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What happens to the human heart when economic migration forces a choice between supporting your family and actually seeing them grow up?
In this episode of Conversation Changers, host Eric Olander dives into a poorly understood aspect of the global migration debate: the steep emotional and mental toll of social isolation. While political headlines focus on border policies and economic metrics, millions of migrants are quietly navigating intense loneliness, separated from their support networks and families by thousands of miles and rigid visa restrictions.
Joining the conversation are Salzburg Global Fellows Shizuka "Zucca" Nagahama, project lead and founding member of the communication startup Tonari, and Sanchari Chandra, an independent Indian researcher and social scientist. Together, they share how the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network is pioneering the use of immersive, "always-on" technology to bridge the physical gap between Indian healthcare workers in Japan and their loved ones back home.
From the technical hurdles of creating life-sized digital portals to the systematic cultural barriers surrounding mental health, this episode explores how innovative design can transform human connection across vast distances.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Migration Challenges
03:03 The Japan-India Transformative Technology Network
05:57 Understanding Migrant Well-Being
08:50 Technology as a Solution for Isolation
12:05 Pilot Projects and Future Potential
14:55 Scaling Challenges and Opportunities
17:54 The Importance of Belonging
20:57 Concluding Thoughts on Migration and Technology
About The Guests: Shizuka 'Zucca' Nagahama & Sanchari Chandra
Shizuka Nagahama is a Salzburg Global Fellow and a project lead with the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network. She is a founding member of Tonari, a startup that builds cutting-edge, space-connecting technologies. Shizuka leads the non-profit side of the enterprise, focusing on impact-driven projects that utilise recycled units to support critical social use cases, including migration and human connection. Having moved across different countries her whole life, she is deeply passionate about creating a world without the barrier of distance, ensuring people feel a true sense of belonging wherever they live.
Follow Shizuka 'Zucca' Nagahama on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shizuka-zucca-nagahama-52364489/
Sanchari Chandra
Sanchari Chandra is a Salzburg Global Fellow, an independent Indian researcher and social scientist. Working on the research side of the Japan-India Transformative Technology Network, her work focuses on evaluating the mental health, anxiety, and social stability of first-generation migrant workers. Sanchari is dedicated to exploring how structural isolation impacts human health and how immersive communication tools can build trust, foster cultural assimilation, and provide essential emotional stability.
Follow Sanchari Chandra on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanchari-c-b9778788/
About The Host: Eric Olander
Eric Olander is a veteran journalist and media executive with over 30 years of experience reporting for world-leading organisations, including CNN, France 24, and the BBC World Service. He is a Salzburg Global Fellow and the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The China-Global South Project, an independent media initiative exploring global engagement with the developing world.
Follow Eric Olander here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olander
Find out more about Salzburg Global: https://www.salzburgglobal.org/
