- 4 weeks ago
In a flood-prone Kampala suburb, artist Green Daddy is teaching the next generation to fight climate change. Plus: The cyclist with a vision for Africa's cities.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:21Do you think you know African music?
00:25Do you think you've heard it all?
00:27Well, let me introduce you to a man who wants way more than just to entertain.
00:32And he wants everyone to recognize his passion immediately.
00:38His name, Green Daddy.
00:40Best man leaves it.
00:42He thinks about plastic pollution, climate change and tree planting.
00:46And he pays special attention to the youngest.
00:56They are already big fans.
00:58Three years ago, Vicent Chikabi, or Green Daddy, opened a kindergarten in Natete, a suburb of Kampala.
01:06Every week, he comes by to teach the kids how to look after the environment.
01:14The singer, songwriter, was born in Natete and grew up here.
01:19Back then, the houses were built illegally on this wetland area outside Kampala.
01:25A faithful decision that impacted his life from an early age.
01:33Now, this was my childhood best friend's house.
01:38This is where we used to come and play flow when I was still young.
01:43But as you can see, it is now waterlogged.
01:47I don't know where even they went.
01:49And this was one of my biggest inspirations to become an environment activist.
01:53Because when I think about my friends whom we used to play with, and I can't find them anymore,
02:00I was like, now, this is going to also happen to these kids who are growing up in this area
02:06now.
02:07They will lose their childhood friends.
02:11This same situation will happen if we don't wake up now.
02:15His green hair is his trademark.
02:17He wants to shake things up, also through his music.
02:40His goal is raising awareness.
02:42Together with his mother, Green Daddy set up a foundation in his Kampala neighborhood.
02:48The kindergarten currently has 43 children enrolled.
02:52But former students also enjoy coming back to visit.
02:56The musician focuses primarily on practical activities with the children.
03:01Whether it's cleaning the streets or planting trees.
03:04They've planted 600 saplings so far.
03:08This time, the kindergarten grounds are getting new mango trees.
03:14We are teaching these kids how to plant trees.
03:19So that when they grow up, they teach others.
03:23We are creating an environmental army.
03:26Environmental army, a solid one.
03:28You know, when you teach them young.
03:29They don't have a lot of things to think about.
03:32Their minds are still green.
03:34Green, so whatever you put in their minds, they keep it.
03:41The saplings were provided free of charge by a company, Kampala.
03:46Rubber boots and green hair are a common sight in Natete during the school holidays.
03:52The kids are allowed to dye their hair in the holidays.
03:56And Green Daddy's visits continue.
03:58Children from other schools join in, too.
04:02Looking after the environment with a music star is cool.
04:06You see why I tinted my hair green?
04:08I want to be like Green Daddy.
04:10Green Daddy teach us how to plant trees that gives us oxygen.
04:14I have learned from Green Daddy how to clean small stagnant water channels
04:21that easily spread malaria in our homes.
04:27The message is clearly hitting home and continues to spread in Natete.
04:33Those who know me tell them, this is Green Daddy.
04:37Whenever I meet those kids, I tell them stories, stories, little stories about how to protect the environment.
04:45I teach them how to love nature.
04:47One, two, three, go!
05:05Filming Green Daddy's story was quite an experience for me because of his character and personality.
05:12It would attract young people, whatever would move, filming because of his celebrity status and the tinted green hair.
05:23Young people would want to relate with his branding, with his movement of greening the environment.
05:29This is something I believe will go further to address issues of environment in their locality.
05:37Wow, good vibes indeed.
05:40And you know what?
05:41Green Daddy is not the only one with a colour theme.
05:45In the Ivory Coast, Andy Costa is never without his bright green helmet.
05:50It's more than a statement, really.
05:52He is known as the cycling ambassador.
05:55In Abidjan, for example, bikes make up just 1% of traffic.
06:00Why?
06:01Too many cars, no bike lanes, and let's be honest, bikes have an image problem on the continent.
06:13It's a dream shared by many, hopping into a car and driving off.
06:18But the reality is usually less romantic.
06:21Gridlock and air pollution.
06:29Andy Costa had had enough.
06:31He switched gears and became a fan of bikes.
06:34Despite their reputation as an option only for people who can't afford a car.
06:40I like getting around by bike because it feels like one of the safest ways to really be free.
06:45It's also very democratic.
06:47When you're on a bike, everyone is equal.
06:49We're all just cyclists.
06:56Today is celebrating another achievement.
06:58A large hotel chain now offers bike rentals in Abidjan's business district.
07:02For anyone to experience the area in a different way.
