David Yambio is only 26 years old, but his biography reads like that of a man two times his age. Born in Sudan during the second civil war, his family forced to flee to Congo and later to the Central African Republic, where they had no access to education nor resources. He returned to South Sudan when he was 7, then at the age of 12 he was abducted by the LRA, the army led by Joseph Kony. He fought as a child soldier for over a year, then escaped only to find himself forcibly conscripted by the Sudanese government at the age of 16.

Hans Claus is a jack-of-all-trades. Not only is he a painter, a sculptor, a photographer and a writer-performer, but for 38 years he was also the director of the prison the city of Oudenaarde in Belgium. He retired three months ago.
If you want to know what is wrong with the current detention system in our society, about the political struggles involved in creating human conditions in our houses of detention, then not only should you listen to his interviews or read his scientific writings, but you should also get to know his sculptures and his paintings, for they speak about the human condition in its broadest sense. About opening the gates of our narrowed minds and about the self-inflicted detention that so many humans call ‘my freedom’. For him, art is no therapy, but an absolute and inevitable necessity in his life.
He is the author of the Declaration of 30 November, a plea for necessary reforms to create a society where people LIVE TOGETHER, freed from the greed for money, and where they can appreciate one another and the nature they live in.

Judit Kiss is an economist and political commentator on Eastern Europe. She is Hungarian by birth and lives in Geneva. In 2006, she published ‘Apám halálának nyara’ (translated into English as ‘The Summer My Father Died’). This book covers about seventy years of turbulent Hungarian history. Lyrical, poetic and pierced with black humour, ‘The Summer My Father Died’ is a stunning and achingly beautiful memoir in which Judit uncovers het father’s struggle as a communist who denied his Jewish roots, and how Judit herself deals with the implications of that choice.
She is also the author of ‘More nights than days’, a survey of writings of child genocide survivors, and of the study ‘Arms Industry Transformation and Integration: The Choices of East Central Europe’.

Since 2018, Jérôme Tubiana has been working as an operational adviser and advocacy manager with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), focusing on refugee and migration issues. This included advocating for Out of Libya’s initiative aiming at opening safe and legal pathways for migrants and refugees stranded in Libya, and systematically victims of abuses, which the United Nations have qualified as “crimes against humanity”. Prior to this, Jérôme worked as a researcher specializing in conflicts and migration across the Sahara and Horn of Africa, in particular in Sudan, including for MSF and other humanitarian NGOs, human rights organizations, the International Crisis Group, the Clingendael Institute and other think tanks, as well as the UN Security Council Panel of Experts on the Sudan and the African Union–United Nations Joint Mediation Support Team on Darfur. In addition to various reports, he is the author of several books including Chroniques du Darfour (on the war in Darfur, Glénat, 2010) and the award-winning graphic novel Guantánamo Kid (the true story of Guantánamo’s youngest prisoner, SelfMadeHero/Abrams, 2019). His articles have appeared in the New York Review of Books, the London Review of Books, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Nation, The Baffler, Le Monde diplomatique and XXI.

In 2021, Quentin Dujardin was refused the right to organize a guitar concert in a church, even though the maximum number of participants was respected and all distancing and other measures were taken. Risking a penalty of 12.000 euro, he decided to give the concert anyway. Here’s a musician who defied the Belgian state and denounced the legal absurdities of the Covid-19 restrictions.

In times like these, one encounters few who ‘shine’ – and even fewer who are able to give this light unconditionally to their fellow human beings. Sundar is such an exception.

It is important that we learn to look at our world from the perspective of a country like the Philippines and use it as a yardstick for future social action. Hardly any other country in the world offers more challenges and if you hold on to an inner thread despite hard setbacks, then you belong to those people who should be supported by all of us.

Some people have more civil courage and some have more spiritual courage and determination – and some have both in equal measure: that’s what’s the case with Sergio.

ISA LUQUE ALVAREZ & HUMPHREY MATTHEY

Isa and Humphrey have led since young years and until today a life committed to social justice and inner truth, which knew neither fear nor laziness. – Even a synopsis of their vitae can hardly be summarized on one page; nothing, therefore, for the weary in reading, which may be forgiven.

