The Drive to Do Balanced With the Benefits of Being

Description

This presentation is intended to promote thought and discourse on the philosophy of sufficiency, the inherent potential in rural communities of east Africa, sustainable development approaches, and the cultural propensity of Americans to seek and implement solutions to problems. Hermansen leads small-group discovery trips to east Africa for people who are interested in expanding their world view while contemplating their own life, gifts and potential. Hermansen first visited Africa in 2005 as a volunteer in an ambitious project to create an accessible, safe and sustainable water source in a rural village in the highlands of Tanzania. She has returned multiple times to three countries to study, document, and participate in various rural development projects. Her understanding of the causes and results of poverty continues to grow and she has observed varied situations involving aid and development. She also maintains active involvement in local Wisconsin community development.