Better Angels with Sarah Brown: Recent Episodes
Sarah Brown
Global campaigner and author Sarah Brown chats with people who've had a positive influence on the world around them, and unearths the lessons to help us do the same. Find out how to develop the better angel inside yourself. Featuring stories from globally renowned campaigners, Nobel Prize winners, celebrities, politicians and remarkable young people, Better Angels with Sarah Brown champions the activist spirit.
Credits: Executive Producer: Ben Hewitt Music: Pete Lyons Photo: Brian Aris
This year, Theirworld launched the Act For Early Years campaign, calling on world leaders and global institutions to act to support the world’s youngest children.
In March, Theirworld brought together a panel of experts to discuss at the critical issues around providing quality care and early learning for young children - and the burden that falls unfairly on women to plug the gap.
Sarah Brown, Theirworld Chair, was joined on an Instagram Live by Professor Dame Leslie Regan, the first women's health ambassador for England; Janet Mbugua, Kenyan media personality and gender equality advocate; Sara Pascoe, a comedian, writer and actor, and Sanjana Sanghi, an Indian actor and Save the Children India’s Youth Advocate for Education.
In this episode, the panellists share their own experiences balancing their careers with motherhood and discuss why affordable high-quality childcare is more important than ever.
To celebrate the 100th episode of Better Angels on World Children’s Day, Sarah handed over her hosting microphone to Andrew Jack, global education editor of the Financial Times, for a wide-ranging interview with her and her husband, Gordon Brown, about the state of global education.
Andrew asked Sarah and Gordon, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, about their motivations for advocating for children’s education and what actions world leaders need to take to give all children around the world a quality education.
“If we could become the first generation in history where every single child had an education and where instead of developing some of the potential of some of the children in some countries, we developed all the potential of all children in all countries, then that would, in my view, make the biggest difference to our prospects and possibilities as a world,” said Gordon.
Sarah reflects on her career as an activist and shares her insights from working with youth activists, displaced families and global movements for change during her 20 years as founder of the global children’s charity Theirworld.
In November, the world will gather in Egypt for COP27, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, to discuss ways to tackle the climate emergency.
In this episode, Sarah Brown speaks with Keya Lamba, the co-founder of Earth Warriors, an organisation bringing climate education to curriculums around the world, and most recently, with the support of Theirworld, to schools in Zambia and Botswana.
Keya talks about how climate education empowers students to take action to make the planet safer and greener.
Sarah also speaks with Maria Mphanza, a teacher at Mnyaula Community School in Zambia, one of the schools about to begin Earth Warriors’ curriculum, about her hope that the programme will help to combat deforestation in her community.
Right now, 260 million children are not in school, and many more are in the classroom but not receiving a quality education. Let down by poorly trained teachers, outdated curriculums and lack of digital connectivity, they risk not reaching their full learning potential.
Next week, world leaders will debate solutions to this crisis at the historic Transforming Education Summit in New York during the United Nations General Assembly.
To mark the summit, Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown spoke with Jayathma Wickramanayake, United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, and two Theirworld Global Youth Ambassadors, Mathilde Boulogne and Yuv Sungkur, who will be attending the event.
The Envoy spoke about why it is crucial for world leaders to listen to young campaigners and offered advice to young people trying to make their voices heard.
Mathilde and Yuv discussed why they are supporting the #LetMeLearn campaign, and what action they hope world leaders will take to avert an education catastrophe.
In the final episode of Theirworld’s 20th anniversary special, Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown talks with Beatrace Ndisha Mwanjala, a Global Youth Ambassador from Kenya, about what needs to be done to ensure we meet the United Nations goal of inclusive and quality education for all children by 2030.
Beatrace shares some of her own struggles accessing education, including what it was like to walk long distances to school when faced with the threat from wild animals.
Sarah also speaks with Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld and Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education, about his hopes for the future, and the power of education to fight inequality.
“Education has the power to be a great equaliser,” Justin says. “It can be a rising tide that can lift all boats, and I think getting equity in educational access and then the quality of education delivery that all young people deserve, that's going to be the biggest challenge we're facing.”
In the third episode of Theirworld’s 20th anniversary special, Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown talks with Motunrayo Fatoke, a Global Youth Ambassador (GYA) from Nigeria, about how forging powerful partnerships has helped to get some of the world’s most vulnerable children back into school.
We also hear from Maysa Jalbout, Senior Advisor on Education in Emergencies for Theirworld, about her work supporting refugee education in Greece.
She is joined by Elias Bou Saab, former Lebanese Minister of Education, who collaborated with Theirworld on the double shift school system in Lebanon, which has helped provide education for more than 300,000 refugee children.
In the final part of this episode, Lorriann Robinson, Director of The Advocacy Team and a Theirworld consultant, talks about some of the practical tools people can use to help them advocate for quality education.
In the second episode of Theirworld’s 20th anniversary special, Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown talks with Benedict Joson, a former Global Youth Ambassador (GYA) who supported Theirworld's 2015 #UpForSchool petition calling on world leaders to prioritise education.
The petition gathered 11 million signatures, making it the largest petition for education in history – and Benedict took a starring role, delivering the petition with global pop sensation Shakira to Gordon Brown, the UN’s Special Envoy for Global Education.
Sarah also speaks with Ben Hewitt, Theirworld‘s Director of Campaigns and Communications who spearheaded the campaign, about how supporters travelled to some of the remotest parts of the world to collect signatures for the petition.
Sarah also catches up with June Sarpong, author, broadcaster and Theirworld Advisory Board member, who was an ambassador for this campaign. She recalls the optimism of the GYAs and their determination to bring about change.
To celebrate Theirworld’s 20th anniversary, we have produced a special Better Angels podcast series about the history and evolution of the charity. In the opening episode of this four-part series, Theirworld Chair Sarah Brown talks with Dr Taha Khan, a former Global Youth Ambassador who was selected to support many of Theirworld’s early campaigns.
Sarah shares how her daughter Jennifer, who died just 10 days after being born prematurely, inspired her to establish the Jennifer Brown Research Laboratory to look into the causes and impacts of early birth.
We also hear from key figures from Theirworld’s early days who helped develop the charity’s commitment to supporting early years education and giving every child the best start in life.
Guests include Dr Ian Laing, a former neonatologist at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh; David Boutcher, Senior Corporate Partner at Reed Smith who has been involved with the charity since its inception; and Dr Pauline Rose, Director of the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge.
TW // Baby loss
Producer: Sarah Myles
In this episode, we hear some highlights from Theirworld's International Women's Day event and speak with some of the event's attendees about girls’ education and gender equality
Theirworld hosted its 7th annual International Women’s Day event on Thursday 4 March - but went virtual for the first time ever, due to Covid-19.
Covid-19 has put the issue of girls’ education firmly in the spotlight. Now more than ever, it’s important that we come together to hear from those who are campaigning to break down the barriers facing girls and discuss how we can act to unlock big change in the coming year.
Hear from inspiring women, including Maysa Jalbout, Global Business Coalition for Education Advisory Member. Hiba Zakka al-Jamal, Head of SKILD ; Zarlasht Halaimzai, Director and Co-Founder of RTI. And Unlock Big Change Award winner - Theo Sowa, Former CEO of The African Women's Development Fund. As well as Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Barrister and Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute. Jasvinder Sanghera CBE, Activist campaigner and founder Karma Nirvana. Tamara Box, Managing Partner, Europe and Middle East, and Senior Management Team, Reed Smith. Lorraine Candy, Journalist, Podcaster and parenting Author. Lorriann Robinson, Founder and Director, The Advocacy Team. Angela Saini, science journalist and author.
In this episode, Jamira Burley, Theirworld's Head of Youth Engagement & Skills, talks to two remarkable young women who are doing incredible work on the ground to open up education to the next generation of female leaders.
Together we explore what the global recovery should look like, and why girls’ education needs to be front and centre.
Educating girls creates not only greater equality for women but fairer, healthier and wealthier societies with benefits for everyone.
Rangina Hamidi, the Minister of Education in Afghanistan, talks to Sarah Brown about growing up as a child refugee in Pakistan.
She says she was faced with threats of acid attacks just because she went to school.
Her parents decided to flee to America to enable her and her sister to have an education.
She says the struggles she faced as a child made her determined to fight against the injustices in the world.
Sanda Ojiambo, Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, talks to Sarah Brown about how businesses can take positive action to address some of the world's biggest challenges.
Talking about climate change, she says that businesses have a choice: they can grow in a "GDP-led way" or follow "a green model of growth".
"If [these decisions] are made correctly, we can avert what looks like a very bleak future in terms of climate," she says.
She says that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented businesses and the United Nations with “a point of reflection” and an opportunity to reevaluate their priorities.
Danielle Green, a Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador from the United Kingdom, speaks to Sarah Brown about the importance of children receiving a good quality education.
Danielle says: “It really matters that children have not just an education or appear in an educational space, but that what they're being taught is really, really relevant and important.”
