May 28

The Power of Hope: Inspiring Conversations About Resilience and Purpose

Episode 6: In this episode of the By Her Hands podcast, the conversation centers around the meaning of hope and how it shapes personal growth, resilience, and leadership. Mark Hogg, Founder and CEO of WaterStep, shares powerful stories about building a mission-driven organization and overcoming rejection while staying committed to a long-term vision. They discuss how hope can serve as both a feeling and a conscious decision, especially during moments of uncertainty, stress, or self-doubt. Through personal experiences involving school, leadership, service, and global advocacy, you'll hear how hope is strengthened through community, faith, encouragement, and shared experiences. The conversation also explores the importance of empowering young women to pursue their dreams despite societal expectations and challenges. Hope grows when people support one another and choose optimism even during difficult seasons. Ultimately, the discussion reinforces that hope is not passive. It is an intentional mindset that can inspire action, resilience, and positive change in others. Episode Transcript Lydia: Hope doesn't feel the same for everybody. It changes depending on who you are and what you're going through. Sometimes, you're excited about the future and really believe you can make your dreams come true. Other times, it feels like everything is impossible. Hope can come and go that fast. When you have hope, does it change how you think, the way you act? Does it help you keep going when things feel heavy? Do you even need hope at all? In this episode, we talk about what hope feels like, when you're still figuring your life out and trying not to completely freak out. It's an honest conversation about the pressure, the confusion, the spiraling thoughts and the hopeful moments, both big and small, that somehow break through. Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lydia: Hello and welcome back to the By Her Hands podcast. I'm Lydia, and today I'm joined by... Lexi: …Lexi, Justine: And Justine. Lydia: It's good to be back in here and we have another guest with us today. Do you want to go ahead and introduce yourself, Mark? Mark: Oh man, it's great to be here. So thankful to have you guys invite me. My name is Mark Hogg and I am the Founder and CEO of WaterStep. Lydia: That is incredible. And we are very grateful that you decided to come out and spend your, what is it, Wednesday? Wednesday afternoon with us here recording this. Mark: I'll spend any afternoon with you guys. Lydia: Oh, corny. But today we're talking about hope and what hope means to each of us and not just the name. So Mark, what's your hope? Mark: I'd tell you, I think hope is an incredible word to imagine. Some people think it's a feeling. Some people wait for it to ebb and flow and wander through their lives and in out of their lives. Some people wonder what is the foundation for hope. I think it carries with it a tremendous need for thought and practice living out. But I think hope has the potential to really be a guiding force in our life, and it has been in mine. Justine: Wow, I really like that. The fact that you mentioned feelings, events, thoughts, living experience. And when I was getting ready for this discussion today, I was really reflecting on hope. What does it mean for me? And all it brought is feeling, right? It's a feeling that I keep asking myself, how do I carry that? Is it often, is it something that is being triggered or so on? So Lexi, what do you think? Lexi: Yeah, absolutely. I think it can definitely be triggered in sort of small events, but sort of turning into something big. So for me, this past summer, I did an internship at Norton in the ICU and my very first day I walked in and I saw about a 15-year-old girl, and she was completely unconscious, intubated, very, very sick. We didn't know if she was going to make it, and I was just like, wow, that could have been me. We go back the next day to the same unit. We see that same girl. She was extubated. She only had the tube in, she was sitting up, she had her hair braided and the nurses were taking care of her. And I was just like, wow, this is incredible. And it was just that moment to remind me to not give up and always have hope. So I think it's a feeling that can definitely be fleeting and sometimes it's like ebb and flow, like you said, Mark. But I think what I learned from that experience was to never let go of it and just to always keep it close to heart. Mark: I like the way you said that. I think it's a decision that you've got to come to a point in your life to make that decision. I am going to live a life of hope. You've got to have that foundation. For me, it's wrapped up in my faith and my trust that no matter what's happening, that there is something bigger than myself around me. I'll be honest with you, my day can shift. I'm a pretty emotional person if anybody knows me very well, so I can be up and down. So I can be great one minute, get a phone call and I'm just a poopy pants. But that's real different than hope. It's not how I'm wrapped up in the moment in what I'm feeling, but that I realize that no matter what's happening, I have the hope that life will eventually see me to a place that I can breathe, even if there's great tragedy and pain in the midst of that, that I will come through that. And I think we've all had those kind of experiences in our lives where we thought, will this ever end? Lydia: I've absolutely been there and I feel like right now I'm kind of in one of those states a little bit. Everything was, I mean, it was going well. And then I mean, I don't know what happened. My car, it's not working right now, so I have no car and prom is in three days and I need my car and I'm doing poorly on all of my tests. And I have three going on right now that are multi-days. And the hard part is that there's such big deals for me to graduate. I'm taking the AAPPEL and it's something for, so you can get your certificate of bilingual proficiency, and I've taken five years of Spanish and this test is kicking my butt and it's so, it's just a lot going on. And it's hard for me to keep track of everything and to remember eventually even in a week, so much of this will be over and I just need to keep hold onto that hope of it's a temporary feeling and it will end. The due date will come whether I'm ready for it or not, and I can get out of it. Mark: I like the way you're talking about that because I don't think hope is about looking through a magnifying glass. I think it's about looking at the horizon and realizing so much more, so muchbigger. There's so much things that we want to sweat, but I mean for those of us, I know all of us in this room that have been a part of bigger events in our lives and places where young ladies are lying in bed intubated, that we know things could be a whole lot worse than what we got. And I feel like that's living with people in those situations, reminding of myself, of where I've been and where I've come to that keeps me thinking without a magnifying glass, but on the horizon. Justine: That's very interesting that you say that, Mark. And let's not forget, you're the CEO, the founder of WaterStep, right? We're having that podcast today also because of the mission of WaterStep and the passion and the commitment that we have for betterment of lives, especially women and girls. And I can't help but ask you that question. Mark, everything that you just said is just so right. At the same time I look at the 30 years of WaterStep and I'm just like, how did you manage that Mark from the first day, the first time, the first minute you had that horizon, but at the same time you knew that you had it. I would say you have to get up every day or every hour to keep pushing. What is it like, and after so many years of doing that, what would be one thing that you would tell young people or everybody who's listening when it comes to hope and when it comes to achieving? Mark: I think that horizon-view has to be able to, and it takes practice, I think protect you from what other people say, from experiences that you have, from let downs or times of when you've failed somebody else. I mean, there's times when I've done very poorly in a relationship and I have felt a very deep sense of hopelessness with myself and what might happen in that relationship. I remember you were talking about the growth of WaterStep over the years, which happened many, many years before we even started. And in dreaming about that, I'll never forget, I met with these three men at a Denny's restaurant once a week, early morning, about 6:30, 6:00 in the morning. And they would kind of mentor me, and I was always excited about the chance of building an organization where it could have something to do with water and with young people. And so in the midst of that, there were other things happening in the city that we were a part of together. And I saw that driving to that central goal. Well, they wouldn't actually talk to me about investing in what we were doing. They wanted it to be something different. Mark, this is what it really needs to look like. And it really wasn't the vision that I had. And so I had a meeting with three other men. They met me at a restaurant and they said, Hey, we're really excited about what you're doing. We want to invest to get this thing started. We want you to work with the people. We want to be a part of this and we're going to invest thousands of dollars to get this jump started. And so I went back to those guys at Denny's. I could not wait to go to Denny's

