Part 2 with Alex Cole Acosta dives into hip hop’s staying power, how to build value and community in a “post-social media” era, and why cyphers—rooted in respect, responsibility, and knowledge—can travel from Atlanta to Lagos, Joburg, and Nairobi. We talk playlists, third spaces, pandemic resilience, AI and authenticity, and practical advice for hosting inclusive cyphers.

Highlights

• Culture > genre: why hip hop keeps evolving
• From scarcity to surplus: finding value together
• The cypher’s core values: respect • responsibility • knowledge
• Creative place-keeping vs. place-making
• AI as tool, not soul: why policy matters
• Pan-African bridges: circles with no hierarchy

Learn more / support: @soulfoodcypher | soulfoodcypher.com

Follow Change Narratives on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn & Instagram.

In Part 1, Alex Cole Acosta (Founder, Soul Food Cypher) takes us inside the cypher—how freestyle rap became a space for healing, education, and community in Atlanta. We talk fathers and kids sharing stages, rebuilding “third spaces,” and how this living oral tradition can translate across African cities—from Lagos to Joburg and Nairobi—rooted in local rhythms and languages.

Highlights

• The moment the cypher became a tool for healing
• Why consistent, safe spaces matter for youth and adults
• Passing culture across generations
• Building chapters in Africa grounded in local sound

Learn more / Support @soulfoodcypher | soulfoodcypher.com

Follow Change Narratives on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to the very first episode of Change Narratives!

In this introduction, hosts Dumebi Okwuosah (Nigeria) and Adi Ramaite (South Africa) share the story behind Change Narratives, a platform born out of the 2025 Mandela Washington Fellowship at Georgia State University.

This episode is a candid conversation about why this podcast exists: to tell real stories about Africa’s development — beyond headlines and statistics — through the voices of the people driving change. Dumebi and Adi reflect on their journey as fellows, their passion for collaboration, and their hopes for what this platform will grow into. From music that connects us across borders to the projects and innovations shaping Africa’s future, this is where authentic conversations begin.

Tune in as they set the stage for a season full of inspiring guests, bold ideas, and stories that refine systems, reclaim voices, and reshape Africa.

In this special episode of Change Narratives, Dumebi introduces Alex Cole Acosta, founder of Soul Food Cypher—an Atlanta nonprofit using freestyle rap to heal, educate, and empower communities.

Born from a love of hip hop and community, Soul Food Cypher showcases the positive side of rap, turning it into a tool for literacy, leadership, and connection. Alex’s story isn’t just about Atlanta—it sparks a bigger question: what would it look like to bring this innovation home to Africa’s vibrant music scene?

At Change Narratives, we spotlight the ideas, people, and stories shaping Africa’s journey to development. This is one of them.

Follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to stay part of the conversation.

In this episode, the team talks honestly about what the work looks like from week to week.

They talk about how they start with needs assessments, why they build “rules of engagement” instead of strict rules, and how affirmations slowly help the shy girls speak up. You will also hear the story of a girl who struggled with anger and how a simple side conversation helped her feel understood for the first time.

The team also explains how they choose the girls, why they lose some to early marriage, and how each kit is tailored — from sewing tools to baking apprenticeships to Canva Pro subscriptions for girls who want to do more digital work.

They share how volunteers switch between English and Hausa to make learning easier, how partners step in when budgets are tight, and why follow-up after graduation matters just as much as the classes.

It is thoughtful, real work — nothing rushed, nothing performative.

If you want to support them or just send encouragement, find them on Instagram: @risewithwingsinitiative. And follow us at @changenarratives_ for more stories like this.

#ChangeNarratives #WINGS #GirlsInIDPCamps #RealStories

Part One focuses on how WINGS started and why the team chose to work with girls in IDP camps.

Tomi, Wadi, and Olumide discuss their personal experiences growing up, the connection to the stories of these girls and women, and the desire they felt to effect change. They also discuss how years of volunteering eventually evolved into what WINGS is today.

You will hear:

– The experiences that shaped their “why”

– How their friendship became a foundation for the work

– Their first interactions with the camp

– Why they decided to focus on girls specifically

Part One is the beginning. Part Two takes you into the actual program and what the girls are learning, so stay tuned.

