Connecting the Unconnected

Today we speak with Eglantina Zingg, founder and CEO of Goleadoras.  Goleadoras is a not-for-profit social entrepreneurship foundation that leverages the power of fútbol to bolster the self- confidence, sense of solidarity, ambition, perseverance, and well-being of girls in remote parts of the world. She was born in Caracas and raised in the Amazon and has a unique multicultural background. Her experiences have inspired her to be an advocate and a voice of change in Latin America and other parts of the world.Eglantina is an activist, fashion influencer, TV personality and now host personality from her podcast, “The Zingg”.  Follow EglantinaWebsite: www.ezingg.comInstagram: @eglantinazinggTwitter: @EglantinaZinggFacebook: Eglantina ZP YouTube: Eglantina Zingg Official Follow Goleadoras FoundationWebsite: www.goleadoras.org Instagram: @goleadorasTwitter: @goleadoras_orgFacebook: GoleadorasYouTube: GoleadorasFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Today we are speaking with Sara Haj-Hassan. Sara is the COO of Tarjimly, a mobile app that allows the world's 3 billion multilingual speakers to remotely volunteer their language skills as translators and interpreters for the 65 million displaced people. Today, it is the most accessible translator service in the world.Their impact is incredible. Over 9,000 Tarjimly volunteers have helped over 17,000 refugees and aid workers in critical events during emergency medical services, asylum interviews, trauma counseling, and rescue operations.Sara holds a Master of Social Welfare with a focus on Management and Planning from the University of California-Berkeley. She specializes in program planning and evaluation, and is passionate about collaborating with diverse communities to design programs that increase well-being.Follow TarjimlyInstagram: @tarjimlyTwitter: @Tarjimly Facebook: TarjimlyLinkedIn: TarjimlyLearn more or Volunteer: https://www.tarjim.ly/en Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/app/tarjimly/id1438066201?mt=8 Follow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Sonia Shahid is Country Lead and Project Manager for the BuffaloGrid Bangladesh team. In less than a year of opening an office in Bangladesh, StreamSpot+ now has over 1,000 registered users and over 4,000 content streamed. Beginning her journey in advertising in Asiatic360, Sonia led one of the biggest activations in 2007 with the national brand Lux of Unilever. She then went on to work as Head of Sales, Training and Marketing for Tupperware Bangladesh in 2016, working closely with coaching aspiring female entrepreneurs. She led the ADB-funded project of Bangladesh Rural Electrification Board on productive use of electricity for small enterprise development where BREB lifeline female consumers received capital investment during the COVID-19/pandemic period. Prior to joining BuffaloGrid as its country lead in Bangladesh, she completed an assignment for The World Bank and WEWB on the development of support services in welfare centers in Union Parishads for reintegration of Bangladeshi expat workers.Her expertise lies in market development in renewable energy, agriculture markets, water & sanitation, gender, waste management and circular economy. She has completed her Bachelors in Business Administration, Executive MBA in Finance and MSc in Economics.Follow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Yasmine is CEO and Creative Director of Free Free, a global organisation working for the emotional, financial and physical freedom of girls and women around the world. She has an incredible story. In 2018 Yasmine founded Free Free after her daughter’s birth in honour of her mother’s memory, who passed away after a life of abuse. In 2021 she was named one of the entrepreneurs to follow by FORBES WOMEN, in 2020 she won the Woman of the Year award by Glamour, and in 2019 the was nominated one of the 19 women of 2019 by UOL for her performance and social transformation through Free Free.Prior to Free Free, Yasmine worked 11 years at Vogue as editor and creative director, and have done over 30 covers with names such as Rihanna, Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian between London, Brazil, and New York. She also holds a master's degree in fashion from the Italian Instituto Marangoni in London. Follow Free FreeInstagram @ freefree.xx Twitter @freefree_xxLinkedIn  Free FreeYouTube Free Free Free Free NFT  freefree.artLearn more about Free Free:  freefreeworld.orgFollow YasmineInstagram @yasminestereaFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Bryce is a Market Engagement Manager in the Connected Society and Connected Women programmes at the GSMA, focused on bridging the digital divide by providing people with the skills they need to get online and benefit from everything the internet has to offer. He leads the market engagement work on the Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit (MISTT) and is proudly partnering with a range of incredible companies including MTN, Orange, Google, Facebook, Wikimedia Foundation and KaiOS.Bryce has worked in the International Aid and Development space for nearly a decade with a focus on leveraging technology to achieve positive social outcomes. He previously worked at the United Nations Secretariat’s Asia-Pacific hub (UN ESCAP) in Bangkok, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Asia-Pacific regional office in Bangkok, the International Federation of Journalists’ (IFJ) Asia-Pacific office in Sydney, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) in London.The GSMA is a partner of BuffaloGrid and we are thankful for all their support throughout the years!Follow GSMATwitter @GSMA LinkedIn GSMALearn more about GSMA: WebsiteFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Mahmuda Rahman Khan. Mahmuda is USAID's longest-serving gender advisor in Asia -- with 17 years of dedicated service. Her many achievements include fostering collaboration with the government of Bangladesh and other stakeholders to advance women's empowerment, helping the the government develop its National Action Plan on Violence Against Women, integrating gender in its various Five Year Plans, initiating the Embassy's first-ever celebration of International Women's Day in 2006 -- and every year since. Mahmuda has worked tirelessly working to build the capacity of USAID and Embassy staff, as well as USAID partners, to integrate gender into their work.In 2022 she was granted the Laura W. Bush Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Global Women's Equality. Mahmuda is also a friend to BuffaloGrid’s Bangladesh office, and we are thrilled to have a great conversation with her today.Learn more about USAID: usaid.govFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

