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In this episode, we meet Praveen Gomez, a Sri Lankan community-builder and global advocate working with World Without Orphans (WWO), a movement active in 99 countries to ensure that children grow up in families rather than institutions.

From his childhood during Sri Lanka’s 30-year civil war to his current role connecting churches, NGOs, governments, and communities, Praveen shares how resilience, compassion, and collaboration can keep families together—and why even the smallest interventions can change a child’s future.

He explains why most children in orphanages still have a living parent or relative, how economic hardship—not lack of love—is often the cause of separation, and why mobilising communities is the key to long-term change. We also discuss practical safeguarding, the importance of parenting support, and the unique human warmth and natural beauty of Sri Lanka.

We explore:

• Why most children in orphanages still have parents or relatives—and how poverty drives separation
• How community action (meals, transport, small grants) can prevent family breakdown
• Building learning communities: how WWO connects national teams across 90+ countries
• Safeguarding and accountability—equipping caregivers and working alongside governments
• Parenting as a shared journey: why training and peer support matter at every stage
• Stories of hope: from refugee parenting camps in Ukraine to local solutions in Colombo
• Sri Lanka’s unique resilience and kindness, shaped by war, crisis, and recovery
• Travel insights: beaches, hill country, tea plantations, and the everyday generosity of Sri Lankans
• Why starting small—one step at a time—creates lasting impact

About our guest

Praveen Gomez is the Implementation Lead at World Without Orphans, helping national leaders collaborate on solutions to keep children in safe, nurturing families. Based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Praveen brings personal resilience from growing up during the civil war and professional expertise in building partnerships across borders.

🔗 LinkedIn
🌏 World Without Orphans Profile

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🥑 Brought to you by The AVOCADO Foundation – building financial confidence and unlocking potential through entrepreneurship, education, and equity.

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🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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In this episode, we meet an anthropologist, teacher trainer, and civic advocate whose mission is to ensure that education becomes a tool for equity, empathy, and empowerment. From a childhood in a Wi-Fi–less Mexican village to leading service-learning initiatives across Europe, Diana Chavez’s story reveals how privilege, sacrifice, and purpose can transform not only individual lives but entire communities.

She explains what it truly means to decolonize academia—from rethinking the language of history to recognising multiple narratives—and why apologies from colonising nations remain crucial for healing. We also explore her vision for ethical volunteering, designed to dismantle the “saviour complex” and foster genuine cultural exchange, as well as her work spreading quality education through teacher training and NGO leadership.

We explore:

• A life shaped by service: Thailand (youth development), India (public health in the Himalayas), and Europe (teacher training & NGO leadership)
• Why quality education matters in an information-saturated world—critical thinking, media literacy, and empathy
• Decolonizing education: the power of language, multiple historical narratives, and why apologies matter
• Ethical volunteering vs. the “saviour complex”—how to empower communities through true exchange
• Travel with context: richer ways to experience Mexico and Amsterdam (including decolonial tours)
• Diana’s current roles: Director, VIA Netherlands (SCI), and Teacher Trainer/Mentor at Europass Teacher Training Academy

Diana Chavez is a Mexican-American anthropologist, teacher trainer, and cultural advocate based in the Netherlands. With over fifteen years of global service-learning experience, her work spans youth development, gender and reproductive health, climate justice, and intercultural civic engagement.

She is the Director of VIA Netherlands (the Dutch branch of Service Civil International) and a mentor at Europass Teacher Training Academy, where she equips educators across Europe with tools for professional and personal growth.

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/diananchavez
• Europass Profile: teacher

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🥑 Brought to you by The AVOCADO Foundation – building financial confidence and unlocking potential through entrepreneurship, education, and equity.

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🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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What does it mean when your mother tongue isn’t recognized in your own country? In this captivating conversation, Jamaican cultural advocate and ethnodoxologist Jo-Ann Richards Goffe takes us on a journey through language, identity, and spiritual expression that transcends borders.

Jo-Ann introduces us to ethnodoxology—helping communities worship through their indigenous languages and artistic expressions. From workshops in West Africa to translating the New Testament into Jamaican language, her work challenges colonial legacies that positioned English as “superior.”

We explore:

• How ethnodoxology empowers communities to worship using their own languages and cultural art forms
• Why Jamaica’s native language still struggles for recognition despite independence
• How music across genres—reggae, dancehall, revival—carries spiritual and cultural meaning
• The role of cultural figures like Louise Bennett-Coverly in advocating for Jamaican identity
• Jamaica’s outsized influence on global culture through music, sport, and literature
• Jo-Ann’s personal journey from being fined for speaking Jamaican at home to leading its validation through worship and music

This episode is a moving reminder that “when you validate a language, you validate the speakers of that language.”

Connect with Jo-Ann Richards Goffe

• 🌍 Website: joannfaithrichards.com
• 🎶 Ministry: crew40-4.com
• 📖 Books:
  • Godincidences!: A Jamaican Woman's Journeys with God
  • Auntie Jo-Jo Goes Vegan
• 💿 Albums:
  • Kom Mek Wi Worship
  • Kom Mek Wi Worship 2: Di Revilieshan
• 📺 YouTube: @joannrichardsgoffe
• 📸 Instagram: @joann_faith_richards
• 👍 Facebook: facebook.com/joann.richards.357

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🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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What happens when your cultural identity spans the breadth of an entire subcontinent? Smita Tharoor takes us on a journey from Mumbai to Kolkata, Rajasthan to Kerala—and into the heart of what it means to live, work, and connect across cultures.

An expert on cultural behaviour and organisational change, Smita reframes unconscious bias as “making judgments without realising that you do.” She explains how these instinctive perceptions—while natural—can lead to both positive and negative outcomes, and why awareness is key to fairer decision-making.

As the host of Stories Seldom Told—heard in 108 countries—Smita shares voices the world might otherwise miss, from a woman minister in Kabul to a triple-amputee photographer who calls himself “the one-armed chef.” Her message? Approach the world with openness, curiosity, and a clean slate, and you’ll discover more meaningful ways to make a difference.

From travel tips for first-time visitors to India to reflections on resilience, inclusion, and the power of listening without judgment, this is a conversation to inspire anyone ready to expand their worldview.

Smita Tharoor was born and raised in India and now lives in London. She’s the host of the Stories Seldom Told podcast, a Motivational Keynote Speaker, TEDx Speaker, Coach, and a thought leader in Conscious Inclusion & Unconscious Bias.

🎧 Listen to the Stories Seldom Told podcast: Spotify

Highlights

• Born in Mumbai, raised in Kolkata, educated in Rajasthan, with roots in Kerala
• Grew up in an inclusive, non-judgmental home in 1970s India
• Advises global organisations on cultural behaviour and organisational change
• Hosts Stories Seldom Told podcast, reaching listeners in 108 countries
• Explains unconscious bias as the human brain’s natural protective instinct
• Advocates big-picture thinking before narrowing your focus to create change
• Travel insight: India offers everything from beaches and mountains to heritage cities and wildlife reserves—choose based on your interests
• Believes resilience grows when challenges are faced positively

Connect with Smita

• Instagram: instagram.com/sm

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🙋🏾‍♀️ Connect with your host, AmickyCarol Akiwumi MBE: @AmickyCarol on all platforms

🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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In this inspiring episode, AmickyCarol visits Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to meet three dynamic leaders transforming their communities through financial inclusion, digital skills training, and diversity initiatives.

Marie-Josée Abbet shares how fintech is empowering market women to grow their businesses. Lou Vanié explains why she returned from abroad to champion diversity and inclusion. Geth Maiga reveals how Digifam has trained over 7,000 women entrepreneurs in seven cities.

From unlocking $2 trillion in untapped economic potential to celebrating Abidjan’s warm “Akwaaba” welcome, discover why Côte d'Ivoire is a rising West African powerhouse—and why now is the time to get involved.

Guests & Contact Info

Geth Maiga – Senior Programs Manager & Business Consultant

• Facebook: facebook.com/gmaiga1
• Instagram: instagram.com/gethakhenra
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/geth-semani-akhenra-maiga-9211b4110

Lou Vanié – Founder, LSV Coaching – Organizational Change Consultant

• Website: lsvcoaching.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/louvanie
• Facebook: facebook.com/LouSinforaleVanie

Marie-Josée Abbet – Senior Business Developer & Business Consultant, African Development Bank Group

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marie-josee-abbet-msc-9a8358138
• Facebook: facebook.com/mariejosee.abbet
• Instagram: instagram.com/mariejoseea_

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🥑 Brought to you by The AVOCADO Foundation – building financial confidence and unlocking potential through entrepreneurship, education, and equity.

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🙋🏾‍♀️ Connect with your host, AmickyCarol Akiwumi MBE: @AmickyCarol on all platforms

🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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In this wide-ranging conversation, Filipino-born community-development leader Marbuen Diaz joins AmickyCarol from Sydney to unpack what “flourishing” really means for newcomers, refugees and First Nations peoples. From building leadership pipelines in Burmese refugee churches to challenging Australia’s dominant systems to become culturally intelligent, Diaz shows how a life shaped by racism can bloom into a ministry of radical welcome and justice.

Key take-aways

• Born in Mindanao and transplanted to Sydney at 10, Diaz now oversees Community Development & Intercultural Ministries for the Baptist Association NSW/ACT.
• Guides migrant families through jobs, housing and language hurdles while training mainstream institutions in cultural intelligence.
• Mentors emerging leaders inside Myanmar-origin refugee congregations so local voices—not external experts—shape community futures.
• Advocates that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples never ceded their land, urging settlers to self-educate rather than burden First Nations educators.
• Recounts personal encounters with racism—and the kindness that convinced him humanity can choose compassion.
• Explains the weight of inter-generational trauma carried by refugee families and why healing cannot be rushed.
• Sydney travel tips: Opera House & Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains, native “bush tucker”… plus the reality of brown snakes and red-back spiders!
• Top border-crossing hack: “If it’s alive — or was recently alive — don’t pack it.”
• Calls on listeners to pick one concrete justice step—from learning First Nations history to supporting refugee-led projects—and start today.

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🥑 Brought to you by The AVOCADO Foundation – building financial confidence and unlocking potential through entrepreneurship, education, and equity.

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🙋🏾‍♀️ Connect with your host, AmickyCarol Akiwumi MBE: @AmickyCarol on all platforms

🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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In this revelatory conversation, urologist-turned-activist Dr Sunil Shroff joins AmickyCarol to show how one ordinary surgeon sparked an extraordinary movement—turning India’s reputation for illegal kidney trade into a blueprint for ethical, life-saving transplants. From London’s NHS wards to Chennai’s ICUs, Shroff proves that death can be recast as a celebration of life when families choose to give the gift of organs.

• Started as a urological surgeon in England’s NHS after low pay drove him from India
• Returned 12 years later to confront the country’s underground kidney market
• Pioneered India’s first deceased-donor protocols after the 1994 brain-death law
• Founded MOHAN Foundation to normalise donation through education and coordination
• Devised the “eyes-first” approach that eases families toward full organ consent
• Built hospital-sharing networks so every viable organ finds a recipient
• Trained transplant coordinators who secure 70-80 % consent from grieving families
• Partnered with the UK’s NHS to raise donor rates in minority communities
• Advises 46 Commonwealth nations on best practice in organ procurement
• Offers affordable online courses in transplant coordination, grief counselling and advocacy
• Left full-time surgery in 2015 to devote 70 % of his time to nonprofit work

Take action: Register as an organ donor and tell your family. One donor can save up to eight lives.

Connect with Dr Sunil Shroff & MOHAN Foundation

• Website / Bio: wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunil_Shroff
• MOHAN Foundation site: www.mohanfoundation.org
• Instagram: @mohanfound
• Facebook: @MOHANFoundationIndia
• YouTube: @mohanfoundation
• LinkedIn: /company/mohan-foundation/

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🥑 Brought to you by The AVOCADO Foundation – building financial confidence and unlocking potential through entrepreneurship, education, and equity.

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🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live

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In a vibrant South African township, a handwritten year-book motto—“Dream Big, Stay Humble”—has grown into a nationwide movement equipping young people with the skills, mentors and mindset to build thriving futures at home rather than abroad.

In this episode, social entrepreneur Khayelihle Nkabinde joins AmickyCarol on Durban’s sun-splashed Golden Mile to share how sports, Ubuntu and a laptop-filled shipping container are opening doors for the next generation.

• Founded Dream Big, Stay Humble in high school after losing his grandfather—and being told he was “too young” to start a nonprofit
• Runs a free tech lab in his township teaching coding, robotics and digital literacy
• Delivers STEM camps for Grade 8-9 girls to tackle gender gaps in engineering
• Awarded five university bursaries to learners in 2024 and mentors dozens more through nationwide summits
• Launching the Dream Entrepreneur Society (DES) to turn youth unemployment into a pipeline of home-grown start-ups
• Embeds the Ubuntu philosophy—“we’re stronger together”—by partnering with business, government and philanthropy rather than competing for scraps
• Explains why sports still unite South Africa 30 years after the 1995 Rugby World Cup, and how trips to Soweto and the Kruger Park reveal the country’s true story
• Shares his vision of keeping talent in South Africa by proving that world-class opportunities can flourish in townships

Support Kaya’s work

🔗 Website – dreambigstayhumble.com
📸 Instagram – @DreamBigStayHumble
💼 LinkedIn – Dream Big Stay Humble

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🥑 Brought to you by The AVOCADO Foundation – building financial confidence and unlocking potential through entrepreneurship, education, and equity.

• 🌐Web: theavocadofoundation.org
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🙋🏾‍♀️ Connect with your host, AmickyCarol Akiwumi MBE: @AmickyCarol on all platforms

🎙️ Podcast produced by Humanise Live – helping charities and social causes bring their stories to life through audio.Learn more at www.humanise.live or hello@humanise.live