Willy and Lut
Can you imagine entering a psychiatric hospital on a voluntary base and being compulsory hospitalized, isolated and restrained several hours later?

We are living through not only one of the most polarizing times in history but unfortunately also one of the most vicious and ideologically charged. This gets especially tragic when it comes to kids and adolescents, who are increasingly pulled into the net of this new reality of the coming metaverse, its convenience, health doctrine and social uprooting.

Jared and Serena
These are two people who came to Germany from Australia and America, or better, from Taiwan where they met, fell in love and started to make their music some ten years ago. They are young and beautiful but even more, resilient, artistic, hard working and giving all for creating life and environment in a way lost on most of the lost of today, who are many……

Farming Flies to Save our Planet
If black soldier fly larvae could enter competitive eating contests, they would excel, especially when it comes to eating nasty stuff that we don’t want around or wouldn’t think of eating ourselves. The ability of the black soldier fly to convert low-grade organic waste into high-quality nutrients has opened-up a ground-breaking prospect for the large-scale production of animal feed. The […]

Sex for fish, a common practice around Lake Victoria
When Cavin Odera’s parents and oldest sister died of HIV/AIDS, he was mocked and discriminated against. This experience eventually triggered his willingness to empower girls and young women. So he created WA-Wa, to equip them with skills to earn sustainable livelihoods without falling victim to “sex for fish”, a common practice around the Lake Victoria. Wa-Wa trains this woman in […]

Empowerment for the disabled in Afghanistan
Last Summer, as for 2021, Afghanistan was again everywhere in the news. The Taliban captured Afghanistan’s capital Kabul 20 years after they were ousted from power. Most of us, still remember the horrifying video, showing two people tragically falling down from a plane in Kabul, as they tied themselves to the wheels of the aircraft to fly out of the […]

Power consolidated yet helpless
First an Apologie. It’s been a while since we published an Episode of this Podcast, but I had strong reasons. I explain everything in the first two Minutes of this Episode. Now, today´s Podcast: one of the lesser known facts of 20th-century world history is Cuba’s military help in Afghanistan during the critical years of the Saur Revolution of 1978. […]

Niwas Kumars Gender-Free Learning Centre
As children, gender bombards us in more ways than one – the clothes we wear, the toys we buy, the way we express ourselves…From the moment we’re born, our gender identity is no secret. We’re either a boy or a girl. We are pink or blue. Today I’m talking to a recent kanthari alumni: Niwas Kumar. For some children, what’s […]

Katharina Lehmann and the innovative society
Giraffe Hero Katharina Lehmann, a psychologist with her own practice, had a permanent position on the police force in Zürich. She could truly have had a quiet life. However, Katharina was not willing to compromise on the truth, stepped out of her comfort zone and put her employment and public reputation on the line. She co-initiated the VitaNetz Foundation. VitaNetz […]

Precious Hearts Haven rescue and shelter victims and survivors of domestic violence
Violence against women in Zimbabwe is partly accepted as a fact of life, especially by elderly “counselors” that traditionally perceive women as the property of their husbands. My guest today Precious Kiwiti was known as a strong woman, running restaurants and catering services successfully, and starting a kindergarten for single mothers. But hardly anyone knew about her well-hidden tragedy. Precious […]

Khoj in hindi means search, and this is what this episode is about.
Dear listeners, are you looking to come out of your comfort zone? Are you ready to challenge your fears, for an adventure? Then get ready for the great Indian treasure hunt. today in our Podcast we are hunting a treasure in Kerala with my guest, kanthari participant, Abhilash John. Locked in a cage of constraints and expectations, Abhilash was not […]

Paul Kronenberg: A small chili making a HUGE difference
„Life is what you’re happy for getting up for.“ – if not, there is something wrong in your life”. Giraffe Hero Paul Kronenberg is cofounder of the kanthari program for social change makers in Kerala. About a year ago, we had the pleasure to listen to his partner Sabriye Tenberken on this podcast. Today we have Paul sharing his vast […]

