Giles Duley, founder of the Legacy of War Foundation, tells his powerful life story

01/12/21 • 57 min

Giles's reaction to unimaginable physical and mental trauma has been to become a social founder, setting up the global Legacy of War Foundation using his award-winning photography and media skills to document, and counteract, the legacy of war across the world.

Giles' physical and mental resilience are like nothing I have seen or heard before. In this episode of Social Founder Stories you'll hear how throughout his life, Giles has responded to adversity to create impact, but in particular, how stepping on an IED in Afghanistan, left him desperately fighting for his life for 47 days in intensive care, and then 18 months' rehabilitation, after the loss of both legs and his left arm.

No-one expected him to survive those horrendous injuries, let alone to find the drive to continue to work and to travel, using his professional skills and his determination to create high-level positive social impact, setting up and growing his Foundation.

Giles talks in-depth about the work of international NGOs, the power of photography to create impact, and his work in Syria, Africa, Cambodia and Afghanistan, woven into his personal journey leading to his founding of the Legacy of War Foundation, his gruelling recovery from his injuries in 2011, his learnings and values.

You will hear little from me in this interview. Giles tells his powerful story and I listen, moved and amazed at his courage.

Donate to the Legacy of War Foundation here if you can.

Follow Giles:

Twitter: @GilesDuley

Instagram: @GilesDuley

Facebook: @Giles.Duley

Listen to Giles' founder story in the Social Founder Stories podcast series, Episode 4 - on all podcast platforms. Enjoy, and send us your feedback.

p6YNSsoxRyIMVLy0ivfB

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You will hear little from me in this interview. Giles tells his powerful story and I listen, moved and amazed at his courage.

Donate to the Legacy of War Foundation here if you can.

Follow Giles:

Twitter: @GilesDuley

Instagram: @GilesDuley

Facebook: @Giles.Duley

Listen to Giles' founder story in the Social Founder Stories podcast series, Episode 4 - on all podcast platforms. Enjoy, and send us your feedback.

p6YNSsoxRyIMVLy0ivfB

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Craftivist Collective founder Sarah Corbett talks deeply about gentle campaigning

Sarah Corbett, founder of the iconic Craftivist Collective, with her 50,000 global followers, tells us that she is at heart an introvert and a 'reluctant social founder’!

Sarah Corbett's founder journey, her brilliant use of social media, her ground-breaking creative campaigns, Craftivist workshops and her fast-selling 'How to be a Craftivist' book, all come together to create a powerful story about how one social founder can have far-reaching impact for individuals, for communities and globally.

Passionate about both craft and activism, Sarah uses what she calls "the gentle art of stitching" to engage people around the world in social justice issues, helping change laws, company policies, hearts and minds.

Sarah is incredibly honest in this in-depth interview, sharing the details of her campaign strategies, the agonies of self-doubt, and her tools for personal resilience, financial innovation, organisational growth and deep social impact. Enjoy listening to her story.

Visit www.socialfounder.org for links to Craftivist Collective and Sarah, to buy her book, kits and to Adopt a Craftivist.

And subscribe to our Social Founder Newsletter here to hear about future episodes, events and stories.

Enjoy this podcast, and please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes. It’s very quick to do and really makes a difference in helping us reach new listeners.

Social Founder Stories is brought to you by the Social Founder Network, in association with the CIVA, the Centre for Innovation in Voluntary Action. You can find out more about CIVA's innovative work, and support them, at www.CIVA.org.uk

Follow Social Founders:

Twitter: @socialfounders

Instagram: @social.founders

Facebook: @socialfoundernetwork

Subscribe to our newsletter: Social Founder News

Follow Caroline: @carolinediehl

Thank you for listening, and remember to subscribe to the Social Founder Stories podcast, and leave us a great review so we can attract more listeners, thanks again. [email protected]

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Pragna Patel, iconic Founder of Southall Black Sisters tells her story of tireless campaigning for justice

Pragna Patel is the founder and director of Southall Black Sisters, one of the UK's leading women's organisations campaigning for the rights of black and minority ethnic women. In 1982, Pragna resurrected a local initiative, turning it into an established advocacy charity, a national helpline and a powerful campaigning organisation. "Our aims are to highlight and challenge all forms gender-related violence against women, empower them to gain more control over their lives; live without fear of violence and assert their human rights to justice, equality and freedom."

Pragna tells us about what it takes to establish and grow an organisation - to create the infrastructure, find the right board, maintain values, keep the right balance between services and campaigning. She talks candidly about how to cope with setbacks, find resilience and celebrate achievements - including the passing of vital laws to support migrant women in the UK. We also hear about the powerful Law Centre Movement that inspired her initial work, and the fears she has for equality and social justice today.

"Our vision, our political vision, is one where we see that there is interconnectedness of struggles, that we don't struggle on our own, even as women, that we are connected to the struggles that are taking place on a much more global scale around violence against women." Pragna Patel, in her Social Founder Stories podcast. And her advice to other social founders: "Do not be afraid. Go with your gut feelings and your instincts, that I think is key. And then everything else - you find skills, you find the people, you find the funding -somehow. But my main thing is, if there is that fire in your belly, act on it, do not be afraid." Listen to Pragna and indeed you will come away with fire in your belly.

Please donate to Southall Black Sisters here if you can. Donations small or large will make a life-changing and life-saving difference to countless abused and marginalised women and children who are desperate for protection and support, particularly at this time of Covid-19.

Follow Southall Black Sisters and Pragna:

Twitter: @SBSisters

Instagram: @SouthallBlackSisters

Facebook: @Southall.Black.Sisters

Listen to Pragna's founder story on the Social Founder Stories podcast, Episode 5 - on all podcast platforms or via the links above. Enjoy, and send us your feedback.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/social-founder-stories.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.