anchor: on "global 3000" this week -- a visit to the u.s., which had a tragic 2015. more young african american men died from police brutality than ever before. we head to chicago to find out why. diving into mexico's caribbean coast, home to the delicious caribbean spiny lobster. how do they catch them sustainably? but we start our journey in singapore, where it's all about learning and more learning, no matter how tiny you are. signals pass between synapses in a child's brain incredibly quickly. the process starts in the womb. at two years old, the most important connections have already been made. over time, the child develops their physical coordination,

memory, intelligence, language, and emotions. but in developing countries, up to 20 percent of pregnant women are malnourished. one in four children suffers from stunted growth as a result. that's 165 million. and the inequality doesn't stop there. in developing countries, only 17 percent of children attend pre-school. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, but 50 cards in 30 seconds. no, this isn't fast forward mode. elonis, the teacher, is just incredibly fast. jade, jared, alphonsus, and sage follow her -- slightly fascinated, slightly dazed. they're all younger than a year old and come once a week with their parents to brain training

in the heguru centre. the children aren't meant to retain what's presented to them here. and how could they? it's much more about expanding the brain's capacity with as much stimulation as possible. >> focus, because he needs to pay attention and be focused in class, to understand and really look through the pictures, and improve his memory. >> so it's something he can profit from in his later life, then. >> yeah, definitely, especially during schooling days, working days. >> this game is also supposed to be useful. it's meant to exercise the eye muscles, so the children will later be able to read more quickly. lia, yu, and lilika are already little mind champs - at least that's what their kindergarten is called. the mindchamps institute says its vision is to "build a world of champions," and it targets the singaporean soul.

>> we call it kiasu. we always want to be first. we want our children to be always first, be better than everybody else. yes? >> exploiting that ambition to achieve earns good money. for a preschool place at mindchamps, parents fork out more than 1000 euros a month. the wish to learn has long been the basis of an industry worth billions in singapore. there are more than 850 private institutions offering supplementary courses in a country whose state education system is considered excellent. courses for little geniuses and elite brains are on offer, even for unborn children. the promise is bold: stronger brain power and increased intelligence -- or, even more

bluntly, great scholars and future leaders. more and more providers are crowding into this market. the hawk eye enrichment house has invited people to its open day. new rooms, new teachers, new toys. all that's missing are customers. but the director is sure they'll soon flock here. what's the purpose of this toy? it's a musical instrument. music appreciation is a major focus here. arithmetic is another. there are arithmetic courses for children as young as three here. the teacher says at that age, they soak up learning like sponges, so they need input. samuel is 2, but esther at 4 is almost a late starter by singaporean standards.

>> probably, but i think we made it a point that we don't really want to send them just because we have to force them to go for classes, but whatever their interest is and if we feel that it's useful for them, then we'll go for it. >> in the adjoining room, cheyenne is baking a pizza, or actually her father is. it's a game that's meant to stimulate children's imaginations. they could be playing it at home. here parents pay the equivalent of 440 euros per quarterly term. cheyenne is 3, and has been attending similar courses since she was two. her father is now thinking of making a change. >> i mean singapore being such a competitive environment, i actually want her to excel in certain areas, indeed academic or music, and just letting her go by the nature of course itself, so this is something that she can become along her

way. >> and does cheyenne like it? >> yes? >> ambitious parents can be sold more than just educational courses. there's also nutritional supplements: ginko, vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids - supposedy useful in boosting the brain's development. >> my own children actually take this -- the dha -- because when they're young they can't take the chewable forms, so i take the syrup forms and i can actually see the difference before and after. he's much sharper, much more focused, he observes things which i don't, and he picks up things which astonish me as well. >> even the littlest mindchamps have to be focused. making snowmen from bread is meant to teach them about geometric shapes, help them practice patience and improve their motor skills. but tagumi has another idea. now that's truly a clever child!

anchor: while in some countries even babies are showered with education, in other parts of the world children can't go to school at all. in war-torn syria and the neighboring countries, 2.7 million refugee children have no formal education. instead of learning to read and write, they're out earning money. >> bilal is 13 years old. he lives with his family in lebanon, where they fled from the war in their home country syria. every morning at bilal goes to work instead of school. he makes coffee, bakes flat bread and delivers orders. bilal is helping to feed his family -- four siblings and his parents. they can't afford school for their children.

