Going forward, this podcast is going to be a kind of accompaniment to the Protect The World documentary series.

In case you missed it, the first episode of that was released on January 1st, and it featured an incredible not-for-profit organisation from southwest Uganda called Conservation Through Public Health. You can check it out here if you haven’t already seen it: https://youtu.be/WYck84tlqSM

I’ll be producing eleven more of those documentaries over the course of this year, and, like the first one, they’ll largely revolve around interviews with the organisation’s founder or director.

While the documentaries are edited and stylised, these podcasts will simply be the full recordings of my conversations with these amazing individuals. They’re designed to provide added context to the documentaries for anyone who wants to learn more about the organisations and the people behind them.

This first episode contains my entire conversation with Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka – founder and director of Conservation Through Public Health.

As always, half the money that came into the Patreon this month was donated directly to Conservation Through Public Health. If you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia for as little as $5 a month.

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Sanam Sherpa – co-founder and director of women's empowerment at The Small World.

Based in the Solukhumbu district of eastern Nepal, The Small World works to create sustainable community development projects, with a core focus on girls' education and women's empowerment.

During the conversation, Sanam and I discuss The Small World's key focus areas and goals, the challenges facing young women in rural Nepal, and Sanam's own experiences growing up in the region.

Sanam's story is an inspiring one, and I hope it shines a light on the incredible work being done in the shadows of the world's tallest and most infamous mountain.

As always, half the funds that came into the Patreon this month were donated directly to The Small World. This money will go towards improving access to education for girls in eastern Nepal, through scholarships and other support programs.

You can donate to The Small World by visiting thesmallworld.org, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow The Small World on Instagram and Facebook, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. I also have a newsletter, which you can subscribe to at brodiehopkins.media/subscribe

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Sanam Sherpa for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional links:

The Small World

Solukhumbu District

Gender Inequality Index

Glacial Outburst in Thame

2024 Nepalese Floods

Obama Foundation Featuring Sanam

2015 Nepal Earthquake

Nepalese Civil War

Sherpa People

Tenzing Norgay

Maternal Citizenship Laws in Nepal

Food Rescue US

Volunteer at The Small World

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Blake Cansdale – National Director of ANTAR.

Founded in the late 90s, ANTAR has grown to become one of Australia's largest and most influential Indigenous advocacy groups, working across a broad range of issues – from native title and land rights, to truth-telling and treaty.

During this conversation, Blake and I discuss the organisation's history, the state of First Nations justice one year on from the Voice referendum, as well as recent changes to the age of criminal responsibility. Blake also reflects on where he draws strength from in these trying times, and shares his vision for a fair and equitable Australia.

ANTAR works tirelessly to create a better world, not just for Indigenous Australians, but for all of us, and I hope this conversation inspires you to get involved with their efforts.

As always, half the funds that came into the Patreon this month were donated directly to ANTAR. This money will go towards facilitating their work with grassroots community organisations, as well as supporting their national campaigns for Voice, Treaty and Truth.

You can donate to ANTAR by visiting antar.org.au/donate, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow ANTAR on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Blake Cansdale for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional links:

ANTAR

Change the Record

Closing the Gap

Pat Dodson

Volunteer at ANTAR

ANTAR 2024-27 Strategic Plan

Uluru Statement from the Heart

2023 Voice Referendum

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Coalition of Peaks

National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS)

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)

First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria

Yoorrook Justice Commission

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Rhett Butler – founder and CEO of Mongabay.

Mongabay is a not-for-profit conservation news service that covers the intersection of people and nature. With bureaus in Latin America, India, Africa, Indonesia and the US, plus a network of journalists from across the globe, Mongabay shares stories relating to tropical forests, oceans, wildlife, the conservation sector, and frontline communities.

During this conversation, Rhett and I discuss bridging the gap between research and reporting, the benefits of a non-profit model in journalism, and how the failure to price in externalities is at the core of our environmental crisis.

With their focus on solutions-based, impact-driven journalism, Mongabay is an organisation that I've long admired, and I hope this conversation encourages you to follow and support their work.

As always, half the funds that came into the Patreon this month were donated directly to Mongabay. This money will go towards facilitating more high-impact reporting from the front lines of conservation.

You can donate to Mongabay by visiting donate.mongabay.org, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow Mongabay on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Rhett Butler for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

Mongabay Global

Mongabay Indonesia

Mongabay Latam

Mongabay India

United Cacao Investigation

Global Forest Watch

Conservación Amazónica

Amazon Conservation

Fishing Labour Abuses Investigation

Subsequent Shark Finning Investigation

Mongabay Kids

Mongabay Data Studio

Mongabay Earth Atlas

Mongabay Reforestation App

Mongabay Strategic Plan 2023-2030

Planetary Boundaries

Jane Goodall Interview

Sumatran Rhino Letter

Health in Harmony

Blue Ventures

Nature & Culture International

Re:wild

Rights and Resources Initiative

Tenure Facility

World Resources Institute

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Caroline Teti – one of the vice presidents at GiveDirectly.

