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#85: How a Safety Pro Became a King
70 Plays2 years ago
Manti is an Industrial Hygienist who has dedicated his career to improving occupational health in Africa. Currently, Manti is the Industrial Hygiene Project Coordinator & Nigeria Safer Mining Project Coordinator with Occupational Knowledge International (OKI)--- he is also a doctoral candidate. Our host Jill learns how Manti spent years building trust with tribal leaders to save the lives of hundreds through his work in preventing lead poisoning- and how his love for people continues to motivate him to do more.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction & Sponsorship
00:00:08
Speaker
This is the Accidental Safety Pro brought to you by HSI. My name is Jill James, HSI's Chief Safety Officer.
Continuation with Manti Michael Nota
00:00:16
Speaker
Today is part two of my conversation with Manti Michael Nota. If you missed part one, you might want to go back and have a listen.
Themes of Trust, Grit, and Leadership
00:00:25
Speaker
To me, Manti's story is about trust, grit, and leadership. I hope you hear those themes emerge as you listen to his incredible story in both parts.
00:00:36
Speaker
Professionally,
Building Trust in Professional Community Work
00:00:37
Speaker
you and I spend much of our time building trust with the people we serve. Were you amazed to hear the ways Manti built trust and how long it took him and the result at the end? In what ways have you successfully built trust and what was the result?
00:00:55
Speaker
Manti's grit or strength of character shone through to me in both episodes.
Unique Educational Journey for Health Improvement
00:01:01
Speaker
The way that he decided on an education that literally no one had ever pursued in his country amazed me, and how he applied it and built on it to better the health and lives of not only his community and neighboring country, but his family members who also worked in the mines, to me, is applied grit.
00:01:22
Speaker
Where have you leaned into your grit to accomplish something in our profession? I know you have.
Facing Threats from Domestic Militia
00:01:31
Speaker
And leadership. It's not often you hear someone share how their life and their lives of the people they were leading were threatened by domestic militia and how frightened they were, including Manti,
00:01:44
Speaker
Yet in that moment, he knew he had to stay and lead calmly in order for all of them to survive. Our profession calls upon us to lead people through that which may seem uncertain. How do you hone your leadership skills? I hope you enjoy both part one and part two of this episode. Now, on with the show.
00:02:11
Speaker
So
Cultural Adaptation and Integration
00:02:11
Speaker
I started working with this community, but the same time I started working with this community, I started learning their language to make sure that I go together with them, but also changing my dressing.
00:02:27
Speaker
from wearing tie and suits and jeans and blah blah, starting wearing some, we call, it's a kind of Nigerian dress, kaftan. So he wear kaftan, he wear a cap becoming like the tradition of these people.
00:02:50
Speaker
So in this area, I find doctor without what they are doing treatment, they are doing head promotion.
00:02:57
Speaker
But we have to join now to work with one team, following the people in the mining. And then after six to seven months, we start seeing the result was going very well. So at the same time, I was asked to move now to the big project whereby example.
Large Project and Emphasis on Safety
00:03:17
Speaker
And imagining this big project, it was a very big challenge.
00:03:21
Speaker
You can really see it was maybe 20 to 30 times the first project. And it is a driving from the Niger State to Danfra State. You drive from 12, from 6 in the morning to around 7 in the evening. So I started moving between the two projects.
00:03:44
Speaker
Yes. I started moving between the two projects after seven months, and driving for almost 12 to 13 hours, passing inside the bush. And this area is already known, like with the security problem, and people have been kidnapped. People have been locked on their way.
00:04:07
Speaker
People have been carried on their way. So I used to move together with a driver. We used maybe two cars. One car would drive maybe like almost seven hours, and another one would join like a kiss movement. So with four driver, we would drive with four driver, two driver going and two driver coming back. On the same journey, like seven hours with two driver and another seven hours with two driver.
00:04:35
Speaker
You can literally see that it is very huge, very far, but also the load was not safe at all. But anyway, doctor, they have their own system of assessing and checking and preventing, making sure that you don't get any problem on the way. Did you stay safe, Mehdi, or did you ever run into security problems?
Dangerous Encounter with Bandits
00:04:57
Speaker
So one day, I line and execute a problem because in this Zamfala, as I said, the problem was huge. And one day, I went around like 28 kilometers away from home, whereby it was on the processing site. On safer mining, what we used to do
00:05:25
Speaker
we convert because the main problem was for the miner to bring the ore at home.
