Humanitarian Conversations

What happens when humanitarians turn a critical eye to their own work? Not the work they do for communities—but the way they do it?  Operational research is a branch of humanitarian inquiry dedicated to exactly that: investigating how aid is delivered, whether it's working, and how it can be done better. It asks hard questions. And it sits with uncomfortable answers.  In this special episode of Hu...

After 30 years as a humanitarian, Josephine Hutton is an optimist.   From her first job in the humanitarian and development sector in the 90s working for AusAID (the former Australian government agency for international aid and development), Jo went on to work in humanitarian leadership roles across the globe.  From Iraq and Kosovo to Palestine and Sri Lanka, she has worked in conflict zones, a ts...

When the Indian Ocean tsunami hit in 2004, hundreds of thousands lost their lives—and millions more were forever altered.   For Tai-Ring Teh, a civil engineer, the tsunami recovery set him on an unexpected path as a humanitarian. Using his engineering skills to help provide clean water for communities who had lost everything in Aceh, Indonesia, he has since devoted his career to supporting people...

If you’ve worked in the humanitarian sector, it’s likely you’ve supported refugee communities—either directly or indirectly. And with humanitarian emergencies growing around the world, it’s never been more important to discuss the families and communities who suffer most during crises.  In this special episode of Humanitarian Conversations, Sally talks with RedR Australia roster members Ozlem and...

Jess Letch is a humanitarian dynamo. From connecting families torn apart by war in Angola, to supporting people to evacuate disputed territories in South Ossetia, to writing a billion-dollar plan to support Ukrainian refugees throughout Europe, Jess has had some challenging and rewarding roles during her humanitarian career.  Growing up in Melbourne Australia, Jess started her career with a social...

In the midst of a raging conflict, how can you tell the difference between a civilian and a combatant? In this extra-special episode of Humanitarian Conversations, RedR Australia’s CEO Dr. Helen Durham sits down with international lawyer, Firouzeh, to discuss the power and complexities of international humanitarian law (IHL). Firouzeh is an expert in IHL and human rights law. She’s worked for Swis...

When Ulf accidentally found himself in the middle of the Kashmir Crisis in 1989, he was moved by the suffering of civilians affected by the conflict. Six years later, after trying his hand as a bike mechanic, wedding photographer and some time on a Viking ship, he resolved to study law and devote his life to protecting communities affected by crisis.  Now a life-long humanitarian and protection ex...

Growing up around the buzz of the Radio Fiji studios, Talei Tora is a born storyteller. As the daughter of a radio announcer, Talei learnt from an early age the importance of how a story is told—and for whom.  Fast forward to today and Talei is an extensively experienced communications expert, with more than two decades under her belt as a television and film producer, journalist and communication...

In Pacific Island countries such as Fiji, the first education for a young child is often learning traditional knowledge. And for humanitarian Simione Bula, preserving and protecting this valuable knowledge is vital to navigating future disasters in the region.  Simione is a highly experienced disaster management and disability inclusion specialist, with nearly two decades of experience across orga...

From taking cover in bomb shelters in Ukraine, to herding donkeys in Afghanistan, to drinking kava in Fiji, Richard Simpson has many rich insights from 25 years as a humanitarian leader, innovator and educator.  After a serendipitous meeting with a United Nations official in Turkey in the 90s, followed by a degree in anthropology and Latin American studies, Richard found a path into the humanitari...

Hailing from ‘a tiny drop in the ocean’ in eastern Fiji, Vuli Gauna survived a cyclone when he was just two years old. Observing the growing intensity of storms as he grew up, he was inspired to volunteer and eventually work for a wide range of Red Cross societies across the Pacific, as well as the IFRC.  Now, with nearly 30 years’ experience in disaster preparedness, response and recovery, Vuli i...

For Hannah Jay, the inspiring power of women and girls has fueled her life’s work. As a gender expert in the humanitarian sector for more than a decade, Hannah has dedicated her career to addressing gender-based violence in humanitarian contexts.  She’s worked extensively across Asia and the Pacific, supporting a wide range of organisations including the United Nations, the World Bank and Save the...

It’s not a glamorous job working with toilets. But having access to clean water, sanitation and good hygiene is lifesaving stuff, and thankfully for us it’s Kathryn Harries’ dream job.  A highly experienced water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) engineer and humanitarian leader, Kathryn worked for Sydney Water Corporation for a decade before transitioning to the international humanitarian sector.  ...

Passionate, persistent, patient—these are three qualities Dr. Helen Durham AO says are essential for humanitarians. And whether she’s addressing the UN Security Council in New York or mediating with the military in times of conflict, Helen embodies them all—while staying true to her humanitarian imperative.   A trailblazer in international humanitarian law, RedR Australia’s CEO Dr. Helen Durham ha...

Growing up as the child of migrants, Melissa Bencik always knew she wanted to work with people from diverse backgrounds. Now a deeply experienced humanitarian, Melissa has worked across Asia, Africa, the Pacific and Australia, predominantly in protection and inclusion. She is also a RedR Australia roster member.  In this episode, Mel chats with Sally about a wide array of topics—from the power of...

When Peter Grzic’s mum returned from a trip and handed him a business card from a disaster responder she met on the plane, he never suspected his life would end up how she envisioned. Years later, Grzic is an experienced humanitarian, as well as a trainer on RedR Australia courses.   For the very first episode of Humanitarian Conversations, Grzic sat down with Sally to talk about why he loves bein...

Humanitarian Conversations is a RedR Australia podcast about what it means to be a humanitarian in today's world, hosted by Sally Cunningham and produced by Jill Farrar. Through interviews with notable and experienced humanitarians from across the globe, we’ll delve into the big issues facing the humanitarian sector and we’ll learn about the surprising twists and turns in their careers. Tune in to...