She tells Sarah that a good quality education helps children “take charge of their own destiny.”
Palak Sharma, a Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador from India, talks to Sarah Brown about the challenges facing the education system in her country.
She says that if the country is serious about advancing education for children, they must address issues around sanitation at the same time.
“The important task right now is to ensure that these two goals of education and sanitisation start working together in collaboration," she says.
Marianne Bitar Karam, Country Director at DOT Lebanon, a non-governmental organisation, speaks to Sarah Brown about the challenges facing children in her country during Covid-19.
She says that the digital divide in Lebanon meant that many children were excluded from education because they were unable to access online learning materials during the pandemic.
She also says that children in Lebanon were missing out on important lessons in social cohesion.
"We've lost something important," she says. "School or the formal education setting was a reason for students and adults to come together and to accept each other, to listen to each other, to create connectors between refugees."
Asked what motivates her, Marianne said it is her passion for her job, country and people that drives her to do what she does.
Obakeng Leseyane, a Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador, talks to Sarah Brown about the transformational impact of education on others.
He says that educating even just one child has a "ripple effect" on their community.
Growing up in Rustenburg, South Africa, Obakeng was told that the only way to be successful was to become a platinum miner.
He changed his fortune after receiving the highest educational scholarship in South Africa, something his family could have never dreamed of.
He now works in his community to help other children access education opportunities.
Theo Sowa, CEO, The African Women's Development Fund, talks to Sarah Brown about the rampant inequalities around the world which are depriving children of a better future.
She says that in the current situation, children who have benefited the most are those "who are wealthier and who are in economically secure situations."
To help the most marginalised children across the globe, she says it is time to get "radical about our inclusiveness.”
Theo says that good quality education for all children should be seen as just as important as basic needs like food, sanitation and shelter.
Annemiek Hoogenboom, Country Director, People's Postcode Lottery, tells Sarah Brown that "radical goals, patience and execution" are the building blocks for change.
She also says that luck has a big part to play. She says: "When we admit that a big part of our success is pure luck, it makes us want to help other people more.“
Annemiek also touches on her mission to improve the plight of girls by advocating for their education.
Sarah Brown talks to Emanuel "Boo Milton", about his work as a community organiser and youth advocate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
When Covid-19 struck, Boo created activity packs - called Spark Boxes - for children to ensure that they were able to continue their learning during the pandemic.
Talking about the power of learning, he says: "Education unlocks that special light that is inside all of us. I feel like all of us have a greatness that lies within us and education helps us articulate that.”
Tariq Al Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares, talks to Sarah Brown about the importance in developing countries of providing parents with incentives to send their children to school.
He says that health and sanitation programs which ensure children are fed and kept clean in the classroom help to persuade parents of the benefits of sending their children to school.
Al Gurg said that instead of going to school girls in poorer countries are often made to stay at home to help with the domestic responsibilities while boys are sent to work to earn money for their families.
He also argued that without quality education some of the greatest problems facing humanity, like COVID-19, will never be resolved.
John Goodwin, CEO of The LEGO Foundation, talks to Sarah Brown about the need to “redefine” play and “reimagine” learning.
He argues that play is often overlooked by society when in fact it helps children to develop important skills for adult life, such as critical thinking and problem solving.
“Play is the way that children are naturally wired to learn and by subjugating it to the end of line means that children are really inhibited from having the opportunity to get the maximum learning opportunity,” he says.
John also talks about the important role that education played in his own life, particularly teachers, who helped him to develop self-belief, confidence and resilience.
Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, speaks with Sarah Brown about the need for young people to vote - and to vote well - if they want to make a difference to people’s lives. In the inaugural episode of this Better Angels podcast series, he argues that voting is “the most basic and fundamental form of engagement” in democratic countries.
He also discusses the education crisis facing millions of child refugees around the world - a crisis which has been exacerbated by Covid-19.
Calling for greater investment in the education of young refugees, he says that “education is as important for refugees as it is for anyone”.
Refugee camps in Greece remain overcrowded and unhygienic beyond imagination, but until Covid-19 struck new education centres were a daily lifeline for children who had fled conflict and persecution, many arriving after perilous journeys from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.
This episode provides a glimpse into life in those camps and talks to the team behind Theirworld’s new report that offers a way forward out of the refugee education crisis. Sarah talks to organisations making a difference there, and to two refugees who shed their personal light on what those on the islands are going through.
Sarah talks to Maysa Jalbout, author of the report ‘Finding Solutions to Greece’s Refugee Education Crisis’; Justin van Fleet, president, Theirworld; Abi Hewitt, CEO and co-founder of Love Welcomes; Tanko Doris Laure, refugee from Cameroon; Sanda Leslie, refugee from Cameroon; Josie Naughton, chief executive officer, Help Refugees; Naoko Imoto, education chief UNICEF Partnership Office in Greece.
Theirworld is a major funder of education on the Greek Islands – with the support of the People’s Postcode Lotteries and our many individual supporters – in partnering with Education Cannot Wait, UNICEF, UNHCR and many local charities and groups.
Sarah Brown explores the themes of the new Penguin paperback How to Go Work, and its subtitle, the Honest Advice No Else Ever Tells You, with authors Lucy Clayton and Steven Haines.
Initially recorded just before lockdown for young activists and those starting out on their careers, Steven and Lucy then added an interview about how the coronavirus crisis is requiring all of us who are lucky enough to still be working to re-evaluate the value and impact of what we are doing.
Steven draws on his extensive campaign experience at Save the Children, and Lucy on her background in advertising and ethical fashion, to provide valuable advice in this challenging time to be starting out in the world of work, or beginning a new job or project.
Sarah Brown talks to guests at Theirworld’s sixth International Women’s Day event, where women from all walks of life, with a few men dotted around, gathered to talk and share their experiences, contacts and ideas on how to unlock big change for girls and young women.
We hear Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian finance minister and World Bank managing director, nearly moved to tears as she accepted our first Unlock Big Change award.
We hear from other inspiring women, including Jo Brand, self-proclaimed ‘comic, writer, mother and super-model’; Amrit Kaur Lohia, musician and Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador; Sophie Walker, chief executive of the Young Women’s Trust; Yvette Cooper MP, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee; Leena Nair, Chief HR Officer at Unilever; Rosemary Leith Berners-Lee, co-founder of the Web Foundation; Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, mathematician and co-founder of the Stemettes, and not forgetting, of course, Theirworld’s very own Jamira Burley, who hosted the event.
This is a special edition of the Better Angels podcast where we talk to iconic changemakers around the world.
This episode has been recorded for the People’s Postcode Lottery – for everyone who plays it and everyone who works there supporting both the players and the charities – at Theirworld we want to say thank you and share some of our stories from our Better Angels interviews so you can hear about the impact that your support makes.
Here you will hear from global leaders from the United Nations, European Commission, Africa, and Lebanon, from the Theirworld leadership team, our ambassador Nick Sharratt and if you listen to the end how well known actors like David Morrissey, Sir Patrick Stewart and David Tennant add their voices to our campaigns and causes they care about.
Theirworld’s vision is to end the global education crisis and unleash the potential of the next generation.
Five years ago, while nearly half of the world’s out-of-school children were caught up in conflict, its aftermath and natural disasters around the world, big change was needed. This meant addressing large-scale structural change as well as determining what works on the ground - from school transport and nutritious meals to trauma counselling and effective teaching for refugee children. The players of the People’s Postcode Lottery have enabled Theirworld to tackle new areas of involvement, push our campaign worldwide and get right up close to the decision-makers who can unlock that big change and create a brighter future for millions of children.
We believe that the trust that the players, and the team at People’s Postcode Lottery, have placed in Theirworld has made a difference to our goals. And we would like to share with you some of the perspectives on how we go about addressing the global education crisis
Contributors (in order of appearance)
Sarah Brown
Chair, Theirworld
Graça Machel
Global advocate for women’s and children’s rights
Wanja Maina
Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld.
Jamira Burley
Youth engagement advisor, Theirworld
Amina Mohammed
Deputy Secretary-General, the United Nations
Annemiek Hoogenboom
Country Director, People’s Postcode Lotteries
Christos Stylianides
Former European Commissioner for Humanitarian and Aid Crisis Management
Melissa Fleming
Head of Communications, the United Nations
Elias Bou Saab
Former Lebanese Minister for Education and Higher Education
Justin van Fleet
President, Theirworld
Nick Sharratt
Children’s illustrator and author
Yasmine Sherif
Director, Education Cannot Wait
David Morrissey
Actor and UNHCR ambassador
David Tennant
Actor
Sir Patrick Stewart
Actor
Shazia Ramzan
Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld
Kainat Riaz
Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld
Better Angels is presented by Sarah Brown. The producer is Ben Hewitt, and it is edited by Warren Borg of Worgie productions. February 2020.
Max Kenner, founder and executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative in the United States, discusses the impact of prison education with Sarah Brown. As he says, ‘nothing does more to create a sense of hope and purpose in otherwise desperate places than the opportunity to learn’.
A leading advocate for his cause, Max’s programme enrols jailed men and women in academic courses that culminate in a degree from the prestigious Bard College in New York.
He has a battle on his hands to make the case for prison learning in a country with the highest incarceration rate in the world, which sees 630,000 prisoners released annually, only for nearly 50 per cent to end up back in prison within five years.
In something of a first for Better Angels, Sarah talks to husband & wife advocates for change - Dan Snow, the popular TV presenter and historian, and Edwina Grosvenor, philanthropist and prison activist. They discuss their passion for speaking up for under-privileged people and how understanding the past informs their activism and awareness.
Edwina’s charity strives for positive change in the justice system, while she is also a founding investor and Ambassador of the Clink Restaurant chain, which trains prisoners for work in the catering industry. She talks about how a visit to a prison drug rehabilitation unit at the age of 12 inspired a career supporting prison reform.
Her work has taken her all over the UK and around the world, visiting different models of criminal justice and witnessing first hand examples of best – and worst - prison practice.
Dan Snow discusses the need to appreciate the complexity of people’s pasts and personal stories when assessing how to pursue social justice and reform. Known as the History Guy, Dan is one of the most familiar faces on television in the UK. He now hosts his own digital history channel and podcast, History Hit, a seemingly endless source of programming about fascinating aspects of history. He began presenting for the BBC soon after leaving university, and went on to front countless series and programmes on key moments in British and global history.
Young activists share their ideas on campaigning to end the global education crisis. Sarah speaks to four of Theirworld’s Global Youth Ambassadors, inspiring young campaigners.
They share their passion for helping children around the world gain access to education and talk about the important role education has to play in providing life skills that will serve them long into the future.
Wanja Maina is an inclusive education campaigner from Kenya whose mother carried her several miles each day on her back to school because of her disability. She ended up with a Master’s degree and a commitment to see others get into school and learning no matter what barriers they may face.
Javita Nauth is an American-Guyanese Global Youth Ambassador from Guyana who focuses on Early Childhood Education. One of her major projects is reconstructing eco-friendly and earthquake resistant schools in rural parts of Nepal Badly affected by the 2015 earthquake.
Pavel Sarwar, originally from Bangladesh, is now living and working in Malaysia. He is a tech entrepreneur and education campaigner who co-founded Youth Hub, a non-profit platform for young tech entrepreneurs that runs school coding and initiatives for girls and young women in ICT.
Jocelyne Jeannot has been a Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador since 2014. She works at the American-Pakistan Foundation as the Director for Community Engagement, and is also a published, award-winning photographer
Sarah talks to remarkable campaigner and inclusion expert Vibhu Sharma about how to bring more children and young people with disabilities into education.
Sharing the difficulties she went through at school, Vibhu speaks about making sure that others do not have the same experience.
They discuss what makes education truly inclusive, for children with or without a disability, or young refugees or children living in conflict situations
This interview was recorded in September 2019 during the United Nations General Assembly in New York
This episode of Better Angels was edited by Warren Borg, Worgie Productions.
June Sarpong MBE, writer and broadcaster, takes over as guest host, talking to Justin van Fleet, President of Theirworld and Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education.
Justin describes how a trip to Bolivia as a teenager inspired him to work in education, and how education is providing hope and a degree of normality to thousands of young people trapped in desperate conditions in refugee camps on the Greek islands.
They discuss Theirworld’s #WriteTheWrong campaign to provide an education to the 260 million children around the world who every day are denied a place in school.
This podcast interview was recorded in New York in September 2019 during the United Nations General Assembly.
This episode of Better Angels was edited by Warren Borg, Worgie Productions.
Sarah talks to activists at the heart of the Extinction Rebellion campaign, which seemed to burst out of nowhere in the spring of 2019 with its demand for action to end the world’s climate crisis and ecological emergency.
In the midst of new actions in London, Clare Farrell, Will Skeaping and Dr Deepa Shah discuss how the movement has made its mark, and how traditional campaigning methods were failing to influence governments.
Clare Farrell is a fashion sustainability expert and co-founded Extinction Rebellion out of horror at the cost of fashion production to people and the planet.
Will Skeaping is a former advertising executive, and co-editor of The Extinction Rebellion Handbook: This is Not a Drill.
Dr Deepa Shah is a London GP and member of Doctors of Extinction Rebellion.
This podcast interview was recorded on 8th October 2019 at Soho Radio with thanks for the studio use.
This episode of Better Angels was edited by Warren Borg, Worgie Productions.
Comedian, Writer and Actor Rosie Jones joins Sarah for a conversation on what drew Rosie to comedy in the first place and the representation of people with disabilities on TV and in the media.
Inspired by the passion for her call for disability, inclusion and equal rights, Sarah jumped at the opportunity to speak to Rosie during the Edinburgh Fringe 2019, where Rosie’s sold-out one-woman show entitled ‘Backward’ provoked the question - “Am I backward, or are they?”
Sarah and Rosie discuss the impact and legacy of the London 2012 Paralympics as a platform for not only athletes, but presenters with disabilities, and the need for more representation of disabilities on British TV outside of disability-focussed programmes. Rosie also highlights the need for more education around disability, and her aim is to get her story out to raise awareness of different disabilities. She is also very funny (Rosie that is, not Sarah!)
Sarah looks back at 3 years of conversations with extraordinary Better Angels Sir Patrick Stewart, Caroline Criado Perez, Sarah Corbett, Theo Sowa CBE, Jamira Burley and Peter Tatchell. This one-off Greatest Hits episode revisits different campaigning styles, why these remarkable campaigners are advocates for change in their field, and their incredible journeys.
Join Sarah and experience a sample of the magic moments where these incredible activists tell us how they’re taking down barriers and opening up opportunities for the most vulnerable and marginalised people.
Caroline Criado Perez is a writer and feminist activist and one of Britain's best known campaigners for women’s rights and visibility.
Jamira Burley is a youth activist and social justice advocate, fighting to create sustainable and systematic change to improve the lives of young people across the world.
Sir Patrick Stewart supports various social issues including progressive politics for fairness and social justice, addressing domestic violence with the charity Refuge, and being a powerful advocate for a better understanding of the mental health issues faced by our war veterans.
Peter Tatchell is a British human rights campaigner, fighting for LGBT rights and supporting indigenous groups of people suffering unfairness in marginalised territories.
Sarah Corbett is a professional activist and founder of Craftivist Collective - a social enterprise that combines craft and activism to engage people with social justice in a non-confrontational way.
Theo Sowa CBE is CEO of the African Women’s Development Fund and is an advisor on a range of international issues with a focus on social issues.
Slay in Your Lane Authors Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené join Sarah to discuss the success of their first book as a best-selling guide to life for black British women, and their newly published book Slay in Your Lane: The Journal.
Yomi and Elizabeth explain the intentions of Slay in Your Lane steering Black British women to find role models, share advice and build stronger connections with each other and in their wider working environments. They also tell Sarah how their project developed, how it hit home with some many women and how they see Slay in Your Lane developing into a movement beyond their expectations.
This episode takes us into more depth on the initial idea, explores how their language focuses on activism, and how they wanted to share the achievements and advice of prominent Black British women whilst adding their own views and recommendations for achieving a balanced and successful working and personal life.
Yomi is an award-winning journalist writing for The Guardian and many other media titles, and Elizabeth is an award-winning marketing manager and is a columnist at the Financial Times.
In this new series of the Better Angels podcast, host Sarah Brown is exploring how different personality types call for change.
For the final episode of this series, Sarah speaks with Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Change at Save the Children Kirsty McNeill, who is leading teams to galvanise the public and influence policy makers on humanitarian action, global development and help for children here in the UK.
In this new series of the Better Angels podcast, Sarah Brown is exploring how different personality types call for change.
In this episode of the series, Sarah speaks to a range of guests about the new styles of campaigning, ones that look different to what we usually see and don’t always start with big budgets. These campaigns are often down to one person, affected in a personal way, which can launch some of the most innovative ideas.
First we hear from James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand, co-founders of Oscar’s Book Prize, an annual prize for the best books written for under-fives, awarded each year in memory of Oscar Ashton. Sarah talks to James and Viveka about their young son Oscar, who passed away 2012 when he was three and a half years old and how Oscar’s Book Prize has grown over its six years of operation.
Next, Sarah speaks with Ivan Rosales, a campaigner whose own immigration status gave him insight into the experiences of those living in limbo right now in the United States, as undocumented young people. Using his experience, he founded the New York State Leadership Council, an organisation that empowers immigrant youth to drop the fear and challenge the American immigration system.
Sarah then speaks with Carys Afoko, co-founder of Level Up, a new feminist organisation launched at the start of 2018, with a mission to build a community of feminists who can work together to end sexism in the UK.
Paul Divakar, a renowned Dalit activist and former General Secretary of the National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, based in Delhi, speaks with Sarah about a personal trauma that inspired him to act.
Finally we hear from Kirsty Mcneill, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Change at Save the Children, who is leading teams to galvanise the public and influence policy makers on humanitarian action, global development and help for children here in the UK.
In this Better Angels interview special, host Sarah Brown speaks with James Ashton and Viveka Alvestrand, co-founders of Oscar’s Book Prize, an annual prize for the best books written for under-fives, awarded each year in memory of Oscar Ashton.
Oscar’s Book Prize champions the vital importance of reading to young minds and as Chair of Theirworld, who recently mobilised a global campaign for investment in early learning and pre-primary education, Sarah understands the importance of advocacy such as this.
Invited this year to be a judge of Oscar’s Book Prize 2019, Sarah talks to James and Viveka about their young son Oscar, who passed away in 2012 when he was three and a half years old and how Oscar’s Book Prize has grown over its six years of operation.
In this new series of the Better Angels podcast, Sarah Brown is exploring how different personality types call for change. In this episode of the series, Sarah speaks to a range of guests about the Voices of activism.
First we hear from Scottish actor David Tennant about his work supporting various charities, including Comic Relief and Worldwide Cancer Research. Sarah speaks to David about how to best use his well known voice for a good cause.
Sarah then speaks with Omotoke Titilope Olowo, a Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador from Nigeria, who represented her country and the charity at the United Nations meetings in 2018. Sarah speaks with Omotoke about her work as a special needs therapist at a school in Nigeria, and how her work shapes her campaigning voice.
Next, we hear from Kim Polman, founder of Reboot the Future, a non-profit organisation that aims to use the Golden Rule, 'treat others as you would wish to be treated,' to inspire, unite and hold to account leaders and citizens to build an increasingly compassionate and sustainable world.
Finally, Sarah speaks with Natasa Pantelic about her work as a local councillor in England, and how she is finding a voice to make a difference in her local community.
In this Better Angels Interview Special, Sarah Brown speaks to Caroline Criado Perez, a writer and feminist activist and one of Britain's best known campaigners for women’s rights and visibility.
Starting with The Women’s Room project, a national campaign to call for female experts to be better represented in discussion, Caroline then took on the Bank of England, who were at risk of removing the only other female face, apart from the Queen, from British banknotes. This lead to the Bank of England announcing Jane Austen would feature on the £10 note. In 2018, Caroline’s latest campaign culminated successfully in the instillation of the first ever female statue, of suffragist campaigner Millicent Fawcett, in London’s parliament square, opposite The House of Commons.
Ever engaged as a feminist activist, Caroline works now to inspire and explore women’s participation in the democratic process, and has just published a new book Invisible Women.
Building on her interview in The Noise of Activism, you can hear Caroline’s full interview here, and explore what inspires her work.
In this new series of the Better Angels podcast, Sarah Brown is exploring how different personality types call for change.
In this episode of the series, Sarah speaks to a range of guests about the Noise of activism, and how the volume of a protest can help it reach audiences fast and with impact.
First, we hear from British journalist and feminist activist Caroline Criado Perez about her work with The Women’s Room project and her campaign against the Bank of England, when they were at risk of removing the only other female face, apart from the Queen, from British banknotes.
Sarah then speaks with education development practitioner, youth advocate and Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador Gideon Olanrewaju, about Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative, an organisation he founded in 2014 to ensure access to quality education for those in rural communities across Africa.
Finally, we hear from Inna Modja, a Malian musician and activist for women and girls rights and climate change. Sarah speaks with Inna about her Great Green Wall project with the United Nations, her upcoming documentary film which saw her take a life-changing journey through Africa and her concept of the African Dream.
Listen to Sarah Brown in conversation with Sarah Corbett, Claire Heuchan and Stuart Beveridge with special episodes of their interviews from the Quiet Activism podcast
Claire Heuchan is the award-winning black feminist writer who blogs under the name Sister Outrider.
In these interview specials, listen to Sarah Brown’s extended interviews with guests from the Quiet Activism Better Angels episode.
Stuart Beveridge, who has been blind since birth, works for Seescape challenging large technology companies to improve their accessibility and better communicate what features they offer.
In these interview specials, listen to Sarah Brown’s extended interviews with guests from the Quiet Activism Better Angels episode.
Sarah Corbett is a professional activist and founder of Craftivist Collective - a social enterprise that combines craft and activism to engage people with social justice in a non-confrontational way.
In this new series of the Better Angels podcast, Sarah Brown is exploring how different personality types call for change.
In this first episode of a new series, Sarah speaks to inspiring guests about quiet activism and how introverts are using their gentle voices to create big change.
First, we hear from Sarah Corbett about the the challenges that introverts can face and the art of gentle protest. Sarah is professional activist and founder of Craftivist Collective - a social enterprise that combines craft and activism to engage people with social justice in a non-confrontational way.
Sarah also spoke to Claire Heuchan, the award-winning black feminist writer who blogs under the name Sister Outrider. Listen as they discuss how about the significance reader’s attach to Claire’s blog and how through building connection and being honest about mental health, she has created change.
Stuart Beveridge has been blind since birth and through his work with Seescape, is challenging large technology companies to improve their accessibility and better communicate what features they offer. Accompanied by his guide dog Ron, Stuart spoke to Sarah about how accessibility in technology is breaking down barriers and how social media creates partnership and community.
Live from Theirworld’s International Women’s Day breakfast event in London and hosted by Sarah Brown and U.S. activist and youth skills campaigner Jamira Burley, this Better Angels episode features inspiring women from a variety of sectors joining together to discuss safe schools and how to break down barriers to girls’ education.
You will hear from actor Indira Varma, TV presenters Anita Rani and Fiona Phillips and Labour MP Yvette Cooper.
The event was headlined by young women, including Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz – who were attacked by terrorists in 2012 on their way home from school in Pakistan. The opening panel also included Yara Eid, a remarkable young Palestinian woman who grew up in Gaza and continued her education despite experiencing attacks on her home and school.
At the event, Theirworld’s 2019 Inspiration Award and #WriteTheWrong Award were presented to Jude Kelly CBE and Shaheed Fatima QC respectively for their contributions to the girls’ education movement.
Join Theirworld, Sarah Brown and Jamira Burley in breaking down the barriers to girls’ education.
Ahead of today's Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony in Oslo, host Sarah Brown revisits her interview special with this years Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege.
Dr Mukwege is a modern-day hero and a truly remarkable man, with an unwavering dedication to the physical and mental health of women. Using his medical expertise, Dr Mukwege has become a trusted witness to the physical consequences of gang rape. He has enduring courage for speaking up for change and working hour after hour, to operate and save the lives of women whose bodies and spirits are damaged.
This interview special focuses on Dr. Denis Mukwege’s career as a world renowned gynaecological surgeon who founded the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, to help women who are victims of gang rape and other sexual violences. These acts are a widely used as a tool of war in DRC, and are increasing so much so that the women of the DRC are seeing the threat of sexual violence encroaching on their everyday lives. His global influence is growing such that he is the world's leading male advocate against sexual violence offering both practical and advocacy solutions.
In this Better Angels interview special guest host Tom Fletcher speaks to former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Education Gordon Brown and Director of the Education Commission Liesbet Steer about the new International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd). IFFEd has been proposed to generate the huge sums needed for countries to ensure all their young citizens can go to school and receive a quality education. The facility was announced earlier this year by the UN Secretary-General António Guterres with the support of the Word Bank President, and in this Better Angels interview special Tom talks to the key people behind the facility to explain the overall vision and how it will really work.
In this Better Angels interview special guest host Tom Fletcher speaks with British politician and diplomat Baroness Valerie Amos, who served as the Leader of the House of Lords, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Secretary of State and Emergency Relief Coordinator and British High Commissioner to Australia.
Valerie also served as Secretary of State for International Development and in doing so became the first black woman to sit in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. Today Valerie is the Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, becoming the first black woman to lead a university in the United Kingdom.
Valerie’s extraordinary career has seen her break ground many times and take on great challenges with enormous composure, leaving a track record of solid achievement in her wake.
In this interview special, Valerie shares her perspective and private thoughts on the barriers she’s crossed and the experiences of her professional life.
Throughout the series we’ve heard from world leaders, teachers, tech entrepreneurs, CEOs and Prime Ministers from around the world about what the future of learning looks like, and what skills people will need in the future.
The final episode explores the how...if we can see what change is needed, why is it so hard? Three gurus on social media and campaigning give their answers on how to make change happen in the Digital Age. And a philanthropist and former Prime Minister explain the practical ways they are changing education.
Tom speaks with co-founder and CEO of Purpose Jeremy Heimans, author and entrepreneur Jonah Sachs, founder of Beautiful Destinations Jeremy Jauncey, Founder of People’s Postcode Lottery Annemiek Hoogenboom and former UK Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Education Gordon Brown.
Thank you to Tom Fletcher and all the Better Angels he spoke with along the journey to make this special series, we hope you have learnt something valuable and continue to champion your activist spirit!
