My name is Zander Rounds, I’m from Boston and I participated in the winter 2011-2012 Saha Global Leadership Program. I just recently graduated from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service with an international politics major. A couple years ago, having studied models of international development from a theoretical perspective, I was drawn to Saha Global. Their leadership program seemed like an ideal way to gain on-the-ground field experience and perhaps put what I had been studying into practice. To be quite honest, I also entertained a vague notion that I wanted to “help people” but did not quite understand what that meant.
My time with Saha Global exceeded my expectations, challenging my assumptions about the role I can play as a privileged outsider. In a word, I learned that, though I went to Ghana thinking that I was going to “develop” others, it was in fact I who was “developed”—by the superstar local staff and the energetic villagers of the village that I worked in. With the help of these wonderful people, I developed a more critical and nuanced understanding of the challenges and benefits of doing international development work.
In a sector of society that, in my opinion, is filled with people who with the best of intentions go out into the world to help only to inadvertently cause harm, Saha Global seems to do things right. I was so excited about the Saha model that I spent the following summer working as an intern in their US office, during which time I gained valuable insight into the inner workings of a dynamic and growing social business. Soon, I am off to China. I was awarded a Fulbright grant to conduct research on Chinese-African relations, an issue that I actually became aware while I was a Saha Field Rep. I am grateful for the knowledge and skills I gained through working with Saha Global and excited to take them with me on my newest adventure.

Want to learn more about Zander’s experience or have any specific questions? Zander would love to tell you more! Feel free to email him at [email protected] Also check out what he’s up to now!