Page 6 - World In Progress News Today

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.

The highest peak on the African continent has inspired locals and travelers alike over the centuries. But climate change is melting its ice cap and impacting those whose livelihoods are tied to it – from tour guides who regularly climb the 5,895 meter dormant volcano to Maasai farmers who live around its base.

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.

There's trash as wide as the eye can see in Dandora, Nairobi's biggest dump site. Every day, up to 2,000 people are sifting through the trash in the hopes of finding something they can turn to profit. Or simply something they can eat. Even children are running around trying to make ends meet. Several decades ago, Dandora was very different. There was nature, wildlife and hope.

Female students have broken their silence about professors demanding sexual favors in exchange for good grades. One professor has already been sentenced to a two-year prison term this month. It's not the first time that Moroccan professors have been accused of sexual harassment, but until now, this has almost never had any consequences. Louisa Wright has this report by Dunja Sadaqi.

Many emergency shelters for migrants have become overcrowded in Central America. Despite the pandemic — and sometimes because of it — people are trying to find better prospects elsewhere and dare to make the dangerous trek up north. Most of them want to reach the US. And it's not just the coronavirus pushing people to try and escape poverty, it's also the climate crisis.

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.

World in Progress is a 30-minute radio show that connects the dots in a globalized era.

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.