The fourth episode of Learning in the Digital Age: A Better Angels special with Tom Fletcher continues to explore jobs of the future and the skills people will need for these, such as creativity, problem solving and the tasks humans can do better than the robots.
Tom speaks to British Labour politician Cathy Ashton, Emirati politician and President of Zayed University Sheikha Lubna, 2018 Global Teacher Prize winner Andria Zafirako and former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos.
The third episode of Learning in the Digital Age: A Better Angels special with Tom Fletcher explores the importance of connectivity and creativity in the Digital Age and asks what are the most important skills to gain for the jobs of the future?
Tom speaks to former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, co-founder of Technology Will Save Us Daniel Hirschman, neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart and British tech entrepreneur Tabitha Goldstaub.
The second episode of Learning in the Digital Age: A Better Angels special with Tom Fletcher moves from head to heart as Tom looks at what character we will need to thrive in the future.
Hear Tom speak to a range of guests about what characters we need to thrive in the Digital Age, from resilience, to courage and emotional development.
You’ll hear from retired British Army officer Sir Graeme Lamb, Lebanese sportsman, mountaineer and explorer Maxime Chaya and British communications specialist, formerly Britain's youngest former Ambassador Julie Chappell. Tom asks the question: Can we learn to be kind, curious and brave?
Better Angels guest host Tom Fletcher speaks to founder and Country Director Great Britain and Germany of People’s Postcode Lottery, Annemiek Hoogenboom.
A political science graduate, Annemiek started her career as a university lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, before moving to Sudan to set up a new communications faculty at Ahfad University in Omdurman.
As part of Tom's special series on Learning in the Digital Age, listen to Tom speak with Annemiek about how private sector is making a real difference on the ground for the global education crisis, sometimes ahead of NGOs and government.
Annemiek discusses with Tom how her personal experiences in Sudan shaped her passion for education, a passion which now shapes the work of the People’s Postcode Lottery, one of the largest donors in the world finding solutions to the global education crisis.
This special series of Sarah Brown’s Better Angels podcast follows Tom Fletcher, diplomat and global education campaigner, as he travels from the Beqaa Valley to Silicon Valley to find out how we can learn the right things in the right way to thrive in the Digital Age. Tom asks everyone - from Prime Ministers to tech CEOs to movie stars and a classroom of 12-year olds - about the key lessons that made them who they are, what future generations need to take humanity forward, and how to unleash this opportunity?
Episode one of the series explores the overarching question: What should future generations learn in order to thrive in the Digital Age?
Speaking with President of Theirworld Sarah Brown, political economist and Principal of Hertford College, University of Oxford Will Hutton, former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Rev. Prof. Fadi Daou, entrepreneur and journalist Emma Sinclair and Chief Executive of the British Library Roly Keating, Tom explores what is at the core of a good education with these entrepreneurs, politicians and thinkers.
In this interview special, host Sarah Brown speaks with campaigner and investigative journalist Clare Rewcastle Brown, whose campaign to protect the precious Borneo rainforest ended with the disgrace and fall of the Malaysian Prime Minister.
Clare, who has been banned from travelling to Malaysia and once battled an attempt to place her on Interpol's most wanted list, speaks to Sarah Brown about her relentless fight against the wrongdoings of Malaysia's political elite to save Borneo's rainforests.
Clare's incredible investigation, which delved into the deforestation of Borneo, the corruption behind it and the effects on the indigenous community, is discussed in detail in this episode of Better Angels.
In this powerful interview special host Sarah Brown talks to Jessica Morris, a campaigner and change maker who channeled her skills and career as a highflying communications executive to become a fearless campaigner to tackle a challenge that was threatening her own life; a rare form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.
May is Brain Tumour Awareness Month in the United States, and there is much to talk and learn about brain cancer. Just last week, hundreds of brain cancer advocates rallied at Capitol Hill to push for more funding for medical research and acceleration of drug discovery, and development.
Glioblastoma has taken the life of several well-known people, including Senator Ted Kennedy, former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Beau Biden and most recently Dame Tessa Jowell.
Since Jessica’s diagnosis, she has channeled her energy into ways to accelerate progress against brain cancer. Alongside a medical team and a community of others living with brain cancer, Jessica founded OurBrainBank - http://www.ourbrainbank.com/
Listen to this emotive episode that explores Jessica’s journey since diagnosis and her optimism throughout the journey.
Please be advised this episode comes with a language warning.
In this episode of Better Angels with Sarah Brown, we hear from high profile leaders live from Washington DC during the World Bank Spring Meetings. These leaders came together at a breakfast hosted by The Global Business Coalition for Education, to focus on the need for innovative thinking around education delivery, and why it is so important for business, government and civil society to all work together on this cause.
Speakers include CEO of the World Bank Kristalina Georgieva and Adviser to The Global Business Coalition for Education Professor Tom Fletcher. A panel discussion follows with speakers including UNHCR’s Filippo Grandi, Norway’s Minister for Development Nikolai Astrup, Denmark's Minister for Development and Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs and Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, African Union, Professor Sarah Anyang Agbor
Contributors to the episode discuss issue around the skills young people need for the jobs of the future and how innovation can help deliver a thorough education to everyone.
Sarah Brown joins award-winning magician Dynamo and champions of global education for a live podcast from the UN-EU Syria Summit in Brussels.
In this episode of Better Angels, Sarah Brown chairs a Q&A with Theirworld Ambassador Magician Impossible Dynamo, who went to Brussels as part of their #YouPromised campaign, to showcase his film '72 Hours,' which calls on world leaders to keep their promise to get all Syrian refugee children into education.
You will also hear from Christos Stylianides, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Jean-Louis De Brouwer, Director of Operations in the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department and Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW) - a global fund to transform the delivery of education in emergencies. This episode was recorded by the EC Audiovisual Service and the copyright for the content is held by the European Union, 2018. You can find the full content, including video here: https://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?sitelang=en&ref=I154329 Copy-write © European Union , 2018 / Source: EC - Audiovisual Service / Photo: Jennifer Jacquemart.
In this Better Angels special, Sarah Brown introduces Theirworld ambassador, comedian, writer, producer and activist Sandi Toksvig.
Sandi is a mighty moral force championing human rights, passionate about LGBTQI equality and determined to put gender equality at the forefront of her campaigning and professional life.
Between presenting TV and radio and writing books and plays, Sandi generously gives her time to charities and their events. Most recently becoming involved in politics, as the co-founder of Women’s Equality Party in the UK.
Sandi was invited by the Adam Smith Global Foundation to give the 2018 Adam Smith Lecture in Fife, Scotland and Theirworld President Sarah Brown attended to hear Sandi’s informative, thought provoking and entertaining lecture,
Listen to Sandi’s lecture on gender equality and why feminism makes economic sense.
The lecture takes you on a journey to discover why achieving gender equality holds up as a smart, progressive and fair way for society to operate.
Sarah Brown talks to Annie Lennox, Kim Cattrall, June Sarpong, Cressida Dick, Lyse Doucet, Arabella Weir, Jasvinder Sanghera and a host of inspiring women for International Women's Day 2018.
This International Women’s Day Better Angels special focuses on the theme #ChangeTheCulture - a challenge to end violence against girls and women both in the UK and around the world.
In this episode, host Sarah Brown speaks to an array of inspirational women live from Theirworld’s International Women’s Day Breakfast, including the first female Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Cressida Dick, singer and activist Annie Lennox, actor and producer Kim Cattrall, TV presenter June Sarpong, BBC’s Lyse Doucet, Director of Development and External Affairs of Safer London Sarah Castro, comedian, actor and writer Arabella Weir, Jess Phillips - MP for Birmingham Yardley, award winning academic Dr. Nicola Rollock who specialises in race equality, former Editorial Director of Hearst UK and Editor in Chief of Cosmopolitan Louise Court and campaigner and advocate for the rights of those experiencing forced marriages and honour based abuse, Jasvinder Sanghera.
You will also hear from Esperande and Nidia, two survivors of sexual violence as a weapon of warfare who are bravely speaking out about their experiences, in an effort to #ChangeTheCulture. Both Nidia and Esperande are part of a newly launched Survivor Network, supported by the Dr.Denis Mukwege Foundation. The network aims to support other women around the world who are victims of sexual violence due to war.
Tune in to this International Women’s Day special to hear from those women working to #ChangeTheCulture and find out how you can too.
In this Better Angels episode focusing on the importance of girls’ education, Sarah Brown talks to an array of inspirational guests including Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Amina Mohammed, former Australian Prime Minister and Chair of the Global Partnership for Education Julia Gillard, young education champions Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz, and co-founder of HOPE for Children Cameroon and Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador Joannes Yimbesalu.
Amina Mohammed talks about the the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on the gender and education goals. She highlights the basic right to education that all girls are entitled to and the potential it brings to their future life and family.
Julia Gillard discusses her move from politics into education and her role with the Global Partnership for Education.