At the time we recorded this episode, Louise was the Global Community Manager at Techfugees where she orchestrated Techfugees Chapters worldwide and coordinated the operations of their innovation, inclusion and insights activities. She was Program Manager for one of the first #TF4Women Inclusion programs in France and shifted to the international volunteer network organization in 2018. With a background in entrepreneurship and a research assistant in cognitive science, she met Techfugees as she co-founded Black Sheep in 2016, a student association aiming at learning and duplicating best practices from NGOs working with forcibly displaced people to scale innovation. Today, she works at the French Red Cross in the humanitarian Repair lab.Follow Louise:Twitter @louise_brosset Follow Techfugees:Website techfugees.comTwitter @TechfugeesInstagram @TechfugeesFacebook TechfugeesLinkedIn Techfugees  YouTube  TechfugeesFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

This episode features two guests from the Grameen Foundation, a global non-profit that works to replicate the Grameen Bank microfinance model around the world through a global network of partner microfinance institutions.Bindi Jhaveri is a financial services expert with 17 years in financial services and livelihoods programs in developing countries, and ten years’ field experience living and working in East and West Africa. She has supported Grameen’s Refugee Finance and women’s economic empowerment programs in  Africa, was Financial Inclusion Technical Lead for the USAID Community  Connector Project in Uganda, developed agriculture  and savings group loan products, and managed a large-scale DFID-funded program providing cash transfers and livelihoods support to vulnerable people and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in South Sudan. Evaline Angole is a leader in community, socio-economic development work and deep experience in financial inclusion and business development.  She has rich experience in Village Savings and Loans Associations methodology, digital/ mobile technology, women and youth entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business skills and Linkage banking. Evaline has been Project Manager for Grameen's Refugee Finance program since 2019.Follow Grameen foundation:Website grameenfoundation.orgTwitter @GrameenFdnLinkedIn Grameen FoundationFacebook Grameen FoundationFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Nadia Danhash, the Director of Innovation RCA at the Royal College of Arts in London. One could say that this entrepreneurship centre is the birthplace of BuffaloGrid. She invests and supports the growth of new design-led ventures, while she trains and mentors more mature non-design businesses internationally. She has worked with over 200 companies from a diverse range of sectors.Nadia has worked in Europe and the US and her roles have also included responsibility for operations in Asia. A PhD life scientist, with an MBA, a successful twenty year career in the biotechnology sector, and broad commercial experience at international corporations and startups, she has a cross-sectoral focus on innovation.vA lot of her experience and knowledge she has shared with BuffaloGrid's founder, Daniel Beccera.Follow InnovationRCATwitter: @InnovationRCAInstagram: @innovationrcaLearn more about InnovationRCA: WebsiteFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Daphne Nederhorst. She is the founder of Sawa World, an organization that uses a locally-led and innovative approach to end global poverty. Daphne grew up in Tanzania and since the age of seven, she wanted to create a world without poverty and suffering. Over the past 30 years, she has followed her vision, travelled and worked in over 45 countries to learn about the local innovations and models, has received renowned awards, and is an Ashoka Fellow. In the last 15 years, Daphne and her team have directly transformed the lives of over 100,000 vulnerable youth living in extreme poverty and encouraged them to start 13,000 micro-enterprises. Daphne’s vision is to impact 1 million vulnerable youth around the world by 2030 by giving them access to 1,000 local eco-friendly income solutions.Follow Sawa WorldWebsite sawaworld.orgInstagram @SawaWorldTwitter @SawaWorldFacebook SawaWorldFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

