People Fixing The World

Episodes

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[LISTEN NOW]

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

A Wheelchair That Learns2024111220241117 (WS)
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Powered chairs offer people with limited mobility the chance to be independent, since they can be controlled with an array of switches and pads. For some people though, unpredictable muscle spasms mean that driving can be time-consuming, stressful or dangerous. We try out a new device from Belgium that uses artificial intelligence to quickly learn a user's profile, filtering out unintentional movements to provide a smooth experience, meaning more people than ever can steer their chairs and live more comfortably. And we find out how clothing can help autistic people communicate their feelings more easily.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: William Kremer

Reporter: Ben Morris

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Levi Rijsbrack and Ben Morris, William Kremer/BBC)

The wheelchair that uses AI and how clothes can help communicate feelings

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

The wheelchair that uses AI for a smoother experience and how clothing can help communicate feelings.

We check out a new chair that uses AI to give users a smoother experience

How local communities are fighting to protect their forests and the marine life that that surrounds this unique place.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

Africa's Best New Innovators2024070220240707 (WS)
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In a special programme, Myra Anubi is in Nairobi, Kenya at the final of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation which rewards the best new innovators on the continent. Their exciting solutions deal with access to healthcare, plastic recycling, waste disposal and pest detection. She meets the finalists and finds out which one of them has walked away with the £50,000 prize.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Richard Kenny

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound Mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Finalists in the 2024 Africa Prize, Royal Academy of Engineering)

Myra Anubi is in Nairobi at the final of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Presenter Myra Anubi is in Nairobi at the final of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.

Africa's Best New Innovators20240709Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.
Ai For Good2023101020231016 (WS)Artificial intelligence can sometimes provoke fear and anxiety. Will it take away our jobs? Will it take over the world? So it's important to recognise some of the good things AI is being used for.

We look at how AI chatbots are helping people tackle anxiety, how AI is being used in Africa to lower infant mortality and even speak to the team using AI to try and communicate with bats.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Lizzy McNeill

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: An illustration of a digital brain (Getty Images)

How artificial intelligence is being used to fight anxiety and save children's lives

How artificial intelligence is being used to fight anxiety, save lives and even try and communicate with animals.

Bringing Dead Languages Back To Life2023011020240227 (WS)
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Australia used to be one of the most linguistically diverse places, with over 200 languages. Today, many of Australia's indigenous languages are considered “highly endangered ?.

Inspired by his native language, Hebrew, Ghil'ad Zuckermann is a linguistics professor who is on a mission to revive Australia's dead and endangered languages, painstakingly piecing them back together from historical documents.

We speak to Ghil'ad and Shania Richards from the Barngarla community, whose language is being brought back from the brink.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Josephine Casserly

Producers: Claire Bates & Craig Langran

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Shania Richards, in the uniform of the Youth Governor of South Australia

How do you revive a language with no living speakers?

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Bringing Dead Languages Back To Life20240227Australia used to be one of the most linguistically diverse places, with over 200 languages. Today, many of Australia's indigenous languages are considered “highly endangered ?.

Inspired by his native language, Hebrew, Ghil'ad Zuckermann is a linguistics professor who is on a mission to revive Australia's dead and endangered languages, painstakingly piecing them back together from historical documents.

We speak to Ghil'ad and Shania Richards from the Barngarla community, whose language is being brought back from the brink.

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Building A Clinic To Save A Forest2023120520231211 (WS)How do you stop people chopping down a precious rainforest? In Borneo, Indonesia, researchers for a conservation charity discovered that local people where chopping down the rainforest around them for an incredibly understandable reason – they needed to pay for medical treatment for their children. So they started a project that would hopefully protect the forest, and help the local communities at the same time. They built a health centre and gave people a big discount on medical care if they stopped chopping down the trees. Ten years on, we visit the forest to see what happened next.

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

How do you stop people chopping down precious rainforest? In the Indonesian part of Borneo, researchers for a conservation charity discovered that local people were chopping down the rainforest around them for an incredibly understandable reason – they needed to pay for medical treatment for themselves and their children.

So they started a project that would hopefully protect the forest and help the local communities at the same time. They built a health centre and gave people a big discount on medical care if they stopped chopping down the trees. Ten years on, we visit the forest to see what happened next.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Ade Mardiyati

Producer: Craig Langran

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Bridget Harney

Sound mix: Hal Haines

email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

How cut price health treatment has helped reduce logging in Borneo

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Cleaning Up India's Streets2024120320241208 (WS)
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The world produces about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. A lot of this waste, such as multi-layered plastic packaging and cigarette butts, is hard to recycle. Instead, it fills up landfills and contaminates the environment.

We travel to the Indian city of Pune where eco-social company Recharkha upcycles plastic packaging waste into contemporary products like tote bags, lampshades and table mats. It relies on village women's handicraft using traditional spinning wheels or charkhas, simultaneously helping tackle rural unemployment.

We also head to another Indian city, Noida, where an organisation works with local women to safely turn millions of cigarette butts into clean fluffy material to be used in stuffed toys - among other products.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Chhavi Sachdev

Sound mix: Andrew Mills/Ardila Syakriah

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Women who work at the Recharka project, Recharka)

We look at two projects that turn plastic and cigarette butt waste into everyday products

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

We look at two projects that turn plastic and cigarette butt waste into everyday products while providing jobs for Indian women living in villages.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

Cleaning Up Our Planet - And Beyond2024111920241124 (WS)
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We rely on space for our communications, weather monitoring and security. Yet rising levels of space junk increases the risk of collisions, putting these things at risk. This week we're heading to a spacecraft lab in the UK to meet the scientists building a special space waste collector that will clean up defunct satellites. We'll also be heading to Greece to see how an innovative project is employing fishermen to clean up waste from the Mediterranean Sea.

Removing waste from our seas and defunct satellites from space.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

[LISTEN NOW]

Clever Ways To Get Kids Learning2024030520240311 (WS)Schools across Senegal have discovered a clever way for children to surf the web even when there isn't any signal.

They're using a special WIFI hotspot which works without an actual internet connection, so students and teachers can access all the relevant bits of the web, offline.

Around the world, innovators are coming up with solutions like this - all designed to get children learning. We also hear from an entrepreneur revolutionising how science is taught in Ghana and a night school in Pakistan for children not in formal education.

We look at innovative educational solutions in Senegal, Ghana and Pakistan.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Coconuts Fixing The World2023100320241126 (WS)
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We eat millions of tonnes of coconuts every year - with the dense white flesh of the fruit making a tasty snack and the juice a refreshing drink.

But the inedible husk and shell go to waste – and it's this part that innovators and entrepreneurs around the world are now putting to work to solve a whole host of problems.

In Sierra Leone, a personal tragedy was the catalyst for young entrepreneur Alhaji Siraj Bah to start a business which takes the coconut husk and turns it into an alternative to charcoal - which is good for the forests and could potentially save lives too.

And we hear about the start-up using coconut to keep fish, fruit and vegetables cool for longer without using any plastic.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporters: Eric Mugaju

Producer: Craig Langran

Series producer: Tom Colls

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

(Photo: Farmers in Teluk Payo village, south Sumatra are peeling the skin of coconuts to be turned into copra or charcoal, 13 July, 2022. Credit: Sigit Prasetya/Getty Images)

How coconut husks are being used to prevent plastic waste and protect the forest

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How coconut husks are being used to prevent plastic waste and protect the forest.

[LISTEN NOW]

Disaster Zone Innovators2023103120231106 (WS)In the midst of a crisis, sometimes the solution you need isn't obvious. Today we meet the inventors who found fascinating fixes amid the chaos and destruction of disasters.

We visit the hospital that was painstakingly constructed inside a train, to treat Ukrainian civilians in a war zone.

We follow a team in Fiji who have created a mobile workshop, designed to travel to remote villages after natural disasters and repair and make items on the spot.

Finally we look at a medical robot that could soon treat injured people in places it's too dangerous for human rescuers to enter.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/Producer: Claire Bates

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Gareth Jones

Editor: Penny Murphy

Picture: University of Sheffield AMRC

Hospital trains and robot medics

Hospital trains and robot medics.

Fake Birds And Other Stories2023122620240101 (WS)This week we have a host of great ideas inspired by solutions we've told you about in 2023.

We find out how scientists are using fake birds to help populations of seabirds to recover. By putting out model birds in restored habitats they trick the real ones into nesting there.

Then we have the heartwarming tale of Theo – a man in his seventies - and Bickel the dog. We look at how dog sharing can deal with loneliness and bring improved health and happiness.

And we uncover an innovative way of dealing with the scourge of Japanese knotweed - by turning it into paper.

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producers: Richard Kenny, Zoe Gelber, Claire Bates

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Bridget Harney

Sound mix: Hal Haines

email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

(Image: Jessica Vagg with a tern decoy, BBC/Richard Kenny)

This week a host of great ideas inspired by solutions we've told you about in 2023.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Fashion Without Barriers2024060420240609 (WS)
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What we wear helps us express ourselves and communicate to others in the most immediate way. But the tools we frequently use to do that, such as clothing and haircare are not available to everyone equally.

One in six of us has a disability of some sort - according to the World Health Organisation - but most clothing and beauty brands don't take account of that. From making shops accessible to catering for differences in design and size, few companies address these particular needs.

This week on People Fixing The World we're talking to people trying to change that. Hair and Care is a London-based hairstyling workshop which helps people with visual impairments take better care of their hair.

Plus, we bring together two entrepreneurs who've brought adaptive clothing to Africa and Asia allowing people with disabilities to fully express themselves in the way they dress. We also meet the UK-based adaptive clothing company that could affect the way we all dress – by working with technology companies to develop a scanner that will help in tailoring for all body shapes.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporters: Emma Tracey, Claire Bates

Producer: Claire Bates

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Wearapy model photoshoot)

Exploring style and beauty for people with disabilities

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Fighting Period Poverty2023112120231127 (WS)Millions of women around the world lack access to safe and hygienic menstrual products. But there are people trying to change that.

We meet the British student who learned to sew in lockdown and started making reusable sanitary pads for refugees. She's helped distribute tens of thousands of pads and is now training refugee women in Lebanon how to make money by sewing the pads themselves.

We hear about a design project inspired by tea cups which has created an efficient way of washing reusable pads.

And in India we meet the woman who is challenging the stigma around periods with a comic book that's being read in thousands of schools around the country.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Lorna Acquah

Producer: Lizzy McNeill

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

Editor: Richard Vadon

email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Reya, a student in Beirut who is sewing period pads

How hand-stitched pads are trying to make women's lives better

How hand-stitched pads and a stigma-busting comic book are trying to make women's lives better.

Fighting Sexism In Society2024050720240512 (WS)
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Across the world millions of women and girls face discrimination and worse because of their gender. On this edition of People Fixing The World we look at projects designed to change attitudes. In India we visit workshops aimed at recruiting younger men as allies in the fight against sexism and gender inequality. And we speak to the founder of Chalk Back, a street art initiative that encourages women to write sexist remarks they've been the target of onto pavements in chalk to highlight the problem of street harassment.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Chhavi Sachdev

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

We look at how entrenched sexist attitudes towards women are being tackled

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

We look at how entrenched sexist attitudes towards women are being tackled through workshops and other projects.

Fixing Elections - For The Better2024102220241027 (WS)
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2024 has been called a record breaking year for elections, with billions of people eligible to take part in all types of votes. But how can we make sure people can vote safely and securely?

We visit Australia's Northern Territory to see how voting takes place in incredibly remote communities. We also find out how a group of eminent women in Uganda is combating violence and intimidation during elections. And we hear how Estonia operates one of the most high-tech elections in the world.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producers: Katie Solleveld, Richard Kenny

Australia reporter: Laetitia Lemke

Sound mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Illustration of voter putting ballot in box, Getty Images)

2024 has been a big year for elections. But how can we make sure people can vote safely?

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

2024 has been called a record breaking year for elections, with billions of people eligible to take part. But how can we make sure people can vote safely and securely?

[LISTEN NOW]

Greener Ways To Feed The World2024032620240331 (WS)
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Transforming the global food system is vital in the fight against climate change. Currently, food production accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the food system also fails to properly nourish billions of people worldwide.

In this edition of PFTW, we're looking at high and low tech solutions to transform the ways we produce and consume food to make it greener and more equitable.

In London, we visit a startup making cheese from genetically modified microbes rather than cattle, in a bid to make dairy production better for the planet.

And in Philadelphia, we look at how planting fruit and nut trees in ‘food forests' is tackling hunger by providing access to healthy, nutritious food for low-income communities across the city.

How lab-brewed dairy and urban food forests can tackle climate change and hunger

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Greener Ways To Keep Cool2024073020240804 (WS)
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Climate change is affecting us all. When the temperature goes up, many of us reach for the air conditioning. But that in itself is making things worse. AC units use a huge amount of electricity and most use hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants - also known as HFCs which contribute to climate change.

The International Energy Agency says over the next three decades demand for air conditioning is set to soar. But what's the alternative?

We'll hear from the Irish engineers who say they have the technology to revolutionise air conditioning and refrigeration by doing away with planet-warming HFC gases completely.

And we'll talk to one of Africa's leading architects, Francis Kéré, about how he combines traditional materials with modern designs - removing the need for air conditioning completely in his native Burkina Faso.

Plus we'll hear from an American lawyer who helped craft the law in the US to keep in line with the international mandate to reduce the harm caused by refrigerant gases. He'll tell us about alternatives to HFCs and how regulations have encouraged innovation.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Claire Bowes

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Leo Health Centre, Burkina Faso)

As the planet warms, how can we keep cool in a climate friendly way?

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Climate change is affecting us all. And when the temperature goes up, many people reach for the air conditioning or electric fans. But that in itself is making things worse. AC units use a huge amount of electricity and many use hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants - also known as HFCs which contribute to climate change.

The International Energy Agency says over the next three decades demand for air conditioning is set to soar. So this week we'll be finding out what we can do to tackle the problem of heat better.

In Ireland we'll meet the engineers who say they have the technology to revolutionise air conditioning and refrigeration by doing away with planet-warming HFC gases completely.

And in Nigeria we'll find out about cold hubs - giant walk-in refrigerators powered by solar energy which are helping farmers keep their produce fresh and prevent the loss of nearly half of all agricultural produce.

Hopping Aboard The Hospital Train2024091720240922 (WS)
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Half of the world's population don't have access to essential healthcare, according to the World Health Organisation. And even in highly developed countries many still lose out. This week on People Fixing The World we hear about some ideas that aim to change that. We jump on board a hospital train that travels around South Africa providing affordable treatments to remote communities. And we step into a truck in a British supermarket car park, which is catching early cases of lung cancer when it's much more treatable.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Claire Bates

South Africa reporter: Mpho Lakaje

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: Patients waiting outside the hospital train, Getty Images)

How trains - and trucks - are taking healthcare into the communities that need it most

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

[LISTEN NOW]

How Literacy Can Change A Life2024040920240414 (WS)
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Learning to read empowers people, reduces poverty and increases their job chances. Yet more than 700 miliion adults are illiterate, the majority of them women. We look at innovations to help adults learn how to read from flatpack classrooms in flood-prone regions of Bangladesh, to an app teaching tens of thousands in Somaliland. Plus how adults in the UK are improving their reading skills thanks to an army of volunteer teachers using a method developed in prison.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Claire Bates

Series producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: Jahura Begum, Shabnur Akhter, Rashida Begum at Friendship class in Bangladesh, Friendship)

How an app in Somaliland and moveable classrooms in Bangladesh help adults learn to read

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How an app in Somaliland, moveable classrooms in Bangladesh and volunteer coaches in the UK are helping more adults learn to read

Learning to read empowers people, reduces poverty and increases their job chances. Yet more than 700 miliion adults are illiterate, most of them women. Innovations to help adults learn how to read, from flatpack classrooms in flood-prone regions of Bangladesh, to an app teaching tens of thousands in Somaliland offline. Plus how adults in the UK are improving their reading skills thanks to an army of volunteer teachers using a method developed in prison.

How To Eat Plastic2023112820231204 (WS)Every year the world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic – the same weight as all the humans on earth.

Only a small proportion of this is recycled, and this isn't proper recycling but “downcycling ? – the new plastic is of a lower quality, meaning that almost all plastic eventually goes to waste.

But now French company Carbios is using enzymes to break plastic down into its chemical building blocks – which can then be used to make high quality plastic again.

So is plastic on the brink of becoming a resource like glass or aluminium, that you can keep on moulding and recycling again and again?

The hungry enzymes that might just be the solution to plastic pollution.

How to have better sex20250218

[LISTEN NOW]

Sex is one of the few things in life that is available to everyone and is free. But achieving enjoyable sex is not possible for many. Some people are held back by fear, ignorance or culture - others don’t know or understand their rights around sex. For years public health campaigns focused on warning people about the downsides of sex - danger, disease and death - but increasingly the work is focused on the reasons people have sex. We begin in Brazil where we meet Ana Autoestima. She’s a ‘virtual friend’ who provides positive advice about sex to women living some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro. We also visit Iraq to find out how a project is helping women who’ve suffered from female genital mutilation or FGM to enjoy their bodies and sexuality. And we’ll hear from Kenyan celebrity and musician Kaz Karen Lucas whose mission is to change the way Kenyans think about sex.

Solutions to help people enjoy sex more

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Achieving enjoyable sex is not possible for many. We hear about solutions to help people enjoy sex more.

How To Have Better Sex20250218

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

How To Have Better Sex2025021820250223 (WS)
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Sex is one of the few things in life that is available to everyone and is free. But achieving enjoyable sex is not possible for many. Some people are held back by fear, ignorance or culture - others don't know or understand their rights around sex. For years public health campaigns focused on warning people about the downsides of sex - danger, disease and death - but increasingly the work is focused on the reasons people have sex. We begin in Brazil where we meet Ana Autoestima. She's a ‘virtual friend' who provides positive advice about sex to women living some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro. We also visit Iraq to find out how a project is helping women who've suffered from female genital mutilation or FGM to enjoy their bodies and sexuality. And we'll hear from Kenyan celebrity and musician Kaz Karen Lucas whose mission is to change the way Kenyans think about sex.

Solutions to help people enjoy sex more

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Achieving enjoyable sex is not possible for many. We hear about solutions to help people enjoy sex more.

[LISTEN NOW]

Improving Our Eyesight2025020420250209 (WS)
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Many agricultural workers don't have the eyesight they need for the work they do, affecting both their comfort and their ability to earn more money. They're among the billion plus people who have visual impairments but can't get the assistance they need. We visit a coffee plantation in southern India where workers are being given glasses on the spot. As well as easing eye strain, the intervention has been shown to increase workers' pay significantly.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: William Kremer

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: An Indian worker being given an eye test, Shruti Kulkarni/Vision Spring)

We visit a coffee plantation in India to see how the sight of workers is being improved

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Many agricultural workers don't have the eyesight they need for the work they do. We visit a coffee plantation in India where workers are being given glasses on the spot.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

Improving The Health Of Our Oceans20240430Often described as underwater rainforests and the “lungs of the ocean ?, kelp forests line as much as 25% of the world's coastlines. They provide important shelter and food for fish and other marine life, and are vital for our oceans' ecosystems. However kelp is under severe threat because of climate change, warming seas and overfishing. We look at projects aimed at stemming the decline of kelp including how scientists are growing it in a laboratory to be planted at sea as well as tackling a key cause of kelp degradation - sea urchins.

We look at projects helping marine life along our shorelines

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Kangaroo Care For Premature Babies2023040420240423 (WS)
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Premature babies often need a lot of expensive specialised care - but that isn't always available. So, doctors in Colombia are teaching mothers to look after their babies in a similar way that kangaroos look after their own young.

It's called 'kangaroo mother care' and instead of being in an incubator, babies are wrapped tightly against their mother's skin.

The technique was developed in Bogota in the late 1970s as a response to overcrowding in hospital maternity units. There weren't enough incubators and around 70% of premature babies didn't survive.

Doctors started using this simple skin-to-skin method. They found it wasn't only saving babies but was also helping them to thrive. Now, kangaroo care has spread around the world.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Zoe Gelber

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Richard Vadon

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: A baby in the kangaroo position

The simple skin-to-skin approach saving newborn lives

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Keeping Men Healthy2024100820241013 (WS)
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How can people get much needed health services as they go about their daily lives? We're back in Kenya where we visit a barbers shop that offers mental health advice and support alongside the trim and shave. And we check out a truck stop just outside Nairobi where long distance drivers can not only grab some food but also get access to medical care they wouldn't otherwise have the the time to seek out.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producers: Richard Kenny, Claire Bates

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Hal Haines

The barbers providing mental health support and the truckers getting help at the roadside

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How can people get much needed health services as they go about their daily lives? We meet the barbers providing mental health support & the truckers getting help at the roadside.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

Keeping The Amazon Standing2024013020240205 (WS)The Amazon is the largest forest in the world, spread across nine countries in South America and home to 47 million people. It's crucial for the planet's biodiversity and in the fight against climate change. But vast numbers of trees have been cut down for logging, construction, mining and farming.

