Terry Jones- Medieval Lives

History isn't necessarily what happened. It's often what people want us to think happened. Terry Jones.

When it comes to history and medieval history most people have two kinds of views - love or hate. We tend to classify the middle ages as the age of ignorance and tend to believe our age is superior. Viewing the past from the present can be coloured by our assumptions of our own age. we tend to look at the part in simple good bad dichotomies. We have come to believe that the age we live in is the epitome of progress and rationality and the past was an ignorant era. 

Terry Jones challenges this idea we have of the middle ages. He presents a social political picture of why things were a certain way and how ideas, calamities, economics and even disease shaped an era. 

The series consists of 8 episodes (30 minutes each)

The eight episodes are:

The Peasant

The Monk

The Damsel

The Minstrel

The Knight

The Philosopher (Alchemist)

The Outlaw

The King

If you live in UK the episodes are available on youtube.  

Human Trafficking in India and Nepal: Narratives from the Field

How long does a prostitute live in red lights areas of South Asia? 
35 years.


how much can a young girl be sold for? 
15000 Rupees


These are a few shocking facts about the lives of women trafficked in India and Nepal.  


Sister Jessy Kanjirathinal has worked in Nepal and India to rehabilitate young women who have been trafficked from this region. She holds a Masters degree in Counselling. Her project/ research work has been on developing a program to help young women who have been trafficked. 


Young girls from Nepal and India are trafficked and sold as prostitutes by their families who are unsuspecting of what their daughters are getting into, sometimes due to poverty families are forced to sell their daughters. These girls are sold in various countries for a small price. The problem is compounded by the fact that this region has a high rate of HIV/AIDS. 


Sister Jessy speaks  about the process of rehabilitation and about the dangers encountered in this field. 


Some of the organisations that rescue and rehabilitate young women are. 


Maiti,  Nepal. This organisation is run by Anuradha Koirala who worked tirelessly in this field. 
http://www.maitinepal.org/pages.php?option=About%20Us


International Justice Mission- India and Nepal. 
http://www.ijm.org/

 
Here is a link to the interview.
http://www.sendspace.com/file/yakq6j




If you want more information about Human trafficking and what you can do to help please feel free to contact me.