- Why did you enroll in this course (motivation, prior interests)?
Since many years, I have always been intrigued by Africa, and in specific, Sierra Leone. Upon watching the movie Blood Diamond as a child, I came to know of the countless tragedies that Sierra Leone’s people have endured for decades, their saddening history, and their identity as a people. When I was applying to Lehigh University, I came across this course that offered students an opportunity to effectively contribute to their country and, instantly, I was motivated. If I can even slightly ease the burdens that Sierra Leone’s people face, I will do it with all my strength.
- How do you envision this course making you a better (<your major>) student?
I anticipate that this course will take me to new heights as an engineering student. AISHA is a project that is very close to my heart and it offers me the opportunity to develop basic skills as a programmer and will allow me to excel in the realm of computer science. As I currently plan to pursue Computer Science as a major, this is a wonderful chance for me to build a solid foundation in AI and observe the complexities of the subject while simultaneously having a positive impact on an entire society therefore benefiting not only me but others as well.
- The World Health Organization estimates that over one billion people who need eyeglasses do not have access to them. The vast majority of these people live in developing countries like Kenya where there is barely one optometrist per one million people. Given the high poverty levels, access to eyeglasses is almost non-existent. Lack of proper eyeglasses severely impacts people and their livelihoods by decreasing their productivity at work, limiting or eliminating new opportunities, affecting their quality of life, deteriorating their general health, and possibly leading to (preventable) blindness. What solution do you propose to address this problem?
Temporary relief would be the utmost priority which would see developed countries lending optometrists to countries such as Kenya, which are in dire need of it. This could be done by offering financial incentives to such optometrists and encouraging them to indulge themselves in a new culture, effectively impacting millions of people. This would require funding but it would yield a temporary solution in which the lives of millions would be positively affected.
A long-term solution would undoubtedly be the advancement of education in such countries. It is not ideal nor realistic to rely on the aid of foreign healthcare systems permanently and therefore, countries such as Kenya would need to evolve their healthcare systems and produce their doctors, which can only be done through education.
Investment in education would prove extremely beneficial to these countries. In just a few decades, the whole outlook of healthcare could potentially be changed. While this would indeed require funding, healthcare is a vital aspect for every country and it can unequivocally be said that it would be a necessary investment. Initial help from developed countries which might constitute of funding, instructors, and medical facilities would go a long way toward streamlining this process of change. It would be the first step in sculpting a better future for millions.