FOX: MANY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD SEE DISEASE AND MENTAL ILLNESS NOT AS SOMETHING TO BE TREATED, BUT AS SOMETHING TO BE FEARED.

AS A RESULT, MANY SUFFERING FROM CURABLE CONDITIONS ARE STIGMATIZED WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT THROUGH EDUCATION AND ORGANIZING, SOME PEOPLE ARE CHALLENGING THESE STIGMAS AND ADDRESSING PREVIOUSLY TABOO HEALTH ISSUES.

IN OUR FIRST SEGMENT, WE LEARN HOW THE EBOLA OUTBREAK SPREAD QUICKLY THROUGH WESTERN AFRICA AND CAUSED WIDESPREAD SOCIAL TURMOIL.

FOR MANY, THE DISEASE BECAME A MARK OF SHAME, AND THIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ILLNESS CONTINUES, BUT 3 SURVIVORS OF THE VIRUS IN SIERRA LEONE HAVE REJECTED SOCIAL TABOOS AND ARE NOW WORKING TO HEAL THEIR COMMUNITIES.

[SINGING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [INDISTINCT VOICE ON TV] SEWA: YEAH, YEAH.

[LAUGHTER] FOX: MILLIONS OF WOMEN IN IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES DEVELOP A FISTULA WHEN GIVING BIRTH.

OFTEN, THIS CONDITION IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SOCIAL STIGMA, AND THESE WOMEN BECOME OUTCASTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT IT ONLY REQUIRES A SIMPLE SURGERY TO FIX, SOMETHING OFTEN BEYOND THE MEANS OF SOMALI WOMEN.

NARRATOR: FARHIYA MOHAMED FARAH GOT MARRIED WHEN SHE WAS 17 AND HAD A BABY THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

DURING LABOR, SHE DEVELOPED A HOLE BETWEEN HER VAGINA AND HER RECTUM KNOWN AS A FISTULA.

UNABLE TO STOP FECES LEAKING FROM HER BODY, FARHIYA BECAME A SOCIAL OUTCAST.

ABOUT TWO MILLION WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD LIVE WITH THIS DEGRADING CHILDBIRTH INJURY, USUALLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT OR CAN'T AFFORD SURGERY TO REPAIR IT.

FARHIYA IS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.

HER FISTULA WAS REPAIRED IN A KENYAN HOSPITAL, RESTORING HER DIGNITY AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

FOX: MENTAL ILLNESS RECEIVES MORE JUDGMENT THAN TREATMENT IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING CHINA.

THAT'S WHY CHEN WEI, A FORMER BUSINESSMAN WHO STRUGGLES WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER, HAS CREATED A SUPPORT GROUP FOR PATIENTS SEEKING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TO OVERCOME THE SHAME OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.

[PEOPLE SPEAKING CHINESE] [SPEAKING CHINESE] [SPEAKING CHINESE] [INDISTINCT CHATTER] FOX: THE GLOBAL FIGHT FOR HEALTH STARTS WITH EDUCATION, AND FOR MANY COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD, THIS MEANS REMOVING THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH DISEASE AND MENTAL ILLNESS.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS EPISODE AND LEARN WHAT YOU CAN DO TO INCREASE HEALTH EDUCATION, PLEASE VISIT LINKTV.ORG/TRUSTDOCS.