People Fixing the World

How the numbers of stray dogs - and feral pigeons - can be kept down kindly in urban areas. From street dogs to feral pigeons, many towns and cities are having to deal with exploding bird and animal populations which can pose risks to health and safety. This week we take a look at ways we can control numbers in an effective and humane way. We visit a special pigeon loft in Germany, where pigeon eggs are swapped with dummy eggs to help manage the population. And we take a walk with tourists in Mexico, who are helping to socialise stray dogs while also providing funds for their care.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every week for most of the year. 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 Reporters: Maddie Drury, Andre Lombard Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills(Image: Layla Kudri with a couple of street dogs on a hike in Mexico, BBC)

Being in hospital can be frightening and lonely for children — but playful ideas are helping make the experience a little easier. In Scotland, professionally trained clowns are visiting paediatric wards to bring joy and distraction, while in the US, immersive video games are helping young patients come to terms with illness and long stays. We meet the people using creative ways to brighten up a stay in hospital for children and teenagers.People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every week for most of the year. 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 US reporter: Scott Miles Producers: Craig Langran, Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: Clown Doctors Dr Biscuit and Dr Groovy with presenter Myra Anubi, BBC)

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.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.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.We first podcast this episode in February 2024.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: William Kremer Reporters: Esperanza Escribano, Anthony Wallace Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Penny Murphy Sound mix: Gareth Jones(Image: Barcelona resident Teresa being helped down the stairs, BBC)

Shipping containers are a staple of global trade, helping in the transport of all sorts of goods by sea across the world. But their relatively cheap cost and sturdy structure lends them to many other purposes. In this episode we look at a start-up business in the UK that uses shipping containers to store carbon captured from the air in the production of building materials. And we visit a school for poorer children created out of shipping containers that sits in the middle of a busy intersection in Mumbai, India.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 India reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Myra with Nicholas Chadwick from Mission Zero outside a shipping container in Norfolk, BBC)

What do you do with your waste if you live somewhere that doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with it? Turns out there are some really simple solutions. Presenter Myra Anubi is in Malawi where she meets the cafe owner in the capital Lilongwe who has set up a recycling hub as well as the women making valuable compost from food scraps and animal dung. Plus Myra visits the Kibébé workshop in the Dzaleka refugee camp where refugees are finding employment and meaning by turning used materials into clothing and toys.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 Malawi producer: Marie Segula Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image:Norah Baziwell and her team of compost makers in Lilongwe, BBC)

Mindfulness meditation, which involves becoming aware of the breath in the present moment, has been a core part of Eastern contemplative practices for thousands of years. Over recent decades however, it's ‘exploded' throughout the West as scientists have sought to prove the physical and mental benefits of regular practice - like feeling calmer, less stressed and feeling better able to manage emotions. This week we look at some of the more surprising places where these simple techniques are having a big impact.In Kenya, we learn about the ‘mindfulness revolution' that took place in a men's high security prison outside Nairobi after a group of inmates and guards were taught mindfulness techniques in 2015. They soon started teaching each other and ten years later it's spread to prisons throughout the country and beyond.And we visit Baltimore in the US, where a non-profit organisation has been teaching mindfulness and yoga in inner city schools for over twenty years, giving children growing up with violence and deprivation the tools to manage their emotions and heal trauma.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: Zoe Gelber US reporter: Ben Wyatt Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones(Image: Students in Baltimore practicing yoga, Holistic Life Foundation)

During the 1970s and 80s, thousands of Chilean babies were illegally kidnapped, trafficked and adopted. The practice was widespread during the rule of General Augusto Pinochet, who encouraged overseas adoptions to reduce poverty. A network of adoption brokers, hospital staff, social workers, judges, priests and nuns facilitated this trafficking.Today many of Chile's ‘stolen children' are trying to trace their birth families - and their mothers are also looking for them. Hundreds of them have been successfully reunited with the help of a small Santiago-based NGO called Nos Buscamos. Using DNA testing kits, and a range of other techniques and technologies, they help track down families separated for decades. We meet Constanza del Rio - the founder of the project - and hear from the families they've helped to bring back together.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: Jane Chambers Producer: Viv Jones Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Jimmy Thyden-Lippert González embraces his mother Maria Angelica González, credit: Nos Buscamos)

