The Conversation

Millions of children globally are separated from their birth families. For many, foster care is the best option. Foster carers from Moldova and the US speak to Ella Al-Shamahi about the realities of caring for vulnerable children and why they’re pushing for change in the system.Alina Druță is the president of Moldova Without Orphans, the Christian Alliance for Orphans Moldova and the national coordinator for child welfare at Open Gate International Moldova. She has been instrumental in introducing trust-based relational intervention to Moldova, an evidence-based approach that helps caregivers create safe and nurturing environments for children who have experienced trauma. Alina has worked with more than 70 young people over the past 12 years and is currently caring for six girls alongside her two biological children. Whitney Jackson from the US decided to document her family's journey into fostering on YouTube with her channel Be The Village. It has grown into a community of over 100,000 subscribers. Whitney is passionate about changing the way the world sees the foster system as well as the children who are in care.Produced by Emily Naylor and Hannah Dean(Image: (L) Whitney Jackson courtesy Whitney Jackson. (R) Alina Druță courtesy Alina Druță.)

Yousr Khalil, a forensic accountant leading the Paris office of Forensic Risk Alliance, and Judy Krier, a US lawyer with a rich background in white-collar crime investigations, dive into the world of fraud and corruption. They discuss the collaborative dynamics between accountants and lawyers, comparing their work to solving intricate puzzles. The conversation also highlights the dire impacts of corruption on society and the evolving gender dynamics in a traditionally male-dominated field, emphasizing the importance of corporate accountability.

Mette Øyås Madsen, an award-winning Danish sexual health educator, and Oladele Ogunmayi, a lead trainer at No Means No Worldwide, discuss vital aspects of teaching consent in relationships. They highlight the need for clear communication and principles like 'FRIES'—freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific. Both guests share personal journeys that fuel their advocacy, emphasizing empowerment through education. Their insights provide a transformative perspective on fostering respectful relationships and combating harmful cultural norms.

Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women about prostheses for amputees in Ukraine and children with limb difference in the UK. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Olga Rudnieva felt she had to do something to help those wounded in the conflict. She set up the Superhumans trauma centre in Lviv, which she runs as CEO alongside a team of specialists, providing prosthetic limbs to patients. It has also launched a rehabilitation centre. Olga is featured on the BBC 100 Women list 2024 of inspiring and influential women.When she was just a student in the UK Kate Allen inspired by the child of a family friend designed a prosthetic that can actually grow with children. She went on to found ExpHand Prosthetics providing affordable, life-changing upper limb prosthetics that give children their independence back.Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Olga Rudnieva credit Superhumans Trauma Centre. (R) Kate Allen courtesy Kate Allen.)

Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to two academics dedicated to uncovering the vital role of women in shaping philosophical thought, both past and present.Dr Giulia Cavaliere is an Italian philosopher who lectures at University College London. Her research focuses on infertility, assisted reproductive technologies and the desire to have genetically related children.Dr Sabrina Ebbersmeyer is a German philosopher who made history as the first woman to be appointed as a professor of Philosophy at the University of Copenhagen. She specialises in uncovering the historical contributions of female intellectuals to the discipline during the Renaissance, Early Modern period and Nordic Enlightenment.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Giulia Cavaliere courtesy of Giulia Cavaliere. (R) Sabrina Ebbersmeyer courtesy of Sabrina Ebbersmeyer.)

Telephone helplines support millions of children every year with issues ranging from serious abuse to children who just want someone to chat to on the way home from school. Ella Al-Shamahi talks to two women from South Africa and Greece about supporting children through round-the-clock helplines, counselling and outreach.Dumisile Cele, a trained social worker, is the Chief Executive Officer of Childline South Africa. Their 24-hour helpline is contacted around 300,000 times each year. Dumisile says the mental health challenges in children are especially driven by violent crimes, abuse and trauma perpetuated against them.Stavroula Spyropoulou is a psychologist working at Smile of the Child in Greece. The organisation operates across the country and has over 400 staff and 6000 active volunteers. They give families immediate support in times of crisis, run children’s homes and outreach sessions in schools. Stavroula is the coordinator of their Center for Child Abuse and Exploitation.There is a global network of child helplines in 132 countries and it's hoped that by 2030 every country in the world will have a helpline. There's a list of them all, and their contact phone numbers on the website of Child Helpline International. Produced by Jane Thurlow(Image: (L) Dumisile Cele courtesy Child Helpline South Africa. (R) Stavroula Spyropoulou courtesy Smile of the Child.)