00:05:32
Speaker
to bring the, to process at home. Another problem which was causing the lead, it was to bring the clothes at home.
Centralizing Mining to Reduce Lead Exposure
00:05:43
Speaker
This is the power exposure, but also the children assessing the mining and keeping the oil and the material at home. So on the safer mining, what we are doing, we are trying to change
00:05:57
Speaker
We are trying to change the oil processing from dry to wet, but also making all these activities in one place. So we are centralizing, removing the clasher and all the activities inside the community and putting away maybe around two kilometer to three kilometer away from the community.
00:06:16
Speaker
So one day I visited one of the community because by the time I went, I say it was like around four villages which were walking by that time. So one of the villages was about 27 kilometers away from the base where I used to stay.
00:06:36
Speaker
So I went there, I was just doing my air sample to understand the export of the minor but also trying to teach the minor to see how they're progressing because also one of the things we used to do, we used to train people in class and after we trained them in class, we have to allow them to go and do the practice. So we used to follow them to see if they are really doing the prevention part.
00:07:02
Speaker
And then one day when I was
Misunderstanding Leads to Danger
00:07:05
Speaker
in this centralized area, there is hunter. In northern Nigeria, there is a catch-away by men. They will go to hunt. And they will take a dog, take a gun, and everything that they can allow them to do hunting. So unfortunately,
00:07:24
Speaker
to the area where I was on the processing site is close to the bush. And unfortunately, this hunter came that day. It's about, because we used to have like a drilling of a borehole, so they come and fetch water, they enter in the bush. So after five minutes of entering the bush, we start hearing gun.
00:07:46
Speaker
So this hunter they met with the bandits who were around that area and they were doing meeting and they feel like these bandits were attacked.
00:08:01
Speaker
by those hunter and they were not knowing if it's the hunter because in North Nigeria they have their process, they have the group which is called Vigilante who normally look after the community and prevent about this ban that reactivity. So they banned it, they thought these people are the Vigilante so they start attacking and shooting.
00:08:21
Speaker
So I was in a close fire, you see people learning and learning to a place and it close fire for almost 30 minutes and I see people shooting with AKA for the 70 like 50 meter like that 50 meter is very close.
00:08:38
Speaker
So trying to lie down, I took the car which I was having the field and starting landing randomly to make sure that I land out around that area. I succeed. I went to the district head, and then I talked to the district head, asked him what was happening. Then he started calling and blah, blah, like that. Then he managed to rescue the situation.
Bandit Attack Evacuation
00:09:03
Speaker
But at the back, I was having a team of occupational knowledge international.
00:09:08
Speaker
And another team of Doctor Without Border, almost 18 people who were all crying by that time. They never hear about gun. Imagine building these creases, and the one have to make the decision. It was not an easy time. So I succeed to take the team out on that area, but with the assistance of the head of mission, but also the operational manager in Amsterdam of Doctor Without Border.
00:09:37
Speaker
Then we rescued the team, but it was not an easy. So we start coming. Everyone was crying. And when I was almost crying, I feel like if I would cry, I'm the leader of this team. Everyone is going through the hope. Yes, yes, yes. So I rescued the team. I went back.
00:09:59
Speaker
And because the passion of helping the people was inside. After several weeks, I get back to the processing site and start training the mine and taking air sample like that. So I never forget this time in Nigeria because it was my first time learning because of gun.
Resuming Work Post-Crisis
00:10:20
Speaker
And it was my first time learning because of escaping to be dying.
00:10:28
Speaker
so oh my gosh this was my first time to to to be in of course Tanzania is a peaceful country so we never see these things like it is like that yes oh my gosh wow wow and then and then all of a sudden you're back to doing your work and and yeah and Menti it sounds like i mean your work is
00:10:49
Speaker
Well, I mean, you had just hazards around you that you would have never had anticipated with the violence, but you also had to overcome the trust issues
00:11:00
Speaker
with the people in the communities, you said you learned their language, you began dressing in the same way, and you were meeting with some of their leaders in the community to try to build trust, I'm guessing. And then you started to set up these processing centers to do things in a safer manner for the community. How long
00:11:28
Speaker
I
Building Trust in Zamfara
00:11:29
Speaker
mean that sounds like a really big job. I mean how long does it take before you were starting to see some sort of positive impact? Because trust isn't built overnight for sure.
