TEDWomen 2015
Achenyo Idachaba: How I turned a deadly plant into a thriving business
Ačenjo Idačaba (Achenyo Idachaba): Kako sam pretvorila smrtonosnu biljku u uspešan posao
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Vodeni hijakint možda izgleda kao bezopasna, čak i prelepa cvetna biljka, ali to je zapravo invazivna vodena trava koja ometa plovne puteve, zaustavlja trgovinu, remeti školovanje i narušava svakodnevni život. U toj pošasti, preduzetnik u službi životne sredine, Ačenjo Idačaba, videla je priliku. Sledite njen put dok pretvara korov u izatkana čuda.
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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Dobrodošli u Bajeku,
00:15
a riverine community in Ikorodu, Lagos --
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rečnu zajednicu u Ikoroduu, u Lagosu -
00:18
a vivid representation of several
riverine communities across Nigeria,
riverine communities across Nigeria,
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živopisni prikaz nekoliko rečnih zajednica
širom Nigerije,
00:24
communities whose waterways
have been infested
have been infested
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zajednica čije je vodene tokove zahvatila
invazivna vodena trava.
00:28
by an invasive aquatic weed;
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00:31
communities where economic livelihoods
have been hampered:
have been hampered:
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To su zajednice u kojima je bila otežana
ekonomska egzistencija -
ekonomska egzistencija -
00:37
fishing, marine transportation
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ribolov, pomorski saobraćaj i trgovina;
00:40
and trading;
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00:41
communities where fish yields
have diminished;
have diminished;
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zajednice gde su prinosi ribe smanjeni;
00:45
communities where schoolchildren
are unable to go to school
are unable to go to school
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zajednice gde su đaci
sprečeni da idu u školu danima,
sprečeni da idu u školu danima,
00:50
for days, sometimes weeks, on end.
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ponekad i nedeljama uzastopno.
Ko bi rekao da će ova biljka
00:54
Who would have thought that this plant
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00:57
with round leaves, inflated stems,
and showy, lavender flowers
and showy, lavender flowers
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sa okruglim listovima, visokim stabljikama
i raskošnim cvetovima poput lavande,
i raskošnim cvetovima poput lavande,
izazvati takvo rasulo u ovim zajednicama.
01:04
would cause such havoc
in these communities.
in these communities.
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Biljka je poznata pod imenom
vodeni hijakint
vodeni hijakint
01:08
The plant is known as water hyacinth
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01:11
and its botanical name,
Eichhornia crassipes.
Eichhornia crassipes.
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i botaničkim imenom 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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Zanimljivo je da je u Nigeriji
ova biljka poznata i po drugim imenima
ova biljka poznata i po drugim imenima
01:18
names associated with historical events,
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vezanim za istorijske događaje,
01:21
as well as myths.
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kao i mitove.
01:23
In some places,
the plant is called Babangida.
the plant is called Babangida.
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U nekim mestima je zovu babangida.
01:27
When you hear Babangida, you remember
the military and military coups.
the military and military coups.
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Kada čujete babangida,
setite se vojske i vojnih udara
setite se vojske i vojnih udara
01:32
And you think: fear, restraint.
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i pomislite na strah, ograničavanje.
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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U delovima Nigerije u delti reke Niger,
biljka je takođe poznata kao abiola.
biljka je takođe poznata kao abiola.
Kada čujete abiola,
setite se poništenih izbora
setite se poništenih izbora
01:41
When you hear Abiola,
you remember annulled elections
you remember annulled elections
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i pomislite: „Zgažena nada.“
01:46
and you think: dashed hopes.
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U jugozapadnom delu Nigerije,
01:48
In the southwestern part of Nigeria,
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biljka je poznata kao gbeborun.
01:51
the plant is known as Gbe'borun.
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01:53
Gbe'borun is a Yoruba phrase
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Gbeborun je izraz na jeziku Joruba
01:55
which translates to "gossip,"
or "talebearer."
or "talebearer."