From Malawi, Myra Anubi takes a look at ways that technology is improving children's education. Malawi has free primary schools - but almost 90% of 10 year olds are unable to read properly. So the government is distributing tablets to schools up and down the country. They use software that helps kids to learn maths and reading at their own speed and in their own language. Tests have shown that literacy and numeracy are improving and the children come to school more often.Myra also visits the world's first 3D printed school. In Malawi there aren't enough school buildings. Is 3D printing the solution to bringing better classrooms to where they are most needed?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 Malawi producer: Marie Segula Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills(Image: Children at Takumana school, Malawi using tablets, Richard Kenny/BBC)

Bias in the way medical research is carried out means that new medicines for diseases such as cancer – as well as the tools used to diagnose patients with some conditions – are disproportionally tested on people of European heritage. This can lead to those not represented in the data being misdiagnosed as well as some treatments not working as well as they should.From the Ghanaian scientist helping to develop cancer treatments which work better for African people, to the team in England using AI to diagnose dementia in communities where English isn't widely spoken, in this programme we will meet the solution-seekers trying to make healthcare more equal.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: Craig Langran Egypt reporter: Nadine ElShiaty Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Dr Yaw Bediako in a laboratory, Yemaachi Biotech)

Myra Anubi is joined by BBC Access All presenter Emma Tracey to look at new technology that could help blind people in their everyday lives. Glide is a new mobility aid – it's a device with wheels and cameras that aims to provide blind people with an alternative to white canes and guide dogs, while using AI to give them more information about their surroundings. Emma tries the gadget out in Los Angeles. She also looks at a device that is much simpler but in its own way revolutionary – the BrailleDoodle is a tactile tablet that makes it easy for blind children to learn braille, create art and understand graphs and diagrams.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: Emma Tracey Producer: William Kremer Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: Emma Tracey walks across a road in LA with the Glide device, BBC)

This week we look at two projects that show how sport can be a powerful tool for social inclusion.We go rowing with some refugees in Seville, Spain, and discover how being part of a crew has helped both adults and kids feel part of their new community.And we join a special scheme in southern England that uses football coaching to break down barriers between police officers and local young people. The project is run by Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation in partnership with Sussex Police. 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 Reporter/producer: Craig Langran Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Rowers on the Guadalquivir river, Seville/BBC)

There are more people alive and living for longer - but with that comes more people experiencing failing health. While some of this is inevitable, some can be reversible through rehabilitation.The WHO says 2.6 billion people could benefit from rehabilitation services but in low and middle income countries fewer than half receive these services. We've found three projects which help promote independence and a better quality of life.We hear how training doctors and nurses in basic rehabilitation skills is changing lives and communities in rural areas in countries as diverse as Uganda, China and Fiji.We find out about the bracelets which look set to reverse some effects of Stroke and open the door to recovery. And we meet the online community of physiotherapists who are helping mentor new physios around the 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/reporter: Claire Bowes Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills(Image: Azizova Mizhgona is given advice by physiotherapist Parvona Sheraeva,WHO/Tajikstan)

The global rhino population has fallen by 95% since 1900, mainly due to poaching. Now an atomic approach is being used to stop the poachers in South Africa by placing radioactive material into the horns of rhinos. We journey to the South African bush to meet the scientists - as well as the rhinos being protected.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: Ayanda Charlie Producer: Katie Solleveld Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: A rhino with its face covered, being guided by two vets in the Waterberg reserve, South Africa, Ayanda Charlie)

