>> hello. welcome to "global 3000." this is what we have coming up for you on today's program. young arab entrepreneurs -- comic heroes and religion can be compatible. africa on the move -- meet the millennium village with a more certain future. and solar lamps -- how new technologies add extra hours to the day in the philippines the coming months and years will determine whether the revolutions in the arab region will effect change and transform societies there.

at the world economic forum in davos, a group of young global leaders demonstrated their potential to be part of that process. naif al-mutawa, for example, has created 99 comic super-heroes who fight for a better world and muna al-sulayman is a human rights campaigner -- both believe society needs to be founded on basic values, values that also exist outside a religious context. >> when we're talking about values, it doesn't matter if you are shiite or sunni it doesn't matter if you're an atheist, it doesn't matter what you are. basic human values are basic human values. >> i mean there are humanitarian values. you want people who are honest, you want people who are hard working, etc. but what are the values that distinguish the arab world, or saudi-arabia or which ever country we're in, from the rest? and without understanding that

we can't move forward. >> no matter where i go in the world i get criticized. in the west i get criticized because a couple of characters cover their hair, one wears the burka. back home i get criticized that they are not all wearing coverings. you can't win, but that's the whole point of the 99. it's about being inclusive not being exclusive. my name is naif al-mutawa. i'm a kuwaity clinical psychologist and creator of the 99. i've created positive role

models through my characters. there are 99 of them. they are from 99 different countries. they are based on the 99 attributes of allah in the koran. but the content is secular. so there are things like generosity and mercy and wisdom and foresight and positive human values that islam shares with the rest of humanity. i think one of the issues that we have had is that no matter where you go people always think religion is very important. incorporate what are the religious values that we hold dear into our educational system. so let me give you an example. we don't study our culture, our history from islamic perspective. we gonna get american or uk books about the world and see it through their lenses. so in order to be able to have the children grow up to be well educated, they need to have their own perspective of history. so that they can get both parts of the world versus one. and they feel always alienated from that. muna abu sulayman, a young

global leader at the world economic forum in jordan. and i head the alwaleed bin talal foundation. so the foundation works on several fronts we do female empowerment in the middle east, we do poverty alleviation and community development all over the world. >> you know some of the themes of the arab spring have been part of the 99 for four years now. for example our main bad guy is 500 years old and won't let go off power. our characters are all young and they work together in teams. >> i want the middle east to be dependent on itself and not rely on other countries. because you see we are relying on many other countries for food, for resources... i mean we need to rely on ourselves. >> we are a force also in the world, as arabs. and we won't be considered as terrorists all the time.

we create fully biodegradable cushions made from rice husks, which is the brown covering of rice. if you want, you can see it here. >> unfortunately the investment in humanities and social sciences have been quite lacking. because most regimes from -- you know -- almost from morocco all the way to iran feel that is not important. you have to go either to religious education or secular education. but you don't get humanities. so you're not getting people who understand sociology, anthropology, history -- to come up with innovative ideas to help their communities.

our company, it sells outdoor solar lights. it works on solar energy, it takes the sun at day and then it works at night. i want our generation to breathe a clean air. i want my children to be healthy, that's how i want to change the world. >> i believe religion is a beautiful thing, but i believe that religion is something between a person and god. it's nobody else's business. and i don't believe it has a role in kind of how you judge others on earth. so for me i would rather religion be kept out of politics. i think the middle east needs to connect on that what actually connects people which is economics. not religion, not language. that doesn't work. it's economics that works. the most important thing is that everybody has the right for full dignity. and that nobody can touch your dignity.

for dignity to be achieved there has to be actual process of deliverables. its not just the aim of a good feeling. but actually being treated well from the minute you leave your home all the way back, when you get back. and that all take a long time to achieve. >> many of you have already tempted us with your favorite global snack -- those no fuss meals we grab while on the go. today we hear about a popular turkish treat called balik ekmek. it's basically a fish sandwich freshly cooked over an open grill -- and a must for any visitor to istanbul. >> istanbul is a bustling city

at the crossroads of two continents. the galata bridge stretches 500 meters between the city's historic center and the modern karaköy district. it's used both by drivers and pedestrians. inside the gold-painted boats docked at the foot of the bridge, the local snack vendors have set up shop. here you can get a favorite local dish. it's called balik ekmek, a grilled fish sandwich. the fish sandwiches in istanbul are an absolute must. with a view of bosphorus and the mosques, you can enjoy the ideal meal here. the fish goes well with karisik tursu, a mix of pickled vegetables, that you can buy on the neighboring stall.

it's traditional to drink the vinegar, too. >> it's filling, and it's fish. and we're turkish -- we love fish. >> murat kahraman mans the grill on the asik family's boat. >> the fish is fried in its own fat, as you can see. what else do you add? well, a bit of onion and lettuce. that's the whole secret. >> i took over the shop from my father. i've been working here for the past 37 years, just like my forefathers. we love it. >> but the asik family shop doesn't sell the fish that's caught just off the galata bridge up above. this waterfront vendor has also kept pace with globalization.

