Andeisha Farid knows how important it is for children to get an education. Born in 1983, she grew up as a refugee in Iran after her family was caught in the midst of war in Afghanistan.

Despite the odds, she managed to get an education in Pakistan. When she realized how fortunate she was, she made the decision to return to Afghanistan and set up orphanages there.

Through her organization, the Afghan Child Education and Care Organization (AFCECO), she is working to give some of the country’s estimated 1.6 million orphans a chance to succeed.

Listen to the report by Mischa Wilmers:

Educating Afghanistan’s orphans

Andeisha knows first-hand what it’s like to live as a refugee (Photo: AFCECO/Andeisha Farid)

Afghanistan is estimated to have 1.6 million orphans (Photo: AFCECO/Andeisha Farid)

In 2010, President Barack Obama even mentioned Andeisha in a speech on social entrepreneurship

Life in Timor Leste – Asia’s newest nation – has been hard for many. But the decades of violence hit the children hardest. Twenty-three year old Juliao Amaral Dos Santos knows that as well as anyone -that’s why he’s already spent more than half of his young life devoted to creating a safe place for other kids, working with the organization MAC Children United.

Just barley out of university now, he’s already one of the nation’s brightest young leaders.

Listen to the report by Emily Richmond in Dili, Timor Leste:

Committed to non-violence in East Timor

Santos organizes a number of classes for youth, including singing, radio production, dance, music, and capoeira (Photo: E. Richmond)

The participating children range from 3 years old to early 20s (Photo: E. Richmond)

Dance can changes lives. This is the philosophy of volunteer Amrei Krings. One-and-a-half years ago, she started planning a dance workshop to empower sex workers in Kenya and founded the organization Maua in order to realize her idea.

This summer, her dream became a reality. While the dance workshop was a success, the project wasn’t easy for Amrei, who had to learn some tough lessons about trust and cultural differences.

Listen to the report by Falk Steinborn in Naivasha, Kenya:

Changing lives through dance in Kenya

Visit Amrei’s organization, Maua, on Facebook.

Amrei Krings was responsible for everything behind the scenes, so didn’t have much time left to dance herself (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

Dance instructor Charles practices with the women and a group of young men that came twice to help out. On Fridays the workshop was open to everybody in Naivasha in order to integrate the sex workers into the community of the villagers. (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

Amrei has some stress with the partner organization on location (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

The dancers are getting prepared for the final show (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

Amrei’s aim was to give the women a new sense of themselves (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

After the workshop in the morning, Amrei leads a meeting in the afternoon in order to prepare the final show (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

Dance teacher Benedetta Reuter gives some instructions to the women to make bigger and braver movements (Photo: Falk Steinborn)

Keeping up to date with new technology can be daunting for people of any age but if you’re in your 70s or 80s and have gone your whole life without mobile phones, let alone Facebook and Twitter, new technology can be downright frightening. Nevertheless, many senior citizens have to get used to the Internet to do essential things like pay bills and book doctors appointments.

And that’s where Rachel Elson comes in. The 20-year-old from Walsall in the English Midlands has decided to give up her spare time to teach older people about new technology.

Listen to Liam Starkey’s report from Walsall:

Young Brit brings tech to the elderly

Rachel Elson (right) with one of her tech learners (Photo: Rachel Elson)

As the crisis in Syria continues, NGOs are calling an end to the conflict that has killed over a hundred thousand people and displaced millions.

Dan Cole co-founded a Berlin-based collective called It’s Bigger Than, which is doing its bit to raise awareness about the crisis and to raise money to help those in need. Their method? Putting on a party with some of the finest DJs and electronic producers around.

All the DJs play for free. The club donates the space and the party is being put on by a group of volunteers. Party number 2 raised money for Save the Children and featured the likes of Marcel Fengler, Nick Höppner, Iron Curtis, Deep Child and Barbara Preisinger.

The next It’s Bigger Than party will take place in Berlin on September 1, 2013 and this time the money is going to the Mercy Corps.

Listen to the report by Cinnamon Nippard in Berlin:

Techno for the children

Dan Cole says raising awareness can make a difference – a little bit at a time (Photo. Katrina James)

Berlin is a hotspot for techno (Photo: Michelle O’Brien)

Some come for the DJs, others for the cause (Photo: Michelle O’Brien)

Children are most affected by war, says Dan Cole. The last It’s Bigger Than event supported children in Syria through the Save the Children NGO (Photo: Save the Children)

The next It’s Bigger Than event takes place on September 1, 2013

For many refugee children, attempting to adapt to life in the US can be challenging. Language barriers, cultural differences and post-traumatic stress disorder are all obstacles to overcome on the road to resettlement.

But one young recent graduate from San Diego is attempting to make life a little easier for refugees – through soccer. Twenty-six-year-old Mark Kabban’s soccer program, Yalla, has proven to be a huge success with over 200 children participating since it was founded in 2009.

The project makes the most of the children’s enthusiasm for soccer to improve their prospects in education and work, granting them an opportunity to succeed.

Listen to the report by Mischa Wilmers in San Diego:

Soccer gives refugees in San Diego a chance

Mark is a role model for his “kids”

Succeeding in sports gives the kids the confidence to set their sights high

More on YALLA’s website.

In Cambodia, violence against women is a troubling – and common – concern. Ou Ratanak, witnessed it first-hand when he was growing up. He says his uncle physically abused his aunt, but when he brought it up, he was told to mind his own business.

Now, however, he’s making women’s safety his business. And he’s hoping to tackle the problem for future generations, by heading an organization that works with young adults to change attitudes towards sexual violence.

Listen to the report by Irwin Loy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia:

Keeping women safe in Cambodia

Ou Ratanak looks on as a student makes a point during a mock debate held to encourage critical thinking on gender issues among Cambodian youth (Photo: I. Loy)

A student makes his case during a mock debate held to encourage critical thinking on gender issues among Cambodian youth (Photo: I. Loy)

Raising awareness is Ou Ratanak’s first priority (Photo: I. Loy)

Portugal’s young people are going through difficult times. Youth unemployment in the country is at over 40 percent and many of those who do stay in Portugal end up in jobs that offer little career development. What makes things even tougher is that many Portuguese youth are traditionally reluctant to travel overseas to improve their job opportunities, or even just try something new.

Gonçalo Azevedo Silva is an exception. After spending a year abroad doing a GAP Year, he founded the organization GapYear.pt. The group aims to give Portuguese school leavers a perspective, by connecting them with foundations and charities who need people to volunteer overseas.

Listen to the report by André Leslie:

Opening doors abroad

Gonçalo Azevedo Silva is pictured here during his volunteer year in East Timor

More on the Gap Year website (in Portuguese.)

In Nigeria, country with many languages and ethnic groups, Thomas believes that people shouldn’t be judged on their background. He’s now bringing thousands of young people together with a unique unity dance.

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

Dance for unity in Nigeria

Thomas draws out the traditional elements of Nigera’s ethnic groups (Photo: N. Aghaji)

Thomas in action (Photo: N. Aghaji)

Thomas has brought the unity dance to thousands of young people in his community (Photo: N. Aghaji)