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In Sync

Echoes Media

In Sync is a podcast that encourages us to grab a cup of tea, sit back and reflect on the life we choose to live. Focusing on intentional living and wellbeing, our guests come from across the world and have one thing in common - they want to love what they do and love themselves in the process.

New Episodes every 2 weeks!

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20 episodes
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Avg 27 min
English

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#28
August 22 · 25 min
Designing For Children ft. Maria Adil
Are you a mother concerned your child is losing touch with the Urdu language? Or simply frustrated with the lack of quality toys children can learn from around you? Maria Adil faced the same issue, and now she's creating a solution In today's episode host Anmol Irfan is joined by Maria Adil, a designer, mother of two and founder of children's toy brand The Painted Jackal to talk about intentional design, and building a business in Pakistan's practically non existent toymaking industry. Maria dives into the inspiration behind the brand name, her own journey as a designer and the challenges that come with balancing creativity and entreprenuership Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South
#27
August 7 · 29 min
Fighting Abuse Around Us ft. Zohra Ahmed
How many of us know of cases of abuse around us that are silenced? How many times are we told "yeh ghar ki baat hai" ? In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by Advocate Zohra Ahmed , founder of The Jugnu Project, Pakistan's first online domestic violence resource to talk about her work in fighting abuse and her latest collaboration with Chayn for their report on image based abuse. Zohra has spent much of her life challenging stigmas around abuse and violence and ensuring that survivors have a chance at a better life. If you or someone you know is in danger, and needs help, Zohra can be contacted at zohraahmedlaw@gmail.com
#26
July 24 · 29 min
Raising Empathetic Children ft. Mehak Irshad Razaque
Has the constant grind of the school-work-life routine ever seemed too much? So many of us function as per routine on a daily basis without wondering too much about the greater picture or what it would mean to not be a cog in the machine. In today's episode host Anmol Irfan is joined by Mehak Irshad Razaque, an early childhood educator and host of Ta'luq, an education services platform providing holistic educational workshops for children and adults. For Mehak, Ta'luq fills a gap in society that allows us to move more towards working on our Tarbiyah as a whole rather than just learning what makes the system work. Follow Echoes Media for more stories and slow news in the Global South
#25
May 22 · 27 min
Dignity In Care Ft. Hourab Din
With conversations around menstruation still being so taboo, we often forget those that are even more vulnerable within these situations. Women with disabilities often face a much higher amount of shame and lack of access when it comes to menstrual hygiene management. In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by Hourab Din, Pakistani gender and social development professional, feminist, and digital journalist focusing on the rights of women and children. Hourab has specifically been working on empowering women with disabilities to gain greater access to menstrual hygiene products and challenge shame and stigmas around them particularly in vulnerable communities. She dives into how these communities and their needs are often ignored, and the work that still needs to be done to create a more equal footing. Follow Echoes Media for more stories and slow news in the Global South
#24
May 8 · 30 min
Pakistani Stories For The World ft. Safinah Danish Elahi
Who gets to tell our stories? Who wants to listen to our stories? And where do we as Pakistanis draw the line between staying true to ourselves while also staying relatable to all the diverse experiences our community faces, at home and abroad In our latest episode host Anmol Irfan is joined author Safinah Danish Elahi to celebrate the launch of her third novel Chasing Shadows in Borrowed Light, which follows 4 friends across the world, bound by a secret they'd rather forget. As the founder of Reverie Publishers, Safinah delves into what it's like to be on both sides of the publishing industry and how her own stories and voice have evolved through her work. Follow Echoes Media for more stories and news on the Global South
#23
April 24 · 25 min
Justice for Survivors ft. Sahar Bandial
Pakistan may be making progress in its legislation around sexual violence, but what's more important is how that change impacts survivors. In our latest episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by advocate Sahar Bandial, who authored Equality Now's recent report on the implementation of this legal response to sexual violence in Pakistan. Sahar, whose legal work has long revolved around access to justice for women alongside a broad range of other areas, breaks down the findings of the report, and how survivors in Pakistan can use such work to better empower themselves in their own journey for justice You can access a range of helplines here. Follow Echoes Media for more news on the Global South
#22
April 15 · 29 min
Choosing Babies ft. Lexi Ellingsworth
It feels weird when we say we can buy babies. But in many parts of the world, surrogacy - which allows prospective parents to pay a woman to have a baby for them is still allowed. Of course it's not as simple as that, so we dove into the complex world of surrogacy in our latest episode In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by Lexi Ellingsworth of Stop Surrogacy Now UK, an advocate campaigning against the legalisation of surrogacy and calling for protections for both mothers and babies. We dive deeper into what people still misunderstand about surrogacy, the story the media puts out and why it matters so much to prioritise the right voices Follow Echoes Media for more slow news on the Global South
#20
February 13 · 21 min
In The Kitchen ft. Muhammad Zain
