### Discover Goats and Soda: NPR’s Captivating Global Health and Development Stories from Around the World
Goats and Soda, NPR’s acclaimed global health and development blog, continues to deliver compelling stories about life in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting challenges, innovations, and human resilience in our interconnected world. From rising child mortality risks to breakthroughs in HIV prevention and climate impacts on childhood development, this section offers insightful coverage that bridges global issues with everyday human experiences.
Launched in 2014, the blog’s quirky name draws from everyday sights in many developing regions—ubiquitous goats and bottled soda—as symbols of daily life in the Global South. It focuses on topics like infectious diseases, poverty alleviation, women’s health, sanitation, and climate change effects, blending rigorous journalism with personal narratives to make complex issues accessible and engaging.
Recent standout stories include a deep dive into how extreme heat from climate change is hindering early childhood development, with children in hotter regions showing delays in cognitive milestones. Another explores the potential reversal of decades of progress in reducing under-5 child deaths, projected to rise in 2025 due to funding cuts. On a hopeful note, reports cover the rollout of a breakthrough HIV prevention drug in Africa and efforts to combat neglected tropical diseases despite setbacks.
The blog also features visually stunning photo essays, such as 2025’s top global images capturing bold women raising awareness about diseases, traditional comfort foods, and unique wildlife moments. Other popular pieces examine cultural clashes like Mumbai’s pigeon-feeding ban and innovative poverty graduation programs in Uganda.
For U.S. readers, Goats and Soda provides crucial context on international issues that ripple back home—such as global health threats, migration drivers, and lessons from abroad on topics like vaccine hesitancy or harm reduction in tobacco use. In an era of interconnected challenges, these stories foster empathy and understanding of our shared global village.
As 2025 wraps up with reflections on the year’s most viewed reels and photos, Goats and Soda remains a go-to source for thoughtful, human-centered journalism on global health and development. Recent highlights also include joy-sparking tales of children playing amid conflict and debates on vaping as a smoking cessation tool.
Explore the full section on NPR.org for the latest updates on these vital global stories.
By Mark Smith
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