catalystas' podcast

Catalystas sits down with Simon van Melick (SPARK), Peter Knoope (CVE/PVE Expert and former Dutch Diplomat), and Brandon Oelofse (Media Development Collective) to discuss lessons learned from their ongoing prevention and countering violent extremism programming. The program, "Networks of Change", focuses on youth empowerment, media, lobbying, and political and community engagement in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Catalystas Judith and Beatrice sat down with Ms. Anne Kwakkenbos CORDAID Netherlands Expert on Gender, Peace & Security to learn more about the impacts of COVID-19 on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, especially in conflict-affected settings. In this episode, we discuss the challenges COVID has also posed to Global South advocate's ability to access international advocacy platforms and how Anne and other Global North-based gender focal points walk a fine line to promote their voices while causing no harm.

Catalysta Sofía Cossar sits down with Alessandra Sollberger, the founder of Top Tier Impact and author of Blockchain Mavericks, on a small island in Thailand to discuss innovation and the effects of COVID-19 on the stability of international financial systems and democratic governance structures. What does the pandemic mean for decentralized finance and cryptocurrency? How do we balance the effects of this sudden global shift when it comes to sustainability and protecting vulnerable communities? Tune in to find out.

Catalysta Aviva Stein sat down with Ms. Safia Youssouf, a major influencer in the Chadian entrepreneurship scene, while on mission in Chad's capital, N'Djamena. Catalystas spoke with Safia about her experiences working in the private sector, the NGO sphere, and the Chadian government, and discussed where her new projects on women, agriculture, technology, and business are headed.

In October, Catalystas Beatrice Maneshi was in Iraq and had a chance to sit down with our clients at the Center for Gender Development Studies (CDGS) at the American University of Iraq in Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Although CDGS is an academic institution they are vested in the community and local development and empowerment. We got a chance to talk about their work in Iraq supporting gender equality, LGBTQA rights, and development.

17 days into the 2019 revolution in Lebanon and one-months since the devastating forest fires that swept through the country the world wait to see what happens to "Paris of the Middle East". Catalystas has had a chance to sit down with Mr. Sammy Kayed of the Nature Conservation Center (NCC) at the American University of Beirut to talk about the impact of the forest fires that burned over 3000 hectares of land, the subsequent revolution taking place across the country, and the impact all of this has on local communities and rehabilitation efforts.

Catalystas Aviva and Sofia sat down with Gijs Verbossen and Grace Ellis from HiiL (The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law) for a gripping legal-tech talk. HiiL is a social enterprise devoted to user-friendly justice. That means justice that is easy to access, easy to understand, and effective. How far are we today from this ideal? And how to we get there? Listen to our podcast to find the answers!

An in-depth interview with Ms. Fatou Baldeh, Founder and CEO of Women In Liberation and Leadership. WILL aims to address violence against women and girls in The Gambia, with a particular focus on combating female genital mutilation (FGM). Catalysta Sofia sat down with Ms. Baldeh to discuss her journey, the effects of culture, tradition, and religion on women's rights, and the ongoing work of WILL.

Catalystas had the opportunity to interview Dr. Nirmala Nair, Founder of the child health, human trafficking and women's empowerment organisation Ekjut, that operates out of Panwar Jarkan Province. Ekjut has won countless awards on raising child mortality improvement of maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition of partnering underserved, marginalised communities, through their empowerment, community-based interventions and influence good governance for improving access and quality of services. In its Jarkan one of the most improvised provinces, today they are preparing to apply their medical and community expertise to other regions in India. Founder Dr. Nair tells us more about Ekjut's work that has saved countless lives since 2002.

Catalystas Aviva and Sofia sit down with Arjan Hehenkamp, current Deputy Director of the Dutch organization Stichting Vluchteling (Refugee Foundation) and former operational director and general manager of the Dutch Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Office in Amsterdam, to discuss past experiences, lessons learned, and new approaches to humanitarian aid.