Philanthropod

For millions of women and girls around the world access to menstrual hygiene or period products is not a given. In fact, in many low-income communities in the Majority World, menstrual hygiene products are often considered luxury items. Period poverty particularly affects young girls at a critical time in their lives, impacting their education and self-confidence. Many young girls in the Majority World even stop attending school because they are unequipped to manage menstruation.But for Geena Dunne this issue had to be solved. Geena recognised that all women and girls deserve to menstruate with dignity and confidence. She also understood the powerful ripple effect that confident, educated women can have on their communities and economies.In this episode of Philanthropod, Anubha Rawat meets with Geena Dunne - Founder and CEO of The Cova Project. Anubha and Geena discuss how The Cova Project provides menstrual cups and menstrual health education to girls and women in low-income communities around the world. They aim to bridge the school attendance gap, caused by period poverty.What’s more? This episode also features on-the-ground perspectives from Lillian Bagala (Regional Director at the Irise Institute East Africa), Mr. Kisambira Eria (District Education Officer in Jinja and male champion of the menstrual cup), and three young women in Uganda whose lives have been changed by The Cova Project. These perspectives are captured by Anubha whilst she is on the road in Uganda, and allow our listeners to understand the wider impact and system in which The Cova Project takes place.This episode is essential listening for anyone passionate about gender equality, women’s health, and the sensitive cultural conversations needed to truly empower young women around the world.To learn more about The Cova Project follow the link: https://www.thecovaproject.com/

You’re a pregnant woman living on the outskirts of Nairobi. You recognise the early signs of labour and need to get to the hospital. But your family members are at work and cannot drive you. You also don't have the means or access to public transport. What do you do?For millions of people in the Majority World, this is a daily reality - where ambulance services are neither embedded nor coordinated into the health system, or are simply too expensive for low-income communities.Striving to respond to this urgent gap, Caitlin Dolkart co-founded Flare Emergency Response - a subscription-based emergency-response platform, ensuring life-saving ambulance services for Kenyans. In this episode, Anubha Rawat and Caitlin discuss the Flare Emergency Response journey - from inception to launching in 2018, to now coordinating 800 ambulances and 70 aircraft, a roadside assistance program, and managing contracts in over a dozen countries in Africa, including Uganda and Tanzania. Anubha and Caitlin also dive into finances, including how initial funding from philanthropy, venture capital and impact investors helped launch Flare Emergency Response, but why an ambulance membership model is key to long-term sustainability. They discuss the role of technology, how the team has worked to ensure coordination between existing health providers, and the innovative pricing models that make these emergency services accessible to as many as possible. Ultimately, this powerful episode is an important reminder about how global development interventions require detailed systems-wide research for real gaps to be identified and for true impact to be created and scaled. To learn more about Flare Emergency Response follow the link: https://flare.co.ke/ 

In our first episode of Season 11, Anubha Rawat comes to you live from Uganda where she meets with Dr Pasquine Ogunsanya, Founder and Executive Director of Alive Medical Services (AMS). Founded in 2007, AMS is a leading organisation in the fight against HIV/AIDS and for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in Uganda. The AMS Medical Centre operates 24/7, providing free, life-saving care to vulnerable communities.Dr Ogunsanya discusses her pioneering work in patient-centred care and her leadership in Uganda’s local, regional and national fight against HIV/AIDS. AMS tests over 600 new clients each month, linking an average of 96 HIV-positive clients to comprehensive care. It also provides free antiretroviral treatment (ART) to over 13,000 clients, including 1,500 HIV-positive youth and adolescents. Annually, AMS serves over 218,000 vulnerable clients with high-quality HIV/AIDS and SRHR care.The episode also gives our listeners a candid and on-the-ground insight into the impacts of the USAID funding freeze. Dr Ogunsanya describes the anxiety and fear the stop-work order has caused, and explains how AMS has had to reduce programs and medical provision – even despite a surge in client numbers as other clinics and services are shutting down.Despite these circumstances, Dr Ogunsanya has been inspired by AMS’ incredible staff who have continued to work as volunteers and the ongoing support of other donors. Dr Ogunsanya’s vision of a world in which those in need of medical care have access to state-of-the-art medical services provided with love and dignity is only growing stronger.For her work in HIV/AIDS care, women’s empowerment, and social development, Dr Ogunsanya has received a number of awards including Outstanding Humanitarian Work in Health and HIV/AIDS (Keep a Child Alive, 2007) and a recognition award from Uganda's Ministry of Health for her outstanding performance in HIV/AIDS response (2011).To learn more about Alive Medical Services follow the link here: https://amsuganda.org/ 