36 min

May 14

Pressure and Perseverance

Episode 5: In this episode, the conversation explores the themes of pressure, perseverance, and personal growth through honest and relatable stories. The group discusses how challenges, expectations, and difficult moments can shape confidence and resilience over time. Through personal experiences, the speakers reflect on the importance of pushing through discomfort, learning from setbacks, and finding strength in supportive relationships. The dialogue also highlights the value of authenticity, self-awareness, and encouraging others through difficult seasons of life. Throughout the conversation, the guests emphasize that perseverance is not about perfection, but about continuing to move forward despite uncertainty or fear. The discussion creates a space for vulnerability while also offering encouragement to young people navigating their own struggles. Ultimately, the episode reinforces that growth often happens during the moments that test us the most. Episode Transcript Lydia: Why does everything feel so heavy? Like you're carrying 10 different things at once, school, your family, your friends, your future, and some how you're supposed to handle all of it without falling apart, or at least looking like you're not falling apart. This episode is about that feeling and how we keep going even on the days we feel worn out. We get honest about pressure and what perseverance actually looks like when you're living it, not pretending Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lexi: Hi everyone, this is Lexi and welcome back to Episode 5 about pressure and perseverance. Lydia: Hey guys, it's Lydia and welcome back to the By Her Hands podcast. Justine: Hi everyone, this is Justine. Very happy to be here again with everyone. Lexi: Today we have our second global guest. Her name is Doreen and she is from Kenya. Doreen, can you introduce yourself a little bit? Doreen: Hi everyone. My name is Doreen. I come from Kenya, Nairobi. I have been a WaterStep volunteer for the last 12 years now. By the end of this year we'll be 12 years of volunteering with WaterStep in the field-work that we're doing with different communities across Kenya. Lexi: I feel like when we're talking about this idea of pressure and perseverance, pressure I feel like we can often see as an external factor, but I think sometimes it's internal too, and that's something that resonates with me the most. Lydia, do you resonate with that? Do you feel like pressure is more internal or an external factor for you? Lydia: I think the pressure I feel has stemmed from such a small moment in my life, all of it. It goes back to when I was in, I mean it had to have been fifth-grade and my parents were like, college is expensive and you'll have to work for scholarships. And I feel like everything has spurred from that one moment. And it's not like my parents to this day are telling me you have to do all these things to get scholarships, but it's just that pressure on myself from that moment to succeed and to push and to do everything to achieve that goal. Lexi: Yeah, absolutely. I feel like for me it's sort of the same thing with my parents, but it's not really my parents putting the pressure on me. It's more like the pressure I'm putting on myself sort of based on their expectations, I guess. So for me, I mean I have five brothers and a little sister and I'm, I have two older brothers and the rest are younger, but I have sort of put this burden on myself that I'm supposed to be the perfect child almost. And so I feel like this kind of brings pressure into every aspect of my life, whether it's school or college or sports or whatever it may be, but it's not my parents pressuring me to be that way. It's just more what I expect of myself and what I feel like and what I'm assuming that they expect of me. So I feel like oftentimes it can be really challenging and the only way to sort of persevere through it is just taking it one step at a time, one day at a time. Lydia, how do you persevere through that pressure? Lydia: I mean, I wish I had rock solid advice to give you, I mean just what you said each day, take it as it comes and I don't know, I just try not to let the fear of the future birded me too much and to let it control my life. I remember freshman year I got terrified of how I was going to afford college and a house and all these things and my future that I just had no idea. I didn't know what I wanted do. I didn't know anything. I just knew with my parents I have to go to college and I have to get a good job and I didn't even know what I wanted to do from there and it just exploded into this constant stress bubble I was in. And it was I guess to persevere through that. I really just kind of popped the bubble and I just stopped letting those thoughts control me. I just started taking it each day as it came and taking each problem as it occurs and not stressing and stressing for the future. Not that it's bad to plan, but just it was harming me more than it was doing good. Justine, what do you think? Justine: I think you guys all right. I think that it's one thing to look at pressure and perseverance as being bad or not healthy or hindering you. Another way to look at it's that it takes us further. It opens up horizons for us because as we persevere, we find a way to deal with pressure. And I want to say it's the story of my life. Being a woman raised with certain expectations. Where you are expected to get married, to have children, to take care of your family, yet the person that I am being ambitious had to take on that pressure to understand the expectations but also to persevere so that you can do something for yourself as well as managing the pressure and expectations of everyone. So Lexi, you mentioned something around pressure and perseverance, being external, internal, and I think that that's really what it comes down to. Which one is external and which one is internal? And I find that it's like a fight, a constant fight as we go through life. So you get pressure and I want to say that the pressure is external, as far as my experience, and we go deep into ourselves to find that spark of perseverance, of strength, of everything we've already talked about, courage to keep pushing so that you turn that thing into a positive. And for me that's really what it is about the pressure and the pressure that I'm still feeling, right? It's a factor into being able to push through and listen to your own dreams so that you have a balance between what everyone is expecting from you and what you want for yourself in my world, in my professional profession, in how I tackle things. Yeah, so I think listening to all of you in every single space that we are, there's always a need to persevere, but the question is would you do it if you don't have a pressure, right? If you don't feel the pressure, would you be persevering? So yeah, Lexi, I think that's what it is. Lexi: Absolutely. I think we often see pressure and perseverance as sort of a bad thing, especially pressure. It's like nobody wants pressure, but I think at the end of the day it means that you have something good ahead of you. You have the pressure to be able to be in this space. You have something to look forward to. You have expectations of yourself or people have expectations of you. And yes, there is pressure that comes with it, but it's that pressure that I feel like makes you work 10 times harder. And I think also I think as girls and women, we're sort of with this pressure afraid to fail. So we sort of sit in this in-between and sort of not try to tip the scale too much one way because we don't want to not succeed. We're supposed to be expected to do well and everything else. So is there a time where you guys felt like you didn't do something or you were just in this fear because you were afraid to fail? Lydia: Lexi, that was beautiful and I so totally relate to that. And I mean I've talked about this so many times now, but it really just had that much of an impact on me is being the only girl in the room and how much harder you have to work. How much harder I feel this is all in my head, but I feel like I have to work to prove that I have the right to be there and that I can succeed and do the same things as every other guy in this room. And I remember it's as little as in my STEM Club when I was in middle school and elementary and we would do these paper bridge things and making towers out of mushrooms, marshmallows and spaghetti straws. And I just felt like if I messed up and if I did something wrong as a girl in this room, then everyone's going to make fun of me because I'm the only girl in here and I can't do it. And if I can't win, then why am I here? Lydia: Doreen, have you felt something like this? Doreen: Thank you Lydia. Thank you Lexi. I can relate to your pressure. And more specifically to Justine. Having grown up in African communities, there's a lot of pressure from women and girls especially on wanting them to succeed, to be the role model in the society. There is that societal aspect and expectations of us as women and girls growing in those communities. I want to share a personal story, more of myself and what really happens in my community. I come from come Kenya and more in Meru county. Meru county is one of the counties for seven counties in Kenya. I to be the fourth born in a family of five, so with two elder sisters and my mother was a teacher. And we're expected to participate in the economic upbringing and also the pressure of maintaining a family and a home and land. And at that point you to go to school, you

