Friendly Competition: Petty Traders on the Border between Rwanda and DRC

Running a small business across any national border can be tricky, and especially between Gisenyi and Goma. The women who buy and sell goods here have spent their lives caught up in the chaos on the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). But they have more in common than conflict […]

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Global Policy Studies & International Security Health & Social Policy

What is a Toilet?

One of the greatest things about working in a tight knit community lies in the stories and friendships that you develop with the community members. Perhaps for me, an even greater part is having a colleague who speaks Hindi and can translate these stories while I am in rural India. We talked with the laborers […]

Making Maps for Data Driven Decisions

During my internship with the Center for Accelerating Innovation and Impact (CII) in the Global Health Bureau at USAID, I attended a training that the GeoCenter conducted. They are a team of geospatial analysts who work to integrate a geographic approach into USAID’s development programs. Participants learned how to make and use maps to answer […]

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Health & Social Policy

Fighting Outdoor Defecation in Rural Bihar

July 1st – 26. July 2nd – 19. July 3rd – 27. In India there are rarely small numbers. A lot of people, a lot of cell phones and, most importantly for us, there are a lot of people defecating outside. 650 million people defecating outside. Unfortunately, the numbers that I encounter every day are […]

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LBJ School Philanthropy & Non-Profit Organizations

Managing Community and Client Expectations

Expectation management is an important skill both personally and professionally. When we do not actively work to manage our own expectations and those of our clients, communities, and supervisors, we often set ourselves up for failure. Despite this, it does not seem to be a subject that is widely written on or discussed. It is […]

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Energy & Environmental Policy

Addressing Climate Change in Cape Town

As many in the development field recognize, rural and urban planning can contribute greatly to (or hinder) socioeconomic development. In the townships around Cape Town, for example, everyday I see how poor infrastructure contributes to poverty through limited access to water, healthcare, food, electricity and adequate housing. Heavy rains can cause terrestrial flooding that predominantly […]

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LBJ School

In the summer, In the city – The Eyes of Texas in DC

Coming from out of state hearing the UT alma mater “The Eyes of Texas” was a little unsettling. Really, the Eyes of Texas are upon you, you cannot get away… To be honest, prior to hearing (and, yes, singing) the song, I thought about Walker, Texas Ranger. Turns out that whether it’s Chuck Norris or […]