On this episode we had the pleasure of speaking with Chris Mikkelsen, co-founder of Refugees United, otherwise known as REFUNITE -- the world's largest family tracing platform. Christopher Mikkelsen and his brother, David Mikkelsen co-founded REFUNITE, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit helping refugee families that have lost contact with each other during escape from conflict with an anonymous service to reconnect.In 2017 they won the award for World Economic Forum Social Entrepreneurs of the year for their work. For more than a decade, Chris developed more products under REFUNITE's flag to support last-mile communities in Africa: RELAY Community Network (a platform for civil society leaders to communicate, mobilize and work together to provide local solutions in last-mile environments) & LevelApp (digital work opportunities for refugees by just utilizing their smartphones & mobile money accounts).Follow Chris MikkelsenTwitter @RefunitedotorgFollow REFUNITE Twitter @refuniteFacebook REFUNITEYouTube REFUNITEVimeo vimeo.com/refuniteWebsite refunite.orgFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

We had the distinct honor of speaking with Kim Polman.  A polyglot and a public speaker, she is an avid advocate of a modern version of the Golden Rule: “Treat others and the planet as you wish to be treated” She co-authored, Imaginal Cells - Visions of Transformation on this very philosophy - a collection of essays from thought leaders addressing the most pressing issues of our time. Kim co-founded Reboot the Future foundation and has since been busy engaging in public speaking. She is also co-founder and Chair of the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, a charity dedicated to improving literacy for blind and visually impaired children in Africa. She plays cello in various ensembles and organises concerts. She raised three sons with her husband while moving multiple times internationally.Follow Reboot The Future:Website rebootthefuture.orgTwitter @futurerebootInstagram @futurerebootFacebook Reboot The FutureLinkedIn Reboot The FutureFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

This episode, we speak to Sasha Kapadia, who joined Mastercard in 2013 and has been working with humanitarian and development agencies to mobilize Mastercard solutions and expertise for good. She leads the Smart Communities Coalition, a public-private network to transform the delivery of services to refugees and host communities, of which BuffaloGrid is a member. Other achievements include: the launch of the Mastercard Aid Network, an award-winning digital voucher platform, and working closely with Mastercard senior executives on high profile events such as the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. She is a graduate of the Fletcher School and New York University.Learn more about the Smart Communities Coalition | A Mastercard & USAID InitiativeFollow Mastercard News on Twitter: @MasterCardNewsFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Chris Ubosi is Nigeria’s media and radio broadcasting pioneer since 1993.  Along with a long list of achievements, including sitting CEO of Megalectrics Limited as well as operating three radio station branches in Nigeria, he has a passion for communication and tech accessibility.As co-founder of MTech Communications PIc, a fully indigenous mobile technology firm, with offices in Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Cote D’Ivoire and Tanzania, he works to provide first class services in data communications, using existing GSM networks and state-of-the-art mobile technology.Follow Chris Ubosi:Instagram @chrisubosiTwitter @ChrisUbosiLinkedIn Chris UbosiFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Raj Burman. Raj is the CEO of Techfugees, a global impact organization empowering inclusion and dignity for those displaced with responsible digital innovations. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship with over three decades of international experience scaling high-growth ventures across the private, public, and non-profit sectors, working at the intersection of ICT, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship. As an investor, he has successfully established several disruptive digital tech start-ups and led the UK business acceleration scale-up program for an independent body of the European Commission.Follow Raj:Twitter @Raj__BurmanLinkedIn Raj BurmanFollow TechfugeesTwitter @TechFugeesInstagram @TechFugeesFacebook TechfugeesLinkedIn TechfugeesYouTube TechfugeesLearn more about Techfugees: WebsiteFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com

Our first episode features our very own BuffaloGrid co-founders, Daniel Becerra (CEO) and Phil Schluter. In this episode we hear the story of BuffaloGrid's evolution in becoming a venture-backed company working to bring mobile power and digital services to the next billion users across frontier markets. Backed by Microsoft, Local Globe, ADV, Hardware Club, Seedcamp and Kima Ventures, it has proven its technology and business model and it is scaling globally.StreamSpot + is a service built by BuffaloGrid.  Now a mass produced media access point, it is a solar powered, mobile charging, cloud-based, offline on demand streaming service for users in rural and remote areas of the world. Follow BuffaloGridbuffalogrid.comTwitter @BuffaloGridInstagram @BuffaloGridFacebook BuffaloGridLinkedIn BuffaloGridFollow StreamSpot+Instagram @StreamSpotPlusTwitter @StreamSpotPlusFacebook StreamSpotPlusLinkedIn StreamSpotPlusWebsite streamspotplus.com