GiveDirectly is global non-profit organisation dedicated to the alleviation of poverty through unconditional cash transfers. Their core philosophy is that individuals and communities living in poverty know their needs best. GiveDirectly uses a range of innovative technologies to identify and connect with the world's poorest people, and then they send them money – no strings attached.

Born in rural Kenya, Caroline has spent over a decade working across the non-profit sector in Africa – from water and sanitation, to education and reproductive health – before finally coming to the conclusion that cash transfers were the most effective and dignified way of tackling poverty. Through GiveDirectly, she's also helped to implement the world's largest and longest Universal Basic Income program – providing ongoing payments to 23,000 people over 12 years.

With a strong focus on research and evidence-based programs, I found GiveDirectly's highly pragmatic approach to poverty alleviation to be unique and refreshing, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

As always, half the funds that came into the Patreon this month were donated to GiveDirectly. This money will go straight into the hands of those living in extreme poverty.

You can donate to GiveDirectly by visiting givedirectly.org, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow GiveDirectly on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Caroline Teti for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

GiveDirectly

Unconditional Cash Transfers

Universal Basic Income (UBI)

Research

Kenya UBI Program

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Galina Angarova. She comes from the Abzai clan of the Ekhirit nation of the Buryat peoples in Siberia, and she's also the executive director of the SIRGE Coalition.

The SIRGE Coalition is an international association dedicated to securing the rights of Indigenous Peoples during the transition to a green economy. It's projected that this transition could see the global extraction of raw materials rise by 60% by 2060, and demand for so-called 'transition minerals' such as cobalt, lithium, copper, and nickel is already skyrocketing.

Perhaps more alarmingly, over half of the world's current transition mineral projects are located on or near Indigenous land, so Galina and her team are working tirelessly to ensure that the right of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination is upheld through the implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent.

Galina comes to this conversation with a wealth of knowledge from decades of experience working with Indigenous Peoples around the world, and I hope she inspires you to reflect on your own place within our global community.

As always, half the money that came into the Patreon this month was donated directly to the SIRGE Coalition. This money will go towards direct support for communities on the front line in the battle to protect their lands against exploitative mining and extraction.

You can donate to the SIRGE Coalition via their partners at the Batani Foundation, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow the SIRGE Coalition on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Galina Angarova for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

SIRGE Coalition

Donations via the Batani Foundation

Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Transition Minerals

NorNickel Oil Disaster (Russia)

Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)

Cultural Survival

First Peoples Worldwide

Batani Foundation

Earthworks

Society for Threatened Peoples

International Working Group on Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)

Transition Minerals and Indigenous Land

Mapuche (Chile)

A Guide to Free, Prior and Informed Consent

Dakota Access Pipeline Protests (USA)

Standing Rock Sioux (USA)

Cobre Panama Protests (Panama)

Fenix Nickel Project (Guatemala)

Q'eqchi' (Guatemala)

Juukan Gorge Destruction (Australia)

Khoisan (Southern Africa)

Indigenous Peoples of Siberia (Russia)

Buryats (Russia)

People of Red Mountain (USA)

Camp Morningstar (Canada)

Colla (Chile)

Sami in Kiruna (Sweden)

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Gina Della Togna – executive director of the Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA). Joining me from Panama, Gina discusses the ASA's work as a global coalition dedicated to the long-term protection of the world's amphibians.

Consisting of frogs, toads, salamanders and caecilians – amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate animals on the planet, and the combined impacts of habitat destruction, climate change and infectious disease are decimating populations across the world. However, thanks to the work of Gina and her team, a number of species have quite literally been brought back from the brink of extinction.

Gina is one of those unique conservationists who is simultaneously a brilliant researcher, a clever communicator and an inspiring leader – and I hope she encourages you to get to know the amphibians found in your corner of the world.

As always, half the money that came into the Patreon this month was donated directly to the Amphibian Survival Alliance. This money will go towards providing hardworking researchers with the resources required to continue their species-saving work.

You can donate directly to the Amphibian Survival Alliance by visiting amphibians.org, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month at patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow the Amphibian Survival Alliance on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Gina Della Togna for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

Amphibian Survival Alliance

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Amphibians

Food Chains/Trophic Levels/Food Webs

Global Amphibian Assessment

Chytridiomycosis

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd)

Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal)

Frogs and Toads

Salamanders

Caecilians

Biogeographic Realms

FrogID (Australian Museum)

Taxonomic Rank

Panamanian Golden Frog

Triprion spinosus

ASA Partners

ASA Grants

IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group

Amphibian Ark

Amphibian Conservation Action Plan

Hogben Pregnancy Test

Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project

El Valle Amphibian Conservation Centre

Mongabay Jane Goodall Interview

PBS Wild Hope Documentary

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Delphine Robbe – managing director of the Gili Eco Trust. Originally from France, Delphine has dedicated the last twenty years of her life to building a sustainable future for the picturesque Indonesian island of Gili Trawangan.

