To me, international development means “hope”. There must be hope that those living in poverty and in hostile conditions have the capability to break free from this cycle and start a better life, there must be hope that soon, political powers will aim to work with their citizens instead of against them, and there must be hope that one day everyone will understand that every human being deserves an equal chance at a quality and fulfilling life. I believe that a quality life should no longer be determined by where one is born. I guess one can say that those who study international development represent the underdogs. We are a very unique breed of people, and I’ve noticed these distinct qualities in all of my classmates, and many others in this field of study as well. We have a burning passion to learn about what is going on in the world and wish to use that knowledge to change the not-so-pleasant realities of our globe.
International Development students are keen on changing the world to a better place and are optimistic that someday, this change will exist. To be in this program, you must be an optimist. There is no point in trying to bring about change, with the mindset that everything you’re doing is useless and will not make a difference. Anyone can make a difference if they truly believe in what they’re fighting for, and in my opinion, there are very few who are left with this attitude. I understand that education is such a powerful tool, and especially in development, specific skills are required more than ever this day. I plan to run miles with my education, and use it to make a lasting impact on the world.
The whole idea of development is so much more sophisticated now than it was previously. Before, International Development organizations solely asked for monetary aid, but new tactics for development have since come to be. Today, countless NGO’s and GO’s are involved in bringing about change through the grassroots level, and words such as “empowerment” and “sustainability” are usually linked with “development” . What do these words even mean? In his book, Development as Freedom, Nobel Peace Prize winner Amartya Sen discusses his “capabilities theory”. He expresses that one’s capability is their freedom to lead the lifestyles they value and that freedom ultimately leads to development. Freedom empowers people because it gives them a voice, and control over their life. I think that “sustainability” is an overused word in the development industry. So many projects and programs ensure they are “sustainable”, but shouldn’t that mean they have the ability to last forever? Can any existing development tactic really last forever without any adjustment, adaptation, or modification?
Though there are some unanswered questions about development, one thing I know for sure is that one must have hope to be successful in this industry, and refrain from becoming cynical (an easy route to go down if you are studying international development). This video I saw about Tererai Trent really inspired me; it taught me that anything is possible, and no dreams are farfetched. If you wholeheartedly wish to achieve something and all of your efforts are geared towards accomplishing that goal, you will make it happen. I think this is a lesson to be appreciated not only by international development students but by everyone living on this globe as well.
Good read; inspiring!
ReplyDeleteHope is such a strong feeling and to empower those who are less fortunate than us with that feeling is very inspiring. It is international development students like you and your classmates that will keep spreading your optimism and allowing others to also give their time to help others and instil hope in others!
ReplyDeleteA pleasant read as always:)
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with your point of how quality of life shouldn't be based on where a person is born. And with more and more education into sustainability initiatives for poverty-stricken communities around the world, world poverty, I feel is going to start to decrease in the next few decades.
Having "hope" for populations that are in poverty will really drive them to get out of the condition they are born into. All they need is a chance, a ray of light to better their quality of life...all they need is hope.
Having such drive and passion towards the international development scene as you do, is what will give the less fortunate hope, and a chance to change their lives for the better.
Very well written!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your words ring true in the heart of not only those in International Development but in anyone who wishes to make a difference regardless of whether they are a doctor, engineer or businessman. As they say: "Belief is the essence of power"
The words that you used here are really inspiring. Hope is a very powerful word, it is important for those in poverty, and for those who hope to do something in life for either themselves or others. Never exactly knew what International Development students did, this post explains it well. I hope people from other fields adopt your take as well :)
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