What Can We Do?
By Prema Menon
What Can We Do?Dec 01, 2021
A community for people who are experiencing homelessness and marginalisation - Ryan Naoum, Rough Edges
Rough Edges is a community centre for people experiencing homelessness and other forms of marginalisation in Darlinghurst. This drop-in centre is operated by St John's Anglican Church and supervised by Team Leader, Ryan Naoum. As a service, Rough Edges aims to create a safe space where community is fostered and individuals can move from crisis to flourish.
In this episode, Ryan talks about the issues facing Darlinghurst's communities, how Rough Edges has found new ways to create impact owing to the pandemic, and the misconceptions people have about communities experiencing homelessness.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Raising awareness of financial abuse and helping survivors - Tasnia Alam, ARISE Foundation
Tasnia Alam co-founded ARISE Foundation to reveal the impact of financial abuse and provide financial freedom for women traditionally considered 'unbankable'. Tasnia has a background in Applied Finance and Law and was most recently an Associate Director at NSW Treasury. She has a decade of public and private sector experience across various industries, including audit, legal, corporate finance and public policy development.
In this episode, Tasnia talks about what motivated her to start Arise, what financial abuse looks like, and the impact Arise Foundation hopes to create.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Serving the Brisbane Community - Ansary Muhammed, Merciful Servants
Merciful Servants has delivered over 150,000 packets of food over the last 7 years, supporting Brisbane's homeless and vulnerable populations. Managing Director, Ansary Muhammed, started this organisation with the aim to end hunger, in a city where approximately 1 in 200 people experience homelessness.
In this episode, Ansary talks about what drives him, the challenge Brisbane's communities are now facing and how he's nurturing the next generation of community leaders.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon. Prema works in a project and operations capacity in the not-for-profit sector.
Check out previous episodes and transcripts here: whatcanwedopodcast.com
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Local representation in communities - Charishma Kaliyanda, Liverpool City Councillor
Charishma Kaliyanda was elected to the Liverpool City Council in 2016. Charishma was born in Bangalore, India, and moved to Australia when she was four years old. Starting her journey in student politics, Charishma has become an important voice for Liverpool City communities.
In this episode, Charishma talks about the hurdles women of colour need to clear in elected office, how the recent strict lockdowns affected southwest Sydney communities, and why local community representation is important.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon. Prema works in a project and operations capacity in the not-for-profit sector.
Check out previous episodes and transcripts here: whatcanwedopodcast.com
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Homecooked Meals for CALD Communities in the City of Casey - COOK4CALD
COOK4CALD started as a passion project to feed culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities facing hardship in the City of Casey. The organisation was founded by Ashvina De Zoysa. Today it has grown into a 50 member strong volunteer organisation that has become a vital source of support for CALD individuals and families who live in the City of Casey and surrounding areas.
In this episode, I speak to Olivia Acciarito, COOK4CALD's Treasurer. Olivia joined as a volunteer during the first summer food relief program in 2020.
Olivia talks about the gap that COOK4CALD fills, the barriers that CALD communities face during crises and how we can look out for one another in our communities.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon. Prema works in a project and operations capacity in the not-for-profit sector.
Check out previous episodes and transcripts here: whatcanwedopodcast.com
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Raising Awareness of Chronic Illness and Disability - Tessa Deak
Tessa Deak is a Mount Gambier based disability advocate who has led and been involved in several chronic illness, mental health, and disability-related initiatives in the Limestone Coast. Tessa is passionate about making a change in her community and tries to use her lived experience of chronic illness/disability to educate others and spread awareness.
Tessa has been recognised for her work and won the 7News SA Young Achiever Rural Doctors Workforce Agency Rural Health Award in 2021, among other nominations.
In this episode, Tessa talks about how she got started in advocacy work, the changes she has observed through the course of her work, and how to overcome the fear of stepping outside of your comfort zone.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon. Prema works in a project and operations capacity in the not-for-profit sector.
Check out previous episodes and transcripts here: whatcanwedopodcast.com
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Intentional Storytelling - Paige Krystal Wilcox
Paige Krystal Wilcox (she/her) uses Intentional Storytelling to create compelling stories that counter mainstream media's unhealthy or unhelpful bias, tropes, and stereotypes.
In this episode, Paige shares why she got started in Intentional Storytelling, the challenges she initially faced, and what she has learnt through her journey so far.
