TEDWomen 2015
Achenyo Idachaba: How I turned a deadly plant into a thriving business
阿健妮•伊达夏巴: 化致命植物为繁荣商机
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Readability: 4.8
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水葫芦看似无害，甚至是一种美丽的开花植物——但是它实际却是一种水生性入侵杂草，它会堵住河道，阻碍贸易，妨碍上学并且困扰着人们的日常生活。在这场水患中，绿色企业家阿健妮•伊达夏巴（Achenyo Idachaba）觅得了商机。让我们跟随她的脚步，来了解她是如何将杂草变为奇妙的编织物的旅程吧。
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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欢迎来到百耶库，
00:15
a riverine community in Ikorodu, Lagos --
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拉各斯州伊科罗杜市
的一个河岸社区，
的一个河岸社区，
00:18
a vivid representation of several
riverine communities across Nigeria,
riverine communities across Nigeria,
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这是尼日利亚各地
众多河岸社区的缩影。
众多河岸社区的缩影。
00:24
communities whose waterways
have been infested
have been infested
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这些社区的河道里
00:28
by an invasive aquatic weed;
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被一种水草入侵泛滥成灾；
00:31
communities where economic livelihoods
have been hampered:
have been hampered:
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这些社区的日常经济活动
因此受到阻碍：
因此受到阻碍：
00:37
fishing, marine transportation
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捕鱼业，海洋运输，
00:40
and trading;
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以及贸易；
00:41
communities where fish yields
have diminished;
have diminished;
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这些社区的鱼产量因此缩减；
00:45
communities where schoolchildren
are unable to go to school
are unable to go to school
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这些社区的学生因此
连续好几天，甚至好几周，
连续好几天，甚至好几周，
00:50
for days, sometimes weeks, on end.
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都无法去上学。
00:54
Who would have thought that this plant
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谁会想到，这种有着
00:57
with round leaves, inflated stems,
and showy, lavender flowers
and showy, lavender flowers
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圆形叶子，饱满的茎，
和鲜艳淡紫色花朵的植物
和鲜艳淡紫色花朵的植物
01:04
would cause such havoc
in these communities.
in these communities.
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会给这些社区带来浩劫？
01:08
The plant is known as water hyacinth
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这种植物就是水葫芦，
01:11
and its botanical name,
Eichhornia crassipes.
Eichhornia crassipes.
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学名是凤眼莲。
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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有趣的是，在尼日利亚，
这种植物还有着一些别称，
这种植物还有着一些别称，
01:18
names associated with historical events,
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有些与历史事件有关，
01:21
as well as myths.
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有些则与神话有关。
01:23
In some places,
the plant is called Babangida.
the plant is called Babangida.
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在一些地方，这种植物
被称为巴班吉达。
被称为巴班吉达。
01:27
When you hear Babangida, you remember
the military and military coups.
the military and military coups.
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当你听到巴班吉达的时候，
你会想起军队和军事政变，
你会想起军队和军事政变，
01:32
And you think: fear, restraint.
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然后你会想到：恐惧，管制。
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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在尼日利亚的尼日尔三角洲地区，
这种植物叫做阿比奥拉。
这种植物叫做阿比奥拉。
01:41
When you hear Abiola,
you remember annulled elections
you remember annulled elections
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当你听到阿比奥拉的时候，
你会想到无效选举，
你会想到无效选举，
01:46
and you think: dashed hopes.
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然后你会想到：破灭的希望。
01:48
In the southwestern part of Nigeria,
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在尼日利亚的西南地区，
01:51
the plant is known as Gbe'borun.
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这种植物被称为贝布鲁，
01:53
Gbe'borun is a Yoruba phrase
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贝布鲁是约鲁巴语，
01:55
which translates to "gossip,"
or "talebearer."
or "talebearer."
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意思是“流言”或“告密者”，
01:59
When you think of gossip, you think:
rapid reproduction, destruction.
rapid reproduction, destruction.
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“流言”会让你想到
快速繁殖，毁灭。
快速繁殖，毁灭。
02:05
And in the Igala-speaking part of Nigeria,
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在尼日利亚的伊加拉语地区，
02:07
the plant is known as A Kp'iye Kp'oma,
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这种植物被称为“阿比伊波玛”。
02:10
And when you hear that,
you think of death.
you think of death.
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听到这个词，
你会联想到死亡，
你会联想到死亡，
02:13
It literally translates
to "death to mother and child."
to "death to mother and child."
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它的字面意思就是
“母亲和孩子的死亡”。
“母亲和孩子的死亡”。
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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2009年，我亲眼
目睹了这种植物。
目睹了这种植物。
02:23
It was shortly after I had relocated
from the US to Nigeria.
from the US to Nigeria.
