World in Progress

Children from La Reunion were brought to children's homes under the guise of getting them a good education — which most never received. Can they find closure by traveling to the island? Young girls in Zimbabwe who fell pregnant during the pandemic used to get kicked out of school, but are now being encouraged to return. And how a delivery app changes the game in Brazil's favelas.

Rising energy and food prices have pushed many people to the brink – and it's set to get worse as fertilizers get more expensive or aren't available at all. We also hear how an app developed on the African continent set out to help small-scale farmers and why many Lebanese are turning to cryptocurrency.

In this edition: How the Kigali declaration is hoped to speed up the fight against neglected tropical diseases that affect 20 percent of the world's population and: While they promise jobs, international projects in Mexico often divide communities.

Nairobi's biggest dumpsite holds over three times its capacity and is tearing at the seams. Residents sort through trash in the hopes to find something usable — be it recyclable goods or simply something to eat. And then there's crime. We also hear how female students have been speaking out against sexual harassment and abuse in Morocco and are finally being heard.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only lead to a global health crisis, but also to economic hardships. Some people from Latin America and the Caribbean are getting so desperate they embark on a dangerous journey north to make it all the way to the US — in the middle of the pandemic! We also hear how one neighborhood in Australia managed to pull off a vaccination success story.

The Mekong River begins in Tibet and runs through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia before exiting in Vietnam's delta region. But ever since China built several mega dams along the river, the rhythm of the flowing giant has been getting out of sync. So what does this mean for the environment and the people living alongside the world's twelfth longest the river?

When pregnant women drink alcohol, the impact on their babies' health can be severe. In South Africa, more than ten percent of kids suffer from Fetal Alcohol symptome - the highest figure worldwide.

The warming climate melts the snow peak on Mount Kilimanjaro and increasingly impacts the lives of local people and their environment.

In the past 50 years, they've saved millions of people, providing medical aid in dangerous situations and the worst conflicts across the world and they've also been outspoken when many other humanitarian helpers haven't: Doctors without Borders, or Medicins sans Frontières, MSF.

Rising lakes in the East African Rift Valley have swallowed houses, churches, hotels and schools. People had to move away, giraffes and other wildlife were trapped when the water came. How are they coping with the floods?

COVID-19 has disrupted children's education all over the world. Lockdowns and shutdowns have caused much more than kids missing out on school's curriculums though — it's taken a toll on their mental health, too. Can drones help in getting medicine and vaccines to remote areas? And how to best tackle COVID misinformation — volunteers in India try to encourage people to take the vaccine.

In this edition: The textile patterns designes by indigenous weavers in Oaxaca, Mexico are hip with fashion companies who don't always compensate the designers. And: Meet Canadian First Nations activist Freda Huson who just received an alternative Nobel prize for her defending her people's culture and land.

We take you along to listen to a musical genre called AmaPiano that emerged in South Africa's townships. And we go to Turkey where young people are trying to carve out a living despite all odds — unemployment, inflation and a lack of freedom are taking a toll on their future.

In this edition: an illegal bus ride with Palestinians to the beach -- Cameroonian Baka indigenous group's ancient forests under threat -- Innovative apps made in Nairobi's 'Silicon Savannah'  

Topics: Poor countries in the global South demand 'loss and damage' compensation for the detrimental impacts of climate change -- Dams for hydropower in Lesotho don't benefit everyone and why that could become a problem in neighboring South Africa, too.   

The Panamericana is one of the longest roads in the world - it runs some 48,000 km through the North and South American continents, all the way from Alaska to the southernmost tip of Argentina. But there's a long gap in Panama before the road continues in Colombia. Local people are not happy about their lack of access to economic opportunities that come with being connected.

Hunger crisis in Madagascar -- Unmarried mothers in Morocco -- USA Lynching -- Nyatiti music in Kenya -- Quechua revival Peru

Huntington in West Virgina holds the sad record of most deaths from opioids in the USA. The Coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the opioid crisis, and the number of those dying from overdoses has increased dramatically. Find out how people in town cope with the ongoing crisis.

The West African nation of Niger has been grappling with Islamist extremist groups, like Boko Haram, who have been targeting schools, among other things. And amid this threat, educators and Nigeriens alike say it's all the more reason to keep kids going to school, if anything to combat the scourge of radicalization.

Among the people who were able to escape Kabul after the Taliban takeover was a local artist named Omaid Sharifi. Sharifi might be best known for a project involving painting colorful and poetic murals onto the city’s many blast walls. Now the Taliban are painting over them.

On this week's show, we travel to the Cambodian city Sihanoukville, which is reeling from the sudden withdrawal of Chinese real estate investors, and the impact of the COVID-19. Then, a look at a Kabul artist in exile who's watching from afar as the Taliban destroys his work. Plus, an interview with Dr. Azza Karam, of Religions for Peace International on how the pandemic is affecting religion.

We'll hear about how music is playing an important role in the conflict plaguing Ethiopia, where it's boosting morale among Tigrayan soldiers and refugees alike. We'll also get an update on the conflict between Ethiopia and Tigray, which is about to enter its second year. Plus, the controversial push by a group of women reviving ancient Egyptian songs.

We look at tough topics and what happens when people are brave enough to talk about them. We meet one man who is challenging the stigma against men who are victims of domestic violence. And we hear from the founder of the Berlin Human Rights Film Festival who wants its audience to confront some harsh realities.

On out of ten people globally suffer from hunger while a third of food is going to waste. Climate change and conflicts exacerbate the crisis. The UN is  proposing a new global food agenda to improve the food systems. Yet critics say that too much of the focus is on big companies and industrial agriculture, instead of also strengthening the role of small farmers in sustainable food production.  

From the Middle East to Central Asia, new societal trends are emerging that are challenging long-held norms. In Iran, women and girls are banking on education as the key to progress. Young entrepreneurs in Egypt are reaping the rewards of start-ups. Meanwhile in Turkey, Afghan refugees are stuck in a state of limbo.