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koji u prevodu znači „trač“
ili „potkazivač“.
ili „potkazivač“.
Kada pomislite na trač, pomislite:
„Brzo razmnožavanje, uništavanje.“
„Brzo razmnožavanje, uništavanje.“
01:59
When you think of gossip, you think:
rapid reproduction, destruction.
rapid reproduction, destruction.
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A u delu Nigerije
u kome se govori Igala jezikom,
u kome se govori Igala jezikom,
02:05
And in the Igala-speaking part of Nigeria,
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02:07
the plant is known as A Kp'iye Kp'oma,
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biljka je poznata kao „akpije kpoma“.
02:10
And when you hear that,
you think of death.
you think of death.
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Kada to čujete, pomislite na smrt.
02:13
It literally translates
to "death to mother and child."
to "death to mother and child."
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Bukvalan prevod je „smrt majci i detetu“.
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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Lično sam se susrela
sa ovom biljkom 2009. godine.
sa ovom biljkom 2009. godine.
02:23
It was shortly after I had relocated
from the US to Nigeria.
from the US to Nigeria.
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Bilo je to ubrzo nakon mog preseljenja
iz SAD-a u Nigeriju.
iz SAD-a u Nigeriju.
02:28
I'd quit my job in corporate America
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Napustila sam svoj posao
u korporativnoj Americi
u korporativnoj Americi
02:31
and decided to take
this big leap of faith,
this big leap of faith,
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i odlučila se na veliki skok u nepoznato,
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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skok koji je proizašao iz dubokog uverenja
da u Nigeriji ima mnogo toga
što treba uraditi
što treba uraditi
02:38
that there was a lot of work
to do in Nigeria
to do in Nigeria
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02:40
in the area of sustainable development.
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u oblasti održivog razvoja.
02:42
And so here I was in the year 2009,
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Tako sam se tu našla 2009. godine,
02:45
actually, at the end of 2009,
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zapravo, pri kraju 2009. godine,
u Lagosu na Trećem kopnenom mostu.
02:48
in Lagos on the Third Mainland Bridge.
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02:51
And I looked to my left
and saw this very arresting image.
and saw this very arresting image.
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Pogledala sam sa svoje leve strane
i ugledala zapanjujuć prizor.
i ugledala zapanjujuć prizor.
Bio je to prizor ribarskih brodova
02:55
It was an image of fishing boats
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02:57
that had been hemmed in
by dense mats of water hyacinth.
by dense mats of water hyacinth.
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zarobljenih u gustim prostirkama
vodenog hijakinta.
vodenog hijakinta.
Zaista me je zabolelo to što sam videla
03:03
And I was really pained by what I saw
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jer sam pomislila:
03:05
because I thought to myself,
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„Siroti ribari,
03:07
"These poor fisherfolk,
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03:09
how are they going
to go about their daily activities
to go about their daily activities
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kako li će nastaviti
sa svojim dnevnim aktivnostima
sa svojim dnevnim aktivnostima
uz ova ograničenja?“
03:13
with these restrictions."
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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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A zatim sam pomislila:
„Mora da postoji bolji način.“
„Mora da postoji bolji način.“
03:19
A win-win solution whereby
the environment is taken care of
the environment is taken care of
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Dobitno rešenje za sve,
u kome je životna sredina sređena
u kome je životna sredina sređena
03:24
by the weeds being cleared out of the way
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tako što je uklonjen korov,
03:26
and then this being turned
into an economic benefit
into an economic benefit
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a to zatim pretvoreno u ekonomsku dobit
03:29
for the communities
whose lives are impacted the most
whose lives are impacted the most
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za zajednice u kojima su životi
najviše pogođeni
najviše pogođeni
03:32
by the infestation of the weed.
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haranjem ove trave.
03:35
That, I would say, was my spark moment.
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To je, rekla bih,
bio moj trenutak inspiracije.
bio moj trenutak inspiracije.
