The Happy Pod: The teenager empowering thousands to succeed

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Happy Pod – The Teenager Empowering Thousands to Succeed

Global News Podcast / BBC World Service — October 4, 2025
Host: Jannat Jaleel

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Main Theme and Episode Overview

This episode of The Happy Pod spotlights inspirational stories from around the globe, with a central focus on Ardash Kumar, an 18-year-old from rural India who has empowered thousands of underprivileged youths through mentorship and skill development. The podcast also explores unique initiatives for youth well-being, global food records, embracing diversity, wildlife conservation, and inclusive technology, all through the lens of uplifting and hopeful human experiences.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ardash Kumar: Changing Lives with Skillzo

Segment starts at [01:18]

• Background:

  • Ardash Kumar, raised in poverty by a single mother in rural Bihar, left home at 14 to pursue education with just $10 and a secondhand laptop.
  • Founded “Skillzo” at age 15, a non-profit providing skills, mentorship, and opportunities to 20,000+ disadvantaged Indian youths.
  • Winner of the $100,000 Global Student Prize by Chegg.org, selected from over 10,000 applicants.

• Key Insights:

  • Motivation: "I saw the challenges...in my family, the people around me, the community...That is what inspired me to push harder." ([01:18])
  • He credits the Internet for opening doors, learning skills like coding and entrepreneurship by self-teaching.
  • His mother is a principal inspiration, instilling values of “hard work, grit and frugality.” ([05:06])
  • Having surmounted a lack of infrastructure, his organization bridges skilled mentors and underprivileged youth.
  • On the Global Student Prize: "I couldn't believe it...everything has happened in such a short span of time, but at the same time it was full of gratitude, full of emotion." ([03:24])
  • Plans for the prize money: "I'll...spend the money...for impact, creating better quality impact and increasing...quantity and quality." ([06:34])
  • Vision: "My first step of changing the world is to change Bihar...doing social development and hopefully bring it to the entire world." ([07:00])

2. Mentoring Teenagers with Preschoolers

Segment starts at [08:08]

• UK-based scheme pairs struggling teenagers with pre-school children to improve attendance and engagement.
• Personal impact: Sienna, 13, overcame school anxiety: "She teaches me...I need to be more confident so I can communicate and help other people." ([08:13])
• Broader effects: "It's not just the teenagers who benefit. Often the toddler has additional needs..." ([10:15])
• Clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel Weisberg explains, "If children are responsible for a little child, they feel empowered...they feel like they're making a real difference." ([10:48])

3. Nigeria’s Record-Breaking Jollof Rice

Segment starts at [12:04]

• Nigeria sets a Guinness World Record for the largest pot of jollof rice—a historic moment in the light-hearted “jollof wars” rivalry among West African nations.
• Head chef Hilda Bassi: "We always say Nigeria, we are the giants of Africa...it only makes sense we are the ones that pioneer making the largest pot of Nigerian Jollof rice." ([12:51]–[13:11])
• Significance: National pride as well as global recognition.

4. Fat Bear Week in Alaska

Segment starts at [16:07]

• Katmai National Park’s “Fat Bear Week” engages global viewers in wildlife appreciation.
• Winner announcement: “Chunk, a towering brown bear with a broken jaw, has taken the top prize.” ([16:33])
• Ranger Christine Loberg: "When people are relaxed, they're happy. If bears are relaxed and well fed, they're happy. So people and bears, they have a lot in common." ([17:25])
• Educational value: Live webcams foster conservation awareness and environmental engagement.

5. Technology for Visually Impaired Football Fans

Segment starts at [21:14]

• Crystal Palace becomes the world’s first club to offer new sight-enhancing headsets at home games.
• 12-year-old Sophia describes the impact: "When I put it on, it helps me to see the game how I want to see it...I feel like I'm part of the crowd." ([23:04], [24:04])
• Device functions: Wearable headset with zoom and TV-cam integration for an immersive match experience.
• Mark Gay, Crystal Palace captain: "Giving children the opportunity to experience what we experience...is definitely something that I think everyone should be able to do." ([24:40])

6. Running Global Online Communities

Segment starts at [25:42]

• Focus on volunteer administrators managing large, worldwide Facebook meme groups.
• Jeff DeChambeau: “If you’re not good with boundaries, it could take up your entire day.” ([26:47])
• Jodie from Leeds: “I speak to some of these people more than I speak to my own family...I’d never thought I could be so close to people...who lived in like Bangladesh or America or Pakistan or South Africa.” ([27:30])
• Communities offer connection, support, and a sense of belonging across continents.

7. Understanding Autism – Leo Bird’s Story

Segment starts at [27:55]

• 12-year-old Leo Bird from Sydney publicly shares what it’s like to have autism and ADHD, using humor and honesty.
• Memorable moment: “I also say really random things that make no sense in conversations. Like telling someone when traffic lights are invented. No, seriously. It was 1868. You’re welcome.” ([28:47])
• On difference and acceptance: “Being different isn’t a bad thing. It’s just me. So if you ever meet someone with autism, don’t be mean to them. They may have a limited brain with bonus features, like me.” ([28:47])
• Message of empathy, uniqueness, and understanding for neurodivergent individuals.

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Memorable Quotes

• Ardash Kumar:

  • “My first step of changing the world is to change Bihar, which is my home state. So I’ll start from there...and hopefully bring it to the entire world.” ([07:00])
  • “I’ve learned hard work, grit, and frugality from my mother, which I use in my daily life, startups, whatever I do.” ([05:06])

• Sienna (Teen Mentor):

  • “She teaches me like that I need to be more confident so I can communicate and help other people.” ([08:13])

• Christine Loberg, Park Ranger:

  • “If bears are relaxed and well fed, they're happy. So people and bears, they have a lot in common as far as this goes.” ([17:25])

• Sophia (Football Fan with Sight Loss):

  • “Before it made me disconnected and now I feel like I'm part of the crowd.” ([24:04])

• Leo Bird:

  • “Some autistic kids struggle to make friends, but I’ve got the best mates ever. Yeah, they might think I’m a little bit weird or different, but that’s exactly why they like me. Because being different isn’t a bad thing. It’s just me.” ([28:47])

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Important Timestamps

• 01:18 — Introduction to Ardash Kumar’s story
• 03:24 — Ardash’s reaction to winning the Global Student Prize
• 05:06 — On lessons from his mother
• 07:00 — His future ambitions
• 08:08 — UK scheme: teens paired with preschoolers
• 12:04 — Nigeria’s jollof rice Guinness World Record
• 16:07 — Alaska’s Fat Bear Week winner announcement
• 17:25 — Ranger Christine Loberg on bears, conservation, and happiness
• 21:14 — Technology for partially sighted football fans
• 25:42 — The social side of running meme communities
• 27:55 — Leo Bird’s speech on autism

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Episode Tone & Language

The episode maintains an uplifting, personal, and engaging tone, with presenters and guests speaking directly and conversationally about their lives, struggles, and achievements. Stories are told with empathy, insight, and a focus on positive change and shared humanity.

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Conclusion

This Happy Pod episode shines a spotlight on diverse ways people uplift themselves and others—whether by overcoming personal adversity (Ardash Kumar), encouraging cross-generational learning, breaking culinary world records, celebrating wildlife, embracing new technology for inclusion, building digital communities, or sharing true stories to foster understanding and empathy.

Each segment delivers a hopeful perspective on global news and personal triumphs, leaving listeners with practical examples of everyday resilience, ingenuity, and connection.

Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.

[Asma Khalid]

This is the story of the One. As a custodial supervisor at a high school, he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast. It's why he partners with Grainger to stay fully stocked on the products and supplies he needs, from tissues to disinfectants to floor scrubbers. All so that he can help students, staff and teachers stay healthy and focused. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Jannat Jaleel]

This is the story of the 1.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

As head of maintenance at a concert hall, he knows the show must always go on. That's why he works behind the scenes, ensuring every light is working, the H.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Vac is humming, and his facility shines.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

With Grainger's supplies and solutions for every challenge he faces. Plus 24. 7 customer support.

