Summary: Join us for the launch of Why Poverty? A ground-breaking series of international documentaries looking at contemporary poverty screening on the BBC in November. The global cross-media event produced in partnership with The Open University will see the same eight films screened in 180 countries by more than 70 broadcasters to explore why, in the 21st Century, a billion people still live in poverty.From a behind-the-scenes look at Bob Geldof and Bono’s 30 year campaign and the moving story of illiterate women becoming solar engineers, to films exploring the impact of multinationals in Zambia and the privatisation of education in China, the series will give expression to a diverse range of voices from around the world and kick-start a new debate about contemporary poverty.BBC Four will be the home of Why Poverty?, screening seven documentaries over two weeks, while the series will launch on BBC One with Four Born Every Second (w/t) – a lyrical and sobering look at childbirth and infant mortality around the world.Nick Fraser, editor of BBC Storyville and Mette Hoffman Meyer, executive producer of Why Poverty? will present this initiative to create a global debate. As part of the evening we will be showing SOLAR MAMAS – the remarkable story of a Jordanian mother who travels to India to train as a solar engineer and bring light and electricity back to her village.
