Under a un mandate, the African Union currently has 22,000 troops stationed in somalia to support the newly elected government and 315 aid organizations. Aid organizations in somalia are viewed as outsiders, but they see themselves as lifesavers. The region in the horn of africa is in the midst of a severe drought. Aid workers get a closer look at the situation by driving to remote areas. They maintain radio contact during the entire journey. High Security Walls protect their base, which is guarded by soldiers in the semiautonomous region of puntland. Somalia is considered a failed state, with different regions battling each other. To bolster security two are jeeps lead the convoy and two bring up the rear, with the aid workers in the middle. The route goes through areas that are usually green, but now theres only dust the landscape remains the same for hours. The lack of precipitation during four rainy seasons has left its mark on somalia. Starved livestock litter the roadside. A nomad explains what its like when animals die. This cows name was nura. Even goats have names in somalia. He says they couldnt salvage the meat, because the animals were stricken with disease before they died. Abshid hershi nuur, cattle farmer of course im hungry. Not just me, but my entire family, including my children. Everybody here is affected. And believe me, when i see my children are hungry, then i feel even worse. The nomad hershi saved 15 of his goats. He endured a 300kilometer journey to the north, but had to borrow money to transport the animals. Its still green in that part of the country. He believes that if he survives the drought he wont have to start over from scratch. The convoy reaches its destination, only shabby huts are visible on the horizon. Its the middle of nowhere. There are hundreds of camps like this in somalia. Every day new nomad families arrive. Theyve given up the search for grazing land. Their livestock have starved. At least theres water here, delivered twice a week by the aid organizations. But the water is strictly rationed. As we film the water distribution, a man not on the list tries to move to the front of the group, almost leading to a scuffle. A canister like thishas to last for three days. Its unclear how many family members must share it. A meeting with the camp elders raises hopes that the International Aid organizations will announce a large assistance program. But theyll have to wait. Who is needy and whos not the aid workers have to believe what theyre told. Tribal structures determine who gets priority. Currently there are only enough funds for about a quarter of the people. What livestock remain are left to scavenge for whatever scraps they can find. The reality is, everybody here is needy, says abdul rashid from save the children. But he has to make distinctions. His office is almost 200 kilometers away in the nearest town. Hes able to come to this camp no more than twice a month. He asks the women if their children are sick. If so, they receive aid. But what about the others . Abdul rashid, save the children somalia in this time they are dependent on the people here, their relatives. They are getting support from the Host Community from this village. They share with what they get. Little is left in the village about a kilometer away. The well has water but its polluted. Refugees from the camp often come to the village. The lucky ones receive a hundred dollars a month. Digital money is transferred to their cellphones, allowing them to buy essentials like rice and oil in the village, at least for the time being. Back at the refugee camp, a mobile medical tent is open today and tomorrow. Word has quickly spread beyond the camp. Some nomads have come here just because of the doctor. Their children are weak and sick. They all wait patiently, hoping a diagnosis will at least mean food for the children. Bashir xujale musse, arzt mobiles medizinteam most of the children here have lung infections, fungal infections or worms. Nearly all of them are malnourished. Very few have access to clean water. And if we arent careful, we could soon see the first cases of cholera. The aid workers dont stay long here either. Their impressions are fleeting. But once again wherever you look its dry and dusty. Theres hope two hundred kilometers to the north, in the village of dhudo , although only a few people can reach it. Its a watering hole. Usually, the water here is a meter higher. Those who do manage to get here make sure the animals drink up. They would all like to stay, but thats not possible. The village still has enough of the precious resource, but the throng of nomads is a huge burden. Said hashi yusuf, dhudo village leader the nomads are putting a lot of pressure on our village. Even wild animals come here to drink. Very few cattle farmers have any money at all. We hope there will be enough water to last a while, but we just dont know. The stop at the watering hole is also short. The aid convoy has to make it back before dusk to its base behind the protective walls in garoowe gah rowway , the capital of somalias northern province of puntland. At the river bridge there are two young somalis. The once 200kilometer waterway has been dry for nearly a