The Life We Share

What shapes the lives we share? Created and hosted by Bandile Mndebele, The Life We Share is an ongoing anthology of conversations, stories and ideas about the people, relationships, cultures and systems that shape how we live together. Each season is created with a different co-creator and host, bringing a distinct voice, perspective and subject into the wider conversation. One season might explore health, belonging or relationships; another might take us into identity, technology, culture, power, work, books or the stories we inherit. The format evolves with its collaborators, but the question remains: what shapes the lives we share—and what might we see differently if we looked again? Thoughtful, curious and human, The Life We Share makes room for complexity without losing the conversation. No easy answers. Better questions.

OTHERWISE+

Go deeper with OTHERWISE+ - More to explore

$4.99/month or $49.99/year

Season 1

  1. Season 1, Episode 1 Trailer

    Welcome to The Life We Share (Season 1 with Thandi Magwai)

    Welcome to The Life We Share — an ongoing anthological podcast unpacking the stories, systems, and human connections that define how we live together. For Season 1, host Bandile Mndebele teams up with public health researcher Thandi Magwai to ask one central, provocative question: Who gets to live well? Across this season, we’re merging public health analysis with raw, personal storytelling to examine everything from social equity and identity to how institutional power impacts our everyday wellbeing. In this trailer: The core question driving Season 1: Who gets to live well?Why we’re looking beyond individual habits to examine systemic design.How The Life We Share brings real human experiences to big social inquiries.Credits: Parent Series & Network: The Life We Share is an original network series produced by Bandile M Ventures, presented on the OTHERWISE channel network.Seasonal Collaboration: Season 1 content, co-hosting, and joint themes are created in dedicated collaboration between Bandile Mndebele and Thandi Magwai (The Breakdown Project).🎧 Subscribe to OTHERWISE+ to unlock 14-day early access to new episodes, bonus subscriber-only debriefs, and ad-free listening. 🔗 Connect with Us: Bandile Mndebele:  Website: https://bandilem.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bandile-mndebele/Podcast: https://addideas.transistor.fmThandi Magwai LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/thandi-magwaiThe Breakdown Project: https://www.youtube.com/@thebreakdownprojectIf you enjoyed the series, follow the show, share an episode and leave a review wherever you listen. It helps other people find the conversation. ⸻ WORK WITH US Interested in collaborating, sponsoring an episode, supporting the series or bringing these conversations into your organisation? The Life We Share welcomes thoughtful collaborations with organisations, institutions, researchers, creators and partners working across: health · equity · inclusion · accessibility · innovation · technology · culture · sustainability · human connection · better systems.  For collaboration and enquiries: Bandile M Ventures info@bandilem.com https://bandilem.com/

    Welcome to The Life We Share (Season 1 with Thandi Magwai)
  2. Episode 1

    How much of our health is actually within our control?

