# The Happy Pod: The best friends who turned out to be sisters

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/global-news-podcast-204504/the-happy-pod-the-best-friends-who-turned-out-to-be-sisters
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/global-news-podcast-204504/the-happy-pod-the-best-friends-who-turned-out-to-be-sisters.md
Podcast: [Global News Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/global-news-podcast-204504)
Published: 2026-09-19T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0pb39f6
Audio file: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss-low/proto/http/vpid/p0pb38hf.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/global-news-podcast-204504/episodes/the-happy-pod-the-best-friends-who-turned-out-to-be-sisters
Duration seconds: 1589

## Resource

Meena and Minal were born in India, but adopted by different families and raised near each other in the Netherlands. When they first met in their early teens at an event hosted by the adoption agency their parents had used, they were struck by the uncanny similarities in their appearance and mannerisms. This year, Minal took a DNA test, which revealed the Meena she already knew was her biological sister. Also, we hear from the Cateura Orchestra of Recycled Instruments -- a group in Paraguay which play music on instruments made from landfill waste. Plus, Brad Ryan and Grandma Joy's adventures to visit every national park in the United States, before going on Safari trips around the world. For them, it wasn't about the sights, but healing their relationship, after they had not spoken in ten years. Why probiotics could help corals, and the table tennis club helping people with Parkinson's disease. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world. Image: Meena Geltink and Minal Tijssen holding a picture of their younger selves. Credit: Reuters Presenter: Holly Gibbs. Music composed by Iona Hampson

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## Transcript

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