Jill James:

This is the Accidental Safety Pro brought to you by HSI. My name is Jill James, HSI's chief safety officer. Today is part two of my conversation with Manti Michael Nota. If you miss part one, you might want to go back and have a listen. 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. Professionally, 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?

Manti's grit, or strength of character, shown through to me in both episodes, 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. Where have you leaned into your grit to accomplish something in our profession? I know you have. 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. Yet in that moment, he knew he had to stay and lead, calmly, in order for them all 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.

Manti Michael Nota:

So-

Jill James:

Sure.

Manti Michael Nota:

... I started working with this community, but the same time started working with this community, I started learning their language to make sure that I'll go together with them, but also changing my dressing from wearing tie and suits and jeans and blah, blah, starting wearing some, we call... it's the kind of Nigerian dress, kaftan. So you wear kaftan, you wear a cap, becoming like the tradition of these people. So to in this area-

Jill James:

Sure, to build trust.

Manti Michael Nota:

... I find Doctor Without Border, they are doing treatment, they are doing health promotion, but we have to join now to work as 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 the same time, I was asked to move now to the big project, whereby in Zamfara. And imagining this big project, it was a very big challenge. You can really see it was maybe 20 to 30 time the first project. And it is driving from the Niger State to Zamfara State, you drive from six in the morning to around seven in evening.

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

So I started moving between the two project.

Jill James:

Without a road.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. I started moving between the two project after seven months and driving for almost 12 to 13 hours, passing inside the bush. And this area, it's already known with the security problem and people have been kidnapped, people have been robbed on their way, people have been killed on their way. So I used to move together with a driver, we use maybe two cars. One car will drive maybe almost seven hours and another one would join a case movement. So with four driver, we would drive with four driver, two driver going and two driver on coming back, on the same journey, seven hours with two driver and another seven hours with two driver. So you can literally see that it was very huge, very far, but also the load was not safe at all. But anyway, Doctor Without Border, they have with their own system of assessing and checking and preventing, making sure that you don't get any problem on the way.

Jill James:

Yeah. Did you stay safe, Manti, or did you ever run into security problems?

Manti Michael Nota:

So one day, I run in security problem because in this Zamfara, as I said, the problem was huge. And one day, I went around 28 kilometer away from home whereby it was on the processing site, and say on Safer Mining, what we used to do, we convert because the mining problem, it was for the miner to bring the ore at home, to process at home. Another problem which was causing the lead, it was to bring the [inaudible] at home. This is for the [inaudible] exposure, but also the children accessing the mining and keeping the ore and the material at home.

So on the Safer Mining, what we are doing, we are trying to change. We are trying to change the ore processing from dry to wet, but also making all this activity in one place. So we are centralizing, removing the [inaudible] and all the activity inside the community and putting away maybe around two kilometer to three kilometer away from the community. So one day, I visited one of the community because by the time I went, earlier I say it was around four villages which were working by that time, so one of the village was about 27 kilometer away from the [inaudible] where I used to stay. So I went there, I was just doing my air sample to understand the exposure of the miner, but also trying to teach the miner to see how they're progressing, because also one of the thing we used to do, we used to train people in class and after we train them in class, we have to allow them to go and do the practice. So we used follow them to see if they are really doing the prevention part.

And then one day when I was in this centralized area, there is hunter. In North Nigeria, there is a culture whereby mens, they would go to hunt and they would take a dog, take a gun, and everything that it can allow them to do hunting. So unfortunately, to the area where I was on the processing site is close to the bush, and unfortunately this hunter came that day, is about because we used to have a drilling of a borehole, so they come with the fresh water, they enter in the bush. So after five minutes of entering the bush, we start hearing gun. So this hunter, they met with the bandit who were around that area and they were doing meeting. And they feel like this hunt, this bandits, they were attacked by those hunter. And they were not knowing if it's the hunter, because in North Nigeria, they have the process, they have the group which is called vigilante who normally look after the community and they prevent about this bandit activity.

So the bandit, they thought these people are the vigilante. So they start attacking and shooting. So I was in close fire, you see people running and running to a place, and in close fire for almost 30 minutes. And I see people shooting with AK-47, 50 meter, like that. 50 meter is very close. So trying to lie down, I took the MSA, the car which I was having the food and starting running randomly to make sure that I run out around that area. But I succeed. I went to the district head and then I talked to the district head, ask him what was happening. Then he start calling and blah, blah, like that. Then he managed to rescue the situation. But at the back, I was having a team of Occupational Knowledge International, and another team of Doctor Without Border, almost 18 people who were all [inaudible] by that time. They never hear about gun. Imagine being in this crisis, I'm the one who have to make the decision, it was not an easy time. So-

Jill James:

No kidding.

