MTV Exiled Episodes
Are you interested in learning more about the social issues explored in the latest episode of "My Super Sweet 16 Presents: EXILED?"
The UN Foundation is working with MTV to make sure you've got up-to-date information, ways to stay involved, and other social issues that affect young people all over the world. You can stay in touch with all the latest from the UN Foundation through our think. MTV page and by signing up for email alerts.
Upcoming Episodes: Saturday, Nov. 8
EPISODE: Inside the Exile- Reunion Special
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EPISODE NINE: CHER
SOCIAL ISSUE: ECOTOURISM
COUNTRY: PANAMA
In this episode, Cher is given the opportunity to live in the jungle with the Embera tribe and learn what it means to survive by working together.
DID YOU KNOW?
• The Embera Indians live in 24 homes in the village of Embera' Puru with about 110 people of all ages living in the village. To get to the village, you must drive north from Panama City and then travel up river by motorized dugout canoes built by the Indians. There are no roads to the village.
• The Embera are very proud of their traditions and culture and enjoy sharing it with visitors. For that reason and to support their community, they opened their village up to tourism 9 years ago. Now, it is their only source of income.
• Rivers are especially important in Panama. The Panama Canal allows huge ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It consists of a series of channels, lakes, and locks that have to be filled with water each time a ship passes through. The Charges Basin in Charges National Park provides the 52 million gallons of water that are needed for one ship to pass through the Panama Canal. Considering on average 38 ships pass through each day, the constant demand for water puts a strain on the rivers in Charges National Park and on people, such as the Embera, that need these rivers to survive.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Take steps to counteract the damage being done to our environment by signing the youth climate pledge.
• Find out how you can get active on environmental issues in your high school and participate in the Global Debates.
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EPISODE TEN: ERIN
SOCIAL ISSUE: STREET CHILDREN
COUNTRY: MONGOLIA
In this episode, Erin learns about being a part of a traditional nomad family and what it is like to live without material goods.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Mongolian nomads typically migrate to at least four different areas during the course of one year.
• With an efficient educational system, Mongolia has one of the highest literacy rates in the world; 97.8% of the population is literate. However, as a result of striking poverty, there are more than 3,700 children living on the streets.
• Most street children can be found in the capital of Ulaanbaatar, which is the coldest capital city the world. Many “lifer” street children struggle to survive inside the manholes under the streets.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• The UN Foundation and its partners work diligently every year to save children around the world who are dying from preventable diseases. Take action through our Nothing But Nets campaign. Sign up for news and updates and see how you can spend $10 to save a life.
• Send a thank you letter to the 110,000 brave men and women from 119 countries serving as UN peacekeepers in 17 of the most volatile countries in the world. (You can also see a video PSA with George Clooney!)
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EPISODE SEVEN: SIERRA
SOCIAL ISSUE: CLIMATE CHANGE & OVERFISHING
COUNTRY: VANUATU
In this episode, Sierra learns about hard day’s work in the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Climate change is a serious threat to low lying islands like Vanuatu whose landmass is close to sea level. Because of this, small island nations are some of the most vocal supporters of global action on climate change.
• The projected rise in sea level over the next century due to climate change is commonly agreed to be about one meter – enough to cause serious damage to many countries and completely flood at least four.
• In a 2007 conference on climate change and tourism, the United Nations affirmed the importance of tourism to the livelihood and economies of many small island nations, but urged for the adoption of a range of policies to encourage truly sustainable tourism.
• There is a community of people all over the world working to preserve and protect UNESCO World Heritage sites for local communities and for future travelers. Check them out at the UN Foundation’s Friends of World Heritage campaign.
• Vanuatu has one of the most recently inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Sites. World Heritage sites are places around the world that have been internationally recognized for their outstanding value as natural and cultural treasures. The Chief Mata’s Domain is the first site to be inscribed in Vanuatu. It includes locations around the country associated with the country’s last paramount chief, Roi Mata, who ruled the island nation in the 13th century.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Learn how to be a more responsible traveler and sign the Responsible Travel Pledge.
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EPISODE SIX: MELENY
SOCIAL ISSUES: CULTURAL PRESERVATION & GIRLS EDUCATION & OIL MINING
COUNTRY: PERU
DID YOU KNOW?
In this episode of Exiled, Meleny learns about the Quechuan culture. Traveling provides an opportunity to not only learn about other culture, but also yourself.
Here are some responsible travel tips:
• Find out as much as possible before you go. Find out more about the history, culture, natural environment, customs, and legends. You can find more information on the over 870 UNESCO World Heritage sites at Friends of World Heritage.
• Connect with local culture. Your trip provides a unique opportunity to explore a new culture. Remember that eating local foods, shopping in local markets, and attending local festivals are all part of experiencing the culture. Local tour guides are a great way to travel off the beaten path.
• Learn a few words in the local language. People will always appreciate your efforts to say even a few simple words like “Hello,” “Please” and “Thank you.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Check out all the Responsible Travel Tips provided by Friends of World Heritage.
• Sign the Responsible Travel Pledge.
• Connect with other responsible travelers on the Friends of World Heritage Facebook page.
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EPISODE FIVE: MARISSA
SOCIAL ISSUE: STREET CHILDREN & GENDER INEQUALITY
COUNTRY: INDIA
In this episode, Marissa learns first hand about a full day of work in India.
DID YOU KNOW?
