Inspiring Solutions for a Better World

Two billion people globally suffer from malnutrition, aka hidden hunger, hitting Africa the hardest. Many lack access to healthy food, relying on starchy flour for every meal. This poor diet, lacking vital nutrients, tragically leads to 8,000 preventable child deaths DAILY.While developed nations enjoy fortified foods like cereal, milk, and salt, two billion people worldwide lack this basic human right. In parts of East Africa, as many as 95% of the population depend on small rural flour mills for their food source to survive.Sanku enables local flour mills throughout East Africa to produce fortified flour, currently reaching approximately six million people with healthier meals everyday. Adding life-saving nutrients to food means children can fight disease, grow up healthy and educated, and live productive lives. By preventing health problems before they occur, Sanku's solution may have more sustained impact at scale on the lives of people living in rural sub-Saharan Africa than any current health intervention today.Our speaker, Felix Brooks-church, strongly believes that access to nutritious food should be a right, and not a privilege, and has dedicated his life to developing a technology and business model capable of providing the basic human right to better nutrition to the millions of children and adults excluded by status-quo efforts. Felix co-founded the social enterprise called Sanku in 2013 with the mission to end malnutrition by guaranteeing that every meal, for every mother and child, contains life-saving nutrients, forever. For the last seventeen years, Felix has lived in the Global South, refining micronutrient delivery systems and developed economic models for sustaining food fortification at scale for small mills throughout East Africa. He led all aspects of product development and engineering for the award-winning Sanku Dosifier technology, and designed the innovative business model that will ultimately sustain Sanku's operations at scale with minimal external investment. Felix has grown the organization from a two-man start-up to over 100 East African employees, passionately dedicated to ensuring close to six million people now have access to nutritious food every day. Sanku's big bet vision is to end malnutrition for 100 million people by 2030. To learn more, go to:https://projecthealthychildren.org/⁠⁠More about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley⁠⁠   Website: ⁠⁠Rotary.cool⁠ Meetings’ ⁠⁠Video Archive⁠⁠ YouTubeChannel⁠⁠ How to become a member in ⁠⁠this online Rotary eClub⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Rotary International:⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠www.Rotary.org⁠⁠ Find a ⁠⁠local Rotary club⁠⁠ Find an ⁠⁠online Rotary Club⁠⁠ Podcast and Zoom Host: ⁠⁠Rushton Hurley⁠⁠Podcast Producer: ⁠⁠Elton Sherwin⁠⁠Audio edited and enhanced with: ⁠⁠Descript Studio Sound ⁠⁠ #PositiveChange #Inspiration #Rotary

This episode refers to a number of visuals that are in the video version which can be seen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4IDQhRnwnT1iqINDJo6rXc or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fyc7fM4ThnUWe believe the message is an important one, even if you do not watch the video, and hope that you will enjoy this and every episode of our series.The Memory Project is a unique initiative in which US high school students create handmade portraits as special gifts for children facing challenges around the world. The portraits serve as beautiful and meaningful memories for the children, though the deepest purpose of the project is to connect youth around the world in a supportive and positive way. By carefully capturing the soft expression of each child's eyes and the playfulness in their smiles, and then sending the finished artwork to them as a gift, participating high school students promote feelings of friendship between countries and cultures.Today Ben Schumaker will tell us how the Memory Project began in 2004 and also share stories of his efforts in Afghanistan, where he aimed to help youth feel interconnected despite religious and cultural differences.Ben started the Memory Project (memoryproject.org) as a graduate student at UW-Madison in 2004. Ben's aim is to help build understanding and kindness between youth from disparate cultures, and to date the program has involved 300,000 youth from 56 different countries.To learn more, check out the Memory Project website: https://memoryproject.orgYou can also see the video of our last delivery of art to Afghanistan: https://vimeo.com/memoryproject/afghanistan21

