Assignment: The Gambia - when migrants are forced to go home

Two hundred young women from Sierra Leone, west Africa, have been trapped in the Arabian sultanate of Oman, desperate to get home. Promised work in shops and restaurants, they say they were into tricked becoming housemaids, working up to 18 hours a day, often without pay, and sometimes abused by their employers. Some ran away, to live a dangerous underground existence at the mercy of the authorities – but now they’re being rescued and repatriated, and some are empowering themselves as independent farmers back home. Tim Whewell tells their story.(Image: Sierra Leonean women hoping for repatriation after leaving their employers in Oman. Credit: Do Bold)

1 Jul 202126min

For the last year, BBC journalist and passionate yoga teacher Ishleen Kaur has been investigating allegations of sexual and emotional abuse at the heart of an organisation she once called home. Fellow practitioners share with her their stories of cruelty, rape and even the sexual assault of a child - but she wasn't prepared for what she uncovered next. Join Ishleen on a deeply personal journey into the dark legacy which haunts Sivananda Yoga, one of the world’s most revered yoga schools.

29 Jun 202126min

During the pandemic, the world witnessed how fast medicine can advance with an abundance of cash and collaboration. Is progress at this speed and cost sustainable? Sandra Kanthal asks if drug development is something which should still take decades, or have we learned how to permanently accelerate the process?

27 Jun 202123min

What will be the biggest healthcare issue in the next decade? What is the future of public healthcare around the world? The BBC World Service brings together the acclaimed US physician and Berggruen Prize winner, Dr Paul Farmer, with health experts and members of the public from across the globe to discuss one of the most urgent issues of our time.

26 Jun 202150min

Worldwide almost four million people have now died from Covid-19. For each individual who has lost a loved one, each statistic is a deeply personal experience. The disease has not just attacked our physical health, it has also had a mental impact - whether from anxiety, depression or loneliness. We hear from three people from Nepal, South Africa and the United States who are all dealing with survivor’s guilt.

26 Jun 202123min

Since December, gangs have seized more than a thousand students and members of staff from schools in armed raids across northern Nigeria. The wave of abductions is having devastating consequences for the country, which already has the highest number of children out of education anywhere in the world. Parents face extortionate financial demands in exchange for the freedom of their sons and daughters, and many families in Africa’s most populous nation are now too afraid to send their children to class. Some have decided to flee rural areas for the relative security of cities, adding to demographic pressures and threatening food supplies as crops go untended. For Assignment, the BBC’s Mayeni Jones travels across north-western Nigeria, meeting those who have been affected by the crisis in order to understand why it has arisen – and what the authorities can do to stop it. Producers: Naomi Scherbel-Ball in Lagos and Michael Gallagher in London Sound mix: James Beard Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Bridget Harney(Image: Mrs Sani shows a photo of her two daughters Rejoice and Victory. They were kidnapped from their school in March and were finally released after being held captive for almost two months. Credit: BBC)

24 Jun 202126min

For the last year, BBC journalist and passionate yoga teacher Ishleen Kaur has been investigating allegations of sexual and emotional abuse at the heart of an organisation she once called home. Fellow practitioners share with her their stories of cruelty, rape and even the sexual assault of a child - but she wasn't prepared for what she uncovered next. Join Ishleen on her deeply personal journey into the dark legacy which haunts Sivananda Yoga, one of the world’s most revered yoga schools.

22 Jun 202126min

Kenneth Kaunda, the first President of Zambia was a unique African leader. He led the African continent’s fight against Apartheid, gaining a peaceful transition to power in his own country. He was influenced by reading Mahatma Gandhi yet ruled with ‘an iron fist in a velvet glove’. He loved to sing and play guitar, particularly to his wife of many years Betty and in his 27 years as president. In the end he was voted out of office but left with dignity when he admitted defeat in a multi-party election. Audrey Brown charts the rise and fall of former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda.

20 Jun 202126min