In this episode Melissa speaks with Joy Kolin, Executive Director and Board President of Giving Joy. Joy has 20-years of experience in the field of international development, a career that has taken her to over 60 countries. Throughout her travels, Joy found herself touched by a common trend - the immense ability of women to affect positive change if given the resources and opportunities to do so. In 2018 she established Giving Joy as a way to harness and grow the power and the influence of women-led ventures the world over. Now, women from any country, across any trade or industry, can apply for a one-time grant between $250 to $500 to jump start and/or expand their operations. To learn more check out:-       Giving Joy: https://givingjoygrants.org -       Email: info@givingjoygrants.org ***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.***

How can we better manage our workload, as per Commitment 8 of the Core Humanitarian Standard?* In this episode Melissa speaks with Wouter Smeets, a design-thinker, about how to re-shape our work in a way that gives us energy, rather than drains it.  He gives us some good questions to ask ourselves, like: How do we design our morning routine? What makes a break a good break? What task can we do first that will put us on good footing for the rest of the day? What are some life-centric strategies for managing our calendar? He also reveals a free, work-enhancing drug that has zero side effects. And he talks about a ground-breaking process he’s involved with to create a safe space for exchanging ideas that is also a brave space for experimenting with putting these ideas into practice to make our work more life-enriching. Wouter Smeets co-founded Prototype You, a community lab for explorers who challenge accepted norms about work, to co-create ways of working where people and organisations thrive. It’s a community lab with workshops, conversations, and experiments to cultivate work that enriches people’s lives. When he’s not working he’s usually visiting the sea, hiking, or running on the athletics track. To learn more check out:-       Wouter on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wouter-smeets/-       Prototype You at https://www.prototypeyou.nl/community -       Wouter’s newsletter where he shares gems from the lab here: https://prototypeyou.ck.page/newsletter -       Wouter’s email is: wouter@prototypeyou.nl ***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.****Core Humanitarian Standard Commitment 8: Communities and people affected by crisis receive the assistance they require from competent and well-managed staff and volunteers. 

In this conversation, Melissa speaks with Sabrina Prioli, the author of a memoir called “Rise up, phoenix” and one of the victim/survivors of the 2016 Terrain Compound Attacks in Juba, South Sudan. Sabrina shares her insights into how to better support victim/survivors and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. She also explains the nuances of the words “victim” vs. “survivor” and how to cope when hearing about traumatic incidents like hers.  *Note: This conversation includes references to rape and may be triggering for some listeners.* Sabrina Prioli is currently a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Mental Fitness Coach and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA). She is an independent consultant and she supports organisations in raising awareness, prevention and preparation on the issue of sexual abuse, violence and rape. She worked for years as an aid worker and consultant for humanitarian projects. Sabrina helped develop the planning, monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) plans for her own and different partner implementing projects. She has worked as a researcher and PM&E consultant for universities, NGOs and governments in Latin America, Africa and Europe. She has experience and knowledge in the thematic areas of protection, education, economic empowerment and gender equality which allow her to develop the appropriate indicators and PM&E tools. In 2011 she created a foundation “Fundacion Hilo Sagrado”, dedicated to the conservation of culture and tradition of the indigenous peoples of Guajira, in Colombia, to strengthen the identity and social role of women. In 2021, for her civil commitment in favour of women victims of violence and abuse, she won the "Woman Award 2021" and the award “Il Paese delle Donne Award 2021." In 2022 she won solidarity award, “Premio Solidarietà” Premio Nazionale Pratola 2022. Sabrina has a degree in Sociology, a Masters in Project Management for International Organisations, and Certification in Monitoring & Evaluation & Facilitation. Sabrina's website: https://en.sabrinaprioli.com/ Sabrina's 2020 memoir "Rise up, phoenix": https://en.sabrinaprioli.com/il-mio-libro To learn more about the CHS Alliance work on organisational culture and well-being, see:https://www.chsalliance.org/organisational-culture-and-people-management/  ***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.***

In this episode Melissa speaks with Dr. Aiysha Malik, a mental health specialist at the World Health Organization working for a world that supports, improves, and does not harm mental health. They discuss the WHO guidelines on mental health and work and accompanying WHO-ILO policy brief. What do the guidelines say and what can you do with them? Check out the WHO guidelines on mental health at work here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052  And the WHO-ILO mental health at work policy brief here: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240057944 To learn more about the CHS Alliance work on organisational culture and well-being, see:https://www.chsalliance.org/get-support/article/cultivating-caring-compassionate-aid-organisations/  ***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.*** Please leave a review by scrolling down the show page, selecting a star rating, and tapping “Write a review.”

Melissa speaks with: Dr. Chinonso Emmanuel Okorie, an MSF doctor living in Rwanda who recently completed a mission in Yemen; Lindis Hurun, the General Director of MSF Norway; and Ryan Rodrick Beiler, a multimedia producer for MSF Norway. They and several colleagues were involved in the production of a video that has made waves in the humanitarian community for its handling of structural racism and patient dignity using a technique called “the duet.” In this podcast interview they talk about why and how the video came to be, the organisational culture changes that were happening behind the scenes, the public reaction to the video, and lessons learned they want to share with other humanitarians.  Check out the video, “When you picture Doctors without Borders, what do you see?” - here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DFemg94ufU Excerpt from the video:“This is not about us and them. This is not about heroes and victims.This is about global solidarity and humanitarian justice.Because we are all just human beings, with the same worth and dignity, and the same right to live in safety and health.”  To learn more about the CHS Alliance work on power, organisational culture and well-being, see:https://www.chsalliance.org/organisational-culture-and-people-management/  ***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.***

In this episode Melissa Pitotti speaks with Degan Ali, the Executive Director of Adeso, about the story behind the Pledge for Change 2030. They explore the ways in which the process that led to the Pledge was informed by lessons learned from the Charter for Change and the Grand Bargain. They consider the need for brave leaders to have safe spaces to come together on tough issues - and for leaders to be evaluated on metrics of success other than “bigger is better.” They end with reflections on equitable partnerships and accountability mechanisms. Degan Ali is Executive Director of the African humanitarian and development organisation Adeso, as well as co-founder of the first Global South civil society network for local and national humanitarian organisations, the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR). She is a Rockefeller Foundation Global Fellow for Social Innovation, and a contributor to the Overseas Development Institute/Humanitarian Policy Group and Global Food Security journal. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Al Jazeera and The Guardian. Degan holds an M.A. in international service from University of Roehampton and a B.A. from Trinity College. She lives in Kenya and works with organisations across the Global North and South. To learn more about the Pledge for Change 2030 check out:-       The Pledge for Change website: https://pledgeforchange2030.org/ -       The launch of the Pledge on the New Humanitarian Podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/event-launch-of-the-pledge-for-change-2030/id1420089508?i=1000584624738 To learn more about the CHS Revision Process check out: https://corehumanitarianstandard.org/chs-revision  ***Thanks to Ziada Abeid for editing the show.***