Good Things

Titles and roles of activists may differ, but a good activist can be spotted by their passion and dedication to their work. One such person is Sivananthi Thanenthiran, the Executive Director of the Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW), a regional non-profit which champions sexual and reproductive rights. A writer and feminist, Siva has championed women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, and has expanded the work of ARROW to examine more scrutiny, the inter-linkages of sexual and reproductive health and rights with critical development issues such as poverty, food security, climate change and migration. She joins us to share some highlights from her long and illustrious career in promoting human rights and equity.

Image Credit: Flickr

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Dignity for Children Foundation is an NGO based which aims to provide education and care to underprivileged and marginalized children in the country. Through various initiatives, the foundation strives to empower these children and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to break the cycle of poverty and build a better future.

Image Credit: https://www.facebook.com/dignityforchildren

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David Verbeckt is a photojournalist currently living in Hungary. For more than 20 years, David has travelled around the world, documenting humanitarian emergencies and stories of marginalised people. From the 16th - 23rd of March 2023, David has a photo exhibition at the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, called “Burmese Minorities, An Endless Oppression.” The exhibition is co-organised by the Youth Wing of the KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall and Beyond Borders Malaysia. It is supported by the Belgian Embassy and the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights. David joins us on the show today to talk about his journey as a photojournalist and his upcoming exhibition.

Image Credit: davidverberckt.com

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Wanita Berdaya Selangor is an organisation that focuses on empowering women in the state of Selangor. The organization was established in 2020 under the Selangor state government to address the gender gap in various fields, including education, employment, and entrepreneurship, among others.

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Miko Peled grew up in a prominent Zionist family who helped establish the State of Israel. His grandfather signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Miko even served in the Israeli military for a short period of time. However, a personal tragedy drove Miko to explore the truth about Palestine. What he discovered shocked him and woke him up. Today, Miko is a prominent human rights activist fighting for peace and justice for Palestine. In 2012, Miko wrote a book called ‘The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.’ Miko also has a podcast where he talks about fighting for justice for Palestine. 

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Pusat Perkhidmatan Wanita (PPW) is a partnership between the Penang State Government and WCC, and was launched in 2009 so that women in mainland Penang could access the support and services they require that were previously only available on the island. On this episode, we take a look at how PPW got started and the good work they’ve done over the years.

Contact PPW

Operating Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Location: 13, Lorong Sutera 6, Taman Sutera, 13700 Seberang Jaya, Penang.

Hotline: 016-439 0698

Email: [email protected]

Image Credit: WCC Penang

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Mahi Ramakrishnan is the founder of Beyond Borders, an NGO aimed at promoting and protecting the rights of refugees and stateless persons. She is also a journalist and an award-winning filmmaker. She joins us on the show today to talk about her journey in activism and what gives her hope for the future.

Image Credit: Facebook/Mahi Ramakrishnan, Mahi Ramakrishnan, Beyond Borders Malaysia and OpenClipArt

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Ten years ago, co-founders Melani Delilkan and Brian Gomez opened Merdekarya, a space for new artists to "carve their skill, to fumble and to make mistakes and most importantly, learn from them." The survival and success of Merdekarya hasn't come without a lot of personal and professional sacrifice, and we discuss the highs and lows of running an independent local music space like this with Brian, and also talk about how Merdekarya is keeping true to its aim of providing a space for everyone to discover grassroots Malaysian music.

Image Credit: Merdekarya

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Rumah Api is more than just a music space - it has been described as an institution that not only promotes music, but punk ideology and attitude. This community-run DIY punk space here in KL has been providing a safe and inclusive space for all, and is also credited as being pivotal to the underground counter-cultural movements of Kuala Lumpur, and by extension Malaysia. We debunk myths about punk subculture and find out more about all the good things Rumah Api has been doing since its inception from Che Dot, Alwee and Matt Hamzah, who are all members and crew of Rumah Api.

Image Credit: Facebook/Rumah Api

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Shahar “Shaq” Koyok is an artist from the Temuan Orang Asli tribe of Selangor. An activist as well, Shaq has long been combining art and activism to shine an often missing light on Orang Asli culture and traditions, but also to speak up about the struggles and challenges faced by the various OA communities, here in Malaysia. Shaq joins us to share more about his passion for art and activism, and why he believes that his artworks are an important medium of activism for the Orang Asli community.

Image Credit: Shaq Koyok

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