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People That Inspire Me

Over the past few years, Ive gotten to listen to and develop relationships with diverse people all around the world. Here are a few whose stories have stuck with me and motivate me to do.
Note: All photos were taken by me unless otherwise noted.
StartingBloc NY 12 Application, Alexandra Robinson

Doni
Moshav Peduim, Negev Desert, Israel February 2010
Doni runs his familys small dairy and produce farm in the Negev Desert. He is a true sabra a Hebrew word meaning cactus that describes Israelis personalities as being prickly on the outside and soft on the inside. He believes passionately that it is his responsibility to work the land and make it bloom, as his Israeli relatives have done before him. Donis passion for agriculture sparked my own interest in the topic and led me to learn how to birth calves and slaughter chickens, as well as pursue jobs in agriculture development. Last spring I interned with CNFA, an agriculture development organization based in DC, and balanced my knowledge of agriculture that came from working on Donis farm with a more macrolevel perspective.

Name Unknown
Shankaria Bazaar, Dhaka, Bangladesh March, 2012
Within two minutes of meeting this man, whose name I unfortunately did not catch, my colleagues and I had been invited for tea in his brothers home; within five, I had a wreath of flowers strung around my neck (a gift from him). His kindness was effusive. Due to our language barrier, we mimed to one another and I learned that selling flowers was a difficult way to make a living, that he would like to see a dentist to fix his rotting teeth, and that he supported his mother and large brood of children with his income. Often, the development world seems to come up with ideas about how to fix the lives of the poor and implement those (often well intentioned) ideas without truly understanding what the people they are trying to help want and need. Speaking with this man is part of a project I am currently leading for the Center for Health Market Innovations that works directly with innovative home-grown healthcare programs to really understand what they need in order to better provide healthcare to the poor in their countries. Were trying to step past assuming and instead learn directly from the people we hope to help.

Women of the Wall


Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel June 2010
The members of Women of the Wall, mostly women, gather at the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem to pray from the Torah once each month. This is extraordinary because according to traditional Judaism women are prohibited from praying from Torah scrolls, and are also prohibited from singing (even prayers) in the company of men especially in front of one of the holiest Jewish sites in the world. At the Western Wall, female members of this group defy these rules and as a result, often incur harassment.

These women

After reading about the mission of this organization, I wanted to participate in their events in order to learn more about social justice issues in Israel. While at one of their gatherings, I was moved by the respect these women demonstrated towards the other worshippers at the Wall despite the angry words hurled at them by many around them.

Lesa is shy and doesnt open up easily. But once he does, its easy to see how much he cares about the people in his life he just wants them to be happy and healthy. When I moved to Zambia and began consulting for the NGO that Lesa works for, he became my go-to Zambia guide. His knowhow about integrating mobile phones into existing healthcare systems was amazing, and he shared that knowledge with me generously. Lesa reminded me that once you take the plunge and start to implement a big project, the people youre doing it with make all the difference. In this picture, Lesa had just helped me to install my first solar panel on the roof of a rural health clinic!
Note: Photo taken by Ntazana Sindano.

Lesa Nkamba (and me)


Lusaka Province, Zambia June, 2011

Vicki and Michael, my parents, raised three daughters while taking care of my two younger sisters chronic medical problems. Their steadiness kept all of our feet on the ground and their hope kept us optimistic even when it was difficult. Today, all three daughters are happy and healthy. My interest in sociallyfocused work was shaped by the emphasis my parents placed on giving back to others and always thinking about how the world could be rather than just how it is. They taught me that thinking must lead to doing in order to make any change happen. They continue to inspire me to care about others.

Vicki & Michael Robinson


South Orange, New Jersey, USA May 2009

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