For my job, I work with researchers at the University of Namibia. When I have free time, I volunteer to support Namibians with disabilities. I was diagnosed with a disability called autism in kindergarden and helping others with similar challenges is important to me.
I am originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up being interested in other cultures. Like Namibia, New Mexico is situated in a large desert, so I feel right at home in Windhoek! I went to college at Fort Lewis College in the Colorado mountains to study psychology (or the science of how people act). In college, I supported water systems in Ecuador and Nicaragua and loved working with communities abroad. This led to a semester abroad in Botswana, which is where I fell in love with Africa!
After college I missed Africa, so I joined the Peace Corps and worked on health projects in South Africa. While I was in South Africa, I saw how many communities struggle with TB and wished I could have helped them before the people became sick. After Peace Corps, I moved back to the desert for a Masters in Public Health Degree at the University of Arizona and continued to question how communities can prevent TB infections. This experience inspired me to apply for a Fulbright grant to research TB in Namibia, and I was very lucky to get it!
That is who I am and why I am in Namibia. My hope is that the project gives other communities ideas on how to prevent TB. Thanks for reading, and I am excited for us to learn about Namibia together over the next six weeks!
All the best,
Katey
