"Reflecting on my academic journey with AMID in 2018, one poignant memory stands out: our entire class was standing in a circle and the premise of the exercise was to assess how different people perceived the same issues and whether others could influence their thinking. It was a thought-provoking exercise, it led to some debate and I recall a particular moment when one classmate expressed fatigue from repetitive discussions on (in my opinion) a critical issue and another emphasized the significance of continuous dialogue.
Both statements elicited strong reactions from the rest of the group and though they were polarising (to a degree), the class was empathetic to both perspectives. It was that experience that really shone light on the agility of the AMID group, the careful considerations we afforded to different sides of an argument and never jumped to the most obvious conclusions.
I have witnessed various challenges and limitations inherent to the development sector and it is what continues to reaffirm my belief in sustained multi-disciplinary collaboration and dialogue. Whether it be in a personal or professional capacity, everyone can play a role in challenging biases and antiquated notions that influence the way development cooperation is thought of and done. A career in development cooperation isn’t the only way a person can have real impact!"