People Fixing the World

Women in a village in Northern Nigeria have come up with an emergency transport scheme that is saving lives. They decided to act when they saw mums-to-be and their unborn babies dying in childbirth because they couldn’t get to hospital in time. Their solution also inspired the state government to help thousands of other women. Produced and presented by Bara’atu Ibrahim (Repeat)

What would happen if the government of a country decided to try to find everyone who was homeless and living on the streets and offer them a place to live? That is exactly what happened in England as the coronavirus pandemic hit. The government says 90% of rough sleepers were offered rooms in hotels that sat empty because of the lockdown. Simon Maybin spent the past year and a half following the lives of some of the people who came to live in a Holiday Inn hotel in Manchester. Image: A guest at the Holiday Inn.

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 Library

Two sources of greenhouse gas could be lurking in your kitchen: rice and fridges. We meet a biologist breeding climate-friendly rice, and a team of detectives whose job is to stop fearsomely potent fridge gases escaping into the atmosphere. Produced and presented by Jo Mathys and Tom Heap.

Wood is strong enough to build skyscrapers, and bamboo - the fastest growing plant in the world - can also be used for building. Both suck up large amounts of greenhouse gas. We find out what would happen if we used these materials instead of concrete in construction. Produced and presented by Jo Mathys and Tom Heap. Picture: Moelven

Seaweed - we have been using it for centuries in food and toiletries. It can help to keep toothpaste and ice cream soft, as well as being a tasty snack. It is a billion-dollar industry. But in some parts of the world, supply of the crop has decreased dramatically due to climate change. Now people in Zanzibar are fighting back. They are learning new methods of farming seaweed in deeper, cooler waters. It is boosting the amount of seaweed they can grow and improving their livelihoods as a result.Produced and presented by Celestina Olulode. Additional production by Esther Namuhisa and Nicholaus Mtenga.

People in Kenya have been paid to catch swarms of locusts eating farmers’ crops. The insects are full of protein and the captured ones are ground up and put into animal feed. The BBC’s Nick Holland and Claire Bates find out what tricks these 'locust hunters' use to catch the critters and what difference the cull makes. They also hear about a way of capturing tiny micro-plastic particles that come off car tyres and delve into a clever project feeding homeless people in Mumbai. Written and produced by Nick Holland Presented by Nick Holland and Claire BatesImage Credit: Getty Images

The LGBT community in Mombasa, Kenya has suffered from violent mob attacks in recent years - often fuelled by influential preachers spreading messages of hate. But one group decided to tackle this in a remarkable way: they have directly engaged with faith leaders. In carefully controlled meetings the pastors and imams get to know LGBT people and have their misconceptions challenged. This has led to a big reduction in violence. Now many of those religious leaders use their influence to help the LGBT community fight discrimination wherever they find it. Produced and presented by Richard Kenny Picture: Getty Images

Sleek blue machines have been popping up in convenience stores across Nairobi over the past two years. These “Koko points” look like cash machines but instead of giving out money they dispense bioethanol, a fuel made from plants which can be used in cooking stoves.At the moment 80% of Kenyans use wood or charcoal as their main cooking fuel – but these materials have a devastating impact on the environment, and the smoke causes hundreds of deaths every week. Koko’s high-tech solution offers Kenyans a cleaner alternative, although it means a move away from some dearly-held customs. Reporter: Mercy Juma Producer: William Kremer

How animals make us smarter – we thought you might like to hear our brand new episode. It’s about a robotic arm inspired by an elephant’s trunk.For more, search for 30 Animals That Made Us Smarter wherever you get your podcasts.#30Animals