03:38
And so I did further research
to find out more
to find out more
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Zatim sam dodatno istraživala
i otkrila nešto više
i otkrila nešto više
03:42
about the beneficial uses of this weed.
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o korisnim upotrebama ove trave.
03:45
Out of the several,
one struck me the most.
one struck me the most.
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Od nekoliko upotreba,
jedna je ostavila najveći utisak na mene.
jedna je ostavila najveći utisak na mene.
03:48
It was the use of the plant
for handicrafts.
for handicrafts.
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Bilo je to korišćenje biljke
za rukotvorine.
za rukotvorine.
03:51
And I thought, "What a great idea."
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Pomislila sam: „Baš sjajna ideja.“
03:54
Personally, I love handicrafts,
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Lično volim rukotvorine,
03:56
especially handicrafts
that are woven around a story.
that are woven around a story.
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naročito one koji su vezane za neku priču.
04:01
And so I thought, "This could be
easily deployed within the communities
easily deployed within the communities
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Tako sam pomislila: „To bi se moglo
lako uspostaviti u zajednicama
lako uspostaviti u zajednicama
04:05
without the requirement
of technical skills."
of technical skills."
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bez potrebe za tehničkim veštinama.“
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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Pomislila sam u sebi:
„Tri jednostavna koraka
do izuzetnog rešenja.“
do izuzetnog rešenja.“
04:15
First step: Get out into the waterways
and harvest the water hyacinth.
and harvest the water hyacinth.
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Prvi korak - doći na vodene puteve
i sakupiti vodeni hijakint.
i sakupiti vodeni hijakint.
Na taj način, stvarate prilaz.
04:20
That way, you create access.
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04:22
Secondly, you dry
the water hyacinth stems.
the water hyacinth stems.
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Drugo, osušite stabljike
vodenog hijakinta
vodenog hijakinta
04:27
And thirdly, you weave
the water hyacinth into products.
the water hyacinth into products.
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i treće, vodeni hijakint
se utka u proizvode.
se utka u proizvode.
04:32
The third step was a challenge.
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Treći korak je predstavljao izazov.
04:34
See, I'm a computer scientist
by background
by background
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Vidite, ja sam po zanimanju informatičar,
a ne neko ko se bavi kreativnom umetnošću.
04:37
and not someone in the creative arts.
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04:40
And so I began my quest
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Tako sam otpočela svoju potragu
04:42
to find out how I can learn how to weave.
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radi otkrivanja kako da naučim da tkam.
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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Ta potraga me je dovela
u zajednicu u Ibadanu, gde sam živela,
u zajednicu u Ibadanu, gde sam živela,
04:49
called Sabo.
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po imenu Sabo.
04:50
Sabo translates to "strangers' quarters."
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Sabo u prevodu znači „strančeve odaje“.
04:53
And the community is
predominantly made up of people
predominantly made up of people
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Zajednicu pretežno sačinjavaju ljudi
04:56
from the northern part of the country.
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iz severnog dela zemlje.
04:58
So I literally took
my dried weeds in hand,
my dried weeds in hand,
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Bukvalno sam uzela suve travke u ruku,
05:01
there were several more of them,
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bilo ih je nešto više,
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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i krenula sam od vrata do vrata
da bih našla nekog ko bi me naučio
da bih našla nekog ko bi me naučio
05:06
how to weave these
water hyacinth stems into ropes.
water hyacinth stems into ropes.
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kako da tkam ove stabljike
vodenog hijakinta u konopce.
vodenog hijakinta u konopce.
05:10
And I was directed
to the shed of Malam Yahaya.
to the shed of Malam Yahaya.
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Uputili su me u kolibu Malam Jaja.
Međutim, problem je bio
u tome što Malam Jaja ne govori engleski,
u tome što Malam Jaja ne govori engleski,
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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a ni ja ne znam jezik hausa,
05:17
and neither did I speak Hausa.