• India has the largest number of child laborers in the world - 12% of children aged 5 to 14 are involved in child labor.
• Kids who work miss out on school and opportunities. An adolescent girl who stays in school is more likely to find a job as an adult, have fewer children, and earn more for her family and community.
• An Indian all-female policing unit provided inspiration to Liberia women. India provided the first all-female United Nations peacekeeping force in history. The women served in Liberia.
• The all-female peacekeeping force had a great impact on Liberian society. Watch this video to see how.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• The UN Foundation has invested more than $140 million in programs for women and girls over the last ten years. Sign up for email alerts to stay in the loop on what you can do to help women and girls.
• Send a thank you letter to the 110,000 brave men and women from 119 countries serving as UN peacekeepers in 17 of the most volatile countries in the world. (You can also see a video PSA with George Clooney!)
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EPISODE FOUR: BJORN
SOCIAL ISSUES: WATER & ISLAMAPHOBIA
COUNTRY: MOROCCO
DID YOU KNOW?
• The expression "water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink" is from an 18th century poem called "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." The idea that there is not much water to drink is true: Only about 1 percent of the planet’s water is drinkable.
• In 2008, the United Nations launched a year-long public awareness campaign about the 2.6 billion people worldwide who are without proper sanitation facilities.
•Last spring, students in 80 countries debated the topic of water rights as part of the UN Foundation’s Global Debates program. Many schools planned community service projects. High school students in Mongolia sponsored an art contest with a local elementary school. Students created art about conserving water.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
•Find out how you can get active on environmental issues in your high school and participate in the Global Debates.
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EPISODE THREE: CHELSI
SOCIAL ISSUE: LAND RIGHTS & CLIMATE CHANGE
COUNTRY: NORWAY
DID YOU KNOW?
• This summer, an ice shelf roughly the size of Manhattan broke off from land in the northern Arctic. When an ice shelf separates from the larger body, it will melt faster. This contributes to rising sea levels.
• Climate change is already affecting regular freeze-thaw cycles of the planet. This not only threatens biodiversity, but also essential food chain dynamics.
• Reducing your carbon footprint can also save you money. Lowering the thermostat by as little as 1°F typically reduces your heating bill by 1% to 3%. Better insulated windows can reduce your home’s heating and cooling costs by up to 20%
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Check out the UN Foundation Green page where you can learn smart tips for reducing your carbon footprint.
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EPISODE TWO: AVA
SOCIAL ISSUE: DISEASE & HEALTH
COUNTRY: THAILAND
If you saw the episode, it was clear Beverly Hills girl Ava was not used to sleeping under a bed net on the floor of a shaky wooden hut. But her host, a Karen tribe teen named Ladee, was adamant that Ava help her hang the bed net over her sleeping space to keep the bugs out that Ava was so afraid of.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Malaria, carried by a mosquito, and caused by a blood parasite, kills more than 1 million children a year.
• A long lasting insecticide-treated bed net prevents malaria for up to 5 years. A single child or up to a family of four can fit under one of these nets.
• Some of the highest infection rates can be found on the Thai-Burmese border, particularly in refugee camps, where the population is most vulnerable to contracting the disease.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• The UN Foundation and its partners have delivered millions of bed nets to families in Africa as a form of malaria prevention. Most recently, the UN Foundation and our campaign, Nothing But Nets, pledged 10,000 bed nets to refugees in camps on the Thai-Burmese border. Sign up for news and updates about Nothing But Nets and see how you can spend $10 to send a net and save a life.
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EPISODE ONE: AMANDA
SOCIAL ISSUE: GIRLS' EDUCATION
COUNTRY: KENYA
If you saw Amanda's episode, you might be wondering about women and girls in Kenya. They face challenges that, unfortunately, all too common to young women worldwide.
• Up to 13,000 Kenyan girls drop out of school annually as a result of pregnancy, and about 17% of girls have had sex before age 15.
• HIV prevalence among Kenyan women between ages 15 and 24 is about 5%, compared with 1% for Kenyan men in the same age group.
• Since the post-election violence began on December 2007, a two- to three-fold increase in the number of women and children seeking treatment for sexual assault has been reported.
More specifically, here's some information on girls' education in Kenya.
• Kenya introduced a free mandatory education system in 2003 which has increased the number of children attending school nationally. However, poor children still cannot afford to attend because they may need to work to support their families, or travel far away. Furthermore, Kenya is amongst the countries that have the furthest to achieve equality between boys and girls in access to primary education.
• Scholarships for girls have helped many stay in secondary school (equivalent to high school in the U.S.). The scholarship programs have also led to improved performance of girls, and provide extra money for the schools themselves to operate.
• Girls are often harassed in class at school which increases the girls' dropout rate. All-girls' schools provide a safe environment for girls to learn and have achieved positive results.
WHY GIRLS' EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT
• Girls who stay in school are more likely to receive adequate HIV/AIDS and sex education. Armed with good information, girls who stay in school can make better decisions and choices. According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2004, educated girls were less likely to marry early and more likely to practice family planning. In addition, their children had a higher survival rate.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• The UN Foundation has invested more than $140 million in programs for women and girls over the last ten years. Sign up for email alerts to stay in the loop on what you can do to help women and girls.
• Women and girls often face violence in school or on their way to school. You can speak out against violence against women by signing the SayNOtoViolence.org petition. Send it to your friends or add it to your email signature.
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