The Elders Podcast

How can the private sector contribute to humanitarian assistance and help address inequality?

In this panel discussion, held as part of the Imperial College Business School MBA Tour in Nairobi, Wairu Kinyori hosts a conversation with Ahmed Ibrahim, Convenor of the ASAL Humanitarian Network, on the role of the private sector in humanitarian assistance and its potential contribution to addressing inequality.

The discussion explores private sector engagement in humanitarian action, business and social impact, collaboration between businesses and humanitarian organisations, and the relationship between commercial interests and humanitarian priorities.

Host: Wairu Kinyori

Guest: Ahmed Ibrahim, Convenor, ASAL Humanitarian Network

Listen to the full discussion and explore the ideas, perspectives and questions around how business can contribute to addressing inequality and humanitarian challenges.

#HumanitarianAssistance #PrivateSectorEngagement #BusinessAndInequality #SocialImpact #ImperialCollegeBusinessSchool

In this episode, Junru Bian joins the Elders Podcast to pull back the curtain on the "hidden currency" of humanitarian work. We move beyond surface-level critiques to explore how the very way money flows—from traditional donors like USAID and FCDO - sets the stage for a sector that is often a product of the colonial and racial hierarchies it claims to dismantle.The "Humanitarian Business" and the Localization Paradox Is localization a sincere goal or a business risk? We discuss the concept of the "humanitarian business" and the reality of HQ overheads (the "dad tax") which can reach as high as 40%. True localization often requires international NGOs to get smaller so more money can reach local partners—a decision that is "fundamentally hurts" the administrative bottom line of large organizations.Key Topics Explored:The Funding Trap: How donor countries (like the US and European nations) use mechanisms like JPO positions to dictate who gets hired, effectively sustaining a "white wave" in leadership.Alternative Models: From grassroots initiatives in the Netherlands to Bangladeshi NGOs hiring their own representatives in Europe to bypass traditional donor bureaucracy.The Mongolian Success Story: How a micro-finance project evolved into a major national bank, providing unrestricted funding that allowed for innovative, multi-year disaster resilience programs.Livelihoods and the "Expat Bubble": An honest look at the socio-economics of aid work. Why many expats are actually middle-class professionals seeking "contextual wealth," and how local professionals (like those in Kenya) make strategic choices to expatriate for better benefits.The "Institutional Vacuum": When NGOs fill roles that should belong to the government, they risk breaking the social contract between a state and its tax-paying citizens.The End Goal of Aid The conversation concludes with a radical reimagining of the sector. Junru argues that the ultimate future of global development should be its own obsolescence—a world where aid agencies no longer need to exist because local systems and governments are fully functional.

In Part 1 of this Elders Podcast episode, Junru shares his transition from humanitarian practitioner to academic researcher studying the complex dynamics of race and gender in the aid sector.Junru challenges the traditional "expat vs. local" binary, revealing how aid workers are often judged by their "localness" regardless of their professional status. This conversation explores the concept of "race making" and the controversial "white wave" - a phenomenon where funding and Western professionals migrate to high-profile emergencies (like Ukraine and Gaza), leaving non-white professionals to lead programs as funding is cut. Finally, Junru discusses how exclusive elite spaces and social clubs in aid hubs like Dhaka systematically exclude local leaders from the informal networks where funding deals are made

As we conclude our conversation with Junru Bian, we reflect on what meaningful systems change could look like in global development. What would it take to build local institutions that no longer rely on external aid?

This final episode leaves us with an important question: What does success in humanitarian work really look like?

Discover Njeri Kabeberi's epic journey—from a 1992 hunger strike with mothers of political prisoners together with the legendary Wangari Maathai - to leading Greenpeace Africa. This Kenyan human rights defender survived Moi-era repression, post-election death threats, and built democracy through Amnesty International and the Centre for Multi-Party Democracy. Hear her pivot to environmental and climate justice, linking human rights with Congo Basin deforestation and fossil fuel fights across 54 nations. Her Awards include the Humanity Award and Lifetime Achievement in Human Rights. Today, she mentors defenders at Chapter Four Programs. Her one "yes" in 1992 changed everything.Watch her full Elders Podcast story!

Join Professor Wanjiku Kabira on the Elders Podcast as she shares her journey in Kenyan women's rights and gender equality. Drawing from her expertise in literature and oral traditions, Prof. reveals how she challenged colonial and patriarchal narratives on marginalized African women. Learn about her pivotal role in Kenya's constitutional reform, where women's organizations secured affirmative action and political representation. The episode dives into tensions between traditional customs and modern legal frameworks, including power struggles in cultural rituals and property disputes. Discover transformative progress in education and leadership, plus her vision for a partnership-based society. Perfect for advocates of #GenderEqualityKenya and #WomensRights. Watch now and explore how orature and constitutionalism can drive equity!

On this episode of the Elders Podcast, the veteran social worker and community organizer, Mrs. Mereso Agina joins us to discusses her forty-year career in community development and women’s empowerment in Kenya. She talks about the legacy of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO), a women's movement that started in 1952. Her story journeys through her life – transitioning into community development work, fighting to change the culture of FGM in communities in Kenya, influencing the government to have better maternity leave, breastfeeding and housing allowances for women, and advocating for the 2/3 gender rule in the Constitution of Kenya. She reflects on how MYWO was a key player in advancing the women’s movement in Kenya – as a powerful grassroots and national movement uniting women all over Kenya influencing policy changes in water, maternal and infant health and education whose benefits are being enjoyed to date.

On this episode of the Elders Podcast, the veteran social worker and community organizer, Mrs. Mereso Agina joins us to discusses her forty-year career in community development and women’s empowerment in Kenya. She talks about the legacy of Maendeleo Ya Wanawake (MYWO), a women's movement that started in 1952. Her story journeys through her life – transitioning into community development work, fighting to change the culture of FGM in communities in Kenya, influencing the government to have better maternity leave, breastfeeding and housing allowances for women, and advocating for the 2/3 gender rule in the Constitution of Kenya. She reflects on how MYWO was a key player in advancing the women’s movement in Kenya – as a powerful grassroots and national movement uniting women all over Kenya influencing policy changes in water, maternal and infant health and education whose benefits are being enjoyed to date.

Join Monica Mutuku as she shares inspiring insights into KCDF's transformative initiatives across Kenya. From innovative education programs and community empowerment projects to sustainable development strategies that uplift lives, discover how KCDF fosters lasting change, builds resilience, and creates brighter futures for families and youth. Hear real stories of impact, collaboration, and innovation driving social progress

All views, opinions, and experiences shared in this episode are those of the guest and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of any organisation referenced, nor of The Elders Podcast, its hosts, producers, or affiliates.

Join Shariffa Keshavjee as she shares her inspiring journey with the Kenya Girl Guides Association. From joining the Brownies in 1957 to co-founding the Hawkers Market Girls Center. Discover how this century-old movement empowers young women through life skills, health education, digital literacy, and community service. Learn about impactful partnerships with the Aga Khan Foundation and Rotary International, and hear about life-changing initiatives helping disadvantaged girls break the cycle of poverty. A powerful conversation highlighting values of security, opportunity, inclusion, and respect for girls' empowerment.