TEDWomen 2015
Achenyo Idachaba: How I turned a deadly plant into a thriving business
Acheyo Idachaba: Como convertín unha pranta mortal nun florecente negocio
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O xacinto de auga pode parecer inofensivo, incluso unha bonita planta con flores --pero en realidade é unha unha planta acuática invasora que entulla levadas, paraliza o comercio, interrompe a escolarización e trastorna a vida cotiá. A emprendedora ecolóxica Achenyo Idachaba viu unha oportunidade neste andazo. Acompáñaa no seu camiño para converter esta mala herba nun marabilloso tecido.
Achenyo Idachaba - Green entrepreneur
Achenyo Idachaba is the head of MitiMeth, a Nigeria-based company that makes handicrafts from aquatic weeds and other agro-waste. Full bio
Achenyo Idachaba is the head of MitiMeth, a Nigeria-based company that makes handicrafts from aquatic weeds and other agro-waste. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Welcome to Bayeku,
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Benvidos a Bayecu,
00:15
a riverine community in Ikorodu, Lagos --
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unha comunidade ribeirá en Ikorodu, Lagos
00:18
a vivid representation of several
riverine communities across Nigeria,
riverine communities across Nigeria,
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unha vívida representación dalgunha
das comunidades ribeiregas da Nixeria,
das comunidades ribeiregas da Nixeria,
00:24
communities whose waterways
have been infested
have been infested
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comunidades cuxas levadas foron infestadas
00:28
by an invasive aquatic weed;
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por unhas plantas acuáticas invasoras;
00:31
communities where economic livelihoods
have been hampered:
have been hampered:
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comunidades que viron obstaculizado
o sustento económico:
o sustento económico:
00:37
fishing, marine transportation
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a pesca, o transporte marítimo
00:40
and trading;
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e o comercio;
00:41
communities where fish yields
have diminished;
have diminished;
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comunidades onde diminuíu
a produción de peixe;
a produción de peixe;
00:45
communities where schoolchildren
are unable to go to school
are unable to go to school
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comunidades onde o alumnado
non pode ir á escola
non pode ir á escola
00:50
for days, sometimes weeks, on end.
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durante días,
ás veces incluso durante semanas.
ás veces incluso durante semanas.
00:54
Who would have thought that this plant
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Quen pensaría que esta planta
00:57
with round leaves, inflated stems,
and showy, lavender flowers
and showy, lavender flowers
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con follas arredondadas, talo inflado,
e rechamantes flores lavanda
e rechamantes flores lavanda
01:04
would cause such havoc
in these communities.
in these communities.
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ía causar tal caos nestas comunidades.
01:08
The plant is known as water hyacinth
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Esta planta coñécese como xacinto de auga
01:11
and its botanical name,
Eichhornia crassipes.
Eichhornia crassipes.
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e o seu nome botánico é
Eichhornia crassipes.
Eichhornia crassipes.
01:14
Interestingly, in Nigeria,
the plant is also known by other names,
the plant is also known by other names,
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En Nixeria, esta planta
é coñecida tamén con outros nomes,
é coñecida tamén con outros nomes,
01:18
names associated with historical events,
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nomes asociados a eventos históricos,
01:21
as well as myths.
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como tamén a mitos.
01:23
In some places,
the plant is called Babangida.
the plant is called Babangida.
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Nalgúns lugares, chámanlle Babangida.
01:27
When you hear Babangida, you remember
the military and military coups.
the military and military coups.
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Cando oes Babangida, véñenseche á mente
a milicia, os golpes militares.
a milicia, os golpes militares.
01:32
And you think: fear, restraint.
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E pensas: medo, control.
01:36
In parts of Nigeria in the Niger Delta,
the plant is also known as Abiola.
the plant is also known as Abiola.
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Nas zonas de Nixeria do delta do Níxer,
chámanlle Abiola.
chámanlle Abiola.
01:41
When you hear Abiola,
you remember annulled elections
you remember annulled elections
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Cando oes Abiola,
lembras eleccións anuladas
lembras eleccións anuladas
01:46
and you think: dashed hopes.
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e pensas: esperanzas rotas.
01:48
In the southwestern part of Nigeria,
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Na parte suroeste de Nixeria,
01:51
the plant is known as Gbe'borun.
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chámanlle Gbe'borun.
