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HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAM, BRINGING YOU THE STORIES BEHIND THE STORIES. I'M IMRAN
SIDDIQUI. AND I'M ALEX VILLARREAL. COMING UP -- THOUSANDS OF BURMESE REFUGEES IN THAILAND
WILL SOON HAVE TO MOVE AGAIN. WE'LL FIND OUT WHY FROM OUR REPORTER IN THE REGION. TRANSPARENCY
INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHES ITS BIGGEST-EVER SURVEY ON GLOBAL CORRUPTION. THE ROLLING CLASSROOM...BRINGING
SCIENCE TO CHILDREN IN RURAL INDIA - BY TRAIN. AND HOW A SPECIAL KIND OF BOAT IS HELPING
WOMEN FIGHTING BREAST CANCER. WE'RE GOING ON ASSIGNMENT WITH THE VOICE OF AMERICA RIGHT
NOW. DEADLY VIOLENCE BETWEEN BUDDHISTS AND MUSLIMS IN BURMA'S RAKHINE STATE CONTINUES.
SOME 2,000 MINORITY ROHINGYA MUSLIMS HAVE FLED TO NEIGHBORING THAILAND TO ESCAPE ATTACK.
BUT A DEADLINE FOR THEIR TEMPORARY STAY THERE ENDS SOON. THE ROHINGYA HAVE LIVED IN BURMA
FOR DECADES, BUT ARE DENIED CITIZENSHIP THERE AND REGARDED AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM BANGLADESH.
NOW, REPORTS HAVE SURFACED SUGGESTING THEY ARE ALSO BEING MISTREATED IN THAILAND. REPORTER
STEVE SANDFORD SPOKE TO SOME OF THE ROHINGYA ABOUT THEIR PLIGHT AND SHARED WHAT HE LEARNED
WITH ON ASSIGNMENT'S PHILIP ALEXIOU. LET'S START WITH SOME OF STEVE'S REPORT. SINCE JANUARY,
NEARLY 2,000 BOAT PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE ROHINGYAS FLEEING SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN BURMA HAVE BEEN
APPREHENDED AND DETAINED BY THAI AUTHORITIES. DENIED CITIZENSHIP IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND
DESPERATE TO ESCAPE PERSECUTION, MANY ARE VULNERABLE TO EXPLOITATION. AHMED TILIMAN
WAS HELD CAPTIVE IN THE THAI JUNGLE WITH A GROUP OF FELLOW ROHINGYA BY TRAFFICKERS WHO
BROUGHT HIM FROM BURMA. HE WAS RELEASED AFTER HIS RELATIVES IN MALAYSIA PAID 1,500 DOLLARS
FOR HIS FREEDOM.THERE'S ROUGHLY 800 THOUSAND ROHINGYA LIVING IN RAKHINE STATE. A LOT OF
THEM HAVE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR GENERATIONS.WHO IS TAKING THEM ON THESE BOATS AND HOW BAD
ARE THE CONDITIONS ON THE BOATS AND HOW FAR AND HOW LONG ARE THESE TRIPS? THESE TRIPS
CAN LAST FOR WEEKS ON THE HIGH SEAS. THEY ARE CRAMPED BOATS, A LOT OF RICKETY OLD BOATS
THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAMPED INTO. AMAHI ARECIA FROM SITTWE SAYS SHE FLED TO SEA AFTER
SOLDIERS SHOT HER TWO SONS. THERE WAS NO WATER ON THE BOAT. WE WERE DESPERATE. SOME PEOPLE
PASSED OUT, OTHERS VOMITED. I WANT TO DIE HERE. I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK. I HAVE NO FAMILY
LEFT IN SITTWE. THEY'VE ALL BEEN KILLED. IN RECENT YEARS BOAT LOADS OF MOSTLY MALE ECONOMIC
MIGRANTS FROM BANGLADESH AND BURMA HAVE MADE THEIR WAY DOWN THE COAST IN HOPES OF REACHING
PREDOMINANTLY MUSLIM MALAYSIA. THIS YEAR, WITH THE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE IN RAKHINE
STATE MORE WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE MAKING THE PRECARIOUS JOURNEY. THE BROKERS ARE OFTEN
RUTHLESS, THEY CHARGE A SET FEE FOR THEM AND THEY GET PICKED UP BY THAI AUTHORITIES, THEY
GET MIXED UP WITH CRIME, CRIMINAL ELEMENTS IN THAILAND AS WELL. SO, IT'S NOT A PRETTY
PICTURE. DESPITE CONDEMNATION FROM HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AFTER FOOTAGE LIKE THIS WAS AIRED CONDITIONS
