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Optimistic Voices
Helping Children Worldwide; Dr. Laura Horvath, Emmanuel M. Nabieu, Yasmine Vaughan, Melody Curtiss
59 episodes
2 days ago
Send us a text The difference between helping and hurting often comes down to one critical question: are we empowering and dignifying people or creating dependencies and disabilities? In this eye-opening conversation with Sheree Reece, Global Missions Director for a UMC Mega Church - Church of the Resurrection, Laura and Yaz unpack the profound shift happening in mission work worldwide—moving from traditional charity models that often foster dependence to sustainable approaches that build gen...
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Social Sciences
Science
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All content for Optimistic Voices is the property of Helping Children Worldwide; Dr. Laura Horvath, Emmanuel M. Nabieu, Yasmine Vaughan, Melody Curtiss and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Send us a text The difference between helping and hurting often comes down to one critical question: are we empowering and dignifying people or creating dependencies and disabilities? In this eye-opening conversation with Sheree Reece, Global Missions Director for a UMC Mega Church - Church of the Resurrection, Laura and Yaz unpack the profound shift happening in mission work worldwide—moving from traditional charity models that often foster dependence to sustainable approaches that build gen...
Show more...
Social Sciences
Science
Episodes (20/59)
Optimistic Voices
Party in the Back: Your Superhero Cape Belongs to Someone Else
Send us a text The difference between helping and hurting often comes down to one critical question: are we empowering and dignifying people or creating dependencies and disabilities? In this eye-opening conversation with Sheree Reece, Global Missions Director for a UMC Mega Church - Church of the Resurrection, Laura and Yaz unpack the profound shift happening in mission work worldwide—moving from traditional charity models that often foster dependence to sustainable approaches that build gen...
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6 days ago
1 hour 6 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Hannah's Story - Broken to Brave: A Father's Fight to Bring His Children Home
Send us a text What happens when a struggling father refuses to let disability define his family's future? Hannah Smith's remarkable story reveals the transformative journey from family separation to triumphant reunion in post-war Sierra Leone. Hannah's story begins in hardship—her disabled father, a determined blacksmith, made the heartbreaking decision to place his children in an orphanage when he couldn't provide basic necessities. Though initially grateful for education and proper care a...
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2 weeks ago
22 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Playground to Battleground: Stolen Ukrainian Children. The Dark Reality and Secret Purpose of Russia's Evacuation of Children from the War Zone
Send us a text The systematic abduction and militarization of Ukrainian children by Russian forces represents one of the most devastating yet underreported aspects of the ongoing war. In this eye-opening conversation, Ukrainian historian and religious scholar Vladyslav Havrylov reveals the shocking scope and calculated nature of Russia's deportation campaign targeting Ukrainian youth. His research with the Institute of World History at Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences and his work docu...
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1 month ago
59 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Rooted in Reality: Simulating Life on the Edge of Extreme Poverty
Send us a text Ever wondered what life is really like for families living on the edge of extreme poverty? Most of us have only seen poverty through statistics or images, but a new immersive experience called "Rooted in Reality" is changing how we understand this complex reality. When a team of college students traveled to Sierra Leone to develop this groundbreaking poverty simulation, they discovered something profound. People experiencing poverty don't define their situation primarily by th...
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1 month ago
1 hour 12 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Broken Trust, Brave Hearts and a True Rescue: The Princess Story
Send us a text Princess was just six years old when someone finally spoke up about the abuse she was suffering. That brave act by a Child Reintegration Center alumnus became the first link in a chain of compassionate interventions that would transform her life. Reverend Olivia Fonney, Director of the Child Reintegration Center in Sierra Leone, takes us through Princess's journey from trauma to healing. When Princess first arrived at the CRC, she was understandably confused and frightened. Ra...
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1 month ago
18 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Rising Tides Catalyzing Change: Part 2. Beyond Orphanages: The Global Shift to Family-Based Care
Send us a text The global movement to transition children from orphanages to families is gaining momentum, but significant challenges remain. In this thought-provoking episode, David Titus Moussa hosts a conversation with Stephen Usembe, a care leaver and founder of Kenya Society of Care Leavers, and Phil Aspergren, executive director of Casa Viva in Costa Rica, as they unpack key insights from the recent Rising Tide Conference. Stephen shares his unique perspective as someone who grew up in...
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2 months ago
57 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Rising Tides: How Family Care Is Replacing Institutions
Send us a text Child welfare is undergoing a profound transformation worldwide as organizations shift away from institutional orphanages toward family-based care models. But what does this transition actually look like on the ground? How can we redirect well-intentioned support toward solutions that truly serve children's needs? This eye-opening conversation brings together true pioneers in the global care reform movement. Stephen Ucembe draws from his lived experience growing up in a Kenyan...
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2 months ago
54 minutes