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05:20
But some little kids came to the rescue
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ali su neka dečica pritekla u pomoć
05:22
and helped translate.
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i prevodila.
05:24
And that began my journey
of learning how to weave
of learning how to weave
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Time je otpočelo moje putovanje
učenja kako da tkam
učenja kako da tkam
05:27
and transform these
dried water hyacinth stems
dried water hyacinth stems
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i pretvorim ove sušene stabljike
vodenog hijakinta
vodenog hijakinta
05:31
into long ropes.
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u dugačke konopce.
05:35
With my long ropes in hand,
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Sa dugačkim konopcima u ruci,
bila sam opremljena da stvaram proizvode.
05:37
I was now equipped to make products.
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05:40
And that was the beginning
of partnerships.
of partnerships.
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To je bio početak partnerstava,
05:43
Working with rattan basket makers
to come up with products.
to come up with products.
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rada sa tvorcima korpi od ratan palmi
kako bismo došli do proizvoda.
kako bismo došli do proizvoda.
05:47
So with this in hand, I felt confident
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Sa ovim u ruci, bila sam sigurna
05:50
that I would be able
to take this knowledge
to take this knowledge
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da ću moći da odnesem ovo znanje
05:52
back into the riverine communities
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u rečne zajednice
05:54
and help them to transform
their adversity into prosperity.
their adversity into prosperity.
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i pomognem im da pretvore
svoju nedaću u povoljnu okolnost.
svoju nedaću u povoljnu okolnost.
Dakle, da odnesemo ovu travu
i da je utkamo
i da je utkamo
05:59
So taking these weeds
and actually weaving them
and actually weaving them
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06:03
into products that can be sold.
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u proizvode koji se mogu prodati.
06:05
So we have pens, we have tableware,
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Tako imamo olovke, stoni pribor,
06:09
we have purses, we have tissue boxes.
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tašne, kutije za maramice.
06:13
Thereby, helping the communities
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Na taj način pomažemo zajednicama
06:15
to see water hyacinth
in a different light.
in a different light.
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da sagledaju vodenog hijakinta
u drugačijem svetlu,
u drugačijem svetlu,
06:19
Seeing water hyacinth as being valuable,
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kao korisnog,
06:21
being aesthetic,
being durable, tough, resilient.
being durable, tough, resilient.
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estetskog, izdržljivog, jakog, otpornog,
06:27
Changing names, changing livelihoods.
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koji je promenio imena
i promenio sredstva za život,
i promenio sredstva za život,
06:31
From Gbe'borun, gossip,
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od gbeboruna - trača,
06:34
to Olusotan, storyteller.
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do olušatana - pripovedača.
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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Od „akpije kpoma“ - ubice majke i deteta,
06:41
to Ya du j'ewn w'Iye kp'Oma,
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do „jadudževn vlije kpoma“ -
06:43
"provider of food for mother and child."
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snabdevača hrane za majku i dete.
06:46
And I'd like to end
with a quote by Michael Margolis.
with a quote by Michael Margolis.
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Htela bih da završim
citatom Majkla Margolisa.
citatom Majkla Margolisa.
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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Rekao je: „Ako hoćete da naučite
o kulturi, slušajte priče.
o kulturi, slušajte priče.
06:55
And if you want to change a culture,
change the stories."
change the stories."
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Ako hoćete da promenite kulturu,
promenite priče.“
promenite priče.“
06:59
And so, from Makoko community,
to Abobiri, to Ewoi,
to Abobiri, to Ewoi,
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I tako smo, od Makoko zajednice,
Abobirija, Evoija,
Abobirija, Evoija,
07:05
to Kolo, to Owahwa, Esaba,
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sve do Koloa, Ovavae i Esabe
07:08
we have changed the story.
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promenili priču.
07:11
Thank you for listening.
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Hvala što ste me saslušali.
07:12
(Applause)
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(Aplauz)
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