41 min

Apr 30

Nothing Is Small

Episode 4: In this episode, the conversation centers around how small actions and seemingly insignificant moments can have a lasting impact on our lives. The group explores the idea of the "butterfly effect," sharing personal stories about kindness, taking risks, and unexpected opportunities that shaped their paths. From simple acts like inviting someone to sit at lunch or offering encouragement, to saying yes to new experiences, each story highlights how meaningful change often starts small. The discussion also touches on cultural differences, personal growth, and the balance between technology and human connection. Throughout the dialogue, the speakers emphasize the importance of being present, following your instincts, and supporting others. They reflect on how kindness and connection build confidence and community over time. Ultimately, the episode reinforces that nothing we do is truly small when it comes to impacting others. Episode Transcript Lydia: It's kind of ridiculous how the smallest things stick with you. Not the big problems, the tiny stuff: someone's tone, a friend taking forever to text back, or that one random comment that wasn't even meant to be deep but your brain is like, "Great, let's replay that all day." Those can hurt and be confusing. But what about those little moments that turn into something else? A realization, a decision or the sense that you need to do something differently. It can feel like a quiet nudge to take back control. These are the small moments that can end up shaping how you think, what you care about, and the choices you make next. In today's episode we'll explore these questions. What if you don't need more time, more confidence or more permission? What if it doesn't matter where you live or whether you're a girl? What if starting something small is actually the point? What if that's how real change begins? It's someone deciding they're not too young, not too small, and not powerless, after all. Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands Podcast, A space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands, at WaterStep.org. Lydia: Lexi, do you know what the "butterfly effect" is? Lexi: Isn't it the thing where everything happens for a reason? Lydia: Kind of. So, the butterfly effect is the idea that I very firmly believe in where every little thing you do has some sort of effect on your life. And there's an episode of my favorite TV show where all he does is save a butterfly and the entire town sets on fire. Every little action leads to some sort of, it changes your life and your life trajectory. I'm a firm believer in the butterfly effect. My mom doesn't believe it as much. I tell her in the mornings, I have a tardy problem. Let's be real. I'm a senior. Senioritis is bad. I've had senioritis since sophomore year. The minute, you know what? The minute I walked into my high school freshman year, I had senioritis. But let me tell you my attendance, I figured out the system, but they still get me sometimes. But I tried to tell my mom, it's okay. It's the butterfly effect. If I had left the house on time, maybe I would've gotten in a car accident on the way to school, maybe, I don't know. Something could have caught on fire. Maybe the dog would've gotten out. I don't know. You have no idea. And I mean, it's not like I'm wrong, so you should be grateful that I even just made it to school at all. I also got voted worst driver of my senior class, so she really should be grateful that I made it to school at all. I've got a bad record, so I really don't understand why she doesn't see it the way I do that at least I made it and my decision to be late could have saved my life. What do you think? Lexi: Yeah, absolutely. I mean I think no, truly, I think everything happens for a reason. I mean, even me being here at WaterStep, it all started with the fifth-grade project. I mean, I was so young. They told us, it was called our exhibition project and they told us pick a United Nations school and then pick a nonprofit organization and try to create some sort of partnership with them and create a project. And so I was like, okay. And so I got recommended WaterStep next day. I know I'm on a Zoom call with Mark Hogg, the CEO. Lydia: What a guy. Lexi: Yeah, I am like fifth-grade on this Zoom call trying to act professional and everything. Lydia: I'm sure that Zoom call was like four hours long. Lexi: Oh, it was, but I love him. He was very, very inspiring and really taught me about the whole safe water crisis. And I, to be honest at this point, had probably no knowledge about it. And then I did a shoe drive because that's how they made a lot of their funding. And then he was like, you want to join the Teen Board? And I was like, all right, sure. The power of saying yes right there. And then since then I have been on the Teen Board and am now co-presidents with Lydia. We are loving it. We are walking it. We just did a 5K, but I don't know, it was crazy how such a small moment and I was just so young and didn't really even know what I was getting myself into as turned into what it has now and really developed my passion for safe water, and for women and girls specifically. So I think it is so awesome how something so small turned into something so impactful on my life. Justine: We're really happy to welcome a new guest today. Z, would you like to introduce yourself? Z: Hi, my name is Zainab. I prefer to go by Z and I'm a sophomore. Lexi: Z, do you have a story to share or something small that had an impact on you like that? Z: Yes, so I'll start with what happened to me back in my country. It's really such a memory. Justine: When you say your country, what do you mean? Z: I mean Ghana. Justine: Okay. Z: Back at home in Ghana, there's this one phone policy that we have here in Jefferson County, obviously, but I want to hit the point that it's really amazing how I have moved from not being cool with phone to being cool with phone now, although I'm not very comfortable with it still now. So back in my country we have this, you'll not see a kid with phone holding phone just texting or Instagram or anything. You'll not see that. It's not common in my country, especially being in middle school. It's not at all common. But when I came here to the USA, it's really blown my mind to expecting how I see in the hallway, students holding phones, everyone busy with phones, using AI and all that. It was mostly going with traditional way. You were either paper or pen or paper and pencil. You cannot get away with coming to school with a phone. No, no one even liked bringing their phone to school. You have, even if you had a phone and I just got my phone. I think that was this freshman year. Yeah, I just got my phone, my first phone, which I'm using. Lydia: Congratulations. Thank you. It's a big step. I mean, yeah, and it's funny you say that because I'm picturing the four year olds I see in restaurants with the giant iPads and that's every day here. That is my sister. That's how you raise kids. Lexi: That's my sister. Actually, I have a four-year little sister and she loves her big iPad watching shows all the time. So… Z: My 14-year-old sister still doesn't have a phone. My dad is like, if you pass your eighth-grade year, you're going to get a phone. Lydia: Yeah, I got one eighth-grade year and I was actually the last person in my grade to get a phone was being in eighth-grade. I had a Kindle fire before then, which is still technically technology, but I got ice cream in the charger port, so it doesn't really count because once it died it was dead. So I kind of had a phone. Justine: This is so interesting. I'm thinking I'm listening to you, Z, and I'm thinking, okay, wow, something so small a phone, right? That's already in everybody's life for you. A year ago you were already were very surprised by that. What was the difference for you coming from an environment in Ghana where you didn't have a phone to now being with your phone every day, even at school, what was the impact? How do you see it now and is there anything, would you wish for it to change back in your home country or would you rather have that aspect of your experience in Ghana coming back here? I'm curious to know. Z: That's a really good question though. So a really big difference that's hitting me right now is being able to, that transformation was really quick. I feel like it's really quick and I thought is there environment that I'm in that's changing me? And the negative impact will probably be right now I feel like I'm obsessed with my phone too much. Lexi: Yes. We all relate. Z: Yeah, especially with those apps. Instagram and TikTok, although I don't use TikTok, but I feel like maybe we got to take a step back and think about it. We're still kids. We're growing up. It's good that we have technology, there's positive and negatives towards that, but as I'm looking at it, I feel like there's more positive towards it. You going traditional way, you think about it, back in the olden days, they didn't have phones, didn't come until later on they were using paper and pencil. Look at how many inventions they've made that we're able to use now. But looking at now, okay, there are some inventions that some people are making, but it's not too much. You got to take a step back, go back to your traditional way, use your brain, step away from AI, try to, yeah… Justine: She said AI. Lydia: No, I'm really proud to have never used AI on an assignment that is my big flex and the big 2026 as a senior in high school never AI'd an assignment. Well, okay, okay. So if I get stuck on a math problem, I might take a picture o

