Turning problem into opportunity

Sargassum, brown seaweed that emits a foul odor as it rots, has been harming tourism in the Caribbean since 2011. For local stakeholders, residents, and researchers, the challenge lies in turning this threat into economic and ecological opportunities.

In Benin, the invasive water hyacinth has also become a “green gold”

The water hyacinth has been spreading for decades in Benin, threatening the lifestyle of the residents of Lake Nokoué. However, some have stumbled onto the virtuous properties of this invasive plant, which can be used for depollution, the production of biogas or to make a “magic compost”.

Winner of the Lorenzo Natali Prize 2019 as the Best Emerging Journalist.

Therapy in Iceland: a whole new ball game

Since 2011, amateur football club FC Sækó (Icelandic for “psycho”) has been providing a breath of fresh air for people with mental health problems. Thanks to their passion for football, players break with their routine and take a step towards becoming better integrated in the society.

“In Concrete Zones, the BioUrban Absorbs Pollutant Gases”

Two and a half hours from Mexico City, innovators are drawing inspiration from nature’s mechanisms to effectively combat air and water pollution.

In Haiti, a better child protection despite excesses

With the expectation to escape their children from extreme poverty, poor Haitian families give their children to middle-class families, running the risk that they could become restaveks, a controversial term for a child used to do domestic chores, even sexual. A practice accentuated by the 2010 earthquake, despite a new national strategy to offer a better protection to them.

A school where children from shantytowns and gated communities learn together

In Cabarete, small tourist town located in the Dominican Republic, immersion in a specific school bringing together children from all walks of life: 3 Mariposas Montessori.

Swiss people surf at all costs

Although it is difficult to know exactly how many people in Switzerland are into surfing, the craze is becoming increasingly visible. Whether on a river or artificial waves, with an elastic cord or using the current, the passion is always there.

Surfers in Benin: an endangered species

Located between Togo and Nigeria, this small West African country has 121 kilometers of coastline overlooking the Gulf of Guinea. With a shorebreak that leaves no room for error and waves that close out quickly, few surfers continue to take the plunge...

The world as seen and heard by Cee-Roo

Eccentric, offbeat, surprising: there is no shortage of adjectives to describe the Biel-based artist Cee-Roo, who has just turned 30. Showing in several Swiss cinemas, his show, halfway between a film concert and a play, transforms everyday sounds into melody.

Tourists covet Provence's blue gold

In July, lavender fields adorn the Valensole plateau in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region. Proud to showcase their crops and expertise, lavender farmers are nevertheless having to deal with an increasing number of incidents of incivility.