UC Davis Blum Center for Developing Economies

 Last summer Terri Harris had the privilege of going to East Africa with the Global Women’s Water Initiative.  At the Making a Difference panel, she shared with the audience the three greatest things she learned during this experience: the technologies, working in the field and building relationships. "The Technologies-- When I first found out about this project, what most attracted me to it was the opportunity to get hands-on experience with Rainwater Harvesting Tanks.  I think that rainwater harvesting is very important -- anywhere!  I think we should be doing it here in the States. I think we should do it everywhere possible, because not only is it a good way to get water (without the heavy metals of groundwater) but it also mitigates some of the environmental damage we cause with all our impermeable surfaces. I was excited to get my hands on the technology and hoped to get a better understanding of what it takes to do rainwater harvesting.  I could n...

Kelly Taylor, an undergraduate International Relations student spoke on the Making a Difference: Challenges and Opportunities of Working Internationally panel, Wednesday February 29th at the International House. She spoke with Freedom from Hunger's Research and Evaluation specialist, Bobbi Gray, and International Agriculture Development graduate student, Byron Hoy, on her experiences gathering qualitative and quantitative data from micro finance clients in Peru over the summer. "In the beginning of this quarter, I was asked to define what I thought was my role in development. What an interesting question, but to be honest, cannot cogently describe what my role in development should be. Development is a word with a big definition; includes expectations, implications, assumptions, and many, many people’s lives. The ethics and impacts of foreign development and poverty alleviation—the whole thing is very subjective. I entered the field in Peru fascinated by different culture...

Community and Regional Development graduate student and 2011 Poverty Alleviation through Sustainable Solutions grant recipient, Terri Harris, interviews Namaganda Mastuula for her work with the Global Women's Water Initiative during the summer of 2011. Namaganda Mastuula August 4, 2011 Katosi, Uganda  My name is Namaganda Mastuula.  I am a member of the Katosi Women’s Development Trust.  Life wasn’t easy, as a widow.  I was left with nothing except a sewing machine.  I struggled very much to earn a living.  Some widows, single mothers....said, “Wow, we have to sit down and look for a solution.”  We formed a group.  Some of us were making mats.  Others there were making local beers.  Me, I had my sewing machine, because I got experience making clothes, so I could earn at least a little earning -- feed my children, educate them because they had started schooling, and they were performing very well.  That encouraged me very much, be...