This October, travel down The Good Road, an inspiring documentary series that takes viewers around the world to meet with philanthropists and change-makers. Hosted by best friends Craig Martin and Earl Bridges, the series follows their dedication to addressing humanitarian issues. Through visits to depressed inner-city neighborhoods, border camps for refugees, and rural health clinics, Craig and Earl explore different efforts to alleviate poverty, end human trafficking, stop elephant poaching, help Rohingya refugees, and more.
The Good Road airs Mondays at 7:30 p.m., beginning October 5.
“Bangkok, Thailand: River of Change” – October 5 at 7:30 p.m.
In episode one, meet Craig Martin and Earl Bridges, hosts of The Good Road. Together they return to their “hometown” of Bangkok and introduce themselves to viewers with a nostalgic chat over noodles. Craig and Earl then take a train to Ayutthaya to explore Thai history and the importance of the Chao Phraya river. With a visit to an illegal community along the Klong Toey river, Earl meets with the founder and namesake of the Duang Prateep Foundation, who is making a difference in the lives of the residents. Craig visits one of the foundation’s Thai kick-boxing youth programs, then reunites with Earl to learn how an architectural plan from the Thai government can lead to devastating effects for the residents along the river.
“Chyulu Hills, Kenya: Big life in the Wild” – October 12 at 7:30 p.m.
Viewers join Craig and Earl on an adventure that starts in Nairobi, Kenya. Together they learn about BRCK, a for-profit tech company based in Nairobi with the mission to provide free internet access across the continent of Africa. With the co-founders of BRCK, the hosts head to the Big Life Foundation HQ, an anti-poaching organization. With a tour through the park and a visit to a remote anti-poaching camp, Craig and Earl learn of the installed BRCK hardware and software that provides rangers fast and accessible internet access. Together, the two chat with the BRCK team and rangers about what is possible through combining modern technology with anti-poaching efforts.
“Alabama Village, Alabama: Light of the Village” – October 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Travel to Alabama Village with Craig and Earl, a small community only a few miles outside of Mobile. Alabama Village is impoverished, often violent, and largely ignored by the world around it. Except for two. Craig and Earl meet up with John and Dolores (Do-Lo) Eads, founders of the community center, and a church called Light of the Village. Surrounded by drugs, crime, and few legitimate work opportunities, the hosts learn that there’s a chance to escape the community’s harmful cycles with help from the Light of the Village program. Through this program, Craig and Earl meet high school senior Jesse and follow his committed journey to leaving “The Village.”
“Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania: Islands of Isolation” – October 26 at 7:30 p.m.
Craig and Earl reunite with the BRCK team to bring WiFi to several small, remote islands in the Zanzibar Archipelago. By taking an overnight journey from Kenya on an ancient wooden sailboat, the groups arrive on the island of Pemba. There, they make for a lighthouse, where BRCK sets up a small weather station that will provide local fishermen with hyper-local up to the minute weather information. The Good Road team and the BRCK team continue on their way to an even smaller, more remote island. Once there, BRCK sets up internet access for a community that has had no previous access and supplies a local school with a ruggedized tablet education system.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air in high definition on digital 36.1; Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; Comcast 819HD and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD in MA; DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36.