[Jannat Jaleel]

His venue never misses a beat. Call quickgranger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. This is the Happy Pod from the BBC World Service. I'm Jannat Jaleel and in this edition.

[Ardash Kumar]

I saw the challenges, you know, in my family, you know, the people around me, the community, etc. That is what sort of inspired me to, you know, to, you know, push me, push me harder.

[Jannat Jaleel]

A remarkable 18 year old who's won a global prize for helping thousands of others get the skills and support they need to lift themselves out of poverty. Also, how other teenagers are learning life lessons from three year olds.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

She teaches me like that I need to be more confident so I can communicate and help other people.

[Jannat Jaleel]

We celebrate the fat bears of Alaska as a bulk up for winter.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

They were playful, they were mating. Bears that normally would fight were getting along. If bears are relaxed and well fed, they're happy. So people and bears, they have a lot in common as far as this.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

Goes and it helps me to see the game how I want to see it and it allows me to see the players, I can see their skills.

[Jannat Jaleel]

How new technology is helping partially sighted football fans. The beautiful game in all its glory. He's only 18, but Indian student Ardash Kumar is celebrating a remarkable achievement. Brought up by a single mother, he grew up in poverty in rural Bihar and aged just 14, he left home with $10 to get a better education. A year later, on a 10 tiny budget with a secondhand laptop bought with his mother's life savings, he created a non profit organization to help underprivileged young people get skills, mentorship and opportunities. Since then, 20,000 students across India have benefited. And Ardosh has just won a global student prize of $100,000 from US based educational technology company Chegg.org for his efforts. He was selected from more 10,000 students worldwide.

[Ardash Kumar]

I couldn't believe, you know, that, okay, this is actually happening. And you know, there's, you know, been so many first things for me during this trip. This is the first time that I've been traveling apart from India. So this is like first abroad trip for me. So I couldn't believe it. You know, everything has happened in such short span of time, but at the same time it was full of gratitude, full of emotion.

[Jannat Jaleel]

And it's all the more remarkable because you grew up in a part of rural Bihar where there weren't many opportunities. You had limited access to things like electricity, Internet. And you were brought up just by your mother.

[Ardash Kumar]

Yeah, I think, you know, growing up in Bihar, especially the rural part is, you know, what has made me what I do today. I saw the challenges, you know, in my family, you know, the people around me, the community, etc. That is what you sort of inspired me to, you know, to, you know, push me, push me harder. What I believe is that, you know, Internet has played a very important role in my life. And like any other kid, I also started searching things like how to hack, survey, surf, a game, you know, temple run, etc, etc. But I stumbled upon things like coding, entrepreneurship and you know, because I had seen so many problems, entrepreneurship, coding, technology seemed to be solution to do those. And every day there's been some challenge in life or you are reading stuff online and you know, you're getting inspired to do something. You're reading out Mahatma Gandhi, great leaders of the world, Nelson Mandela, and you're so inspired to do something. So that curiosity led me to learn about a lot of things and, you know, take action. That's why I started my first startup in grade 8.

[Jannat Jaleel]

How were you able to access the Internet?

[Ardash Kumar]

My mother spent, you know, her entire life saving to buy me a secondhand laptop. So that's how I got the Internet and the laptop, you know, to do work.

[Jannat Jaleel]

So your mother is clearly a big inspiration in your life.

[Ardash Kumar]

Thousand percent. I remember, you know, like when like my mom actually moved out of the village and she used to walk for kilometers, just, you know, and she used to say, okay, if I, you know, pay for this public transport, you know, I'll spend, you know, 10 rupees, which is, I don't know, it's not even half cent here. So she used to always tell us we could buy potatoes, vegetables for this money. So all of those things I think stayed within me. And I was too young. So all of those have been instilled inside me. And I think the most important, I've learned hard work, grit and frugality from my mother, which I use in my daily life, startups, whatever I do.

