Patrick - Kigali, Rwanda

On Friday, I met Patrick, the President of a co-op here in Kigali, Rwanda that is involved in silk farming, fish farming and rabbit farming. What a story. Like many of Rwanda's youth, Patrick is an orphan. After graduating high school, he didn't have a lot of prospects. But thanks to some intensive training (from my client) in practical job capacities and business skills, Patrick is now a successful businessman.

This guy got started in silkworm farming. Then he went to Vietnam on a government scholarship, where he learned about tilapia farming and rabbit farming. When he got back, he started raising rabbits to sell, using their pellets in compost to produce more bugs and insects, which he then feeds the fish, and well... it's just an ingenious system.

He and his co-op should be an inspiration to entrepreneurs around the world.

Working on initial translation sequences now, and loving every minute of it!

Paalam and Salamat! - Zamboanga, Philippines

The Philippines is a country to which I hope to return soon. Not a lot of time here, and I only got to see the Mindanao region. What I did see was strikingly beautiful. Not just picturesque, but inspiring.

When you're face-to-face with utter poverty and cruel brutality, and you witness human beings finding happiness and hope in the midst of it all, you can't help but be humbled. These are people who are far stronger than I am, who have no time for cynicism, and who consistently teach me the meaning of civilization.

(And of course, the team on the ground here is top notch!) Suffice it to say, I'll miss it here.

Next stops: Bangkok > Addis > Nairobi > Burundi > Kigali. Shooting youth programs in Rwanda. Can't wait to get back to Africa!