If you're planning a big celebration, the idea of having someone else handle all the cooking might feel like a dream...but for some it's a worthwhile indulgence. Hiring a private chef means enjoying delicious, personalised food with minimal effort in the comfort of your own home. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two private chefs from India and France who create unforgettable culinary experiences.Indian award-winning chef Abhilasha Chandak decided to become a private chef after moving to London three years ago. She gained fame in 2016 by competing in the Indian version of Masterchef and getting to the final. Abhilasha has cooked for a whole range of clients, including Bollywood celebrities. Ella Aflalo is a French private chef and cookbook author based in Paris with experience in Michelin-starred kitchens. She now curates bespoke culinary experiences inspired by her travels, art and fashion. Previously, Ella founded the restaurant Yima, the name a blend of the Hebrew and Arabic word for ‘mum’. It won the Michelin Bib Gourmand, a reward given to restaurants serving high-quality food at affordable prices.Produced by Emily Naylor(Image: (L) Abhilasha Chandak courtesy Abhilasha Chandak. (R) Ella Aflalo credit Chloé Bruhat.)

Angie Chioko, a supervisor at The Halo Trust in Zimbabwe, and Nika Kokareva, a team leader for Mines Advisory Group in Ukraine, unite to discuss their harrowing yet hopeful work in demining. They share the alarming statistics about landmines affecting communities, particularly children, and recount the emotional impacts of their work. The conversation highlights the significant role of women in this dangerous field, the extensive training required, and the urgent need for mine risk education to ensure safer futures for the affected areas.

Chronic illness - and the pain it often brings - affects millions globally. But while women are more likely to experience chronic pain, they’re less likely to receive adequate treatment. Ella Al-Shamahi speaks to two women who have transformed their experiences with pain and chronic illness into powerful creative expression.Polly Crosby is a British author living with cystic fibrosis. Feeling invisible in the stories she grew up reading, she was inspired to write The Vulpine, a young adult novel deeply rooted in her personal experiences: the protagonist’s condition closely reflects Polly’s own. Polly is dedicated to portraying characters with disabilities and chronic conditions authentically, without invoking pity or hero-worship.Lavi Picu is a Romanian-Canadian interdisciplinary artist and Lyme disease advocate. She uses painting, drawing, and poetry as therapeutic tools to manage her condition while raising awareness for chronic illness. Lavi's art acts as a visual aid to, in her words, "make the invisible visible".Produced by Emily NaylorImage: (L) Polly Crosby credit Archant. (R) Lavi Picu courtesy of Lavi Picu.)

What do Audre Lorde, Pamela Anderson and Florence Nightingale all have in common? They all began writing diaries as young girls and remained seasoned diarists later in life. But what purpose does keeping a diary as a teenager serve? And what can reflecting on the intimate accounts our younger selves wrote, tell us about who we are today and the changing world around us?Ifedayo Agoro is a Nigerian entrepreneur who began writing a diary at the age of eleven. The habit began after she got into trouble at school, and wrote her mother a letter to explain what had happened. As punishment, her mother asked Ifedayo to pen a letter every week in a diary, and Ifedayo documented life as a young girl in the Shogunle neighbourhood of Lagos. This punishment soon became a joy and in 2015 Ifedayo wrote an anonymous online diary called Diary Of A Naija Girl. Five years later, she put her name to the diary and it now has 740,000 followers on Instagram.Sophie Duker is a British comedian and writer. She is currently touring Europe with her stand-up show, But Daddy I Love Her, inspired by the concept of delusion. Sophie began writing an online diary at the age of 14, capturing matters of emotional significance such as her parent’s divorce, her father moving from the UK and her first encounter with grief. These profound milestones are interwoven with the everyday highs and lows of being a British teenager: crushes on the Harry Potter cast and encounters with school bullies.Produced by Elena Angelides and Jane ThurlowImage: (L) Ifedayo Agoro credit Buklaw Photography. (R) Sophie Duker credit Sarah Harry-Isaacs.)