Original version

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Radio

World Service Radio

The Documentary

Documentaries

Factual

Investigating global developments, issues and affairs.

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

The Documentary: The Hundred Million Dollar Question: The Hundred Million Dollar Question - Part One

Discussion & Talk

The Hundred Million Dollar Question

30/08/2017 GMT

The Hundred Million Dollar Question - Part One

BBC World Service - The Documentary, The Hundred Million Dollar Question, The Hundred Million Dollar Question - Part One

What’s the best way to spend $100 million to fix one of humanity’s problems?

The MacArthur Foundation's 100&Change competition is offering a $100 million grant to fix one problem in the world today.  We hear the eight semi-finalist ideas.

What is the best way to spend $100 million to fix one huge problem in the world today? That is the challenge laid down by the MacArthur Foundation in Chicago, distributors of the “genius grant”. 

They created the 100&Change competition to inspire solutions for some of the looming disasters facing people, places or the planet. The prize is a colossal grant of $100 million over three years for the project which can make the most lasting difference to people’s lives.

The foundation received nearly 2,000 submissions. They have narrowed down the list to eight ideas. Ed Butler and a panel of expert guests hear the details of the first four of eight challengers, which range from using puppets to educate child refugees in Syria to eliminating river blindness in Nigeria. Is $100 million enough to tackle these challenges and what are the consequences, intended or not, of philanthropy on such a big scale?

(Photo: Dollar bills being thrown towards viewer. Credit: Shutterstock)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Documentary

The Hundred Million Dollar Question

The Hundred Million Dollar Question - Part One

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC World Service

About BBC World Service