The Conversation 316v4d

For many women having a newborn baby is one of the happiest times of their lives - but for a tiny proportion that new arrival begins a terrifying nightmare. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who experienced extreme psychosis after the birth of their child. When Catherine Cho’s first child was three months old she and her husband embarked on an extended trip to visit family and friends back home in the US. Their Korean relatives warned that they shouldn’t be travelling so far before the baby was 100 days old. Stressed and exhausted Catherine started seeing frightening things that weren’t there. That trip ended with her ission to an involuntary psychiatric ward, separated from her husband and child and not able to understand who she was or how she got there. She’s written a book about her journey back to reality called Inferno: A Memoir. Lobeh Osagie-Asiah was born in Gambia and grew up in London. After a psychotic episode when she was a student, she was diagnosed as bipolar and knew she might be at risk of a recurrence in pregnancy or birth. But it wasn't until after her fourth child was born that she experienced postpartum psychosis: she became convinced she was on a mission and that people were trying to kill her to take her baby. She says the getting through the experience has made relationships with her husband, family and friends, so much stronger. If you are feeling emotionally distressed, or worried about a friend or relative there are links to organisations on the programme website. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS L: Lobeh Osagie-Asiah [courtesy Lobeh Osagie-Asiah] R: Catherine Cho [credit Alastair Levy]

Despite its long and rich history, the ukulele has often been snubbed or dismissed as a novelty instrument by the music world. But over the years, rock stars have embraced the guitar’s smaller cousin, from Elvis Presley to the Beatles to Taylor Swift. Kim Chakanetsa meets two women who turned their love for the ukulele into a successful musical career. When Taimane was gifted a ukulele at 5 years old, it was the start of a musical journey that would take her from busking on the streets to appearing on the world’s biggest stages. She is now considered one of the world’s leading ukulele players and is based in Honolulu, Hawaii. Zee Avi is a singer-songwriter, ukulele player and guitarist from Malaysia. Zee taught herself to play music when she was a teenager and she got her first record deal at 22, thanks to a video that she posted on the internet back in 2007. Her songs have appeared in numerous TV shows and films. Produced by Alice Gioia and mixed by Donald MacDonald. IMAGE DETAILS: (L) Taimane, credit NPR/Laura Beltrán Villamizar (R) Zee Avi, credit XENO Entertainment MUSIC DETAILS: Taimane: AIR; Water; Beethoven, System of a Down, Led & ACDC Medley, Deh vieni alla finestra (Don Giovanni, Mozart) performed by Taimane and Quinn Kelsey at the Hawaii Opera Theatre. Zee Avi: Bitter Heart; I am me once more.

What does it take to run a country? Kim Chakanetsa is ed by two international leaders who have championed women’s health, equality and empowerment throughout their careers. They will discuss their personal journeys, the impact Covid-19 has had on the wellbeing of women around the world, and why more women should the political arena. The guests will also be taking questions from two young female activists and leaders in women’s rights, health and climate change. Michelle Bachelet became Chile’s first female president in 2006 and served a second term in 2014. In 1973, her father was detained and tortured under General Pinochet’s dictatorial rule. Two years later she was also imprisoned with her mother and then exiled for four years. When she returned to Chile, she became a doctor and worked with victims of torture. She is currently the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Helen Clark was the first woman to be elected as prime minister of New Zealand and the first woman to serve for three consecutive . After her premiership, Helen Clark became the first female head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and last year she co-chaired an Independent for Pandemic Preparedness and Response to explore the global response to Covid-19. She’s also chairing the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH). Produced by Alice Gioia IMAGE DETAILS (L) Michelle Bachelet, credit Getty Images (R) Helen Clark, credit Getty Images