FOR THE MEN REMAINS UNCHANGED. BUT MOUNTING MEDIA REPORTS IMPLICATING THAI SECURITY AND
THE TRAFFICKING OF SOME ROHINGYA SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN THE ATTENTION OF TOP OFFICIALS.I
KNOW THESE ARE VERY CROWDED PLACES. THAT IS WHY WE ARE GOING TO EXPAND THE NEW CENTER
FOR THEM TO STAY. THE NEW AREA WILL BE MORE OF A WAITING CAMP. WE WILL HAVE A DOCTOR AND
MEDICAL TREATMENT AVAILABLE FOR THEM.MOST OF THE VIOLENCE HAS BEEN TARGETING THE ROHINGYA
WHICH ARE BASICALLY AND ETHNIC GROUP IN BURMA THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED SINCE 1982,
THERE WAS A CITIZENSHIP ACT IMPLEMENTED BY THE BURMESE REGIME, BASICALLY STRIPPING THEM
OF THEIR NATIONALITY AND THEIR CITIZENSHIP. WHAT WAS THE REASON BEHIND THAT? GOOD QUESTION.
THERE'S BEEN RACIAL TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES. THE
BUDDHISTS ARE STRONGLY NATIONALISTS I GUESS, AND PERHAPS THEY SAW THE ROHINGYA AS A THREAT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ETHNIC TENSION BETWEEN THE BUDDHISTS BURMESE AND THE OTHER ETHNIC
GROUPS WITHIN THE COUNTRY AS WELL. SO IS THIS TENSION MORE ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION OR IS IT
MORE RELIGIOUS OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH? I THINK IT WOULD BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH. IT'S
SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THAT'S BEEN OCCURRING. IT ORIGINATED YEARS AGO, BUT IN JUNE THERE
WERE ATTACKS IN RAKHINE STATE ON THE ROHINGYA POPULATION. SINCE THAT TIME THE ATTACKS HAVE
EXPANDED TO THE MUSLIM SECTORS OF BURMA...A LOT OF ANTI-ISLAMIC PROPAGANDA THAT HAS BEEN
INSTIGATED BY CERTAIN GROUPS IN BURMA. WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE LIKE WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING TO THESE PEOPLE. THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO, IT SEEMS LIKE NOBODY
WANTS THEM.EXACTLY, THEY ARE VERY DESPERATE. BACK IN BURMA, THEY ARE BEING SEGREGATED,
THEY ARE BEING PUT INTO IDP CAMPS FAR AWAY FROM THE TOWNS. I WAS THERE LAST NOVEMBER
AND THINGS HAVE GOTTEN A LOT WORSE IN TERMS OF THE WEATHER. THE RAINY SEASON HAS SET IN
SO THERE IS A LOT OF AREAS, A LOT OF CAMPS THAT ARE UNDER WATER RIGHT NOW. THERE HAS
BEEN MORE AID AND ACCESS DELIVERED INTO THE AREA BUT AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE SICKNESS AND A LOT OF HEALTH ISSUES I THINK. AND YEAH,
THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL TAKE THEM. THE ROHINGYA -- STILL STRUGGLING
TO FIND A PLACE TO CALL HOME. THE UNITED NATIONS CALLS THE GROUP ONE OF THE MOST PERSECUTED
MINORITIES IN THE WORLD. OUR THANKS AGAIN TO REPORTER STEVE SANDFORD IN THAILAND. COMING
UP AFTER THE BREAK, WE'LL CHAT WITH HENRY RIDGWELL IN LONDON ABOUT THE GLOBAL CORRUPTION
INDEX. YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT. TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL HAS PUBLISHED WHAT
IT CALLS ITS BIGGEST-EVER SURVEY ON GLOBAL CORRUPTION, COVERING 107 COUNTRIES. THE SURVEY
MEASURES WHETHER CORRUPTION HAS INCREASED AND WHICH INSTITUTIONS ARE CONSIDERED MOST
CORRUPT. IT ALSO ASKS IF PEOPLE HAVE PAID A BRIBE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, AND TO WHOM.
