The Happy Pod: The professionals and tradespeople cleaning up Ghana

Summary

Global News Podcast: Episode Summary Title: The Happy Pod: The Professionals and Tradespeople Cleaning Up Ghana
Host/Author: BBC World Service
Release Date: January 4, 2025

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1. Movement of Young Professionals Sweeping Ghana Clean

Overview:
The episode opens with a compelling look into Ghana's burgeoning environmental movement led by youth professionals. Haneba Kwajo Safo, founder of the Buzz Stop Boys, spearheads efforts to tackle rampant waste accumulation in Accra, Ghana's capital. The initiative addresses significant environmental and public health issues, including clogged drains and the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera and malaria.

Key Points:

• Formation and Growth: The Buzz Stop Boys started with five members and have now expanded to nearly 50, drawing support from local celebrities and international volunteers, including teenagers from the UK.
• Community Impact: Only 10% of waste in Accra is properly disposed of. The movement seeks to improve this by organizing regular clean-up sessions using basic tools like brooms and shovels.
• Collective Responsibility: Haneba emphasizes the importance of collective action over relying solely on local government. He states, “No one man cannot do it all. It always takes the collective to get the results we are all looking out for.” [02:35]

Notable Quotes:

• Haneba Kwajo Safo [02:35]: “We are trying to get a collective involvement. We are all facing the consequences of malaria, cholera, typhoid... It always takes the collective to get the results we are all looking out for.”
• Haneba Kwajo Safo [03:26]: “The level of support is not something that I anticipated... We must take collective action in protecting the environment and protecting the human race.”

Future Plans:
The movement is eyeing expansion into neighboring countries like Nigeria, leveraging shared cultural and environmental challenges. Haneba notes, “We started getting some messages on Instagram, especially guys in Nigeria wanting to implement the same strategy.” [04:41]

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2. Cedar Hollow: A Magical Retreat for Those with Chronic Health Conditions

Overview:
Transitioning to the UK, the podcast highlights Cedar Hollow, a unique retreat inspired by C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. Founded by hematologist Dr. Noemi Roy and her husband, Dr. Yaz Reimahi, Cedar Hollow offers a magical sanctuary for individuals battling chronic blood disorders like sickle cell anemia.

Key Points:

• Purpose and Inspiration: Cedar Hollow serves as a place for patients and their families to relax, connect, and find solace away from the isolating struggles of their conditions.
• Innovative Design: The retreat is imbued with magical elements created by Dr. Yaz, a magician and member of the Magic Circle. Features include enchanted lighting systems and interactive illusions that evoke a sense of wonder.

Notable Quotes:

• Dr. Noemi Roy [06:24]: “Anaemia... means you don't have enough of what carries oxygen around your body. So you're going to have low energy levels and you're not going to be able to do the things that other people have the energy to do.”
• Dr. Yaz Reimahi [08:58]: “All of this was built by Noemi's husband, Dr. Yaz Ramahi, with the help of artificial intelligence.”

Personal Stories: Chelsea Javar Salas, a patient, shares her emotional journey: “Getting to this point was a long process. So to them, it was just a very amazing feeling to finally see the birds flying free in the wild.” [07:31]

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3. Reintroduction of Hawaiian Crows: Alala Return to the Wild

Overview:
The podcast delves into the conservation efforts to reintroduce the Hawaiian crow, or alala, back into the wild after two decades of extinction in their natural habitat. Biologist Chelsea Javar Salas highlights the cultural and ecological significance of this initiative.

Key Points:

• Cultural Importance: Alala play a vital role in Hawaiian traditions, being part of the pumulipo, the native creation chant, and are viewed as family guardians.
• Conservation Efforts: Five alalas have been successfully released on Maui Island, with efforts focused on improving habitat conditions by planting native vegetation and installing protective fences.

Notable Quotes:

• Chelsea Javar Salas [09:53]: “The dark color of the alalau's feathers represents unpredictable things in Hawaiian culture... It's unique. You'll never hear anything like it in today's forest.”
• Chelsea Javar Salas [12:08]: “The alala are culturally important to native Hawaiians. They provide protection for your family.”

