The Human Trace
What happens when we stop scrolling past the headlines — and start listening to the lives behind them?
Hosted by Helen Avadiar-Nimbalker, this podcast steps into the stories that don’t always get told — the ones shaping our world from the margins, the frontlines, and the shadows.
Each episode is a deep, human conversation about what’s really happening — and why it matters more than we think.
Because some stories aren’t just news.
They’re personal.
And they’re not going away.
Because, these are conversations that can't wait.
Published by Asia Freedom Network.
The Human Trace is produced to spark real conversations, amplify unheard stories, and trace the human impact behind global issues.
Helen Avadiar-Nimbalker is a trauma specialist, anti-trafficking strategist, and Director of the Asia Freedom Network. She is the founder of The Whispering Willow and CEO of Rise Foundation Asia — two organisations providing trauma-informed, community-based support for survivors of exploitation across Southeast Asia. With over two decades of experience, Helen has supported displaced communities, led survivor care initiatives, advised governments and civil society on systems reform, and shaped regional conversations on human rights, trauma, and justice.
Connect: linkedin.com/in/helenavadiarnimbalker
Learn more at asiafreedomnetwork.org and follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn @asiafreedomnetwork.
The Human Trace
Beyond the Quake: War, Silence, and Survival in Myanmar
When the earthquake hit Myanmar, the world briefly looked up — but what it exposed was far more devastating than collapsed buildings. Behind the natural disaster is a man-made crisis: a brutal civil war, forced migration, displacement, and the silent collapse of a nation.
In this episode, we go deeper — beyond the quake — to trace the unspoken layers of violence, survival, and political failure in Myanmar. Host Helen Avadiar-Nimbalker is joined by Melody Mettlach Crisp, co-founder of Thr5ve and long-time advocate for displaced communities, to unpack what’s really happening on the ground.
Together, they explore the cost of global silence, the psychological toll of prolonged instability, and the urgent need for faith, action, and reintegration strategies that don’t stop at relief.
This is a conversation for those willing to confront the crisis — and the humanity — hidden behind the headlines.
References:
Overview of Myanmar History
(https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/myanmar-history-coup-military-rule-ethnic-conflict-rohingya)
Timeline of Resistance in Myanmar up to 2019 (https://www.irrawaddy.com/specials/timeline-70-years-ethnic-armed-resistance-movements-myanmar.html)
Overview of Rohingya Crisis
(https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/rohingya-crisis)
Earthquake Impact Numbers (https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/myanmar/myanmar-earthquake-response-situation-report-no-1-7-april-2025)
Internet Restrictions
(https://www.accessnow.org/press-release/call-for-lifting-of-internet-restrictions-myanmar/)
Junta Shoots at Aid Workers ((https://www.rfa.org/english/myanmar/2025/04/02/myanmar-junta-shot-chinese-quake-aid-envoy/)
Junta Keeps Attacking Despite Earthquake (https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/myanmar-junta-airstrikes-continue-despite-quake.html)
Karen History of Myanmar Formation 1948
(https://knuhq.org/karen-national-union-press-release-on-the-signing-of-the-nca/about/background#:~:text=In%20so%20doing%2C%20the%20British,from%20Britain%20in%20one%20year)
About the National Unity Government
(https://nugmyanmar.org/about/)
Published by Asia Freedom Network.
The Human Trace is produced to spark real conversations, amplify unheard stories, and trace the human impact behind global issues.
Helen Avadiar-Nimbalker is a trauma specialist, anti-trafficking strategist, and Director of the Asia Freedom Network. She is the founder of The Whispering Willow and CEO of Rise Foundation Asia — two organisations providing trauma-informed, community-based support for survivors of exploitation across Southeast Asia. With over two decades of experience, Helen has supported displaced communities, led survivor care initiatives, advised governments and civil society on systems reform, and shaped regional conversations on human rights, trauma, and justice.
Connect: linkedin.com/in/helenavadiarnimbalker
Learn more at asiafreedomnetwork.org and follow us on Instagram & LinkedIn @asiafreedomnetwork.