Think Creative - Issue 5

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Think Creative by Creative Associates International

Letter from Leland Kruvant President & CEO Creative Associates International

CREATIVE SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Founder & Board Chair Charito Kruvant President & CEO Leland Kruvant Chief Operating Officer Pablo Maldonado Executive Vice President Earl Gast Chief Financial Officer Oswaldo Holguin Senior Vice President Thomas Wheelock Senior Vice President Sharon Cooley VP, External Relations Jessica Kruvant VP, Global Operations Mario Vilela VP, Education Eileen St. George

Tribute to Emanuel Rodríguez

To see the exceptional work of Creative’s programs is a partic- ularly rewarding part of my job. During a recent trip to Kabul, I visited classrooms where teachers led students through early grade reading exercises. It was inspiring to see students eagerly demon- strating their new skills. Through the USAID-funded Afghan Children Read program and in partnership with the Min- istry of Education, these students have colorful new textbooks, an updated early grade reading curriculum and better-trained teachers, as well as other critical resources. They are among the more than 402,400 girls and boys and 6,800- plus teachers reached by the proj-

ect in four provinces as of January 2019. We are also working with the Ministry in support of the coun- try’s Journey to Self-Reliance. The results are impressive—but there is a long way to go. Afghani- stan is a conflict zone, and provid- ing quality, scalable education is challenging and dangerous. None- theless, it is essential to stability. This issue’s cover story provides an inside look into Creative’s approach to education in conflict and a snapshot of a few of our technical experts. I am proud of our staff and partners working in conflict and post-conflict zones throughout the world. Separately, this issue includes memorials to two dear long-term colleagues who recently passed.

We say goodbye to Renuka Pillay, a talented professional who devoted her 40-year career to increas- ing education opportunities for children, adolescents and adults across Africa, India, the U.K. and the U.S. Creative will also miss Emanuel Rodríguez, a skilled communi- cator who most recently worked on the Proponte Más program. Through his writing and photogra- phy, the world learned of success- es and challenges in his home country of Honduras. Sincerely,

By Robyn Braverman, David Medina and Daniel Letona

Genius, kind, creative, committed and beloved are some of the words used to describe Emanuel Rodríguez, a Creative communications officer and Young Development Leader who passed away in November 2018 at age 27 after a lengthy illness. Emanuel, or Ema, was a Honduran warrior with immense conviction and the gentlest heart. We called him the magician because he could take the beginnings of a concept and turn it into a fully developed idea within minutes. We were always inspired by his writing and photography, like the image on the previous page, which brought our projects’ work to life. Ema started his five-year career with Creative as an intern before becoming a communications officer, first with Alianza Joven Honduras and later with Proponte Más. “He created bridges between people,” recalls David Medina, former Deputy Chief of Party

for Alianza Joven Honduras. “He was always connecting people and the components—he just had this ability. It was amazing how one day he could be meeting with mayors and ministers and the next day he was just as happy meeting with community members.” Ema kept up his energy and passion for the work with time spent in the field and the knowledge that he was an agent of change. He worked tirelessly, never for himself but for the people he served, his colleagues and his country. He was truly committed to the Honduras that he loved. Even sick, he continued to motivate and inspire us by sharing his own story with optimism and strength. So instead of saying goodbye, we say, “Safe flying, Ema.” Thank you for what you gave us and what you taught us.

Inspired by his favorite song, “This is a New Day,” by Argentine musician Facundo Cabral, Emanuel Rodríguez lived by these words:

Facing the Sun, I will walk, And with the Moon, I will fly. “ ”

In this Issue

EDITORIAL STAFF

Senior Director, Communications Michael J. Zamba Communications Manager Marta S. Maldonado Strategic Content Manager Jillian Slutzker Rocker Art Direction Amanda Smallwood Writers Evelyn Rupert Ashley Williams Contributing Photographers Emanuel Rodríguez Skip Brown Erick Gibson Jim Huylebroek Think Creative is published three times a year by Creative Associates International, a global development organization dedicated to supporting people around the world to realize the positive change they seek. The content is produced by Creative and does not represent the policies or positions of its clients, partners or host governments. Reproduction of any or all of Think Creative is prohibited without prior written permission. Copyright ©2019.

20 Feature Stories 20 // From the Ground Up: Improving homes in rural Honduras for healthier families

07 Dispatches

Health from the ground up 20 p.

Blockchain explained 09 p.

Alliance for health 08 p.

Updates from around our world

08 // Alliance for health in Zambia 09 // • Blockchain technology for development • Field Notes

22 // Peace and Microfinance: How “self-help groups” foster resilience to violence in Tanzania

25 Creative Life A mission-driven community 26 // Staff Spotlight: Shafiulhaq Rahimi

Peace and microfinance 22 p.

10 // Caribbean youth for violence prevention 11 // Digital development solutions with MTN 12 // In Focus: El Salvador Crime and Violence Prevention Project 14 Cover Package Learning in Conflict Supporting students, teachers and communities in crisis to find a way forward

Committed to education in conflict & peace

27 // • Staff Photo Submissions 28 // Insights on global learning from Eileen St. George, Creative’s new VP of Education 29 // Celebrating the life and legacy of Renuka Pillay 30 // Walk this Way: A day in the life of Denisse Tercero, Clinical Guide for Proponte Más

Meet Shafiulhaq! 26 p.

For more information about Think Creative , please email us at ThinkCreative@CreativeDC.com

5301 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20015 + 202.966.5804 Creative Associates International

ON THE COVER: Composite illustration of education in conflict around the world. Artwork by Paul Hostetler for Think Creative .

Photos by Alianza Joven Honduras-USAID (top left); Jillian Slutzker Rocker (middle), Pakistan Reading Project (bottom)

Photos by Skip Brown (Leland Kruvant), Gabriel Rodriguez (top), Erick Gibson (middle), JimHuylebroek (bottom)

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