Manti Michael Nota:

... 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. Then we will rescue the team, but it was not easy. So we start coming, everyone was crying, and when I was almost crying, I feel like if I will cry, I'm the leader of this team, everyone is going lose the hope.

Jill James:

You can't cry. Yes, yes, yes.

Manti Michael Nota:

So-

Jill James:

Oh, man.

Manti Michael Nota:

... I rescue the team. I went back and because the passion of helping the people was inside, after several week, 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 running because of gun, and it was my first time running and running because of escaping to be dying. So-

Jill James:

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.

Manti Michael Nota:

... this was my first time to be in... But of course, Tanzania is a peaceful country, so we never see these things is like that. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Jill James:

Oh my gosh, wow. Wow. And then all of a sudden, you're back to doing your work.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes.

Jill James:

And yeah, and Manti, it sounds like, I mean, your work is... Well, I mean, you had just hazards around you that you would've never had anticipated with the violence, but you also had to overcome the trust issues 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, I 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.

Manti Michael Nota:

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 understanding, the culture is really Muslim, it's really serious, but you cannot compare with the one in Zamfara. So in Niger, it took me seven months but in Zamfara, it took me almost for two years before people start understanding what I'm talking, because the first time when I went there, people were in Zamfara, were tired. Imagine you find their family has lost maybe four kid with lead poison, and they never stop mining because this is the only life hood 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 coming to ask them a lot of question, but they don't see if they are getting help. They see their children from 2010, by then we are talking is 2017, 2018, children are undergoing treatment, chelation therapy treatment, and they know chelation therapy treatment, there is two course, five course and 19 course. You find a kid in eight year has been going to the hospital for eight year.

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

So children and the 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 forgot and the problem never finish. And this is the area whereby a man is not allowed to see a wife of someone. So imagine, and people who are taking care around this area are women. 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 miner, who was the source of the problem, were not involved because the program was involving only children.

So I was being there to make sure that I connect this part, I start discussing with the miners. And the miners, the people who were causing the problem, to join this part because in North Nigeria, like Zamfara, the women has no power and because of their culture. So they are not even allowed to decide on anything if their husband is not there. So first of all, the community are traumatized, they are tired, and they don't see if it is again important for the Doctor Without Border to help. So they used to raise some several protests, and one of the protests, 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 raise up a protest that they don't want to see Doctor Without Border, including me from OKI, 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. It's also, in this program for eight years, children were drained for blood lead, blood to check the content of the lead inside their body. So they feel like Doctor Without Border is draining blood to sell, not even to treat the children. So-

Jill James:

Oh, wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

... this community where harsh, they don't want to trust anybody. So it was a kind like, but also they are feeling like maybe we can leak the information how they are mining to the government, and the government will come and take them maybe to jail or somewhere. So they are staying away.

Jill James:

Lose their jobs.

Manti Michael Nota:

You go to the people and talk to them, they are on their explanation, they are like, "Stay away from us, 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 these people? So as I said, in Niger, it was a kind a little bit busy because the project is easier because the project, it was yeah, small, but in Zamfara State, it was hard. Like I'm saying, the project was almost 30 times, but also even the approach Zamfara in, it was almost maybe 100 times hard from where I'm coming from.

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

So how did I build trust? First of all, I met the community leader. In North Nigeria, they have a system of having emir, 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, okay? And they even-

Manti Michael Nota:

... start saying that 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. So he invited all village head, so I were to explain him again, I'm so-so person, I came to do this, and this is how we are going to do, and this is the way. Then after there, the village head, they call all the miner leader around those area. So the miner leader came, also I explained, it's a kind 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?

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." Then from there, I started training the miner, training first the leader. So I have prepared some material to train the leader, 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 the cultural and the traditional things of that area. Is it proper or not proper? So at the end, they advise me, this is fine, this is not fine, this is remove, this is how it was.

Then I use those leader to call the other leader in the community. So if is youth leader, 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. So slowly, slowly, it was not an easy. This is, we are talking before I start training, is almost six months already-

Jill James:

Building relationships.

Manti Michael Nota:

... building relationship with this community. And at the end, they agree for me to start training the miner. But I start again with the miner leader only for them to train and also agree with them that if those material is fine for them to train, and how do they feel, it does not break the culture. Because one of the problem in North Nigeria, if you break the culture, no one will accept for you to even be around that area.

Jill James:

Sure.

