Consensus at the Ministry: An Invisible Win
What is Malawi’s way forward? What are we going to decide as a nation? These are the questions that when answered I’ve come to call “invisible wins.” As a Global Health Corps Fellow at Malawi’s Ministry of Health, I participate in meetings where these questions are posed to Ministry staff and development partners ranging from […]
The Superwoman of the Mukuni Health Center
Just a short 20 minute ride east of the bustling tourist town of Livingstone lies a royal village called Mukuni. There is still an acting chief of the tribe, whom you can visit for a price, as he sits on a stump of an elephant’s leg that doubles as his chair. Another touted tourist adventure […]
I Was Here: Reflections on Gentrification and Community Health in Washington, D.C.
In early October, the Washington City Paper published an article entitled, “Developer Pitches a Private Version of New Communities in Brentwood,” about a set of urban renewal plans targeted at the Brentwood Shopping Center and Brookland Manor housing complex in Washington D.C.’s Northeast quadrant. The article makes a comparison between the strip mall’s exterior, described […]
The Drum Major Instinct: Rethinking Leadership in Global Health and Beyond
Atlanta, Georgia February 4th, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his final sermon with a clear and lasting message: serve, don’t lead. In particular his reflections centered on the concept of “the drum major instinct,” our collective need as individuals to feel validated by our achievements. To lead and inspire not for the greater good […]
Connecting My Past to My Future
I almost jumped with joy when my supervisor told me to join the SmartCare team on a trip to the Copperbelt Province to provide technical support at rural health clinics that would act as ‘model sites’ for the implementation of SmartCare. SmartCare is an electronic computer based system that allows patients to seek medical […]
The Secrets of the Baobab
Did you know that the Baobab tree has a fruit? Me neither. The Baobab trees are images often associated with the natural beauty of Malawi, and frequently make their way onto postcards, paintings, and pictures of the country. These large, bulbous trees provide a picture of Malawian wildlife that is simultaneously magnanimous and whimsical. Despite […]