What is food for Pakistani's if not a companion in joy, grief and memory? How do we truly see food when it encompasses so many of our relationships and defining moments beyond just the act of eating itself? With Masterchef Pakistan back, amidst a slew of criticism and support, host Anmol Irfan sat down with finalist Muhammad Zain for today's episode to take a deeper look at what food means to him as a self taught chef and why emotions and exploration play such a huge role in his journey. From his creative fusion creations to his background in Astrophysics, Zain takes us through his culinary inspirations, his Masterchef experience and what it means to him when he steps into the kitchen Follow Echoes Media for more stories and slow news.
#19
January 30 · 38 min
Writing From The Heart ft. Arslan Athar
Does the best writing come from rage? Pakistan's latest debut author seems to think so. In our latest episode, host Anmol Irfan speaks to author and writer Arslan Athar about his debut book, 40 days of mourning, writing and publishing in Pakistan's rocky literary industry and the difference between fiction and non fiction writing. Arslan gets deep into how writing is impacted by his emotions, what this journey has been like personally and professionally and what it takes to "make it" as a writer. You can order 40 Days Of Mourning directly from Run On Press here.
#18
January 16 · 21 min
Survivor Led Tech ft. Hera Hussain
What does it mean for tech solutions to actually be made for diverse global communities of survivors? When the tech available genuinely caters to the needs of some of the world's most vulnerable communities? In this episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by Hera Hussain, founder of Chayn, an organisation developing tech led survivors for, and by, survivors of abuse. As a Pakistani based the UK, Hussain developed a truly global approach to an initiative that started out aimed at Pakistanis and the Pakistani diaspora - after helping friends escape from abusive situations. This is the final episode for our latest project Echoes Unmuted: Navigating TFGBV. Echoes Unmuted is a two part educational and awareness initiative in collaboration with WOW Pakistan, ahead of the upcoming WOW Festival being held from 24-25 January in Karachi You can be part of Chayn's work through their current survey, where they are mapping out what image based abuse can mean within global contexts. This series is being delivered with support from the British Council as part of the WOW Pakistan Creative Gender Grants
#17
Dec 5, 2025 · 28 min
Technology As A Double Edged Sword ft. Wardah Iftikhar
What does it mean for our digital realities to take root offline? When does digital hate and violence become a danger to the rest of our lives? As our digital reality increasingly takes over our lives, we all have concerns about our safety within these spaces, especially as online violence and cyber attacks against women and vulnerable groups continue to increase. That's why we're bringing you the first podcast for Echoes Unmuted: Navigating TFGBV, which is part of our ongoing Echoes Unmuted Project in collaboration with WOW Pakistan ahead of the WOW Festival in January Our guest Wardah Iftikhar takes us on a deeper dive into the online and offline consequences of TFGBV, and what it means to create a society that supports women without having to isolate them. This series is being delivered with support from the British Council as part of the WOW Pakistan Creative Gender Grants Follow Echoes Media for a better look at what we're doing with Echoes Unmuted and more stories on the global south
#16
Nov 21, 2025 · 18 min
Navigating Digital Safety ft Vaneeza Jawad
Ever worry about what you're putting into the digital realm? Concerned about the kind of backlash you can receive or whether the online hate might cause some very really harm? You're not alone. As our digital reality increasingly takes over our lives, we all have concerns about our safety within these spaces, especially as online violence and cyber attacks against women and vulnerable groups continue to increase. That's why we're bringing you the first podcast for Echoes Unmuted: Navigating TFGBV, which is part of our ongoing Echoes Unmuted Project in collaboration with WOW Pakistan ahead of the WOW Festival in January Our guest Vaneeza Jawad, the communications manager at the Digital Rights Foundation takes us on a deeper dive into the online and offline realities of tech-facilitated gender based violence (TFGBV) what it means to work with survivors and tailoring solutions to a Pakistani context to best serve vulnerable communities This series is being delivered with support from the British Council as part of the WOW Pakistan Creative Gender Grants Follow Echoes Media for a better look at what we're doing with Echoes Unmuted and more stories on the global south
#15
Oct 24, 2025 · 20 min
Gendered Climate Action ft. Aayisha Siddiqa
What do we mean when we say climate change is gendered? The truth is climate change doesn't impact everyone the same way - and that's why a gendered approach to climate action is crucial to a just, equitable and effective solutions. In today's episode host Anmol Irfan is joined by Aayisha Siddiqa, a development practitioner working with Baithak - Challenging Taboos on a more gendered approach to climate action in Pakistan. This is the second in a two part episode series as part of Echoes Unmuted: Where Climate Meets Gender, a multimedia educational and awareness initiative in collaboration with WOW Pakistan. For Aayisha, gendered climate action means including more voices and survivors, not excluding - and in this episode she opens up about what it means to balance her own wellbeing with the work she does every day with survivors of climate disasters and how others can get involved. Follow Echoes Media for a better look at what we're doing with Echoes Unmuted and more stories on the global south
#14
Sep 19, 2025 · 30 min
Fighting For Period Justice ft. Bushra Mahnoor
Why do we still shy away from talking about periods? What happens when an already stigmatised issue is made worse by climate disasters? And why do we still struggle with listening to those who are living through the crisis? In today's episode host Anmol Irfan is joined by Bushra Mahnoor, a period rights activist, founder of Mahwari Justice, and winner of the Diana Award. For Bushra, period justice is a key part of achieving a gender just approach to the climate crisis, and she's been working from the grassroots up, all the way to a larger policy level to ensure that the change she hopes to see comes about Through this unfiltered conversation around social stigmas and taboos, and women's health from the lens that it's often most ignored, Bushra challenges conceptions of what helping women really means on the ground. This episode is all about unlearning our preconceived notions around what women in vulnerable situations need and why the climate crisis is and never will be gender-blind.
