Multimedia

Jakarta Struggles to Provide Clean Water to All

Like many big cities in the developing world, the city of Jakarta, with a population of nine million people, is struggling to provide clean water to all its residents. In some poor neighborhoods international organizations are trying to help, but, their impact is minimal because the infrastructure problems are so complex and expensive to fix.

Former drug user turns to soccer to combat stigma around HIV

Because drug users often engage in dangerous behaviors like sharing dirty needles, they are at more risk of becoming infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Many of those infected struggle to cope with not only addiction and HIV treatment, but also with the social stigma associated with AIDS. VOA profiles Indonesian activist Ginan Koesmayadi, who takes a different approach to rehabilitation, using soccer to help HIV-infected addicts stay clean and show the world they can lead normal lives.

Sumatra earthquake recovery
The UN humanitarian coordinator speaks about recovery efforts after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck West Sumatra. People in Jakarta also react to the quake and share fears for family and future disasters.

Marines (hopefully) learn more than “hello” in Pashto
A North Carolina military school teaches rudimentary language skills to troops going to Afghanistan.

Building entrepreneurship in Mexico

In emerging economies, such as Mexico, starting a business is a tall order, especially a business that could employ thousands of people and generate the millions of dollars in revenue that help boost national economies. Sara Schonhardt was part of a group of six master’s degree students that traveled to Mexico City in January 2009 to analyze entrepreneurship, its role in economic development, and one organization’s role in the process. See the video they produced above, or click here for more on the project, and to learn about Endeavor, a non-profit that seeks to break down cultural and political barriers to entrepreneurial development and transform the economies of emerging markets.

Chinese New Year
Millions of people travel across China each year for the Chinese New Year holiday, an event known as the world’s largest annual human migration. Sara Schonhardt traveled to Flushing, New York, to share how Chinese immigrants celebrate their famed traditions.