THANKS IFP- FORD FOUNDATION

THANKS IFP- FORD FOUNDATION

By: Juan D. Simón

Today is Wednesday and spring has already started in Washington DC. I see changes in the environment, people laughing while walking in the streets, no more winter jackets; I see flowers in gardens and beautiful trees around the city. In DC besides English, people speak several languages. However in some public services, like the Metro, Buses, Schools, Hospitals and Police Stations, beside English, you can see, also “Hablamos Español”. We speak Spanish. So, English and Spanish are my languages of communication around here.

Hola a todos!. I woke up around 6 am, took a shower. I had a Guatemalan breakfast today, eggs, cheese, hot tortillas, coffee, milk and black beans. As usual, I am running to catch the Red Line of the Metro in order to be on time at my work. In the Metro I observe people reading, checking their iphone, listening music, iPods, others are sleeping, and many standing up for the next stop.

My surprise was that Dr. Joan Dassin the current Executive Director of the International Fellowship Program at Ford Foundation in New York was going to come to DC, to the same Bank where I work to discuss about technical cooperation in the future. She and her colleagues would like to continue funding scholarships for Latin-American countries with emphasis on indigenous women. She knew I was working here. Her assistant wrote me and then we agreed to meet and have a conversation. I changed my agenda of the day. After a decade of the first meeting I wanted to see her. I remember her good judgment during a key interview in Antigua Guatemala, which allowed me to get the Ford Scholarship and go to Harvard University; I was excited to see her again. She is around 60 years old and as soon as you see her, you know her decision has already changed many lives in the world, and I waited for her in the cafeteria of the bank, 7th floor; I was nervous and as soon as we saw each other, we recognized ourselves, smiled, greet each other.

I was emotional because my professional life would not be the same without the financial support of Ford Foundation and without her support because I remember she approved additional financial aid for the Intensive preparations for the IEP at Harvard. Perhaps my work in Unicef, ChildFund and in the Interamerican Bank would not be possible, without the motivation, the Harvard degree and some good recommendations. Perhaps having the experience of working for the development with identity of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazonia of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador would not be possible without this initial support.  

We ate lunch together. Among several topics, Dr. Dassin said something like this “Juan, now you are prepared to be in an elite development organization, to be part of decision making that can impact the development of peoples, you can discuss national issues that may make the difference in local institutions. However the cost of that was your time, your effort, the money we spent in order for you to go to Harvard University and get a master degree. Many people might not understand about the benefits of the IFP program, many only see the monetary cost, but it takes courage, hard work, and vision in how to invest in social justice; I am glad we did it. We did a good job selecting you for the scholarship”. I thanked her words and contribution. The only thing I did was to invite her for lunch and offer her my appreciation and support. Her words, reminded me that what I was doing in UNICEF or my commitment, or my current work at the Interamerican Bank was the result of many contributions, people who believed in me, invested in me during different stages of my life. She reminded me to never forget the promotion of human dignity, human rights and social justice, brain sharing and equality of opportunities.

She told me that after 12 years, after supporting around 4300 leaders in the world, the program will end in 2013. No more funds from Ford and perhaps some seed money to continue working with women and higher education in a few countries, including Guatemala. She invited me to be part of the closing ceremony of the International Fellowship Program; it will take place in New York in May, 2013.

Among philantrophos, Alumni, and important people in the world, I will be there. It will be my pleasure, my honor.

So, I want to go to New York and I want to be part of this closing ceremony, and to me will be a symbol of gratitude. I want the universe to conspire in favor of others as the universe helped me. I know and I want the universe to bless the people who worked hard in Asia, Africa, East Europe, China and Latin America for making a successful program. They might not know the impact of the IFP for future generations. Already impacted my children Fernando and Mayabella, and I want them to have similar or better opportunities in life.

I opened my email late evening and I have received the written invitation. May 22-24, I will be around United Nations Plaza to witness how this IFP program changed the life of thousands of people, young smart people who did not have equality of opportunities in their countries; buy they needed the money in order to get a higher education in top universities in the world. I am one of them; I was one of them, one of these privileged persons in the world who had a scholarship from Ford Foundation.

Thanks IFP-Ford Foundation, Thanks Dr. Joan Dassin