Hong Kong, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — In the third instalment of CNN’s new series ‘Tech for Good’, anchor and correspondent Kristie Lu Stout meets five incredible individuals from across the globe whose identities have been redefined by the power of technology in the face of adversity.
CNN’s ‘Tech for Good’ spotlights the people using technology to empower themselves and others
Stout first meets South Sudanese video game developer Lual Mayen. Mayen and his family spent decades in a refugee camp after fleeing civil war – and it was there, aged 17, that he taught himself to code using online tutorials. Mayen went on to create the video game Salaam, which puts players in the shoes of a refugee fleeing war. In October, the game will launch a new feature that transfers all the real money players spend in the game to a charitable fund for refugees.
CNN then speaks with Chieko Asakawa, a Japanese computer scientist who has dedicated her life to producing assistive technologies to make the world more accessible. She explains how after losing her eyesight as a teenager, her biggest fear was losing her independence. To combat this, Asakawa developed a smart suitcase: a navigation device equipped with cameras and sensors which steers its users with vibrations on the handle, making solo travel safe and enjoyable for the visually impaired community.
A decade on from three tours in Iraq and four in Afghanistan, retired US Marine Chris Merkle has experienced first-hand the crippling effects of PTSD. CNN learns how Merkle turned to Bravemind, a virtual reality exposure therapy program which recreates the sights, sounds, and smells of war in order to allow the user to revisit the battlefield virtually – an approach that research has shown is effective in helping a person confront and heal from difficult memories in a safe space.
For Pakistan’s first female social media comedian Faiza Saleem, technology has provided a method to break free from the conventions of society. Saleem writes and performs her own roles online, taking control of the script to fight stereotypes and promote messages of empowerment and body positivity. Her skits on YouTube have attracted millions of views, and her status and stardom have led her to inspire and nurture a new generation of female comedians.
Finally, Stout catches up with British racing driver Nicolas Hamilton. Like his half-brother, Formula 1 megastar Lewis, he has spent most of his days on a racetrack. He currently competes in the British Touring Car Championships thanks to a specially modified car – because Hamilton has cerebral palsy. He describes how the crucial adaptations to his race car have allowed him to turn his motorsport dreams into reality and inspire others.
Tech for Good Episode 3 trailer: https://bit.ly/2Gf9XbQ
Tech for Good Episode 3 images: https://bit.ly/369EdiW
Tech for Good microsite: https://cnn.it/2ECCs23
Airtimes for 30-minute special:
Saturday, October 3 at 1:00pm HKT
Sunday, October 4 at 10:00am and 6:00pm HKT
Monday, October 5 at 5:30am HKT
About CNN International
CNN’s portfolio of news and information services is available in seven different languages across all major TV, digital and mobile platforms, reaching more than 475 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region, and Latin America and has a US presence that includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital global footprint, with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range of strategic content partnerships, commercialised through a strong data-driven understanding of audience behaviours. CNN has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism. Around 1,000 hours of long-form series, documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI’s non-news programming division. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is a WarnerMedia company.
Photo – https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200930/2934000-1?lang=0
