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Guilford College Public Health

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Short-form audio documentaries/scripted podcasts produced by the Global Health students at Guilford College.Each podcast has a transcript in the details.

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November 12, 2025

Mali's infrastructure Crisis

[Intro music]Interviewee Amina:A lack of infrastructure is not just an inconvenience but a huge barrier to the education system.[Music]Ciara:Mali is a country with many challenges, and one of the biggest is its infrastructure. We’re talkingabout things like roads, electricity, water systems, and buildings but mostly things like properschool facilities.Voice acted by Cynthia Wright, Amina, a teacher who’s been working in Mali for over 10 yearshas experienced this firsthand.Interviewee Amina:I’ve spent most of my life working in schools in rural Mali and I’ve seen the situation up close.Mali is a beautiful country but the infrastructure here is a huge challenge. And when it comes toeducation, that challenge becomes even more severe. I’ve worked in schools where there areno proper buildings, no access to clean water, and where students have to learn in classroomsthat are barely more than open spaces under a tree.[Music/kid chattering]Ciara:Classrooms in Mali, especially in rural or underserved areas often face major challenges relatedto poor infrastructure which affects both the learning environment and the overall educationalexperience. Research shows that in 2022, 519,000 children were out of school across Mali dueto school funding and armed group threats and attacks. In 2022, the number of childrendropping out of school in the country has increased by 15 per cent, according to the NorwegianRefugee Council.Interviewee Amina:I’ve seen classrooms with broken walls, no desks, and no teaching materials. In some places,the roof of the classroom is missing entirely and the children still come to school every dayhoping that they can still learn something. But it’s incredibly difficult to teach in those conditions.Ciara:Many schools in Mali have classrooms that are made with basic materials like mud bricks, clay,or bamboo. These buildings often lack proper ventilation and can get very hot during dryseasons which makes it difficult for both teachers and students to concentrate. There is also a shortage of textbooks and other learning materials. In some cases studentsshare textbooks or may not have any at all. This shortage makes it difficult for students to fullyengage with the curriculum and also limits their ability to learn independently.Interviewee Amina:The lack of basic facilities like a solid roof or proper walls means that the classrooms are oftentoo hot in the dry season or too cold when the rains come. There’s no ventilation, and theclassrooms can become unbearable, especially with large groups of students. I remember dayswhen I would be teaching, and the children were so uncomfortable, they could hardly focus.And when it comes to basic things like textbooks and supplies. I often have to teach withouttextbooks because there are just not enough to go around. Students can’t take notes becausethey don’t have notebooks or pens. And as a teacher, you end up trying to make up for the lackof resources by using whatever you can find chalk, old paper, anything to try to make thelessons more engaging. But it’s not easy.Ciara:Having these poor conditions of school buildings and the lack of proper facilities can lead toinconsistent attendance within students. According to UNICEF, education in Mali has beenimproving over the last decade but more than two million children aged between 5 to 17 still donot go to school, and over half of Mali’s young people aged 15 to 24 are not literate. Thesestudents may end up staying home due to uncomfortable or unsafe learning environments orbecause they have to help with household chores or farming.Not to mention, the lack of basic sanitation facilities like clean water and functional toilets canlead to health issues, mostly to younger students. This can lead to absenteeism and negativeaffects on academic performance.And even teachers often have to work under difficult conditions with inadequate training, lowsalaries, and limited resources. They may also face challenges such as a lack of teaching aidsand large class sizes which can mess with their ability to deliver effective lessons.Interviewee Amina:It’s truly heartbreaking, honestly. I’ve seen kids who have to walk for hours just to reach school,often in the scorching sun or through muddy roads during the rainy season. They’re alreadyexhausted by the time they arrive and it’s difficult for them to focus. I remember one student, alittle girl, who would walk over 10 kilometers each day to