You can follow us across our different channels: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Also, find more information on the WINGS Initiative here:

YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@wingsinitiative-j4t?fbclid=PAZnRzaAOEVDpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAad6IT9RT9QgVtXp_dAoT3xivHwSirvSCq3L2hSzjtB0cUyQGwXPnjCJ3PaACA_aem_2WMrNqHPqb-ft9qHgaZDAA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/risewithwingsinitiativenigeria/

What if real reform begins with reflection?

this episode of Change Narratives, Victor Adejoh, Country Director at Synergos Nigeria, shares how self-awareness, deep listening, and empathy can transform not just leaders but the systems they shape. Through his work in agriculture and governance, Victor explains how inner work leads to outer change: from nature-based leadership practices and journaling, to policy reforms and using data to drive smarter government action. He also unpacks what it means to be a courageous leader — one who accepts failure, practices humility, and builds bridges across divides. In this conversation, we explore:

1. How nature and reflection build trust and authenticity

2. The role of data and empathy in reforming systems

3.What “bridging leadership” really means in practice

4. Why collaboration, not competition, drives lasting change

5. Lessons for young Africans shaping the future of leadership

🎧 Listen if you care about change-making, leadership, and building systems people can trust.

Learn more about Synergos: https://www.synergos.org

🔗 Follow Victor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-a-05344a142?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app 🎥 Watch Part 1 of this conversation and Explore more stories at https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

#ChangeNarratives #VictorAdejoh #BridgingLeadership #SystemsChange #AuthenticLeadership #SynergosNigeria #InnerWorkForChange #FromReflectionToReforms #AfricanLeadership #Changemaking #LeadershipDevelopment #GovernanceReform #PublicPolicy #DataForDevelopment

What does it really take to build systems people can trust?

In this conversation, Victor Adejoh, clinical psychologist and Country Director of Synergos Nigeria, breaks it down not through theories, but through lived experience.

We talk about the quiet work behind real leadership: listening, empathy, and the courage to see yourself as part of both the problem and the solution.

This episode goes inside the Synergos approach to bridging leadership — a way of working that builds trust across governments, communities, and organizations.

Victor shares stories of how play became a tool for connection, how self-awareness shapes policy, and why leaders need to do their inner work before they can lead others.

In this episode:

• Why play, not pressure, sometimes unlocks the real work

• How empathy and compassion make better policies

• What “bridging leadership” looks like in practice

• Why every leader — no matter where they sit — needs to do the inner work first

#ChangeNarratives #VictorAdejoh #Synergos #TrustIsInfrastructure #BridgingLeadership #Empathy #Leadership #SystemsChange #Nigeria #Community #InnerWork #AfricaStories #InclusiveDevelopment

This week, we took a breath. We’ve been filming, editing, re-editing, and dreaming up new ways to tell real stories, and it felt right to pause and look at how far we’ve come. From August till now, Change Narratives has grown into a small but mighty community, and I just wanted to say thank you.

In this episode, I walk you through where we started, what’s live now, and what’s coming next:

1. The launch of our website and blog (yep, finally live!)
2. A look back at past episodes: Alex Acosta — founder of Soul Food Cypher, on how hip-hop heals and builds community. Noel Mushinzimana — on climate, peace, and youth as agents of change. Onyedika Nwadukwe — on identity, authenticity, and the courage to show up. Ubah Thomas Ubah — on leadership, social protection, and doing the inner work behind big systems.
3. And a preview of our next guest, Mr. Victor Adejoh, Country Director at Synergos Nigeria, who talks about empathy, self-awareness, and the power of bridging leadership. It’s been humbling to watch this project grow, from two mics and an idea to a platform that connects people, systems, and stories.
4. 💡 New here? Subscribe and follow us on all our channels: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_sharewww.changenarratives.org
5. Read our first blog post, Send in your own story or field reflection, Join our newsletter community Thank you for watching, listening, and building with us. This is Change Narratives — refining systems, reclaiming voices, reshaping Africa. #ChangeNarratives #AfricanStorytelling #StorytellingForChange #LeadershipInAfrica #SocialImpact #SystemsChange #RefiningSystems #ReclaimingVoices #ReshapingAfrica #PodcastReflection #BehindTheScenes #SynergosNigeria #BridgingLeadership #EmpathyInLeadership #CommunityDevelopment #InnerWork #HumanSideOfPolicy #DevelopmentStories #AfricanChangemakers

In this final part of our conversation, Ubah Thomas Ubah reflects on what makes social impact last. We go beyond policies and systems to talk about sustainability, financing, and the foundations that outlive any single project — the social registry, digital payments, and long-term government commitment.