Optimistic Voices
From Village to Nursing: Monjama's Journey of Resilience
Send us a text Discover the remarkable journey of Monjama, a young woman from rural Sierra Leone whose life trajectory shifted dramatically through education, family reconnection, and dedicated support. Left fatherless in a remote village without schools or healthcare facilities, Monjama's future seemed predetermined by generational poverty—until intervention changed everything. At just seven years old, Monjama entered the Child Reintegration Center (CRC), encountering formal education for t...
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3 months ago
27 minutes

Optimistic Voices
The Hidden Problems with Child Sponsorship Programs: A $3.29 Billion Industry Under Scrutiny
Send us a text Child sponsorship seems like the perfect way to help vulnerable children abroad – for just $30 a month, you get photos, letters, and the satisfaction of changing a child's life. But what if this model is causing unexpected problems? In this thought-provoking episode, we dive deep into the $3.29 billion child sponsorship industry with Dr. Hunter Farrell, author of "Congregational Mission." Having operated our own sponsorship program for years, we explore why global child welfar...
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3 months ago
36 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Twice Orphaned: The MaMaw's House Story - Why Sponsorship Doesn't Save the Care Leaver.
Send us a text When Jen Conrad first sponsored a child in Sierra Leone, she never imagined it would lead to adoption proceedings, heartbreaking visa denials, and eventually creating a groundbreaking program that's changing lives across the country. Her story reveals the hidden aftermath of institutional care that few people consider: what happens when orphaned children become adults? After traveling to Sierra Leone multiple times and forming deep bonds with two siblings, Jen and her husband ...
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4 months ago
40 minutes

Optimistic Voices
When Baby Blues Turns Deadly - Maternal Mental Health: Breaking the Silence & Sharing Prevention
Send us a text Dr. Abdullahi Jawobah takes us deep into the critically overlooked world of maternal mental health, where his groundbreaking research reveals a staggering statistic: approximately 50% of pregnant and lactating mothers in Sierra Leone experience psychological distress. This silent epidemic has far-reaching consequences not only for mothers but for their unborn children, as Dr. Jawobah explains how stress hormones cross the placenta to affect gene expression in developing f...
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4 months ago
48 minutes

Optimistic Voices
The Global Village Unites for a Child: Musu's Story
Send us a text Sixteen-year-old Musu Sangu faced a devastating diagnosis in Sierra Leone—a life-threatening heart condition requiring specialized surgery unavailable anywhere in her country. With her heart functioning at just 20% capacity and given only a 40% chance of survival, Musu's future looked grim. But what followed was an extraordinary demonstration of global compassion that would save her life. The journey began at Mercy Hospital in Sierra Leone, where Dr. Aruna Stevens identified M...
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4 months ago
18 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Empowering Midwives: The Key to Saving Lives
Send us a text Welcome to a transformative episode that dives deep into saving lives through improved maternal health in Sierra Leone. We share inspiring stories from a recent training conference in Kenema, focusing on the critical role midwives play in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. You'll hear from Matron Mary Augusta Fuller, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, who shares insights on the vital need for comprehensive training programs for midwives, addressing both essential n...
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5 months ago
49 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Tiny Miracles: The Story of Joseph
Send us a text Join us for a deeply inspiring episode that follows the miraculous journey of baby Joseph, born against all odds in a rural clinic in Sierra Leone. This episode highlights the intense realities faced by healthcare workers like midwife Hawa Zoker, caught in a life-or-death situation while managing multiple deliveries. Tune in to hear about the pivotal moment when help arrived in the form of Canadian nurses, who brought both medical expertise and critical supplies that ultimately...
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5 months ago
20 minutes

