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The man finding solutions for purifying groundwater and recycling wastewater in Uganda. Plus the urban Nigerians beating food insecurity and rising prices.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:16are you ready for another tour around the continent welcome to this week's episode of
00:23echo africa we will be traveling together from uganda over to tanzania nigeria burundi to ghana
00:32so put your echo seat belts on sit back and enjoy my name is malama mukonde in lusaka zambia
00:42and i am chris elems greetings from lagos nigeria here's what we have prepared for you this week
00:51an innovative way of purifying ground water in uganda the growing popularity of sack famine in
01:00nigeria why communities in burundi are embracing bird protection water is life humans can survive
01:11several days or in extreme cases also weeks without food but even a single day without
01:18water can pose a critical risk to our health and millions of people fall ill because their
01:24drinking water is contaminated children are especially vulnerable let's meet a man in uganda
01:31who is doing everything to ensure that schools have clean water working underground is no ordinary job
01:41but for world diggers in uganda it's part of daily life as they search beneath the earth for safe water
01:48i started digging wells in 2017 it's my main livelihood and the only way i'm able to provide for my
01:57family
02:01whether produced from handag wells piped springs or high-tech pumping systems groundwater sustains
02:08billions of people worldwide every day but water drawn from beneath the earth's surface is not always
02:15safe at a public school in intongamo district in western uganda the water became a serious problem
02:22the community relied on a single boa hole but it produced contaminated water
02:28it was not good because it turned the color of our food and even the smell was not good
02:36so the water was not good for consumption worried about the health of the students the head teacher reported
02:44the issue to authorities the government asked private consultant julius musimenta to investigate
02:50tests showed very high levels of iron in the water making it unsafe to drink
02:56primary reports indicated iron concentration of about one milligram per liter but this appears to be much
03:06higher than 10 milligrams per liter too much iron heavy metals or substances like arsenic in water are a
03:13serious health risk hydrologist ambrose mobialiwa explains why arsenic even went is to a low concentration
03:22lower concentration so long as it goes it goes beyond what the world the organization permits
03:28it can actually cause these chronic diseases like cancer but it's possible to filter a lot of
03:34substances from the water making it safe to drink at his workshop in kampala julius musmenta constructed
03:41a filtration system to do just that one unit has been installed at itojo boys school at a cost of
03:48about thirty thousand dollars the solar powered system can filter enough water to serve one thousand
03:54five hundred households the water is very clear uh we're just going to follow it up with lab tests to
04:01confirm uh the performance which we know is supposed to be uh very good even before the lab results
04:09out the school is hopeful so now you don't have any smell in the in the water but groundwater is
04:17only
04:17part of the challenge in kampala attention is also on surface water lake victoria is not only uganda's
04:25the largest source of fresh water at 66 000 square kilometers it is the second largest lake in the
04:31world by area it supports more than 40 million people in east africa and is one of the main sources
04:38of the
04:38river nile sustaining ecosystems from the tropical wetlands to the desert but there's something foul in
04:46the air recently i went to the lake and you find the water it has a lot of average growth
04:51air gas gas basically had grown on the lake and it was green the water was green which is support
04:57which is which is meant supposed to be blue alongside climate change experts points to pollution from
05:04homes and industry as a key driver of the water contamination in the lake streams carrying and
05:10treated wastewater flow directly into it in some areas the smell is very strong so we need to identify
05:18these sources and treat the water to discharge standards such fresh water pollution is forcing
05:26water suppliers to look further away for clean water sources which also pushes up bills julius musmenta
05:34says most sewage treatment plants would protect fresh water sources like the lake as well as groundwater
05:41he's developed a wastewater recycling system for homes waste used in a bathroom passes through pipes where
05:47solid waste is separated the water is then pumped into a clarifier filtered through and disinfected using
05:54ultraviolet light after about 72 hours of treatment the wastewater becomes clear again ready for reusing
06:02toilets for irrigation or to be safely discharged in nature in this scenario instead of emptying you have
06:10this water quality which is not a nuisance nobody's complaining it is being used you are making a saving and
06:17when you discharge it if you don't want to use it because of mindset into the storm drain nobody complains
06:25the solid waste is broken down by its own bacteria and microorganisms after some time the sludge can be
06:32extracted and be used as fertilizer on farms this is a sexual economy we get waste and reuse and we
06:40are
06:40recycling and even the solids are being sold you can sell them to those that have farms and you only
06:48sell it because it will be dried and it will not be capable of contaminating whoever would be handling it