Future Outlook:
The ultimate goal is to establish a self-sustaining population that can thrive and contribute to the ecosystem by dispersing native plant seeds, thereby fostering forest health. Chelsea expresses optimism: “We think success is getting to a point where the alal released will survive longer with the potential to mature, pair, and breed in the wild.” [11:49]

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4. Surviving the Wilderness: An 8-Year-Old's Miraculous Journey in Zimbabwe

Overview:
A heartwarming yet harrowing story features Tinotenda, an eight-year-old boy who became lost in a national park in northwestern Zimbabwe. Against all odds, he survived five days navigating a landscape teeming with wildlife and environmental hazards.

Key Points:

• Survival Skills: Tinotenda utilized his innate survival instincts, learned from his upbringing in a community accustomed to living alongside wildlife.
• Rescue Efforts: Rangers eventually located him by tracking his footprints, underscoring the importance of community and preparedness in such environments.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben Morris [13:51]: “Growing up in that kind of community, you would have to have these survival skills. It would just be second nature to him, literally.”
• Ben Morris [14:16]: “Buffalo, which are incredibly dangerous... he's literally living in amongst the wild.”

Outcome:
Tinotenda was rescued after demonstrating remarkable resilience and adaptability. Officials expressed astonishment at his ability to survive the perilous conditions for an additional day beyond typical survival expectations.

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5. Friendship in the Face of Cancer: Betsy and Lacy’s Inspiring Bond

Overview:
The episode shares the touching story of two young girls, Betsy and Lacy, who formed an unbreakable friendship after both being diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Their bond has provided mutual support through challenging treatments.

Key Points:

• Initial Contact: Diagnosed within three weeks of each other, their families connected, leading to a friendship that has been pivotal in their emotional well-being.
• Support System: Betsy and Lacy's relationship exemplifies how shared experiences can foster resilience and hope amidst adversity.

Notable Quotes:

• Holly Gibbs [16:26]: “They have a very special friendship... they have helped each other get through the grueling process.”
• Dr. Yaz Reimahi [17:50]: “They don't feel so alone. They've got each other.”

Future Prospects:
Both girls are currently in the maintenance phase of their treatment, slated for completion in 2025. Their journey continues as they maintain daily medications and hospital appointments, buoyed by their steadfast friendship.

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6. Innovative Firefighting Techniques: Cows and Horses Combat Spain’s Wildfires

Overview:
Addressing the escalating issue of wildfires exacerbated by climate change, the podcast explores an innovative approach in Spain where cows and horses are employed to manage vegetation and prevent large-scale fires.

Key Points:

• Ecological Balance: Historically, large herbivores like bison and wild horses naturally managed vegetation, reducing fire fuel. Their absence contributed to denser, more flammable landscapes.
• Rewilding Efforts: Pablo Shapira of Rewilding Spain reintroduces species such as the Prabowski horse and Tauros cows to act as natural habitat engineers.

Notable Quotes:

• Haneba Kwajo Safo [19:34]: “When you have a fire now, you don't have a normal natural fire, you have a huge fire that doesn't stop and burn thousands of thousands of hectares.”
• Haneba Kwajo Safo [22:35]: “We need to have natural fires occurring. The natural fires are small fires, not huge fires like we have now.”

Impact:
The reintroduced animals consume significant amounts of vegetation daily, creating natural firebreaks and maintaining ecosystem health. This method offers a sustainable alternative to traditional firefighting techniques, aiming to mitigate the devastating impact of uncontrolled wildfires.

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7. Listener Highlight: Amber and Her Daughter Violet’s Police Swearing-In Ceremony

Overview:
The episode concludes with a heartwarming listener story from Amber Cherrion in Chicago. Amber recounts the joyous occasion when her young daughter, Violet, participated in her husband Aiden’s swearing-in ceremony as a police officer, becoming a symbolic member of the force herself.

Key Points:

• Ceremony Moments: Despite the challenge of keeping a young child entertained, Violet eagerly joined the ceremony, even repeating parts of the oath and humorously asserting her role as a police officer.
• Community Reaction: The event garnered widespread admiration on social media, highlighting the supportive and inclusive nature of the ceremony.

