The Fixers Podcast

In this episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar talks with Juan Garcia Montes, Program Manager for the +SOL Mini-Grid Initiative in Mozambique, about bringing electricity to communities that have never had it before. Juan shares 25 years of experience working in the solar industry across Africa, focusing on how solar mini-grids are transforming villages where 600 million people still live without reliable power.Listeners will learn what happens when electricity reaches a village for the first time—from the immediate joy of having lights at home to the long-term economic opportunities that emerge. Juan explains how mini-grids work, why solar makes sense for remote communities, and the surprising challenges of helping people adopt new technology.From navigating cyclones and climate risks in Mozambique to understanding why Africa's sunniest regions were slower to embrace solar than cloudy Europe, Juan offers insights into the real complexities of rural electrification and why listening to communities matters more than having the perfect technical solution.Juan highlights the importance of focusing on understanding the demand side—not just the technology, but how people actually live and what they need.To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about energy access and sustainable development.

In this episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar interviews Dr. Alan Bigelow, Science Director at Solar Cookers International, to explore how solar cooking technology is transforming lives for 2 billion people who struggle daily to access cooking fuel.Dr. Bigelow shares powerful stories from Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, where women are trading food rations for firewood, and explains how solar cookers—devices that use mirrors, black cookware, and greenhouse principles—can cook meals and pasteurize water using only sunshine. Listeners will discover how this elegant, low-tech solution addresses deforestation and energy poverty while saving money.From his unique journey as a particle accelerator physicist who co-founded a solar-powered eco rock band called Solar Punch, Dr. Bigelow reveals how inclusive design and listening to local communities—especially women—has been crucial to scaling this technology globally.Support the Mission: Visit solarcookers.org and solarcooking.org to learn more about solar cooking technology, access design plans, and discover how you can get involved in bringing clean cooking solutions to communities worldwide.To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about sustainable technology and global development. Visit our website at ⁠thefixerspodcast.com⁠ for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.

In this debut episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar talks with Jeff Abella of MOKA Origins, an ethical chocolate and coffee company based in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Jeff shares how MOKA Origins is closing the gap between consumers and cacao farmers—many of whom historically earn less than $1 a day.Listeners will learn how Jeff's work in Cameroon and beyond is helping reshape broken supply chains, support farmer-owned cooperatives, and reframe chocolate as a specialty food rooted in dignity and transparency.Jeff also shares lessons he has learned as an entrepreneur. He recommends the following books: Good to Great, Jim Collins; Business Made Simple, Donald Miller; Day Trading Attention, Gary Vaynerchuk.Support the Mission: Visit mokaorigins.com to support ethical sourcing through their line of chocolate and coffee products.To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about ethical consumption and global impact. Visit our website at thefixerspodcast.com for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.

In this trailer episode, host & high school student Amrita Kumar shares the story behind Fixers—an interview podcast about real people solving real problems.In each episode, you'll hear from people tackling everything from dirty water to deforestation. Together, we’ll explore what it takes to fix things—and how anyone, at any age, can get started.Follow Fixers for new episodes featuring inspiring guests and powerful conversations about the future of our world—and how we’re building it. Visit our website at ⁠thefixerspodcast.com⁠ for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.