UNITE for Children

In the last episode for this year, we're joined by Anya Barrett, who will be running for the third year in a row for Team UNICEF in the New York City Marathon this November. She's raised more than $30,000 to date in support of UNICEF's lifesaving work! She talks to us about her family's personal connection to the organization, her training regimen, and how listeners can effectively fundraise. Sign up for Team UNICEF for future events (including the 2020 Boston Marathon): http://www.unicefusa.org/teamunicef Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Too often, shame, stigma and misinformation around periods may discourage girls from attending school and reaching their full potential. This week's guest, PERIOD founder Nadya Okamoto, is fighting for a world where all menstruators are able to manage their periods with dignity and confidence. Ahead of Day of the Girl, she talks to us about her personal journey and how all of us can speak out on this issue. Learn more about PERIOD's work: https://www.period.org/ And follow them on social for updates on National Period Day, October 19: https://twitter.com/periodmovement Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Many communities in Côte d'Ivoire have an excess of plastic waste and a deficit of classroom space. So UNICEF partnered with Conceptos Plásticos to find an innovative, cost-effective solution to address both issues: school buildings made from recycled plastic bricks. On this week's episode, co-founders Oscar Méndez and Isabel Cristina Gamez join us to talk about the importance of empowering local women, how they'll scale up the initiative, and showcasing their work at the UNGA. Check out a finished classroom: https://bit.ly/2Du7TZN Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Today’s children are least responsible for climate change, but they, and their children, will live with its consequences. That's the reality we're confronting this week, both at the UN Climate Summit and student-led climate strikes throughout the country. On this week's episode, Gautam Narasimhan, UNICEF's Senior Advisor on Climate, Energy and Environment, joins us to talk about how UNICEF is working to build a more sustainable, safer world for children, and how communities can take climate action now. Let your Members of Congress know that children must be protected from the effects of climate change: https://actnow.io/Climate Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

One of the poorest country in the world, Malawi sees far too many of its girls drop out due to the high cost of education, early pregnancy and child marriage — but that's beginning to change. This week, Kimanzi Muthengi, UNICEF Malawi's Chief of Education and Adolescents, joins us to talk about his own teaching journey, the K.I.N.D. Fund's success and how UNICEF is working to keep girls in school. Learn how you can support the K.I.N.D. Fund: bit.ly/2AahF0S Follow UNICEF Malawi on Twitter: twitter.com/malawiunicef Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Malnutrition affects every country in the world, with both undernutrition and obesity posing major risks to our children. That's where NBA All-Star player and UNICEF Ambassador Pau Gasol comes in. He was recently appointed as Global Champion for Nutrition and Zero Childhood Obesity, and he joins us this week to talk about why he's excited to begin this new role. Urge your Members of Congress to invest in nutrition for moms and children around the world: https://actnow.io/Nutrition Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Every child, regardless of borders, needs to be safe and protected — but for migrant children seeking asylum in the U.S., a new policy is now putting their lives at risk. The Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP), commonly referred to as “Remain in Mexico,” forces asylum-seeking families and even children to return to dangerous areas in Mexico to await their asylum court dates. This week, our own Eitan Peled talks with Kate Clark, Senior Director of Jewish Family Service of San Diego's Immigration Services, to talk about her work protecting children's rights, and why we all must urge lawmakers to rescind MPP. Tell the U.S. Government to #EndMPP now: https://actnow.io/EndMPP Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

While UNICEF USA's programmatic focus is largely international, the devastation of Hurricane Harvey in Houston was so severe that we decided to step in. We teamed up with partners like Mental Health America of Greater Houston, which helped parents and teachers address the trauma many children had experienced. Two years later, UNICEF USA and MHA are bringing this same approach to Bay County, Florida, with Natalie Fikac, Director of the Center for School Behavioral Health, leading the charge. We talk with her about addressing children's immediate needs after Harvey, and how those learnings will be applied in Bay County. Note that Janet Potzmentier, former Director of the Center for School Behavioral Health led the response in Houston while Natalie, the current Director, will be leading the response in Bay County. Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Today, 1.5 million children are growing up in residential institutions in India. Often poorly regulated, these facilities can leave children extremely vulnerable to exploitation and neglect. That's where Project Lion comes in. Founded by our guest, Purvi Padia, this program supports Indian children who’ve been left without family so that they can grow up in loving, protective environments. Ahead of New York City's India Day Parade, Purvi joins us to talk about the successes so far, and where Project Lion can go from here. Support Project Lion: https://bit.ly/2voSrss Help spread the word on social: www.unicefusa.org/share Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

