Shows
Diaspora in DevelopmentHow to harness a diaspora for good: Advocacy & Policy DevelopmentOn 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 joins the show to discuss how she is changing the character of mobilising support for humanitarian projects from across the diaspora. An absolute well of ideas, enthusiasm and work ethic, Jessica introduces you to the humility, creativity and work ethic...2025-07-0131 min
Diaspora in DevelopmentClimate Resilience in Small Island Developing States: Building Resilience WithinIn 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 the move to Net Zero in the OECD, what is often shrouded in silence, is the impact that climate change has on low-lying states. Dr Bardouille offers in-depth insight on her work in the office of...2025-06-1044 min
Diaspora in DevelopmentTackling Eco-Anxiety in the Global South Through Creative AdvocacyToday’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-led training programs in Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda. Svetlana's efforts have garnered international recognition, including her participation as a delegate at the Skoll World Forum and COP29, where she emphasizes the importance of integrating mental health into climate policy discussions. Wi...2025-05-0628 min
Diaspora in DevelopmentLeading Humanitarian Aid with Dignity: The immigrant perspectiveIn 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 a child in Azerbaijan, that first encounter with humanitarian aid, inspired her to put her energies into one of her first career choices, The Red Cross and Red Cr...2025-04-0141 min
Diaspora in DevelopmentMeaningful Participation through Refugee lead ResearchIn 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 shares insights on how community-driven research shapes impactful policies and programs, emphasizing the need for genuine participation over tokenization Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on how the power of meaningful engagement can transform the refugee experience.2025-03-0424 min
Diaspora in DevelopmentThe Role of Diaspora: Women, Power, and the Development Dilemma with Themrise KhanIn 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 the complex relationship between development aid and foreign policy.
Themrise looks at some of the critical differences between development and humanitarian aid, drawing forth her own and many other women’s experiences of working i n in...2025-02-0431 min
Diaspora in DevelopmentTrailer - Diaspora in Development2024-11-1202 minDiaspora in DevelopmentDiaspora led Humanitarian Organizations with Bashair AhmedWe 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 diaspora initiatives, including protecting irregular migrants; the development of e-trainings on humanitarian principles for diaspora organizations; and guiding diaspora engagement in development and humanitarian response. Bashair holds a doctorate in Migration Studies from the University of Sussex, where she...2024-07-0227 minDiaspora in DevelopmentCaribbean Trailblazer- Adelle ThomasIn 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 to her studies, which led her to be a leading voice on the climate challenges facing the Caribbean.
We apologize this episode has some sound issues that could not be addressed in editing.
2024-06-0429 minDiaspora in DevelopmentDiaspora Engagement through Music and Activism with Sherlee SkaiIn 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 Haitian culture and folklore, she was captivated by the rhythmic beats of traditional music and the soul-stirring melodies of jazz and soul. Drawing inspiration from her cultural heritage, Sherlee embarked on a...2024-05-1725 minDiaspora in DevelopmentForever Changed - Diaspora conflict, war and genocide.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 Foundation Distinguished Scholar for "Erasing Refugees: How Camps Became Killing Fields in the First Congo War," a joint project with Dr. Chris Davey.
You can find out more about Claudine's work here: https://www.american.edu/sis/faculty/kuraduse.cfm
...2024-04-0241 minDiaspora in DevelopmentGlobal Health and International Development - Adria ArmbristerHappy 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 and the Caribbean. Dr. Armbrister also maintains a consulting practice under which she has provided expertise for the Pan
American Health Organization/World Health Organization, UN Women, UNICEF Ethiopia, the Global Health Council, and Chemonics, among others. Since 2018, Dr...2024-02-0638 minDiaspora in DevelopmentLet's Talk Climate Change- Sequoia Riley and Blessing EwaOn 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 specializations and interests include urban environmental planning and management, green infrastructure, flood disaster risk management, adaptive governance, and environmental justice
efforts in the context of urban and rural flood sustainability and resilience.
She earned a Ph.D...2024-01-1050 minDiaspora in DevelopmentLeaving on the next plane - Leaving Development with France FrancoisThis 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 Development to the Private Sector, and if International Development works. It's a great conversation enjoy!
You can find out more about France at https://francefrancois.com/
The opinions shared on this forum are the opinions of the...2023-12-0541 minDiaspora in DevelopmentGreat things in Development Partners in Health with Christa MichaudIn 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 organizations Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector 13 years ago, Christa spent more than a decade working at marketing communications firms across the Midwest, developing and ma...2023-11-0736 minDiaspora in DevelopmentDiaspora led organizations - Basketball to Uplift the Youth -Dave Fils-AimeIn 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 Haiti.
The opinions shared on this forum are the opinions of the individuals and are not the opinions of the organizations and institutes that they work for.
2023-10-0340 minDiaspora in DevelopmentDiaspora led Organizations- Support Black Charities with Anick Silencieux
My first guest is Anick Silencieux, founder and executive director of Support Black Charities. Support Black Charities
is an online directory that connects Black-led, Black focus or Black-serving organizations to supporters and allies in the community.
Anick and I will talk about her organization and what led her to create Support Black Charities.
For more about Support Black Charities, check out their website: https://supportblackcharities.org/
Host: Soraya Senosier - Music and editing: Rukayato-fiverr
The opinions shared on this podcast are the opinions of the individuals and are not the opinions of the or...2023-09-0556 min