But we also get personal: Ubah opens up about what keeps him going outside of work — mentoring young people, supporting displaced girls through WINGS, and why education and skills remain his most powerful tools for change. We even learn about his love for dancing and his view of “good social impact” as something everyone gets to win from.

This isn’t just a policy conversation — it’s a reminder that systems are only as strong as the people behind them.

Watch/Listen now on:

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@changenarratives?si=WFWMxuk8yuexqgVN

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2dxCDVEtRXkeycOhH0oVDf?si=YXxMI1NLTJGSP8qk9pVZsg

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ng/podcast/change-narratives/id1836270269

#ChangeNarratives #PodcastAfrica #AfricaPodcast #SocialImpactStories #SocialProtection #InclusiveSystems #DigitalPayments #PeopleFirst #StorytellingForChange #TrustworthySystems #WorldBank

We often discuss delivery, but what does it truly mean to transition from identifying people in need to actually reaching them? In this part, Ubah takes us through how trust is built not by owning every piece of the puzzle, but by connecting the right people, aligning their different interests, and keeping the process flexible when the straight-line plan doesn’t work.

From Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Program for Nigeria (NG-CARES) to Nigeria's National Social Safety Net Program Scale-Up (NASSP-SU), he breaks down how cash transfers, the social registry, and National Identification Numbers (NIN) integration come together, why data matters more than anything else, and how even the best systems fail if the personalities behind them can’t work together.

This isn’t theory, it’s the story of what it takes to make safety nets real for millions of households.

🎧 Listen on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts via Linktree: https://linktr.ee/changenarratives25?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Creating sustainable impact is never straightforward. It’s about understanding vested interests, building trust, and leading with humility.

In Part 1 of our conversation, Ubah Thomas Ubah (Senior Social Protection Specialist, World Bank) shares how change really happens — not by imposing solutions, but by putting people first.

In this episode you’ll hear:

1. How vested interests quietly shape decisions and outcomes

2. Why humility and emotional intelligence often matter more than expertise

3. What “people first” means in practice when designing programs that last

4. How human-centered design connects technology with social protection for real results

Ubah reminds us that sustainable impact doesn’t begin in polished strategies or reports — it begins by listening, learning, and meeting people where they are.

Part 1 out now.

🎧 Watch on YouTube | Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

#ChangeNarratives #SocialImpact #SustainableDevelopment #InclusiveDevelopment #HumanCenteredDesign #SocialProtection #Leadership #PeopleFirst #WorldBank #AfricaDevelopment #nigeria

What does post-conflict development really look like when youth lead the way?

Meet Noel Mushinzimana, a bold new voice for pan-African solidarity. He shares how mentorship, green innovation, inclusive policy, and cross-continental partnerships are shaping a new African story—all rooted in peace. Tune in to hear how Rwanda’s approach is setting a new bar for development across Africa.

Please Like, Share, and Subscribe for more amazing, innovative impact stories across Africa and different continents!

You’re listening to Change Narratives. Today we’re sharing something a little different — a reflective piece from one of our own, Onyedika, about his very first time stepping into a development policy space. It’s raw, honest, and exactly why we do this work.

This bonus episode takes you behind the scenes of that first-time experience — the nerves, the sense of purpose, and the questions that stick with you long after the event ends. Onyedika opens up about:

• Meeting peers who are turning passion into projects.
• The “Japa” conversation and what it means for skills, purpose, and youth readiness.
• How social media can be a tool for real participation.
• Why AI and data ethics matter for young people stepping into governance spaces.
• And the biggest lesson: showing up, listening, and telling stories is the first step to change.

🎧 Available now on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

#ChangeNarratives #ReflectivePieces #YouthVoices #InclusiveDevelopment #GS25 #Storytelling