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the most pressing threats to our oceans, devastating marine ecosystems and wildlife while undermining the livelihoods of sustainable fishers. For over two decades, WildAid has partnered with local leaders worldwide to improve marine protection and enforcement. WildAid CEO Meaghan Brosnan and Skylight Head Namrata Kolla explore how cutting-edge AI technology is transforming the fight against IUU fishing. Learn how Skylight’s AI-powered vessel detection platform is helping governments take decisive action—like the recent seizure of six illegal longliners in Panama—and discover what’s next for the future of ocean protection.Meaghan Brosnan is a global expert in marine enforcement with more than two decades of experience combating illegal fishing and supporting communities in sustainably managing marine protected areas. A retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander, she spent two decades in service, including four years at sea enforcing fisheries law. Meaghan joined WildAid in 2017 as Marine Program Director and became CEO in 2024, following the organization's receipt of Prince William's Earthshot Prize in the ""Revive Our Oceans"" category. Namrata Kolla (Nam) leads the Skylight program at Ai2 (Allen Institute for AI). She has held various positions in the conservation space for over ten years, including as Data Scientist for the Mayor of Seattle, as Research Consultant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and in various roles at The Nature Conservancy. She has a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Washington, with a focus on the application of data science to improve public service.Learn about WildAid's marine program: https://marine.wildaid.org/ More about Skylight's technology: https://allenai.org/skylightMongabay's coverage of Panama's momentous seizure: https://news.mongabay.com/2025/03/panama-conducts-large-illegal-fishing-bust-in-protected-pacific-waters/

CARS works with over 10,000 nonprofits and raises over $60 million a year in fundraising through turn-key vehicle and real estate donation programs.Our speaker is Howard Pearl, the Chief Executive Officer of Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS), a national leader in vehicle donation programs for nonprofits. Howard Pearl has over three decades of executive experience and a Harvard Business School education, and has worked with organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Ford Motor Company, and Revlon to implement transformative strategies.To learn more, go to: https://careasy.org/home

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, host of the Remarkable People podcast, author of Wiser Guy, Think Remarkable, and sixteen other books, and adjunct professor at UC Santa Cruz. Kawasaki was the chief evangelist of Apple, trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation, and brand ambassador of Mercedes-Benz. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University, an MBA from UCLA, and an honorary doctorate from Babson College.In this talk, Kawasaki takes aim at the so-called "rules" of business that sound wise but often mislead. From "fail fast" to "growth at all costs," he shows how these maxims can backfire. Instead of chasing clichés, Kawasaki urges leaders to think critically, weigh context, and focus on sustainable success. This talk reframes innovation and growth with nuance, clarity, and a dose of reality.To learn more about our speaker, go to:https://guykawasaki.com/https://guykawasaki.com/remarkable-people/

Nate Salpeter, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sweet Farm Foundation, shares concepts of interconnections between food, action, and investment. In his presentation, we learn how the team at Sweet Farm is pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a sanctuary and how impact can be made locally and globally through targeted efforts that leverage education, inspiration, and innovation.Passionate about giving voice to those without one, Nate Salpeter co-founded Sweet Farm just south of Half Moon Bay, CA with his wife Anna Sweet out of recognition that industrialized farming has had a profoundly negative impact on the lives of billions of animals as well as plant based agriculture. A Ph.D. engineer working in the nuclear industry, Nate brings his analytical mindset to the animal welfare space where he, his wife (Anna Sweet), and an incredible team have built Sweet Farm to be more than only a farm animal rescue, but also to be a place of education, inspiration, and innovation through animal rescue, plant based agriculture, and technology initiatives to scale change in the food system globally. Nate and Anna are active advisors and investors in the alternative protein, agriculture technology, and sustainability sectors.Their Goat 2 Meeting program is Sweet Farm’s pivot into the post-COVID world, helping put smiles on people’s faces while executing on Sweet Farm’s mission to educate and inspire change in the way people think about what’s on their plate and how it impacts the world.www.sweetfarm.org

Every day, more than 500 million women and girls live without access to menstrual supplies. This often forces them to use unsafe materials that put their health at risk and cause them to miss school or work. With menstruation lasting about 3,000 days over a lifetime (more than 8 years), this challenge is not only a matter of health but also one of equity, dignity, and opportunity.Days for Girls (DfG) wants to change that. Since 2008, DfG has reached 3.5 million people in 145 countries with sustainable menstrual health solutions and education. Through holistic approaches such as their Period Positive Schools and Workplaces initiatives and women-led social enterprises, DfG is building scalable impact that transforms lives and strengthens communities. In this presentation, Days for Girls CEO Tiffany Larson will share powerful stories of change, highlight the connection between menstrual health and gender equality, and share how we can all work towards a world where periods are never a problem.Our speaker, Tiffany Larson, leads Days for Girls International as CEO focusing on dignity, equity, and opportunity for all. A passionate advocate for menstrual health and sustainable development, she has over two decades of experience blending business acumen with a heart for global impact. Her leadership is grounded in the belief that access to health and education is a human right, and that lasting change starts at the community level.Before becoming CEO, Tiffany held several executive roles at Days for Girls, including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Program Officer, each shaping her holistic and inclusive approach to global leadership.To learn more, go to:https://www.daysforgirls.org/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe5eEoSiW-M

Some of the world's most difficult problems – like poor reproductive health and violence against women – are now being addressed through the medium of prime-time serialized dramas also known as soap operas or Telenovelas.Population Media Center (PMC) uses a special type of serialized melodrama for changing behavior on such issues as family planning, elevation of women's status, girls' education, stopping child marriage, protection of children, and protection of the environment. Characters in locally written and produced programs on radio, television, and social media evolve into positive role models for the audience and, in the process, lead to population-wide changes in behavior.Bill Ryerson is founder and president of Population Media Center (PMC). He has a 52-year history of working in the field of reproductive health, including four decades of experience adapting the Sabido methodology of entertainment-education for behavior change communications to various cultural settings worldwide. PMC has broadcast its programs in 57 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. Bill will speak about the importance and effectiveness of PMC's work, including that of the shows.Bill is Founder and President of Population Media Center (PMC) (www.populationmedia.org), an organization that strives to improve the health and wellbeing of people around the world through the use of entertainment-education strategies. He also serves as Chair of The Population Institute in Washington, DC (www.populationinstitute.org), which works in partnership with Population Media Center. PMC creates long-running serialized dramas on radio and television, in which characters evolve into role models for the audience resulting in positive behavior change. The emphasis of the organization's work is to educate people about the benefits of small families, encourage the use of effective family planning methods, elevate women's status, prevent exploitation of children, promote avoidance of HIV infection, and promote environmentally sustainable behaviors.He received a B.A. in Biology (Magna Cum Laude) from Amherst College and an M.Phil. in Biology from Yale University (with specialization in Ecology and Evolution). He served as Director of the Population Institute's Youth and Student Division, Development Director of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, Associate Director of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and Executive Vice President of Population Communications International before founding Population Media Center in 1998.To learn more, go to:https://www.populationmedia.org/Bill's slides: https://tinyurl.com/2fp82fpd

Medical debt is the number one cause of bankruptcy in the United States. Over 40% of Americans are currently dealing with the challenges of medical debt. RIP Medical Debt was founded in 2014 by two former debt collections executives who realized they were uniquely qualified to help those in need. Our one-of-a-kind model turns $1 dollar into, on average, $100 of medical debt relief. Since RIP Medical Debt's inception, we have abolished over $7 billion in medical debt for over 4 million people. In this presentation, you will learn more about RIP Medical Debt's innovative approach and the impact it's having on this intractable problem.Our speaker, Allison Sesso, became the President/CEO of RIP Medical Debt in January of 2020. RIP Medical Debt was established for the sole purpose of reducing the medical debt burdens of low-income individuals with limited capacity to pay their medical bills by leveraging donations from people across the country. They have abolished $7,387,275,754 to date for over 4,255,986 people. Prior to joining RIP Medical Debt, Allison served as the Executive Director of the Human Services Council of New York (HSC), an association of 170 nonprofits delivering 90% of human services in New York City. Allison's work on behalf of the human services sector led both the city and state of New York to recognize her as a top nonprofit leader in 2018 and 2019, one of the 25 most influential leaders in Manhattan in 2017, and one of New York City's 100 "Most Responsible" in 2016.To learn more, go to:Testimonies from beneficiaries: https://youtu.be/_7Hijtpag8oHow it works: https://youtu.be/OSk8xDd2GbU

Mount Tamalpais College is an independent liberal arts college located in San Quentin State Prison. Corey McNeil has been a student since 2011 and joined the staff of Mount Tamalpais College as a program clerk in 2017. After being released in 2021, he became the college's Alumni Affairs Associate. Jody Lewen is President of Mount Tamalpais College at San Quentin State Prison in Marin County, California. Mount Tamalpais College (MTC) provides a general education associate of arts degree and intensive college preparatory courses to over 300 people incarcerated at San Quentin. It also provides training and support to other higher education in prison programs across the country, advocating for the values of high academic quality and inclusivity, while serving as a resource to policymakers, practitioners, and academic and correctional administrators.Dr. Lewen received her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in modern European history; her master's degree from the Freie Universität, Berlin in comparative literature and philosophy; and her PhD in rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley. She was the recipient in 2006 of the Peter E. Haas Public Service Award from the University of California, Berkeley, which recognizes alumni of UC Berkeley who have made significant voluntary contributions to the betterment of society. In 2016, MTC (then the Prison University Project) received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama. In 2018, Jody was named a Frederick Douglass 200 awardee, which honored those whose modern-day work best embodies Douglass' legacy of social change.To learn more, go to:https://www.mttamcollege.org https://prisonjournalismproject.org/2022/08/08/nations-first-standalone-prison-campus-celebrates-graduation/