How “alarmo” is going to save our environment
Akhina Mohan from Kerala India, plans to start alarmo, a youth driven, Kerala based task force that nudges people to act immediately. Nothing makes her more furious than the mistreatment and irresponsibility towards the environment. Participating in relief work during the 2018 Kerala floods, helped her to break out of her shell. Now, she knows, her actions can make a […]

Is there a shortcut?
“Allowing for the book, after all, being a parody, something like 1984 could actually happen. This is the direction the world is going in at the present time. In our world, there will be no emotions except fear, rage, triumph, and self-abasement.” George Orwell. In today’s Podcast you get to have a deep theoretical and philosophical insight of the Giraffe […]

Prayatna Nepal empowers blind and visually impaired girls and women.
Please make the effort to follow our talk with Sarita Lamichhane who is talking about her experiences in Nepal being a daughter, and blind. What does it mean for the family? She shares with us how she grew up, through the quota got engaged in a government job, went for training at kanthari and founded her own project Prayatna Nepal. […]

The vulnerabilities of widows in Zimbabwe
Being widowed can be one of the most overwhelming traumatic experiences that women and also men face in their lives. Loneliness significantly affects those who’ve suffered the death of a husband. Widows can become some of the most marginalised groups in society. Yet they are often in greatest need, whether in terms of physical or mental, emotional or practical adjustments […]

Sticking the neck out!
One year ago today we started this adventure called “Stick your neck out!” – The podcast to restore your faith in humanity. It’s crazy to think that a year could have gone by so fast, but yet it seems like we’ve been together on this journey forever. Thanks for joining us every Tuesday! This time, I’m telling you my reasons […]

Presentation of Giraffes Heroes nominees
Today’s podcast is not a Podcast, at least not as you, dear listener, are used to, every tuesday. Today, we´re bringing to you the latest event of the Giraffe Heroes Foundation as a Podcast. Let me tell you what you are about to hear. In today’s Podcast event, Giraffe Heroes Foundation founder Tom Ammat, is going to welcome you, with […]

How Satya Illa saves farmers from electrocution
India has one of the world’s highest numbers of fatalities due to electrical accidents. Especially among farmers. kanthari alumni Satya Illa founded kaanthi wich means light, a social enterprise that addresses the lack of awareness , and response preparedness among villages in Telangana. Through practical training on safety, Satya has been able to save the lives of many farmers and […]

Early Intervention centre for children with Cerebral palsy
Kerlinda War finds joy and satisfaction in her years of work in rehabilitation for children with slow growth and physical impairment. Marveling roots in Meghalaya, India provides training on early identification for the rural population, referral services, and prepares children for schooling and socialisation.

Bashiru Adamu: Hope for society outcasts
Bashiro Adamu is the founder of the Dream Again Prison Academy. The 2013 kanthari alumni from Nigeria, aims to ensure that the very high recidivism rate is drastically reduced through qualitative education. His education program begins in prisons, and as soon as his students are released, he reintegrates them into the labor market. Bashiru Oyahkilome Adamu is a firing social […]

A gateway to the world for the blind
Robert Malunda is opening a gateway to the world for the blind with his organisation Gateway to Elation. he does this by providing training in computer literacy, daily living skills which include mobility and orientation, as well as social interaction. He was born in Makokoba, Bulawayo; in southwest Zimbabwe. At age 3 he was affected by glaucoma and became totally […]

Gumisayi Bonzo: If you want to fight HIV – include us!
When we use the word transgender, we are referring to an inclusive umbrella term, that consists of binary trans people (trans men and trans women), as well as non-binary people and people who cross dress. There are a lot of ways that transgender people can describe their identities. Understanding the words and labels people use encourages respect. Today’s Episode offers […]

Pynhoi Tang: a story of change
kanthari alumni Pynhoi Tang was brought up in the Khasi tribal community in North Eastern India. She went to a local school but was thrown out because she was visually impaired. That moment influenced the rest of her life. Pynhoi Tang, is empowering the persons with disability through her Sapphire Early Intervention Center and Community Based Inclusive/Inclusion Development program, as […]