year. Abdulrashid shire, garowe resident weve been through four rainy seasons without rain. If the rains had come, we would be standing here on the bank fishing or going swimming. And everything would be green. The next rainy season starts in may. That is, if it comes at all. Niger is another very dry country. Its also rated rock bottom on the uns Human Development index. Nigers population has an average age of just 15. Less than a fifth of the people there can read and write. But in the koure reserve near the capital, giraffes of all things are offering hope to the locals. Dandala is a typical village in the koure region. Most of the children dont go to school they have to work in the fields. Life is hard, and whatever the soil yields has to be shared with the livestock. All they have is some corn, legumes and grain. Seyni seydou haussa dorfchef dandala we have less rain nowadays. Its too dry now, and its become much harder for us in the villages. Harvests have declined. We just dont have enough anymore. At night they have unwelcome visitors giraffes. Theyre also suffering from the lack of food. So they come into the villages and steal the crops. The villagers have been forced to do more to protect their harvest. Seyni seydou now stores his beans in his yard, rather than on the outskirts of the village. Hes also put up a fence to keep the giraffes out. In the past, the villagers used to shoot the giraffes. Two years ago, authorities began punishing that severely. Two Staff Members from a local Organization Called aven are also helping to protect the endangered west african giraffe. They negotiated with the Environmental Ministry to create a protected zone. Hama moumouni says winning over the villagers wasnt easy. Humans and animals are competing for the same resources. Hama moumouni touristenfuhrer the giraffes eat up to 30 kilograms of leaves per day. Theyre especially fond of acacias and melons and they sometimes like to go into peoples fields and steal the mangoes from their gardens. The aven project also wants to help provide more food for the giraffes in the reserve. New trees have been planted. People arent supposed to be in the reserve, so the trees cant be chopped down. That also helps give the soil an opportunity to recover. The goverment provides compensation to the villagers, who are no longer permitted to use the land. Djibo hama, projektkoordinator nichtregierungsorganisation aven weve come to help the people here. It is of course their land, but we hope to help regenerate it. The giraffes are important to them too. If we protect their habitat, their food sources are preserved, and that also benefits the local livestock. Shrubs and grasses have been planted to help prevent erosion. Wild melons also grow here the giraffes favorite treat. Moumouni says protecting the giraffes has paid off. Hama moumouni the giraffe is an important animal for us not just in niger but all over the world. Its improved the lives of our villagers. Several villages now have water, new School Equipment and materials for health care. So yes, helping save the giraffe has also helped us a lot. People in the region are also trying to adapt their methods of cultivation. This farmer has eight children to feed. Haouna segni i used to grow beans, but the giraffes ate them. Peanuts are better now. The giraffes wont touch them and i can sell some of them. That doesnt provide enough income to sustain her family. But together with the compensation payments, shes able to keep her family afloat. Locals hope the protected zone will draw more tourists to the region. So far, most of the visitors are still local school classes. Its not easy to balance the needs of the village with those of the giraffes. But the village chief believes it will work. Dorfchef dandala the giraffes still steal plenty from fields and gardens, including beans. Theres not much we can do about it, but we welcome the animals. Weve promised not to hunt them anymore, since theyre now a source of income. Nigers Conservation Strategy is only two years old, but local villagers have already counted 47 new giraffes in the area. The niger villager payouts are a bit like a basic income. Thats a form of Social Security where citizens regularly receive a guaranteed sum from their government with no strings attached. Its been a hot topic globally in recent years. In alaska, people are already paid an annual sum o of a fund fed by profits from the oil business. In the netherlands, the town of utrecht is planning a basic income pilot scheme this year. As is ontario, canada. In finland as well, the program has gathered speed. For the last two months, 2000 unemployed there have been receiving a basic wage. When Juha Jarvinen opened the letter, he could hardly believe his luck. Hes one of two thousand randomly selected for the universal basic income experiment. Hell be receiving 560 euros a month for two years. Juha jarvinen, carpenter as soon as i opened the letter, i knew it was from the Social Security office. And then, when i read it, i started cheering. Jarvinen used to have his own oneman carpentry company. Butn an illness forced him to declare bankrupty five years ago. Since then hes been barely scraping scraping by on unemployment