GOOD ROAD TV – SEASON 1
THE GOOD ROAD explores the complicated cocktail that is created when charity is introduced into a mixture of culture, politics, religion and history. In season two, each half-hour episode reveals a unique and astonishing location and an engaging cast of characters. Hosts Earl Bridges and Craig Martin – longtime philanthropy veterans, globetrotters and best friends – trek around the world to meet people who are making a difference.
WHERE TO WATCH:
SEASON 3 | SEASON 2 | SEASON 1 | DEEP DIVES
Bangkok, Thailand:
River of Change
Earl Bridges and Craig Martin are introduced as co-hosts of The Good Road. They invite viewers, they call “do-gooders,” to explore change-makers in the world of philanthropy. Returning to their “hometown” of Bangkok, the show starts with nostalgia and noodles as they recall their childhood in the city. Next, Craig and Earl take a train to Ayutthaya, exploring Thai history, and the importance of the Chao Phraya river. They then visit an illegal community along the river called Klong Toey, and discover many good things happening amidst the poverty that abounds. Earl spends the day with the founder and namesake of the Duang Prateep Foundation and learns the many reasons that living in the Klong Toey slum…
Chyulu Hills, Kenya:
Big Life in the Wild
Earl and Craig embark on an adventure that starts in Nairobi, Kenya and ends at a wildlife ranger base in a remote region of the Chyulu Hills. The Good Road team joins a convoy of land rovers and motorcycles helmed by TED Fellow Erik Hersman and his fellow BRCK co-founders on this grand expedition. BRCK is a for-profit tech company based in Nairobi with the mission to provide free internet access across the continent of Africa. BRCK is attempting to solve all kinds of different problems and create new opportunities for anyone in remote areas ignored by big internet service providers. First stop on the expedition…
Chyulu Hills, Kenya:
Big Life in the Wild
Earl and Craig embark on an adventure that starts in Nairobi, Kenya and ends at a wildlife ranger base in a remote region of the Chyulu Hills. The Good Road team joins a convoy of land rovers and motorcycles helmed by TED Fellow Erik Hersman and his fellow BRCK co-founders on this grand expedition. BRCK is a for-profit tech company based in Nairobi with the mission to provide free internet access across the continent of Africa. BRCK is attempting to solve all kinds of different problems and create new opportunities for anyone in remote areas ignored by big internet service providers. First stop on the expedition…
Alabama Village, Alabama:
Light of the Village
Earl Bridges and Craig Martin travel to Alabama Village, a small community only a few miles outside of Mobile, but seemingly worlds apart. It is an impoverished and often violent community largely ignored by the world around it. But not by everyone… while there, Craig and Earl meet John and Dolores (D-Lo) Eads. John and D-Lo have a community center and church called Light of the Village. In their 15 years serving the people of Alabama Village and the surrounding communities they have buried more than 30 of the young people who have been through their program due to gun violence. This is a violent, desperately poor community surrounded by drugs, crime, and few legitimate work opportunities…
Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania:
Islands of Isolation
In this episode, Earl and Craig are back with the BRCK team as they bring WiFi to several small, remote Islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago. After an overnight journey from Kenya on an ancient wooden sailboat the The Good Road and BRCK teams land on a sandy beach at dawn where they off-load their supplies (and motorcycles). They have arrived on Pemba Island. After setting up camp, they make for a lighthouse at the highest point on the island. The BRCK team is combining technology it has created to support a small weather station to be installed here. It is to provide local fishermen with hyper-local up to the minute…
Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania:
Islands of Isolation
In this episode, Earl and Craig are back with the BRCK team as they bring WiFi to several small, remote Islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago. After an overnight journey from Kenya on an ancient wooden sailboat the The Good Road and BRCK teams land on a sandy beach at dawn where they off-load their supplies (and motorcycles). They have arrived on Pemba Island. After setting up camp, they make for a lighthouse at the highest point on the island. The BRCK team is combining technology it has created to support a small weather station to be installed here. It is to provide local fishermen with hyper-local up to the minute…
Bangkok, Thailand:
The Big House…of Blessing
The Good Road returns to Craig and Earl’s hometown of Bangkok and end up in the 2nd largest maximum security prison in all of Thailand. Luckily, it’s by invitation. They recieve a rare tour of the grounds as well as the cells before speaking to a Thai prisoner about what daily life is like in a Thai prison. Afterwards, they discover, amongst other things, a unique approach to vocational training and pre-release development at the prison. Access to Klong Prem prison is limited, especially for video crews from the West. But, Craig’s dad, Jack Martin, worked in Thai prisons for decades. He started a prison ministry that helped prepare prisoners for life after prison. The program helped Jack establish friendships..
Nairobi, Kenya:
The Power of Story
In this episode, The Good Road explores the impact storytelling can have on the youth of underprivileged communities in Nairobi, Kenya. Craig and Earl hear the story of a leading technologist and designer, Mark Kamau (recently featured in National Geographic Magazine). Mark grew up in Matheri Slum in Nairobi but through a surprising series of events, he was able to escape the crime and poverty surrounding him and build a new life. But Mark wasn’t content with keeping his new life for himself. He takes Craig and Earl back to Matheri to meet some of his old friends and to meet some of the youth he mentors…
Nairobi, Kenya:
The Power of Story
In this episode, The Good Road explores the impact storytelling can have on the youth of underprivileged communities in Nairobi, Kenya. Craig and Earl hear the story of a leading technologist and designer, Mark Kamau (recently featured in National Geographic Magazine). Mark grew up in Matheri Slum in Nairobi but through a surprising series of events, he was able to escape the crime and poverty surrounding him and build a new life. But Mark wasn’t content with keeping his new life for himself. He takes Craig and Earl back to Matheri to meet some of his old friends and to meet some of the youth he mentors…
Mbale, Uganda:
Five Years if You’re lucky
There are so many heroes in the world of philanthropy and The Good Road crew learns so much from these heroes. In this episode, Earl Bridges and Craig Martin meet two such heroes in the eastern part of Uganda. Their journey to find them begins in a Matatu that takes them through the Ugandan countryside to a series of geographic gems like the “source of the Nile”. But after a long journey they arrive at their true destination- the Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. Once there, they meet up with an amazing couple, Kathy Bourgoine and Adam Hewitt-Smith, and their daughters Eseld and Lowenna. Despite the fact that Kathy (a neonatologist) and Adam (an anesthesiologist) could be crushing it back in London, UK where…
Yangon, Myanmar:
Punk Rock Buddha
This episode finds Earl and Craig back on the road in Southeast Asia in the former capital of one of the most politically controversial countries in the region, Myanmar. War, genocide, and conflict have raged in this country dominated by ethnic struggle for decades. But beyond the headlines there are powerful stories of unexpected heroes like Burmese punk rocker Kyaw Thu Win or Kyaw Kyaw (pronounced Joe Joe). Based out of Yangon, Kyaw Kyaw fronts a punk rock band called The Rebel Riot . But when he’s not performing under a bridge with rented instruments he and his band are working hard to help street kids through food distributions…
Nairobi, Kenya:
The Power of Story
In this episode, The Good Road explores the impact storytelling can have on the youth of underprivileged communities in Nairobi, Kenya. Craig and Earl hear the story of a leading technologist and designer, Mark Kamau (recently featured in National Geographic Magazine). Mark grew up in Matheri Slum in Nairobi but through a surprising series of events, he was able to escape the crime and poverty surrounding him and build a new life. But Mark wasn’t content with keeping his new life for himself. He takes Craig and Earl back to Matheri to meet some of his old friends and to meet some of the youth he mentors…