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那时我刚从美国搬回到
尼日利亚不久。
尼日利亚不久。
02:28
I'd quit my job in corporate America
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我辞掉在美国的工作，
02:31
and decided to take
this big leap of faith,
this big leap of faith,
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决定去实现一个伟大的理想。
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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这个理想源自于
02:38
that there was a lot of work
to do in Nigeria
to do in Nigeria
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我深信在尼日利亚
的可持续发展方面
的可持续发展方面
02:40
in the area of sustainable development.
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仍有很大发展空间。
02:42
And so here I was in the year 2009,
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所以在2009年的时候，
02:45
actually, at the end of 2009,
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确切的说，
是在2009年年底。
是在2009年年底。
02:48
in Lagos on the Third Mainland Bridge.
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我来到了拉各斯
的第三大陆桥上。
的第三大陆桥上。
02:51
And I looked to my left
and saw this very arresting image.
and saw this very arresting image.
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我向左遥望，
看到触目惊心的一幕，
看到触目惊心的一幕，
02:55
It was an image of fishing boats
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我看到渔船被水葫芦
02:57
that had been hemmed in
by dense mats of water hyacinth.
by dense mats of water hyacinth.
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密密麻麻地包围起来。
03:03
And I was really pained by what I saw
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我对眼前的景象
感到痛心疾首，
感到痛心疾首，
03:05
because I thought to myself,
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因为我心里在想，
03:07
"These poor fisherfolk,
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“这些可怜的渔民，
03:09
how are they going
to go about their daily activities
to go about their daily activities
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在这种束缚下，
03:13
with these restrictions."
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要如何维持日常生计呢？”
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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然后我想，
“一定有更好的办法。”
“一定有更好的办法。”
03:19
A win-win solution whereby
the environment is taken care of
the environment is taken care of
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一定有一个两全其美的方案，
03:24
by the weeds being cleared out of the way
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一方面通过清除水草
开通水路以保护环境。
开通水路以保护环境。
03:26
and then this being turned
into an economic benefit
into an economic benefit
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一方面，
03:29
for the communities
whose lives are impacted the most
whose lives are impacted the most
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为这些深受入侵杂草
困扰的社区
困扰的社区
03:32
by the infestation of the weed.
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带来经济效益。
03:35
That, I would say, was my spark moment.
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可以说，那一刻，
我灵光一现。
我灵光一现。
03:38
And so I did further research
to find out more
to find out more
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接着，我做了进一步研究
03:42
about the beneficial uses of this weed.
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来找寻这些杂草更多的价值。
03:45
Out of the several,
one struck me the most.
one struck me the most.
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其中，有一个最吸引我。
03:48
It was the use of the plant
for handicrafts.
for handicrafts.
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那就是用植物来做手工艺品。
03:51
And I thought, "What a great idea."
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我想，“这真是个好主意！”
03:54
Personally, I love handicrafts,
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我本身就很喜欢手工艺品，
03:56
especially handicrafts
that are woven around a story.
that are woven around a story.
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尤其是有故事底蕴
的手工艺品。
的手工艺品。
04:01
And so I thought, "This could be
easily deployed within the communities
easily deployed within the communities
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我发现，“这不需要任何专业技能
04:05
without the requirement
of technical skills."
of technical skills."
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就能很顺利的在当地社区中推广。”
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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我对自己说，“要实现这个宏大方案
只要三个简单的步骤。 ”
只要三个简单的步骤。 ”
04:15
First step: Get out into the waterways
and harvest the water hyacinth.
and harvest the water hyacinth.
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第一步，进入河道，
收割水葫芦。
收割水葫芦。
04:20
That way, you create access.
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这样，就开通了水道。
04:22
Secondly, you dry
the water hyacinth stems.
the water hyacinth stems.
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第二步，晾干水葫芦的茎。
04:27
And thirdly, you weave
the water hyacinth into products.
the water hyacinth into products.
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第三步，把水葫芦编织成工艺品。
04:32
The third step was a challenge.
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第三步是一个挑战。
04:34
See, I'm a computer scientist
by background
by background
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你看，我实际是个计算机科学家，
04:37
and not someone in the creative arts.
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并非从事艺术创作的人。
04:40
And so I began my quest
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因此我开始探索
04:42
to find out how I can learn how to weave.
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如何才能学会编织。
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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而这个探索将我带到伊巴丹的
一个社区，也是我住的地方，
一个社区，也是我住的地方，
04:49
called Sabo.
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萨博。
04:50
Sabo translates to "strangers' quarters."
