The Fixers Podcast

From Haiti to Hastings: Niki Armacost, Microfinancing Pioneer on Clean Energy

In this episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar talks with Niki Armacost, CEO of Arc Finance and former mayor of Hastings on Hudson, New York, about using microfinance to bring clean energy access to the world's poorest communities. We explore how energy loans work at the last mile, why microfinance institutions originally considered them too risky, and how Niki reframed that assumption entirely. Niki also shares what surprised her most—that the community organizing skills she honed in villages across India and Bangladesh translated almost perfectly to her role as mayor of Hastings, where she made it the highest-ranked climate-smart community in New York State. Whether you're curious about how clean energy reaches the people who need it most or want to understand finance as a tool for climate action, this conversation will change how you think about what it takes to make change stick—locally and globally. Learn more about Arc Finance at ⁠arcfinance.org⁠ [arcfinance.org⁠] To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about energy access and climate solutions. Visit our website at ⁠thefixerspodcast.com [thefixerspodcast.com]⁠ for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.

Rethinking Nuclear: Dr. Larkin Mosscrop on Energy Literacy and Climate Solutions

Most of us flip a switch and never think about where our electricity comes from—but what if 60% of it was nuclear power and you had no idea? That was Dr. Larkin Mosscrop's reality before she entered the nuclear field 15 years ago. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mosscrop, a scientist who started her career as an ecologist studying climate change before transitioning into nuclear energy. She currently leads a team at Kinectrics [https://www.kinectrics.com/], a Canadian company that provides testing, engineering, and consulting services for the energy sector, where she focuses on environmental impact assessments and community engagement around energy projects. With over 20 years as a science educator, she has taught more than 5,000 children about energy. We explore how nuclear energy actually works, what's really happening with nuclear waste, and what Canada's new small modular reactors could mean for the future. Larkin shares her perspective on whether the world could run entirely on nuclear, the real story behind accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima, and what gives her hope about the next generation's approach to climate change. Whether you think of Oppenheimer when you hear "nuclear" or you're curious about how energy fits into climate solutions, this conversation will change how you think about the invisible force powering our lives. To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about energy and climate solutions. Visit our website at thefixerspodcast.com [thefixerspodcast.com] for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.

Reef Restoration with Punit Dhandhania, Kuddle Life Foundation

In this episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar talks with Punit Dhandhania, founder of the Kuddle Life Foundation in India, about rebuilding ocean ecosystems one concrete block at a time. After diving on a traditional fishermen's reef made of sunken trees off the coast of Pondicherry, Amrita sits down with Punit to learn how artificial reefs are bringing marine life back to waters devastated by industrial bottom trawling. Listeners will learn how artificial reefs work—from the first barnacles attaching within weeks to thriving ecosystems forming in just one year. This work matters: over half a billion people worldwide depend on coral reefs for food, income, and coastal protection—yet the capacity of reefs to provide these services has declined by 50% since the 1950s due to ocean warming. From fishermen who now catch 2.5 times more fish while using 80% less fuel, to India's government plan to deploy reefs across 3,500 coastal villages, Punit shares both the immediate economic impact and long-term vision for scaling this solution. He also addresses criticisms that artificial reefs are just a "band-aid," comparing them to hearing aids—not as good as the natural thing, but far better than nothing when coral reefs take thousands of years to grow back. Punit emphasizes the biggest challenge isn't technical—it's bringing everyone along: convincing communities, government, and donors that this uncommon approach works, even when it means learning from failures. Support the Mission: Visit kuddlelife.org [http://kuddlelife.org] to learn more about their work restoring marine ecosystems and supporting fishing communities across India. Follow them on Instagram @kuddlelifefoundation or visit their dive center at kuddlelife.com [http://kuddlelife.com]. To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about ocean conservation and sustainable solutions. Visit our website at ⁠⁠thefixerspodcast.com⁠⁠ [https://www.thefixerspodcast.com/] for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.

Beyond the Grid: Juan Garcia Montes on Bringing Solar to Rural Africa

In this episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar talks with Juan Garcia Montes, Program Manager for the +SOL Mini-Grid Initiative in Mozambique, about bringing electricity to communities that have never had it before. Juan shares 25 years of experience working in the solar industry across Africa, focusing on how solar mini-grids are transforming villages where 600 million people still live without reliable power. Listeners will learn what happens when electricity reaches a village for the first time—from the immediate joy of having lights at home to the long-term economic opportunities that emerge. Juan explains how mini-grids work, why solar makes sense for remote communities, and the surprising challenges of helping people adopt new technology. From navigating cyclones and climate risks in Mozambique to understanding why Africa's sunniest regions were slower to embrace solar than cloudy Europe, Juan offers insights into the real complexities of rural electrification and why listening to communities matters more than having the perfect technical solution. Juan highlights the importance of focusing on understanding the demand side—not just the technology, but how people actually live and what they need. To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about energy access and sustainable development.

The Solar Cooking Revolution with Dr. Alan Bigelow

In this episode of The Fixers Podcast, host Amrita Kumar interviews Dr. Alan Bigelow, Science Director at Solar Cookers International, to explore how solar cooking technology is transforming lives for 2 billion people who struggle daily to access cooking fuel. Dr. Bigelow shares powerful stories from Kakuma Refugee Camp [https://www.unhcr.org/ke/about-us/where-we-work/kakuma-refugee-camp] in Kenya, where women are trading food rations for firewood, and explains how solar cookers—devices that use mirrors, black cookware, and greenhouse principles—can cook meals and pasteurize water using only sunshine. Listeners will discover how this elegant, low-tech solution addresses deforestation and energy poverty while saving money. From his unique journey as a particle accelerator physicist who co-founded a solar-powered eco rock band called Solar Punch, Dr. Bigelow reveals how inclusive design and listening to local communities—especially women—has been crucial to scaling this technology globally. Support the Mission: Visit solarcookers.org [https://www.solarcookers.org/]and solarcooking.org [https://solarcooking.fandom.com/wiki/Solar_Cooking_Wiki_(Home)] to learn more about solar cooking technology, access design plans, and discover how you can get involved in bringing clean cooking solutions to communities worldwide. To stay up to date with more stories of people solving real problems, subscribe to Fixers, leave a review, and share the episode with friends who care about sustainable technology and global development. Visit our website at ⁠thefixerspodcast.com⁠ [https://www.thefixerspodcast.com/] for more inspiring stories of innovation and problem-solving.