Special Delivery

Two years after a catastrophic earthquake struck Nepal, there are many who continue to live with the repercussions of the seismic disaster. Homes have not been fully rebuilt leaving victims without shelter, and schools are still in the process of being repaired. Host Paul Foster hooks up with his Nepalese friends to undertake a tough, dangerous and exhilarating 14 hour drive up the mountains in a special delivery of masonry that will help rebuild schools and bring the children back into the classroom.

In the heart of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, lies a village in Kilinochchi with a remarkable story. In a country known for its recent pain of civil strife and its love of Cricket, a group of teenage girls have decided to form a soccer team and bend it like Beckham. Nothing unusual about that, except that these girls have made it to third spot in the National Soccer League – and are doing so without even the most basic soccer gear – not even a single pair of boots. Host Pei Fen lugs her special delivery of boots onto a train – for the long ride from Colombo to Kilinochchi, but not before encountering unexpected problems along the way. But despite the stress, she presses on – eager to help the girls put the tragic past behind and look forward to a brighter future.

In the mountainous area of Tuyen Quang province, Vietnam, is a tribal commune isolated from modernity and from loved ones who have gone to the cities in search of better lives. Emails and SMS-es are practically non-existent to the point where the tribes rely on a special postman to deliver items such as gifts and letters from loved ones. Host Daniel Hutchinson joins the postman in delivering personal packages to the families but not before embarking on an arduous journey to where the tribes are situated.

Along the Laotian banks of the mighty Mekong are pockets of underprivileged, isolated and mosquito-infested villages. The people here live a subsistence lifestyle and apart from the river, have no access to the outside world. There are no roads, no cars, no phones, no internet and no distributed electricity. Host Carla D partners with “Bridging the Gap Mekong Trust” to travel upriver to a remote village in her special delivery of mosquito-nets and precious medical supplies.

The Orang Asli – recognised as the first people of Peninsula Malaysia. It’s a diverse collection of tribes and most, with government assistance, now live in riverine villages in Taman Negara. But there are some who still follow the old hunter-gatherer ways. But such a way of life – idyllic as it may seem, does not mean they have it easy. Host Paul Foster journeys up the Tembeling River and into the primeval forest in search of just such a community from the Batek tribe. His mission, to deliver tools and material that the Batek will need to sustain their traditional way of living.

For some years now, a mobile horse library helmed by a stable hand has been making its rounds around the villages of Serang. It’s almost a Quixotic quest to tackle Indonesia’s low literacy by encouraging reading. Host Khai Saharom joins Ridwan Sururi in this endearing and noble effort to bring books to the villagers. On his journey, he meets Lasmi, a very shy young autistic girl whom Riduan has successfully taught to read.

In this episode, our Special Delivery Host Carla D travels to Bangkok to meet an extraordinary father-son pair. Walter and his boy Zy have scaled peaks like Mt Kilimanjaro, Gunung Kinabalu, Fuji-san and more. What’s so unusual about them is that Zy is physically disabled and they are the heart and soul of “Climb to Change a Life”. By organising climbs, they are empowering and inspiring parents and special needs children in South-east Asia to transcend the emotional and mental boundaries drawn by physical limitations and societal prejudice. The aim is singularly simple, yet profound – that these children are not disabled, but differently abled. Carla volunteers in a group climb up a peak in the scenic Nature Reserve of HuaHin. It will entail carrying a child up to the summit of a craggy hill and delivering her safely down to her parents. It is a delivery that will place physical demands, but more importantly, entail an emotional inner journey on the part of Carla.

The Philippines – a country that has to face the fury of typhoons every year. Coping with the aftermath of nature’s fearsome force – where everything is destroyed or damaged – is a grave matter. Host PeiFen volunteers with Mercy Relief for a long trek into a hilly and remote Cagayan region, bringing with her “Emergency Grab and Go Bags” that could well be a matter of life and death for the indigenous communities in the next Typhoon strike.

They live in a tropical paradise – a tranquil community set in picture perfect crystal clear waters and blue skies – far from the mire and corrupting distractions of urban life. They are the Bajao Sea Nomads of Sabah. Through generations, the sea has provided fully for them. But this is changing. Fish is getting scarcer and there are new needs with the encroachment of modernity. One of the community’s sons – Zaimi has made good and has started an enterprise to help his people earn much needed income – farming of sea cucumbers. Our host, Paul Foster travels to Bajao – to deliver materials that will complete a sea cucumber ranch. He also brings his own gift and for the duration of his stay, becomes totally enamoured with these enchanting gypsies of the sea.

For months, the battle raged between pro-ISIS rebels and government forces. When the sounds of war and death finally subsided, large swathes of Marawi are in ruins and its displaced population are left to pick up the pieces. Facing up to the challenge is Dr Baimona Dimakuta, who is reaching out to help as many of her fellow countrymen as possible. Our host, Khai travels to Marawi – delivering vital medical equipment to help the good doctor in her outreach, and also, supplies to an expectant mother. Khai has to look out for rebel remnants and when confronted by the scale of the challenges, realises that a morale boost is just as necessary. With the help of the community, Khai organises a gathering to reaffirm the promise of a better tomorrow – to help the community move from the trauma of war to the vigour of hope.

In a remote part of Ladakh not even listed on Google Maps, is an unknown village in Leh that is completely devoid of electricity. The remoteness and rugged mountain terrain makes laying conventional power lines impossible. Host Paul Foster is on a special mission to deliver a micro-grid energy system to the people of this village. Carrying a fragile and unwieldy solar panel for days up the unforgiving terrain is a challenge that even the super fit Paul will struggle with.