How To Build Community

After seven years and 58 episodes, Jake Lloyd announces the closing of the How to build community podcast. He expresses his gratitude to the funders, supporters and listeners, and reflects on the various topics covered by the podcast. These include motivating others, supporting people through loss, advocating for change, building peace and loving your enemy. He encourages us to continue learning f...

In this episode, David Couzens, Tearfund's Peacebuilding Lead talks about breaking the cycle of conflict and building lasting peace in local communities. David shares insights, stories, and practical steps for reconciliation and emphasises the importance of recognising shared humanity and addressing hidden hurts.  Realising our shared humanity: It is easy to dehumanise others, instead of seeing ea...

About this episode Dr Ian Campbell and Elvis Simamvwa discuss the story and evolution of Salt , a community engagement method focusing on authentic interaction through sharing, appreciation, listening, learning and teamwork. They share experiences from their work in Zambia, where Salt was first applied to understand community concerns about HIV and AIDS. Podcast highlights The origin of the Salt m...

About this episode Gita Roy, from Bangladesh, helped to establish a water treatment plant in her village that makes saltwater safe to drink. The plant has had a positive impact on the village, providing people with access to safe drinking water and creating business opportunities for women. Podcast highlights The impact of climate change on safe water access Climate change is causing unpredictable...

About this episode Charles Macai, a water specialist with 25 years experience leading projects across Africa, shares about how communities can have sustainable access to safe water. He discusses the benefits of business-based approaches, and why it is important to collaborate with governments to ensure long-term sustainable access.  Water infrastructure Water covers 71 per cent of the world, but o...

Before writing was developed, cultures passed along their traditions, history and identity verbally, through stories, proverbs, songs and riddles. In this episode, Jake interviews Paul Conteh from Sierra Leone, who explains why oral communication, known as ‘orality’, is still extremely relevant and important today.  

In conversation with Jake Lloyd, community leaders from India, Nepal, Nigeria and the UK share how local communities can work together to solve urgent health challenges and make the global health system fit for the future. They discuss the importance of community participation, collaboration with government and learning from mistakes. 

Six years, 61 interviewees from 23 countries and now 50 episodes, all discussing one thing: community. In this special 50th episode of How to build community , Jake shares some of the insights from previous conversations with inspiring guests that have changed how he sees the world, and his place within it. 

Loss and grief will affect all of us at some point in our lives. In this episode, Barnabé Anzaruni, a theologian based in Kenya, shares his personal experiences with loss and provides advice on how best to support someone who is grieving.  Barnabé explains that words sometimes fail to provide comfort during grief and that what we say can sometimes cause harm, even if well-intended. Instead, he sug...

A new society for a new millennium In January 2000, Rosemary Stephenson and her family could be seen on televisions across the UK on a reality TV show called Castaway. The show placed 36 people on a remote Scottish island to attempt to start a community from scratch. The objective was to become a self-sufficient society, living off the land and creating their own societal structures. In the words...

This episode explores: Community-led advocacy  Advocacy aims to influence the decisions of those in government, in particular the public policies and practices that shape economic and social development.  Community-led advocacy refers to activities that are carried out by citizens to influence local decision-makers and bring positive change to their communities. Social accountability  The podcast...

Hazeen Latif works for Amplifying Voices Pakistan . In this episode, Hazeen talks about community-centred media and how it can lead to positive, lasting change. He tells the story of an isolated community in Pakistan who initiated changes to infrastructure by creating their own radio programmes.  Community-centred media   Community-centred media is different from a media campaign, which usually fo...

JON is a recovering alcoholic from the UK. In this episode he shares a raw and powerful story of his struggle with addiction and journey of recovery. Along the way, he reflects on how best you can support people around you who are facing similar challenges. Learn about Alcoholics Anonymous at www.aa.org Help us tell more stories like this at patreon.com/arukahnetwork

What does it mean to love your enemy? Why is it important? And how can you go about doing it? In this episode we put these questions to world leading climate campaigner ALASTAIR MCINTOSH. His work is inspired by his Quaker faith, and in this interview he describes how he approaches encounters with his "enemies", as told in his most recent book Riders On The Storm. Help us tell more stories like th...

Muna's story From the moment Muna was born, her church made it very clear that she and her family were not alone. She says, ‘We saw the church welcoming and embracing me. They were really supportive. Not only to me but to the whole family. They didn’t define me by my disability; they looked at me as a person.’ Through growing up being loved and mixing with others, Muna was able to focus more on he...

In this episode CALLY MAGALHĀES shares a story so remarkable it's being made into a feature film. In the Brazilian prison in which she worked, she started a drama project where youth offenders reenact the crimes that put them in prison in the first place. But crucially, they play the role of their victims. Here she explains how this idea has led to a 70-80% reduction in reoffending rates. Learn mo...

How can you help the people around you to achieve their goals and reach their potential? CATRIONA HOREY is a Coach in the UK, where she helps leaders in charities, social innovation and education to set goals and achieve them. In this episode, she explains what coaching is, how it works, and how you can use coaching skills to support others. To learn more about coaching... Visit the MOE Foundation...

Since 2016, village elders, mothers and schoolchildren in a small community in the Democratic Republic of Congo have worked to reintroduce a species of edible caterpillar to their local area. In the process they've boosted food security, nutrition, biodiversity, local relationships, job opportunities and more. In this episode, VIOLET RURIA from The Salvation Army tells the remarkable story of The...

How can you help your community, organisation or team get better at problem-solving? In this episode, join 'Psychological Safety' expert ERIN LLOYD ROTICH from the USA, Tearfund's PRANAYA CHHETRI from Nepal, and FWANGMUN OSCAR DANLADI from the pioneering Jos Green Centre in Nigeria, as they help us search for answers. Learn more about... Jos Green Centre: bit.ly/3yDgfIC Psychological Safety: bit.l...

SHAYDANY URBANI helps people to identify and challenge fake news, as part of her work with the organisation 'First Draft'. Here she shares her top tips and advice, alongside case studies of people successfully fighting fake news around the world. Learn more about... First Draft: www.firstdraftnews.org Footsteps: www.learn.tearfund.org Arukah Network: www.arukahnetwork.org Help us tell more stories...

What if you could turn litter into money? FWANGMUN OSCAR DANLADI leads a movement of young people in Nigeria who have found a way to turn the country’s huge problem of electronic waste into their own thriving and sustainable businesses. In this episode he tells us the story, and shares tips and advice on how you can do something similar where you live. Learn more about Footsteps at www.learn.tearf...

10-20% of young people globally experience mental health conditions of some kind. But the majority do not seek help or receive support. Keeping in mind the saying that 'it takes a village to raise a child', in this episode we ask how can a village - or a community - support the mental health of its young people? Expert guests join us from around the world to help us find answers. Our guests includ...

This isn't a normal episode of the show! Today we're pleased to announce that Arukah Network is joining forces with our friends at Tearfund's 'Footsteps' magazine in order to create this show together. In this episode our presenter JAKE LLOYD is joined by the Editor of Footsteps JUDE COLLINS to find out what this new partnership means for the show. Learn more about Footsteps at www.learn.tearfund....

'Eco Church' is a scheme for churches in the UK who want to demonstrate that the gospel is good news for the planet as well as its people. Since it was launched by the environmental charity A Rocha in 2016, thousands of churches have worked to achieve 'Eco Church' status. In this episode, Eco Church founder RUTH VALERIO tells us how it began, its current leader HELEN STEPHENS tells us how it's gro...