HAVE YOU HEARD?

Narratives of Purpose: Inspiring people to act upon social issues

Published on February 15, 2023

Have You Heard? is where the Pod Bible team meet the people behind the podcasts you may not have heard of yet. This time we’re speaking to Claire Murigande about her show Narratives of Purpose…

In an upcoming 4-episode series around sustainable food systems, Narratives of Purpose are featuring founders based in Switzerland, the US and the UK. From fighting food waste to regenerative agriculture via community networks built around food, it is amplifying the impactful work they carry out with their organisations.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

My name is Claire, I live in Switzerland, and I spent the first decade of my life in east Africa. I mention my African heritage and the fact that I evolved in multicultural, international environments because it has shaped my perspective on life. Formally speaking, I am a biologist with fourteen years’ experience in the life sciences industry as Medical Affairs expert.

Besides being an independent podcast creator, I recently started my freelance communications and advisory business. I am fascinated by individuals, the potential every single person possesses to flourish and thrive as well as the interconnection between all human beings. I have this sense of belief in people and our multitude of untapped abilities, which is basically the foundation of my podcast – Narratives of Purpose. I want to inspire people to act upon social issues. So, I share unique stories of impact through conversations with global changemakers. These are thought-provoking, inspiring conversations that address meaningful and complex topics. And if you listen carefully to all these journeys, it all starts the same way, it starts with the individual. That’s the angle I take with my podcast: I show that anybody can create positive impact around them, starting by themselves.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I began listening to podcasts with my first ever iPod touch in 2009. Back in those days, I was mostly catching up on my favourite radio shows which I wasn’t always able to listen to live, but I can’t quite recall a particular podcast. However, listening to the first season of Serial (it must have been in 2014) was a defining moment because it made me realise that podcasts could be much more than a complement to radio, and they would open the space to more creators.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I wanted to explore the medium and find out what opportunities it would create when I share my personal view of the world. In fact, I wanted to use my voice in a meaningful way by showcasing the impactful stories I knew or heard about. Podcasting turns out to be a powerful storytelling tool in terms of building bridges and sparking conversations. This really supports my goal of amplifying social impact. Also, audio is an integral part of my life, whether it’s radio or podcasts not a day goes by without me listening to one of them. So, why not become part of the digital audio space as well, and even contribute to shape it.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I scrolled through my podcast library the other day, and I noticed that over half of the shows I subscribed to are from women podcasters. I had not appreciated how much my inspiration comes from podcasts created by women. These are my top picks:

Les Transformateurs by Lowpital, a women-led healthcare design thinking agency is a French podcast that features individuals transforming the health system.

The stories are amazing. Creativity Found by Claire Waite Brown is great because it shows the importance of including creative practices in our everyday lives as adults.

Our Body Politic by Farai Chideya is my go-to podcast for in-depth reporting on how Black women and women of colour both experience and impact major political events.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

That is a tough question. If I must narrow it down to a single person, then it will be Bryan Stevenson the founder and Executive Director of Equal Justice Initiative. His TED talk is on my top 2 list, I recommend watching it. He has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. For me, the fact that such work is needed highlights the lack of inclusivity in the way institutions that govern the world we live in were designed.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Transforming your ideas into reality may be a challenging process, but it will bring you places you are meant to be in, and it will connect you with people who will support you greatly on your journey – the power of the collective. So, collaboration instead of competition is the way forward in my opinion. As an independent podcaster, benefiting from podcasting communities together with impact-driven networks I became part of has been a testament to that.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Episode 46, ‘On Harnessing Tech Innovation to Improve Healthcare – A Conversation with Dr. Ernest Darkoh & Dr. John Sargent’. It is the quintessential combination of what I have been showcasing on the podcast. I constantly strive to bring international and multicultural perspectives, to highlight social entrepreneurship, to focus on healthcare and innovation, also to emphasise self-discovery and self-development. Even though this episode does not address gender equality, another focus topic of my podcast with education and sustainability, it pretty much covers all the other criteria so it’s definitely a great place to start.