01:53
Gbe'borun is a Yoruba phrase
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Gbe'borun é unha frase ioruba
01:55
which translates to "gossip,"
or "talebearer."
or "talebearer."
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que se traduce como "chismes",
ou "rexoubeiro".
ou "rexoubeiro".
01:59
When you think of gossip, you think:
rapid reproduction, destruction.
rapid reproduction, destruction.
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Cando pensas en "chismes", pensas:
reprodución rápida, destrución.
reprodución rápida, destrución.
02:05
And in the Igala-speaking part of Nigeria,
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E na parte de Nixeria onde se fala igala
02:07
the plant is known as A Kp'iye Kp'oma,
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á planta chámanlle A Kp'iye Kp'oma,
02:10
And when you hear that,
you think of death.
you think of death.
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e cando oes iso, pensas en morte.
02:13
It literally translates
to "death to mother and child."
to "death to mother and child."
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Tradúcese literalmente como
"morte á nai e ao fillo".
"morte á nai e ao fillo".
02:18
I personally had my encounter
with this plant in the year 2009.
with this plant in the year 2009.
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Eu atopeime persoalmente
con esta planta en 2009.
con esta planta en 2009.
02:23
It was shortly after I had relocated
from the US to Nigeria.
from the US to Nigeria.
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Foi pouco despois de trasladarme
dos EE. UU. a Nixeria.
dos EE. UU. a Nixeria.
02:28
I'd quit my job in corporate America
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Deixei o meu traballo
nunha entidade americana
nunha entidade americana
02:31
and decided to take
this big leap of faith,
this big leap of faith,
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e decidín dar este gran salto ao baleiro,
02:34
a leap of faith that came
out of a deep sense of conviction
out of a deep sense of conviction
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un salto provocado
pola profunda convicción
pola profunda convicción
02:38
that there was a lot of work
to do in Nigeria
to do in Nigeria
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de que había moito por facer en Nixeria
02:40
in the area of sustainable development.
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na área do desenvolvemento sustentable.
02:42
And so here I was in the year 2009,
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Así que alí estaba eu en 2009,
02:45
actually, at the end of 2009,
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de feito, a finais de 2009,
02:48
in Lagos on the Third Mainland Bridge.
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en Lagos, na Terceira Ponte Continental.
02:51
And I looked to my left
and saw this very arresting image.
and saw this very arresting image.
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E mirei á miña esquerda
e vin esta impresionante imaxe.
e vin esta impresionante imaxe.
02:55
It was an image of fishing boats
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Era unha imaxe de barcos pesqueiros
02:57
that had been hemmed in
by dense mats of water hyacinth.
by dense mats of water hyacinth.
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que ficaran atrapados
na matogueira de xacintos de auga.
na matogueira de xacintos de auga.
03:03
And I was really pained by what I saw
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E eu estaba apenada por ver aquilo
03:05
because I thought to myself,
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porque pensei para min,
03:07
"These poor fisherfolk,
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"Estes pobres pescadores,
03:09
how are they going
to go about their daily activities
to go about their daily activities
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como van facer para continuar
coa súa actividade
coa súa actividade
03:13
with these restrictions."
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con estas restricións".
03:16
And then I thought,
"There's got to be a better way."
"There's got to be a better way."
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E logo pensei,
"Ten que haber unha forma mellor".
"Ten que haber unha forma mellor".
03:19
A win-win solution whereby
the environment is taken care of
the environment is taken care of
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Unha solución gañadora
onde se coide o medio ambiente
onde se coide o medio ambiente
03:24
by the weeds being cleared out of the way
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eliminando esas malas herbas
03:26
and then this being turned
into an economic benefit
into an economic benefit
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e logo converténdoas
nun beneficio económico
nun beneficio económico
03:29
for the communities
whose lives are impacted the most
whose lives are impacted the most
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para as comunidades máis afectadas
03:32
by the infestation of the weed.
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por esta infestación.
03:35
That, I would say, was my spark moment.
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Ese foi o meu momento de inspiración.
03:38
And so I did further research
to find out more
to find out more
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Así que investiguei máis a fondo
para descubrir máis
para descubrir máis
03:42
about the beneficial uses of this weed.
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sobre os usos beneficiosos desta planta.
03:45
Out of the several,
one struck me the most.
one struck me the most.
