People Fixing the World

For International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (October 13th), we're finding out how technology can help prevent disasters, save lives and help rescuers. In Argentina, we’ll meet Franco Rodríguez Viau whose family friends lost their home in a fire, inspiring him to find a way of tracking wildfires. He was just a teenager when he began developing an app that combines NASA satellite imagery with other data sources to identify and intercept fires before they become unmanageable. Meanwhile in Colombia, podcasters and sound engineers tell us about using their specialist recording equipment and live analysis of sound to detect breathing and tapping beneath earthquake rubble, helping rescuers locate survivors. 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. We release a new edition every Wednesday - just search for The Documentary wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Claire Bowes Colombia Reporter: Laura Ubate Editor: Jon Bithrey (Image: A man holding sound equipment helping with rescue efforts in Cali, Colombia following the earthquake of August 2026, credit Mateo Guzman)

How something as simple as a walk can improve our wellbeing, sharpen our thinking and bring communities closer together. We try out an innovative walking map of the UK on a journey through London, then head to the United States and Hungary, where doctors are leading walks to build stronger relationships with their patients. 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. We release a new edition every Wednesday - just search for The Documentary wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/reporter: Claire Bates Hungary reporter: Jakab Thorpe Executive Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: Members of Walk With a Doc in Veszprém, Hungary, credit Dr Borbala Stern)

Wular and Dal lakes are among Kashmir's most famous natural treasures, but decades of pollution, encroachment and neglect have taken their toll. Chhavi Sachdev follows conservationists, farmers and local communities as they attempt an ambitious restoration effort. Along the way, she discovers migratory birds returning, lotus flowers reappearing, and a circular economy transforming ecological waste into a valuable resource. (Photo: Local weed collectors in Dal Lake, Kashmir. They are sitting in their long, low wooden boats chatting. Credit: Adil Abbas) 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. We release a new edition every Wednesday - just search for The Documentary wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter/producer: Chhavi Sachdev Kashmir fixer and interpreter: Adil Abass Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills

We look at three solutions connected to the “three Rs” – reduce, reuse and recycle. The city of Brussels in Belgium is in the process of moving all 40 municipal nurseries over to reusable nappies – and have managed to do it without their staff kicking up a stink! Also energy companies around the world have found ways to encourage customers to reduce their consumption by making it fun, and lastly we meet Makafui Awuku in Ghana - a man on a mission to turn used plastic into school desks. 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. We release a new edition every Wednesday - just search for The Documentary wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: William Kremer Ghana reporter: Justice Baidoo Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: A baby and worker at one of Brussels' municipal nurseries, BBC)

Myra Anubi looks at two solutions that harness the power of pictures to help disabled people. Books Beyond Words is a UK charity that publishes books with no words, just big pictures on every page. They are made for people with learning disabilities, who come together to read them in book clubs. Myra also hears about TapSOS, the only smartphone app to be approved by the UK’s emergency services, which is aimed at people who struggle to speak on the phone. We hear from one user who believes it saved his life. 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. (Photo: Reporter Natalie Duo with members of a London book club, two of whom are both holding books) Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Natalie Duo Producer: William Kremer Sound engneer: Gareth Jones Editor: Jon Bithrey

We visit two projects exploring practical responses to homelessness and housing insecurity. Presenter Myra Anubi travels to Edinburgh to see the work of Social Bite, a charity creating small communities of prefabricated homes on unused land, offering people a stable place to live and rebuild their lives. Meanwhile, in Nantes, western France, we meet the team behind Bureaux du Cœur, which partners with businesses to open up unused office space as safe overnight accommodation for people in need. 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: Alex Collins Executive producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills (Image: Myra Anubi with Jayne and Michael at the Social Bite village in Edinburgh)

In 2017, Spanish engineer Pablo Bergasa began an unusual hobby: to design a new incubator for use in African hospitals. Eight years on, he has sent 200 of his machines around the world, and he estimates they have saved the lives of 5,000 babies. Pablo’s incubator costs just a small proportion of the price of a regular machine and can run on a battery and a bottle of water. Plus Myra Anubi hears about how a simple but ingenious plastic sheet is saving women from dying after giving birth. 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. This podcast was first published in July 2025. Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Esperanza Escribano Producer: William Kremer Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills

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 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.

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. Thanks to The Pleasure Project for help in the making of this programme. Research by them, in collaboration with the WHO in 2022 helped show that including pleasure in sexual health interventions significantly increased condom use and sexual health compared to those that did not. Their website is thepleasureproject.org. 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: Claire Bowes Brazil reporter: Julia Carneiro Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones

A unique community in Chester in northern England, brings multiple generations together to encourage learning and connection. We explore how young children in the onsite nursery benefit from the time, attention and vocabulary skills offered by the older adults. Meanwhile the retirement home residents can benefit from increased social activity and a sense of purpose. We also speak to an intergenerational expert in Spain about the growing evidence that backs this new societal approach. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every week. 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: Andrew Mills

When it opens in December, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be the largest in the world. Stretched over a ten-lane freeway, it is meant to save the California Mountain Lion population, and to help numerous other species in the area whose habitat has become fragmented by the road. It could also serve as a model for similar sites around the world, as in the past, highways of a certain size have been viewed as too big to host wildlife crossing. But, will the project work? We take a look at what is needed to build a crossing of this size, whether crossings really address the root of the problem, and what the existing scientific literature says about how effective wildlife crossings can be.