Notable Quotes:

• Amber Cherrion [24:35]: “She's looking very proud. Her hand is raised up.”
• Amber Cherrion [25:52]: “Everyone has told me, that it's just really cute... They said... when you swear in... you aren't just swearing in the one individual. You are swearing in the entire family.”

Personal Reflections:
Amber shares the pride and challenges of the day, emphasizing Violet's spirited nature: “I think that she wants to do what everyone tells her she can't do.” [24:22]

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8. Additional Stories and Content

Wildfires and Rewilding:
Beyond Spain, the podcast touches on broader themes of environmental stewardship and innovative conservation methods, underscoring the interconnectedness of global ecosystems.

World of Secrets Series Teaser:
Towards the end, a brief mention is made of the "World of Secrets" series, which delves into the darker aspects of the wellness industry. However, this segment falls outside the main content focus of the episode.

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Conclusion

This episode of the Global News Podcast masterfully weaves together a diverse array of stories that celebrate human resilience, community effort, and innovative solutions to global challenges. From the streets of Accra to the forests of Hawaii, and from the wilds of Zimbabwe to the supportive bonds in Welsh schools, each narrative underscores the profound impact of collective action and personal determination.

Producers and Credits:
This edition was mixed by Callum McLean and produced by Siobhan Leahy, Holly Gibbs, and Rachel Bulkley. The editor is Karen Norton.

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For more stories and updates, listeners are encouraged to visit the Global News Podcast platform and engage with the content shared by BBC World Service.

Transcript

[Nick Miles]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Ben Morris]

How do you make an Airbnb a vrbo? Imagine trying to find the perfect vacation rental for a girls trip. Now imagine there's a tool that makes it easy to compare different houses so the group agrees on a house faster than they agree on appetizers. You've got yourself a vrbo. Make it a vrbo.

[Amber Cherrion]

Hello, I'm Amber.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Hello, Elia.

[Amber Cherrion]

And you're listening to the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service Foreign.

[Nick Miles]

I'm Nick Miles and in this edition.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

We are doing this every day, Every day, every day. And I tell you right now in Ghana, we've got a lot of youth rising up to do the same. No one man cannot do it all. It always takes the collective to get the results. We are all looking out for the.

[Nick Miles]

Movement of young professionals sweeping Ghana clean.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

Also, there's lots of magical ways of opening and turning off the lights, different illusions around the place. Even for an adult, it gives them that feeling of the wonder of being a child and of being excited about things.

[Nick Miles]

We go to the tree houses for people living with chronic health conditions and.

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

Getting to this point was a long process. So to them it was just a very amazing feeling to finally see the birds flying free in the wild.

[Nick Miles]

The Hawaiian crow, which has been released back into the wild 20 years after the species went extinct there. We start in Ghana where a group of boys have formed a clean up crew to tackle the out of control mounds of rubbish that had become an eyesore and a health hazard in cities and towns across the country. In the capital, Accra, waste has been clogging up drains and spilling onto the pavements, helping spread waterborne diseases like cholera and malaria. Only 10% of waste there is disposed of properly. The new group, called the Buzz Stop Boys, want to change that. They meet a few times a week armed with brooms, shovels and dustpans to clean the streets. The original team of five has now grown to nearly 50. They've been called heroes by local celebrities and a group of teenagers from the UK even flew over to help them. Haneba Kwajosafol started the Buzz Stop Boys last year. Richard Hamilton caught up with him and started by asking the problem wasn't the local government's responsibility to solve.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Yeah, it is, of course, that is what everybody will say. But for us bastard boys, we are looking at it from the perspective of the effect of the environmental disaster. We are looking at it from the angle that even though it is the responsibility of the local authorities to do what they need to do. We all faces the consequences of malaria, cholera, typhoid and all of that. Anything that affects the environment goes a long way to affect all of us. So our campaign is forcefully about the fact that we are trying to get a collective involvement. Because so long as we all face the consequences of the environment, yes, no one man cannot do it all. It always takes the collective to get the results we are all looking out for.