Some people live the most amazing lives but aren't always the best at putting those experiences into words. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two ghostwriters about collaborative writing - what do they enjoy about telling someone else's story? Michelle Burford is a celebrity memoir collaborator who’s written for hugely successful women like Cicely Tyson, Alicia Keys and Simone Biles. Having carved out a niche writing with famous Black women she’s also collaborated on the traumatic memoir of Michelle Knight, kidnapped and held captive by Ariel Castro in Cleveland, Ohio for ten years – and TV carpenter, Clint Harp. Ellen Banda-Aaku is an author from Zambia. She's written award winning books for children and adults and took up ghostwriting to bring in a steady income. She writes for StoryTerrace - a paid-for service which helps people write their autobiographies. This has included a woman smuggled out of Iran, another who left an abusive marriage and a man jailed in Somalia who later dedicated his life to humanitarian aid. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS (L) Michelle Burford, credit Meg Rybicki (R) Ellen Banda-Aaku, courtesy Ellen Banda-Aaku

Two women restoring forest in Brazil and Nepal tell Kim Chakanetsa about working with local communities to plant thousands of trees and restore the natural environment. Francy Forero Sánchez is a Colombian primate researcher who volunteers with the environmental organisation Copaiba. It works with the community to restore parts of the Atlantic Forest in south eastern Brazil - one of the most endangered and biodiverse in the world. Run mainly by women the project produces native tree seedlings, plants trees and runs environmental education programmes. Rachhya Kayastha fell in love with the natural world around her as a child in Nepal and would gather school friends to plant flowers in her neighbourhood. She's now National Director in Nepal for the US charity, Eden Reforestation Projects. The organisation sets up seed collection stations, develops plant nurseries and reforestation schemes giving work to local people, mostly women. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS Francy Forero Sánchez (courtesy Francy Forero Sánchez) Rachhya Kayastha (courtesy Eden Reforestation Projects)

Women throughout the centuries have put their hiking boots on and set out into the great outdoors, but their stories are rarely told. Kim Chakanetsa is ed by two women who, through their own writing and journeys, are helping to change that. Cheryl Strayed is the author of Wild, a bestselling memoir of her 1100 mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. Cheryl impulsively embarked on the hike after her mother suddenly died of cancer and her marriage crumbled, without any experience of long-distance hiking. The Oscar-nominated movie adaptation of Wild stars Reese Witherspoon. Cheryl is also the author of Tiny Beautiful Things and Brave Enough. She was the host of the New York Times podcast Dear Sugars. Dr Kerri Andrews teaches Literature at Edge Hill University and lives in Scotland. Her book, Wanderers, tells the stories of ten female pioneering walkers and writers, from Virginia Woolf to Nan Shepherd. Kerri is also a keen hiker and the co-leader of Women In The Hills, a research network looking at what hinders and what enhances women's experiences of the outdoors. Produced by Alice Gioia IMAGE DETAILS: L: Dr Kerri Andrews (credit Adam Robinson) R: Cheryl Strayed (credit Holly Andres)

Kim Chakanetsa talks to two choreographers whose careers took off after they posted dance routines on social media. Sienna LaLau is an Hawaiian choreographer and dancer. Her routine with K-Pop sensations BTS, for the music video 'ON', where she also dances, was watched 7 million times within 3 days of its release. Just 20 years old she's gained an international reputation, working with artists like Jennifer Lopez and Justin Bieber. Rwandan Sherrie Silver, won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography in 2018 for her work on Childish Gambino’s ‘This Is America’. She’s since choreographed for some of the biggest names in music, including Rihanna, Celine Dion and Burna Boy. She brings traditional dance moves from African cultures to an international audience. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS L Sienna Lalau (courtesy The Lab Studios) R Sherrie Silver (courtesy Malaria No More UK)

For a long time there was a wall of silence around the menopause, but more women are choosing to speak candidly about their complicated and illuminating experiences. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women on a mission to demystify the menopause. Dr Nighat Arif is a British Pakistani family doctor specialising in women’s health. She is ionate about making the menopause a less taboo subject for all, but particularly for women for whom English is not their first language, and she often uses her social media channels to raise awareness. Barbara Hannah Grufferman is an American writer whose work focuses on healthy aging. After struggling with her symptoms during menopause she decided to become a marathon runner. Her most recent book is Love Your Age and her newsletter is Menopause Cheat Sheet. Produced by Alice Gioia IMAGE: (L) Dr Nighat Arif (credit: courtesy of Dr Nighat Arif) (R) Barbara Hannah Grufferman (credit: Howard Grufferman)

