Social Worker Kaddy

Kaddy is a social worker who educates women about the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM). The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 200 million women and girls are currently living with the painful consequences of FGM. In some areas of The Gambia, more than 80% of girls are affected. Social workers like Kaddy are facilitating trainings and discussions of women’s rights to raise awareness. “Circumcision has an impact on your life. It causes trauma. It can have psychological effects,” she explains. Find out more about the work of SOS Kinderdörfer weltweit: VISIT WEBSITE Team: Story by Theresa …

Jankey’s story

The Bakoteh dumpsite is the largest of its kind in The Gambia. Located in the city of Serekunda, which is the country’s largest city, it is surrounded by densely populated communities, that have been exposed to a variety of dumpsite-related risks and hazards like harsh stench, dirty water that runs into the neighbourhood and uncontrolled fires with heavy smoke. Initially an open space with no fencing, the area imposed high risks to children and their families living on or close to the site, like Jankey’s, who struggled to fend for her family of 13. Through a community strengthening program of …

Dador’s story

Dador is a determined women. She lives in Farafenni, a small yet important market town in the Gambia, lying on the Trans-Gambia Highway, just south of the border with Senegal. After her husband left her, she could barely make ends meet and struggled to support her family. As they were living on the streets a community-based cooperative group put her in touch with SOS Children’s Villages in The Gambia to participate in their “women empowerment for change” program focusing on single women headed households and their children. Through business training, saving initiatives and coaching on women’s rights and children’s rights, …

Working in the rainforests

The Vraem region, in the south-east of Peru, is located in the rainforests. It is one of the poorest areas in the country. “I like working with families because it allows me to contribute to their development and to create positive changes in the children and families,” says Willi, a former SOS social worker. As part of the reintegration process, the team at SOS Ayacucho in Peru travels to Vraem regularly to do follow up visits and workshops with the families. Team: Story by Alejandra Kaiser and Jakob Fuhr Camera & edit by Jakob Fuhr

tantie bagage

Tantie bagage is a widespread child labour practice in Côte d’Ivoire. Young girls carry heavy bags from the market in exchange for money. Often, this is a main source of income for their families. Together with community partners SOS Children’s Villages Côte d’Ivoire supports the economic empowerment of former tantie bagage girls through guidance and skills training. “The project showed me that I could learn anything I want and do something with my life,”says 17-year-old Aminata*. Learn more about Aminata and the project in the first video. VLOG – coronavirus update: But as the sewing workshops she now works at …

Parenting from behind bars

One out of four children at SOS Children’s Village Ayacucho need care because their parents are in prison. To maintain the relationship between parent and child, the SOS team has developed a partnership with the local prison to have scheduled children’s visits and parenting workshops with the fathers and mothers of children in SOS’s care. This is the only programme of its kind in Peru and Latin America. Find out more about the global work of SOS Children’s Villages and read the full story here: VISIT WEBSITE Team: Story by Alejandra Kaiser and Jakob Fuhr Camera & edit by Jakob …

Yusad’s Story

Yusad* is one of the 275 unaccompanied migrants entering Mexico every day who escape violence and seek safety. Now he lives in Chiapas and forges opportunities for himself in his new home. Find out more about the global work of SOS Children’s Villages and read the full story here: VISIT WEBSITE My contribution: collaborative story development production planning filming & editing *name changed to protect privacy

community strengthening

A group of women in the rural community of San Antonio Copalar in the southern region of Chiapas, the poorest in Mexico, challenge gender roles and build opportunities for themselves through bread making. Here only six out of 100 people have decent living conditions, such as access to basic services and food security. 35 families and approximately 120 inhabitants live in this remote community, where the closest school and hospital are 45 minutes away by bus. As part of the community-based programme, the women were supported with supplies, ingredients and business advice. They were also given the materials to build …

Antony’s story

Antony is a single parent trying his best to be a good enough father to his children, not just providing their basic needs, but spending time with them as they grow. Their mother left when the youngest was four months old. Due to lost income in his shoe making business caused by COVID-19, Antony worries how he will feed his family and he is barely making it. His neighbours advise him to place his daughter and son in a children’s home, because with his hands full he cannot work. “I tell them that I cannot do that,” Antony says defiantly. …