Shazia Ramzan and Kainat Riaz, who were also attacked in the shooting of Malala Yousafzai on their school bus in Pakistan in 2012, discuss their journey back into education, as well as how they now help and inspire other girls to continue fighting for their right to education.
Joannes Yimbesalu talks about his work with children in rural Cameroon and how to ensure they stay in school and learn in a safe environment.
Audio of Queen Rania with thanks to Girl Rising
Audio of Michelle Obama with courtesy of Barack Obama Presidential Library
Better Angels New Year Special
Happy New Year! Welcome to the first Better Angels episode of 2018, the podcast for the activist spirit.
As 2017 turned out to be a shade darker than the already gloomy 2016, people around the world are bracing for what comes next. High human costs of war, attacks and assaults on women, children, hospitals and schools, and the ever-growing gap between the haves and the have-nots.
Yet where there is darkness, we can always find light. We can find the very best of humanity in individuals who offer hope and inspiration, through the generosity of their acts, both large and small.
To start off 2018, Sarah Brown called out via social media for people to contribute their best actions of the year, the ones that highlight the ‘Better Angels’ of their nature. For the first podcast of 2018, we are sharing the stories of amazing people across the world and their inspiring acts.
You will hear from:
- Kiko, who has learnt to row and is aiming row solo across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for a hospital and, importantly, empower other women.
- Maisha, a Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador (GYA) from Singapore, who is a champion of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on gender equality.
- Oraeki Chukwujekwu Francis, a GYA who teaches secondary school students about career choices to help them plan their life after school.
- Lavanya, a 19-year-old British student on her Gap year in India, volunteering to help children with their education.
- Tauseef, another GYA who organised the Global Transformation Forum, one of the largest events in Malaysia, as well as taking part in other incredible work globally.
- Marshall, a GYA from Malawi who is taking Theirworld’s #5for5 campaign to the next level in Malawi, to support early childhood development in his country.
In this episode of Better Angels focusing on Safe Schools, Sarah Brown talks to the Director of Education Cannot Wait Yasmine Sherif, Nigerian lawyer Zannah Mustapha, who helped to secure the release of dozens of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram, former Theirworld Global Youth Ambassador and active campaigner Courage Nyamhunga, and activist and campaigner Sylvia Kayko.
Yasmine talks about Education Cannot Wait and their work globally, helping the more than 75 million children today who are severely affected by armed conflict, war, persecution and natural disasters get back into education.
Courage talks of the millions of children who miss out on the chance to go to school and the ‘lost generation’ that could result.
Zannah speaks to Sarah about Safe Schools in Nigeria and the climate felt around sending children to schools after the abduction of over 200 girls by Boko Haram in 2014. He also discusses the logistics of the Nigerian Safe Schools programme, and the many instances where children of Boko Haram members are in the same classrooms as other children.
Finally, Sylvia discusses her own experience of being forced out of education and pressured into early marriage, and how her own background and struggles led her to campaign and fight for girls to stay in education.
In this interview special Sarah Brown talks to CEO of International Alert Harriet Lamb about peacebuilding, and her longstanding career working for Fairtrade International, The Fairtrade Foundation and International Alert.
Harriet Lamb became CEO of International Alert in November 2015, a not-for-profit organisation that works to enable people to find peaceful solutions to conflict, believing ‘peace is within our power.’ Harriet leads peacebuilding activities around the world, overseeing programme implementation, strategy, fundraising, advocacy and outreach.
Before working with International Alert, Harriet was CEO of Fairtrade International and Executive Director of the UK-based Fairtrade Foundation. Sarah first met Harriet when approached with the challenge to make 10 Downing Street completely Fairtrade, which was achieved in 2009.
Under Harriet's leadership, Fairtrade products in the UK went from £30 million in her first year, to $1.3 billion in 2011. Harriet was awarded an OBE in 2006 in recognition of her work in growing Fairtrade in the UK.
Now with International Alert, Harriet's focus is firmly on peacebuilding processes, the role communities play, how to protect development and how to avoid abuse of human rights.
Listen to Sarah talk with Harriet about her long career and dig deeper into the role of peacebuilding and how and where it can be effective.
Sarah Brown talks to Dr. Denis Mukwege, a doctor saving women’s lives in Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Dr Mukwege is a modern-day hero and a truly remarkable man, with an unwavering dedication to the physical and mental health of women. Using his medical expertise, Dr. Mukwege has become a trusted witness to the physical consequences of gang rape. He has enduring courage for speaking up for change and working hour after hour, to operate and save the lives of women whose bodies and spirits are damaged.
This interview special focuses on Dr. Denis Mukwege’s career as a world renowned gynecological surgeon who founded the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, to help women who are victims of gang rape and other sexual violences. These acts are a widely used as a tool of war in DRC, and are increasing so much so that the women of the DRC are seeing the threat of sexual violence encroaching on their everyday lives. His global influence is growing such that he is the world's leading male advocate against sexual violence offering both practical and advocacy solutions.
Dr. Mukwege has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize no less than three times, yet remains modest and selflessly dedicated to his work and to the wider campaign to change what is happening to women in the DRC and other conflict zones. Listen to Dr. Mukwege talk about his life’s work at the Panzi Hospital and on the global stage.
Sarah Brown talks to Harriet Lamb, Kirthi Jayakumar, Jakaya Kikwete with contributions from United Nations Secretary General António Guterres.
In one of his first speeches ten days into his role as the ninth UN Secretary General, António Guterres stated that the world was spending far more time and resources on responding to crises, rather than preventing them. He spoke of rebalancing the world's approach to peace and sustainability, and our responsibility to do more to prevent war and sustain peace.
In this episode we hear from inspiring guests, all who make peacebuilding their greatest priority. Listen as they discuss their different approaches to peacebuilding and explore how to apply these to today’s conflicts.
Harriet Lamb became CEO of International Alert in November 2015, having previously been CEO of Fairtrade International. International Alert enables people to find peaceful solutions to conflict, believing ‘peace is within our power.’
Jakaya Kikwete was the former President of Tanzania, who spent his years as President working to hold his diverse country of 120 tribes together and avoid conflict.
Kirthi Jayakumar is a women's rights activist, social entrepreneur, peace activist, artist, lawyer and writer. She founded The Red Elephant Foundation, an initiative built on storytelling, civilian peace-building and activism for gender equality. Kirthi focuses on gender equality with peacebuilding at the heart, believing one cannot exist without the other.
The Better Angels podcast with Sarah Brown will help you to transform your voice into meaningful action. Featuring stories from around the world about activism, campaigning, comedy, and youth action, Better Angels with Sarah Brown champions the activist spirit.
“This is not your average listen. You won’t want to miss it” - Elle Magazine.
“The theme of her show could hardly be more relevant at the moment.” - New Statesman
Sarah Brown talks to Lord Cashman CBE, a social campaigner dedicated to tackling poverty and social injustice. Throughout his life, Michael Cashman has championed LGBT issues and been at the centre of unfolding changes in legislation and social acceptance for LGBT people in Britain, as well as actively campaigning internationally.
This episode explores the history of the LGBT movement over the last 50 years and Michael’s involvement in the many parts of this complex movement, and how its elements came together to achieve the change and equal rights it sought for LGBT people.
As co-founder and the first chairman of Stonewall, a campaigning charity for LGBT rights, his approach has been to engage in the political process, by discussing and negotiating.
Michael is also an actor and will forever be remembered for the first UK gay screen kiss back in 1989, on British TV series EastEnders. He’s also had a distinguished political career as an elected member of the European parliament, and continues his political activities today as a member of the House of Lords.
Despite changes in laws, a shift in people’s attitudes towards the LGBT community did not change. Listen to Michael explain how a real movement came following the cruelty and ignorance of the reaction to HIV and AIDS pandemic, and Section 28 which sought to prevent the promotion of homosexuality or even the acceptance of LGBT relations.
Sarah Brown speaks to Lord Alf Dubs, Gulwali Passarlay, Melissa Fleming and David Morrissey about the representation of refugees. Millions of words have been spoken and written about refugees but how many of these have been positive? This episode is about the survivors, battlers and new pioneers and explores why refugees are so often feared rather than celebrated.
Sarah and guests explore the courage and humanity of the individuals behind the headlines. The families forced to pack up and flee danger at a moment’s notice. Those making a new life for their family in a strange place whilst caring passionately about their homeland. Those taking on any work to bring in an income and making safety and education for their children the greatest priority.
Lord Alf Dubs is a Member of the House of Lords in the UK and in 2016 sponsored an amendment to the Immigration Act to offer unaccompanied refugee children safe passage to Britain amidst the European migrant crisis. Gulwali Passarlay is an Afghan refugee currently residing in the UK, he is an activist for refugee rights and author of The Lightless Sky where he tells his own story of being forced to leave Afghanistan at the age of twelve. Melissa Fleming is Chief Spokesperson at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and author of "A Hope More Powerful than the Sea", the story of Doaa, a girl from Syria, who in 2015 crammed onto a fishing boat setting sail for Europe. Melissa's book is being made into a film produced by Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams. David Morrissey is an actor, director and producer and Ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency, and using his high profile for good by supporting refugees and other marginalised communities.
