Under-rated of the month: That teacher in high school that was so inspiring and challenging that you still keep your essays and the class readings in your room back home.

     That person for me was my AP World History and Honors Comparative Literature teacher. In comparative literature class, he had us watch the movie "The Mission," which was a big hit when it premiered. I talked to other teachers about the movie and they all loved it, especially since some of them lead mission trips to other countries. They found it inspiring.

     My comp. lit. teacher, on the other hand, had us analyze it more deeply. We all came to a similar analysis: the main character (a Western man) isn't truly helping these indigenous people.
     In the movie, the Christian men were presented in a way that made them seem like they were living in native villages and relating to the native people. The nuances of the movie showed the true discourses that the writers/directors thought of when making the movie. The natives were never fully dressed. They always seemed to laugh, smile and make primate-type sounds. The natives who did speak, spoke perfect english because they were educated at the newly erected mission. The white men ate with silverware and on shiny plates. The natives learned how to play Western music on a flute.
     It seemed to me and my classmates that these missionaries were held up as greater beings. They were the classic saviors-of-a-primitive-culture disguised at good guys. Sure, they suffered in their pasts but did they suffer with the people that they came into contact with? I argue not.
     A justified summary of this message comes in the form of Paulo Freire's Dedication Page from his book "Pedagogy of the Oppressed": To the oppressed, and to those who suffer with them and fight at their side. 
     If we are to truly impact the situation when we work domestically or abroad, I argue that we must step into the situations of the oppressed. We may never feel the true pain of a homeless person seeking health care or a 40 year old Bolivian who never received the proper education to read or write. But we must at least make wholehearted attempts to enter their world and suffer. Nonetheless, I have no idea what this may look like in practice when I travel to Bolivia.
     One thing that always struck me during comp. lit. was the fact that my teacher never stood up in class. He sat down with the rest of us and acted as a facilitator of discussion. Instead of standing on a stage and speaking with power, as most teachers do, he gave that power to us. It was the best class I ever took.

I Will Travel to Bolivia at a Historic Time this Summer

     I will be entering Bolivia at a very interesting time. For the first time since the establishment of the country, an indigenous president was elected democratically. Bolivia has seen much progress since it revolution in 1952. Evo Morales is a fascinating president who has given cocaleros, coca leaf growers, a great deal of autonomy despite pleas from the United States and the Drug Enforcement Agency.
     The coca industry is not only illegal, but it is also larger than any legal industry in the country. At one point, a jailed coca baron offered all of his profits to pay off the country's debt for his release. Although this never happened, it clearly illustrates the billions of dollars that flow through this black market. Here is a long video that discusses Morales's political party and his plans for the future. Skip to 18:00 to watch what has happened as of recent to the cocalero movement.
     As I enter Cochabamba, Bolivia, I will be experiencing blockades and tear gas on a regular basis. I can't be more excited!

Mountains Beyond Mountains: A Book Review

http://www.tracykidder.com/books/mountains/

I recently read a very inspirational book that I would strongly recommend to everybody for some motivation to continue working in the field of global poverty. The book is centered around Paul Farmer, a well-regarded doctor who many know from his publications on Haiti, including The Pathologies of Power. Mountains Beyond Mountains, written by Tracy Kidder, is sort of a biography about Farmer’s work in Haiti, Peru, and many other countries. I wanted to share some thoughts and questions that the book brought up for me, and relate it to my own experiences abroad.

One of the most inspiring aspects to the book was the morality of Paul Farmer, especially his rationale that those who have less money, especially in the developing world, should not have to suffer from worse medical treatment. Many policies and programs come to the conclusion that treatments  make more sense when they reach the greatest number of people, often meaning those who are chronically ill or require a more expensive treatment are left out. Farmer instead works by the logic that every patient should receive the best quality care that he can provide, and on a couple occasions he even flies his patients to Boston to receive treatment. Another reason this book was so inspirational to me was seeing Farmer’s extreme dedication to the people of Haiti, as well as the respect he received from those that he treated. He appears to genuinely care for every individual he encounters, and works as hard as possible to treat them. Many people seem to spend a couple years working in a developing country, or dedicate their lives to a certain organization but spend most of their time at an office in the US. Farmer, on the other hand, constantly flies around the world to do the most he possibly can, rarely taking a break or settling down. Overall, this book kept me motivated and has given me a lot of respect for Paul Farmer and his work.

While Farmer truly inspired me, I also finished the book a bit depressed about what I have accomplished so far and what I will every really be able to do. I am not planning to ever become a doctor, which is a resource that can literally save lives in a very direct and tangible way. What will my academic studies really allow me to do, and how much do I really know about the world as a whole? Additionally, I began to question the sustainability of Farmer’s work. Despite his consistent effort, what is his work doing on a larger scale for the people of Haiti? While a clinic is certainly necessary, and treating all patients not by the money in their pockets but by their value as an individual is clearly a necessity, is this really the way to end global poverty? Even my work with Fundacion Cantaro Azul is touching very few lives in the greater context of Mexico or even Chiapas. Rather, is targeting the political economy or powerful institutions a more sustainable and meaningful angle? Of course, I suppose nobody knows all of the answers, and this is why we are all in college minoring in Global Poverty. Either way, I really recommend the book—it is a fun, easy read that will be sure to leave you with many questions and reflections.

High Altitude Causing Illness in Peru

By the end of last semester (Fall 2013) I had decided to do my practice in Huancayo, Peru with an NGO called FIMRC (Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children). My role as a volunteer with this program would consist of helping doctors and nurses weigh and measure children’s height and weight, be part of health campaigns, etc. Unfortunately, this practice would have been too much for me to pay and would have left me with debt in the end. When realizing that I had to change my practice experience, I was still inclined to stay with Peru because it is a country that has over 50% of its citizens living below the poverty line only receiving less than $2 a day at work and many of the children there are severely malnourished. The government in this country only provides health insurance to those who are already working (which is only a few) compared to those who have no work at all living in rural communities outside the main cities of Peru.

I could have chosen to change my practice experience entirely, however Peru is in dire need of help from volunteers to help doctors and health-care professionals working on improving the health of children in order to reduce the children mortality rate. With that being said, I am still in the process of finding another organization in Peru that focuses on children’s health but while I am in the process of doing that, I researched more on Peru such as its history, its government, and on a tourist website I found called “Altitude Sickness in Peru,” by Tony Dunnell goes into detail on how many tourists that visit Peru experience nausea, headaches, vomiting, dizziness etc.

I always knew that Peru had high altitudes but I never imagined that it caused sickness to this level. In order to combat this problem before I begin my practice experience, which I am now leaning towards Cusco, Peru (which is about 11, 152 ft compared to that of Berkeley, which is only about 308 ft.) The difference in altitude in Berkeley compared to Peru is extremely different but by there are various ways of preventing sickness from happening. It is important to allow one’s body to adjust to the altitude change especially during the first 24 hours if one is arriving by plane. Drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding sleeping pills and eating foods high in carbs such as potatoes, rice and pasta. What I found to be the most interesting from this article is that although not scientifically proven, the locals of Peru swear that by drinking coca tea or chewing on coca leaves once arriving to Peru will prevent such illnesses. By drinking this tea or chewing coca leaves in the United States a person will be positive for cocaine on a drug test. There will always be risks involved when visiting another country and although Peru has a very high altitude compared to Berkeley, I am still willing to go and give a helping hand to those in need. http://goperu.about.com/od/healthandsafety/a/Altitude-Sickness-In-Peru.htm

On the Subject of "Planning"

When Mr. George Scharffenberger came to class to speak, he discussed project planning. Planning became complex: the concept of time, projects versus programs and the role of stakeholders. The reading for that week was the "Guide for Designing Results-Oriented Projects and Writing Successful Proposals." A few key concepts in the guide included "collaboration," "work plan for project development," "concept paper" and "funders." My PE, in the Ushpa-Ushpa region of Bolivia, has begun a "Proyecto Horizonte 2017" campaign, which is a conceptual model for desired results by 2017. I'll tie in what we've learned in class to this real life example.

Conceptual Model:

     Goal: "To be a sustainable model which is recognized internationally for its high quality services aimed at eliminating poverty."

     Intermediate Results: 

1. Economic Stability 
2. Stewardship
3. Strengthening of HR 
4. Positioning
5. Growth and Impact 
6. Systemization 

     Interventions: 

1. Diversify sources of finances 
2. Increase involvement of beneficiaries in decision-making process 
3. Hire responsible staff 
4. Create a good outward image 
5. Increase beneficiaries 
6. Document day-to-day operations. 

(The intermediate results and the interventions correspond respectively by number)

Funders:
Proyecto Horizonte has grown significantly since its foundation in 2001, which was funded by a local charitable organization. An expansion of the school was constructed in 2007 with funding from a German-Austrian philanthropic organization. The goal by 2017 is to become financially stable and sustainable. 

My Critique:

It is obvious to anyone that the goal to eliminate poverty is noble and good. The goal is not the problem. The interventions, on the other hand, are incredibly vague. Perhaps for private reasons, ambiguity was necessary on their website. Nonetheless, economic stability is a very difficult and complex goal that requires more than the diversification of sources of finances. They need to address HOW they will improve efficiency and reduce costs.  Will they charge more for services or lay off employees, etc? Regarding "growth," they need to address what they mean to do with an increase in donations. Specifics, such as employee numbers, new construction projects, improved technology or textbook purchases, need to be clearly addressed. 

Link:

Proyecto Horizonte 2017 

Jack Johnson!:

Also, here's a song from Jack Johnson's new album From Here to Now to You. The song is called Ones and Zeros. We all have our interpretations, but in general, he touches on the subjects of environmental degradation, addiction to technology, little regard for the future among other things. Jack is the man.

Class Infographic | Fall 2013