Manti Michael Nota:

No one will accept. And, 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. So I had to learn the culture. I used to have one person called Arihajishehu Anka. This Arihajishehu Anka is the state officer from environment, Department of Environment, who has been in [inaudible] with us. So I ask 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. So he was the one teaching me the culture from this [inaudible] 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. So he trained me on that.

Then slowly, I started building the trust. I start learning the training with the miner, I start following them and then following them, of course, it's used to be a challenge sometime. Sometime, you can go to the house of someone and someone will hide, he say, he don't want to see you. And sometime, 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, "This is not important." He will go and do some mining. Imagine this area, the only thing they depend 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, 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 trained the miner, almost 4,000 miner were trained.

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

So this is, you are talking about the time of almost five to six year now, 2016-

Jill James:

Oh my gosh. Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

... October, up, I left Nigeria this recent, it was around July. I have trained over 4,000 miner.

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

And I trained over 300 leader. And-

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

... in this area, I have trained almost 1,000 caretaker. The caretaker we are talking is the women, 1,000 caretaker. This is not the miner of 4,000, so if you plus that number, you get the huge number to almost 6,000 people.

Jill James:

Yes, I see. Yes. Yes.

Manti Michael Nota:

But on this time, we have already trained a lot of state level officers to take over, who I was staying with them and some were coming and going. And then, when I see now, no protest again, because it reached to the time, of course, they used to protest and they feel I'm part of them. I started learning Hausa, as I said earlier, so I'm speaking their language now, it's almost 80%. So I can hear, now I don't need even a translator sometime. For a few words, of course I will need a translator, but most of the word I can catch up. 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, testing and how it was, and wearing, as I said, the clothes like them, taking their culture and discussing with them, but also changing the project. Instead of being the project of Doctor Without Border and Occupational Knowledge International, becoming their own project, owning their project.

How owning their project? Because I trained some trainers from the same community. Imagine training someone who never go to school, to explain the people on hazards of lead, how to prevent lead, how to mine safe. So I develop people who have interest from the group. Of course, some people who never go, so I developed some very small material, the very simple material for their awareness whereby they can able to understand. So I come up with graphical and picture whereby a person who can explain and they can give a class, and the class really understand. So when they saw that-

Jill James:

Sure, with pictures.

Manti Michael Nota:

... I'm among of them, that's whereby it was easy for them to trust me and give me access to the community. So-

Jill James:

And then-

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes, go ahead.

Jill James:

Go ahead. Oh, I was just saying that you built a legacy so that you could walk away from the project and it could keep. Yes.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. So after they allowed me to start walking, so they allow me even to teach their wife. So is not allowed-

Jill James:

Huge. Yes.

Manti Michael Nota:

... in that community for a man to see a woman or a wife of someone. 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 intention of being there is not about how they were thinking, it's very different. So I build trust, and it reached the point that even if someone will sneak with the bag of ore in the community, I will get a person who will come and inform me, "You know, Manti, today, I have meet someone with a bag of ore, this bag of ore 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 shy and feel like I'm among the people around that area. Honor [inaudible] they give me a lot of appreciation, but also they treat me like them now.

So in Nigeria and North 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 give me a chance, even through the medical now, because 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 300 children were in default. Imagine the program had 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's a huge program, it used to be a huge program. And imagine treating of these children, it is a lot of money because a unit of chelation therapy of [inaudible], it's about around €2.7, so it's a lot of money. A child has to undergo 19 course or five course, but you can find by that time, many children has been in program, even has repeated 54 times.

Jill James:

Sure, sure. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh.

Manti Michael Nota:

For eight years, that child has undergone almost 54 course.

Jill James:

Wow. Wow. 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?

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. So after training the miner, over 4,000 miner, but also training the people to take over the job who creating this community awareness, but also creating trust 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, we have converted the dry machine to wet machine. And earlier, we check the air sample to that lead and the dust and the silica exposure. The lead exposure, was almost 30 something times the normal standard, the silica exposure, it was around 40 something times the normal standard. So we managed to reduce the air-born exposure about 95% reduction of lead and-

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

... 80% reduction of silica. This was very huge.

Jill James:

Wow. Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

So earlier, we took the air sample and after the implementation of all these things, we managed to find that this was reduction of lead and silica. But also the blood level to the miner, earlier when I started the program, I asked the miner to been taking samples every after three months. So we started program of adult. And even to start a program of adult, it was to make sure that the adult also, this miner are part of this program, because as I mentioned earlier, we used the Doctor Without Border used to work there and the Telegraphicki. But they pollute again. So to make sure that they don't pollute, but to make sure that lead is a problem even to them, so we created a program of blood lead sample for the adult miner about 61. But after 18 months, as we see, 32 reduction of blood lead level.

