When Science Finds a Way

One billion homes: How can we revitalize informal settlements?

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Episode notes

Around the world, roughly one billion people live in informal settlements – residential areas that fall outside the jurisdiction of governments. These communities live without traditional centralised sanitation and water systems. As a result, the settlements are vulnerable to extreme weather events like floods, which cause wastewater to spread through homes and lead to serious health issues. 

As climate change and nearby development increase the frequency and severity of floods in these settlements, organisations like RISE (Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments) are trying to help. In this episode, Alisha speaks to Professor Karin Leder, head of research at RISE, about projects in Indonesia and Fiji that are collaborating with local communities to combine scientific study with infrastructure-building. They hear from Losalini Malumu and Ibu Ina Rahlina, RISE staff members and residents of informal settlements, who through their experiences demonstrate the critical role of collaborating with those most affected by these challenges. 

When Science Finds a Way is brought to you by Wellcome, an independent global foundation that supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. For more information visit www.wellcome.org/news-and-reports/podcast.