Shows
Optimistic VoicesVolunteers Needed - A new documentary exposing a hidden evil - child trafficking inside of orphan missionSend us a textThe smiling photos, the painted walls, the “we came to help” posts—so much of orphanage tourism looks uplifting on the surface. But pull on the thread and a harder truth emerges: when volunteers are the customers, children become the product. In this conversation with filmmaker and activist Barak Laub, we uncover how feel-good trips can fuel orphanage trafficking, why unqualified access to vulnerable kids creates real risk, and what ethical, effective alternatives actually look like.Barak shares how his film, Volunteers Needed, evolved from a carefree travel project into an invest...
2026-01-281h 15
Optimistic VoicesAn Innovative Strategy for NonProfit Leaders - Hive Turns Your Isolation Into ConnectionSend us a textWhat if the fix for burnout, donor fatigue, and stalled partnerships isn’t another webinar, but a better conversation? We sit down with Tasha Van Vlack, founder and CEO of Nonprofit Hive, to unpack how simple one-to-one matchmaking helps nonprofit pros feel seen, swap solutions, and spark collaborations that actually stick. From role-based pairing to safety-in-strangers design, Tasha shares the small systems that turn isolation into momentum.We explore the pressures reshaping the sector—post-pandemic staffing gaps, rising expectations, and funding uncertainty—and talk through a practical reset: protect time for curios...
2025-12-301h 01
Optimistic VoicesWhat Happens When Empowerment And Accountability Finally Work TogetherSend us a textWhat if your partnership model unintentionally silences the very people it’s meant to elevate? We sit down with Asia Blackwell, executive director of Maya Midwifery, to unpack how a well-intended collaboration in Guatemala drifted toward hierarchy by over-rewarding a few “standout” leaders while leaving many midwives underpowered. Asia lays out how they rebuilt trust with transparent systems, written agreements, and equitable pathways that spread training, decision-making, and visibility across the full team.Together, we reframe accountability as shared responsibility rather than control. Asia explains the pivot from informal, relationship-only trust to cle...
2025-12-1947 min
Optimistic VoicesSurviving Corruption, Betrayal and Violence, A Rebirth for Mayan Midwifery International's Dream for GuatemalaSend us a textA center for indigenous birthing practices grew out of an expatriate's dream and was realized as a thriving hub for Indigenous midwives in Guatemala. The ground shifted when a model of local ownership and global alliance collided with personal greed. Executive Director Asia Blackwell unpacks the full arc: early wins rooted in trust, warning signs revealed by governance training and a whistleblower policy, and the moment when cultural respect had to face corrupt realities, overcome personal threats, retaliation, forged elections, missing funds, and state-backed intimidation. After a democratic vote unseated entrenched leaders, a...
2025-12-101h 21
Optimistic VoicesCommunity-Led Change is Possible When We Listen and TrustSend us a textWhat happens when we stop viewing rural communities as problems to be fixed and start recognizing them as powerful agents of their own transformation? The answer unfolds beautifully in this eye-opening conversation with Aminata Kamara and Sheku Mohamed Gassimu Jr. from One Village Partners (OVP), a Sierra Leonean organization revolutionizing how sustainable development happens in remote communities."Communities are not like a white paper. They have knowledge of their lives. They have knowledge of what a thriving community looks like," explains Aminata, OVP's Country Director. This profound respect for...
2025-11-281h 27
Optimistic VoicesHelp Desk or Round Table? Your Mission Trip Might Need a MakeoverSend us a textDr. Hunter Farrell challenges everything you thought you knew about short-term missions with compelling insights drawn from his 30+ years of global mission experience and anthropological research. He reveals startling statistics about our mission economy: American Christians spend $3.5-5 billion annually sending 1.6 million people on short-term trips, yet often these efforts fall short of creating lasting change.What's gone wrong? Farrell introduces the concept of "selfie missions" – our cultural shift from changing the world to changing ourselves. This individualistic approach positions Western Christians as saviors rather than companions, creating problematic power dynamics. Dr...