    THE LIFE WE SHARE What shapes the lives we share?Hosted by Bandile Mndebele & Thandi Magwai, The Life We Share explores the people, relationships, cultures and systems that shape how we live together. From health and belonging to identity, power, technology and everyday life, Bandile and Thandi ask better questions about the things we experience — and the systems we don’t always see. No easy answers. Just thoughtful conversations. What connects us? What gets between us? What could we change? ⸻ 01 — HEALTHY LITERACY How much of our health is actually within our control? Bandile and Thandi unpack why health is more than individual choice. Beginning with Thandi’s journey into epidemiology and public health, the conversation explores health literacy, prevention, social determinants of health and why access to reliable information can shape health outcomes. The discussion moves from COVID-19 and vaccine confidence to the unequal distribution of health resources, research and innovation, particularly across Africa. At its heart, the episode asks whether knowing more can give people greater agency over their health, even when the systems around them remain difficult to navigate. We explore: Health literacy and preventionEpidemiology and public healthCOVID-19 and trustHealth inequality and accessAfrica’s role in health researchTurning knowledge into agencyTakeaway: When you know better, you can ask better questions — and make better decisions. ⸻ KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING If something made you think, question, disagree or see something differently, share it. Listen. Think. Talk. Share. The conversation doesn’t have to end when the episode does. STAY CONNECTED Follow The Life We Share through the channels associated with the collaboration and its creators. Bandile Mndebele Website: https://bandilem.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bandile-mndebele/Podcast: https://addideas.transistor.fm/ Thandi Magwai LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/thandi-magwai If you enjoyed the series, follow the show, share an episode and leave a review wherever you listen. It helps other people find the conversation. ⸻ WORK WITH US Interested in collaborating, sponsoring an episode, supporting the series or bringing these conversations into your organisation? The Life We Share welcomes thoughtful collaborations with organisations, institutions, researchers, creators and partners working across: health · equity · inclusion · accessibility · innovation · technology · culture · sustainability · human connection · better systems. For collaboration and commercial enquiries: Bandile M Venturesinfo@bandilem.comhttps://bandilem.com/ ⸻ A NOTE ON THE CONVERSATION The Life We Share is a space for thoughtful conversation. Views, experiences and opinions expressed by the hosts or contributors are their own and should not automatically be interpreted as representing their employers, organisations, institutions or professional affiliations. Where professional, scientific, research or public-health topics are discussed, the conversation is intended for general information and discussion rather than individual medical, legal, financial or professional advice. Listeners should consult relevant primary sources and appropriately qualified professionals where appropriate. ⸻ MEET THE HOSTS Bandile Mndebele Strategist, creator and inclusion practitioner exploring belonging, equity, leadership, technology and human-centred systems. Creator and host of The ADD IDEAS Podcast. Thandi Magwai Public-health and research professional focused on translating health and research into accessible, understandable conversations. Creator of The Breakdown Project, where she explores public health, research and health literacy. The Breakdown Project: YouTube — The Breakdown Project⁠ ⸻ MORE FROM THE HOSTS The ADD IDEAS Podcast Ideas for a world that works better for more people. Explore conversations around equity, inclusion, leadership, technology, sustainability, AI and human-centred innovation. The Breakdown Project Making public health and research easier to understand. ⸻ THE LIFE WE SHARE Hosted by Bandile Mndebele & Thandi Magwai A limited-series collaboration between Bandile M Ventures and The Breakdown Project. Health. Belonging. Power. People. Systems. © 2026 Bandile M Ventures (Pty) Ltd & Thandi Magwai. All rights reserved. If this conversation stayed with you, pass it on. Someone else might need to hear it.

    How much of our health is actually within our control?
  3. Episode 2

    What would it take to make belonging systemic?