[Nick Miles]

And are you surprised by the momentum that this movement has taken? I mean, there seem to be a lot of you now involved and you've got support from celebrities and other people as well. So did you expect it to be this successful?

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

The level of support is not something that I anticipated. The environment does not discriminate who is rich and who is poor. It affects all of us on every level. So I believe this is a message that go to a lot of people to understand, to begin to look at it from that angle, to say that, yes, I agree, and I think it will always take all of us on a collective level to change the story. We human beings is the problem to anything that is destroying this planet. We are nothing without the environment. We must take collective action in protecting the environment and protecting the human race. I believe this is the message that has got a lot of people involved in the campaign against anything environmental disaster.

[Nick Miles]

Do you think there's been a change in awareness among ordinary people in Ghana? Do you think this has caught their imagination? Do you think this is making a real difference?

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Yes, it's making a real difference. As the bastard boys, we are doing this every day, every day, every day. And I tell you right now in Ghana, we've got a lot of youth rising up to do the same. I talk about brotherhood and a lot more about six different groups rising up. So talk about change. We believe that as we keep the pace, keep doing, eventually get a lot more people riding for the same course and eventually they can get some clean air and all of that.

[Nick Miles]

Do you think it might spread to other countries like Nigeria, for example?

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

We started getting some messages on Instagram, especially guys in Nigeria wanting to implement the same strategy. So we go there and establish something in Nigeria. Nigeria and Ghana is more like one, brothers. You know, anything that happens in Nigeria coherently happens in Ghana. We use the same energy and spirit to clean up our communities and our environment. So, yes, we are looking at going to places beyond Ghana.

[Nick Miles]

That was Haneba Kwajo Safo, the Lion, the Witch and the wardrobe. C.S. lewis's fantasy novel has been beloved by children and adults for more than 70 years now, a charity in England influenced by the story and film adaptation have created a retreat for people living with chronic health problems such as congenital anaemia. It's one of several treehouses where those with long term conditions can escape, relax and meet others in similar situations. Our reporter Ben Morris went to find out more.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

In an ancient woodland on the outskirts of Oxford in southern England, there is a Treehouse inspired by C.S. lewis's story the Chronicles of Narnia, next door to where the author wrote all of his books.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

Now, the only problem is everything is magic in here, which means you can't turn anything on without some sort of trick. But hopefully this would be fine.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

Cedar Hollow is a luxury holiday rental run by haematologist Dr. Noemi Roy and her husband, Dr. Yaz Reimahi. Each month the couple gift a stay in the house to patients and families affected by sickle cell thalassaemia or other inherited blood disorders.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

Anaemia is the lack of red blood cells. When we say anemia, most people assume it means low iron, but that's because iron deficiency anemia is the commonest cause of anemia worldwide. But there's many types of anemia and having anemia means you don't have enough red blood cells, so you don't have enough of what carries oxygen around your body. And so you're going to have low energy levels and you're not going to be able to do the things that other people have the energy to do.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

Dr. Roy runs a charity called the Congenital Anaemia Network or can, which gives people a safe place to relax and connect with others who are also affected.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

We started this because we wanted to give people with inherited types of anemia the opportunity to get to know each other because they're quite rare diseases and it's very isolating to have a rare disease.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

Naomi is currently staying at Cedar Hollow.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

So it's going to be very confusing because you've got Naomi and Naomi and we won't like to be called the wrong name.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

She has sickle cell anaemia and told me what this mystical place means to her.

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

So I was diagnosed as an adult. Usually you get diagnosed as a baby, so you can imagine the turmoil I went through because I already had a perception about people with sickle cell. There's a lot of, you know, fear around it. So when I was diagnosed, I felt so isolated.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

The charity and Cedar Hollow have given Naomi the rare chance to escape from the day to day management of her condition. And it's more than just a cabin in the woods.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

So my husband is a magician. It's not his full time job, but he does belong to the Magic Circle and he loves building gadget. So the whole site is full of hidden gems and magical things. There's lots of magical ways of opening and turning off the lights, different illusions around the place. And so it gives, even for an adult, it gives them that feeling of the wonder of being a child and of being excited about things.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

The whole campus is a magical place to see. The bathroom is hidden behind a special mirror. The lights can be turned on with a golden ring. And if spoken to, the White Witch who rules over the land of Narnia will respond with her poetic words.