[Jannat Jaleel]

I mean, you're clearly very talented, but what inspired you to create a mentoring scheme for so many other young students when you yourself have a lot of obstacles that you had to overcome?

[Ardash Kumar]

Yeah, yeah. So as I mentioned, when I got the Internet, you know, I was doing a lot of stuff and I was trying to learn skills myself. So while I was learning skills in, you know, sitting in a village, I faced a lot of challenges in terms of getting exposure, getting mentorship, getting opportunities, getting recognition. You know, look for people who can just believe in you, right? Say that, oh, others just go for it, you can do it. And when I moved out of my hometown at the age of 14 and when I met all of these great people, I thought, why not connect both of these network. Look, now I have access to mentors now. I understand that pain point now, understand that problem. So I can't wait for someone else to solve this. So let's solve this. And entrepreneurship is all about problem solving.

[Jannat Jaleel]

And tell me, what will you do with the money you've won? $100,000?

[Ardash Kumar]

That's a very good question. I think, you know, this money has come for, you know, purpose as, you know, someone, some great person said great power comes with great responsibility. So I think I'll mostly going to spend the money, use the money very well for the impact, creating better quality impact and also increase in terms of number, so quantity and quality.

[Jannat Jaleel]

You're only 18 now, the world is your oyster. What's your end goal?

[Ardash Kumar]

When I was very, very young, I think I'm still young. But when I was very, very young, I wanted to make a utopian world. I wanted to make everything perfect. No one should be hungry, no one should be illiterate. Everyone should have access to everything. Now growing up after having sort of years experience, I think I've realized I've narrowed down and what I want to do is that I want to use policy, education, entrepreneurs bring change in society and in fact in the world. And I always say this, that, you know, my first step of changing world is to change Bihar, which is my home state. So I'll start from there, changing the lives of people, you know, doing social development and hopefully, you know, bring it to the world, entire world.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Inspirational student Ardosh Kumar, the founder of the mentoring scheme Skillzo, this time of year sees students returning to school in many countries around the world. And while many children swiftly get back into the swing of things, for others, it's not so easy. One charity here in the UK has come up with an unusual idea to help teenagers who struggle with attendance and engagement. As Rebecca Wood reports, it involves pairing them with pre school children.

[Rebecca Wood]

13 year old Sienna never thought she'd be taking life lessons from a three year old.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

She teaches me like that I need to be more confident so I can communicate and help other people. I thought it'd just be something fun to do, but it's helped me really a lot.

[Rebecca Wood]

Sienna's part of a scheme that pairs teenagers with toddlers from a local nursery in a bid to help their engagement with school and learning. Before meeting 3 year old Tia, she says she was often absent.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I'd never be in school. I'd be like hiding somewhere or I'd be at home. I just had a lot of anxiety. But then ever since I came here, I've learned more about how to communicate, so it's been a lot better and then my attendance has improved.

[Rebecca Wood]

The issue of school avoidance is a big one around the world. Many assume it's a problem accelerated by the COVID pandemic when schools were shut for long periods of time. In reality, statistics appear to show global attendance has seen improvements since then. But for many countries, such as the UK, persistent absence rates remain a concern. 12 year old Miller is another pupil taking part in the scheme. He struggled to stay in class because he has a lot of energy, making it hard for him to sit still. But after his sessions with three year old Andrew, he's been able to focus more on his schoolwork.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I was a bit nervous. It took me like two weeks to say yes because I was really energetic and this will just make me really, really calm.

[Rebecca Wood]

Power 2, the charity that runs the scheme, gets referrals from schools, then takes teenagers out of class for one afternoon or morning a week to mentor their nursery buddy. Sam Marcus is the Director of services and says a lot of thought is put into the pairings.

[Jannat Jaleel]

We try and match them on personality.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

So we might have some young people.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Who really struggle to contain their energy, if you like.

[Asma Khalid]

So we pair them up with similar types of smaller children and it just helps them to balance out.

[Jannat Jaleel]

I think it's more often than not young people are not given those positions of trust and responsibility and they really thrive in that environment and it's not.