07:06Costa wants to expand bicycle use amongst locals and visitors.
07:10He's been a cycling ambassador for over a decade.
07:13The new bikes are financed by partner companies that want to invest in social responsibility projects.
07:22He knows visibility matters and rides with both locals and famous faces.
07:27From the prime minister to soccer legend DJ Drogba, par from a symbol of poverty, he wants to make the
07:34bicycle a symbol of change.
07:38We're very involved in political advocacy, to ensure that current and future city projects include cycle paths.
07:50Like many major African cities, Ivory Coast economic capital is chronically congested, making it risky for cyclists trying to navigate
07:58the roads.
08:00Together with the World Bank and the French Development Agency, Abidjan is planning to build 15 kilometers of bike lanes
08:07by 2028.
08:09The authorities asked Costa to be part of the planning.
08:12Construction hasn't started yet.
08:16The average household in Abidjan spends around 3 hours a day commuting, much of it in traffic.
08:23And around 45% of fine particulate air pollution comes from road traffic.
08:30Across the whole country, around 34,000 premature deaths per year are linked to air pollution.
08:36So the fight for a bike-friendly city is a fight for cleaner air.
08:41Right now, clean air and safe cycle paths are found mostly in universities and parks, like Benko National Park.
08:53People have started to embrace this spirit of cycling and truly protecting the forest.
08:58They used to get around either on foot or on three-wheelers, which were very noisy and cause pollution.
09:04A lot of people were complaining, so it's great that Andy Costa's cycling program provided bikes.
09:09It makes going on tours and getting around much easier.
09:17With Andy Costa's support, the park has also replaced its own vehicle with an electric one.
09:23Costa is determined to shift the mindset that cycling is only for poorer people in rural areas.
09:30I know that Abidjan can adapt and use bicycles more.
09:37Achieving his vision will require perseverance, something the cycling ambassador has clearly proven he has.
09:55If pedaling just isn't your thing, electric bikes are an eco-friendly alternative.
10:02Our social media reporter Wisdom tried it out here in Lagos.
10:07Can you believe how much time people spend on queue just waiting to buy fuel or more?
10:12No!
10:13What if I told you you don't have to spend so much time trying to refuel your bike?
10:16Powering your electric bike is just easier than you think.
10:19These companies offer something called battery swap.
10:22You don't need to wait for hours to charge.
10:24A battery for a full one takes less than five minutes.
10:27With over 75 swap stations active in Lagos and 1000 an ounce.
10:31In fact, the bikes are designed to show you the nearest swap station.
10:35Don't worry, we have over three companies handling battery swap with more coming.
10:39Guess what?
10:40Some stations are even solid power.
10:41No national grid, or Hala.
10:43A full battery can run up to 100 kilometers.
10:46No more first car, Tizizhege.
10:48Are you following the trend or you want to stay on the queue?
10:51Let's go!
10:56Let's go!
11:01Powerlessness.
11:02A familiar feeling.
11:04The sense that there is nothing you can do about the pollution in our environment, our water, or even the
11:11air that we breathe.
11:13In an industrial town near Dakar, residents grew tired of helplessly watching their children become sick.
11:20So guess what?
11:21They decided to take action.
11:24Toxic waste has long weighed heavily on Sebi Kotane, but the people who live here have not given up hope.
11:33The town near Dakar is on the edge of a growing economic hub.
11:38The water is polluted.
11:40The soil contaminated.
11:42The air also contains harmful substances.
11:46The sources are three recycling plants.
11:49According to a group of young environmentalists, while they are raising awareness, the town's mayor wants to bring back the
11:56forests.
11:59That's our vision, to restore the city and make it green again.
12:05Right now, though, things still look bleak in Sebi Kotane.
12:10The scrap metal processing company, Fabri Metal, has long been accused of releasing poisonous gases.
12:16In the nearby neighborhood of Sebi Fas, Tahibu Lee is convinced the polluted air is making the children sick.
12:26We have two babies who are not yet a year old, but they are already suffering from recurring respiratory illnesses.
12:36He and other residents are demanding clean air.
12:39They spread the word with theater, design, posters, and gather signatures.
12:46The petition is a way of inviting the public to take part in the fight.
12:52At first, it was easy for the accused factories such as Someta to deny responsibility.
12:59The firm that processes crepe metal and industrial waste said there was no evidence that it was contributing to the
13:05pollution.
13:06So, the residents brought in expert help.
13:10What looks like bed houses are in fact biosensors with pieces of eucalyptus bark that absorb airborne pollutants over a
13:19period of months.
