It’s well known at this point that the United Nations brought cholera to Haiti. The worst cholera outbreak in recent global health records, in a country that hadn’t seen cholera in its record...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2017/03/16/the-uns-shame-and-haitis-suffering/
My first couple of overseas jobs were pretty much just being the native English speaker on staff. Right after undergrad, I was an intern with the American University in Cairo. I drafted or edi...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2014/03/09/the-privilege-of-speaking-english/
These aren’t predictions, exactly, or New Year’s wishes. More like positive signs I am hoping will occur. Clues that we’re getting our act together as an international system. The good ...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2013/12/29/humanitarian-response-complexity-and-uhc-my-high-hopes-for-2014/
Climate change is going to affect life on earth in ways we can’t even begin to understand yet, but the first impact is the one we’re seeing: extreme weather events. Hurricane Sandy last year,...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2013/11/29/gratitude-in-a-time-of-climate-change/
Typhoon Haiyan from space Books – I have a review copy of Ben Ramalingan’s new book, Aid on the Edge of Chaos. I am very, very excited to read it. Earlier this summer, I read Reinventing Phi...
American celebrity chef Paula Deen is getting sued in a big way by a former employer of Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, a restaurant that’s part of the Paula Deen empire. The Uncle Bubba in quest...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2013/06/21/paula-deen-sexual-harassment-and-international-development/
Warning Sign #1: When government officials use the data to set targets like an increase in vaccination or a decrease in cancer numbers, they always use percentages, not absolute numbers. That’...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2013/04/16/three-ways-to-spot-bad-data/
1. Someone asked me if the new State Department Global Health Diplomacy office is likely to be hiring. Unfortunately, I’d guess no. All the major positions will most likely be staffed with care...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2013/01/13/field-notes-from-the-development-industry-1132013/
1. Thinking you’re the only one who’s ever tried to do what you’re doing. 2. Brushing your teeth with tap water. 3. Believing all problems have solutions. 4. Mistaking the capital city for ...
http://bloodandmilk.org/2013/01/12/starting-a-land-war-in-asia-the-five-classic-aid-worker-blunders/
1. An awful lot of people in the aid system are bad at many parts of their jobs. The skills that get you promoted aren’t necessarily the same skills that lead to good aid programs. That’s goo...