When we decide what to include in Stories of Hope each month, we look for stories about activists and the work AJWS supports around the world that give all of us—our donors, staff, and grantees alike—a boost of optimism. As you know, fighting for human rights in 2026 is not an easy battle to wage. …

In 2024, schoolteacher Joyseph Sseruwagi fled their hometown in Uganda and crossed into Kenya, fearing they’d be arrested and sentenced to decades in prison. Joyseph’s crime? Their sexual orientation, which is severely criminalized under Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act. Joyseph now lives in Kenya, where they lead an organization supported by AJWS partner Jinsiangu, helping other LGBTQI+ …

“Endless war.” The phrase has been kicking around in our collective consciousness for decades, evoking helplessness and hopelessness. Painting a world where peace isn’t even a distant dream — it’s an impossibility. We know it’s easy to succumb to this hopelessness, especially in this moment when countries readily wage war without examining the possibility of …

The last few months have re-invigorated Americans’ ideas about the heroic work of journalists. Linchpins of democracy, reporters who demand the truth work at considerable risk — personal insults, job loss, and the broad brush of “fake news” lobbed at them from politicians with a lot to lose. But systematic attacks on the press, now …

On the AJWS storytelling team, we like to keep the spotlight on our grantee-partners. Staying true to our model of supporting grassroots leaders who know what needs to change, we share stories of problems and solutions that inspire us and coalesce into movements that make enduring human rights progress. But every once in a while, …