Diaspora in Development

Daughters of Destiny  is a 2017 English-language original Netflix documentary series created by Oscar-winning filmmaker Vaness Roth. It follows a group of disadvantaged children in rural India enrolled in the  ⁠Shanti Bhavan⁠  residential school located in Tamil Nadu, India (Wikipedia). In this episode we invite to discover the live of Dr. George Abraham the founder of Shanti Bhavan. Shanti Bhavan...

Sarah Osman joins Diaspora in Development to tackle the fundamental beliefs and human understanding in the International Development. From Khartoum to Oslo, she offers a fresh perspective, at the intersection of psychology, behavioural science and social impact. A fresh take in more ways than one, Sarah introduces you to what international developmentcould be. Having founded Osman Advisory Service...

In this episode, we introduce the Executive Director of FilmAid in Kenya, Stella Suge. In the last 20 years, she has supported the growth of the organisation from admin through to directorship. The organisation offers media training for vulnerable and refugee communities, giving hundreds of people the opportunity to tell authentic stories. In this episode, we introduce theExecutive Director of Fil...

It's our anniversary!! Three years ago on September 5th, I launched the Diaspora in Development Podcast. The first guest I invited said yes immediately. I celebrate her and our podcast by re-releasing my first episode a conversation with Anick Silencieux, founder and executive director of Support Black Charities.  Support Black Charitiesis an online directory that connects Black-led, Black foc...

In this episode we speak to Tara Arthur, the co-founder and CEO of the Collective Security Group. She has more than 25 years of Martial Arts experience and she’s channelled that competitive work ethic into her work protecting and supporting people working in difficult political and socialclimates across the world. Some of the areas we’ll cover on theepisode are: ·     How Tara established herself...

On the show, Soraya Senoiser interviews Jessica Kanya-Ngambi, founder of the Africa Diaspora Connection. As a Congolese first-generation migrant, she has a unique view on the importance of the diaspora in advocacy, representation and capacity-building in humanitarian development. Over the past decade, she has managed multi-million dollar programs in more than 20 African and MENA countries. Now she...

In this episode we speak to Dr Pepukaye Bardouille, a climate resilience expert specialising in small developing states. Her career has been lucrative, using her expansive knowledge at the United Nations Development programme and after Hurricane Marina. She started her career in earnest as the lead at the Climate Resistance Executing Agency in Dominica. Whilst the headlines are often dominated by...

Today’s guest is Svetlana Chigozie Onye, a British-Nigerian climate journalist, writer, and advocate whose work bridges environmental justice, mental health, and storytelling across the Global South. She leads The Eco-Anxiety Africa Project(TEAP), an initiative that explores the psychological toll of climate change on African communities through intergenerational dialogues, climate cafés, andyouth...

In this episode we speak to Marina Kobveza, is the Director of Programmes and Partnerships at MapAction. She is a humanitarian leader with 20 years of experience, here on the show to discuss everything from the impact of George Floyd’s murder to the need for data to be evidenced with empathetic narratives. Marina introduces you to her own career in humanitarian aid through her lived experience. As...

In this episode of Diaspora in Development , we sit down with Andhira Yousef, an independent researcher dedicated to elevating refugee-led research in East Africa. With collaborations spanning Oxford University’s Refugee Hub, Columbia University, and ODI, Andhira has worked extensively on documenting grassroots refugee-led organizations and improving energy access in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. She...

In this episode we speak to Themrise Khan, an independent analyst, writer and researcher. Her insight challenges much of the conventional wisdom surrounding foreign aid. Does it have the impact that we’d like or is it perpetuating and supporting existing infrastructure issues? From post-World War II reconstruction efforts to the significant financial aid given to Pakistan after 9/11, we unravel th...

We speak to Dr. Bashair Ahmed about her career and Humanitarian Organization Shabaka. We delve into the role of diaspora engagement in development and humanitarian response. Dr. Ahmed has an illustrious career having worked with United Nations agencies and international organizations focused on fragile and conflict-affected countries. Dr. Ahmed has consulted on a wide range of migration and diaspo...

In honor of Caribbean Heritage, we speak to trailblazer Dr. Adelle Thomas Adaptation Lead at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and Vice Chair of Working Group II for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Adelle made history by becoming the first English-speaking Caribbean scientist and the First Female Caribbean Scientist to be elected to the panel.  Adelle took a pragmatic approach...

In honor of Haitian Heritage Month and Haitian Flag Day, Diaspora in Development brings you something different! We speak to singer-songwriter Sherlee Skai about the role artists can play in shedding light on injustices at home or to their communities worldwide. Born and raised in Haiti, Sherlee Skai's journey into the world of music began at a young age. Surrounded by the rich tapestry of Hai...

My guest today is  Dr. Claudine Kuradusenge-McLeod. Claudine is a Professiorial Lecturer  and the Director  of Graduate Studies at American University in the School of International Service. She lectures on Human Rights and Cultural Relations.  Claudine specializes in genocide studies and the intersection of Diaspora consciousness and social mobilization. She is the  2023 Harry Frank Guggenheim Fo...

Happy Black History Month - We talk with Adria Armbrister about her illustrious career in Global Health. It's a candid conversation about race and global equity and whether international development can work. She is currently a Foundation Representative at the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a small U.S. Government agency that provides grants to community-based organizations in Latin America...

On the first episode of 2024, we talk about climate change with Blessing Ewe and Sequoia Riley. We caught Blessing on her return from COP 28. We discuss how climate change disproportionately affects people of color, climate change research and what we can do to combat climate change. Dr. Sequoia Riley is a Research Associate at HARC, focusing on the Water-Climate-Energy nexus. Her research special...

This month I speak to France Francois a social impact leader who is currently the Director of Global Community management at TikTok and the Founder and former Executive Director of In Cultured Company, an organization committed to racial equality and transforming legacies of conflict between Black and Latinx leaders and communities. We talk about France's transition from International Developm...

In our third episode will be speaking to Christa Michaud from Partners in Health. Christa is a Senior Development Officer on the Major and Principal Gifts team at Partners In Health, a social justice nonprofit that provides high quality health care to those who need it most. In addition to helping generate the funding needed to support PIH’s mission, Christa also contributes to several of the orga...

In this Episode we speak to Dave Fils- Aime Founder and Executive Director of Basketball to Uplift the Youth (BAL) a non-profit organization that uses basketball as a tool to educate and mentor Haitian youth.  Dave left a promising career in International Development to concentrate on BAL. He will talk about his career trajectory and how he keeps BAL running during exceptionally difficult times in...