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Migrant Odyssey

stephen barden

Real voices. True journeys. Humanity without borders

Migrant Odyssey tells the stories of people who’ve crossed borders and kept going — individuals whose intelligence, determination and generosity of spirit enrich any country or community they reach . These are stories of true worth — proof that migration is not a problem, but part of what makes us human.

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23 episodes
Avg 52 min
English

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S1 · E32
October 7 · 53 min
Ep.32 "You can never be lonely in Sudan" - The extraordinary Wafaa Alamin
This is a story of three worlds. The first is the world in which a very small Sudanese child becomes Irish and learns to speak the Irish language so well that the nuns delighted in showing her skills off to any and all visitors to the school. Then there is the world where a young woman reluctantly went back to war-battered Sudan to study and practise medicine - and where she rediscovered the preciousness of community. And, for that community, she founded an organization to promote and champion local Sudanese entrepreneurs - to the alarm of the security services. It doesn't end there. There is a third world in which that young woman, comes back to Europe, gains a PhD in Public Health and Technology and now works on designing and developing digital tools in medical health and metabolism. This is the story of the extraordinary Wafaa Alamin Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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August 30 · 1 hr 1 min
Ep.31 Nubian Odyssey
The Nubians were one of the oldest civilisations in the world. From around 3800 BCE, they lived along the Nile in Northern Sudan and Southern Egypt. Their sophistication and power not only rivalled that of Egypt but at one time they actually ruled it. Then in the mid 20th century their ancestral homes disappeared under billions of tons of water - from the giant High Aswan Dam. But - as our guest Sondos Ayoob makes clear - you can take the Nubians out of Nubia but you can't take Nubia out of the Nubians. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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August 6 · 57 min
Ep 30: There are no journalists - but ours.
Stephen Barden talks to veteran Palestinian journalist Shuruq about being a war correspondent who never gets to leave the war zone; who is not only at risk personally but constantly fears for her family. And who - despite 30 years as a journalist - is still met with scepticism from western media, because she's not "one of ours". Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E29
June 7 · 57 min
Ep.29 Lebanon Lives - Lana: Dealing with the Damage
Clinical psychologist and GBV case worker talks about her experiences in both psychiatric hospitals and refugee camps, dealing with traumas that - as she puts it- "don't repeat - because they never end." Another episode in the mini series listening to voices from Lebanon. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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May 24 · 48 min
Ep. 28 Lebanon Lives: There's no time to stay down
If you want to know a little more about Lebanon than the usual clichés, this is the episode for you. "You have to get back up. There's no time to stay down" This the personal story of Mohammed - why he calls Lebanon his heart's safe space AND "Building the national state prevents violence" This is the story of his work for an extraordinary organization -The Hariri Foundation For Sustainable Human Development. https://hariri-foundation.org/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E27
May 7 · 1 hr 3 min
Ep. 27 Lebanon Lives - The Longing
Time and distance never quite heal the pain of war and disruption. And neither do they soothe the longing to return. Souad has been away from her beloved Lebanon for 20 years but both its joys and traumas are ever present. In this third episode in the mini series on Lebanon, she talks, - with both bluntness and much humour - about her homeland. Here's the link to a map of Beirut https://www.worldmap1.com/map/beirut-map Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E26
April 21 · 38 min
Ep 26. Lebanon Lives - the voice of Areej
Some people have poetry in their voice - whether they know it or not. Their words, and the silence in-between, stop you in your tracks. Which is what fine poetry does. Areej has that gift. Whether she talks about teaching children, or coming home to her beloved city or her faith, there is always that moment when you have to pause and look at your world anew. This is the second episode in this mini series on extraordinary ordinary people in Lebanon today. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
- Transcript
#25
April 13 · 55 min
EP. 25 LEBANON LIVES - Mona's Story.
Lebanon Lives: the first of a mini series featuring extraordinary, ordinary people in Lebanon - trying to live their lives while their towns, villages and cities are bombed around them. As host Stephen Barden says, " These people are us." or as Joan Baez put it, in her song, "There but for fortune - go you or I". Stephen's first guest in this series is Mona - half Ukrainian, half Palestinian, lover of extreme sports and in love with a profession she cannot pursue. And here's the Instagram link to Mona's Extreme Sports team: https://www.instagram.com/wolves.teamm?igsh=NjMwZTRicjJieDR3 Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
- Transcript
S1 · E24
March 5 · 41 min
Ep. 24 Gaza Champions - the generosity of friendship.
