Everyone deserves to have a voice and to leave a mark on the world. Every voice and contribution counts, everyone can make an impact, and everyone’s story deserves to be told. So #impact helps people share their stories in an intimate, authentic way so they can be confident, stand out and inspire positive change in the world. Our first LIVE recording in #impact Club Photo Credit: hashtagresilience.com In this episode you witness our first LIVE recording within #impact Club – our monthly virtual coffee break get together where we celebrate our community’s big and small wins.  In this LIVE recording we got curious about resilience with our guest Dr Watson Jordan. Dr Watson Jordan started the Resilience Initiative to enhance emotional, physical and financial health. His book “How the Covid-19 Pandemic made us wiser and stronger” features honest accounts on how the fabric of the author’s lives have been impacted by the pandemic. Watson was one of the first students in Regina’s Podcasting Online Course and launched his Podcast #resilience in early 2020 where global leaders explore what resilience means to them.  In this episode we get an insight into how Watson leverages his Podcast to stir it towards interests that he has in his life and work.  As the conversation unfolds you will hear from our community raising their questions and reflecting on resilience within their lives. This will make you pause and reflect on what resilience means to you.  Join us for the next LIVE recording at www.hashtagimpact.com/club Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. Featured Voices: Dr Watson Jordan, Founder of The Resilience Initiative and #resilience Podcast and our UBER INSPIRING community at #impact Club Mentioned in this Episode:

Buya Istiqlal and his team at Urban Biologist Bali are at the forefront of transforming organic waste and protecting biodiversity on the Island of Bali, Indonesia. As a qualified biologist and the founder of Urban Biologist Bali, Buya has developed a successful sustainable business. He offers services such as Urban Compost and Urban Mosquito to Bali’s inhabitants to increase biodiversity in nature and improve soil health on the island. This impact business focuses on solutions addressing primarily SDGs 11 (making cities and human settlements safe, resilient, and sustainable) and 12 (ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns). “Your food scraps can be really useful, can benefit the environment and benefit people” After experiencing some career setbacks, Buya realised he could turn his skills into a business simply by harnessing the power of an overlooked resource, organic waste. Now, Urban Biologist Bali collects kitchen and garden waste from the main towns and turns them into valuable fertile compost. His processes are applicable globally, and may even make a great school or community project which can help spread the impact. Sustainable Business Photo Credit: Urban Biologist Bali “As a teenager…put your daily life into something that’s meaningful, don’t waste your time.” Using similar observation skills, he later realised that what he had learnt about mosquitos as a child in Bali’s natural surroundings inspired him to develop natural solutions in tackling a difficult pest problem in the tropics. His solution is the natural alternative to fogging and pesticides and tackles the issue at its source rather than just its symptoms – a very important component of ensuring any impact business is sustainable.  Building a sustainable impact business requires a profitable strategy, and also the ability to develop solutions based on observation of common problems in nature.  “Without a profit margin, it is not going to be sustainable.” How exactly can Buya’s inspiring impact business change your lifestyle habits today? Listen in and find out. Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. In this episode you will learn:  * 7:15 How the Urban Compost idea was born* 12:50 Why an impact business should be profitable* 14:34 The chemistry behind making organic compost* 21:50 Environmental project idea for students and schools* 25.20 Movies about benefits of soil diversity* 28:10 Mosquitoes vs biodiversity* 29:40 Identifying mosquito hotspots* 32:30 Summarising the impact business model* 35:15 How young people can tackle the world’s problems Mentioned in this episode: * Urban Biologist Bali website: https://www.urbanbiologistbali.

