Johannesburg, South Africa (CNN) - When he lost his second parent to HIV/AIDS seven years ago, Ayanda Buthelezi's future seemed bleak.

"I thought maybe God hated us," said Buthelezi, now 22. "We were very scared. ... But I had to be strong for my brother because he was still young."

As orphans in Johannesburg, the Buthelezi brothers were moved to a home for families and children affected by HIV/AIDS. There, they were introduced to their first computer through Infinite Family, a nonprofit started by Amy Stokes. The group connects South African children with caring adults around the world via computer.

"Whatever the cause may be, these children are severely lacking adult attention and guidance," Stokes said. "Kids come into the computer lab because they want this special someone in their lives ... they want to connect with that special someone."

Using a custom, Web-based technology, Infinite Family has so far connected almost 300 South African teens - called Net Buddies - with nearly 200 volunteer mentors from around the world. For at least a half-hour each week, pairs meet face to face on what they call the Ezomndeni-net.

Read more on this story here.

(CNN) – When she was a public health administrator for the state of California, Kathryn Hall-Trujillo found that her greatest challenge was paying for babies who were born sick.

"The figure we were working with at that time was about $300,000 ... to stabilize a baby for the first 90 days," said Hall-Trujillo, who worked for the state from 1976-1991.

At the same time, she said, it cost just $2,000 to ensure pregnant mothers received all the care they needed for a healthy pregnancy and proper delivery.

The staggering disparity, along with troubling rates of infant mortality in America, compelled Hall-Trujillo, 62, to find a solution.

"It occurred to me that one of the things that we could do that would cost hardly anything was to make sure that moms who were at risk ... [were] really connected to care," she said. Read more

Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes

By Kathleen Toner, CNN

Los Angeles, California (CNN) – At the bus terminal in downtown Los Angeles, they're easy to spot. Dressed in blue jeans, they carry boxes, bags or large envelopes with their name and a number on it. They are ex-offenders, just released from California's prison system. When they step off the bus with $200 in "gate money" in their pockets, many have hopes of making a fresh start.

But in this seedy area just blocks from Skid Row, the new arrivals are easy targets for pimps and drug dealers. For some, the temptation is too much. While not everyone succumbs to the streets so quickly, nearly 60 percent return to prison within three years, according to California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

It's a cycle that Susan Burton is striving to break through her reentry program. Having served six prison terms for drug offenses in the 1980s and '90s, Burton knows from experience how hard it can be.

"Every time I was released, I swore I wasn't going back," said Burton, 57. "But I know now that without the resources and support, it's next to impossible. ... If you don't have a new door to walk through, the only thing is the old door." Read more

Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes

By Leslie Askew, CNN

(CNN) – "Before my mother's ... experience, I never even looked at seniors on the street," said Irene Zola. "They were pretty much invisible to me."

In 2008, Zola's mother, Faye, was admitted into a nursing home after suffering a stroke.

"I knew from that very first night I would have to spend a lot of time there," she said. "I didn't want to leave my mother in a place where people were ignoring her."

Four months later, Zola's mother passed away.

"I was outraged that our culture doesn't have a place for very old people except in nursing homes," she said. "I decided that I wanted to do something about that."

A New York native and 30-year resident of Morningside Heights - a neighborhood on Manhattan's upper west side - Zola researched the senior population and how their needs were being met and found a solution in her own backyard.

"[A] friend said, 'What about having some people in our neighborhood taking care of the elders who live here?' "

Borrowing on that idea, Zola started Morningside Village in 2009, an initiative that pairs the elderly in her neighborhood with local volunteers who assist them with their day-to-day needs.

Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes

Palm Beach, Florida (CNN) - For years, Army veteran Roy Foster's motto has been "No man left behind." This month, he's broadened it to include women.

In November, Foster was recognized at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" as a Top 10 CNN Hero of 2009 for his efforts to help male veterans struggling with homelessness and addiction. His nonprofit, Faith*Hope*Love*Charity, has provided food, housing, counseling, employment and medical services to more than 1,100 veterans.

"I was somewhat overwhelmed at the tribute. To be a part of something that you love doing - to be honored in doing it was, you know, strange," recalled Foster, 54. "But then to be showcased internationally was tremendous. And it's still reaping benefits today."

Among those benefits is Foster's recent opening of the First Stop Resource Center and Housing Program in Palm Beach, Florida. The center and program widen the scope of support services his organization has been offering through its original Stand Down House. They also bring Foster's long-held dream to fruition. Read more

Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes

Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) - The villagers' faces light up as Evans Wadongo arrives. Men, women and children sing and gather around as he shows how his invention - a solar-powered LED lantern - will soon light up their homes.

"These families, they are so poor. They don't have electricity," said Wadongo, a native of rural Kenya. "It's only kerosene and firewood that they use for lighting, cooking.

"The amount of money that every household uses to buy kerosene every day - if they can just save that money, they can be able to buy food."

Wadongo, 23, not only is giving his country's rural families a way to replace the smoky kerosene and firelight with solar power, he says he also hopes his invention will ultimately improve education and reduce poverty and hunger. And he's providing it for free.

Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2010 CNN Heroes