This new episode features Ndeye Makalou. She is a drug development, clinical operations, and global supply chain leader in the Biopharma industry. In today’s conversation, Ndeye shares her passion for market access and developing health care systems in emerging markets rooted in her personal journey. She also talks about her endeavour to challenge the status quo, and develop solutions, while working at Roche pharmaceutical company, that enhanced access to medicine for breast cancer patients with impact in Sub-Saharan Africa. Listen to her story.  

If you want to follow Ndeye on social media, you can find her on LinkedIn

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-enhancing-access-to-cancer-treatments-a-conversation-with-ndeye-makalou  

This final episode of the September Inclusion series features Oghenewaire Jennifer Nikoro, a legal practitioner and disability advocate based in Lagos, Nigeria. Jennifer is the founder of Life Beyond Disability Foundation, which advocates for equal rights and social inclusion for persons with disability in Africa. In today’s interview, she shares her journey and her vision of empowering lives beyond disability. Listen to her story.

Life Beyond Disability Foundation website: https://lbdfoundation.org 

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-empowering-lives-beyond-disability-a-conversation-with-oghenewaire-jennifer-nikoro  

This third episode of the September Inclusion series features Thibault Trancart, based in Geneva (Switzerland) and founder of No Blink. With No Blink, Thibault offers services such as conferences and workshops, with the aim to raise awareness plus take off the negative perception of visual impairment, but also inspire people to use their struggles as a force to move forward. In this discussion, he shares his journey of becoming blind as an early teenager, then moving to Canada for his university studies, and later training as a ski athlete to compete in the 2018 winter paralympics. Listen to his story.

Please note that the recording conditions were not optimal. In spite of our best efforts, there is still some residual background noise and we hope this will not affect your listening experience. Thank you for your kind understanding.

No Blink website: https://www.no-blink.com/en/homepage-2/ 

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-destigmatising-handicap-and-blindness-a-conversation-with-thibault-trancart 

The second episode of the September Inclusion series features special needs advocate, writer, and TEDx curator, Eraina Ferguson. She is the founder of My Good Life, an organisation that enables families of children with special needs to live their best life despite their circumstances. Eraina authored a memoir in 2020, likewise titled My Good Life. In this conversation, she shares her journey raising a daughter with special needs but also empowering other parents. Listen to her story.

My Good Life website: https://www.mygoodlifenow.org 

Eraina's TEDx talk "My Good Life": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sykW8MM9vtA 

Additional links from this episode available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-supporting-families-of-special-needs-children-a-conversation-with-eraina-ferguson 

This first episode of the September Inclusion series features Vivian Acquah. She is an inclusive Workplace Wellness Advocate, founder of Viva la Vive and the Amplify DEI Summit, also the host of Let’s Humanize the Workplace podcast. Vivian advises managers on how to keep their team members engaged, energized, and safe in a sustainable manner, by making topics related to workplace wellness & diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) accessible to everyone. In today’s conversation, Vivian shares her mission to provide people with the right tools, at the right time, to embrace inclusive changes; but also to motivate people to think consciously and inspire them to take action. Listen to her story.

Viva la Vive website: https://vivalavive.com/ 

Amplifiy DEI Summit website (September 27-29, 2021): https://lead21.amplifydei.com/  

We have a limited number of free tickets for this virtual event. If you want to attend the summit, send us an email at narrativespodcast@gmail.com or connect to our social handles and follow our posts throughout September: Instagram Facebook LinkedIn 

Additional links from this episode available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-advocating-for-an-inclusive-workplace-a-conversation-with-vivian-acquah  

This final episode of the Tech For Good August series features Anie Akpe, founder of African Women in Technology (AWIT). Her organisation is dedicated to providing opportunities and a safe space for women to grow and lead in the tech space, by hosting events in countries across Africa. In this discussion, Anie talks about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AWIT conference series. She also shares how learning about technology, understanding its efficiency and exchanging experiences drives business success - “technology makes you have to think outside of the box”. Listen to her story.

AWIT website: https://www.africanwomenintech.com/ 

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-empowering-women-in-tech-a-conversation-with-anie-akpe  

The third episode of the Tech for Good August podcast series features Mary Carbajal, CEO and founder of B1OS, a company committed to provide secure and efficient access to health information allowing for real-time sharing of data with anyone, anywhere. Mary talks about leveraging technology to create groundbreaking innovation in healthcare. She also addresses the issue of medical transparency for people to be able to share their individual health information with doctors or even family members. Likewise, Mary shares the importance of taking care of yourself for overall wellbeing, especially through this COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to her story

B1OS website: https://b1os.life/ 

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-transforming-healthcare-a-conversation-with-mary-carbajal  

The second episode of the Tech for Good August podcast series features Jade Li, CEO and founder of Katapult, an EdTech startup based in Mauritius which provides Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) holiday camps for children. In today's discussion, Jade shares her passion to create games-based learning experiences, and her vision to empower the next generation of changemakers with relevant skills to challenge the status quo, but also build their creative confidence. Listen to her story.

