Lessons From My Big Sister

After people have met both my sister, Robin, and me the next question always is:

So what did your parents do to make both of you so adventurous (we have both lived and worked all over the world: India, South Africa, Senegal, Korea, El Salvador, Kenya) and socially minded (I have worked for Acumen Fund, Ashoka, Care, and she has worked for Dalberg, Oxfam, Bridgespan.)

Well part of the answer is that we fall somewhere between my dad, Corporate America, and my mom, retired colonel in the military and public health professor. It is actually a really nice blend of influence, knowledge, passion, power, and inspiration.

So I am in Kenya and have the unique opportunity to spend a full month (can't remeber the last time we were in the same place) with my sister who is based here on a project. Robin has been living in South Africa for the past 5 years and has recently found a love for Kenya.

So Lessons from Robin in my first 3 weeks:

1. Listen more than I speak; still working on that one.
2. Don't forget to slow down and breathe
3. Share clothes and share them often:)
4. Mobile Technology just might change the world: She helped start a foundation, the Praekelt Foundation,a technology incubator that develops open source mobile technology solutions to improve
the health and well being of people living in poverty.
5. Franchising models can teach us very interesting lessons about the delivery of products and services to low income communities - she just won an award for a paper she published on the topic.
6. Pack light you never know when an opportunity might present itself
7. Anything and I mean anything is possible...