A Plastic-Free Future for Senegal: Modou FallA Plastic-Free Future for Senegal: Modou Fall

Stories from the Hearth

Interview With:

Modou Fall

L’Homme Plastique (The Plastic Man)
🌍 Dakar, Senegal

In this interview, meet L’Homme Plastique (Modou Fall), a former soldier as he shares his journey after his military service, and how he became aware of environmental issues in his country. He highlights the urgent need to raise awareness about reducing plastic waste and adopting more sustainable lifestyles. Modou’s campaign of wearing a dress made from collected plastic bags highlights the devastating impact of discarded plastic waste and the importance of environmental health for the wellbeing of all, which he shared at the first regional wellbeing summit in Thiès.

Watch the interview below.

EXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHEREXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHER

Dive Into Stories From Around the World

Discover the Wellbeing Movement in AfricaDiscover the Wellbeing Movement in Africa

Meet and hear stories from the changemakers championing the wellbeing movement in Africa.

Ecological Wellbeing in Kenya: Where Are We Now and Where Should We Go?Ecological Wellbeing in Kenya: Where Are We Now and Where Should We Go?

Stories from the Hearth

Interview With:

Session Recap From:

Hearth Summit Nairobi 2024
🌍 Nairobi, Kenya

Hearth Summit Nairobi invited changemakers to reflect on their relationship with the natural world by being held in the landscape of the Karen neighborhood of Nairobi, known for its forests, flowers, and vegetation.

Quick Reads

  • Ecological Belonging and planetary wellbeing were key themes at Hearth Summit Nairobi, the first regional wellbeing summit for social change held in East Africa by Axum.
  • A diverse group of experts – Fridah Kiboori, Nyaguthii Chege, Constant Cap, and Kevin Juma – shared perspectives on contributors and inhibitors to ecological wellbeing in Kenya.
  • They recognized drastic environmental changes over the years in Kenya, including the loss of green spaces in cities like Nairobi, and the need for conservation and green urbanization.
  • Community-driven initiatives, justice, and equity were highlighted as necessary to successfully reclaim and transform urban spaces and achieve ecological wellbeing throughout the country.
  • Possible solutions explored include significant investments in accessibility to green spaces, successful biodiversity conservation, and community-led projects.

At Hearth Summit Nairobi, the first regional wellbeing summit for social change in East Africa, 300 changemakers gathered to explore a new culture of social change in Kenya and beyond. With Ecological Belonging as a core pillar of the Summit’s program, changemakers reflected on their relationships with the natural world, climate change in Kenya, and the rich cultural heritage present in the region. The Summit was organized by consulting firm Axum as part of their work to foster climate-positive, digitally innovative, inclusive growth, economic development, and social advancement across Africa, the Middle East, and the world.

A diverse group of experts were brought together to explore the intersection of urban development, nature conservation, and the future of green spaces. Fridah Kiboori, Associate Partner, Axum, moderated the conversation featuring:

Each speaker shared personal experiences and professional insights, creating a rich dialogue that highlighted both challenges and opportunities in the realm of ecological wellbeing.

Catch a glimpse of the Summit here in this short video:

Scene Setting: Changes in the Kenyan Landscape

Each panellist shared personal stories of their relationship with nature, particularly reflecting on their memories from childhood and how they shape their present perspectives. From their stories, the discussion was rooted in real-world examples and human-centered views on the complexities of conservation, urbanization, and community action.

Kevin Juma shared his journey from a nature-loving boy in Western Kenya to a leading forestry specialist. He recounted his childhood experiences of gathering wild fruits and playing outdoors, which later inspired him to study forestry. Kevin highlighted the drastic changes he observed over the years, from shrinking rivers to disappearing fruit trees, underscoring the urgent need for conservation. His career spanning over two decades has been dedicated to understanding and preserving the intricate connections between natural environments and human wellbeing.

Constant Cap brought a contrasting viewpoint as someone who grew up in an urban setting. He vividly described how Nairobi has evolved from the 80s and 90s, where open spaces and public parks were more accessible. Over time, these green spaces have been encroached upon, impacting the city’s ecological balance. Constant mentioned the intentional grabbing of public land and the subsequent deterioration of communal spaces. Despite these challenges, he highlighted positive community actions and initiatives aimed at reclaiming and preserving urban green spaces.

Nyaguthii Chege tied the conversation to her childhood memories and larger societal impacts. She discussed the systematic theft of public land and how it has reshaped Nairobi’s urban landscape. Nyaguthii emphasized the importance of justice and equity in ensuring ecological wellbeing, pointing out how past struggles to protect spaces like Uhuru Park are still relevant today. She touched upon the emotional and psychological benefits of green spaces and the necessity of fighting to protect and reclaim these areas for future generations.

rhs-43-images-3

Conservation Matters

Watch episodes of NTV’s Wild Talks with Smirthi Vidyarthi to discover five captivating stories of The Nature Conservancy’s conversation work in Kenya.