2025-11-1054 min
Optimistic VoicesCross-Border Collaboration Brings Trafficked 11-Year-Old Em Back to Her FamilySend us a textThe remarkable journey of an 11-year-old girl named Em demonstrates the life-changing power of cross-border collaboration in child protection. When Em was trafficked from her home in Liberia to Sierra Leone under false promises of education, she instead found herself forced into domestic labor and street selling. After becoming separated from her trafficker and lost on the streets, local authorities connected her with the Child Reintegration Center (CRC).Through counseling sessions, CRC discovered Em wasn't from Sierra Leone at all, presenting a complex international challenge. What happened next showcases the extraordinary...
2025-10-1723 min
Optimistic VoicesMeasuring What Matters: The Challenge of Defining EmpowermentSend us a textWhat does it really mean to empower people? Beyond buzzwords and good intentions lies a complex reality that social impact organizations grapple with daily. This conversation with researchers Dr. Thomas Crea and Dr. Sarah Neville dives deep into the messy, thought-provoking questions that challenge conventional thinking about empowerment.The discussion takes us beyond simplistic notions of "teaching a man to fish" to examine whether we're creating the fishing holes people need to sustain themselves. As Dr. Crea points out, true empowerment begins when "communities recognize and define the issues affecting them"...
2025-10-051h 32
Optimistic VoicesFrom War to Medicine: The Resilience and Brilliance of Dr. Aruna Stevens - A Child's View EpisodeSend us a textWhat happens when tragedy and opportunity collide in the life of a child? Dr. Aruna Stevens' story answers this question with breathtaking resilience and hope. Born just before Sierra Leone's devastating civil war, Aruna's childhood was shattered when his father was killed and his extended family of twenty separated. He experienced homelessness, hunger, and the daily struggle for survival in a community where healthcare was virtually non-existent—where people routinely died from treatable conditions simply because there were no doctors available.The turning point came when the Child Rescue Centre welcomed yo...
2025-09-2117 min
Optimistic VoicesThe Science and Faith of Bouncing Back: Nicole Wilke on ResilienceSend us a textWhat makes some children overcome unimaginable trauma while others struggle to recover? Is resilience something you're born with, or can it be cultivated? These questions drive our fascinating conversation with Dr. Nicole Wilke, author and Director of Research at Christian Alliance for Orphans.Drawing from her extraordinary background—growing up in a family that fostered 70 children and personally experiencing severe health challenges as a teenager—Nicole brings professional expertise and lived experience to this critical topic. Her insights challenge conventional wisdom, revealing that resilience is less "bouncing back from" and more "grow...
2025-09-081h 03
Optimistic VoicesParty in the Back: Your Superhero Cape Belongs to Someone ElseSend us a textThe difference between helping and hurting often comes down to one critical question: are we empowering and dignifying people or creating dependencies and disabilities? In this eye-opening conversation with Sheree Reece, Global Missions Director for a UMC Mega Church - Church of the Resurrection, Laura and Yaz unpack the profound shift happening in mission work worldwide—moving from traditional charity models that often foster dependence to sustainable approaches that build genuine capacity and dignity.Drawing from her 14 years of experience coordinating global missions across Africa, Asia, and Haiti, Sheree reveals why si...
2025-08-121h 06
Optimistic VoicesHannah's Story - Broken to Brave: A Father's Fight to Bring His Children HomeSend us a textWhat happens when a struggling father refuses to let disability define his family's future? Hannah Smith's remarkable story reveals the transformative journey from family separation to triumphant reunion in post-war Sierra Leone.Hannah's story begins in hardship—her disabled father, a determined blacksmith, made the heartbreaking decision to place his children in an orphanage when he couldn't provide basic necessities. Though initially grateful for education and proper care at the Child Rescue Center, Hannah and her siblings soon felt a profound emptiness without their father's presence. "Every day spent without him, it...
2025-07-3122 min
Optimistic VoicesPlayground to Battleground: Stolen Ukrainian Children. The Dark Reality and Secret Purpose of Russia's Evacuation of Children from the War ZoneSend us a textThe systematic abduction and militarization of Ukrainian children by Russian forces represents one of the most devastating yet underreported aspects of the ongoing war. In this eye-opening conversation, Ukrainian historian and religious scholar Vladyslav Havrylov reveals the shocking scope and calculated nature of Russia's deportation campaign targeting Ukrainian youth.His research with the Institute of World History at Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences and his work documenting war crimes with multiple humanitarian organizations exposes the brutal reality behind Russia's euphemistically labeled "evacuations." Since February 2022, Russian authorities have forcibly transferred thousands of...