attend school. She would get there,exhausted and hungry and still do her best to learn. But when the classroom itself is notconducive to learning, and when you can’t hear the lesson properly because of the noise fromthe outside or the heat becomes unbearable then there's literally no surprise that some kidseventually drop out.Some children stay home all together because their parents see no point in sending them toschool if the conditions are so poor. They would rather keep them at home to help with choresor farming. It’s a difficult situation because education is seen as the way out of poverty, but howcan you succeed when the basic infrastructure isn’t there to support it? Ciara:Multiple international organizations are working in Mali to improve the education system byproviding resources, building better classrooms, and offering teacher training. However thechallenges of widespread poverty, political instability, and inadequate government funding makethese interventions slow and pretty uneven. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, in2020, the Malian state budget for education amounted to USD 637.3 million. There was a startbut only 13% of the national budget was allocated to the construction of classrooms and 4.8% tothe acquisition of teaching materials.[Music]Ciara:Some schools have embraced community based solutions where there's local families andcommunities that contribute to building and maintaining school infrastructure. This might involveusing local materials, volunteer labor, or raising funds to improve the school's condition.In urban areas and more developed regions, there are schools that are better equipped withmodern buildings, access to electricity, and more learning resources. However these are theexceptions rather than the rules and many children still attend schools with subpar conditions.Interviewee Amina:There are some efforts but the progress is slow. The government has tried to invest ineducation, and there are some international organizations like UNICEF for example, and theyare working to improve infrastructure. I’ve seen new schools being built, but they are often fewand far between and many of them are located in urban areas. For the rural schools, wheremost of the population lives, the improvements are minimal.One of the problems is funding. Even when new schools are built, there’s not enough money tomaintain them properly. So while we might have a shiny new building, it’s often just a shellbecause there’s no furniture, no books, and no real resources to make it functional.And when we do get support, it’s often in the form of temporary solutions, like mobile schools ortents set up as classrooms. These help in the short term, but they don’t provide a permanentsolution. We need proper, long-term infrastructure development.Ciara:Despite the challenges posed by poor infrastructure in Mali, the resilience and determination ofthe people in the educational sector have allowed them to keep pushing through. As theyounger generation becomes more educated, they are increasingly advocating for betterinfrastructure and educational reforms. This awareness among youth and local leaders fuelshope for change by driving the belief that progress is possible despite these current challenges.Interviewee Amina:There are days when I feel like I’m fighting an uphill battle. But I always remind myself of thekids. Despite all the hardships, the children still show up every day, eager to learn. Their resilience is incredible. They have so much potential, and I see the spark in their eyes whenthey understand something I’ve taught them.What keeps me going is knowing that education is one of the few ways to break the cycle ofpoverty. Even though the infrastructure isn’t where it needs to be, I believe that the education wecan provide, no matter how limited, can still make a difference in their lives. That’s why Icontinue to push forward, even when it’s hard.[Music]Ciara:The government and families in Mali play an important role in overcoming the challenges of theeducational system. Community driven initiatives, financial contributions, and cultural values ofeducation helps to keep these schools open and functioning despite the many obstacles. Butthe limitations of these efforts are due to poverty, inconsistent resources, and the pressures ofother daily needs which mean that further systemic support from the government andinternational organizations is important to ensure sustainable improvements. The community’sresilience mixed with external support holds the key to overcoming the infrastructural challengesand improving education outcomes for all children in Mali.Interviewee Amina:On a larger scale, we need a comprehensive approach like one that addresses not only thebuildings but the entire education system. We need better roads to connect