People Fixing the World

Millions of women around the world lack access to safe and hygienic menstrual products. But there are people trying to change that.We meet the British student who learned to sew in lockdown and started making reusable sanitary pads for refugees. She’s helped distribute tens of thousands of pads and is now training refugee women in Lebanon how to make money by sewing the pads themselves.We hear about a design project inspired by tea cups which has created an efficient way of washing reusable pads.And in India we meet the woman who is challenging the stigma around periods with a comic book that’s being read in thousands of schools around the country.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Lorna Acquah Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Annie Gardiner Editor: Richard Vadonemail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Reya, a student in Beirut who is sewing period pads

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.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

Heroin users in Scotland are being trained to spot when someone is about to overdose and to step in and help.The training – which includes lessons on how to use the antidote naloxone - is often led by people who have themselves been addicts.Taxi drivers and police officers are also being trained, and naloxone being widely distributed, as part of a push to save as many lives as possible.Reporter Craig Langran investigates whether the approach is working.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Annie Gardiner and Hal Haines Editor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: Wez, who trains heroin users how to administer naloxone

Discover fascinating fixes amid chaos and destruction. A hospital on a train treats Ukrainian civilians in a war zone. A mobile workshop repairs items in remote villages after disasters. A medical robot enters dangerous areas to treat the injured.

Meet the oceans’ unsung hero - the humble sea cucumber. An animal in the same family as starfish that looks like a lumpy sausage and lives on the ocean floor could help with some of the impact of global warming, pollution from fish farms and damage from the fishing industry that are threatening some of the oceans most important ecosystems.We meet the Australian researchers using drones to count the cucumbers to understand how their poo is helping coral reefs. And in Madagascar, we speak to the local communities which are learning to sustainably farm the creature, protecting the seas and increasing their income along the way.Repeat - originally broadcast in February 2023.Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer/Reporter: Lizzy McNeill Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Annie Gardiner Editor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.uk(Image: Sea cucumbers. Credit: Getty Images)

A group in Limerick patrols the River Shannon to speak with people in despair. US states consider a do-not-sell list for firearms to prevent suicides. Personal stories highlight the impact of restricting access to guns. The podcast challenges misconceptions about suicide and offers resources for help.

Explore the positive impact of AI, from therapy chatbots to reducing infant mortality in Africa. Discover how AI is being used to improve vaccination rates and assist therapists in delivering exercises to patients. The podcast also highlights the importance of security and human oversight in the future of AI.

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’ll hear about the start-up using coconut to keep fish, fruit and vegetables cool for longer, without using any plastic.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Eric Mugaju Producer: Craig Langran Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Gareth Jones Editor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: A coconut (Getty Images)

Earthquakes strike suddenly, leaving death and destruction in their wake. But around the world, people are trying to do what they can to make them less deadly.We hear from Haiti, where a seismometer developed for hobbyists is now being used by citizens to build the country’s first earthquake risk map.Over in Zurich, we meet the scientist using tennis balls to buffer buildings in poor countries from shockwaves. And in Indonesia, we find out how a Virtual Reality game is helping students prepare for terrifying tremors.Presenter: Myra Anubi Reporter: Claire Bates Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Hal Haines Editor: Penny MurphyEmail: peoplefixingtheworld@bbc.co.ukImage: A woman in Haiti holding a Raspberry Shake (Credit: Eric Calais)

Discover the potential of shockwave therapy in regenerating heart tissue as a breakthrough treatment for cardiovascular diseases. Explore the scientific mechanisms behind shockwaves and their applications in medicine. Delve into the use of shockwaves in heart operations and their benefits in regeneration. Learn about the pioneer in the field and hear from a patient who has undergone shockwave therapy. Explore future applications of shockwave therapy in medicine, including treating rectal dysfunction and athletic problems, and cellulite treatment.