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.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.We first podcast this episode in December 2023.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Ade Mardiyati Producer: Craig Langran Series Producer: Jon Bithrey Editor: Bridget Harney Sound mix: Hal Haines

In the red light districts of Kolkata, India, there exists an extraordinary youth club. DIKSHA, as it's known, looks after the children of sex workers when their mothers are working. While they're at the youth club, girls and boys learn about their rights and are empowered to take control of their futures. Since the club started in 2001 it has worked to prevent girls from joining the sex trade, and helped reduce the stigma facing children in the wider community. Reporter Puja Bhattacharjee meets the people behind the club and the families benefitting.This programme contains adult themes.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 Reporter: Puja Bhattacharjee Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: A group chatting at DIKSHA, BBC)

Around the world, rubbish is collecting in our gutters and waterways, with millions of tonnes being washed out to sea every year. As the soup of ocean debris kills and injures millions of marine animals, we look at two projects trying to make a dent in the problem. We discover a Greek project which has enlisted thousands of fishermen around the Mediterranean to collect rubbish from their nets, rather than throw it back. They then sort it and hand it over for recycling when they return to port. We then travel to Accra in Ghana where a group of volunteers called the Buz Stop Boys are busy clearing the streets of rubbish. They hope their noisy grassroots movement will inspire others to take responsibility for public places and stop rubbish being washed out to sea.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 Greece reporter: Daphne Tolis Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones(Image: A Greek fisherman with debris recovered from the sea, Daphne Tolis/BBC)

Globally, energy production and use is responsible for around 75% of the world's carbon emissions, with around a third of that on electricity and heat alone. To tackle climate change, we need to get more energy from renewable sources, so this week we're taking a look at some of the more surprising ways people have come up with to harness clean energy from the world around us.In the United States, we see what happened when a group of concerned mothers forged a surprising alliance with a gas company, and worked together to get clean energy from the ground beneath their feet.In Madagascar, we meet the grandmothers bringing solar light to their remote villages, plus we visit Wales, where an innovative new technology is harnessing power from the tides – by flying “kites” underwater.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: Zoe Gelber Madagascar reporter: Sira Thierij Senior Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Solar Mamas at work, BBC/Sira Thierij)

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.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: Yolande Knell Jerusalem producer: Anastassia Zlatopolskai London producer: Craig Langran Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner(Image: A man in Gaza being assisted as he walks with a new prosthetic leg, BBC)

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're 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.This podcast contains adult themes.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 Bowes Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones

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 Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Glendy Mendez and her food stall, Jane Chambers/BBC)

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)

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.We first podcast this programme in November 2023.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Jane Chambers Producer: Bob Howard Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Senor Rogelio Valverde sits by his water source

A quick hello and happy new year from Myra and a preview of some of the great solutions coming up on People Fixing The World. Share our podcast with your friends and family and give them something to cheer about as we look ahead to 2025.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.

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 ‘re-wiggled', 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)

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 with a family of beavers which are part of an urban rewilding project in the UK and hear more about saving kelp forests in California and healthcare solutions that are really making a difference in Kenya.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 Bates, Claire Bowes, Craig Langran, William Kremer Producer: Katie Solleveld Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones(Image: Myra in the studio, BBC)

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 herd 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.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/producer: Craig Langran Sound mix: Annie Gardiner Editor: Jon Bithrey

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)

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 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.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: Eric Mugaju Producer: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls(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)

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)

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)

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

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)

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.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: 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)

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.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/producer: William Kremer Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills(Image: In the studio of TV Bra, William Kremer/BBC)

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 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.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: Craig Langran Yorkshire reporter: Madeleine Drury Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines(Image: Staff from Whitby Lobster Hatchery, copyright Maddie Drury/BBC)

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.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 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)

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.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: Claire Bates South Africa reporter: Mpho Lakaje Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills

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.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.Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Annie Gardiner

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

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.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 Netherlands reporter: Anna Holligan Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines