Germany is known for its strong social system. Still, it’s not uncommon to see people in need of some extra cash rummaging through public trash cans for old bottles that carry a deposit.

Beer bottles are worth just 8 cents, but most plastic bottles can be redeemed for 25 cents. For some people, it’s not worth the trouble of taking them back to the store to get their deposit. But for others, a bag full of bottles can mean one more warm meal.

Paul Ketz in Cologne was bothered by all the deposit bottles he saw being thrown away, knowing that they were valuable to the less fortunate – not to mention the damage excess waste causes the environment.

So the 25-year-old came up with a brilliant idea that’s been catching on, not only in Cologne, but across Germany. Watch the video by Carl Nasman for a glimpse into Paul Ketz’s workshop:

Listen to Carl Nasman’s full report from Cologne for the whole story:

Homeless people are perhaps the most marginalized group in society. Those who sleep rough on the street are often ignored by the wider public, but Paris local Martin Besson has more empathy than most.

Despite having a home to go to, the 18-year-old chose to spend a night on the street to see what it was like to be homeless. The experience was confronting, and spurred the high school student into action. Last year he launched Sans A, an organization that aims to draw attention to the plight of homeless people – by giving them a voice on social media.

Martin spends his free time getting to know the less fortunate in Paris, and uploading their stories for the public to read. The idea, he says, is to break down the barriers between homeless people and the rest of society.

Listen to the report by Fabien Jannic-Cherbonnel in Paris. 

Simon Patrick Obi from Nigeria built a library at a school in the rural region of Ketti just outside the capital, Abuja, during his time of national youth service. But even after his obligation was finished, he went back because he saw that more needed to be done to support not only the kids’ education, but also their health.

Simon found that just building a library wasn’t enough – he is now making sure it’s being put to good use so the students there get an education that will lead to a brighter future. But that’s not all – he’s also inspiring the next generation of youth to go on an make a difference too.

Listen to the report by Nonye Aghaji in Abuja, Nigeria:

 

Most of us wouldn’t think twice about being able to drink a glass of water whenever we want to. But having clean water on tap is a luxury almost 800 million people around the world don’t have.

The need for clean water is especially high in Uganda, as Anna Vikky found out. The 27-year-old from Dusseldorf in Germany, launched her own aid organization 2aid.org in 2009. Now she and 2aid.org are working together with a Ugandan NGO to improve access to water and sanitation in a rural region of Uganda.

It was important to Anna to find a partner project that had a grassroots approach. And her funding has also taken a similar path – she’s raised a large portion of the needed funds via social media.

Listen to the report by Natalie  Muller in Dusseldorf:

Photographer Falco Peters created this photo series for the 2aid.org website, to convey the group’s work and the need for clean water in Uganda:

Chile is one of South America’s most socially conservative countries, and discrimination against gays and lesbians is still widespread. In March 2012, 24-year-old Daniel Zamudio was tortured and murdered after his attackers learned of his sexual orientation. And, just this January, 22-year-old Esteban Parada died in a similar attack in downtown Santiago.

Alberto Cid, 18, is determined to turn the tide and put an end to bullying and discrimination in Chile. The answer, he says, lies in education. First, he became president of Movilh Joven, a gay rights activist group that targets youth, and now he’s focused on getting sexual diversity into the local schools’ curricula.

Listen to the report by Eilís O’Neill in Santiago, Chile:

 

 

 

In Germany, official paperwork like filing for unemployment benefits can be complicated. Diana Lantzen from Cologne gave up a well-paying job to help others navigate German bureaucracy – and even started advertising her services on eBay. She works with the organization Wir gehen mit (We’ll go along) and accompanies those who need it to important appointments, like at the unemployment or foreigners’ office.

Beyond that, also she’s using the IT knowledge she gained in her former job to develop web-based assistance programs in the social sector.

Listen to the report by Marcus Costello in Cologne:

 

 

 

 

 

The civil war in Syria entered its fourth year this week. Since the conflict began in 2011, around 140,00 people have been killed, and more than 2.5 million forced to flee their homes.  

Film maker Firas Al-Shater couldn’t stand idly by while his country was torn apart. So the 23-year-old became an activist. He started going to protest rallies with his camera and recording the violence and bombed streets. He wanted to make the rest of the world sit up and pay attention.  

After several stints in prison, he was granted asylum in Germany in 2013. Although he is now far from home, Firas hasn’t stopped campaigning. His photographs have been displayed at a number of galleries in Berlin, and he’s now working on a documentary film called Syria Inside.

Listen to the report by Philip Smith in Berlin: 

Imagine coming home from school and finding your mom passed out, surrounded by empty bottles. For Louise Farragher, now 24, that was the everyday reality of her childhood in County Mayo, Ireland. She grew up detoxing her mother and looking after her younger siblings.

Today, Louise’s mother is sober and the two have founded an organization that helps other families cope with addiction. Because of the challenges experiences she’s been through, Louise is able to reach out to the children of alcoholic parents and help them through the huge responsibility that’s dropped on their shoulders.

Listen to the report by Alan Meeney in County Mayo, Ireland:

 

 

 

Melisa Rodrigues, a 27-year-old from Lisbon, used to work for a big international company. At some point she realized, money wasn’t the key to happiness. So she quit her job, did a Master’s degree in globalization and development and went to India to work for an NGO.

It was in India that she learned about the One Billion Rising movement – an annual dance event demanding an end to violence against women and girls all over the world.

Melisa realized that violence – particularly domestic violence – was a big problem in her home country, Portugal. So she organized a One Billion Rising event in a train station in Lisbon to raise awareness and help women affected by violence know they’re not alone.

Listen to the report by Nádia Dinis in Lisbon:

 

 

 

India is a country of cricket-lovers, so can soccer catch on?

Ashok Rathod is convinced that soccer is the best way to give kids growing up in the slums a second lease on life. Teamwork, leadership, respect and communication come out of the game for 22 players.

Having grown up in a Mumbai slum himself, Ashok knows exactly which problem the kids there face. Many start drinking and gambling as young as 10, he says, then get married early and drop out of school.

Committed to make a difference, Ashok founded the Oscar Foundation in 2006. The team organizes soccer practices and matches for young people – but also provides an education program aimed at giving school drop-outs basic literacy skills.

Listen to the report by Sanjay Fernandes in Mumbai: