Rachel Glennerster, President of the Center for Global Development, discusses the need for smarter, more cost-effective aid, especially in a time of shrinking budgets. Glennerster stresses the value of focusing aid on areas with proven high-impact returns, and the critical role of research and innovation. She also calls for communicating more clearly with the public to rebuild trust and support for global development.

Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal, the Global Executive Director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), dives into the shifting landscape of global development as foreign aid faces cuts. He discusses how we can address the significant changes—through new coalitions and evidence-based solutions—and why strategic philanthropy is more crucial than ever.

Dhaliwal leads J-PAL's global strategy, research, and policy outreach across seven regional offices. He co-directs J-PAL South Asia and co-chairs the Partnership for AI Evidence, which identifies the most promising avenues for applying AI in development and climate policy and evaluating applications of AI. Under his leadership, J-PAL has expanded into new sectors, launched regional and country offices, and helped scale programs reaching over 600 million people.

New host Asha Sundaram, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Auckland and former visitor at the King Center, chats with Alex Odundo about his journey in tackling period poverty, the "inability to afford and access menstrual products, sanitation and hygiene facilities and education and awareness to manage menstrual health."

Odundo is a Kenyan engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur specializing in sustainable materials and agricultural technology, as well as founder of Sifa Machineries Enterprises. With a focus on frugal science and sustainability, he has developed innovative machinery for processing sisal fiber – a renewable, biodegradable resource – into eco-friendly products.