Sarah Brown talks to youth activists and artists including Amrit Kaur Lohia and Benedict Joson, the 'super connector' Marc Adelman, and Nikesh Shukla, editor of The Good Immigrant anthology. . It is a worrying time to be young, eager and progressive, but what do we learn from Millennials about the future of campaigning and where can we find hope for moving forwards?
There is often much comment and even criticism of the Millennial generation, but there is much to learn from the energy of a vibrant and courageous generation connecting together through the arts, social media and activism.
In this episode Sarah talks to the uncompromising campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has just marked his 50th anniversary of being in the front line of tackling human rights abuses and challenging the status quo in the interests of equality. He's been prominent in British public life, fighting for LGBT rights and is well known around the world for his unflinching position in defending LGBT people. He also supports indigenous groups of people suffering unfairness in marginalised territories. Peter has been known to put his own health and safety at risk to further these cases. Listen to what inspires him to act, the lessons learned on his campaigning journey and how it has taken him from speaking out for the rights of people to becoming a voice for the planet.
As he says, 'The price of freedom is eternal vigilance'
Sarah Brown talks to Lord Michael Cashman CBE, Peter Tatchell and Julian Clary.
There can be no talk of activism without acknowledgement and admiration of the LGBT movement and its many heroes. 50 years on from the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK this episode explores what can be learnt from the struggles, determination and strategies of LGBT campaigns in the UK where many calls for changes have been achieved, from rights to pensions to spousal protection, despite constant stigma and discrimination.
This episode is packed full of lessons and ideas for activists who imagine a better world and want to do something about it.
The Better Angels podcast with Sarah Brown will help you to transform your voice into meaningful action.
Featuring stories from globally renowned activists, campaigners, comedians, youth and world leaders,, Better Angels with Sarah Brown champions the activist spirit.
“This is not your average listen. You won’t want to miss it” Elle Magazine.
“The theme of her show could hardly be more relevant at the moment.” New Statesman
Sarah Brown talks to American activists and campaigners Jamira Burley, Michael Gibbons and Michael Silberman.
The USA has a distinguished history of extraordinary campaigns for change, including the anti-war demonstrations, civil rights movements and LGBTI rights campaigns, women's and black power movements right up to the present day. The women's march and Black Lives Matter movement have sent powerful messages to the highest levels and show clearly how much more we have learn and to do. This episode explores Campaigning – USA style with interviews with youth activist Jamira Burley, veteran rights and education campaigner Michael Gibbons and Mobilisation Lab founder Michael Silberman. There they discuss with Sarah Brown how strategy innovation, skill-sharing, and thought leadership are moulding the entire social change field today.
Sarah Brown talks to British Comedian Nish Kumar about the anger he felt at racist abuse directed at him in his first gig after the UK's Brexit result and how he channeled this fury and frustration into his current stand up tour 'Actions speak louder than words, even when you shout the words real loud'.
As Nish Kumar's profile as a comedian has continued to grow, more recently his voice has been heard ever louder in public discussions on politics and race in the aftermath of the UK's Brexit vote. Nish has spoken about the racist abuse he received following the UK's decision to leave the EU, and the way in which the hostility he has experienced recently, contrasts to his experiences growing up in the 1990s in a British-Indian family. In this interview special, Sarah Brown talks to Nish about his childhood and adult experiences, and the ways in which he is pushing back to tackle head on racist attitudes in the UK and unlock his own activism.
Sarah Brown talks to Kevin Watkins, CEO of Save the Children UK, a leading international NGO working to eradicate poverty around the world.
Here is an opportunity to hear an in-depth, unvarnished insider's account of working within the international development system and leading one of the best known and highly regarded global children's charities. Kevin Watkins is a dedicated and experienced humanitarian, combining intellectual power and the practical will needed to create change. In this interview special, Kevin Watkins provides a unique insight into the challenges and the opportunities at leading NGO, Save the Children UK.
Sarah Brown talks to New York Times columnist and author Nick Kristof, former President of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, British comedian Nish Kumar and Dutch Anti-Trafficking campaigner Toos Heemskerk-Schep.
This episode explores the ways in which we can create change. Whether this be through leading, observing and reporting, working at a grassroots level or just shouting very loudly to make your voice heard; all of these activities have their place in championing change and shifting the status quo or addressing a wrong. Whatever the starting point, the end goal or means of shaking things up, everyone interviewed is passionate about their cause.
Sarah Brown talks to LGBT super-activist David Mixner, Christy Turlington Burns, Kevin Watkins and Shazia Ramzan.
This episode explores what makes a great campaigner. How can we take action to make a difference? How can we speak up to right a wrong? Activism and campaigning takes place across all different causes and take many different forms. Whether the cause is education, health, human rights, climate change, or simply campaigning for a new road crossing in your neighbourhood, the first step is often joining or starting a campaign to speak up, to put on pressure and to take action. In this episode, Sarah Brown explores what makes a great campaigner by talking to people who have made a huge impact for their personal causes and passions.
Sarah Brown talks to civil rights activist, prominent LGBT campaigner and best-selling author David Mixner, supermodel and maternal health campaigner, Christy Turlington Burns, CEO of Save The Children UK and leading international development thinker, Kevin Watkins, and young education campaigner and Global Youth Ambassador Shazia Ramzan, who was also attacked in the shooting of Malala Yousafzai on their school bus in Pakistan in 2012.
Sarah Brown talks to Kathy Lette, Leslie Caron, Emma Barnett, Gemma Cairney, June Sarpong, DJ Cuppy, Manal Abazeed of the White Helmets and a host of successful and fascinating women eager to rewrite the code for all girls and women at an event held on 7th March 2017 ahead of International Women’s Day. Join in by listening to this episode of Better Angels, be inspired by their actions and find out how to join in the challenge of #RewritingTheCode for gender equality.
This episode looks at those embedded values that are with a girl even before she is born, all the values that surround who she is, what she gets to believe she can be, what the opportunities are that come her way, the doors that are open for her, the support that she gets.
While strides have been made in equal opportunities for girls and women, there’s an unwritten code that holds still many girls back at an early age pretty much everywhere in the world. The advent of new technology, changes to the workplace and global political climate, instead of helping, could turn back the clock on progress. This is the episode that sets out to reverse this!
Featured in this unique episode is award winning actress and dancer, Leslie Caron, journalist and broadcaster, Emma Barnett, television presenter, June Sarpong, bestselling author, Kathy Lette, radio presenter and former fashion stylist, Gemma Cairney, co-founder of the Stemettes, Anne-Marie Imafidon, television producer, Kate Harwood, Director General of the Institute of Directors, Stephen Martin, Khaleda Yesmin of Theirworld, Vice President of Intel Corporate Affairs & President of Intel Foundation, Rosalind Hudnell, DJ and Producer, DJ Cuppy, former Captain of Afghanistan’s national football team and founder of Girl Up, Khalida Popal, Member of Parliament in the UK, Alison McGovern, and Manal Abazeed of the Syria Civil Defence (also known as White Helmets).
For more information about the #RewritingTheCode Campaign go to theirworld.org/rewritingthecode
Sarah Brown talks to Laura Bates, British feminist writer and Founder of the Everyday Sexism Project. At the age of 25, Laura found herself the unexpected figure-head of a rapidly growing movement, and rose to the challenge admirably.
Founded in 2012, the Everyday Sexism Project website is a forum for women and girls to post their own personal experiences of sexism. As the number of women posting on the website rose into the thousands, Laura took it upon herself to respond by mastering the statistics on gender inequality and violence against women, and publishing and speaking publicly on the issues. Laura's book, Everyday Sexism, was published in 2014. Through her writing and public speaking, Laura continues to emphasise the point that whatever progress has been made in feminism, there remains a wealth of unfairness and overt-sexism still to be addressed.
Sarah Brown talks to Sir Patrick Stewart, OBE, the world-renowned English Actor, whose career spans The Royal Shakespeare Company, TV dramas, and the much loved roles of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the Star Trek films and professor Charles Xavier in X-Men.
In this interview special, Sir Patrick Stewart speaks openly about finding his love of acting and theatre, how he trains and looks after his iconic voice, and how he uses his voice to speak up for the causes about which he is passionate. Sir Patrick is vocal in his support for various social issues including progressive politics for fairness and social justice, addressing domestic violence with the charity Refuge, and being a powerful advocate for a better understanding of the mental health issues faced by our war veterans.
Sarah Brown chats to Nadine Labaki, Steve Nguyen, Nick Sharrat and young activists from Mobaderoon in Syria.