06:57according to u.n water more than 40 percent of household wastewater worldwide is released into the
07:04environment without proper treatment in africa that figure is estimated at 80 to 90 percent which is a
07:11huge environmental problem and a major public health issue in uganda three in four diseases are related to a
07:19lack of access to safe water and sanitation people like julius musimenta are working at all levels to provide
07:26safe water access and wastewater systems to as many people as possible with currently existing technology
07:33human lives and the environment can be protected by something as simple as a toilet flush and if enough
07:40such systems can be installed long term then well diggers can be more likely to find clean water deep
07:46underground again it's particularly fascinating to see how africa's largest lake is choked yet it supports
07:55over 40 million livelihoods here in uganda kenya and tanzania but it's also equally fascinating to see how
08:03one man's idea can help reverse the damage it's a daily reminder of how our life choices can either
08:12break the ecosystems or sustain them for generations to come good to see that this school has clean water
08:21now because without access to clean water we are exposed to many parasites like whipworms now these
08:28tiny creatures can live in our colon and make us sick but for some 20 years now there have been
08:36effective drugs against these worms on the market supposedly our next report takes a deep dive into a
08:43story that shows what makes the pharmaceutical industry tick on this small island off the coast
08:51of tanzania an experiment is underway that could transform hundreds of millions of lives researchers
08:57are trialing a new drug to get rid of these little guys dogs and cats have had access to the
09:02anti-parasitic
09:03being tested for 20 years it's long shown potential for humans i've never seen such an active drug in our
09:09lab so why has it only been restricted to pets and what does all this have to do with this
09:15japanese plant
09:17about half a billion people around the world are infected with whipworms at any given moment
09:22here on pemba island most residents have had them at one point they get bloody diarrhea nausea
09:28and in extreme cases the infection can even stunt children's growth is sometime called poverty disease
09:36this is sayeed mohammed ali the local coordinator of the trial in most areas of this island there are
09:44still an issue of lifestyle which include the lack of the use of latrines and toilets you know children
09:53are playing in the bush they are playing on the soil they defecate openly sometime and the transmission
10:03happens from there because you they ingest these eggs or these swamps saeed mohammed ali was already
10:11supposed to be retired but couldn't pass up this project he's coordinating a team testing if a drug
10:16called emidepside could help for this the scientists analyze participants stool samples for worm eggs in the
10:23beginning of the trial and then again after they've taken the drug over 7 000 kilometers away at the swiss
10:29tropical
10:29and public health institute in basel we meet the woman whose research project is providing the meds
10:35she's really made it her mission to fight whipworms even though they silently afflict hundreds of
10:40millions of people there's never really been a drug for humans that targeted this specific type of worm very
10:45effectively neglected tropical diseases mostly have no market because it affects the poorest of the poor
10:51populations so we have to be quite creative when it comes to discovering and developing a new drug
10:58more often than not that means getting some inspo from animal medicine because a pretty good
11:03treatment had already been around for a while since 2006 but only for cats and dogs emma depside was
11:11developed for the farmer giant buyer by this guy achim harder you could say he knows a thing or two
11:17about worms
11:19this is this is a roundworm from cattle this is the so-called heartworm this is a roundworm in humans
11:28oscaris suum from pigs and so we already have four different types of roundworm
11:36in the 1990s he was asked to develop something that would work on worms building up resistance against
11:42existing medicine so he looked to nature where a lot of our drugs come from think penicillin or aspirin
11:49inspiration struck when a japanese researcher told him about this plant camellia japonica in its leaves
11:55there's a fungus that produces a chemical substance and that penetrates the plant goes into the root
12:06and the compound is stored in the roots and it can protect the camellia from soil nematodes
12:17basically the substance helps the plant protect itself from all sorts of tiny worms
12:22achim harder thought to himself if it kills worms in the soil maybe it could kill parasitic worms in
12:28animals too so he collaborated with japanese chemists to turn the substance into a drug called emidepside
12:36and we quickly saw in our animal models that the compound works extremely well
12:45and on a broad spectrum
12:49that's also important for marketing
12:53we targeted the whipworm hookworms roundworms and then a whole range of other worms as well
13:05and in 2006 this medicine containing emidepside went on the market for dogs and cats
13:11it's rare to be so lucky
13:17but back then buyer wasn't interested in testing the drug on humans
13:25that's a very very difficult topic because the primary goal is to make money the market for pets is
13:36very big so buyer was able to make money there
13:43but anti-parasitic drugs for humans basically have no market pharma companies usually donate them
13:49not a great return on investment
13:51ultimately these companies need to make money they're not philanthropists
