Send us a text “Being a leader, especially in this sector right now - it's not clear. We are all struggling and trying to find answers to big questions…I think the main important part is to try to sit and think and reflect…it's important to keep your eyes on the North Star, on the long-term goal, but also look at the present - how to deal with what's happening now while remembering the big picture." – Ali Al Mokdad What happens when traditional leadership models meet the complex realit...

Send us a text على المائدة أم على قائمة الطعام؟ المستجيبون المحليون في طليعة العمل الإنساني تُسلّط هذه الحلقة، "على الطاولة أم على قائمة الطعام؟"، الضوء على العاملين في المجال الإنساني الذين كانوا في الخطوط الأمامية للاستجابة في السودان. "لا تأتي إليّ بنهجك التنازلي. بصفتي مُستجيبًا أوليًا أو متطوعًا ميدانيًا، وبصفتي فردًا بحاجة إلى هذه الخدمة، دعني أُريك ما أريده بالضبط." - نهال الزاكي، منظمة ريما - دنقلا، الولاية الشمالية تُسلّط هذه المُحادثة الضوء على الأصوات المحلية في صميم الحوار الإنس...

Send us a text How can you stay connected to your 'why' as a humanitarian leader during these challenging times? 💬 "Whatever it is that you do, if you're not doing it with a full heart... something needs to change." - Foutoun Khalil Tune in to an inspiring conversation with two remarkable women navigating leadership in today's challenging humanitarian landscape. Ka Man Parkinson speaks to Foutoun Khalil, Head of Awards at Save the Children Lebanon, as she shares her bold career transition fro...

Send us a text A mini episode of Fresh Humanitarian Perspectives from Humanitarian Xchange Kampala. Communications and Marketing Specialist Nwabundo Okoh speaks with Joyce Nyaboga, Senior Network Development Advisor - Start Network; Dr. Atif Shdad, Emergency Response Rooms - Sudan; Huseyin Arslan, Consultant - Save the Children International and Nancy Mureti, Head of Regional Centers - Humanitarian Leadership Academy. In this episode, hear reflections on some topics shared at the energi...

Send us a text How can technology support dignified, community-led humanitarian action? Continuing a thematic exploration of humanitarian tech, Ka Man Parkinson speaks with Layma Murtaza and Safi Nurzai from Aseel – a social enterprise reimagining how aid can work through digital innovation, local leadership and global connection. This is a conversation about systems change from the ground up: the power of coalitions, the urgency of new funding models, and why centring people – not just produ...

Send us a text Ka Man Parkinson is joined by Lucy Hall from the Humanitarian Leadership Academy and Madigan Johnson from Data Friendly Space to discuss a landmark joint survey on AI adoption in the humanitarian sector. Together, they explore how artificial intelligence is currently being used, what future potential it holds, and why this research is so vital. No matter where you are in the humanitarian eco-system - whether you're an early adopter or new to AI - your voice is essential in shap...

Send us a text How can academic research shape humanitarian action? This is the question at the heart of today's insightful discussion between two Education in Emergencies (EiE) colleagues from Save the Children International. Casey Pearson (EiE Technical Learning Specialist) sits down with Rafka Daoud (EiE Professional Development Programme Manager) to explore the critical connections between education, training and research, drawing on insights from Rafka’s recent doctoral research in...

Send us a text In this thought-provoking episode, Ka Man Parkinson speaks to Dr Cornelia C. Walther to hear her expert take on the implications of AI for humanitarians - and the actions we can take today to keep abreast of developments. Cornelia's experience positions her as an insightful and authoritative thought leader in this space: a former humanitarian leader with over 20 years of experience at UNICEF, she is now a Wharton/University of Pennsylvania fellow pioneering research on hybrid i...

Send us a text How can you shape a meaningful and purpose-driven career in the humanitarian sector and beyond? Tune in to this episode to glean insights from Ana Lucia Villagran, a Learning Solutions Specialist at HLA’s Latin America and Caribbean Regional Centre from Guatemala, and Selim Uysal, an independent humanitarian consultant and trainer from Türkiye, now based in Germany. Ana Lucia and Selim share their personal journeys of discovering purpose in their careers that have s...

