Beyond Poverty Podcast

In this episode, Elene is joined by ElsaMarie D’Silva, founder of the Red Dot Foundation in India and CEO of Red Dot Foundation Global in the U.S.—the organizations behind Safecity, one of the world's largest open-access platforms to anonymously report instances of gender-based violence across more than 20 countries. They discuss the urgent global issue of sexual and gender-based violence and how the Red Dot Foundation uses technology to focus protection, education, and prevention efforts. They also discuss the role of local agency and how community-led action can effectively address and prevent violence against women. [Content Warning]Resources & Links Mentioned:Learn more about the Red Dot Foundation & SafecityExplore the Safecity Global Platform & Data MapConnect With Our Guest & HostConnect with our guest: ElsaMarie D'SilvaConnect with our host: Elene Cloete

In this episode, Megan Lindmark, co-founder and CEO of Mangrove Water, discusses what it takes for a community to achieve sustainable access to safe drinking water. She explains how simply digging a well and installing access pipes is not enough. She explains how her organization teaches communities how to maintain and repair the pump, store water, and most importantly, filter the water so that it is safe for the families who use it. When environmental engineering is employed to build a holistic and resilient infrastructure, clean water stops being a temporary aid project and becomes a self-sustaining utility. Resources & Links Mentioned:Learn more about Mangrove WaterConnect With Our Guest & HostConnect with our guest Megan LindmarkConnect with our host Elene CloeteMusic by: Marmoset Song Title: Kanna (Instrumental) Artist Name: Lightspeak 

In this episode, Elene speaks with Dr. Keetie Roelen, a development economist and Senior Research Fellow in Poverty and Social Protection and Co-Deputy Director at the Centre for the Study of Global Development at The Open University in the UK. They discuss the issue of child poverty, the psychosocial impact of living in poverty, and how using empathy as a practical tool to understand poverty from a person’s unique perspective is the most effective to make a lasting impact. Resources & Links Mentioned:Listen to Keetie's podcast, Poverty UnpackedOrder Keetie's book, The Empathy FixConnect With Our Guest & HostConnect with our guest Keetie RoelenConnect with our host Elene CloeteMusic by: Marmoset Song Title: Kanna (Instrumental) Artist Name: Lightspeak 

In this episode, Elene is joined by Professor Jan Willem Swanepoel from the University of the Free State in South Africa. They discuss the issue of food security in rural and low-income regions and the challenges that persist, including economic instability, environmental pressure from industry and pollution, and climate change. They’ll also talk about the important work being done to understand and overcome these challenges by starting with academic and theoretical research and then turning findings into actionable solutions that have real-world impact.Resources & Links Mentioned:Learn more about Sustainable Food Systems and Development at University of the Free StateConnect With Our Guest & HostConnect with our guest Jan Willem SwanepoelConnect with our host ⁠⁠Elene Cloete

Every household needs a toilet, and so many nonprofits strive to provide them. But when a toilet is not connected to a sewage system, what happens when the storage tank fills up? In this episode, Elene welcomes Dr. Musa Manga, Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and Elene discuss the issue of sanitation management, the research bringing new technology to the sector,, and what that means for the health and dignity of a community. Resources & Links Mentioned:Learn more about The Water Institute at UNCRead more about the UN Sustainable Development GoalsConnect With Our Guest & HostConnect with our guest Musa MangaConnect with our host ⁠Elene CloeteMusic by: Marmoset Song Title: Kanna (Instrumental) Artist Name: Lightspeak