I could not have imagined how much the world would change in the short span of time between meeting Stephen Chilufya in February and writing his story in April. But somehow, it fits. It’s all about challenge, change and harmony… CARE’s Southern African Nutrition Initiative (SANI) has been working in rural communities across Malawi, Mozambique …

In all my years working in international development and humanitarian relief, and in all the words I’ve ever penned in an attempt to make people feel connected to human stories and situations in faraway places, I could never have been as effective as COVID has in a span of mere weeks in facing people with …

My bags are packed, and I’m ready to fly… I have all that I need. I understand my present by understanding my past. My current path isn’t arbitrary. Today’s journey is built upon each step that I have taken up to today. All the mistakes I have made. All the victories I have won. All …

The first time I saw 27-year old Emmanuel Mwamba at the water borehole on Chipindo Primary School grounds, he was getting ready to fill the pail he had brought from home with fresh, clean water… Now in its final year, CARE’s Southern African Nutrition Initiative (SANI) has been working in rural and remote communities across …

Today is “puja”… a spiritual celebration. Specifically, today is “Saraswati Puja” – celebration of the Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom. What a way to start a work week! With preparations beginning days in advance, the entire Chetna Vikas office had been transformed into a thematic feast for the senses… a colorful altar for the ritual …

…about the relationship of gender equality and nutrition in Southern Africa Hunger, malnutrition and poverty are not accidents — they are the result of injustice and inequality. From household to global levels, inequality between men and women, between the powerful and the marginalized, between those who can access resources and those who cannot, shapes access …

Today was another breathtaking day spent motorcycling through some of the most rough, rural and remote regions of Deoghar district, learning about and experiencing first-hand Chetna Vikas’s (CV’s) incredible work in women’s empowerment. This day, my guide and travel companion was Manoranjan, a “Master Teacher” who divides his work days between the CV office and …

She is your sister, your daughter, your wife, your friend. She is family. It doesn’t matter where she is born… Every woman and girl deserves access to good food, clean water, and the same opportunities as their husbands, sons, and brothers. In Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia… We are working alongside women and girls, men and …

In northeastern Tanzania lies Lushoto, a tiny mountainside village perched in the lush, green heart of the Usambara Mountains. There, on the front porch of a small cottage, sat the Girl. She sat alone, early one morning, to watch the sun rise and the day unfold. The Girl had long brown hair, soft brown eyes, …

I first learned of Romania’s overcrowded and destitute orphanages in the early 1990s, as Western nations were realizing the implications of the domestic policies of communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. When Ceausescu was overthrown and executed in 1989, there were more than 150,000 children in Romanian orphanages. This was a direct result of his insistence that …

Certain aspects of Tanzania ensure your constant awareness that this truly is a different world… The sky, for one, seems bigger here than anywhere else I’ve ever been. It hangs over you, flattening you between the immensity of the space above and the solidity of the earth below – sky and earth, each the aerial …

Today we set out early in the Chetna Vikas four-wheeler in order to accommodate a full day agenda – field visits to several villages across Dumka District. Specifically, we were headed to an agricultural project being piloted in Haripur, Dhankutta and Patharia villages. The rationale for this programming is readily apparent in the project operational …

It was barely 8 a.m. when I rounded the bend into Barmasia to begin my morning commute. My eyes were immediately drawn to the bobbing sea of umbrellas as pedestrians moved through the (already) stifling, dusty street. Of course, I recognized that the umbrellas were being used as sun-shades, and I smiled in agreement – …

Moyo is the Swahili word for “heart.” Maya is the Sanskrit word for “illusion.” To me, the words “MoyoMaya” together represent an intention to use the heart to heal the “space between us.” After all, the space between us (between people, between cultures, between countries, between you and I) is an illusion. Separateness is not …

PRESS RELEASE: Tackling Child Malnutrition Requires a Holistic Approach, Targeting Health Care, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Gender Equality Recently, UNICEF released their State of the World’s Children 2019 report, entitled “Children, food and nutrition: Growing well in a changing world.” It showed that, globally, more children than ever are surviving, but they are not thriving. …

In many ways, it simply has to be experienced. An overnight train across India, and the opportunity to view all the pockets of space between cities and towns… it is intense, and it is disorienting. For me, the journey began with delay… although I had arrived at Delhi’s bustling central station with plenty of time …

For several weeks, I left everything behind. Armed with just a sleeping bag and a friendly guide, I embarked on a surreal journey into Tanzania’s wilderness… First we visited Tarangire National Park, occupying 2600 square kilometers of wilderness in the Rift Valley. Beautiful Taranguire is otherworldly in its endless presentation of ancient Baobab trees and …

Years ago, when I started volunteering overseas, it was simpler… the “volun-tourism” industry hadn’t actually exploded and caused damage to what was otherwise a potentially beautiful force of good in the world: international volunteering. So, when I see pictures of myself like this now, I tend to cringe a bit and immediately wonder if I …

Kumar knows a thing or two about setting priorities. Since his life crashed down around him during the earthquake five months ago, he has worked tirelessly. His focus has been on restoring a sense of safety and home for his family. Kumar is just 35 years old, but he supports a family of 9, including …

Tanzania offers many rewards to those who rise early. On my morning walk today, I watched a brilliant pink and orange sunrise slowly warm the ice-blue cap of Mount Kilimanjaro. Kili herself stood stark and completely unobstructed against the pale blue perfection of Moshi’s sky. Several days of sunless cloud have finally broken in an …

I have come to deeply appreciate the power of volunteerism to open one’s heart, mind and self-awareness, and to transform one’s perspective of his or her role and relationship to the world at large. My volunteer experiences have each provided a unique gift of insight, presented here as “principles” of MoyoMaya. ♥ No act is …