VOA'S LONDON REPORTER HENRY RIDGWELL HAS SEEN AND REPORTED ON THE SURVEY AND JOINS US NOW
FROM LONDON. HENRY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WHEN TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL TALKS
ABOUT CORRUPTION, ASIDE FROM BRIBES, WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY MEASURING? WELL WHAT THEY'RE
TRYING TO LOOK AT HERE IS WHO HAS PAID A BRIBE, WHO HAS PAID MONEY TO ACCESS PUBLIC SERVICES
AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, SO THAT'S WHAT THIS SURVEY IS LOOKING AT. IT'S NOT ABOUT PRIVATE
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CITIZENS AND PRIVATE COMPANIES, IT'S ABOUT THE SORT OF THING THAT
YOU SHOULD BE GETTING FOR FREE, OR THAT YOU PAY YOUR TAXES FOR, AND THAT YOU SHOULDN'T
HAVE TO GIVE A BIT OF CASH OR PAY SOMEONE IN ANY OTHER WAY TO ACCESS. SO THAT'S WHAT
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE ROOT OF HERE. AND HENRY HOW ARE PEOPLE CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE
IN THIS SURVEY? WELL TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL IS A HUGE GLOBAL ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SEVERAL
DOZENS OF CHAPTERS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ACROSS THE WORLD AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING
ABOUT CORRUPTION HERE IN DEVELOPING PARTS OF THE WORLD, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WESTERN
EUROPE AND THE STATES AS WELL. SO THEY MEASURE IT IN ALL THESE COUNTRIES. THEY HAVE STAFF
IN ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT OFFICES AND CHAPTERS AROUND THE WORLD, WHO TAKE THIS SURVEY AND
TAKE IT TO THE CITIZENS OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, WHETHER IT'S BY POST OR WHETHER IT'S ON THE
PHONE, AND THEY ASK THEM THESE BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR INTERACTION WITH PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
AND WHETHER THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO PAY TO ACCESS THEM IN ANY ELICIT WAY. AND WHAT DO YOU THINK
WAS THE MOST SURPRISING OR SHOCKING ELEMENT IN THE SURVEY?