rural areas to thecities, reliable electricity for schools, and proper facilities like clean water and sanitation. Weneed to ensure that teachers are properly trained, supported, and paid.And most importantly, there needs to be a long term commitment from both the Maliangovernment and international organizations to fund education and infrastructure projectsconsistently. It’s not just about building ne8w schools, it’s also about ensuring that they aremaintained, that resources are provided, and that the community is involved in the process.Ciara:To overall improve Mali's poor infrastructure then a comprehensive and sustained approach isneeded, combining government action, community involvement, and international support. Thegovernment must prioritize education and infrastructure investment, allocating funds for buildingand maintaining schools, providing proper sanitation facilities, and ensuring reliable electricityand water access. Communities should also be empowered to take part in local decision makingwith resources directed towards sustainable solutions such as locally built classrooms andvolunteer driven programs.[Music]International organizations can provide technical assistance, funding, and resources tocomplement national efforts. Plus investing in teacher training, distributing learning materials, and addressing gender disparities are needed to ensure that the infrastructure supports a highquality and inclusive education system that benefits all students.Interviewee Amina:Truly, if we can create the right environment for learning then these children can thrive. And notonly that, but Mali as a whole can begin to move forward, break the cycle of poverty, and build astronger future.Ciara:This podcast was produced by Ciara Mickens for the Spring 2025 Global Health Course atGuilford College.[Outro music]

November 12, 2025

Gaza's Maternal Healthcare Crisis

Global Health Problem: How does the destruction of hospital infrastructure impact healthcareaccess for mothers giving birth and their newborn children in Gaza?*intro music*[Narration]Many women in Gaza go into labor with no hospitals or doctors nearby to safely deliver theirbaby. Without any access to proper prenatal care, their baby is at risk of being born prematurely.[Shatha Elnakib]These women are just under unimaginable, unfathomable stress because of the, you know, theimpossible conditions they're living under.*music*[Narration]To understand why Gaza’s healthcare system is in ruins we need to go back seven decades.The roots of this problem date back to 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians weredisplaced from their homes during the Nakba with many seeking refuge in what is now knownas the Gaza Strip. This mass displacement was recognized by the United Nations, which in itsResolution 194, called for the right of return for Palestinian refugees displaced during that time.The displacement of the Palestinians continued, along with continuous airstrikes over the nextseven decades, leaving Gaza’s healthcare system in shambles. In 2007, Israel and Egyptimposed a blockade on Gaza which severely restricted the movement of the people, goods andsupplies which included medical supplies. This blockade has made it nearly impossible forhospitals to continue functioning as usual. This blockade on Gaza is still in place meaninglimited medical supplies and other resources.[Shatha Elnakib]Israel decided to stop aid in Gaza with the end of the ceasefire. And so this is what we callweaponization of humanitarian aid using humanitarian aid, which is not supposed to be aweapon, but using it as a weapon against people. Telling people you have to acquiesce to ourpolitical demands in order for you to get your humanitarian aid. So this–we're seeing this playout. And of course this is not normal. It is not legal. It is very much a war crime to preventcivilians from having access to humanitarian aid. [Narration]That’s how Dr. Shatha Elnakib, an Assistant Scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School ofPublic Health, describes the situation with regards to aid in Gaza. Dr. Elnakib has researchedthe crisis in Gaza specifically how it affects pregnant women. In an article for The Lancet, she writes about the harsh conditions for pregnant women in Gaza and her research reveals thesevere lack of maternal healthcare.*music*[Narration]With hospitals already struggling under years of blockade and bombardment, this weaponizationof humanitarian aid only worsens the crisis. Medical facilities that once provided essential careare now barely functioning and nearly two thirds of them have shut down completely. Only 39%of hospitals in Gaza are still partially functioning.