A must-listen podcast: "Being On Purpose with Silvia Risi"

A must-listen for anyone navigating purpose, pressure, and wellbeing in the humanitarian sector.

This week, the podcast More Than a Lumpy Jumper welcomed Silvia Risi, Humanitarian Peer Supporter (HPS) at CoCreate Humanity (CCH), for an open and insightful conversation about the impact of work on our lives. Bridget Forster led this rich exchange, diving into themes that resonate far beyond the humanitarian sphere.

CoCreate Humanity warmly thanks the team behind the podcast, Bridget Forster and Bobby Davis, for dedicating this episode to the psychological wellbeing of humanitarian workers and all those navigating demanding work environments.

Together, Bridget and Silvia explored the Work & Purpose segment of the Wheel of Life, a space many of us inhabit with a mix of passion, pressure, ambition, and, all too often, imbalance.

WHAT IS THIS PODCAST ABOUT?

Silvia’s reflections offer valuable insight for anyone who:

• leads teams

• works in high-stakes or emotionally demanding environments

• supports colleagues through trauma or distress

• has experienced burnout, moral injury or compassion fatigue

• or simply feels that work has begun to overshadow everything else

THE REALITY BEHIND "ORGANISATIONAL CARE

One of the most striking themes Silvia raises is the gap between what organisations say and what they do. Many claim to be built on values of care, integrity, and humanity… yet often fail to care for their own people.

As Silvia reminds us, toxic work environments don’t appear out of nowhere.

They grow from:

• leadership behaviours,

• organisational blind spots,

• and systems that prioritise output over wellbeing.

These dynamics exist across multiple sectors — including the humanitarian world — and they carry real consequences for those who serve others every day.

SILVIA RISI

Silvia was born in Italy and holds a degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures from the University of Bologna, which led her to study Arabic for a year in Syria. This experience sparked a realization: she wanted to dedicate her life to supporting people with fewer opportunities than she had. She later earned a Master’s degree in Social Anthropology of Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.

In 2006, Silvia left her small hometown near Bologna and moved to Lahore, Pakistan—without a job, but with a clear vision of what she wanted to achieve. She began working with a small local NGO focused on maternal and child protection, which marked the beginning of a 16-year career in international and non-governmental organizations. These included Première Urgence, CESVI, Concern Worldwide, and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), as well as the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Her work took her to Afghanistan, Haiti, Chad, and—most notably—seven years in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Her roles primarily centered on management and coordination of emergency, post-emergency, and resilience programs.

After returning to Italy from the DRC, Silvia decided to pursue a new path. She trained in coaching and mentoring, with a particular focus on Travel Coaching—a field that deeply resonates with her. This new direction allows her to blend her long-standing passion for travel with personal transformation, exploring the healing potential that travel can offer.

Silvia joined CoCreate Humanity in September 2024, grateful for the opportunity to continue serving others. Today, she is dedicated to supporting humanitarian workers, with the ultimate goal of promoting mental health and well-being in a field where much remains to be done. She also offers support in Italian.

Listen now on Spotify: Being On Purpose with Silvia Risi

An essential episode for leaders, changemakers, humanitarian professionals, and anyone guiding others through difficult or uncertain terrain.