On this edition of People Fixing The World we meet those who are making a living from the Amazon while keeping the trees standing - through rubber tapping and fruit picking - as well as big companies looking to make more of the fruits, nuts and other natural products.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Julia Carneiro

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Bridget Harney

Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: Brazilian entrepreneur Francisco Samonek, BBC/Julia Carneiro)

Making a living from the Amazon without cutting down trees

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Living With Climate Change2024052120240526 (WS)
20240527 (WS)
Poorer countries are likely to bear the brunt of the impacts of climate change, with rising temperatures and more unsettled weather leading to greater stresses on natural resources and often inadequate infrastructure. But whilst there's a lot of focus on global attempts to limit temperature rises by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, there are many smaller scale projects aimed at both tackling and living with climate change.

On this edition of People Fixing The World, reporter Jane Chambers travels to the small Central American nation of El Salvador. She meets communities working to preserve highly endangered mangrove forests, crucial in protecting coastlines against flooding and valuable carbon sinks. She also visits a “shade coffee ? plantation – where coffee is grown beneath a canopy of plants and trees – to hear how the method can help preserve rainforest and protect against soil erosion and water loss. And she visits a project on the Pacific coast that has made huge strides in protecting the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle.

We go to El Salvador to look at projects tackling the effects of rising temperatures.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Magic Mushrooms And Mental Health2024031920240325 (WS)Could psychedelic drugs help in the treatment of mental health conditions? We look at pioneering research into psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms. We visit a clinic in Oregon, the only state in America where the use of psilocybin in therapeutic sessions is legal, and hear from one patient who says it's the only treatment she's ever had that makes a difference to her depression. And we hear about some of the widespread concerns that widening access to such drugs could have.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Ben Wyatt

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Sam Bonham

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Creative image of an Hallucinogenic mushroom, Getty Images)

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Making Landfill Less Awful2023121920231225 (WS)Landfill sites are an icon of our wasteful society and the harm we cause to planet earth.

But around the world, people are trying to make these filthy places a little bit better.

We visit the human-built island in Singapore made of burned waste that has become a thriving ecosystem.

In France, we hear how gas leaking from landfill sites is being collected as a source of energy.

And in India, we look at a project trying to improve the lives of people who scavenge on open rubbish dumps.

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

And in France, we hear how gas leaking from landfill sites is being collected as a source of energy.

The people trying to improve this icon of our wasteful culture

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Claire Bowes

Singapore reporter:Tessa Wong

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Bridget Harney

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

(Image: Semakau island, Singapore National Environment Agency)

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Making Life Easier For Older People2024022020240226 (WS)Barcelona in Spain is famous for its beautiful streets, lined with tall apartment buildings. But the architecture is a problem for many people who have lived for years in upstairs apartments but who now find the stairs unmanageable.

In 2008, a survey found that in one district there were 300 people who could not leave their homes alone. A group of volunteers decided to do something about this and got hold of a special wheelchair with caterpillar tracks, so it can be used to take people up and down stairs. After an initial pilot scheme they launched a local service called “Let's Go Down to the Street ?, to help elderly residents go shopping or meet up with friends. Sixteen years on, the service is offered across the city. Esperanza Escribano joins the volunteers to find out more.

Plus, we visit a home for senior citizens in an unlikely location: a university campus. The Mirabella complex at Arizona State University in the US offers its residents the chance to sample the college lifestyle – from lectures to shows and sports fixtures.

We're in the US and Spain to look at how life can be improved for ageing populations.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Making Luxury Fashion Sustainable2024041620240421 (WS)
20240422 (WS)
Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.
Making money go further20250211

[LISTEN NOW]

Billions of people struggle to make ends meet a lot of the time. We look at ways in which people who don’t have much money or are in financial distress can make what they do have go further. We visit savings and credit groups which are helping women to start businesses in Guatemala and see how a cooking at home scheme is helping to save cash - and improve diets - among some of the most vulnerable people in the UK.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi
Producer: Claire Bates
Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Glendy Mendez and her food stall, Jane Chambers/BBC)

How savings and credit groups and a cooking at home scheme are helping with money issues

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

We visit savings and credit groups which are helping women to start businesses in Guatemala and see how a cooking at home scheme is helping people to save cash.

Making Money Go Further2025021120250216 (WS)
20250217 (WS)

Billions of people struggle to make ends meet a lot of the time. We look at ways in which people who don't have much money or are in financial distress can make what they do have go further. We visit savings and credit groups which are helping women to start businesses in Guatemala and see how a cooking at home scheme is helping to save cash - and improve diets - among some of the most vulnerable people in the UK.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Claire Bates

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Glendy Mendez and her food stall, Jane Chambers/BBC)

How savings and credit groups and a cooking at home scheme are helping with money issues

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

We visit savings and credit groups which are helping women to start businesses in Guatemala and see how a cooking at home scheme is helping people to save cash.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

Making Tourism Work For Everyone2024062520240630 (WS)
20240701 (WS)
Tourism brings money and opportunities to communities around the world, but it brings risks too. Sometimes an influx of tourists changes a place, damages the environment or leads to the exploitation of local people.

But the social enterprise Local Alike has a different model. They have worked with dozens of villages in Thailand to get them ready before “opening up ? to tourists. During this process, which can take months or even years, they help locals identify the meals, activities and sights that will interest visitors, and they bring in outside investment to improve the village. Then they help establish a fair stream of revenue for the community.

We travel with Somsak Boonkam, the founder of Local Alike, as he faces his toughest challenge yet: to work with his own home town as it prepares for tourists.

We look at a model of tourism designed to benefit local communities more fairly

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Olympic-sized Solutions2024072320240728 (WS)
20240729 (WS)
As athletes from around the world strive for glory at the Paris Olympics, we look at how sport has a unique ability to change people's lives for the better. In a refugee camp in Lebanon we meet those who are being inspired by that most traditional of sports, cricket. In Kenya we meet women from the toughest backgrounds who are taking on the world at football - and learning important life lessons as they go. Plus we hear the remarkable story of a cyclist from Afghanistan who is part of the Refugee Olympic Team.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Richard Kenny

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Vijana Amani Pamoja football team, Richard Kenny/BBC)

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

As athletes from around the world aim for glory at the Paris Olympics, we look at how sport has a unique ability to change people's lives for the better.

As athletes from around the world aim for glory at the Paris Olympics, we look at how sport has a unique ability to change people's lives for the better. On a refugee camp in Lebanon we meet the women who are being inspired by that most traditional of sports, cricket. And in Kenya we meet women from the toughest backgrounds who are taking on the world at football - and learning important life lessons as they go.

Our Favourite Solutions2024122420241229 (WS)
20241230 (WS)

Presenter Myra Anubi and the team chat about some of their favourite projects that have been covered on People Fixing The World over the last twelve months.

We'll be returning to Thailand and the school run by kids; checking in on the drones shaking up health care in Kenya; catching up with a family of beavers which are part of an urban rewilding project in the UK, plus much more.