[Shatha Elnakib]Once they get to the facility, facilities tend to be overcrowded. They tend to also be understaffedbecause healthcare workers are unable to get to the facility the same way that these womencan't get to the facilities because of, you know, the destroyed roads...And so the prioritybecomes to dealing with these mass casualties, these trauma injuries. Just you know, so youknow, according to the latest estimates we have around 112,000 people who have reportedinjuries according to the WHO’s most recent situation or SitRep. And as you can imagine, theseare people who have burns who have complex trauma injuries. These are not simple injuries.Right, because, you know, because of the nature of the war, because of the relentlessbombardment, the use of weapons that are, you know, quite cruel, white phosphorus included.And so these people's needs are often so acute that they will take precedence over other thingslike routine pregnancy care, for example, or antenatal care. And so the needs of women,particularly pregnant women, then become deprioritized.[Narration]For pregnant women, this means barely any prenatal care, leading to more premature births,low birth weights, and higher risks of infant mortality. In overcrowded and makeshift maternitywards, doctors are forced to work with minimal resources. There are shortages in some of themost basic medical supplies like gloves, gauze, and disinfectants which leads to many birthstaking place in unsanitary conditions risking infections for both the mother and the newborn.[Shatha Elnakib]There's, you know, scarcity in oxygen. And statements from health providers themselves haveindicated that certain surgical procedures, including C-section, which is a very serious surgicalprocedure, are now being conducted without anesthesia or women are being cut open withoutany anesthetic. And at times, without even electricity, you must have read in the news howdoctors were using their telephone flashlights because there was no electricity in hospitals andthey were conducting these very advanced surgical procedures in the absence of electricity.*music*[Narration] But the crisis in Gaza’s hospitals doesn’t end after the mothers give birth. Even when babiessurvive birth, they face yet another challenge: a lack of electricity. Gaza has been in an ongoingelectricity crisis since October of 2023. According to the World Health Organization, as of 2023,130 premature infants in Gaza rely on incubators and 61% of those incubators need electricityto function. Without reliable electricity, life-saving equipment like these incubators are shut downand so according to the United Nations, during this past winter alone eight newborns have diedof hypothermia. Infant mortality rates are one of the biggest indicators of a population’s overallhealth. They reflect not only access to medical care, but the stability of infrastructure, andaccess to other essential resources. But in Gaza, where hospitals are barely functioning, thesenumbers don’t just signal a health crisis, they represent lives lost to conditions that should bepreventable.*music*[Narration]At first, it might seem like this is an issue happening far away, with no direct connection to thepeople in the United States. But in reality, U.S. taxpayer dollars directly fund the Israelimilitary–its weapons, its airstrikes, and the destruction of infrastructure including hospitals inGaza. According to the U.S. Department of State, through the U.S. Foreign Military Financingprogram, Israel has received some of the most advanced military equipment in the world.According to USA Spending, a website run by the U.S. Department of Treasury, this program isfunded by U.S. federal revenue which is primarily taxpayer dollars meaning American citizensare directly financing the military operations in Gaza. The Department of State also reports thatsince Israel’s founding in 1948, the United States has provided Israel with over $130 billion indirect aid. This financial and military support makes the U.S. more than just a bystander.[Shatha Elnakib]I think international pressure is very important and we have just, we have seen big hegemons,big countries in the West failing to exert international pressure, you know, not just turning a blindeye to what's happening, but rather, you know, they're very much complicit materially. So theygive the money, they give the weapons.[Narration]While there has been a lot of material support for Israel, efforts to aid Gaza have also beenmade, though they face more obstacles that make the aid delivery process more difficult.Humanitarian convoys, organized by international agencies like the United Nations and the RedCross, have managed to deliver resources, such as food, medical supplies and other essentialsupplies despite the blockades and ongoing airstrikes. Temporary ceasefires including the mostrecent one have allowed for the aid from these convoys to reach Gaza safely. The UnitedNations Relief and Works Agency has set up field hospitals to provide medical care on the GazaStrip. In addition, organizations like Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam have also played a keyrole in providing emergency medical care and essential services to the people in Gaza by alsosetting up field hospitals, supporting the few functioning hospitals remaining in Gaza, andoperating mobile clinics. But beyond these humanitarian efforts, local governments and individual countries are also taking action to address the conflict. The Oxford City Council hasrecently voted to divest from Israel in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctionsmovement against Israel. South Africa has also been vocal in its support for Gaza, even takinglegal steps against Israel by bringing a case to the International Court of Justice, accusing Israelof committing acts of genocide in Gaza. While these actions are different in terms of approach,they both reflect a growing global movement pushing for accountability and consequences.[Shatha Elnakib]Beyond rebuilding hospitals, we need to make sure we have long term strategies that ensurethat healthcare remains protected and accessible. And we're not just talking about, you know,let's rebuild and reconstruct, but how do we prevent this from happening? [Narration]Despite the growing global movement for accountability and the humanitarian aid efforts, thesealone cannot truly address the devastation in Gaza. International organizations such as UNICEFand the WHO must not only fund the rebuilding of hospitals and ensure people have access tomedical supplies, but they must also support the training of local healthcare workers and equipthem so that they can continue operating hospitals effectively in Gaza. Long-term unrestrictedaid is crucial for rebuilding Gaza’s healthcare system, but true recovery won’t happen until apermanent ceasefire is reached. Many ceasefires in the past have been fragile. For example,the most recent ceasefire which took effect on January 19th of this year, was violated whenIsrael resumed its attacks on Gaza. According to Amnesty International, this was a “unilateralresumption” of the war meaning the attacks were one sided, and they resulted in the deaths ofat least 414 Palestinans including 174 children. This was a clear violation of the ceasefireagreement and this is only one example of many where Israel has failed to honor suchagreements. Achieving a permanent ceasefire requires more than just a temporary pause inviolence; it requires strong diplomatic efforts that address the root causes of the conflict. Thisincludes pressing the international community to hold Israel accountable by ensuring that theyhonor the terms of a permanent ceasefire. A first step would be the lifting of the blockades onGaza. Lifting the blockades would let aid reach Gaza without any obstacles. But for any peaceagreement to hold, the international community also has to ensure accountability for war crimesand violations of the international law. While these are important steps towards a permanentceasefire, they would only be the beginning of a very long process.[Shatha Elnakib]We need better humanitarian diplomacy. We need international pressure to prevent attacks onmedical facilities everywhere, not just in Gaza. I mean we've seen in Syria, we've seen inUkraine how health facilities, health infrastructure is very much targeted as part of war tactics,right? It’s part of the strategy of war. And that needs to stop...And it's not just obviously about,you know. Rules of war around healthcare, but also rules of war against, you know, notweaponizing food, not weaponizing water, not weaponizing aid. These are basic fundamentals.Like I said, that are part of a rules based order that we have been living under for the last how many years, 60 years more. And so we need to make sure that the rules based order, you know,is back. And it's not just an anarchy and a jungle.*music*[Narration]Gaza’s healthcare crisis is not just a humanitarian issue but also a moral and ethical one.Hospitals shouldn’t be battlegrounds or places for airstrikes. The lives of pregnant women andnewborns shouldn’t be collateral damage during a so-called “war.” None of us choose the placeof our birth, yet for many, the circumstances of where they're born dictate whether they willsurvive past their first year of life. As we continue to witness this ongoing crisis, we must askourselves: What steps are we, as the global community, willing to take to ensure a future whereevery life, regardless of the place of birth, has the opportunity to live without the constant threatof violence and destruction to their healthcare and basic human rights?*music*[Narration]This podcast was produced by Sarah Zaraf for the Spring 2025 Global Health Course atGuilford College.