As a woman with autism you're likely to receive a diagnosis much later in life than if you are a man with the condition. Why is that and what impact does a late diagnosis have? Kim Chakanetsa is ed by two autistic women who are speaking up about their experience of the condition and seeking to help others. Morénike Giwa Onaiwu is part of the Autism Women's Network in US. She says many of her early symptoms of autism were dismissed or ignored because she is Black and explains how autism can amplify stereotypes around Black women. Sara Gibbs is a British comedy writer and autistic. Labelled as a cry baby, scaredy cat and spoiled brat – she finally got a diagnosis in her thirties. She has written a book, Drama Queen, about trying to fit into a world that has often tried to reject her, and says that being on the spectrum doesn't have to be a barrier to a happy life full of love, laughter and success. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS Morénike Giwa Onaiwu Sara Gibbs [credit Juliet McKee]

Skateboarding is no longer an outsider sport for rebellious young men: more women are getting on the board and embracing the lifestyle that comes with it. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women who are trying to make skating a more inclusive and welcoming community for women across the globe. Annina Brühwiler is a 29-year-old Swiss downhill skateboarder – which means skating down hair-raising mountain routes at high speeds, sometimes getting up to 90 km/h. She started skating at 24 and within two years was competing on the international scene. She has been travelling the world following her ion, and uses the lessons learnt on the board to coach other women. Teresa Batista is UK longboard dancing champion. She taught herself how to skate on the streets of East London before moving to Brazil, to explore how the skating culture meets salsa dancing. She choreographs dance moves on her board and runs a school for women and older adults who might feel intimidated by skate parks. Produced by Alice Gioia IMAGE: (L) Annina Brühwiler (credit: Jorge Gonzales) (R) Teresa Batista (credit: courtesy of Teresa Batista)

Over 79% of the world's trafficking victims are subject to sexual exploitation, and an overwhelming number of them are women and girls. Kim Chakanetsa speaks to two women who not only survived and escaped that experience, but have gone on to change laws and create networks for fellow survivors. Shandra Woworuntu was a successful Indonesian banking analyst but lost her job when her firm ran into trouble. She applied for a job in a Chicago Hotel for six months to tide her family over - but when she arrived she was handed over to a trafficking ring. After months of forced sex work, she was able to escape her kidnappers by jumping out of a bathroom window. She went on to successfully prosecute her traffickers in court, and is now a campaigner against trafficking. She is the founder of Mentari USA, a non-profit organisation which helps survivor reintegrate with society. Hungarian Timea Nagy grew up as the daughter of a strict policewoman, but became trapped in a trafficking circle after applying to become a baby-sitter in Toronto. Hours after her arrival, she was forced into sex work. Timea escaped home to Hungary after three months, but later returned to Canada to indict her traffickers. She has gone on to train police in Canada helping trafficking victims, as well as educating the financial sector on its role in preventing modern slavery. She is the founder of Timea's Cause, a for-profit organisation which employs survivors. Produced by Rosie Stopher IMAGE (L) Shandra Woworuntu, credit Calvin Voon (R) Timea Nagy

Vital for the planet's health, bees are a key part of pollinating the world's fruits, flowers and crops. And beekeeping seems to be growing in popularity, even the Queen B, Beyoncé, has bee hives in her garden. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women about what ignited their ion for bees and honey. South African, Mokgadi Mabela was only interested in her father's bees because she thought they could make her money. She sold the honey to colleagues in her office in Pretoria. When demand became too great for her father and his network he suggested she start some hives of her own. She set up a family company Native Nosi, producing honey and other bee by-products for South Africa and beyond. Dr Agnes Tyburn grew up in Martinique where her grandfather kept a couple of bee hives. When she was doing her PhD in Organic Chemistry at Cambridge University in the UK she decided it would be nice to try beekeeping herself, despite not having a garden. She’s now set up Bee Sitter – offering online , practical advice, mentoring and bee keeping courses. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS (L) Mokgadi Mabela (R) Agnes Tyburn