benefits. He hasnt been able to find steady work. Longterm employment is hard to find in the region of vaasa, a port town on finlands west coast. Jarvinen took odd jobs, but the income was deducted from his unemployment benefits. With the universal basic income, he can earn as much as he wishes and still keep the 560 euros. The model project is the brainchild of the kela social insurance authority. Olli kangas and his colleagues will be observing their two thousand test subjects for two years. He thinks the basic income might become the norm and permanent jobs more the exception. Olli kangas if people continue to hold steady jobs with good incomes and unemployment remains low in the future, we wont need the basic income. But if too many end up living in uncertain job circumstances and drawing incomes from different sources, the basic income will become very important to many people in our country. Many finns are already making do without a steady income the countrys economy isnt doing as well as it was. Many citizens of the onetime eu powerhouse have been struggling for years through a crisis that just wont end. The bread lines, like here in helsinki, are longer than ever. Many who thought their jobs were secure now depend on handouts. Heikki hursti runs this food bank with donations from supermarkets. Heikki hursti, helsinki food bank this is more or less a normal day for us. We open twice a week, and about three thousand people come by each time. Hursti supports the idea of a basic income that would help people avoid the worst even though 560 euros is nowhere near enough to live on. Heikki hursti, helsinki food bank these are people whove been out of work for a long time whove been looking for jobs but still havent found one. Most of the people here dont want to appear on camera. Only jani will speak with us hes a regular here. Jani, arbeitsloser even if i received a basic income, id probably still have to come to the food bank. But it would be a big relief. The worst of it would be taken care of. Juha jarvinen is planning to launch a new company. With the basic income he can build up enough of a Financial Base to make a fresh start. The basic income means i can feed the children. I can concentrate on important things and get everything organized to start my own company again. Juha Jarvinen has no doubt that most other recipients would act much the same way. This is one argument that could prompt finland to seriously consider introducing a universal basic income if it stands the test. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people gather to run marathons. There are a huge number of races worldwide from cuba to berlin. Many runners are driven by the desire to push their own physical limits. But there are other reasons for getting involved such as in bethlehem, where runners are pushing for greater mobility in their city. Or in afghanistan, where young women are doing it to feel free. In its just past seven, and as on every wednesday morning this park is reserved for two hours for these young women to do what they love. And shes the one who sets the pace twentyone year old nilofar. She started the womens Running Group about six months ago. Nilofar, runner eng running gives me energy and i am feeling free with running. When im running, im feeling that im free, and that i have the rights of a man. So, we are like equal with men. During training the park is closed to visitors. The city decided to do that to protect these lady runners against possible attacks by religious extremists. Many people in mazarisharif think that women doing sports is a western perversion and goes against islam. But these young sportswomen are not afraid. On the contrary. I enjoy the feeling of freedom when i jog through the park. After practice, its back to the daily grind. Some live a good hour away by car, and have had to save up money for their taxi home. Nilofar, whos a medical student, usually goes straight to class. But today shes got the day off and is now working on the business shes set up. She makes soccer balls a couple dozen a day and sells them to wholesalers. Her business means shes been able to hire her older brother as well as women from her neighbourhood. I tried to make opportunity for the other girls to run, and now when i learned the idea for this company, i was thinking about the housewives, that they need money, and that they are not able to work outside of their home. So this is a big opportunity for them to work at home. Nilofar the youngest of six children also still lives at home, and is the pride and joy of her mother. The family often talks about nilofars first big marathon a year ago in kabul. Back then she was one of the countrys first female runners as well as the youngest. Her mother watched anxiously, because of the threat of extremists. While she was running a stranger handed her a cup with an energy drink. Nobody knew who he was. I was worried that he wanted to poison nilofar. But luckily she didnt touch a drop of it. Nilofars preparing for her next marathon. And again shes been getting Death Threats. We got an anonymous phone call. A man was ranting and raving about nilofar. He said how dare she run with foreigners and men. She deserves to die. But