Myra Anubi and the team chat about their favourite projects of the last 12 months.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Presenter Myra Anubi and the rest of the team chat about their favourite projects of the last 12 months.

[LISTEN NOW]

Overcoming Stigma2024021320240219 (WS)On this edition of People Fixing The World we meet people who've helped overcome long-standing cultural biases to create better outcomes for everyone. In India we hear about the social media campaigns which have helped city dwellers in Bengaluru see those who pick waste from rubbish dumps not as dangerous and dirty but as invaluable recyclers. In Nigeria we meet a traditional healer and a health worker who are collaborating to help improve the treatment of psychosis and break down some of the unhelpful attitudes towards severe mental health problems.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Makuochi Okafor, Claire Bowes

Series producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Penny Murphy

Sound Mix: Andrew Mills

The communities in Nigeria and India changing mindsets.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Protecting Wildlife From Human Activity2024071620240721 (WS)
20240722 (WS)
From the way we catch food, to how we generate energy, human activity inevitably impacts on wildlife and the environment in unintended ways. So this week we're looking at ways to reduce this collateral damage. We visit a windfarm in Finland using AI to predict bird flight paths and stop individual turbines before they cause damage. And we join some fishermen in Cyprus, who are using special green lights to warn turtles away from their nets.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/Cyprus reporter: Claire Bates

Finland reporter: Erika Benke

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Hal Haines

We look at projects to reduce the harm caused to wildlife by human behaviour

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Redefining Luxury Fashion2024041620240421 (WS)
20240422 (WS)
The fashion industry is the third largest manufacturing industry in the world consuming huge amounts of the world's resources and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. But some innovators are trying to make the industry more sustainable. We discover how old fire hoses in the UK have been diverted from landfill and turned into fashionable bags and accessories. Plus we visit Mongolia to find out about a new luxury material made from yak hair. It's an eco-friendly replacement for cashmere which comes from goats who are causing desertification.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Claire Bowes

Mongolia reporter: Jargal Byambasuren

Executive Producer: Richard Kenny

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound Mix: Andrew Mills

The luxury products that love the planet

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Making high-end fashion more sustainable - the luxury products that love the planet.

Reducing Gun Violence2024112620241201 (WS)
20241202 (WS)

The misuse of guns is a problem for lots of countries across the world. This week we look at projects trying to tackle this.

In the US we visit the company which says it has successfully developed the world's first ‘smart gun' which uses facial recognition and fingerprints to identify the gun owner - meaning only they can fire the gun. We also speak to a woman who's convinced police in the UK to speak to them before issuing gun licences to their partners.

We look at projects trying to cut down deaths and injuries from firearms.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

[LISTEN NOW]

Reducing Gun Violence2024121020241215 (WS)
20241216 (WS)

The misuse of guns is a problem for lots of countries across the world. This week we look at projects trying to reduce deaths and injuries.

In the US we visit the company which says it has successfully developed the world's first ‘smart gun' which uses facial recognition and fingerprints to identify the gun owner - meaning only they can fire the gun. We also speak to a woman who's convinced police in the UK to speak to the partners of those being issued gun licences.

And in Jamaica - where most murders involve firearms - we find out how hospital data is being used to reduce the number of attacks using guns - even in the country's most troubled neighbourhoods.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporters: Claire Bowes, Nick Davies, Anthony Wallace

Producer: Claire Bowes

Sound mix: Andrew Mills

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Mourners remember those killed in 2024 Apalachee school shooting, US, Getty Images)

We look at projects trying to cut down deaths and injuries from firearms

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

[LISTEN NOW]

Restoring California's Underwater Forests2024043020240505 (WS)
20240506 (WS)
Often described as underwater rainforests and the “lungs of the ocean ?, kelp forests line as much as 25% of the world's coastlines. They provide important shelter and food for fish and other marine life, and are vital for our oceans' ecosystems. However kelp is under severe threat because of climate change, warming seas and overfishing. We look at projects in California aimed at stemming the decline of kelp including how scientists are growing it in a laboratory to be planted at sea as well as tackling a key cause of kelp degradation - sea urchins.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Craig Langran

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound mix: Frank McWeeny

We look at projects helping protect and restore kelp along the coastline of California

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Restoring Nature For All2024123120250105 (WS)
20250106 (WS)

Myra Anubi visits a major project in the north of England that's restoring a damaged landscape. Haweswater in the Lake District is an area of stunning natural beauty but over the years it's been degraded by humans and livestock. This has created flood risks and reduced biodiversity. But now work is underway to restore the site to benefit both people and the environment. Rivers have been ‘rewiggled', peat bogs repaired, and new trees planted. Myra also visits an innovative scheme in the area that's using old Christmas trees to repair damaged river banks.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Richard Kenny

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Gareth Jones

(Image: Annabel Rushton and Glen Swainson of the RSPB with Myra Anubi, BBC)

We visit a major project in the north of England that is restoring a damaged landscape

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

We visit a major project in the north of England's Lake District that is restoring a damaged landscape, including 're-wiggling' rivers and repairing peat bogs.

Myra Anubi visits a major project in the north of England that is restoring a damaged landscape. Haweswater in the Lake District is an area of stunning natural beauty but over the years it's been degraded by humans and livestock. This has created flooding risks for people further down the valley. But now work is underway to restore the site to benefit both man and the environment. Rivers have been ‘rewiggled', peat bogs repaired, and trees planted. It's hoped that this can reduce the flood risk and see many plants and animals returning.

[LISTEN NOW]

Rethinking Mental Health2024070220240707 (WS)
20240708 (WS)
Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.
Rethinking Mental Health2024070920240714 (WS)
20240715 (WS)
In the US, police officers spend about a fifth of their time responding to mental health crises. This is something they are often not trained for, and figures also show that people with untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed during a police encounter.

We go to Arizona where some 911 calls are now being responded to by mental health professionals who are trained to de-escalate a situation and help someone experiencing a crisis to get the support they need. This is part of a trend across the United States where a new nationwide mental health helpline called 988 has also recently been launched.

We also visit Denmark, where people going to their doctor with mental health issues are being prescribed ‘culture vitamins' in an effort to tackle anxiety, stress and depression.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/US reporter: Craig Langran

Denmark reporter: Adrienne Murray

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound Mix: Andrew Mills

(People in Aalborg, Denmark on street art tour, Adrienne Murray)

We look at innovative ways to improve mental health care in the US and Denmark

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

We look at innovative ways to improve mental health care in the US and Denmark.