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Entre varias, unha chamoume
especialmente a atención.
especialmente a atención.
03:48
It was the use of the plant
for handicrafts.
for handicrafts.
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Foi o uso desta planta
para obxectos artesanais.
para obxectos artesanais.
03:51
And I thought, "What a great idea."
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E pensei: "Que boa idea!".
03:54
Personally, I love handicrafts,
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Persoalmente, encántame a artesanía,
03:56
especially handicrafts
that are woven around a story.
that are woven around a story.
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especialmente obxectos artesanais
cosidos arredor dunha historia.
cosidos arredor dunha historia.
04:01
And so I thought, "This could be
easily deployed within the communities
easily deployed within the communities
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Así que pensei, "Poderíase pór en marcha
isto nas comunidades
isto nas comunidades
04:05
without the requirement
of technical skills."
of technical skills."
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sen necesidade de habilidades técnicas"
04:09
And I thought to myself,
"Three simple steps to a mega solution."
"Three simple steps to a mega solution."
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E pensei para min,
"3 simples pasos para unha gran solución"
"3 simples pasos para unha gran solución"
04:15
First step: Get out into the waterways
and harvest the water hyacinth.
and harvest the water hyacinth.
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Primeiro: vai aos canais
e recolle xacinto de auga.
e recolle xacinto de auga.
04:20
That way, you create access.
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Desa maneira, creas accesos.
04:22
Secondly, you dry
the water hyacinth stems.
the water hyacinth stems.
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Segundo: seca o talo do xacinto de auga.
04:27
And thirdly, you weave
the water hyacinth into products.
the water hyacinth into products.
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E terceiro: crea tecendo produtos
co xacinto de auga.
co xacinto de auga.
04:32
The third step was a challenge.
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O terceiro paso foi un desafío.
04:34
See, I'm a computer scientist
by background
by background
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Eu son unha informática de formación
04:37
and not someone in the creative arts.
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e non alguén de artes creativas.
04:40
And so I began my quest
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Así que comecei a miña busca
04:42
to find out how I can learn how to weave.
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para atopar como aprender a tecer.
04:45
And this quest took me
to a community in Ibadan, where I lived,
to a community in Ibadan, where I lived,
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Esta busca levoume a unha comunidade
en Ibadan, onde eu vivira,
en Ibadan, onde eu vivira,
04:49
called Sabo.
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chamada Sabo.
04:50
Sabo translates to "strangers' quarters."
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Sabo tradúcese como
"barrios dos estraños".
"barrios dos estraños".
04:53
And the community is
predominantly made up of people
predominantly made up of people
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E a comunidade está formada
maiormente por persoas
maiormente por persoas
04:56
from the northern part of the country.
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da parte norte do país.
04:58
So I literally took
my dried weeds in hand,
my dried weeds in hand,
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Así que, literalmente, collín
as miñas malas herbas secas,
as miñas malas herbas secas,
05:01
there were several more of them,
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--había moitas máis--
05:03
and went knocking from door to door
to find out who could teach me
to find out who could teach me
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e fun porta por porta intentando
atopar quen me ensinase
atopar quen me ensinase
05:06
how to weave these
water hyacinth stems into ropes.
water hyacinth stems into ropes.
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a converter en cordas
os talos do xacinto de auga.
os talos do xacinto de auga.
05:10
And I was directed
to the shed of Malam Yahaya.
to the shed of Malam Yahaya.
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E mandáronme á cabaña de Malam Yahaya.
05:14
The problem, though,
is that Malam Yahaya doesn't speak English
is that Malam Yahaya doesn't speak English
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O problema é que Malam Yahaya
non fala inglés
non fala inglés
05:17
and neither did I speak Hausa.
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e eu tampouco falo hausa.
05:20
But some little kids came to the rescue
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Pero algúns nenos viñeron ao rescate
05:22
and helped translate.
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e axudaron coa tradución.
05:24
And that began my journey
of learning how to weave
of learning how to weave
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E alí comezou a miña viaxe
para aprender a tecer
para aprender a tecer
05:27
and transform these
dried water hyacinth stems
dried water hyacinth stems
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e transformar os talos secos
do xacinto de auga
do xacinto de auga
05:31
into long ropes.
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en cordas longas.
Coas miñas cordas longas na man,
05:35
With my long ropes in hand,
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05:37
I was now equipped to make products.
