Development Lessons for My 26th Year

These past few weeks have been packed full with project development and prospects. I have loved working with the Youth Programme because it never stops working. For me, it is incredibly encouraging to constantly have a full plate of work here because the focus areas are vital and the mentality to never stop moving shows the drive to support the communities and young people of Egypt. I have always worked on the grassroots side of development, on the ground, waiting for the approval of high level agencies and donors. I often found myself frustrated with the amount of time it took to start implementing ideas because every moment passing was wasted time. It is such an amazing experience to be on the other side of the equation, receiving proposals, meeting passionate civil society organizations and teams and being on a team so willing to push ideas out quickly but effectively. 

I had the honor to sit with the UNFPA Representative in Egypt, Dr. Aleksandar Bodiroza, this past week to talk about his path and passions that brought him to UNFPA. He spoke about his drive to create programs at UNFPA (and in Egypt) that gain the attraction of the beneficiaries and teach messages that are sustained long after the campaigns are over. His guidance has led to the vast variety of interactive programs here in Egypt like the Edutainment & 360 Comprehensive platform which is building a television/social media/radio educational show and curriculum to teach youth about sexual reproductive health. Also, the Youth Programme has campaigned for sexual reproductive health education through the pairing of sports with the Crossing Egypt Challenge, Population Day Marathon, and youth camps to use athletics as a means to capture the attention of young people and use the space to teach important messages. Dr. Bodiroza emphasized the importance that we, as development practitioners, are not just hosting formal presentations to teach our target populations on the the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, for example, but instead formulating creative ways to make information easily understood by greater audiences, opening the learning platform to everyone.

Another important realization is that big issues do not have simple solutions. If a country is struggling with population growth, the simple answer is to expand access to contraceptive methods. But is that really solving the whole issue? Sure, you might see a higher prevalence of contraceptive usage and reduction in the fertility rate, but is the work really finished? What about education and the information on usage and side effects? Or what about the intricate challenges of family/spouse, culture and/or religion that may prohibit the woman from using the method? Are the supplies going to be available forever or just for the 12-month range of the funded project providing these commodities? All of these questions and still not even taking into consideration the complexities of population growth on the economic situation of a country or on the extreme threat to the environment or food supply (to name a few factors)! 

Thinking through the complicated nature of development makes me greatly thankful for the MDP program I am pursuing at Columbia. The survival of long nights studying economics and writing policy papers are really proving their worth in my work here. I have also enjoyed the "student" mentality that I arrived with, as this practicum is the gap between my two years of studies. I hope I keep it and continue to "learn from unexpected people," as Dr. Bodiroza advised.

Adventures and My 26th Birthday!

In the past couple weeks I have been a lot more adventurous in seeing the wonders of Egypt. It helped to have a visitor from the states to push me out of my town and see more of the country! Our first stop was Alexandria, the old port city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The city hosts an array of Roman history and architecture, which was especially exciting from my high school years of studying Latin. 

The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa were breathtaking with their maintained architecture and careful design that has withstood time since the 2nd century. The number of tombs were astounding.

Our other great adventure was to tour all of the pyramids. It took me so long to see them from truly how overwhelming the experience would be to witness something so magnificent. Within the past 12 months I have had the opportunity to see the Mayan ruins: Teotihuacan/Tazumal/Joya de Cerén, Machu Picchu, and the Pyramids. It is just absolutely mind-blowing to witness these structures and the history. These places are so much more than instagram photos and I always urge my friends to consider the magnificence of them (and not to mention there is SO much we do not know about their history)!

Our pyramid tour started with Saqqara, the stepped Pyramid of Djoser, the burial ground tombs, the Pyramid of Unas, and the Pyramid of Userkaf. These pyramids date back thousands of years to the early dynasties.

Then we made our way to Dahshur. Here we were able to enter the Red Pyramid which had a 68 meter long tunnel down into the tomb. The internal architecture was astounding in considering the precise measurements to equate the pressure and temperature of the pyramid. The Red Pyramid was the first "perfect" pyramid built. Its neighbor is called the Bent Pyramid. The story is that the pyramid builders made a calculation error in measurements and had to change their angle during construction, leaving the top third of the section look bent. Maybe this story can help to assure the pyramids were not imported by aliens!

Finally, we made it to the famous Great Pyramids of Giza and toured the protected ancient land by camel. I urge you all to brush up on your Pyramid history! Also, for those telling you "the Sphinx isn't as big as I thought it would be.." You must remember that it sits in front of the PYRAMIDS so of course it is not as big as they are but it is still massive.

And to complete the epic adventure of the past couple weeks, I turned 26 yesterday! I celebrated with a felucca boat ride and dinner with some great friends I have made here in Cairo. It is crazy to think my birthdays have been celebrated in 3 different countries the past 3 years (Nicaragua, Mexico, Egypt); I hope to continue the tradition!