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萨博的意思是“陌生人的住所”。
04:53
And the community is
predominantly made up of people
predominantly made up of people
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这个社区的居民
04:56
from the northern part of the country.
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主要来自于尼日利亚北部。
04:58
So I literally took
my dried weeds in hand,
my dried weeds in hand,
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毫不夸张的说，
我手捧着这堆晾干的水草，
我手捧着这堆晾干的水草，
05:01
there were several more of them,
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事实上有好几束，
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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去挨家挨户敲门，
看谁能教我
看谁能教我
05:06
how to weave these
water hyacinth stems into ropes.
water hyacinth stems into ropes.
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如何把这些水葫芦茎
编织成绳子。
编织成绳子。
05:10
And I was directed
to the shed of Malam Yahaya.
to the shed of Malam Yahaya.
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有人指引我来到
玛兰•雅哈亚的小屋，
玛兰•雅哈亚的小屋，
可是问题是，
玛兰•雅哈亚不会说英语，
玛兰•雅哈亚不会说英语，
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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05:17
and neither did I speak Hausa.
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而我也不会说豪萨语。
05:20
But some little kids came to the rescue
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所幸是有些小孩子
伸出了援手
伸出了援手
05:22
and helped translate.
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帮助我们翻译。
05:24
And that began my journey
of learning how to weave
of learning how to weave
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我就是这样开始了
学习编织的旅程，
学习编织的旅程，
05:27
and transform these
dried water hyacinth stems
dried water hyacinth stems
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学会将这种晾干的水葫芦茎
05:31
into long ropes.
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编成长绳。
05:35
With my long ropes in hand,
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有了长绳之后，
05:37
I was now equipped to make products.
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我现在就有能力
制作产品了。
制作产品了。
05:40
And that was the beginning
of partnerships.
of partnerships.
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这也开启了我的合作事业，
05:43
Working with rattan basket makers
to come up with products.
to come up with products.
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和藤篮制作者合作，
一起创造产品。
一起创造产品。
05:47
So with this in hand, I felt confident
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有它在手，我有信心
05:50
that I would be able
to take this knowledge
to take this knowledge
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能够将这些知识
05:52
back into the riverine communities
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带回到河岸社区，
05:54
and help them to transform
their adversity into prosperity.
their adversity into prosperity.
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帮助他们把灾难变为财富。
05:59
So taking these weeds
and actually weaving them
and actually weaving them
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把这些杂草编织成
06:03
into products that can be sold.
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可以出售的产品。
06:05
So we have pens, we have tableware,
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我们做了笔，餐具，
06:09
we have purses, we have tissue boxes.
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做了钱袋，纸巾盒。
06:13
Thereby, helping the communities
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借此也帮助当地社区
06:15
to see water hyacinth
in a different light.
in a different light.
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从另一个角度看待水葫芦，
06:19
Seeing water hyacinth as being valuable,
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将其视为有价值的，
06:21
being aesthetic,
being durable, tough, resilient.
being durable, tough, resilient.
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有美感的，耐用的，
坚韧的，以及适应力强的。
坚韧的，以及适应力强的。
06:27
Changing names, changing livelihoods.
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改变名称，改变谋生之道。
06:31
From Gbe'borun, gossip,
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从贝布鲁，意思是流言，
06:34
to Olusotan, storyteller.
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到欧鲁苏坦，
意思是说故事的人。
意思是说故事的人。
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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从阿比伊波玛，
意思是“杀死母亲和孩子的人”，
意思是“杀死母亲和孩子的人”，
06:41
to Ya du j'ewn w'Iye kp'Oma,
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变成雅度杰维波玛，
06:43
"provider of food for mother and child."
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意思是“为母亲和孩子提供食物的人”。
06:46
And I'd like to end
with a quote by Michael Margolis.
with a quote by Michael Margolis.
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我想引用迈克尔•马戈利斯
的一段话作为结束。
的一段话作为结束。
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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他说，“想了解一种文化，
去聆听他们的故事。
去聆听他们的故事。
06:55
And if you want to change a culture,
change the stories."
change the stories."
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想改变一种文化，
去改写他们的故事。”
去改写他们的故事。”
06:59
And so, from Makoko community,
to Abobiri, to Ewoi,
to Abobiri, to Ewoi,
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所以，从马科科社区，
到阿博比利，到艾沃伊，
到阿博比利，到艾沃伊，
07:05
to Kolo, to Owahwa, Esaba,
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再到柯洛，奥瓦瓦，伊沙巴，
07:08
we have changed the story.
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我们已经改写了故事。
07:11
Thank you for listening.
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感谢你们的聆听。
07:12
(Applause)
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（掌声）
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