13:57so what has changed why is jennifer kaiser able to test emidepside on humans 20 years later
14:04for one there's more money in it this time round
14:06a swiss initiative to treat neglected tropical diseases secured significant philanthropic funding
14:13and the u.s drug authority fda is offering financial rewards to encourage researchers to
14:19develop treatments for these sorts of infections
14:21also many parasitic worms are developing a resistance to the drugs on the market
14:26so there's greater pressure to come up with new meds
14:29in 2018 the conditions to look into emidepside for humans were finally right
14:34well almost buyer was not fully on board and didn't want to hand over the drug to be studied just
14:40yet
14:41so jennifer kaiser took matters into her own hands
14:44the quickest way was to obtain um
14:48dogs and cats medicine from the pharmacy and i had a chemist in the group and she quickly extracted
14:53the active ingredient and then we could run our essays
14:57her persistence paid off the results were so good they convinced buyer
15:01the company is now helping with the formulation of the drug the data management and getting it approved
15:07when it came to testing the emidepside jennifer kaiser knew where she wanted to do it
15:12on pember where she's been working with researchers for 15 years it's really a dream working in this
15:17environment and whipworms are everywhere on the island the good news the test found that the drug killed
15:24whipworm eggs in almost all of the participants stall now the team is running another trial it's
15:30still too early to analyze these new results but the feedback from most locals has been positive
15:37before taking the medicine i had a bit of a problem with loss of appetite and often felt dizzy
15:44but after taking the medication i felt much better even though the medicine has caused some minor side
15:50effects such as temporary blurred vision i was generally fine i don't have problems and the
15:56medicine hasn't caused serious side effects researchers are prepping a final trial in the
16:02philippines before submitting the drug for registration if emidepside is approved buyer will most likely sell
16:08it at a social price instead of donating it that means it will charge a low price that covers its
16:13production costs a compromise between buyer and seller there's a chance this approval could still come this
16:19decade which would be a real breakthrough i couldn't believe it for me it will be a good memory to
16:29see
16:30that my contribution to a new drug worked well it's probably the dream of every scientist but it's worth
16:38remembering the drug that could improve hundreds of millions of lives was there 20 years ago what was
16:44missing wasn't the science it was financial incentive
16:50growing vegetables in your own backyard a dream for many city dwellers and great idea in so many ways
16:58above all it's cost effective and healthy but what if your backyard is all concrete or tarmac we go to
17:05north central nigeria to meet a retired gardener who's embracing a simple solution on our doing your
17:12bit this week jeff shee wambish knows you don't need a big garden to live well thanks to their sacks
17:26he and his son have fresh food all year round i grow them based on organic fertilizer i don't use
17:36chemical
17:37fertilizer fertilizer on them it has been yielding very well jeff shee wambish says he has more than
17:43enough to go around what i take the lighting mostly is when someone comes and he's so desirous i give
17:52out assist families around we don't have to go out there and buy something that has been
17:58uh chemicalized farming in sacks is a smart way for people in urban areas to grow their own food
18:06throughout the seasons water from a well ensures irrigation for maize carrots spinach and more during
18:13the dry season the method is proven a lifesaver in uncertain times we are faced with a situation where
18:21a lot of people have to fly flee away from their homes because of a crisis and insecurity so people
18:29in the urban areas need to begin to think about what we call the urban farming more and more people
18:35in
18:35northern nigeria are leaving rural areas to avoid armed conflicts as food prices rise urban farms like
18:42jeff shee's fill a real need with more support it could help combat food insecurity
18:49the government can actually come into this and bring in professionals to train people in
18:56this type of farming can encourage them by giving them seedlings teaching them this practice making
19:01them see that these things that they feel is difficult to do are things they could do in their convenience
19:08sack farming has certainly worked out for jeff shee wambish and his family he hopes more people will get into
19:14it
19:15so the advantage is that use the space that is available to you to farm whatever you intend to
19:24farm what you feel you will be immediate needs of the family it will sustain you if more people turned
19:32to sack farming it would alleviate the pressure on land use take burundi it is a small country it has
19:41an amazing variety of birds with lakes and wetlands that provide vital habitats but growing agriculture
19:49needs entails habitat loss and hunters also put birds at risk of extinction now local communities and
19:57conservation groups are now stepping in to protect them
20:03youbird
20:04lake in northern burundi officially known as lake rwinda is
20:09a paradise for more than 180 bird species including the great egret the
20:14reed computer and the african fish eagle but their home is under threat from
20:19climate change habitat loss and poaches like this illegal fisherman
20:27These men also used to hunt here. They show how they made snares from branches and cords.
