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For developing countries, population growth can threaten its development. China famously instituted a one child policy to ensure that the state could support all of its citizens. Most nations are not willing to tell people how many children they can have, but some nations are getting creative. Niger, a country in West Africa, is one of the poorest nations in the world and it has the highest birth rate in the world. The average woman will have 7 children. The government of Niger and the United Nations teamed up to educate men about the benefits of family planning with a “School for Husbands.”
Story Length: 4:41
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November 2, 2015
3:00
For 35 years, the Chinese government limited families to having one child. This week that policy changed and most families now have the option of having two children. The Communist party declared the previous policy a success. Population control was part of a political plan to reduce the number of people and raise the per capita income. Families who want to have more children welcomed this announcement. Others were more cynical, asking if the government will now force them to have more children. Listen to this story to hear various opinions about this policy change in China.
Read MoreNovember 13, 2014
7:47
Traditional charity models give people in need food, clothing, job training, or health care. But they don’t typically give cash. This is changing with a new charity called Give Directly, which gives money directly to recipients, no strings attached, and then lets them choose what to spend it on. This public radio story takes you to Kenya to hear how the process works and what people spend their money on.
Read MoreMay 27, 2014
9:28
A man has attracted a lot of YouTube attention by playing songs like “Happy” and the theme from “Game of Thrones” on half-filled wine glasses. This man is also from the Democratic Republic of Congo where he fled his country because of war to study in America. Listen to this radio story with your students to learn how music is helping him heal.
Read MoreJanuary 3, 2014
7:17
There are over 7 billion people on Earth today, double the population 45 years ago. A famous bet was made between an economist and biologist to determine if a world at risk of overpopulation will adapt and survive. Listen to this story with students to learn the results.
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