Another summer brings more deadly and disruptive wildfires in Europe. As the earth warms up, they’re becoming increasingly common and harder to deal with. We hear about a special herd of cows which could help to keep some of the flames under control in future. 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

We live in an age of global mass tourism. Last year, the UN estimated 1.5 billion people travelled to another country. While many places depend on tourism for income and employment, it can come at a significant environmental and social cost. We take a tour of Dubrovnik in Croatia, which has the highest tourists-to-locals ratio in Europe. The city is using perks and penalties to keep both local people and visitors happy. Also we paddle and cycle around Copenhagen in Denmark. They are rewarding eco-friendly actions to encourage better tourist behaviour. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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 Denmark reporter: Adrienne Murray Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills (Image: A Visit Copenhagen billboard promoting sustainable tourism, Adrienne Murray/BBC)

How much work do you do to keep your household running smoothly? Figures suggest domestic work still falls mostly to women - leading to resentment and burnout. This week we’re hearing from Indonesia and Croatia about projects helping change that. In rural Indonesia we visit the island of Rote - and hear how men there are overturning centuries-long attitudes to male and female roles and learning how to cook for their children and look after their homes. In Croatia we meet the men taking part in the ‘Superdads’ programme where they discover that cleaning and doing chores brings them closer to their families. It’s run by Status M – the only NGO in the country tackling gender-based violence by talking to men about masculinity. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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: Claire Bowes Indonesia reporter: Ade Mardiyati Croatia producer: Barbara Matejčić Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: Members of the Arungi NGO group with participants of the household equality workshop on the island of Rote, Indonesia)

A special edition of People Fixing The World recorded in front of a live audience at the University of Nairobi as part of the BBC’s Future of Journalism Festival. Cities around the world are growing fast - they are the most efficient way of supporting large numbers of people. But many of them suffer chronic problems. There is often a shortage of decent housing. Getting around can be impossible with polluting cars creating gridlock on the streets. And the amount of waste we create is piling up on the streets and in landfill. Myra Anubi meets the people who are making city life better for everyone. The architect who is building affordable, sustainable homes. The innovator making transport greener and more efficient. The engineer making something useful from all our plastic waste. And the planner trying to create a more human city. Guests: Constant Cap, Urban Planner, UNEP Christopher Maara, Founder, Kiri EV Etta Madete, Founder Shout Group and Zima Homes Lorna Rutto, Co-Founder, Ecopost Presenter: Myra Anubi Producers: Richard Kenny, Claire Bates Editor: Jon Bithrey Live Sound: Martin Njuguna and BBC Nairobi engineering team Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: Guests at the BBC Future of Journalism Festival, Nairobi) Programme recorded in front of a live audience at the University of Nairobi on Friday 10th July 2026.

Across the world, everyday products — from kitchen appliances to electronics — are often thrown away rather than repaired. The latest UN estimates suggest people generate around 2 billion tonnes of household and everyday waste each year. This week we travel to Argentina to meet people finding new ways to keep old things in use. We visit Club de Reparadores, where people are learning how to fix everything from toasters to microwaves, meet the women behind Lindor who transform old blankets into coats, and join the group Cybercirujas as they find new uses for discarded computers. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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: Jane Chambers Executive Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones

Across the world, everyday products — from kitchen appliances to electronics — are often thrown away rather than repaired. The latest UN estimates suggest people generate around 2 billion tonnes of household and everyday waste each year. This week we travel to Argentina to meet people finding new ways to keep old things in use. We visit Club de Reparadores, where people are learning how to fix everything from toasters to microwaves, meet the women behind Lindor who transform old blankets into coats, and join the group Cybercirujas as they find new uses for discarded computers. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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: Jane Chambers Executive Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Gareth Jones

At least once in a lifetime, everyone has a great business idea. They often come when life events force us to experience things from a different angle. This year, the city of Liverpool in north England set about finding these “hidden entrepreneurs” with the help of an organisation called Public Life. The entrepreneurs come from all walks of life and have been offered a year’s wage to develop their idea, alongside expert help and mentoring. From the hairdresser who is building a salon-on-wheels for her best friend to the travel agent who is making a "Trip Advisor for the senses", Myra Anubi meets the people whose inspiration has come from their own life experiences. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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 Executive Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: Myra Anubi with Frankii Panchoo in Liverpool, BBC)

In Bergen, Norway, a two-day ageing festival is testing out new ways to build an age-friendly society—through culture, conversation and shared experiences. Myra Anubi joins in, meeting the people finding creative answers to loneliness, mental health, care and belonging, and hearing hopes for a future where generations mix rather than separate. From masterclasses to inspiring collective events, the festival’s aim is to make ageing something we can all become more comfortable with and even celebrate. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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: Alex Collins Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: A group of revellers at the Generation ageing festival in Bergen, Alex Collins/BBC)

People trafficking is a crime that often takes place in plain sight - victims are often exploited and controlled in everyday situations. It’s also a crime that touches all of us - the food we eat, the phones we use, the clothes we wear, may all have been produced using slave labour. We’ll hear about ways to break the cycle of trafficking. In the US we take a ride with Truckers Against Trafficking, an NGO that trains truck drivers to look out for vulnerable people who may be being trafficked for forced labour, including sex work. And in Nepal we meet Sasane, the organisation training survivors of trafficking to become paralegals - to provide them with a new career and also help encourage others to pursue justice through these fellow legally-trained survivors. People Fixing The World from the BBC is about brilliant solutions to the world's problems. We release a new edition every Tuesday. 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 US reporter: Frank Morris Nepal reporter: Chhavi Sachdev Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Hal Haines (Image: Truck driver Bob Bramwell of ABF Freight, Frank Morris/BBC) Show less Release date:23 June 2026 23 minutes