Many young people today are still wrestling with pervasive social prejudices. From drugs to imprisonment, gendered inequalities to socio-cultural stereotypes, “ExtremeLives” is a video series that spotlights young people trying to dismantle and redefine the labels society has ascribed to them. This project features stories of young people affected by known drivers of social exclusion and who have turned their lives around despite the odds.
Shot for UNDP.
Video credits
Director & Producer | Mailee Osten-Tan
Co-Producers | Juan Yepes, Olivia Heffernan & Juan Carlos Castaneda
Directors of Photography | Juan Carlos Castaneda & Josh Paul
Local Producers | Zabrina Fernandez & Por Burapacheep
Animator | Ian Hamden
Suhaimah is stateless. She lives in no-mans-land: a floating village in Sabah, Malaysia. Stateless kids can't go to school, can't legally work, and without hope for their future, many turn to drugs, begging on the streets, or a life of petty crime. But Suhaimah is different: she is helping others build a path through life with education, as she herself has.
Growing up in Bangkok's biggest slum, Cha had a tough upbringing. Khlong Toei is known for high levels of unemployment and drug-related crime. Education is often seen as a futile pursuit in the face of poverty. But in the heart of this chaos, Muay Thai boxing has become Cha’s anchor. By channeling the discipline of boxing into all aspects of her life, Cha has found a sense of purpose, inspiring her younger brother to follow in her footsteps.
As a kid, Haziq lied to his parents about going to school. Really, he was taking on jobs on the streets on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Haziq talks about going from zero to hero, dealing with grief, and taking back control of his own life through taking up a board.
A sudden accident landed Guy in the hospital, but the doctor assigned to him treated him with contempt. Guy is undocumented and a member of the Dara-Ang ethnic community. After his experience at the hospital, Guy decided to take matters into his own hands. Refusing to be defined by society’s prejudices, Guy is now a volunteer paramedic determined to make the world a better place.
Tuleshina speaks three languages - but expresses herself best through hip-hop dance. But online haters targeting her mixed-race background nearly made her give it all up. In moments of darkness, Tuleshina drew on the support of family and friends to keep on going regardless of what others might think.
Dada is culinary activist fighting for equality. In conflict-affected Yala, Thailand, she was subject to relentless bullying and discrimination for her gender identity. The world felt like a dangerous place for young people like her. But in the face of this discrimination, there was one thing that brought her solace: cooking. She has made it her mission to change people’s minds about the LGBTI community, one dish at a time.