A World We Dare to Imagine Post 3

The State Development Institute (TSDI) is a think tank dedicated to formulating strategies for state and institutional development in foreign countries. State instability is a result of underdeveloped political structures and institutions and can lead to widespread poverty, underdeveloped healthcare and social programs that benefit the population, weak or corrupt judicial system, and overall state underperformance. In order to address state instability, The State Development Institute, its researches, strategists, and representatives, will work with political representatives from foreign countries to create a strategy for institution and system development that works best for the country based on its resources and needs. Once a strategy has been formulated between TSDI and the designated country, TSDI will help implement of the strategy and oversee its development to make sure it is working. TSDI will also train representatives from the country to organize and manage the new institutions and systems to provide them with the skills to manage their new state institutions.

I am passionate about the work The State Development Institute will do because by directly addressing the root cause of state instability, we will try to eliminate, or at least mitigate, social problems affecting the state’s population. To address poverty, inadequate healthcare, judicial and social systems, a direct government response is needed. However, many developing countries lack proper political systems, and therefore a lack of other systems and institutions needed for state development. TSDI will work with countries to try and create a better state that will improve the living standards of its citizens and will allow them to pursue opportunities needed to improve their lives. Out hope is to make the world a better place where all humans have access to basic needs, have freedom to pursue opportunities, and enjoy a happy life.

The State Development Institute is unique because it provides a direct and custom approach for state development. Most state development assistance for the United States, tries to impose western methods for development, however, these methods might not fit with the country’s resources and capabilities and can make the country worse off than it was before receiving assistance. TSDI will formulate custom development strategies along with representatives from the state receiving the assistance. It will also conduct research to find out what the state population needs because sometimes political officials might not know what it is their citizens need and want.

The State Development Institute will strive to create better states equipped with organized and effective systems and institutions that will be able to address the problems facing their populations.  Our goal is to improve the lives of people around the world by improving living standards. We strive to create a better world with more international cooperation and peace. In pursuing our mission, we hope to gain Anima Mundi Development Partners’ support. Anima Mundi Development Partners’ and TSDI have the same objectives of improving peoples’ living standards, enabling global cooperation, and creating a better environment for all to live in. We believe that a partnership between us will further our goal and inspire local and global cooperation to further world improvement.  

A World We Dare to Imagine Post 1

People coming together to solve problems that afflict the citizens of the world, and the world itself, is the first step in creating a world in which all humans are equal. However, people must first become aware of the problems the world is facing because it is easy to forget when some people live in privileged positions. Therefore, I think educating the public must be prioritized in the North (developed countries) and the South (developing countries) to educate people all over the world of the problems people are facing and how people can come together to solve them.

Even though I believe education is important, the most important feat is restructuring and creating political institutions that allow for change to happen. Failed states that cannot provide, or are not willing to provide, basic services to their citizens create problems within domestic barriers but also in the international system. People listen to leaders because they expect them to lead the country to prosperity, or at least fix some of the problems that afflict citizens every day. However, there are cases in which states do not have the proper institutions to create and implement new political policies to help their citizens. Even allowing charities/organization to work in some states require political approval but if the political institution of the state is not well organized it can take months, even years, to get approval from political leaders. Healthcare, taxes, access to financial resources and other services that citizens need also require the administrative structures of political institutions. Sates that have proper political structures can then help other states create their own. This is why my first step in making the world a better place, would be to become an Ambassador for the U.S., or of an international organization like the United Nations, and work with political leaders to help them develop the proper political structures needed to meet the needs of their citizens. It would not be just me doing this, because I alone cannot change the world, but many other people who want to see change would do this too. This would require conniving leaders to accept help, but I hope that they would be willing to accept it to better their states and the lives of their citizens.

Through better political institutions, I also think environmental protection policies can be more easily implemented. Having a world that is clean and strong is needed to continuously provide an environment that supports human and animal life.

Nevertheless, I think establishing efficient political structures is needed to carry out change. I think that with this, collaboration from people all over the world to solve the problems the world faces will ensue once people see the results. 

The Blue Sweater Post 2

Reading The Blue Sweater was heartwarming and encouraging. Following Jacqueline Novogratz’s personal journey of alleviating poverty was a great first-hand look into the lives of those affected by poverty and the solutions that work best for them. At the beginning of Jacqueline’s journey, she envisioned that she alone would be able to change the world, or at least make a significant contribution. However, as she met both women and men who were affected by poverty, learned from their personal journeys and saw the capabilities of humans to do both good and bad, she realized that changing the world would take more than just one woman.

As I was reading this book, I admired Jacqueline’s perseverance in trying to better the lives of the people in Africa.  She faced much opposition from those she tried to help in the beginning and went through many personal challenges but she continued to help. At the end of the book she also makes a point that changing the world requires more than one source of leadership, and contribution from every human to make it happen. I thought this was the most important point in setting the stage for change. Humans are not autonomous and require the assistance of other humans to survive. I believe that a world in which cooperation and assistance are prioritized, lives can be changed for the better. I am happy that I was able to read this book, because it put things in perspective for me again by making me realize that cooperation is important and needed to alleviate poverty, environmental degradation and all other challenges human beings face. I was able to perceive from reading The Blue Sweater, that that the world was built by all and so it must be maintained by all and I think this is an important lesson.