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Betty Makoni founded and runs the Girl Child Network in Zimbabwe, determined to see that girls there escape the horrors of Makoni's own childhood. In an overarching culture that devalues and abuses girls, Makoni's advocacy has brought her arrests and death threats—it's also brought healing, education and hope to thousands of girls in Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Malawi and South Africa.
Home when commended: Africa, Zimbabwe Home now: Africa, Zimbabwe Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Catherine Malarkey was an executive in an oil company for decades--until she began to point out that the corporation was engaging in discriminatory practices toward employees who were minorities and/or women. Immediately removed from authority, Malarkey nevertheless persisted, winning a lawsuit on behalf of herself and all women and minorities in the corporation.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Somaly Mam was sold to a brothel in her native Cambodia when she was a teen. After several years of rape and torture, she escaped that life. Then as a grown woman, she braved the rage of the powers that controlled the sex trade and returned to the same brothel, offering food, medicine, education, and freedom to the girls trapped there. Two organizations Mam founded have freed more than six thousand girls from a hellish life in the brothels of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam despite the constant risk of reprisals against her.
Home when commended: Asia, Cambodia Home now: Asia, Cambodia Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Bruno Manser, a Swiss who lived in Malaysia for decades, assisted the Penan people in their campaign to stop the clearcutting of their rainforest, despite the fury of the government, which put a price on Manser's head.
Home when commended: Europe, Switzerland Home now: Europe, Switzerland Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Janet Marchese of White Plains NY started the Down Syndrome Adoption Exchange, a free service connecting families unable to care for their Down children with families wanting to adopt them. Marchese, who has financed the program by working double shifts as a waitress, is on call day and night to counsel birth parents.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Aida Marini of Beirut, Lebanon, the most celebrated female artist in the Middle East, refused all offers of safe haven abroad during her country's years of war. Marini remained in Beruit, using her work to promote the cause of peace in Lebanon and around the world.
Home when commended: Asia, Lebanon Home now: Asia, Lebanon Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Steve Mariotti of New York NY responded to being mugged by street toughs by deciding to teach entrepreneurship to kids like the ones who assaulted him! Exasperated by a school system that considered typing and accounting the only appropriate business subjects, Mariotti created a non-profit that has taught kids how to start and run dozens of new businesses.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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As a leader of the Council of the Haida Nation of British Columbia, Adolphus Marks became a criminal to the BC government and a hero to many Canadians. The Council members used their bodies to blockade logging equipment and stop massive clear-cutting in their home islands. Thanks to them, the threatened islands were declared a national preserve.
Home when commended: North America, Canada, British Columbia Home now: North America, Canada, British Columbia Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Melinda Marks of Montvale NJ founded the Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) to push for more humane treatment of farm animals. Marks is especially concerned about the caging of calves and chickens, saying that the stress on the animals makes them susceptible to disease that can be passed along in meat and eggs.
Home when commended: North America, US, New Jersey Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Angela Martinez of Tampa FL didn't let disparagement by building inspectors and construction workers prevent her from providing free emergency home repairs to poor, elderly homeowners. The repairwomen of her Senior Home Improvement Program, all older women themselves, not only help senior citizens maintain and keep their homes, but also inspire them with what older women can do.
Home when commended: North America, US, Florida Home now: North America, US, Florida Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Annette Martinez, Angie Camacho, Paloma Camacho, Sarah Cardona, Fernando Becerra, Dana Page, Horacio Romero, Rosalinda Ugalde, Raul Velasquez and Alejandro Velasquez are leaders of Earth Niños at the Humphreys School in East Los Angeles. Giving up endless hours of their own time and braving the ridicule of other kids, these 6th-graders planted more than 100 trees at their school and at Occidental College, beautified their neighborhood by planting flowers, picked up tons of litter on their school grounds and around the neighborhood, and led Los Angeles' Unified School District in starting an aluminum recycling project.
Home when commended: North America, US, California Home now: North America, US, California Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Aurora Martinez of Alhambra CA risked ostracism and arrest to start a health clinic for illegal aliens. Working round the clock, Martinez established Clinica Oscar Romero to provide free medical care to growing numbers of Central Americans, many of whom risk deportation if they seek care from hospitals or other clinics.
Home when commended: North America, US, California Home now: North America, US, California Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Justine Masika Bihamba is the champion, advocate and counselor to the thousands of women who have been mutilated and raped in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In great personal danger, Masika Bihamba has sent her children to safety, but chooses to stay in the DRC herself, knowing how much the women of her country need her.
Home when commended: Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo Home now: Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Parole officer Kenneth Mason of Union NJ blew the whistle when superiors failed to act on his reports that the records of dangerous parolees were being lost and mishandled--a serious threat to public safety. Fired for speaking out, he continues to demand changes in the system.
Home when commended: North America, US, New Jersey Home now: North America, US, New Jersey Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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J. Kyle Massey of Virginia Beach VA was one of five 6th graders who pushed for stronger legislation to protect children from unsafe toys. Though patronized and ignored by many adults,they lobbied their legislators, wrote letters to their local papers, and did research at daycare centers. They appeared before the Virginia Assembly and the U.S. Congress as expert witnesses on toy safety, and a bill they initiated requiring hospital emergency rooms to report any toy-related injuries became law in Virginia. (See also Zachary Bradley, Carissa Frasca, Leslie Gregory, and Emily Letts.)
Home when commended: North America, US, Virginia Home now: North America, US, Virginia Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Petra Mastenbroek of Seattle WA went public with the pain drug abuse had caused in her own life and founded a support program for fellow high schoolers who were having problems with drugs and alcohol. Enduring insults from her school's many "druggies," Petra created a strong anti-drug counterforce.
Home when commended: North America, US, Washington Home now: North America, US, Washington Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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1 Way 2 Help
FIND GIRAFFES
Please note
We're adding stories and photos to the Giraffe Heroes database everyday. If information isn't visible yet, know that we're working on it.
YOU & THE FOUNDER
From time to time, Ann Medlock, this Project's founder, does a brief but inspiring email called Heads Up. You can check out past copies here. They're so good (and so free) we bet you'll join the Heads Up circle and send them on to friends & family.
For further wit & wisdom from Ann, check out her speeches, radio commentaries and OpEds.