People Fixing The World

Latest Episodes:

Keeping men healthy Oct 08, 2024

Show notes

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.

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 Producers: Richard Kenny, Claire Bates Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines

Saving Britain's sea life Oct 01, 2024

Show notes

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)

The power of native knowledge Sep 24, 2024

Show notes

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’s 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 mix: Andrew Mills

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

Hopping aboard the hospital train Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

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

The medicines dropping from the sky Sep 10, 2024

Show notes

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

Our favourite climate solutions Aug 20, 2024

Show notes

In a special edition, we join forces with fellow BBC podcast The Climate Question to share some of our favourite ways of fighting the impacts of climate change. Myra Anubi joins Jordan Dunbar to discuss solutions big and small - from tidal power in Northern Ireland to floating solar panels in Albania. Plus, we hear about pioneering community initiatives to protect forests in Borneo and Colombia.

Presenters: Jordan Dunbar and Myra Anubi Producers: Osman Iqbal, Craig Langran and Zoe Gelber Editors: Simon Watts and Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Tom Brignell

Switching off our smartphones Aug 06, 2024

Show notes

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

Greener ways to keep cool Jul 30, 2024

Show notes

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 phase down 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

Olympic-sized solutions Jul 23, 2024

Show notes

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)

Protecting wildlife from human activity Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

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 that's 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