[Amber Cherrion]

Lights shall shine both near and far.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

A glow to pierce where shadows are.

[Nick Miles]

That's so cool.

[Dr. Noemi Roy]

We're all waiting for your reaction.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

And all of this was built by Noemi's husband, Dr. Yaz Ramahi, with the help of artificial intelligence.

[Ben Morris]

With butter thought, the duck shall flee illuminated.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Now you'll see.

[Nick Miles]

That report was by Ben Morris. Hawaiian crows, known as alala, are intelligent, charismatic birds with a distinctive call. They're of great cultural importance to the US State, once helping to maintain native forests there. But only 110 are left on the planet. They've been extinct in the wild for more than 20 years, until now. Five Alalas were released on Maui island in December. San Diego Zoo had raised them together for months to establish strong bonds. Chelsea Javar Salas is a wildlife biologist originally from Hawaii. She's been talking to Danny Cox about the alalas.

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

The literal translation of alala in Hawaiian means to squeal, cry, call or scream. Alala is also like a style of chanting. So like when you open your mouth and the vibrations and the tremor of your voice that relates to the call or the call of alala. Alala are included in the pumulipo, which is the Hawaiian native creation chant that details the emergence of all life forms. The dark color of the alalau's feathers also represents unpredictable things in Hawaiian culture. So if an alalau was seen or heard in the past, when you're entering a place, its call or cry was considered a warning to not enter that place.

[Nick Miles]

So what was it like for you to see it flying free again?

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

Being from the island of Hawaii, this release means a lot to me. People in the field were very excited and anxious at the same time. Getting to this point was a long process. So to them, it was just a very amazing feeling to finally see the birds flying free in the wild.

[Nick Miles]

Tell us about how we got to here how much effort has it taken to get to this point?

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

We have improved habitat conditions by installing fences that exclude ungulates. Ungulates are hooved animals. We've also improved habitat by transplanting and reintroducing native plants which help to provide shelter and forage for alalau. The alalau are important to the ecosystem of Hawaii's forests as they eat and dispense the seeds of native plants.

[Nick Miles]

They fell foul of, I guess the ecosystem before. How confident are you about their future now?

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

So we think success is getting to a point where the alal released will survive longer with the potential to mature, pair and breed in the wild. The end goal is to get enough birds to eventually release them back to the island of Hawaii.

[Nick Miles]

How proud are Hawaiians of their alala? How has this been received?

[Chelsea Javar Salas]

In general, the community are very supportive. The alala are culturally important to native Hawaiians. Alala is regarded as a or a family guardian and they provide protection for your family. We all want Hawaii to have this experience with the birds, to see this magnificent bird with beautiful shiny dark feathers and to hear their distinct calls, which is unique. You'll never hear anything like it in today's forest.

[Nick Miles]

Chelsea Javar Sala speaking to Danny Cox. Now many of us may well have a childhood memory of being out and losing sight of our parents for a few agonizing moments. This next story makes that sound very tame indeed. It involves an eight year old boy who went missing in northwestern Zimbabwe and wandered alone for five days in a national park full of wild animals. He's called Tina Tendapudu. And don't worry, this tale does have a happy ending. Camilla Mills is from Zimbabwe and tell me more.

[Ben Morris]

According to Officials in Zimbabwe, 8 year old Tinotenda he wandered away from his home in Kariba and found himself all of a sudden in this national park up in the north of the country in Kariba. So there's just a wealth of wildlife there. It's very thick, dense bush. You also have Lake Kariba, which is the biggest man made lake in the world and it is infested with crocodiles. So he had a lot to fend himself against. So he wandered off and found himself trying to survive in the wild for the days that he was there. Apparently he slept on rocky mounds to avoid nighttime predators and in the day he went foraging for wild fruit and then he also dug mounds in the dry riverbed to try and find water.