20:33They haven't forgotten their craft, but today, they are dedicated to protecting wildlife.
20:41Thanks to the training from the conservationists, I have changed the way I see birds. Today,
20:47I see them as part of myself. If I come across someone who hunts birds, I try to stop them
20:53or I report them to the authorities.
21:01Joseph Bizibungu has one of Burundi's most important conservation groups. He may well be the country's
21:07chief bird protector. In training sessions, he reminds communities around Lake Rehinda why it's vital not to disturb the birds
21:15or their habitats.
21:17Anyone who plants crops in the protected area harms not only nature, but themselves.
21:22The message seems to be getting through.
21:29In recent years, we've faced disasters linked to climate change. It stopped raining here while other communities still had rainfall.
21:36That led to severe famine.
21:46Our job is to educate people about protecting the environment. We show them concrete examples, places where nature has been
21:55destroyed. That helps them understand that if the environment isn't protected, they too will suffer the consequences.
22:10People around the lake mainly grow maize and rice. To protect the birds, they've had to make tough sacrifices. A
22:18legally defined 50-meter-wide buffer zone was created around the lake. In this zone, there can be no farming
22:25or tree cutting.
22:27Families had to be relocated. Families had to be relocated. A drastic measure as land is scarce. Declared areas are
22:33being reforested to create new nesting sites and restore ecological balance.
22:42When we learned they wanted our land to plant trees, it was hard to accept. We grew sweet potatoes and
22:49bananas there, especially in the dry season because the land is close to water.
22:58Imagine someone who owns less than a hectare of land. If you take away 50 meters, that can be very
23:10frustrating.
23:12That's why many people, sometimes out of desperation, return to the buffer zone to cut trees or farm despite the
23:23ban.
23:28Farmers need alternatives. One option is ecotourism. Visitors are taking out on boats like this for bed watching. But so
23:36far, only about 500 come each year.
23:39More alternatives are needed for people to make a living.
23:48We need to increase the number of agroforestry trees. Provide people with livelihoods like fruit trees or small livestock.
24:01And also look for other financial partners to help strengthen and empower the communities.
24:13Some former poachers are now paid by diversity wardens. In the past, they hunted crowned cranes, one of the most
24:21endangered species at Lake Rwinda.
24:23The beds were sold at high prices to hotels and wealthy clients. Today, these same men earn extra income from
24:31protecting them. They report disturbances and guide tourists to the best viewing spots.
24:39We now also give training sessions in our communities. We try to raise awareness so people understand it's forbidden to
24:46hunt crowned cranes or do anything that might scare them or drive them away.
24:53I've come to understand that it is possible to live in harmony with birds. If you want to. They flee
25:00because people disturb them. But if you offer them peace, they become friendly towards us too.
25:06The island in the middle of Lake Rwinda is the heart of the protected area.
25:11Birds live here. But many bird species also nest or rest here as long as they are given the peace
25:18they need.
25:22Well, we have come to the end and we hope you have enjoyed the show. We'll be back in a
25:29week's time with a bunch of inspiring stories.
25:32Well, till then, it's goodbye from me.
25:35You can find all our stories and much more on our website. Let's stay in contact. You can write to
25:42us and share your thoughts at ecoatdwe.com. See you next week.
26:06See you next week.
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