nilofar and the others in her team arent intimidated. They travel a hundred kilometers to the bamiyan valley, which became the symbol of the talibans reign of terror. Sixteen years ago the taliban destroyed the worldrenowned buddha statues there. That still doesnt deter more than a hundred women who are raring to race. Most will run the 10kilometer circuit, but some will do the full marathon of 42 kilometers. Nilofar appreciates the significance of whats happening here. It is a special place because it shows the difference from that time and now. Because on that time girls were not allowed to go out of the home, but now girls can run, so its very different. One of the cosponsors of the event is an International Organization that uses sports to empower and educate women and girls from conflictaffected areas. And theyre off its not an easy run, mainly because of the thin air due to the altitude. Elevations along the route are between two thousand five hundred and three thousand metres. Nilofar feels safe. There is no taliban anymore in the bamiyan valley, and people here are considered tolerant. The local children even cheer them on. And nilofar needs the encouragement. Maybe the Death Threats have been getting to her. She gets stomach cramps. She completes the race but is one of the last to cross the finish line. Oton, nilofar but im happy, because at least i finish it. And also, my two team members which i was training one of them became first. That helps her forget some of her physical pain. The women from mazarisharif have made it despite all the obstacles. Now its time for some rest before they train again next wednesday morning. Theyre not sure how long it will last. In afghanistan you can never take your freedom for granted. Theres a new episode of global 3000 every week. But theres more to us than that on our Global SocietyFacebook Page, you can see us out and about and catch our regular video uploads and radio reports. Follow us on dw Global Society. Thats all for you this week but do get in touch post on our Facebook Page or send us an email global3000 dw. Com. See you soon [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] steves im meeting my florentine friend tommaso at i fratellini, a venerable hole in the wall much loved among locals for its tasty sandwiches and wine sold by the glass. Grazie. Tommaso thank you. And when youre done, you leave it on the rack. Steves boy, its intense in the city. Tommaso yes, it is. Well, if you want to leave the tourists, lets cross the river, and lets go to where the real florentines live and work. Steves whats that . Tommaso the oltrarno area. Steves theres much more to this town than tourism, as youll quickly find in the characteristic back lanes of the oltrarno district. Artisans busy at work offer a rare opportunity to see traditional craftsmanship in action. Youre welcome to just drop in to little shops, but, remember, its polite to greet the proprietor. Your key phrase is, can i take a look . Posso guardare . Man certo. Steves grazie. Here in this great city of art, theres no shortage of treasures in need of a little tlc. This is beautiful. How old is this panting . Woman this is a 17thcentury painting. Steves from florence . Woman we dont know. Maybe the area is genova. Steves genova. Each shop addresses a need with passion and expertise. Fine instruments deserve the finest care. Grand palaces sparkle with gold leaf, thanks to the delicate and exacting skills of craftspeople like this. A satisfying way to wrap up an oltrarno experience is to enjoy a florentine steakhouse, which any italian meat lover knows means chianina beef. The quality is proudly on display. Steaks are sold by weight and generally shared. The standard serving is about a kilo for two, meaning about a pound per person. So, both of those for four people . Woman yes. Steves the preparation is simple and well established. Good luck if you want it well done. Man i am hungry, yeah. Oh, look at this. Ah steves oh, beautiful. [ laughs ] man wow. Steves chianina beef. Woman white beans. Steves okay. Perfect. Man and that one. Steves so, the meat is called chianina. Tommaso thats its name, because it comes from the chianti. Steves oh, from chianti. Okay. And tell me about this concept of the good marriage of the food, you know . Tommaso well, when you have the chianina meat, you want to have some chianti wine, and they go together well. They marry together. We say, si sposano bene. Steves si sposano bene. A good marriage. In other words, the wine is from tuscany, and the meat is from tuscany. Tommaso exactly. You dont want to have a wine from somewhere else. Thats it. This program is made possible in part by, the town of marion, historic marion, virginia, home of the Wayne Henderson school of appalachian arts. Celebrating 21 years as a certified virginia main street community. The ellis family foundation, general Francis Marion hotel. The historic general Francis Marion hotel and black rooster restaurant and lounge providing luxurious accommodations and casual fine dining. The bank of marion, the bank of marion, your vision, your community, your bank. Wbrf, 98. 1 fm. Bryant label, a proud supporter of our regions musical heritage. guitar strumming