2025-07-171h 00
Optimistic VoicesRooted in Reality: Simulating Life on the Edge of Extreme PovertySend us a textEver wondered what life is really like for families living on the edge of extreme poverty? Most of us have only seen poverty through statistics or images, but a new immersive experience called "Rooted in Reality" is changing how we understand this complex reality.When a team of college students traveled to Sierra Leone to develop this groundbreaking poverty simulation, they discovered something profound. People experiencing poverty don't define their situation primarily by their lack of material resources – they define it by feelings of powerlessness, inferiority, and hopelessness. "We feel like ga...
2025-07-021h 12
Optimistic VoicesTiny Princess: How One Brave Voice Saved an Abused Child.Send us a textPrincess was just six years old when someone finally spoke up about the abuse she was suffering. That brave act by a Child Reintegration Center alumnus became the first link in a chain of compassionate interventions that would transform her life.Reverend Olivia Fonney, Director of the Child Reintegration Center in Sierra Leone, takes us through Princess's journey from trauma to healing. When Princess first arrived at the CRC, she was understandably confused and frightened. Rather than place her in the dormitory setting of their interim care facility, Reverend Olivia made...
2025-06-2018 min
MercyCastEmmanuel Nabieu on a journey back home.Hey friends, Raleigh Sadler here. In this deeply moving episode of MercyCast, I sit down with Emmanuel Nabu—known to many as Nabs—to talk about his incredible journey from growing up as an orphan in Sierra Leone to becoming an advocate for family-based care and child welfare in the same orphanage!This conversation is close to my heart. Nabs shares how he lost his father during the civil war, spent nearly a year homeless as a child, and eventually found himself in an orphanage. But that’s just the beginning. His story is one of raw adversity...
2025-06-1828 min
Optimistic VoicesRising Tides Catalyzing Change: Part 2. Beyond Orphanages: The Global Shift to Family-Based CareSend us a textThe global movement to transition children from orphanages to families is gaining momentum, but significant challenges remain. In this thought-provoking episode, David Titus Moussa hosts a conversation with Stephen Usembe, a care leaver and founder of Kenya Society of Care Leavers, and Phil Aspergren, executive director of Casa Viva in Costa Rica, as they unpack key insights from the recent Rising Tide Conference.Stephen shares his unique perspective as someone who grew up in institutional care, emphasizing the critical need for research and data to drive meaningful policy change. "When we...
2025-06-0757 min
Optimistic VoicesRising Tides: How Family Care Is Replacing InstitutionsSend us a textChild welfare is undergoing a profound transformation worldwide as organizations shift away from institutional orphanages toward family-based care models. But what does this transition actually look like on the ground? How can we redirect well-intentioned support toward solutions that truly serve children's needs?This eye-opening conversation brings together true pioneers in the global care reform movement. Stephen Ucembe draws from his lived experience growing up in a Kenyan orphanage to advocate for family care through Hope and Homes for Children and Transform Alliance Africa. Phil Aspegren shares his remarkable journey from...
2025-05-2554 min
Optimistic VoicesFrom Village to Nursing: Monjama's Journey of ResilienceSend us a textDiscover the remarkable journey of Monjama, a young woman from rural Sierra Leone whose life trajectory shifted dramatically through education, family reconnection, and dedicated support. Left fatherless in a remote village without schools or healthcare facilities, Monjama's future seemed predetermined by generational poverty—until intervention changed everything.At just seven years old, Monjama entered the Child Reintegration Center (CRC), encountering formal education for the first time. Despite having no prior schooling, her natural abilities flourished as she was double-promoted through her studies. When the CRC transitioned from residential care to family-based su...