Gaza Champions is a global community that may be solving two huge problems that plague traditional charities: how to make sure support stays long after the media circus has moved on. And how to get past donor fatigue. Stephen Barden talks to co-founders Anam Raheem and Matt Davis about how they helped put volunteers from across the world in touch with individual families in Gaza: a network of pen pals - or zoom pals. And the impact that has had - not just on the families in Gaza - but on the volunteers. Links referred to in episode: Gaza Champions website: https://www.championgaza.xyz/ Gaza Champions instagram:https://www.instagram.com/p/DPMyhMaDt-v/ Mahmood fund-raising page:https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/gaza-champions Anam Raheem's substack: https://substack.com/@anamraheem?r=2pc66t&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile Anam's short story: https://www.wasafiri.org/content/tessellation-by-anam-raheem/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
- Transcript
S1 · E23
February 25 · 52 min
Ep 23. The Tiny Mighty Organization: the fight against trafficking in women
While the media focus on punishing - or protecting - the powerful men who consorted with Jeffrey Epstein, it has completely neglected to ask: how can any man traffic and exploit women and children in plain sight? And why is it that, despite the Epstein revelations, organizations combating trafficking and protecting survivors face more not less governmental delays and significant cuts in funding? In this episode Stephen Barden talks to Taina Bien Aimé, who has devoted herself to this cause for over three decades, and heads an organization that punches way above it weight. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
- Transcript
S1 · E22
Dec 8, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Ep 22. Gaza Voices
With Gaza all but obliterated - do the memories and stories of Gazans lie under the rubble as well? If universities, cafes, homes, mosques, churches, hospitals, workplaces and even entire streets have been flattened, what happens to the memories that filled those places? Two organizations have designed ingenious projects to make sure that Gaza voices do not disappear. Stephen Barden talks to Jo Friel and Lina Ayesh from Yalla Labs and Ahmad Jaafil from Waves to Home. l24P71jC2om4S6aAFhhu Gaza Living Story: https://yallalabs.org/resources/healing-through-storytelling-gaza-living-story Waves to Gaza website: https://www.wavestohome.org/category/palestine/gaza/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
- Transcript
S1 · E21
Nov 18, 2025 · 51 min
Ep 21. The Children of the Dispossessed: what happens next?
This is the story of a 6 year old girl who was left to look after her younger brother and sister while her migrant parents worked every day and most of the night. This is the story of Mirujaa, eldest daughter of Sri Lankan refugees whose single minded goal was to succeed in their new country while paying back their families "back home". This is the story of how the burden of the desperate and the dispossessed is passed onto the next generation. And how it is lifted. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
- Transcript
S1 · E20
Oct 19, 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
EP. 20 Sudan: Ethar, the lemon tree, the meandering donkey and 70 years of war.
A sandstorm birth, a village donkey named Kajol, and a gun barrel to the head during the Khartoum Massacre—Ethar’s story pulls you straight into Sudan’s living history and insistently asks a hard question: 70 years of warfare has changed nothing, so where does real change begin? We open with a clear, human overview of Sudan’s long arc of coups, civil wars, Darfur’s horrors, and the power struggle between the SAF and RSF, then step into a home where a Ministry of Justice mother and a communist father model how to disagree politically while being totally aligned morally and ethically. That paradox becomes a compass as Ethar learns to push back—against assumptions, about her religion, her beliefs, her capabilities and her country. As Ethar, reminds us, the wars in Sudan were never for the people - but for power. And her stories in this episode have people at their core - her family, her neighbour who rescued her from a mob, her friend who saved her life. And Ethar herself, who insists that change only comes when ordinary people's daily lives are tangibly changed for the better. Village by village, town by town, person by person. Please help support the show: by sharing with your network; by making a small contribution and by sending us feedback. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E19
Jul 29, 2025 · 48 min
EP. 19 Ruchira Gupta: "Where are all the girls?"
Stephen Barden talks to Ruchira Gupta, lifelong activist against human trafficking - especially the trafficking of women. This extraordinary woman not only founded a global organization to protect and educate sexually trafficked women and their daughters but, through her work with the United Nations, has driven changes in global laws on human trafficking and drawn up rules of behaviour for the peacekeepers themselves. In this episode we hear how she started on her campaign decades ago when she was covering a story in Nepal and discovered there were no girls in village after village. Her question "Where are all the girls", set her on a path that she's following to this day. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E18
May 25, 2025 · 44 min
EP. 18 Kejsi Hodo and the "invisible" referendum to change Italy's citizenship laws
Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E17
Apr 21, 2025 · 54 min
EP. 17 Lex Takkenberg - 30 years in the most scrutinised of all UN agencies
