Who's at the dinner table?

I joined a group last minute this evening leaving work headed to dinner. I serendipitously ended up in the middle of invigorating dinner table conversation. I talked at length with two colleagues across from me working to integrate quality improvement in the HIV/AIDS care and treatment systems here in Rwanda. I shared information about efforts at the National Cancer Institute toward connecting health outcomes to quality of care, and particularly about my experience working on patient-centered care initiatives. They were very interested and shared about elements they hope to include in a program here coaching and training trainers in the Rwandan health care system using various process indicators to track and ultimately improve the quality of care for HIV/AIDS. This was right up my alley and it was so great to connect my experience in DC with work here! I am excited to connect them with colleagues at NIH. On my left I found a friend who is working directly with the Ministry of Infrastructure in Rwanda to tackle energy issues. This is not right up my alley but I was fascinated to hear about possible solutions to energy crises and energy access problems in Rwanda. Further down the table I talked with a colleague who has worked in many African countries and shared about her dissertation on colonization in African countries. I commented about how I awoke this morning feeling the weight of the historical impact and footprint we have on a country like Rwanda- swooping in with millions of dollars in aid and then theoretically swooping out at some point. We discussed topics of great importance to me right now including sustainability and systems strengthening; critical to working successfully as a guest in a developing country. Another colleague brought her parents who are visiting Rwanda for 15 days. It was a joy to talk with them about their impressions and inquiries about what to see and do, and made me miss my own parents even more. On top of all of that, we ate at my favorite restaurant- stunning views and the best fish kebabs in the city. Just another typical evening in Kigali!