People

Paul Polak, author of Out of Poverty and founder of International Development Enterprises (iDE) tells the story of when he first started working in Somalia on poverty alleviation in rural areas. He said that he had to talk with at least 100 farmers before doing anything. When I heard that, I was 3 months into a series of informational interviews to research and learn new sabbatical topics of interest. It made me feel like I was on the right track. People have been generous with their time and I’m learning more than I ever could from a book or journal article. The interviews have extended my networks and helped find ways to get involved. They’ve led to exciting travel opportunities and areas for collaboration. I’ve talked with social workers, engineers, policy leaders, volunteers, impact investors, academics, international development agencies and non-profits. Not quite 100 people, but guessing I’ll be there by the end of my sabbatical. In the coming months I’m hoping to profile some of these inspiring and accomplished amazing people with blog profiles.

Stay tuned!