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People Fixing the World
How to get everyone online
People Fixing the World
Jul 7, 2020

From balloons in the stratosphere to swarms of satellites in space, the race to get everyone online is heating up.

The internet may never be more useful than during the coronavirus outbreak. It provides us with the latest health information, educates our kids and lets us communicate with our loved ones face to face. But only half of the world’s population is online. Tech evangelists around the world are trying to change that. Using balloons and satellites, soon even the most remote areas on Earth will be able to log on. But there is more to getting everyone online than the strength of the signal. People Fixing the World investigates.

Produced and presented by Tom Colls

Image: Loon

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Back from the brink: Uganda’s gentle giants

The eco-tourism that is helping to protect mountain gorillas in Uganda.

Myra Anubi is in Uganda visiting the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It’s one of the few places that gorillas still exist in the wild, and even better, in recent years their numbers have actually been rising and they are no longer considered critically endangered.

This is partly down to the hard work of Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka and the Conservation Through Public Health organisation. They engage with communities living close to the gorillas, who were often poaching them and destroying their habitat, to help them better understand the animals and tap into the potential for eco-tourism. They also encourage other forms of enterprise, supporting local coffee farmers with training and investment.

Myra meets former poachers now involved in conservation and speaks with local farmers - often women - who look after the coffee plantations. She talks to the village conservation teams involved in protecting the gorillas. And of course, goes into the forest to get a glimpse of these incredible creatures herself.

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 [email protected]. And please leave us a review on your chosen podcast provider.

Presenter: Myra Anubi Producer: Richard Kenny Editor: Jon Bithrey Sound mix: Andrew Mills

(Photo: A mountain gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Credit: Richard Kenny)


23min 14sec

How to get everyone online

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