Looking Forward: Actionable Solutions for Ecological Wellbeing

As Fridah guided the panel towards discussing actionable solutions and developments, the panellists gave examples of projects and initiatives that are driving positive impacts for ecological wellbeing. Kevin talked about the necessity of balancing conservation with economic activities. He advocated for better enforcement of environmental laws and the inclusion of indigenous communities in conservation efforts. Constant highlighted grassroots initiatives like the Dandora Transformation League and Nairobi Placemaking Movement, which are successfully reclaiming urban spaces. Nyaguthii pointed out community-driven efforts like the Ghetto Farmers of Mathare, which transform trash-filled areas into green spaces and cultivate local produce. These initiatives showcase the power of community action in restoring and maintaining ecological health.

Watch to learn more about the Ghetto Farmers of Mathare, one of the solutions highlighted by the panel.

Envisioning the Future: Headlines of Hope

The panelists concluded by sharing hopeful headlines they would like to see in the future. Constant envisioned a significant investment in walking and cycling infrastructure in African cities, aligning with a broader push for sustainable mobility and making green spaces more accessible. Kevin’s ideal headline focused on a dramatic increase in the population of black rhinos, indicating successful conservation efforts and biodiversity protection. Nyaguthii’s emphasized the need for social justice as a foundation for ecological wellbeing, envisaging a society where fairness and equity drive environmental actions.

Fridah wrapped up the session by underscoring the interconnectedness of individual actions, community efforts, and systemic changes in achieving ecological wellbeing. The conversation highlighted the dual need for protecting natural spaces and ensuring equitable access to these areas for all.

Go further and learn about Axum’s work to pioneer sustainable forestry management and drive biodiversity conversation in East Africa.

EXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHEREXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHER

Dive Into Stories From Around the World

Discover the Wellbeing Movement in AfricaDiscover the Wellbeing Movement in Africa

Meet and hear stories from the changemakers championing the wellbeing movement in Africa.

Ecological Belonging and RegenerationEcological Belonging and Regeneration

Stories from the Hearth

Hearth Summit São Paulo Session Featuring:

Carolina S. Machado

Head of Institutional Development and Fundraising at Instituto Terra
🌍 São Paulo, Brazil

Josué Graton

Circular Economy and ESG Manager, FIT Instituto de Tecnologia
🌍 São Paulo, Brazil

Nathalia Manso

Ecotuner (Facilitator of Reconnection with Nature)
🌍 São Paulo, Brazil

Telma Silva

Manager of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment, Flex Brasil
🌍 São Paulo, Brazil

Vitor Belota

Sustainability and Innovative Education Manager, Grupo Splice
🌍 São Paulo, Brazil

In São Paulo, a diverse panel reflected on the environmental challenges Brazilians face today and the path forward to planetary wellbeing, featuring: Carolina Sampaio Machado, Head of Institutional Development and Fundraising at Instituto Terra; Josué Graton, Circular Economy and ESG Manager, FIT Instituto de Tecnologia; Nathalia Manso is an Ecotuner (Facilitator of Reconnection with Nature); and Telma Silva, manager of Occupational Safety, Health and Environment, Flex Brasil.

Watch the session below (in Portuguese) or click the cc button to generate auto-subtitles in a different language.

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Dive Into Stories From Around the World

Discover Ecological BelongingDiscover Ecological Belonging

Meet and hear stories from the changemakers exploring how embracing cultural roots nourish wellbeing and social change.

AT THE HEART OF IT – EPISODE 1

Satish Kumar

A Lifetime of Love

In this inaugural episode of our series, we’re honored to feature Satish Kumar, a renowned peace activist, former monk, Editor Emeritus of Resurgence & Ecologist Magazine, and founder of Schumacher College. Satish captured global attention in 1962 by walking 8,000 miles without money from India to the nuclear capitals of Moscow, Paris, London, and Washington, D.C., advocating against the use of atomic weapons. His journey, spanning over two and a half years, ignited crucial conversations about nuclear disarmament, human rights, and environmental wellbeing.

Now at 87, Satish continues to inspire as an author, speaker, and elder with organizations like The Wellbeing Project. In a special conversation recorded in Paris’s Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, he shares insights on wellbeing and his vision for the future. Let’s get to the heart of it.

Let's dive right in! Let's dive right in!

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From This Episode

Full episode transcript Full episode transcript

This transcript has been edited for clarity

Welcome to At the Heart of It, a podcast where we explore issues at the heart of our world’s biggest challenges and their solutions. We’re on a journey inward going into ourselves, reflecting on who we are listening to humanity’s collective story. Our guides are the visionary leaders, activists, scholars, and practitioners who are changing the world and whose own inner journeys of wellbeing inspire their welldoing.

Today’s guest is someone whose lifelong work is an inspiration for this podcast. Satish Kumar is a peace pilgrim, activist, and former monk who gained international recognition in 1962 for walking, on foot, with no money, from his home in India to what were then the four capitals of the nuclear world, Moscow, Paris, London, and Washington, D.C., to protest the use of atomic weapons. This journey of more than 8,000 miles over two and a half years not only sparked dialogues on nuclear disarmament, but also its interconnection with human rights, ecology and human and planetary wellbeing.

Today, at 87 years young, Satish continues to share messages of peace, hope, and compassion with the world as an author, editor, speaker, educator, and elder of many organizations, including The Wellbeing Project.