13:21In 2022, scientists installed 200 of them in Sebi Kotane, and lab analysis of the data revealed the source of
13:29the pollution.
13:30Around the factories, we found high concentrations of metals.
13:34This is what we call a hotspot.
13:36It's an area of 300 meters around the factories.
13:40Beyond that, the bark samples also allowed us to identify lower magnitude chronic contamination that's constant over time and extends
13:49over a great distance.
13:51Fabri-Mental responded and now emits fewer pollutants, at least during the day, but young activists filmed this video, which
14:00they say shows.
14:02After nightfall, the factory is still releasing clouds of toxic smoke.
14:07Fabri-Mental didn't respond to our request for comment.
14:11And Someta, the other metal factory, after years of back and forth, the recycler says it's taken action.
14:18It now claims to emit virtually no toxic pollutants.
14:23Because we've implemented procedures that not only manage the different types and forms of waste, but also the different types
14:31of pollutants.
14:32We've installed more than 2,500 filters to effectively filter out all the different chemical components of iron or even
14:39plastic waste from items of this kind.
14:45In an other case, the protests managed to get a factory closed down.
14:49The Indian company Gravita used to recycle lead-acid car batteries here without regard for the environment or health.
14:57But even though the factory is gone, its legacy remains in the soil and water of this residential area.
15:04Moodu Niyane and his family recently moved into a house right next to the former factory.
15:09His grandchildren are suffering from stomach cramps and vomiting.
15:21Based on my initial research, I was told it could be late.
15:24Because the problem is this, they are both constantly suffering from stomach aches and vomiting.
15:35I use a lot of antibiotics for the children because I can't even relieve the pain.
15:40These are for the diarrhea, one for the older child, one for the younger.
15:47Meanwhile, at the nearby school, work has begun on decontaminating the soil with the help of greenery.
15:54Plant biologist Mustafa Sagna is using hyptis solverlents, a plant that can extract lead from the soil.
16:02Many of the children here are also suffering gastrointestinal problems.
16:12Once you absorb lead, it will not leave your body, even if you urinate, if you go to the toilet.
16:18The lead doesn't leave you. It's stored in your tissues.
16:21Plants like this one helps us to extract all the lead found in the water and at the school.
16:26So these plants can help us solve the problem of soil pollutants.
16:35But that's just the first step.
16:38The plan is to bring back trees.
16:40When the mayor was a child, there was a forest here.
16:43Today, only scarred land remains.
16:46He's bought a bag of six hectares for the city and wants to restore the forest.
16:51And this man is supposed to get it started, Maximilien Puyere, the founder of the local tree nursery.
16:58His plan is to plant some new trees but also to help nature heal itself.
17:06The priority is to protect the land because the forest remains in the soil.
17:12As soon as we fence it off, it will start to emerge.
17:16There are still trees in the subsoil.
17:19There are seeds that have survived.
17:22They can stay in the soil for a long time.
17:26Maximilien Puyere and his helpers are planting sick mofigs, a hardy native species whose leaves are traditionally used to treat
17:34coughs and high blood pressure.
17:36It's one more part of the Sebi-Kotanis residence push to restore the natural healthy balance with clean soil and
17:45fresh air.
17:49Across rural Africa, traditional chiefs hold power that shapes the land and the lives of their people.
17:57But all too often, that power is used in ways that damage the environment rather than protecting it.
18:05We're off to northern Ghana, where a new kind of leadership is emerging.
18:09Chiefs are trading regalia for responsibility.
18:18This man has been chosen as a guardian of the land to protect the future of the people in this
18:23region.
18:24Chief Aiden Agulogo is now Supreme Environmental Chief of Ghana's northeastern Bongo district.
18:30A coronation ceremony makes it official.
18:32He will be in charge of more than 40 junior environmental chiefs in the area.
18:41No tree will be cut, no bush will be burnt.
18:44I urge the young people to stop cutting down trees and smoking in the bushes.
18:49Otherwise, we will hand you over to the Forestry Commission for sanctions.
18:55The Bongo district is facing huge problems.
18:59Tree fellings have decimated the forest.
19:01That, along with climate change, has made rainfall irregular.
19:05Water levels in the Viyar Reservoir have dropped steadily.
19:09Sand extracted to build homes and roads, along with tree fellings, mean precious rainwater runs off more quickly.
19:15Today, small-scale farmers like Ambabila Alagni are struggling to survive.
19:2090% of farmers in northern Ghana grow peanuts.
19:23Right now, the harvest is not looking good.
19:28The ground is dry.
19:30This is food.
19:31But you can't harvest because it didn't rain enough.