Wairegi’s story

Wairegi* from Nairobi, Kenya suffered violence in his family. His father used to beat him badly and Wairegi started to face the long term consequences until he felt suicidal. At SOS Children’s Village family strengthening, Wairegi found Josephine Rombo, a community development worker and trained counsellor. who started to help him deal with his emotions and suffering. The video was done in a highly participatory way to protect Wairegi’s identity and to ensure sensitive issues are properly reflected. Find out more about the global work of SOS Children’s Villages and read the full story here: VISIT WEBSITE My contribution: collaborative …

Sharon’s story

Sharon’s world fell apart two years ago after her mother died and her father abandoned them. It left her alone to raise her sisters, Nimu* and Mona*, who were eight and two weeks old at the time. Sharon was in her last year of high school and planned to go to university to study law. Through the support of SOS Children’s Villages in Kenya, she has found a way to continue her education while her siblings, now 10 and two years old, are well cared for. Find out more about the global work of SOS Children’s Villages and read the …

Marcela’s story

Marcela and her family live in the community of El Refugio, 15 minutes away from the Mexican border with Guatemala. She and her husband migrated more than 20 years ago and are still stateless. They could not even register their seven children in Mexico, even though all were born there. With no access to health care or education, Marcela’s family lives in extreme poverty and carries the burden of legal gaps for migrants and refugees in Mexico. SOS Children’s Villages in Mexico has worked with families in the Chiapas region for more than 16 years. In communities like El Refugio, …

Binta’s story

Binta is among 50 young people, who participated in a skills training project by SOS Children’s Villages in The Gambia. The project aims at empowering young people from challenging backgrounds to be able to support their families and positively impact the communities they live in. Find out more about the global work of SOS Children’s Villages and how you can support a good cause: VISIT WEBSITE

Inside Greenpeace

The five-part documentary series accompanies activists for a year on their mission to save our planet, following them on a global journey to gain exclusive insights. The film team not only accompanies the crew of the icebreaker “Arctic Sunrise” on their month-long journey off the coast of South America, but is also at the forefront of some of Greenpeace’s most spectacular and secretive campaigns. They also delve into the lesser-known side of Greenpeace, including their legal campaigns, scientific work at the highest level and political lobbying right at the heart of power. Specs: documentary series, 5×52 min production: M.E.Works & …

Soldat Ahmet

Ahmet, a champion boxer with Turkish roots and a professional soldier in the Austrian Army, starts taking acting lessons. On stage he is suddenly confronted with his own internal battles. Specs: documentary/hybrid, 76 min, 4K DCP director: Jannis Lenz editor: Jannis Lenz, Roland Stöttinger, Nooran Talebi production: Panama Film world sales: filmdelights Austria 2021 Theatrical Release: March 2022 Awards (selection): Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award Award of the Austrian Film Institute for Best Upcoming Director First Steps Award – Nomination Best Sounddesign – Diagonale Festival of Austrian Film Final Touch Award – Bolzano IFF Winner National Competition – This …

Namrud (Troublemaker)

Jowan Safadi, born as Palestinian in the State of Israel, is a famous musician and a true free spirit. Standing for co-resistance instead of co-existence and criticising the stare society he lives in, Jowan struggles for his ideals – at any price. Specs: documentary, 95 min, 2K DCP director: Fernando Romero-Forsthuber cinematography: Jakob Fuhr, Martin Putz, Falko Lachmund, Rabia Salfiti production: Soleil Film world sales: filmdelights Germany, Austria 2017 Theatrical Release: Austria, Germany, Spain 2018 Awards: Best Documentary Frontdoc FF 2018 Festivals: DOK Leipzig Haifa Independent FF Crossing Europe FF Ethnocineca FF CinéDOC-Tbilisi FF DocsBarcelona FF DOK.fest Munich Festival Int. …

Nora’s Ark

In the United States, children of undocumented immigrants become citizens by birth. Nora fights on behalf of thousands of these children, so that families do not get separated if a parent faces deportation. She carefully crafts her public image, puts trust in her friends in the Republican Party and turns all our expectations of a social justice hero upside down. Specs: documentary, 97 min, 2K DCP director: Anna Kirst production: Glitter&Doom Austria 2020 Theatrical Release: Austria, 2021 Festivals: 41. Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis Diagonale – Festival of Austrian Film VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Mind the Gap