Are international charities addressing the root causes of systemic issues? Or merely addressing symptoms?And, if a charity is truly succeeding… then shouldn't the charity eventually become redundant? These provocative questions lie at the heart of Weh Yeoh’s book “Redundant Charities”. Weh Yeoh is our latest guest on Philanthropod: a five-time founder (including OIC Cambodia and Umbo), a physiotherapist, lecturer in leadership, writer and advocate for re-conceputalising the international charity sector.Drawing on years of experience working for international charities, Weh argues that many international charities are not addressing the root causes of complex issues but are instead treating the symptoms. In turn, this “charity hamster wheel” of funding, grants and growth distracts from the charity’s core mission. Weh argues it is high-time that international charities start actively thinking of themselves as temporary, and embedding strategies to make themselves redundant into their own operations. In this fascinating conversation with host Anubha Rawat, Weh explores:Why and how charities can make themselves redundant.Contexts where this approach may or may not work.How his theory intersects with other relevant concepts in international development such as localisation.A standout moment in the discussion is Weh's advice to fellow founders: embrace the challenge of letting go of ego and making your role redundant. He reminds us that being a founder is just one facet of who you are—not the whole story. Weh also shares his thoughts on Australia’s nonprofit landscape compared to the international sector, offering fresh perspectives for changemakers everywhere. To learn more about Weh and his various roles visit his website here: https://www.wehyeoh.com/ 

Deeply committed to the philosophy that all children, women and girls with disabilities should have equal opportunities to succeed, our latest episode of Philanthropod features Maria Omare. Maria is a distinguished disability inclusion advocate from Kenya and Executive Director of The Action Foundation. Since her university days, Maria has devoted her career to building inclusive and resilient communities where those with disabilities can access adequate health and education services. Nearly thirteen years ago, Maria set up her first centre in the Kibera slums, serving just a handful of local community members. Today, The Action Foundation focuses on wider systems change, challenging stigmas against disabilities and working with the Kenyan government to ensure that all children with disabilities have access to education and health care at school.Maria has also played a crucial role in various initiatives focused on inclusive education, early childhood care and education, and the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls with disabilities. For her exceptional work, Maria has earned numerous prestigious awards, including the Ford Motor Company International Fellowship, Cordes Fellowship, and Michelle Obama’s “Red Magazine UK’s 25 Visionaries to Watch”.To learn more, tune into this episode to hear Philanthropod host, Anubha Rawat, in conversation with Maria. Anubha and Maria take the listeners through the highs and lows of The Action Foundation’s journey, reflect on the importance of finding your “people” in the development sector, and discuss how to ensure service delivery is maximised for all who need it. To end, they also discuss The Action Foundation’s pan-African strategy moving forward. Afterall, as Maria notes, impact will be maximised when it is “Africans creating African solutions".

How much do you know about “hidden hunger”?Did you know that two billion people suffer from this silent crisis globally, leading to 8000 preventable child deaths daily?Nearly twenty years ago, Felix Brooks-Church had his first encounter with hidden hunger when he was working with children in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. At its core, hidden hunger is a global malnutrition crisis. Whilst many people across the world might have access to flour or a starchy staple to fill their bellies, these staples often lack the vital nutrients needed to build strong immune systems, to have healthy pregnancies and avoid other serious health issues. Today, Felix is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sanku, an East African social-enterprise that enables local flour mills to produce fortified flour (or flour that has been “fortified” with lifesaving nutrients). While counties in the Global North already enjoy fortified foods like cereal, milk, and salt, two billion people worldwide lack this basic human right.As at 2024, Sanku is now working with 1200 millers across Tanzania and Kenya in the hardest to reach places. With smart “Dosifier” machines that precisely add essential nutrients into flour, and through bulk manufacturing that keeps nutrient premix costs low, Sanku makes it possible for communities to access lifesaving nutrients without any added cost. Sanku reaches approximately 10 million people with healthier meals each day.To learn more, tune in to hear #Philanthropod host, Anubha Rawat, in conversation with Felix. Anubha and Felix chat about global malnutrition, life-saving technology that provides data in real time, economies of scale, behavioural change and the importance of aligning development interventions to Government policy agendas. They also discuss what “sustainability” means for Sanku as it continues to scale - navigating a balance between philanthropic support and a market based revenue stream. For their pioneering work, Sanku has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, a GiveWell Standout Charity, and won the Zayed Sustainability Prize, the Elevate Prize, the Lipman Family Prize, as well as the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. Sanku’s award-winning Dosifier technology was also selected by Time Magazine as an Invention of the Year in 2019.To find out more about Sanku, visit their website https://projecthealthychildren.org/

