There’s rarely any good news about Sudan. A group of volunteers in Chicago decided to change that.

Accompanied by a member of the “Lost Boys of Sudan,” ordinary people joined forces in an effort to ship donated medical supplies to the war-torn country, where a new and much-needed hospital is under construction.

It’s a small step in confronting a problem half a world away.

Produced by Hassan S. Ali

It was the day after a man shot and killed five students at Northern Illinois University, and I had just arrived on campus.

The shootings that ravaged this community opened the door to a media frenzy a town this size should never have to see. And I, a guy with a camcorder sandwiched between global news teams, stood out like a sore thumb amidst all of it.

Or so I thought, until I decided to ditch the stodgy press area and visit the offices of the Northern Star, the campus newspaper whose constantly updated website has served as a lifeline to concerned NIU parents, students, and outside journalists.