32 min

Apr 16

Courage Means Action

Episode 3: In this powerful episode, hosts Lexi, Lydia, and Justine welcome their first global guest, Faith from Uganda, to discuss the transformative nature of courage. The group redefines courage not as the absence of fear, but as the decision to take action despite being uncomfortable or afraid. Faith shares her inspiring story of speaking up to bring safe water to her village through WaterStep, saving local girls from long, dangerous journeys and allowing them to stay in school. Lexi and Lydia reflect on personal hurdles, from navigating chronic injuries to the isolation of being the only woman in male-dominated STEM spaces. Justine emphasizes that for women, courage often means pushing through criticism and accepting challenges to prove one's right to lead. Ultimately, the conversation highlights how one act of courage can create a ripple effect of change throughout an entire community. Episode Transcript: Disclaimer: Please note this episode includes discussions about sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised. Lydia: Being brave doesn't feel calm at all. It's like full-body panic mixed with okay, I'm doing this. It's sending the message you've deleted 3 times. It's trying something new and praying it doesn't haunt you in your sleep. It's raising your hand, even though you already know your words are probably going to come out all wrong. This episode is about that kind of courage. The kind that feels big and real on the inside, even if it looks like nothing to everyone else. How do you stand up for what's right, whether it's for you or for others? Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands at WaterStep.org. Lexi: Hi everyone. This is Lexi. Lydia: Hey guys, it's Lydia and I'm so excited to be here. I've got a fun story today. Justine: Hi everyone, this is Justine. Good to be here again. Lexi: We have our first global guest today. Her name is Faith and she is from Uganda. Faith, would you like to introduce yourself? Faith: Hi guys. My name is Faith. I'm from Uganda and I'm in Kampala City. We're living in Entebbe, it's like a state. So, I'm so glad to be on with you guys today. Thank you. Lexi: Something I often think about is saying my teacher told me about "20 seconds of insane courage." She described it to me. We were on the UN trip a few weeks ago and we were sort of scared to go network with people we hadn't known and she was like, all it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage. And it really stuck with me because I feel like oftentimes courage we think of as not being afraid to do something. But oftentimes it means doing something you're going to be uncomfortable with, but just doing it anyways and then as 20 seconds can really change a lot. Lydia, do you have a similar experience or something you can relate to about 20 seconds of insane courage? Lydia: Well, I don't know if it was 20 seconds. I've been saying courage, but two years or two days I would say, I've been saying courage. In eighth grade my dad asked me if I want to play hockey and I was like, well, I don't know how to ice skate. I don't know even where I would play hockey and I know nothing about this. But he set me up with a team and I played ice hockey on an all-girls team for four years. I went in and knew no one, I didn't know how to skate, I didn't know how to hit a puck or do anything and it was terrifying. And my friend actually joined it and she was a part of the team as well and she ended up quitting. She's like, it's too much, it's too scary. I can't do it. But I remember just sticking it out because hopefully, I'll love the sport and maybe this can be something fun. And it ended up being one of my favorite things that I've ever done. Justine: That's so great. I love it. I love that you actually had faith and you jumped in there. It really resonates with me because I had those, yeah, 20 seconds of courage, Lexi. It for me was a couple of days. Absolutely. And it was not jumping into a sport, but maybe joining a new team. You have confidence in your skills, you know your expertise, but then you are the new kid in the block. And then for me, it took courage to actually present my way of working and be accepted. And that was a whole process and where it really hit hard is when I had to lead a group of colleagues that are used to working together and the hardest part was I was the only woman in the room. So my story is really, I'm trying to get to where I'm figuring out whether the courage that we have to put up with as women is always bigger or stronger or it takes a lot because I ended up being in a room of men who are used to working together. They know their staff and I had to guide and lead the work that we needed to do. It was developing and designing a proposal for a new project and we spent a weekend in the hotel where they were expecting me to fail because I had to tell them how to do it, but also trust myself into knowing what needs to be done. But it was not easy because every single step of the way I would be second guessed or criticized or challenged. And I always thought, is it because I'm a woman? Is it because I'm new to the team or just that they don't realize or they don't accept what I'm saying? But in the end, we won the proposal, we won the project. We got the funding, but it really stuck with me. It really stuck with me in the sense that courage is also about accepting that you're going to be challenged and you're going to be criticized, but you keep pushing through. That's why I really like your story in terms of pushing through and ended up liking it because there's always success at the end. And Lexi, yeah, I'm glad it took you 20 seconds because it was a lot of time for me to get there. Lexi: Wow, that's a really impactful story. I really like what you touched on about courage is about accepting that you will be challenged. I feel like oftentimes we think courage means there's no fear. The presence of courage means the absence of fear, but I think it's the opposite. It's being able to step into the unknown, step into it knowing you're going to be uncomfortable knowing you're going to be challenged. For me, I actually did not have a 20 seconds of courage moment, but I think that's something that always comes to my mind when I'm in those uncomfortable moments. But something that definitely impacted me more was leg injuries that I've been dealing with since freshman year and I'm now a junior, so it's been a long time, many different injuries, all sort of continuous and as soon as I feel like I'm healing and I'm m PT and I'm about to graduate pt, then I'm right back to square one and then I'm in pain again. And I've had three surgeries, I still need one more and hopefully that will be the one to do it. But from this, I used to play field hockey and obviously with all these leg issues I was sort of put up pause of being a part of the team and being able to play for a long time. And so it was that courage that I had not up until very, very recently that I decided to step away from my sport and really focus on what would that new part of me look like? What's going to be my new passion? And so then I started leaning into school more and what do I want my career to look like? Let me get more involved with my service and just sort of tapping into all those other aspects of me. But it took a lot of courage and a lot of wavering in the in-between of is this something I fully want to commit to? But I think definitely that feeling of being alone, like you said, you were the only woman in the room. I sort of relate to that of being isolated with my injury. I think definitely just sometimes courage can be isolating and it can just be having the courage to step into the unknown and something that's uncomfortable. Faith, do you have a story that you want to share with us about a time that you had courage? Faith: Yes, please. I really do. So it was back then when I was, I think I was 12 years old by then, so I was living in this really remote area, but then we were a family that was somehow better than the rest who were living there. So, finding what that area was really hard. You have to move long distances to get the water, but then for me, I didn't have to do that because my dad had a way of getting for us water. But my friends used to have to move long distances to go and get that water. And what I mean by a long distance is leaving your village to the next village to go and get water. It was really far for people to move and the women who could do that. In Africa, we have this culture of a woman is supposed to do such kind works like fetching water and getting firewood and stuff like that. So they had to move long distances to get and some people could get r@ped on their way and then some others couldn't find their way back home. So this one time I was having a conversation with my dad and I'm like, why can't we find a way of bringing a source of water for the community, so that it's easier for people to get access to water instead of having to move a long distance? And it was really hard for them. So I really felt bad for people. So when I told him that, he was like, he doesn't know what he's going to do about it. But then this one time he talked to Lucy's dad because we got connected to WaterStep through Lucy Westlake's family. So if it wasn't for them, then I don't how I would get connected to WaterStep. I'm really grateful for that as well. So my first project to these guys was the 24th January, 2

