Migrant Odyssey

 The Nubians  were one of the oldest civilisations in the world.  From around 3800 BCE,  they lived along the Nile in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt. Their sophistication and power not only rivalled that of Egypt but at one time they actually ruled it. Then in the mid 20th century their ancestral  homes disappeared under  billions of tons of water - from the giant High Aswan Dam. But - as our guest Sondos Ayoob makes clear - you can take the Nubians out of Nubia but you can't take Nubia out of the Nubians. 

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 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

Stephen Barden talks to veteran Palestinian journalist Shuruq about being a war correspondent who never gets to leave the war zone; who is not only at risk personally but constantly fears for her family. And who - despite 30 years as a journalist - is still met with scepticism from western media, because she's not "one of ours".

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

Clinical psychologist and GBV case worker talks about her experiences in both psychiatric hospitals and refugee camps, dealing with traumas that - as she puts it- "don't repeat - because they never end." Another episode in the mini series listening to voices from Lebanon. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

If you want to know a little more  about Lebanon than the usual clichés, this is the episode for you.  

  "You have to get back up. There's no time to stay down" 

This the personal story of  Mohammed - why he calls Lebanon his heart's safe space 

AND

"Building the national state prevents violence"

This is the story of his work for an extraordinary organization -The Hariri Foundation For Sustainable Human Development.

 https://hariri-foundation.org/

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Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

Time and distance never quite heal the pain of war and disruption. And neither do they soothe the longing to return.

Souad has been away from her beloved Lebanon for 20 years but both its joys and traumas are ever present. In this third episode in the mini series on Lebanon, she talks, - with  both bluntness and much humour - about her homeland. 

Here's the link to a map of Beirut  

https://www.worldmap1.com/map/beirut-map

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

Some people have poetry in their voice - whether they know it or not. Their words, and the  silence in-between, stop you in your tracks.  Which is what fine poetry does. 

Areej  has that gift. Whether she talks about teaching children, or coming home to her beloved city or her faith, there is always that moment when you have to pause and look at your world anew.

This is the second episode in this mini series on extraordinary ordinary people in Lebanon today.   

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Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

Lebanon Lives: the first of a mini series   featuring extraordinary, ordinary people in Lebanon - trying to live their lives while their towns, villages and cities are bombed around them. 

As host Stephen Barden says, " These people are us." or as Joan Baez put it, in her song, "There but for fortune - go you or I". 

Stephen's first guest in this series is Mona - half Ukrainian, half Palestinian, lover of extreme sports and in love with a profession she cannot pursue.

And here's the Instagram link to Mona's Extreme Sports team:

https://www.instagram.com/wolves.teamm?igsh=NjMwZTRicjJieDR3

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

Gaza Champions is a global community that may be solving two huge problems that plague traditional charities: how to make sure support stays long after the media circus has moved on. And how to get past donor fatigue. 

Stephen Barden talks to co-founders Anam Raheem and Matt Davis about how they helped put volunteers from across the world in touch with individual families in Gaza: a network of pen pals - or zoom pals. And the impact that has had - not just on the families in Gaza - but on the volunteers. 

Links referred to in episode:

Gaza Champions website: https://www.championgaza.xyz/

Gaza Champions instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/DPMyhMaDt-v/

Mahmood fund-raising page:https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/gaza-champions

Anam Raheem's substack: https://substack.com/@anamraheem?r=2pc66t&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile

Anam's short story: https://www.wasafiri.org/content/tessellation-by-anam-raheem/

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

While the media focus on punishing - or protecting - the powerful men who consorted with Jeffrey Epstein, it has completely neglected to ask:  how can any man  traffic and exploit women and children in plain sight? And why is it that, despite the Epstein revelations, organizations combating trafficking and  protecting survivors  face more not less governmental delays and significant cuts in funding? 

In this episode Stephen Barden talks to Taina Bien Aimé, who has devoted herself to this cause for over three decades,  and heads an organization that punches way above it weight. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive. 

With Gaza all but obliterated - do the memories and stories of Gazans lie under the rubble as well? If universities, cafes, homes, mosques, churches, hospitals, workplaces and even entire streets have been flattened, what happens to the memories that filled those places? Two organizations have designed ingenious projects to make sure  that Gaza voices do not disappear. Stephen Barden talks to Jo Friel and Lina Ayesh from Yalla Labs and Ahmad Jaafil from Waves to Home.

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Gaza Living Story:

https://yallalabs.org/resources/healing-through-storytelling-gaza-living-story

Waves to Gaza 

website: https://www.wavestohome.org/category/palestine/gaza/

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

 You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors.
Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets.

That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard.

If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.