>> bilal says he's like to go to school and become a doctor or --and become a doctor. his boss is kind to him. exploitation isn't the word for what's happening here. it's a way of supporting bilal's family, from which he himself, of course, also benefits. >> i told bilal he shouldn't work. he should be in school. there's nothing better than learning. but he can't, so now at least he's learning something practical. it's better than sitting at home. >> more and more children of syrian refugees have to earn money so their families can have a roof over their heads and food on the table. bilal proudly shows his brother his weekly pay packet, about 30 euros. prices in lebanon are comparable to those in germany. bilal's brothers and his cousin are only slightly older than he is, but they're already working in a car repair shop.

imad is 14 and has four years of work experience. although he is making money, it is really about survival. >> in the morning i go to work, then shower, eat, and sleep, every day the same thing. i don't have any friends. in syria, i had friends. so i am not really happy. >> the number of refugees seems to be overwhelming the international community. governments aren't providing enough money. and u.n. organizations have reduced their aid. >> the refugees who initially came with some savings or resources have seen their savings depleted after years in exile. a recent study we've conducted shows that 70 percent of syrian refugees in lebanon live below the national poverty line - that is, of only us dollars a day.

-- 3.80 u.s. dollars per day. >> scenes like this are common: after working on farms, refugee children come home to one of the many makeshift refugee camps in lebanon. this woman fled raqqa with her six children. school is out of the question for them as well. the youngest is nine, the eldest 13. three of them go out to work in the field every day, but even then it's barely enough. , >> we have to. what else can we do? the children go out at six in -- 6:00 in the morning and come back in the evening, sometimes not until 7:00. we have to survive. >> there are bizarre moments in the camp. a travelling vegetable vendor announces his presence - with the happy birthday melody. nothing he has is for free, but third rate vegetables are at least cheap.

still, even they're often too expensive for umm mheidi. >> i don't have any money unfortunately, but he gives them to me on credit. i'll pay him later, as soon as i can. >> here's the account book. look, it's written here. she owes me the equivalent of 200 euros since the fourth of september. >> the international rescue committee, an organisation that helps refugees in lebanon, says parents don't send their children off to work lightheartedly. but poverty and misery often leave them no choice. >> i think the situation became quite desperate this year, which is why you saw a large number of families fleeing to europe, hoping for a better future. >> bilal and his brothers have returned from work. three families pay 900 dollars to rent this flat - 22 people.

even though they all earn something, money is still short. they're safe, but it's not much of a life. >> the world isn't on our side. bilal has to work and at the age of ten, his sister can't write a single letter of the alphabet. >> the youngest family member is nine months old. will she ever get the chance to go to school? the war in syria is destroying the future opportunities of an entire generation. anchor: now it's time for global ideas, a series all about people who make it their mission to save biodiversity around the world. our reporter ruth krause met some fishermen and biologists who really know their stuff on spiny lobsters. there are over 50 different species of spiny lobster, and they help to keep marine life

full and flourishing. ruth was here in the biosphere reserve sian ka'an, where caribbean spiny lobsters are caught and eaten. but not all of them. >> these divers know just where to look. caribbean spiny lobsters prefer to hide in the dark - for instance, under casitas, the cement tables the fishermen have sunk to trap them. the fishermen dive up to fifteen meters underwater without oxygen tanks. this method is especially environmentally friendly.

>> many people enjoy the taste of lobster on their plate, but there's a lot of hard work behind it. i think people should know that. >> without oxygen, the divers can't reach spiny lobsters at greater depths. small animals and egg-carrying females don't end up in the cooking pot either, they go back in the sea. >> when a female has eggs, she carries them in this part of her body. they're these cottony pellets. and if we see she has eggs, we let her go again. that improves our output. >> maintaining the numbers of caribbean lobsters at a steady

level in the sian ka'an biosphere reserve benefits both the environment and the fishermen. biologist kim ley-cooper from razonatura, a conservation project, is studying how the sustainable trapping method is affecting the ecosystem. >> they are creepy animals. i didn't necessarily think i would work with lobsters for 10 years of my life, but it's been fascinating to understand that they are a crucial part of the sea environment, of the reef environment. it's what fishermen life from and that's what makes it an all round project. >> ley-cooper tags the lobsters with numbers. it's slightly painful but supplies important data. caribbean lobsters travel long distances, sometimes outside the reserve. if they're trapped again, the routes can be traced by their

numbers and decisions made about where else to protect them. the lobsters provide food for many other marine animals. if they're doing well, there should be plenty of sharks and rays in the area. with bait and an underwater camera, the biologists see what animals can actually be found here. >> the ideal thing to see would be sharks, because they are interesting and they are nice and they are part of the chain in which lobsters are. like nursing sharks are well known to go under the casitas to eat lobsters. so if you see them that would be the indication of a healthy reef and not necessarily impacted by lobster fishery. and the camera really does capture a healthy marine population.