WELL I THINK THE MOST DEPRESSING ELEMENT PERHAPS IS THAT THERE'S BEEN NO SIGN OF ANY IMPROVEMENT
IN CORRUPTION, IN BRIBERY OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR. THIS IS A SURVEY THAT IS
DONE EVERY YEAR. AND IT SHOWED THAT MORE THAN ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, OR IN
THESE 107 COUNTRIES IN WHICH THEY CONDUCTED THE SURVEY, HAVE HAD TO PAY A BRIBE TO ACCESS
PUBLIC SERVICES OR INSTITUTIONS, SO THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT. BUT IT DOES GET WORSE IN CERTAIN
COUNTRIES. IN SIERRA LEONE AND IN LIBERIA, THREE IN EVERY FOUR PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO PAY
A BRIBE TO ACCESS PUBLIC SERVICES. SO A PRETTY DEPRESSING PICTURE. BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE
AS WELL. THE INSTITUTIONS THAT THESE CITIZENS ARE SUPPOSED TO TRUST TO CARRY OUT THEIR EVERYDAY
SERVICES, TRUST IN THEM IS REALLY AT AN ALL TIME LOW. AND THAT APPLIES NOT ONLY TO MANY
AFRICAN COUNTRIES, MANY LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AND ASIAN COUNTRIES, IT APPLIES ALSO TO MANY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUILDING YOU SEE BEHIND ME HERE AND THE HOUSES
OF PARLIAMENT IN LONDON, TRUST IN THE PEOPLE THAT OCCUPY THAT BUILDING IS AT AN ALL TIME
LOW AS WELL, THANKS TO SCANDALS OVER PARLIAMENTARY EXPENSES, THERE'S A BELIEF THAT REALLY PRIVATE
INTERESTS RUN THE POLITICIANS IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.NOW WHEN THIS TYPE OF SURVEY
IS RELEASED, HOW OFTEN DO GOVERNMENTS RESPOND AND TRY TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS? SPEAKING TO
THE EXPERTS WHO DEAL IN THIS FIELD, FAR TOO MANY TIMES THEY SIMPLY IGNORE THE SURVEYS
OR THEY I GUESS TRY TO COVER UP THE RESULTS. I THINK IT'S LEFT REALLY TO THE MULTINATIONAL,
THE GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS, THE U-N BODIES, THE WORLD BANK, TO TRY AND USE TOOLS LIKE THIS
TO TRY AND PRESSURE OR AT LEAST HIGHLIGHT THE PROBLEMS IN THESE COUNTRIES AND GET THE
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, THE POLITICIANS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THEY ALL EMPHASIZE
THAT THE ONLY WAY REALLY THAT THIS CHANGES IS FROM THE TOP DOWN. IT'S FROM POLTICIANS
SETTING THE EXAMPLE TO THE CITIZENS THEMSELVES. SO BE IT PUBLISHING REGISTERS OF INTEREST,
SHOWING HOW THEY RAISE THEIR MONEY, PUBLISHING THE FINANCIAL ASSETS OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS,
THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR CORPORATE INTERESTS AND SO ON, AND IN MANY CASES THAT SIMPLY DOES
NOT HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT HENRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. HENRY
RIDGWELL, REPORTING TO US FROM LONDON, HERE JOINING US AGAIN ON ON ASSIGNMENT. WE'RE GOING
TO TAKE ANOTHER BREAK NOW, BUT STILL TO COME, WE'RE HOPPING ON BOARD INDIA'S SCIENCE TRAIN.
YOU'RE WATCHING ON ASSIGNMENT. INDIA'S RAIL SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
BUT IT IS NOT JUST FOR PASSENGERS. THE GOVERNMENT IS USING THIS VAST NETWORK TO PROVIDE CHILDREN
IN THE REMOTEST CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY WITH A MOVING SCIENCE CLASSROOM. THE TRAIN TRAVELS
THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS EACH YEAR, STOPPING AT DOZENS OF STATIONS TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE
A HANDS-ON ALTERNATIVE TO THEIR NORMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. VOA'S ARU PANDE WENT ON BOARD
AND TALKED ABOUT IT WITH ON ASSIGNMENT'S REBECCA WARD. LET'S TAKE A LOOK.RAGHAV PANDYA LOVES
SCIENCE, SO MUCH SO, THAT HE SPENDS SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR ON THIS TRAIN TO HELP SHARE
