People Fixing the World

From crops that grow faster to rice that could stop children going blind - the world is full of genetically modified products waiting to come onto the market. Genetic modification techniques in plants have huge problem-solving potential, but are often clouded in controversy. Most scientists say GM food is safe, yet some consumers and environmental campaigners remain unconvinced. This week we look...

In Bangladesh, there’s an app helping female farmers to get a fairer price for their crop. At the market, women farmers often face sexism, and struggle to sell their produce for what it’s worth. But by making the seller anonymous, they’re able to sell more and reap the profit they deserve. We’ll also hear from other projects around the world trying to bridge the gender gap in agriculture- and inve...

The fast growth of solar power is a success story in the fight against climate change. However, in some countries progress is being stymied by opposition to large solar farms in the countryside. But enterprising people are trying to keep the solar momentum going, by finding less obvious places where we can harness energy from the sun - like lakes, farms, car parks, office windows and even outer sp...

How can we stop plastic flowing into our oceans? Dutch inventors have one solution, pulling plastic from the water using a ‘net’ made from bubbles. Also on the programme - how sound could be used to help restore coral reefs in Australia. Scientists found playing the sounds of a healthy reef under water, could attract fish back to the site. They hope to combine this with coral seeding to rebuild re...

All across the world, invasive species are on the march. These are plants and animals that take over new areas, throwing nature out of balance. If left unchecked, they can destroy local ecosystems, drive native species to extinction - and put local livelihoods at risk. But people have been finding innovative ways to combat these invaders… like eating them! In Belize, we look at how encouraging loc...

In cities across Japan and the Philippines, an app called Tekkon is making data collection cool. It's a Pokemon GO-style game which pays people with cryptocurrency if they track down broken infrastructure – such as missing manhole covers and tangled electrical wires. The same technology that makes the cryptocurrency possible - blockchain - is also being used in South Africa to improve the lives of...

How do you care for someone properly in a hospital or care home if you don’t know who they are? With US hospitals and care homes seeing fast turnovers of staff, many clinicians don’t get the chance to learn their residents’ backstories. This can lead to patients feeling isolated and misunderstood. Meanwhile, staff miss out on valuable insights which could be incorporated into treatment plans or us...

As climate change leads to global temperature rises, cities around the world are being faced with extreme levels of heat. This can bring whole cities to a halt, disrupt key infrastructure, and for the most vulnerable in society heat can be a killer. But where there’s a problem, innovation is never far behind. We meet the people who are trying to find solutions – from urban designers finding inspir...

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 thi...

Is it possible for palm oil plantations, wildlife and the rainforest to happily coexist? Products containing palm oil, including soaps and cosmetics, are used by billions of people worldwide. While the industry is credited with reducing poverty in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, it has also contributed to mass deforestation. In Malaysian Borneo, only small pockets of pristine rainforest rem...

How can you get kids to school safely in a way that’s good for the environment and gives them some exercise too? We find out how kids from Spain to Scotland are joining together in long convoys known as “bike buses”. Teachers and parents accompany the joyful multitude of cyclists, which pick up children from pre-determined stops along the way. And in Kenya, we look at a different kind of transport...

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 sc...

As humanity expands further and further into the wild areas of the world, they are increasingly coming into conflict with the creatures that live there. One of those animals is the elephant. When tensions flare with these huge creatures, lives can be lost on both sides. We investigate the people trying to resolve these conflicts in a peaceful, bloodless way - like the farmers placing beehives on t...

How do you help older people, and particularly those with dementia, to remain independent for longer? In Singapore, where dementia affects roughly 1 in 10 people over 60, the government are betting that the re-designing neighbourhoods with an aging population might just be the answer. Reporter Craig Langran visits the Singaporean suburb of Nee Soon – an area of public housing which has been overha...

Many of the world’s most violent conflicts happen in the midst of some of its most valuable natural wildernesses. But protecting these areas’ biodiversity cannot happen until the fighting stops. We look at how nature itself can be used to help build that peace, with a project in Colombia training former guerrilla fighters to create their own ecotourism initiatives. They are protecting nature while...

The menopause is something half the world’s population goes through. But despite this, it’s still not much talked about - and in some places, remains taboo. Which means many women hit this stage of life not understanding what’s happening to them. We join a menopause cafe where people share experiences face-to-face, try out an app giving Indian women practical advice, and hear about workshops in Ar...

Paraguay, like much of the world, has a problem with corruption. But a project in the country is trying to change that, by starting with the next generation. Founded by David Riveros - who started his fight against corruption as a teenager - reAccion Paraguay works by providing schools with all the information they need to track the funds owed to them. They then show teachers, parents and pupils h...

Many people associate bacteria with dirt and disease. But a lot of bacteria are good for us. And scientists around the world are using them to help us do all sorts of useful things like recycle, clean up waste and produce food. We find out how bacteria are salvaging metal from electronic waste. We taste the protein-rich food additive that is made from bacteria. Plus, we explore how bacteria are he...

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...

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...

Football in Germany had a big problem with violent, racist, far-right supporters. But a social innovation, organised and run by fans, has been credited with helping to change the dynamic in the stands. “Fan projects” attract young fans with the promise of youth clubs and cheap transport to games. We go to a game with a fan project in Dresden to see how it works. And from the US, we hear how one wo...

A good childcare system is essential in most modern economies. Yet in many countries, childcare is only available to the wealthy, and the burden of care falls disproportionately on women - effectively barring them from the workforce. People often point to Scandinavian countries as the gold standard in childcare, but in other corners of the world people are working with women and communities to set...

Harassment and violence on public transport is a global issue. We look at initiatives aiming to make commuting safer. In Indonesia, we take a ride on the Pink Bus which serves only female passengers. The city has one the most dangerous transportations systems in the world for women, with high levels of harassment. The scheme hopes to provide them with a safer journey. And in Germany, we look at a...

Reporter Rosie Blunt spent years getting help for her endometriosis - a condition which has symptoms including debilitating pain and infertility. She's on a quest to find new ways of treating the disease and bringing down diagnosis time. That mission takes her to Hungary to test out a medical centre that doubles as a thermal spa and meet Adrienn Salamon, who has created an app that's helping women...

Across the African continent, people with disabilities are often stigmatised. The discrimination they face can impact their ability to go to school, find a job and even to feel safe. We look at the projects trying to change people’s attitudes and help people with disabilities flourish. We speak to Lilian Dibo Eyong, who is trying to change attitudes to people with disabilities in Cameroon. In Ugan...