Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) As a native of the Timbuktu region in Mali, West Africa, one of the most unstable areas of the country, I have been an eyewitness to the devastating effects of climate variability … Read more

Fragility, Conflict and Violence Unit/World Bank Group ETHIOPIAN FAMINE 1984 marked one of Ethiopia’s worst famines. Years of drought destroyed the harvests and crops, causing great hunger. Famine, disease and war forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their … Read more

From Gaza Strip to Sarajevo passing through Sri Lanka: Conflict Zones and Post Conflict Transition   Just ten months ago, I was spending every morning waking up to one of the worst and most protracted conflicts in modern history. For … Read more

Ticket to D.C. In April, when I received the confirmation for the Next Leaders’ program at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), a progressive think tank striving to promote critical public scholarship, I knew I was going to have an … Read more

Summer 2018: My Applied Field Experience in two parts “We are in the business of aspirations. We are in the business of dreams. And optimism is synonymous with creativity. Furthermore, optimism is our responsibility” – Luis Miguel Massianu (quote to … Read more

Face to Face with Rohingyas – Supporting the Rohingya Refugee Crisis in Cox’s Bazar Living a ‘nomadic’ life for over a decade, most recently, I have started to wonder if I should stop this madness and quietly settle down in … Read more

What comes to your mind when you think of your childhood? Does it bring you happy memories and laughter? We all dream of a world where every child and adolescent has a happy childhood…  Peace at the micro-unit According to … Read more

Starting Conversations Around Conflict in Sri Lanka   It is the windy season in Mannar, which means the ocean is stirred up and the fisherman do not take their boats out. The palm trees bow towards the rough sea and … Read more

The experience that brought me here I grew up in a family that was passionate about poverty alleviation. From my earliest memories, I can recall my parents telling us about their experiences volunteering in India and Nepal, working in the … Read more

Connecting Local and Global Issues – Background and impetus for my summer AFE Prior to commencing the Rotary Peace Fellowship, and my graduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, I volunteered and worked for a variety of not-for-profit, human rights and community … Read more