People from wealthy industrialized nations see flip-flops as cheap and disposable. But in Kenya, much-loved "pata-patas" are repaired, reused, and recycled—but never wasted. The film follows the long life cycle of this colorful footwear, a story full of resourcefulness, enterprise, and creativity.
Every year, thousands of children travel to Casablanca from far-flung shantytowns. Living rough, many fall prey to sexual exploitation and cruelty. It is a problem the government prefers to ignore, but there are some local people brave enough to stand up and make a difference.
For people living in the remote Malian town of Yebe, the village bank cooperative has opened up new opportunities. With a microfinance loan of only 30 euros, Mama Coulibaly was able to buy a sack of corn and turn a profit. Now, she runs a small shop and is the only person in her village with a television. Will microfinance prove to be the anchor that keeps young Africans at home, with a bright future?
David Zamora Munoz attends a UNICEF-sponsored child-friendly school in Nicaragua. While many of its defining characteristics are things kids in developed countries take for granted -- gender equality, running water, a friendly atmosphere -- in Nicaragua the school is being seen as a model for the future of the country's education system.
At the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, endangered gorillas used to be protected by a "fortress" conservation policy, where armed guards kept locals out of certain areas by force. This bred hostility and mistrust, so now a new approach, called "integrated conservation and development," is helping gorillas and humans coexist more peacefully.
Child-Friendly Schools are making a big difference for children in Cambodia: parents are more engaged, attendance is increasing, and lessons are fun. Improved education is not only helping the country heal its troubled past, but is also creating a possible path out of poverty for many thousands of families.
Dr. Paul Williams from the Bwindi Community Health Center highlights the ways in which revenue from gorilla tourism has benefited the health of the local community.
Snakebites kill hundreds of people every year in Papua New Guinea, but most of these deaths could be avoided if victims were able to receive a dose of anti-venom in time. So why isn't enough anti-venom being supplied to local health centers? This film investigates.
Many people in Zambia don't consume enough vitamin A, which leads to blindness, infant mortality, and a host of other health problems. However, the Zambian government has initiated programs to ensure its people receive the nutrition they so desperately need.
Over a million Rwandans died in the terrible genocide that swept the country in 1994. With peace restored, the government faced the problem of truth and reconciliation. With hundreds of thousands implicated in the slaughter, the justice system was in paralysis. But by 2005 Rwanda had found a homegrown answer to their problem: the traditional gacaca court.
India has a foot on both sides of the world's growing digital divide: it is home to a thriving high-technology industry as well as some of the world's biggest slums. So computer scientist Dr. Sugata Mitra created his first "hole in the wall" as a way to answer an interesting question: What would happen if he could provide poor children with free, unlimited access to computers and the Internet?
In Egypt, traditional gender roles mean many women grow up without access to education. But change is coming. Small schools, established with the help of UNICEF, are opening their doors to both sexes, and young girls like Yusriya are grasping the opportunity to learn with both hands.
After decades of conflict, the people of southern Sudan are rediscovering what it means to live in a time of peace. One of the most immediate benefits is wider access to education, but with limited resources and high demand, young people aren't always finding it easy to catch up on the years of school they missed.
The Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia is among the most productive freshwater fisheries in the world. But the lake is being threatened by deforestation, illegal fishing practices, and pollution, so the local communities who depend on the lake for survival are working together to protect the lake's resources and improve their livelihoods.