In a special conversation recorded in the Parc Butte Chaumont of Paris, Satish reflected on the role of wellbeing in his work and his vision for the future. Let’s get to the heart of it.

Madelaine VanDerHeyden (MV):  All right. Well, welcome to the podcast. Today I have a very special guest here with me. We’re sitting in the beautiful in Paris. It’s a gorgeous spring day, the sun is shining, the birds are out, the dogs are out, the flowers are starting to bloom. And I’m sitting here next to Satish Kumar. Satish, welcome.

Satish Kumar (SK): Thank you. My pleasure to be on your podcast. 

MV: Thank you, Satish. Now, Satish, you know The Wellbeing Project’s motto. What we believe is that wellbeing inspires welldoing. And you have had a very, very exciting, meaningful,  long career of welldoing. And I want to know a little bit about your inner wellbeing journey. Can you tell us about what that has been like for you? 

SK: Yes. I am now 87 years old and I feel very well in my body, in my mind, in my spirit. And I think the source of my wellbeing is my connection with the earth and also with my inner spirit. I was born in Rajasthan, in India. And when I was four years old, my father died. And so my mother was crying, my sisters were crying, my brothers were crying, and I could not understand what was going on. Why father is not moving? Why is he not walking? Why is he not talking? And so I asked my mother, what’s happening? Why are you crying? And why is father not speaking? And so she said, your father is now dead. I said, what is dead? When one is dead, one doesn’t speak, and one is gone, and you never speak with that person again, she said. So that was a big shock in my life. And so I start to think about death from age four years old. And I started to ask, is there a way of stopping people dying? And that led me to my Jain guru, whom I asked, is there a way to stop people dying? 

And after a bit of thought, he said to me, the only way to stop this cycle of birth and death is to renounce the world. And so, become a monk. I decided to become a monk. So at age nine, I left home and I became a monk. And as a monk, you have to walk with bare feet. Be in nature. So I was walking in the sand dunes, along the rivers, among the trees, the open sky.

And so that is how kind of my spiritual and physical wellbeing started. And then, after nine years in monkhood, I left monkhood and I joined a Gandhian ashram, a community in India. And I lived there more as a kind of social and physical work, like art, craft, gardening, cooking, agriculture, service to community. So Gandhian values of nonviolence and peace. That was my kind of main ethos and main pilgrimage for another nine years. And then when I was 26 years old, I was inspired by a great British philosopher, Bertrand Russell, the Nobel Prize winning author of Principal Mathematical. And so he was protesting against the nuclear bomb.  

MV: In what year was this?  

SK: That was in 1961. So, in 1961, he was protesting against the nuclear bomb and he was arrested and he was put in jail. And when I read this news in the newspaper, I said to myself, “Here is a man of 90 going to jail for peace in the world. What am I doing, young man, sitting here drinking coffee in a coffee house?” And so that inspired me and led me to set off with a friend on a walk from India to four nuclear capitals of the world. Moscow, Paris, London, and Washington, D. C. And so a friend, And I started to walk without any money. Both of us walked through many countries – 15 countries, 13,000 kilometers – without any money, and meeting ordinary people, talking to politicians, talking to journalists, talking to students in universities and schools, talking to religious people in churches and mosques. And so I encountered people and communities and communities and farmers and workers and politicians around the world. So two and a half years of that peace pilgrimage from New Delhi, from the grave of Mahatma Gandhi to Washington, DC, the grave of John F. Kennedy. That was a great, great journey. And then I went back to India and then I wrote a book about my journey.

I translated the book by Martin Luther King, The Stride Toward Freedom, the book which Martin Luther King had given me. So I wanted to introduce his ideas to Indian readers. And so I translated that book. And then, I came back to England. In 1973, I became the editor of Resurgence magazine and I edited that magazine for more than 40 years. And during that time, I also started Schumacher College, for ecological and spiritual studies and studies of wellbeing. And so that has been my life, in a nutshell. Long journey. Long story.  

MV: But Satish, you, I mean, you shared obviously you have your pilgrimage walk that you did as a young man. That must not have been easy walking all the way around the world. And wellbeing is not only about acknowledging things that go well in life, but also acknowledging the things that are hard. So in, in your experience, have there been any highs? Have there been any lows? How have you dealt with those as they come as they go?

SK: I mean, I tried to practice equanimity, so of course there have been highs and lows. The nuclear threat was very, very, powerful and unsettling and the Cold War was very unsettling and the kind of conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States of America and NATO countries, all that were very unsettling. Yet I thought that answer to all our problems is love. And so we have to practice love. We have to spread the love. And I also see, when I see low, I also see high. A majority of people in the world are not involved in Cold War. The majority of people are not involved in nuclear bombs. The majority of people are not fighting wars. The majority of people are farmers, teachers, doctors, nurses, artists, musicians, everyday people, they are living  good life and practicing more love than hatred in everyday life.

So that gives me a bit more inspiration. So I try to have a kind of balanced view rather than get exhausted, anxious; rather than get depressed and fearful that everything is going bad in the world. Of course things are going in the in the world which are bad and I do my best and I act out of love rather than out of fear. I act out of love rather than anxiety because my job is to do my best. I cannot control the outcome. I cannot control what will be the result. I can only control my actions. My words, my thoughts, my speech, and my actions. So, everyday, my focus is on action. What can I do? Not how the world is, but how can I serve the world? How can I make the world a little bit better place than before? And so with that, I work and by not worrying, not being anxious, not being fearful, not being angry, that also keeps me healthy and well. 

