SDH Captioned
Grades 7-12, College, Adults
Directed by Rodrigo Mac Niven
Produced by tv/e (Television Trust for the Environment)
DVD Purchase $195, Rent $65
US Release Date: 2013
Copyright Date: 2013
DVD ISBN: 1-93777-274-8
Subjects
Activism
Anthropology
At-risk Youth
Brazil
Citizenship and Civics
Community
Developing World
Environment
Gardening
Geography
Global Issues
Globalization
Health
Latin American Studies
Science
Technology
Society
Social Psychology
Sociology
Sustainable Agriculture
Technology
Favela Farm
(Brazil)
In Brazil can Pedro build a Life App to help the secret world of urban farms and gardens in Rio's shanty towns?
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Pedro is part of a collective of young people in Rio de Janeiro working on new mobile phone technology. Social network apps can serve a dual purpose: They can increase awareness about a cause, and enable users to take action. Social apps help users feel they're making a difference. Pedro goes to Rio and meets Cadú and Dinho, who work on community projects in the Maré and Alemao favelas.
The massive and uncontrolled growth of favelas is a major environmental issue in Rio. In Alemao and Maré alone there are more than 200,000 people, with few proper facilities. Cadú and Dinho are taking Pedro to meet young people from Rio's North Zone, learn about their lives, and research the possibilities for a new "Life App" that can help with green business initiatives in the favela community.
The other titles in the series are:
Silicon Savannah In Kenya can Muniu build a Life App to help William be as good a farmer as he can be?
Mobile Harvest In India can Sachin build a Life App to help stem the tide of farmer suicides?
Once a Nomad In Namibia can Dalton and Lameck build a Life App to help the illiterate and isolated Himba people market their goods?
World of Apps Young people are writing apps to solve problems from reproductive health care in South Africa to helping young minority adults in London who are "stopped and searched."
Reviews
"A marvelous study of technology meeting 'tradition' and how the two can co-exist beneficially for the peoples of the world...A fascinating and fantastic anthropological experience. It could be used with tremendous success in the introductory anthropology classroom to illustrate for students what fieldwork is like (although the developers are not anthropologists), how technology is not restricted to the modern urban world, and how 'traditional' people are part of the modern world too. Level/Use: Suitable for high school classes and college courses in cultural anthropology, anthropology of development/globalization, anthropology of technology, and African studies, as well as for general audiences."
"Eye-opening, educational, and encourages viewers to think of ways to make the world a better place. Life Apps is highly recommended for public and school library DVD collections, as well as home viewing."
"Well-done, interesting, and highly informative...Would be useful in a variety of settings, from general audience home use to classroom supplementation in a variety of subject areas, particularly technology, social sciences, geography, and agriculture. The material presented would be most appropriate for adolescent through adult age groups."
"Captivating...Provides a unique international cross-section demonstrating ways low-cost technology can increase global equity. The series is highly recommended for school media centers as well as technology programs at the secondary and university levels."
"Recommended...For a number of reasons, this series is appropriate for high school to general adult audiences. One, this series definitely introduces places and cultures that may be unfamiliar to many. There is appropriate music from each culture playing in the background. Two, it breaks down the steps involved in a problem solving model, so viewers can clearly see what is being done and possibly replicate it within their lives. Three, it serves to inspire. Many of the global issues and problems mentioned are not going to be solved outright, but grass root campaigns can start the process of community and social awareness."