People Fixing The World

Could floating wind turbines and kites that generate electricity help fight climate change? There are lots of innovative new ways people are harnessing the power of the wind. We visit a floating wind farm off the coast of Scotland, check out wind turbines on street lamps and see how much power giant kites can generate. Along the way we investigate the massive potential of wind energy and assess the challenges involved in catching the breeze. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Claire Bates Reporter: Craig Langran Executive producer: Tom Colls Production Coordinator: Ibtisam Zein Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Illustration of a wind turbine on a cloud (Getty Images)

More than five million children live in orphanages or other institutions - the vast majority in low or middle income countries. Staff are often overstretched, poorly paid and don’t last long in the job, which leaves children deprived of one of the most important things for healthy development - a consistent, loving relationship. Organisations around the world are now working hard to find these children the one thing they desperately need - a family. But in countries with high rates of poverty and fragile social work and foster care systems, it’s not always easy. We visit a project in Colombia to meet the children, parents, and trainee foster carers whose lives are taking a very different turn. And in the UK, we look at a project giving foster families the support network they need. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Megan Janetsky and Jo Mathys Producer: Craig Langran Executive producer: Tom Colls Production Coordinator: Ibtisam Zein Sound Mix: Annie Gardiner Editor: Penny Murphy Image: A mother and

How a race to write books and a gadget that counts words are helping child literacy. In South Africa 8 out of 10 children struggle to read by the age of 10. But a charity called Book Dash has come up with an innovative way of getting more kids to read. It holds events where teams of writers and illustrators create a book in just 12 hours. More than a hundred titles have been created and over 2 million books have been given away to children. And in the US a group called Birmingham Talks is giving pre-school children a pedometer-style gadget to wear. But instead of counting steps, the gadget counts the number of words they hear every day. The idea is to encourage parents to talk to their children more and therefore improve language development. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Lucy Burns Photo: Book Dash

At the human library you borrow a person you wouldn’t usually meet for a half-hour frank conversation. The volunteers have various book titles from polyamorous to former prisoner. The aim of these face-to-face chats is to break down our assumptions and prejudices. We explore whether simple discussions can make a difference. Produced and presented by Claire Bates. Picture: Ronni Abergel, Human LibraryRepeat - first published 7 Sep 2021

Street harassment and violence against women in public spaces is a global issue. According to one survey, 84% of women in cities around the world reported being harassed on the street before the age of 17; half of respondents said they had been groped or fondled.It’s acknowledged that intimidating, violent behaviour from men needs to stop, but what can be done to improve the safety of women and girls in cities now?We look at initiatives that allow women to tell authorities what changes to make to the fabric of their cities to make them feel safer, plus some new technologies that might help in an emergency.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Dima Babilie Producer: William Kremer Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Silhouette of a women (Getty Images)

Being a teenage mum is not easy. But innovative projects around the world are trying to help. We hear from Sierra Leone, where the 2 Young Lives project supports teenagers who've been rejected by their families for getting pregnant. They link them up with older women who step in to look after them. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for 15–19-year-old girls globally. But the mentors are making sure the young mums get the medical support they need. After giving birth, the early years of motherhood can be problematic for teenagers too. We also hear from Brazil, where a team of researchers and nurses is teaching young mothers the skills they need to form strong attachments to their children. By getting their mothers to do things like read to their toddlers, the researchers say they can improve the children's future development and give them better life prospects. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporters: Amelia Martyn-Hempill and Marcia Reverdosa Producer: Daniel Gordon

A young scientist has developed a white powder which gives waste soil concrete-like properties. Gnanli Landrou grew up in Togo, helping his neighbours dry out soil to make bricks, and his big dream is to help people like them build stronger, cheaper, houses.But the European building industry is also excited about his new, low carbon building material. We talk to Gnanli about his ambitions for this extraordinary powder, and meet the Swiss architect who is about to build a luxury apartment block with it. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Jo Mathys Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Gnanli Landrou

Robots that navigate sewer pipes are being used to find leaks and blockages in an ancient water system. They’re being put to work in Pune, India, to access dangerous and noxious spots that otherwise would be checked by people. The sewage systems are more than 100 years old and the maps have been lost or are just outdated. So the robots are being used to update the maps, which should eventually lead to less leaks and so less contamination in the water. But the machines also replace manual work that is done by some of the poorest members of Indian society. We explore what it will mean for their wellbeing and livelihoods. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: The sewer robot in Pune

Lotteries aren’t just about winning money. They’re also being used to nudge people to change their behaviour.In the UK we try out a mobile app that enters users in to a £25,000 lottery every time they pick up a piece of litter. We see how heart patients in the US can win smaller prizes for taking their pills… and if they don’t take their medicine, are told what they could have won. And we look at receipt lotteries, where customers are encouraged to get receipts as each one is an entry to a big monthly draw. The scheme started in Taiwan but has been replicated in a number of countries, helping governments find the businesses avoiding tax.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Claire Bates Producer: Francois Wibaux Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Illustration from Getty Images

La Casa de Carlota isn’t like most workplaces. The design studio, based in Barcelona, Spain, employs creatives who have intellectual disabilities, autism and schizophrenia. Working together with non-disabled colleagues, they produce striking graphics for campaigns and packaging, as well as original works of art. This isn’t a government-backed scheme to help out a disadvantaged group, but a winning formula that is helping the studio forge a unique brand. In this programme we look at two companies who have realised there is strength in neurodiversity and hear from Natalie Duo from the charity Mencap. The vast majority of people with learning disabilities are unemployed, so how can other businesses follow suit? Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: William Kremer Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Casa de Carlota