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estaba xa preparada para facer produtos.
05:40
And that was the beginning
of partnerships.
of partnerships.
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E iso foi o comezo de colaboracións.
05:43
Working with rattan basket makers
to come up with products.
to come up with products.
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Traballando con cesteiros de ratán
para crear novos produtos.
para crear novos produtos.
05:47
So with this in hand, I felt confident
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Así que, con isto nas mans,
sentinme confiada
sentinme confiada
05:50
that I would be able
to take this knowledge
to take this knowledge
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en que debería ser quen
de levar este coñecemento
de levar este coñecemento
05:52
back into the riverine communities
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ás comunidades ribeirás
05:54
and help them to transform
their adversity into prosperity.
their adversity into prosperity.
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e axudalas a transformar
a adversidade en prosperidade.
a adversidade en prosperidade.
05:59
So taking these weeds
and actually weaving them
and actually weaving them
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É dicir, coller estas herbas e convertelas
06:03
into products that can be sold.
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en produtos que se poidan vender.
06:05
So we have pens, we have tableware,
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Así que temos bolígrafos,
utensilios de mesa,
utensilios de mesa,
06:09
we have purses, we have tissue boxes.
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carteiras, caixas para panos.
06:13
Thereby, helping the communities
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Desta maneira, estábase axudando
ás comunidades
ás comunidades
06:15
to see water hyacinth
in a different light.
in a different light.
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a ver doutro xeito o xacinto de auga.
06:19
Seeing water hyacinth as being valuable,
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A ver o xacinto de auga como algo valioso,
06:21
being aesthetic,
being durable, tough, resilient.
being durable, tough, resilient.
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estético, duradeiro, resistente, elástico.
06:27
Changing names, changing livelihoods.
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A cambiar nomes, formas de vida.
06:31
From Gbe'borun, gossip,
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Desde Gbe'borun, chismes,
06:34
to Olusotan, storyteller.
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ata Olusotan, contador de historias.
06:37
And from A Kp'iye Kp'oma,
which is "killer of mother and child,"
which is "killer of mother and child,"
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E desde A Kp'iye Kp'oma,
que é "asasino de nai e fillo",
que é "asasino de nai e fillo",
06:41
to Ya du j'ewn w'Iye kp'Oma,
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ata Ya du j'ewn w'lye kp'Oma,
06:43
"provider of food for mother and child."
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"Provedor de comida para nai e fillo".
06:46
And I'd like to end
with a quote by Michael Margolis.
with a quote by Michael Margolis.
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E gustaríame rematar
cunha cita de Michael Margolis.
cunha cita de Michael Margolis.
06:50
He said, "If you want to learn
about a culture, listen to the stories.
about a culture, listen to the stories.
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El di: "Se queres aprender
sobre a cultura, escoita as historias.
sobre a cultura, escoita as historias.
06:55
And if you want to change a culture,
change the stories."
change the stories."
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E se queres cambiar unha cultura,
cambia as historias".
cambia as historias".
06:59
And so, from Makoko community,
to Abobiri, to Ewoi,
to Abobiri, to Ewoi,
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Así que, desde a comunidade de Makoko,
ata Abobiri, ata Ewoi,
ata Abobiri, ata Ewoi,
07:05
to Kolo, to Owahwa, Esaba,
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ata Kolo, ata Owahwa, Esaba,
07:08
we have changed the story.
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nós cambiamos a historia.
07:11
Thank you for listening.
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Grazas por escoitar.
07:12
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Achenyo Idachaba - Green entrepreneurAchenyo Idachaba is the head of MitiMeth, a Nigeria-based company that makes handicrafts from aquatic weeds and other agro-waste.
Why you should listen
In 2009, Achenyo Idachaba bid her corporate career in the United States goodbye and relocated to Nigeria to start a new chapter as a social entrepreneur. She founded Greennovative Chain, which provided research and advocacy services in climate change mitigation, and later founded MitiMeth, a for-profit social enterprise based in Ibadan, Nigeria, which she considers a tangible expression of her research advice.
MitiMeth creates eco-friendly handicrafts like home décor and personal accessories from weeds prevalent on Nigeria’s waterways. The company also conducts training workshops for locals on river handicraft product development.
Achenyo Idachaba | Speaker | TED.com