Amid the stunning backdrop of the Italian coastline, Africo, a small village in southern Italy, highlights a stark contrast between its natural beauty and the harsh realities its residents face in their daily lives.

Africo, home to 3,200 people, struggles with an astounding 40 percent unemployment rate, leaving most people with meagre annual earnings averaging just £12,000. Youth unemployment is out-of-control, and more than a-third of the population is over 55. Astonishingly, only 10 villagers have an income above £34,000 a year.