What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon. Prema works in a project and operations capacity in the not for profit sector.
Check out previous episodes and transcripts here: whatcanwedopodcast.com
This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.
Empowering families with low income - 6th Sense, Singapore
6th Sense, a charity based in Singapore, recognises the growing inequalities in the country. They work with children and mothers who live in public rental scheme neighbourhoods, home to low income families whose total income is below 1500 Singapore dollars a month
6th Sense and its volunteers conduct activity based workshops with the children, to help with expression, personal and community development. They go a step further and befriend the mothers, and guide them through daily issues they might encounter.
In this episode, founders of the charity Abhishek, Manisha and Jezamine talk about how they enable the families they work with, the challenges they face, and why the work they do is important.
Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence - Usha Raman, Trainer and Life Coach.
Mental health and emotional well-being, two things that are on many people's minds these days.
In this episode, I speak to Singapore born Usha Raman, a trainer and life coach based in Perth, Western Australia. Usha's focus is mindfulness and emotional intelligence. Usha will give us a basic understanding of what mindfulness is, how it can help in difficult times and simple ways we can introduce the practice in our lives.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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The middlewoman for communities in need - Sofiah Jamil, Co-Founder, Hornbills Concepts and Communications
Environmental activism is growing steadily, as more of us are getting educated on the perils of climate change. While there is a lot of discussion on how changing human activities and behaviours can help in the fight against environmental threats, the actual solutions for some communities are not this simple. Sofiah Jamil realised this as an environmental activist. In Central Lombok, she witnessed that communities could not be focused on saving trees, when they were struggling for basic access to resources like water.
Sofiah has since left her activism days behind in search of ways to meaningfully help communities in need. She has recently co-founded Pantry Perch, as a side initiative of her main PR & political consultancy business, Hornbills- Concepts and Communications. The aim of this business is to help promote and support brands within the Asian region that are socially responsible.
In this episode, Sofiah talks about why she left environmental activism, what her business Pantry Perch aims to do, and how we can all step out of our bubbles.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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The Creative Hustle in Singapore - Rishi Budhrani, Actor, Comedian & Host of The Rishi Report.
Singaporean and Singapore based artistes operate in a unique arts and culture environment - censorship, government funded grants and mainstream media channels that are mostly operated by state owned subsidiaries. This combination limits the scope of works that are produced. Rishi Budhrani has been navigating this industry for over a decade now as an actor, performer, entertainer and comedian. Rishi talks about how this distinctive landscape has shaped his craft, his latest project The Rishi Report, and how he thinks the industry will evolve post COVID.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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Homelessness in Singapore - Liyana Dhamirah, Author & Entrepreneur.
Homelessness is Singapore is a topic that is not widely discussed in the country. In recent years, there have been books published about inequalities in Singapore society, as well as academic articles. Liyana Dhamirah's book "Homeless - The Untold Story of a Mother's Struggle in Crazy Rich Singapore" is the first of its kind, told from a first person encounter. Liyana experienced homelessness over a decade ago, and she wrote this book to raise awareness. Today, she is a Befriender for those who are homeless, and helps them navigate Singapore's bureaucratic system to get the aid they need. She also runs her own business, Virtual Assistant Singapore, and employs single mothers. In this interview, Liyana talks about her journey towards getting this book published, the reaction its received, and how fellow Singaporeans can help those who are vulnerable.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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The Generous and The Grateful is lightening the load for vulnerable people.
There are a range of support services available across Australia to help people fleeing danger or at risk of being vulnerable. However, a lot of the times the burden of rebuilding their lives with essential household items falls on the vulnerable person. The Generous and The Grateful partners with available support services, by connecting household donations with the people that need them for a home. CEO and Co-Founder Carmen Platt talks about why she started this service, the difference it makes, and how all of us should approach helping.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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Faith can ground you in uncertain times.
The world around us is becoming increasingly uncertain. Some people turn to faith at times like these. This special episode is a recording of my conversation with Pravrajika Gayatriprana, President of the Vedanta Society of NSW. A senior Nun of the Sri Sarada Math of the Ramakrishna Order, Pravrajika Gayatriprana talks about how faith and spirituality can help us through chaos.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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Benojo is making it easier to give.
Online fundraising is a major source of funds for not for profits and charities. These organizations have faced criticism over the years about how a portion of donations do not go towards those in need. Benojo, led by Pascal Adolphe, is a fundraising platform that's trying to simplify the act of giving for donors and organizations.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre is diverting waste from landfills.