Rewilding Earth2024020620240212 (WS)From beavers in the UK to bison in Romania and jaguars in Argentina, ecologists around the world are reintroducing animals that once flourished in particular areas. The theory is, if done correctly, they can boost biodiversity and restore ecosystems with benefits ranging from reducing forest fires to tackling invasive species. But the strategy is controversial. Opponents say some species are no longer suited to certain areas and cause conflict with farmers, adding there is little evidence it works. Proponents admit some well-meaning projects haven't worked in the past, but insist properly planned rewilding, which has involved all the stakeholders from the start, can be very successful. We take a close look.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Claire Bates

Series producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Penny Murphy

Sound mix: Gareth Jones

(Image: Beaver in enclosure in West London, Getty Images)

How beavers, bison and jaguars may help rebalance ecosystems

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How reintroducing beavers to the UK, bison to Romania and jaguars to Argentina may benefit ecosystems

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Saving Britain's Sea Life2024100120241006 (WS)
20241007 (WS)

The health of shorelines around the world is under threat like never before. We look at efforts being made in the UK to tackle some of the challenges posed by overfishing and climate change. We travel to Yorkshire in northern England to meet the scientists and fishing communities trying to work out how to protect local lobster stocks. And in Devon in south west England we hear how artificial reefs are helping attract fish and crustaceans to a previously barren patch of sea.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Craig Langran

Yorkshire reporter: Madeleine Drury

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Staff from Whitby Lobster Hatchery, copyright Maddie Drury/BBC)

We look at efforts being made to tackle the challenges of overfishing and climate change

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

Saving Water At A Time Of Scarcity2024061820240623 (WS)
20240624 (WS)
Just over a quarter of people on the planet live in water stressed countries. And our increasing demands for water as well as climate change is putting even more pressure on this finite resource.

We take a look at how Indian farmers are growing crops with a device that stores rain underground. Plus how a test farm in the US uses a special clay liquid to grow vegetables in the desert. Finally we visit a project in Cyprus that could help coastal cities clean and reuse their wastewater in a more eco-friendly way.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: Claire Bates

US reporter: Anthony Wallace

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound Mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: Biplab Paul demonstrating his bhungroo device in Gujarat, India, Biplab Paul)

We look at solutions for conserving and reusing water

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Sea Cucumbers Fixing The World2023021420231024 (WS)
20231030 (WS)
Meet the oceans' unsung hero - the humble sea cucumber. An animal in the same family as starfish that looks like a lumpy sausage and lives on the ocean floor could help with some of the impact of global warming, pollution from fish farms and damage from the fishing industry that are threatening some of the oceans most important ecosystems.

We meet the Australian researchers using drones to count the cucumbers to understand how their poo is helping coral reefs. And in Madagascar, we speak to the local communities which are learning to sustainably farm the creature, protecting the seas and increasing their income along the way.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/Reporter: Lizzy McNeill

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

(Image: Sea cucumbers. Credit: Getty Images)

How the humble sea cucumber and its poo is helping coral reefs

How the humble sea cucumber and its poo is helping coral reefs.

Sharing The River2023111420250128 (WS)
20250202 (WS)
20250203 (WS)

In the farming community of Los Negros in rural Bolivia, the river is their life and livelihood. So when that river started to dry up, it made life very hard. They blamed the villages upstream for not looking after their precious water.

This conflict could have turned ugly. But with the support of a local charity, what came out of it instead was a ground-breaking agreement. After years of negotiations, the town at the bottom of the river agreed to support the communities upstream to protect their forests and keep the river healthy.

The idea is now the blueprint for water sharing agreements between communities across the continent.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Jane Chambers

Producer: Bob Howard

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Senor Rogelio Valverde sits by his water source

How two communities in Bolivia learned to work together to protect their water

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How two communities in Bolivia learned to work together to protect their water.

[LISTEN NOW]

Sharing The River2023111420231120 (WS)In the farming community of Los Negros in rural Bolivia, the river is their life and livelihood. So when that river started to dry up, it made life very hard. They blamed the villages upstream for not looking after their precious water.

This conflict could have turned ugly. But with the support of a local charity, what came out of it instead was a ground-breaking agreement. After years of negotiations, the town at the bottom of the river agreed to support the communities upstream to protect their forests and keep the river healthy.

The idea is now the blueprint for water sharing agreements between communities across the continent.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Jane Chambers

Producer: Bob Howard

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Senor Rogelio Valverde sits by his water source

How two communities in Bolivia learned to work together to protect their water

How two communities in Bolivia learned to work together to protect their water.

Solving Mexico City's Water Crisis2024052820240602 (WS)
20240603 (WS)
Mexico's capital often floods during the rainy season, but paradoxically, it's also running out of water. A large and growing population, along with crumbling infrastructure and the effects of climate change - are increasingly putting a strain on the city. We meet the army of scientists, activists and urban planners trying to solve this problem - and rethink Mexico City's relationship with water - including the scientist using plants to clean sewage water and the architect who has designed a park that absorbs excess rainwater.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Craig Langran

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound mix: Hal Haines

(Image: Alejandro Alva in Cuautepec wetland, Mexico City, BBC)

We meet the scientists, activists and urban planners tackling the megacity's water woes.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Sorting Extreme Waste2024111920241124 (WS)
20241125 (WS)

We rely on space for our communications, weather monitoring and security. Yet rising levels of space junk increase the risk of collisions, putting these things at risk.

This week we are heading to a space lab in the UK to meet the scientists building a special waste collector that will clean up defunct satellites. We'll also be heading to the Himalayas to see how an innovative project is training sherpas in Nepal to clear trash off the mountains using drones.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Claire Bates

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

Voiceovers: Diwakar Pyakurel at BBC Nepali, Hikmat Khadka

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Myra Anubi and Anna Nash from Astroscale, BBC)

Removing waste from Everest and defunct satellites from space.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

[LISTEN NOW]

Speaking Up At Work2024031220240318 (WS)Whistleblowers - they're the good guys right? The ones who speak truth to power and have films made about the heroic stands they took? Sometimes. Often the people who speak up in the workplace are ignored or shut down. Worse still they're often bullied or harassed or end up losing their jobs. They're the ones you never hear about.

This week we hear about two projects that are encouraging people to speak up about wrongdoing at work and how they're improving people's work environment, saving time, money and even saving lives.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Claire Bowes

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Penny Murphy

Sound Mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Hear Me play performed in front of Australian medical staff, Hear Me)

We look at how to raise concerns about wrongdoing in the workplace.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

This week on People Fixing the World, we're looking at wrongdoing at work and how to speak up about it. We'll hear about two projects using drama and art to encourage employers to create a better environment for whistleblowing to save money, heartache and even lives.

How to raise concerns about wrongdoing at work.

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Stopping Suicide2023101720231023 (WS)More than 400 people in Ireland took their own lives in 2022. In Limerick, helicopters are often heard flying above the city in search of missing people in the River Shannon.

But in response to this tragic situation, a group has sprung up to patrol the Shannon in the evenings to speak with people who are feeling desperate. Katie Flannery joins them on a Saturday night to see how they work and to hear their stories.

We also hear about a law that is under consideration in several US states, which would allow people with mental health problems to voluntarily put themselves on a do-not-sell list for firearms.

This programme contains discussion of suicide and suicide attempts. If you feel affected by this topic, you can speak to someone who can help. Go to befrienders.org to find a crisis phone line where you live.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Katie Flannery

Producer: William Kremer

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Gareth Jones

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Limerick Suicide Watch

How volunteers are helping people in crisis in Limerick, Ireland

How volunteers are helping people in crisis in Limerick, Ireland.