#13
Jun 20, 2025 · 35 min
The Art of Cinema ft. Aleem Bukhari
How far can we push cinema when we start understanding it as an art? Why is Cannes such a big deal? And who decides what cinema "makes it"? In today's episode host Anmol Irfan is joined by Aleem Bukhari ,a Pakistani filmmaker, and the writer-director of the short horror film, Karmash. Aleem's work pushes the boundaries of what many South Asians consider to be cinema, and asks a very important question, Who are we looking to satisfy with the art we create? By exploring the power of film as an art medium and a way of expression, Aleem takes us through his career path and journey - the highs and the lows. This episode is all about staying true to your creative process and creating for yourself, and Karmash's global success is proof that it works. If you're interested in filmmaking, art or just want to see how passion can really drive meaningful careers, tune in Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South
#12
Jun 6, 2025 · 33 min
Being A Woman ft. Sarosh Ibrahim
What does it mean to be "a woman in a man's world"? And in this day and age, how true is this cliche? In today's episode host Anmol Irfan is joined by Sarosh Ibrahim, a digital creator, communications professional and podcast host, who's work has been creating space for Pakistani women to understand their bodies within the context of desi society. By exploring her own journey as a woman in a public space online, how her content is fueled by her own passions and what drives her, Sarosh takes us through an inspiring and thought provoking journey of self love and what it means to really see our bodies in a new light This episode is for anyone struggling with their bodies or self esteem, or just looking for some support to make sense of what it means to be a woman in these complicated and overly noise times. Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South
#11
Apr 25, 2025 · 25 min
Nurturing Creativity ft. Kehkashan Khalid
In the race to fulfill all our roles, and put our best foot forward. How we do nurture the creativity within ourselves? Is it writing or art that drives you, or maybe both? In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined artist and writer Kehkashan Khalid, who is also the winner of the 2019 Salam Award. Talking about balancing motherhood with creativity and self, Kehkashan takes us through her own creative journey as she talks about the complexity of speculative fiction, and finding art in her own way. Our latest episode is all about calm. An easy going conversation that let's you go with the flow and maybe find inspiration for your own self. Tune in if you're an an aspiring writer or artist or just on your own mother hood journey looking to find your balance. Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South
#10
Mar 21, 2025 · 30 min
Making Food From the Heart ft. Mursal Saiq
What does creating conversations through food really look like? And what does it mean to build a community through food? In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by chef and global F&B consultant Mursal Saiq, who is also the co founder of Cue Point BBQ , a British-Afghan barbecue restaurant in London. Mursal's journey in food is focused on supporting immigrant communities through not only her restaurant but the spaces she creates that put diversity and wellbeing above all else. Our latest episode is part of Echoes Media's indepth exploration of food and identity and takes a deeper look at what it means to build spaces through food that value diverse experiences and what different voices can bring to the table. As Mursal points out, just being able to see people bond over experiences they may have looked down upon is what makes her journey as a chef so fulfilling. Tune in for a conversation that lets you connect with food that truly fulfills not just your stomach but your soul Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South
#9
Mar 1, 2025 · 27 min
Building Intentional Communities ft. Rhiana Spring
Ever wonder what it looks like to work in human rights and really create sustainable support for those who need it? In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by award winning entrepreneur and human rights activist Rhiana Spring, founder of Spring ACT - who created the world's first AI powered chatbot for domestic violence survivors and learn about the on ground realities of human rights activism across the world. Our latest episode takes you into the life of someone who has dedicated their time to making the world a better place for others, and pushes you to reimagine what it means to truly help people. As Rhiana says, there are no vulnerable people, only people in vulnerable situations and when we understand that we can create better tools for them to create better realities. Tune in for an an honest and hard hitting take on how the world of human rights and tech collide to make justice more accessible Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South.
#8
Jan 24, 2025 · 21 min
Thinking In Colour ft. Bushra Sultan
Struggling with getting to know yourself? Our latest episode may be just what you need to write your own colorful story. In today's episode, host Anmol Irfan is joined by Bushra Sultan, the only Pakistani in the arts category in the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list for 2024. Not only is Bushra a talented artist, she's also a storyteller who creates her own films and brings brand visions to life all in an effort to create art that causes us to stop and think. Our latest episode invites you to think in colour, and look beyond the black and white way of thinking we're often thought. As Bushra says, Art is meant to poke people, so if you're getting uncomfortable, you're doing it right. But how do you sit with that discomfort and move on? Tune in to see how Bushra uses her creativity to make sense of a better world Follow Echoes Media for more slow news and stories on the Global South.

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