The middle Road

Episode 37: The middle Road with Kinsley Godwin on Impact Investing in Nigeria

Welcome to The middle Road podcast where Nishant Malhotra your host dives deep into the stories and experiences of individuals who are shaping a brighter future through their work in impact investing and social innovation. I'm your host, Nishant Malhotra, and today, I have a remarkable guest whose journeyembodies the spirit of positive change and innovation. Kingsley Godwin is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience across diverse sectors, from development to blockchain, and he's been at the forefront of driving impact on both local and global scales. Tune into this podcast as I uncover howKingsley, as a Country Ambassador at Impact Market Nigeria and Chairperson of the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network (CYPAN), is not just participating in change but driving it. His journey serves as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path for those who aspire to create positive change in Africa and beyond. So, if you're curious about the intersection of finance and socialgood, and if you believe in the immense potential of Africa to lead the way in impact investing, you're in the right place.
Get ready for an inspiring and eye-opening conversation that promises to unveil the true essence of impact investing in Africa.
 
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Hello Kingsley welcome to the podcast show.
Let’s begin with a Global Impact Investing Overview before I dive into impact investing in Africa.
 
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According to a GIIN report titled “Sizing the Impact Investing Market 2022” supported by Nuveen, the global champion of impact investing, the worldwide market size of impact investing stood at $1.164 trillion. This is figure of direct invested AUM (Asset Under Management) reported as of December2021. Keep in mind, this analysis includes Green Bonds and other specialised bond issuance.
Kindly refer to the report for more details. For this report GIIN’s research team rigorously screened and analysed data from over 3,000 public and private market asset owners and managers screening is based on their criteria. However, only 2 percent of the impact investing AUM is allocated to Middle East and North Africa and 1percent to the sub-Saharan Africa. 1 This is to share a holistic perspective on the present state of impact investing in Africa.
✓ Let’s begin with your work experience. You have a very varied and diverse experience within the social impact sector in Africa. How did your work shape your interest in impact investing example as a Regional Program Officer at the West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF).
Howdid this build your interest and your approach for impact investing sector?
✓ How do you perceive the stage of impact investing in Nigeria and its impact within the development sector compared to other countries in Africa example Kenya or other regions example commonwealth nations globally? Speak about the limitations you perceive example low impact driven investment within the region and how to enhance the inclusion through impact investing.
✓ Impact Market uses a community driven model to crowd source for generating capital for your members. As a Country Ambassador at Impact Market Nigeria, speak about how web3 drives financial solutions keeping in mind blockchain especially among the underprivileged section of the society?
o Also, how it differs from competitors example Kiva platform?
 You are test marketing your product in microcredit in Uganda and Brazil. Do share the similarities and differences between consumers in both these countries?
Finally, kindly share a Aha moment that you want to share with the audience that brings happiness to you.
I thank you for sharing time and speaking with me. Keep in touch.
References:1. Sizing the Impact Investing Market 2022 by GIINImpactMarket.com

Episode 36: The middle Road with Mrinal Kapadia - Charting Mumbai’s History

     "The Middle Road: Enabling Social Change and Impact"
Welcome to "The Middle Road" podcast with Mrinal Kapadia. "The Middle Road" is a thought leader upskilling platform within the social impact sector that blends media with edtech to promote affordable quality higher education.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am Nishant Malhotra, your host for The Middle Road podcast, and today I am delighted to have Mrinal Kapadia with us. Mrinal is a connoisseur of art and history with a particular interest in chronicling the history of Mumbai. He is an alumnus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, US where he studied and researched various aspects of Indian art and history, and nearly completed a minor degree in classical European archaeology.
After a short stint as a business management consultant, he is now involved across different business verticals, including film production. In 2020, he formalized his interest in history by founding the India Visual Art Archive, a collection of antique art and images that endeavors to link visuals through history and vice-versa. Through independent research, the archive is currently focused on colonial works from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency.
Mrinal's passion for exploring the rich cultural heritage of Mumbai has led him to undertake several projects and initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting the city's history. Through his extensive knowledge and research, he has developed a deep understanding of Mumbai's evolution, from its early days as a fishing village to its present-day status as one of India's most vibrant and dynamic cities.
Today's chat is to understand Mrinal's interest in art, culture, and heritage as both a hobby and work. We'll start with his academic learning at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he took a minor in history and how it fostered his work as a researcher and collector of historical collectibles. We'll also discuss the areas of global history that inspired him to take up history, archaeology, and culture as a keen aspect of his work.
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As a resident of Mumbai, Mrinal grew up in the city and is a keen connoisseur of its art and history. He has been researching this topic for many years and has conducted sessions on the British and Portuguese maritime connection with Mumbai, we explore the British and Portuguese maritime connections with Mumbai, tracing the city's history from a fledgling village to Bombaim and finally to Mumbai. Mrinal delves into the significant events and developments that have shaped Mumbai's history, including the story behind the iconic Chowpatty in Marine Drive. Learn more about the origins of the word "Mumbai."
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In terms of his professional career, Mrinal plans to continue his work as a researcher and collector of history. He encourages others to develop their hobbies into the highpoint of their lives. He also shares an "aha moment" that brings a smile.
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Thank you, Mrinal, for sharing your time and insights with us. Art and history are some of my favorite topics, and it's always good to be connected to one's roots. To learn more about Mr. Kapadia's work, check out his newspaper articles. 
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The post was revised after initial publication. 
 