Send us a text To celebrate World Poetry Day 2025, we explore the power of creative expression for forging connections and inspiring action within our communities and beyond. The HLA's Ka Man Parkinson connects with two inspiring members of Poetic Unity, Tariq Brown and Blaize Alexis-Anglin, who performed powerful pieces at the inaugural Humanitarian Xchange event in London in February 2024. One year later, we welcome them back to share new works and to hear their advice for how we can ...

Send us a text "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." When Natasha Nishimwe (Save the Children International) stepped into a new role in a global team, she felt like an imposter. But by taking action through coaching, she unlocked her confidence, overcame self-doubt and stepped into new professional opportunities. Guided by Charlotte Balfour-Poole, Head of Coaching at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, Natasha’s story is a powerful example of how coaching can help h...

Send us a text In this two-part podcast, Ka Man Parkinson sits down with coaching expert Charlotte Balfour-Poole to explore the transformative power of coaching in the humanitarian sector. In the first episode, discover key coaching tools for managing wellbeing, building resilience, and unlocking personal and professional growth. Charlotte leads a flash coaching session, and Natasha Nishimwe from Save the Children shares how coaching helped her overcome self-doubt and thrive. Tune in for part...

Send us a text In this episode, we continue talking about youth participation in humanitarian and civic action. We discuss how youth can and should be involved in crisis response, humanitarian action, and development. Hear from participants of the Youth Leadership for Emerging Future programme Miro Béreš and Maria Andruchiw, as well as Kacper Rynio, the HLA's Programme Officer in Eastern Europe Regional Centre. About speakers: Kacper Rynio works as the HLA Programme Officer in Pol...

Send us a text 24 February 2025 marks the third anniversary of the escalation of the armed conflict in Ukraine. In this conversation, we focus on lessons learnt from these three years of delivering humanitarian response with the goal to support and strengthen locally-led action. Oksana Dobrovolska, Communications Officer at the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (the HLA), talks with Kamila Wujec, Leadership Pillar Lead at the HLA, and our former Regional Lead in Eastern Europe; Piotr Kolodzej, ...

Send us a text As we mark the second anniversary of the Türkiye-Syria earthquake response, this podcast episode is dedicated to reflections, lessons learnt, and remaining challenges. Oksana Dobrovolska, Communications Officer at the HLA, hosts a conversation with Bdour Ghousheh, the HLA Regional Lead in the Middle East and North Africa, and Samantha Davis, the HLA Deputy Director for Learning and Programmes. The discussion touches on personal experiences responding to the disaster, the essen...

Send us a textWhat does it take to build a career that spans continents, sectors, and some of the world’s most pressing challenges? In this episode, the HLA’s Ka Man Parkinson is joined by Kate Beale, Managing Director at Crowell Global Advisors, who shares her extraordinary journey from grassroots work in Paraguay to influencing global policy in Washington DC. In this exclusive interview for Fresh Humanitarian Perspectives, Kate shares her experiences on: How her college prof...

Send us a textIn this episode, we take you on a deep dive exploration of a transformative programme designed to address the unique challenges faced by women working in the education context in crisis affected communities across Pakistan. We published the initial story of the training as it happened, and in this episode we present an audio journey of this initiative by sharing voices from the training room and beyond. Ka Man Parkinson (HLA Communications and Marketing Specialist) takes us behi...

Send us a textA principios de octubre de 2024, el equipo de HLA en América Latina y el Caribe, junto con 4 organizaciones locales y Save the Children International, se embarcaron en un emocionante viaje: empoderar a los jóvenes en Perú. Ir más allá del fortalecimiento de capacidades para ofrecer una oportunidad que potencialmente pueda cambiar la vida de ocho jóvenes graduados de diversos campos de trabajo, con un interés común en el campo humanitario.En este episodio, escuchamos directamente...

Send us a textIn this episode, we focus on Youth Leadership and talk about the importance of youth participation. On the Youth Leadership for Emerging Future programme example, we discuss how youth can and should be involved in crisis response, humanitarian action, and development. The participants shared about the challenges they identified and how they addressed them while working on their projects. You will hear from Agnieszka PŁoska, Youth Changemaking Manager at Ashoka Poland, and V...

Send us a textWith the global mental health crisis affecting one in four people – and nearly everyone within communities impacted by crisis including conflict and disasters – the need for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) is more urgent than ever.In this episode, Ka Man Parkinson holds a candid conversation with Marie Dahl and Dr Victor Ugo from The MHPSS Collaborative. Marie and Victor share honest reflections on the challenges they face with their work, while passionately setti...