What happens when two friends in rural Australia take on the global hunger crisis? Meet Rob Houghton and Ken Dachi - a third-generation farmer and a multicultural advisor from Leeton, NSW - who turned a single conversation into Grain of Hope: a grassroots initiative shipping Australian wheat to Sudan, where millions face displacement and acute malnutrition.(We’ve linked ways to support their work below.)

Rob & Ken share the reality of delivering 100 tonnes of grain into a crisis zone - from complex logistics and rising fuel costs to working outside traditional aid systems. Backed by a groundswell of public support, Grain of Hope challenges the idea that global hunger is too big to tackle and shows what’s possible when ordinary people decide to act. 

In this episode:

·      How Grain of Hope started with a single conversation

·      The real cost of shipping food aid

·      Why Sudan - and why now

·      What works (and doesn’t) in traditional aid

·      The power of multiculturalism

·      From emergency aid to long-term food systems

·      What it takes to act on global problems from a local place

Timestamps:
00:40 Why This Story Matters
02:33 Meeting Ken and Rob
03:06 The Real Challenges
05:11 From Idea to Mission
06:49 Why Sudan, Why Now
09:06 Community Backs Grain of Hope
14:30 Leeton: The UN of Country Towns
17:04 Stubborn Vision, Flexible Details
19:20 Growing Food vs Moving Systems
21:54 The Team behind Grain of Hope
24:39 Five-Year Vision and Self-Sufficiency
29:21 How You Can Help
31:06 Remedies for a Hard World
32:24 Amy & Gus Reflect and Wrap Up
34:21 Credits and Subscribe

Support Grain of Hope:
If you want to help get this shipment to Sudan - or support future projects - you can find out more below.

👉 FTN Story
👉 Donate

About Fix The News:
Fix The News is a solutions-focused media platform sharing stories from the frontlines of progress - exploring what’s working in the world and the people making it happen.

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Production credits:
Hosted by Angus Hervey and Amy Davoren-Rose
Produced by Fix The News
Audio production: Anthony Badolato, Hear That!

 This episode was produced in Australia on the lands of the Gadigal, Wurundjeri and Woi Wurrung peoples.