[Nick Miles]

So this boy was clearly not a city kid. He'd grown up and was familiar with how you look after Yourself in the bush. Yeah.

[Ben Morris]

So growing up in that kind of community, so it's called the Yummy Nummies, the local community up there, you would have to have these survival skills. You live in the bush and you have to know how to live alongside this wildlife. So he would have grown up learning all of this and it would just be second nature to him, literally.

[Nick Miles]

The kind of animals that are around there. You mentioned the crocodiles, but there are other animals on land that were quite hard to avoid, one imagines. But he went up to these copies, these, these stone areas above the plain to, to escape them. Yeah.

[Ben Morris]

So he would have had to contend with buffalo, which are incredibly dangerous. Probably the most dangerous animals that he would have come across, lions and also elephants. We're not even thinking then about the snakes and the spiders and all of the other things. I mean, he was literally living in amongst the wild.

[Nick Miles]

Now, would this have been seen as remarkable in Zimbabwe or is it just because we're seeing it from the outside?

[Ben Morris]

No, I think everyone there is pretty amazed that he was able to do this at the age of 8. Apparently he had heard rangers in the region and he tried to run after their truck and they drove off and he then went back into the bushes and they came back along the same route and they saw his little human footprints and they were able to find him. And the rangers said, said that after five days living in the wild, they don't actually think he would have survived for another day. So it's amazing that they found him then.

[Nick Miles]

Camilla Mills, Coming up in this podcast.

[Amber Cherrion]

I said, did you get sworn in with daddy? And she goes, yeah, I did. And I said, are you a police officer now? And she said, yeah, and you're under arrest.

[Nick Miles]

One of our listeners highlights from 2024. Now to a story about friendship. Seven year old Betsy lives little more than a kilometre away from five year old Lacy, who she says is her best friend. Despite attending the same school in England, the girls barely knew each other until they were tragically brought together after they were diagnosed with the same form of rare cancer. Since then, the girls and their parents have become like a single family. And Betsy and Lacy say they've helped each other get through the grueling process. The happy pods. Holly Gibbs has the details. She's special to me because she's my best friend. We met in hospital.

[Holly Gibbs]

That's seven year old Lacey talking about five year old Betsy. The two girls have a very special friendship. They live close to each other in the Welsh town of Brijnd and they attend the same school. But they did not meet until April 2023, when they received the same diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Within three weeks of each other, Betsy's mum, Charlotte, said she received a text message from a mutual friend who had heard about Lacey's similar diagnosis and put the families in touch. A message which Lacey's mum, Jess, says she was thankful for.

[Nick Miles]

We were in the first week of diagnosis when Charlotte messaged me and I'm so glad she did because she could give me an insight of what was to come.

[Ben Morris]

They met in the hospital and they just hit her off straight away.

[Nick Miles]

They were, like, hugging. They were getting to know each other, asking each other questions, and it's just evolved from there.

[Holly Gibbs]

Since then, the families have become very close and formed a support bubble. Charlotte says the girls have found comfort in each other during their treatment.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

They've lost their hair the same time.

[Ben Morris]

They'Ve had, you know, when they're both.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

On the steroids at the same time, they can both be, you know, a.

[Ben Morris]

Little bit moody sometimes, maybe.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

And for them both to have that understanding and to see each other, you know, being the same, I think it's been such a huge help. They don't feel so alone. They've got each other.

[Holly Gibbs]

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia affects around 440 children a year in the UK. The parents of Betsy and Lacey couldn't believe two girls in the same school had the same diagnosis. The girls, nurse Leslie, visits them every week in school. She says she's watched the friendship flourish.

[Nick Miles]

Having a blood sample. They're really very supportive of each other.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

Because I think Lacy found it quite difficult having a blood sample in school for the first couple of times, but Betsy was really encouraging, so it made.

[Ben Morris]

The whole process easier.

[Holly Gibbs]

Betsy and Lacey are in the maintenance phase of their treatment, which is due to be completed in 2025. They still have to take daily medication and have frequent hospital appoint. But as both the girls say, they have each other.

