into Batey Carmona to …

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Khushi Prajapati

On the Road: Khushi’s Story

As a teenager, Khushi Prajapati worried for her future. Her family had lost everything. Forced to move to a Delhi slum, she worked long hours as a maid, but the family could barely make ends meet. If she didn’t figure out a plan for her future, Khushi faced the likely prospect of an unwanted, early …

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