00:11:41
Speaker
Yes. So, as I said, on the first project, it took me seven months. But this first project, as I said, it was Niger State. Niger State, at least some people are understanding. The culture is really Muslim. It's really serious, but you cannot compare with the one in Zamfra.
00:12:05
Speaker
So in Niger, it took me seven months, but in Niger, in Zamfala, it took me almost for two years before people started understanding what I'm talking. Because the first time when I went there,
00:12:19
Speaker
people where in Zamfala we are tired, imagine they have lost, you find their family has lost maybe four kids with lead poison and they never stop mining because this is the only likelihood they can get and you see by then the government we are stopping them to do their mining and they have seen many people who come in to ask them a lot of question but they don't see if they are getting help
00:12:49
Speaker
They see their children from 2010. By then we are talking it's 2017, 2018. Children are undergoing treatment, creation teller treatment. And you know creation teller treatment there is two cause, five cause and 19 cause. You find a kid in eight year has been going to the hospital for eight year.
00:13:12
Speaker
Wow. So children and mothers who are taking care of the children were tired already. And they don't trust anyone because they are feeling like this problem is for God and the problem never finished. And this is the area whereby a man is not allowed to see a husband, a wife of someone.
00:13:37
Speaker
So imagining, and children, people who are taking care around this area are women.
00:13:44
Speaker
So you work with the people who you are not allowed to see them until you are trusted. It was a little bit difficult. And by the time I'm going, doctor without border, we are working only with the caretaker. The caretaker is the mother who are taking care. And the minor who was the source of the problem were not involved because the problem was involving only children.
00:14:10
Speaker
So I was being there to make sure that I connect this part. I start discussing with the minors. And the minors, you know, the people who are causing the problem to join this part. Because in North Nigeria, like Zamfala, the women has no power because of their culture. So they are not even allowed to decide on anything if their husband is not there.
00:14:40
Speaker
First of all, the community are traumatized. They are tired. And they don't see if it is again important. It's again important for the doctor without water to help. So they used to lay some several protests. And one of the protests
00:14:58
Speaker
It happened the time when I was there, they are trying to say that it was even I'm snapping picture. You cannot even snap picture in this community. They say, no, you cannot do this. So one day they, they lays up a protest that they don't want to see doctor without border, including me from OKI.
00:15:20
Speaker
and other people treating their children because they believe this problem is from God and they don't see, they are feeling like doctor without border and every people who are coming there, they are making money from their children.
Community Distrust Overcome
00:15:33
Speaker
It's also in this program for 80 years, children were drained for blood, blood, blood.
00:15:41
Speaker
to check the content of the lead inside their body. So they feel like a doctor with that body is draining blood to Sarah, not even to treat the children. So this community, we are ash. They don't want to trust anybody.
00:16:03
Speaker
So it was a kind like, but also they are feeling like maybe we can leak the information with how they are mining to the government and the government will come and take them maybe to jail or somewhere. So they are like staying away. Go to the people and talk to them. They are on their explanation. They are like, stay away from us.
00:16:26
Speaker
We don't want to see you. Stay away from us. You don't want to see you. So it was like, how can I start building a relationship with this Peter?
00:16:36
Speaker
So as I said, in Niger, it was a kind, a little bit busy because the project is there because the project, it was small, but in Zamfala State, it was hard. Like I'm saying, the project was almost 30 times, but also even the approach in Zamfala State, it was almost maybe 100 times hard from where I'm coming from. So how did I build trust?
00:17:02
Speaker
First of all, I met the community reader. In North Nigeria, they have a system of having Emiya king, the king of the area. So I met the king and explained the important and explained how I am different from the other people who used to come. And they even started saying that
00:17:28
Speaker
Me, I'm different from the other people who used to come because of one, two, three, four. So they should trust me and not the other people who has passed. They are saying no. Also, the other people who came and start saying like this, but at the end, they never do anything. So I met the chief of the area. And the chief normally has several village head.
00:17:52
Speaker
So he invited the old village head, so I had to explain to him again, I came to do this, and this is how we are going to do, and this is the way. Then after there, the village had the core of the minor rida around those areas.
00:18:09
Speaker
So the minor reader came, also I explained, it's kind of like one month to two months, you are just explaining people that this is how I'm going to do. Can you please give me any access?
Gaining Trust and Cultural Respect
00:18:22
Speaker
And then other people say, okay, maybe we trust and see you, but if you don't do what we are thinking, we will chase you anytime.
