Reinforcing my commitment to private sector led development
Today was a very special day. Prior to visiting the artisan women of Mdlangwe to further explore the rural production order allocation and collection, myself and Dana (sadly Ling Ling had a meeting) spent the first part of the morning with orphans at the Moya Center. Yael, the Program Director at boMake volunteers at the center once a week and invited us to accompany her. My initial reaction to visiting an orphanage was somewhat conflicted. While on one hand I absolutely adore children, and can think of nothing better than to brighten the lives of those who may not receive the love and attention they require and so rightly deserve. On the other hand, I am apprehensive of any interaction with children which may be interpreted as exploitative or a disingenuous ‘fly-by-night’ tactic. In the end, I decided that given Yael’s continued involvement at the Center, it would not be disruptive to the lives of the children if we were to spend a couple of hours with them. I am so thankful that I made that decision. We sang songs, made crafts, read Cinderella, and watched the children delight in a yogurt the way a western children would an ice cream, some chocolate or a can of soda.
I have long attributed much of my professional and academic success to my capacity to empathize – to see the world through the eyes of the others, to understand the challenges they face, and offer candid and constructive advice. I believe that this capability is particularly valuable in order to identify new market opportunities, to address the unique needs of consumers and constituents in non-traditional markets, and to ultimately develop strategies aimed at fulfilling these needs. This capacity is partly instinctive, but it is strengthened by experiences such as my visit to the Moya Center and the Mdlangwe group. The thrill of introducing women and children to the tremendous power of technology, including computers, the Internet, and digital cameras is baffling. I can only say that it validates my passion for change and fuels my courage to pursue new ventures in this space. By meeting the community exemplars and leading entrepreneurs and interacting directly with the Swazi citizens, I have broadened my understanding and perspective, which will benefit me tremendously in both my personal and professional life.