9 Global Stories You May Have Missed In 2017

By looking at the number of page views for our stories from 2017, we came up with our most popular stories of the year.

But there are other ways to measure success.

Some stories don't get a lot of page views — maybe people missed out on them because there was too much news that day, or the topic didn't appeal to them. But the people who do click on them spend a lot of time on the page. That's a sure sign of reader interest. We think of these posts as overlooked gems. Here are some of our most underappreciated Goats and Soda stories of 2017.

All-Female Orchestra From Afghanistan Is A Force For Change

It's perhaps the unlikeliest symphony orchestra in the world — an all-female ensemble from a strict Muslim society where it's often dangerous for young women to step outside their homes unescorted.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Rachel Corner/De Beeldunie Rachel Corner/De Beeldunie

A Family Of Ebola Fighters: 'With God's Help, We Made It'

Three small children walked along the gravel path, draped in ill-fitting clothing and followed by two young men and a man and woman in their 40s. "Y'all one family?" asked a member of a burial team. "One family," replied the older man, beaming through a weary face. "We are seven."

Enlarge this image toggle caption Ashoka Mukpo for NPR Ashoka Mukpo for NPR

To Win This Board Game, Keep Away From The Matchmaker

A new game called Arranged is darkly funny as it skewers the South Asian tradition of arranged marriage. The goal is to run away from the matchmaker.

The Little Boy Who Escaped From Boko Haram

"My father is dead, and my mother is in the bush," he says. He is probably about 6 but doesn't know for sure. He's got huge eyes, a beautiful smile and a sadness no child his age should have to endure.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Jide Adeniyi-Jones for NPR Jide Adeniyi-Jones for NPR

Gonorrhea — AKA The Clap — Is Excellent At Resisting Antibiotics

The bacterium that causes gonorrhea is developing resistance to the antibiotics that have successfully treated it for decades.

Enlarge this image toggle caption David M. Phillips/Science Source David M. Phillips/Science Source

Agnès Binagwaho Is A Doctor With 'Sassitude'

Throughout her life, Binagwaho — affectionately called "Dr. Agnès" by colleagues — has been unafraid to defy authority by speaking her mind. In the process, she has helped to transform Rwanda's health system.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Carolyn Rogers/NPR Carolyn Rogers/NPR

Web Comic: A Scientist Runs For His Life And Finds His Dream

Read the illustrated comic about the scientist who escaped Aleppo.

Enlarge this image toggle caption Erik Nelson Rodriguez for NPR Erik Nelson Rodriguez for NPR

Enlarge this image Erik Nelson Rodriguez for NPR Erik Nelson Rodriguez for NPR

New Yorker Redesigns Her Life To Help Kids In Ghana

Pat Wilkins sold her condo and BMW, quit her job in the textile industry and went looking for a meaningful life. She decided to start a nonprofit to give kids a better chance to succeed in school. And at first it was a failure. So how's it doing now?

Enlarge this image toggle caption Amy Yee for NPR Amy Yee for NPR

Alexis Okeowo Finds God In The Brave Acts Of Ordinary Africans

In her new book, A Moonless, Starless Sky, the 2006 Princeton University grad writes about ordinary Africans who are resisting religious and cultural fundamentalism with acts of everyday bravery.