00:18:30
Speaker
Then, from there, I started training the miner, training first the reader. So I have prepared some material to train the reader. What is the strategy of prevention of lead poison in that area? I start training them, and then I develop some material. And from those material, I even ask them if it is proper to train the people around that area. If does not break.
00:18:57
Speaker
the cultural and the traditional things of that area. Is it proper or not proper? So at the end they advised me this is fine, this is not fine, this is removal, this is how it was. Then I used those leader to call the other leader in the community.
00:19:15
Speaker
So if it is used to lead a women leader, a group of something leader, blah, blah, all of them. So I sit with them and train and ask them that I'm very sorry for what has been happening with the problem, but I'm very sorry for what has been happening for other people who don't trust them. I'm asking for them, they should give me trust. I believe that I'm going to make change to the community.
00:19:41
Speaker
So slowly, slowly, it was not easy. This is we are talking before I start training is almost six months already.
00:19:50
Speaker
Building relationships. Building relationships with this community. So at the end, they agreed for me to start training the miner. But I started, again, with the miner leader only for them to train me. And they also agreed with them that if those material is fine for them to train me, and how do they feel, does not break the culture. Because one of the problem in North Nigeria
00:20:15
Speaker
If you break the culture, no one will accept for you to even be around that area. Sure. No one will accept. So and I imagine I'm coming from Tanzania. Of course, I'm from Africa. I have a few amount of, I know some cultures, but not like the one in North Nigeria. Sure. So I wear to land the culture. I used to have one person called the Hajisehu anchor. This Hajisehu anchor is the state
00:20:44
Speaker
the State Officer from the Department of Environment who has been in line with us. So I asked MSF to bring him to work with me for all this time. He used to be like my translator, but also I used to train him to take over when I'm not there.
00:21:04
Speaker
So he was the one teaching me the catcher from the scratch that now you have to bend, now you have to shake hand with this because in that area even shaking of hand you cannot with the women or with the other people. So there is another way how to do it.
00:21:20
Speaker
So he trained me on that, then slowly I started building trust, I start learning the training with the miners, I start following them, and then following them of course it used to be a challenge sometimes. Sometimes you can go to the house of someone and someone will hide, he says he doesn't want to see you.
00:21:39
Speaker
and sometimes someone will agree to come to the training and he will not come to the training or he will come after several minutes he will say like this is not important he will go and do some money imagine this area the only thing that depends is mining and you are bringing them to train a class of two to three hours so it's not an easy task so you prepare them maybe some soft drink and all about that
00:22:06
Speaker
They will have a lunch, but they will complain for the whole day that if you are not paying us, you will not come to stay there. So slowly, slowly, I train the miner, almost 4,000 miners. We are trained. Wow. So this is you are talking about the time of almost five to six years now. 2016, October, I left Nigeria. This recently was around July.
00:22:36
Speaker
I have trained over 4,000 miners. And I trained over 300 liters. And in this area, I have trained almost 1,000 caretaker. The caretaker we are talking is the women.
00:22:54
Speaker
Yes. 1,000 caretaker. This is not the mine of 4,000. So if you plus that number, you get the huge number. Yes, I see. Almost 6,000 people. Yes, yes. But on this time, I have already trained a lot of state labor officers to take over who I was staying with them when some were coming and going.
00:23:14
Speaker
So and then when I see now no protest again because it reached the time of course they used to protest and they feel I'm like part of them. I started learning Hausa as I said earlier so I'm speaking their language now is almost 80% so I can hear some now I don't need even a translator sometime for a few words of course I will need a translator but most of the way they can catch up.
00:23:39
Speaker
And when they saw me dressing like them, following them closely, explaining them in the science way that this is the problem, this is how it started the testing and how it was, and they share wearing, as I said, their clothes like them, taking their catcher and discussing with them, but also changing the
00:24:05
Speaker
The project, instead of being the project of Doctor Without Borders and Occupational Knowledge International,
00:24:11
Speaker
becoming their own project, owning their project. How owning their project? Because I train some trainers from the same community. Imagine training someone who never go to school to explain the people, only hazardous of lead, how to prevent lead, how to mine self. So I develop people who have interest from the group,
00:24:36
Speaker
Of course, some people who never go, so I developed some very small material, very simple material for their awareness whereby they can able to understand. So I come up with graphical and picture whereby a person can explain and they can give a class and the class will be understand. So when they show that,
00:24:59
Speaker
I'm among of them, that's why it was easy for them to trust me and give me access, access to the community. Yes, go ahead.