 

Full Episode of The middle Road with Dr Ed Cohen

This is the full episode of the conversation of Dr Ed Cohen. Combines both episodes 34 and 33 as listed on The middle Road website - The middle Road podcast link here. 
 
Correction; Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in 1 January, 1863 not 1862. In the episode Nishant mentioned 1862. Kindly note the correction. 

Episode 35: The middle Road discussion with Dr Ed Cohen - Author, Educator, Thought Leader & Healer Part 2

 
In episode 2, Dr. Ed Cohen discusses the economics of medicine with a focus on multiple frameworks for healing. The discussion is on various facets of healing, significant healing counsel therapy of Ed, chat about Ed's recent book On Learning to Heal or What Medicine Doesn’t Know. An interesting note on Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer on animal magnetism, the origins of single-blind test i.e., the first blind experiment conducted to investigate the claims of mesmerism and field effect. One of the research papers cited is listed below. Nishant highlights the positive attitude of Americans toward many aspects of healing and the Aha question. 
Correction: Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery in 1863 not 1862. Nishant mentioned by mistake 1862, its corrected. 
It's important to listen to episode 1 of Nishant Malhotra’s discussion with Dr. Ed Cohen and then listen to this podcast.
 Q). Nishant Malhotra Your paper The Placebo Disavowed: Or Unveiling the Bio-Medical Imagination is articulate and eloquent written with artistic flair exploring the scholarly topic of the efficacy of interventions example placebo, a key concept for understanding clinical trials and attitude towards alternative medication. In the Impact Evaluation Online Course, I have taught and introduced the concept of Randomized Controlled Trials. In the mentioned research piece, you mentioned positively about alternative medicines. According to Precedence Research, the global complementary and alternative medicine market size was valued at $92.65 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach over $411.4 billion by 2030, poised to grow at a CAGR of 18% from 2021 to 2030.  
Dr. Ed Cohen website ✓ Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies |Rutgers University ✓ On Learning to Heal or What Medicine Doesn’t Know by Dr. Ed CohenThe Placebo Disavowed: Or Unveiling the Bio-Medical Imaginationwww.precedenceresearch.com 
 
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Episode 34: The middle Road discussion with Dr Ed Cohen - Author, Educator, Thought Leader & Healer

The middle Road is a thought leader platform enabling social change and impact. The startup blends Media with EdTech to promote and upskill the audience through publications, articles, online courses, podcasts, and videos across various topics example Economics & Development Economics, Finance & Sustainable Finance, Impact Evaluation & Statistics, etc. The mantra of the company is to spread affordable quality higher education. 
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Check out The middle Road podcast section for a detailed read with embed video podcast of the full episode here. 
Nishant Malhotra fireside chat with Dr. Ed Cohen. This podcast has two episodes. In the first episode with Dr. Ed, Nishant discusses his struggle and triumph over Crohn’s illness. Ed discusses the self-awareness he developed due to the ailment, his role model especially Michel Foucault, who influenced his thinking. In this first riveting episode, understand Modern Thought and its practical implications. 
 
Foucault’s wisdom according to Dr Ed Cohen “what’s the point of writing a book if you are the same person when you finished writing the book and when you started writing the book.”
 