HIS PASSION WITH YOUNGSTERS ACROSS INDIA. "I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT SPREADING AND POPULARIZING
AWARENESS REGARDING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND MECHANISMS THAT ARE SURROUNDING US. PEOPLE
WANT TO KNOW WHY IT IS AND HOW IT IS."BACK IN 2007, INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT
AT THE TIME WERE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THEY SAID WAS A LACK OF INTEREST IN SCIENCE, ESPECIALLY
AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL. SO THEY ASKED THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO COME
UP WITH IDEAS TO BASICALLY SPARK THAT INTEREST, AND THEY CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF THIS TRAIN
THAT WOULD TRAVEL ACROSS INDIA, LITERALLY FROM ONE CORNER TO THE OTHER, AND GIVE KIDS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE EXHIBITS AND DO EXPERIMENTS AND KIND OF SPARK THAT INTEREST. AND THIS
TRAIN IS ACTUALLY MADE WITH THE HELP OF GERMANY. IT'S LIKE 16 AIR-CONDITIONED TRAIN CARS THAT
WERE ACTUALLY BUILT IN GERMANY AND BROUGHT OVER TO INDIA. AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO
BE THE SIXTH TIME THAT IT'S GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND IT'S GOING TO WELCOME, I THINK,
ITS 10 MILLIONTH VISITOR. WELL DESCRIBE WHERE THE TRAIN GOES. I THINK IT REALLY COVERS A
BIG PART OF INDIA. IT DOES. THIS YEAR IT STARTED IN APRIL IN DEHLI, AND THEN IT LITERALLY - RIGHT
NOW I THINK IT'S IN EASTERN INDIA AND IT'S GOING TO BE IN WEST BENGAL - AND IT'S LITERALLY
GOING TO GO TO THE FAR EASTERN POINT OF INDIA AND COME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTH TO
TAMIL NADU STATE AND THEN GO UP BACK TO THE WESTERN STATES OF GUJARAT AND MAHARASHTRA,
AND IT GOES TO A LOT OF SMALL TOWNS. INDIA'S RAILWAY NETWORK IS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE BIGGEST
IN THE WORLD AND SO THIS IS KIND OF AN INGENIOUS WAY TO GET TO PLACES THAT NORMALLY PROBABLY
DON'T HAVE A MUSEUM NEARBY OR EVEN SCHOOL BUILDINGS WITH ADEQUATE RESOURCES. AND DID
YOU GET A CHANCE TO MEET ANY OF THE KIDS? HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT THE TRAIN? DID THEY
SEEM REALLY ENGAGED? ABSOLUTELY. FIRST OF ALL I WAS FLOORED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
YOU SEE IN THE VIDEO. THERE'S LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO WERE LINED UP - AND IT WAS
SO HOT OUTSIDE, IT WAS 115 DEGREES -- AND THEY'RE LINED UP OUTSIDE JUST TO GET A CHANCE
TO WALK THROUGH THE TRAIN. AND ONCE THEY GOT INSIDE, I MEAN THEIR EYES WERE HUGE. THEY'RE
TAKING IN EVERYTHING. THERE'S VIDEOS, THERE'S INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS. AND THERE'S ALSO A NEW
ELEMENT - THEY HAVE A HANDS ON ELEMENT WHERE THESE 40 SCIENCE EDUCATORS, WHO ACTUALLY LIVE
ON THE TRAIN, THERE ALL POSTGRADUATES IN SCIENCE, THEY ACTUALLY SIT WITH THEM AND TEACH THEM
AND DO DIFFERENT EXERCISES IN MATH AND SCIENCE SO THEY GET TO SEE AND THEY ACTUALLY GET TO
DO THIS YEAR. THE TRAIN STOPS AT EACH STATION FOR THREE TO FOUR DAYS AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE
A CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN THE HANDS-ON LABORATORY WHERE EDUCATORS HELP THEM CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS
HIGHLIGHTING MATH AND SCIENCE PRINCIPLES. FOR SOME OF THESE CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY,
FROM SMALL TOWNS IN THE FARTHEST CORNERS OF INDIA, THIS IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN
BEYOND THE FOUR WALLS OF THEIR CLASSROOM. SEEING THEIR REACTION MAKES RIDING THE RAILS
WORTH IT FOR EDUCATORS LIKE RAGHAV PANDYA. "FASCINATING EXPERIMENTS OR SORT OF THINGS
- WHEN THEY COME TO KNOW - THEY SAY 'OH WOW.' SO THIS 'WOW FACTOR' YOU SEE IN THEIR EYES.