00:25:11
Speaker
Oh, I was just saying that you built a legacy so that you could walk away from the project. And it could keep, yes. Yes. So after they allow me to start working, so they allow me even to teach their wife. So it's not allowed in that community for a man to see a woman or a wife of someone.
00:25:38
Speaker
But me, I was allowed with the chiefs. And even the chiefs of the women themselves, they accept that I can train because they already see that my attention of being there is not about how they are thinking. It's very different. So I build trust and it reached the point that even if someone will snake with the bag of four in the community,
00:26:03
Speaker
I will get a person who will come and inform me. You know, man, today I have met someone with a bag of oil, and this bag of oil is in this house, in this compound. So I will call someone and we discuss, we find someone from the community who will go to remove. So they start feeling like shy and feel like I'm among the people around that area. Honestly, they give me
00:26:28
Speaker
a lot of appreciation, but also they treat me like them now. So in Nigeria, not Nigeria, they don't treat me like a person from outside. They used to treat me like I'm a native of that area. So it gives me a chance even for the medical now because
00:26:47
Speaker
During that time when I'm going, they used to take out the children in the program because they are tired. So I was among the people who used to solve this case, to call them and they negotiate with them why they are taking. So we end up, no default. Before we used to have like,
00:27:05
Speaker
300 children were in default. Imagine the program has 1,000 of children, 3,000 children, and the people who have undergone treatment almost close to 6,000. So it's a huge community. It is a huge program. It used to be a huge program. And imagine.
00:27:25
Speaker
Treating of these children, it is a lot of money because a unit of creation therapy of Saximites are bound, around 2.7 euro. So it's a lot of money. A child has to undergo 19 calls or five calls, but you can find by that time many children has been in program, even has repeated 54 times.
00:27:52
Speaker
Sure, sure, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. For eight years HR has undergone almost 54 cause.
00:28:01
Speaker
And Manti, what are the statistics now that you've been doing this work for so many years? What was the change? What was the shift? Because I know you had told me previously that you're getting ready to shut down your part of this work and let what you did continue, but what was the result so that you knew it was okay to go?
00:28:26
Speaker
Yes,
Sustainable Health Practices Achieved
00:28:27
Speaker
so after training the minor over 4000 minor, but also training the
00:28:37
Speaker
the people to take over the job, creating this community awareness, but also creating trust to the community, community start feeling, but also changing the community responsibility to become their own responsibility. And changing, as I mentioned, that we used to have a processing site whereby we have water,
00:29:01
Speaker
We have converted the dry machine into wet machine and area we check the air sample to the LED and the dust and the silica exposure. The LED exposure was almost 30 something times the normal standard. The silica exposure was around 40 something times the normal standard.
00:29:26
Speaker
So we managed to reduce the airborne exposure about 95% reduction of lead and 80% reduction of silica. This was very huge.
00:29:38
Speaker
So earlier we took the air sample, and after the implementation of all these things, we managed to find that this was reduction of lady and silica. But also the blood level to the minor. Earlier when I started the program, I asked the minor to be taking samples every after three months. So we started a program of ADAT. And even to start a program of ADAT, it was to make sure that the ADAT also, this minor, are part of this program.
00:30:07
Speaker
because a summation area, we used, Dr. Doubtbot, I used to work there in the telegraphic, but they peru-ti again. So to make sure that they don't peru-ti, but to make sure that lead is a problem even to them.
00:30:23
Speaker
So we created a program of blood lead sample for the ADAT minor, about 61, but after 18 months as we see 32 reduction of blood lead level. This will be without any creation teller to the ADAT.
00:30:41
Speaker
And then we see the number of children who were in the program, the blood level going down from 1,000 and 1,000 until this July I'm leaving. It's not more than 50 children who were receiving creation therapy.
00:30:58
Speaker
There are some children who are in the program, but they are waiting. That's for some criteria, but they have been in the program for many years, and their blood level is not increasing. But before when I went there, we are spending, Dr. W. is spending a lot of money. Every month is a lot of money. Imagine treating about almost 2,000 children in the program with late. It's not an easy task.
00:31:26
Speaker
So until now I'm living is about less than 50 children who were receiving Creation Telad. So this was a very big success. But in Niger State from 2016 to 2018, we even closed the project because of the success. So I remain with the Zamfala State, which was another big project. But also you can see the statistics of the environment.