28 min

Apr 2

The Path to Belonging

Episode 2: Belonging - In Episode 2 of the By Her Hands podcast, hosts Lexi, Lydia, and Justine are joined by guest Zach to explore the complex theme of belonging and the search for where one fits in. Zach shares his unique perspective on being an outsider after moving between the U.S., Senegal, and Congo, ultimately concluding that belonging is not a fixed place but a sense of comfort one carries within themselves. The hosts contribute their own stories about the pressure to "perform" or change their personalities when entering new school environments, only to realize that authenticity is the key to finding true connection. The group also discusses how gender roles can influence social dynamics, highlighting the importance of being intentionally inclusive to ensure everyone feels seen and heard. A major takeaway from the conversation is that belonging is an ever-changing process that requires being present in the moment and trusting one's own values. Finally, the episode ties these personal reflections back to the WaterStep mission, empowering young women to recognize the inherent power they already possess to lead and shape their futures. Episode Transcript: Lydia: Where do I fit in and why is this so confusing? One moment you feel included and the next you walk into a room and forget what to do with your face. You start wondering if people want you there or if you're just hoping they do. You're standing there trying to decide if you should join the conversation or just disappear into the wall. This episode is about how we're all trying to figure out where we fit and what it feels like when we actually find a place where we belong. Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands podcast, a space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands at WaterStep.org. Lexi: Hi, this is Lexi. Welcome back to Episode 2. We're back with Lydia and Justine, and we have a new guest, Zach. Zach: Hi, thank you for having me. It's great to be here. I'm Zach, obviously, and I go to school here in Louisville too. I'm a senior. And I recently heard the first episode you guys had. It was really amazing. A bunch of things that you guys touched on that I could even relate to. And background-wise, it's fair to say I've been around a lot. I was born in Arizona, then I moved to Senegal, and then I moved back to Louisville, then to Congo, and then back to Louisville. So I've had my fair share of experiences, perspectives. I've learned a lot too. Lydia: Can you tell us some about that and how your time was in Senegal and Congo and how has that affected you? Zach: Yeah, for sure. I'd say that it makes it very obvious that you're different from everybody else who's there, especially since they've had this consistent exposure to that place that you're just learning about. So, it really highlighted what it meant to belong and to be from somewhere for me. And I spent a lot of time thinking about that to the point where it became my main topic for my college essay that I recently wrote. But yeah, it's definitely something that I could tell was different. And for me, it felt unique just in general. Lydia: I kind of get what you mean in being different. It's not as severe as going from Arizona to Senegal to Louisville to Congo, yes, and then back to Louisville, I believe. But I was in a private school from pre-K all the way to eighth grade, and I knew all of those kids, all 24 of them, since kindergarten pretty much. And then I went to a public school, and my grade went from 24 to 400, and I knew all of two kids out of the 2,000 that attend my school. So that was a lot of fun. So I really, I do understand how ... And I did feel different. I felt like I had to change myself so they wouldn't perceive me as a snob or anything, and that I needed to blend into the people around me. And I was like, "Okay, I'm going to dress fine. I'm going to keep my mouth shut." I'm a chatty person. I don't know if you can pick up on it or not. And I'm kind of loud. So I was like, "I need to play myself down to make friends and to blend into this new school." And it worked fine until my fourth period, first day of school, my friend said ... Well, my now friend at the time, I didn't know who she was. First thing anyone had said to me at this school was, "Are you gay? My friend thinks you're cute." And that is how I made all of my friends at my school. She was like, "Come sit with us at lunch." And I made friends with all of these girls, one of them who just did my nails and I love her so much. Justine: I love your nails. Lydia: Aren't they cute? Justine: Yes. Very. Lydia: So we're still ... I mean, it worked out real well. I made some really good friends from there and it all worked out fine. And turns out I didn't have to pretend to be something I wasn't. And I just, I don't know. Opportunity just happens. I didn't have to worry about it. So how was it for you trying to make friends in Louisville after going through so much? Zach: Well, I think it's really funny that you say that because in my case, I think my sophomore year I was at a public school and then junior year, and even now I'm in a private school. So I kind of had the opposite of what you did coming from somewhere where not a lot of people really knew you to somewhere where you were in a tight and closed community and really just like a family and you were like just that, what's it called? The stepbrother that was just walking on in. The experiences at first are really something. It's a lot like what you said, you really don't expect it and you feel like there's a lot that you have to do to fit in. In my case, it was way too obvious that I was not like everybody else. In my school specifically, they take a lot of time to make sure that you can spend time outside of class to do what you want. We have clubs and activities in the middle of the day every single day. Although it's not a lot of time, it's still very important for the students to relate to one another and grow closer. So coming in, I thought I'd have to buy into that and do that as well. But it took me a long time to realize that it really wasn't the case. You could really just spend your time the way you saw a fit. Lexi: Actually, I wanted to touch on an idea that you said earlier. And Lydia, you touched on it too about going from either switching schools from public to private or from you is more switching from middle school to high school. I had been at my middle school and preschool with the same group of 40 kids since I was about five years old. So I knew them really, really well. And then going into high school, I sort of really wanted to break out of my shell and try to meet new people. And some of those girls still transitioned in high school with me, but it was a lot of new people. And so I walked in feeling out of place. I really felt like I didn't belong. But freshman year, these girls invited me to sit with them at lunch similar to you, Lydia. And it really helped me. It made me feel seen. It made me feel like, okay, this is where I'm supposed to be and people are paying attention and really making sure I feel included. Is there a time that either of you guys have felt similar and felt that sense of inclusion from somebody? Lydia: Absolutely. Yeah. It was that moment where she was like, "Here, just come sit with us at lunch. My friend wants to talk to you. " Yeah, you know what? I don't know anyone at this school. Sure, sure. That's fine. And I learned from that that everyone is scared too. It's not just me. I went into here thinking, okay, everyone's already going to have their friends and their groups and I'm going to have to try to squeeze my way in somewhere because everyone has told me, "You have to make friends in high school or everything will go bad. And if you don't make friends, you'll just have a terrible high school time and it's hard to make friends. Everyone's got their own things." There's so much fear going into it. And I'm sitting at this lunch table and it took me months to figure this out, but the kids I'm sitting with barely know each other. The three of them had been friends going into it and the rest of them had just been like, "Yeah, we kind of had the same classes and they all just became really chatty because we all wanted friends and we all wanted to have a good time." And it was a very diverse group of people at that table. Let me tell you a lot of interesting conversations, but I made some of my favorite memories from freshman year and from being in a public high school instead of a private one. And I found that I feel more comfortable there. I didn't have to put on a performance or anything and that I could just be who I was. Zach: No, it's cool that you say that because I can really relate to that. Maybe not the part where someone took the initiative to come and invite you in. But in my case, I think, again, opposite to you, I didn't really have that. But looking back, I think it's super and insanely important to be that person, to take that first step for people who don't have that courage to do so, because that's really all it takes to realize that there's no reason to feel that isolated or discomforted. But yeah, that's what I got. Even though I came from a public school and went to a private school, I got the same idea and the same message as you're talking about right now, Lydia. Justine: Listening to you, this is interesting. I have a question for you all and anybody can jump in at this point. Lexi, you mentioned how a girlfriend came to you and approached you to make you feel like you belong, right? Same for you, Lydia and Zach. There was nothing specific for that.

