Asia Insight
Asia Insight: Season 13

Air Date

January 5, 2024

Episodes

24 episodes

Asia Insight

Season 13

Episodes

The Syrian Circus of Refugees: Turkey

1. The Syrian Circus of Refugees: Turkey

January 5, 2024
28 min

In Turkey, one NGO gives the Syrian refugees a chance to smile again by helping them perform circuses. Now, they head out to take the stage for the kids affected by the 2023 Turkey earthquake.

Young Lives Resculpted: Jingdezhen, China

2. Young Lives Resculpted: Jingdezhen, China

February 9, 2024
28 min

An increasing number of young people are relocating to Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China. They leave behind the stress of life in large cities to resculpt their own lives with a new vision.

China's Up-and-Coming Indie Animators

3. China's Up-and-Coming Indie Animators

February 23, 2024
28 min

In China's rapidly growing animation industry, independent works are gaining attention. A dedicated film festival is held to allow young talent to be discovered, letting them follow their dreams.

Unease Along the Border: Kazakhstan

4. Unease Along the Border: Kazakhstan

March 8, 2024
28 min

Northern Kazakhstan borders Russia and has historically been home to many ethnic Russians. However, a recent rise in Kazakh migrants to the region has led to deepening tensions between the two groups.

Rice Heritage Revival: North Borneo, Malaysia

5. Rice Heritage Revival: North Borneo, Malaysia

March 15, 2024
28 min

The Kadazan Dusun people of North Borneo, Malaysia, had been losing their tradition of rice farming with the passage of time, but new efforts are being made to preserve it through sustainable methods.

Inheritors of the "Last Traditional Village": Yunnan, China

6. Inheritors of the "Last Traditional Village": Yunnan, China

March 21, 2024
28 min

Wengding, home of the Wa people in Yunnan Province, is called China's "last traditional village," but residents have been moved away, with the village now run by an outside developer to boost tourism.

Living Among the Sinking Islands: The Maldives

7. Living Among the Sinking Islands: The Maldives

April 18, 2024
28 min

In the Maldives, rapid construction of artificial islands is underway to combat coastal erosion that disrupts the lives of people near the shore, but with the construction come new difficulties.

Matchmaking for Women: India's Tradition and Beyond

8. Matchmaking for Women: India's Tradition and Beyond

May 2, 2024
28 min

In India, looking for a marriage partner has long been a family affair, but with more women taking an active role in society, the method and priorities of the search are starting to change.

The Honey Hunters of Bangladesh

9. The Honey Hunters of Bangladesh

May 23, 2024
28 min

For just two months every year, more than 1,000 men brave the dangers of the dense forest in order to hunt for wild honey, providing them the chance for an income where few other options exist.

From Smog to Sunshine: Mongolia

10. From Smog to Sunshine: Mongolia

May 30, 2024
28 min

Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar suffers from severe air pollution. New designs use sunlight to ensure warm, smoke-free homes. We explore the technology and its challenges.

"Job-hunting Hotels" for Students: Shanghai, China

11. "Job-hunting Hotels" for Students: Shanghai, China

June 27, 2024
28 min

For just US$9 a night, young people stay in a "Job-hunting Hotel" in Shanghai while seeking post-graduation employment, even as the stagnating economy causes the number of available positions to drop.

A Heritage Handed Down in Picture Books: India

12. A Heritage Handed Down in Picture Books: India

July 18, 2024
28 min

A small publisher in South India is making picture books with indigenous artists that depict their traditional art. It's part of a growing effort to preserve their disappearing culture for future generations.

Saving Schools on the Steppes: Mongolia

13. Saving Schools on the Steppes: Mongolia

August 1, 2024
28 min

Elementary schools for nomadic children are closing as funding and student numbers fall. Meet an architect determined to stop this vicious cycle.

Quality Cocoa Enriches Lives: The Philippines

14. Quality Cocoa Enriches Lives: The Philippines

August 15, 2024
28 min

High-end chocolate from top-quality cocoa is a new Filipino specialty. Quality beans command good prices, changing the lives of poor rural farmers.

Caring for Aging Taiwan

15. Caring for Aging Taiwan

August 22, 2024
28 min

Taiwan's society is aging at a rapid pace, and many choose to care for the elderly at home rather than send them to assisted living. Aiding them are caregivers from among 230,000 foreign workers.

The Rise of "New Hongkongers"

16. The Rise of "New Hongkongers"

August 29, 2024
28 min

In 2022, the Hong Kong government implemented a policy attracting outside workers to combat depopulation, drawing businesspeople and families relocating to find better lives as "New Hongkongers."

Rescuing Children from Abuse: The Philippines

17. Rescuing Children from Abuse: The Philippines

September 5, 2024
28 min

Cases of Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) are on the rise. We visit a Filipino NGO that protects victims, and helps them to recover.

Tuning Out Poverty: Thailand

18. Tuning Out Poverty: Thailand

September 12, 2024
28 min

In Bangkok's largest slum, children of migrant families are taking up musical instruments to play in an orchestra in hopes of having a better future.

The Surge in South Korea's Foreign Workers

19. The Surge in South Korea's Foreign Workers

September 26, 2024
28 min

In South Korea, the labor shortage has caused a spike in foreign workers. Many of them work under harsh conditions, and grass-roots efforts are underway to ease tensions between foreigners and locals.

The Power of Bamboo: Indonesia

20. The Power of Bamboo: Indonesia

October 10, 2024
28 min

Once considered worthless, bamboo is in the spotlight in Indonesia. One NGO is using it to improve the environment and local livelihoods. It's also playing a role in revitalizing a local village.

Migrating to a War Zone from Nepal

21. Migrating to a War Zone from Nepal

October 17, 2024
28 min

For the sake of their families, Nepalese men are working for the Russian military. Wages 10 times higher than in Nepal are promised, but as many go missing, their families await word on their fate.

Disputing History in the Philippines

22. Disputing History in the Philippines

November 8, 2024
28 min

The exile of President Marcos Sr. was hailed as a victory for democracy in the Philippines, but with the election of his son 36 years later, shifting views affect how history may be perceived.

The "Voiceless Knights" Delivering Food: Chengdu, China

23. The "Voiceless Knights" Delivering Food: Chengdu, China

December 13, 2024
28 min

In China's rapidly growing food delivery industry, deaf workers who call themselves "voiceless knights" use apps and other tools to perform work, gaining new independence within society.

A World Heritage Town at Risk: Laos

24. A World Heritage Town at Risk: Laos

December 27, 2024
28 min

A new high-speed rail line has sparked a massive rise in tourism to Laos's historic capital Luang Prabang. It's had a major effect on traditional local life in this World Heritage town.