00:31:54
Speaker
We used to have 100 and 100 homes who are contaminated. So I find they already launched the problem called the safe remediation whereby also the father of the house were responsible to clean the house. Of course, imagine the area they did with the government and the people contaminated it again.
00:32:17
Speaker
So they launched this program, but people used to protest. They don't agree to do the self-remediation. But with this building trust, it was very easy for them to agree and commit even to do the remediation. For someone who understand how to do remediation of lead, it's not easy task. It's just removing the top layer.
00:32:41
Speaker
of the lead of the soil at home. Imagine you have a land of maybe 2,000 square meters. It is all contaminated, and you need to remove maybe 5 centimeters of it. It's not an easy task.
00:33:00
Speaker
So they used to have a lot of protest of their fathers who refused to remove, but with this building trustee involving them and all about what we have done, they started doing the self-remediation. But also, I reduced. We managed to reduce.
00:33:19
Speaker
the number of homes which we have contaminated, and the one in which we are contaminated also, they might not agree to do the self-remediation. So Antirium living is not less, maybe, than 20 to 30 compounds who are contaminated in this community.
00:33:35
Speaker
So congratulations. Thank you very much. So it was huge. But the community, we are trusted in such that they feel like they are part of the program. As I said, we used to have children who were removed in the program with their mothers or their fathers because they are tired with the program. So we used to have hundreds and hundreds of children defaulted every month.
00:34:05
Speaker
But when I'm leaving Nigeria on that program, it was very few. And if there is a chance, maybe a chart has removed, has left in the program. Maybe he has traveled to another state, but within the state, no. Because even the one outside of the state, they used to come and collect the sample because of the relationship with beauty.
00:34:26
Speaker
So I started with the mine when they are very bitter, but the relationship was good. And they're even enjoying to come for the program and help the program, taking responsibility, doing maintenance.
00:34:45
Speaker
They even contributed some of them Pampu for the Boa Hall, where we used to build like a kind of a store to store the material. They were participating. They can build the whole build, and then we just provide the technical aspect and maybe provide some material. But you can see, the store were being made by the local material. So most of the material, they are the one providing as part of the program.
00:35:13
Speaker
So, we are feeling this is the part of the program. Even though, before I go, there was a very big history of the NGO or another NGO come and do a certain project and after the NGO has left, no one will follow. But on this self-amining, I did it different because
00:35:37
Speaker
I involved them on the program from the scratch, bringing the material, sharing of the material, and contributing. In Doctor Without Borders, there was no aspect of someone can contribute something.
00:35:53
Speaker
the owner of the program with Doctor Without Borders. But me, I changed this ethics to become a community-based program. So in safer mining, I did. Of course, you can find someone from telegraphic. By that time was Dr. Simba and now, of course, is the country president of Nigeria. He also did a great job on this, bringing the community-based ownership.
00:36:19
Speaker
So we are working together and making sure that everything was in success. Mandy, it's such an amazing story. It's just phenomenal. And I know we're running long on our time today.
00:36:37
Speaker
I just wanted to ask maybe a couple of more questions. I'm wondering, you know, you spent so much time, so many years building trust in the community and with the tribal leaders in the area, the kings that you talked of. Did the community express their appreciation to you in some way?
00:37:00
Speaker
Ah,
Unexpected Honor with Chieftaincy Titles
00:37:00
Speaker
it's yes. And this was not even expected. Before I left around June, July, it was June 30. So the community called me and they were feeling very sad that we are planning to close the project. And I was among the people who will be living and working in Limotre, like now.
00:37:27
Speaker
So they suggested for me to be given appreciation. And this appreciation was so emotional because they selected for me to be given a chief title, chief tense. And in North Nigeria,
00:37:46
Speaker
Not very common for a person from outside of North Nigeria, even from the different state or different tribal to be given a title with the tribal, another tribal. So they suggested for me to be given the first title. And this was among the village. As the village I left when I was working there already remained three. So one proposed a title for a king of heth
00:38:15
Speaker
of that village. And after a few hours, another one also come from the different village, also proposed that I should be given a warrior, a title for a winner of the town. And another one, another village also proposed
00:38:39
Speaker
to be given another title of a king of Haiti again. So this was very wonderful for me. So I agree. I accept the title. Then they took the king. The king was happy. He was even supplied that. He said, like, this never happened. He only gave the title, but the community has already given me title. So they are going to ask for the king for me to be given those title officially.