Dr. Ed Cohen, is a Professor at Rutgers University and a Psychagogue at Healing Counsel, a therapeutic practice for healing. An accomplished author, Ed’s recent book On Learning to Heal or What Medicine Doesn’t Know talks draws on fifty years of living with Crohn’s to consider how Western medicine’s turn from an “art of healing” toward a “science of medicine” deeply affects both medical practitioners and their patients. Ed has a Ph.D. from the Stanford University in Modern Thought, A.B. summa cum laude, and Honors from English and Mathematics, Georgetown University. 
 
Hello Dr. Ed Cohen, thank you for joining The middle Road platform.
 
Nishant: First, Ed lets first understand the term Psychagogue. I loved the way you have described the term in your LinkedIn profile. How is psychagogue different from pedagogy?
 
Second episode covers the topic of healing and much more. 
 
# Note: There is a correction, I read through one of his book and few research papers. During the introduction I mentioned books, the statement is corrected.
Best
Nishant Malhotra
 
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Episode 33: The middle Road discussion with Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED), Vellore Institute of Technology, India

 
Hello this is Nishant Malhotra, Solo Founder of The middle Road, a thought leader platform enabling social change and impact. The startup promotes, educates and provides upskilling within the social impact sector through publications, online courses, podcasts and videos. Check out www.themiddleroad.org to subscribe and buy a couple of stand-alone courses. 
 
Listen to an engaging conversation with students of Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED) club from Vellore Institute of Technology, India. The conversation is on student led activities that accelerate social entrepreneurship and impact.  
 
Today Nishant chats with students from Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), India, a leading academic institute in India. Its engineering college ranks among the best in India. Nishant had judged an event for Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED). The discussion with members of CSED is about their journey as part of this club. Founded in 2010, the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Development (CSED) is a student-led organization based at Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.
The discussion is on CSED activities with a focus on social entrepreneurship. 
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Episode 32: The middle Road chats with Surabhi Yadav, Founder & CEO, Sajhe Sapne

Nishant Malhotra is the Solo Founder of The middle Road platform a thought leader online learning platform enabling social change and impact globally. The startup fuses Media and Edtech to spread affordable education through comprehensive publications, articles, online courses, podcasts and much more. Refer to the site here.Nishant Malhotra’s Discussion with Surabhi Yadav, Sajhe Sapne, Founder & CEO The middle Road, a thought leadership and online learning platform enabling social change and impactIn this episode from The middle Road, I chat primarily with Surabhi Yadav, Founder & CEO of Sajhe Sapne, a nonprofit that’s empowering rural women through quality education and catalysing livelihood for the underserved section of the society.Q). Hello, Surabhi I thank you for chatting with me about your work. You have had a tremendous journey both personally and professionally. You went to IIT, Delhi, one of the best engineering colleges in India for your under and a post-graduate degree in engineering. You also did a master's in development practice from the University of California, Berkeley, US. Today as Founder & CEO of Sajhe Sapne, your organization is empowering rural women in India through quality education. An overwhelming majority of India’s rural population works in the unorganized sector. Kindly share your journey highlighting the motivation in setting up your nonprofit.Q). You have a flagship program in Management and Rural Development where you train, skill, and provide jobs to rural women between the age of 18-24 years. Please speak about this ground-breaking residential program that is enabling social change and impact within the Indian ecosystem. Q). Surabhi - 65 percent of the Indian population resides in the rural area with a literacy rate of 73.5 percent as of 2021. 1However, the quality of education is not good. The Indian government has initiatives example Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Digital Initiatives that facilitate education for women. How do you think these policies are bettering your organization's mission and vision? What are the qualitative insights you would like to share that you encounter in your effort to educate rural women? Describe roadblocks and impediments and the steps you take to overcome these challenges. For full list of questions, refer to The middle Road podcast section 

Episode 31: The middle Road chats with Bhargav Sri Prakash

Listen to Nishant Malhotra's chat with Bhargav Sri Prakash.  
 