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

This without any chelation therapy to the adult. And then, we see the number of children who were in a 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 are receiving chelation therapy. There are some children who are in 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, Doctor Without Borders are a lot of money. Every month is a lot of money. Imagine treating about almost 2,000 and children in program with lead, it's not an easy task. So until now I'm leaving, is about less than 50 children who were receiving chelation therapy. So-

Jill James:

That's fantastic.

Manti Michael Nota:

... this was 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 Zamfara State, which was another, the big project.

Jill James:

Sure, sure.

Manti Michael Nota:

But also, you can see the statistic of environment. We used to have hundred and hundred homes, who are contaminated. So I find they already a launch the program called Self-Remediation, whereby also the father of the house were responsible to clean the house. Of course, imagine earlier they did with the government and the people contaminated again. So they launched this program, but people used to protest. They don't agree to 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 is not easy task. It's just removing the top layer of the lead of the soil at home. Imagine, you have a land of maybe 2,000 square meter It is all contaminated and you need to remove maybe five centimeter of it. It's not an easy task.

So they used to have a lot of protest of the fathers who refused to remove, but with this building trust involving them and all about what we have done, they started agreeing doing the Self-Remediation. But also, I reduce, we managed to reduce the number of homes, which were contaminated, and the one which are contaminated also, they miner agree to do the Self-Remediation. So until I'm leaving, it's not less maybe than 20 to 30 compound who we are contaminated in this community.

Jill James:

Wow. Congratulations.

Manti Michael Nota:

Thank you very much. So it 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 hundred and hundred of children default every month. But when I'm leaving Nigeria on that program, it was very few, and if there is a chance, maybe a child 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 when they collect sample because of the relationship we build. So I started with the miner when they are very bitter, but the relationship was good.

And they even enjoying to come for the program and help the program, taking responsibility, doing maintenance. They even contributed some of them [inaudible] for the borehole 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. So they were 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 Safer Mining, I did it different because I involve them on the program from this clash, bringing the material, sharing of the material and the contributing.

In Doctor Without Border, there was no aspect of someone can contribute something. The owner of the program was Doctor Without Border. But me, I change this ethics to become a community-based program. So in Safer Mining, I did, of course you can find someone from Telegraphicki by that time was Dr. Simba, and now of course, is the country representative of Nigeria, he also did a great job on this, bringing the community-based ownership. So we are working together and making sure that everything was on success.

Jill James:

Manti. It's such an amazing story. It's just phenomenal. And I know we're running long on our time today, I just wanted to ask maybe a couple of more questions. I'm wondering, 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?

Manti Michael Nota:

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 would be leaving and working remotely, like now. So they suggested for me to be given appreciation, and this appreciation, it was so emotional because they selected for me to be given a chief title, chieftains. And-

Jill James:

Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

... in North Nigeria, not very common for a person from outside of North Nigeria, even from the different state or different tribe, to be given a title with the tribe, another tribe. 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 remain three. So one proposed a title of a king of health 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 of a winner of the town. And another one, another village also proposed to be given another title of a king of health again. So this was very wonderful for me, so I agree, I accept the title, then they talk with the king. The king was happy, he was even surprised that he see this never happen. He only give the title, but the community has already given me title. They were going to ask for the king for me to be given those title officially.

So he was surprised and say 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 Border in Nigeria, since 1970, 1970, probably I'm going to be there, I'm the first person to be given three title in one time.

Jill James:

Wow. Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

So there is one person called Dr. Simba who was given because of remediation one time, and another, my colleague also, Dr. Benjamin who also given in Niger. Of course, also I was proposed to be given in Niger. Because of the security, I never been there after they have proposed. So I missed that one. But in Zamfara, I left with three title and this was a big honor. You cannot get a title if you are outside of this community, and also you are expert. It's two different things, but this community decided to appreciate and give me title. And this title is a huge things, because all the people, they believe you are the king and they will be bending to you and they will advertize to everyone in all the community, you need to have a horse and all about. It's a very big ceremony.

Jill James:

Oh, wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

Very big ceremony.

Jill James:

I don't think I have... I'm absolutely certain I have never met an industrial hygienist before who is also a king of health and a warrior.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. Yes.