[Rebecca Wood]

Just the teenagers who benefit. Often the toddler has additional needs, such as speech and language delays or difficulty making friends. Lisa, who teaches at one of the nurseries involved, said it has a big impact on the younger children too.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

They know it's their special person, just having that one to one time for that hour each Friday.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

It's just lovely to see when the.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

Teenagers come in and children going over.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Hugging them and it's just amazing.

[Rebecca Wood]

Dr. Daniel Weisberg is a consultant clinical psychologist and regularly works with young people who are feeling disconnected from their education. So why do schemes like this work?

[Narrator/Host]

Think about when children are at school. There's a lot of rules and none of it is under children's control. This program in particular says what if we give them a responsibility? If children are responsible for a little child, they feel empowered, they learn from what works and what doesn't. And children feel like they're making a real difference.

[Rebecca Wood]

And while this scheme is just one small programme aiming to help with a very complex issue of school avoidance, it's something or indeed someone so small that can sometimes make the biggest difference.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Rebecca Wood Countries can get competitive about their national dishes, and Nigeria has just turned up the heat in a food debate that has lasted for decades. Who makes the best jollof rice? It's a popular meal across West Africa, typically made from long grain rice, tomatoes and spices, often with other vegetables or meat. But each country has its own version, and in a friendly rivalry known as the jollof wars, people clash over the origin of this staple dish and of course, whose tastes best. Now, as Kiran Galpin reports, a woman in Nigeria has secured the Guinness World Record for the largest ever pot of it.

[Narrator/Host]

Music 10 chefs and 9,000 kilos of food, all for a Guinness World Record attempt in Lagos, Nigeria. While many of us are bored by the humdrum of daily cooking, one woman had a different view. Cooking as much jollof rice as she possibly could, this announcer narrated her effort.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

We about to do something amazing tonight. We ain't slipping.

[Narrator/Host]

The dish required a huge amount of ingredients. 4,000 kilos of rice and 170 kilos of goat meat, for example. And 300 people took two months making the pot, which still broke as the dish was weighed. But there was enough evidence to win her world record. Here's the head chef, Hilda Bassi.

[Asma Khalid]

We always say Nigeria, we are the giants of Africa.

[Jannat Jaleel]

And jello fries is a discourse that.

[Narrator/Host]

Has been happening, you know, within so many African countries.

[Jannat Jaleel]

And sometimes if you go to random countries, you would find someone and Say you're Nigeria and the first thing they ask you is about Jollof rice, right? So I figured as the giants of.

[Asma Khalid]

Africa, it only makes sense that we.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Are the ones that pioneer making the largest pot of Nigerian Jollof rice.

[Narrator/Host]

Those who had queued up to watch got behind her attempt and were supportive of her culinary patriotism.

[Ardash Kumar]

She's placed us on the map and.

[Narrator/Host]

She'S doing it again. It's amazing.

[Ardash Kumar]

Like setting a very good record for Nigeria and Nigerians. Like, she's representing everybody. So it's amazing. I'm so happy.

[Narrator/Host]

Jolof rice.

[Ardash Kumar]

You know the vibe now, how they talk about Ghana, Jollof and Nigerian Jollof. Nigerian Jollof the best.

[Narrator/Host]

Some felt the Jollof wars were settled after United Nations Cultural Organization UNESCO declared Senegal the originator of the dish. But with this Guinness World Record, Nigeria can claim a different piece of Jollof heritage.

[Jannat Jaleel]

That report by Kieran Galpin. Still to come in the happy pod.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I've got the best mates ever. Yeah, they might think I'm a little bit weird or different, but that's exactly why they like me. Because being different isn't a bad thing. It's just me.

[Jannat Jaleel]

How a 12 year old is helping to improve our understanding of autism.

[Asma Khalid]

This is the story of the 1. As a custodial supervisor at a high school, he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast. It's why he partners with Granger to stay fully stocked on the products and supplies he needs, from tissues to disinfectants to floor scrubbers. All so that he can help students, staff and teachers stay healthy and focused. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Narrator/Host]

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, dc.