00:39:09
Speaker
Yeah. So he was surprised and said that I did a great job, and I built this community. And he also has no problem. He accept to give me those title, because it's not easy for someone from outside. And in the history of Doctor Without Borders in Nigeria since 1970,
00:39:34
Speaker
1970. Probably I'm going to be there. I'm the first person to be given three titles in one time.
00:39:43
Speaker
Wow. So there is one person called Dr. Simba who was given because of remediation one time. And another, my colleague, also Dr. Benjamin, who was also given in Niger, of course, also was proposed to be given in Niger because of the security I never been there after they are proposed. So I missed that one. But in Zamfala, I left with three title.
00:40:09
Speaker
And this was a big honor. You cannot get a title if you are outside of this community and also your expert is two different things, but this community decided to appreciate and give me title. And this title is a huge thing because
00:40:26
Speaker
All the people, they believe you are the king, and they will be bending to you, and they will advertise to everyone in all the community, you need to have a horse. It's a very big ceremony.
00:40:40
Speaker
I don't think I've, I'm absolutely certain I have never met an industrial hygienist before who is also a king of health and a warrior. That is fantastic. I really appreciate for this community. From fighting
00:41:00
Speaker
to climb because the day I was living, many people climb. I feel very sad there. I feel like maybe I'm not going to come back in Nigeria again because of how they were climbing. But I have already viewed the relationship. Even me, I feel very emotional because
00:41:22
Speaker
Seeing people add that somebody with 60 year since someone who is 50 client is not an easy task Seeing people teenagers they are crying. It's like you are going to close everything No, I was like no my career will continue of course one of my career remain there who is on ground and me I'm supporting him from far and
00:41:46
Speaker
But I really feel that what I went to do was a small task, being a part of this community, being used to this community, people crying because of you, giving you title, which never been their tradition to give title from someone who outside.
00:42:07
Speaker
I was very honored. Yes, because you saved their lives and the lives of their children and preserved their health.
Pursuing Further Research
00:42:16
Speaker
Manti, it's just phenomenal. Last question for you. I know that you're
00:42:23
Speaker
You're working on your PhD right now. You're in a doctoral program. Good luck with that in the next phase of your career. Is there anything you'd like to share with our listeners? Any words of wisdom? Anyone that you need to thank before we end today?
00:42:51
Speaker
Yes, before I wound up, I said yes, I stayed in this community for almost six years. So I have having a very big lesson, but I feel like on the middle of this community when I was working around 2019, I decided to start my PhD.
00:43:13
Speaker
based on lead poison and silica exposure prevention so it's like assessing of the technology of course the problem of this area of lead problem was the technology so assessing of the technology and
00:43:30
Speaker
coming up with the new proposal engineering designing of this technology to make sure that to prevent lead poison but also prevent silica exposure. Because earlier when I was doing the prevention of lead, I was also doing the prevention of silica and other hazard like cyanide, ergonomics, noisy, so I was training the miner.
00:43:56
Speaker
So I feel like it was a big lesson and I cannot come out in this big opportunity and a big saving of life. Of course, it was challenge of life and also I feel like I will be remembering. So I decided to initiate and apply for the PhD.
00:44:19
Speaker
And of course, my PhD is based on this lead poison, but also in Nigeria and Tanzania. I'm also doing a combination of the same assessing in Cameroon. And this is to come out with something tangible, SLS online, to avoid something like this to happen.
00:44:40
Speaker
if not in Africa all over the world because as I said industrial hygiene in Africa is not much common like also in Tanzania is not much common no man no many people who had been start so and like in Tanzania we have a lot of mining so who knows one day can happen like this so we want to make sure that I should prevent on this so I feel like this can be
00:45:03
Speaker
part of dedication. As I have decided to do prevention, I should have something tangible to live in the community and also the other part of the world. But also another, because of this, you can really imagine during the COVID, I stayed there for nine good months without sneaking out in this community. In this area,
00:45:33
Speaker
I am not allowed to go outside of the gate. I have to go outside the gate when I'm inside the car. I cannot walk for all these six years, almost six years, five to six years. So this was a big lesson. So I feel like it's honor to have something that I can live and people will lead in like that.
