Humanity & Inclusion exists to support people with disabilities and vulnerable people who are affected by poverty, conflict, disaster and exclusion to achieve their rights and live in dignity.
They were founded in 1982, initially supporting victims of landmines who were fleeing to Thailand from Cambodia.
Today, Humanity & Inclusion is active in 60 countries. It is a federated network with members around the world. They work in partnership with diverse stakeholders – including UNICEF, the WHO and the UK Government – and their work is a combination of advocacy and operations.
Ninety per cent of their staff are local to the countries they work in, so they’re closely embedded at the community level, which then also makes it much easier to identify good local delivery partners.
Aleema notes the importance of their work by highlighting that 1 in 7 people in the world live with a disability, and their problems are exacerbated in settings of crisis and poverty. Those with disabilities are at increased risk.
Women with disabilities are twice as likely to be a victim of sexual and domestic violence than non-disabled women. In humanitarian crises people with disability are at an even more increased risk.
Aleema sheds light on her personal trajectory. She has travelled extensively and worked in many countries, including Haiti, South Sudan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This global experience drives much of her passion today, even though as CEO of Humanity & Inclusion in the UK she is no longer in the frontlines as much.
Aleema grew up in a philanthropic family but never thought of development work as a career. She trained as a physiotherapist and at some point started to feel something was missing in her career. Then, while working in Bangladesh, something clicked and she realised she wanted to work in development work and make a real difference leveraging her clinical training to train key stakeholders in the frontlines.
Aleema’s key takeaway: Remember that people with disabilities are the world’s largest minority and all of us have a role to play. Everyone from philanthropists to campaigners, to companies, to foundations and governments – we all have a role to play. Look around you and see what you’re supporting; where are you giving your gifts? Are you giving in a way that ensures that the most marginalised people are impacted? We all have a role to play to leave no one behind and to achieve the goals of Agenda 2030.
Visit The Do One Better! Podcast website for guest bios, episode notes and useful resources. Please click the subscribe button and share widely with others - thank you!
Mark Russell, CEO of the Children’s Society, on launching a new hub for children, celebrating a £1M grant from BBC Children in Need and making a positive impact!
Ahmad Alhendawi, Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM): Launching a new global strategy and tackling the SDGs
Frank Aswani, CEO of the Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA), on creating an impact ecosystem in Africa
Lynette Bell, President of the Truist Foundation, on strengthening small businesses, developing career pathways for economic mobility and why philanthropy is fueling the marketplace of ideas
Daniela Ligiero, CEO and President of Together for Girls and Co-Founder of the Brave Movement: working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents
Graham Macmillan, President of Visa Foundation, and Melissa Stevens, Executive Vice President of Philanthropy at the Milken Institute, on corporate philanthropy
Kate Grant, Chief Executive of the Fistula Foundation, on receiving $15M from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and treating women with devastating childbirth injuries
Rose Caldwell, CEO of Plan International UK, on children’s rights, girls’ education, and localisation
Ebrima Saidy, Chief Impact Officer of Save the Children International: Everything you need to know about the increasingly-prominent role of the Chief Impact Officer
Iqbal Dhaliwal, Global Executive Director of MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and Vikrant Bhargava, Founder of Veddis Foundation: Following the evidence trail
Philippa Charles, Director of the Garfield Weston Foundation: philanthropy, family, and flexibility in funding
Don Howard, CEO of the James Irvine Foundation: Economic Mobility for California's Low-Income Workers
Andy Jarvis, Bezos Earth Fund's Director of Future of Food: Innovating for a Sustainable Tomorrow
Saleh Saeed OBE, Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC): Uniting for Global Humanitarian Relief
Sir Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children): Empowering Society to Protect Children
Delphine Moralis, CEO of Philea (Philanthropy Europe Association): Shaping the Future of Philanthropy in Europe
Tim Dixon, Co-Founder of More in Common: Bridging Divides in a Polarized World
Larry Kramer, incoming President and Vice Chancellor of the London School of Economics: reflections on his time at the Hewlett Foundation, lessons in philanthropy, and aspirations for the LSE
Maya Ziswiler, CEO of the UBS Optimus Foundation: Philanthropy, Social Investing and Creating an Impact Economy
Jim McCormick, CEO of the Robertson Trust: Venturing into Impact Investing
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Commercial Edge: Unleash the Power of People
The emPOWERed Half Hour
Social Dallas Podcast
Advocacy Scoop Podcast
Change Church Podcast
The Biz of Nonprofit Consultants
Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications