The Conversation

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Can a bicycle change a woman's life? Nov 06, 2023

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Can a humble bicycle become a tool to empower women worldwide? Kim Chakanetsa meets two cyclists who want more women to get on their bikes.

Lizzie Deignan is a world champion track and road racing cyclist. She got into cycling by chance, when the British Cycling Apprentice programme visited her school in Yorkshire. Throughout her career she has broken down barriers for women in the sport.

Keen cyclist Alisha Myers is the Global Director of Strategic Information and Innovation at World Bicycle Relief, an organisation providing bicycles and supportive programming to women in rural areas across Africa. She believes that cycling can help women access education and better job opportunities.

Produced by Alice Gioia.

(Image: (L) Lizzie Deignan, courtesy of Lizzie Deignan. (R) Alisha Myers, credit Leah Missbach Day.)

Women breathing new life into taxidermy Oct 30, 2023

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Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who are breathing new life into the ancient practice of taxidermy, the process of preserving animal skin with fur and feather.

Polly Morgan is an award-winning British sculptor who uses taxidermy to make works of art. Her work has been sold to art collectors worldwide and to celebrities like Cate Blanchette and Harry Styles.

Divya Anantharaman is an award-winning taxidermist and educator based in NY city. She is the founder of Gotham Taxidermy and her clients range from museums, designers, gallerists, and collectors. She’s the co-author of Stuffed Animals: A Guide to Modern Taxidermy.

Produced by Alice Gioia.

(Image: (L) Polly Morgan, credit Mat Collishaw. (R) Divya Anantharaman, courtesy of Divya Anantharaman)

Are dolls good for girls? Oct 23, 2023

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Kim Chakanetsa speaks to a psychologist and a doll maker to discuss the impact of playing with toys on the brain.

Dr Lisa Dinella is an expert on how toys influence the child’s brain, their sense of self and even the opportunities they have in later life. She is a professor of psychology in America’s Monmouth University and has given an address in the White House on gender disparities in children’s media and toys. Sunaina Somu Divakar is the founder of a doll company that aims to challenge stereotypes and bring more representation to the Indian toy market. In 2020, influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement and becoming a mother, Sunaina founded Wild Little Society, a company that sells dolls with a range of different brown skin tones and outfits.

Produced by Sarah Kendal.

(Image: (L) Dr Lisa Dinella, credit Andrew Beldowicz. (R) Sunaina Somu Divakar, credit Balamurali Gurusamy.)

Descending the depths: Freediving champions Oct 16, 2023

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Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two freedivers from Italy and Poland about what it takes to compete and set world-records in the extreme sport.

Athlete Alessia Zecchini set world and Italian records in freediving. She has recently featured on the Netflix documentary The Deepest Breath.

Julia Kozerska from Poland has broken multiple world records and specialises in dynamic no fins diving. Alongside training and competing, Julia also works as a lifeguard and physiotherapist.

Producer: Emily Naylor

(Image: Alessia Zecchini (L), Julia Kozerska (R) . Background: Alessia Zecchini diving, Credit Laura Babahekian.)

Women in Beirut: Facing up to the climate crisis Oct 09, 2023

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The cedar tree is Lebanon’s national symbol: it can be seen everywhere, on flags, banknotes and souvenirs. But this majestic tree is under threat as a result of climate change and has come to symbolise the greater environmental crisis facing Lebanon: heatwaves, wildfires and an energy crisis that is pushing up already high levels of pollution. Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who work with local communities to bring about change.

Dr Najat Aoun Saliba is a prominent Lebanese scientist who has made significant contributions to the understanding of air pollution and its impact on people’s health. She’s one of the eight women elected to parliament in 2022, where she’s trying to promote the use of clean energy sources. Najat has also been actively involved in promoting science education and women's participation in STEM fields.

Nouhad Awwad is the founder of the Lebanese national chapter of the Arab Youth Climate Change and a campaigner at Greenpeace MENA. From beach clean-ups to planting trees, Nouhad has been engaging youth in environmental issues since the age of 15. She is currently leading the implementation of the Ummah For Earth project, an initiative working to empower Muslim communities on climate action.

Produced by Alice Gioia. Sound recording by Antonio Nakhoul.

Image: (L) Nouhad Awwad (R) Dr Najat Aoun Saliba. Credit: Alice Gioia/BBC.)

