Active Authors
What do you think about when you think about research?
Posted 16 May 2012
What do you think about when you think about research? Do you think of stereotypes – such as academics looking like Einstein in the picture below with the blackboard? Dusty theses sitting on library shelves? Or do you think about the kind of exciting, innovative initiatives and companies – TED, Google and the DFID-funded "What's Your [...]
Rio+20 – a special birthday treat
Posted 11 May 2012 by Hannah Ryder
I've always been a fan of birthdays. Mine falls on June 20th. Last year, I had a wonderful celebration. It wasn't just because of the presents - I got to spend the weekend in the countryside with my closest friends, enjoying all that nature has to offer. This year, however, my birthday will be memorable for [...]
Welcome to the land of the brave
Posted 8 May 2012 by Christa
A large sign greets me with 'Welcome to the land of the brave' in the arrival hall in Kabul. I have just stepped off the plane, and am wondering what the year ahead will bring. This is my first time in Afghanistan and I'm excited and nervous, only having seen one week before the news [...]
A first glimpse of Western Asia
Posted 1 May 2012
Hi, I am Alex, and I have recently joined DFID to work as the regional statistics and results adviser for DFID's programmes in Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Regional Asia programmes. I am based in London as part of the Western Asia team. I've worked for various Whitehall departments for a number of years on issues like [...]
Rolling out the nets
Posted 30 April 2012
The last time I saw David was six months ago; he's now swapped Ghana's coastal, cocoa-growing Western region for the arid savannah of the Upper East region, but he's still doing the same job: getting DFID funded mosquito nets to some of Ghana's most remote and poorest communities. When I first met David last year, [...]
Zimbabwe – on the road to recovery?
Posted 27 April 2012
Having spent some time in Zimbabwe (since 2010) I have certainly become relaxed and really appreciate this beautiful country. I feel relatively safe, in comparison to many other cities. Arriving at Harare Airport, one is met with helpful staff and no hassle in getting a cab - where else is this the case on the African continent? [...]
Sharing skills and saying goodbye
Posted 24 April 2012 by Hannah Howard
We spent our last few weeks in Afjalpur making sure we had met all of the targets laid out in our day-to-day plan and compiling a handover folder so that the next ICS volunteers know every detail of the work we have done. Whilst our programme followed the ethos of sharing skills, knowledge and good [...]
Tragedy, hope and raw determination!
Posted 23 April 2012 by Dan Thomas
Have you ever been to the cinema and seen a trailer for a film that you previously had no interest in watching and then suddenly thought to yourself, "That is a movie I CANNOT MISS"? That was the idea behind this three-minute film by a talented young filmmaker called Ryan Youngblood that I stumbled across [...]
