The Sustainable Africa Series is a 13-minute monthly video podcast by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
It spotlights influential and impactful voices advancing sustainable development across the continent. Through expert analysis, on-the-ground reporting, and engaging visuals, the series showcases how individuals and institutions create tangible impact while championing the SDGs.
The episodes present complex development issues in a simplified and relatable way, linking policy to grassroots initiatives and spotlighting Africa’s resilience, innovation, and advocacy in areas such as climate action, economic empowerment, migration, trade, and technology, among others.
In the above featured episode, Marlene Le Roux, polio survivor and CEO of South Africa’s Artscape Theatre Centre, is reimagining access for persons with disabilities in South Africa’s cultural spaces. From sensory-friendly shows to accessible infrastructure, she has transformed Artscape into a platform that spotlights people’s abilities, not their disabilities. Ms Le Roux describes her own disability as a “gift” that helped her understand marginalization.
She underscored the need for systemic follow-through: “Change has to be in the fiscal budget, in the mindset, in the leadership.” — Marlene Le Roux