November 12, 2025

Food insecurity in Somalia

*Music Playing* Bronwyn: I don't think things can change in the midst of chaos because everyone's fighting for survival in that mode and it's understandable why. The people in Somalia are not the ones contributing a lot to climate change themselves, they're feeling the impacts of it from other countries. Narrator: Bronwyn Tucker is a professor of the Environmental and Sustainable studies department at Guilford College. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change “climate risks are appearing faster and will become more severe sooner than previously expected”. This has led to a dramatic increase in extreme weather conditions such as droughts, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. These impacts have left people in Somalia in a dire state with hundreds of thousands of people becoming displaced in search of food and water with over 4 million people currently facing acute food insecurity. This means every year over half of the population is left undernourished causing infant mortality rates and severe health problems such as malnutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis to skyrocket. Bronwyn: In Somalia specifically there's been such a positive feedback loop of okay conflict and then crisis so I don't have enough food and I'm fighting for food and then I'm degrading the environment because of how I'm trying to get food or burn down trees to make fuel and that creates more conflict and shortage and then greater environmental degradation so it's all kind of moving toward that same path of challenge where if there was a moment where they could feel like they had enough and didn't have to fight for it maybe there could be a moment for a discussion about what could be next. Narrator: The main concern is the ongoing malnutrition because it's such an immediate health concern nobody has the foresight to plan short term relief and long term sustainability to slowly reduce the problem all together. Data has consistently showcased Somalia’s extreme weather, facing major droughts and floods, but other issues such as their governmental system have created barriers to reduce food insecurity as well. According to the US government, Al-Shabaab is a terrorist clan militia that has violently fought for control over Somalia's federal government for decades. This has made it much harder for the government to implement long term infrastructure due to their lack of power and control. With the contagious outbreaks, droughts, food shortages, floods and other governmental safety issues it makes it nearly impossible to only tackle one issue at a time. Bronwyn: Well I think if you asked anybody hungry they'd say please feed me first before we make long-term plans but that only lasts so long right? And there's that phrase you can give a man a fish or you can teach a man a fish and I think it's not even necessarily about teaching because these people know how to farm they know how to do these things but the world is changing around them and there's also a lot of conflict. If a country is struggling so much that they just can't meet their people's immediate needs that's when aid comes in so that they can then have the space to think long term and that's what's tough. Narrator: Exactly these are everyday people who are clawing to meet their basic needs. They don't have time to be concerned with environmental impacts or long term effects. They're living one day at a time trying to support their families and themselves. And since 80% of the population is employed in agriculture and it's also 70% of its total GDP the lack of yield is extremely concerning for them. Somali people are forced to focus on themselves. The amount of food available is extremely limited and the food that is accessible in proximity is even more unattainable for them price wise. Evidence consistently shows that the changes needed to offset food insecurity are too large for the citizens to make themselves, it’s up to the government to make large-scale systemic reforms. Bronwyn: I don't blame a lot of people in the world who are doing things that are really causing negative consequences to our planet when they're just trying to survive. I would do the same thing if it meant taking care of my children. *Music Playing* Narrator: Programs from the European Commission and the United States have been supplying immediate relief for food and water but these programs won't help the country sustain itself long term because of the changing climate. And while the US provides aid, they contribute greatly to the issue of increased climate change as well. The aid they give can’t even compare to how much they influence the root problem. In 2020, China accounted for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions and the US alone accounted for 13.5% globally as well. People don’t realize that it's not just huge corporations impacting climate change either. Their daily tasks like shopping, driving, and showering actually have an impact too. Not to mention the amount of food waste and overconsumption that accounts for 44% of the average household's yearly carbon emissions. There's multiple avenues of decreasing our personal carbon footprint, many of which have been successfully used in specific cities and even entire states. Bronwyn: Live simply so that others may simply live. I love that idea of you know what do I need versus what i want and how do my wants impact others needs. So rather than being self-serving or taking more than you need if you have that sense of community that you want to take care of and then you trust that community even if you're only impacting your immediate area and you're not affecting the whole world I think to be sustainable you have to trust other people to kind of be in on the plan long term because when you're thinking about your immediate needs and just surviving who cares about tomorrow and the environment right but if you can trust that you have a community of people that will work together towards something that will be long term good you can make short term sacrifices as long as you're meeting your basic needs. Narrator: A community of any size can work together to make change when there's trust and motivation within it. Despite China’s authoritative government many environmental activists have come together to protest their countries climate change impacts. We’ve also begun seeing examples of this in areas like Boston, Massachusetts as well where they've increased the