The Power Of Stories Podcast SayItForward.org

River Savante is 16 years old and has already set a world record as the youngest American female to summit Imja Tse in the Nepal Everest region, which is 20,500 ft. River is training to be the youngest American female to summit Mount Everest, scheduled for next May/June 2025.
 In this episode, River discusses going with her mother leading trips to Kathmandu after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal to help with humanitarian aid, and building earthquake-proof homes, and sponsoring schools… adding an Everest Base Camp trip to their expedition company as it evolved into a trekking company… being asked by her mother to return to Everest in 2022 to represent their company… learning from her mother about the importance of adapting to any situation, and watching her accomplish “incredible things” in foreign countries… knowing that the life lessons and skills that she has learned will help her when she goes off to college… living in Ulaanbaatar now, the capital of Mongolia and loving the vibe and feeling of this city… summiting Imja Tse, a mountain in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal, with a Sherpa guide teaching her the skills to use on Everest… living in Malaysia and meeting a three-times Everest summitter representing Malaysia, and accepting his invitation to train with his Malaysian Everest summiting team… her upcoming season in Nepal in October… her focus on school online with her high school in North Carolina, USA, that has been very supportive of her pursuing her dreams… reminding us that we are even more capable than we think we are, and that we can lead by example and follow our dreams, and support and encourage each other… the importance of offering compassion,  understanding, and listening to each other... and wanting women to know that it's so important to speak their truth and to stand up for themselves and their dreams. (USA and Nepal)
Here is River’s GoFundMe page... https://gofund.me/405b1ef9

Sadia Jahan Rothi is an Environmental and Climate Activist. She is the Board Director of Eco-Network Global, which is a youth-led organization. She started climate and environmental activism with Eco-Network in 2018 when she first witnessed how climate change has been affecting the lives of coastal regions people of Bangladesh. She is also a climate researcher, working at BRAC University.
In this episode, Sadia discusses how she began environmental activism at University in 2018, and how it led to shifting her focus from environmental activism to climate activism. During a field trip from her university, she was conducting a survey and got the opportunity to interact with local people in the coastal region of Bangladesh. She got to know about the impact of climate change on their lives and livelihoods, especially the harmful effects of salinity intrusion on groundwater and agricultural land, resulting in the loss of livelihoods, health, and economy.  At a young age, her family’s commitment to recycling and conserving water, then joining a group of like-minded young students at university, led her to work with Eco-Network Global, a youth-led organization now working in 25 countries.
She emphasized the inclusion of youth voices not only in the formulation of National Plans and Policies but also a growing need for youth voices in policy implementation. She believes in being patient when it comes to activism for society because a change doesn't happen overnight. In the International Conferences where she attends, she always ensures to bring and represent the local voice. She believes in creating a safe space for women and girls where they can express their opinions and thoughts openly without being judged and mentoring them.  (Bangladesh)
~ Episode description written by Sadia Jahan Rothi

Belinda Greb is an accomplished nature and wildlife photographer who has been influenced by her sense of belonging in, and connecting with, nature.
In this episode, Belinda discusses growing up in a rural setting and finding solitude and peace in nature… her interest in photography and beginning her work as a professional photographer with landscape photography and transitioning to more of a focus on wildlife, photographing animals in their natural habitat, trying to capture their essence and translate that to others… the consciousness of animals… the increasing impact of climate change on wildlife and people… losing her home in the Oregon forest fires of 2020, and how that experience gave her even more compassion towards other people in other areas who are being affected by climate change or anything else that causes them to lose their home or their country… belonging… the beauty of nature as a pillar of strength… the importance of believing in ourselves, following our intuition, living life to the fullest, and not getting hung up on what other people think. (USA)
https://belinda-greb.pixels.com/

Joan Kembabazi is a full time gender equality activist and she actively campaigns for an end to child marriage. Joan is also the founder of Gufasha Girls Foundation. 
In this episode, Joan discusses the reasons she campaigns and advocates for girls’ education, for an end to child marriage, for every girl’s right to thrive and to dream… her grief in losing her best friend, Gufasha Moureen, to child marriage at age 13, and Gufasha’s death in childbirth… beginning community work and then, in 2016, founding Gufasha Girls Foundation to honor her friend’s memory by working to end child marriage… how societal norms and traditional mindsets deny girls’ right to education, and how girls’ dreams, hopes, and childhoods are stolen by child marriage… her own father’s and grandmother’s commitment Joan’s education… her grandmother’s love and her role as a “strong pillar” in Joan’s life… the role of teachers in encouraging her to use her voice to advocate for positive change in her community…  the importance of supporting girls in realizing that they are powerful, that they must believe in themselves, and that no one has the right to tell them that they cannot become the empowered person they want to be.  (Uganda)

Nisha Benny-Varghese is a humanitarian, storyteller and describes herself as “an aspiring Good Human Being” who tries to make a difference and inspire others to do the same. 

In this episode, Nisha discusses volunteering at Breath of Life, a children's home in East London, South Africa, that cares for abandoned and orphaned babies until they find a suitable home for them or until they are reunited with their families… her liberating experience ziplining in 2016 to raise funds for Smile Train to repair 42 cleft palates… how having cerebral palsy and needing help every day has inspired her philanthropy and volunteerism… the importance of not “labeling” people… getting great joy from the small things in life… practicing gratitude every morning and every night by mentioning to herself a list of things for which she is grateful… reminding us to use past pain to help someone else in the present… and this inspiring advice for us all, “Don't let anyone tell you that your voice doesn't matter.” (South Africa)

Tsehay Getu is a passionate chef who has a platform called Tsehay’s Kitchen where she shares her love for food and culture.
In this episode, Tsehay discusses how, in her childhood, her parents stressed the importance of education for her and her brothers… moving from Ethiopia to Sweden at a young age… the challenges of going through a divorce, being a single mom, and moving to the U.S… feeling alone and moving on with her life by not giving up during challenging times… starting to cook, learning over time, and falling in love with food, her playground, her “happy place”… overcoming gender biases in the food industry… her first post on Instagram, 11 years ago, showing videos about the food she loves… the importance of love and of not taking things for granted… and the importance of loving ourselves, and of listening, having more compassion, and supporting each other. (Sweden and Ethiopia)