The THRIVE project expresses its heartfelt appreciation to Ute Michaela Arndt, Jessica Halim and Nidhi Sharma for their insightful presentations at the March 2024 Thrivability Matters Webinar. This webinar focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG-3): Good Health and Well-Being & Sustainability Metrics. With their vast knowledge, our presenters caught our attention, highlighting crucial issues surrounding our understanding of our own bodies, and inspired us to make a difference.

Here are our webinar highlights!

About The March 2024 Speakers

As an experienced marketing leader, Ute Michaela Arndt has had the privilege of working for some of the global top brands, including Amazon.com. Her passion lies in tackling challenges and delving into product categories shrouded in taboos and shame. Her journey led her to Africa, specifically Tanzania, where in 2021, she founded an NGO dedicated to empowering children and young women in underserved areas through education.

Jessica Halim graduated from Swinburne University in Melbourne, Australia, with a degree in design majoring in visual communication, and works as a graphic designer with a sustainability mission. Feeling a sense of responsibility as a designer, she aims to influence consumer behaviour and create a better environment for Indonesia by raising eco-awareness within her community and providing practical, and achievable sustainable solutions.

Founder of Half Life to Health (HLTH), Nidhi Sharma is on a mission to empower women through body literacy. Fuelled by her own experiences juggling family, personal, and professional responsibilities, HLTH aims to simplify health and fitness, making it more accessible to women.

Summary Of The March 2024 Webinar

As an organisation, the THRIVE Project endeavours to guide humanity toward a more sustainable future. We had the privilege of hosting these two speakers as guest presenters for our webinar.

Ute Michaela Arndt on Breaking the Silence:

During her presentation, Ute emphasised the critical importance of education in breaking the cycle of poverty and addressing taboos surrounding female health. Drawing from her extensive experience with global brands like Amazon and her work in underserved areas, Ute highlighted how education goes beyond mere schooling. It encompasses teaching practical skills and fostering a deeper understanding of personal health, particularly for women and girls. Her central message was that empowering individuals with knowledge can create sustainable, long-term change, referencing the adage; “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.

Ute illustrated the pervasive issue of poverty, which she described as a vicious cycle linked to family structures, religious traditions, and a lack of school education. She pointed out that uneducated families often remain trapped in low-paying or unpaid jobs, lacking awareness of essential health practices. This educational deficit perpetuates poverty and limits opportunities for personal, professional, and communal growth. Ute stressed that real education involves more than just literacy; encompassing five levels of practical training and health education, which are vital for improving living conditions and fostering self-sufficiency.

A significant portion of Ute’s presentation focused on the stigma and myths surrounding menstruation, which she termed the “Shame of Cycle.” She shared alarming examples from various countries, such as Uganda, Nepal, India, and even Italy, where cultural beliefs and taboos about periods lead to harmful practices and discrimination against women and girls. These cruel and outdated myths not only endanger their health but also hinder their ability to participate fully in society. Ute argued that breaking the silence around menstruation and educating both women and men about its naturalness is crucial for promoting female health and equality.

To address these issues, Ute advocated for comprehensive education that includes discussions about menstruation and intimate health, integrating these topics into school curricula and community conversations. She emphasised the need for practical solutions, such as teaching proper hygiene and providing access to menstrual products. Ute concluded that by normalising conversations about female health and empowering women with knowledge, communities can dismantle harmful taboos and improve overall health outcomes. Her call to action was clear: education is the key to transforming lives and fostering a healthier, more equitable world.

Jessica Halim on Ecological Footprint Journey by Demibumi

Jessica’s presentation masterfully underscored the pivotal role designers play in steering consumer behaviour toward sustainable practices. She eloquently detailed how small, practical changes in our daily lives can significantly reduce waste, particularly in households. By championing the use of reusable bags, minimising single-use plastics, and embracing the principles of a circular economy, Jessica demonstrated that sustainable living is not only achievable but also impactful.

Jessica delved into the concept of sustainability beyond the individual, highlighting the importance of a collective approach. She emphasised the need for designers to create products that are both functional and environmentally friendly, advocating for materials that can be reused, recycled, or composted. Her examples of innovative design solutions, such as cotton net bags and biodegradable packaging, showcased how creative thinking can lead to significant environmental benefits.

Moreover, Jessica’s presentation addressed the influence of education and community engagement in fostering a culture of sustainability. She stressed that awareness and knowledge are crucial in shifting mindsets and behaviours. By integrating sustainable practices into educational curricula and community programs, Jessica argued that we can cultivate a new generation of environmentally conscious consumers and designers.

Overall, Jessica’s insights painted a compelling picture of how design and sustainability are intricately linked. Through thoughtful design and collective effort, we can make substantial strides towards a more sustainable future.

Nidhi Sharma on Know Your Body to Live a Fulfilling Life

In her presentation, Nidhi Sharma shared her personal insights into the challenges faced by professional women in balancing their careers and personal responsibilities, particularly when raising children. She emphasised the mission of Half Life to Health, which aims to make health and fitness more accessible, empowering women to better understand and care for their bodies. Nidhi highlighted the importance of body awareness, stating that achieving dreams requires the physical and mental capacity to support those ambitions.

Nidhi pointed out that many women face health issues such as hormonal imbalances, diabetes, hypertension, and stress from a young age, leading to a more rapid decline in their physical and mental abilities as they age. She underlined the importance of recognising symptoms like unexpected weight gain as indicators of underlying health issues rather than problems in themselves. Maintaining an ideal body weight, she explained, is essential for reducing the strain on internal organs and slowing the aging process.

The presentation also delved into the internal and external factors affecting women’s health. Nidhi discussed how external factors like pollution, processed foods, and high stress levels contribute to health challenges, while internal factors such as hormonal changes and muscle loss play a significant role as women age. She described the critical role of hormones like the human growth hormone and estrogen, explaining how their levels fluctuate with age and impact overall health. She stressed that as women age, understanding and mitigating the effects of aging becomes crucial to maintaining a fulfilling and active life.

Finally, Nidhi touched upon the significance of maintaining muscle mass and addressing hormonal imbalances to combat the physical changes associated with aging. She emphasised that uncomfortable menstrual cycles and other symptoms could indicate deficiencies in essential nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. By addressing these issues through proper nutrition and exercise, women can better manage their health and sustain their physical capabilities.

Moving Forward From March 2024

The Thrivability Matters Webinar for March 2024 showcased insights from Ute Michaela Arndt, Jessica Halim, and Nidhi Sharma. If you missed the presentations or the live Q&A session, you could view the recording on our YouTube channel or download the PDFs from each of the speakers.

If you’re interested in joining us after the March 2024 Thrivability Matters Webinar, there are a variety of avenues you can take. One way of keeping up with us is via social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook. However, you could subscribe to our YouTube channel, listen to our podcasts, sign up for our newsletter, stay up to date with our blogs, attend our free webinars, or even join us as a volunteer to make an even bigger difference in this world.

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