19:36Even if you try your best to uproot it, the ground is so hard that you lose the nuts.
19:42When you pull the plant out, if there are 10 nuts, only 3 comes out.
19:47The other 7 remains in the field.
19:50We are facing huge problems.
19:56Chief Aydin is well-traveled.
19:58At the age of 20, he experienced firsthand in the Sahara what water scarcity means
20:03and how important it is to leave vegetation intact.
20:07Back home, he became a passionate environmentalist.
20:12He earns his living as a farmer and he also breeds bears.
20:21Everyone in this community respects him.
20:24Over the past five years, this community has changed for the better.
20:34In the past, a tree like this will have been cut by now.
20:40And there will be nowhere to sit in the shed.
20:44Now, if you want to prune a tree in this community, you need his permission.
20:57The water resources commission is in charge of protecting surface water bodies in Ghana.
21:02It now relies on local environmental chiefs.
21:04They enjoy more influence in rural areas than aspects in the regional capitals.
21:10Our local communities are saying that when a foreigner comes, they look at you with suspicion.
21:15But when one of them, especially somebody who is an opinion leader, comes to them or comes to show them
21:21a way that is different from how they have lived in the past, which is detrimental to the environment,
21:26they are more receptive and they are more open.
21:30But it seems there are still people who don't respect the chief's wishes.
21:33While out on forest patrol, Chief Aiden discovers that firewood has been cut illegally and stacked on a tricycle track.
21:41The loggers took off as soon as the team appeared.
21:44The wood and vehicle will be confiscated if the perpetrators are caught and they will have to pay a fine.
21:52No matter what you do, there are always going to be some people who want to listen.
21:58See the destruction they are causing here.
22:01We will confiscate the wood and when we catch them, the forest commission will decide on punishment.
22:08The wood will be donated to schools.
22:10They can use it to cook meals for the children.
22:13But it is often sheer necessity that drives people to break the rules.
22:18Many struggle to earn a living.
22:21For women in the Bongo region, weaving traditional baskets is one of the few ways to earn a little money.
22:28It takes Chris Adongo up to four days to make a basket.
22:33There is no business.
22:35So because of that, people cannot buy charcoal or firewood.
22:39So they have to go to the forest and steal from the forest and come home and cook.
22:45Despite the challenges, the echo chips remain undeterred.
22:48They are working to reforest the area with funding from environmental groups like international NGOs, Tree Aid and Blue Deal.
22:56Farmer Ammabila Alagni donated one of his parched peanut fields to the project.
23:03The trees are now in their fourth year.
23:05Once the forest has grown back, it will retain moisture in the ground.
23:10He also hopes it will eventually lead to increased rainfall.
23:15Aspects are optimistic.
23:16This place used to be very degraded, less trees and exposed to the weather, bad weather.
23:29And so with the presence of Tree Aid since 2021, the area has been restored.
23:36And this contributes to the ecological function of the river.
23:42We are doing this to protect the place, forestry, and then protect the environment, the erosion.
23:50There's a galley here, which this one started, is locking it now.
23:54We are seeing changes.
23:56In the neighboring village, Chief Aiden's strict approach is already bearing fruit.
24:01Vegetation is slowly returning to over 20 square kilometers of protected land,
24:06offering a dream of hope for nature and the people in this region.
24:14Did you know that plants can hear rain?
24:17Well, not like that exactly, but more like this rice plant.
24:20Scientists at MIT discovered something incredible.
24:24Some rice seeds germinate faster when it rains.
24:27Not because of the water, but because of the sound.
24:31The research team tested thousands of rice seeds in different setups.
24:35Some were exposed to sounds of rain of varying intensity.
24:39Others were kept in complete silence.
24:42The result?
24:42Seeds that were exposed to the sounds of falling raindrops sprouted up to 30 to 40 percent faster.
24:49Scientists believe the phenomenon is due to statoliths inside plant cells.
24:54The dense, sand-like structures enable plants to sense gravity, directing roots down and stems up.
25:01And seemingly, the statoliths also react to rain.
25:05When a raindrop hits water or soil, it creates a strong vibration that the seed can sense or hear,
25:11powerful enough to trigger growth.
25:13Nature is more tuned in than we think, right?
25:16And with that, we wrap up today's show.
25:20So why not subscribe to our weekly Echo Drop newsletter and do stay in touch.
25:26We'd love to hear your suggestions, stories you'd like us to cover, or any comments.
25:32Just write to us at echo at dw.com.
25:35See you around.
25:45Stop one, two.
26:06Switch.
Comments