A decade after the uprisings that changed the political landscape of many countries in North Africa and the Middle East, Kim Chakanetsa looks at what impact the Arab uprisings had on the lives of women in Egypt and Syria. Mona Eltahawy is an Egyptian-American author and commentator. She was at the frontline of clashes between protesters and the military in 2011. Mona is now based in the USA, where she keeps writing about feminism in the Arab world. Her latest book is The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls and her newsletter is called Feminist Giant. Zaina Erhaim is an award-winning Syrian journalist and filmmaker. Her series of short films, Syria’s Rebellious Women, documented the lives of ordinary women turned activists in the aftermath of the uprisings. Her most recent project, Liberated T, is an advocacy campaign aimed at changing the gender stereotypes around women in the region. Produced by Alice Gioia IMAGE DETAILS L: Zaina Erhaim (courtesy of Zaina Erhaim) R: Mona Eltahawy (credit: Robert E. Rutledge)

Large scale wildfires have increasingly made headlines in recent years. Fires have devastated areas of California, Australia, Siberia and the Pantanal that used to be relatively unaffected. We speak to two women helping stop the spread of wildland fires, protecting precious ecosystems, national parks and people's homes. Being a professional fire fighter is out of the question for Olga Serova who lives in Russia, where women are not allowed to the profession. However, Olga volunteers with teams that battle wildfires in the national parks outside Moscow and St Petersburg. She tells us why she does it and how people react. Justine Gude is a Texas Canyon Hotshot in the Los Angeles National Forest. She's one of a team of elite small crews of wildfire fighters – there are about 100 crews in America – who have been trained to deal with fires in remote regions where little logistical is available. She was one of a team of volunteer experts who flew to Australia to help out firefighting efforts in Melbourne in 2020. Produced by Jane Thurlow IMAGE DETAILS L: Olga Serova [credit Maria Vasilieva] R: Justine Gude [credit Santos Gonzalez]

In April 2020, Kim Chakanetsa spoke to two young nurses who were putting their lives on the line by treating the sickest covid-19 patients in intensive care units. At that point, only a couple of months into a global pandemic, they were exhausted but optimistic about things getting better. Kim catches up with them and asks how they are coping a year on after another wave of infections and an incresing death toll. Hannah Grey is a 24-year-old nurse based in London. She worked as a busy Intensive Care Unit for both waves of virus infections, but has since moved on to a children’s critical unit. She has launched her own podcast, What Makes a Nurse?, sharing the stories of the many skilled nurses she met during the pandemic, as they came to help on the ICU. Bianca Dintino is a 27-year-old critical care nurse based at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. She was one of the first nurses to volunteer to care for coronavirus patients last year, and credits her colleagues with keeping her going. Bianca got married during the pandemic, and has been trying to find the joy in a difficult year. Produced by Rosie Stopher IMAGE DETAILS: L: Bianca Dintino (credit Anne Marie) R: Hannah Gray (credit Simi Sebastian)

The extraordinary measures put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ebola crisis placed restrictions on much of people’s lives, including the rituals and ceremony around death. Kim Chakanetsa talks to two women whose work has ed grieving families during a time of crisis. \n\nLianna Champ is a British funeral director and author of How to Grieve Like a Champ. She’s based in Lancashire, one of the areas worst hit by Covid-19. She always knew she was going to be a funeral director and she started helping out at the local funeral home at 16. She talks about how Covid-19 has transformed funerals, mourning and grief, and why the rituals of death are crucial to our ability to grieve healthily.\n\nNeima Candy is a Liberian public health nurse who coordinated the Red Cross response to the Ebola crisis. She was in charge of organising burial teams made up of volunteers and helped write guidelines for ‘safe and dignified’ funerals that would bring closure to the families and at the same time avoid further spread of the disease. \n\nIMAGE DETAILS\nLeft: Neima Candy [courtesy Neima Candy]\nRight: Lianna Champ [credit Phil Garlington]

