About Fred
Fred de Sam Lazaro is director of the Under-Told Stories Project at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, a program that combines international journalism and teaching. He has served with the PBS NewsHour since 1985 and is a regular contributor and substitute anchor for PBS' Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.
He also has directed films from India and the Democratic Republic of Congo for the documentary series Wide Angle. Fred has reported from more than 60 countries: from Haiti to sub-Saharan Africa to south Asia. He has focused on stories that are under-reported in the mainstream U.S. media. In addition to regularly covering AIDS, public health concerns, development issues and social entrepreneurship, he led the first American crew to report on the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.
Fred is the recipient of two honorary doctorates, numerous journalism awards and media fellowships from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the University of Michigan. He serves on the board of Minnpost and was a trustee at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, his alma mater. He also has served on the boards of the Asian American Journalists Association and the Children's Law Center of Minnesota.
Fred’s Recent Stories
World Feb 11
India’s effort to clean up sacred but polluted Ganga RiverThe Ganga River, known as the Ganges under British rule, is one of the most revered waterways in the world -- and also among the most polluted. Stretching from the Himalayan foothills to the Bay of Bengal, it provides water…
World Jan 14
Water-stressed cities in India turn to innovation for a safe, stable supplyHalf the population of India lives in areas where water resources are highly stressed. In the coastal city of Chennai, rapid economic development and a population boom have jeopardized supplies of freshwater, prompting officials to rely on desalination of the…
Agents for Change Nov 07
What’s behind extreme air pollution in IndiaA toxic brew lingers in the skies over India, created by everything from agricultural burning to industrial pollution. Cars are also a major contributor, with roughly 1400 vehicles added to the roads daily. Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro examined…
Agents for Change Oct 24
Why Cambodian orphanages house so many children whose parents are still aliveThe concept of orphanages has long been considered outdated in developed countries. In the developing world, however, these institutions still house hundreds of thousands of children. But the surprising reality is that the parents of most of these children are…
Agents for Change Oct 16
Traditional Native foods are the key ingredient in the Sioux Chef’s healthy cookingChef Sean Sherman, founder of the company The Sioux Chef, uses ingredients native to the Americas to draw attention to the long-forgotten Native culinary tradition. His research and cooking are also a way to push back against processed foods that…
World Sep 18
In Cambodia, sand mining is big business — but it comes at a priceSand mining accounts for 85 percent of all worldwide mineral extraction, a $70 billion industry. In Cambodia, the practice is big business -- but it comes with a price. The country relies upon the Mekong River for commerce and transportation,…
Agents for Change Sep 10
How giant African rats are helping uncover deadly land mines in CambodiaFrom Angola to the former Yugoslavia, land mines are a lethal legacy of wars over long ago. Cambodia is among the most affected countries, with millions of buried explosives that kill and maim people each year. Now, an organization is…
Science Aug 23
A scientific approach to evaluating global anti-poverty programsIn Ethiopia, over a quarter of the population survives on less than two dollars a day. International organizations and foreign governments provide funds to address the rampant poverty in this country and others, but little data is available to assess…
Health Aug 07
How the Cayman Islands could become a new health care destinationAs health care costs continue to rise, practitioners in India are working to lower prices -- and bring their innovations closer to American shores. Health City Cayman Islands is a new frontier for India’s largest for-profit hospital chain. Focused on…
World Jul 29
A chef cooks her way to connection across South Africa’s cultural divideThis year marks the 25th anniversary of democratic rule in South Africa. A new generation of black South Africans, who grew up free of the restrictions of apartheid, are now transforming the country’s cultural landscape -- beginning with its food.