Sponge cities use natural features to slow down, soak up and reuse flood water. Yu Kongjian nearly drowned as a boy when his village flooded, but it inspired him to come up with the sponge city concept. It’s now being rolled out across China. In Singapore too, parks and lakes are being engineered to soak up excess water. They embrace the flood water rather than block it with concrete barriers. It comes as cities around the world are struggling to cope with more extreme weather caused by climate change. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Tessa Wong Producer: Claire Bates Image: Zhejiang, China (Turenscape)

Meet the entrepreneurs using scrap rubber to fuel cars and make new tyres.Each year, over a billion car tyres reach the end of their life.They’re notoriously hard to recycle and present an environmental hazard if left to disintegrate out in the open.But around the world, people are trying to clean up their cities by finding new uses for the mountains of rubber waste.In Senegal, a young entrepreneur is turning them into artificial football pitches. In Zambia, an engineer is perfecting a way to turn these tyres into diesel. And in Canada, a company is making new tyres out of old ones using some very clever chemistry. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Francois Wibaux Producers: Jo Mathys and Claire Bates Image: Yaye Souadou Fall

In California, butterflies such as the monarch are critically endangered as a result of habitat erosion, pesticides, and climate change. But many people are trying to save these beautiful insects.We meet the scientists who are painstakingly rearing individual butterflies by hand and then releasing them back into the wild. In California’s vineyards, we talk to a farmer who has designed a butterfly-friendly tractor. And at the famous butterfly groves on the coast, we see the first signs of recovery.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Ben WyattPhoto: A monarch butterfly (Getty Images)

Fish have favourite colours and dolphins hate high pitched noises. In an effort to save rapidly dwindling global fish stocks, scientists are trying to figure out how to attract the right fish into nets, and keep protected species away. On the southern coast of England, we meet the man who’s designed a hi-frequency gadget which warns dolphins to stay out of fishing nets. In Denmark, scientists show us how LED lights are able to show fish you don’t want the exit from the net. And in Oxford we hear from the researchers using satellite technology to help the Thai government stop criminals from plundering the oceans. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Rumella Dasgupta Image: The dolphin pinger

Hospitals can make you sicker. It's a strange thought for places that also can make you healthier. But think about the constant noise, the distinctive hospital smell, the bright lights.There's lots of evidence that most patients find hospitals themselves very stressful. This stress can lead to slower healing times or even a higher chance of being readmitted to hospital.This week, we look at some interesting work happening around the world to try to improve the hospital environment.We hear from people who are using nature to heal, are redesigning lighting systems and are blocking out the noise. And by learning what stresses humans out, we can learn a lot about how our bodies recover and heal. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Charlotte Pritchard

When you get your hair cut, you probably don't think much about what happens to the bits that get chopped off.But it turns out that rather than being dumped in the rubbish, hair can be put to all kinds of uses that can help clean up the planet and feed the people who live on it.We meet a hairdresser who weaves the clippings into mats that get used to soak up oil spills.Plus the young entrepreneur in Tanzania who's worked out how to turn human hair into a powerful crop fertiliser.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Daniel GordonImage: A man getting his hair cut

From an industrial-scale fly factory in London to farming bugs in the Madagascan rainforest, insects are being put to work all around the world. These biological wonders are turning stuff we don’t want – like food waste and even faeces – into useful protein. This is creating a greener alternative to animal feed and creating food products for humans too. We meet the people using bugs to help the planet. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/reporter: Craig Langran Executive producer: Tom Colls Editor: Penny Murphy Image: Black soldier fly larvae (Getty Images)

The Prison Voicemail app connects inmates and their families, helping them stay in touch throughout a sentence. We hear a mum and daughter using the messages to rebuild their relationship, and find out how it helps children who are separated from their dad. Producer/ reporter Ruth Evans Repeat - first published 4 Aug 2020

Police in Iceland treat domestic violence differently.Leaving an abusive relationship is hard, and many victims stay with physically or mentally hurtful partners, even after police get involved.In Iceland, they focus their efforts on the first 24 hours after a domestic attack is reported.This is the “window” in which survivors are most likely to give unfiltered evidence against their abusers and accept help leaving them.Specialist police, social workers and child protection officers are swiftly sent into violent homes, and suspected offenders can be immediately removed. It’s a more hands-on approach than in most places, based on the view that domestic abuse is a public rather than a private problem.Maddy Savage investigates how much the initiative has impacted prosecution rates and the wellbeing of families affected by this type of violence.Image: Iceland’s top police officer Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir

How do you get officers to step in to prevent other officers from harming the public? “Loyalty isn't saying: ‘Well, you've done something wrong, I'm going to protect you.’ Loyalty is me saying: ‘You're about to do something wrong, and I'm going to stop you.’” New Orleans Police Department says this is the basis of a radical training programme devised to reduce incidents of police brutality. We first reported on the training system back in October 2020, five months after the killing of George Floyd. Since then, the idea has spread, and the system is now being taught right across the United States and beyond. Daniel Gordon catches up with the project to hear what progress is being made. Picture credit: Getty Images