From the frontlines of one of the world's most enduring humanitarian crises comes a story of extraordinary dedication. Dr Lex Takkenberg takes us through his extraordinary four-decade journey working with refugees and displaced persons, including thirty years with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). What begins as an academic interest in international law at the University of Amsterdam transforms into a lifelong commitment when Lex joins UNRWA during the first Intifada. Through his eyes, we witness the evolution of conflict in the region - from the relatively contained stone-throwing confrontations of the late 1980s to the increasingly lethal violence that followed the second Intifada and beyond. Lex offers rare insights into UNRWA's precarious position between competing stakeholders. Initially established to provide relief while deflecting attention from refugees' right of return, the agency evolved into an essential provider of education, healthcare, and social services while constantly navigating accusations of bias from all sides. His account of developing "robust neutrality frameworks" reveals the extraordinary scrutiny UNRWA faces compared to other UN agencies. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E16
Mar 27, 2025 · 54 min
EP. 16 All Good Stories Start with our Grandmothers
My guest today is Shams . She is one of the founders of Waves to Home , a movement that knows the healing that lies in creating communities -linked across countries, cultures, language and religion. Shams is a story teller in the finest tradition. But she also knows the value - the healing power - of listening to the stories of others who have been torn from their homes. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E15
Mar 2, 2025 · 48 min
EP.15 Ahmad's story: from sight to insight
Ahmad Jaafil shares his story of extraordinary and persistent willpower, He talks matter of factly about his severe and rare eye disease and the horrendous struggle to try and save his sight- in Lebanon and then the USA. If you want to know, in painful detail, what it's like for a family to do everything and more to heal their young son, this episode will do that for you. And it's also a story of - fierce determination and huge will - of a young man who went from being seen as "hopeless and weak" by his classmates to being named student of the year - of the power of acceptance of what is, but not of what can be Help support Waves to Home (www.wavestohome.org) and amplify the stories of all uprooted people around the world. And, please do tell us what you think and feel about Migrant Odyssey. We need your support. We love your feedback Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E14
Jan 28, 2025 · 49 min
EP. 14 One stitch - A World of Meaning
This is the story of Hajar - a young woman with Palestinian and Lebanese parents - who understands that her people are woven together - not just by ideologies or politics or even the yearning for a safe homeland but by their stories. The stories of their humanity, eccentricities, intimacy and tenderness. Stories that are embroidered into every part of their lives. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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S1 · E13
Sep 9, 2024 · 45 min
EP. 13 "Our existence as Palestinians challenges a whole universe that supports the occupation"
Can standing on a rooftop in a refugee camp be the starting point of a journey toward empowerment and change? This episode of "Migrant Odyssey" features Manal, a dedicated social worker and the founder of the Kayani Foundation, that support Palestinian women and girls through the values of family. She takes us through the harrowing history of her family, the struggles of her parents, and the poignant memories of her grandmother, whose stories and a cherished memento profoundly shaped her path. Beyond personal anecdotes, we confront the harsh realities faced by Palestinian refugees in Lebanese schools. Manal recounts her own experiences of racism and systemic barriers that hinder educational and professional aspirations. The rigid curriculum, internal violence, and flawed educational systems paint a stark picture of the obstacles that students encounter daily. Through Manal's narrative, we see the disparity between the immense potential of these students and the limited opportunities available to them, driving home the pervasive sense of hopelessness that many feel. Lastly, we explore the complexities of Palestinian identity and the emotional weight of statelessness. Manal shares her passion for outdoor activities and discusses her impactful work in mental health, child protection, and capacity building within refugee camps. The conversation also emphasizes gender equality initiatives and the resistance faced when promoting sensitive issues like feminism. Highlighting the necessity of involving men and boys in this fight, Manal's work underscores a broader commitment to fostering respect and healthy family dynamics, striving for equal opportunities and continuous support for the Palestinian community. Send us Fan Mail Support the show You know as well as I do that stories about migrants don’t attract big sponsors. Governments are hostile, corporations stay cautious, and even NGOs hang on to their tightening budgets. That's why we need your help. Migrant Odyssey exists — to make sure those voices are still heard. If you’ve ever felt that empathy without action isn’t enough, this is one real way to make a difference. Even a small monthly contribution — one you’ll hardly notice — helps keep these voices alive.
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