How to heal from domestic violence and achieve change
In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Carolina Ortiz with her Centro Colibri supports people who suffer from domestic violence – to participate in programmes, to heal, to learn how to speak up, look for help and gain self esteem. Centro Colibri offers a support system for victims of sexual violence, and it also runs Advocacy campaigns in Bolivia, the most violent country […]

Where others see garbage, Ayoola sees opportunity
Connecting informal waste collectors to the source. This app does it – cycled. Today we have a very enlightening talk with our friend of the Giraffe Heroes Foundation, Ayoola Brimmo. We talked about waste in Nigeria, smart bins and the Cycled App. This App helps users who want to recycle more, and reduce their General Waste collection bill, by using […]

Changemaking: the superpower of the 21st century
In the hopes to establish a cross-border collaborative platform for kanthari graduates and friends to share ideas, challenges and solutions. In March, kanthari started the initiative “knock”, as for kanthari network of change and knowledge. „A network can only sustain if each person is contributing something“. My guest today, Meghana Raveendra took on the job to coordinate kantharis all over […]

GNE: breaking the circle of crime
When parents are incarcerated, their children are punished, too. Prisoners’ families, particularly their children, are often termed the ‘innocent victims’ of crime. Since 2012, the Global Network for Equality, founded by kanthari alumni K.R. Raja is doing an impressive job for the children of incarcerated parents. They are successfully breaking the circle of the crime. In our talk, Raja gives […]

Sanoj NT: The Child in Rail
Running away from abuse, violence and poverty, or simply being left behind, lots of Children use India’s extensive railway network to get to the cities, where they hope to find a better life. The stations are perfect for predators. With over 11 million children living on the streets in India, there is a lot at stake. This is another Episode […]

Njeke Joshua Egbe: Using agriculture as a peace-building tool
While talking to Joshua, I have to say, it’s incredible how witnessing everything he has experienced, he is still able to bring hope to the children in an unstable Cameroon. According to him, organic farming on its own has a lot to do with peace. This set of young farmers PEACE CROPS is training will be part of a new […]

Sherin Noordheen: When life becomes a choice… Let´s Live
Sherin Noordheen is from the 2017 generation of kantharis. She is a mental health activist and founder of Let’s Live. She experienced depression and suicide ideation at a young age and knows the value of emotional support to those who need it. Sherin is sharing with us very impressive projects she’s running. She explains how to get conversations started when […]

Tiffany Brar and the Jyothirgamaya Foundation
Tiffani Brar is a tough woman, who knows what she wants and is going to go for it. Todays talk is really encouraging and uplifting. A delight. Tiffany Brar. An Indian community service worker who has been blind since childhood. A social activist and trainer, working to create awareness on disability. She is the founder of the Jyothirgamaya Foundation, a […]

Lawrence Afere and the One Million African Leaders
Taking into account what my guest today, Lawrence Afere shared, According to UN projections, the population of Africa is going to increase to around 2.5 billion in 2050. All key sustainability challenges, social as well as environmental, will be on full display in Africa in the decades to come, and the most vulnerable people are likely to suffer the brunt […]

Accompanying blind children on their way to independence
Kanthari alumni Anja Pfaffenzeller started 2013 the Project “Bats in Action” in Sobral, a town in the north-east of Brazil. She realised how much blind people in Brazil are excluded from education and decided to get involved. She wanted the Brasilian blind kids to fly like bats, to manage their own way. In todays podcast Anja tells us in a […]

Lorena Julio and the Foundation Comparlante
While studying, Lorena already was very active trying to make the world a better place, volunteering for different organisations whenever she could. But there was one turning point, when she decided, she couldn’t just go on like that but really had to get engaged, change something and fight for the rights of all disabled persons. Let’s try to change our […]

Working in a Red Light District
“Equity in health means access to healthcare, regardless of who you are, regardless of what you do. I’m convinced health is everyone’s right…” Harriet Kamashanyu in today’s Podcast. As it is the case almost all over the world, women in Africa, including Uganda, are an economically disadvantaged group. The lack of economic power of these communities, especially among young women, […]

Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine on COVID-19
The Coronavirus disease pandemic has been rapidly spreading globally and has caused worldwide social and economic disruption. As scientists race to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, China has been championing Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a way to treat the disease. Todays podcast is a Special. We want to enrich the Media world with some really enlightening information on how […]

