The fish, the candle, and the rosary — all are powerful symbols of the Christian faith. But what can they tell us about humanitarian work?

In this episode, we explore what it really means to be a faith based ngo.

To do so, we’ve brought together five leaders — from different countries, backgrounds, and faith traditions — who share the responsibility of leading some of the world’s major faith-based aid organisations.

On a busy Wednesday in Copenhagen, we gathered all five in one studio to talk about the values — and the challenges — of being a faith based organisation. 

Participants:

• Maria Krabbe Hammershøy, Secretary General, Caritas Denmark
• Jens Vesterager, Secretary General, ADRA
• Tetiana Stawnychy, President, Caritas Ukraine
• Anahit Mkhoyan, Secretary General, Caritas Georgia
• Jonas Vejsager Nøddekær, Secretary General, DanChurchAid – Folkekirkens Nødhjælp

📽Watch the conversation as a video podcast here: https://youtu.be/J4eNPDxctO8

Learn more about…

• Caritas — rooted in the Catholic Church, a global network with projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• ADRA — the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, founded in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, working across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• DanChurchAid — grounded in the Danish Lutheran tradition, active in more than twenty countries, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

‘A Sign of Hope’ is a podcast series produced by the podcast bureau hearHEAR for Caritas Denmark with support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The dirt road winds through the green hills of Zimbabwe. In the backseat, Lucy Esipila watches the landscape shift — on her way to a school where most students can’t afford lunch, let alone tuition.

Lucy is Caritas Africa’s Regional Executive Secretary. In this episode, she traces the deeper reasons behind poverty in countries rich in resources — and explains why debt is holding millions back.

As part of a global Jubilee campaign launched by the late Pope Francis, faith leaders around the world are calling for something radical: cancel the debt.

This episode explores how debt can be turned into hope.

Learn more about the global Jubilee campaign here:
https://www.caritas.org/2025/02/g20-more-than-100-faith-leaders-around-globe-urge-finance-ministers-to-end-debt-crisis-in-jubilee-year/


Told by Lucy Esipila, Caritas Africa’s Regional Executive Secretary. Voice over made with ElevenLabs. Editor & writer Anette Lilleøre. Senior editor Anders Guldberg. Music & Mix Kasper Møller.

‘A Sign of Hope’ is a podcast series produced by the podcast bureau hearHEAR for Caritas Denmark with support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

That was not how I had hoped the last day of my stay in Ukraine would begin. Before entering the war-torn country, I had downloaded an app that sounds an alarm when there is danger. Now, it was five o’clock in the morning, it was Thursday, November 21, and my phone was making noise like never before. I woke up with a start, hurriedly got dressed and reached for my backpack, which contained, among other things, a first aid kit, several flattened granola bars and a few lukewarm water bottles. There was no telling how long we would be in the shelter, and it was a matter of preparing for the worst and having enough provisions.

New aspects of Russia's 1,000+ day war in Ukraine are revealed by listening to the stories of the people who are refugees in their own country.

Told by Peter Christian Rude, Communications Coordinator, Caritas Denmark

Link

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0025l4z

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuCaAUGFkbE

This is a an original podcast from Caritas Denmark. Translated to English from Danish and Ukrainian. Produced by HearHEAR.

Following the outbreak of the civil war in Sudan on April 15, 2023, approximately 1 million people have been forced to flee their home.

The country is facing a famine crisis, and many people, especially children, are at risk of dying from hunger and malnourishment. 

But there is still hope for peace.

In this episode, Maysa Alaqil from ADRA Sudan looks back at the hectic days around the time the war broke out where she had to flee Sudan’s capital Khartoum. 

‘A Sign of Hope’ is a podcast series produced by the podcast bureau hearHEAR for Caritas Denmark with support from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This episode has been produced in collaboration with ADRA Denmark.