SO IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF A RECENT PHENOMENA A REAL PUSH TO REACH THE RURAL COMMUNITIES
NOT JUST THE URBAN AREAS FOR EDUCATION? WELL ABSOLUTELY. LIKE ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE
BIG CITIES YOU'LL FIND A LOT MORE SCHOOLS, A LOT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS. BUT IN THE MORE
RURAL AREAS - JUST TALK ABOUT BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND THE RESOURCES AND THE
QUALITY OF TEACHERS - IT DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE POPULATION
OF INDIA, SO THERE REALLY IS A NEED TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND THIS IS ONE WAY TO GIVE STUDENTS,
LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IN VERY RURAL PARTS OF INDIA THAT MAYBE DON'T EVEN HAVE MUCH MORE
THAN A BASIC CLASSROOM TO GO TO EVERYDAY, TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING
ELSE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. THANKS TO ARU FOR THAT. BUT, ALEX, IT'S INTERESTING TO TALK
ABOUT A LAND-BASED MOVING CLASSROOM LIKE THIS ONE. DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE ALSO FLOATING
CLASSROOMS WHERE KIDS LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE-RELATED TOPICS, LIKE MARINE BIOLOGY. RIGHT, EXACTLY
AND THOSE CLASSROOMS ARE ON THE WATER AND THEN IN PAKISTAN WE'VE EVEN SEEN A "FLYING
CLASSROOM" BUT IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY FLY THROUGH THE AIR . IT'S A BUS TRAVELING AROUND TO REACH
KIDS WHO DON'T HAVE A SCHOOL IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO REALLY GOOD WORK BEING DONE TO TRY TO GET
LEARNING AND GET EDUCATION OUT TO KIDS THAT HAVE NO ACCESS TO IT OTHERWISE ALRIGHT, WE
ARE MOVING NOW TO ANOTHER KIND OF MOBILE ACTIVITY. DRAGON BOATING IS A TEAM SPORT THAT HAS ITS
ROOTS IN ANCIENT CHINA. NOW, SOME BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR GROUPS HAVE STARTED TO USE THE SPORT
TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES. VOA'S JUNE SOH CAUGHT UP WITH A TEAM ON WASHINGTON'S POTOMAC RIVER
AND TALKED WITH ME ABOUT IT. WE BEGIN WITH THE START OF HER REPORT, NARRATED BY AMY KATZ.
"ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, ----" ON A SATURDAY MORNING, A GROUP OF 20 WOMEN PADDLES IN SYNC
TO THE COACH'S CALL ON THE ANACOSTIA RIVER IN WASHINGTON. THEY ARE MEMBERS OF GO PINK!
DC, A DRAGON BOAT RACING TEAM. LYDIA COLLINS JOINED FIVE YEARS AGO AFTER SHE WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH A BREAST CANCER. "I LOVE THE TEAM SPIRIT, I JUST LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS LIKE
A FLOATING SUPPORT GROUP ON THE WATER." THE PADDLERS ARE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS AND THEIR
SUPPORTERS.SO JUNE, HOW DID YOU FIND THE STORY? I JUST HEARD ABOUT THE WASHINGTON, D.C. DRAGON
BOAT FESTIVAL AND I DID SOME RESEARCH. WHILE I WAS DOING RESEARCH I FOUND THIS GO PINK!
DC DRAGON BOAT TEAM, BUT THEY ARE NOT JUST AN ORDINARY DRAGON BOAT TEAM, THEY BREAST
CANCER SURVIVORS.WHAT STRUCK ME IS THIS DESCRIPTION BY ONE OF THE GO PINK! DC TEAM MEMBERS OF
THE GROUP AS BEING LIKE A FLOATING SUPPORTING GROUP ON THE WATER. CAN YOU DESCRIBE - YOU
WERE THERE WITH THEM, YOU SPENT SOME TIME WITH THESE WOMEN - WHAT SENSE OF CAMARADERIE
AND SISTERHOOD DID YOU SENSE? MOST OF THEM ARE BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS AND SOME OF THEM
ARE SUPPORTERS, THEIR SISTERS OR CLOSE FRIENDS THAT JOINED THE TEAM...AND EVERYBODY HAS ONE
COMMON THING - BREAST CANCER - SO THEY START THIS JOURNEY WITH DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST CANCER.
SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH, WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH, SURGERY
CHEMOTHERAPY OR RADIATION, ALL THIS STUFF SO THEY UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT IS TO GO THROUGH
THESE STAGES. SO THEIR UNDERSTANDING IS BETTER THEN OF THE OTHER PEOPLE. RONDA HARTZEL RECEIVES
CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT EVERY THREE WEEKS. "IT IS HARD BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO CHALLENGE
YOURSELF IN LIFE. THIS IS SOMETHING I LOOK FORWARD TO. I GET TO BE OUT HERE WITH MY SISTERS
AND SUPPORTERS THAT UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH AND HELP MOTIVATE ME. SO IT MAKES
ME STRONGER AND IT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER." SO LET'S TALK ABOUT DRAGON BOAT RACING ITSELF.
IT IS NOT A VERY WELL KNOWN SPORT HERE IN THE U.S. AND WE'VE SEEN IT ON THE RISE, BUT
NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT. SO WHAT IT IS ABOUT DRAGON BOATING THAT ATTRACTED
THESE WOMEN? THEY SAY IT IS VERY HELPFUL PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE TWICE A
WEEK. THEY ARE TOGETHER ON SATURDAY AND ONE DAY OF A WEEK IN THE EVENING AND MOST OF PEOPLE
COME ON SATURDAYS. WHILE THEY ARE DOING THIS PADDLING, THE MOTION OF THE PADDLING HELPS
REDUCE THEIR SWELLING OF ARMS. MANY PEOPLE WITH BREAST CANCER END UP WITH THIS SWELLING
ON ARM SO THIS MOTION HELPS."WHEN I AM PADDLING, IT HELPS WITH MY LYMPHEDEMA, WHICH IS SWELLING
OF THE LYMPHATIC FLUID. WHEN YOU HAVE MASTECTOMY, SOMETIMES YOU WIND UP WITH THIS CONDITION.
WE HAVE MANY PADDLERS WEAR COMPRESSION SLEEVES." IS THERE ANYTHING, IF YOU WERE TO SAY, YOUR
MAIN MESSAGE WITH THIS STORY WHAT YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM IT? I THINK IT
IS VERY HARD TO GO THROUGH THESE ACHIEVEMENTS BUT THERE IS A WAY THEY CAN HAVE SOME KIND
OF SUPPORT AND WHILE THEY ARE DOING THIS, THEY FEEL...THEY FORGE THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND
THEY... FEEL THEY REBUILT THEIR LIVES. THANKS TO VOA'S JUNE SOH FOR THAT STORY WHICH IS
FAR FROM JUST A LOCAL PHENOMENON. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT ACTUALLY THERE ARE AS MANY AS 400 BREAST
CANCER SURVIVOR DRAGON BOATING TEAMS NOW AROUND THE WORLD.
WE'RE MOVING BACK TO LAND FOR OUR NEXT STORY. SIGNS ARE IMPORTANT WAYS FOR BUSINESSES TO
ADVERTISE, AND USUALLY THEY ARE FIXED TO SOMETHING - BUT THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO ATTRACT ATTENTION
WITH A SIGN AND THAT'S TO SPIN IT IN EYE-CATCHING WAYS. IT'S A STRATEGY THAT SEEMS TO WORK ON
THE STREETS IN THE WASHINGTON AREA. LET'S CHECK THAT OUT. HORACIO MORENO HAS BEEN SPINNING
SIGNS FOR FIVE YEARS. "THERE IS A LOT OF MONEY BEING MADE IN ADVERTISING." THE INCOME IS
NOT THE ONLY REASON MORENO LOVES HIS JOB."I HAVE THE MOST FUN DOING WHAT I'M DOING. I
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING A BOSS TELLING ME TO DO MY JOB BETTER." MORENO WORKS FOR
ARROW ADVERTISING. MICHAEL PATTERSON OPENED THE COMPANY'S WASHINGTON BRANCH IN 2001."HERE
WE ARE 12 YEARS LATER, JEEZ, WE'RE IN 11 COUNTRIES AND 49 CITIES... WE'VE HIRED THOUSANDS OF
SIGN SPINNERS IN THE LAST 7, 8 YEARS. WE WOULD ADVERTISE FOR EVERY INDUSTRY YOU THINK OF.
