107: more than just the news from Uganda

Since October 2007 - indeed, around the same time that I started this blog - the UK's Guardian newspaper has been reporting regularly on life in the Ugandan village of Katine. The Guardian has partnered with Amref and Farm Africa to provide access to water, healthcare and other basic needs for the people of Katine, raising funds from its readers that are matched by Barclays Bank. Every one or two weeks, Ugandan journalist Richard M Kavuma (sponsored by Panos) and Guardian staff journalists update readers on the project's progress. Today I've linked one of the articles, which documents work to start drilling boreholes so that villagers can benefit from fresh, clean water - without having to walk for 4 hours to get it! The Guardian's initiative is a great example of the way links can be formed between communities (in this case, Katine in Uganda and the Guardian's largely UK-based readership) using mass media, supported by compelling photo-journalism and by partners from across the private and voluntary sectors. The kind of initiative that brings hope to those that desperately need it, whilst enhancing the understanding of those far away. (To find out how you can get involved, click here.)

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Thanks to RTBH reader, Iain, for sending in a really great article from The Economist this week, which documents some key areas of global progress over recent decades. Its argument is similar to the one underpinning this blog's creation: though collectively we face many challenges, good things do happen and the trajectory of human development is positive - but it helps to remind ourselves of this every now and again!