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Bellamy Young on the difference we can make when we care

CARE

CARE

For six years, actress and activist Bellamy Young has served as a CARE Ambassador. Now, she's the host of a new limited-series podcast featuring women leaders.

In conversation with CARE, Young reflects on how her partnership with us has deepened her understanding of global inequality, resilience, and the transformative power of storytelling. You can listen to the new podcast’s first episode, where Bellamy talks Daria Khrystenko, a Ukrainian refugee who fled to Poland with her son and mother after Russia invaded her home country, here.

How has your understanding of global poverty, equality, and humanitarian work evolved over your years as a CARE Ambassador?

It’s been a twofold journey. On one hand, I’ve gone through a personal deep dive—learning about specific communities, specific challenges, and the broader reality of women and girls worldwide. That learning process has been humbling, and at times, heartbreaking. I think I had more innocence at the start, more hope that certain injustices weren’t as entrenched as they are. But alongside that, what has kept me going is the hope I find in CARE’s work and in the people leading change—women and men coming together to transform their communities. That has been my ballast. Even in the darkest moments—through COVID, through social crises—these stories have been a source of great strength and inspiration. That’s exactly why She Leads with CARE was born. I wanted to share that feeling with others.

In early 2019, Bellamy visited Rwanda to see projects that are empowering women and girls in a country paving the way for women’s. There, she met Brigitte Uwababyeyi. With help from her local VSLA, Brigitte went from living in poverty to running a large family farm with several employees. Since starting her business, Brigitte is no longer dependent on her husband and can make important decisions for her household. (Photo by Josh Estly/CARE)

She Leads with CARE showcases leaders who might not fit the conventional Western idea of leadership. How has this process expanded your understanding of what it means to be a leader?

“Leader” is one of those words that we sometimes get lazy about. Leadership is often framed as a title—an elected official, a CEO, someone in charge. But what I’ve learned through these conversations is that leadership is a verb. Through these conversations, I’ve seen that leadership is about action, participation, and creating change, often in ways that are far more impactful than policy alone. The women in She Leads with CARE are making life-changing impacts—whether it’s improving nutrition, securing education, or ensuring community safety. Their leadership is immediate, tangible, and transformative. They aren’t waiting for permission to lead; they’re driving survival and progress in ways that policymakers often can’t reach. That’s what I carry with me now when I think about what it truly means to lead.

Two women talk to each other over Zoom
In Episode 1, Bellamy spoke with Daria Khrystenko, a Ukrainian refugee who fled to Poland with her son and mother after Russia invaded her home country. Now, Daria is working with CARE to help Ukrainian children integrate more easily into Polish schools.

You’ve said that CARE’s approach can be difficult to summarize because it’s so community driven. What stands out to you about the way CARE operates?

How hands-on it is! CARE works in partnership with people from the communities they’re helping. They don’t assume; they listen. They don’t dictate; they collaborate. And that’s why their work is so effective. It’s not about parachuting in with a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s about empowering people to build the futures they want for themselves—real, lasting change led by the people living it every day.

One of my favorite examples from the podcast is Lilian from Tanzania. She’s helped create over 700 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), changing tens of thousands of lives. In one community, when she asked women what would improve their lives, their answer wasn’t money or jobs—it was childcare. They knew they could be more efficient if they didn’t have keep bringing their children out to the fields while they worked. So, they began a daycare program. And now, in that community, there’s not just a daycare program—there’s a growing brick-and-mortar school, a thriving savings group, and second-generation women joining VSLAs to build their own futures. It’s incredible to see how listening and responding to people’s needs can ripple forward for generations.

Lilian Mkusa, a mentor and coordinator with CARE Tanzania, helps train women in financial literacy and economic empowerment through CARE’s Village Savings and Loan Associations.

What do you hope people take away from listening to She Leads with CARE? 

I hope people feel the same hope and inspiration I do when I hear these stories. Yes, the challenges are big, but the solutions—the courage, the innovation, the leadership—are already out there. And I hope it moves listeners to action, whether that’s supporting CARE, advocating for women’s rights, or just shifting the way they think about leadership and resilience in their own communities. If you walk away from an episode feeling even a fraction of the admiration and determination I do, then we’ve done our job.

She Leads with CARE: A Podcast Hosted by Bellamy Young

She Leads with CARE is a limited podcast series hosted by actress and producer Bellamy Young. From Vietnam to Ukraine to Tanzania, community leaders share their life experiences to show how local empowerment programs are changing lives. Join Bellamy to learn about the difference we can make in our own lives – and the lives of those around us – when we care.

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