This episode explores the relationship between creativity and activism, and how we can learn from both to best express our personal concerns externally. Writers, artists and musicians have been the creative force behind world changing campaigns for many years. Creative ideas can inspire, change, enhance communication and express solidarity, from music, art, storytelling, illustration, drama, the spoken and written word and more. At its best creativity can move people to believe something, care and decide not to act.
Sarah Brown talks to Lebanese actress and director Nadine Labaki, renowned film and animation director, writer and producer Steve Nguyen, award-winning illustrator and author Nick Sharrat and young activists from civil society group Mobaderoon from Syria.
How do you actually make big change happen? In this episode, Sarah Brown explores the challenge of how to educate Syrian children who have been forced to flee their homes and schools due to the ongoing war. What are all the elements involved in getting hundreds of thousands of Syrian back to school and learning?
The episode focuses on education but has wider lessons about how big problems can be solved, even in the face of overwhelming crisis. This is an example of how campaigns create change, and what can be achieved when leaders and activists come together.
Sarah Brown talks to Elias Bou Saab, former Minister of Education in Lebanon, Christos Stylianides, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister, now Chair of the Global Partnership for Education, Dr Justin van Fleet, Director of the Commission for Financing Education Opportunity and chief adviser for Theirworld, Weded Antawi, a Palestinian computer science student campaigning for global education and Nour, 14 year old Syrian schoolgirl.
Sarah Brown talks to Ed Balls, former politician and UK government minister, economist, author, lecturer and surprise star of UK prime time television show Strictly Come Dancing! In this Interview Special Ed Balls speaks openly about finding his voice, literally, as he suffers from a lifelong interiorised stammer. As a high profile politician Ed Balls had to give big speeches and live interviews and he explains his own pathway to diagnosing and living positively with his stammer and finding ways to speak out
Sarah Brown chats to Sir Patrick Stewart, Ed Balls, Christy Turlington Burns, and Laura Bates, who share their personal experiences of mastering the challenges of public speaking and their activist voice. The programme investigates how to find the confidence, courage and skills to speak out on an issue you care passionately about.
Featuring world renowned actor Sir Patrick Stewart, super-model and maternal health campaigner Christy Turlington Burns, politician, economist and dancer Ed Balls, and feminist writer and Everyday Sexism Project founder, Laura Bates.
Sarah Brown chats to Rachel Whale. Rachel Whale is founder and CEO of social enterprise Koreo. Her passion is to create social change and she has become a master of finding and encouraging talented people to integrate activism in to their everyday lives. In this interview special Rachel explains her own tough upbringing and what drives her tenacity in her day to day work to make the world a better place.
Sarah Brown chats to Stuart Goldsmith. Stuart Goldsmith is a stand-up comedian and presenter of his own highly successful podcast - The Comedians Comedian. Stuart discusses his early work as a street performer and also his insights about what makes an individual stand out. This is a podcast rooted in activism but looks for lessons from a range of experiences, and this interview special explores how to create a distinctive voice.
Sarah Brown talks to Professor Sophie Scott. Sophie Scott is a British cognitive neuroscientist who studies what happens in our brains when we laugh. Sophie was interviewed for a previous episode of Better Angels titled 'The Power of Laughter'. This is a podcast rooted in activism but looks for lessons from a range of experiences. The interview special explores the science of laughter and how we might better understand laughter and use it to connect with people through our activism.
Sarah Brown chats to Ben Winston. Ben Winston is a television and film director and producer and Executive Producer of the Late Late Shown with James Corden. Ben and James created the famous 'Smithy' sketches that became a viral sensation for the UK Comic Relief Comedy telethon. Better Angels is a podcast rooted in activism but looks for lessons from a range of experiences, and this interview special explores the unique role of comedy in encouraging people to take action. The interview was initially set up with Ben Winston but was, happily, interrupted on the day by James Corden who shares his own thoughts about how the famous 'Smithy' sketches came about.
Sarah Brown chats to Sarah Millican. Sarah Millican won the coveted Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2008 and is today one of the UK's leading comedians. She has sold out three national tours and her debut DVD, Chatterbox Live, became the biggest selling stand-up DVD by a female comedian of all time. Better Angels is a podcast rooted in activism but looks for lessons from a range of experiences. In this interview special she shares lessons for anyone hoping to speak in front of an audience about something they care about. Sarah Millican is active on Twitter and tweets actively during holidays, connecting with people who are on their own - as an online festive friend.
Sarah Brown talks to Elias Bou Saab, who served as the minister for education for the Government of Lebanon at a time when hundreds of thousands of Syrian children and families travelled across the border fleeing the horrific war. Elias Bou Saab has implemented the innovative double shift school system to accommodate around 200,000 Syrian children. In this episode he talks about his own personal experience as a child refugee who fled to Syria and the challenges in implementing real change affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.
Sarah Brown chats to Adam Garone. Adam Garone is the Chief Mo Bro and Co-Founder of the Movember Foundation. In 2003 his brother challenged him to grow a moustache for the first ever Movember. It was a moment that changed his life and inspired him to establish Movember as a men's health campaign, a foundation and a global movement. It is a movement that has impacted the lives of millions of men across the world. Find out how Adam and a few friends unexpectedly started one of the world's biggest ever men's health movements, its impact today and its future potential.
Sarah Brown chats to comedian David Baddiel. David Baddiel is a novelist, comedian, screenwriter and television presenter and has recently concluded his successful one-man show in London about his personal family experiences. His award winning children's books for 8-12 year olds include The Parent Agency, The Person Controller and his latest book Animalcolm. This is a podcast rooted in activism but looks for lessons from a range of other experiences. In this interview special, David chats about his school days, his start in comedy, his weariness about being too worthy and a hot dog princess!
Sarah Brown talks to Raed al Saleh of the White Helmets in Syria, nurse Pauline Cafferky, Brendan Cox and Ousmane Ba.
There are many people around the world challenged to take daily acts of heroism to rescue, support or even save their fellow humans.
This episode focuses on the people who risk their life for change. When the bombs rain down, the Syrian Civil Defence rushes in. When Ebola strikes, nurses volunteer from around the world. When schools are destroyed in a war, a young person steps up to rebuild them. What determines their actions? What makes them tick?
Sarah Brown chats to Julia Gillard, Adam Garone, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Taha Fathima Khan, Theo Sowa, and Rachel Whale. From a former Australian Prime Minister, to the Co-Founder of the worldwide Movember Foundation, and the CEO of the African Women's Development Fund, this episode focuses on changemakers - those people willing to go the extra mile to help others. In this episode Sarah Brown examines the subject of people getting involved and making a difference in the lives of others. She says: "There's a special kind of activism which aims to encourage people not just to donate or support from afar - but to get involved".
Sarah Brown chats to James Corden, Ben Winston, Sarah Millican, Stuart Goldsmith, Sophie Scott, Lulu Cerone, Brian Edelman and Ben Hewitt. This episode focuses on the power of comedy and how laughter can bring us together.
Sarah Brown explores how we can harness this positive energy in campaigning to spread the activist message. Sarah speaks to Late Late Show Executive Producer Ben Winston and actor, comedian and television host James Corden, and comedians Sarah Millican and Stuart Goldsmith in this latest episode titled 'The power of laughter'. The episode also includes Professor Sophie Scott from University College London's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience who explains why we laugh, youth campaigner Lulu Cerone who hosts 'philanthroparties' to make activism fun, and Brian Edelman from digital agency RAIN and Ben Hewitt, Campaigns Director for Theirworld, who are working with comedians on their new #5for5 campaign.
Sarah Brown chats to Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Graça Machel, Kailash Satyarthi, Vuslat Dogan Sabanci, Tom Fletcher and Anoka Abeyrathne. What actually makes us act?
How do we move from identifying a problem to trying to fix it? And what are the best ways to take action? This episode looks at the nuts and bolts of how to start campaigning and making a positive difference. If a 13-year-old can do it, so can you!
Tom Fletcher is the former British Ambassador to Lebanon, an author and the current Global Strategy Director for the Global Business Coalition for Education. Tom's interview was featured in Better Angels episode 'Finding Your Voice'. Listen to the full conversation in this interview special.
Top Turkish business women Hanzade Dogan Boyner and Vuslat Dogan Sabanci are featured in the 'Finding Your Voice' episode. Listen to the full conversation in this interview special.
Sarah Brown chats to David Baddiel, Tom Fletcher, Hanzade Dogan Boyner and Vuslat Dogan Sabanci.
This episode is for anyone who feels they have something important to say, but are nervous about saying it. How do you get heard and how do you find your platform? Featuring comedian David Baddiel, former British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher and two sisters running top Turkish businesses, Hanzade Dogan Boyner and Vuslat Dogan Sabanci.
Sarah Brown chats to Graça Machel, Kailash Satyarthi, and Larry Summers. Hear about the special people who've inspired others to do good.
Featuring Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, world-renowned economist Larry Summers and the former First Lady of South Africa and widow of Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel.
Short extract from a Wangari Mathaai speech, courtesy of Botanic Gardens Conservation International.