In March of 2013, I photographed Management Sciences for Health's (www.msh.org) ongoing health projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. Here, the unmet medical needs are overwhelming, yet the positive signs of change are also apparent. Despite their poverty and reduced access to medical services, local individuals were eager to contribute and assist community medical programs. Be it a coffee ceremony in the forests of Ethiopia, or a group of youth learning about hand washing in rural DRC, there was interest and excitement to learn and apply new methods of health safety to everyday lives.
I was inspired by the collaboration between communities and organizations to tackle the hurdles involved with establishing better clinical and preventative services. These educated, progressive thinkers are committed to assuming positions of leadership in their communities and encouraging others to do the same. These dedicated individuals, working together, are overcoming the political, structural, and financial hurdles that limit the quality of health care for those most in need. My perspective about the future of global health has changed for the better: there is a hope and local pride in the tremendous strides that have been taken to improve the quality of and access to health care.