the mesoamerican reef is more than 1000 kilometres long. anyone who wants to trap lobsters in the sian ka'an biosphere reserve has to be a member of the fishing cooperative. along with six other cooperatives, it dictates the rules and prices. an average sized lobster weighs a kilo. selling for the equivalent of 12 euros for it. the fishermen can earn a good living. scientists like kim ley-cooper have confirmed with their research that the sea here is in good shape - and the cooperative has been given a sustainability certificate. >> of course you hope that your research does something extra than just sitting on a bookshelf. so that clearly for me is a very

good result in general. and the fact that it can be translated into a benefit would make it even better, a direct benefit for the fishermen. next to the biosphere reserve lie the tourist hotspots of the mexican caribbean. the fishing cooperatives market their sustainable lobster in the hotels here under the eco-label chakay. the head chef at the luxury rosewood hotel prefers them to lobster from far away. >> people come to this region for its natural riches, so the least we can do is respect that. and the chakay lobster is a unique sustainable regional product. the lobsters are fresh and and of high quality.

today the lobsters aren't meant for ordinary hotel guests. kim ley-cooper has invited the heads of the region's most important conservation organisations to dinner. it's a cunning gambit: while they eat the delicacy, he tries to convince them to fund his research - in order to expand his project. the larvae of caribbean lobster migrate. to maintain lobster stocks and ensure the future of the ecosystem, they have to be studied and protected in neighboring countries. >> my biggest dream is that my children can see this amazing environment. hopefully when they go out they can still go out there and see little lobsters and see little stingrays, manta rays, sharks, and all the beauties that we as this generation can see. that would be the biggest satisfaction.

>> all over the world, inequality breeds violence. in many cases, governments respond to this with more violence. police brutality against civilians is still a common occurrence. these student protests took place in south africa in october 2015. in russia, political demonstrations are often forcibly brought to an end. officers also attacked protesters in mexico in 20-14. -- mexico in 2014. and in the us, police violence is on the rise, especially against african americans. >> david bates grew up here on chicago's south side, where most residents are african american. one day the doorbell rang at his parents' house. >> close to six police officers came and knocked on the door and

asked to speak to david bates. mom said he's here, but what do you want with him. they said they wanted to speak with me regarding a criminal case and they will bring me back home. of course i did not come home for 11 years later. >> his family is sure david was innocent. the police accused him of being involved in a drug deal. >> i had been in the police station for two days at 18 years of age. i had gone through several sessions of torture, everything from having a plastic bag placed over my head, to being slapped and kicked, called derogatory terms and even threatened with being killed, numerous times. i was encouraged and compelled to tell them whatever they needed to know to get out of that police station. >> because of his forced confession he was sent to prison. he was released after eleven years and exonerated, but still suffers from the impact of his

time in jail. he had a hard time finding a job. and those who he says tortured him remain unpunished. like many african americans, he thinks chicago's police can get away with almost anything. another example: on this spot, a white police officer shot dead laquan mcdonald, a 17-year-old african american. the teenager was hit by sixteen bullets, only two of them while he was still standing. chicago politicians kept this video clip under wraps for 400 days, fearing racial unrest. anger against the police is growing among these teenage students. >> what they kill him for, and that made me mad a little bit because he was young and we losing too many young people around here and that is not cool at all. >> we feel like the police another gang though, they ain't better than us, they ain't protecting nobody. >> if you are twenty-one feet near them, they feel as though it is a threat towards them, but that young male was walking away and that was wrong for them to do that.

>> a few blocks from their school, david meets congressman bobby rush. he's been campaigning for the rights of black americans for years. both men hope public pressure on chicago's police will increase, and that courts will call officers to account. >> when will they start being held accountable for their brutality, for their murder, for the way they conduct themselves in african american and hispanic communities, then it will change. >> chicago has always had its dangers. it still doesn't have its social problems under control: gang crime, police brutality, and poverty among african americans mark daily life for thousands of families. 31-year-old intervention specialist terrence smith knows that from first-hand experience. he grew up on the south side, and now works for the "build" youth program, trying to teach young african americans not to view the police as their enemies. >> you have to understand it from both sides that we are afraid as a community, as people

and also the officers are afraid to do their job because they don't know what could happen, because every cop is not bad, every cop is not good. >> terrence rejects generalizations, including those about police officers - although last year saw 1500 public complaints about police brutality. he can't change the behavior of police officers. so he approaches teenagers, like those in this south side school, where he teaches regularly. some of the pupils suffer from behavioral disorders - being disruptive without noticing it themselves. terrence and their teachers are trying to help. >> pretty much anybody you talk to, they know who i am in this school. my name is mr. smith: terrence. all right. you are looking for me, man. i am looking after for you. >> we always try to teach them how to behave and be respectful to adults in any situation. but right now, it is just

awareness and being aware of your surroundings and what is going on in your community because right now a lot of issues are going on and a lot of things you can stay away from if you choose to and a lot of things you can get into if you choose to as well. so i think the best thing is awareness and the choices that you make that can have an effect on the rest of your life real quick. >> the pupils like terrence. he speaks their language. of course, he can't solve all their problems over night. but at least he listens to them and understands them. anchor: that's it from us this week at global 3000. let us know what you think of the show! find us on facebook or write to us at global3000@dw.com. see you next time! [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

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