This episode is dedicated to Badan Kanwar.

In the early 1990s, a woman named Badan Kanwar was widowed in Rajasthan, India. Her world shrank the way it does for widows there — she lost status, voice, and belonging. Her son, Govind Singh Rathore, watched. Years later, he founded Sambhali Trust in Jodhpur, an organization providing education, vocational training, legal support, and safe spaces to women, girls, and gender minorities pushed to the margins. He started by inviting one woman's two daughters to come learn with him. The next day, 18 women showed up. Today, Sambhali Trust has reached roughly 80,000 people across Rajasthan.

In this special International Women's Day episode, we tell the story of Sambhali Trust through four voices:

- Govind Singh Rathore, Founder of Sambhali Trust, on the grief that became a movement

- Shereen Arent, President of Sambhali US, on how she stumbled into this work and couldn't walk away

- Rajshree Rathore, Head of Education at Sambhali Trust, who joined as a college student-tutor and now leads the programs she once taught in

- Monica, Sambhali's first-cohort graduate (2007) and now central staff—going from the girl who always sat in the back to someone the whole community calls when they need help

This is a story about what happens when you give people closest to a problem the resources to solve it themselves. It's about the domino effect of doing one good thing.

And it's about how change doesn't always take a generation—sometimes it happens faster than anyone expected.

Note: This episode contains mentions of domestic violence. Nothing graphic.

If you have questions, comments, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hi, send a message to: [email protected].

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421813

Support Sambhali:

- Donate, volunteer, or sign up for the newsletter: https://www.sambhalius.org

- Contact Shereen directly: [email protected]

- Sambhali Trust (India): https://www.sambhali.org

The Optimist Daily:

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It's our first episode of the year! And the Optimist Daily Weekly Roundup is officially refreshed. Karissa and Arielle kick off the new format (hello, "tasting menu" of all ten weekly solutions), explain the difference between Emissaries and Optimists, and share a new perk: Emissary shout-outs celebrating the people and organizations doing good in the world.

If you have questions, comments, feedback, suggestions, or just want to say hi, send a message to [email protected].

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421756

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

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This week, Arielle and Karissa dive into two very different but deeply connected stories about what it means to truly support healing. First, we unpack new research on what people going through cancer actually find helpful during the holidays, and why practical support often means more than cozy socks and inspirational mugs.

Then they travel to the Sierra Nevada, where nearly 900 acres of ancestral land have been returned to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation in a landmark cultural and ecological restoration near Yosemite.

They close with some seasonal reflections, a big thank you to listeners, and a look ahead at how they'll be revamping the podcast in 2026 to bring you even deeper, more useful solutions-focused stories.

If you have thoughts on today's stories, ideas for what you'd love to see in the new version of the podcast, or just want to say hi, send a message to [email protected].

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421349

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

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Australia just became the first country to ban social media accounts for kids under 16... but will it actually keep them safer online? In this episode, Arielle and Karissa unpack the data that pushed lawmakers to act, the huge loopholes critics are worried about, and the real trade-offs for teens, parents, and platforms. They also ask a bigger question: who should be responsible for protecting kids on the internet in the first place?

Have thoughts on the ban or ideas for better solutions? Share your take at [email protected].

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421254

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

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This week, Karissa and Arielle tackle two big, very real-world solutions: how to gracefully ask friends and family if they're sick before a holiday hangout, and why the U.S. finally introducing its first female crash test dummy is a major win for road safety and equity. They unpack expert advice on setting health boundaries without drama, explain how the new THOR-05F model closes a decades-long safety gap for women and smaller drivers, and share a quick round-up of other uplifting stories from The Optimist Daily.

They also spotlight an excerpt from Barnet Bain's upcoming book How to Be a Friend in an Unfriendly World and explore how deeper friendship and human connection can be powerful tools for personal and collective well-being. (You can read the excerpt and preorder the book here.)

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421212

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

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In this special Thanksgiving mini-episode of The Optimist Daily's Weekly Roundup, Karissa and Arielle press pause on the usual headlines to say thank you. They share what they are personally grateful for this year, celebrate the Emissaries and listeners who keep solutions journalism alive, and invite anyone who isn't already to support the work through donations, shares, and word of mouth.

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421174

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http://

In this week's episode of The Optimist Daily's Weekly Roundup, Arielle and Karissa return from a fall break with a fresh wave of uplifting stories, diving right into two standout solutions of the week. First: the "bike bus" phenomenon turning school mornings into joyful, community-powered parades across the world. Next: surprising new research revealing how art gallery visits (and even looking at reproductions) can measurably lower stress and inflammation.

Plus, find out a little more about Swim Sista Swim, Hands United, Move Over Bob, and Amy Howlett-Johnson, our featured Changemakers these last couple weeks. And meet this week's inspiring Local Changemakers: Shower The People and Bounty & Soul.

It's a hopeful, human-focused episode full of community, creativity, and small changes driving meaningful impact.

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1421119

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

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In this week's episode, Arielle and Karissa gab about two groundbreaking medical solutions changing lives: a one-time gene therapy that helps children with ADA-SCID develop healthy immune systems, and new pediatric guidelines that could drastically reduce peanut allergies. Plus, meet this week's inspiring Local Changemakers — the Oregon senior dog rescue, Silver Linings Rescue Ranch, and PeaceCYCLE — both proving compassion can fuel sustainability and hope.

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

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Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1420998

The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http://

This week, Arielle and Karissa talk about two powerful wins for compassion and creativity. New York's new law makes scalp cooling treatments more accessible for cancer patients, while a D.C. author reimagines book access with her "LitBox" vending machine. Together, they remind us that healing and storytelling thrive when communities care.

Discover more about LitBox at www.litboxbooks.com or follow @LitBoxBooks on X for the latest.

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1420951

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

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The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

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This week, Arielle and Karissa spotlight two game-changing breakthroughs: MIT's new battery concrete, which could turn buildings into energy storage devices, and a Swedish study showing that low-dose aspirin may significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer recurrence in certain patients. We break down the science behind both discoveries—and how they might shape the future of our cities and our health.

Want to be part of the Optimism Movement? Become an Emissary.

Subscribe to our FREE Daily Newsletter and follow us on Instagram, X, and Blue Sky.

Transcript link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/?p=1420895

The Optimist Daily is a project of the World Business Academy.

Donate link: https://www.optimistdaily.com/donate-to-support-the-optimist-daily/?gift=Y%20http://