MV: Well, it’s great advice to all of us, which is the only thing you can control is yourself.

SK: Yeah, exactly.

MV: Sometimes we can’t even control ourselves. But you mentioned just now meeting Martin Luther King and he gave you his book, and on the way here, you were telling me that he was probably one of the most, if not the most, interesting person you’ve met in your career and in your journey around the world.

SK: Yes!

MV: And now now you have this really wonderful perspective on wellbeing. Do you feel that within the social change space, talking about changemakers in the broadest sense of the term – artists, politicians, humanitarians, human rights activists – do you think that over time, has the conversation around their wellbeing grown and changed over the years? What have you noticed? 

SK: Yes, I would say that there is a greater awareness, especially among young people about our wellbeing and wellbeing of planet Earth as being interconnected. So I see more and more young people in universities and even in schools. When I meet them, I find that young people are very much interested.

There’s a rising awareness among young people. Still a long way to go. Still they are in minority. The majority of our schools are still teaching young people for jobs. But many young people are saying, that what kind of jobs are we going to do, and what kind of jobs they will be, which will impact the Earth, and maybe destroy the Earth or damage the Earth or harm the Earth.

So that is a good question. And, Martin Luther King, as I said, was one of the great inspirations  that I discovered or I felt or I encountered. Because he was an embodiment of love and action  because he said that we don’t know what the results will be. But we have to fight however we can with love.

And so he said, the white people as much my brothers and sisters as black people. And I’m not against white people. I’m against racism and racism is bad for white people as it is bad for black people. And so, how we can live without discrimination? Without judgement? Live as brothers and sisters? I don’t choose my color. I’m born with whatever color I am given. And so I have to live with my color. Whether you are white or black or brown or whatever colour you are. Doesn’t matter. All colors are beautiful. Black is as beautiful as white is beautiful. And brown is beautiful. And yellow is beautiful. So yhat kind of generosity of spirit, and inclusivity, and yet radicalism, he was a radical lover. So my book, Radical Love, in a way he embodied that. He was an embodiment of love. And I always felt after meeting him, the truth comes second, love comes first.  And because in truth, we disagree.  My truth is different than your truth. And my point of view is different from your point of view.

And, I can say I’m right, you are wrong. So that kind of, disagreement can lead to conflict. Whereas love unites. Anger and hatred divide. And so, what I learned from Martin Luther King is whatever you do, your fight, your struggle, your action should be inspired by love rather than by hatred and judgment and discrimination. And that has stayed with me all my life.

MV: That’s beautiful. And you talked about children now, we’re educating them around mental health and wellbeing and they’re becoming a bit more aware of it. But what about for adults? I mean, in 1964 when you met Martin Luther King, were both of you talking about your own inner wellbeing when you had that meeting, or would that have been something that would have never crossed your mind at that point? 

SK: I mean, the word wellbeing is now much more in a common language than at that time. At that time, peace was much more common in our language because of the nuclear threat. And there was also a kind of, you can say, justice. Martin Luther King always said, justice delayed is justice denied. So we cannot afford to have justice delayed. And so, peace and justice were much more prominent in our thinking, in our consciousness. 

But, the source of lack of wellbeing is our social conditions. And if people are exploited, or ignored or dominated, then people feel unwell, psychologically unwell, and psychological unwellness is connected with physical unwellness. And therefore, if we can treat people with love and with respect and with dignity, then I think wellbeing will be a natural outcome.

And so, social wellbeing, ecological and planetary wellbeing, and a personal spiritual wellbeing are all interlinked. And that way, even in the 60s, I think, the underlying message was there, even if, the word wellbeing was not so much in common.  

MV: Well, that’s one of the things that The Wellbeing Project hasn’t done since then. We were formed around eight years ago as we’ve never defined wellbeing because part of the journey is each person connecting to the concept in whichever way feels right for them and in different places around the world, different communities and different cultures are looking at it through their own perspectives and again connecting with it in whichever way that feels that feels meaningful. 

SK: Yeah. For me wellbeing, personal wellbeing to start with – we can go to social and ecological wellbeing as well later – but to start with, your personal wellbeing starts with  contentment. To have this wonderful planet, wonderful community, a human body: I can love, I can serve, I can think, I can feel, I can write, I can walk, I can see, I can do so many things. So, being contentment with your body and with your two hands and two legs, I can work and I can make things, I can build a house, I can grow food, I can write a book, I can dance. So being grateful and contented within your body and satisfied and contented. That’s the kind of beginning, the first step towards your wellbeing. Discontentment: whatever you have is never enough. Whatever money you have is never enough. Whatever kind of house you have is never enough. Whatever job you have is never enough. Discontentment breeds illness and unwellbeing. So, first advice I can give from my own experience is learn to be contented and celebrate and grateful to what you have rather than what you don’t have. That’s the first step. 