As we find ourselves in an ongoing measles outbreak, with news of vaccine hesitancy and skepticism on the rise, we look back this week to a true UNICEF visionary for inspiration. As UNICEF's executive director from 1980 to 1995, the late Jim Grant helped launch the child survival revolution that led to a massive leap in child immunization rates around the world. Adam Fifield, who chronicled Grant's life in the book "A Mighty Purpose," joins us to talk about how we can rally the public together and renew trust in vaccines. Help spread the word — #VaccinesWork: http://www.unicefusa.org/share Check out "A Mighty Purpose": https://amzn.to/33rUDzM Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Last year, UNICEF treated more than 4 million children for severe acute malnutrition — and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) made this lifesaving work possible. Our guest this week, Dr. Patricia Wolff, founded the St. Louis- and Haiti-based Meds & Food for Kids, which is one of UNICEF's partners that produces this nutritious peanut paste. She joins us to share why she found her calling in Haiti, how RUTF is made, and how we can take the fight against malnutrition even further. Check out Meds & Food for Kids' incredible impact: https://mfkhaiti.org/ Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mfkhaiti/ And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mfkhaiti/ Donate now to support UNICEF's nutrition programs: https://bit.ly/2JQpHBi Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

School is out for summer, but that isn't slowing down UNICEF Clubs members! This week, we introduce you to two tireless student leaders that are working to make the world a better place for children: Zara, a graduating UNICEF high school club president from San Francisco; and Bouchra, our UNICEF UNITE Youth Representative in New England. Both join us to talk about some of the remarkable school projects they helped lead, and how they hope to continue making a difference in the future. Check out Northeastern's in-depth profile of Bouchra: https://bit.ly/2JXQ6ym See how you can join (or start!) at UNICEF Club at your school: https://bit.ly/30wQ5Ww Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

We've talked a lot about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)and Dreamers across the country who remain in limbo, even as the Dream and Promise Act makes its way through Congress. But what would this legislation mean for these young people and their families? What affect does this cloud of uncertainty have on them? As a Dreamer herself, our guest and colleague Giovana Ortiz-Barrera helps us answer these questions and more this week. Please, urge your Senators to pass the Dream and Promise Act: https://actnow.io/2FCleBb Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

This week, we're thrilled to welcome Sofia Carson to the show! Our own Julianne O'Connell had a chance to record this conversion during the actress and UNICEF Supporter's first UNICEF field in Recife Brazil, where she saw UNICEF's girls' empowerment and education programs in action. She talks about standing up against gender-based violence, treatment for kids and families affected by Zika, and the resilience of the many children she met throughout the trip. Check out some of the dance moves Sofia mentions on the show: https://bit.ly/2Xw0S5r Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Awet Woldegebriel first arrived to the U.S. as a refugee from Ethiopia, where his Eritrean family faced persecution and was forced to flee during the Ethiopian-Eritrean War. More than 15 years later, he now works at UNICEF USA on our Major Gifts Team here in New York. For World Refugee Day, he joins us to talk about his personal journey, giving back through his Knowledge Aid Foundation, and why we all win when refugee and migrant children are able to realize the full potential. Help amplify refugee stories on World Refugee Day and beyond: https://bit.ly/2J7R2xt Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Across the globe, nearly 50 million children have been uprooted — an enormous number for anyone to comprehend. So how do you explain such a complex and challenging issue to children? This week's guest, children's author Nick Bruel, helps us answer this question, as his latest book, "Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble," aims to contextualize the global refugee crisis for younger audiences. He talks with us about his process and how his family's history continues to inspire him. Here's where you can get a copy of "Bad Kitty: Kitten Trouble": https://amzn.to/2EVK3WW Check out the first in our series of World Refugee Day stories: https://bit.ly/2WlCQFs Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

In the Central African Republic (CAR), two in three children — around 1.5 million — need humanitarian assistance. That's why Paolo Marchi, UNICEF CAR's Deputy Representative, and his colleagues are working around the clock to provide lifesaving aid. This week, he joins our own Erica Vogel to talk about how the recent NBC News coverage of the crisis came together, the miraculous intervention UNICEF uses to treat malnutrition, and how former child soldiers are rebuilding their lives. Watch NBC's recent reporting, featuring Graciela's story: https://nbcnews.to/2Hk9F1J Read more about how therapeutic food packets brought Pierre back from the brink of starvation: https://bit.ly/2GnFpC6 Learn how you can help kids like them in CAR: https://bit.ly/2Hjhd4X Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: bit.ly/2K4ODWr

If you've ever wondered about how to work for UNICEF abroad, this week's episode is for you! Our guest this week is Julianna Lindsey, Representative at the UNICEF Botswana Country Office. Throughout the past two decades, she's also worked in Sudan, Kenya and Ghana. She joins our own Amanda Reffsin to talk about how she came to be in that role, what a day in her life looks like, and how others might follow in her footsteps. You don't need to work for UNICEF to help the world's children. Learn how you can start a UNICEF Club at your school: https://bit.ly/2Eq61RI Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru Stitcher: http://bit.ly/2K4ODWr

