In this episode, Emma has a heartfelt conversation with Jetha Devapura, an inspiring CEO and philanthropist who immigrated from Sri Lanka to Australia at the age of 12.
Together, they discuss Jetha’s memories of his childhood in Colombo and his transition to life in Australia as a teenager. Jetha shares his academic struggles and eventual success, highlighting the impact of environment on personal growth. He recounts a pivotal moment in his life following his diagnosis of OCD, and the development of his three life virtues: courage, compassion, and commitment.
Jetha discusses his philanthropic endeavours, including building a 194-bed cancer transit home and initiating a Lifeline centre in Sri Lanka, significantly impacting mental health and suicide rates. He also introduces his “Let’s Talk” program aimed at fostering psychological safety and resilience in schools. Their conversation converges on the importance of authenticity, resilience, and the inner journey of self-worth. Jetha’s story is a testament to making meaningful change and creating a better community both locally and globally.
Follow Jetha’s work:
Website: https://letstalkprogram.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jetha-devapura-576a2a6/
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Jetha Devapura
02:01 – Childhood Memories in Sri Lanka
03:38 – Migration Journey & Family Sacrifices
06:10 – School Struggles and Turning Point
10:39 – OCD Diagnosis and Path to Healing
13:59 – Building Sri Lanka’s Largest Cancer Transit Home
16:02 – Launching Lifeline Sri Lanka
19:39 – Creating the Let’s Talk Program
22:58 – Psychological Safety & Authenticity
35:32 – Final Reflections on Self-Worth and Belonging
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Thank you for listening to From There To Here!
If our guest’s story resonated with you, please like, follow and rate the podcast – that would make a massive difference to the production of the show.
I was your host Emma Bellamy, and I can’t wait to bring you on another journey From There to Here!
This podcast brought to you in partnership with Kintsugi Heroes. To find out more, head to kintsugiheroes.com.au.
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Kintsugi Heroes is a not-for-profit Australian podcast network sharing real stories of resilience, disability, and transformation.
Named after the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold — the philosophy that what’s been broken can become more beautiful for the mending — every episode honours the cracks, the rebuild, and the human underneath.
📺 Series on this channel:
– Kintsugi Heroes — real stories of resilience | hosted by John Milham
– Animals & Us — the human-animal bond | hosted by Natalie Stockdale
– Grit Diaries: from Grit to Grace — stories of struggle and strength | hosted by Simone Allan & Maryan Bova
– From There to Here — navigating life’s turning points | hosted by Emma Bellamy-Dodd
– Golden Threads — stories of disability & resilience | hosted by Dan Dougherty
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