In this episode, I sit down with Kim Wilson, a financial inclusion scholar and practitioner whose work has taken her from the world of business and finance to the everyday financial lives of migrants and communities often overlooked by formal institutions.

Kim reflects on how her early career in finance led her towards international development, and how her experiences with microfinance challenged some of her assumptions about what helps people escape poverty. She explains why access to credit is not always the answer, and how community-based savings groups can offer a more practical, sustainable and empowering alternative.

We explore the ingenious financial networks people build for themselves, from rural women's savings groups in Kenya to immigrant-run savings clubs in the United States. These arrangements reveal a side of migration that is often missed: beyond the very real vulnerabilities people face, there is resourcefulness, entrepreneurship and an extraordinary capacity to organise and support one another.

Ultimately, this is a conversation about looking beyond statistics and assumptions to listen to people's stories, and discovering how much we can learn from the ways they navigate the world.

Recorded on 23 September 2026.

Connect with Kim on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/kim-wilson-723aa31/ and at Journeysproject.org.

Her book, Backyard Bankers, Immigrants, money clubs, and the pursuit of the American dream is available for download here: https://practicalactionpublishing.com/book/3017/backyard-bankers.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

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In this episode, I sit down with David Browne, a former USAID Foreign Service Officer whose career has taken him from Bolivia and Bangladesh to the West Bank, Uganda, and now back home to local government in North Carolina.

David reflects on growing up between India and the United States, never quite fitting neatly into a single cultural identity, and how those early experiences shaped his lifelong curiosity about people, cultures, and the wider world. He shares how music, poetry, and an unexpected journey into international development helped him make sense of belonging and purpose.

We explore the realities of serving overseas through moments of profound uncertainty, from the Arab Spring to COVID-19, and the leadership lessons he learned about trust, inclusion, and empowering others. Along the way, David reflects on what it means to build community, continually reinvent yourself, and remain open to new experiences long after your career path seems set.

Ultimately, this is a conversation about identity, curiosity, and discovering that home is often found not in a place, but in the people who help us become who we are.

Recorded on 6 August 2026.

Connect with David on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/david-browne-cpa-cgfm. His music is available on YouTube.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!

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In this episode, I sit down with Rob (Mark) Nelson, a pharmacist and lifelong student of languages, culture, and global affairs.

Mark reflects on growing up in New Mexico, where a rich blend of cultures, languages, and family influences first sparked his curiosity about the wider world. He shares how formative experiences in Mexico deepened his appreciation for cultural understanding and reinforced the importance of meeting people where they are.

We explore his journey into pharmacy, the lessons he has learned about service, trust, and compassion through caring for patients, and how his faith has shaped his understanding of leadership and responsibility. Along the way, we discuss the role of healthcare in building bridges across divides, the challenge of rebuilding trust in an increasingly polarised world, and his ongoing search for ways to combine his medical background with a growing commitment to international affairs.

Ultimately, this is a conversation about curiosity, empathy, and discovering that meaningful service is defined less by the title we hold than by the way we choose to care for others.

Recorded on 5 August 2026.

Connect with Mark on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/robert-mark-nelson.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!

Support the show