Connor Christensen, MPP/MA’24, a Military-Affiliated Fellow, studied at the Harris School of Public Policy and the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago. Darren Colby, MSCAPP’24, studied at the Harris School of Public Policy and the Department of Computer Science. They used their grant for the project Gardening Community After Conflict to implement a sustainable communal agriculture model in Caquetá, Colombia. This region has experienced decades of conflict, but the 2016 peace accord offers hope. Many farmers are still struggling to transition away from the forced cultivation of illicit crops. Connor and Darren worked with the local government and Amazonia University to establish safe and efficient means of growing, distributing, and selling coffee, cacao, plantains, and other local produce at a price that provides a happy and healthy life for all.

Follow Connor and Darren’s project through their blog.

Astrid Garcia, MPP’23, an international student from Venezuela, studied at the Harris School of Public Policy. She used the grant for the project Community Ambassadors to build leadership capacity in adolescents from low-income communities in Venezuela, based on Model United Nations methodology. Funds from this grant empowered young leaders to become responsible citizens with the skills to develop peaceful solutions towards local and worldwide conflicts.

Follow Astrid’s project through her blog.

These projects are among the twenty projects from members of the International Houses Worldwide community funded at $10,000 each for implementation during the summer of 2023.