Located off the coast of Lombok, east of Bali, Gili Trawangan is one of three islands that make up the Gili Islands. The region is renowned for its beautiful white sand beaches and spectacular coral reefs, which are home to an extraordinary diversity of marine life. 

However, the resulting influx of tourists, combined with the ongoing impacts of climate change, have already had a significant impact on Gili Trawangan. The centre of the island has turned into an ever-expanding garbage dump, and the corals are experiencing bleaching and reduced rates of growth as a result of warming temperatures and ocean acidification.

In response, the team at Gili Eco Trust coordinate an extensive reef restoration program, utilising innovative Biorock technology, and they've also implemented a waste management scheme across the island. Additionally, they run a range of environmental education initiatives and animal welfare programs on Gili Trawangan.

At the beginning of the episode, Delphine describes herself as a passionate eco-warrior, and throughout the conversation you'll discover exactly why that's true. The world needs as many people like Delphine as possible, and I hope this discussion inspires you to connect with the nature around you, wherever you find yourself on the planet.

As always, half the money that came into the Patreon this month was donated directly to the Gili Eco Trust. This money will go towards maintaining resilient coral reefs and creating a sustainable future on Gili Trawangan.

You can donate directly to the Gili Eco Trust by visiting giliecotrust.com, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in the future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month via the following link: patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow the Gili Eco Trust on Facebook and Instagram, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Delphine Robbe for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

Gili Islands

Gili Matra Marine Park

Coral

Zooxanthellae

Coral bleaching

Ocean acidification

Biorock

Waste management

The SeaCleaners

Sylvia Earle

Jacques Cousteau

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Kon Karapanagiotidis – founder and director of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC). Based in Melbourne, the ASRC works to provide support for refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia.

Australia has a long history of cruel and inhumane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, which continues to this day, including indefinite detention on remote islands and the use of military force to turn back boats full of desperate people. But for more than two decades, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has remained a resilient beacon of hope.

Kon and his team run a foodbank and a health clinic, they provide housing and legal support, they run training programs and social enterprises, and they lead nationwide campaigns advocating for the rights of those fleeing war and persecution.

Kon is exceptionally hardworking and fiercely idealistic, and he's someone that I've admired for quite a long time, so it was a privilege to finally get the chance to speak with him, and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.

As always, half the money that came into the Patreon this month was donated directly to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. This money will go towards fundamental services such as food, medicine and housing, as well as the ASRC's broader efforts in human rights advocacy.

You can donate directly to the ASRC by visiting asrc.org.au, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month via the following link: patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow the ASRC on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Kon Karapanagiotidis for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

Tampa Affair

Operation Sovereign Borders

Manus Island Detention Centre

Nauru Detention Centre

Report from trip to Manus Island

Kon's Memoir

Médecins Sans Frontières

Children's Ground

In this episode of Protect The World, I speak with Eleanor Unsworth – Executive Director of WINGS Guatemala.

WINGS is a not-for-profit organisation that's been working for over two decades to improve access to reproductive health services and education in Guatemala, with a focus on rural communities. They run health clinics, mobile services, and youth education programs with the aim of ensuring that every Guatemalan has access to the reproductive rights they deserve.

In this episode, Eleanor and I discuss the current state of reproductive rights in Guatemala, the nation's complex history, and the impressive plans that WINGS has for the future. Eleanor is a deep listener with a warm and generous character, and she believes strongly in both the work that she does and the people it affects.

As always, half the money that came into the Patreon this month was donated directly to WINGS Guatemala. This money will go towards increasing the quality and quantity of the clinical services and educational programs delivered by WINGS every day in Guatemala.

You can donate directly to WINGS by visiting wingsguate.org, and if you'd like to help me give more money to more amazing NGOs in future, please consider signing up to the Patreon for as little as $5 a month via the following link: patreon.com/brodiehopkinsmedia

You can follow WINGS on Instagram and Facebook, and you can also follow the rest of my own work on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports this podcast, and to Eleanor Unsworth for joining me on this episode. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to leave a review and share it with your friends and family. Thanks for listening!

–

Additional Links:

WINGS Guatemala

1954 Guatemalan Coup

Guatemalan Genocide

Juan José Arévalo

Jacobo Árbenz

Bernardo Arévalo

2022 Bill Reversal

Global Abortion Access Map

Women's Justice Initiative

MAIA

Prensa Comunitaria