use of public transportation by threefold, greatly reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by single family vehicles. Columbus, Ohio has also started initiatives to increase the amount of solar energy sources used creating 4000 jobs related to the projects as well. The United States and China must work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate global negative environmental impacts while Somalia must work to implement sustainable agriculture techniques so they can adapt to the damages that have already been done. Bronwyn: The children growing up in those places are learning a lot by doing with their parents and maybe the internet's not as valuable but as climate change affects things and they have to adapt and maybe it will be valuable to see what other crops can be more drought resistant or water catchment methods to be more resilient when floods come and capturing some of that rain when the droughts coming in so education and information about infrastructure to support those types of fluctuating events would be valuable but in general I think the cultural knowledge is what we need to preserve. Narrator: And agriculture is also very group effort based, one person isn’t maintaining an entire farm so community is vital. It’s important to recognize the impacts that individualism has when most of the agriculture in Somalia is maintained by family units. And agriculture knowledge is passed down informally through generations but the impacts of climate change make it a lot harder to adapt to the environmental changes. Utilizing sustainable farming techniques to bounce back the agriculture sector is the only thing that could truly reduce food insecurity rates as evidence shows increased rates of crop production in Africa when using them. The short term solutions have already been drained. Charitable aid just can’t continue at the rate Somalia needs it. Bronwyn: If it is sustainable ag it has to be good for the earth and then it's going to be inherently good for you because if you're taking care of the soil and having strategies that improve the land the land's going to be more productive for you. Specifically I think Somalia could plant more vegetation that's protected so that it was helping to stabilize soils during their floods and also this would allow them to regenerate more renewable resources for fuel since they're using a lot of biomass or wood for cooking and heating and then having the extra vegetation would also help retain water so that when they have they have the rains it can be more deeply soaked into the ground and held in the ground so that when droughts come it's not so easily lost or it's not run off of the soil surface it can actually penetrate and all these things would lead to enhanced food production because you're having healthier soils. Narrator: Utilizing the tree crops that are native to Somalia to protect other more sensitive crops is extremely helpful as it benefits multiple aspects of the land. According to the USDA, agroforestry protects other smaller crop species, helps reduce soil runoff, improves soil health, produces more food to harvest, and even reduces carbon and other greenhouse gases. This data has been consistent across the US and in other countries in Africa as well. Another option would be crop rotation which purposefully cycles specific crops that benefit each other one after the other. Bronwyn: Especially as climate change becomes more prominent, it's important to seek out different types of crops that can be adaptable. Narrator: Another humanitarian program that has been a huge success is the building of earth dams which store large amounts of the runoff water from the floods. Earth dams are one of the best infrastructures because they stop flooding in homes and farms and also store water for the drought seasons. Again, this can also prevent soil runoff too. While the capacity of these initiatives has been limited, with further donations even more of these are being built. The government must start implementing these programs if they want the possibility of recovering as a whole. *Music Playing* Bronwyn: They're not the ones who are going to mitigate the climate change, they're going to be the ones that have to adapt and other countries are going to be the ones that have to make major changes that can actually mitigate or reduce the impacts of climate change. Narrator: And that's exactly what we're seeing in countries like Somalia right now. Countries in the Global North like the United States and China need to seriously reconsider what federal regulations need to be put in place to mitigate climate change impacts so other countries stop feeling the damages. And like I mentioned before, people in both countries are pushing their governments to change with different initiatives and protests. Bronwyn: You can create a little microcosm of good things happening and then if things go really well maybe you're an example for other communities or maybe another community can trust your community and you can work together. Because we're not looking out for others we're generally looking out for ourselves when we're taking action that is negatively impacting them. I don't want to make people feel guilty for what they've already been doing but help them feel empowered to do some things that might make changes in a positive direction. Narrator: Because most people think that their individual actions can't have a ripple effect but one action can change a community which can change a town which can change a city and it just keeps expanding because change is achievable in any community. If people begin to realize the damage they are doing and strive to make change within their own community, we could have a healthier earth and that would help countries like Somalia achieve long term sustainability too. Maintaining earth dam infrastructures, kick starting community building initiatives, and helping farmers adapt to the weather are all things that can slowly build up the trust and wellbeing of the people in Somalia. Bronwyn: I'm hoping that it's a success story where maybe the country figures out we're going to have to figure this out on our own and this is not how we want to live and we want to make sure we have resources for our people and innovate to be creative to adapt to climate change *Music Playing Narrator: This podcast was produced by Isabella Maietta for the Spring 2025 Global Health Course at Guilford College.

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