Podcast Summary: V Interesting with V Spehar

Bonus Episode: CARE for Women, Girls, and Global Equality

Date: March 28, 2023
Guest: Emily Janock, Senior Director of Thought Leadership, Knowledge Management and Learning at CARE
Host: V Spehar (Under the Desk News)
Producer: Lemonada Media

Episode Overview

This episode dives deeply into the global work of CARE, an organization dedicated to fighting poverty and promoting social justice, with a specific emphasis on women and girls. Guest Emily Janock shares CARE’s systemic approach, the importance of community-led solutions, the intersection of gender and global crises (such as hunger and climate change), and the ongoing challenges and strategies for achieving equality and empowering local leaders. The conversation is rich with practical examples, personal stories, and actionable insights for listeners who want to help.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. CARE’s Mission and Approach (00:42–03:08)

• CARE's global presence: Operating in over 100 countries, CARE tailors its work to local community needs, which can range from savings groups in Niger to literacy classes or legal advocacy elsewhere.
• Systemic Change: CARE differentiates itself by looking at individual, relational, and systemic factors:
  • Individual needs (education, savings)
  • Relationship dynamics (family, social roles)
  • Systems-level barriers (legal rights, mobility, economic access)
• Emily Janock: "You can't assume that a woman will do it all by herself. Other things in her life need to change... CARE is relatively unique that we look at all of those pieces together." (02:27)

2. Working with Communities—Listening, Not Dictating (03:14–08:24)

• Village Savings and Loan Associations: Inspired by local women in Niger who requested savings support, not tree-planting—one of Emily's favorite stories.
  • Now engaging nearly 14 million women through CARE-facilitated groups, with many more formed independently.
• Community-Led Change: CARE’s most successful projects often begin with communities challenging CARE’s assumptions.
• Learning from Feedback: Trust is built when communities feel empowered to say no or suggest alternatives.
• On Building Trust: "To me, the best signal of that trust is when a community tells us no... If they're willing to say that to you, you've started to build that relationship." (07:56)

3. Prioritizing Impact and Do No Harm (05:12–10:42)

• Reaching the Marginalized: CARE's priority is to focus on the most marginalized, not the easiest-to-help or most lucrative beneficiaries.
• Do No Harm: Any intervention is carefully weighed to minimize risk—whether gathering sensitive data, running surveys, or distributing aid—and accountability measures are built into operations (annual reports, feedback loops, staff training).
• On Data Collection: "If you don’t know exactly how that is going to inform your decisions, don’t ask." (10:57)

4. From CARE Packages to Community Control (11:32–14:54)

• Evolving Aid: CARE has shifted from sending predetermined “care packages” to empowering recipients to choose what they need, leading to stronger outcomes and buy-in.
• Communities Give Back: Many beneficiaries, such as women in Somalia or Yemen, pay it forward—helping even those poorer than themselves.
• Most-Requested Items: Soap and hygiene items are most valued, symbolizing dignity and practical needs.
• On the Meaning of Soap: "The difference between having soap and not having soap is often life changing." (14:54, interviewer)

5. Gender and Global Crises: Climate & Hunger (17:33–21:49)

• Hunger and Gender Inequality: Women are disproportionately affected: "150 million more women than men in the world…don’t know where their next meal is coming from. That’s as much as all the women in the United States." (17:52)
• Cultural Barriers: Social and cultural norms often mean women eat less or not at all during crises.
  • "A woman who eats before her husband is considered a bad woman who only cares about filling her stomach." (19:07, Ethiopian woman)
• Women as Farmers: CARE trains and supports women as farmers, challenging stereotypes and systemic barriers (access, land rights, mobility).
• Systemic Changes: Change isn't just training—it's about engaging men, shifting family expectations, and changing access to credit and resources.

6. Education, Child Marriage, and COVID Impacts (22:55–26:18)

• Interconnected Barriers: Girls' education is disrupted by housework and child marriage. COVID-19 exacerbated pre-existing gender inequalities, with women bearing heavier childcare and losing income opportunities.
• Children’s Insights: A story from India underscores young girls’ awareness of unfair burdens and hopes for equality.
• COVID Findings: "During the earthquake [in Turkey], women are doing five times more household work than men are, regardless of their employment status." (25:11)

7. Research, Reports, and Surprising Findings

(26:24–31:32)

• CARE's “She Told Us So” Report: Showed COVID widened existing inequalities, with a large sample of 28,000+ women in 40+ countries.
• Unexpected Discoveries: In Bangladesh, women’s restricted movement was less about virus fear and more about “men in my life think COVID-19 is caused by women’s rights.”
• Adapting Programs: Solutions included local leader engagement, peer dialogues, and men’s community involvement—not just hygiene training.
• On Adaptability: COVID forced CARE to rely more on local insight and leadership—removing the illusion of “outside expert” control.