The second step is then whatever I pursue, I try to seek quality of life rather than quantities of possessions. Because quantities you can have more, more, more, and how much you have, they are never good enough because the quality is missing. So if we can focus on quality of food, quality of our clothes, quality of our house, quality of our conversation, quality of our thinking, everything quality. So less is more. So shifting our focus from quantity to quality is for me a source of personal wellbeing.

And then social wellbeing comes with dignity and respect. Every human being should be valued as a human being. At the moment, we see human beings as a resource for running an organization or running a business or running an industry or making profit for an organization or something. So that is creating social unrest and unwellbeing. People don’t feel respected, don’t feel appreciated, don’t feel recognized for who they are. So social wellbeing comes with this. Every human being has their dignity and respect and they are valuable and they are not just a resource for making money. 

And so planetary wellbeing starts with appreciation that nature is not an object. Nature is not an inanimate object. Nature is a subject. Nature is a living organism. If we have that kind of understanding of nature, then we will love nature, we’ll respect nature, we’ll conserve nature, we’ll protect nature, we’ll not pollute nature, we’ll not fill our oceans with plastic, and our atmosphere with greenhouse gases, and our rivers with sewage, and our soil with chemicals. All that we do because we think nature is inanimate and it’s just an object for our kind of economic growth.

So these three things we can learn that I think can move towards a proper personal wellbeing, social wellbeing, and planetary wellbeing.  

MV: So we’ve been talking about quite a few different things. You were just sharing about what you think the definition of wellbeing might be. You’ve also talked about, your entire journey being a pilgrim, meeting with Martin Luther King, things that you admired about him and his perspective. You’ve talked about what you think may be at the root of some of our problems today, which is discontentment, a lack of fraternity or brotherhood or love for others. Taking that all into account, when you look at your own life, your decision to become a monk, your decision to go on your pilgrim, your decision to do the work that you do and have continued to do through your whole life, at the heart of all of that, what has been your inspiration, your motivation, your hope, your message to the world. What has been deep inside of you? 

SK: The inspiration for me has been the word to be a pilgrim. On this planet Earth, we can live in two ways. Either we can live as tourists or as pilgrims. And I wrote a book called Earth Pilgrim. And I even made a film for the BBC called Earth Pilgrim. And I said we all humans are pilgrims of the earth. What does that mean? It means that we are not here to take. But the tourists take.  Whereas pilgrims accept and share. So when you are a tourist, you always want a good hotel, good food, good service, good museums, and then whatever you have is never enough, never satisfied. You’re always complaining.

Well, the pilgrim never complains, but the pilgrim always helps to make things as good as you can and supports and celebrates. So, my inspiration has been in my life is that live on this planet as a pilgrim and a whole life is a pilgrimage. I mean, I’ve been to all the pilgrimages as well, but I would say life is a pilgrimage, not just in a kind of religious sense that you as a kind of Christian or Hindu, you go to a holy place as a pilgrim, but living on this planet. Thinking the whole planet is a temple, the whole planet is holy, the whole planet is sacred and it’s our home and we have to live lightly on this planet and celebrate life and accept life as it comes with warts and all. We love winter and we love summer and we love spring and we love winter. Uh, dark, and we love light, and we love every moment of our lives. That is a kind of mentality of a pilgrim, in my view. And so if we live like a pilgrim, then we will be well in our own lives, and we’ll make planet a lovely place. So that has been my inspiration in my life.  

MV: And that has been your inspiration. Now, if you were to share one message with everyone listening, what would it be?

SK: One message I would like to share is the mission of our life should be to make everything beautiful. Beauty is source of nourishment for the soul, for the spirit. Nature is very beautiful. The flowers are beautiful, the trees are beautiful, the birds are beautiful. 

MV: This day is beautiful!

SK: Day is beautiful, nature is beautiful, but humans in their kind of pursuit of economic growth make things quick and ugly and functional, but not beautiful. So one message I would like to say, I walk in beauty before me. I walk in beauty behind me. I walk in beauty above me. I walk in beauty below me. I walk in beauty all around me. The whole world is beautiful. The whole world is beautiful. The whole world is beautiful. Ho! 

So that’s my one word message: seek beauty. Beautiful thoughts. Beautiful words. Beautiful actions. Beautiful things, beauty all around. If we can pursue beauty, we’ll be happy.  

MV: Oh, thank you Satish. Out of among the many things that you are in life, you’re also a mind reader. Because I was going to ask you to sing that song because you sang that for us at The Wellbeing Summit in Brussels. It was so wonderful in that moment of everyone standing up and singing that with you. Really, really moving. Thank you for sharing that with us today. 

SK: My pleasure, my pleasure. Thank you for inviting me on your podcast. Thank you so much. My pleasure.

Thank you for listening to this episode of At the Heart of It. For more news, research, and stories about wellbeing and social change, visit wellbeing-project.org. The Wellbeing Project is the world’s leading organization advocating for the wellbeing of changemakers and for wellbeing in changemaking. We believe wellbeing inspires welldoing. Thanks for listening and see you next time!   

AT THE HEART OF IT – EPISODE 0

A Declaration of Wellbeing

Discover the mission behind The Wellbeing Project and the power of wellbeing in changemaking

Welcome to At The Heart Of It, a new podcast by The Wellbeing Project. In this inaugural episode, we dive into our mission to revolutionize social change through the lens of wellbeing. Explore who we are, our global network of changemakers, and why wellbeing is central to creating impactful, lasting change. Join us as we share our journey, values, and the powerful belief that wellbeing fuels effective action.

