RESULTS International Conference...Bringing Global Hope!


August 11, 2015
by Ifesinachi Sam-Emuwa, Atlas Corps Fellow

The RESULTS International Conference (IC) was an amazing conference, very inspiring and eye opening! As I walked into the conference opening plenary, I was amazed to see the huge turnout of people from the United States and around the world. Seeing so many people from different backgrounds attending the conference made me believe that RESULTS is indeed a community of people making global impact and fostering change. The IC was a great tool to promote both global and in-country advocacy for poverty-related issues including maternal and child healthcare, microfinance, and anti-poverty programs in the U.S. 

I was surprised to see how many of the conference participants were young people. Young professionals from around the world had the opportunity to meet advanced professionals which fostered interactions that I know have set the ball rolling for the younger professionals. As part of the IC, I visited the World Bank and Capitol Hill to advocate on global health issues. It was an experience I will never forget, as I personally met with two Senators and two Congressmen from the state of Idaho. It was amazing to see the political will they had to support maternal and child health legislation and to help influence their colleagues to do the same. The amazing fact is that RESULTS advocates held meetings with over 300 congressional offices and key stakeholders in the World Bank Headquarters in Washington D.C.

One of my favorite parts of the conference was the Congressional Reception which brought together high caliber policymakers that are working with the RESULTS community on global health and poverty reduction. The World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim was present at the reception to give an inspiring speech.

Being part of the RESULTS IC as an Atlas Corps fellow was an amazing experience for me. It was my first ever RESULTS International Conference but certainly will not be my last. I am inspired by how grassroots advocacy and global advocacy are fused together to form such a formidable force under the umbrella of “RESULTS” and the huge impact this is bringing and changing lives globally.

As the conference ended, participants were highly motivated to go back to their various states and countries to take action to fight poverty. As I walked past participants and looked into their eyes, I saw more passion to take action. My conclusion is, there is hope.

 

 

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