The crisis of democracy and the erosion of social cohesion are phenomena that give rise to headlines. Here is the film that summarises the state of Europe in 2019. From the comeback of nationalism to the Yellow Vests, and from the relocation of workplaces to the where they are relocated, in Eastern Europe. Specs: documentary, 87 min, 2K DCP director: Robert Schabus cinematography: Lukas Gnaiger, Jakob Fuhr production: Allegro Film world sales: filmladen Austria 2019 Theatrical Release January 2020 Festivals: CPH:DOX F:ACT Award Politiken’s Audience Award WATCH ON VOD

Aufstand der Kinder

Bolivia is the poorest country in South America with almost 1 million child workers amongst 10 million inhabitants. Instead of trying to abolish child labor the kids of Unatsbo (Union of Child and Adolescent Workers) fight for their right to work – in the hope of enforcing safe working conditions. Specs: documentary, 30/15 min, HD international title: CHILDREN’S REVOLT director: Elisabeth Weydt production: TAG/TRAUM Germany 2014 Broadcast: stark! – Juan Carlos, Gerechtigkeit für alle Kinder (ZDF/Kika) Planet Schule – Aufstand der Kinder (WDR) Festivals: Festival Int. de Cine Santa Cruz Kinder-Medien-Festival Goldener Spatz

Guardians of the Earth

After 21 years of continuous failure in UN climate change negotiations 195 nations, 20.000 worldwide negotiators meet at a private airport shielded by the military in the north of Paris for a last attempt to save our planet. Behind closed doors these delegates have to agree on the first global climate change agreement that shall operate for the next decades and be a milestone in multirateral diplomacy. Specs: documentary, 85 min, 2K DCP director: Filip Antoni Malinowski cinematography: Jakob Fuhr, Emmanuel Cappelin, Börres Weiffenbach, Attila Boa production: Soleil Film, Perfect Shot Films world sales: autlook filmsales Germany, Austria 2017 Theatrical …

The First Sea

Children from the Palestinian West Bank are invited by Israeli peace activists to go to the sea. A film about the magic of first times, about borders, freedom and coexistence. Specs: documentary, 60 min, HD international title: THE FIRST SEA director: Clara Trischler production: KINOMATON distribution: FILMDELIGHTS >Germany, Austria 2013 Broadcast: Okto – Oktoskop, 2016 Awards: Best Human/Cultural Film 2014 (Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival Arizona) Festivals: 10. Zurich Film Festival 35. Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis 27. FIPA Festival Biarritz Diagonale ’14 – Festival of Austrian Film 4. Nar Filmfestival Gaziantep 11. Human Rights Film Festival of Barcelona 3. Duhok Int. …

Daniel’s story

Apart from the daily struggles to meet their basic needs, Daniel and his family are dealing with the heartbreak of terminal illness. Before he was diagnosed with cancer and epilepsy, Daniel had made a living as a shoe vendor. Now, he and his wife Jackline, sell boiled githeri (a mixture of maize and beans) on their roadside kitchen opposite their one-roomed shack in Nairobi, Kenya. This is the family’s only source of income. Daniel and Jackline receive support through SOS Children’s Villages’ #familystrengthening programme that enables them to grow as a family. Find out more about the global work of …

Places

A mix of places I came by and would always love to go back to.

Tsukiji Fish Market

The Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo was the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. In 2018, after eight decates of operation, the market was moved to a new location as Tsukiji will provide temporary parking for the Olympics and eventually become a tourist centre.

At the Pool

A Diver prepares for an Inward Dive Pike during a training session at Stadionbad Frankfurt. A high degree of concentration and focus is as important as total body control for a successful dive.

Ackerbunt

Marcela and Magda Machaca grow water in the peruvian Andes at 3.500 Meters. A Web Documentary about two strong women reviving old Quechua knowledge to strengthen the communities and to fight against hunger, mining and devastating industrialized agriculture. The project combines videos, photos, text, audio and illustration to create a unique user experience. Specs: international title: FIELDS OF COLOR text: Elisabeth Weydt illustration: Christine Anas< programming: Gideon Glock, Jakob Fuhr music: Sebastian Witte, Felix Herzog Awards: German Reporter Award- best web documentary AEE Journalist Award – Best Multimedia WATCH ACKERBUNT ONLINE

Ice Fishing

Ice-fishing in Finland falls within the scope of public rights of access – you don’t need any licences to go ice-fishing. A spiral auger is used to drill a hole in the ice. These two men cought plenty of perch at Kaisaniemenlahti Bay Helsinki.