Sara Triggs in the Philippines

I have always harbored an intense curiosity for different people, places, and things. Not only has this created an intense desire for me to learn about the world, but it has also prompted me to ask questions about why poverty exists, why the earth is being destroyed, and why some groups of people are treated different from others. Not surprisingly, my decision to study Sociology at University of Victoria was a direct result of wanting to answer these questions.

Following my graduation in 2000, this mantra of questioning caused me to embark on a year-long adventure to Australia and South-East Asia, where I worked as a "Jill-of-all-Trades" in both Outback and Aboriginal Australian communities. My excursion continued in Indonesia and Malaysia. When I left Asia in the fall of 2001, I soon came to realize that my childhood curiosity had transformed into something much more profound, this being an immense passion for social justice.

Following my trip in 2001, I reorganized my life with the hope of facilitating positive social change in Southern communities. Subsequently, I have volunteered at a variety of International and local non-governmental organisations, and have continued my learning through post-graduate studies at the Humber Institute in International Project Management. Recently, I have returned from a 9-month contract in the Philippines where I worked on a CIDA funded Municipal Governance initiative. Currently, I am back in the Philippines to work on SCALA, a computer livelihood training project for Filipino youth, with EWB's overseas partner the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Overall, I am enjoying life and am thrilled at the opportunity to learn more about the Philippines, myself, and development in general.