The nation motto of the Union of the Comoros is "Unity – Solidarity – Development", three things it has noticeably failed to achieve since independence from France in 1975 having had more than twenty coups or attempted coups since that time leaving its economy weak and the union itself constantly at the point of disintegration.

With a population of under 800,000 Comoros is made up of Ngazidja (Grande Comore), Mwali (Mohéli), Maore (Mayotte) and Nzwani (Anjouan). The islands were formed by volcanic activity in the Indian Ocean and disputes between the islands have been the backdrop for internal divisions which has left the Comoros as one of the poorest countries in the world. Lacking in natural resources, Comoros is largely dependent on foreign aid and for its expatriates sending money back home. Around 60% of its population rely on less than 60p a day and unemployment is running at around 20%.

Almost half of the population of Comoros are children under the age of 15 with a life expectancy for 62yrs for males and 67 for females. Education for these children is of a poor standard with less than half of all children actually attending classes, not least because of a lack of proper schools, equipment and even teachers who often refuse to work as they regularly find themselves unpaid.

Ironically given that Comoros is surrounded by water, access to safe water is a serious issue on the islands. Whilst some of these difficulties are man made through poor hygiene practices compounded by a lack of adequate sanitation leading to outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, Mount Karthala, regularly erupts with toxic ash entering the water supply chain. The above video explores what should have been an island paradise for tourists rather than a conflict zone, although recent settlements have provided some stability.