When I applied to the Loewenstern Fellowship, I stated that one of my main aspirations was to “seek out my unknowns” through the experience. I am already beginning to see those unknowns surface. I’ve discovered that international development has numerous layers to uncover. The temptation to follow my own pride, the stigma of trying to be the Good Samaritan, and the seemingly short-sighted endeavors of week-long mission trips. These are all thoughts that have run through my mind especially with my first Loewenstern class and the Amigos Training.
For as long as I can remember, any missions or volunteering trips advertised to me always almost bragged about what they would achieve. The glorified objective of digging wells or building a house was portrayed a noble cause with lasting impact. This glorification has made me skeptical about the usefulness and sustainability of international service. The story Amigos shared stood out to me. A group of engineers had gathered a huge sum of donations to set up a water purification system for a village in Africa. The system worked perfectly and the team left. However, when the engineer returned in just 1 year later, the entire system was dysfunctional because there was no system of maintenance. Amigos used this story to not only point out the importance of forethought, but also how we need to admit failure. Admitting failure is key to learning from it. I never heard this side of the story from international development.
After thinking about all this, it almost seemed like I was telling myself that the desire to “help” was bad. But I really don’t think so. I still think there is good to wanting to help countries that do not have as many resources. But that’s why it is so critical to go about “helping” with the right mindset and forethought.
Right now, I believe that the most important aspect of a mindset is to put the community first. And by that I mean to approach the issue from their mindset. For example, if I am going to go to Rwanda to help their dental hygiene, I must first learn their own regard to this health concern, and understand their priorities. It can’t just be me coming in with my American toothbrushes and floss, teaching them how to use it, and leaving. I must first open myself to their culture, their values, and seek out ways to incorporate their own resources to help themselves. This is known as ABCD – Asset Based Community Development. To be honest, I still don’t know how exactly I can do this, but hey, that’s why preparation is key! As I continue to prepare, the top issues on my mind now are language barriers, incorporation of their resources, and sustainability of a dental hygiene curriculum.