OUR BREAD AND BUTTER IS PRIMARILY THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY." TO ATTRACT ATTENTION AND
TRAFFIC, SIGN SPINNERS NEED TO GET NOTICED, AND THAT REQUIRES LEARNING A FEW TRICKS, AS
WELL AS THE BASICS OF HOW TO SPIN A SIGN, WHILE JUMPING AND DANCING. ARROW ADVERTISING
OFFERS CLASSES TO HELP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AROUND THE AREA MASTER THOSE SKILLS. MOST
OF THE STUDENTS ARE YOUNG MEN BUT NOT ALL. "SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE, 'NO, THE GIRL CAN'T
SPIN,' BUT THEN I SHOW THEM AND THEN THEY ARE AMAZED." ESTEFANIE AMAYA HAS BEEN TRAINING
FOR SEVEN MONTHS."MY COUSINS AND MY BROTHER, THEY STARTED DOING IT AROUND ME. SO I WAS
INTERESTED IN IT. I WANTED TO LEARN. AND THERE ARE RULES FOR EFFECTIVE SIGN SPINNING. "IF
WE DO IT TOO FAST, NO ONE CAN READ THE MESSAGE. SO GUYS ARE TRAINED TO PAUSE THE SIGN AT CERTAIN
POINTS TO MAKE SURE THE PASSING BY CARS CAN READ THE MESSAGE. WE'RE NOT STALE ADVERTISING.
WE'RE ALWAYS BRAND NEW ADVERTISING, EVERY TIME YOU SEE US, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE ADVERTISING
FOR." BEING DYNAMIC AND INNOVATIVE, PATTERSON SAYS,
IS THE SECRET BEHIND SIGN SPINNING AS A GROWING TREND IN ADVERTISING.SO I WAS A LITTLE BIT
INSPIRED BY THIS STORY, AND IMRAN, I ACTUALLY BROUGHT A SIGN WITH ME SO THAT YOU COULD TRY
IT OUT... TRY YOUR HAND AT SIGN SPINNING. IT'S ONE OF OUR VOA WORKPLACE SIGNS SO IMRAN
NOW IS GOING TO WOW US WITH HIS SIGN SPINNING.THIS IS ALEX'S BACKUP PLAN IN CASE SHE LOSES HER
JOB, THIS IS WHAT SHE'S GOING TO DO. I'LL HELP HER TRAIN FOR THAT ......YEAH HE'S GOING
TO TEACH ME GOOD..A SPINNING SIGN EXPERT HERE... YOU MAY HAVE A FUTURE IN SIGN SPINNING..
FOR BOTH OF US...ALL RIGHT. AND WITH THAT WE'VE COME TO THE END OF THE PROGRAM. ON OUR
NEXT SHOW, WE'LL TALK WITH A VOA CORRESPONDENT IN CAIRO ABOUT WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE TO COVER
EGYPT'S POLITICAL TURMOIL.WE'LL ALSO HEAR ABOUT A WOODWORKER WHOSE UNSUAL FURNITURE
IS WORTHY OF AN ART EXHIBIT.DON'T FORGET TO CHECK US OUT ON VOANEWS.COM, FACEBOOK AND
YOUTUBE, WHERE YOU CAN GET ACCURATE CAPTIONS, STRAIGHT FROM OUR SCRIPTS, BY CLICKING ON
"CC" IN THE PLAYER WINDOW.FROM ALL OF US AT ON ASSIGNMENT, THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING,WE'LL
CATCH YOU NEXT WEEK.