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Aug 17, 2022 Read in Browser

Karuna News

“Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” -- Jackie Chan

Hello everyone! This week’s stories remind us, even in the midst of the many challenges and upsets in our world today, that kindness is alive and well. Whether it is ending homelessness, closing a medical gap, or reaching out to comfort another when in pain (even when that ‘other’ has caused the pain!) -- these stories of courageous and generous action invite us into a more expansive place, and help us remember our inherent goodness. May this week be a week of kindness for you and yours, given and received!

ENVIRONMENT

'Walking' Forest Of 1,000 Trees Transforms Dutch City

'Walking' Forest Of 1,000 Trees Transforms Dutch City

Sophie Nito | Unsplash

It is less of a marathon and more of an amble. But then a "walking forest" of 1,000 trees was never going to move at speed. Since May, volunteers have been transporting trees planted in wooden containers along a 3.5 kilometer (about 2.17 mile) stretch through the center of the northern Dutch city of Leeuwarden, giving people an opportunity to experience an alternative, greener future. Bosk means forest; more tree cover in urban environments means lower land temperatures - a planning feature that is becoming increasingly crucial in a heating world. The brainchild of landscape architect Bruno Doedens and his longtime collaborator, the late Joop Mulder, the Bosk emerged from Doedens' 2021 essay Planet Paradise, which questioned humans' relationship with the natural world. The 1,000 trees are made up of 60-70 native species, including ash, alder, elm, maple, oak, and willow, planted in 800 wooden containers. The project has received overwhelming local support, and people of all ages, genders and backgrounds have volunteered to move the trees. Read Full Story.

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COMMUNITY

How A Small Canadian City Ended Chronic Homelessness

How A Small Canadian City Ended Chronic Homelessness

Medicine Hat Community Housing Society

Last year, in June, Medicine Hat became the first city in Canada to "functionally end" chronic homelessness – meaning no more than three individuals faced chronic homelessness for three consecutive months. The key to its success is its data-driven, housing-first approach – homeless people are first provided housing without preconditions, then offered support to address other issues. Since 2009, more than 1,675 people who were homeless or at-risk of being homeless have been housed, including more than 424 children. The Homelessness Management Information System means the city can track clients across agencies. Every community-based organization participates, as do government services, so they can put real-time data in context with overall community trends. The city's 2019 progress report found that while it costs between $12,000-$34,000 annually per individual for housing and support, it can cost up to $120,000 per year per person to provide resources to people on the street. Read Full Story.

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SPORTS

Little League Baseball Player Comforts Opposing Pitcher After Painful Mistake

Little League Baseball Player Comforts Opposing Pitcher After Painful Mistake

In Waco, Texas, during a Little League regional tournament game, righthander Kaiden Shelton accidentally threw a pitch that got away from him, slamming into the helmet of batter Isaiah Jarvis. Jarvis fell to the ground, clutching his head, as concerned coaches ran to him. After a few moments, Jarvis was able to walk unaided to first base. Visibly shaken up on the mound, Shelton stared at the ground, in tears of what had happened. Noticing from first base, Jarvis walked over and gave his opponent a hug, telling him, "Hey, you're doing great. Let's go." The gesture ignited a standing ovation from the crowd. Read Full Story.

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TECHNOLOGY

Daktari Smart Brings Specialist Care To Children In Rural Kenya

Daktari Smart Brings Specialist Care To Children In Rural Kenya

Daktari Smart

New telemedicine technology, Daktari Smart, aims to close the gap between child patients and medical specialists in rural Kenya, targeting over 32,000 children in Homabay, Samburu, Baringo and Lamu counties in its first phase of operation. Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board estimate the current patient-to-doctor ratio is 6,355 to 1. Electronic devices such as a stethoscope, vital sign monitor, derma scope, electrocardiogram, and ultrasound machine are attached to a monitor so specialists can see the patient's information in real-time. The M-PESA Foundation invested over Ksh 168 million (about $1.4 million USD) in the project, partnering with Gertrude's Hospital Foundation, Gertrude's Hospital and Safaricom PLC. The system's bandwidth requirement is low, ranging from 512kps to 2Mbps, making it suitable for rural areas with poor internet connectivity. Read Full Story.

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BUSINESS

Man Bootstraps His Own Internet Service, Expands To Hundreds Of Homes In Rural Michigan

Man Bootstraps His Own Internet Service, Expands To Hundreds Of Homes In Rural Michigan

Jared Mauch via Ars Technica

When Jared Mauch couldn't get good broadband service from any internet companies, he built his own fiber-to-the-home internet provider. During the pandemic, many homes where Mauch lives in rural Michigan were stranded without internet, because large providers charged exorbitant fees to install networks in the sparsely populated area. The local government put out a call for proposals seeking contractors to install an internet network for addresses that were "unserved or underserved". "In my own wild stupidity or brilliance, I'm not sure which yet, I bid on the whole project [in my area] and managed to win through that competitive bidding process," Mauch told Ars Technica. Mauch's network now has about 14 miles of fiber internet cables installed, with another 38 miles to go -- creating capacity to serve up to 596 residences. Unlike many large internet service providers, his bills are simple, containing a single line item for internet service and no extra fees. All of this is only Mauch's side project; by day, he works as a network architect. In finding a way to serve others, Mausch notes, "The world around me has gotten a lot smaller, I've gotten to know a lot more people." Read Full Story.

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