“What is a Podcast, Regina? I felt a bit weird when I asked her about it,” Célia Berkouk-Schlesier asked Podcast host Regina Larko back in 2016, just before their first test recording for #impact Podcast.  We have come a long way since that first test recording in Hong Kong. Many things have changed and evolved since then, but our purpose stayed the same Our core purpose is to elevate and celebrate deserving voices. #impact Podcast empowers purpose-driven organisations and individuals to tell their stories in an intimate, authentic way that allows them to stand out by giving them a voice. We also empower our listeners to take action and live a more conscious life, start giving back to society themselves and take small steps towards their own contributions to make the world a better place. It all started with 2 microphones, a laptop and an idea.   5 years later #impact is still going strong This Podcast started in Hong Kong, but today we record from all over the globe. There have been so many milestones along the way. We met the most amazing people, brought in the most talented co-hosts and team members in. Regina made it through many maternity breaks keeping the production going.  The moment the famous signature Quick Fire question was born  For our regular listeners you will be delighted that we take you back to the exact moment our famous “What could everyone do right now to make the world a better place” was born.  #impact team across the globe In this episode you hear about first aiming for and then letting go for perfection. You learn about giving birth to Podcast and human babies, making connections and friends in Hong Kong and across the globe. You listen in as our community shares what #impact Podcast means to them and what our listeners wish for as we are looking into the future.  Witness our team sharing about their most memorable moments of the past 5 years. #impact founder Regina will give you some looks behind the scenes too as you hear about what went wrong during the first recordings back in 2017. A walk down memory lane  Oh and talking about that launch day. If you want to hear what happened that day, you can read all about in our newsletter.  Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. Featured Voices: Our UBER INSPIRING community of listeners, team members, family & friends.  Mentioned in this episode:  * #impact Episode 53 with KELY Support Group feat.

The world is changing fast. By staying curious and remaining confident in ourselves, we can learn new skills, tackle new challenges and achieve great things to make a difference in the world. In this episode, you hear from a curious, passionate and beautiful mind who found her way from Nepal to Germany, a woman, who constantly explores and challenges herself to give back and grow her own expertise.  Amrita Gautam is a Civil Engineer from Nepal, currently pursuing her doctoral research at Technical University of Cologne (TH Köln), Germany. She worked with various ‘United Nations (UN) Organizations and Research Projects’ in Nepal, Germany, Mozambique, Brazil, Canada & USA. As a Young Water Professional, Amrita has been involved in World Youth Parliament for Water; Youth for the Rhine, International Water Association and she is the President of Soroptimist International Köln Kolumba. She was awarded with ‘Women with Vision 2018′, received Soroptimist International of Europe Scholarship Award in 2019 and got selected as Ambassador of Rising Smart Water Professionals (RiSWP/SWAN) in 2021. Alongside her ongoing doctoral research she has also founded a research initiative called drinkPani (www.drinkpani.net), which believes in ‘Shaping Digital Water Future’ and is now doing internship at Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA)/UN-Habitat, Bonn. How water relates to equality Photo Credit: https://www.soroptimistinternational.org/flipbooks/women-water-and-leadership/ “‘Water’ is the key medium of many ‘sufferings and solutions’ to deal with the real meaning of ‘Climate Action’.” Amrita Gautam The key problem that Amrita’s on-going professional engagement is addressing- ‘The poor and unmanaged situation of the Water and Sanitation sector’, especially in the developing countries where ‘women and children’ are suffering the most. Photo Credit: https://www.soroptimistinternational.org/flipbooks/women-water-and-leadership/ As you get to hear Amrita’s story, you will start connecting the dots between Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).  Amrita started volunteering with the Soroptimist International many years ago. Their vision is that women and girls will achieve their individual and collective potential, realise aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide. Soroptimist International celebrated its 100 year birthday in 2021, and as you listen to Amrita reflecting on the impact her volunteering had on her personal as well as her professional life you will come to understand that the organisation lives up to its mission, as it empowers both its beneficiaries as well as the people working within the organisation. Since her early childhood, Amrita was intolerant of the things she could see in society in regards to gender discrimination. She spoke and raised questions wherever it was possible whether it was inside the family, or in school. Amrita’s parents are her big role models and always gave her enough space and platforms to learn about her rights and stand up for her dreams.

“They shut me up in Prose –As when a little GirlThey put me in the Closet –Because they liked me “still”   –Still! Could themself have peeped –And seen my Brain – go round –They might as wise have lodged a BirdFor Treason – in the Pound –Himself has but to willAnd easy as a StarLook down opon Captivity –And laugh – No more have I –” Emily Dickinson There’s a lot to be hopeful for when it comes to women’s empowerment. The world that Emily Dickinson grew up in back in the 19th century has advanced.  But there is still so much left to do to #BreakTheBias Women and girls represent half of the world’s population, yet gender inequality persists across the globe. Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. This year International Women’s Day celebrates women who are building a more sustainable future for all. This day is not just about women’s achievements but also our vision for a brighter and more sustainable future. This years IWD (International Women’s Day) theme is #BreakTheBiasSustainable Development Goal 5 aims to Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. In our upcoming episode featuring Amrita Gautam, President of Soroptimist International Köln Kolumba, Germany you will be able to connect the dots of your professional ambitions and giving back to advance, not only, but also SDG 5. And what water has to do with it all.  Subscribe to our newsletter to get notified when the new episode airs. We will also be sending a mindful changemaker meditation practice your way that will help you to recharge your batteries. Making an impact is no walk in the park. But you don’t have to walk alone. Join our community. #impact is proudly women-run. Meet the women behind #impact Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. Want to start a Podcast that makes an impact? Yes, I want to start my Podcast!

“For the rest of my days – because I should have died and he should have lived – I have to help people that are suffering and I don’t even know if this makes sense to somebody listening.” Over the past 5 years running #impact we have come across the most courageous people. The changemakers, the visionaries, the misfits challenging the rules of the game, proofing the naysayers wrong, speaking up, and challenging the status quo for the change they want to see in the world. This episode is no different. But this episode is one that has been 7 years in the making. When #impact host Regina first arrived in Hong Kong in 2004 she saw a woman speak at an event. Her story moved her greatly and when she bumped into this woman 7 years later, she knew she would have to bring her on the podcast. Improving the lives of ethnic minoritiesby reducing suffering and providing opportunities (The Zubin Foundations’ Vision) Today you hear a story of pain and courage. You hear how Shalini Mahtani founded the Zubin Foundation, named after her firstborn child Zubin, who died in 2009. He was 3 and the love of her life.  This episode is a celebration of love.  It is about the enormous privilege and pain of having children and how this relates to the work Shalini does. Shalini’s reflections on equality and social justice will make you pause. You might just look at your own path and privileges differently.  The Zubin Foundation – Improving lives of Ethnic Minorities Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/zubinfoundation/ The Zubin Foundation is a think tank and charity that works to improve the lives of Hong Kong’s ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and providing opportunities. Like so many organisations, The Zubin Foundation had to pivot during covid, and you hear about the changes they made in this episode too.  Listen to our story about how 3  local charities pivoted during Covid. As you listen to this episode you find out how Shalini broke out of the life path that her conservative Indian Hong Kong family had envisioned for her, putting marriage front and center and how a trip to India when Shalini was 13 changed everything.  “She gave me words that haven’t been part of my vocabulary. These were things that weren’t just happening to me and they were actually wrong.”  A teacher made a massive impact on how she looked at the world and it was then that Shalini felt that she wanted to do something about the social injustice that she had seen in her own life and for others.  With the Zubin Foundation she is working towards numerous Sustainable Development Goals.   “We help because we can”  A motto Shalini Mahtani lives by.  SDG 3 focuses on Health and Well Being, SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities. These goals inspire the work of the Zubin Foundation and the systemic change t...

Ever wanted to be behind the scenes of a big event? So did we! As attendees of live events and conference junkies, #impact Podcast had the great privilege of being at TEDxTinHauWomen‘s for this very inspiring and meaningful live event!What matters now? That’s the question that TEDxTinHauWomen – a women dedicated TEDx community in Hong Kong – is seeking to explore and answer.We went behind the scenes and interviewed great women (and men). This was our experience – listen in! Recorded LIVE at Live at TEDxTinhauWomen Photo Credit: Booqed TEDxTinHauWomen is an annual TEDx event in Hong Kong. It is a platform for women to share their ideas, thoughts, and solutions with the world. They believe that each one of us has something interesting to say, and they want their audiences to hear it. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that brings people together to share a TEDx experience. It’s dedicated to big ideas and powerful storytelling. And it was our great pleasure to record for #impact live at their most recent event. #impact Podcast | BEHIND THE SCENES: What Matters Now? If I would ask you What matters now? What would you answer? What comes to mind? First. Many women and men courageously stepped into a recording booth that Booqed put up for #impact at this incredible TEDxTinHauWomen event. A celebration of what matters now, hundreds of people felt the energy in a theater. Thanks to the bold and brilliant speakers and the many volunteers that built a bridge of connection. What you will hear in this episode is inspired by the times we live in. Hosted by #impact founder Regina Larko, we’ve focused on creating an open and safe space everyone who stepped into the recording booth that day, could openly discuss their thoughts on what matters to them. Our intention is not simply to have an audience listen to what they shared—it is to allow you, the listener to feel inspired to uncover what you carry in your heart too as you listen to their beautiful stories – and how it all relates to the worlds most pressing issues at large that we discuss in our Season 5 (Sustainable Development Goals). Live at TEDxTinhauWomen | What matters NOW? We’re all about making an IMPACT. And that’s a great thing. Because we all want to be change-makers. We want to create and leave our mark, to have an effect on the world around us. But time is short. The pace of change is overwhelming. The issues are complex and getting more so every day. The question isn’t just how do we make an impact. It’s what kind of impact do we want to make? As we pause and reflect, it’s important to ask ourselves what matters to us, what inspires us, what moves us forward, where do we want to go from here? So let’s get started with this episode from TEDxTinHauWomen in Hong Kong! We hope you’ll get inspired by the colorful ambitions and limitless hopes for the future of today’s guests on our Podcast.

This episode is unlike anything we have done here on the channel, and we have done a lot. Produced in Hong Kong. Recorded across the globe. We recorded on rooftops, in elevators, in front of sold out theatres and in teeny tiny boiling hot meeting rooms, We recorded across timezones with our talented co hosts spread across the world to like very recently at a recording booth at one of the best TEDx events in town. We planned. We scheduled. We strategised. We planned, we scheduled, we strategised so it fits in with our ongoing themes. But this time is nothing like that. This time we get really raw. Listen in as your host and founder of #impact – Regina Larko – records this very raw and personal message from her home of 7 years in Hong Kong to reflect on what this Podcast means to her. And how it has kept her sane. Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. Featured voices:  * Regina Larko | #impact founder, host and producer. Connect with her here. * Regina’s husband/children/mom/dad/stepmom/stepdad/grandparents/brother/sister in law/in-laws. Special thanks * TO YOU! If you are tuning in here for the first time, you might not be ready for whats to come in this episode so feel free to also listen to some of our other amazing Podcasts where we feature inspiring changemakers making the world a better place.  If you are a long time listener you might also not be ready for whats to come in this episode. But if you do listen all the way to the end you might just discover something new about yourself too. Want more stories showing you the behind the scenes? Then you’ll love our newsletter. Yes, I want feel good news!

Audio is a medium that allows telling stories in an impactful, intimate way. Today you meet the creators behind four of Hong Kong’s most popular podcasts in a unique panel about podcasting as an alternative approach to storytelling. Recorded LIVE at Hong Kong International Literary Festival How do these Podcasters approach their subjects, how do they tackle sensitive topics like (mental) health, resilience, and belonging as they are setting out to make a positive impact on their audience in Hong Kong and beyond? What are the hurdles and setbacks? What are the (unexpected) rewards? PODCASTING &#8211; Storytelling with a twist&nbsp; Moderated by #impact Podcast host Regina Larko with panelists Cissy Radford (In The Changing Room), Emery Fung (Awkward Turtle At Work), and the Juhi Gagaramani of KELY Support Group’s Podcast (This Hong Kong Life). Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. In this episode you learn about: * 5:30 &#8211; Cissy’s approach to storytelling and how it evolved since she first started her Podcast * 7:56 &#8211; How did Emery get started with his Podcast * 10:45 &#8211; Creating a safe space for guests to share their stories from Juhi’s point of view. * 14:04 &#8211; Building relationships with your listeners * 16:30 &#8211; What impact the Podcast has on the creators * 19:00 &#8211; The biggest surprises and rewards in Podcasting * 21:45 &#8211; Community Building enabled by Podcasts* 26:00 &#8211; How to overcome Imposter Syndrome as a Podcast host and guest * 30:58 &#8211; The most difficult episodes we ever recorded &#8211; and how we made it work anyway. * 36:42 &#8211; Questions from the audience: Why do you choose audio as a medium? * 41:56 &#8211; How to handle remote online recordings when you can’t see people in person? * 44:56 &#8211; How much time do you have to invest in each episode? * 47:53 &#8211; How can introverted people get their voice out there? How do you overcome the initial inhibition? (Goosebumps when someone in the audience shared her answer) * 52:09 How to stay motivated &#8211; especially in the beginning when you starting from scratch and you are feeling you are not making the impact you try to make Featured voices:&nbsp; * Cissy Radford | In the Changing Room &#8211; Listen here * Emery Fung | Awkward Turtle at work &#8211; Listen here * Juhi Gangaramani | KELY Support Group&#8217;s Podcast: This Hong Kong Life &#8211; Listen here * Find more #impact LIVE Recordings here. Special thanks * A special thanks to Catherine Platt and her brilliant team at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival for inviting us, thanks to Asia Society Hong Kong Centre for hosting, to Rachel Smith of <a href="http://www.hongkongstories.

How do science, technology and public policy contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals? Today we will find out. We will find ourselves at the intersection of science, artificial intelligence and the Sustainable Development Goals. OSDG.AI Today you hear from Dr Núria Bautista Puig R&amp;I Technical Support at Carlos III University of Madrid and Affiliated researcher at University of Gävle and Guste Statuleviciute from PPMI, one of the partners behind the OSDG, a project that is also supported by the United Nations Development Programme SDG AI Lab. What is OSDG.AI?&nbsp; OSDG is an open source initiative that aims to integrate various existing attempts to classify research according to Sustainable Development Goals, and to make this process open, transparent and user-friendly. They cover all SDGs, focusing on Quality Education, as they increase awareness of the Goals, and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, as their solutions are contributing to an open-science community. Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts or any of your favorite Podcast players. In this episode you learn about: * 4:30 &#8211; What is the OSDG tool and how did it start? * 9:53 &#8211; The tool in action &#8211; we put it to the test * 18:02 &#8211; How can you integrate the different actors in the research process? * 22:26 &#8211; The community building around this open source initiative * 25:54 &#8211; The community dataset results that is open for everyone to use * 39:47 &#8211; The moment that surprised Nuria most when working on the project * 30:39 &#8211; Where OSDG.AI is going next &#8211; making it a multi-purpose tool Featured voices:&nbsp; * Dr. Nuria Bautista Puig | Connect with her here * Gusté Statuleviciute | Connect with her here Mentioned in this episode: * Open Source Tool OSDG.AI OSDG.AI. Find out more here. &nbsp;* UNDP SDG AI Lab. More here. &nbsp;* Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Visit here. Spanish Version available here. &nbsp;* Researchers mentioned: Ismael Rafols and Rodrigo Lozano &nbsp;* OSDG Community Dataset &#8211; the results from the Community Platform. Available here.&nbsp;* OSDG Community Platform. Visit here. * #impact Season 5 celebrates the Sustainable Development Goals. What are the Sustainable Development Goals, why do they matter and how do they relate to you? Listen here. Special thanks