About 7 million tonnes of waste goes into landfills each year in Australia. Guido Verbist and his team at The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre want that to stop. To date, the organization has diverted over 2 tonnes of waste from the landfill, and continue their efforts through repair cafes, education, their stores and by leading campaigns to hold manufacturers responsible.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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Vonne Patiag is amplifying minority voices in Australian content
Australian content still has a long way to go in terms of representing diverse and inclusive voices, despite years of dialogue and debate. Vonne Patiag is a Filipino Australian filmmaker who has worked in the industry for over a decade. In this episode, Vonne talks about how he found his authentic voice, what it lends to his art, the inclusive practices he used in the making of his web series "Halal Gurls", and how POC content creators are finding their own platforms outside of traditional media.
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Vaaranam Children's Books is connecting children through language.
Tamil is the third most frequently spoken Indian language at home in Australia. However, there are no formal systems in place to help this language thrive and grow for future generations. The preservation of the language usually falls to families. Vanitha Veerasamy started Vaaranam Children's Books as a way to get her own child engaged in her mother tongue, and as a resource for other Tamil children living in Australia.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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StartSomeGood is lowering barriers for social entrepreneurs
Social enterprises are on the rise, as more and more people feel a call to live with purpose. Tom Dawkins founded StartSomeGood, a crowdfunding platform to lower barriers to ensure as many voices get represented in the social enterprise landscape.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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Grace + Grit Social Enterprise is breaking the trafficking supply chain.
Human trafficking has become the fastest growing crime in the past few years and experts agree that the problem is getting worse. Dr Abi Foluké Badejo, Founder & Director of Grace + Grit Social Enterprise, implements her research findings to effect social behaviour change, along with providing opportunities and options to survivors in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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SheQu Group Inc is empowering LBT+ women from CALD backgrounds.
LGBTQI+ people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds face multiple barriers in society and in their professional careers. Kamalika Dasgupta, founder of SheQu Group Inc, wants to ensure that LBT+ women of colour in Australia have the tools and resources they need to live their best possible life.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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YourLink is helping Seniors with digital inclusion.
Lack of digital inclusion affects approximately 2.5 million Australians, 10% of the population. YourLink's co-founder, Richard Scenna, talks about how the social enterprise is working to change this for a particular digitally excluded group - older Australians, seniors, through technology.
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Season 2 Trailer
Welcome back to Season 2 of this series.
New episodes will be launched from 27th January onwards.
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Aggie Global is empowering Fijian famers to increase their income and food security.
Lisa & Zoe Paisley are working with Fijian farmers to increase their income and food security through Aggie Global.
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Parramatta Women's Shelter expands accommodation services for women
Liz Scully and her board members are expanding crisis accommodation services for women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with the opening of Parramatta Women's Shelter.
Website (for show notes and transcripts)
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Dress for Success Sydney supports vulnerable women
Megan Etheridge is harnessing community goodwill to support vulnerable women, through Dress for Success Sydney.
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Perpetual Blooms is cultivating a sustainable floral industry.
Anita Howell is cultivating sustainability and spreading compassion with repurposed event flowers, through Perpetual Blooms, in Sydney, Australia.
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Northern Beaches Clean Up Crew wants you to live your best plastic free life
Malin Frick founded Northern Beaches Clean Up Crew, in Sydney, to solve an immediate litter problem on her local beaches. 5 years on, Malin and her Crew are leading the campaign against single-use plastic in their communities and neighbourhoods.
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Vivre Co Australia is educating girls in Malawi, Africa
As a child, Nina Sackprasith knew she had to help children who were living in poverty. Now a young adult, Nina is turning this belief into a reality, through her homegrown beauty business, Vivre Co Australia.
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Unbound is providing accessible education programs
Inspired by his own unremarkable tertiary education in Australia, Julian O'Shea set up Unbound. His organization designs education programs that are more accessible and have real world and sustainable impact for communities across the Asia Pacific region.
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Connections Australia is helping refugees and migrants.
Rinku Razdan migrated to Australia as a bride. After 7 years, she had to rebuild her life with a 3 year old son, with very little money. Her experience motivated Rinku to start Connections Australia, a multilingual, mobile app that uses data and API to connect migrants and refugees with a community, jobs and settlement information.
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What Can We Do - Trailer
Why I decided to start this podcast.
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