Women Who Give

In this episode, we explore the inspiring journey of Meenal Sachdev, a social impact leader working at the crossroads of business, government, and civil society. Meenal shares her grassroots work addressing modern slavery, her unique perspective on philanthropy, and her vision to empower women as changemakers in their communities and beyond.

** This episode contains discussions of sex work, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. Some listeners may find these topics distressing. 

Key Topics Covered:

• How Meenal transitioned from traditional philanthropy to systemic, systemic change-driven initiatives
• The importance of lived experience and survivor voices in shaping effective social impact work
• Building collaborative, cross-sectoral strategies to combat modern slavery and exploitation
• Women's roles in philanthropy: breaking stereotypes, increasing visibility, and expanding influence
• The long-term, systems-level approach needed for meaningful social change
• The challenges of measuring impact 
• Meenal's upcoming role as High Sheriff of Hertfordshire and her future plans
• Practical advice for philanthropists and change-makers committed to responsible, inclusive giving

Resources & Links:

• Modern Slavery Act 2015
• Stepwell Alliance
• High Sheriff of Hertfordshire

Connect with Meenal Sachdev:

• LinkedIn
• X

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Meenal Sachdev and her impactful work

02:12 - Redefining philanthropy: moving beyond charity to systemic change

03:45 - The importance of survivor voices and lived experience in philanthropy

05:38 - Meenal’s journey into tackling modern slavery through cross-sector collaboration

09:12 - Building policy frameworks and practical tools for lasting impact

11:31 - The perception of women as philanthropists and breaking stereotypes

12:52 - Women’s holistic approach to giving: time, talent, treasure, and trust

14:18 - Harsh realities faced in India: supporting women and girls in brothel settings

19:53 - The limitations of rescue efforts and the importance of systemic change

21:19 - Long-term solutions: prevention, economic alternatives, and systemic reform

25:17 - Barriers women face in leadership and decision-making in philanthropy

26:41 - Strategies for increasing women’s visibility and influence in giving

33:03 - Practical guidance for responsible, impactful philanthropy

36:07 - The importance of sustained investment and long-term commitment

37:36 - Women’s deeper engagement in philanthropy and systemic impact

42:16 - Meenal’s upcoming role as High Sheriff and her vision for Hertfordshire

44:00 - The future of women's empowerment and collaborative community action

46:33 - Closing remarks and appreciation for Meenal’s inspiring work

This episode offers actionable insights into responsible philanthropy, the importance of long-term systemic change, and empowering women as catalysts for social progress. Whether you're a seasoned donor or new to social impact, Meenal's experiences and advice will inspire you to think differently about your role in creating a better world. 

Are women interested in giving philanthropic gifts to higher education institutions in the UK? If so, what are institutions doing to strategically engage women in a unique and intentional way? 

These questions served as the genesis for this podcast and will be answered in this engaging episode where we hear from Alexa Charlton, Head of Individual Major Giving, whose team lead on the Women's Giving Circle at Newcastle University.

Newcastle University is truly pioneering how to engage and raise funds from diverse audiences in higher education. In fact, they are one of the only UK universities the Women Who Give Podcast has been able to find that offers a women-centric way of giving in the UK higher education space.

Join us to learn more about The Women's Giving Circle, which was established in 2010, and hear how it is evolving to raise some of its largest gifts from prominent female alumnae and regional philanthropists.

Learn more about The Women's Giving Circle at Newcastle University here:

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/news/item/womens-giving-circle-scholarship/ 

What are the secret ingredients required to kick start a new women's giving collective? A dynamic new project that needs support, celebrity star power, a keen leadership board?  Tune into this episode of the Women Who Give podcast to hear from Angela Kelly, Senior Philanthropy Manager and With Women in Mind Lead at Mind.  You will learn more about what it takes to launch a dynamic and thoughtful women’s giving initiative.

With Women in Mind is an inspiring collective of supporters helping women and young people most affected by trauma. With Women in Mind 's plans are just as ambitious as the incredible people who are already part of the collective. They aim to raise £2.5 million over the next three years to help reach 100,000 young people most affected by trauma.

With Women in Mind - Mind

 This is the Women Who Give podcast by me, Alex McCall. I’m on a journey to understand how, where and why women give.

I will be speaking with charity and university professionals running women’s giving programmes, philanthropists and experts on the topic here in the UK where I am based as well as abroad, where we will draw inspiration! I’m trying to get under the root of some of the commonly held misconceptions such as ‘women don’t give as much as men’ or ‘women give differently’ or ‘women just aren’t interested!’.

I hope you will join me on this exciting journey as we work to understand how we can include everyone in giving back and making a difference.

In this episode we speak with Amie Atkinson, Head of Women Supporting Women and Gemma Craggs, Head of Principle Giving at The Prince’s Trust. 

Women Supporting Women was established in 2018 to help young women who face disadvantage and adversity to transform their lives. The collective is committed to raising funds so that more young women can build their confidence and receive support to get into jobs, self-employment, education or training. To date, the collective has raised over £11.8million helping to transform the lives of thousands of young women in the UK.  

Hear about the success and challenges and what is on the horizon for this important programme.