Eating ice cream in the early hours, naked dancing and not having to tidy up behind anyone else are just some of the benefits of living alone described by Kim Chakanetsa’s guests on The Conversation this week. Solo living is a rising global phenomenon, tied to increasing economic empowerment of women. It\'s a trend seen in all countries, including in more traditional, conservative cultures. But it\'s rarely written about and often overlooked in government strategy. So why are more women choosing to live on their own and what do they enjoy about it?\n\nHannah Carmichael started the Living Well Alone Project in the UK with her mother Helen. They had both started living on their own, for different reasons, but had found the first months difficult. Looking for advice they found there wasn\'t much. Hannah says Covid has shone a spotlight on the lives of people who live alone, and there\'s still much myth-busting needed\n\nSreemoyee Piu Kundu based her book Status Single on interviews with 3,500 women who spoke about their experience of single life in India. She has set up an online community where solo women of all ages come together to talk about living alone, single parenthood, financial and social struggles and offer to each other.\n\nProduced by Jane Thurlow \n\nIMAGE DETAILS\nLeft: Hannah Carmichael [credit Carl Fletcher]\nRight: Sreemoyee Piu Kundu [courtesy Sreemoyee Piu Kundu]

Insects have been around for more than 350 million years, longer than dinosaurs and flowering plants. We are vastly outnumbered by them – there are approximately 1.4 billion insects for every person on earth. And although we tend to treat them with disdain, they are absolutely essential to our survival. Kim Chakanetsa talks all things buzzing, crawling and flying with two insect enthusiasts who have made a career out of their love for bugs.\n\nDr Jessica L Ware is a Canadian-American entomologist specialising in dragonflies and damselflies. She’s the first African-American associate curator in invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the vice-president of the Entomological Society of America. A single mother and an adventurer, she has travelled the world following dragonflies and she is ionate about diversifying the scientific community.\n\nDr Carolina Barillas-Mury was born in Guatemala and spent her life studying mosquitoes to understand how they transmit malaria. She heads the Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section at the National Institutes of Health - one of the world\'s foremost medical research centres - and she believes the way to fight malaria is to work with, and not against, mosquitoes. \n\nProduced by Alice Gioia\n\nIMAGE DETAILS\nLeft: Carolina Barillas-Mury (courtesy of Carolina Barillas-Mury) \nRight: Jessica L Ware (credit Sallqa-Tuwa Stephanita Bondocgawa Maflamills)

In many countries around the world more women than men take law degrees but they\'re still much less likely to make partner or become a judge. Kim Chakenetsa talks to two lawyers from Egypt and the UK about the discrimination they face and the need for a more diverse legal profession.\n\nOmnia Gadalla is a professor of law and sharia at Al-Azhar University. She founded an initiative called Her Honour Setting the Bar which aims to encourage and female law graduates and to challenge discrimination which prevents Egyptian women from becoming judges.\n\nAlexandra Wilson is a barrister in the UK. She\'s complained about times she\'s mistaken for a defendant because she\'s Black and is highlighting the racism she faces in her workplace. She argues that the law profession needs to include more women and people from different ethnic and class backgrounds.\n\nProduced by Jane Thurlow \n\nIMAGE DETAILS\nLeft: Omnia Gadalla (courtesy Omnia Gadalla)\nRight: Alexandra Wilson (credit Laurie Lewis)

Have you ever been so absorbed in an activity that you lost track of time? Experiencing moments of intense focus is something most of us can relate to; but did you know you can train for it? Kim Chakanetsa discusses tips and best practice with two women whose careers demand their absolute concentration.\n\nLorraine Huber is a Freeride World Champion and a mental strength coach. Freeriding is a discipline that involves skiing off-piste and performing acrobatic jumps on natural terrains. For Lorraine, being able to shut-out the world around her and perform at her best is a matter of life or death.\n\nKalena Bovell is the assistant conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the only African-American/Hispanic orchestra conductor in the United States. When she is on the podium, she needs to be able to focus for hours, while working with a big group of musicians in front of a public. To excel in her job, she had to learn to master the art of intense focus.\n \nProduced by Alice Gioia.\n\nMUSIC DETAILS: Extract from Kalena Bovell’s international debut with Chineke! Orchestra. The performance was recorded at Southbank Centre\'s Royal Festival Hall in London, UK.\n\nIMAGE DETAILS\nL: Lorraine Huber\nR: Kalena Bovell [credit Cabrillo Festival]