FIVE INCREDIBLE WOMEN CHANGING THE WORLD

Posted by Bill Davis, Grant Stewardship Chair 5890 
on Sep 24, 2015
 
Over the past six or seven years I have enjoyed the privilege of working with five young women who have been responsible for creating  TWENTY Rotary water, sanitation, education and health projects around the world with a value of $979,000.  These projects took place in El Salvador, Bolivia, Uganda, Kenya, Brazil, Afghanistan, Botswana, South Africa and Ghana.  In addition six scholarships were funded for studies towards Master’s Degrees in Nepal, Brazil, Chile, Austria, Yale University and Scotland.
 
Read more about these five women and where they are now..
 
                  
 
Dr. Sara Beck – worked for NASA and was the co-founder of the Central Houston Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA) when we first met. Aerospace engineering degree, University of Colorado, Master’s Georgia Tech and most recently a PhD from Colorado. Currently conducting water reuse research at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok on a Fulbright Fellowship.
 
Dr. Isis Mejias Carpio – a volunteer with EWB when we met. Chemical Engineering Degree from University of Houston and joint PhD from Universities of Sao Paulo and Houston. Working with Jacobs Engineering in Houston but currently on vacation time in Uganda to help launch a $300,000 water and sanitation project.
Nicole Heydari - first met when she was seeking funding to attend The Diplomatic Academy in Vienna, the world’s oldest school offering a Master’s Degree in International Studies. Undergrad in International Politics at Georgetown University – currently with the Department of Commerce in Washington while awaiting security clearance to join the FBI.
 
Ali Mondragon - met on a United flight from London to Houston. BSc in Nursing from Oregon Health and Science University and Master’s in International Management from Portland State University - currently working as a Clinical Consultant for Philips HealthCare in the San Francisco Bay Area.
 
Anja Nikolova – met through Rotary Past District Governor Murat Celik in Istanbul. Undergrad BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences, The University of Pavia, Italy (cum laude). Currently studying on scholarships from Rotary and Yale towards a Master’s Degree of Environmental Management at the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
 
Thank you to all five women for making a huge positive change in the world and thank you to the Rotary Clubs and Districts in nine countries around the world that contributed funds to these projects and a special thank you to the thousands of Rotarians who contributed to The Rotary Foundation and thus enabling the significant matching funds for the projects.
 
FROM BILL DAVIS, ROTARIAN IN D 5890
HUMBLE INTERCONTINENTAL ROTARY CLUB
The Rotary Foundation - Cadre Member
District 5890, Texas - Grant Stewardship Chair
               Endowment Fund Chair