2025-05-1130 min
Optimistic VoicesThe Hidden Problems with Child Sponsorship Programs: A $3.29 Billion Industry Under ScrutinySend us a textChild sponsorship seems like the perfect way to help vulnerable children abroad – for just $30 a month, you get photos, letters, and the satisfaction of changing a child's life. But what if this model is causing unexpected problems?In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the $3.29 billion child sponsorship industry with Dr. Hunter Farrell, author of "Congregational Mission." Having operated our own sponsorship program for years, we explore why global child welfare experts are increasingly critical of this popular fundraising approach.Dr. Farrell explains how sponsorship programs often create an...
2025-05-0238 min
Optimistic VoicesTwice Orphaned: The MaMaw's House Story - Why Sponsorship Doesn't Save the Care Leaver.Send us a textWhen Jen Conrad first sponsored a child in Sierra Leone, she never imagined it would lead to adoption proceedings, heartbreaking visa denials, and eventually creating a groundbreaking program that's changing lives across the country. Her story reveals the hidden aftermath of institutional care that few people consider: what happens when orphaned children become adults?After traveling to Sierra Leone multiple times and forming deep bonds with two siblings, Jen and her husband pursued adoption. Despite gaining full legal guardianship in Sierra Leone's courts, their hopes were crushed when U.S. immigration...
2025-04-1843 min
Optimistic VoicesWhen Baby Blues Turns Deadly - Maternal Mental Health: Breaking the Silence & Sharing PreventionSend us a textDr. Abdullahi Jawobah takes us deep into the critically overlooked world of maternal mental health, where his groundbreaking research reveals a staggering statistic: approximately 50% of pregnant and lactating mothers in Sierra Leone experience psychological distress. This silent epidemic has far-reaching consequences not only for mothers but for their unborn children, as Dr. Jawobah explains how stress hormones cross the placenta to affect gene expression in developing fetuses. Addressing this is a pathway to reducing stillbirths, preeclampsia, infant malnutrition, and physical health outcomes.The conversation illuminates how mothers i...
2025-04-0649 min
Optimistic VoicesThe Global Village Unites for a Child: Musu's StorySend us a textSixteen-year-old Musu Sangu faced a devastating diagnosis in Sierra Leone—a life-threatening heart condition requiring specialized surgery unavailable anywhere in her country. With her heart functioning at just 20% capacity and given only a 40% chance of survival, Musu's future looked grim. But what followed was an extraordinary demonstration of global compassion that would save her life.The journey began at Mercy Hospital in Sierra Leone, where Dr. Aruna Stevens identified Musu's condition using a newly acquired EKG machine. Through the Child Reintegration Center's family strengthening program, Musu already had access to medical ca...
2025-03-2720 min
Optimistic VoicesEmpowering Midwives: The Key to Saving LivesSend us a textWelcome to a transformative episode that dives deep into saving lives through improved maternal health in Sierra Leone. We share inspiring stories from a recent training conference in Kenema, focusing on the critical role midwives play in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. You'll hear from Matron Mary Augusta Fuller, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, who shares insights on the vital need for comprehensive training programs for midwives, addressing both essential newborn care and postpartum hemorrhage management. In our conversation, we explore the significance of mental health awareness among healthcare providers, h...
2025-03-0950 min
Optimistic VoicesTiny Miracles: The Story of JosephSend us a textJoin us for a deeply inspiring episode that follows the miraculous journey of baby Joseph, born against all odds in a rural clinic in Sierra Leone. This episode highlights the intense realities faced by healthcare workers like midwife Hawa Zoker, caught in a life-or-death situation while managing multiple deliveries. Tune in to hear about the pivotal moment when help arrived in the form of Canadian nurses, who brought both medical expertise and critical supplies that ultimately saved Joseph's life and that of his mother, Nancy.As we unravel this powerful narrative...
2025-02-2721 min
Optimistic VoicesA Child's View: Ishmael - Acts of Mercy in Sierra LeoneSend us a textThe episode shares Ishmael's inspiring journey from pain to healing through the compassionate care provided by Mercy UMC Hospital. Listeners learn how community support and dedicated healthcare professionals can create incredible transformations in children's lives.• Ishmael's broken body and his mother's desperate journey for help • Dr. Morie Vandi’s commitment to serving underserved communities • Mercy's outreach program and how important it is in providing medical care to rural areas where poverty is extreme• The successful surgical intervention for Ishmael's hernia • The fusion of medical care and emotional support duri...
2025-01-2812 min