Help Juanita finish her PhD

Fundraiser by Ellen Lewis : Help Juanita finish her PhD

Shared on behalf of Prof Gerald Midgley, who says:

Juanita Bernal Alvarado is a Colombian PhD student who is doing exceptional systems research to support conflict resolution, mediation and a culture of peace in Colombia after a 50-year civil war. She has capabilities beyond her years, working with leaders from across the political spectrum, as well as mediators and communities in regions of the country where a formal justice system doesn’t exist.

Juanita’s PhD program requires her to spend a semester overseas working with someone who can mentor her in systems thinking. I have volunteered to be that someone, as I have been working with her supervisor in Colombia for over 25 years to support peace-building.

However, Juanita does not come from a wealthy family, and cannot afford the £5,000 that a semester in the UK will cost. Please help me bring her to the UK so we can work together on systems thinking for peace in Colombia, and then she can return to her home country and continue to make a strong contribution after she graduates.

I very rarely ask friends to donate money, but this is a special case that I really need your help for. If 250 people are willing to donate £20 each (which should surely be possible), we will reach our target. I especially want to reach out to my friends in the systems thinking community – please lend your support.

If you want to read Juanita’s own words about what she is doing, click on the link below, and then click again on “read more”.