24 min

Mar 19

Figuring Out Your Purpose

Summary: Episode 1: Purpose — "What am I even doing with my life?" Everyone acts like you're supposed to already know your "thing," but most of us are just trying stuff and hoping something feels right. This episode is about figuring out what actually matters to you, not what people expect, not some perfect plan, just those random interests or moments where you think, "okay… maybe this is me." In this episode, we talk about what purpose feels like when you're still figuring it out. Episode Transcript: Lydia: What am I even doing with my life? Everyone acts like you're supposed to already know your thing, but most of us are just trying stuff and hoping something feels right. This episode is about figuring out what actually matters to you. Not what people expect. Not some perfect plan. Just those random interests or moments where you think, "Okay, maybe this is me." Today, we'll talk about what purpose feels like, when you're still figuring it out or moments when you're certain this is exactly where you're supposed to be. Justine: You're listening to the By Her Hands Podcast, A space where young women figure things out together, who we are, what we want, and the power we already carry. It's brought to you by WaterStep a global leader in safe water innovation. Learn more about how women and girls are shaping healthier futures, each by her own hands, at waterstep.org. Lydia: My name is Lydia. I'm a senior in Indiana and I just got accepted into the college of my dreams, Purdue. Since first grade I've been dying to go there and be an engineer and I'm still sitting here and wondering, is this really what I'm supposed to do with my life? I'm at that crossroads point between high school and college and being independent and I still feel like I know nothing. Lexi: Hi, I'm Lexi. I'm a junior in Louisville, and I'm sort of still on that college search wondering have I done enough to get into the colleges that I want to go to and what's life going to look like after that, future career? So I'm just sort of trying to figure it all out with still keeping my values close to heart. Justine: Hi, I am Justine. I have 20 plus years of experience in international development around the world, and I'm here today participating in the podcast for the first time, and this is a new experience for me. Lydia: So Lexi, I have to ask you, have you gotten all those thousands of emails from colleges begging you to go there? Lexi: Yes, a hundred percent. Lydia: They're like, oh, we're going to give you a million dollars to go. And then you look at their website and they're like, tuition's only $4 million. So you're really looking out here. Lexi: Yes. Lydia: For me, it's actually really funny. I keep getting emails from Skidmore College and I really, it just threw me off because I thought it was just a funny name and I keep getting these emails from them and I searched it up and it's actually a really cool school. And then I'm sitting here thinking maybe I should go and be a skid at Skidmore College. Maybe that's what I should do with my life. Maybe I don't need to be an engineer and I don't need, I can go have fun and it's in New York, like going college in New York. That's awesome. So I don't know, every time I get one of those emails, I'm still sitting here thinking maybe I should open it. Maybe I should see if maybe Murray State or Skidmore is my home. Lexi: Yeah, I've been thinking the exact same thing. Not only where do I want to go and what's going to be the best fit for me, but also what's my career going to look like after that? What's future going to look like? And really what worries me the most is have I done enough to get to that point? Have I worked hard enough? Lydia: Oh my gosh. Yeah. No, I totally, seriously, that is the story of my life because growing up my parents were very heavy set on everything you do is for college, everything you do, your academics and your extracurriculars, everything is for college. So since fifth grade, I remember begging my parents, I was like, please, I need you guys to save money for college. And I'm like, how old are you in fifth grade? Like 10? I was little and I was like, there's no way. There's no way. And I think that nowadays the pressure on kids to know what they're supposed to do, it just keeps getting younger. For me, I've had it easier because in first grade I always say my papa indoctrinated me since first grade he's been like, you need to go to Purdue and you need to be a boilermaker just like I was. You need to do engineering. And he told us to all the grandkids, and I'm the one out of nine to have done it or to be doing it anyways. So for me, I feel like at least in that kind of standpoint, I've had it figured out, but am I even supposed to yet? I'm barely an adult and I mean I have a job technically, but I haven't really experienced life yet. Am I supposed to know what my purpose is and what I need to do? Do you understand the pressure to know who you are from the day you were born? Lexi: Yeah, a hundred percent even. I mean, my college shirts process has been a little bit different from yours. My parents are the type of parents that are, go get your dreams, you're going to do great. We believe in you. But they're not pressuring me since day one. But definitely in the past year or so, I've felt that pressure trying to figure out what's my future going to look like? What's that career that I want to get? How am I going to get there? The money, the classes, everything that becomes a part of it. And I feel like it just college and everything beyond that has become so competitive now that I feel like as a junior/senior in high school, we all relate to that feeling of am I going to have done enough and will I get to where I want to be? But I also know that when I talk to adults, I was just talking to my dad last night, he's like, it doesn't matter what college you go to or where you're going to grad school, whatever it is, you're going to end up where you want to be. So I always like to keep that in