Katapult website: https://www.katapult.mu  

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-game-based-steam-learning-a-conversation-with-jade-li  

This first episode of the Tech for Good August series features Alma Moya Losada, CEO and co-founder of Aequaland. Her award-winning startup is a social impact and EduTech focused video game platform developer based in Lausanne, Switzerland, that creates meaningful games to educate and entertain children on inclusion, creativity, as well as sustainability topics. In this conversation, Alma talks about her entrepreneurial journey. She addresses topics such as bias in education, access to the internet, but also how video games will become more present in our future lives. Listen to her story.

Aequaland website: https://aequaland.com  

Additional links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-gamifying-diversity-inclusion-education-a-conversation-with-alma-moya-losada 

This new episode features Henri Nyakarundi, CEO and founder of the African Renewable Energy Distributor (ARED) group, a company that operates at the intersection of deep tech technology and renewable energy. Henri is also the host of the HN VLOG where he educates the next generation about challenges of being a social entrepreneur in Africa. In this discussion, he shares his entrepreneurial journey from the US to Rwanda. He candidly gives his perspective on the state of innovation on the continent, and likewise speaks about his book "My African Dream". Listen to his story.

ARED group website: http://www.a-r-e-d.com   

HN vlog on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/nyakarundi/featured  

Welcome to season two of the podcast! This first episode features Kevine Kagirimpundu, CEO and co-founder of Uzuri K&Y. She was named among the top 10 heroes creating change across Africa in 2019 by the Africa Netpreneur Prize Initiative. In today's conversation, Kevine talks about her entrepreneurial journey with her company Uzuri K&Y, a shoe brand established in Rwanda which recycles waste into functional and fashionable products. She also shares her passion for empowering youth and women especially from urban vulnerable communities. Listen to her story.

Please note that the recording conditions were not optimal. In spite of our best efforts, there is still some residual background noise and we hope this will not affect your listening experience. Thank you for your kind understanding.

Uzuri K&Y website: https://about.uzuriky.com   

Kevine’s TEDx talk “Passion as a tool to start and build a business”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy6VhPIUpDY   

On this final episode of Season one, I share some previously unreleased interview segments with five guests. There is Pauline Koelbl, founder of AfriProspect and ShEquity, who’s primary focus is African female-led innovative startups. Pauline tells me more about the first companies ShEquity has invested in. Then Ana Maria Angarita and Isabel Brücher, both co-founders of Capacity Zurich a talent and startup incubator for refugees and migrants in Switzerland. Ana Maria and Isabel share how Capacity actually started, what makes the diversity of its team, and which process to follow if you’re interested in becoming a volunteer mentor with their entrepreneurship program. There is also Thomas Bosshard, co-owner of Oertli Instrumente a medical device company, who tells me how his collaboration with Dr. Sanduk Ruit (a world renowned eye surgeon from Nepal) has impacted his work and that of his employees. Finally, Alessandra Patti, founder of FindYourWay coaching and assertive communication lecturer, shares the importance of self-care during the current pandemic. 

ShEquity website: https://shequity.com 

Capacity Zurich website: https://www.capacityzurich.ch  

Oertli Instrumente AG website: https://www.oertli-instruments.com/en#head  

FinYourWay Coaching website: https://www.findyourway.company  

More links available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/season-1-bonus

On this episode, I speak with Lucy Antrobus founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Refugee Voices. Her organisation, based in Lausanne, offers a confidence building program to young refugees, migrants and other marginalised groups in Switzerland. Lucy shares with me her ambition to make an impact in the world by tapping into the human potential in diverse communities. She enthusiastically talks about the power of using storytelling as a tool for personal transformation.

Refugee Voices website: https://www.refugeeleaders.org/ 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-repurposing-struggle-into-strength-a-conversation-with-lucy-antrobus 

Alessandra Patti is the founder of FindYourWay Coaching, a consulting practice based in Zurich. She is an assertiveness skills and mental wellbeing coach, but also a Lecturer on "assertiveness skills for the future of work" and "self-esteem in the digital age" at the University of St. Gallen. On this episode, we talk about the benefits of practicing assertive communication on professional and personal wellbeing. Alessandra gives some insights on the trends she observes in this new space of assertive communication. She also shares with me her passion for self-care, learning, and supporting others to overcome challenges.

FindYourWay Coaching website: https://www.findyourway.company/

University of St. Gallen website: https://www.unisg.ch

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-learning-assertiveness-a-conversation-with-alessandra-patti

After fifteen years as a University Lecturer, based in Uganda, Connie Nshemereirwe is now an independent science and policy facilitator. She founded Actualise Africa in 2016, with the vision to see Africa evolve and fulfil its potential by profoundly reimagining current education systems. On this episode, Connie tells me about her work at the interface between academia and policy. She shares with me the core of her mission to reform education. Connie also talks about her activities with researchers across Africa, as a learning facilitator part of the Inclusive Innovation organisation. 