>> there's only one kind of fish -- norwegian mackerel. it comes in frozen and we prepare it here. the way it's fried, with the onions, the scent of the sea mixing with the smell of the fish. isn't it just wonderful? >> so, as they say in turkey, afiyet olsun! -- bon appetit! >> savory or sweet, heavy or light -- what do you like to eat when you're on the go? send us a photo of your favorite snack and win our global snack apron. you can send us your photo by post or e-mail at global3000@dw- world.de. best of luck! >> between 1990 and 2001, the

number of people in sub-saharan africa living on less than $1 a day increased by roughly 30 percent. a third of the population subsists on less than the minimum level of nourishment. in 2002 the millennium villages project was initiated to alleviate poverty, hunger and disease in that part of the world. funds were made available to promote community-led development. one of the goals is to improve the quality of education for boys and girls in even remote villages. here's a look at just one project in malawi. >> at this elementary school in mwandama in southern malawi, the day gets off to a noisy start. for some time now, more kids have been coming here than in the past.

the school provides much more than an education. the children get breakfast every morning -- a cornmeal porridge. for many of them, a hot morning meal is the main reason for going to school . it's all part of the united nations' millennium villages project. rose leonhard serves on the village council and takes an active interest in the school. >> in the past, a lot of children didn't come to school because they were hungry. but since breakfast has been provided, they work a lot more effectively and we believe that they will pass with good grades. >> the teachers don't just give

lessons in math and history. they also take part in the un millennium project, showing the children how to practice good hygiene -- something that is severely lacking, especially in rural areas. it helps the children stay happy and healthy. >> we have got the toilets, where the children can go whenever they want to go to the toilet. and then they have to wash their hands using the bottles. >> and that's important. without clean water and sanitary facilities germs and parasites spread fast. the school's hygiene program is a huge step forward. the mwandama cluster is made up of seven small villages -- all of them are supported by the united nations project. most of the 35,000 villagers here live in poverty. the millennium project provides thousands of farmers with free fertilizer to improve their harvest. >> rose leonhard and her family also have a small tract of land. they get 100 kilos of

fertilizer a year. a series of private and public donors help provide fertilizer to the farmers in mwandama. agriculture is a crucial part of malawi's economy, accounting for 40 percent of the country's gdp. joseph chibwe serves as the millennium villages coordinator here. he has witnessed the villagers' quality of life improve, slowly but surely. >> it's a one-of-a-kind project, because it encompasses so many different programs and approaches. it combines all the factors that are important in development: health, education, agriculture and infrastructure. >> the millennium program has had a substantial impact on agriculture in mwadama. landowners receive regular training on how to improve their harvest, learning how to

water their land more effectively and safely store their crops. and the fertilizer means more output -- enough to feed rose leonhard's family of 8. >> we've benefited so much from the project. before, we didn't have enough to eat. now we have plenty of cereals and vegetables to go around. >> women have started to operate makeshift stores -- sometimes just a table that they set up and take down every day. they sell everything from soap to washing detergent and cooking oil. they receive their goods at wholesale prices, and their small businesses provide a steady income. the shops are also a welcome sight for villagers, who no longer have to travel the considerable distances to the next supermarket. rose leonhard has a small shop,

too, where she can earn some extra money when she's not working on the farm. it only adds up to a few euros more, but for rose, it makes a big difference. >> everything is better now. i no longer have to ask my husband when i want to buy something that we need. i use the money from the shop to buy groceries and pay the kids' school fees. >> rose leonhard isn't alone. many villagers here have seen their lives improve dramatically. the millenium villages project wants to create more prosperity and improve living conditions. mwandama has become a model community in the region and beyond. >> alleviating poverty means more than providing food and education. more than a third of the world's population is also too poor to qualify for a bank loan. but after muhammed yunus and his grameen bank in bangladesh were awarded the nobel peace prize in 2006, micro credits became more widely available and are now a viable option for

many. in 2010 alone some 137 million families received small loans which gave them the chance to ease other financial burdens or even start a small business. here's our global count: securing a microcredit doesn't require a trip to the bank. they're available even to those who would have little chance of securing a loan otherwise. many microcredits are taken out by women. the interest rates are about 25 percent, but that's low in comparison to what local loan sharks charge. and more than 95% of microcredits are paid bck. at first, microcredits were mostly taken out to start small businesses. but new studies show that many people use the money to pay for medicine, school fees, food or to repay other loans. the system isn't perfect.

in india and bangladesh, hundreds of microcredit providers are in competition. supervisory authorities in bangladesh says over 70% of all borrowers have multiple debts to pay off. but microcredits are still considered an ideal way to help people help themselves. global demand for the loans has created a lucrative market for hedge funds, insurance companies and major banks -- estimated at some 200 billion euros. similar schemes for pension plans and insurance are expected in the future. >> the philippines is a nation made up of more than 7000 islands. rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions pose extreme threats to the region, in the past few weeks, the philippines have the effects.

one of our reporters was recently in the north of the country, and although sped from the disaster, parts of the island are still somewhat isolated. not everyone is connected to the electricity grid and operating diesel generators is expensive. now, solar lands have become an attractive alternative. >> it's afternoon on mindoro island in the philippines, and the sun's rays shine warm and bright -- a valuable source of light and warmth. many of the villages here don't have electricity, and when the sun goes down, they're left in the dark. julius alip has come to mindoro from the capital, manila. he works for a filipino microfinance bank called card, and is responsible for a new solar power project. he has a solar lamp with him that he wants to introduce to

people in mindoro's remote villages. >> this area is very rural. although you'll be seeing a lot of electric lines, iin some communities there is still no access to electricity, because it is expensive to connect to the grid. >> this village nestling by the side of the road is home to the mangyan -- the island's indigenous people. julius alip wants to introduce the concept of solar lamps to the mangyan. robin adaba says they've never had electricity. he harvests and sells wild bananas for a living. he's using the fading light to cook sweet potatoes for dinner. >> i dream of having electricity. we're very poor. we live hand to mouth.

>> the solar lamps that julius alip is promoting are specifically designed to meet the needs of poor villagers. after they're charged, the lamps can provide up to 5 more hours of light. they cost the equivalent of 20 euros -- and customers can pay that off in monthly installments. but the lamps are still too expensive for the mangyan villagers. >> 1000 pesos? i can only afford that if i sell a lot of bananas. maybe in a month. >> julius sits down with the villagers to talk about how they might be able to finance the lamps in the future. on mindoro, the lamps are sold in small convenience shops, known as sari-sari stores, which are run by female micro- entrepreneurs called nanays.

karen angeles stocks laundry detergent, cookies...and solar lamps. julius regularly visits the shopkeepers to see how they're doing. karen has only sold two lamps in the last few months. that might not seem like much, but for her it's a huge success. >> i can buy so much more now, especially for my kids -- like shoes and a dress for my daughter. we now have a change of clothes, unlike other families who can't afford that luxury. >> karen complains that one of the lamps isn't working. julius finds out it hadn't been recharged for a long time. >> it is good to visit micro retailers, to see whether there are issues and concerns, like are they still selling the solars?

also good to know how they are managing their inventories. >> karen still has about a dozen lamps. she knows very well that she can't wait for customers to come to her -- so she goes to them. san nicolas is a small, remote fishing village far from the electricity grid. there aren't even any roads that lead here. almost the whole village flocks to see karen's solar lamp demonstration. magda is the wife of a fisherman and a mother of 12. she's excited about the solar lamps because they provide light and can be used to charge cell phones. karen knows magda, so she doesn't hesitate to make a deal: magda can purchase the lamp and pay it off in small monthly installments. >> the light will help when our

ships arrive in the dark and we have to dry the fish on the beach. if i can charge my cell phone too, i can ring our customers when we have a good catch. >> card bank wants everyone to be able to afford the solar lamps -- it offers microcredit loans at only 3 percent interest. many of the bank's customers earn less than 200 euros a month. they'd be unlikely to get a loan elsewhere. but card specializes in socially responsible rural development. villagers who take out loans have to take part in regular training courses. >> we teach them the value of money, how to improve their livelihood. we are here not just to lend, but make sure we are lending responsibly, that the poor can pay back. >> in the village of yapang, three families have taken out microcredit loans with card to purchase solar lamps. campfires and gasoline lamps used to be the only source of

light here. but francis, who is a rice farmer, says gasoline is expensive and bad for her children's health. >> the solar lamps are a huge help because there are days where we just don't have the money to buy gasoline. and those are often days where we really need light in the evening. >> within a year, card distributed over a thousand lamps to remote filipino villages. next year, it hopes to double that. laos and cambodia have also expressed an interest in the project. >> and this bright outlook brings us to the end of today's "global 3000." we hope you enjoyed the program and do join us again next week. for now, thanks for watching and bye-bye. captioned by the

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