mind. Lydia: Justine, have you found your purpose yet? Justine: I want to say yes given the experience that I have, but it hasn't been easy listening to you guys about how everything around you has shaped you towards something specific, but then when you get there, you don't even have time to embrace it and celebrate it. You're already thinking about the next step. But what I really like about what you were saying is that you are already in that space where you're figuring out whether it's your purpose or not, whether you were prepared for that without even you acknowledging who you are or what you want. And I think that's a real question. So when you said Lydia, what's your purpose? Where are you right now? You are accepted into your dream school, but would you say that this is your purpose or would you define it differently? Lydia: I just don't know. I don't know. And I'm in calc and every single time I have to stay after school for calc help, I'm like, man, I just need to be an electrician. I can't do this anymore. It's exhausting. And it's that fear of if I get this poor grade on my test, I feel like I can't do it. I can't do it because I know everyone's telling me every single year you have to do this, you have to do more. You have to give more of who you are to find out or at least pretend to be who you're supposed to be. Lexi, when you were saying the college pressure and competition, it's so real. It's so real. Oh my gosh. And I'm sure that a lot of people can relate to it. Just that pressure of will I get in and competing for scholarships and it's a business and it's a battleground and it's cruel. But every single time that I sit there and I am in my ceramics class and I'm making this pot and I sit there and I think, and it's been since first grade, I've been like, I need to be an engineer. I want to be an engineer. And I enjoy math and science, but every time that I start making pots, I'm like, maybe I should just be a ceramicist. Maybe this is better. I don't know how much money I can make doing that. I don't know if I can afford rent, but maybe that's what I want to do. Justine: I like what you just mentioned because coming back to if I found my purpose or not, I'm saying yes because growing up and starting college, I went into business because that's what I felt like was going to give me money as soon as possible. And then I had the opportunity to get into college, in Tucson, Arizona to do my Master's, and I went for my MBA, right? Because as you might have noticed, English is not my first language. I'm actually a French speaker, so hence the accent, and I'm from Senegal. So it was a big achievement for me, for my family and everything. And guess what? I didn't get into business college because I realized that it wasn't what I wanted to do. It wasn't me. And if I took that big leap into going abroad already being a mother, married, and I left everything behind to achieve a dream, that dream should have been worth it. And so I took eight months learning English and just being familiarizing myself around the campus. And I ended up wandering into the public health college. There was an event where the dean was speaking to prospective students and she said, one thing that really changed my life. She said, if you want to be part of improving people's lives, then you are where you should be. And that spoke to me and I realized that I wanted to make money, but most of it, I wanted to improve people's life. I wanted to be part of better for anybody around me. And I felt like that was my purpose and I just went for my Master's of Public Health and I don't regret it. So I'm sharing that to say that it's not about the path that you take, it's about finding your purpose. For me, it's really going to be about what you make of the experience that you have. A

24 min

Mar 4 · Bonus

Join Us for the Launch of the By Her Hands Podcast

Hey, I'm Lydia. And I'm Lexi. We're excited about the upcoming launch of our new podcast "By Her Hands", sponsored by WaterStep. It's launching on Thursday, March 19th. We're going to explore our experiences and challenges as girls and young women inspire you to find your voice and remind you that you already carry more power than you think. So join us on March 19th for Episode 1 of the By Her Hands podcast. You can listen to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcast. Interested in Contacting WaterStep to Learn More? Website: www.WaterStep.org That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you. We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

7 min

Mar 3

Announcing the Upcoming Launch of the By Her Hands Podcast

I'm excited to announce the upcoming launch of the "BY HER HANDS PODCAST" on March 19th. It's a global podcast that centers the voices, leadership, and lived wisdom of young women ages 13 to 25. Each episode is built around real stories shared by young women themselves. Laughter, vulnerability, curiosity, connection and reflection are welcome here. With voices from around the world, this podcast helps listeners recognize their own power and use it, starting right where they are. Produced by WaterStep, a global leader in safe water innovation, each episode creates space for honest conversation about the things that shape young women's lives — purpose, identity, belonging, confidence, and the small, everyday moments that quietly define who we're becoming. That's the BY HER HANDS PODCAST, launching on March 19th. Come Join Us on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts and more. Interested in Contacting WaterStep to Learn More? Website: www.WaterStep.org Disclaimer: Listeners are reminded that the ideas, opinions, and information expressed on the By Her Hands podcast belong solely to the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of WaterStep, its staff, partners, donors, or affiliates. This podcast is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as professional advice of any kind. WaterStep assumes no responsibility for actions taken based on the information provided.