Let's dive right in!Let's dive right in!

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From This Episode

FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTFULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to At The Heart Of It, a new podcast from The Wellbeing Project. We’re the world’s leading organization advocating for the wellbeing of changemakers and for wellbeing in changemaking.  We’re on a mission to change how we do social change, and we’re really happy you’re here.

You may have some questions already, like why wellbeing?

Or what’s a changemaker?

Maybe even, wellbeing? 

Don’t we have more important things to talk about?

All good questions, but let’s just start with who we are.

The Wellbeing Project is a global network of thousands of individuals and organizations who all share one common belief that wellbeing inspires welldoing.

Our partners are social entrepreneurs,  doctors, humanitarian workers, researchers, therapists, Indigenous leaders, elected officials, caregivers, teachers, frontline workers, people from all walks of life who see the power of wellbeing to make our world a better place.

Since 2014, we have been emerging as a co-creation from some of the world’s biggest social impact organizations, like Ashoka, Synergos, Impact Hub, Skoll Foundation, Porticus, and Georgetown University. 

We’ve added many more institutions along the way to this collective effort. All of these institutions work with incredible changemakers from around the world, and they were starting to see something really troubling among them.

The people who had so much love for the world – for their communities, their countries, the planet – so much love that they were dedicating their lives to serving others: they were struggling. They’re facing chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, depression. They were facing traumas in their personal and professional lives. They were feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. Fighting for change in their outer worlds, as well as on the inside. They were doing all of this alone. In silence. Because this was the culture of social change: to give every part of yourself in the service of others. To work yourself to burnout. To put your work first and your health last. This was the norm. And to share your struggles was taboo. A sign of weakness. A sign of failure.

And wellbeing? Who has time to think about wellbeing when you’re trying to save the world? 

The Wellbeing Project was born out of the growing recognition that changemakers need wellbeing to be their best selves. Not just successful leaders, effective activists, and hard workers, but their best full selves: community members, parents, siblings, individuals, dreamers, creators, human beings.

In 2014, we accompanied dozens of seasoned changemakers on a journey of inner development to understand their struggles and help foster their wellbeing. What we and these changemakers saw was nothing short of transformation. A whole new way of being. A whole new way of leading. A whole new way of driving change. The ripple effects of inner wellbeing were felt in their organizations and in their impact, and it was clear: wellbeing inspires welldoing. 

So since 2014, we have been working to share this message of hope in the social change sector, to educate, inspire, and guide changemakers on a path to wellbeing, and strengthen their approach to welldoing.

If wellbeing inspires welldoing within an individual and an organization, what about our societies? We are now seeing a monumental drive worldwide for our economic systems, political structures, and legal frameworks to enable the wellbeing of people and the planet. We have seen wellbeing become the driver and the destination of social change itself.

But while we’ve seen such an inspiring transformation in this space, we still have work to do. We recognize the growing complexity and intensity of the world today. We’re facing social and environmental battles from left to right, north to south. We’re facing political division, economic instability, social inequality, environmental destruction, injustice, and trauma. 

Our world needs social change more than ever. And at the heart of it, we need wellbeing. So welcome to our podcast, where we’re telling stories of wellbeing changing the world. We’re meeting the changemakers whose own journeys of wellbeing inspire the welldoing, digging deep into what this has meant to them and understanding the influence of wellbeing in their lives.

You’ll hear stories of inner development work like self-reflection, personal growth, and healing. You’ll hear stories on key topics like human rights, climate change, and leadership. And you’ll hear stories of social change like advocacy, education, and community service.

But what you won’t hear is a definition of wellbeing because we believe in the emotional. We believe in the unique. And we believe in wellbeing that’s defined by individuals, that’s defined in different regions, based on the land, the culture, and the history.

Together, we’re bringing individual colors to a global mosaic, a collective painting of our shared commitment to wellbeing.  We asked thousands of people to help us capture the spirit of our movement through words, resulting in a declaration of wellbeing.

Here’s Jazmine Williams, reading it at our first-ever global summit in 2022.

Good morning. My name is Jazmine Williams and I’d like to share with you all this morning a declaration of wellbeing written by Anne Mortifee.

A spirit of promise is calling us inward to see ourselves clearly, to heal what needs healing and bring harmony back to the earth. We feel it in the depth of our nature and rise to the call of life’s urge to evolve. We are Pathfinders. Caregivers, weavers of dreams, pilgrims on a journey to discover the self from every walk of life. 

Every faith, race, and culture, the sounds of our footsteps are heard. Inspired by the ones who traveled before us, we press on for the ones yet to follow. Moved by an ancient vision of a more compassionate world.  We seek wellbeing for all of creation,  for love and justice.  Peace and truth to thrive and enliven us all.

We have learned that the light which ignites the stars is the same light that flows through all things. And through all things flows wellbeing. 

So let’s jump in, let’s dive deep,  and let’s get to the heart of it.