Last winter, our own Amanda Reffsin visited Côte d'Ivoire to see some of UNICEF's innovative approaches to reaching vulnerable children. This week, she catches up with two of our colleagues there in our first double header. First up is Daniel Ouedraogo, UNICEF Côte d'Ivoire Senior Youth Engagement Strategist, who shares how the U-Report program is enabling the country's youth to talk about the issues that matter to them. After that, stay tuned for a conversation with Sophie Chavanel, UNICEF Côte d'Ivoire Chief of Communication, to learn how communities are turning plastic waste into bricks for new classrooms. Get a closer look at the new classrooms: https://bit.ly/2Du7TZN See how UNICEF helps mothers in Côte d'Ivoire stay vigilant against HIV: https://bit.ly/2WCAUJx Lessons learned from U-Report: https://bit.ly/2w1Cs4a Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: https://www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru

It's our very first interview with a professional athlete! This week, Murielle Ahouré, an Olympic track star and UNICEF Côte d'Ivoire Champion, sits down with Shanell Mosley, our Deputy Director of Sports Partnerships, to talk about finding friends through running, the transformative power of education, and how she gives back to the world's children. Apply to join Team UNICEF in the 2019 NYC Marathon: https://bit.ly/2LwYHK5 Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite

As the measles outbreak in the U.S. continues to make headlines, the spotlight is once again on the impact of vaccines. And there's no greater proof of their effectiveness than the global fight to end maternal & neonatal tetanus (MNT), a deadly disease that's been eliminated in dozens of countries over the last decade, including Ethiopia. This week, Dr. Hala Sabry, founder of the Physician Moms Group, joins us to talk about her recent field visit there and what immunization means to mothers and children throughout the country. Give Vaccines as an Inspired Gift this Mother's Day: https://bit.ly/2GVjuCO Follow the Physician Moms Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/physicianmomsgroup/ See what it took to recently eliminate MNT in Chad: https://bit.ly/2vsXDfh Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite

This week, we're celebrating World Immunization Week and the incredible lifesaving impact of vaccines around the world. One of the greatest success stories over the last few decades has been the fight to eradicate polio, so much so that many Americans don't really understand this often deadly disease. But in this conversation between father and son, Steve Sype talks to our own Community Engagement Fellow Eric Sype about growing up with polio, the initial public response to the vaccine, and how far we've come since then. As always, immense gratitude to Rotary International for leading the fight to eradicate polio. Thanks to our combined efforts, we're incredibly close to finishing the job! Join the fight: https://www.endpolio.org/ More info on why vaccines matter in 2019: https://bit.ly/2W2y8gF Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite

This WWE Superstar is all about compassion both inside and outside the ring! We couldn't be more thrilled to talk with Bayley this week, as her positivity and kindness make her a great role model for kids across the country. She joins Shanell Mosley, our Deputy Director of Sports Partnerships, to discuss our new partnership with WWE, the global impact of UNICEF Kid Power, and a very special school in Phoenix. Highlights from our visit to the Valencia Newcomer School: https://bit.ly/2HV4w0g Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: www.unicefusa.org/unite

When we started this podcast, one of our goals was to highlight what motivates UNICEF supporters to go above and beyond to fundraise for children. And it's hard to imagine someone going to greater heights than Ashley Cobile from Hawaii, who recently fundraised through Crowdrise in advance of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. She talks with Sarah Ferguson, UNICEF USA contributing writer, about reaching the summit, fighting to end child trafficking, and what it takes to create a successful online fundraiser. Check out Ashley's fundraiser: https://bit.ly/2Hzbadq Create your own on behalf of UNICEF USA: https://www.crowdrise.com/unicefusa You can fundraise through Facebook, too: https://www.facebook.com/pg/UNICEF-USA/fundraisers/ Register a fundraiser on our website: https://www.unicefusa.org/submit-your-event-application Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: https://www.unicefusa.org/unite

You're about to listen to the very first episode of UNITE for Children, UNICEF USA's podcast that celebrates Americans who are dedicated to making the world a better place for kids. We'll also be providing practical ways each episode for you to get involved as a front-line advocate. This week, we're joined by Hamdia Ahmed. Born as her family was fleeing civil war in Somalia, 20-year-old Hamdia is determined to stand up for refugees and displaced people around the world. She talks to Marion Hart, UNICEF USA contributing writer, about growing up in a Kenyan camp, forging her own identity through fashion, and speaking out on behalf of refugee and migrant children. Read more about Hamdia's story: https://bit.ly/2N3dxbA Learn how you can get active with UNICEF in your community: https://www.unicefusa.org/unite SUBSCRIBE iTunes: apple.co/2XIvugy Google Play: bit.ly/2W0lleE Spotify: spoti.fi/2ISIxru