[Narrator/Host]

I'm Tristan Redman in London, and this is the Global Story.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story.

[Asma Khalid]

From this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Narrator/Host]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Asma Khalid]

This is the story of the 1. As a custodial supervisor at a high school, he knows that during cold and flu season, germs spread fast. It's why he partners with Grainger to stay fully stocked on the products and supplies he needs, from tissues to disinfectants to floor scrubbers. All so that he can help students, staff and teachers stay healthy and focused. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click granger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Now to Alaska where the race has been on to crown the winner of the prestigious annual Fat Bear Week. People have been voting for their favourites in Katmai national park as the bears eat their way to adequate fatness to prepare for winter hibernation, organizers encouraged voters to pick the one they believed best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears. And this was the announcement on tv.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

We have a winner. Chunk, a towering brown bear with a.

[Narrator/Host]

Broken jaw, has taken the top prize.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

In Alaska's popular fat bear contest. This is Chunk's first win after narrowly.

[Narrator/Host]

Finishing in second place the three previous years.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

The annual competition, for those who haven't been following it, it allows viewers to.

[Narrator/Host]

Follow 12 Bears on live webcams. Then they can cast their ballots in.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

A bracket style single elimination tournament.

[Narrator/Host]

By the way, Chunk weighs an estimated £1,200.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

I know. And he has a broken jaw, so he's playing injured. That's true.

[Asma Khalid]

And he still prevails.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

What an athlete.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Well, Chunk took the title from two time winner Grazer. But Grazer's cub, Little Miss Biggie was crowned junior champion. Adrienne White spoke to a park ranger at Katmai, Christine Loberg.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

What we like to do with this celebration is to celebrate these bears and how they're going to survive through hibernation. It's definitely from an environmental perspective. It's to keep people involved with environment, to learn about bears, to learn about our national parks, all those three. And it does work. People, they watch these programs, they do want to come to parks and see bears or just enjoy wildlife in general, which is really important. This year at Katmai national park we had a record salmon run. It was one of the biggest salmon runs in. Wow. It could have been 100 years even. And the bears did amazingly fine this year, eating plenty of calories by taking advantage of the salmon run. They could go anywhere to get salmon this year, which was, which was really exciting. You could walk along anywhere and see bears and they were playful, they were mating. Bears that normally would fight, were getting along. It was just to show us what happens when people are relaxed, how they act. Bears are the same way because if people are relaxed, they're happy. If bears are relaxed and well fed, they're happy. So people and bears, they have a lot in common as far as this goes.

[Narrator/Host]

People are mainly interacting with the bears virtually Aren't they? How do you think having people engaged.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

That way, that plays an important role.

[Narrator/Host]

In preservation of environment?

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

It does play a big role, because this way, people, if they cannot make it to Katmai or any national park, they still could enjoy wildlife in their living room. And so this is really nice that explore.org has these cameras not just at Katmai, but all over the world. You could go to Africa, you could go to other places to watch, you know, other animals. It educates people how important our world is and how important wildlife is in our world and how important preservation of these amazing animals all over the world, not just a Katmai happens to be, because this is a. Our planet's amazing planet and we have amazing animals and we need to preserve all these wild creatures that are roaming around the Earth. I love just enjoying and looking at what we have to offer to show people from all around the world in our national parks. And one thing that our national parks do is they preserve land so it won't be developed. So it's pretty much the way it was found a long time ago at the beginning of time. So the habitat is there, is protected, so we can have wildlife in all our national parks. And this is everywhere from Katmai national park in Alaska, Denali national park, all the way down to the lower 48s where we have Yellowstone, Yosemite, Tetons. All parks have something different to offer. Even the Everglades, every park has something unique to offer, and people will go to their nearest national park to explore the animals. It could even be sea animals, it could be the Channel Islands, it could be whatever. And they have these amazing experiences interacting with nature and wildlife, and then they want to be out in wildlife, in nature as well.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

Why do you think people love bears so much?