00:46:02
Speaker
So with this old challenge, as you ask me the word of appreciation or anything I want to say, I will take this chance to appreciate community firsts of this area.
00:46:18
Speaker
who give me access because they rejected for many people and they are safe to do this job. I mean, many people went there and they never succeed. Some people, they even stay for one week because of the security, the challenge of the project. But me, I stayed for five years, so it was not an easy. So I really appreciate for them. Headed by late Baba Galadima, who was a good friend of me, but he died.
00:46:43
Speaker
but also the king of Zamfala, Zamfala Anka, the enemy of Anka. But also I take this chance also to say the word of appreciation to Dr. Simba. Dr. Simba was among the area people who went there for lead poison.
00:47:00
Speaker
And he introduced me to this community. And he was, because he was having already good outstanding, and he was having even a title, as I mentioned, they give him a title, Aries. So he played also his own part and helped me to do many things. And my colleague Benjamin, who was a project coordinator,
00:47:26
Speaker
who we work together for also five years, who I left him there. He's still closing the project up to now. He has stayed, me five, him he has stayed for six years because I find him earlier. So it's not an easy task. So I went to join him and make sure that we work together.
00:47:45
Speaker
But also the state level officers represented by Arihagi Shewanka, who has been working with me throughout these five years, translating. Imagine if we could have translated different or teach me different house. I could have bring problems even in the community.
00:48:06
Speaker
but he stick on what he's supposed to do and finally I is among the people who I left him a regards of what I was been doing and he's the one taking care on the ground and I hope will be the one he is in charge of everything now on the safe for mining program. Helped by the journey. But in the good without in the good in another special way
00:48:35
Speaker
I could have expressed the weight of appreciation to my dialect supervisor, Per Godson, who has been a backbone of this program, supporting me from US, coming on the ground, but encouraging me, imagining passing through all these things, he has been, oh, man, you can make it. You can still go it for this. So he did a good job. He did a good job. I really appreciate on him.
00:49:03
Speaker
And without forgetting my wife, my family. It's not easy to leave the family for five years. And she did it. She made it. Imagine a husband being outside of the program, saving people in the bush, whereby the security is not guaranteed. There is a replacement of people who are learning. And these people are learning from kidnapping. They don't have food. But struggling to make them understand on the safer minding, it was not a good task.
00:49:32
Speaker
So sometimes I feel maybe tired but she agrees, we talk but sometimes I don't even talk to her because of being tired so...
00:49:42
Speaker
I really appreciate with her on the online, rounding up these professional people who has take me throughout this specialist. And the first person who give me chance in the Guryanguru gold mine, Dr. Amtaita, and with Damian, who was the industrial hygiene tool. And some friend, Dr. Wendt, who worked together
00:50:12
Speaker
And also my professional mentorship in the university. Imagine now I'm doing the third degree with them. I did with them on the third degree and second degree. And now I'm doing the third degree, Professor Kasenga and Dr. Burigwe.
00:50:30
Speaker
but also the entire team of Aries University. And listen, they even appreciate to me, they even published that they accept the award and they congratulate me from the university. So this is a huge thing for them.
00:50:50
Speaker
And all friends who contributed, my family also, my brothers, Musa, Matiasi, my father, of course, my sister, Emma, and the other people. So I think this is the end, maybe if you have. Yes, I think it is. Yes. I think it is, Mati.
00:51:11
Speaker
Thank you so much for sharing, gosh, a pioneering story that's so inspiring, but more so impactful. And the lives that you've saved is just phenomenal.
00:51:25
Speaker
Yes, maybe before I end up, I have on the lesson learned, have we initiated, probably you should have seen that I'm executive director of one of the NGO. So have we initiated one of the NGO here in Tanzania to make sure that I cover, help the minor also in Tanzania or in the other part of this. So this part of the lesson learned, I don't want to leave this lesson learned like this.
00:51:57
Speaker
Matthew, thank you. Thank you so much. And thank you all for spending your time listening today. And more importantly, thank you for your contribution toward the common good, making sure your workers, including your temporary workers and family members, make it home safe every day.
00:52:13
Speaker
If you haven't subscribed or want to hear past or future episodes, you can subscribe in iTunes, the Apple Podcast app, or any other podcast player you'd like. We'd love it if you could leave a rating and review us on iTunes. It really helps us connect the show with more and more health and safety professionals like Manti and I. Special thanks to Naeem Jayasi, our podcast producer. And until next time, thanks for listening.