[Nick Miles]

It's really nice to have a friend that's always with you in hospital. I think I'm going to be as brave as Betsy is. Holly Gibbs reporting. Last year saw deadly wildfires across Europe, Canada and parts of South America. And as the Earth warms up, they're becoming increasingly common and harder to deal with. But in Spain, one project is using cows and horses to help keep some of the flames under control. Craig Langren went to find out how it works.

[Pablo Shapira]

I've travelled about two hours northeast from the capital of Madrid to meet biologist Pablo Shapira Pablo heads up the team at an NGO called Rewilding Spain. And today he's taking me for a walk in the Iberian highlands, a rugged area where tall trees with orange and red leaves clinging to the hillsides.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

And what happens is that when you have a fire now, you don't have a normal natural fire, you have a huge fire that doesn't stop and burn thousands of thousands of hectares.

[Pablo Shapira]

One of the reasons for this is that the forests have been left to grow unchecked, as there simply aren't enough animals to feed on all the trees, bushes and grass. And the more dense this vegetation is, the more likely it is to catch fire.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

What we had before in our ecosystems here in Europe is that we had big races, we had bison, we had autos, we had wild horses, and now they are gone from the ecosystem because of extinction domestication.

[Pablo Shapira]

Pablo's solution is really quite simple, to reintroduce some of these long lost big beasts of the forest and let them run wild. So I can just see one of the Prabowski horses in the distance. This particular type of horse is called the Prawalski horse, and it's the world's last species of truly wild horse. Wow, they're beautiful, aren't they? Really big, brown, with a long mane. That's quite distinctive. Pablo and his team started reintroducing these horses to this area in 2023, and there are now 26 dotted around the forest.

[Nick Miles]

We're just emerging from the forest into.

[Pablo Shapira]

What looks like a sort of clearing, I suppose. Oh, there are loads more horses in here and they're just, they're just peacefully grazing.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Well, these animals consume more than 30kg of grass every day, and that's very, very important.

[Pablo Shapira]

The idea here is that if a fire broke out in the forest, this clearing would provide a natural buffer and slow its progress. Whilst the horses are great at clearing all the grass and flora closer to the ground, in order to keep all of the flammable vegetation in check, you need a whole army of animals. Down the road, I made some more four legged friends. Slender, with long legs and sleek black fur, Tauros are a crossbreed species of cow who have been carefully bred to resemble the long extinct wild aurochs who used to roam the Iberian highlands. It's Rafa's job to look after this herd of 13 wild cows.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

These large, heavy cows are like habitat engineers. So their role here is to eat and move in a way that help us to prevent another wildfire.

[Nick Miles]

The cows eat their favorite trees, the trees that they eat usually are the.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Weakest trees, which means that the ones that survive are also the healthier ones. So this is also good for the ecosystem.

[Pablo Shapira]

Along with the cows voracious appetite, they trample in the vegetation and it's that trampling that helps to open up the forest so it's not so densely packed full of flammable vegetation. Pablo Raffert and the team hope that their herds of cows and horses continue to grow in numbers so it's harder for the fires that do break out to spread.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

We need to have natural fires occurring. The natural fires are small fires, not huge fires like we have now.

[Nick Miles]

And you can hear more on that on people fixing the world wherever you get your podcasts. As we enter 2025, we've been asking you, our listeners for your happiest moments. Amber Cherrion from Quincy in Chicago is one of those who got in touch. Amber told us about a very proud day just before the New Year when she watched her husband Aiden gets sworn into their local police department. He becomes the only Indian American officer on that force. Pictures of his ceremony have been shared many times on social media after their two and a half year old daughter Violet refused to miss out on the action. I caught up with Amber about what happened.

[Amber Cherrion]

It was definitely an exciting moment, something that we've been waiting on for a while. But definitely trying to keep her happy and entertained in the back was difficult.

[Nick Miles]

Can imagine. So your husband had went up to be sworn in. Talk us through what happened then.

