Vanguard: The World’s Toilet Crisis (full episode)
I produced the hour-long documentary, “The World’s Toilet Crisis,” which aired Wednesday, June 9 on Current TV.
On Hulu:
On Current TV:
Vanguard documentary: The World’s Toilet Crisis
I produced this hour-long documentary for Current TV’s Vanguard series.
For the past several months, I’ve been producing the documentary “The World’s Toilet Crisis,” which airs on Current TV on Wednesday, June 9.
It’s a documentary for all of us who use toilets and take them for granted!
But let’s not forget the 2.6 billion of us — 40% of the world’s population — who don’t use toilets and defecate anywhere we can — in streets, open fields, river banks and, most dangerously, in the very water we drink. As a result of open defecation, more than 2 million people — including 1.5 million children — die from complications of chronic diarrhea every year.
There’s no shortage of attention to the water crisis, but to be blunt, the real reason the water’s dirty is because there’s shit in the water.
So, on this week’s episode of Vanguard, we tackle the toilet crisis. We travel to India, Singapore and Indonesia to understand why people don’t use toilets and what’s being done to solve this silent (but deadly) epidemic.
“The World’s Toilet Crisis” airs on Current TV this Wednesday, June 9 at 10/9c (and at 10 p.m. pst).
Current TV channels by cable provider:
Time Warner (103 or 142)
Comcast (107 or 125)
Direct TV (358)
Verizon FiOS (192)
Dish (196)
You can also catch it the following day on Hulu. Or, download it from iTunes.
If you watch it, I’d recommend NOT sitting down in front of the tube with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a warm glass of milk. Actually, I’d suggest not eating while watching (period).
Multimedia highlights from 2009
From war in eastern Congo, HIV / AIDS in the Caribbean, entrepreneurship in Ethiopia and Jamaica’s Chinese community, here are some of the (video, radio and print) stories I produced this year.
MULTIMEDIA PACKAGES
Crisis in Congo — With field producers, I produced and edited videos about the humanitarian crisis and the epidemic of rape by telling the stories of two families caught up in the war. Pascal and Vestine flee from refugee camp to refugee camp, and Georgina and André explain how her rape tore apart their 33-year marriage. The “Crisis in Congo” videos won the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in the international television category and were nominated for a National News Emmy in the “Best story in a regularly scheduled newscast” category.
Jamaica’s Glass Closet — I collaborated with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting on five broadcast videos on HIV/AIDS and homophobia in Jamaica. Our stories break down Jamaica’s social structure from anti-gay laws to social intolerance, we document an underground gay church service and follow a community leader as she raises awareness of HIV/AIDS. Additional online content include: articles, blogposts, a radio show and video interviews.
Stateless to Statehood — This ongoing multimedia project examines the root causes of statelessness in the post-colonial period, in the the aftermath of major wars and the break-up of empires. We’re identifying potential ways to solve statelessness via legal and political avenues, as well as exploring the themes of nationalism and ethnic identity.
VIDEO
One island, two Jamaicas and a ‘whole heap’ of difference — A public debate erupted earlier this year when graphic Dancehall music lyrics and images were banned from Jamaica’s airwaves. The public responses reveal the legacy of two Jamaicas dating back to the country’s slave history. I scripted, produced and edited this video for the Worldfocus broadcast in October 2009.
Pascal and Vestine are alive in Congo, but still not home — Michael J. Kavanagh returned to eastern Congo last month and found Pascal and Vestine. He interviewed the Bumbaris last year, and since, they’ve fled for a third time and are now in a new refugee camp. We updated this story, which aired on the Worldfocus broadcast in March 2009.
Caribbean HIV rate ranks second to Sub-Saharan Africa — Julia Greenberg of AIDS-Free World discusses Jamaica’s AIDS epidemic within the context of the Caribbean region, address anti-sodomy laws in Jamaica and around the world and identify the successes and shortcomings Jamaica has experienced in containing the epidemic. I produced this studio interview, which was published on Worldfocus.org in September 2009.
RADIO
Worldfocus Radio — I report, script and produce a weekly radio show with host Martin Savidge. We dedicate 30 minutes to under-reported international stories. Guests call in from all over the world for casual conversations on serious issues. This radio show grew out of an idea to experiment with a free, online audio platform — almost 40 shows later, it has become one of the most popular content streams on our website.
My favorite three shows:
Entrepreneurship in Ethiopia — The Ethiopian government is trying to strengthen local businesses and attract foreign direct investment. Martin Savidge hosts Ermyas Amelga and Phillip LeBel to discuss how easy it is to do business in Ethiopia and who’s investing.
Philippines — The Forgotten Terrorist Front — Since 9/11, the U.S. has stationed 500 to 600 troops in the Philippines to root out terrorists from the lawless jungles of the heavily Muslim south. Martin Savidge hosts Eliseo Mercado and Zachary Abuza to discuss Filipino counter-insurgency.
Reverse Brain Drain (China and India) — Does the U.S. risk falling behind as skilled immigrants return to their home countries? Martin Savidge hosts Vivek Wadhwa and Michele Wucker to discuss emerging opportunities for highly-skilled immigrants and U.S. immigration restrictions.
Generations meet in Jamaica’s Chinese cemetery — I write about a visit to my grandfather’s grave in the Chinese cemetery in Kingston, Jamaica. It’s a personal story about the death and renewal of Jamaica’s Chinese community.
Conflict endures in Ethiopia’s ethnic Somali region — I interview former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia David H. Shinn about the violent, separatist conflict in southeastern Ethiopia that has claimed thousands of lives over the last 15 years. He answers questions about the roots of this under reported conflict and whether it could be the next Darfur.
No daggerin’ on Jamaican TV and on Worldfocus — I write about why Worldfocus decided not to air daggerin’ images, addresses the realities of rampant violence and adolescent sex and explore how some Jamaican artists are singing more uplifting gospel Dancehall music.
Gay men in Jamaica must lead two separate lives — I’ve been on the “gay Jamaican” beat for two years now. Here is a story of a gay Jamaican whose story resembles many other gay men in Jamaica. He received asylum in the U.S. on the basis of his sexuality but still wrestles with issues of secrecy and religion, and his family in Jamaica still doesn’t know he’s gay.
Worldfocus: Somali journalist on culture of violence and crippled press
I produced this extended interview for Worlfocus.org.
Mustafa Haji Abdinur, an AFP journalist and the founder of Radio Simba in Somalia, sits down with Martin Savidge to discuss the culture of violence in daily Somali life and the war against the independent press. Since 2007, fighting in Somalia has killed 19,000 civilians and displaced 1.5 million Somalis.
Martin Savidge continues the interview discussing how Abdinur reports in his country amid threat and intimidation. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 15 journalists have died in Somalia in connection with their work in the last two years. Many journalists have fled the country and only few report from inside Somalia. They also discuss what the extent of the international community’s involvement and the worsening security situation that is driving NGOs and aid organizations out of Somalia.
Worldfocus: Gays in Jamaica worship in underground church
I was the correspondent on this video story, which aired on Worldfocus.
Jamaica is often said to hold the world record for the most churches per square mile. There’s a public place of worship for almost everyone. Unless you’re gay. If you are, you must worship in secret.
Correspondent Lisa Biagiotti, producer Micah Fink and director of photography Gabrielle Weiss report on the secret underground church that is welcoming gay men and women to practice their faith. Reverend Robert Griffin, an American priest, leads the secret church and believes religion is at the heart of Jamaica culture of homophobia and the time has come to reinterpret the Bible for modern times.
For more information on homophobia and HIV in Jamaica, visit The Glass Closet, a multimedia project produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
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