Optimistic Voices
A Child's View: Ishmael - Acts of Mercy in Sierra Leone
Send us a textThe episode shares Ishmael's inspiring journey from pain to healing through the compassionate care provided by Mercy UMC Hospital. Listeners learn how community support and dedicated healthcare professionals can create incredible transformations in children's lives.• Ishmael's broken body and his mother's desperate journey for help • Dr. Morie Vandi’s commitment to serving underserved communities • Mercy's outreach program and how important it is in providing medical care to rur...
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6 months ago
11 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Season 3, Episode 1 - Together for Global Health takes a continuity of care maternal health mission to Sierra Leone
Send us a textWelcome to the first episode of Season of the Optimistic Voices podcast of Helping Children Worldwide. This is a REBROADCAST of Episode 1, Season 3, because we are once again heading to West Africa on this collaborative mission to save the lives of mothers and infants - and going upstream in our mission to prevent unnecessary orphanhoods from occurring.We help children worldwide by strengthening and Empowering Families and communities. This podcast is for people interested in de...
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7 months ago
37 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Radical Collaboration and Redefining Mission - We're all grown up now...
Send us a textCurious about how sustainable development models can transform entire communities? Our latest episode promises to unravel this by sitting down with Melody Curtis, the inspiring Executive Director of Helping Children Worldwide. Discover how her organization transitioned from temporary relief to an empowerment approach, fostering resilient communities and strong families. Melody shares uplifting success stories of families gaining independence, and our program strategist Laura emp...
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8 months ago
1 hour 2 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Empowering Transformation: Shifting Global Leadership to the Global South for Better Answers
Send us a textExplore the power of transformation and empowerment in this special retrospective episode of Optimistic Voices. Join Dr. Laura Horvath, Emmanuel Nabeu, and Yasmin Vaughn as we promise to uncover the compelling journey of Helping Children Worldwide (HCW) through 2024, celebrating remarkable milestones and visionary shifts in global leadership. We reflect on standout episodes that shed light on crucial topics like maternal and child health improvements in Sierra Leone, transitioni...
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8 months ago
56 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Be the Change: Taking the Lead in Child Welfare in the Global South
Send us a textJoin us on a transformative journey as we explore the profound shift from orphanage care to family-based support in Sierra Leone and beyond. Featuring insights from George Kulanda, the case management supervisor at the Child Reintegration Center, and David Titus Musa, a senior consultant at the Center, this episode promises a deep dive into the complexities and triumphs of reintegrating children into family environments. From engaging with orphanage leaders to collaborating with...
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9 months ago
1 hour 20 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Volunteering Beyond Borders: The Reality and Impact of Peace Corps Service in Sierra Leone
Send us a textEver wonder what it truly means to be a part of the Peace Corps, especially in a country with such a rich history like Sierra Leone? Our guests, Nat Kofi Abu-Bonsrah, a current volunteer, and Michael Lee, a returned volunteer and president of Friends of Sierra Leone, share their inspiring journeys. Nat provides a unique perspective on his role in sustainable development, while Michael reveals the continued commitment of Friends of Sierra Leone to foster positive change and colla...
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10 months ago
38 minutes

Optimistic Voices
Send us a text The difference between helping and hurting often comes down to one critical question: are we empowering and dignifying people or creating dependencies and disabilities? In this eye-opening conversation with Sheree Reece, Global Missions Director for a UMC Mega Church - Church of the Resurrection, Laura and Yaz unpack the profound shift happening in mission work worldwide—moving from traditional charity models that often foster dependence to sustainable approaches that build gen...