My name is Sean Dikdan, and I participated in a Saha Water Project in Winter 2016. I was born and raised in Saddle Brook, NJ. I graduated Boston College in 2012 with a major in Biology and a minor in Sociology. I am enrolled as a dual MD/MPH student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers School of Public Health. Right now, I am finishing up my Fieldwork on Community Health Needs Assessments and preparing for my fourth and final year of medical school. I will be applying for residencies in the New York area in Internal Medicine this fall.

Saha Global stood out to me as an organization that took simple, proven solutions and applied them to complex problems. Their community businesses are elegant and effective, and their creative approach is what initially drew me in. In Ghana, I really enjoyed implementing the business and exploring my village of Komonaayili. Speaking with the community members, I heard stories about waterborne disease such as cholera, which up until that point was something I had only ever heard about in lectures and textbooks. Knowing this gave me an added sense of pride in our work there. Practical, clean water for them meant liberation from diseases that had truly harmed the community.

I also loved my time with Saha because the program attracts a diverse group of field reps from all backgrounds and disciplines. Working and learning with these people was a highlight of my trip. Some of my favorite moments were staying up late with everyone on our porches talking, playing the ukulele, discussing the work we were doing, and just really engaging each other. I am looking forward to staying connected with this talented group for a long time.

As I look forward, I want to continue my work with international health, and my experience with Saha will be a springboard for me to begin this. Adequate healthcare is lacking all over the world, and as a clinician and public health student, I want to play a part in resolving this.

Please feel free to email me at sean.dikdan@gmail.com! I would love the opportunity to talk to anyone about Saha Global. You can also keep up with me here.