Field Placement Update!

So, I have some exciting news...

I just accepted a new field placement as Community Network Development Advisor at CEDEMUNEP, the Centre for Black Peruvian Women's Development (Centro de Desarrollo de la Mujer Negra Peruana)!  This is a pretty big change, as I was originally going to be working with youth on a wetland conservation project in the Amazon, and will instead be living and working in the bustling cities of Callao (the port district of Lima) and Chincha.  But it's an exciting opportunity, because I think this new position will be a much better fit.

"CEDEMUNEP is a non-profit organization founded in Lima, Peru in 1997, with a mission is to promote the rights of Afro-descendant populations, with particular emphasis on Afro-Peruvian women and gender equity and equality. CEDEMUNEP brings the voices and perspectives of Afro-Peruvians to the formal political process and delivers programs to strengthen their socio-economic, organizational, and political development.

 
CEDEMUNEP’s projects revolve around fostering the integral development, cultural identity, and participation of Afro-Peruvian women in the decision-making processes, and non-discrimination and prevention of violence against them.

MATCH, WUSC and the CEDEMUNEP will work in partnership with Afro-Peruvian women organizations in Peru to promote the political participation and leadership of Afro-Peruvian women. The Project will train emerging and established leaders as well as build an Action Plan for a network of Afro-Peruvian organizations to work together on shared objectives."

I chose this organization because of the incredible work they are doing to empower black woman leaders in Peru, giving them a voice in politics, raising the profile of Afro-Peruvian issues, and strengthening their development and integration into society.  Working at CEDEMUNEP will be a great way to connect work in the field with my local experience as a community organizer in Waterloo, engaging with students and community members to work for social and environmental justice.  I'm excited to have the chance to work in urban community development, and explore the possibility of building a career in this field!

The future is bright :) 

So you want to be President

My jaw dropped last week when I saw the news that Jim Yong Kim might become the next World Bank President. In case you're thinking, "I know that guy--he looks at things!," Jim Yong Kim is not to be confused with Kim Jong-Il, the late leader of North Korea.  "But then who is he?"  You may ask.  Don't worry, you're not alone.  Obama definitely got some blank stares when he announced his nomination.  But that's probably because Kim has not spent his career munching sandwiches at elite tea parties--he's spent his career in the field with Partners in Health and the World Health Organization, fighting the root causes of infectious diseases and working with the poor to revolutionize community-based public health care systems in countries all over the world.  And that's why Jim Yong Kim and his vision for an "open, inclusive World Bank" are just what the doctor ordered.  

These are just a few reasons why I'm excited about Kim's nomination:

•  He believes that good health and education are foundational for sustainable, inclusive economic growth.  This marks a huge departure from the World Bank's failed Structural Adjustment Programs of the 1980's and 90's, which forced developing countries to cut social spending in the name of economic growth.
• He gets good results.  The success of his radical Partners in Health model in treating diseases like multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis led to the model's adoption by the World Health Organization, and its expansion to 12 countries.  Later, as director of the WHO's HIV/AIDS program, he led the incredible "3x5 Initiative" which has now treated more than 7 million Africans with HIV/AIDS. 
• He defies stereotypes.  When he became President of Dartmouth College, he was the first Asian-American to become president of an ivy-league college.  If he is chosen as the World Bank President, he will be the first Asian-American, physician, anthropologist, and development professional to take the position.
• He does development from the bottom-up.  Partners in Health successfully built capacity and accountability in developing countries by training Community Health Workers and valuing local knowledge and capabilities.  Kim also believes in the importance of economic growth with equity, a concept which the World Bank hasn't seemed to grasp.  
• He can sing, dance, and even rap ? 

But not everyone is excited about Kim's nomination.  Critics are saying:

• He is anti-growth
• He doesn't have the right experience (Former World Bank economist and NYU professor William Easterly said, "You have to have the mind-set to allocate scarce funds, rather than approaching the problem as if we have unlimited resources for suffering people.")
• The U.S. should not have complete power over who is selected

 First of all, as I mentioned before, he believes in a symbiotic relationship between health and education and economic growth. He is also a proponent of growth with equity.  But maybe more importantly, isn't anyone talking about the end of economic growth?  Second, I think it's clear from any biography of Kim that he is incredibly qualified for the position.  As far as needing to make decisions about "scarce funds" goes, I think it's more important to have people in high positions of power who recognize the abundance of our resources, and have radical visions for re-distribution and economic equality.  Finally, when it comes to the U.S.'s power in the selection process, I agree that it's time that other countries had a say.  But I still think that Jim Kim would make a great president, and I'm excited about the possibilities for the World Bank with Kim at the helm.  

 

 So here are my questions for you:

• What do you think about Kim's nomination?
• How do you think he stacks up against the competitors, Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Colombia's José Antonio Ocampo (also incredible, and many say better candidates)?
• Should the U.S. be able to select the World Bank President?
• If you were World Bank President, what would you change?

Let's discuss! Comment with your thoughts and opinions!