In his new book for young teenagers, Charles Kenny points out signs of global progress, including the growing number of kids in school. Above: The Oloo Education Center aims to provide an education to kids in Kibera, a poor community in Nairobi, Kenya. When you type "Kibera" into the Uber app, it comes up as "Kibera slum." Julia Gunther for NPR hide caption
Residents of the Colombian capital Bogotá hang red rags from their windows and balconies to signal their need for help with food during the coronavirus pandemic. Raul Arboleda/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Esther Duflo of France waves after receiving the Princess of Asturias award for Social Sciences from Spain's King Felipe VI at a ceremony in Oviedo, northern Spain. She is only the second woman to win the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, sharing it with Abhijit Banarjee and Michael Kremer. Jose Vicente/AP hide caption
A typical meal in the Democratic Republic of Congo consists of greens, fufu - a starchy ball made from cassava flour - and meat, such as freshwater fish. Amy Maxmen for NPR hide caption
A woman uses the IDE-India foot-powered pump to suction water out of the ground and irrigate her crops. IDE-India hide caption
A nighttime satellite image offers some information about pockets of poverty — that's where electricity isn't lighting things up. Planet Observer/UIG/Getty Images/Universal Images Gr hide caption
Learning to get along with others is critical for kids to succeed as adults. These youngsters are working hard at the skill on a playground in Manila. George Calvelo/NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption