Lives Less Ordinary

Stany Nyandwi's rescued chimpanzees helped him through war and loneliness.As a young boy Stany made money selling sugarcane and worked as a 'houseboy' for families in Burundi's capital city Bujumbura. But later, a job with rescued chimpanzees became about more than just money. When ethnic conflict in Burundi escalated into civil war, Stany fled to safety with the chimps who, with histories of their own, gave him companionship and a ticket to a future without war. Stany is a chimp specialist and his behaviour should not be copied or emulated in any way. He has co-written a book called The Chimpanzee Whisperer: A Life of Love and Loss, Compassion and Conservation.Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: May Cameron Editor: Andrea Kennedy

My search for the truth about my father and Martin Luther King’s assassination.Leta McCollough Seletzky grew up knowing that her father was the ‘kneeling man’, photographed tending to the head wound of Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr just moments after he was shot in April 1968. As a teenager she stumbled across an alarming detail about why her father was there on that infamous day; it plunged her into the world of conspiracy theories and family secrets. It would take her many years to dig out his true story.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Rebecca Vincent

Marine engineer Chirag Bahri was trapped for eight gruelling months on a chemical tanker.Chirag loved his job working in the engine rooms of huge commercial ships. But in May 2010, while sailing through the Gulf of Aden, a group of pirates boarded the ship and held the crew to ransom off the coast of Somalia. Over the next eight months the pirates became increasingly violent, torturing the crew when their demands were not met. Despite the desperate conditions, Chirag still had his work to do. The ship was running out of fuel, and starting to malfunction.Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: Rebecca Vincent Editor: Munazza Khan

Mariam and Mohammed are Yemeni filmmakers who turned the lens on their own relationship.Mariam Al-Dhubhani and Mohammed Al-Jaberi's love story started in friendship, and it didn't take long before they fell for each other. Not even living in different continents – or a civil war – could get in their way. But when a heartbreaking loss shook the foundation of their relationship for the first time, it was a video camera that helped them find their way back to one another. Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: Gaia Caramazza Editor: Munazza Khan

Aaron Stark now works to raise awareness around why mass attacks happen.Aaron had a chaotic and violent childhood, and by the time he was a teenager he was homeless, angry and traumatised. At his lowest point, he began to plan an appaling act of violence in a bid to punish the world around him. He wanted to get hold of a gun, but before he could, his best friend Mike changed the course of his life with a small, simple act of kindness. This episode includes themes of suicide, self harm and drug use. If you need support relating to any of the issues we've covered in this interview, you can find more information on the BBC Action line website or at Befrienders.orgPresenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Harry Graham and Emily Naylor Editor: Munazza Khan

At the age of 13 Laura Dekker fought for her right to sail solo around the world.Laura comes from a family of sailing enthusiasts, and her father taught her the ropes early. By 11 years old she was sailing unaided for weeks at a time, and at 13 she felt ready to tackle her biggest challenge yet. Her parents supported her decision, but the Dutch authorities had concerns; was it responsible to allow a child to circumnavigate the world alone? Presenter: India Rakusen Producer: May Cameron

Rowena Chiu was kept silent for 20 years by former film boss Harvey Weinstein. Rowena thought that speaking up about her alleged sexual assault by Weinstein would end up with him in court. But instead she was pressured into signing an NDA so severe that she could tell no one, at times even fearing for her safety. Keeping this secret sent Rowena to a very dark place. But decades later the #MeToo movement set her free.This episode contains references to suicide.The news archive is from NBC and ABCPresenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Rebecca Vincent

Rowena Chiu on surviving the Hollywood sexual predator Harvey Weinstein.Rowena was just 24 when she became an assistant to Weinstein at his film company. She knew he was a difficult boss, but nothing prepared her for what happened one night in Venice in 1998. She says he told her he ‘liked Chinese girls’, and sexually assaulted her in his hotel room. It was the start of a story she never wanted to be part of.The news archive is from CBS.Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Rebecca Vincent

Raised by addicts, Dr Katriona O'Sullivan defied the odds to become a university lecturer. Her parents were addicted to heroin, she was neglected and not fed. But for the care she received from two influential teachers and the occasional stroke of luck, life may have gone in a very different direction.Katriona's written a book about her life called Poor.Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Edgar Maddicott

Martial arts kept him out of jail, but drag artistry made him whole.Diego Garijo was bullied for his femininity as a child, so as he grew up he toughened up his image. He was in trouble with the law, until he found his focus as a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter. But when Diego’s career came to a brutal halt, creating a drag persona, Lola, gave him a new lease of life.Presenter: Andrea Kennedy Producer: Louise Morris Sound design: Joel Cox Editor: Munazza Khan