Conserving Natural Ecosystems helps rural populations
My guest today is Limbi Blessing Tata, a trained Botanist/Conservationist, who has been working in the field of forest conservation over a decade. After graduating from kanthari in 2018, she started the organisation Eco Balance which is valuing forests as a deposit of natural wealth accumulated over generations. Eco Balance is combining education and participation with active restoration efforts, thus […]

Talking about things we’re taught not to talk about
kanthari alumni Aparna Gopan and Ruangtup Kaeokamechun (Ruang) do an amazing job in questioning taboos – talking about the things we’re taught not to talk about and therefore giving, especially children, an important tool to get information. Aparnas “Elephant in the room” in India and Ruangs “Little Firefly” in Thailand are dealing with taboos in their societies. In our very […]

Giraffe Hero Dilip Simeon on the Indian farmers’ protest
Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, are staging a sit-in protest along Delhi borders. The farmers are demanding a complete rollback of the new farm reform laws and a guarantee on the Minimum Support Price system being retained. In today´s Podcast Giraffe Hero Dilip Simeon is giving us a thorough evaluation on the farmer’s protest in New Dehli. […]

Yoshimi connects books to people and people to books. After the kanthari scholarship, she started “Always Reading Caravan”, a unique nonprofit that brings books, fun, and hope to rural communities in Northern Thailand. A mobile library for children and adults, both with, and without disabilities in rural Thailand, founded by a Japanese woman who happens to be blind. For Yoshimi, […]

Jane Waithera: The positive Exposure
People with albinism have been persecuted, killed and dismembered, and graves of albinos dug up and desecrated in some eastafrican countries. At the same time, people with albinism have also been ostracised and even killed for exactly the opposite reason, because they are also presumed to be cursed and bring bad luck. In today’s Podcast I’m talking with Jane Waithera […]

kanthari alumni Karthikeyan and his village community for the disabled
Sristi Foundation was founded by Karthikeyan, known as Karthik, a psychologist born and raised in Pondicherry generally known as ‘Pondy’ situated on the East Coast of India. Karthik, a 2012 kanthari graduate spent 15 years in an inclusive orphanage where disabled and non-disabled children lived and grew up together. The projects Kartik has founded with Sristi Villiage are absolutely admirable. […]

How Ability Sports Africa is providing social Interaction
Social Changemaker and Kanthari alumni Faruk Musema explains us his concept of reverse inclusion. As an inclusive sports coach for children with disabilities at the Gulu Disabled Persons Union, Faruk is a passionate sports man and social Changemaker in his community in Northern Uganda. He is also passionate about sports and has set himself a goal: Ability Sports Africa (ASA) […]

Kapila Rasnayaka – founder of Voice of Humans in Sri Lanka
Kanthari alumni Kapila Rasnayaka promotes a genderless society. Not sure, what’s that about? Kapila explains: “Genderless means just representing yourself as you, without masculinities and feminities – it means you’re free to fly, anywhere…” A great joy talking to Kapila, who gives us a 360° insight of his vision and engagement to promote gender equality and create a genderless society. […]

Jaz O´Haara, founder of The Worlwide Tribe
Human rights activist and commended Giraffe Hero Jaz O’Hara founded „The Worldwide Tribe“ in a bid to highlight the humanity behind world issues and inspire positive social change. She is uplifting refugee voices and celebrating human differences. Founded in 2015, the Worlwidetribe has grown into an organisation and online community which raises awareness about the refugee crisis whilst also supporting […]

Hive Uganda – making changes last
Ojok Simon is from Uganda. The 2012 kanthari graduate, is a beekeeper, an environmentalist, a human rights activist and also almost blind. At age thirteen, Ojok survived an armed attack to his village that led to his blindness. But also made Hive Uganda possible. Enjoy listening about Ojoks activities and how he has managed to create a sustainable enterprise with […]

Purple Hands Africa: fighting for LGTBQI rights in Zimbawe
Trevor Molife, founder of the organization Purple Hand Africa is giving us a broad insight about how life might be for someone forming part of the LGTBQI community in Zimbabwe. Note, that this topic comes with traumatic stories – which makes it not less important to listen to his, on the contrary, one should raise attention and get engaged. To […]