Switching Off Our Smartphones2024080620240811 (WS)
20240812 (WS)
Concerns are growing about the effects of smartphones on both adults and children, so we're looking at ways to reduce our dependence on these ubiquitous devices.

Presenter Myra Anubi attempts to ditch her smartphone for a week, while she finds out about a fast-growing campaign in which local parents get together to agree to delay buying them for their children. But Myra and her own daughter don't quite see eye-to-eye on the topic.

Plus Anna Holligan visits an innovative project called The Offline Club in Amsterdam, where people hand in their phones in exchange for a dose of good old real-life interaction.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: William Kremer

Netherlands reporter: Anna Holligan

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Hal Haines

How can we all spend less time on our phones?

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

The artificial limbs offering hope in Gaza2025022520250302 (WS)

[LISTEN NOW]

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in every 100 people in Gaza have a life-changing injury because of the conflict. It’s currently impossible for most to leave the strip and get medical treatment but a team of Jordanian doctors has been able to enter Gaza and fit war victims with cutting-edge prosthetics which clip on quickly and easily. The BBC’s Yolande Knell in Jerusalem has been hearing from innovators, doctors and those who are being helped about how the new technology works and how it could help in other parts of the world, either in conflict or in healthcare provision more generally.

How cutting-edge prosthetic limbs are helping in Gaza and beyond.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How cutting-edge prosthetic limbs are helping in Gaza and beyond.

The artificial limbs offering hope in Gaza2025022520250303 (WS)

[LISTEN NOW]

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in every 100 people in Gaza have a life-changing injury because of the conflict. It’s currently impossible for most to leave the strip and get medical treatment but a team of Jordanian doctors has been able to enter Gaza and fit war victims with cutting-edge prosthetics which clip on quickly and easily. The BBC’s Yolande Knell in Jerusalem has been hearing from innovators, doctors and those who are being helped about how the new technology works and how it could help in other parts of the world, either in conflict or in healthcare provision more generally.

How cutting-edge prosthetic limbs are helping in Gaza and beyond.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How cutting-edge prosthetic limbs are helping in Gaza and beyond.

The artificial limbs offering hope in Gaza20250225

[LISTEN NOW]

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in every 100 people in Gaza have a life-changing injury because of the conflict. It’s currently impossible for most to leave the strip and get medical treatment but a team of Jordanian doctors has been able to enter Gaza and fit war victims with cutting-edge prosthetics which clip on quickly and easily. The BBC’s Yolande Knell in Jerusalem has been hearing from innovators, doctors and those who are being helped about how the new technology works and how it could help in other parts of the world, either in conflict or in healthcare provision more generally.

How cutting-edge prosthetic limbs are helping in Gaza and beyond.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How cutting-edge prosthetic limbs are helping in Gaza and beyond.

The Country Tackling Loneliness2023121220231218 (WS)Loneliness affects millions of people around the world – and has a significant impact on your mental and physical health.

In the Netherlands, they are taking the problem seriously, with a number of projects trying to bring people together and build connections.

We meet the people behind a dog-sharing scheme that's providing much needed companionship, and a project teaching vital social skills to teenagers.

Plus, we visit a soup-making session that's bringing the generations together.

An innovative new weekly programme looking at how we can solve the world's problems.

Loneliness affects millions of people around the world and can have a significant impact on our mental and physical health.

In the Netherlands, they are taking the problem seriously, with a national coalition of organisations all trying to bring people together and build connections.

We visit a youth club teaching teenagers how to overcome shyness and social anxiety. Plus, we drop in on a soup-making session that's bringing the generations together, and breaking down stereotypes.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: Claire Bates

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Bridget Harney

Sound mix: Gareth Jones

email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

(Image:Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at Oma's Soup)

How the Netherlands is making a serious attempt to tackle something we can all feel

How the Netherlands is making a serious attempt to tackle something we can all feel at times in our lives

(Image: Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at Oma's Soup, Getty Images)

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

The Cows Fighting Wildfires2024121720241222 (WS)
20241223 (WS)

This summer, deadly wildfires raged in countries like Spain, Canada, and Greece. And as the earth warms up, they're becoming increasingly common and harder to deal with. Today, we will hear about a special heard of cows which are helping to keep some of the flames under control. And we find out how cutting edge space technology could be used to quickly detect forest fires when they break out.

How animals and space tech are helping tackle a growing problem.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

[LISTEN NOW]

The Jails Where They Do Things Differently2024102920241103 (WS)
20241104 (WS)

In 2019 a group of prison officers from Philadelphia in the US spent three weeks working in jails across Scandinavia - in order to see whether their more humane approach to custody could work back at home.

Five years on we visit SCI Chester's ‘Little Scandinavia' to see whether the ‘homely' environment - where prisoners can order groceries, cook their own meals and socialise with officers – leads to better behaviour.

We'll also head to Panama, where an innovative recycling project is cleaning up a prison and providing inmates with skills they can use once back in the outside world.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Craig Langran

Reporters: Jane Chambers, Ben Wyatt

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Inmates playing chess at Chester jail, Pennsylvania, Getty Images)

The prison in Philadelphia that's adopted a Scandinavian model of custody

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

The prison in Philadelphia that's adopted a Scandinavian model of custody and how a recycling project in a Panama jail is helping inmates once they're released.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Medicines Dropping From The Sky2024091020240915 (WS)
20240916 (WS)
Presenter Myra Anubi visits western Kenya to see an innovative project that's using hi-tech drones to deliver HIV drugs and testing kits. It's an attempt to tackle the number of infections amongst young adults in the region. The drones are dropping HIV kits at youth-focused events such as football matches and concerts. The idea is to take away some of the stigma surrounding HIV/Aids and make treatment more accessible.

Producer: Richard Kenny

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

(Image: Package being dropped by airborne drone, credit: Zipline)

The HIV drugs being delivered by drones.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Presenter Myra Anubi visits western Kenya to see an innovative project that's using hi-tech drones to deliver HIV drugs and testing kits. It's an attempt to tackle rises in the number of infections amongst young adults in the region. The drones are dropping HIV kits at youth-focused events such as football matches and concerts. The idea is to take away some of the stigma surrounding HIV/Aids and make treatment more accessible.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Pioneering Tv News Service2024101520241020 (WS)
20241021 (WS)

TV BRA in Norway is a unique media organisation. Their fortnightly national news show is presented by reporters who have learning disabilities or are autistic.

Through interviews with politicians and other authority figures the station aims to hold the powerful to account, while also changing the way that people with learning disabilities are seen.

We join them in their flashy new studio in Bergen where the journalists share some of their best stories and tell us about their aspirations for the future.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: William Kremer

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Image: In the studio of TV Bra, William Kremer/BBC)

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Through interviews with politicians and other authority figures the station aims to hold the powerful to account, while also changing the way that people with learning disabilities are seen in Norway.

[LISTEN NOW]

The Plastic Eaters2023112820231204 (WS)Every year the world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic – the same weight as all the humans on earth.

Only a small proportion of this is recycled, and this isn't proper recycling but “downcycling ? – the new plastic is of a lower quality, meaning that almost all plastic eventually goes to waste.