In this episode of Philanthropod, host Anubha Rawat sits down with Safeena Husain, the visionary founder of Educate Girls.Safeena shares her remarkable journey, from growing up in Delhi under challenging circumstances, which interrupted her education, to a life-changing moment when a close family friend advocated for her schooling. After spending 10 years abroad, Safeena returned to India to start Educate Girls—a non-profit organisation dedicated to ensuring that every girl in the most remote parts of India is enrolled in school and learns well. Anubha, who also grew up in India, brings a deep understanding of the cultural barriers girls face in accessing education, making this a compelling conversation. They explore the innovative community mobilisation strategies behind Educate Girls' success, including the creation of a network of 20,000 local gender champions. These volunteers tirelessly advocate for girls' rights and work to ensure that every girl has the opportunity to attend school.Safeena reflects on the early lessons and hard-earned insights that have helped scale the organisation. They discuss the critical role of engaging boys and men in the mission, breaking down biases, and fostering a community-driven model that emphasises ownership and responsibility.With a clear vision of success and a model centered on community ownership, Safeena explains how philanthropy has been the 'fuel' driving the organisation forward. She highlights the importance of unrestricted, flexible capital, which has been instrumental in enabling large-scale impact. Now, Educate Girls is looking to the future with an ambitious vision: the "10x10" initiative—educating 10 million girls over the next 10 years. With strong community support and backing from supporters, Safeena and her team are on track to make this vision a reality.To learn more about Educate Girls, visit: www.educategirls.ngo/

In 2002, Sarah Rejman travelled to Tanzania to work as an occupational therapist at a rehabilitation center for people living with disabilities. The two formative years that followed awakened in her a mission to improve the lives of children living with treatable disabilities by creating a safe and happy home where they would be accepted, loved, valued, and have the opportunity to heal. Thus began the Plaster House, as Kafika House was originally known.Today, Kafika House is an international NGO working in partnership with the Tanzanian government to treat children, transform communities and challenge perceptions of disabilities at a national level. Following a period of growth, Kafika House has also recently expanded from working with one local hospital to five partner hospitals that provide surgeries and aftercare for children. In this fantastic episode, join Anubha Rawat in conversation with Sarah as they discuss the unique approach and impact of Kafika House, and the importance of holistic, community-driven health programs. For Sarah, addressing treatable disabilities goes far beyond physical medical care. Instead, it must also be about wider education and challenging far-reaching stigmas. It is also vital to involve and support both the parents and wider community, such as Kafika House’s parallel “Mamas Education Program”, which provides an opportunity for the Mamas to simultaneously learn about nutrition, first aid, horticulture and microfinance, alongside their child’s medical care. Finally, Sarah also delves into how deep-rooted partnerships, fostering a sense of local ownership, and working with health ministries are crucial factors in determining the success and sustainability of medical programs, particularly in an international development context. For those interested in community-led health, children’s health, disability support or international development - this is not an episode to miss!Find out more about Kafika House here.

In episode 1 of Season 9, meet Andy Bryant, Executive Director at the Segal Family Foundation. The Segal Family Foundation is an American-born but African-led foundation that identifies, invests in, and creatively supports visionary local leaders and organisations tackling development challenges and opportunities in Africa—and they also help progressive donors do the same. Andy takes us through the Segal Foundation’s transformation over the past fifteen years, from Barry Segal’s initial vision of “fighting for the little guys” to becoming the second biggest US grant-maker to Africa, behind the Gates Foundation. For Andy, key to this transformation has been the Segal Family Foundation’s increasing emphasis on local staff and expertise in East and Southern Africa. They’ve also strived to challenge a culture of competition between grantees, often caused by traditional philanthropic sector power dynamics, and instead aimed to foster a safe space for collaboration. Today, their grantmaking team is 100% African—a rarity—and they are hoping to build the most influential network of African leaders on the continent who can share resources and intel to advance positive change. A key question emanating from the discussion includes: what is the role of a grantmaker when they are no longer a funder fiscally? And how can they continue to sustainably support these incredible change-makers? One of the strengths of this episode is Andy’s candidness - he is never shy to admit when the Foundation has encountered challenges along the way - but instead unpacks how these challenges were actively integrated into the strategy moving forward. Join Philanthropod’s host, Anubha Rawat, in conversation with Andy, as they discuss the importance of unearthing and investing in local talent, defining the debated notion of “trust-based philanthropy” and the success of the “Social Impact Incubator”. To learn more about the Segal Family Foundation follow the link: https://www.segalfamilyfoundation.org/