8. Adapting, Learning, and Local Leadership (31:42–36:41)

• Learning Fast: Humanitarian response often requires action before perfect information is available.
• Empowerment During COVID: The pandemic accelerated local ownership and resilience, e.g., having local staff innovate rather than flying in outsiders.
• On Stepping Back: CARE is learning when to leave space for local organizations and leadership.
• Sustainable Change: Long-term impact comes from systems-level action and shifting global, not just local, narratives.

9. Listening—Centering Women’s Voices (34:47–38:31)

• New Report “Her Voice: Listening to Women in Action”: Shifts narrative from women as victims to women as leaders and agents of change.
• Actionable Advice to Listeners:
  • Listen beyond traditional sources, challenge your own assumptions
  • Write to decisionmakers about absent female perspectives
  • *Step back from “savior” mindsets—"stop thinking of yourself as an expert and think of yourself as customer service." (36:16)
  • Support organizations and causes driven by people closest to the problem

10. Fighting Misinformation (38:31–40:34)

• Effective Messengers: Everyday people and trusted community leaders are more persuasive than celebrities in public health campaigns.
• Storytelling Over Sound Bites: Giving voice to individuals’ lived experience is more powerful than debates or slogans.

11. What’s Next for CARE (40:34–41:49)

• Continued focus: Global hunger crisis, elevating women’s agency in narratives, and shifting to more support for local organizations.
• Keep Up With CARE: Visit care.org for reports, the “Failing Forward” podcast, and research.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "CARE is relatively unique that we look at all of those pieces together." — Emily Janock (02:27)
• "The best signal of that trust is when a community tells us no... you’ve started to build that relationship." — Emily Janock (07:56)
• "If you don’t know exactly how [data] is going to inform your decisions, don’t ask." — Emily Janock (10:57)
• "150 million more women than men...don’t know where their next meal is coming from. That's as much as all women in the US." — Emily Janock (17:52)
• “A woman who eats before her husband is considered a bad woman who only cares about filling her stomach.” — Ethiopian woman quoted by Emily (19:07)
• “Stop thinking of yourself as an expert and think of yourself as customer service.” — Emily Janock (36:16)
• "On data and information: You can't fight a soundbite with a paragraph." — Emily Janock (38:41)
• "COVID-19 is caused by women's rights." — Women in Bangladesh, as retold by Emily (26:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Topic | Approx. Timestamps (MM:SS) | |---------|-------|---------------------------| | 00:42–03:08 | CARE’s mission + unique approach | | 03:14–08:24 | Community-led programs & feedback | | 05:12–10:42 | Prioritizing impact & do no harm | | 11:32–14:54 | Care packages: from top-down to community choice | | 17:33–21:49 | Hunger, gender, and global crisis | | 22:55–26:18 | Education, COVID, and household inequality | | 26:24–31:32 | Reports and adapting to local insights | | 31:42–36:41 | Local leadership, post-pandemic adaptation | | 34:47–38:31 | Centering women’s voices & actionable advice | | 38:31–40:34 | Misinformation & communication strategies | | 40:34–41:49 | What’s next for CARE + resources |

For Further Listening/Reading

• CARE’s website and reports: care.org
• “Failing Forward” podcast by CARE: Podbean/Apple Podcasts
• Socials: @underthedesknews (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)
• Lemonada Media for more from “V Interesting”

Summary Tone

The conversation is energetic, hopeful, and grounded in real-world challenges, with an emphasis on humility, listening, and the powerful agency of women and local communities. The episode encourages listeners to think critically, support locally led solutions, and recognize their own role in global equality—as advocates, donors, and more informed citizens.

Summary compiled for those looking to understand the key ideas, stories, and actionable advice from this episode without missing the practical, compassionate, and empowering tone set by the host and guest.