But now French company Carbios is using enzymes to break plastic down into its chemical building blocks – which can then be used to make high quality plastic again.

So is plastic on the brink of becoming a resource like glass or aluminium, that you can keep on moulding and recycling again and again?

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter/producer: William Kremer

Series producer: Jon Bithrey

Sound mix: Gareth Jones

Editor: Penny Murphy

email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Carbios scientist holds pieces of plastic, BBC

The hungry enzymes that might just be the solution to plastic pollution.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

The Power Of Music2024040220240407 (WS)
20240408 (WS)
We all know about the power of music to change our mood or to make us move. But an increasing body of evidence is showing that music has an amazing ability to help us heal. In this programme we are going to meet people working at the cutting edge of music therapy. We find out about the innovative system that uses music to help people with dementia live at home for longer. We will see how using songs and rhythms is helping people with Parkinson's move more freely. And in a refugee camp in Uganda we meet the teachers using music to bring people together and overcome trauma.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/Reporter: Richard Kenny

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Mix: Frank McWeeny

Picture: Salam Music Program in Bidibidi, Uganda

Innovative ways that music can ease pain and bring people together.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How music can help us to heal

The Power Of Native Knowledge2024092420240929 (WS)
20240930 (WS)

The Awajun people have lived in the Amazon rainforest for thousands of years but their way of life and environment is under threat from deforestation and unsustainable farming. Now Awajun women farmers have begun mixing old traditions with new technology to make a material which offers an alternative to leather made from animals. The women are working with a fashion company which helps turn the sap from the local Shiringa tree into a rubber-like fabric used in clothes and shoes.

We also find out how one native plant which grows in the desert regions of Niger has been rediscovered by locals. Hansa was previously seen as a food only eaten in desperation but a social enterprise has changed its image. It has now become popular in local cookery and has been found to be both nutritious and sustainable.

Plus, we hear from a member of the Western Apache community in the US who tells us how learning about her native foods has helped both her and her community eat more nutritiously.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Niger reporter: Sasha Gankin

Producer/reporter: Claire Bowes

Editor: Jon Bithrey

Sound engineer: Andrew Mills

(Photo: Members of the Awajun tribe in Peru looking up at a Shiringa tree, Collective Fashion Justice)

How communities in Peru and Niger are tapping local knowledge for sustainable solutions

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

How communities in Peru and Niger are tapping into local knowledge for sustainable solutions.

The Awajun people have lived in the Amazon rainforest for thousands of years but their way of life and environment is under threat from deforestation and unsustainable farming. Now, the women farmers are working with a fashion company providing them with sap from the local Shiringa tree to make rubber soles for shoes.

We also find out how one native plant which grows in the desert regions of Niger has been rediscovered by locals. Hansa was previously seen as a food only eaten in desperation, in famine, but a social enterprise has changed its image. It's now become popular in local cookery as well as being nutritious and sustainable.

How communities in Peru and Niger are being sustained by tapping their own local knowledge

[LISTEN NOW]

The Race To Save Madagascar's Biodiversity2024110520241110 (WS)
20241111 (WS)

Madagascar is the second-largest island nation in the world, similar in size to France or Texas. Lying off the coast of southern Africa, it's home to nearly 30 million people and is a real biodiversity hotspot. Nearly 90 percent of its plants and animal species are endemic, meaning they can't be found anywhere else in the world. But much of the habitat they depend on is being destroyed, both on land and at sea. On this programme we look at how local communities are fighting to protect their forests and the marine life that that surrounds this unique place.

People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We'd love you to let us know what you think and to hear about your own solutions. You can contact us on WhatsApp by messaging +44 8000 321721 or email peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: Sira Thierij

Sound Mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Jon Bithrey

(Image: Diver off the Barren Isles, Madagascar, credit Sira Thierij)

This programme was partially funded by the European Journalism Centre, through the Solutions Journalism Accelerator.

How communities are fighting to protect forests and marine life

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place. A weekly programme looking at common challenges around the world and the creative ways people are trying to tackle them. Presenter Myra Anubi speaks to reporters, experts and innovators to investigate how effective different solutions are, share their successes and inspire listeners with what is possible.

[LISTEN NOW]

The School Run, By Kids2024051420240519 (WS)
20240520 (WS)
If you could invent a new kind of school what would it look like? What skills would you teach children, and how would the school be run?

On this edition of People Fixing The World we visit the Mechai Pattana School in Thailand which was founded by the campaigner Mechai Viravaidya in 2008, on principals of charity and leadership. Children are responsible for every aspect of running the school, from buying food for the kitchens, to disciplining pupils and even recruiting new staff.

The children also run their own businesses, and perform several hours of community service every week. Many of the students come from underprivileged backgrounds, but their school fees are “paid ? by planting 800 trees a year, together with their families.

We hear how this unique private school has impressed the Thai government so much that aspects of the model have been copied to some state schools.

The Thai school that's proving a model for Thailand and beyond.

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

On this edition of People Fixing The World we visit the Mechai Pattana School in Thailand which was founded by the campaigner Mechai Viravaidya in 2008, on principals of charity and leadership. Children are responsible for every aspect of running the school, from buying food for the kitchens to disciplining fellow students and even recruiting new staff.

The idea is for the school to produce “change-makers ? – could it be a model for others to follow?

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer/reporter: William Kremer

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Tom Bigwood

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

Training Heroin Users To Save Their Friends2023110720231113 (WS)Heroin users in Scotland are being trained to spot when someone is about to overdose and to step in and help.

The training – which includes lessons on how to use the antidote naloxone - is often led by people who have themselves been addicts.

Taxi drivers and police officers are also being trained, and naloxone being widely distributed, as part of a push to save as many lives as possible.

Reporter Craig Langran investigates whether the approach is working.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Producer: Craig Langran

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Annie Gardiner and Hal Haines

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Wez, who trains heroin users how to administer naloxone

How drug users in Glasgow are being trained to treat people who have overdosed

How drug users in Glasgow are being trained to treat people who have overdosed.

Treating Hard To Reach Patients20240917How trains and trucks are taking healthcare into communities

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

What To Do With An Empty Mall?2023053020240611 (WS)
20240616 (WS)
20240617 (WS)
US shopping malls, once a mainstay of American life, are in decline. Forty malls have closed since 2020, while more than 230 department stores have closed in the same time period, according to Green Street, a real estate analytics firm.

But where there is change, there is also opportunity.

After Burlington High School in Vermont had to close its doors because dangerous chemicals were found, the school hopped into a site vacated by Macy's department store five years earlier.

The children now ride the escalator to class. Elsewhere, malls have been converted into offices, casinos or large healthcare facilities. We explore the surprising second life being offered to these temples of consumerism.

Presenter: Myra Anubi

Reporter: William Kremer

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Anne Gardiner

Editor: Penny Murphy

Email: peoplefixingtheworld@BBC.co.uk

Image: Pupils at a school in a department store.

The US malls being brought back to life as schools, healthcare centres and offices

Discover the people and the projects trying to make the world a better place

The US malls being brought back to life as schools, healthcare centres and offices.