Jill James:

That is fantastic.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. So I really appreciate for this community, from fighting to crying, because the day I was leaving, many people cry. I feel very sad there, I feel like maybe I'm not going to come back in Nigeria again, because how they were crying. But I have already a good relationship. Even me, I feel very emotional because seeing people [inaudible] someone with 60 year, seeing someone with 50 [inaudible] is not am 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 colleague remain there who is on ground and me, I'm supporting him from far.

Jill James:

Sure, sure. Wow.

Manti Michael Nota:

But I really feel that what I went to do, it was a small task. Seeing, 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 were outside. I was very honored.

Jill James:

Yes, because you saved their lives and the lives of their children and preserved their health. Manti, it's just phenomenal. Last question for you. I know that you're working on your PhD right now, you're in a doctoral program. Good luck with that and 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?

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. Before I round up, I said, yes, I stayed in this community for almost six year. 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 based on lead poison and the 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 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 [inaudible] noisy. So I was training the miner.

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 would be remembering. So I decided to initiate and apply for the PhD. 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 as a lesson learned to avoid something like this to happen, if not in Africa, all over the world. Because as I said, industrial hygiene in Africa is not much common, like also in Tanzania, it's not much common. Not many people who had been start. And in Tanzania, we have a lot of mining, so who knows? One day, it can happen like this. So we want to make sure that I should prevent on this.

So I feel like this can be part of a 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, 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 year. So this was a big lesson. So I feel like that it's honor to have something that I can live and people will lead in like that.

So with this whole challenge, as you ask me the word of appreciation or anything, I want to say, I will take the chance to appreciate community first of this area who give me access because they rejected for many people and they are excited to do this job. I mean, many people went there and they never succeed. Some people, they even stayed 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. But also the king of Zamfara. Zamfara Anka, the Emir of Anka.

But also, I take this chance also to say the word of appreciation to Dr. Simba. Dr. Simba was among the early people who went there for lead poison, and he introduced me to this community. And because he was having already good outstanding, and he was having even a title, as I mentioned, they give him a title area. So he play also his own part and help me to do many things. And my colleague, Benjamin, who was a project coordinator, who we worked 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 year 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.

But also the state level officers represented by Arihajishehu Anka who has been working with me throughout these five years, translating. Imagine if he could have translating different, or teach me different Hausa, I could have bring problem even in the community. But he stick on what he was supposed to do and finally, is among the people who I left him [inaudible] of what I have been doing. And he's the one taking care on the ground. And I hope he will be the one, he is in charge of everything now on the Safer Mining program, helped by Benjamin.

But in a good, in another special way, I could have expressed the word of appreciation to my dialect supervisor, Pier Godson, who has been a backbone of this program, supporting me from US, coming on the ground, but encouraged me. Imagine passing through all these things, he has been, "Oh Manti, 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. And without forgetting my wife, my family. It's not easy to leave the family for five years.

Jill James:

No kidding.

Manti Michael Nota:

And she did it. She make it. Imagine a husband being outside of the program, saving people in the bush, whereby the security is not guarantee, there is replacement of people who are running and these people are running from kidnapping, they don't have food, but struggling to make them understand on the Safer Mining, it was not a good task. So sometime I feel maybe tired, but she agree, we talk, but sometime I don't even talk to her because of being tired. So I really appreciate with her.

On the rounding up these professional people who has take me throughout this specialist, and the first person who give me chance in [inaudible] mine, Dr. Mtaita and with Damian, who was the industrial hygiene too. And some friend, Dr. Went, who we worked together. And also my professional mentorship in the university. Imagine now, I'm doing the third degree with them. I did with them on the first degree and second degree, and now I'm doing the third degree, Professor Kasenga and Dr. Mborigwe. But also the entire team of [inaudible] University, and listened, they even appreciate me, they even publish that they accept the award and they congratulate me from the university. So this is huge things for them. And all friend who contributed, my family also, my brothers Musa, Mattiasi, my father, of course, my sister, Neme, and the other people. So I think this is the end maybe if you have anything else?

Jill James:

Yes, I think it is.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes.

Jill James:

I think it is, Manti. Thank you so much for sharing. Gosh, a pioneering story that's so inspiring, but moreso, impactful. And the lives that you've saved is just phenomenal.

Manti Michael Nota:

Yes. Maybe before-

Jill James:

Thank you so much.

Manti Michael Nota:

... before I end up, I have on the lesson learned, have initiated, probably you should have seen that executive director of one of the NGO, so have initiated one of the NGO here in Tanzania to make sure that I cover, help the miner 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.

Jill James:

Manti, 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, include your temporary workers and family members, make it home safe every day. 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 [inaudible]. Special thanks to Naeem Jarasay, our podcast producer, and until next time, thanks for listening.