 Thank you for listening to this episode of, At The Heart Of It. For more news research and stories about wellbeing and social change, visit wellbeing-project.org. The Wellbeing Project is the world’s leading organization advocating for the wellbeing of changemakers and for wellbeing in changemaking. We believe wellbeing inspires while doing. Thanks for listening and see you next time!

BMW Colombia Presents: Stories From the Hearth With Daniel Truran BMW Colombia Presents: Stories From the Hearth With Daniel Truran

Stories from the Hearth

Interview with:

Daniel Truran

Director General, ebbf (ethical business building for the future)
🌍 Madrid, Spain

Presented by BMW Colombia — partner of Hearth Summit Bogotá 2024

Daniel Truran is a renowned motivational speaker, impact strategist and innovator, with over two decades of experience dedicated to co-creating some of the most influential impact communities. His passion lies in inspiring and cultivating communities and movements capable of creating a more prosperous, sustainable and just future. He is the General Director of ebbf.org (ethical business building the future), a B Corp Ambassador in Europe, and a Partner at NOW.Partners.

At Hearth Summit Bogotá, Daniel was a keynote speaker, offering a closing session on conscious leadership in the age of modern business. Watch his reflections below (in English).

EXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHEREXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHER

Dive Into Stories From Around the World

Discover the Wellbeing Movement in Latin AmericaDiscover the Wellbeing Movement in Latin America

Meet and hear stories from the changemakers championing the wellbeing movement in Latin America.

BMW Colombia Presents: Stories From the Hearth With Gaby Arenas de Meneses BMW Colombia Presents: Stories From the Hearth With Gaby Arenas de Meneses

Stories from the Hearth

Interview with:

Gaby Arenas de Meneses

Founder, Fundación TAAP; Co-Chair, Catalyst 2030 Latam
🌍 Bogotá, Colombia

Presented by BMW Colombia — partner of Hearth Summit Bogotá 2024

As host of the Hearth Summit Bogotá, Gaby Arenas de Meneses, Founder, Fundación TAAP; Co-Chair, Catalyst 2030 Latam, gathered changemakers from across Latin America and Spanish-speaking North America to collectively discover the intersection of wellbeing and sustainable business. Over two days, she led participants on a journey to understand sustainability at every level of business: from work-life balance and employee wellbeing; to sustainable production and consumption; to positive social and environmental impact. Watch her reflections on the event below (in Spanish).

EXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHEREXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHER

Dive Into Stories From Around the World

Discover the Wellbeing Movement in Latin AmericaDiscover the Wellbeing Movement in Latin America

Meet and hear stories from the changemakers championing the wellbeing movement in Latin America.

BMW Colombia Presents: Stories From the Hearth With Luis Alberto Camargo BMW Colombia Presents: Stories From the Hearth With Luis Alberto Camargo

Stories from the Hearth

Interview with:

Luis Alberto Camargo

Founder and Director, OpEPA (Organización para la Educación y Protección Ambiental / Organization for the Education and Environmental Protection)
🌍 Bogotá, Colombia

Presented by BMW Colombia — partner of Hearth Summit Bogotá 2024

Luis Alberto Camargo, Founder and Director of OpEPA (Organización para la Educación y Protección Ambiental / Organization for the Education and Environmental Protection), joined the Hearth Summit Bogotá for a deep conversation on Ecological Belonging and how businesses can embrace humanity’s deep connection with nature. In an interview with BMW Colombia, Luis shares his reflections. Watch below (in Spanish).

OpEPA is a non-profit civil society organization established in Colombia and the United States whose work focuses on the development of projects and collaborative social entrepreneurship with the aim of reconnecting children and young people with the Earth so that they act in an environmentally responsible way.

As an Ashoka Fellow, Salzburg Fellow, Climate Reality Leader, Global Change Leader, Social Innovator, and Winner of the Wise Award 2023 for his work to promote regeneration, sustainability and environmental protection, Luis brought his wisdom on topics such as regeneration, socio-ecological transitions, nature-based education, entrepreneurship and social innovation, conservation, climate change, environmental education, environmental peace, medicine for wild areas and expeditions to the Hearth.

EXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHEREXPLORE THE REGIONAL SUMMITS FURTHER

Dive Into Stories From Around the World

Discover the Wellbeing Movement in Latin AmericaDiscover the Wellbeing Movement in Latin America

Meet and hear stories from the changemakers championing the wellbeing movement in Latin America.

Business as a Force for Good Business as a Force for Good

Sustainable Business x Regional Hearth Summits

At the regional Hearth Summits, a dynamic environment of collaboration, innovation, and wellbeing inspires actors in the corporate sector to fully embrace their potential as agents of change.

These gatherings serve as a fertile ground for the growth of a whole new type of business: one that puts the wellbeing of people and planet first, where profit and purpose are one in the same. Here at the Hearth, changemakers in business take in the latest research and insights from leaders and innovators; share best practices and successful case studies; and foster partnerships to drive collective, sustainable progress.

Whether in exploring the wellbeing of employees, in the value chain, or within the company’s social and environmental ecosystem, the Hearth Summits empower businesses to not just learn and share, but to lead and transform as actors of positive social change.

WHEN WELLBEING IS BUSINESS AS USUAL WHEN WELLBEING IS BUSINESS AS USUAL

“How you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.”

