Gather at the World Bank, Madagascar
Last week we were invited to give a presentation at the World Bank’s office in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The event was to promote Ideas for Action, the World Bank’s initiative to recognise projects that will help to implement and finance the sustainable goals. Last year, Gather came in second out of 3,100 entries.
Nicolas (“Nic”) Radanielina represented Gather and shared about our experience. Nic is the newest member of our team and he is overseeing the launch of our sanitation data hub in Antananarivo, Madagascar. Nic previously worked with Peace Corps in Madagascar — his experience in project logistics has already proved invaluable!
Here is what Nic had to say about the event:
Speaking in public is never easy! This was my first presentation for Gather and it was great to share how we want to close the sanitation data gap so that decision makers know how and where to improve sanitation infrastructure and services.
Most of the audience were university students or young professionals working in non-profits, high-tech companies and biodiversity transformation projects. They had a lot of questions!
Most of the questions were about why we are focused on data instead of building toilets ourselves. There was also interest in our plans after we have piloted our sanitation index over the next nine months. One question was about how we chose our team members. One of our core values at Gather is that we never work alone. It has been exciting to work with a dynamic team where we support each other as we look to get the project moving forward.
It was great to have the opportunity to share about our work. I would encourage people to apply to the Ideas for Action initiative!
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Note about Ideas for Action
Ideas for Action 2020 is hosted by the World Bank Group and the Zicklin Center at Wharton to engage young people (18–35 years old) to develop innovative solutions in support of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN believes that “youth engagement throughout the design and implementation of the SDGs is critical for their success” — and Gather agrees!
For more information about Gather’s 2019 winning entry, visit here.