[Amber Cherrion]

So he initially went up by himself and started getting sworn in and she saw him up there and she wanted to run to him. And so at first I was trying, she was crawling on the floor and I was bending over trying to keep her back. And someone, I don't know who it was, but someone was like, it's okay, she can go up there. And then after they said that, she just started and ran up there and they told her to hold her hand up and she got sworn in with her dad.

[Nick Miles]

Now is she quite a feisty young girl at the best of times or does, does she just want to do what her dad does at any moment?

[Amber Cherrion]

I think that she wants to do what everyone tells her she can't do.

[Nick Miles]

So you won't cross at all. You kind of saw this happening and thought, ah, let's go with it.

[Amber Cherrion]

If you look close enough at the photos, you can also see that she's not even wearing shoes.

[Nick Miles]

Shoes, I didn't see that. But she's looking very proud. Her hand is raised up. I think it was her left hand actually raised up. She looks to be looking straight ahead. Did. Did she repeat any of the words? I'm wondering whether or not she's technically, officially been sworn in herself.

[Amber Cherrion]

She assisted with his swearing in, but she repeated some of the words. And then when it was done and everyone started clapping, she turned. She turned around and started clapping for him, too. But when we got in the car after the ceremony, I asked her, I said, did you get sworn in? And she said, what? I said, did you get sworn in with Daddy? And she goes, yeah, I did. And I said, are you a police officer now? And she said, yeah. And you're under arrest.

[Nick Miles]

Yeah. She's pretty feisty, isn't she? Violet, Maybe we can have a little word with her now.

[Haneba Kwajo Safo]

Hello.

[Nick Miles]

Hello, Violet. I'm Nick. What do you want to do when you're grown up?

[Amber Cherrion]

Do you want to be a police officer like Daddy?

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

No.

[Amber Cherrion]

Do you want to be a police officer like Daddy?

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

No, Mommy.

[Nick Miles]

Oh. Can I just ask you, Amber, what kind of a reaction have you had from these pictures? I mean, when I first saw them, I thought, that's so cute. And the whole story, what kind of reaction have you had from people to this?

[Amber Cherrion]

That's pretty much what everyone has told me, that it's just really cute. Someone told me. I told them what happened and they just said, that's awesome, because they said that when you swear in, like a police officer, firefighter, any law enforcement like that, he said, you're swearing in the entire family. You aren't just swearing in the one individual. And so he just really loved that, that they let her go up there like that.

[Nick Miles]

Amber and Violet, of course. Now, if you've got a story you'd like to share with us about what's made you happy, get in touch. As ever, the address is Global [e-mail]. and that's all from the Happy Pod for now. This edition was mixed by Callum McLean. The producers were Siobhan Leahy, Holly Gibbs and Rachel Bulkley. The editor is Karen Norton. I'm Nick Miles. And until next time. Goodbye.

[Ben Morris]

How do you make an Airbnb a vrbo? Imagine trying to find the perfect vacation rental for a girls trip. Now imagine there's a tool that makes it easy to compare different houses so the group agrees on a house faster than they agree on appetizers. You've got yourself a verbo. Make it a vrbo.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

Yoga is more than just exercise. It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by. And in 2017, Miranda a university tutor from London joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation.

[Ben Morris]

It felt a really safe and welcoming space. After yoga classes, I felt amazing.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

But soon that calm, welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker. A journey that leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation across international borders.

[Ben Morris]

I don't have my passport. I don't have my phone. I don't have my bank cards. I have nothing. The passport being taken, the being in.

[Nick Miles]

A house and not feeling like they can leave.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

World of Secrets is where untold stories are unveiled and hidden realities are exposed. In this new series, we're confronting the dark side of the wellness industry with the hope of a spiritual breakthrough. Gives way to disturbing accusations.

[Ben Morris]

You just get sucked in so gradually and it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. And it's like this. The secret that's there. I wanted to believe that, you know, that whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me, was for some spiritual reason that I couldn't yet understand.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network.

[Ben Morris]

I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. I want truth and justice. I want, and for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future, to bring it into the light and almost alchemize some of that evil stuff that went on and take back the power.

[Dr. Yaz Reimahi]

World of secrets. Season 6 the Bad Guru Listen wherever you get your podcasts.