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
Health Apr 16
How drones are delivering lifesaving medical supplies in RwandaGetting medical supplies to where they are needed fast can mean the difference between life and death outcomes, but moving them efficiently across long distances to remote and rural areas can be difficult for traditional transportation. Special correspondent Fred de…
Science Mar 20
Can Uganda block Ebola’s spread from neighboring Congo?Eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo are suffering from the second-worst outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in history, with more than 500 dead so far. Neighboring Uganda is watching with concern as the crisis unfolds, wary of allowing…
Agents for Change Feb 21
Wisconsin nonprofit seeks to better connect U.S. farmers with their Mexican employeesMexicans who come to the U.S. seeking employment often leave their loved ones and culture behind. In Wisconsin, a nonprofit helps connect American farmers with their migrant employees through language and cultural education. Some of the farmers travel to Mexico…
Agents for Change Feb 06
How this Thai educational movement empowers rural studentsMore and more in Thailand, rural students learn in traditional classrooms, but with an emphasis on hands-on activities. The idea is to empower young villagers to bring economic development to their communities, as well as learn leadership, empathy and compassion.
Agents for Change Jan 23
In Thailand, tracking animal health to prevent outbreaks of human diseaseViruses like avian flu, Ebola and Marburg often fester in animals before moving into human populations. Animals in regions that are geographically remote present particular challenges for disease containment. But in Thailand, local residents are using technology, including digital scanning,…
Health Jan 11
Fighting malaria in the remote reaches of CambodiaMalaria causes nearly half a million deaths worldwide every year. Ninety percent of them are in sub-Saharan Africa, where poor infrastructure limits delivery of drugs. But now there is worry that those drugs are losing effectiveness as disease strains become…
Agents for Change Jan 08
This scholarship program gives students more than moneyThe success of college scholarship recipients across the country varies widely. A program in Minnesota boasts a four-year graduation rate one and a half times better than the national average. Recipients come from the most economically disadvantaged families in Minnesota,…
Agents for Change Jan 01
Water crisis may make Gaza Strip uninhabitable by 2020In the Gaza Strip, 97 percent of freshwater is unsuitable for human consumption, and raw sewage pours into the Mediterranean Sea. Facilities for desalinating and treating water function on only a limited basis, as Israel controls the flow of fuel…
Agents for Change Dec 31
Arid Middle East faces political battles over water shortfallsThe Middle East is facing a water crisis, and the divisions between Israel and Palestinians have only exacerbated the problem. But whereas Israel is a pioneer in desalination and produces much of its own water, in Gaza, Palestinians struggle with…
World Aug 28
Resisting the African ‘brain drain’ that has created a health care crisisA "brain drain" is sending many of Africa’s highly skilled workers abroad--and leaving a painful void in their absence. But an organization called Seed Global Health is training new medical professionals and encouraging them to remain in their native countries,…