Women living with ADHD Oct 02, 2023

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) research and diagnosis has historically been male-centric, often overlooking or misdiagnosing women and girls. This gender bias has led to a lack of understanding and support for women with ADHD, perpetuating misconceptions and underrepresentation. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women who have the condition to debunk some of the stereotypes associated with ADHD.

Dr Kai Syng Tan is an award-winning artist and academic from Singapore who uses creativity to promote conversations for positive change around neurodiversity. They are currently Associate Professor in Arts and Cultural Leadership University of Southampton.

Dr Jane Sedgwick is a senior lecturer and researcher in adult ADHD and an advanced mental health nurse practitioner. As well as being an ADHD therapist/coach she is an executive board member of the UK Adult ADHD Network. She is originally from Zimbabwe.

Produced by Emily Naylor

(Image: (L) Kai Syng Tan (R) Jane Sedgwick.)

Born into coffee Sep 25, 2023

Show notes

Inheriting a family business can be a tall order. All the more so when it's a coffee business, where men have traditionally dominated the sector in many countries that produce one of the world's most popular beverages. While women have a crucial role to play in an industry that supports 25 million rural households across the globe, they're often under-represented at the highest level.

Kim Chakanetsa hears from two women who've broken the mould. Heleanna Georgalis is the president of Moplaco Trading in Ethiopia, a company she took on when her father died in 2008. When she arrived, the system of trading coffee in the country was turned on its head, and she was forced to make changes to secure the future of the company.

Ana María Donneys from Colombia inherited a coffee producing company from her grandfather when she was only in her mid-twenties. As the first woman to lead the company, and the first to export their specialty coffee, she's overcome numerous challenges to succeed in a highly volatile market.

Both women discuss the future of coffee in the context of climate change, and how women can play a role.

Produced by Fiona Clampin

(Image: (L) Ana María Donneys, courtesy of Laura Victoria Usma Salazar. (R) Heleanna Georgalis, courtesy of Imran Mazar.)

The secrets of being a successful music manager Sep 18, 2023

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Kim Chakanetsa talks to two female music managers who have made a significant impact in an often male-dominated field.

Kei Henderson was the personal manager of rapper 21 Savage for several years. She is the CEO and founder of Third and Hayden, a management company that supports musical ad executive talent. She’s currently managing Rico Nasty and emerging talents such as Annahstasia, Ben Reilly, Jordan Hawkins and Kenneth Whalum.

Amy Morgan worked across the whole spectrum of the music industry. She started out at Island Records, then moved to the independent label Beggars Music Group, where she became the creative director. Amy has managed the British indie rock band Glass Animals, whose recent hit Heat Waves led them to become the first British band to have a number one in the Global Spotify charts.

Produced by Beatriz De La Pava.

(Image: (L) Kei Henderson. (R) Amy Morgan.)

Women in charge of their financial freedom Sep 11, 2023

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Kim Chakanetsa talks to two entrepreneurs who teach women to be money-savvy.

Arese Ugwu is a Nigerian author whose work is centred around personal finance. She wrote two best-selling books, The smart money tribe and The smart money woman. The latter has recently been turned into a Netflix show.

Shikha Mittal is a personal finance educator from India. In 2010 she started Be.artsy, a social enterprise empowering people through courses and awareness campaigns. The two big causes she cares about are fighting sexual harassment in the workplace and making people – and women in particular – financially literate.

Produced by Alice Gioia

(Image: (L) Shikha Mittal, credit Be.artsy. (R) Arese Ugwu, credit Ryan OniFOTO Studios.)

Women in Beirut: Promoting women’s rights through sport Sep 04, 2023

Show notes

Kim Chakanetsa meets two trailblazing athletes who help promote women’s participation in sports.

Ray Bassil is the first Arab woman to compete in three Olympic games and win three consecutive World Cup medals in trap shooting. Ray has become a prominent figure in Lebanese sports, breaking barriers as a female athlete in this a male-dominated field. She has also worked with UNDP as youth and gender Goodwill Ambassador.

Sarah El Jizi is a basketball player who leads a series of sports programs for Right To Play, an NGO promoting skills development and social cohesion among youth in refugee camps. Sarah works with local female coaches to teach kids life skills like inter-faith dialogue, effective communication, respect and team-work through sport.

Produced by Alice Gioia. Sound recording by Antonio Nakhoul.

(Image: (L) Sarah El Jizi. (R) Ray Bassil.)

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