Sarah Wilson is our new Network Coordinator! In this blog, she tells us about herself and how she will be supporting the growth of our network.
Where are you from and what makes you proud to be from there?
My father is English, and my mother is Dutch. I feel proud to have family in another country as I love learning about other cultures and how people live differently all over the globe. I also had a wonderful experience living with a family in India for a while. I think it is such a rich experience for diverse people to live together under one roof and learn different ways of approaching life.
What work did you do before you joined Arukah?
I spent a number of years in India, working periodically in education and development projects, along with a brief involvement in maternal health research. When I came back to England, I joined Interhealth where I worked with Dr. Ted Lankester and a great team of doctors and nurses supporting the health of NGO workers abroad. As life moved on with marriage and children, I also moved between counties and countries! Work took me to the Middle East, North America, Africa, Asia and Europe where I learnt so much being amongst different cultures and ways of working together.
What drew you to Arukah and what motivates you?
When I was a University student I carried out my dissertation in rural Rajasthan through Seva Mandir. Their motto is transforming lives through democratic and participatory development and I feel this resonates strongly with what Arukah Network believes. I believe in working alongside people when it is needed, to help social relationships, and strengthen communities' capacity for self-development and governance.
What will your Network Coordinator role involve?
I believe I will contribute to the support and development at Arukah Network. I’ll be open to move around to wherever I am most needed or can be helpful! I also hope to grow funding streams that will allow Arukah to respond to growth requests from various areas, both new and existing.
What do you expect to be challenging in the role?
How to tell enough people about Arukah Network’s vision and make it meaningful to them! Sometimes in life, we live in a bubble where we might allow our own problems to consume more time than they should and I believe we should look out to the wider picture and our small role in a big world!
How do you like to relax when you're not working?
I love to run on trails in remote landscapes. My ideal place to run is along a coastline or in the mountains when possible. Closer to home, I run on the Malvern Hills which are very beautiful.
I also love to make food and share it with others, whether it’s a small group of friends meeting together to share what we are doing in our lives or big family gatherings bringing the younger and older generations together, we have a lot to learn from each other.
Welcome, Sarah! We're glad to have you in the Network.
Read a brief history of Arukah Network here