Pennsylvania is one of the only states with no standards for rural water well construction, meaning multiple other factors could be contributing to the problems.

NPR: Cause Of Off-Color, Fetid Water Eludes Pa. Town

Since its inception in 2006, MeXvi has pioneered the assisted self-construction of homes in rural and semi-urban areas in over 13 states of Mexico, improving the quality of life of thousand of Mexicans.

FORBES: MeXvi: Enabling Families To Have A Home

He could raise rural incomes by allocating more of the money spent on road construction to farm-to-market roads.

ECONOMIST: But Mr Yudhoyono has a little time in hand to do it in

Some of this rural-income growth has been generated by the spate of housing construction (Bianba Tsering's brickmaking business has been an obvious beneficiary).

ECONOMIST: Tibet

He has also directed a number of big manufacturing concerns to Mississippi, including the Kemper County coal plant, which is expected to create 260 permanent jobs and 1, 000 during peak construction, and a Toyota factory in the state's rural north that will employ 2, 000 people.

ECONOMIST: Haley Barbour's ambitions

For the past four years, the Yao Foundation has been funding the construction of 14 schools through the Hope Primary Schools program that will eventually benefit some 9, 000 rural students in China.

FORBES: Yao Ming's Latest Venture: China's Big Man Turns To Conservation