Actualise Africa website: https://actualiseafrica.wordpress.com/about/ 

Inclusive Innovation website: https://inclusiveinnovation.org 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-reimagining-education-a-conversation-with-connie-nshemereirwe 

On this episode, I talk with world renowned eye surgeon, founder and executive director of the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu: Dr. Sanduk Ruit; and with co-owner of Oertli Instrumente AG, a Swiss-based medical device company: Thomas Bosshard. Both Dr. Ruit and Thomas have been carrying out impactful work in the field of cataract surgery. In our conversation, they share how they established a long-lasting collaboration leading to philanthropic activities. Dr. Ruit and Thomas speak very passionately about their work, how they see cataract surgery evolving, and they also give some advice to students interested to start a career in ophthalmology or the medical device industry.  

Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology website: https://tilganga.org/  

Oertli Instrumente AG website: https://www.oertli-instruments.com/en#head 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-preventing-blindness-a-conversation-with-dr-sanduk-ruit-thomas-bosshard

Fanny Kaufmann is a global Medical Affairs leader in oncology at Takeda. She is passionate about solving global challenges in the areas of patient advocacy, access to medicine, public health safety, animal welfare and animal health, plus food security. On this episode, Fanny tells me about her new journey into One Health. We have a reflective conversation on the interconnection between human health, animal health and ecosystem health, in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Fanny also gives some advice for younger people who wish to start a career in life sciences. 

Fanny Kaufmann’s personal website: https://www.journey-animal-welfare.org  

One Health platform: https://onehealthplatform.com/ohp/about-one-health/one-health-explained 

One Health commission: https://www.onehealthcommission.org/en/programs/one_health_education_initiatives__overview/ 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-one-health-a-conversation-with-fanny-kaufmann

On this episode, I speak with Ana Maria Angarita and Isabel Brücher, two of the Capacity Zurich co-founders. Their organisation offers entrepreneurship programs to facilitate the socioeconomic inclusion of refugees and migrants in Switzerland. Ana Maria and Isabel share their respective journeys, plus how the programs at Capacity are a transformational experience for participants and volunteers. Capacity advocates for change and promotes discussions about inclusion from different perspectives.
Capacity Zurich website: https://www.capacityzurich.ch

David Fiorucci is the founder of LP3 Ltd, with his vision for a sustainable economy. In this episode, David shares with me the essence of the integrative LP3 model (Leadership, Potential, Power, Performance) that he developed over 20+ years. His model enables organisations to have a common guiding language across all levels for creating efficient and consistent leadership. David also gives some advice on what companies should focus on moving forward, to successfully manage through the changes imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

LP3 Ltd. (LP3 Leadership) website: https://www.lp3leadership.com/en/lp3-model 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-leadership-for-a-sustainable-economy-a-conversation-with-david-fiorucci

Fifteen years ago, Teresa Goines founded Old Skool Cafe a youth-run jazz supper club in San Francisco. On this episode, she tells me about her long-term vision to transform the cycle of incarceration and recidivism, at-risk youth feel trapped in, into a healthy life. Teresa also shares how the training at Old Skool Cafe provides career and life skills, plus employment experience to these young people. 

Old Skool Cafe website: https://www.oldskoolcafe.org 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-providing-professional-skills-to-at-risk-youth-a-conversation-with-teresa-goines

Emilie Alirol is a biologist who pursued her career in clinical research. Today she is Associate Director at the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV). On this episode, Emilie shares with me her experience on leading projects in resource-constrained settings, mainly focusing on infectious diseases. We also talk about the future of public health, plus Emilie gives some advice to those eager to start a career in clinical science.

Medicines for Malaria Venture website: https://www.mmv.org 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-neglected-tropical-diseases-and-antimicrobial-research-a-conversation-with-emilie-alirol

On this first episode, I speak with Pauline Koelbl about what motivated the creation of her new ventures: AfriProspect and ShEquity. Pauline is an innovation expert in developing and emerging markets. She invests in African impactful innovative startups with a special focus on female-led businesses. In our discussion, Pauline also shares what future trends she is looking out for post-COVID-19.

AfriProspect website: https://afriprospect.com 

ShEquity website: https://shequity.com 

More links from our conversation available on the podcast website: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io/episode/on-female-empowerment-and-innovation-in-africa-a-conversation-with-pauline-koelbl-efha  

Introducing the Narratives of Purpose podcast hosted by me, Claire Murigande. I am a scientist and TEDx speaker, inspired to showcase unique stories of ordinary people making extraordinary social impact in various areas, such as: youth empowerment, healthcare initiatives and sustainable business. On this biweekly show, my guests share their passion, their journeys and their perspectives on the future through fascinating conversations. 

Visit the podcast website for more information on me and my guests: https://narratives-of-purpose.podcastpage.io