    THE LIFE WE SHARE What shapes the lives we share? Hosted by Bandile Mndebele & Thandi Magwai, The Life We Share explores the people, relationships, cultures and systems that shape how we live together. From health and belonging to identity, power, technology and everyday life, Bandile and Thandi ask better questions about the things we experience — and the systems we don’t always see. No easy answers. Just thoughtful conversations. What connects us? What gets between us? What could we change? ⸻ 02 — SYSTEMIC BELONGING What would it take to make belonging systemic?THIS EPISODE What if belonging wasn’t something we had to constantly negotiate? For generations, inclusion has often been approached through rules, representation, training and individual behaviour. But Bandile and Thandi ask whether that is enough when the systems themselves can reproduce exclusion.The conversation moves from workplace culture and code-switching to accessibility, representation, sponsorship and the rapidly changing role of artificial intelligence. They explore how technology can expand agency while simultaneously reproducing the biases of the people, data and institutions that build it. At the centre is a bigger question: should people have to become exceptional navigators of imperfect systems simply to belong? In this episode, we explore: Belonging beyond diversity checklistsIntersectionality and lived experienceCode-switching and survivalRepresentation and institutional powerSponsorship, mentorship and allyshipAccessibility by designAI and algorithmic biasTechnology and unequal accessThe future of workGovernance and systemic inclusionWhy individual “saviours” cannot carry systemic changeDesigning environments in which more people can actually thriveA few questions to take with you: If belonging depends on navigating the system perfectly, was the system ever designed for you? What would change if inclusion was built into the design rather than added afterwards?⸻ KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING If something made you think, question, disagree or see something differently, share it. Listen. Think. Talk. Share. The conversation doesn’t have to end when the episode does. STAY CONNECTED Follow The Life We Share through the channels associated with the collaboration and its creators. Bandile Mndebele Website: https://bandilem.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bandile-mndebele/Podcast: https://addideas.transistor.fm/ Thandi Magwai LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/thandi-magwai If you enjoyed the series, follow the show, share an episode and leave a review wherever you listen. It helps other people find the conversation. ⸻ WORK WITH US Interested in collaborating, sponsoring an episode, supporting the series or bringing these conversations into your organisation? The Life We Share welcomes thoughtful collaborations with organisations, institutions, researchers, creators and partners working across: health · equity · inclusion · accessibility · innovation · technology · culture · sustainability · human connection · better systems. For collaboration and commercial enquiries: Bandile M Venturesinfo@bandilem.comhttps://bandilem.com/ ⸻ A NOTE ON THE CONVERSATION The Life We Share is a space for thoughtful conversation. Views, experiences and opinions expressed by the hosts or contributors are their own and should not automatically be interpreted as representing their employers, organisations, institutions or professional affiliations. Where professional, scientific, research or public-health topics are discussed, the conversation is intended for general information and discussion rather than individual medical, legal, financial or professional advice. Listeners should consult relevant primary sources and appropriately qualified professionals where appropriate. ⸻ MEET THE HOSTS Bandile Mndebele Strategist, creator and inclusion practitioner exploring belonging, equity, leadership, technology and human-centred systems. Creator and host of The ADD IDEAS Podcast. Thandi Magwai Public-health and research professional focused on translating health and research into accessible, understandable conversations. Creator of The Breakdown Project, where she explores public health, research and health literacy. The Breakdown Project: YouTube — The Breakdown Project⁠ ⸻ MORE FROM THE HOSTS The ADD IDEAS Podcast Ideas for a world that works better for more people. Explore conversations around equity, inclusion, leadership, technology, sustainability, AI and human-centred innovation. The Breakdown Project Making public health and research easier to understand. ⸻ THE LIFE WE SHARE Hosted by Bandile Mndebele & Thandi Magwai A limited-series collaboration between Bandile M Ventures and The Breakdown Project. Health. Belonging. Power. People. Systems. © 2026 Bandile M Ventures (Pty) Ltd & Thandi Magwai. All rights reserved. If this conversation stayed with you, pass it on. Someone else might need to hear it.

    What would it take to make belonging systemic?
  4. Episode 3

    What if belonging became everyone’s responsibility?