2 min

Feb 24

The Origin Story of the By Her Hands Podcast

WaterStep, an organization with 31 years of experience in safe water and sanitation, is launching a new initiative called "By Her Hands." Inspired by CEO Mark Hogg's vision, this program focuses on the pivotal role women and girls play in global water solutions and community health. The "By Her Hands" podcast serves as a core component of this initiative, providing a platform for young women to share their own stories. Featuring local hosts and remote guests from Africa and Latin America, the show operates on the principle of not telling anyone's story without them. While the discussions will cover a broad range of topics including family and society, they will ultimately tie back to the essential role of water. The goal is to transform water from a daily burden into a source of empowerment and power for girls everywhere. This journey of discovery and change officially launches on March 19th across major platforms like Spotify, Amazon, and iHeart Radio. Through this podcast, listeners are encouraged to find the power they carry inside and spread it to those around them. Transcript of Discussion Jim Ray: And we are in the studios here in Louisville, Kentucky with a couple of good friends of mine from an organization called WaterStep, Kristina Gates and Justine Tou. Glad to see you all. Thanks very much for coming in. Let's talk about something that's going on at WaterStep. First of all, Kristina, if you would tell me a little bit about WaterStep. Kristina Goetz: Well, WaterStep has been around for 30 years, this is our 31st year. And we are all about safe water sanitation and hygiene. That's what we do in the world. We have one goal, Jim, and that is to bring safe water to anybody who needs it on the planet. Jim Ray: And you all are actively providing water solutions all over the African content, as well as, all over the United States. I mean, you guys are doing some really amazing stuff. I had the chance to go downtown and tour you all's facility a while back, and that's when you all let me know, Hey, there's a new initiative coming on. So Justine, tell me about this new initiative. How did it get started and what do you hope it will accomplish for us? Justine Tossou: Absolutely. So this initiative is called By Her Hands and By Her Hands is coming to life from a vision that our CO and founder Mark Hogg had. The inspiration is really around the place that women and girls have in the work that we do and the impact overall globally. And we realized that we wanted to focus on them, the place that they have, their inspiration, the hard work, the opportunities that they always bring in the work that we do around water. Jim Ray: It's amazing. As we've developed this, what you all have taught me is that a lot of times the girls are really responsible in these households for gathering the water and doing things. So that affects hygiene, that affects water, transportation back from the source back to the home. And they actually have a lot to do with that. You've also got hygiene and things like that where they're taking care of their families. And I think this "empowerment podcast" is going to be pretty exciting. With that being said, I may have let the cat out of the bag. You're launching a podcast. Tell me all about that. Justine Tossou: We are. So from the inspiration launching By Her Hands program, we realized that we also needed to hear more voices, more women voices, girls' voices that will be inspiring to others around the world, especially here in Louisville, Kentucky. Because what we do, we want it to be impacting. We want it to bring perspectives and opportunities to make change around their lives. And especially when it comes to women and girls. Jim Ray: I love this because we're going to have a couple of local hosts, some younger girls who are going to actually drive the podcast for us, but we're going to remote in some other younger girls from different countries, really anywhere from across Africa to South America, Latin America. This is going to be a pretty big vision. Wow. Justine Tossou: Absolutely. Absolutely, Jim, and I'm glad you're mentioning all the friends and the key actors that we have around the world, right? And when the team at WaterStep has been thinking and putting together this podcast we always wanted to go by, one thing is that we are not telling anybody's stories without them. And this is part of what we believe in. We live, we work, and we talk about things that matters to us with everybody around us, right, Kristina? Kristina Goetz: Yeah, absolutely. And what's exciting about this is that it's not just hearing the girls' voices, but it's giving them an opportunity to change the world. It's giving them an opportunity to help other women and girls just like them all around the world to have safe water. And you can log on to WaterStep.org to figure out how to do that. But this is one way to reach more and more people about the problems that women and girls have in the world, but also give them an opportunity to make change and solve those problems. Jim Ray: Well, what I love about this is it's going to deviate. It's going to focus not just on water issues, it's going to talk about society, it's going to talk about families, it's going to talk about a whole bunch of other things that these young women are dealing with, coping with, navigating in their day-to-day lives. But again, we're going to tie it back in various ways to, it comes back to water and how can water play a role in some of this? And then how can, on top of that, how can WaterStep provide essential element water? Justine Tossou: And when you think about it, Jim, water is so central to everybody's lives, right? But what is important here is to understand that in different places it means different things. It can be a burden, it can be a power. At the end of the day, what we want with the podcast with By Her Hands podcast is that we want water to empower girls and women so that they can be the change in their community, in their lives. And rather than carrying water as a burden, while water becomes their power. Jim Ray: That's outstanding. So Kristina, as we look at launching this, and just so everybody's aware, we're going to launch this on March 19th. Where are people going to be able to find this podcast? Kristina Goetz: So on Spotify, on Amazon, iHeartRadio, basically anywhere you listen to your podcast, you can find us there. We hope you'll check us out. Jim Ray: And you all have a pretty big social media presence already. We're going to post these up to Facebook and LinkedIn and also to the WaterStep YouTube channel. So we've got a lot of different ways you're going to be able to find this. I guess the first thing we would do is, hey, get ready, share the news here about what's coming by all means, Like and Follow this podcast. I think it's going to be an interesting journey. I think it's going to be a great experience and it's going to come back to, again, empowerment and just, wow, this is going to be a lot. You guys have so much passion that you've brought into the creation of this initiative, and I really want to give some kudos to Mark for having said, Hey, you know what? There's another way we can do this. It's not just about providing machines, it's not just about providing technology, it's also about helping society. And we're going to tie it all back to water. So once again, the Buy Her Hands initiative, which is kind of the macro, and this is one of the things that is an outgrowth and a support tool for that is the podcast. And they aptly named it By Her Hands podcast. So Justine, any closing thoughts? You're kind of heading up this initiative, so if you had one thing to say to everybody, how would you leave it? Justine Tossou: I would say that we all have, especially womens and girls, we all have a power inside us, and we hope that by following this podcast, you will find it, you would carry it, and you would just spread it around you. Jim Ray: Outstanding. Well, my friends, congratulations on getting this initiative together on getting ready to launch. We've been in the studio for days now, recording different elements and aspects of it and just planning this out. So looking forward to this going live once again on March 19th, and we'll be talking to you soon. All the best. Justine Tossou: Thanks you, Jim. Interested in Contacting WaterStep to Learn More? Website: www.WaterStep.org That's where we'll leave the conversation for today. Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments. We'd love to hear from you. We hope you found this file insightful and helpful. Thank you for listening!

7 min

By Her Hands

Episodes

The Power of Hope: Inspiring Conversations About Resilience and Purpose

Pressure and Perseverance

Nothing Is Small

Courage Means Action

The Path to Belonging

Figuring Out Your Purpose

Join Us for the Launch of the By Her Hands Podcast

Announcing the Upcoming Launch of the By Her Hands Podcast

The Origin Story of the By Her Hands Podcast

Trailers

Announcing the Upcoming Launch of the By Her Hands Podcast

The Origin Story of the By Her Hands Podcast

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