"These kids have to swim across a piranha-infested river to get to school!"

March 8, 2009 10:29 AM

Looking for a 2-3 minute foreign correspondent news segment (preferably video) with a sort of "look how tough these people have got it!" tone. More details inside.

I'm not looking for a specific video that I've already seen -- I'm just having a hard time finding a clip that fits my criteria because there are so many foreign correspondent clips out there and I have no idea how to find and sift through them all. So maybe someone here has seen something interesting lately that fits my criteria?

The correspondent should be in some second- or third-world country, reporting on some (non-fatal) hardship that the members of the community have to endure -- by non-fatal I mean something like "these kids have to walk 10 miles to school every morning!" as opposed to "these kids are dying of dysentery!" I'd prefer if it didn't have to do with war or violence. Some wackiness is okay, but I'm looking for a serious news piece, since I already have something wacky for which the news clip will hopefully serve as a comparison. Under 3 minutes long is optimal.

If you don't have any specific videos to point to, suggestions for how to find such a video would also be appreciated. Thanks!

posted by pluckemin to media & arts (7 comments total)

Not sure if this is too grim for your purposes - police raids on brick-kilns using slave labour (including children) in Shanxi, PRC.
posted by Abiezer at 11:08 AM on March 8, 2009

Your question immediately made me think of this village in Columbia. The video isn't great quality, but it's a pretty cool story.
posted by paschke at 1:27 PM on March 8, 2009

Check the Aidan Hartley series Unreported World which reports from plenty of third world hotspots such as Oman, Somalia, Egypt, Congo, etc. Hartley is almost the quintessential foriegn correspondent, the khaki-clad Brit abroad lampooned by the likes of Chris Morris and such. The shows are 30minutes or so so I'm sure you can find what you need.
posted by dydecker at 1:30 PM on March 8, 2009

Sorry, Hartley is only one of many presenters on the show. Full list of episodes here
posted by dydecker at 1:34 PM on March 8, 2009

paschke -- That's actually the "wacky" video I'm starting with! I guess my description of what I'm looking for was apt.

Abiezer -- maybe a little too macabre, but it's a possibility.

dydecker -- Thanks for the lead! I'll check out the clips I can find online.
posted by pluckemin at 2:00 PM on March 8, 2009

Check this clip from the Unreported World link above. Hartley meets a group of Somali immigrants who are trying to walk across Saudi Arabia...with no food or water. Would something like this suit?
posted by dydecker at 2:29 PM on March 8, 2009

Poor Whites - South Africa
posted by ryanbryan at 3:30 PM on March 8, 2009