A brief about Bhargav Sri Prakash.  
Bhargav is an alum of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is passionate about using technology to solve complex problems governing society. He is the recipient of the world’s first digital vaccine patent. He is the Founder & CEO of Friendslearn, a biotech and medical technology company and pioneer of neuropsychology-based digital vaccines to prevent lifestyle diseases. He has worked in collaborative roles in research with leading global research and think tank institutes.
Refer to the questions below.
Nishant Malhotra: Bhargav thanks for joining The middle Road for an informative conversation with regards to your work at Friendslearn. You received the patent for the world’s first digital vaccine. The digital vaccine uses technology to nudge people towards positive behaviour using a tool called neurocognitive training. Tell the audience about this wonderful invention.
The vaccine was developed as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s digital vaccine project. Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded the grant for the digital vaccine project. Share the journey that brought you to the Carnegie Mellon University project.
How impactful is your vaccine for adults? It’s easy to modulate the behaviour of children through games and neurocognitive training but tell us what kind of results have you achieved in altering the behaviour pattern for adults for the better.
Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler have written about how nudging can be used in public policy for societal good. Although nudging is used for productive behaviour, Facebook has come under universal criticism for its adverse cognitive practices on Facebook customers. How do you think the cognitive field is going to evolve for the better as we advance? o How will practitioners of cognitive science respond to the growing concern from the society?
Share an Aha Aha experience with the audience. I thank you and wish you the very best in your journey ahead

Nishant Malhotra Chats about The middle Road Subscription Model

In this special episode, Nishant Malhotra, Solo Founder of The middle Road platform and for-profit social impact startup Middle Road OPC Pvt Ltd, chats about various product offerings. The discussion is about various Online Courses offered by the thought leader platform The middle Road (www.themiddleroad.org) especially in impact evaluation, sustainable finance, economics etc. The middle Road platform recently moved into a subscription based model, listen to the various online courses, learn about Insights the flagship publication of the startup, guest feature, global bytes and much more.The middle Road (www.themiddleroad.org) is a SAAS-based global thought leader platform – that synergizes Media with EdTech to spread affordable quality higher education and thought leadership globally within the parlance of the social impact sector. Inspired by the seventeen sustainable development goals, The middle Road's mission is to make a holistic change within society. The startup promotes finance & economics, sustainable development, art, culture, and well-being supported by well-rounded and comprehensive online learning initiatives. Known for its intense and educative reads, insightful and informative podcasts, webinars and videos, and comprehensive online courses, the company is a refreshing change from any of its peers, youthful yet measured, enlightening yet lively, creative yet simplistic, thought-provoking, multifaceted, and instructional. Check out www.themiddleroad.org.  
 Insights are educational reads with about 2000 to 4000 research focussed scholarly reads many times with embedded videos on topics related to the mission of The middle Road.  These publications are integrated through podcasts and online courses to educate the audience on topics example developmental economics, sustainable finance, impact evaluation etc. There is a guest feature wherein guest authors can publish on the platform. Global bytes are terse posts that talk about the latest form the development sector or add on to the learning within the mission of The middle Road. 

Episode 30: The middle Road chats with Paola Cyment

Hello Everyone, very happy to introduce Paola Cyment, a senior project manager at Women in Migration Network, a nonprofit that promotes women’s human rights for all migration and development policy. Paola wears many hats professionally and has worked across many organizations and profiles within the international development sector. She is presently based in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has a master’s in international affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University.  In today’s splendid discussion, I chat with Paola on many issues governing society including women's rights. Its good to watch the video interview along with the podcast, so you can visually watch the dashboard of the research work.  You Tube link here. 
Hello, Paola great to have you for a podcast with The middle Road.
Paola, you work in a fascinating country, Argentina. I am a diehard fan of Diego Maradona, Messi, and Argentina’s soccer team. Delighted to feature someone from the Argentina on The middle Road platform. 
Paola, kindly discuss your present work at the Women in Migration Network. You are an advocate of women's human rights. Do share your views both globally and in Argentina on how women's rights are evolving. Are they getting better? 
The situation for migrants has been very bad. Algeria expelled over 17,000 migrants last year mostly Sub-Saharan African, between January and October 10 last year, including hundreds of women and children and some registered asylum seekers. This continued even during COVID-19 lockdown, included violations of women’s dignity. 1 Women trafficking is increasing, according to human rights watch at alarming levels in some countries globally. On the other hand, Armenia ratified the Council of Europe’s Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (“Lanzarote Convention”). 1
 

Theory of Change Certification Course A Special Feature

The middle Road is proud to feature and showcase the Theory of Change Certification Course on the thought leader platform. This is a highly curated feature designed to promote the work of selected actors within the global social impact arena whose work lies within the mission of The middle Road. Nishant Malhotra, Sole Founder & CEO of the venture, reached out to Dr. Helene Clark to highlight the Theory of Change certification course offered by her nonprofit Center For Theory of Change.
Refer to the podcast with Helene on Theory of Change.