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

I think they love bears because they are a mystery. I mean, let's face it, we don't know too many animals that of the size of a bear that will go on hibernation for many months and then come out and just start acting, you know, living life again, that's very fascinating to many people. And people, I believe, love looking at anything that's untamed. Today's world that seems like it's shrinking, to know that there's somewhere in the world where animals are still like they were hundreds of years ago, living like they were hundreds of years ago in places that aren't developed. It. It makes it special for them because they go back in time and they are really having a nice experience by just enjoying nature up Close and personal in their living room or in person.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Katmai national park ranger Christine Loberg. And you can see the bears and animals from across the [e-mail] livecams. New technology is helping football fans with sight problems to get more out of going to live games. It's been developed with the English Premier League club Crystal palace and 12 year old Sophia, who is registered blind, is one of the first to try it. Ricky Boleto went to meet her.

[Narrator/Host]

It's match day at Crystal Palace. We're here at Selhurst park where loads of people are getting excited for kickoff, including superfan Sophia.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I've been a fan since I was nine years old.

[Narrator/Host]

Since you were nine. What do you love about the game?

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I love the atmosphere, the crowds, the goals.

[Narrator/Host]

Sofia is now 12 and is registered blind due to a rare condition called bimacular atrophy. Can you remember what it was like when you went to your first match?

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I couldn't really see the players facial expressions or who scored that goal. I can't really see all of the detail in the game. It's very blurry for me and also I can't really see like the players kicking the ball.

[Narrator/Host]

According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People, blind and partially sighted fans are half as likely to attend live sporting events compared to the UK average. But now, thanks to cutting edge tech and a South London football club willing to lead the charge, that might be about to change. Crystal palace has become the first football club in the world to offer new sight enhancing headsets at home games, helping visually impaired fans experience football like never before.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

When I put it on, it helps me to see the game how I want to see it and it allows me to see the players, I can see their skills.

[Narrator/Host]

So you're seeing all of that footage which could be so far away up close in front of your eyes. The technology is made by London based startup Give Vision. Joanna Liddington explains how it works.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

The headset Sophia is using works in two main ways. There's a camera on the headset itself, which Sofia can choose to look at whatever she wants to with this joystick. You can zoom in, you can zoom out, but the other function is she can connect in with the TV cameras. So around the pitch there's lots of different people filming what's going on and that's why you see at home and she's getting what you see at home in her headset in real time at the stadium.

[Narrator/Host]

And the difference for Sofia has been remarkable.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

Before it made me disconnected and now I feel like I'm part of the crowd.

[Narrator/Host]

As the game begins, a wider vision takes shape and the hope that other London clubs will follow Palace's lead.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

This could be a girl.

[Narrator/Host]

And after the final whistle, a surprise. Sofia meets her hero, palace captain Mark Gay. Did you know you were going to meet Mark today?

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

No.

[Narrator/Host]

No. So this is a huge surprise. It's so important that Sofia is here today because she's using this special kit to make sure that she can see.

[Ardash Kumar]

Yeah.

[Narrator/Host]

Do you think it's something that lots of children should be able to get access to? I think so. I think so. Giving children the opportunity to experience what we experience and maybe things that they're not able to experience to the fullest. Definitely something that I think everyone should. Everyone should be able to do.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

Would you agree? Yes.

[Ardash Kumar]

Good, good, good.

[Narrator/Host]

This could be the beginning of a brighter, clearer future for fans with sight loss.

[Jannat Jaleel]

That report by Ricky Boleto. We've been hearing how the Internet helped a poor boy from India to achieve great things as well as winning a big prize. And another wonderful thing about the Internet is that however niche your hobby is, you can probably find an online community of people who share it. Facebook alone claims more than one and a half billion people use its groups every month. But what about running these online communities? Giving up your free time to approve posts and stop the endless inevitable arguments? Our reporter will chalk's been meeting people who do it and asking them why.

[Narrator/Host]

My name is Jeff DeChambeau. I'm turning 40 in a couple months and yeah, I guess years and years ago I got fired from my job and got into Simpsons memes and wound up co creating Simpsons blog post site. Jeff's Facebook group is for people who like to make memes based around American TV show the Simpsons. They'll take a freeze frame from the show, modify it or put some text over it to make a joke and post it in the group. If you think it sounds niche, you're wrong. It's got more than 400,000 members from all over the world and running it, Jeff says, can feel like a full time job. If you're not good with boundaries, it could take up your entire day. The bulk of the work, according to Jeff, is making sure new posts follow the group's rules and the arguments in the comments section don't violate Facebook's rules and get the group banned. Jeff has never made a single penny for his efforts. So why do it? Well, his answer is more life affirming than you might expect. We really tried to have a culture of encouraging people to create a new.

[Ardash Kumar]

Meme for the very first time and.

[Narrator/Host]

Then they would just love it and.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

Then they would make another one and another and just get better and better and better.

[Narrator/Host]

Yeah, I really liked having that impact on people's lives.

[Park Ranger / Expert (Christine Loberg)]

Basically you load up the group, you're.

[Narrator/Host]

Not feeling good, you see some memes, you laugh. Hopefully that spirals out a little bit. In another corner of the Internet, I meet Jody, who's from Leeds in England.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I feel like everybody likes memes. It's the thing that you do when you want to cheer somebody up, you send them a funny meme.

[Narrator/Host]

She gives up around two hours a day to moderate three meme pages based around Harry Potter, Marvel and Squid Game. She says the people on the meme pages who she's never met are some of her best friends.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

I speak to some of these people more than I speak to my own family. These people become like super, super close that you just almost forget the online aspect of it. It's. I never thought that I could be so close to people that, you know, lived in like Bangladesh or America or Pakistan or South Africa. Like it's been an eye opener and it's. Yeah, I wouldn't change it.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Meme fan Jodie ending that report by Will Chalk. We started this episode with an inspirational 18 year old and we thought we would end it with an inspirational 12 year old boy who's been attracting wides spread praise on social media across Australia and beyond for opening up about being autistic. Leo Bird chose to talk personally about his diagnosis in front of his whole school in Sydney in the hope of helping others and his mother, then posted it online. Leo, who also has adhd, compared himself to a limited edition Lego set, saying, I'm not broken and just built different. His speech, which won the school's Young Communicator Competition, was designed to help people understand the condition and give other young people with autism someone to relate to.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

Even if you show me something 475 times, I still might not remember, especially if it's boring. But if it's something I love, I'll remember every detail. I also worry about a lot of things like what's for dinner at 7am, what car we're taking to school, what time we're leaving, what time we're coming back. Basically, I'm the family's artificial calendar. I sometimes dip, which means I do little movements that help me feel calm, especially when I'm anxious. And yes, I toe walk, but I like to think of that as giving myself some extra height. I also say really random things that make no sense in conversations. Like telling someone what your traffic lights are invented. No, seriously, it was 1868. You're welcome. Some autistic kids struggle to make friends, but I've got the best mates ever. Yeah, they might think I'm a little bit weird or different, but that's exactly why they like me. Because being different isn't a bad thing. It's just me. So if you ever meet someone with autism, don't be mean to them. They might just have a limited brain with bonus features like me. Anyway, if you excuse me, I've got an elevator video to watch on YouTube.

[Jannat Jaleel]

Thank you. That was 12 year old Leo Bird from Sydney. And that's all from the Happy Pod for now. But if you want to comment on anything in this episode or you have a happy or inspiring story you think we should cover, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email or a voice Note to Global PodcastBC and you can now watch some of our interviews on YouTube. Just search for the Happy Pod. This edition was mixed by Holly Smith. The producers were Holly Gibbs, Harry Bly and Rachel Bulkley. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Janak Jalil. Until next time, goodbye.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Narrator/Host]

But what's happening in America isn't just the cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, DC.

[Narrator/Host]

I'm Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global story.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story.

[Asma Khalid]

From this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Narrator/Host]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Guest/Interviewee (various, including Sophia, Leo Bird, and others)]

It.