As a changemaker, I do not seek change for its own sake. Instead, I am interested in applying proven solutions to new frameworks. Adapting these solutions in such a way can open the door to solving age-old problems. Ultimately, change is measured by the difference one makes in people’s lives, and it is often the case that proven solutions in one field can generate powerful differences in another, if used effectively. I am interested in the adaptive process of bringing these solutions to bear on new settings.
My place of fondness is being under the vast Kalahari Desert night-sky. Nothing is more playful and stunning.
The change I passionately want is for women everywhere to be able to reach their potential. I believe the power of women in families, communities, and government is often extraordinarily underestimated.
I believe that for women to reach their potential, a women’s right to plan the number and spacing of her children and to have a safe and satisfying sex life must be fulfilled. My hope is that every woman has access to quality, comprehensive reproductive health care so she can participate in her local and global community to her fullest potential.
I began in the field of reproductive health (RH) by researching gender-based violence in crisis-affected areas for the Reproductive Health Response in Conflict Consortium (RHRC). Soon after, I was able to see the effects of natural disaster and conflict myself when I took a ten-week research trip to India to study refugee and displaced communities (Tibetans, Tamils, Burmese and tsunami-affected communities). I volunteered at a local NGO and wrote reports on camp conditions including water, sanitation, women’s livelihoods, and education.
For the past two years, I have worked on two projects under the Reproductive Health for Refugees Project at JSI Research & Training Institute. My work on the RAISE Initiative (Reproductive Health Access, Information and Services in Emergencies) has centered around U.S. government advocacy on RH policies. I have organized advocacy activities at State Department, USAID, and on Capitol Hill. I also presented a reproductive health supplies and logistics assessment and strategy the RAISE International Conference in Uganda.
The second project is the Astarte Project, which seeks to increase access to RH in communities affected by crisis. The project builds the capacity of local NGOs who are often best-positioned to provide services during crisis to their communities. My focus on Astarte includes highlighting the project’s work by writing proposals and editorials, spearheading the project’s website, organizing art and fundraising events, and researching technical areas of reproductive health. I completed a RH assessment in Haiti (January 2009) and published an accompanying report. I have also been working with UNFPA on the revision of the Inter-Agency Field Manual for Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings.