Sristi KC: enthusiastic and empowering
With Sristi KC, founder of Blind Rocks! in Nepal one can really feel the vibe and what she wants to transmit with her organisation. One of her most important statements: “There should be more of us all around the world dancing, more blind people who rock the world, so people can see us and realise that we’re just as able […]

Mohammed El-Gharani
We have great respect for today’s giraffe – someone who literally stuck his neck out when being imprisoned, without having done nothing. We know these things happen – yet it seems so incredible at the same time. In today’s talk we get an insight on what it’s like, to bear this destiny and at the same time, what lessons it […]

Tony Joy, founder of Durian in Nigeria
Tony Joy is doing impressive work in Nigeria. With her organisation Durian, she’s helping out the most marginalized people in rural areas, transforming the image and comprehension of rural equals poor and marginalized towards rural is creative and cool. How she’s managing to do this, she explains in a very straight forward, precise way in today’s podcast. Tony Joy is […]

DEFY: challenging conventional mainstream education
In todays Podcast Abhijit Sinha is making a clear point: coming from a high education system doesn’t automatically mean that it’s teaching you how to make the right choices, regarding humanity. The kanthari alumni is introducing us to Project DEFY. Project DEFY is helping communities in India to create their own schools, using Nooks, learning spaces to enable the participants […]

Sabriye Tenberken
A kanthari is a plant that grows wild in every backyard of Kerala, a small but very spicy chili with a number of medicinal values. A kanthari is also a symbol for those who have the guts to challenge harmful traditions and the status quo, who have fire in their belly and a lot of innovative ideas to make a […]

Restoring reefs: Aki Allagholi
“If we manage to get a stable ocean, there won’t be so many drastic climate changes and we will all look at a brighter future”.

Ann Medlock – Founder of the Giraffe Heroes Project
Today’s episode is sort of a special, since you get to listen personally to the one who started with the whole idea of nominating people sticking their necks out almost forty years ago. With Ann Medlock the Giraffe Heroes Project was born.

Louis de Cordier – Cosco
Cosco, the artist, explorer and social activist. When he landed himself in the Alpujarras well over a decade ago, among others he learnt about natural horse keeping. And soon he learnt about the bees and the problems with pesticides down in the low-lands; and that they recovered in the natural highlands where no industrial planting had reached yet.

Dimi du Mortier
The Giraffe we want to introduce you to today is Dimi. Dimi is a filmmaker who has produced several documentaries on shoestring budgets. About his most recent one, which is still in the making Not your bee, he will give some fascinating insights in this talk. He’s asking the right questions, like who do insects belong to and what might […]

Chris Malins
Chris is an educator and researcher in sustainability issues with a special interest in how today’s separation of people from nature is affecting their ability to cope with conflict, this especially with a view to younger generations. And he has developed methods to remedy this situation by reengaging us with nature.

Hendrik Haers
Todays podcast is taken our look to a green desert– meaning an area without diversified culture – meaning no food for insects to survive. Hendrik Haers, my guest today, is living in the centre of a village built in such a green desert – where there’s hardly any ground left that the village autorities don’t sell for building.

André Wermelinger. A Guardian, a beekeeper
Did you know you can train a dog as a beekeeper? Did you know that the bees need your help? What is the connection between the Bees and COVID-19? In today’s Episode Tom Amatt is talking with André Wermelinger, founder and leader of the NGO Free the Bees, Fribourg, Switzerland. He’s also a Giraffe Hero and will be talking among other things, about what could be a solution regarding todays bee keepings problems and how he fights to save the bees. Also, how can the bees be treated in a way that they’re still able to adapt to the climate change, as they have adapted to the evolution in the last 45 million years. This Episode it’s all about humans. About working for the bees and the trees and a society getting healthy again.

A direct encounter with NGO founder Tom Amatt
In this Episode you get insights from the founder Tom Amatt and get to know the particular vision this NGO has. We walk you through the process how to find and nominate people that stick their neck out and create a network among all of those, fighting for the common good, to make a difference.