Why the IHF is Important, Part I
The TED lecture linked below is fabulous. It has some of the better data visualization I have seen. And the story told by the data is narrated wonderfully by the speaker, statistician Hans Rosling.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html
Dr. Rosling’s story centers on two truths. First, his analysis demonstrates that the so-called ‘third world’ is anything but monolithic. Indeed, it is unrealistic to think of regions, or even of countries, possessing similar development characteristics. See Rosling’s demonstration of child mortality in South Africa, Uganda and Niger at about minute 14. This display really brings home that development is a community issue. Money quote – “the improvement of the world must be highly contextualized.”
The second truth that Dr. Rosling testifies is the importance of bringing this insight to students around the world. He states how excited his students become when faced with data that allow them to grapple with the enormous complexity of development in a focused, coherent manner.
These two truths connect deeply with the insight at the heart of the IHF’s mission – that communities must take the lead in their own development; and that immersion in community-led development, supported by leadership development and education, will produce the next generation of leaders for the development sector.
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