TED Talks
Rose Goslinga: Crop insurance, an idea worth seeding
Across sub-Saharan Africa, small farmers are the bedrock of national and regional economies—unless the weather proves unpredictable and their crops fail. The solution is insurance, at a vast, continental scale, and at a very low,...
TED Talks
TED: Why Africa needs community-led conservation | Resson Kantai Duff
Conservation efforts in Africa have typically been led by "parachute conservationists" -- outsiders who drop in thinking they have all the answers, hire locals to implement them and then disappear. But conservationist Resson Kantai Duff...
TED Talks
Robert Neuwirth: The hidden world of shadow cities
Robert Neuwirth, author of "Shadow Cities," finds the world's squatter sites -- where a billion people now make their homes -- to be thriving centers of ingenuity and innovation. He takes us on a tour.
TED Talks
Juliana Rotich: Meet BRCK, Internet access built for Africa
Tech communities are booming all over Africa, says Nairobi-based Juliana Rotich, cofounder of the open-source software Ushahidi. But it remains challenging to get and stay connected in a region with frequent blackouts and spotty Internet...
TED Talks
TED: A few ways to fix a government | Charity Wayua
Charity Wayua put her skills as a cancer researcher to use on an unlikely patient: the government of her native Kenya. She shares how she helped her government drastically improve its process for opening up new businesses, a crucial part...
TED Talks
TED: You don't need an app for that | Toby Shapshak
Are the simplest phones the smartest? While the rest of the world is updating statuses and playing games on smartphones, Africa is developing useful SMS-based solutions to everyday needs, says journalist Toby Shapshak. In this...
TED Talks
TED: Africa's great carbon valley -- and how to end energy poverty | James Irungu Mwangi
Our lives depend on curbing climate change, but so many priorities seem to be in competition. What's the most urgent thing humanity can do right now? Social entrepreneur James Irungu Mwangi tells us why Africa could be the ideal home for...
TED Talks
Andrew Bastawrous: Get your next eye exam on a smartphone
Thirty-nine million people in the world are blind, and the majority lost their sight due to curable and preventable diseases. But how do you test and treat people who live in remote areas, where expensive, bulky eye equipment is hard to...
TED Talks
Munir Virani: Why I love vultures
As natural garbage collectors, vultures are vital to our ecosystem -- so why all the bad press? Why are so many in danger of extinction? Raptor biologist Munir Virani says we need to pay more attention to these unique and misunderstood...
TED Talks
Erik Hersman: Reporting crisis via texting
At TEDU 2009, Erik Hersman presents the remarkable story of Ushahidi, a GoogleMap mashup that allowed Kenyans to report and track violence via cell phone texts following the 2008 elections, and has evolved to continue saving lives in...
TED Talks
TED: For the love of birds | Washington Wachira
From the glorious crested guinea fowl to the adulterous African jacana to vultures that can pick a zebra carcass clean in 30 minutes, Washington Wachira wants us all to get to know the marvelous species of birds that share the planet...
TED Talks
Insights on HIV, in stunning data visuals - Hans Rosling
* Viewer discretion advised. This video includes discussion of mature topics and may be inappropriate for some audiences. Hans Rosling unveils data visuals that untangle the complex risk factors of one of the world's deadliest (and most...
SciShow
Turns Out "The Lorax" Is Probably a Real Monkey
Scientists found, on a Kenyan plateau, a tree and a monkey that you might just know. But humans make changes, as we often do, and now these small creatures may soon fade from view.
TED Talks
Bright Simons: To help solve global problems, look to developing countries
To address the problem of counterfeit goods, African entrepreneurs like Bright Simons have come up with innovative and effective ways to confirm products are genuine. Now he asks: Why aren't these solutions everywhere? From...
TED Talks
TED: A feminist reimagining of Kenya's public transport | Naomi Mwaura
Kenya's minibuses -- known as "matatus" -- offer a convenient, affordable and colorful way for people to get around. But they also pose safety risks and accessibility issues for many of their passengers, especially women. Bringing a...
TED Talks
TED: Got millet? How marketing could improve the lives of African farmers | Zoë Karl-Waithaka
From "got milk?" to "avocados from Mexico," marketing influences what you eat more than you may realize. But despite the known power of food marketing, farmers in Africa are more likely to receive funding for seed and fertilizer than...
TED Talks
Boniface Mwangi: The day I stood up alone
Photographer Boniface Mwangi wanted to protest against corruption in his home country of Kenya. So he made a plan: He and some friends would stand up and heckle during a public mass meeting. But when the moment came ... he stood alone....
TED Talks
Wanjira Mathai: 3 ways to uproot a culture of corruption
Corruption is a constant threat in Kenya, says social entrepreneur Wanjira Mathai -- and to stop it there (or anywhere else), we need to intervene early. Following the legacy of her mother, political activist and Nobel Prize recipient...
TED Talks
Richard Turere: My invention that made peace with lions
In the Maasai community where Richard Turere lives with his family, cattle are all-important. But lion attacks were growing more frequent. In this short, inspiring talk, the young inventor shares the solar-powered solution he designed to...
TED Talks
Louise Leakey: A dig for humanity's origins
Louise Leakey asks, "Who are we?" The question takes her to the Rift Valley in Eastern Africa, where she digs for the evolutionary origins of humankind -- and suggests a stunning new vision of our competing ancestors.
SciShow
The World's First Malaria Vaccine Gets a Shot in Africa | SciShow News
Last week, the World Health Organization announced that a malaria vaccine has finally made it through all the regulatory hurdles and is being distributed in the country of Malawi. Learn how it works and why it’s taken so long to develop...
Crash Course
Decolonization: Crash Course European History
After World War II, Europe was changing radically, and its place in the world was changing as well. European powers had colonized around the world in the 18th and 19th centuries, and in the 20th century, it all came crashing down. Of...
TED Talks
TED: A new way to help young people with their mental health | Tom Osborn
TED Fellow Tom Osborn wants more young people to have access to the mental health support they need. With the Shamiri Institute, he and his team are training 18- to 22-year-olds to deliver evidence-based mental health care to their peers...
TED Talks
TED: Sex education should start with consent | Kaz
Consent can be a tricky topic to talk about in sex education curriculums, but it doesn't have to be. In this hilarious and relatable talk, sex educator and TED Fellow Kaz offers a fresh look at teaching young people about the core...