In a nutshell :
I grew up in Sydney, Australia and studied communications and international studies at the University of Technology Sydney before taking off overseas to finish my degrees in Spain and Mexico. Since then I have worked for a range of international organisations in Sydney, New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, Timor-Leste, and now Cambodia, where I have just started a new position as a Communications and Public Relations Advisor with the Cambodian Red Cross.
How did kopernik enter your life?
I started hearing about Kopernik around May or June last year, and was immediately interested in the model Kopernik uses to connect innovative technologies with communities in the developing world. Having worked in Timor-Leste, I was particularly interested in what Kopernik was doing in the Oecusse enclave in West Timor. When I heard that Ewa and Toshi were looking for a Kopernik Fellow in Oecusse, I jumped at the chance to support Kopernik's projects in the enclave.
What role do you play in the kopernik team?
From January to June this year I was a Kopernik Fellow in Oecusse, working closely with two local partner organisations: Fundasaun Esperansa Enklave Oecusse (FEEO) and Centro Feto. It was an incredible experience to get to see the impact that Kopernik technologies are having on people's lives, and to understand the day-to-day challenges that local partners face in implementing projects. Although I have finished my fellowship, I will continue to be involved with Kopernik as a core team member, supporting a number of communications and outreach activities.
What has been your most memorable experience to date?
My field visits to different villages in Oecusse were always a highlight. They were long and exhausting days, but also a lot of fun. There's one field visit that stands out in particular. When the NHK TV crew came to film a feature story on Kopernik in February, we crossed over the Tono river on foot to visit the village of Suni Ufe. We had a productive afternoon of filming, meeting with some really great women who were using the fuel efficient stoves and solar lanterns distributed by Kopernik & FEEO. At one stage it started raining lightly, but it wasn't until we got back to the river that we saw that heavy rain in the mountains had caused the river to rise several feet in just a couple of hours. The sun had already set, and we had just a few minutes of daylight left to decide whether to try to cross on foot or sleep on the river bank for the night. We opted to cross. The river was several hundred metres wide and up to chest high at some points. We all made it across safely, and with the TV equipment intact, thanks to phenomenal help from my FEEO colleagues and some local men. It was a truly terrifying experience, but one that really drove home what life is like for everyone who has to cross the river on a daily basis.
What campaign or piece of technology is closest to your heart?
I worked extensively with the d-light solar lanterns, and think they're great in so many ways. They are beautifully designed, infinitely superior to kerosene lamps and meet such a fundamental need for people who live far away from the electricity grid.