Yvon Chouinard

How to Build a Wellbeing Economy

Session From Hearth Summit Athens

In its holistic exploration of the future of wellbeing cities, Hearth Summit Athens took a deep dive into the concept of impact economies: how can we transform systems to truly value wellbeing? Watch this debate between Lorenzo Fiaromonti, former Italian Minister of Education and Founding Director, University of Surrey Institute for Sustainability, and Conchita Galdon, Vice Dean, Instituto de Empressa.

How Organizational Wellbeing Inspires Welldoing

LEARNINGS FROM THE WELLBEING PROJECT’S ORGANIZATIONAL EXPLORATORY PROGRAM

The Wellbeing Project, along with eight organizations from around the world, the Tavistock Institute, and the Center for Healthy Minds spent five years researching the value of organizational wellbeing and how to foster it. They learned that any organization, public or private, can benefit from promoting organizational wellbeing: it improves employee performance, which translates into improved organizational performance.

Read People & Culture Elder Ricardo Paz’s summary of the research findings, which he presented at Hearth Summit Bogotá, in English and Spanish.

Understanding the Mental Health of Social Entrepreneurs in Latin America

Research from The Wellbeing Project and the Interamerican Development Bank

In Bogotá, Juan Pablo López Gross from the Interamerican Development Bank Lab (BID Lab) presented the findings of new research conducted with The Wellbeing Project on the mental health of high-impact social entrepreneurs in Latin America, ultimately sharing the business case for wellbeing: if the entrepreneurs are doing well, the ventures will do better. Watch the session (in Spanish) and download the research.

Employee Mental Health: From Burnout to Holistic Wellbeing

Research from McKinsey Health Institute

The findings of an international survey by McKinsey Health Institute were shared with participants in Bogotá, which dive deep into mapping and understanding various factors that influence employee wellbeing, offering employers insight into how to best support their employees’ mental health.

Companies That Impact the Wellbeing of Communities  |  Empresas que Impactan el Bienestar de las Comunidades

Session From Hearth Summit BOGOTÁ

In Bogotá, Gaby Arenas de Meneses, director of the TAAP Foundation, Ashoka Fellow and Co-chair of Catalyst 2030 Latam, invites us to explore how social wellbeing influences our individual wellbeing, and what role companies can play in improving living conditions in their communities. Watch the session (in Spanish).

In Brussels, Isabelle Grosmaitre, founder of Goodness & Co., shared her recommendations on how businesses can transform themselves to make a positive impact; place diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the heart of their work; and foster of a culture of agency to empower all collaborators towards success and wellbeing.

In Brussels, Eleanor Allen explained B Lab’s ethos for making sustainable business the norm — explaining the B Corporation certification process, its benchmark indicators for positive social and environmental impact as well as employee wellbeing — inspiring changemakers to reflect on how profit and purpose can be one in the same.

In Brussels, Hugues Karemera, Deputy COO of Euroclear Bank, and Michel Mersch, CEO of Nestlé Belgium and Luxembourg, explained their companies’ successful approaches to organizational wellbeing, including the feedback mechanisms used to understand employees’ satisfaction with policies and determine new paths for action.

Sustainable Work: From Burnout to Excellence — Engaging Today’s Employees

Session From Hearth Summit BOGOTÁ

In Bogotá, Eleanor Allen, CEO of Catapult for Change, explores how to move from burnout to work-life balance and integration and how this impacts worker wellbeing and retention in companies. Watch the session (in English).

Meet Five B Corps That Put People and the Planet First

At Brussels, Eleanor Allen highlighted five companies around the world with some of the highest scores in B Lab’s social and environmental benchmark. Read about the following B Corporations and why their models for employee wellbeing, sustainable production and consumption, and positive social and environmental impact can inspire other entrepreneurs:

  • BioCarbon Partners, Zambia
  • Caravela Coffee, Colombia
  • Namaste Solar, USA
  • Seetec Business Technology Center, United Kingdom and Ireland
  • Tridos Bank, The Netherlands

Paving the Path to an Inclusive, Home-Grown Dairy Market in Senegal

The STORY OF LA LAITERIE DU BERGER

In Dakar-Thiès, changemakers learned about La Laiterie Du Berger, the very first B Corporation-certified company in Senegal. Since 2005, the laiterie has been collecting milk from more than 1,400 smallholder dairy farmers in Senegal to collectively sell them under a single brand, Dolima. By integrating them into the mainstream dairy market together, it has been able to revolutionize the Senegalese dairy market, which, in 2005, imported 90% of its dairy products as powdered milk. As a result of the company’s mobilization and collective action, more than 3,000 families have benefitted from a steady income, improving their business ventures, quality of life, and the wellbeing of their community. Furthermore, the support of these smallholder farmers has helped preserve traditional veterinary and agricultural practices as a cornerstone of the Senegalese economy.

Hear from director general of La Laiterie du Berger, Bagoré Bathily, in our Voices of Wellbeing series.

EXPLORE WELLBEING AND BUSINESS FURTHER EXPLORE WELLBEING AND BUSINESS FURTHER

Dive Into Research, News, and Stories on Sustainable Business