    THE LIFE WE SHARE What shapes the lives we share? Hosted by Bandile Mndebele & Thandi Magwai, The Life We Share explores the people, relationships, cultures and systems that shape how we live together. From health and belonging to identity, power, technology and everyday life, Bandile and Thandi ask better questions about the things we experience — and the systems we don’t always see. No easy answers. Just thoughtful conversations. What connects us? What gets between us? What could we change? ⸻ 03 — HERD ALLYSHIP What if belonging became everyone’s responsibility? THIS EPISODE What happens when we stop waiting for exceptional people to solve ordinary problems? In this conversation of The Life We Share, Bandile and Thandi explore herd allyship: the idea that social change becomes more powerful when ordinary people use whatever influence they have to make their own communities, workplaces, families and relationships better. Drawing on ideas from public health, including herd immunity, the conversation explores what collective responsibility can look like in practice. From climate justice and health inequality to HIV prevention, gender-based violence, migration, xenophobia and the pressures facing younger generations, the discussion keeps returning to one question: what can we actually do with the agency we have? The conversation ends without pretending that individuals can fix everything. Instead, it offers a more practical form of hope: you don’t have to save everyone. You can start where you are, with what you know, and with the people within your reach. In this episode, we explore: Herd allyshipCollective responsibility and social agencyAllyship versus enablingHealth and social systemsClimate justice and planetary healthHIV prevention and community healthGender-based violenceMigration and xenophobiaYouth and generational responsibilityMisinformation and storytellingThe burden of unpaid advocacyTurning knowledge into actionSmall actions that can create wider changeBuilding belonging beyond individual heroesA few questions to take with you: What could change if more of us acted on what we already know? Who could benefit if you used your own sphere of influence differently? ⸻ KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING If something made you think, question, disagree or see something differently, share it. Listen. Think. Talk. Share. The conversation doesn’t have to end when the episode does. STAY CONNECTED Follow The Life We Share through the channels associated with the collaboration and its creators. Bandile Mndebele Website: https://bandilem.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bandile-mndebele/Podcast: https://addideas.transistor.fm/ Thandi Magwai LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/thandi-magwai If you enjoyed the series, follow the show, share an episode and leave a review wherever you listen. It helps other people find the conversation. ⸻ WORK WITH US Interested in collaborating, sponsoring an episode, supporting the series or bringing these conversations into your organisation? The Life We Share welcomes thoughtful collaborations with organisations, institutions, researchers, creators and partners working across: health · equity · inclusion · accessibility · innovation · technology · culture · sustainability · human connection · better systems. For collaboration and commercial enquiries: Bandile M Venturesinfo@bandilem.comhttps://bandilem.com/ ⸻ A NOTE ON THE CONVERSATION The Life We Share is a space for thoughtful conversation. Views, experiences and opinions expressed by the hosts or contributors are their own and should not automatically be interpreted as representing their employers, organisations, institutions or professional affiliations. Where professional, scientific, research or public-health topics are discussed, the conversation is intended for general information and discussion rather than individual medical, legal, financial or professional advice. Listeners should consult relevant primary sources and appropriately qualified professionals where appropriate. ⸻ MEET THE HOSTS Bandile Mndebele Strategist, creator and inclusion practitioner exploring belonging, equity, leadership, technology and human-centred systems. Creator and host of The ADD IDEAS Podcast. Thandi Magwai Public-health and research professional focused on translating health and research into accessible, understandable conversations. Creator of The Breakdown Project, where she explores public health, research and health literacy. The Breakdown Project: YouTube — The Breakdown Project⁠ ⸻ MORE FROM THE HOSTS The ADD IDEAS Podcast Ideas for a world that works better for more people. Explore conversations around equity, inclusion, leadership, technology, sustainability, AI and human-centred innovation. The Breakdown Project Making public health and research easier to understand. ⸻ THE LIFE WE SHARE Hosted by Bandile Mndebele & Thandi Magwai A limited-series collaboration between Bandile M Ventures and The Breakdown Project. Health. Belonging. Power. People. Systems. © 2026 Bandile M Ventures (Pty) Ltd & Thandi Magwai. All rights reserved. If this conversation stayed with you, pass it on. Someone else might need to hear it.

    What if belonging became everyone’s responsibility?

Trailer

Shows with Subscription Benefits

OTHERWISE+

Go deeper with OTHERWISE+ - More to explore

$4.99/month or $49.99/year

About

What shapes the lives we share? Created and hosted by Bandile Mndebele, The Life We Share is an ongoing anthology of conversations, stories and ideas about the people, relationships, cultures and systems that shape how we live together. Each season is created with a different co-creator and host, bringing a distinct voice, perspective and subject into the wider conversation. One season might explore health, belonging or relationships; another might take us into identity, technology, culture, power, work, books or the stories we inherit. The format evolves with its collaborators, but the question remains: what shapes the lives we share—and what might we see differently if we looked again? Thoughtful, curious and human, The Life We Share makes room for complexity without losing the conversation. No easy answers. Better questions.

More From OTHERWISE