In this standalone episode, Julia turns to Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro, global leader and philanthropist, for wisdom on how to lead with hope in a world that often feels overwhelming.
Musimbi reflects on lessons from communities she has worked with around the world, including Indigenous women in Peru who remind us that as long as we are alive, we cannot live without hope. She speaks about hope not as naïve optimism, but as an active choice: showing up each day, making small differences, and course-correcting even when change feels impossibly far away.
She also shares how to be authentic while carrying hope for others, the importance of joy and resilience in dark times, and the balance between acknowledging doubt and refusing to be paralysed by it. From drawing on history to noticing the smallest sparks of change, Musimbi shows that hope is both a practice and a responsibility.
Listen to this episode to discover how to navigate today’s world with courage, joy, and hope—and why leading with hope is not optional, but essential.
About the Guest
Musimbi Kanyoro
Musimbi Kanyoro is a globally respected leader in education, philanthropy, and women’s empowerment. She is the Chair of the Board at UWC International, guiding a worldwide education movement for peace and sustainability. Previously, she was President and CEO of Global Fund for Women, where she oversaw over $140 million in grantmaking and elevated the organisation’s global influence. Musimbi has also held senior leadership roles at the Packard Foundation, World YWCA, and Lutheran World Federation. With a PhD in Linguistics and advanced studies in theology, she is recognised internationally as a trailblazer championing women’s leadership, rights, and cross-cultural collaboration.
About the Host
Julia Middleton
Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.
In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.
Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.
Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.
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